- Dr. Jagdeo points to nationwide transformation underway
Major investments in sports facilities to unlock new opportunities
IN 2023, the Government of Guyana made investments to the tune of some $4.3 billion to the nation’s sport sector. This trend has continued well into 2024, with some major projects being slated for the sector while others can already be seen around the capital city, as well as in the hinterland.
Vice President of Guyana, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo outlined just a few of the impactful ventures at a press conference last week. He explained that although not frequently highlighted, the government continues to invest in projects aimed at boosting the sport sector throughout the country.
“In sports, we have upgraded 65 grounds in Berbice of the 125. We spent 400 odd million dollars, and this year another $400
million has been awarded to expand.”
He further added that, “If you go to New Amsterdam, you will see a major track being built there for track and field. In Linden, we just put down the track and lights with FIFA lights.” These initiatives are critically and thoroughly thought out, with investments across the region, aiming to have all of the country’s youth and ath -
letes exposed to state-ofthe-art sporting facilities. Further emphasising the importance of access to the facilities, Jagdeo stated that, “We also put ICC Cricket lights but two major developments, massive developments, on both sides of the river. We are building a new stadium in Berbice that has already started. I can go on. In Anna Regina, a massive new stadium and ground is [sic] being built. I can list
in Georgetown there [are] 34 grounds from Agricola to Cummings Lodge, and all of them are being upgraded now.”
As the National Toshao’s Conference comes to a close, the Vice President was sure to note that major investments in sport facilities are being made in the hinterland as well. As he explained, indigenous communities are issued funds specifically for the development of
sport in their community. He stated, “Toshaos are leaving Georgetown with $5 billion, $4.8 billion with LCDS funds, and over 200 million just on the sports facility development. That’s two initiatives alone.”
He further added, “I’m not even speaking on the presidential grant. I’m not talking about the 10 billion that we are spending on hinterland roads, or over 10 billion on schools in the
hinterland. I’m not talking about the 20-odd billion that we’re spending on four major hospitals in these regions now.”
Sport in Guyana is a major area of interest and investment for the government. For its 2024 budget, Guyana has allocated $4.6 billion towards sports development to elevate athletes’ performance and enhance sports infrastructure countrywide. The government’s investment in the very important sector goes beyond investments in facilities, but also extends to sports education, training and the introduction of more skilled sport personnel and professionals; all done in an effort to develop the untapped potential of Guyana’s youth and athletes.
PYO records massive increase in membership
A section of the crowd at the East Bank Demerara/Highway Youth Engagement Form in Diamond
THE ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) is pushing ahead with its focus on the nation's youth through the rapid expansion of the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO).
The PYO is the youth arm of the PPP/C that aims to train, educate, and inspire the nation's next generation of leaders. Having just finished its most recent outreaches
in Regions One and Nine, the PYO has bold plans for the rest of Guyana after gaining traction. The massive effort and investment in human resources continue to see unprecedented support in hinterland communities.
The current administration has big plans for the initiative and will move towards the East Bank of Demerara in the coming weeks and throughout Guyana in the next few
months.
After seeing more than 600 join from Region Nine and an additional 300 from the Moruca sub-district Region One, General Secretary of the PPP/C and Vice President of Guyana, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo says the initiative will expand across the nation with the East Bank of Demerara, Mabaruma and a few others being the next stops.
At a party press con-
ference last week, the General Secretary stated that the initiative has garnered massive support.
"Next Thursday I am going to Matakai, for that subdistrict, the PYO activity. And then on Friday, I'm going into Mabaruma, for the youth activity there too. So, we anticipate about 900 young people from Region One, because about 300 for each subdistrict."
He said that the PYO is more than a “recruitment arm,” noting that it is deeply focused on the development of the nation's human resources by educating and addressing issues and opinions brought forward by the nation's youths. The PYO creates space for young people to play vital roles in the political landscape of their country, fostering an early understanding of the nation's political affairs.
Dr Jagdeo reiterated that the PYO is dedicated to training well-rounded individuals who will take the mantle as the nation's next set of leaders.
"As we promised at the last congress, I said by the time we have the next congress, we will have a 5,000-strong youth movement, all in line with preparing the next generation of PPP leaders; leaders who will emerge in the next ten
years or so as the leadership of this party and country. We are working to prepare them for that," the General Secretary said.
As more youth take the opportunity to join the PYO in staggering amounts, the PPP/C government hopes to move forward with a readily equipped set of new leaders who will usher in a new age of progressive leadership.
General Secretary of the PPP/C, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo and some PYO members
An artist’s impression of the Berbice Stadium The Anna Regina multi-purpose stadium
- over 900 Region One youths join organisation
Finance Minister lauds companies for championing local content - as over 1,500 attend job fair
By Feona Morrison
MUNESHWERS Ltd and several other companies have received praise from Finance and Public Service Minister Dr Ashni Singh for their dedication to promoting local content in Guyana's expanding oil and gas industry. His words coincided with the company's incredibly successful job fair, which drew over 1,500 applicants keen to join the country’s rapidly growing workforce.
The event was hosted Saturday at the Everest Cricket Club Ground in Georgetown.
Over 1,500 eager job seekers gathered at the job fair
Paragon Transport and Lifting Services, Cranes Guyana Inc., Harbour Tugs Guyana Inc., Muneshwers Shipping, Paragon Construction, Barge Solutions Guyana Inc., and Muneshwers Events Store were among the other collaborating companies.
The need for the job fair was brought on by the companies' ongoing expansion.
Minister Singh emphasised the value of local content in the oil and gas sector and cited the accomplishments of Muneshwers Ltd., a well-established Guyanese business.
He said that the companies' efforts demonstrate that local content is “very real and very achievable”
by Guyanese companies that remain committed to excellence and building capacity.
The minister said that the government aims to build a Guyana where local companies can grow and new ones can flourish, every citizen can acquire relevant skills and secure good jobs.
“It is also a Guyana where every Guyanese citizen is able to acquire the skills that are needed for them to participate meaningfully and fulfilling in the new Guyana. And they are able to get a job to use those skills to earn an income to be able to accumulate their own personal and family savings and to build their own family well-being, family wealth
take up these opportunities. Minister Singh also stressed the need for discipline and work ethic to achieve a modern and prosperous Guyana, promising unlimited opportunities for those who demonstrate commitment and hard work.
He, therefore, called on the audience to embrace the opportunities and contribute to the development of Guyana. Speaking at the job fair, Muneshwers Ltd Executive
and prosperity,” Dr Singh said.
According to him, the government is aggressively promoting vocational training programmes. He emphasised that the government and private sector are creating jobs to benefit the citizens, and it is essential for individuals to
Director Robin Muneshwer emphasised the company’s commitment to local content and urged job seekers to put their best foot forward. “I like people who are motivated. People who want to achieve things, people who like money…but people who like [to] earn it the honest way. You will succeed...”
HIRED ON THE SPOT
For many attendees, the job fair represented more than just an opportunity to secure employment; it was
TURN TO PAGE 5
Rajendra Premanand
Finance Minister lauds companies...
FROM PAGE 4
a chance to become part of Guyana’s economic boom.
Rajendra Premanand, 24, from Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was among those immediately employed to work as a forklift operator. "I know GYSBI is a very reputable company and it's in the oil and gas sector, so I am excited," the happy young man said.
Kelmar Carmichael from Berbice, who recently completed a course in heavy-duty equipment operation, was also hired on the spot by GYSBI.
He expressed: “GYSBI is a really good company. The fact that they are hiring mostly locals is exceptional. I think this initiative here today (Saturday) is a really good step towards the future.
“I recently finished school. I attained six subjects at CSEC [Caribbean Second-
ary Education Certificate].
I’m a very pushy person.
I don’t like to sit back and wait for everything to be given to me,” said Jaden Solomon, who was also hired on the spot. In his new post as operations manager at GYSBI, this 17-year-old hopes to accumulate funds to pursue university studies.
“I feel very well. I always told my mother that this is one company I would like to work in,” he shared. At approximately 14:00 hrs, out of the more than 1,500 job seekers who showed up at the event, 40 of them were employed on the spot to work for GYSBI and its parent company Muneshwers Ltd. By the end of the fair, further hires were anticipated. The event ran from 09:00hrs to 16:00 hrs.
The career fair also served as an opportunity for the companies to assess the skills
and expertise of applicants for future employment considerations.
The event offered employment opportunities across various sectors, including positions for Yard Foremen, General Labourers, Crane Operators, Forklift Operators, Administrative Assistants, Mechanics, Welders, Plumbers, Truck Drivers, Multi-Skilled Forklift Operators, Bus Drivers, Warehouse Attendants, Bond Porters, Hardware Counter Clerks, Sales Associates, Cashiers, Software Developers, Security Personnel, Hauler Drivers, Project Managers, Auto Electricians, Civil Engineers, Diesel Mechanics, Network Administrators, System Administrators, Onboard and Inland Marine Staff, Tug Captains, and HSSE Officers.
Kelmar Carmichael
Jaden Solomon
Minister of Finance and Public Service
Dr Ashni Singh
Muneshwers Ltd Executive Director Robin Muneshwer is flanked by Muneshwers Ltd HR Manager Yogeeta Singh and GYSBI’s HR Director Lilowtie Chintamani (right)
Moving Forward
AFTER weeks of uncertainty, indecisiveness and frustration, the new school year is set to begin on firmer footing. The recent signing of the multiyear agreement between the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) signals forward movement which many parents didn’t believe was possible before September 2 when thousands of learners across the country are scheduled to return to the classroom.
Following the signing, President Dr. Irfaan Ali in a video message made some important points which served as a reminder of the government’s wholehearted
commitment to acting in the best interest of teachers, learners and the development of the education sector.
At the core of the GTUled strike was a demand for better wages and salaries. This was made even though during the period 2021-2023, the government had corrected anomalies in teachers’ salaries across all categories, which resulted in significant upward adjustments, a cumulative increase of 42 per cent over that period. The strike was held even though negotiations were ongoing and 73 per cent of the union’s requests for the teachers during the abovementioned period were delivered by government.
Despite the genuine efforts of the government to respond to the grievances expressed by the union, some in and out of the profession felt that the country’s educators were poorly compensated for their teaching efforts and were deserving of much more. Many maintained this position without considering that teachers are just one category of public servants and it would be unfair to deal with one and not the others. They also failed to recognise the attention government had given to teacher-related issues since it took office in August 2020.
Now that the MoE and the GTU have signed an agreement, a path has been
cleared for massive increases in benefits and concessions and an advanced welfare package for all teachers which covers the years 2024, 2025 and 2026.
In keeping with the agreement, over the next three years, teachers will see a direct increase of some 27 per cent to their salaries, which translates to a 10 per cent increase in 2024, eight per cent in 2025 and nine per cent in 2026. If there are higher increases announced for the Public Service, teachers will get the difference between what is in the agreement and that higher number.
This increase in salaries is commendable as billions will go into the pockets of
teachers over the next three years.
Further, there are additional increments for various categories of teachers including allowances for those who have completed higher education, station allowances among many other benefits which will no doubt solve many of the grievances that are affecting teachers.
The politically motivated strike-action was not only unnecessary but was deliberately prolonged to the detriment of the nation’s children. Children from vulnerable backgrounds, who rely on school for stability, safety, and a chance to better their lives, felt the brunt of this strike.
Since the signing, there have been no public outcry from teachers or any other education stakeholder. Rather, the agreement has seemingly been accepted in its entirety and many are eager to forget the turmoil, learning loss and the reduction in teacher-learner contact time. Everyone desires a return to normalcy and a resumption of teaching and teacher-learner contact, which the recently signed agreement guarantees. It is now time for us to move forward and focus on the revolution of the education sector, its modernisation and transformation and the creation of a bright further for the nation’s children.
The other side of Dave Martins
Dear Editor,
MY association with Dave Martins goes as far back as the 1980s, and it was through theatre and not music.
