Ministers must defend their policies - Jagdeo
Paddy bugs pose big threat to rice crop in Berbice
...Govt. promises chemicals to help with spraying fields
ExxonMobil's seventh deepwater development in the Stabroek BlockHammerhead-cancontribute tohealthconcernsinhumans and wildlife exposed to certain activities relative to theproject.
The company issued this warning in its Project Summary submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), made public on July 15.According to the document seen by this newspaper, “Air emissions resulting from the project have the potential to affect ambient air quality in the project area on a localized basis and to contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.”
Activities from the project including flaring of associatednaturalgas;power generation; other marine vessel and support aircraft
combustion; fugitive emissions from crude oil storage and offloading and misc
combustion sources, including incineration, deck cranes, and emergency
generators among others can affect the air quality and climate.
Tothisend,thedocument states, “Localized, increased concentrations of criteria pollutants in ambient air could contribute to health concerns in exposed humans and wildlife. Combustion of hydrocarbons from project activities could contribute to GHGemissions.”
Notably, Exxon also cautioned in its Project Summary that the increased demand for limited emergency and health services in Guyana, and a slight increased risk of communicable disease transmission could potentially result from project activities and influence community health andwellbeing.
According to the oil company, “Introduction of limited levels of foreign specialized labor could potentially have community health and wellbeing impacts. The development could potentially impact community health and
wellbeingintheProjectAOI (Area of Influence) due to onshore traffic, social interaction, or as a result of non-routine, unplanned events (e g , spill or release).”
It must be noted that ExxonMobil in another
In January of 2023 it was reported that offshore flaring in Guyana peaked at 71.88 Million Standard Cubic Feet (MMSCF)
section of the Project Summary outlined a number of measures that will be employed to avoid these impacts.Amongitsplansare measures to minimize nonroutine flaring during compression trips and maintenance. Flaring refers
to the burning of gas associated with oil production. The safest but least cost effective option is for the gas to be re-injected into the wells Another measurethatwillbetakenby Exxon is the installation of waste heat recovery units
(WHRUs) on turbine generators,wherefeasible,to reduce the demand of more power generation or fired heaters, thus decreasing fuel gasconsumption.
Exxon also said it would “optimize gas turbine (Continuedonpage3)
- Jagdeo
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeomadeitclearthatthe ministers of the government mustdefendtheirpolicies. He was at the time addressing the media at his weeklypressconferencelast Thursday at the Freedom House on Robb Street. This publication asked the VP whatwouldbethenextmove forreporterswhenministers refuse to give them answers toprobingquestions.Jagdeo statedthatministersmustbe, “outthereforthepeoplewho are listening to defend their policies and to speak about theirpolicies.”
The VP said that “I assume that we want to be availabletoeveryoneandwe have nothing to fear about ourpolicies.Webelievethat if you cannot defend the policies, then you shouldn't be implementing them.” In this sense, every policy that is approved by the
Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo
government and is being implementedmustmeettwo objectives.Jagdeoexplained thatis“itmustpassthetestof creating more goods and services to our people and secondly,thepolicymustbe sustainable So, you are never gonna get us to go down the path of implementing something that is not sustainable in the long run for convenience.
The opposition will do that, butwedon'tdealwithitjust for convenience, sometimes it'sevencontentious.”
He admitted that while taking the long-term approach to policies would
benefits, they facilitate numeroussustainedbenefits for the future and “that is a
h
s government. Some people don'tlikethat,theydon'tlike strong governments.” Last year,theVPhadsaidthathe has no objection to Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat hosting independent press briefings on the daily management of thesector However,Bharrat has only held one press conferenceforthefouryears he has been in office. This, even, at a time when civil society groups and the political Opposition have continuously underscored the need for transparency and accountability to be the hallmarks of the multibillion-dollar oil and gas
The U S Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is intensifying its scrutiny of the oil and gas sector, focusingoncommunications between executives at major firms such as Hess Corp., OccidentalPetroleumCorp., and Diamondback Energy Inc.TheFTC'sinvestigation seeks to determine if these executives improperly coordinated with OPEC officials, potentially violatingU.S.antitrustlaws.
Investigatorsarelooking for evidence of collusion, particularly discussions about pricing and oil productionlevels. Such coordination could lead to higher oil prices and less competitive markets, which is illegal under U.S. law.TheFTC'scurrentfocus onthesecompaniesispartof
sector Guyana, which boasts one of the fastest-growing economies globally, owes muchofitsrecentprosperity totheboominoilwithinthe massive Stabroek Block operatedbyanExxonMobilled consortium. With this newfound wealth comes a responsibility to keep citizens informed and involved. Minister Bharrat's pressconferenceistherefore not just expected. Industry stakeholders say it is imperativetoensurecitizens are informed about the government's handling of keycriticalissues.
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has achieved second place among 50 development organizationsandaiddonors evaluated in the 2024 Aid TransparencyIndex.
a broader investigation into several mergers within the industry, particularly those involving companies operating in the Permian Basin,NorthAmerica'smost prolificoilfield.
Recent developments have heightened the stakes.
In May, the FTC uncovered hundreds of texts between Pioneer Natural Resources Co. founder Scott Sheffield and OPEC officials, related tomarketdynamics. These messages were found during the review of Exxon Mobil Corp.'s $63 billion acquisition of Pioneer Thediscoveryledto conditions on the deal, including Sheffield's exclusion from Exxon's board.
Sheffield has denied any wrongdoing, accusing the FTC of unjustly vilifying
him Nevertheless, the agency is now rigorously examining executive communications from other companies, searching for simila
collusion. T
coincideswithaU.S.Senate budgetcommitteeprobeinto alleged collusion between nearly 20 large oil and gas producers and OPEC S e n a t o r S h e l d o n Whitehouse, echoing the FTC's allegations against Sheffield, has claimed that industry executives have been working with OPEC to constrain production and drive up prices. The Senate has demanded that these companies, including BP, Shell, and ConocoPhillips, provide communications with OPEC officials dating backtoJanuary2020.
Frompage2 maintenance to ensure that gas turbines are notoverhauledmoreoftenthanneeded,and alsotoensureoverhaulsarecompletedatthe right time, in alignment with other FPSO maintenance activities to reduce the need to flare.”
Meanwhile, to address the impacts on community health and wellbeing, the oil company committed to the implementation of a community safety program for potentially impacted schools and neighborhoods to increase awareness and
minimize potential for community impacts due to vehicle incidents. The Hammerhead development will produce between 120,000 to 180,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd). The projectislocatedinthesouthcentralportion of the Stabroek Block, approximately 160 kmfromGeorgetown.Currentplansinclude drilling via drill ships to produce oil using approximately 14 to 30 production and injection wells. Production is expected to begin in 2029 subject to the necessary regulatoryapprovalsandoperateforatleast 20years.
T h i s m a r k s a n improvement from the 2022 editionoftheranking,where IDB secured third place, the bank said in a press release last week The Aid Transparency Index, produced by Publish What You Fund (PWYF), is an independent ranking that measuresthetransparencyof major global development assistance and financing institutions The index evaluates data published in the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI)Standard.
“The results in the Transparency Index show that the IDB's efforts to strengthen the transparency ofourinstitutionarebearing fruit.Thishelpsbuildgreater trust with the public, stakeholders, and our member countries. We will continue to advance along thispath,complyingwiththe highest standards and best practices Advancing transparency and access to information is essential to improve the effectiveness andimpactofouroperations on development,” said the president of the IDB, Ilan Goldfajn.
Since2011,theBankhas been a signatory to this initiative that sets standards f o r d i s s e m i n a t i n g information crucial for the economic and social development of countries. This initiative ensures that userscanaccessinformation
from various development agenciesinaunifiedformat.
The IDB regularly reports monthly to IATI on a
sovereign guaranteed loan operations it has approved since2004.
ata on development aid presents a significant opportunity to foster closer coordination among development actors across different countries andregions.
This accomplishment by theIDBiscomplementedby therecentapprovalofitsnew Access to Information Policy, reaffirming its commitmenttotransparency
y Scheduled to take effect in 2025, this policy underwent a tho
consultation process with
theIDBGroupcommittedto promoting the economic development of Latin America and the Caribbean through the private sector, wasevaluatedseparatelyand significantly increased its score by 23 6 points comparedtothepreviousAid TransparencyIndexranking. This positions IDB Invest among the top-rated entities for transparency practices. This notable advancement reflects IDB Invest's commitmenttotransparency through the standardized publicationofitsoperational data.
This includes detailed information on financial flows, aid and financing types, along with new financial data, such as activity commitments, greater budget information andclearerdescriptions.
PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.
Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456
Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS
Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210
Atthebeginningoflastmonth,thecountryhad alreadyrecordedover40roaddeaths.
That figure has grown since then with almost daily fatalities across this country Despite the attention being paidtothisscourge,theTrafficDepartmentoftheGuyana Police Force has failed over the years to arrest the situation.
We do see a number of traffic ranks hiding behind treesandotherstructurestocatchspeedingdriversduring theday,butlittleeffortintheeveningswhenmostofthe fatalaccidentshaveoccurred.
Some years ago, the World Health Organization had said that traffic accidents were reportedly the seventh leadingcauseofdeathinGuyana.
