Guyana Chronicle E-paper 6-23-2024

Growing electricity demand an ‘offshoot of development’

- President Ali says; highlights GPL is currently working above electricity demand - says gov’t in ‘deep discussion’ to plan for future peak

US-based company is potential partner in monetisation

(Essequibo Islands-West Demerara)

Growing electricity demand an ‘offshoot of development’

— President Ali says; highlights GPL is currently working above electricity demand — says gov’t in ‘deep discussion’ to plan for future peak

By Trina Williams

IN the wake of Guyana’s unprecedented development, the electricity demand has been on the rise. However, the government is in pursuit of ensuring that this growing demand is satisfied.

While the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) has made a significant breakthrough with the attainment of a pivotal power supply ship, President Dr. Irfaan Ali said that already discussions are ongoing to plan for the future peak in demand.

During a press conference at State House on Thursday last, the Head of State highlighted that, because of Guyana’s rapid economic growth, there will be a surge in the need for energy.

He noted that because of the power supply ship, the nation, for the first time in months, has surpassed its electricity demand.

“GPL’s generation capacity now is at 192 megawatts. The current peak demand is 178 megawatts... We’re ahead of the peak demand,” President Ali said, explaining that the 36 megawatts from the power supply ship has assisted in achieving this.

“By the end of this year, we have an expected growth in the demand with 232 megawatts.”

In this regard, he said

that while the power supply ship has provided some ease, Guyana’s exponential growth has contributed to the system’s evolvement and, as a result, the demand will continue to rise. With that said, Dr Ali noted that there has to be planning to ensure that the future capacity is met.

“Now we expect this to be far different because when we reduce the cost of electricity, which we will, that growth will even grow further because everybody who is off the grid will come on the grid. So right now, we are in deep discussion on how we’re going to ensure that we pre-plan for the type of growth that will take place.”

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government has not placed all of its eggs in one basket as the government has been mulling several projects to aid in bolstering the energy transformation.

And while the President noted that the gas-to-energy project at Wales, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara (Region Three) will provide a series of benefits, such as reducing electricity costs significantly, the PPP/C administration is currently at the drawing board crafting more plans to better the lives of Guyanese.

Notably, the gas-to-energy project will see a 200-km, 12-inch-diametre pipeline channeling natural gas from the Liza Phase One and Liza Phase Two Floating, Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessels to a power plant and Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility that will be built in Wales.

ExxonMobil’s local affiliate, Esso Exploration, and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), the operator in the Stabroek Block, and its

co-venturers are constructing the pipeline.

That pipeline will land on the West Coast Demerara shore, and continue approximately 25 kilometres to the NGL and power-plant facilities. It has an estimated cost of US$1 billion and is cost-recoverable.

In December 2022, the Government of Guyana and US-based integrated energy solutions group, LINDSAYCA, in partnership with a local firm, CH4 Group, signed a US$759 million contract for the construction of the power plant and NGL

facilities.

The conversion of natural gas from ExxonMobil’s offshore operations to electricity is a key component of the PPP/C government’s objective to lower energy costs by at least 50 per cent through an energy mix, which incorporates gas, solar, wind, and “hydro” power.

Even with the power plant on-stream and the additional power that is currently available, the President said that, by the end of next year, the demand will still rise.

The Head of State later disclosed that the govern -

ment is currently evaluating the feasibility of a second major gas initiative to complement the ongoing Gas to Energy project. He also urged for public education to curb the wastage of energy.

The Head of State said: “We have to look at educating the public, because one of the things you see in countries is that when the cost of energy comes down, there is a waste of energy… we have to start very early…on how we educate the public on the efficient and effective use of power.”

The power ship which is providing 36 megawatts (MW) of power to GPL

President Dr. Irfaan Ali

IICA creates special US$250,000 fund to help Caribbean nations reduce food-import bills

- enhance resilience of agriculture sectors

THE Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA) will create a Special Fund for the Caribbean to promote initiatives and actions aimed at assisting countries in the region in meeting the goal of reducing their multi-million-dollar food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025.

The Special Fund for the Caribbean, announced by IICA Director General Manuel Otero, is one of the priorities of the Institute, which will be working closely with that region to strengthen food and nutritional security for the population.

Strengthening the climate resilience of the Caribbean agriculture sector is crucial given that the region is particularly vulnerable to the impact of climate change.

Through the creation

of the Fund in the amount of USD 250,000, the agricultural development and rural well-being agency of the Americas will promote a series of activities aimed at enhancing the resilience of producers and the capacities of the public and private sectors.

“This decision will enable IICA to facilitate greater integration among Caribbean countries through hemispheric partnerships and South-South and triangular cooperation projects that promote food and nutritional security. We are also deepening our commitment to improving the quality of life of people in the Caribbean,” stated Otero in announcing the initiative.

Most Caribbean countries are net food importers and at least seven countries import more than 80 per cent of the food they consume. It is estimated

that the food import bill amounts to USD 6 billion per year.

For this reason, countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have made progress on a project entitled “Vision 25% by 2025”, which seeks to reduce the region’s food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025.

This initiative addresses the need to strengthen food and nutritional security in the Caribbean in an effort to increase local food production, improve intraregional trade and foster the creation of wealth and economic opportunities in the agriculture sector of countries in the region.

CAPACITY BUILDING

Through the Special Fund, IICA developed a program aimed, among other things, at promoting climate-resilient agroecological systems and mechanisms; building capacities for integrated water and soil management; managing agricultural disaster risks; fostering digital technologies; delivering training on

clean seed production and strategic crops such as pineapple and potatoes; driving the adoption of sustainable animal production models to replace and reduce animal protein imports; and promoting agricultural entrepreneurship for young people and women through business incubators.

As part of these initiatives, training workshops, training activities and events will be organised to disseminate good practices related to various crops, sustainable livestock farming, caring for soil health and climate change adap-

tation.

REGIONAL AGREEMENTS

Last August, CARICOM and IICA signed an agreement to prioritise their joint actions in the Caribbean, with a view to achieving joint progress in developing agricultural and rural development policies, bolstering production systems, strengthening value chains, enhancing the resilience of the agriculture sector and improving land use. The agreement was signed by the Director General of IICA and Carla Barnett, Secretary General

of CARICOM.

Additionally, the President of Guyana, Mohammed Irfaan Ali, visited IICA Headquarters in San Jose, Costa Rica last October. IICA is also working together with the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) to support key technological actions in the region by means of a financing fund. The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is one of IICA’s partners in addressing the challenges posed by food security in the region.

Guyana’s President, Dr Irfaan Ali and IICA’s Director General, Manuel Otero

FAO stresses need to ensure sustainability of bioenergy in achieving climate goals and SDGs

(FAO) - THE Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) 11th Bioenergy Week officially kicked off last week at the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) headquarters, bringing together over 120 stakeholders from 27 nations, including country representatives, experts, industry leaders and researchers.

The international conference which concluded on Friday, aims to catalyse discussions and initiatives on advancing sustainable bioenergy as a key solution for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and implementing the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Related topics include climate-change mitigation, food security, better land use, and sustainable energy for all.

"We really have to look at bioenergy in the global setting of the transformation of agrifood systems. Our FAO’s Energy-Smart Agrifood Systems programme recognises that sustainable bioenergy is a key opportunity to diversify farmer income, increase locally available energy sources, and enhance the circularity of organic waste... All this, builds farmers’ resilience to climate change impacts and contributes to decarbonising many economic sectors, in alignment with FAO’s Strategy on Climate Change 2022-2031,’’ said FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo delivering remarks at the opening ceremony.

“Sustainable bioenergy can help to increase food security and nutrition,’’ she added. The week is organised by FAO in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, both of whom are founding members of GBEP, a partnership hosted by FAO, and initiated in response to the Gleneagles Plan of Action in 2005 by the G8 +5 countries. Since 2006, GBEP has had an active role in advancing knowledge and public awareness on modern bioenergy, also providing tools for monitoring, evaluating and guiding the in-

creased sustainability of the bioenergy sector. As of today, the GBEP sustainability indicators for bioenergy are the most widely recognised and agreed set of indicators for assessing the sustainability of all types of bioenergy pathways.

Bioenergy is derived from organic material, known as biomass, such as plants, agricultural residues, animal manure, and municipal waste. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), it is the largest source of renewable energy. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recognises bio-

energy has the potential to be a high-value and large-scale mitigation option to support many different parts of the energy system.

Given its key role in climate action, and also to ensure clean and universal energy access while also enhancing food security and preserving biodiversity, FAO considers it crucial to embrace the complexities of bioenergy and develop it in a sustainable way including by considering local environmental, social, economic and political contexts. FAO’s Climate Change Strategy for 2022-2031

Teacher nabbed with ‘ganja’ at her home granted bail

ON Friday, a 24-year-old teacher who was initially placed on remand after being found with marijuana at her Public Road, Ruimveldt, Georgetown home was granted $300,000 bail.

Psyiffia Boodram was granted her pre-trial liberty by Magistrate Leron Daly, before whom she appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, her lawyer Bernard DaSilva said. Her case will now continue on July 5, 2024, for report and disclosure.

It is alleged that on May 29, 2024, she had 3015 grammes of cannabis sativa (marijuana) in her possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Boodram has denied the allegation. Reports state that on the day in question, Police ranks from Regional Division 4 ‘A’ conducted a cordon-andsearch exercise in the Ruimveldt community.

Upon arrival at Boodram’s home, they identified themselves, and informed her they’d received information that she had narcotics at the location. As such, the cops requested

to search the premises. While searching the house, police ranks came across a bedroom on the upper flat, which was secured with a padlock.

After asking Boodram to open the lock, ranks entered the bedroom and discovered 11 transparent Ziploc bags containing a quantity of leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis.

The woman was informed of the offence committed, cautioned, arrested, and escorted, along with the suspected narcotics, to the East La Penitence Police Station. The suspected

narcotics, which were photographed and weighed in her presence, amounted to 3,015 grammes.

The substances were then placed in an evidence bag, marked, sealed, and lodged.

While at the station, Boodram reportedly admitted that the drugs belonged to her, according to the prosecutor. However, her lawyer is contending that the narcotic was found in a shop-like structure in front of his client’s home. He said that the structure is open to members of the public.

also highlights the need for accessible renewables, including sustainable bioenergy.

The GBEP Bioenergy Week provides an important platform to exchange views, best practices, and lessons learned in meeting global energy needs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through sustainable bioenergy while safeguarding food security and environmental sustainability.

In his remarks, Francesco Corvaro, Italy’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, emphasised the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to address climate change, highlighting the potential of bioenergy as a sustainable solution. He also acknowledged its challenges and expressed enthusiasm for introducing new bioenergy technologies and keep supporting FAO in the future.

During the Bioenergy Week, participants will engage in high-level panel discussions on specific themes, such as policy and regulatory frameworks supporting the development and deployment of sustainable bioenergy, linkages between sustainable bioenergy and bioeconomy, and clean cooking solutions. Ahead of the official opening of the 11th GBEP Bioenergy Week, FAO hosted on Monday the first Bioenergy Youth Day, in partnership with the Youth and United Nations Global Alliance (YUNGA). Attended by more than 100 high school and university students, the event aimed to raise awareness among young people

about the potential of sustainable bioenergy in addressing global challenges such as climate change, energy access, and rural development.