It is a creative side of him that is seldom recognised, so I couldn’t let this opportunity pass without hailing him as a writer of two of our most outstanding local musicals, and his work in the theatre.
In 1988, Guyana celebrated 150 years of the abolition of slavery and indentureship.
The Guyana Commemoration Commission was created to organise the celebration of this major milestone. Artists came from Africa and India to join with Guyanese to celebrate the occasion.
Dave was commissioned to write a musical for this event.
Dave spent endless hours
in our libraries, researching and writing. In the end, the musical, ‘Raise Up’ was never staged by the Commission without explanation.
Dave called Ron Robinson (Ron and I were running The Theatre Co. at the time) from the Cayman Islands in early 1989, asking us (The Theatre Company) whether we would be interested in staging the play. We jumped at the wonderful opportunity to stage this musical production. We immediately sought and received permission from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports to stage the play.
The production premiered at the National Cultural Centre on November 25, 1989 for seven performances, including two matinees. It was well attended.
Sir Shridat Ramphal, who attended the performance, had recommended that the play be staged at the opening of the Heads of Government meeting that was due to take place in Africa a few weeks later. This, unfortunately, never happened.
The Theatre Company then decided to take “Raise Up” on a one-month tour of the Cayman Islands and the USA, performing at 10 venues at universities and other theatre spaces in Miami, Mississippi, Virgina, Washington, Michigan and New York.
The Mayor named the day we performed in Brooklyn, New York ‘Raise Up’ Day. We were invited and performed an excerpt of the play on ‘Nine Broadcast
Plaza”, a television programme.
In 2006, for Guyana’s 40th Independence Anniversary, Major General Joe Singh, CEO of GTT at the time, proposed sponsoring the staging of a historical production for the occasion. The late Billy Pilgrim was asked, and was, of course, delighted to write this musical, but ill health prevented him from doing so, and Dave was approached and agreed to do so.
The musical which Dave called, “ALL IN WAN”, premiered at the National Cultural Centre on May 26, 2006 for four performances. The musical was produced by GEMS Theatre Productions, directed by Ron Robinson, with Dave as musical director. It was
an epic production, with a cast of 100-plus artists, including Keith Waite and Terry Gajraj, who came to Guyana for the occasion.
In my view, this musical is more than worthy of being produced again for staging at the National Cultural Centre. I recalled inviting Dave to Guyana on two further occasions to perform his unique style of singing and story-telling at the Accountants Conference meeting in 2005, held at the Princess Hotel, and for a pre-CARIFESTA event at the Theatre Guild in 2008.
When we performed ‘Raise up” in Grand Cayman and concluded the final performance after the 10-city US tour, we had comprehensive discussions on the Link Show, a satirical
review which we started in Guyana in 1981. He was very keen, and a year later, he started “Rundown” (the Cayman satirical show) at the Harquail Centre, in George Town, Grand Cayman, where he wrote from 1991-2008 until he moved to Guyana. He was also Chairman of the Cayman National Foundation, and chaired the annual event, ‘Pirates Week’, in that country. In summing up, Dave was much more than a calypso singer. He was a songwriter, singer, musician, playwright, educator, and entertainer par excellence.
Sincerely, Gem Madhoo GEMS Theatre Productions
Hughes gets a ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ card, while Bronchalo is attacked
Dear Editor, THE Opposition is at it again, this time attacking Fulcrum LNG and its CEO, Jesus Bronchalo. The main gripe of the Opposition is that the government was aware of “the company’s link to U.S oil
giant, ExxonMobil…” Kaieteur News took it upon itself to research Mr. Bronchalo and Fulcrum. What did they discover? Well, they discovered that the Bronchalo has 19 years of direct experience in oil and gas. Rather than ap-
plaud the unquestionable experience of the Fulcrum’s CEO, ‘Kaieteur’ has chosen to represent it in a negative light. This is the same Kaieteur News that regularly whines about inexperienced people and firms getting contracts.
Bye Dave
Dear Editor, IN Guyana, it’s easier to bury the dead than to bury the hatchet. Wh at a merry-goround week Guyanese experienced with see-saw events and some lost in a maze while trying to fix jigsaw puzzles, plus others wanting to stay clean while playing lovely games with muddy contents. Yet again, Guyana is discovering that Columbus not only took his spoils from the Caribbean, but also left his name and mark right here in good, old Guyana. Dave was right as usual, it’s tradition.
Ninety-nine per cent of the teachers breathe a sigh of relief. The Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) and the Ministry of Education have seen the daylight and called it a day, when they reached a compromising position last Wednesday to start another honeymoon, as Dave would
want to put it. There must have been hugs and handshakes to hail the successful conclusion. Some kissed and said goodbye to hastily leave to drum up a war cry in another corner, to hem and haw over milk which they themselves spilled. Dave is no more, but, his arduous story goes on with glorious shots over the boundary and in all corners. Retroactive increases from 2019 were never a reality, but you may as well dream about heaven and wake up on earth. Again, 39 per cent increase for 2024 was aiming for the moon, and the 10 per cent offer was hitting a star. The word “scraven” was ruled out in Dr. Mark’s vocabulary. The goodly Dr. Lyte preached and practised a sincere sermon, “Let your conscience be your guide.” But it would appear as if two blind mice allowed “cockroaches to eat their conscience”.
You can’t please everybody. Dave reminds us that some Guyanese turn Yankee de minute they get dem visa. Others talking Yorkshire de minute they hear they going where de bridge falling down. Imagine, a man squinched his nose, rolled his eyes and threw his hands in the air, exasperated, and heaved with a sigh when he saw a pit latrine. Town man come to country for the first time. Somebody shouted “welcome home” as the plane touched down in the hinterland. His remark, “but I wanted to go to Guyana!” Never see, come to see wants to be a ruler without knowing where to rule.
This conflict of interest is gaining interest with conflict. A man would give up his pot of gold only if he receives a gold mine. When “you can’t get,” Dave said to say, “I don’t want.” If President Ali is not coming to town, don’t expect
What is worse is that Kaieteur News has given Nigel Hughes a ‘GetOut-of-Jail Free’ card, even though his law firm, Hughes, Fields, and Stoby likely provided advice to ExxonMobil at times when the Government of Guyana was
to attract a large crowd in Linden, unless…. you giving away free tickets for a “Buju Banton Concert”. But then, there is no Treasury to raid. The AFC has to learn a simple ABC lesson, the “Huge” fan club is still a fantasy.
A man went overboard; not to fish for oil! The PNC said how they “over did it”. They said, “was a lil mistake,” over the choice of colour until de people holler. They were a tee bit confused, not knowing if to paint everything with green, perhaps to go wild, or, paint yellow, meaning to proceed with precaution. So, they painted everything green and yellow to end up with a stop-and-go si tuation. The engine got confused, felt abused and refused to go any further. The PNC tried to build with tools which are meant to break. The people threw dem out in 2020. Dave said that this “sweet talk” would only work for a while.
It’s not a conference that is being hijacked but our gold from right under our noses, in front of our eyes and in our own backyard. Dave taught that, a couple came to
in direct negotiations to maximise outcomes for our people.
Fulcrum LNG and Mr. Bronchalo will be of great value to Guyana. In the meantime, Mr. Hughes and the AFC must tell the people how it is that they
the conference with intentions strong to prove that they do belong. But soon it was “discovered” (like Guyanese Columbus), that they came to shine and not to toe the line. They had to be ejected but they felt rejected. As revenues increase from the sale of the release of less carbon, the Indigenous communities have more to gain and more say in how to spend their money.
Dave said how there are many “copycats” in the room. The CSEC and CAPE results are “out” with “mixed” reactions. We say, we passing rates down and the rest of the Caribbean said the same thing. Well, guess what?
In the UK, England, Scotland and Ireland are singing the same tune for the past three years. Everybody has something in common and they all share the same dilemma. Mathematics and English come in again for a sound trashing. When will Guyanese shake off the PNC way of doing Maths so that the children can start getting better grades? That terrible hang-over feeling is still affecting
can represent the interests of the oil major, while at the same time accuse the PPP of working with Exxon to develop our hydrocarbon resources.
Sincerely, Alvin Hamilton
teachers and pupils. Dave said if you can’t use you brain, then let donkey explain. Once out of office, the PNC will promise you, the star, the moon and the sky. They always calling for bigger and better conditions. They will tell you that they can cross any road, but, is you who have to fetch the load. Even though they’re outside, they know always how to do things different if they were inside. They will criticize from Harry Rang to Mary Right. Is so their story goes as per Dave.
Dave reminded us of boyhood days and their wayward ways. Mr. Discover first wanted cash handouts but now he’s back peddling on cash grants. The man who wants to be President wants to engage Exxon but is still to decide if he will demand more taxes and royalty. The man speaks with a forked tongue and in the abstract. Dave warned that they would watch you in the eye and for sure, they would lie.
Yours respectfully, Jai Lall
Despite Koestler and Wilson, humans are ultimately good
I RESPECT the work of three great thinkers – Sigmund Freud, Arthur Koestler and the lesser-known but brilliant biologist, Edward O. Wilson. Their theorising has started from different directions but they end up saying the same thing about Homo sapiens.
Wilson contended that the genetic makeup of Homo sapiens makes them prone to violence and other forms of unacceptable instincts. When he published his book on his genetic findings, there was a huge outbreak of protest from students and faculty at Harvard with security provided for Wilson.
Wilson replied to his detractors with simple reasoning. He said his scientific research discovered genetic faults of humans and though they may be unpalatable, that is what exists objectively in science. But he went on to add that there are social
mechanisms government could put in place to prevent humans behaving as if they were living in early evolutionary forms. He said scientists make discoveries, not policies and it is for government to put in place things that prevent people from uncivilised conduct.
This is very similar to Koestler. He argued that there are evolutionary line faults in Homo sapiens that make them susceptible to the very things Wilson discovered though Koestler wrote his take on Homo sapiens before Wilson published his findings. But Koestler went on to argue that Homo sapiens do not have to live deterministic lives. Nurture can intervene to tame nature. This is where Freud made a lasting contribution to human knowledge. Freud asserts that the libidinal drive is the most compelling instinct in humans but society has evolved in such a way
that natural rather than manmade roadblocks exist to prevent the libidinal drive from overcoming humans. Freud spoke of the natural methods of sublimation in which people repress their sexual instincts and channel them into worthwhile contributions to civilisation.
On reading Wilson and Koestler you could succumb to pessimism but the historical record from thousands of years ago way into our present generation, has shown where nurture rather than nature has undermined the raw instincts of Freud, the genetic determinism of Wilson and the evolutionary faults of Koestler.
Proving Koesler, Wilson and Freud wrong would be phenomenal scholarship but even if their findings are water-proof they have not undermined two things –the progress of civilisation and the innate goodness of Homo sapiens. There have
been millions of good, decent Jews who have denounced the committal of genocide by the Israeli state.
Once there are good humans, people with diminished opportunities and social disadvantages will be provided with pathways to achieve meaning in their life.
I wrote in last week's Sunday column that in place of the publication of my memoir, I will do episodic snippets of my life.
This column here is part of that endeavour. I achieved social elevation and psychic stability (though quite a few people told me over the past 50 years that they think I am crazy) despite humongous and incredible poverty because good humans have intervened and saved my life from drifting into wasteful cul-de-sacs of quicksand.
In Wortmanville, my parents with very low income had 7 mouths to feed. Since I was the last, by the time I ar-
rived in the world, there was nothing to see, nothing to do, nothing to eat, nowhere to go. After primary school that was it. High school was a mirage. I still feel I missed out in life by not experiencing the blissful and nasty side of high school life but the UG campus experience was extraordinarily satisfying.
But all the time growing up in poverty in Wortmanville, there was a voice in my head that wouldn’t go away. That voice wanted to own me, wanted to control me and it did. That voice wanted me to make something out of my existence. I wanted an education. I wanted to have qualifications and work to have money. And since that ghost in my head would not leave me, I followed it where it led me.