Itisthenumberonecauseofdeathofpersonsbetween five years and 14 years, and is the number two cause of deathofpersonsagedbetween15yearsand24years.
Given the number of fatal accidents; the number of persons maimed, amputated and disabled; and the deep emotional stress, road accident deaths have been deemed a major public health concern Road deaths are a serious human, social, economic and health pandemic in Guyana. It has reduced the skills available for national developmentandcontinuestocausedistressandfinancial destitutiontofamilies.
Road fatalities have also resulted in high costs on society, reduced human productivity, and increased health care costs annually
Many, including a senior traffic officer have stated that the highways have become the killing fields of Guyana
Despite pleas from the police and various road safety advocates for drivers, motor cyclists and pedestrians, to exercise greater care on the roads, the carnage continues which suggests that their pleas have fallen on deaf ears. Therefore, those in authority have to do much more than pleading with the public.
Speed and reckless driving, the growing addiction to cell phones that cause driver
passengers to use seatbelts and the heavy c
contributing to the bloodshed on the highways
Inordertoendthelawlessnessontheroads,thepolice must step up its crackdown. More officers must be assignedtothepolice’strafficunits,withheighteneduse of electronic gadgets and an aggressive and determined campaign aimed at arresting and charging errant and drunk drivers for their reckless behaviour These initiativesalongwiththerootingoutofspeedingandstunt riding by motorcyclists must become priorities for the police.
Speed cameras, vigorous enforcement of the use of seatbeltsandhelmetsformotorcyclists,theenactmentof road-blocksandthesystematicenforcementofthetraffic ordinance should help to reduce vehicular homicides. Aggressive implementation of tougher regulations for drunken driving and texting while driving should heightentheawarenessofdrivers.
Withtrafficfatalitiesmovinghigherupthelistofthe leading causes of death in Guyana, there must be a coordinated approach to the nightmare on our roads and theauthoritiesmustleadthecharge.Itisveryfrightening tothinkthatwearemovingtowardsasituationinwhich more people would die from road accidents than other causes.
A sustained effort is needed to reduce this carnage. The solutions rest with all of us.Too many are dying on theroads.
‘Nowhere
‘Respect and protect African Emancipation celebrations’ (KN: 16/07/2024) Ms Olive Cannings Sampson, Chief ExecutiveOfficerofDecade for People of African Descent Assembly-Guyana (IDPADA-G), called upon the African community and ‘the member organizations of the International to stand withtheAfricanCulturaland Development Association (ACDA) and demand respectforandprotectionof the 30-year-old tradition of ACDA’sAnnual celebration ofEmancipation.’
Many international conventions, but since we are all minorities now, the 1992UN‘Declarationonthe RightsofPersonsBelonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities’ states that ‘Persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities have the right to enjoy their own culture, in private and in public, freely and without interference or any formofdiscrimination[and] the right to establish and maintain their own associations.’ This column supports Ms. Sampson’s call, for it again draws attention to the PPP’s perennial deceitful quest to confiscate the political will of Africans by breaking
national and international laws and conventions to undermineanddestroyallof theirorganisations.
In‘Attemptingtostymie the agenda of IDPADA-G’ (Village Voice 30/07/2023), Iwrote,‘WhetherornotMr Joel Bhagwandin was commissioned by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to write his critical review of IDPADA-G’s Strategic Plan his a p p r o a c h a n d recommendations certainly fit well with that party’s governance ideology and objectives, particularly as they relate to African Guyanese. It is now clear that the PPP wishes to control the entire political sphere in Guyanaparticularlythatoccupiedby Africans.’And Bhagwandin recommended that the work ofIDPADA-G‘bedonebya majoritarian parliamentary commission’(mostofwhich are useless) because his mission is to enable the PPP to bypass legitimateAfrican representatives and arrangements; take control of the entire process by packing a commission with PPP associates to delay, divert or stymie the objectives of IDPADA. As has become customary, the regime can, and no doubt will, appoint whatever commission it wants, but it should not be allowed to
obstruct the objectives of IDPADA.’
The PPP has taken the track that is universally a s s o c i a t e d w i t h political/ethnic regimes everywhere: buy some Africans to undermine others Minister Kwame McCoy, capping his u n s u b s t a n t i a t e d , p r o p a g a n d i s t i c fulminations, puts it well: ‘the Government’s support for observances and celebrations of the 186th emancipation in Guyana is assured for the dozens of c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d organisations that have boldly and judiciously unshackledthemselvesfrom the disgraced IDPADA-G’ (Demerara Waves: 18/07/2024). There is no doubt that legitimate democratic pathways exist for the PPP to adequately protect its mainly Indian supporters,butitisgoingthe routeitisbecausetheIndian ethnic orientation and political culture of its ruling oligarchy is bent in that directionanddoesnotallow it to take a progressive account of Guyana’s quite unusual socio/political context. How members of ethnic groupsparticipateinpolitics is determined by a whole range of factors, but when theyareaminorityofsay1% of the voting population,
such as the Chinese are in Guyana, no one pays much attention to how they vote. But groups become problems for pure majority rule (democracy) when they c o n s t i t u t e geographical/regional majorities and/or like in Guyana, for whatever reasons, vote as an ethnic block and constitute about 40% of
eral democratic constitutional makers worldwide have had to take these variables into account, and that is why again last week I noted that democracy constitutions mustbebaseduponasystem ofmajorityruleagreedupon bysubstantiallyallofusand must periodically be reformed to maintain their legitimacy Nowherehasthe situation been different, and not confronting and contextually dealing with these variables result in democratic deficit, with tremendous negative implications for political mobilisation, governance and socio/economic development. In a competitive democratic situation, when anethnicgroupthatvotesas a block is about 40% of the voting population, as is the caseinGuyana,itbecomesa partyforitselfandforcesthe othersidetobecome (Continuedonpage06)
DEAREDITOR,
Back in May 2022, the World Health Organisation, via the World Report on Vision, estimated that without urgent action, the number of people who are blind could triple by 2050. ThisWorldReportonVision drew attention to the growing need for eye health services, provided a set of recommendations to increase equitable access to eye care, and proposed the integration of peoplecentred eye care services. In revisiting this document, I was happy to note that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government is quite ‘on top of things’ vision-wiseforthenation.
I see that just recently, it was reported that the “Government rolled (their) out eye-testing & spectacles initiative at Mahaicony, Enmore & Diamond.” This
isinkeepingwiththeir20202025 manifesto, a commitment geared at enhancing the lives of citizens. This phase of the programmewashostedatthe Dundee and Diamond Health Centres and at Enmore Hope Primary School From what I gathered, those eligible for this unrolling really and rightfullycapitalisedonit,as over 2,000 persons had alreadybenefittedfromeyetesting and some of those who were tested had receivedspectacles.
Further,andaccordingto Dr Anthony, Minister of Health, “ individuals diagnosed with cataracts during the screening would be added to a treatment list, (and)ifwedetect,apartfrom youneedingglasses,thatyou have cataracts, then we will putyouonalistandwewill beabletodothosesurgeries foryou.”
I urge that this goodwill venturebefullyutilised.Itis geared for individuals aged 18 and under, and those 65 andolder,anditalsooffersa $2,000 voucher for eye screening and $15,000 to cover the cost of spectacles, ifrequired.Thismustnotbe taken lightly Vision care is costly and its importance mustbeprioritised.
The word from Sumrana Yasmin, Sightsavers’ senior global technical lead for eye health, who was part of the team that developed elements of the mentioned guide, is that “Eye health is an often-forgotten element ofhealthandwellbeing,and this has led to a mounting global crisis The World HealthOrganisation(WHO) guide is a vital step to addressingthis.Shedetailed that“Thebigtaskaheadisto make sure that long-term
investment, policies and resources are in place to achieve recommendations set out in the World Report on Vision and make use of the tools in the guide. To improve eye health and universal health coverage, it is essential that there be collaboration between governments, nongovernment organisations, private sector and other stakeholders, and eye health services be integrated into wider health and education systems.”
I reiterate that this outreach is a commendable effortfromthePPP/Chealth officials, as “… it aims to alleviate financial burdens associated with eye care, while enhancing access to vision correction services nationwide it is free of costanditisgood.
Yourstruly, HargeshB.Singh
Rambo was never a trade unionist by membership but by heart
DEAREDITOR, Aloudvoicewentstillon Saturday July 20th. No longer on Wednesday morningsaround10:00a.m. will that voice be heard in the halls of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC); his presence announced with the inquiry tomysecretary, whetherhis coffeeisready
He got the nickname
‘Rambo’ from then
Opposition Leader, DesmondHoyte.Therewere a number of decisions taken by the newly elected People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government which affected agencies such as power and light, customs, income tax and others.
Hoyte had said the government did not know whatitwasdoing,andthere wasaman,namedGaskin,in the Ministry of Finance behaving like Rambo Ramon, instead of rejecting theattribution,embracedthe name with fervour and was comfortable being so addressed.