In a ceremony, Czaneil Gomez, an engineer from the Philippines, was recognised with the 2024 GBEP Youth Award for her research on an enhanced rice straw biogas pilot facility in her country. ‘’Receiving this award recognises my passion and dedication for finding sustainable approaches for rice farming communities in the Philippines,’’ she said.

The Youth Day also featured interactive sessions, workshops, and presentations by experts in the field of bioenergy, providing young participants with insights into feedstock production, conversion technologies, and the socio-economic impacts of sustainable bioenergy.

Coinciding with the GBEP Bioenergy week, FAO is launching its new FAOSTAT domain on bioenergy. The new statistics expand FAO’s provision of global data on agrifood systems.

The new domain provides information on the production and final consumption of bioenergy by type of biofuel: solid biofuels (animal waste, bagasse, black liquor, charcoal, fuelwood, other vegetal material and residues); liquid biofuels (bio jet kerosene, biodiesel, biogasoline, other liquid biofuels), and gaseous biofuels (biogas).

Psyiffia Boodram

Bioenergy is derived from organic material, known as biomass, such as crops like sorghum

Teachers' Strike

THE industrial action called by the Guyana Teacher's Union (GTU) has ended. According to a release from the Ministry of Education, there will be a full resumption of duties from Tuesday next week to allow for discussions to proceed on a multi-year salary agreement.

Why it took nearly two months of strike action by teachers for an agreement to be reached on ending the strike is, at best, puzzling. The Ministry of Education was at no time opposed to discussing a multi-year salary proposal. It was the insistence by the union on

the period of the agreement that the Government found to be problematic.

The Union had insisted on a commencement period of 2019-2023, which would have had a cascading effect on teachers' emoluments, which, if implemented, would have resulted in a serious distortion of the remuneration structure between teachers and other public servants.

The increases demanded by the GTU would have seen a significant salary anomaly between teachers and their functional superiors. Teachers at the senior management levels are supervised by

Education Officers whose salaries would have been substantially overtaken, relative to that of teachers at the higher end of the Teaching Service Salary Scales, based on the demands of the GTU. In other words, Education Officers are public officers placed on the Public Service Salary Scales. Teachers, on the other hand, are placed on the Teaching Service Salary Scales. Any increase of the magnitude demanded by the Union would result in teachers at the upper echelons, such as headteachers, earning substantially more than their functional superiors.

Such an equation must be factored in on any discussions on salary increases for teachers, failing which it could result in distortions in the remuneration package of those in the Public Service. Of interest to note is that teachers' salaries already compare favourably with those in the public service, having regard to qualifications and experience.

The other important consideration in determining a fair and reasonable package for teachers is the question of affordability. The economy is indeed doing much better, thanks to revenues from

oil, but salary increases beyond the economic capacity to pay and sustain could have inflationary effects, and a consequential erosion of purchasing power.

The above notwithstanding, it is in the best interest of the nation and its children that the strike has ended. The Ministry of Labour must be commended for getting the parties to agree on the terms of resumption, which, hopefully, will be honoured by the parties to the settlement. Critical to any agreement is the element of trust, which the parties have committed to upholding.

Even more important is for the Collective Labour Agreement signed by the parties to be honoured, a fundamental tenet of which is for the grievance procedure to be fully exhausted before industrial action. In the case of this most recent strike action called by the Union, it is clear that the grievance procedure was not followed, resulting in a serious disruption to the teaching/learning process. In the final analysis, it is the nation's children who are at the receiving end of any industrial action taken by teachers.

Rumbling, rambling and rummaging with humorous Guyanese rumours

Dear Editor,

DAY in and day out, Guyana never experiences the saturation of humorous rumours overspilling the tabloids to wonder and ponder at any given time of the day or night, in and out of this wonderful land of many waters and races. Whether it’s in the mainstream of political, economic or social nature, the cup will always overflow with ripe, juicy and hot news, running, rerouting and reuniting its way to grow bigger, better and braver as it gravely travels from ear to ear!

For instance, rape, attempted rape or the threat of rape, is not the tip of the iceberg but is top of the menu for appetizers. Jean Carrol is certainly a sweet carol and music to the ears while being a ‘trump’ card, and making

head and heatwaves to favour the realms of fantastic flavours. The favourite lyrics are washing on the Guyanese seashore.

The ‘touch of India’ has a boomerang effect on Guyanese politricks. Desirous of leading a party that has been cloned with the icon of ancestors of a particular origin, those in contrast to those “who cannot think for themselves,” may want to spare a moment and consider how the just concluded Indian election was conducted, more so, how quickly the votes were counted. 640 million citizens went to the Indian poll and within a matter of 6 weeks, the polls closed, the votes counted, the results were published and a government was sworn in. A certain wizard computed that it would take 155 days to recount less than half a million

Guyanese votes! Talk about calculating the majority of 65 with mathematical geniuses and coining the ‘mentally lazy’ term, bringing back sorrowful memories!

The dreadful agony of apartheid from a previous South Africa pampers the illusion of a few Guyanese, daydreaming with fictitious fantasies. Those warped minds were harnessed and returned to reality when Afrieximbank announced a loan of US$500 million to President Ali’s PPP/C government. The African business leaders are making a mockery of those who claim apartheid exists in Guyana.

The acronym, “old is gold,” is the golden oldies which remain irresistible. From the days of yore, buccaneers pirated the seas for golden coins and pieces of jewelry. The pioneers

explored and exploited the land for nature’s gift. As ‘the New World’ was invaded by intruders, the colonialists grabbed and shipped out Guyana’s gold. Now, Guyana’s gold is being ‘flown’ out without the flight of any imagination. While many detractors, naysayers and insurgents are clamoring for the glamour of shutting down the oil and gas industry and the sugar industry, investors are hunting opportunities to be part of the ‘gold mine’ in Guyana. The many overseas business companies want to partner with their Guyanese counterparts. They remain optimistic with the positive advancement of the PPP/C government to develop and advance the country as the fastest growing country in this hemisphere with the highest GDP per capita. This contradicts the

negative picture painted by those who see everything wrong with anu project undertaken by this progressive administrator.

A Cambio had its license revoked by the Bank of Guyana, a senior official resigned, smugglers were caught at the airport trying to ship out gold illegally, there were numerous drug busts, planes, boats and other properties were confiscated from the ‘underworld,’ many fields cultivating marijuana/ ganga are being destroyed and many drug traffickers are being caught and jailed. The Police and other law enforcement agencies are certainly stepping up in the detection and prevention of illegal activities. More planes, patrol boats, vehicles and motor cycles are being provided by the Government to help in this fight against crime. Now,

with an additional 1200 body cameras, more transparency in police activities is anticipated and the expectation of ‘left or right’ will see some hesitation.

It wasn’t Lawrence of Arabia but one closer home who said back in 2018, “We got to bring more like them in…Comrades, politics is a numbers game.” A convoluted, compromising or corrupt comment? Then again, “The only friends I got is PNC so the only people I gon give wuk to is PNC and right now I looking for a doctor who can talk Spanish or Portuguese and ah want one that is PNC.” A confirmation of a carefully crafted concept conceived and not concealed? Blows are flying like butterflies and stinging with the venom of bees as the PNC

Remember this day in 2020 and the hypocrites who stayed silent

DURING the election disaster of 2020 (I refused to continue to use words like fiasco, imbroglio etc; they cannot describe the depth of the political chasm Guyana was facing), I did not refrain from my usual routine. So, I was jogging in the National Park where I encountered someone I knew well, a well-known African restaurant owner whose business I often patronised.

We began to talk about the election horror that was unfolding before the eyes of the world. He refused to denounce the rigging and told me he preferred a rigged election to Jagdeo returning to power.

Our argument became vociferous and I denounced him for equating Jagdeo with the nation of Guyana. I asked what happens then to free and fair elections. I asked him to explain how the ANPU+AFC came to power if it weren’t for the right of Guyanese to vote for whom they want to rule. We no longer speak. He sees me in the park, and we just pass each other. I couldn’t be bothered. I fought all my adult life for Guyana to have free elections and even at my age I will continue to do so.

On this very day, in 2020, one of the most dangerous re-

versions to horrible, Faustian times in Guyana occurred. On this day, June 23, 2020, Chief Election Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, declared the results of the CARICOM supervised recount. This was Lowenfield’s declaration for the March 2020 election.

The CEO’s figure was arrived at based on a 2/1 split decision of the Court of Appeal (CoA) that only valid votes must be counted. Justice Brassington Reynolds and Dawn GregoryBarnes voted for “valid votes only” while Justice Rishi Persaud dissented. The use of the term “valid” was another stratagem by the APNU and AFC to ensure that they stayed in power. No human could fathom what the CoA meant by valid votes since the March 2020 tabulation and the CARICOM recount used valid votes to arrive at the results.

Lowenfield used the CoA direction to remove 115, 844 votes that legitimately were counted in the March tabulation and the recount because they were the normal, legal, legitimate, valid votes you find in any election. The erasure of 115, 844 votes gave the PNC/AFC a majority of ballots. This humongous removal of votes was the second

decision of the CEO.

He previously announced that the valid votes cast were 460, 352. In the second decision, he declared total votes of 344, 508. The numbers from the recount were 223,336 for the PPP giving that party victory. But when the CEO did his mumbo jumbo, the PPP ended up with 166, 343. According to the bogus figure of the CEO, the APNU+AFC won the election with 171, 825 votes.

On this date in 2020, these macabre things happened in Guyana that hundreds of thousands witnessed since the first rigged poll in 1968 and after. Now here is what I will ask all patriotic Guyanese in and out of the land to do. Go back to this day in 2020, and the days after and see if you can find even an infinitesimal utterance of condemnation of the most graphically rigged election in any country in the world by the following people who tell Guyanese that Guyana is not a democracy.

We must never forget these names. They have no right to be part of the future shape of this country. Guyana Human Rights Association; Transparency International –Guyana chapter; Red Thread; Help and Shelter; the Walter Rodney family; SASOD;

Rumbling, rambling and rummaging...

From page 6

Congress approaches. Burnham had his face imprinted on exercise books. Who will be the next ambitious applicant?

After centuries of being asleep, the dead has awakened and not a sleeping giant. The ‘B’, the ‘C’ and the ‘N’ words are no longer applicable, allowed or admitted. Secretly, they were ‘admired’ and addressed appropriately. Will Martin Carter have to rewrite his poem, “I come from the N…..yard?” Would he have resisted the change? Guess we have to let ‘sleep-

ing dogs lie.’ By the way, those from the mixed race, will they be objecting to the ‘D’ word…..Dougla? Amendment to follow Honorable Minister! We may as well clean the slate.