It led me to the Michael Forde Bookstore, the bottom flat of Freedom House, the head office of the People’s Progressive Party. I became
a polling agent for the PPP in the 1968 general election. I excelled in the work I did for the party and my sister explained to Mrs. Janet Jagan that at least one Kissoon should become something. She asked Mrs. Jagan for a job for me and I landed in ethereal bliss – the Michael Forde Bookstore.
During lunchtime, there was no food to eat but books were my food. I spent my daily lunch time devouring philosophy books, especially Marxist philosophy. I even stole some books. That was the beginning of my journey to the pasture of hopes and dreams. I never looked back after stepping into the Michael Forde Bookstore.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.
Guyana’s Local Content Act spurs a surge in homegrown enterprises
GUYANA’S Local Content
Act facilitates a wave of entrepreneurship, with local businesses stepping up to support the oil and gas industry. This legislation was introduced to the National Assembly in December 2021 and prioritised Guyanese companies in 40 key service areas, benefitting both new ventures and long-established firms. These areas include fabrication, electrical works, housekeeping, and janitorial services to name a few. To this end, Guyanese enterprises are now thriving by providing essential services to the sector.
This surge in opportunity, supported by the ongoing efforts by oil and gas companies to support local capacity development, has seen many
local entrepreneurs rise to the challenge, acquiring the necessary training and certifications to meet the industry's demands.
Among the success stories is Chung’s Global Incorporated, a general construction and real estate company led by Keisha Chung. With nearly two decades of experience, the company has recently expanded its clientele to include major players in the oil and gas sector, marking a significant milestone in its growth. Chung’s Global benefitted from the HSSE Mentorship Programme, Introduction to Oil and Gas and Gas-to-Energy, Project Management, and AccelerateHer through the Centre for Local Business Development.
Seaj Eco-clean Services,
a janitorial business led by entrepreneur Simone Forde, has also made impressive strides in the sector. “We provide janitorial services which are environmentally friendly, so we produce healthier homes and healthier workspaces,” Forde explained, highlighting the unique value her company brings to the industry.
Zeco Group of Services, another standout, is a welding and fabrication company founded by Zakir Hack. Hack’s journey began humbly—riding a bicycle and fixing old gates and fences. Today, his company is a major contractor for international firms in the oil and gas sector. Zeco Group has been entrusted with fabricating fixtures for the ONE GUYANA Floating Produc-
tion Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel and was also contracted to provide fabrications for the Errea Wittu FPSO.
Reflecting on his company’s achievements, Hack remarked, “For me, it’s like winning the jackpot, or it’s like bullseye—all the hard work you put in, and effort, you get to start working on the FPSO, and that was a milestone for Zeco Group of Services.”
Another rising business is Guyana Electric, which provides electrical construction services from design to build-out phases for clients across various sectors, including residential, commercial, industrial, marine, hospitality, and healthcare. The company’s unwavering focus on safety has facilitated its
expansion into the oil and gas sector. Michelle Howard, co-owner of Guyana Electric, attributes their success to rigorous international training and certification.
“Primarily because we are internationally trained, certified, and accredited, our skills and the work that we have put in to become certified and accredited are being utilised by those seeking out companies such as ourselves, who take safety to another level,” Howard shared.
Established in 2011, before the oil boom, Guyana Logistics and Support Services has steadily grown its capacity and now employs over 300 staff members. The company offers a comprehensive suite of services to multinational businesses operating in Guyana, including
equipment rental, procurement, recruitment services, customs brokerage, relocation and domestic support, and office and residential rentals.
These are just a few examples of the hundreds of Guyanese businesses capitalising on the growing opportunities now emerging due to the oil and gas sector. As the industry expands, more local entrepreneurs are seizing the chance for economic advancement, building enterprises that create jobs and contribute to the nation’s economic growth.
As of mid-2024, oil companies have spent an impressive US$314 million on local services, representing 54 percent of the projected estimate for the year.
A civil tongue
IF civility is a pillar of democracy, its hallmark must be a civil tongue. Without civility, politics will crumble. The debate will give way to hate, disagreements will be used to whip up ethnic strife, and dialogue will be a cloak to incite hostility, cruelty and even brutality.
In the early days of my journalism career, I’ve reported on the 1994 genocide in Rwanda that left nearly one million ethnic Tutsi and moderate Hutu dead. The scars and trauma still haunt the lives of those who survived the nightmare. Thirty years later the healing hasn’t even begun.
I’ve also covered the genocide that unfolded following the breakup of the former Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. When Bosnia and Herzegovina, following Croatia and Slovenia, declared independence in 1992, it led to the siege of Sarajevo and a programme of ethnic cleansing of the Bosniak population. The international community declared Srebrenica a Safe Area but even that failed to prevent the massacre of nearly 10,000 Bosniaks. Modern-day genocides such as those in Rwan -
da and Bosnia have inspired genocide studies programmes at Ivy League colleges such as Yale.
A common factor behind genocides is the absence of civility - the irreducible respect we owe to others by virtue of our shared humanity. Without civility, there is no common good and what rises to the top is the fear, loathing and even deep-seated hate of the “other.” Needless to say, a polity cannot survive without civility.
When taught at an early age, the Classics serve to instruct us on the Homeric ideals of xenia - hospitality, even towards strangers, kindness, decency, friendship, courtesy - and the lofty virtues that are embedded in both the Western and Eastern traditions. That we don’t teach much of it leaves a gaping void in the knowledge pool of our citizens that can easily unravel the fabric of our polity. It's the lesson of both Homer’s Iliad and The Odyssey.
There has been a recent spike in the number of fake news posts on social media targeting President Irfaan Ali. They are designed to disparage, ridicule and undermine his position and
the policies of his government. It is a distraction from real policies and a refusal by those who peddle fake news to engage in fair and open debate. At its core, fake news is barefaced cowardice.
Based on the comments these fake news stories garner, it appears that many Guyanese at home and abroad are misled into believing the false headlines. It is difficult to say for sure without the right social media tools to assess the nature of the uptick a fake news story gets. In other words, even the uptick can be fake.
Peddling fake news is a modern-day manifestation of disseminating lies in the public sphere for political, social and economic gain. I anticipate fake news will soon become even more frequent in the months to come as we inch closer to national and regional elections.
Fake news items are fairly easy to identify and I’ve conducted seminars on how to recognise and dismiss them in the blink of an eye. However, I fear that with an increasing number of publicly available AI apps, a clever person with a
smartphone can now create a sophisticated fake news story that might fool a seasoned journalist.
These are all thoughts that crossed my mind as I watched President Irfaan Ali’s recent interview with Neil Marks. Marks asked President Ali for his response to criticisms by some Toshaos. It was a fair question and the president’s response leaned heavily on the “civic” component of the PPP.
President Ali responded by stating he was aware of the general debate among the Toshaos about the development of their villages. He acknowledged that they are democratically elected leaders of their villages and are exercising their rights and judgement.
“We give the Toshaos the opportunity and the re-
spect, very importantly, the respect as leaders, to interrogate the government,” the President told Marks.
Marks fired back with a question about whether the PPP/C government was too harsh when it came to dissenting views voiced by some Toshaos. He singled out Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo who said that Toshaos are free to opt in or out of LCDS.
“That is a fundamental right of the Toshaos. That is not the Vice President speaking loosely. That is part of the governing structure; part of the international standard of the villages; they have the option to opt in or opt out. He is not manufacturing something. That is a statement and a position of fact and respect for the governing structure of these villages.
Marks pressed the president, asking “What space is there if someone doesn't agree with you?” The President’s response is a clear illustration of a civil tongue in action.
“Their disagreements are welcome. That's what a democracy is about. When you disagree, we also have a democratic right to explain our policy, to defend ourselves. Every time the PPP/C exercises the democratic right to defend itself, some people find it offensive. We must question that,” said President Ali.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.
The season of checkers and chess
ON Wednesday last, the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) and the Ministry of Education (MOE) signed a multi-year salary agreement after the union took strike action in February this year.
The deal came after tough negotiators looked carefully at all proposals and counter-proposals. It resulted in the union securing a 10 per cent increase for 2024, an eight per cent increase for 2025, and a nine per cent increase for 2026. This is, of course, not including the non-salary hike in securing more benefits for teachers like duty-free cars, housing funds, scholarships, and allowances.
This means that the teachers alone will receive an increase of 2.5 billion dollars in one year. If one looks at the non-salary benefits the union agreed to on Wednesday, teachers
walked away with nearly 1.5 billion dollars in one year. And, the deal has a built-in clause that if the government gives any other increases of a greater magnitude than 10 per cent, teachers must benefit at the same level. There are other conditions which are favourable to the union contained therein.
Also, the union’s general council met and discussed the proposal, which later led to its ratification.
Surprisingly, the union’s General Secretary, Corretta McDonald, went to the media to voice her objection to the signed deal. She alleged the union was deceived and undermined by its President, Mark Lyte. McDonald also quickly said that the “membership” was complaining because the 10 per cent increase could not offset the cost-ofliving expenses. She boldly questioned the integrity
of the union’s negotiations, saying that teachers were “sold out.”
The union’s GS also seemed to be saying that the membership will decide on the way forward. She also appeared to be signalling another wave of protests or industrial action, or even revenge against Lyte and a few of the union’s representatives who were part of this plot.
Firstly, the agreement, as is, is fair and satisfactory. It is still not enough or the type of salary increases the nation would like to see our teachers receiving after approximately 75 days of protest and struggle.
There is room for more to be done but still, it is better than nothing or no deal being reached. The half of the GTU that is allegedly griped about the scale of the increase needs to do some serious introspec -
tion because the government has given the union a reasonable and plausible explanation as to why the teachers can’t get more at this point.
It has also explained that there will be financial sustainability issues with the increase should it be any higher. Maybe, we should stop thinking Guyana has ‘oil money’ so teachers must benefit now from all at once. The government has to find the fiscal space and additional methods of making sure that it is responsibly handling the treasury with these increases it is committing to for the teachers.
When one looks at the billions that the current government is pouring into the teachers' pockets and welfare compared to the previous administration, one cannot escape the fact that it is a sign that the PPP/C government is listening, hearing, and showing that it cares for the teachers through thoughtful action.
The 2.5 billion dollars in increases is not easy to come by. Billions worth of benefits targeting teachers directly will improve their overall standard of living and lives this year. Who will complain about that? Aren’t teachers better off than under the previous regime minus the billions of dollars that teachers will benefit from this year? The union agreed and signed the deal, didn’t it?
The 10 per cent is a fair and satisfactory place to restart the relations especially because of the benefits which will help teachers cope with the cost of living that is incidentally falling. The teachers should be encouraging the government to pay higher percentages of increases to other public sector employees so they can get more.
Secondly, it was rightly projected that this was more about setting false political narratives than teachers' benefits and wages. This is more about the pride of one woman than teachers' development. Let
us be clear, Corretta McDonald and her links to the opposition party, PNC-APNU-AFC are the problem.
She is politicising the issue. McDonald is using the teachers’ issue as a bargaining chip for coolth within the PNC party. It is a shame to use teachers this way. It is a bigger shame that this politician is causing a division in the GTU. She is breaking the unity and solidarity in the name of partisan politics. Teachers’ salary increases and benefits should be treated as an apolitical matter and devoid of racism but this parliamentarian does not seem to understand this. So, she inserts herself into the scheme of things when it matters the most.
And, in this case, at the point when the government or union finally has a breakthrough deal. Assumingly, Lyte and others saw this culture developing over the years and skillfully dodged her. They signed the agreement ending months of vexations over the issue at hand which had to do largely with increments, salaries and benefits.
Realising this, McDonald has gone full beat mode accusing them of undermining the teachers when she knows full well, it is only she who was sabotaging and undermining the teachers all along. Her verbiage and rhetoric are wholly unacceptable as is the posture of the party she represents. One must ask oneself why. The answer is simple. The parliamentarian was caught with her slip showing and she is embarrassed within the PNC. She wanted this issue to be prolonged and protracted into the election season.