Thereweretimes,inour conversations, when we discussed the government’s performance,hewouldjump upfromhisseatandconvert the word Rambo into a verb and threatened to ‘ramborize’them. There are times, he would gesticulate by pointing his finger, standing onhistoes,andsayingtous, “I’ll will scatter them to the wall.”Rambowasfuelledby challenges, a deep love for
country, wanting better for his country and fellowman, and concerned about the pervasive corruption and mismanagement.
We shared many heated exchanges but did not disagree on universal principles only on their application. Rambo had a finemindandifyouhavean open mind, you will never leave a conversation not learning something from him.
I first met Rambo in 1998atasymposiumatThe Bishops’ High School, a week after, I led a protest against him as Chairman of the Guyana Power and Light,whichresultedinhim being removed from his portfolio. After listening to hispresentation,attheendof the
nd expressed agreement with thepositionshearticulated.I toldhimwecancollaborate. Thenextday,Ramboturned up at my office in Charlotte Street.He,AaronAdamsand I had an in-depth discussion on current affairs A relationshipwasborn. Rambo and I were born under the same zodiac sign: Virgo Whenever he celebrated his birthday, in Guyana, he insisted, I be
present. I never let him down Ours was a relationship that blossomed and maintained until his death. We discussed trade unionism, politics, oil and gas,theeconomy,andmany moreissues.
Rambowasneveratrade unionist by membership but by heart. The trade union community benefited tremendously from his input. In the 1999 Public Service Strike, Rambo played a significant role in the preparation of the Guyana Public Service’s BrieffortheArbitration.
In 1998, when the Guyana Bauxite & General W o r k e r s U n i o n (GB&GWU) went to arbitration with Omai Gold Mines, Rambo led the team that prepared the Brief. When theAward was given, Rambo encouraged us to engagethearbitrator,thelate attorney-at-law Donald Robinson, who accepted he erred in his decision by failingtotakeinto
(Continuedonpage16)
EAR
, T h e a t t e m p t e d assassination of Donald Trump’s made his nominationfourdayslateras theRepublicancandidatefor theUSNovemberelectiona formalitybutalsopractically assureshimofasecondterm a s P r e s i d e n t ; notwithstanding who the Democrats select to oppose him.Mostforeignobservers seeTrumpasablowhardand a buffoon, completely at odds with the typical “American leader” However, what we are witnessing is not just a new type ofAmerican leader but a signal of a complete remake of the paradigm of what“America”isallabout. Some of the intellectuals c a l l i n g f o r t h i s transformation explicitly calls it “regime change”. They use the word in its original meaning from political science: “a form of government or the set of rules, cultural or social norms,etc.,thatregulatethe operationofagovernmentor institution and its interactionswithsociety.”
ThemanTrumpselected as his VP candidate – Ohio SenatorJDVance,explained Trump’s appeal back in 2016,afterthesuccessofhis NY Times bestseller “Hillbilly Elegy”, when he was actually anti-Trump “Thisiswhere,tome,there’s a lot of ignorance around “Teflon Don ” No one seems to understand why conventional blunders do nothing to Trump. But in a lotofways,whatelitesseeas blunders people back home s e e a s s o m e o n e who–finally–conducts themselves in a relatable way Heshootsfromthehip; he’s not constantly afraid of offendingsomeone;he’llget angry about politics; he’ll callsomeonealiarorafraud. Thisishowalotofpeoplein the white working class actually talk about politics, and even many elites recognize how refreshing and entertaining it can be!
Soit’snotreallyablunderas much as it is a rich, privileged Wharton grad connecting to people back homethroughstyleandtone. Viewed like this, all the talk
about“politicalcorrectness” isn’t about any specific substantivepoint,asmuchas it is a way of expanding the scope of acceptable behaviour.”
JD Vance is descended from “po’ white” Hillbillies who moved to Middletown, a small town in Ohio. This became part of the “Rust Belt” when, following the pro-business Republican conservative Nixon’s rapprochement with China, businesses moved their manufacturing to that country in their drive for profits, leaving social and economic devastation in its wake. Fighting the liberal paradigm introduced by Roosevelt to escape the Great Depression, the conservatives had become their mirror image. By the 1980’s and Reagan, the Republicans were “neoliberals”.
In the 2016 words of Vance, “The two political parties have offered essentially nothing to these people for a few decades. FromtheLeft,theygetsome (Continuedonpage06)
DEAREDITOR
I wish to join with the several others in expressing my deepest condolences to the relatives and friends of the late Ramon Gaskin
popularly known as ‘Rambo’ because of his courage to speak his mind and stand up for what he believedin.
Businessmen shipping jobsabroadarenotheroes.
Vance is heavily influenced by political Theorist Patrick Deneen of Notre Dame, who sees liberalism itself as the problem.
Hewasamongthefirstto return to Guyana and offer his services after the return of democracy to Guyana on October 1992. He answered the call by Dr Jagan for overseasGuyanesetoreturn and share their expertise under the nominal so-called ‘dollar a year’remuneration package He made a significant contribution to the then Guyana Electricity Corporation where he served as Chairman of the Board.
certainlyleftarichlegacyof servicetoGuyana.
H e w a s a l w a y s passionate in making his views known on matters of national importance, howevercontroversialthose maybe.
Hewillsurelybemissed byallthosewhoknowhim.
May his soul rest in peace!
Sincerely
The late Gaskin has
HydarAlly
DEAREDITOR
Someone said it is the little things that matter Littlethingslikerespectand considerationofothers.
Thiswasquiteevidentin a recent letter where the writer aptly expressed her gratitudeandappreciationto the courtesies and thoughtfulness displayed
towards her husband and self as they relaxed on the Seawall by a couple (SN July18).
Both parties must be commended for the level of simple, human traits, in co-existing in peace and harmony - the minibus couplefortakingthetimeto enquire whether the music
was disturbing, and the elderly couple in giving public recognition to the kind act shown towards them.
T h i s s t o r y illustrates little things meanalot.
Sincerely
Shamshun Mohamed
Frompage05 smug condescension, an exasperation that the white working-class votes against their economic interests becauseofsocialissues. Tome,thiscondescensionis abigpartofTrump’sappeal. He’s the one politician who actively fights elite sensibilities, whether they’regoodorbad.
“FromtheRight,they’ve gotten the basic Republican policy platform of tax cuts, free trade, deregulation, and paeans to the noble businessman and economic growth. Trump’s candidacy ismusictotheirears.
He criticizes the factories shipping jobs overseas. His apocalyptic tone matches their lived experiences on the ground. He seems to love to annoy
the elites, which is something a lot of people wishtheycoulddobutcan’t because they lack a platform.”
He argued in his 2018 book, Why Liberalism
Failed, that “liberal regimes promised their citizens equality, selfgovernment and material prosperity, but in practice, they gave rise to staggering inequality, crushing dependence on c o r p o r a t i o n s a n d government bureaucracies
degradation of the natural environment.
At the same time, liberalism’s incessant d r i v e t o e x p a n d individual freedom had eroded the non-liberal instit
nuclear family, local
religious organizations that kept liberalism’s impulse toward atomization incheck.”
Vance is regarded as Trump’s successor who will not only “drain the swamp” but repopulate it w
- m
n d e d individuals who espouse their New Left values dubbed “common-good conservatism”
Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025”, which proposes a wholesale firing
replacing them with likem
N
L
f t adherents Economically, they reject free market fundamentalism, combat corporatemonopolies,limit immigration and foreign policy w
ects America as the global policeman
Sincerely, RaviDev
‘Nowhere has it been different’...
Frompage04 likewise. The narrative of the different sides will undermine the authority of each other, matters not how equitable they attempt to be inasituationwheretheywill also have to care for their constituency Over decades
both the PPPand PNC have been operating in this contextandthepoliticalfear of the other side that has resulted is palpable: has obstructed the development agenda and lead to the massive electoral manipulations,thebuyingof supportandvariouslevelsof political violence as the parties try to hold on to government.
‘To the extent that the constitutional arrangements ignore this development,
tension, alienation, d i s t u r b a n c e s a n d underdevelopment results There is little point in blaming the community leaders for, their stories are fit and do win them maximumsupport.
There is little point in pleading right-doing for with similar facts, the opposite story can also be told. …Nowhere has this storynotplayedout. [Itisa] mistake to blame the outcome on anyone. Powersharing become inevitable because of the logic of political cleavage in competitive democracies (Orr,Scott. TheTheoryand Practice of Ethnic Politics: How What We Know about Ethnic Identity Can Make DemocraticTheoryBetter).’
Where two large ethnic groups are at a standoff winning the support of one ortwopercentofthem,orof a micro party to acquire a mere majority, does not in itself provide the required
legitimacy to rule Democratic constitutional rule must be acceptable, not to a simple majority, but to substantially all of us. i.e., about80%ofthepopulation. Elections in a few local governmentdistricts,suchas Beterverwagting/Triumph, indicatethatwhenthefearof the other side is abated, vibrantpoliticalcompetition is possible (Future Notes: SN: 12/12/2018) Indeed, political party elections are also suggestive of this While we know that arrangements such as exist inthePPParetheepitomeof unfreedom, the PNC has been trying to democratise and here again, the level of fear of the other side being absent, lively, independent competitive elections were possible.