Gudakesh Motie has spun his way to being named Men’s ICC Player of the Month for May 2024. Again, Guyana is on top of the world and making noise as a tourist attraction to travelers from around the world. With so many visitors bombarding the country daily, it’s not only Guyanese from the Diaspora but

Vanda Radzik-Veira; Danuta Radzik-Veira, Isaballe DeCaires; Nigel Westmass and his brother Yuri Westmaas; Eusi Kwayana; Alissa Ttotz and her column named “In The Diaspora”; Moses Bhagwan; Dr. Clive Thomas; Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine; Oil and Gas Governance Network; Dr. Bertrand Ramcharran who ought to know better since he was acting UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; the

anti-oil lobby that includes the amorphous group I refer to as The Usual Suspects.

I could go on but space would not allow for it. These names criticise the practice of democracy in Guyana and want us to either get out of oil production or renegotiate the ExxonMobil contract. Guyana much less oil would not have existed if we went over the chasm on June 23, 2020. I gave my entire life since

I became a PPP polling agent in the first rigged national election in 1968 fighting with fellow Guyanese and into my advanced age I had to endure the horror of June 23, 2020. And to think there are people in our midst who stood silent and refused to raise their voices on what happened to 115, 883 votes on this date in 2020. They are people we should de-recognise.

others who are seeing and seeking the beauty of the country. The Government is providing financial help for those desirous of getting spectacles. Many from the opposite side may need to take advantage of the Government’s programme. Thankfully, the oil revenue is being properly utilized. But the rumbling, rambling and rummaging of humorous Guyanese rumours will not stop but add sunshine on a rainy day.

Yours respectfully, Jai Lall

Digital transformation: improving government service delivery

IN an era where technology and digital transformation are driving global development, Services have emerged as a catalyst for national development. Electronic services or eServices as they are commonly called, refer to services that are delivered over the internet or some other electronic network. These services range from education, healthcare, public administration, national security, etc. and are revolutionising the way we operate. They offer avenues for increased efficiency, inclusivity, and transparency.

The Government of Guyana, through the Office of the Prime Minister, continues to focus on the development of citizen-centric solutions for the delivery of government services to the people of Guyana.

Through the National Data Management Authority (NDMA), an agency under the umbrella of the Office of the Prime Minister, the government’s mission for delivering innovative eServices, tailored to the unique

needs of government agencies and their service beneficiaries continues. To this end, NDMA has developed a range of eServices to enhance efficiency, improve service delivery, and ensure the security and sustainability of software solutions delivered to all government entities.

By digitising public services, government aims to streamline processes, reduce bureaucracy, and minimise avenues for adverse human interventions, thereby fostering a more transparent and accountable governance framework. These services also have the potential to offer convenience, accessibility, efficiency, cost savings, improved customer experiences, real-time updates and notifications, and enhanced data security and privacy for those who utilise them.

eService development within government is a collaborative process, with the Ministry or agency providing the service working closely with NDMA to create stateof-the-art software solutions, making their services more accessible and promoting cit-

izen-centric solutions as part of the government’s digital transformation agenda.

NDMA’s current collaborations include working with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security to improve the old age pension system; now allowing pensioners to apply online and decide how their payments are disbursed, whether via commercial banks, MMG, or traditional pension books. Working with the Ministry of Labour on a mobile application for Labour advice and complaints, this application allows individuals to file official complaints to the Ministry and businesses have a convenient mechanism to seek advice on addressing the needs of their employees.

Most recently, NDMA’s eServices Division developed a Planning and Development Single Window System for the Central Housing & Planning Authority (CH&PA), local authorities, and partner agencies to process applications for land development. The system allows local and foreign developers to easily consult and apply for land development without the burden of directly coordinating submissions to several different government bodies. Additionally, the system allows for centralised payment for applications, eliminating the need for payments to be made to individual agencies. It also allows for real-time feedback on application status and permits. More information on these services can be found

on the ministries' websites. Further, eServices play a critical role in bridging geographical and social divides. In many countries like Guyana, remote communities often have limited access to essential government services. The deployment of eServices and the supporting Information Communication Technology (ICT) ensure that these populations are not left behind. For example, online government services allow citizens in remote regions to go to a WiFiGY location and apply for services like pension benefits without the need to travel long distances.

However, the implementation of eServices alone is not sufficient to bridge existing gaps and transform

government service delivery. To ensure that these services are accessible, the necessary connectivity services must be made available, and citizens should be equipped with the knowledge and skills required to use them.

To this end, NDMA has led numerous initiatives to integrate digital technology into public services. The Authority has expanded internet connectivity nationwide, ensuring that even the most remote areas are not excluded from the digital revolution whilst ramping up its cybersecurity awareness campaigns. Office of the Prime Minister’s Industry and Innovation Unit has also launched several ICT training and talent development initiatives, while the ICT Access and eServices for Hinterland, Poor, and Remote Communities Project continues to establish ICT hubs across the country. Initiatives like these have not only improved public service delivery but also enhance digital literacy among the population.

Factoring invoices to ensure early payments for local suppliers in the oil and gas industry

RELIEF may be on the horizon for local businesses dealing with timely payment woes in Guyana's oil and gas industry. Historically, these businesses have faced protracted payment cycles, sometimes extending up to 90 days post-invoice submission. This delay has posed considerable challenges for local suppliers.

In response to these challenges, the Local Content Secretariat introduced a mandate for oil and gas companies to expedite payments, reducing the window to 30-45 days upon receipt of a correct invoice. This regulatory shift was lauded as a transformative step, aimed at enhancing cash flow for Guyanese businesses and fostering a more supportive economic environment.

Despite these advancements, the 30-45-day payment period still presents hurdles. Local businesses often navigate rigorous invoicing protocols, where any deviation can trigger additional delays. This situation prompted Guyanese enterprises to voice their concerns, highlighting the persistent financial bottlenecks.

Acknowledging these on -

going issues, President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, has urged oil and gas companies to ensure prompt payments. Echoing this call to action, Alistair Routledge, President of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited, affirmed the company's commitment to addressing payment delays and collaborating with local suppliers to identify viable solutions.

One such solution under consideration is the implementation of invoice factoring. This financial mechanism allows businesses to sell their invoices to third-party financial institutions at a discount, thereby obtaining immediate cash flow without incurring additional debt. Routledge elaborated on this approach stating, "By collaborating with financial institutions, we can provide companies with an option to access funds as soon as a valid invoice is submitted, even if standard payment terms are longer. This initiative ensures continuous cash flow, enabling businesses to meet their obligations and invest in future growth.”

Invoice factoring is anticipated to be a welcome development for Guyanese businesses, particularly in the context of

the Government of Guyana's revised and expanded Local Content Act. This legislation designates 40 sectors for exclusive Guyanese participation, including key services such as accommodation, janitorial, food supply, accounting, legal, and customs brokerage.

As of April 2024, over 800 companies have been incorporated into the Ministry of Natural Resources Local Content Register. In 2022, registered companies collectively earned US $440 million, with a nearly 20 percent increase in 2023, reaching US $524 million. These figures underscore the significant economic impact of local content regulations, amounting to nearly $1 billion in revenue.

The synergy between the updated Local Content Act and the rapidly expanding oil and gas sector is poised to create substantial employment opportunities for local businesses. The adoption of invoice factoring will be crucial in ensuring that these businesses can sustain their operations, manage expenses efficiently, and continue to thrive in a dynamic economic landscape.

Regional educator advocates for more technical and vocational education training across CARICOM

THE Principal of Saint Lucia’s highest tertiary institution gladly welcomes the government’s decision to place Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) on a higher plane through conversion at some secondary schools and calls for its wider regional engagement.

Dr. Madgerie Jameson-Charles, a veteran educator with decades of regional and international experience, was appointed Principal of the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC) last August -- and is also a strong proponent for more TVET across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

Interviewed on a recent edition of ‘Talking TVET’ -- a programme by the Education Ministry’s TVET Unit hosted by Phil Henderson – the principal offered numerous examples of TVET’s transformative power.

She gave a brief historical view of what sparked her lifelong professional journey through a subject she’s taught and promoted, at home and abroad, for nearly fourand-a-half decades.

Dr. Jameson-Charles’ extensive academic background includes a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from The University of the West Indies (The UWI), a Master Degree in Education for Employment from the University of Sheffield and a Ph. D in Education Learning and Instruction in Higher Education from the University of Otago in New Zealand.

She’s also a certified Hospitality Department Trainer from Education International and American Hotel and Lodging, pursued while doing her Master in Education for Employment.

A former lecturer and coordinator of several education programmes at The UWI’s St. Augustine Campus in Trinidad & Tobago, the SALCC Principal revealed, “I didn’t choose teaching…teach-

ing chose me!”

After secondary school, she actually wanted to sail on the then-popular Cunard Line cruise ships.

‘Madge’ was repeatedly encouraged by family and friends to become “a teacher or a nurse”, but, “I always really wanted to go out on the sea, or in the sky, or somewhere out there…”

Bu her career remained at sea -- until March 1, 1980, “when I got a call from a nun at the Ave Maria Primary School” in Castries, inviting her to “hold on” (act) for a teacher, “for three months…”

‘Madge’ initially rejected the nun’s offer, but was eventually encouraged to accept, as it was “for only three months…”

Forty-four years later, Dr. Jameson-Charles told Henderson: “It’s still three months…”

Her first ‘three-month’ stint as an ‘acting’ school teacher extended to five long years, during which Ms. Jameson-Charles developed her lifelong love affair with schools, teachers and students.

The principal is understandably happy today that the island’s Ministry of Education recently took TVET permanently to four secondary schools: Grand Riviere (Gros Islet), Marigot, Piaye and Anse Ger.

Drawing on the telling lesson of a medical surgeon who told a TVET class at St. Augustine that learning crochet as a child helped sharpen his surgical dexterity, the SALCC Principal urged policymakers, teachers and parents to challenge themselves to always apply, in life and at work, the many useful skills learnt while growing-up.

Described by the host as ‘a passionate advocate of TVET’, Dr Jameson-Charles calls for more national and regional recognition for the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) system (that’s already operational at SALCC), explaining its

importance for student admissions and progress.

She compares Saint Lucia’s TVET initiatives with similar programmes elsewhere, equally stressing adaptability to national conditions.

The interviewee addresses issues like ‘Challenges in TVET Education - From Advocacy to Implementation’ and highlights ‘Innovative Teaching Methods’, as well as ‘Becoming Effective CVQ Facilitators’.

Offering what Henderson describes as ‘Words of Wisdom’ with ‘valuable advice to educators and policymakers aiming to enhance TVET programmes and their impact,’ the regional educator also gave ‘valuable insights and practical advice’ that ‘resonate with educators, students and policymakers,’ or persons simply-curious about vocational education.

The SALCC principal says TVET is necessary for Caribbean education and should be employed more widely across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

She also articulates the interconnections between personal skills and phases of growth; and the importance of improving technical skills in changing times, through ever-evolving innovation.

Dr Jameson-Charles maintains it’s a major mistake for Caribbean societies to continue embracing the outmoded colonial approach of classifying children as ‘slow learners’, simply because they may take longer to embrace new skills, therefore being consigned to special ‘caring’ institutions.

She revealed that SALCC recently converted a traditional fuel-pow-

ered vehicle into the institution’s first homemade Electric Vehicle (EV), built by students with different levels of adaptation, but working together.

The SALCC principal advocates marrying knowledge and skills with competence and adopting a common regional standard Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) system.