So, she has work to do and people to organise over the next few weeks. Let us be clear, this issue was political from the very start and teachers were misled by McDonald. Thirdly, research shows that the inflation rate is going to fall along with the cost of living. The governments in the Caribbean are
still feeling the squeeze but with good policy approaches, we will win. Guyana is no exception, and its teachers are not either. When the rates return to normalcy, the teachers will benefit handsomely.
Teachers are urged to remain steadfast and watchful because they will be asked to sabotage the upcoming school term and the children’s education. They know what is meant by ransom politics. Mc Donald will try to play a game of ransom politics by trying hard to hold our children’s education at ransom but she will fail and be discarded in the end. She will turn around and try to play chess or Chinese checkers. She will fail at this too. Nobody has time for nonsense. It is time for serious business and serious union representation that is void of politics of race and hatred. The GTU must consider its internal processes and revamp its constitution. No one person can hold on to the GS position for life. No one should have the opportunity to influence teachers or public servants to strike for his/her aggrandisement and a seat in the PNC decision-making room. Union representatives should be trained and professional overall, not engaging in calling people’s children, and making all sorts of statements about them because they did not get one’s way. It just would never do.
Finally, teachers’ welfare will improve steadily and slowly if it must. This is a very good deal for teachers. Whatever McDonald is plotting against the union representatives that reached the deal with the government, it certainly will fail.
McDonald, your turn… oh yea, checkmate!
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.
Adolescents and self-harm
WHILE chatting with the principal of a private school last week, I learned of an alarming observation she made in recent years.
While interacting with female students in the classroom she discovered that some of them had scars on the inside of their arms, beginning at the wrist.
The marks were not random but in straight lines. When questioned about this, some of the girls attempted to hide the marks, while others pretended that they were accidental.
It was clear to the principal, however, that these were scars left by a sharp implement cutting into the skin. The girls were deliberately harming themselves.
A close family member, visiting from the UK had the same markings and when confronted, admitted she had been cutting herself.
She declared it was
nothing serious, but a trend among teenage girls. When admonished for the practice, she solemnly promised to stop. She did not. The family later found out that she simply resorted to cutting parts of her body not generally visible - her inner thighs.
I was horrified. The idea of someone cutting into their flesh made my skin 'grow'.
But it also took me back decades, as I remembered how one of my school friends, in the UK, would cut her wrists whenever she and her boyfriend were on the verge of separating.
She used a razor blade, making one cut, which seemed to point to a suicide attempt, though the cut was never deep enough to be life-threatening.
The result of her action would be her boyfriend's decision not to break up with her and meetings behind closed doors with her parents
and teachers.
We, her friends, felt that she never intended to take her own life, but was cutting herself as a form of emotional blackmail.
The result was always the same. Her boyfriend would stay in the relationship, though he was clearly unhappy. So, in her mind her strategy worked.
Now I realise that what this girl was doing was a form of self-harm and an indication of deep emotional distress. I have also learned that people who self-harm are at an increased risk of attempting suicide
The Australian parenting website, operated by the Raising Children Network says, “Self-harm is when people deliberately hurt themselves as a way of coping with strong emotions. It's a way of trying to get control over feelings or relief from them.” It is a sign that a
person is in "deep distress.”
Teens often try to hide the scars because of shame and embarrassment, worrying that parents, in particular, will be angry with them, not understanding their drastic actions.
Self-harming does not always involve cutting. Some may bite, bruise or hit themselves, pull their hair or even pick at scabs so they do not heal.
More alarming still is that self-harm can become compulsive and discovery, instead of stopping the practice, can lead adolescents to inflict harm on parts of the body which are usually covered.
The signs to watch for are many and varied, both behavioural and emotional. These include children regularly wearing clothing that covers the arms and legs, loss of interest in favoured activities, big mood
changes, irritability and temper outbursts.
"If you find your child is self- harming, it's natural for you to feel afraid, guilty, shocked, panicked or even angry", the Raising Children Network says. But they advise parents to remain calm, respectful and reassuring, not judging or responding negatively.
Parents are urged to "actively listen" to their children letting them know that "...strong feelings are normal - but they're also hard to have. And when you're in your teens, things
can seem even harder.”
The US Crisis Text Line warns, "Many people interpret self-harm as a way of 'acting out' or 'looking for attention'. However, it's important that we don't stereotypepain does not discriminate and people of all ages and backgrounds can be at risk for self-harm.”
If self-harm continues, parents may need to seek professional advice or contact a Crisis Hotline.
In Guyana, the Hotline number is 914. It is tollfree and available 24/7.
International Arbitration in Practice workshop opens tomorrow
THE Government of Guyana, through the Attorney General's Chambers and Ministry of Legal Affairs, will kick off the "International Arbitration in Practice" workshop on August 26, 2024.
This workshop, running until August 29, 2024, is
Project (ISLP) and supported by the ROLE UK Programme and UKAid.
It aims to further enhance the skills and knowledge of Guyanese lawyers, enabling them to effectively interpret, implement, and apply the new arbitration law in resolving disputes, especially
part of an ongoing effort to bolster the legal expertise of Guyanese professionals in the field of international arbitration, particularly in view of the new Arbitration Act, 2024. The workshop is the second, more advanced phase of a capacity-building programme initiated in 2023. This initiative is a collaborative effort involving the International Senior Lawyers
those involving international parties.
Over the four-day workshop, 35 participants from key institutions across Guyana will engage in practical sessions designed to address the challenges and opportunities presented by the Arbitration Act, 2024. These participants come from various government ministries and agencies, including the
Guyana Revenue Authority, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, the Ministry of Housing, the Maritime Administration Department, the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, the Arbitration Unit, and the Bar Association.
Five volunteers from ISLP, all recognised experts in international arbitration, from the international Law Firms of Winston & Strawn and Chaffetz Lindsay, will lead the in-person sessions. This training will prepare state counsel and legal professionals to interpret, implement and apply the law in the resolution of disputes, thereby ensuring that Guyana remains an attractive and secure destination for foreign investment.
It will also promote international arbitration by reinforcing confidence in Guyana’s legal system and upholding the rule of law with due adherence to the public policy of Guyana.
This training has received financial and technical support from the Advocates for International Development’s Rule of Law Expertise UK (ROLE UK) Programme and UKAid.
$1.3 billion road development to commence in Region Three
SEVENTY-four contracts totalling $1.3 billion have been awarded for road construction across several communities in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).
Among communities in which the contracts will be executed are La Parfaite Harmonie, Onderneeming, Westminster, Recht Door Zee, and Lust-en-Rust.
The extensive infrastructure project
was officially launched on Friday by Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar at La Parfaite Harmonie.
Highlighting the importance of road development, Minister Indar noted that it fulfills a commitment made by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, and complements an $8.4 billion road construction initiative that began in June.
“When the President makes a commit-
ment, it is not water on duck’s back; it has to be followed through with action, and this is
the follow-through action,” the minister emphasised. In ‘Parfaite Harmonie’ alone, the ministry has identified 97 kilometres of roads for upgrade.
To date, 33.5 kilometres have been completed, with 63.5 kilometres still requiring work. Of this remaining amount, 15.4 kilometres of road were awarded for construction in June, with work scheduled to begin soon.
“And today, with 74 contracts, we are awarding an additional 18.9 kilometres of road construction,” Minister Indar announced. He added that while the construction of concrete roads is underway, the ministry will also rehabilitate the remaining 29 kilometres of
main access roads in the area.
Additionally, the minister emphasised that this infrastructure development aligns with the government’s broader regional development agenda, which aims to boost investment and improve the living standards of citizens.
He also urged contractors to efficiently use the mobilisation advances provided, and warned that project extensions would not be granted lightly. The Department of Public Information (DPI) spoke to several contractors, who expressed their enthusiasm for the opportunity to contribute to the community’s development.
Another contractor, Sheik Hassan, noted the importance of engaging local contractors, saying, “It’s good to help contractors, because they have a better understanding of the community and its needs. Improving the streets will benefit everyone in the area.”
The extensive road project in the region speaks to the government’s commitment to improving the quality of life of all Guyanese.
(DPI)
Contractor Zoey Williams stated, “This is a wonderful initiative by the government, and it will benefit the community greatly. The current state of the roads is poor, and, once completed, the children and other residents will finally have standard roads to walk on.”
A map of the works to be done
Contractor, Sheik Hassan
Contractor, Zoey Williams
Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar and team inspecting community roads in ‘Parfaite Harmonie’, Region Three
Mainstay family gets new home from MoM
Forty-three-year-old Sherwin De Young, a father of five from Mainstay, was overcome with emotion as tears streamed down his face when the Men on Mission (MoM) handed him the keys to a brand-new home.
This generous gift—a two-bedroom house—was presented by the MoM team, an initiative led by the President of Guyana, Dr Irfaan Ali. Along with the house, KGM Security also donated a sofa, refrigerator, and stove to help the family rebuild their lives.
The handover ceremony was spearheaded by Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, who officially opened the house and took the opportunity to commend the efforts of the MoM team. Minister Indar emphasised the value of selfless service to humanity, highlighting that President Irfaan Ali and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) have the well-being of vulnerable citizens at heart.
Reflecting on the tragic fire that destroyed the De Young family’s previous home, Minister Indar acknowledged the profound hardship they endured. He
expressed hope and optimism, reminding the family that after every storm comes renewal and growth.
Minister Indar praised the resilience of the De Young family for staying united despite the devastating loss.
He noted that, often, such tragedies can lead to the fracturing of families, but in this case, the family’s strength and the support from Men on Mission kept them together.
"The fire may have destroyed your home, but what matters is the rebuilding process that follows," Minister Indar said.
He likened the nurturing nature of the Men on Mission members to that of mothers, emphasising the initiative’s focus on encouraging men to embrace their roles as caretakers and community pillars.
Sharing his personal story, Minister Indar spoke of his humble beginnings and how, despite his circumstances, he was able to rise and make a positive impact on society.
He urged the De Young children to prioritise their education, expressing his gratitude to President Irfaan Ali for launching a programme
that extends a helping hand to the vulnerable. Lieutenant Colonel Bhageshwar Murli, National MoM Coordinator, highlighted the growth of the MoM initiative.
Initially focused on providing shelter, MoM has expanded its reach to address various community needs. Murli mentioned that the team has received over 150 requests across Guyana, responding to those that meet their criteria, which includes assistance for individuals with disabilities, those who have lost homes due to natural disasters or fires, single
mothers with more than three children, and pensioners.
"Men on Mission primarily focuses on at-risk and underprivileged individuals, embodying President Irfaan Ali’s vision of compassion and duty to the citizens of Guyana," Murli said.
In addition to constructing homes, MoM has launched a Youth Empowerment and Mentorship Programme in Regions Four and Nine, with plans to expand iit to Regions Five and Three, providing guidance to the youth in these areas.
Beneficiary Sherwin De
Young expressed his deep gratitude, recalling the devastating fire that left his family homeless and hopeless. He reached out to Men on Mission, who promptly came to his aid, helping him to secure a new home.
De Young shared that his children will now sleep peacefully, and he is immensely thankful to the MoM team for helping him rebuild his life. MoM aims to combat toxic masculinity, while fostering a supportive environment for men. Through mentoring and humanitarian engagement, the initiative promotes integrity, productivity, and accountability within communities. Since its inception, MoM has been dedicated to constructing homes for those in need, including the elderly and single mothers.
In September 2023, a fire destroyed the home of Sherwin De Young and his family of seven in Mainstay/Whyaka, leaving them homeless. The family, which includes children aged 10, eight, five, three, and one, are now able to rebuild their lives thanks to the efforts of Men on Mission.
Building Expo impacted local, regional, international businesses
WEEKS following another successful International Building Exposition, Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, highlighted some of the impacts the event has had on the business community and Guyanese in general.
This year’s theme, “Building on the Foundation of Sustainability and Unity,” was created because it is believed that the government, under President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s leadership, has laid the foundation for the development of Guyana.
She said, “We are building a country that will be sustainable for the future, and we are doing this in a way that unites the country. So that was the evolution of the theme that we adopted for this year.”