In Guyana’s context, the only way to significantly reducethefearthattheother side will use the system of governance to severely disadvantageone’sgroup,as the PPP is at present attempting to do with the African Cultural and Development Association andothers,istohaveinplace power-sharing and other forms of executive constitutionalrestrains. Itis either this or autocracy: the useofwhateverleveragethe Stateallowstoruleandkeep the other side in check. Nowhere has it been different!
Sincerely
Dr.HenryJeffrey
It has been called barefaced and lopsided! It has been called twisted and one-sided!
The PPP in Opposition called the contract a curse!
The PPP in Gov't now curses those who call it a curse!
Whose side is the PPP Gov't on?
Whose chamber is VP Jagdeo in?
Attorney General
AnilNandlallSC
has said the Government of Guyana will soon move to amend the marriage law to allow both husband and wife to have equalbenefitsinaseparation.
Nandlall was at the time speaking on his programme, “IssuesintheNews”.
He explained that the proposed legislation – the
Matrimon
al Causes (Amendment)Bill2024isset to remove existing discriminatory provisions
TheAttorneyGeneralsaidin an environment where equal treatm
nt is now a guaranteed fundamental right, the law must make provision for equal treatment.
According to Nandlall, for over a century, the legislation was set where women were treated differently from men, and men treated differently from women.
He noted “…We have now changed that wherever we found this inequality of gender and we have now changed the language to ensure that there is gender equality and equal treatment.”
Additionally,ifpassedby the National Assembly, the Attorney General said it will also see the removal of any provision relation to restitutionofconjugalrights.
Nandlall said “In our
Matrimonial Clauses Act, there is something called restoration of conjugal rights.
Whatthatmeans,isthatif there is a break in conjugal rights or a breakdown in conjugal, meaning parties livingtogether,andtheyhave a dispute and they become estranged, one of those parties could approach the court and get a court order directing a restoration of thoserelations.”
“It didn't matter that the two persons can't live together anymore, that the marriage has broken down irretrievablyandthatthereis great fracture in the relationshipandthatthereare irreconcilable differences,
onepartycouldhavegoneto the court, in particular the husband to get an order to makethewifecomeback.”
The bill also proposes to amend other provisions of the Principal Act, and specific sections in the Summary Jurisdiction (Magistrates) Act, which onlyprovideformaintenance and protection of the propertyofawife.
The move to amend the law is based on a landmark ruling by Chief Justice (AG) Roxane George-Wiltshire, lastFebruary
The ruling stemmed from a constitutional motion filed to challenge the alimony laws that have existed in Guyana since the early1900s.
In the matter, a husband through his attorney,Tamara Evelyn-Khan, sought to apply for his ex-wife to pay him maintenance following theirdivorcebutwastoldthat he could not apply because the law does not allow for men to benefit from spousal support.
As a result, the man moved to the High Court to challenge the law, specificallySection14ofthe Matrimonial Causes Act on the grounds that it violated
his constitutional rights to equalprotectionandbenefits from the law and is discriminatoryonthebasisof sexandgender
In her decision, Justice George-Wiltshire declared that Section 14 of the Matrimonial Causes Act, Chapter 45 :02 is discriminatoryonthebasisof sex and gender and is therefore unconstitutional as being in violation of Article 149 andArticle 149 D of the Constitution of Guyana, to theextentthatonadecreefor dissolution or nullity of marriage,itprovidesformen onlytopayagrossorannual sumofmoneytoormaintain
AttorneyGeneral,
their former wives, and not for women to pay a gross or annual sum of money to or maintain their former husbands.
Therefore, until the National Assembly makes adequate provision, Section 14oftheMatrimonialCauses Act, Chapter 45:02 i
compliancewithArticles149 and149DoftheConstitution ofGuyana.
Due to increased f o r e i g n investments in the country's economy, Guyana-based businesses continue to make rapid progress in adopting Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) norms aligned with international standards.
This is according to the 2024 Investment Climate Report, published by the UnitedStatesDepartmentof State According to the report, there is now greater expectationonbusinessesto enhance their supply chains, adoptmorerobusthealthand safety cultures and embrace standard labour practices Guyana's laws are also aligned with the guidelines forRBC,asmostcompanies conform to the business responsibilities outlined by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD).
These responsibilities include human rights and labor rights, information disclosure, environment,
bribery, consumer interests, science and technology, competition, and taxation.
“Local companies have improvedRBCasfirmsreact to increased levels of competition, partly to competeorsubcontractwith companiesintheoilandgas sector that emphasize it Guyanese consumers are increasingly aware of RBC principles as the population becomes more sensitised,” thereportexplained.
Through the Ministry of Labour, sensitisation sessionsareregularlyhosted to increase awareness and unders
g workers and businesses on workplace legislation to e
country'slabourlaws.
The CIF added that b
s u p p
organisationsareoftheview that Guyana is a favourable investment environment, as thegovernmentcontinuesto craft policies aimed at attracting inward Foreign DirectInvestment(FDI).
“The GoG is open to investment in all sectors of the economy and views foreign direct investment (FDI)ascriticalforgrowing and diversifying the Guyanese economy Guyanese law does not discriminate against foreign investors,” the CIF stated. Evenso,focusisalsoplaced onensuringthatlocalshavea considerable share in these investments.
Thiseffortwassolidified with the enactment of the Local Content Act in 2022, which establishes baseline requirementsforforeignand local firms operating in the country'soilandgassectorto hire Guyanese and source localmaterials.
The report highlighted the multiple measures being implemented to cultivate a more enabling business environment, including the implementation of an electronic single window system to streamline permit applications,andthecrafting of legislation to modernise thefinancialsector (DPI)
The governance of any nation is profoundly influenced by the integrity and ideology of its leaders. In the context of Guyana these elements have played decisiverolesinshapingthe nation’sdevelopment.
Guyana’s politics have been tumultuous. From its
colonial past to its independence in 1966, the nation has gone through various political ideologies and leadership. The postindependence era was characterised by socialist
inclinations under authoritarian rule of the People’s National Congress (PNC) of Forbes Burnham, followed by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) led by Dr Cheddi Jagan. PPP’s governancehastraditionally been rooted in socialist ideals, advocating for social justice, equitable distributionofresourcesand state intervention in the economy This ideological stance has led to policies
aimed at improving healthcare, education, and social welfare However, since 1999,
thePPPhasembracedaneoliberal capitalist agenda that haswidenedthegapbetween the rich and the poor Its policieshavebeenperceived as benefitting the rich more thanthepoor
In contemporary Guyana, the ideological distinctions that once defined the various political parties have significantly blurred, rendering them almost indistinguishable Both of the country’s main political parties have converged on a capitalist path of development, prioritising economic growth through marketdriven policies and foreign investment This shift is evident in their similar approaches to managing the country’s burgeoning oil sector, promoting private enterprise and attracting international investors Despite occasional rhetoric aimed at addressing social inequalities, the actual policies implemented by thesepartiesreflectashared commitment to neo-liberal ec onomic principles rather
than distinct ideological visions.
This ideological convergence has led to a situation where parties, despite their claims, lack a genuine working-class organising framework. Both the PPP and PNC profess support for the working class,yettheirpoliciesoften fail to address the structural issu
demographic.
P
ostensibly aim to uplift the working class frequently p
m economic gains over longterm social justice and equitabledevelopment.Asa result,whatexistsinGuyana is not a battle of contrasting ideologies but rather a contest for power within the same capitalist paradigm
This homogenisation diminishes the potential for genuine ideological debate and leaves the electorate withlimitedchoices.
Declaring allegiance to the working class is merely lip service without a robust political and economic framework to
Dem boys notice a strange phenomenon in Guyana Whenever somebodyonFacebookput up a post begging for money, the religious brigade come out in full force. Not with cash, but with prayers. Lots and lots ofprayers.
Ifyougetsickandneed help, don’t worry The entire nation will suddenly find the Creator Your feed willfillupwithmessagesof divine intervention. People willtellyouhowyouwillbe covered in the blood of the Creator Yes, the blood Sounds messy, but very
holy
They will say the Man Upstairs will make a way where there seems to be no way. Faith will move mountains, and you just have to hold on. Keep the faith.Thingswillgetbetter. They say it with such conviction. Like they talkingfromthepulpit. But hold on a minute. Have you seen the actual offers of help? Zero. Nada.
Zilch People’s wallets seemtogetasuddencaseof paralysis when it comes to handing out money You’ll get a hundred messages promising prayer but not
one cent. People ask for assistanceandtheygetkind wordsbutlittlecash.
It’sliketheythinkthatif they pray hard enough, the bills will magically pay themselves. And the sick person? They just have to hang on and wait for a miracle. Meanwhile, the real miracle is how people manage to type so many words without opening theirwallets.
Guyanese really excel in this new form of divine charity Themoreyouneed, the more you get prayers. Thelessyougetmoney Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
substantiate it. In Guyana, this lack of an ideological foundation is glaring, as the major political parties shy away from committing to any political and economic system that ends with “ism. This aversion to clearly defined ideologies results in policies that are more about maintaining the status quo than addressing the root causes of working-class struggles Without an ideological blueprint guiding their actions, the parties fail to implement systemic changes necessary fortrueeconomicandsocial justice, leaving the working class without meaningful representationoradvocacy Integrity in office is a n o t h e r p r o b l e m Allegations have swirled around the governments’ adherence to ethical standards, transparency, and accountability In Guyana, the issue of integrity has beenacontentiousone,with allegations of corruption, nepotism, and misuse of public resources frequently surfacing.