She also explained the differences in levels and pace of adaptation according to personality and experience, especially relating to so-called ‘slow-learners’.

Indeed, almost everyone anywhere knows a student who can build and fix gadgets – from

cell phones to computers -- or who win regional or international online contests that reveal who they really are, more-than their end-of-term exam results.

Dr Jameson-Charles highly-recommends that Caribbean teachers today – especially at nonTVET schools – should be trained to avoid adopting the ‘slow learners’ syndrome that effectively consigns students to also grow up slowly.

The interview also coincided with another announcement by the Education Ministry that should please the principal: its support for a ‘Save Our Boys’ initiative by the Saint Lucia Social Development Fund (SSDF) to promote “in-

creased male participation in mentorship activities” among 120 young men.

The gender-bias of the project – funded by the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) -- was directly endorsed by Education Minister, Shawn Edwards.

The minister points to the nursing profession here, where only 21.6% are males – in a vocation with no gender barriers, but still largely considered only for women in societies still only seeing nurses as Nightingales.

TVET and CVQ are tried-and-tested elements that have long positively assisted Caribbean people before they earned their acronyms, proving eternally helpful to those who, without formal education, studiously applied what they learned growing up to their life’s work.

Today, however, they’re no longer concepts, but actually available means to all possible ends.

PNC/R is gasping in the pool, and the laps haven't started yet

ON one side of the political aisle of this country, you see a leadership that is confident, strategic, goal-oriented, transparent and determined. From the top down to junior ministers in the PPP/C government, the path to growth and prosperity could never have been clearer for the Guyanese.

That much was evident at President Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s press conference last Thursday. It was nothing short of a world-class performance. He came prepared with a slide projected on two large TV screens that served as a roadmap, not for himself, but rather for his audiencejournalists with loads of critical, if not hostile questions.

He addressed the strides his government has made in every major sector from financial reform, to housing, water, agriculture and infrastructure projects. And when demand for electricity exceeded supply, he explained how his government took deliberate steps to add 36 megawatts of energy to the GPL grid and hit the pause button to the country’s ‘blackout woes.’

There was plenty to go on, but the journalists who

came with an axe to grind peppered him instead about the U.S. Treasury Department’s sanctions of the Mohameds. The President stated the obvious, the rule of law applies equally to everyone.

A reporter shot back: “Didn’t you use a vehicle owned by the Mohameds’ during the 2020 elections?” The President fired back: it is public knowledge that he did, clarifying that his use of the courtesy vehicle ended the day he took office. For some reason perhaps having to do with their collective amnesia, these same reporters failed to ask the president for his reaction to the resumption of the long-anticipated trial of GECOM officials who stand

accused of colluding with members of APNU-AFC to steal the 2020 vote. And no one bothered to ask the President for his reaction to the apparent implosion of Guyana’s official opposition party.

On the opposite side of the political aisle, you see a disparate group with aspirations that borders on hubris. The opposition wants to form the next government, but a week away from the PNC/R’s biennial Congress, no one really knows who is leading the APNU coalition or whether the AFC will stick with the alliance.

Vincent Henry of the Guyana Action Party (GAP) insists on being the chair of APNU. Aubrey Norton,

leader of the PNC/R, said he was not notified of the meeting that elected Henry, evidence of a colossal failure in the most basic function of a political party - communication. Norton declared the results of the vote taken at the APNU meeting as “null and void.” Now, he too, is insisting on being the leader of the partnership. It appears that ‘partnership’ and ‘unity’ are proving to be elusive with this group.

During the nomination process, Norton took the bulk of the nominations leaving Roysdale Forde, Amanza Walton-Desir and a slew of others in the dust. Clearly, the voting members of the party want a leader who is untaint-

ed by the 2020 scandal.

Forde and Walton-Desir are beholden to former President David Granger, the same PNC/R president who played deaf, dumb and blind while his cadre of servile party insiders carried out his bidding to steal the 2020 vote, according to the Commission of Inquiry into allegations of fraud perpetrated by GECOM and APNU+AFC.

Forde and company have a hard time accepting defeat. They unfurled a list of allegations against Norton and his team, ranging from a tainted membership list to a fraudulent nomination process and the apparent lack of transparency. Norton held his ground, seemingly unphased by trash-talking members of a party with very little finances in its coffers.

Then came a flurry of allegations against Norton from one Egland Gomes, a U.S.-based Guyanese and a supporter of the pro-Granger cabal. Gomes purports himself as someone who has an inside track on the shenanigans taking place in the deep dark rooms of the PNC/R. He questions Norton’s competency and in the same breath praises Forde’s lack of political baggage. To an outsider,

it sounds as if he is praising a political neophyte, a person with big ambitions and zero leadership experience. Spin goes two ways - clockwise and counter-clockwise. Scoring points before Justice Sandil Kissoon can cause a lawyer to feel swell-headed. And just last week, Gomes coughed up a startling allegation of sexual assault against Norton. It forced Norton to respond and he did so without hesitation. The alleged victim in question issued her version of the alleged incident which apparently took place in Norton’s vehicle somewhere along the Soesdyke-Linden highway. There were of course no eye-witnesses to the alleged incident. I am forced to use “alleged” many times because it comes down to a person’s reputation and who is to be believed.

As the days and hours inch closer to the PNC/R much delayed Congress it will be interesting for Guyanese to compare the fabric of two political parties. The PPP/C stands tall and proud of its achievements and on the other hand, the PNC/R is gasping in the pool and the laps haven’t even started.

What Vanessa Kissoon said

FORMER People’s National Congress (PNC) Parliamentarian, Vanessa Kissoon, made an explosive and telling admission to the public about the Opposition Leader and incumbent PNC party leader, Aubrey Norton.

Responding to Norton's call to set the record straight, Kissoon alleged that she was the victim of sexual harassment at his hands. She also alleged that Norton threatened to rape her with the use of a gun.

The woman activist and teacher said though Norton did not act on his alleged threats, she felt hurt and carried the burden of his threats, disrespect and violation “for years.”

Kissoon, breaking down in tears, also alleged that she never permitted anyone to tell her story but she did not deny the contents of that story. “No person should be subjected to such inappropriate sexual advances and the use of threats,” she said telling others that they have a lot to learn and unlearn about the reality of sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, and violation in the realm of politics and society.

Two days later, the PNC said

to the media it had organised a Council of the Elders to investigate this allegation which it deemed serious.

Firstly, Kissoon's allegations of sexual harassment and gun threats are dreadful and telling just like the allegations made against any other politician, man or woman. They deserve to be treated seriously and should be probed by the Guyana Police Force and the relevant civil society organisations, as well as, non-governmental organisations.

The victim is already having to relive her alleged trauma in public and the PNC is totally out of order to even suggest that it will insert itself in this case. The PNC party should not be seen condoning sexual harassment at any level. It should ask Norton to step aside and postpone the upcoming Congress pending the outcome of this particular matter. Nothing else will do and the opposition party will enjoy the public’s full support and confidence in doing the right thing as challenging as it may seem.

Secondly, the public and party leadership do not have any confidence in this so-called Council of Elders, of which

Hamilton Green is a part and seems to be steering. Anything that this rigging man is involved in is highly suspicious and irregular. He is close to the leader and should step aside from being a part of the sham parade.

Now, Volda Lawrence too should be ashamed for being a part of this Council and dragging the PNC Women’s Arm into this drama. As a former Minister of Social Protection, Lawrence knows too well what is the ordeal women face when making allegations of sexual violation against men like Norton. It is more than disappointing that Lawrence and other senior women did not offer support to Kissoon and some form of counselling at the least.

Kissoon is hurting, broken and shattered while Lawrence, Green and the other PNC members are busy with their preparations for Congress. This is happening before our eyes. This is what the PNC under Norton is becoming, cruel and emotionless.

From the verbiage used at the hastily called press conference on Friday, it does not seem like Green and Lawrence believe the story told by Kissoon. This is sad and most unfortunate but it is telling that the party would go to the lengths to cover up this scandal and allegations of sexual harassment allegedly by its leader but would not have the same energy for the victim.

Thirdly, Kissoon continues

to be violated and wronged by her party’s leadership for her outspoken and candid way. Kissoon was suspended wrongfully already in the PNC and was made to resign from certain key portfolios in Linden during the period 2008 to 2017. The party can ill-afford to treat this allegation badly. It must not let this allegation be swept under the carpet simply because a leadership challenge is looming and Congress is coming.

The PNC must know that putting together this Kangaroo Court of party geriatrics will not fool anyone or will not have a diversionary impact on the public. They cannot weather this storm so easily and the earthquake is yet to be known that is coming

at the congress that will threaten to upset the status quo.

Finally, Norton is innocent until proven guilty by an acceptable tribunal of law. Equally, Kissoon's story is true until proven otherwise by acceptable parties. The PNC is wrong to arrogate to itself the job of being the jury and making recommendations. A competent legal and impartial probe is necessary in the extant matter.

Norton is concerned that this case will impact the membership of the party and his chances of winning the leadership of the party. He doesn’t care about the act and his image; he is seemingly more concerned about the Congress race that he is allegedly rigging. And, the public is waiting patiently on organisations like the Red Thread and a group of women’s rights activists to come forward and condemn the alleged act of sexual inappropriateness committed by Norton. Waiting with bated breath. If the shoe was on the foot on the other side, there would have been a mountain of statements and protests already. Wrong cannot be right!

Youth, middle-to-low-income families targetted in major agriculture plans

THE development of the agriculture sector and sustainable food security have long been key objectives for Guyana's current administration. At a press conference on Thursday last, President Mohamed Irfaan Ali shared some of the proactive and commendable advancements currently taking place in the sector and the role the nation’s people will play in it.

The Brackish Water Shrimp project is among the innovative ventures and is reportedly doing exceedingly well. Speaking about this project and others in the aquaculture sector, the President noted, “In 2023, production soared by 54 per cent compared to 2022. From 2021 to 2023, there was an increase of 755 per cent, from 112,000 kg to almost a million kg.”

He further added, “The target is to achieve a pro -

duction of 1.5 million kg by 2025. The prawns project is going exceedingly well, with 10 ponds under construction. The first pond is already stocked. With three crop cycles annually for 10 ponds, we can achieve a production of 360 tons of shrimp valued at 1.4 billion Guyana dollars.”

The President emphasised that these endeavours aim to prove the country’s model to the larger banking sector. He added that this is just the first step in developing the sector to provide young Guyanese with better opportunities by supplying them with more than 100 acres of land, with 35 per cent being allocated to women.

“We are going to work with them, with technical support from Indonesia, our support, extension support from the Ministry of Agriculture, and financing from the bank.”

He further added, “We are going to deploy that land as assets to the bank and develop large-scale production in that area owned by young people of Guyana. Building opportunities in our food production and food security plan and creating business opportunity and growing more young people to middle and upper level of the economic system.”

Low and middle-income

families are also a major focus for the sector. The President gave a detailed outline of a new project said to be developed with low-income individuals and families in mind.

“We are launching a new product for low-income families, a homestead approach. We are looking to develop 50 by 100 plots on the highway, which would be as productive as a five-acre plot. We

want to give low-income houses at the same price but add a number of coconut trees or breadfruit in the front yard, linking this to future agro-processing facilities.”