International Building Expo 2024
landowners through the ‘Dream Realised’ housing drive.
Another objective is to provide small, medium and large-scale businesses with the opportunity to exhibit their products and services where they are exposed to a large audience. Some 500 businesses were able to do so.
The event also saw an influx of several foreign companies, with this year’s expo having the largest participation from international companies.
their experience was at the expo, and the response from the public in terms of their businesses and they were really surprised, especially those countries that came on for the first time,” she stated.
Also coming out of the expo was the historic approval of a number of loans by the local banking sector to Guyanese.
Minister Rodrigues remarked, “So, the aim of the expo is not to make a profit but to ensure at least, that it can pay for itself, and I can say confidently that every year it has been able to sustain itself.”
She noted that that Building Expo is not just business oriented or for the
In highlighting some of the objectives of the expo, Minister Rodrigues said the first is to ensure the continuation of the housing drive, whereby, at every expo, house lots and certificates of title are distributed.
private sector, but for Guyanese to attend and benefit greatly from the various initiatives. The expo saw approximately 2,000 individuals becoming proud
“We had 28 international companies from different countries around the world, from as far as Africa and India, including Indonesia, and around the Caribbean. And their minds were blown. I personally visited over 90 per cent of the exhibitors there to garner their feedback on how
Moreover, Minister Rodrigues said the International Building Expo allowed the government to display all the work it has been doing, over the last four years, in the housing sector.
The house that was donated to the family by MoM Sherwin De Young and his family
D&I works to commence in two weeks in Perth, Strath Campbell to increase productivity
DRAINAGE and irrigation (D&I) works will begin in two weeks in Mahaicony, Region Five, providing farmers and residents in Perth, Strath Campbell and surrounding areas with the opportunity to expand their agricultural outputs.
Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha made the disclosure during a community meeting at the Mahaicony Branch Road, on Friday. This undertaking will also provide rice farmers with an adequate supply of water for their rice fields.
“We recognised the importance of agriculture… This area, Perth and Strath Campbell, we have to develop some of the canals and rehabilitate some of the canals…I will ask NDIA to have a machine to work in this area to start to desilt the most important canals.
The [farmer] who raised concerns about water for his rice field. Those will be the first priorities for us and then we will do a programme,” the agriculture minister explained. The ministry and the farmers will work to create a programme that will in-
clude a list of all the canals that need to be desilted.
“We will work out a programme for this area… We will do all the canals but it cannot be done at the same time,” he noted. “We are working with every single section of the population…So, when farmers are saying that they need help, we will continue to give help. We have been giving help over the last four years. As a government, we are responsive to the needs of the farmers and stakeholders in this country,” he affirmed.
Also, a committee will
Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha and other officials during the meeting
be established in the area for additional canals to be desilted which will be undertaken in phases. Free planting materials, technical assistance and agrochemicals will be provided to cash-crop farmers to increase food production.
Farmers will soon have
better access to their farmlands when transporting their produce, following a contract recently awarded for the extension of the Mahaicony Branch Road from Green Mill. A total of 25 schools are currently being rehabilitated across the region, providing a
conducive environment for teachers and students alike.
Regional Chairperson Vickchand Ramphal, Chairman of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) Lionel Wordsworth and technical officers were also present at the meeting.
26 foreign women found in Red Dragon nightclub
RANKS of the Guyana Police Force, led by two Assistant Superintendents, conducted a raid of the Red Dragon Night Club located at Robb Street, Bourda, Georgetown in the wee hours of Saturday. A brief police state -
ment noted that the raid entailed a thorough search of the nightclub and each of the persons who were in the club, but nothing of evidential value was found.
However, a total of 26 women of Venezuelan, Cuban and Domini-
can Republic nationality were found in the nightclub. Five male security guards, along with three barmen, were also found in the nightclub. They were all escorted to the CID Headquarters as investigations continue.
A section of the gathering during the meeting
Kurupukari to Lethem project advancing
- as Pirara bridge slated for completion by Christmas
THE construction of 32 concrete bridges along the Kurupukari to Lethem corridor is nearing completion, with the final bridge at Pirara expected to be finished before Christmas.
This is according to Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill, who announced this on Thursday last during day four of the National Toshaos Council Conference.
“We are committed, with all of the problems and all of the situations, the Pirara bridge will be completed before Christmas this year,” the minister assured toshaos.
Speaking directly to the residents of Region Nine, the minister highlighted that a high-level meeting was recently held with Vals Construction; he said the contractor responsible for the project will ensure the timely completion of the Pirara bridge.
Additionally, senior engineers will be dispatched to the region over the weekend to work closely with the contractor.
The $410.2 million Pirara bridge, which is being built to international standards, aims to enhance the transportation network between Kurupukari and Lethem corridor.
Once completed, it will significantly enhance connectivity and facilitate smoother travel in and out of the hinterland. This bridge is also part of a broader strategy by the PPP/C government, led by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, to advance hinterland development through improved infrastructure.
The Kurupukari to Lethem project, which includes the construction of 32 bridges, is complemented by the ongoing development of 13 bridges from Linden to Mabura Road, further strengthening the region’s interconnectivity. Similarly, Minister
Edghill announced that repair works have commenced on the Santa Rosa bridge in Region One, following the re-
cent awarding of the contract for the project.
He noted that these ongoing infrastructural projects contrib-
ute significantly to the overall development and integration of hinterland communities and their residents.
Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill, the engineering team and contractor inspecting works on the Pirara bridge
Ministry of Health ramps up sensitisation on Mpox
THE Caribbean has yet to report any cases of the feared MPOX disease that has been moving through the continent of Africa and now some parts of Europe.
The nation's Ministry of Health has issued a new summary of the National Guideline for the Prevention and Management of Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox), in an effort to educate the public and help
strains of the virus, with the Clade I(b) strain being the most virulent and transmissible in the current outbreak.
Mpox can be transmitted through direct or indirect contact with an infected person, animal, or contaminated surfaces.
Although it traditionally causes a systemic illness with symptoms like fever, chills, and muscle aches, during the recent
answer a few frequently asked questions. What is smallpox? How does someone get it? How does someone know if they have contracted it? And what to do if you believe you have gotten MPOX?
Mpox is caused by the monkeypox virus, an orthopoxvirus closely related to the viruses responsible for smallpox and the smallpox vaccine. It leads to a rash similar to smallpox, but there are two
outbreaks, some cases presented with genital, anal, or oral lesions without systemic symptoms. The virus has been spreading beyond endemic regions in Africa, with new cases reported in Sweden, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Argentina.
The infection typically manifests with a rash that progresses through several stages, from small macules to papules, vesicles, and then pseudo-pustules,
before crusting over and falling off. The rash can be painful initially and may become itchy as it heals. Systemic symptoms, if present, usually appear just before or shortly after the rash.
Mpox can be diagnosed in Guyana through RT-PCR analysis at the National Public Health Reference Laboratory in Georgetown. It’s crucial that samples be sent within 24 hours of collection, or refrigerated within one hour for up to six days.
If Mpox is suspected, it’s vital to seek medical advice immediately. Suspected and confirmed cases must be isolated to prevent further transmission. Isolation should continue until all lesions have scabbed over, typically lasting 2 to 4 weeks.
Treatment is mostly supportive, focusing on symptom relief. Pain management may be necessary, and secondary bacterial infections should be treated with appropriate antibiotics. Antiviral therapy is reserved for severe cases and requires specialist consultation.
As Mpox continues to spread globally, understanding the signs, transmission methods, and necessary precautions is key to controlling its impact.
The most significant symptom of MPOX is a rash
175 of 200 squatting settlements regularised
- Minister Rodrigues
MINISTER within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues says the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government has managed to regularise 175 of 200 squatting settlements since it has been in office from the 90s to now.
During her appearance on the ‘Guyana Dialogue’ programme, Minister Rodrigues said Guyana has had a long and somewhat complicated history with squatting. She alluded to President Dr Irfaan Ali’s speech at the opening of Building Expo 2024, during which he gave a historic overview of the housing programme under the vision of Dr. Cheddi Jagan.
“And he gave an analysis of the status of housing during that time in Guyana. And that a majority of settlements were informal settlements due to a lack of a housing programme and policy under the PNC as it then was for thirty years.”
In the late 90s, the PPP/C conducted an analysis on this issue and concluded that approximately 200 squatting settlements were found across Guyana.
“During the tenure of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic from the nineties to the present day, we have regularised about 175 of those just over 200 communities,” Minister Rodrigues pointed out.
“There are areas that keep popping up around the country sometimes with squatters, and we have the unpleasant task of removing those people, especially when they are located in a zero-tolerance area,” she said.
The minister explained that they have a very strict procedure on how that is done. She noted there is a unit that handles this in a
humane way.
In explaining the process, the minister said, “People are written to. We make provisions for their relocations, we put them in established housing schemes; in some cases, we help them move their structures and have their new homes set up before they are relocated, and then the squat structure is dismantled.”
According to the Housing Minister, in some cases where the squatters would have been squatting on an area earmarked for future development, they are compensated. In addition, if they have crops and other produce they are given land to continue on with their livelihoods.
“The procedures are very clear. It’s done in a structured way, in a humane way; but the circumstances can differ, and that’s what influence the extent of the help that they are given to be relocated. We have been very clear that we are not tolerating any new squatting so if a new area pops up overnight somewhere across the country, that area would not be regularised because we really need to put an end to squatting.
Squatting is illegal and with the extensive nature of the housing drive and our target of distributing $50,000 house lots in our first term in office, there really is no need for Guyanese to go and squat, and live in inhumane conditions without water and electricity and so on, and those can have dire consequences,” Minister highlighted.
Further to this, she noted that the ministry has seen too many persons lose their lives from illegal connections to electricity and more.
According to Minister Rodrigues, the Ministry of Housing and
Water has done tremendous work, and through a unit under the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), it continues to address squatting daily.
Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues
Minister Indar files $50M defamation lawsuit against ‘Melly Mel’, AFC’s Duncan
MINISTER within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, has filed a high-profile defamation lawsuit against Opposition Parliamentarian Sherod Avery Duncan and social media personality, Melissa Ann Atwell, popularly known as ‘Melly Mel’. The lawsuit accused Duncan and Atwell of making defamatory statements against the
minister; it was filed in the High Court of Demerara on Friday. Indar is seeking damages exceeding $50 million.
The legal action arose from a live broadcast on August 2, 2024, hosted by Duncan on his popular Facebook page, "Credible Sources." The broadcast, entitled "IN THE RING SPECIAL | Live from New York with guest ‘Melly Mel’," featured a discussion between Duncan and Atwell.
During this live session, they allegedly made several defamatory remarks, accusing Minister Indar of corruption, dishonesty, and unethical conduct in his role as a public official.
According to the statement of claim submitted to the court, Atwell made several serious accusations against Minister Indar during the broadcast. She alleged that Indar was involved in corrupt
practices, specifically in the allocation of government contracts.
The broadcast in question has had a significant impact on social media. Duncan’s "Credible Sources" page, which boasts 123,000 followers, has seen substantial engagement with the video.
According to the lawsuit, the video has been shared 418 times, received 1,800 reactions, and garnered 1, 400 comments. It has been viewed a staggering 197,000 times.
The lawsuit said that Atwell’s repost of the video on her own Facebook page, which has 125,000 followers, has also gained traction, with 73 shares, 13 comments, and 596 reactions.
Minister Indar contended that these allegations are entirely false and without any basis in fact. The statement of claim emphasised that the words used by Duncan and Atwell in their broadcast were intended to damage his reputation and undermine his credibility as a public official.
The minister argued that the statements have caused significant harm to his professional and personal life, leading to distress, embarrass-
ment, and a tarnished public image.
In response to the alleged defamation, the minister is also seeking aggravated and exemplary damages. Additionally, Minister Indar is requesting an injunction to prevent Duncan and Atwell from making any further defamatory statements about him.