The frequent allegations of corruption within government ranks highlight a critical challenge to governance in Guyana Governments often deflect concerns about corruption
by targeting lower-level officials as scapegoats, rather than addressing allegations of misconduct at higher echelons of power Thisstrategyallowsthemto project an image of taking decisive action against c o r r u p t i o n w h i l e conveniently avoiding scrutiny of influential political and economic elites.
By sacrificing minor figures, they create a facade of accountability, hoping to appease public outcry without threatening the entrenched interests and networks that sustain highlevel corruption This superficial approach undermines genuine anticorruption efforts, perpetuating a culture of impunity among those who wield significant power and influence. The relationship between integrity and ideology is complex and interdependent A governance framework rootedinacoherentideology butlackingintegritycanlead to disillusionment and mistrust am
ng the populace Conversely, integrity without a clear ideological direction can resultinaimlessgovernance andpolicyinconsistencies.
Alongside this, the electoraterequiresleadersof integrity who demonstrate a genuine commitment to t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d accountability
A government that embracesanethicalcodeand upholds high standards of conductisessential.
True progress can only be achieved when political parties offer coherent, ideologically driven platforms and uphold a rigorous ethical framework that holds all levels of governmentaccountable.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
The electorate needs to clearly distinguish between the policies of political parties based on distinct ideological frameworks rather than vague promises of being better than the others Without such ideologicalclarity,votersare left with little more than to vote along the traditional lines of race and ethnicity
Leaders prefer to speak about everything else, exceptthisgreatnationaloil patrimony Leaders would even take a chance with corruption issues, knowing that such could have a boomerang effect i.e., hurt theirowngroup. Energyfor everything else, but not oil. Why? Whyisthisso?
To repeat the numbingly obvious. Oil is the biggest thingevertohitGuyana. Oil isthefuelthatmakesalltheir pre-election promises possible.
Oil, rightly managed, couldconvertfrompotential to consequential: money in hand for Guyanese, and muchmorethanisneededto scrape out a decent living. But there is no leader that makes this magnificent oil patrimony his raison d'etre, his driving passion and force,hisalphaandomegaof national projects. Oil is gold, and it can garland every Guyanese. Not just thelessthan1%superrichin this country Not just those
politicians who sponsor them. Not those who stick tightly to them. There are those other Guyanese who have expectations (diminished and dashed); and ideas (stirred, then suffocated); and their dejections (lived with, and devastating). So much oil, yet so little from it. To the ordinary man and woman.
Thepensioner
Thepublicservant. The penurious. Themanyothers of denied Guyanese, forgotten and ignored
G u y a n e s e , o n t h e backburner of this great nationaloilrush.
One leading politician after another in the seat of power,andthesameaspiring tothatplace,tensewhenthe issueofoilsurfaces.
The top performing students in the Common E n t r a n c e ( N G S A ) introduction to a higher worldspeakmoreeffusively and powerfully about what they have achieved, now own. The children can resonate brilliantly about
what is inspiring for them more than national leaders dare to speak about this oil that should be the basis of countless inspirations, possibilities.
Nationally high performing children set the standards for national leadersaboutthededication, energy, and aptitude that they should and must be aboutwiththisoil.
This only passport that takes from where Guyanese are today to the tomorrows, which the world regales itself For itself, but somehow not us, the Guyanesepeople.
The first question, the ongoing concern, is what cripplingconditionhastaken over national leaders when oil is the matter at hand; the onlyone;thiscrudeagentof c h a n g e f o r t h e unprecedented, the incomparable.
When Guyanese refuse to evaluate national leaders as they are, what they represent (separate what they project from what they inject), then Guyanese are the richest people in the world in the imagination. Butthedumbestandslackest intheirreality Acloserlook attheseleadersiswarranted.
S o , t h e y ' r e uncomfortable and resistant to talking unambiguously andstronglyaboutoil. Their preference is hedged words and slippery positions, would rather that theybegivenasmuchspace onoil,andleftalone. Ifthey cannot speak frankly, publicly, and fearlessly about oil, then there is one question that should be tabledrightnow,forithasso muchtractiontoit. Because they are so tormented today by this oil-its issues, its controversies, its weaknesses and exposures, its weight and related demand, then why should Guyanese trust them to deliver when they get into office,orretainoffice? Why investanyconfidenceinany of them when they are holdingthereinsforthefirst 100days?
Itcouldbeourversionof that historic European 100year war Going nowhere, proving nothing. Another question: each of our nationalleadersshouldbeso equipped and electrified, so as toring oratorically (and truthfully)for100sentences rightnow,100minutesright now, without interruption aboutthisoil. Theyareafew
locals who do so almost daily, coming close to 100 sentences shared on oil. If incumbent leaders, and aspiring ones, are petrified, turnyellowandwhite,when oilisthematterbeforethem, for even 100 seconds today, what could they be about with this same frightening, knee-on-theneck,oilwealth in their first 100 days in office?
National leaders tell Guyaneseabouttheheavens that they will deliver for them in the first 100 days in power
But in their self-created hells (power ambitions, oil collaborations, individual subjugation) before the American oil powerspolitical and commercial, theyareparalyzedbyfrights to talk freely, thoroughly, and truthfully about oil What is it that limits them? Their selfish ambitions and visions,ortheirawarenessof whattheycouldlose,should they be warriors for country and comrades with this inheritance? If they can't talk now, what can they speak about then (post-2025)? If they fear presently, how much more gutless will they be in thefuture?
Here's a possible scenario involving PPP Government leaders and Exxon.
Congratulations! Now sticktoExxon'sprogramlike
Dozens of prominent Guyanese companies have confirme
participation in the inaugural Diaspora Job Fair,scheduledtotakeplaceonJuly27atthe NewYorkLaGuardiaAirportMarriott,10205DitmarsBoulevard,EastElmhurst.
This event, which has garnered significant interest from several other companies, marks a crucial initiative aimed at showcasing career opportunities across various industries It underscores its importance as a pivotal platform for connecting returning Guyanese professionalswithprospectiveemployers.
Thejobfair,acommitmentbyPresident Dr. Mohamed Ali following his recent meetingwiththeGuyanesediasporainNew York,aimstoharnesstheskillsandexpertise ofGuyana'sdiasporacommunity.
“This job fair represents a pivotal momentforournationasweseektoharness the skills and expertise of our diaspora community,” said Mr Robert Persaud, ForeignSecretaryattheMinistryofForeign Affairs and International Cooperation. “We aredelightedtopartnerwithindustryleaders
before, or the PPP's day in office would be numbered. It could be Routledge or the ambassador, reemphasizing the way things are, must continue. Should the PNC or AFC triumph by some miracle (American packaged), the messengers and message are almost identical.
Welcome! So,whatison the mind? More oil money, benefits, are off the table, non-negotiable. What is it going to be? Which one of today'sboldprophets,bolder speakers,willstandupthen, stickafistinthenosesofthe oil imperialists, the white supremacists? Leaders either see the exploiters that way, or they see people like me as subversives and insurgents.
Bottom line: if Ali, Jagdeo,Norton,andHughes cannotcourageouslycommit to standing up for Guyanese nowintheopenair,thenhow is anyone of them going to summon the passion and power to standup for Guyanese behind closed doors? I go my way On goodterms,hopefully (Theviewsexpressedin this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the o p i n i o n s o f t h i s newspaper.)
and stakeholders to facilitate meaningful connections that contribute to Guyana's development.”
Attendees can anticipate direct engagement with representatives from leading companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations, all offering a diverse range of employment opportunities and valuable insights into the remigration process.
The event will include informative sessions on investment opportunities, housing options, and educational resources availabletoreturningcitizens.
“We encourage all skilled Guyanese professionalsinthediasporatoparticipatein this unprecedented event,” Mr. Persaud added. “Whether you are considering returning to Guyana or seeking to make a meaningful impact from abroad, the Diaspora Job Fair promises to be an invaluable networking and career advancement opportunity” For more informationabouttheDiasporaJobFairand t o r e g i s t e r , p l e a s e v i s i t https://guyanaconsulatenewyork.org/(DPI)
Three months after it was commissioned, the Paruima Airstrip runway crumbled.
The People's National CongressReform(PNCR)is
calling for a full investigation into the problems at the Paruima Airstrip.
The airstrip runway crumbledshortlyafteritwas commissioned back inApril this year In a press release issued on Sunday, the party said the situation at the airport is a disgrace. “After an expenditure of nearly $400 million, the runway failed when the first plane landed.
This could have been a disaster with the loss of several lives, but thankfully, byGod'sgrace,noonedied.”
However,thePNCRsaid theabsenceofinjuryordeath does not mean that, as a nation, we should take this matter any less seriously “ T h e d e s i g n a n d constructionprocessforcivil projects should incorporate checksandbalances,quality assurance, and quality control.At each stage of the design process, design
deliverables such as geotechnical reports, structural calculations, construction drawings, and specifications need to be independently reviewed and approved,”thePNCRsaid.