He added, “At the back of the yard, we will have a shade house measuring 20 by 40. We also plan to install solar systems to support low electricity costs for the homes. Economically, this shade house would comfortably carry the load for the home and give that family income. We are targeting 500 families in the first instance, with a project cost of around six billion dollars. We are looking to get the local private sector and the banking sector involved in this so we can create wealth in every level of our society.”

In stating major achievements for the year, the Presidnet added that coconut production has increased by 50 per cent; by 2025,

the government aims to be self-sufficient in black-eyed peas and red beans. Approximately 450 hectares have been cultivated with an investment of close to US$3 million. The corn and soy project is also progressing rapidly, growing from 125 acres in 2021 to more than 10,000 acres. The sector is on track to cultivate 25,000 acres of corn and soy twice annually.

Addressing feed production and prices, the President explained, “Now we will be able to manufacture feed here, reducing costs for farmers. Similarly, for aquaculture, with the investments we are making, by the second quarter of next year, we should see the cost of feed for the aquaculture sector reducing by 50 per cent. All of this will enhance our competitiveness and create great opportunities.”

Contractors to pay hefty liquidated damages for unjustifiable delays

DELINQUENT contractors will not be spared for breaching contracts as the government is taking a firm stand and will be applying liquidated damages for unjustifiable delays.

The government has been battling insubordinate contractors for quite some time; however, with the massive number of national infrastructural works ongoing and the administration’s plans to reel out another cycle of projects, delays cannot and will not be tolerated.

As such, Head of State, Dr Irfaan Ali, last week, highlighted that efforts will be made to ensure accountability in contract execution such as penalties for breaches.

“I had a report from project managers across all national projects, letters have been sent out to contractors on liquidated damages to the value of about $3 billion; those are projects that are going beyond

their timeline,” President Ali told reporters at a press conference.

He emphasised that institutions and agencies have been instructed to ensure that the liquidated damages for contractual breaches are applied.

“So once there is no justifiable reason for an extension of project time,

liquidated damages must be charged,” he firmly stated. Recently, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C. unveiled a series of measures aimed at ensuring the timely execution of contracts and reinforcing the government’s commitment to upholding contractual obligations.

First highlighting the government’s stance on contract breaches and delays, Nandlall said: “All of this is part of the government’s no tolerance for breach of contracts and delay in the execution of contractual obligations.”

One of the key measures announced by Nandlall is the resuscitation and

functionalisation of units within various ministries, tasked with evaluating contractual performance and activating relevant contract clauses.

These units will be responsible for assessing delays, breaches, and other contractual issues and imposing sanctions on delinquent contractors, including liquidated damages, forfeiture of bonds, and termination of contracts.

Addressing criticisms from some quarters regarding increased bureaucratic layers and taxpayer burden, Nandlall clarified that these measures will not incur additional costs for the government or taxpayers.

“The intent is not to create another unit or another layer of bureaucracy,” he said, adding that existing staff within the Attorney General’s chambers will man the new unit, eliminating the need for hiring new personnel.

Nandlall further underlined the legality and

transparency of the government’s actions, stating, “Under the law, under the Procurement Act, it also provides for further sanctions. For example, blacklisting of contractors once the proper process is followed.”

“Government will not countenance negligence from contractors. The government will not countenance delinquency. The government will not countenance breaches of contractual obligations. These contracts are multimillion dollars in nature. So, it’s not a question of contractors not making money. There are cases where a delay may be justified, or a breach may be justified,” Nandlall declared, stressing the state’s commitment to upholding promises made to the public regarding project delivery timelines.

Addressing contractors directly, Nandlall warned, “You cannot breach your contracts with impunity.”

President, Dr Irfaan Ali

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali engages stakeholders during one of his previous visits to a project site

US-based company is potential partner in monetisation of Guyana’s gas — President

GUYANA is moving full speed ahead with monetising its natural gases and, already, the company, Fulcrum LNG Inc., is being considered as a possible partner to achieve this goal, President Dr. Irfaan Ali disclosed to reporters on Thursday last during a press conference at State House in Georgetown, his official residence.

The U.S.-based energy company was selected from among 17 proposals submitted.

The President said, “That company with the government of Guyana and Exxon

as partners will now have to have discussions and we will now have to, together, arrive at a model and a plan as to how we’ll advance this major gas development in our country.”

He added, “For us, the Government of Guyana, the technical team has been assembled. We have identified a technical team to work with the stakeholders in coming up with the model and to negotiate an agreement and look at the viability – technically and financially – of the project.”

Notably, the government has made it clear that it has a clear strategy for advancing

investment in gas development and, earlier this year, the government launched the Request For Proposals (RFPs) for the designing, financing, construction and operation of the required gas infrastructure.

According to the RFP, the requirements include the developer’s capability and credibility to execute such a project, clear written agreements among the parties, and if a consortium, evidence of consortium agreement for this project, the site plan for the project, a summarised and detailed project schedule, the project costs, the project

structure diagram, business plan, list of legal agreements and the proposed capital structure.

It was also stated that this project will be strictly financed and owned 100 per cent by the private sector.

In February this year at the opening day of the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo, President Ali firmly stated that “the time to develop our gas is now.”

“In addition to the current and future oil development in Guyana, the Government of Guyana has made the strategic choice of developing

Ali discloses

all of its gas resources in a timely manner to maximise the economic benefit associated with such development,”

President Ali had said.

He said, too, that the government was also working on substituting fossil fuels, such as diesel, to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon energy platform.

The Head of State, however, reminded stakeholders that “time is of the essence” owing to market forces and uncertainties.

“There is an immediate window of opportunity between now and the end of the decade to monetise and maximise the value of Guyana’s natural gas resources; the time to develop our gas is now!” Dr. Ali emphasised.

The President then went on to say, “New infrastructural solutions in Guyana to develop and monetise our natu-

ral gas will undoubtedly support our CARICOM brothers and sisters, and friends in Latin America to attain energy security whereby Guyana will be uniquely positioned as a regional energy hub.” Referring to another one of the nation’s revolutionary developments, the Gas-to-Energy project, which will see Guyana’s gas resources being utilised in a manner that will usher in massive development, Dr. Ali said, “We have already seen that that second phase of gas coming in will have to support a second power plant that is based on the interest, just interest in manufacturing, industrial development…” For context, Phase Two associated gas is planned to be utilised for liquefied natural gas (LNG) production, depending on the capacity.

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali

Miners must adapt to new technologies to increase gold recovery rate – Min. Bharrat

WITH modernisation taking place in each sector, miners are encouraged to adapt to the new technologies to help increase the country’s gold recovery rate.

This was emphasised by Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, during a recent meeting at Duke Lodge with persons within the gold trade industry.

According to the minister, the country’s recovery rate is relatively low. He said it was important for miners to shift how they are currently doing things.

“We only recover about 35 or 40 per cent of the gold at any given mining area, whether at a small or medium mining operation. So,

we have to get our miners to adapt to the new technology and different methods of doing things,” the minister stressed. With the use of technology, the recovery rate can greatly increase or even double the percentage of what the country is currently reaping.

The minister said that once the rate is doubled then it simply means that there will also be an increase in gold production at a similar cost of operation. However, this can only be done once the miners reinvest in their mining operations and make use of the technology that is being made available to them, especially from the government. Additionally, the natural

Police probing suspected drowning of fisherman

POLICE are investigating the suspected drowning of Courtney Benn, a 43-year-old fisherman of Winiperu Village, in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), which occurred between 10:00hrs on June 20 and 08:00hrs on Saturday on the Essequibo River.

Police Headquarters reported that at approximately 06:00hrs on June 20, Benn left home in his wooden boat (without an engine) to check his fishing seine in the Essequibo River.

Between 07:30 and 08:00hrs, Benn visited Ovin Hubert's shop on Sherima Landing, where he sold fish. Benn then proceeded to another shop about 200 meters from Hubert's shop, where he spent approximately 45 minutes consuming High Wine.

Benn was last seen paddling his boat, alone, towards Winiperu Village.

On June 21, at approximately 08:10hrs, Benn's boat was found drifting in the Essequibo River near Winiperu Village. His personal belongings were inside the boat, but he Benn was not there.

Upon finding the drifting boat, residents checked Benn's home and, failing to locate him, raised an alarm. A search party was formed by relatives and community members, with the Police joining the efforts.

At about 08:00hrs on Saturday, Benn's body was discovered floating in the Essequibo River. His body was transported to the Bartica Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact circumstances surrounding Benn's death.

resources minister added that they are now looking to adamantly use mercury within the gold mining industry.

“We are looking to phase out mercury. We are a signatory to the Minamata Convention, so we will phase that out. It simply means that they will have to adapt to the new technologies, whether by themselves or working in groups,” Minister Bharrat stated.

Miners usually mix the liquid mercury into the sediment which then forms a coating around the gold.

(DPI)

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, speaking during the meeting at Duke Lodge

‘Equitable finance needed to address climate change’ – PM Phillips

EQUITABLE finance is needed to address the global issue of climate change and stimulate a more proactive response to environmental hazard.

This was robustly stressed by Prime Min-

ister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips during his feature address at the recent 157th-anniversary ceremony of the Confederation of Canada.

“Equitable access to climate finance re -

mains the hallmark of the global response. Climate finance is needed for mitigation while large-scale investments are also required to significantly reduce emissions and reduce the impact of

climate change,” the prime minister said while speaking at the event held at the Pegasus Hotel and Corporate Suite.

The country has since observed that the scale of finance

for disbursement is not enough to eradicate climate change. According to the prime minister, the global financial system must be reformed.

Guyana commends Canada’s announcement at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference\ Conference of the Parties (COP28) of CAN $60 million towards the start-up cost of the global fund for lost and damaged, and another investment of CAN $32.2 million to the Special Climate Change Fund.

Prime Minister Phillips stressed that the country will continue to monitor the far-reaching implications of climate change while actively observing the need for energy security.

“Guyana will continue to advocate for a balanced and commensurate global response that will proportionately address mitigation, adaptation, loss, and damage,” Prime Minister Phillips asserted. (DPI)

These investments will add great support and value to the reform process and the financial architecture of addressing climate change. Additionally, although Guyana is a small low-lying state, it still experiences the extreme impact of climate change like some of its sister states in the Caribbean.

Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips

Restaurant Week 2024 promotes inclusivity, culture

FOLLOWING in the tradition of the previous editions, the 17th Guyana Restaurant Week (GRW) promotes and celebrates inclusivity, hospitality, and the rich cultural tapestry of Guyana.

This year’s event, dubbed GRW17, is the result of an annual collaboration between the Tourism Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA).

The two organisations, along with sponsors and a host of restaurants, aim to provide an exciting, satisfying, yet affordable dining experience for all Guyanese.

From June 21-30, GRW17 will spread culture and hospitality across the length and breadth of Guyana by including 23 restaurants from various regions, namely Regions Two, Three, Four, Six and Seven.