This injunction would also extend to their agents, servants, and any other parties acting on their behalf. The minister is also seeking a court order requiring the defendants to remove all posts related to the defamatory statements from their respective Facebook pages.
Moreover, Minister Indar is asking the court to compel Duncan and Atwell to issue a public retraction and apology. He said that this apology would need to be approved by the court.
Since Atwell lives in Brooklyn, New York, United States of America (USA), the government official is asking the court for permission to serve the lawsuit on her by FedEx Courier Service, or through publishing an advertisement in Kaieteur News' New York edition.
Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar
Melissa ‘Melly Mel’ Atwell
Opposition Parliamentarian, Sherod Duncan
Businessman murdered, six others shot during fracas on D’Urban Street
A PARTY that went on until 05:00 hrs on Saturday at Lot 23, D'Urban Street, Lodge, Georgetown, ended in the murder of a man and the injury of others.
Dead is Anthony Havescome, called 'Pandit', a 40-year-old businessman of South Ruimveldt, Georgetown. The shooting took place at about 05:30 hrs by four suspects, all armed with handguns, and travelling in a black Toyota Premio motorcar.
Police Headquarters reported that the location where the murder took place is in the vicinity of V's Delight, which is located on the southern side of the road on D'Urban Street. According to Keon Aaron, the 37-year-old proprietor of V's Delight, he’d hosted an 'All Black' party for the second anniversary of his business at a wash bay opposite the business place.
Shortly after 05:00 hrs, a Police patrol went and instructed him to stop the party, which he did.
He said that while some people left the party, there were still a few others liming and drinking in front of his business. Aaron stated that while he was checking off his bar, he heard several loud explosions that sounded like gunshots, and, while checking, he saw a dark-coloured, heavily-tinted car speeding off in a western direction.
He then went over to his business place and observed several persons with what appeared to be blood on their bodies. As a result, with the assistance of other persons, he placed the men into different motorcars and escorted them to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
One of the persons, Havescome, reportedly died while receiving treatment. He’d sustained a gunshot wound to his right back below his shoulder blade.
The other injured per-
DEAD: Anthony Havescome
sons are: Travis Ceres, a 25-year-old vendor of East La Penitence, who received what appears to be a graze to his right elbow and right abdomen; Destra Auther, a 33-year-old vendor of East La Penitence, who was shot in the lower left leg; Teon Allen, called 'Spoil Child', a 38-yearold unemployed resident of Sophia, who was shot to his left shoulder; Stanley Matthews, a 31-yearold resident of Turkeyen, who’d sustained a gunshot wound to his left hand and another to his left thigh; Lennox Wayne, called 'Two Colours', a 39-yearold security guard from Turkeyen, who was shot in his right thigh and right palm; and Lloyd Roberts, a 43-year-old gold miner of Golden Grove, EBD, who was shot to his right upper chest and left hip. They were all admitted as patients at the GPHC and the St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital. Their condition is listed as serious but stable.
AT THE CRIME SCENE
The scene was processed and photographed by detectives, including a team from the Crime Laboratory (CID HQ). Twenty-nine (29) suspected 9mm spent shells, one (1) live suspected 9mm ammunition, four (4) pieces of metal fragments and six (6) projectiles were found at the scene.
A silver Toyota Allion motorcar bearing registration number
to the ballistics section of the station to be examined.
The owner of the car, Coleen Burrowes, a 33-year-old businesswoman, was contacted and interviewed. She related that on Saturday morning, at about 04:00 hrs, she was driving her black Toyota Premio motorcar, #PAC 8364, east along D'Urban Street, Georgetown, in the company of a friend and two cousins. According to Burrowes, while at D'Ur-
2242, which is owned by a 30-year-old from Lot 23, D'Urban Street, Lodge, and a motorcar bearing registration number PAD 658, which were parked on the bridge of the premises, were examined, and it was observed that they both had two suspected bullet holes to the front windscreen.
At about 09:30hrs on Saturday, acting on information received, detectives went to Manatee Place, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, where they observed a black Toyota Premio motorcar (without number plate) parked on the eastern carriageway of Manatee Place, facing south. The vehicle was examined, and registration number PAC 8364 was seen engraved on the windscreens.
The vehicle was processed and photographed by the CID team, and eleven 9mm spent shells, along with one .223 spent shell, were found in its front and back seats. Two suspected bullet holes were also seen in the lower right back passenger door, and what appears to be a graze from a bullet to the left side back, just above the gas tank.
The CCTV cameras from this area will be reviewed. The vehicle was escorted to the Police Station, where it was lodged, pending investigation. The spent shells found at the scene and in the car were placed in separate evidence bags and taken
ban and Victor Streets, she felt an urgent need to urinate, and as such, she stopped on D'Urban and Victor Streets, during which she was approached by two men on a white XR motorcycle (registration number unknown). The pillion rider dismounted the motorcycle, pointed a firearm at her, and demanded that she hand over the motorcar.
Being fearful for her life, she, along with the
other occupants, exited the car, and the armed suspect entered it and drove north along Victor Street until he was out of her eyesight and made good his escape, while the motorcycle followed. She immediately went to the East La Penitence Police Station, where a report was made. The said area was canvassed for CCTV cameras, as investigations continue.
CRICKET QUIZ CORNER
(Sunday August 25, 2024)
CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)
Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Guyana Amazon Warriors (2) Krishmar Santokie (GAW) Today’s Quiz: (1) Who scored most runs in CPL 2013? (2) What was the highest individual score recorded in CPL 2013?
Answers in tomorrow’s issue
ENGLISH RACING TIPS
BEVERLEY
09:05 hrs Scoops Ahoy
09:40 hrs Stay In The Game
10:15 hrs Neoma
10:50 hrs J Street
11:25 hrs Monsieur Melee
12:00 hrs Winterfair GOODWOOD
08:50 hrs Eavestone
09:25 hrs Signcastle City
10:00 hrs Sergeant Wilco 10:35 hrs Darkness
11:10 hrs Clever Relation
11:46 hrs Skibo
12:20 hrs Duke Of Verona YARMOUTH
09:15 hrs City Escape 09:50 hrs Portnoy 10:25 hrs Love Your Work 11:00 hrs Calumet 11:35 hrs Shibuya Storm
12:10 hrs Gultari
IRISH RACING TIPS NAAS
08:22 hrs Celtic Motif 09:57 hrs Jaliyah 09:32 hrs Elvstham 10:07 hrs Firebird 10:42 hrs Ginormous 11:17 hrs Red Trail 11:52 hrs Best Law
12:27 hrs That's Hammer
SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS
SCOTTSVILLE
08:25 hrs Grand Occasion 09:00 hrs Woodland Glade 09:35 hrs Kimball O 'Hara
10:10 hrs Salt 'N Peppa
10:45 hrs Miss Ladyaterix
Joe Root drops anchor as England
overcome
spirited
Sri
Lanka to win by five wickets …Key stand between Kamindu and Chandimal threatened to turn tables on engrossing fourth day
JOE Root provided the calm head for a crisis, while Jamie Smith capped a Player-of-theMatch-winning performance with a vital late injection of impetus, as England overcame a spirited Sri Lanka display with bat and ball to seal a five-wicket win in the first Test, late on the fourth afternoon at Emirates Old Trafford.
The victory made it four out of four in the 2024 summer to date, following July's 3-0 win over West Indies, but as had sometimes been the case in that series, England were not allowed to dictate terms with the authority that they might have envisaged at the halfway stage of the match.
(Scores: England 358 (Smith 111, Brook 56, Asitha 4-102) and 205 for 5 (Root 62*, Smith 39) beat Sri Lanka 236 and 326 (Kamindu 113, Chandimal 79, Potts 3-47) by five wickets
Thanks to a sublime century from Kamindu Mendis, the bulk of which came in a 117-run stand with Dinesh Chandimal that spanned the entirety of the morning session, Sri Lanka were able to post a taxing target of 205 for victory, and when a bowling display led once again by Asitha Fernando and Prabath Jayasuriya picked off each of the top three inside the first 16 overs of the chase, it required England to swallow their Bazball pride to chisel a path to victory at an unusually sedate 3.58 an over.
Sedate, that is, until Smith got into his stride. Though fresh from his maiden century in the first innings, when he (Smith) strode out to replace Harry Brook with the chase still in the balance at 119 for 4, he found himself pitched into a pressure situation unlike anything he'd yet surmounted in his short career.
Smith's defensive technique soon proved up to the challenge as he crept along to 6 from his first 26 balls, in which period England went 14.4 overs, spread across a full hour, between boundaries: an uncommonly fallow passage of play for this regime. But then, after cracking back-to-back boundaries through the leg-side off Jayasuriya, the shackles were off. A subsequent six bounced off down an access tunnel and onto the concourse, and he'd added two further hooks for four off Vishwa Fernando to send Sri Lanka's pressure scattering, before Asitha castled him with a superb inswinger for 39 from 48.
By then, however, England needed just 22 to win, and with the evening light holding up well despite the torrential rain that had dogged much of the rest of the country, Root and Chris Woakes did the needful shortly after 7.15pm, with Root notching the 96th half-century of his career before blazing the winning boundary over long-on … though not before attempting to seal the deal with a miscued scoop into his grille - a final flourish that
proved the team's prescribed ethos may have been dormant on this occasion, but it won't be kept down indefinitely.
England's target may have been surprisingly stiff, but they would have been chasing significantly more had it not been for a disciplined docking of Sri Lanka's tail by England's seamers, armed with the second new ball, shortly after lunch. In losing their final four wickets in the space of 26 balls, including the last three for five in ten, Sri Lanka's innings ended much as it had begun (on first day and third), but up until that point, their seventh-wicket stand had all but turned the contest completely on its head.
Between Kamindu, who recorded his third hundred in the space of four Tests, and Chandimal, who was last man out for 79 despite having retired hurt on the third afternoon, Sri Lanka transformed their match prospects, and with scarcely a moment of alarm across their 30-over alliance.
Having let a promising position slip with the ball on the third morning, Sri Lanka's focus was unwavering as the pair resumed on 204 for 6, with a slender lead of 82. They had more than doubled that advantage before Gus Atkinson prised out Kamindu for 113 shortly after lunch, to create an opening that Woakes and Matthew Potts were primed to pile through.
From the outset, England's problems had been compounded by the absence of their fastest bowler, Mark Wood. He left the field after feeling a twinge in his right thigh on Friday evening, and may now be a doubt for the rest of the series.
There had been some controversy overnight about the advantageous nature of a ballchange after the 41st over that allowed England's seamers to obtain significant swing on the third evening. However, after 20 further overs of wear and tear, there was little lateral movement on show as Kamindu seized on a hint of width in Woakes' first over to flash his first boundary of the day through point.
That set the tone for a proactive half-hour, with Chandimal following his partner's lead as he built on his overnight 20 not out. The fact that he was there at all was remarkable, given the gruesome blow to the thumb that Wood had inflicted on the third afternoon. He had retired hurt on 10, but after an X-ray had given him the all-clear, returned with no ill-effects, although he did later relinquish the wicketkeeping duties, with Kusal Mendis taking over behind the stumps. Pope rang the changes for England, but none of them had any answer to a burgeoning stand. Kamindu came into this contest with an average in excess of 100 after two centuries and an unbeaten 92 in his three previ-
ous Tests, and the range of his strokeplay was apparent in backto-back boundaries off Atkinson, driven and pulled respectively, plus a ruthless eye for anything loose from the spin of Bashir.
Neither a 30-minute rain delay in the second hour of the morning, nor a brief sighting of the new ball before the interval could disrupt Kamindu's focus, as he rushed through to his third Test hundred with a decisive slash through deep third off Woakes, to send England into lunch with a real battle on their hands.
Their immediate prospects after the resumption didn't look much better. Kamindu surged onto the offensive after the break with a trio of off-side boundaries as Atkinson struggled with his line, but after an intervention from Pope, he switched to round the wicket with instant success. Kamindu fenced at the new angle, shaping into his left-handed stance, and Root at first slip held on a sharp low chance.