This review, the party saidiscriticaltothesafetyof Guyanese using newly constructed roads, bridges, and airports. It noted that construction should be closely supervised by
competentprofessionals.No contractorshouldbeallowed t o p e r f o r m w o r k unsupervised “This supervision should ensure reinforcementbarsareclean andplacedasrequiredbythe drawings, that the concrete mixdesignisaspercontract, and the concrete is placed and compacted as required. This process should also include routine compressive tests performed on concrete placedintotheworks,andif thesetestsfail,thecontractor should be required, as per contract, to remove and replace the substandard concrete.”
According to the PNCR, if this process had been followed,thereisnowaythe Paruima runway could have failed. The party said there will be a rush to blame the contractor, apply financial punishment, and sweep the issue under the carpet
“However,whathappenedat the Paruima airport is symptomatic of a problem that pervades the procurement process under the PPP For this reason, the PNCR demands a full and transparent investigation into the Paruima airport fiasco. The nation needs to know: who designed the airstrip?; were the required engineering processes complied with?; who reviewed and approved the designs, and what did the review reveal?; who supervised the contractor, if anyone, while the work was
being performed?; were routine compressive tests doneontheconcreteusedin the works?; if tests were done,didanyofthesamples fail, and if so, what was done? and if no tests were done, why not?; were there
interventions or influences during the entire project?
Most critically, the PNCR is also demanding that urgent non-destructive in-situ tests beperformedontherunway to establish the extent of the deficiencies.
Last week, the Ministry of Public Works issued a statement, noting that the rehabilitation of Paruima Airstrip is currently under the Defects Liability Period and the contractor is obligated by contract to remedy any and all defects arising thereafter Works on the airstrip were completed on April 14, 2024, and the project site handed over to theMinistryofPublicWorks on April 15. The ministry's representatives along with
thecontractorhadconducted a joint site visit on June 19, 2024followingreportsfrom aircraft operators that the runway was in distress During the inspection, several surface defects were highlighted and the contractor was given clear instructions to have these defects remedied within a one (01) week period. “To date,thesedefectshavesince beencorrectedandMoPWis currently executing plans to assessthestructuralintegrity of the remainder of the runway structure to ensure conformity with design strength and correct any possibleareaofdeficiencyto avoid further inconvenience toaircraftoperations.
The ministry would like tonotethatthecurrentvideo circulating on social media platformswastakenpriorto June 19, 2024,” the statementread.
Additionally, the ministry said it should be noted that due to the remoteness of the location and the logistical challenges
in transporting equipment and materials to the site, smallersizedequipmentand locally available materials were most feasible for rehabilitation of the airstrip.
“As it relates to the competency of the contractor,PortKaitumaand BaramitaAirstripswereboth
contractorin2020and2021, respectively
Thesurfacetypeofthese
treatment, they are in very good condition and no defects were observed to date.
A student of the Aurora Secondary school was killed onSaturdaynightfollowinga car crash at Fairfield, Essequibo Coast Region Two.
Dead is Julio Joseph, age 16. Joseph is originally from Buck Hall but had relocated toPomonaHousingScheme, Essequibo Coast to pursue hissecondaryeducation.
OnSaturday,hewentout with some friends, one of them Gavinash Narine, 20, the driver and owner of the car that crashed with him around23:40hrs. Narinewas reportedly dropping home Josephwhentragedystruck.
Footage of the crash showed the car slamming into a fence at Fairfield. It appeared as if he lost control while negotiating a bend along the road Some persons are alleging that the driverwasseendrinkingwith friends, moments before the accident while others claimed that he reportedly swervedfromacowandthen lostcontrol.
The aftermath of the accident was a horrific sight. Photosshowedamangledcar among some scattered concrete debris from the broken fence. Reports are that the driver was badly injured and had to be pulled from the wreckage. He was picked up in a semiconsciousstate,whileJoseph was unconscious. They were rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital where Joseph was pronounced dead on arrival andthedriveradmitted. Investigations are ongoing.
Senior citizens of Batavia Village, Region Seven capitalised on a two-day medical outreach to the village.
Murphy Gomez, the ToshaoofBataviaVillageina
recent interview with KaieteurNewsrelatedthatthe elderly residents benefitted the most from the outreach heldtherelastweekend.
The outreach was organised by the Guyana Cancer Society (GCS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Guyana Medical Relief, the American Embassy, and the Global Medical Surgical and SupportGroup.
It was held From July 13 to 14 and saw some 292 persons benefitting from 800 medical procedures which include dental, optometry, paediatric, general medicine among other key medical services.
Speaking with Kaieteur News at the end of the outreach, Gomez said it was the first time a medical outreach was held in the village.
Asked how it benefitted the residents, Gomez responded: “Well it benefitted, especially the aged(elderly)ones”.
He explained that althoughBataviahasahealth centre, not all the medical
services are available there and while many of the younger villagers can regularly travel via boat to Bartica for medical checkups, it is still a difficult and fatiguing journey for the seniorresidentsofthevillage.
“The outreach benefitted them now because they just havetocomeheretodoallthe check-ups”,hesaid. Batavia is an Indigenous village with a population of 646 people located in the CuyuniMazarunidistrictthat thrives on mining, logging andfarming.
The U.S. Government through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with the Pan A m e r i c a n H e a l t h Organization (PAHO) Guyana, donated 20,000 malaria rapid diagnostic teststotheGuyanaNational Malaria Programme last week.
The donation is in responsetoamalariatestkit shortage in the country and will greatly strengthen the country's malaria response, theUSEmbassyheresaidin a press release U S Ambassador Nicole D Theriot reiterated that “the UnitedStatesisacommitted and long-term partner in Guyana's development This donation supports the Government of Guyana's
vision of a Malaria Free Guyanaby2030.”
Meanwhile, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony thankedtheUnitedStatesfor this donation, stating, “the MinistryofHealthexpresses its heartfelt appreciation to the Government of the United States of America, for its generous donation of 20,000 malaria rapid diagnostickits.
Thekitswillenhanceour capacity significantly to promptly and precisely diagnose malaria in many rural communities across Guyana and will safeguard the well-being of our citizens.
Wearethankfulforthe ongoing partnership, which has assisted Guyana tremendously over the years."
Thekitsareintendedfor Regions 1, 7, 8, 9, and 10, whichaccountformorethan 95 percent of Guyana's malaria cases. Since 2016, the United States Government has been helping Guyana fight malaria through its regional malaria program in collaboration with partners such as PAHO and the USAID Breakthrough Action team. Some notable achievementstodateinclude mappingoutareaswithhigh malaria rates, distributing 3,000bednetstothosemost vulnerable, enhancing malaria management in Regions 7 and 8, and facilitating a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Health, government entities, and miningassociations.
The Board of Governors
o f t h e C a r i b b e a n Development Bank (CDB) has confirmed the closure of the internal administrative process involving its former President Dr Hyginus Leon andthathehasceasedtohold theofficeofthePresidentof theBank.
In a statement, the CDB said in accordance with the Agreement Establishing the Caribbean Development Bank, the Vice President (Operations), Mr. Isaac Solomon, will continue to exercise the authority and perform the functions of President until a new Presidentiselected.
“The process for the election of a new President has commenced and the BoardofGovernorshasbeen in v ited to s u b mit nominations for the position of the President of the Bank by August 26, 2024. It is expected that the election process will conclude in O c t o b e r 2024 CDB, under the direction of its Board of Governors and Directors, andthroughtheleadershipof its management and the efforts of its staff, continues toworkfullyandeffectively together with its Member Countries and development
partners to advance CDB's mission of reducing poverty and transforming livesthroughsustainableand resilient development initiatives,” the statement concluded.
Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, and Regional Chairman, David Armogan interacting with farmers at the meeting
Rice farmers in Berbice are worried about the threat posedbypaddybugstotheir crop and the Ministry of Agriculture has promised to begin spraying rice fields todaytoaddresstheissue.
Former President of CDB, Dr. Hyginus Leon
community meeting at Albion Community Ground on Sunday, noted that the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) will work collaboratively with the farmers to address the issue.
present,”MinisterMustapha told the Department of PublicInformation(DPI).
“Itisalsoevidentthatthe bank has lost all trust and confidence in our client by the failure of the board of governors to prevent the continued violations of its charter, policies, rules and regulationswithregardtoits electedpresident.“Ourclient has therefore made the extremely difficult decision toresignhiselectedposition of the president of the bank with immediate effect,” the lawfirmwrote.
The lawyers had given the regional financial institution until May 4 “to negotiate an amicable separation” indicating also that their correspondence should be viewed “as our client's pre action protocol letter” regarding the entire situation.