During the launch of Guyana Restaurant Week at Atlantis Cuisine restaurant at the West Central Mall at Leonora, West Coast Demerara, THAG President Omodele George expressed the organisation’s dedication to ensuring that all Guyanese have the opportunity to enjoy the enriching experience of Guyanese cuisine.

“Our commitment to inclusivity is our aim, and we want very much for everyone

to be able to go beyond that,” she said.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is supporting the celebration of Guyanese culture by sponsoring the event, ensuring that participating restaurants offer at least one dish featuring locally-sourced seafood.

In addition to Guyanese cuisine, these restaurants will also serve dishes from other cultures, providing a truly diverse dining experience for Guyanese patrons.

“We’re all about inclusivity, as we said earlier, so we’re going to be inclusive all the way and we’re going to sample and we’re going to tell the stories [of these restaurants]” George asserted. This year’s participating restaurants include Atlantis Cuisine (Leonora), Amici, Bistro Café & Bar, Bia Bia Tex Mex Cuisine (Bartica), Ambrosia Restaurant (New Amsterdam), and Terra Mare Restaurant (Marriott).

George emphasised THAG’s commitment to promoting inclusivity and expressed hope that future Restaurant Week celebrations will extend to Indigenous communities.

This expansion will allow every citizen, regardless of geographical location or cultural background, to ‘Explore. Eat. Repeat.’ (DPI)

THAG President Omodele George

Patrons at launch of GRW17 at Atlantis Cuisine

Drug Demand Reduction Unit offers a lifeline to those battling addiction

— Unit’s head credits anti-drug awareness campaigns in schools for decrease in violence, teenage pregnancy

By Feona Morrison

THE Drug Demand Reduction Unit works relentlessly to provide a lifeline to those fighting addiction. Since its inception, it has led the way in

delivering comprehensive care and support, intending to reduce drug demand through innovative treatment and prevention initiatives.

Further, the Unit’s "Kick Drugs Out of

School" campaign is making impressive strides in combatting drug use among children, according to Dr. Travis Freeman, Head of the Drug Demand Reduction Unit. That campaign is now

credited with not only reducing drug use, but also decreasing violence and teenage pregnancy. Spearheaded by a coalition of educators, parents, law enforcement, non-governmental organisations and

healthcare professionals, the aim of the initiative is to create drug-free environments in schools across the country.

During a recent appearance on the Ministry of Health’s “Health Matters” show to commemorate International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Dr. Freeman revealed that the Drug Demand Reduction Unit handles the drug situation from three perspectives: Prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.

He said, “As it relates to prevention, we do a lot of drug awareness and community outreaches. We have specific target populations that we address, primarily in-andout-of-school youths, young professionals and also, we are targetting mature adults as well.”

According to him, there are problems in every stage of life, and people frequently seek coping mechanisms such as

substance misuse, which includes narcotics like marijuana, tobacco, alcohol, and prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs.

To make his point, Dr. Freeman revealed that athletes are misusing diuretics, a drug used to regulate blood pressure. He pointed out that some athletes are abusing the drug to “look more shred”, but he noted that this practice has consequences.

“Apart from getting rid of fluid and sodium, what some diuretics do is that they also get rid of potassium. And potassium is responsible for muscle contraction. So, those persons start to experience weakness, and they may even have an abnormal heart rhythm that can lead to cardiac arrest.”

Marijuana and tobacco continue to be the substances that are most misused in Guyana.

Although the impact of

Head of the Drug Demand Reduction Unit Dr. Travis Freeman

Drug Demand Reduction Unit offers a lifeline to those...

From page 16

drug misuse is complex, including the impact of criminal activity on communities, Dr. Freeman said that the Unit's primary focus is on the social and health consequences.

ANTI-DRUG AWARENESS IN SCHOOLS

He explained that in schools, the rigorous anti-drug campaign includes not just drug sensitisation but also physical activities, and that the programme has had a positive reaction.

“The response to the programme has been overwhelming, and very positive. A lot of youths gravitate towards the programme, and we would have already started to see some of those positive outcomes. More youths are selecting to do more positive behaviour practices; more healthy choices and we’ve noticed a decrease in inter-personal violence, particularly in those schools where we had this programme introduced. Also, there has been a decrease in teenage pregnancy,” Dr. Freeman

explained.

Apart from the Ministry of Education, the institution collaborates with the Salvation Army, the Phoenix Recovery Project, and the Drug Treatment Court. He stated that the Unit is open to engaging with other stakeholders.

COMPREHENSIVE, CONFIDENTIAL

Individuals seeking assistance with substance abuse can contact the Drug Demand Reduction Unit at 252 Quamina Street, Georgetown. Appointments and walk-ins are accepted. Social workers, mental health counsellors, and psychologists are among the specialists who are there to assist.

It offers a holistic approach to addiction treatment, combining medical, psychological, and social support services under one roof.

Dr. Freeman said that the Unit’s service is comprehensive and confidential, stating: “There is no need to be hesitant; we have a comprehensive and holistic approach to substance misuse treatment.

We have been managing adolescents, and young

professionals. Our service here is very confidential and private. We have high-profile clients that no one knows of, who have been progressing very well. We have persons that we have gotten off the streets, and now we have reintegrated them back into their families; their communities. They are working and contributing to society. He emphasised that treatment programmes are tailored, noting, "Everything we do is evidence-based, evidence-informed, and [follows] international standards."

He stated that the Unit's specialists were trained by international organisations such as the United Nations (UN). Instead of abusing drugs, Dr. Freeman advises people to use healthy coping techniques like physical exercise, listening to music, reading, or contacting a healthcare provider.

International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking will be observed on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, under the theme, “The Evidence is Clear – Invest in Prevention”.

Decomposed body

AT about 11:45hrs on Saturday, the Police Operations Room received an anonymous call informing of a body found in a swamp area at Vryheid Village, West Canje, Berbice.

A team of Police ranks visited the area at about 12:15hrs, where a decomposed body was found (in Stage Three of decomposition) in a swamp with thick vegetation. The scene was processed,

in swamp

documented and photographed by detectives, Police Headquarters reported.

The deceased was positively identified as Dharmindra Sarabjit, a 57-year-old Drainage and Irrigation (D&I) worker of Caracas, Vryheid Village, by his 32-year-old daughter, Amrita Mahadeo.

Enquiries revealed that Sarabjit was a regular consumer of alcohol, and at about 07:00hrs on June 17, he left home to go by a female friend

but failed to return home.

On June 19, at about 08:30hrs, Mahadeo went to the Central Police Station and made a 'missing person' report for her father, after conducting numerous searches for him without success.

The decomposed body is at the Bailey's Funeral Parlour awaiting a post-mortem examination. Investigations are ongoing.

20,000 children benefitted from medical screening – Min. Anthony

ALMOST 20,000 nursery children have benefitted from medical screening under the Child and Youth Health Programme (CYHP), since its launch in August 2023. This is according to Min-

ister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, during the recent launch of the government’s eye testing and spectacles programme.

The health minister explained that the CYHP programme is aimed at improv-

ing children’s and adolescents’ health by facilitating screenings for oral health, hearing, and vision.

He said it forms part of the government’s vision to expand the services offered by the health ministry on a national scale.

“In this year’s budget, the president made sure that we had adequate resources so that we could do a nationally scaled programme,” the minister said.

He added, “[For] every child in Guyana, we want to make sure that we screen them, but we also want to screen their hearing, and we are also doing dental and general checkups.”

Highlighting the programme’s benefits, the health minister encouraged parents to get involved and ensure their children receive follow-up care for optimal health outcomes.

This year, the government is placing a keen focus on expanding the screening to primary school children.

“This year, we have set ourselves an objective of screening close to 180,000 children. It is a big programme, and one component of that programme is eye screening,” Dr Anthony said.

Another key facet of the programme is public-private collaboration, and, according to Minister Anthony, several private institutions have partnered with the ministry to provide screening services.

Vouchers for the eye care programme are valid at Da Silva’s Optical, Miracle Vision Care, Regina’s Optical, Courts Optical, Optique Vision Care, Dr Balwant Singh Hospital, among other institutions.

It will be an ‘epic drive’ with Savannah Tours Guyana

By Faith Greene

TOURISM is all about the experience, especially the firsts, such as the first time driving any vehicle, but doing it anyway for the experience and the chance to say you’ve accomplished something, whether it was an unsuccessful attempt or not.

This week, our team participated in the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA)’s media tour with the popular adventure tours company, Savannah Tours Guyana. The tour company is located in Yarrowkabra, a village just off the Soesdyke-Linden Highway on the East Bank of Demerara.

The aim of the trip was

to bring attention to the company’s seventh annual Epic Savannah Drive, slated to commence on June 30, 2024. At the launch of the drive on June 21, at Savannah Tours Guyana, it was revealed by its tour operator, Shane D’Andrade that Savannah Tours is about building communities through tourism.

He said the drive is all about technique, and teaching persons how to use their offroad vehicles. According to D’Andrade, “It’s becoming a big sport in Guyana; it’s big in the Caribbean and the rest of the world. We’re trying to bring it to Guyana, and it’s growing every year.”

He added, “We move through the Savannahs and

move to the first community, which is Swan, and we do archery there; there is an archery team there. Anyone can take part in the archery competition.”

From Swan, adventurers will move to Samville, then Kuru Kururu, Silica City, and Laluni Village. The Epic Savannah Drive commences at 06:00hrs on the day of the event, where participants will register.

The price that day is G$15,000 for vehicles and G$8,000 for motorbikes. Preregistration is also available for G$10,000 for vehicles and G$5,000 for motorbikes. Payment can be made through Mobile Money Guyana (MMG) to 592-6387877- Shane D’Andrade.

Persons will need to send their transaction ID once completed.

Some activities during the registration include ‘kill climb and the vehicle see-saw bridge’.

Additionally, the drive officially commences at 08:00hrs from Yarrowkabra Village to Swan Village for the archery competition, where prizes and trophies are up for grabs.

There is a lovely trail drive through Samville and Kuru Kururu, with sightseeing through Silica City on the way to Laluni, where lunch will be served.

Later in the day, participants will be treated to a series of offroad activities, including drag racing, grass

track races, mud races, a paintball competition, the see-saw bridge among many others.

Experiences such as these are guaranteed to have your heart pumping, as you’re filled with excitement at every turn. The thrill of not knowing what lies ahead, especially if you’ve never done anything like it before, will keep you on your toes.

The tours are family-friendly and safe.

“Safety is a big thing. The persons that are registering for the drive have to ensure that the passengers in their vehicle adhere to the rules, because they can be penalised by the police officers and our team. We could actually take you out of the drive if you’ve

been drinking and driving, or you’re not following the rules and protocol of the drive,” D’Andrade said. Notably, all tour personnel are expertly trained by the GTA.

The Epic Savannah Drive is being sponsored by the GTA, Beharry Automotive, Beepats, and several other organisations.

Persons can look out for more drives from Savannah Tours throughout the year. Savannah Tours Guyana is on Facebook, and Instagram @savannahtoursgy. Moreover, persons can contact Shane on the numbers stated above to know more.

GTA rolls out new robust training

…after Guyana nominated world's leading sustainable destination

AS Guyana joins the global community in celebrating

World Rainforest Day, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has unveiled a series of robust train -

ing programmes aimed at enhancing the skills and knowledge of those involved in the country's growing tourism sector.