Atkinson was immediately yanked from the attack, with Potts adding his second of the innings courtesy of a juggled take from Brook at second slip, who parried Jayasuriya's punch off the back foot, but recovered well to snaffle the rebound. Potts celebrated with a pat of his fluttering heart, having watched two key chances go down during his excellent but under-rewarded spell on day three.
Woakes added his third when Vishwa Fernando played down the wrong line to be struck in front of middle and leg, and though Chandimal attempted to cut loose with only Asitha for company, the substitute fielder, Harry Singh, stayed cool at deep cover to end a superbly gutsy innings.
England's reply so nearly got off to a disastrous start when, on 2, Ben Duckett jabbed his third delivery down the leg-side, to be brilliantly caught by Kusal in his outstretched right glove. However, in an echo of Duckett's reprieve against Mitchell Starc in last year's Ashes, the decision was overturned because Kusal's palm was pushing the ball into the ground as he completed the catch.
Asitha was the unlucky bowler, but he made amends in superb fashion in his third
It was Jayasuriya who made the next breakthrough, however, as Pope - familiarly skittish at the start of his innings - climbed into a reverse-sweep on a deliberate leg-stump line, but managed only to toe-end a simple chance to Dhananjaya de Silva at slip for his second score of 6 in the match. And when Lawrence, on 34, was pinned lbw by a nip-backer soon afterwards, England had slipped to a dangerous scoreline of 70 for 3.
had just 4 to his name. However, it was Jayasuriya's reversion to round the wicket that prised the next opening. On 32, Brook failed to account for the drift back into his stumps, and chipped a toe-ended drive back to the bowler, whose catch was upheld despite Root's initial belief that the ball had again been grounded - a stance that earned him a hard stare from Kusal as the replay flashed up on the big screen.
over, flipping the shiny side of his swinging new ball to graze a more regulation edge through to Kusal, as Duckett played for the inswinger that had done him in in the first innings.
Dan Lawrence, by this stage, had launched Jayasuriya for a wonderfully clean straight six, but in his unfamiliar role as opener, his frailties outside off were consistently probed, not least by Asitha, whose command of seam and swing once again made him the pick of Sri Lanka's attack.
Root's and Brook's response was to bed in for an old-school rebuilding job, adding 49 for the fourth wicket at a rate of less than 3.4 an over - a reflection both of Sri Lanka's disciplined attack, but also of the relative lack of depth in England's batting in the absence of Ben Stokes.
Jayasuriya maintained his restrictive line from over the wicket, frequently tempting Brook to sweep his way through a packed field behind square, and England could have been four-down before lunch had the substitute fielder Ramesh Mendis clung on his outstretched right hand at backward square, when Brook
With 86 more needed, then, out came Smith. His selection ahead of Ben Foakes had been largely a consequence of Foakes' perceived limitations as an attacking batter, particularly when marshalling the tail. But here was the polar opposite challenge: an onus on defence, to provide a trusty sidekick to England's most admirable and obdurate matchwinner. Smith duly proved worthy of the task, and more. But it was Root - his senior status all the more towering in Stokes' absence - who was England's main man in the final analysis.(ESPN cricinfo)
Joe Root bedded in to carry England over the finish line
Wins for Guyana’s Britton, Wintz and Lewis
GUYANA made a perfect 3-0 start at the Ronald Wilson Memorial Boxing Championship in Barbados, following convincing wins on Friday’s opening night.
The victorious Guyanese were Keyon Britton, Colin Lewis, and Terron Wintz.
Britton, who was unable to compete at the recently concluded Caribbean Schoolboys Championship owing to a lack of an opponent, defeated Aaron Cadogan of Barbados via decision in the 46-48 kg category.
Haaland
ERLING Haaland scored a hat-trick as Manchester City showed Ipswich just how tough life in the Premier League can be with a comfortable victory at Etihad Stadium.
The Tractor Boys are back in the top flight for the first time in 22 years and they had a dream start at the defending champions as Sammie Szmodics scored on his full debut, squeezing a shot through the legs of Ederson after seven minutes.
But the joy was very short-lived as Manchester City hit back with three goals in four minutes.
First, Haaland equalised with a well-taken penalty,
Lewis defeated Barbadian Peter Murray via first-round referee stoppage in their 60-63.5 kg lightweight encounter.
Meanwhile, Wintz outboxed Barbadian Jaheem Estwick in their 63.5-67 kg welterweight encounter.
Guyana’s other two representatives, Shakquain James and world-rated light heavyweight pugilist Desmond Amsterdam, were slated to enter the squared circle last night.
James was slated to compete against Estwick, while Amsterdam
will pencil in to oppose Charles Cox of Barbados.
Similarly, Lewis was slated to return to action against Maxime Alexandre of Martinique.
The team is supervised by Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) Technical Director, Terrence Poole and coach Steel Crawford.
Meanwhile, GBA president Steve Ninvalle said, “the fruits of our labour, essentially our continued success, are based on the developmental structures that have been employed by the association, primarily at the nursery strata.
We are elated at the team’s immediate success and envision and anticipate additional triumphs. This position is not one of arrogance but rather a posture and disposition rooted in expectation given our investment in the sport.”
He further said, “The GBA will continue to provide avenues and opportunities, especially of the regional and international persuasion, to ensure the continued growth of our fighters, which will have a cascading influence on the local fraternity.”
scores hat-trick as Manchester City beats ispawich
given following a review by the video assistant referee after Sam Allison had initially deemed Savinho had dived. Kevin de Bruyne then capitalised on hesitation by Ipswich goalkeeper Arijanet Muric to drive home before Haaland made it 3-1 after just 16 minutes when he rounded Muric to fire in.
Manchester City could have been even further ahead as they hit the woodwork twice, although Ipswich had a strong shout for a penalty denied when Leif Davis appeared to be brought down by Brazil winger Savinho inside the box.
The second half saw arguably the biggest cheer of the
game as Ilkay Gundogan - who completed his move from Barcelona back to City on a one-year deal on Friday - came on to mark his return to the club.
Just as Ipswich looked to have limited Manchester City to three goals, Haaland struck with a low drive from distance late on to complete his hat-trick.
Victory means Manchester City has a 100% record from their two games so far while Ipswich, who faced Liverpool in their Premier League opener, is waiting for its first points after the most difficult of starts.(BBC Sport)
First Sri Lanka vs New Zealand Test to feature a rest day
THE first Sri Lanka vs New Zealand Test, starting September 18 in Galle, has six days allocated to it, with a rest day thrown in to accommodate the country's presidential elections on September 21. The series is of two Tests, which are part of the 2023-2025 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
This will be the first instance of a rest day in a Test match since the Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Test in Dhaka in 2008, which accommodated a rest day because of the parliamentary elections.
The last rest day to occur in Sri Lanka, meanwhile, was back in December 2001, in a Test against Zimbabwe. This was down to the occurrence of a full moon, a day being a public holiday in the largely Buddhist nation. Before gradually fading into oblivion, for all practical purposes, Sundays were rest days in Tests in England, well into the 1990s.
New Zealand and Sri Lanka last faced each other in a Test series at the start of 2023, which New Zealand won 2-0 at home. New Zea-
land last toured Sri Lanka in 2019, drawing the Test series 1-1 and winning 2-1 in the T20Is.
New Zealand will tour Sri Lanka after playing a one-off Test against Afghanistan in Greater Noida in what is busy summer of cricket for them. Before the end of the year, New Zealand will also have Test series against India and England, before Sri Lanka make a return tour to New Zealand towards the end of December for three T20Is and three ODIs. (ESPN cricinfo)
Erling Haaland has scored four goals in two league games this season
Ronald Wilson Memorial Boxing Championship
Terron Wintz receives his medal after winning his encounter against Barbadian Jaheem Estwick
GCOS assists Guyana U-20 athletes, honours Boxer Raul Frank
GUYANA Committee of Services (GCOS) once again helped national Under-20 athletes representing Guyana in Peru.
The association has been assisting CARIFITA athletes over the years by presenting over 700 pairs of running boots and gear to athletes around Guyana. Also present was former Guyana-rated boxer and Hall of Fame Golden Glove Awardee, Raul Frank, who made the presentation while on a short visit to Guyana.
The committee also honoured Frank for his dedication over the years in boxing and flying the flag of Guyana.
Falcons host training camp ahead of CPL start
ST JOHN’S, Antigua, (CMC) – The newly formed Antigua & Barbuda Falcons squad has assembled for a skills camp ahead of their opening match in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League next week.
The Falcons will play their first match on Thursday, August 29, when they face the St Kitts and Kevis
Under the guidance of head coach, Shiv Chanderpaul, the team will have sessions at the same venue starting from yesterday.
Leg-spinning all-rounder Hayden Walsh is among those at the camp and is excited to make his debut for the Falcons in front his
friends and family.
The Falcons will replace the Jamaica Tallawahs in this year’s CPL.
Antigua previously hosted a franchise named Antigua Hawksbills in the first two CPL seasons, but they won only three matches and were replaced by St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in 2015.
CPL Home Schedule Thursday, August 29:
vs St Kitts and Nevis Patriots – 8 p.m.
Friday, August 30: vs Guyana Amazon Warriors – 7 p.m.
Sunday, September 1: vs Barbados Royals – 10 a.m.
Tuesday, September 3: vs Saint Lucia Kings – 7 p.m.
Thursday, September 5: vs Trinbago Knight Riders – 7 p.m.
Liburd appointed head coach of Hurricanes Mushfiqur stars with
ST JOHN’S, Antigua, (CMC) – Steve Liburd has been appointed as head coach of the Leeward Islands Hurricanes.
The announcement was made on Saturday by the Leeward Islands Cricket Board (LICB), which revealed that Liburd, the former Leeward Islands batsman, would serve in the role for the next two years.
In a statement, the LICB said Liburd’s appointment would “bring a wealth of experience and leadership” to the team.
Liburd has served in several coaching capacities, including head coach of the West Indies’ Under-19 women’s team and the Guyana Amazon Warriors Women’s team in the Caribbean Premier League.
“Having represented the Leeward Islands with distinction during his playing career, Liburd’s deep understanding of the game and his dedication to the development of cricket in the region make him an ideal choice for this role,” the statement read.
“In addition to his playing career, Liburd has extensive coaching experience at various levels including youth and senior teams within Cricket West Indies. His ability to nurture young talent
and his strategic approach to coaching have earned him recognition and respect within the cricketing community.”
President of the LICB, Enoch Lewis, said he was looking forward to Liburd taking up his new role.
“We are delighted to welcome Steve Liburd back to the Leeward Islands Hurricanes, this time in the capacity of head coach.
“Steve’s passion for the game, combined with his experience and leadership skills will be invaluable as we look to build a winning team culture and develop the next generation of cricket
Lewis said.
Meanwhile, Liburd expressed his enthusiasm for the new position, stating, “It is an honour to return to the Leeward Islands Hurricanes as head coach. I am excited about the opportunity to work with the players and staff to achieve our collective goals and take the team to new heights.”
The LICB said Liburd’s appointment was part of its ongoing commitment to “building a strong and competitive team that can achieve success at the regional and international level.”
191 as Bangladesh take control against Pakistan
BANGLADESH are in a strong position heading into the final day of their opening Test against Pakistan, thanks largely to Mushfiqur Rahim.
Mushfiqur scored 191 before he was dismissed in the third session on Saturday, as Bangladesh were eventually bowled out for 565.
After declaring on 448-6, Pakistan had been hoping to make inroads with the ball, but the day belonged to Bangladesh, with Shadman Islam (93), Mominul Haque (50), Litton Das (56) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (77) helping Mushfiqur along the way as the tourists mounted a huge total in Rawalpindi.
Naseem Shah was the pick of Pakistan's bowlers with 3-93, while Mohammad Ali (2-88) eventually ended Mushfiqur's momentous stand.
Bangladesh still had time to do some damage with the ball late on, with Shoriful Islam (1-13) dismissing Saim Ayub in the third over of Pakistan's second innings.