In the three-page letter, Dated April 21, and headlined “Re: Dr Hyginus 'Gene' Leon, Resignation
St Lucia-based law firm, FOSTERS, that was looking into interest of Leon was of the opinion that “he will never be treated fairly” after he had been sent on administrative leave in January.
a n d C o n s t r u c t i v e Dismissal”,thelawfirmsaid it would be moving to the courts in Barbados “or any other jurisdiction more appropriate, to enforce our client's legal and constitutional rights”. “My view has been, having reviewedeverythingindepth withregardstothebank,how it is run, read all of its policies, it would seem that thebankhasnotfollowedits ownpolicies,”attorneyPeter Foster KC said in the letter “There are specific policy requirements regarding the investigation of a president andverysimplythatifoneof these committees…if they have found through whistle blowing report to them and there is some information requiring an investigation, theyaresupposedtoescalate that to the board of directors through another subcommittee “With that initial report, the board of directors would then have to considerwhetherornotthere is sufficient in that whistle blowerreporttoescalateitto the board of governors and theboardofgovernorswould havetomeetandthenmakea determination.”
Fostersaid“noneofthat wasdone”andLeonwassent on leave unceremoniously by a three-member committee and everybody stayingquietafterthat.
In January, it was disclosed that Leon, had been sent on administrative leaveuntilAprilthisyear,as “an ongoing administrative process” continued at the region's premier financial institution.
T h e p a d d y b u g infestation is severely affecting the farmers' rice productivity throughout the region.Todate,68,000acres of rice land are currently under cultivation in the
M
“Region Six is a very important rice-producing areaforus.Asaresultofthat, there were several proposals that the farmers made. But we have looked at the most realistic proposal That proposalistohelpthemwith the chemicals to spray the areas where the bugs are
“Iamhopingthatwecan control the bugs so that we canhaveafullharvestatthe end of this crop,” the agricultureministerasserted. Apaddy bug committee has been set up to effectively monitor the situation in Region Six and a comprehensivereportwillbe provided daily to the minister The report will indicate if further
(Continuedonpage16)
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President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has pledged $2 million to support the Guyana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists’ annual health fair.
President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and top leaders of the Guyana Conference for Seventh-day Adventists and other officials programme, all the persons who will require spectacles, we will give you the voucher that we have to ensure that they get their spectacles,” the president disclosed.
The head of state announced the monetary donation on Sunday, during the opening ceremony of the conference’s health fair, business expo and family fun day, at the National Exhibition Centre in Sophia, Greater Georgetown. “We would like to support this initiative with $2 million to help you. I know that your transportation and logistics costs will be high too, so we are going to support you additionally on this programme,” President Ali stated.
He said the government will also ensure the church is provided with vouchers or other health services that are necessary to meet the needs of the people throughout the health drive. “I want to use this opportunity to say that through our eye-care
With the National Ophthalmologist Hospital at Port Mourant Centre in Region Six now fully operational to conduct surgeries for cataracts, President Ali urged the Adventist body to submit persons’ names who are in need of surgical operations. He also encouraged the Sabbath believers to conduct more outreaches since it is necessary for the development of a sustainable community. “It is important to understand that the aspect of community in the church is about protecting and nurturing a human person. And that is the difference with this church health outreach, it goes beyond the physical. The church understands that the physical cannot enjoy the best life without the existence of the spiritual and the men-
tal well-being,” the head of state posited.
Meanwhile, the Ministerial and Communications Director of the SDA Conference, Pastor Osley Edwards, stressed that it is the profound duty of the Adventist body to host events that impact lives. “We are happy and delighted to offer this service to our communities, it is something for which we have been distinguished over the years to be able to offer health services in various forms which have not only been localised to the Guyanese community but also nationally,” the pastor said.
The health fair, business expo and family fun day saw scores of residents from communities within Central Georgetown attending to take advantage of the services being offered. These include doctor’s consultations, health screening, eye testing and glasses distribution, and dental services, among others. (DPI)
From page 15 interventions need to be made relating to the insect situation.
Meanwhile, farmers have acknowledged that the substantial investments and interventions made by the government over the years have resuscitated the rice industry, as well as enhanced rice pro-
duction and their livelihoods.
Due to these direct investments and policies, rice farmers are optimistic that they will surpass this year’s rice production target of 710,000 tonnes as compared to 653,000 tonnes last year. Additionally, farmers will also have improved access to drainage and irrigation, as several outfalls will be cleared in the region, which will provide significant relief. Also present at the meeting were Regional Chairman, David Armogan; Regional Vice Chairman, Zamal Hussain and Director General of the Ministry, Madanlall Ramraj.
From page 05 consideration GB&GWU’s financial and economic arguments. Rambo looked at Robinson, turned to me and said, “Lincoln, don’t pay him one #$$$ing cent.” I complied.
Rambo was fiercely protective of our independent status and expressed grave disappointment that the government would undermine the struggles that led to the achievement of independence by becoming toys to world powers and multinationals. He detested corruption and was disappointed that corrupt Guyanese politicians were not held sufficiently accountable.
While he was not consid-
ered pro-American, he did not underestimate the impact of America and the geopolitics of Guyana. He felt given the U.S is considered more lawabiding than Guyana, corrupt Guyanese politicians should be taken to the U.S and tried in that court. He believed the courts of Guyana do not have the credibility to deliver justice.
Rambo took ill just over a fortnight ago and was hospitalised. I visited him. On my first visit, I stood by his bedside and called his name four times. There was no response. On the fifth occasion, I said “Rambo, it is Lincoln.” He opened his eyes and looked at me. I told him he has to get well soonest because
he cannot leave me alone in the fight with the brigands. Rambo put up his left hand and held mine, shook his head and smiled. Every time I spoke, Rambo nodded his head and looked at me, which gave me the impression he understood what I was saying. My last visit on Thursday, I held his hand and said to him, “You have to get out from here, boy.” He shook his head in the affirmative. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it out alive.
May his soul rest in eternal peace. My deepest condolences to his loved ones, some of whom I have come to know.
Yours truly, Lincoln Lewis
WashingtonD.C.17July
2024(PAHO)–Ascountries of theAmericas continue to recoverandrebuildfromthe COVID-19 pandemic, experts from the Pan
A m e r i c a n H e a l t h Organization (PAHO) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) convened to discuss global health security and recommit to ongoing collaboration to improvepublichealthinthe Americas.
During the event,
Building on a Successful Partnership for 2024 & Beyond, held at the PAHO headquarters in Washington D.C.on15July,participants discussed the organizations’ 30-year partnership, and the continued critical health challengesandopportunities fortheregion.
PAHO’s partnership
with USAID is “more crucial than ever following the devastating impact of C O V I D - 1 9 i n t h e Americas,” Mary Lou Valdez, Deputy Director of PAHO said during her openingremarks.“Thisisan opportunity to refocus and recommit on priorities and identify new areas of collaboration.
For Michael Camilleri, A c t i n g A s s i s t a n t Administrator for USAID’s Latin America and the Caribbean Bureau, over the last three decades, PAHO a n d U S A I D h a v e “collaborated to enhance health and well-being in the Americas,” with “incredible results.”
With the region continuing to face critical health inequalities, the rise in extreme weather events, and the severe dengue
epidemic, the USAIDPAHOpartnershipiscrucial “to promote strong health systems,protectpeoplefrom the threat of pandemics, address health needs throughoutthecourseoflife, and address emerging challenges such as migration, climate change, and mental health, ” Camilleriadded.
Duringtheevent,PAHO Director, Jarbas Barbosa, and Atul Gawande, USAID Assistant Administrator for Global Health engaged in a high-level dialogue to discuss the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, the interrelation between health, economic, andclimatesecurity,therise in cases of bird flu and the importance of a One Health approach,aswellaspriority areas of collaboration movingforward.
During his intervention, and looking forward to ongoing collaboration with PAHO, Dr Gawande highlighted the importance of strengthening primary health care in the Region, increasing the health workforce, and improving response to emerging threats.
“Speed is of the essence when it comes to managing and controlling outbreaks,” he said For USAID, PAHO’s role in health securityintheregioniskey, “particularly when it comes t o s t r e n g t h e n i n g surveillance in the animal sector.” Lookingforwardto the opportunities posed by the amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR), and the futurepandemictreaty,“itis important that our partnershipremainsstrong,”
and “based on lessons learned,” Dr Barbosa agreed. Together, “we need torethinkhowcountriescan bebetterpreparedforhealth emergencies, for the worstcasescenario,”headded.
Followingthehigh-level dialogue, a panel discussion to celebrate 30 years of partnership was held to explore ways in which the collaboration with USAID has enabled PAHO to achieve its health goals throughout the Americas, including on issues such as digital transformation, maternalandchildmortality, and the elimination of communicablediseases.
For USAID, the partnershiphasalsoinspired the Agency to bring new innovations to its work in otherareasoftheworld.
Crucial lessons from USAID’scollaborationwith
PAHO during the COVID19 pandemic in Peru were also discussed These include the need to ensure ongoing monitoring and evaluation, as well as consolidated databases, to facilitateI
nformed decisionmaking These elements were crucial in reducing COVID-19 mortality and morbidityinthecountry
“A true partner can be countedonintimesofcrisis, andUSAIDhasexemplified this many times, “ PAHO Assistant Director, Rhonda Sealey-Thomassaid.
“I look forward to building upon the shared history of our two great organizations and I reaffirm our commitment to working together to advance the publichealthprioritiesinthe Americas in the years ahead.”