These initiatives come on the heels of Guyana's recent nomination as one of the world's leading sustainable destinations, a major recognition for the sector as well as the country.

One of the communities to benefit from these training programme is Kato Village in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), where the GTA recently conducted a comprehensive Naturalist Tour Guide training session. This four-day exercise was facilitated by Kenneth Butler, an external Product Development Support expert and licensed tour guide

The programme saw 12

nities with the necessary skills, the GTA aims to develop the tourism industry from the community level.

In addition to tour guide training, the GTA has also focused on health and safety within the tourism industry. This was highlighted by its recent CPR training sessions, which are part of the Authority's commit-

participants being trained in essential tour guiding disciplines. These included technical skills, wilderness medicine and first aid, customer service, group management, and natural and cultural history interpretation. The training employed both theoretical and practical methods to create a simple and holistic learning experience with a hands-on aspect.

This initiative is part of the GTA’s ongoing efforts to develop the Region Eight Tourism Circuit, reflecting a broader strategy to promote sustainable tourism across the country. By equipping local commu -

ment to enhancing safety and preparedness. The second round of CPR training is currently being held at the Leisure Inn Hotel in New Amsterdam, attracting participants from across Region Six.

Chetnauth Persaud, the Senior Training and Tourism Development Officer at the GTA, emphasised the importance of this initiative in light of the significant increase in tourist arrivals to Guyana.

With more visitors exploring the country, there is a growing need for trained individuals who can respond effectively to medi-

cal emergencies. The twoday CPR training aims to address this need by preparing 18 participants to become first responders, capable of handling health-related incidents within the tourism environment. At the end of the training, each participant will receive a certificate, validating his/ her new skills.

In Paramakatoi Village, the GTA recently hosted an Introduction to Tour Guiding and Interpretation Training session for 23 representatives. Led by Kenneth Shivdyal, another external Product Development support expert, this training is part of a series of technical assistance provided to the village as it develops its official tourism experiences. The training covered essential tour guiding skills and interpretation techniques, laying the foundation for a well-rounded tourism offering.

Further efforts by the GTA include conducting tourism baseline assessments in Tuseneng Village as part of the development of the North Pakaraimas Tourism Circuit. Led by Clyde Edwards, Senior Product Development Officer, the team identified potential tourism experiences and engaged with the Village Council and community members.

Participants of the training session in Kato Village gained a hands-on experience

Partipants taking part in the GTA’s CPR training

Participants of GTA’s training in Paramakatoi (GTA photos)

Essequibo girl named Valedictorian at New York college

NAIOMI Sampson, a 21-year-old originally from Devonshire Castle in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and now living in Queens, New York, has been named the valedictorian of Hunter College.

Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Sampson stood out among the 3,000 graduating students.

Sampson's early education began at Cotton Field Nursery School, followed by St. Paul’s Primary School and Apex Education. Her academic excellence was evident early on when she secured a place at Queen’s College through the 2014 National Grade Six Assessment.

At 15, Sampson moved to Queens, New York, with her younger sister and mother, where she attended John Adams High School. She earned an academic scholarship to Hunter College. Reflecting on her achievement, Sampson expressed her joy at representing her country and achieving her long-term goal. She dedicated countless hours to her studies to maintain a perfect 4.0 GPA.

“I was thrilled when I found out I was the valedictorian. Achieving this goal has been four years in the making. I owe immense gratitude to my parents and younger sister,” Sampson said.

Her parents, both educators, expressed their pride in her success, noting her dedication and hard work from a young age. Sampson now plans to attend a premier law school in the United States.

Her mother Lopez Sampson said that she knew her daughter would make her proud one day. She said that she admires her commitment towards her studies.

“My daughter is a brilliant child, and growing up I always admired her dedication and determination [which are] commendable,” the mother said.

Her advice to young people is to keep pursuing their dreams and to remain focused on their studies. She also advised them never to give up despite whatever challenges they may face. Sampson said she will continue to make her birth country, Guyana, proud.

Naiomi Sampson delivering her speech as the Valedictorian

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Sunday June 23, 2024)

CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Fazalhaq Farooqi (AFG)-12 wickets

(2) Fazalhaq Farooqi-5/9 (AFG vs Uganda, Providence)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) Which three teams won all four of their preliminary round games in the current World Cup?

(2) Who struck most sixes in the preliminary round? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

SOUTH AFRICA

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Buchana boundary-studded unbeaten 114 stuns defending champions GTA Storm

A BOUNDARY-studded

unbeaten 114 from debutant Navindra Buchana of Ramblers Rampage halted the two-game winning streak of defending champions GTA Storm when the Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs (OMSCC) Over-50 tournament continued last Saturday at the Dean Park ground, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.

The stockily built Buchana, who came in at number three after his side had elected to bat first, went on a rampage from the onset of his innings and when the dust had settled, his ferocious

50-ball knock was decorated with an incredible two fours and 15 mighty sixes as Ramblers Rampage reached a challenging 200 for five off their allotted 20 overs.

Opponents, GTA Storm, led by a brilliant 91 from opener Ian “Russian’ Baldeo, seemed on course after the first 10 overs, when they rushed to 115 for one but an inexplicable collapse saw them ending on 179 for seven at the end of 20.

The right-handed Buchana dominated two important partnerships, adding 39 for the third wicket with Monty Dass (19) and 89 for

the fourth with the veteran Suresh Persaud whose contribution was 26 (four sixes).

Bowling for GTA Storm, Jerry Brittania and Rakesh Dyal claimed one wicket each for 26 and 46 runs respectively while the other three wickets went via the run out route.

Baldeo, whose knock was spiced with three fours and nine sixes, shared a fine opening stand of 94 with former Guyana Under-19 batsman Troy Gobin, who hit two fours and three sixes in his 37 but once the GTA Storm skipper departed the innings catapulted.

From a position of dominance at 115 for one after 10 overs, the defending champions were restricted to 69 in the next 10 while losing six wickets.

Dass led the way with three for 19 from his three overs while there was one wicket each for captain Patrick Shivrattan, Mokeem Sattaur, Buchana, and Polly Shivrattan.

GTA Storm had started the season on a winning note,

defeating Dirty Dozen and Canadian Legends.

The match versus Canadian Legends, played at St Bede, saw opener Gobin registering a fine unbeaten 77 and leading his team to an eight-wicket victory.

Batting first, Canadian Legends recovered from a precarious position of 57 for seven after tenn overs, to reach a respectable 142.

Former GTA Storm player Hazari Girdhari led the way

with 33 (three fours and three sixes). Jai Singh took three for 15 and Rakesh Dyal three for 25.

GTA Storm raced 143 for two in 17.1 overs with Gobin lashing three fours and eight sixes in his 77 while Surendra Persaud made 26 (three fours and a six).

The nine-team tournament continues on Saturday, July 6. (Frederick Halley).

Mixed Martial Arts team ups ante ahead of Pan-Am qualifiers

THE Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Federation (GMMAF) is cranking up the heat as they prepare their fighters for the upcoming Pan-American Games qualifiers in Mexico.

The federation hosted a crucial training session on June 20th at the Transport Sports Club, with over 27 athletes representing various Guyanese clubs putting their skills to the test.

Assistant Technical Director Charles Greaves and Coach John Campayne led the athletes through a gauntlet of demanding fitness tests, including intense combat

sparring. The session received a major boost with the participation of Guyana's Pan American Boxing Champion, Desmond Amsterdam. Amsterdam's experience and expertise were invaluable, particularly in sharpening the athletes' boxing skills.

Further bolstering the training camp was the addition of Coach Clifton Barker from Boxing, who provided focused instruction on boxing techniques and strategies.

Coaches Troy Bobb and Andre Murray also played key roles in ensuring all athletes were well-prepared for the rigorous tests.

The GMMAF is committed to sending a strong, competitive team to Mexico. This dedication is evident in their implementation of a new physiotherapy program for the athletes this year. The program aims to optimise

their physical condition, facilitate recovery, and prevent

injuries, maximising their chances of success on the international stage.

"We're happy with the turnout and the athletes' spirit," said Assistant Technical Director Charles Greaves.

"Their willingness to compete for their country is inspiring. But let's be clear, there's still a lot of hard work ahead if we want to qualify for the games." This statement underscores the GM-

MAF's focus on fostering a culture of relentless effort, a crucial element for success at the Pan American Games. With a clear mission to promote MMA in Guyana and propel its athletes to international glory, the GMMAF extends its gratitude to all participants and supporters. They're looking forward to a triumphant campaign at the Pan-American Games qualifiers.

Navindra Buchana Ian Baldeo

Troy Gobin

Mixed Martial Arts fighters, along with their trainer

CAC bodybuilding championship officially launched

PRESIDENT of the Central America and Caribbean Bodybuilding Confederation(CACBC), Tony Pena, on Friday evening, officially launched the 2024 edition of the premier regional bodybuilding championship at Olympic House, Liliendaal.

On October 17-20 Guyana will again be the venue for the event at the National Cultural Centre stage.

Pena told those gathered that ‘the support of the government, through the ministry, the Olympic committee and athletes will be crucial to the success of the event.’

Head of the Guyana Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation, Keavon Bess, said it was an

ideal time to host the prestigious event

‘Over the past five years, I believe we would have captured, the most medals, the most victories, the most first place

finishing and of course the most pro-cards in the history of Guyana……the team of 2022 that went to CAC in Barbados has since been the most successful CAC team; the team of 2023, in

the record books, will go down as the second most successful team, and, in the last 5 years, we have managed to secure 3 pro-cards’

Bess said Guyana has a long and storied history in the sport which all locals should applaud.

‘We know for sure that the hosting of CAC 2024 would rekindle a lot of memories when Guyana hosted CAC 2004, 20 years ago; since then Guyana’s participation, in my opinion has gone to another level and it would be remiss of me to say that only occurred within the past five or ten years; we have seen the tremendous development of our athletes locally, regionally and internationally over the past 20 years since we

last hosted CAC in Guyana’, Bess concluded Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, commended the GBBFF for the boldness and willingness to undertake the hosting which, he said, was no easy feat.

‘I know it’s a huge undertaking. It is not easy when you are having a national tournament much less an international tournament like the CAC and you have shown yourself, you are willing to take on the task…….. we know that his Excellency, President Mohammed Irfaan Ali’s vision is for Guyana to be the mecca for sport if not in the Caribbean, Latin America and further afield and this tournament is part of the ingredient that is going into making Guyana

that mecca for sport’ Godfrey Munroe President of the Guyana Olympic Association(GOA) said the body was enthused to support the event and commended the local body for its work in realising the goal of hosting the event once again.

Guyana will field its largest local contingent at the games. It is hoping to have 40 athletes to represent the nation.

In the 2023 CAC Bodybuilding Championship in Aruba, Guyana secured an impressive tally of four gold medals, two silver medals, and a bronze.

Some of the countries confirmed to attend are the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados, Panama and Costa Rica.

Ponting presents Cummins ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year trophy in Antigua

AS Australia continue their ICC Men's T20 World Cup press in Antigua, the work of Pat Cummins in 2023 was celebrated, and he was presented his ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year award by Ricky Ponting.