The hosts trail by 94 runs ahead of the final day, with a draw almost certainly the best Pakistan can hope for.
This was Mushfiqur's 11th Test ton, but his first against Pakistan in the format, and he did it in
fantastic fashion, falling just short of a double-century.
Mushfiqur had not been in great form on the road before this match, either. Indeed, he had scored fewer than 10 runs in four of his last five innings away from home, but he is now clear of Tamim Iqbal in second place on the list of the most Test hundreds for Bangladesh. (Sportsmax)
Patriots at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
talent in the Leeward Islands,”
Steve Liburd is the new head coach of the Leeward Islands Hurricanes
Mushfiqur Rahim makes his mark in style with 191
Falcons head coach Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Leslie Black presents a token to Frank as GCOS member, Linden ‘Jumbie’ Jones and some Athletes share the moment
Rovman Powell insists West Indies must not get too far ahead of themselves after what he saw as an "unacceptable" level of rustiness against South Africa.
The Windies won by seven wickets in Friday's T20I to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
They have now won five of their last six T20Is against the Proteas, having bounced back from a three-wicket defeat at the T20 World Cup in June.
However, Powell was far from happy with what he saw, with South Africa posting a competitive 174-7 - Tristan Stubbs top-scoring with 76 and Patrick Kruger adding 44.
Powell said: "I think it's always good to go 1-0 up. We bowled well in the powerplay and though we let them off a bit, we were
good with the bat.
"The guys look a bit rusty, which is unacceptable at this level.
"To be honest, a lot
of talk is around the next T20 World Cup but we have to play one game at a time and see different
players. We have to stay in the moment and the 2026 T20 World Cup is too far for us."
Shai Hope's 51 and Alick Athanaze's 40 got the Windies' chase off to a strong start, paving the way for Nicholas Pooran to take centre stage with an unbeaten 65, which included reeling off four straight sixes in one over.
"I just felt like Shai and Alick put South Africa under pressure in the powerplay," said Pooran, who was named Player of the Match.
"At the ten-over mark, we knew it was a better wicket and my job was simple and I just had to take on my match-ups.
"With rain around, the first ten overs were tricky when South Africa batted. Stubbs and Kruger played well, but we knew the wicket would get better."
Along with Stubbs' performance with the bat, one other bright spark for South Africa in their defeat was teenager Kwena Maphaka, who claimed his maiden international wicket.
"Maphaka has a lot of X-factor and is really young," said Proteas captain Aiden Markram. "He has hunger when you speak to him off the field and he wants to win games for South Africa." (Sportsmax)
Jamaica, French Guiana to contest Tier 1 final West Indies captain Powell hits out at 'unacceptable' rustiness
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, (CMC) –Jamaica will clash with French Guiana in the final of the Caribbean Football Union’s (CFU) Under-14 Tier 1 final after they both won their respective semifinals on Friday.
Playing at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, the junior Reg -
gae Boyz comfortably defeated Puerto Rico 3-1, thanks to a brace from Kelvin Brown.
However, French Guiana upstaged Trinidad and Tobago 4-3 in a thrilling contest that went down to the wire.
Puerto Rico actually took a surprise lead in the 35th minute against Jamaica when Wilfredo Reyes found
the back of the net.
But Brown made it 1-1 in the 50th minute before Kyle Hussey put Jamaica in front with a strike in the 60th minute.
Brown then returned to seal the contest by scoring in added time to put Jamaica through to the final.
Meanwhile, a firsthalf blitz by French
Guiana put them in firm control of their contest against T&T.
Matheo Francois (9th), Tyler Hartino (13th), Enzo Cherica (19th), and Guezo Atoukou (32nd) were all on target for French Guiana.
T&T showed grit and determination through goals by Jeremai Nanton in the 11th
minute, Adasa Richardson in the 59th and Jahmiah Gibbes’ late 70th-minute conversion, but fell just short.
Barbados and Bermuda will face off in the Tier II final after both registered emphatic wins over their opponents.
Goals from Amari Small, Trey Baker, and Maleek Peters helped
Barbados thump the Turks and Caicos 3-0. Bermuda was even more dominant, blanking Anguilla 6-0, thanks to a hat-trick from Jeon Wolfe, a brace from Z-Ani Jennings, while Chaz Edmead also got on the scoresheet.
Both finals will take place today.
Bell lauds 'world class' Smith after maiden England Test
LANKA batting coach
Ian Bell believes Jamie Smith will be a "worldclass player" for years to come with England after striking his maiden century against Sri Lanka on day three of the first Test.
Smith, who started on 72 after rain halted play on the second day, scored 111 from 148 deliveries at Old Trafford, claiming his ton in the 77th over of proceedings.
He had a strike rate of 75.00 and showed 90% control through the balls he
faced, the most controlled Test century by an Englishman since Joe Root versus India at Edgbaston in 2022 (92%).
Smith also became the fifth wicketkeeper to score a ton for England at Old Trafford, after Alec Stewart (three times), Godfrey Evans, Jack Russell and Ben Foakes. And Bell, whose 7,727 runs put him ninth on England's all-time list in Tests, has seen first-hand the 24-year-old's talents, having worked with him for England
Lions and Hundred side Birmingham Phoenix.
"He's going to be a worldclass player for England over a long period of time," said Bell. "He's confident, and he's taken to international cricket with ease," he said.
Surrey's Smith was given the gloves by England ahead of county team-mate Foakes and Jonny Bairstow for the series against West Indies.
He missed out on a maiden century in the third Test against the Windies, scoring 95 at Edgbaston, but made
no mistake with 111 in Manchester on Friday.
But Bell believes there is still more to come from Smith on the international stage after his showing in Manchester.
"The small part that I played in his development, I've watched a guy who's worked extremely hard," said Bell.
"I'm sure he's going to be a massive part of this England team in all formats over a long time."(Sportsmax).
century
SRI
Jamie Smith struck his maiden Test century against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford
West Indies white Ball captain Rovman Powell
Guyana continues dominance with fourth consecutive title in Senior CASA
By Sean Devers
GUYANA continued its dominance in Caribbean Squash when the three-time defending champions won their fourth title, the 2024 Caribbean Senior CASA Championships at the Georgetown Club in Guyana on Saturday.
Team Guyana won last year in the Cayman Islands and in 2022 in Jamaica, while because of the COVID-19 pandemic no tournament was held in 2021 and 2020.
However, in 2019, the last time Guyana played at home, they won the title.
There was no tournament in 2018, while Barbados who finished second this year won their last title in 2017.
On Saturday morning the Guyana ladies beat Barbados in the team category before the men’s
team defeated Trinidad & Tobago in the afternoon session to capture their eighth team title in the history of senior CASA. Saturday the team finals were played with both Guyana Ladies and Men winning the team titles.
In the morning Guyana’s women team started inauspiciously, losing their first game when Mary Fung-a-Fat was beaten by Barbados’ Margot Prow 11-4,11-7, 11-2.
But her team-mates
Burns, Tryon power Amazon Warriors to first win, keep Knight Riders winless
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – A FOUR-WICKET haul by spinner Chloe Tryon coupled with a swashbuckling unbeaten half century from Erin Burns, carried the Guyana Amazon Warriors to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over the Trinbago Knight Riders when the Women’s Caribbean Premier League continued here on Friday.
Left-arm spinner Tryon captured 4-21 from her four overs, as the Knight Riders posted 130 for six from their 20 overs.
Player-of-the-Match Burns, who scored 78 not out from just 48 balls, then shared an unbeaten 119-run partnership with her captain Lauren Winfield-Hill (46 not out), to guide the Warriors to 134-2 in 17.2 overs.
It gave the Warriors (1-1) their first win of the tournament, while it was the Knight Riders’ second successive loss (0-2).
The Knight Riders would have been hoping for a bigger total, especially after openers Harshitha Samarawickrama (33) and captain Deandra
Guyana Amazon Warriors’ Erin Burns pulls during her unbeaten knock of 78 against the Trinbago Knight Riders
Dottin (20), gave them a 50-run opening partnership.
And even after Tryon made the breakthrough by dismissing both batters, Jess Jonassen, who scored 28 and Jemimah Rodrigues, who made 26, added 44 for the third wicket to propel Knight Riders to 105-2 in the 16th over.
But once Nyia Latchman had Rodrigues caught and bowled and Tryon struck again to account for Jonassen, the Knight Riders suffered a middle-order collapse and could only muster 25 runs from the final four overs.
The Amazon Warriors found themselves in early trouble in their run chase
when Jonassen bowled Natasha McClean for a two-ball duck and Shikha Pandey trapped Stafanie Taylor lbw for six, to leave them tottering at 15-2 in the fourth over.
However, Burns joined Winfield-Hill at the crease and, together, they swung the momentum in the Warriors’ favour.
Burns struck 10 fours, while her captain hit four boundaries, as the pair added 119 runs from only 83 balls.
The pair easily carried their team to victory with 16 balls remaining to ensure the Knight Riders remain rooted to the bottom of the three-team tournament.
opening game, 12-10.
However, the 2020 Caribbean Singles Champion came back with great intensity to beat the Bajan 11-5, 11-8 to win 2-1.
Up next was Ashley DeGroot who beat Sumairaa Suleman 11-7, 11-5, 11-6, before the Wiltshire sisters wrapped up the win against the feisty Bajan lasses.
Larissa, the younger of the two beat Eboni Grant 11-9,11-3,11-5 while her sibling had to fight harder for her win.
Jada Smith-Padmore took the first game 11-6 before Akeila won the next three games 11-4, 11-7,11-7.
stepped up with Ashley Khalil, who partnered with Ashley DeGroot to take ‘Gold’ in the Women’s doubles, lost to Amandy Haywood in the
In the afternoon session, Guyana would beat T&T 4-0 as Shomari Wilshire, third child of former Southern Carib-
bean Champion Garfield Wiltshire, crushed Leonel Sorrel 11-0, 11- 2,11-2 to give his country a 1-0 lead without breaking a sweat.
Daniel Ince, the grandson of Coach Carl Ince made light work of Anthony Allum, winning; 11-0, 11-1, 11-2 before Jason Ray Khalil, the sibling of Ashley, was all over Nicholas Lequay 1111- 1-11-1.
Sam Ince Carvahal, the younger grandson of Coach Ince, completed the demolition job over the men from Carnival Country.
Barbados finished above the Cayman Islands who ended in the third spot with Jamaica, T&T and Bermuda coming in that order.
CEO of Exon Mobil Alister Routledge presents the winners’ trophy to women’s double champions Ashley DeGroot and Ashley Khalil
Larrisa Wiltshire plays off the glass during the game against Barbados
President Ali discusses Guyana’s basketball development with Raptors head
GUYANA’s President, Dr Irfaan Ali discussed basketball development with President of the Toronto Raptors and Co-Founder of Giants of Africa, Masai Michael Ujiri OC, during a visit to the OVO Athletic Centre, the team’s state-ofthe-art training facility on Saturday.
During the meeting, President Ali and Mr Ujiri explored avenues through which the 2019 NBA cham-
pions can contribute to the growth of basketball in Guyana.
Key areas of focus included the development of sports facilities, the organisation of coaching clinics, talent identification programmes, and the promotion of grassroots basketball initiatives in the country.
In addition to the discussions on Guyana, both leaders also delved into a broader Caribbean initiative
aimed at boosting basketball across the region, leveraging the Raptors’ expertise and experience to inspire and nurture young talent.
As part of the collaboration, Mr Ujiri is expected to lead a delegation to Guyana later this year to kickstart these initiatives, marking a significant step in strengthening sport development ties between Guyana and Canada.
Guyana continues dominance with fourth consecutive title in Senior CASA
Sports Minister Charles Ramson (centre), Coach Ince (to his left) and GSA president David Fernandes (thi rd from left) with the victorious Guyana team (Sean Devers photos)
President Irfaan Ali and Masai Michael Ujiri in front of the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, which was won in 2019 by the Raptors