Ponting, an ICC Hall of Famer and winner of the same accolade in 2006 and 2007, was on hand to present his compatriot with the trophy at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Thursday.

As captain of both the Test and One Day International teams, Cummins led the Auss-

ies in a successful year, beating India to claim the ICC World Test Championship mace at The

Oval, before beating the same opponent in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup final in

Ahmedabad.

Individually, Cummins enjoyed a prolific year. He claimed 42 Test wickets at 27.50, chiming in with 254 runs as the side also claimed a Test win in India, and retained the Ashes away from home. Cummins played a crucial role in Australia's World Cup press, taking 15 wickets on top of vital contributions with the bat (128 runs at 32) down the order.

In 2024, Australia with Cummins have the chance to hold both white-ball World Cup trophies and the World Test

Championship mace with a T20 World Cup victory.

The 31-year-old again continues to shine in 2024, taking 17 Test wickets at 25.64 and adding 157 runs at 26 with the bat, alongside eight wickets in six matches in T20Is, at an economy of under eight.

Cummins showcased his talents shortly after receiving the trophy, taking a hat-trick against Bangladesh in a comfortable win for Australia at the start of the Super Eight stage of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

And speaking after the

match, Cummins revealed that he'd completely forgotten he was on a hat-trick when he took his third wicket at the start of a new over.

"It’s been a pretty good day all round. A few trophies and a really good win to kick off our Super Eights.

"The last two balls of the previous over I knew I was on a hat-trick, and I’d totally forgotten about it by the start of the next over. (Marcus) Stoinis came running in from the deep and told me, that’s the first I knew of it." (ICC Media)

Hardik and Kuldeep lead India to their second win in the Super Eight

Bangladesh are on brink of elimination after losing by 50 runs in Antigua

By the time India wakes up on Sunday, it is possible their team might have qualified for the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2024. They were too good for Bangladesh in Antigua, a total of 196 built by series of quickfire cameos in defiance of a slow pitch carrying them through to victory by 50 runs. If Australia beat Afghanistan, both they and India will move into the final four.

Scores: India 196 for 5 (Hardik 50*, Tanzim 2-32) beat Bangladesh 146 for 8 (Shanto 40, Kuldeep 3-19, Bumrah 2-13) by 50 runs)

The opening conundrum Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as a partnership has won many a match for India, but at this T20 World Cup, they are yet to click. There was even a moment's confusion when they were running between the wickets, Rohit unsure of whether there was a single on to midwicket's right. It was stop-start but they eventually got the run. The team will hope the same thing happens to them as the tournament goes on because pairing them together at the top of the order is allowing India to pack their middle order with six-hitters. That advantage is helping them post par-plus

totals in tough conditions. Bangladesh's bright spot

Tanzim Hasan did as much as he could to mess with that plan. He was Bangladesh's best bowler and he earned that mantle by doing the one thing a big-hitter hates. He was unpredictable. Kohli came charging to meet him but he did the batter with change of pace and let him have it with a send-off.

Suryakumar Yadav managed to get a six away first ball but was overwhelmed by extra bounce the next delivery. Tanzim's slower balls gripped and misbehaved off the pitch. And when he went onpace, he made sure to hit the pitch hard to extract variation in bounce.

India's counterattack

Rishabh Pant was the firestarter. After India went from 71 for 1 to 77 for 3, they suffered nine balls without a boundary. Sometimes, in good batting conditions, that's the price you pay. These weren't good batting conditions. The pitch and the outfield were slow. They couldn't wait till the death overs to make up the difference. Fully aware of that, Pant, who was 12 off 15, burst to life. A left-hander's cover drive is usually a thing of beauty but the one that Mustafizur had to endure was something else. It was power stripped to its purest essence. It was chilling. Pant hit five boundaries in eight balls and

fell looking for another one.

The highlight Rishad Hossain will no longer be denied. Having had to wait because the culture in Bangladesh does not rate wristspinners, (even as the rest of the world made it plain they were game-changers) he has arrived at this T20 World Cup as their most exciting cricketer. His dismissal of Pant secured Bangladesh their best period of play in this game - 2.4 overs of singles and dots between the 12th and the 15th. He took two wickets as well, both of batters looking to attack him. Pant caught off the reverse sweep and Dube bowled neck and crop. He may have given a few runs away but he never took a backward step. Not even when he had to bowl one of the death overs.

The half-centurion Hardik broke India free of their second lull. They were 120 for 4 at the start of the 15th over. He was 6 off 7. Then he got a gift from Mahedi Hasan - a long hop with room to free the arms - and that was that. A lot of his power game comes from having incredible strength in his core and in his forearms. That's why he's able to hit even yorkers for boundaries. That's why he doesn't always need

a full swing of the bat. That's why he should be a little more adventurous than he lets himself be now. Although he came in only in the 12th over, and had faced only 18 deliveries by the 18th, his ability to access the boundary - each of the four that came in the last two overs were off his bat - helped him score a fifty.

This was the kind of innings India could never imagine. Even the stats bore that out. Only once before, in their entire history of T20Is, had they made more than the 196 they did on Saturday with none of their top five batters scoring a fifty. They're usually freight trains, slow to start, but steadily picking up steam. At this World Cup, they're finding a new identity. Four of the seven batters who went out there scored at a strike rate of 150 or more. Twenty-eight balls was the longest anyone spent in the middle because everyone was looking to take risks.

The chase Bangladesh's opening partnership had provided only 13 runs in five previous innings. Given how crucial it is to start a big chase well, they were already at a handicap. Tanzid Hasan, coming off back-to-back ducks, finished less than a-run-a-ball. Litton Das didn't

survive the powerplay, although he was done in by a lovely slower ball from Hardik, who also made sure to drag the offbreak wide of the right-hand batter's hitting arc, securing a mis-hit that was caught at deep midwicket.

A batting team at 67 for 2 after 10 overs should have put up more of a fight but Bangladesh ran into Kuldeep Yadav and never recovered. The googly caught Tanzid unawares for 29 off 31. The legbreak had Towhid Hridoy lbw on the slog sweep. And finally, he was also up to task when Shakib Al Hasan was looking to hit him out of the ground. A simple shift of line slightly wider outside the off stump messed with the left-hand batter's hitting arc and had him caught at cover.

Bangladesh actually ended up attacking more balls than India did in this game - 49 to 48 - but a lot of them were panicked swings. It goes to show that clarity is crucial in T20 cricket. Kuldeep denied them that because they couldn't pick the ball out of his hand. Jasprit Bumrah played his part as well, 15 of his 24 deliveries yielding dots along with two wickets. (ESPN Cricinfo)

Pat Cummins awarded the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year award by Ricky Ponting

CACBC head, Tony Pena, speaking at the launch, next to CACBC treasurer, Ed Malone

Kuldeep Yadav derailed the Bangladesh chase with three wickets • CREIMAS

Joseph hat-trick leads Trinidad and Tobago trashing of Green Machine

A SUBLIME performance from Trinidad and Tobago in wet conditions ensured they overcome the country national rugger on Saturday 26-3 in the return leg match-up of their Rugby Americas North 15 championship.

Guyana’s the Green Machine started well as Godfrey Broomes converted a penalty kick to put the locals ahead in the 7th minute of play for the advantage, as the local took on the higher ranked men from the twin island republic at the GDF ground at Camp Ayanganna.

Trinidadian Ruairi O’Farrell had a golden opportunity to level the scores in the 17th minute but failed to convert the penalty kick as Guyana kept the narrow lead.

After advancing in Guyana’s half for a sustained period T&T’s Jonathan Taylor would make good on their progression to record their first try in the 33rd minute to

Djokovic

NOVAK Djokovic has decided to travel to Wimbledon and is due to arrive on Monday - but the seven-time champion does not yet know if he will be able to compete after undergoing knee surgery.

Serbia's Djokovic withdrew from the French Open after his fourth-round victory over Francisco Cerundolo, in which he tore the medial meniscus in his right knee.

The 37-year-old had surgery in Paris just 17 days ago but wants to give himself the best possible chance of playing by practicing at the All England Club.

Wimbledon, which starts on 1 July, seemed a long shot at the time, and his hopes of returning to Paris to try and

take the lead 5-3.

After the break Owen Adonis had a good run but could not finish as the Trinis continued to press their advantage to eventually force

another try thanks to Anderson Joseph, who made it 10-3 in the 52nd minute before missing the conversion.

Guyana looked undercooked in the game and had

several clusters in the middle, failing to spread out thereby using their line to create space to give themselves a chance of scoring, their best effort came from a Lionel

Holder run for about 60 metres, 30 yards from the opposition try line but the visitors stopped him in his track with Guyana still on 3 points.

T&T Joseph came back 10 minutes later to record a brace to make it 15-3 as the game started to slipped away from the locals.

In the final 10 minutes of the contest Trinidad’s Christopher Hutson converted two penalties to make it 21-3.

Joseph would drive the final nail in the coffin with a third try to complete the hattrick a for 26-3 win.

In April Guyana narrowly defeated Trinidad and Tobago 24-23 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port-of-Spain in their away game.

to travel to Wimbledon but unsure of playing

win a first Olympic gold medal also appeared in the balance.

But since then, Djokovic has posted two upbeat videos on Instagram.

The first showed him using an exercise bike and leg weight machine in the gym, and the second - posted on Thursday - followed him running, doing lunges and hitting a tentative serve.

“We keep building day by day,” was the message to his 14.6 million followers.

Djokovic has reached the final at Wimbledon for the past five years and lost last year’s showpiece to Carlos Alcaraz in a memorable fiveset match on Centre Court.

He did not rule out playing at Wimbledon in a so -

Novak Djokovic has reached the Wimbledon final at the past five editions of the tournament, losing just once

cial media post after the operation, writing: “My love for this sport is strong and the desire to compete at the highest level is what keeps me going. "I’m going to do

my best to be healthy and fit to return to the court as soon as possible.

"Three years ago, Taylor Fritz was able to reach the third round at Wimbledon af-

ter a similar operation on his right knee during the French Open. The American was taken off court in a wheelchair at Roland Garros after damaging his right meniscus when match point down in the second round against Dominik Koepfer. But at SW19 just a month later, he was able to beat Brandon Nakashima over four sets and Steve Johnson over five, before losing to Alexander Zverev.

That had not escaped Djokovic’s attention, and Fritz revealed at Queen’s Club earlier this week that the 24-time Grand Slam champion had been in touch.

“I told him what it was like for me. A lot of it comes down to the inflammation

and how you react,” he told reporters. "When I did it, I couldn't even walk. People are different. You pretty much have your full strength immediately, it's more just the inflammation from the surgery. As long as you can get that down and start playing without it puffing up again, you're going to be fine to play." Being able to win seven five-set matches in a fortnight may be beyond even Djokovic, but a rapid recovery means he will at least be in London to see whether a 19th appearance at the championships is realistic.

The tennis competition at the Paris Olympics begins on 27 July, just 13 days after Wimbledon finishes.

Guyana’s Godfrey Broomes going for a penalty kick

The victorious Trinidad team after the game