Dr Komal Maharaj
( T R I N I D A D GUARDIAN) The Hunters SearchandRescueTeamhas joined the Anti-Kidnapping Squad in the search for Dr Komal Maharaj, a 40-yearold consultant from Felicity who has been missing since Friday afternoon and is believed to have been kidnapped.
assistance, although they declined to speak with the media.
C o m m a n d e r
Shamsudeen Ayube, who is leading the search by Hunters Search and Rescue, said they were awaiting critical information on the case involving surveillance footage and will be guided accordingly
However, police investigators have been tightlipped about the4 case apart from confirming that no ransom demands have beenmade.
Chaguanas West MP
Dinesh Rambally yesterday made a public appeal for anyonewithinformation“no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward immediately
hisfamily.”
Maharaj’sdisappearance is the latest in a series of abductions and kidnappings for ransom since late last year Itcomesjustdaysafter a 33-year-old Chinese businessman was abducted androbbedoutsidehishome in Cunupia on July 17. The owner of Jin Du Restaurant and Bar was confronted by three armed suspects in a black Nissan X-trail posing aspoliceofficers. They stole $17,000, his cell phone, and wallet, then forcedhimintotheirvehicle. He was later released, and his cell phone and wallet
werereturned.
On June 23, a 69-yearold pensioner was abducted from his home on Arena Road by armed individuals and forced him into a white Hyundai pickup van. His abductors took him to a secluded area along Siewdass Road, Freeport, wherehewasreleased.
In May, doubles vendor Anisha Singh-Hosein was kidnapped from her stall in ElDoradoandtakenintothe mountainsneartheMountSt Benedict’s Monastery before being released. Four of her alleged kidnappers were killed in a gunfight
withpolice.
Last December 29, businesswoman Aneesha Narine-Boodoo was abducted in El Socorro by three men in tactical uniforms but was released four days later without a ransom being paid If you have any information on Maharaj’s wherabouts is asked to contact the AntiKidnapping Unit at 6236793;- Hunters Search and Rescue Team at4772031 or 340-5003 (WhatsApp); or the TTPS hotlines: 555, 999, or 800-TIPS.
Maharaj, a resident of Maha Sabha Street and a fatheroftwo,waslastseenat Price Plaza, Chaguanas, around2pmonFriday Heis believed to have gone to an ATMthere. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing jeans, a red jersey, andagreyhoodie. His vehicle was found buttherehasbeennotraceof him Investigators are working to retrieve surveillance footage from PricePlazatodeterminewho Dr Maharajmighthavemet, whether he was alone when he went to an ATM in the shopping complex and if he willingly entered another vehicle.
“Your assistance is crucialinhelpingusfindDr Maharaj and ensuring his safe return,” said Rambally, who expressed profound concern over Maharaj’s suspected kidnapping. The Opposition MP added that the Felicity community was standing in solidarity with Maharaj’sfamilyandfriends and community members are praying for his safe return.
One friend posted on social media: “Awell-loved and well-respected former math teacher of Trimont College.
Up to late yesterday no ransom demands had been made His family are appealing to the public for
Please hold Dr Komal Maharaj up in prayer May ourLordJesusChristprotect himandreturnhimsafelyto
CNN President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to succeedhimonSunday
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President,” Biden wroteinaletterpostedtohis official account on X. “And while it has been my intentiontoseekreelection,I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the countryformetostanddown and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder ofmyterm.”
Biden said he will speak to the nation later this week inmoredetail.
In a follow-up post, Biden praised Harris and urged Democrats to unite behind her “My very first decision as the party nomineein2020wastopick Kamala Harris as my Vice President,” Biden wrote “And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I wanttooffermyfullsupport andendorsementforKamala to be the nominee of our partythisyear.”
Many prominent Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,quicklycameoutin
support of Harris, although some who released statements reacting to Biden’s decision did not mentionthevicepresident.
Biden’s departure cappedoffweeksofconcern about the 81-year-old president’s stamina and mental capabilities and skepticism of his ability to effectivelycampaignagainst former President Donald Trump and govern the country for another four years Biden’s decision sparked immediate calls fromRepublicansforhimto step step down as president.
Trump said Biden “is not fit to serve” in a post on Truth Social.
“IfJoeBidenisnotfitto runforPresident,heisnotfit toserveasPresident,”House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a statement. “He must r e s i g n t h e o ff i c e immediately.”
It’s the first time a US presidenthasdroppedoutof a reelection run in decades andrecallsPresidentLyndon Johnson’s decision not to seek a second full term in 1968 – though Biden’s decisioncomesmonthslater in the campaign than Johnson’s.It’salsothelatest shocking development in a highly charged political campaign that has included
anattemptonTrump’slife.
But not even the attempted assassination on Trump and its tumultuous effect on the race could pause the loss of support Biden was facing among congressional Democrats who became increasingly convinced that a wipeout in November would also drown their down-ballot contestsaswell.
Biden’s final decision to leavetheracewasreachedin the last 48 hours, a senior campaignadvisersaid,ashe consulted family and top advisers by telephone. He didnothaveafinalin-person meeting with his top campaign or White House advisers as he recovered
from Covid-19 at his beach home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
His exit from the race sets the stage for the conclusion to a political career that has spanned a half-century, one that saw Biden enter as one of the youngest senators in US history and exit as its oldest president.
Ageandquestionsabout the president’s mental faculties had been Biden’s biggest political liability since he first ran against Trump in 2020 Biden’s disastrous performance at a June 27 CNN debate –during which the president spoke softly, had a glazedover look and, at one point,
appeared to lose his train of thought mid-sentence while his opponent delivered an animated,whilemainlyfactfree performance – brought those concerns to the forefront of the political conversation and ultimately doomedhisreelectionpush.
Biden’s campaign had asked for the June debate in thehopesthatitwouldforce voterstotuneintotherace–andwhatBidenhadsaidwas at stake – earlier than usual. Butthatstrategyappearedto backfire as the president solidified what had been the most persistent concern abouthiscandidacy
The president’s performance shocked his donors,closestalliesandthe 50 million Americans who saw Biden stumble throughout the 90-minute debate—themostextensive exposure to an unscripted Bidensincethelastroundof general-election debates four years ago. It left the White House and Biden campaign in a frenzied scrambletoexplainawayhis condition – at first, blaming itonacold,beforedayslater saying the president had been jet lagged by his international travel that wrapped up about 12 days priortothedebate.
The president’s
surrogates and campaign officials sought to soothe Democratic anxieties, hurriedly calling meetings with donors and top supporters to assure them that Biden’s performance was the product of one bad night and ask them to consider it in the context of his three-and-a-half-year presidency
The president himself recognized how poorly the night had gone almost immediately; at a campaign rallythe nextday, he sought to promote an animated and energized image that had largelybeenabsentfromthe debatestage.
“Idon’twalkaseasyasI usedto,”Bidensaid.“Idon’t speak as smoothly as I used to.Idon’tdebateaswellasI usedto.ButIknowwhatIdo know:Iknowhowtotellthe truth. I know right from wrong.Iknowhowtodothis job.Iknowhowtogetthings done.”
But the damage had alreadybeendone.
By the Monday after the debate, murmurs about replacingBidenontheticket had grown into a full public conversation. The mood in the White House and at Biden’s campaign headquarters in Wilmington hadturnedsour
(Gaza Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has blocked plans for a field hospital in Israel to treat sick and injured children from Gaza, accordingtoreports.Thesite was announced earlier this week by Defence Minister YoavGallantasatemporary measure to provide treatment while the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt remains closed to civilians.
On Thursday, the prime minister’sofficesaidhehad not approved a hospital on Israeli territory and that it would not go ahead. Since the conflict began last year, there have been numerous reports and widespread international concern about its impact on children and thenumbersufferingserious physicalinjuries.
Mr Gallant said the temporaryhospitalwouldbe used to address the most urgent humanitarian needs untilapermanentsystemfor
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has blocked plans for a field hospital in Israel to treat sick and injured children from Gaza
theevacuationandtreatment of sick children could be established.Hesaiditwould treat those suffering with conditions including cancer,
diabetes, and orthopaedic injuries.
However, on Thursday the Mr Netanyahu’s office announcedthathe“doesnot
approvetheestablishmentof ahospitalforGazanswithin Israeliterritory-therefore,it willnotbeestablished”.
An Israeli official,
speaking on condition of anonymity, told the AFP news agency that the defence ministry had asked theprimeminister’sofficeto helpspeeduptheevacuation of patients from Gaza two weeks ago. “No response wasreceived,sotheminister issuedanordertothearmyto establish a field hospital within Israeli territory as an immediate solution for sick children,”theysaid.
MrNetanyahu’smilitary secretary Major General Roman Gofman told the Ynetnewssitethattherehad notbeenenoughprogressin creating a corridor for transportingsickandinjured Gazans to other countries andthiswaswhythehospital didnotgoahead.
Last month, opposition figure Benny Gantz quit the country’s war cabinet in protest at Mr Netanyahu’s handlingofthewar
The current conflict began following the 7 October attack, which saw around 1,200 people killed and 251 taken hostage.The Hamas-run health ministry says at least 38,848 people have so far been killed and 89,459injuredinGaza.
InApril, British surgeon Dr Victoria Rose, who had been working in Gaza, told the BBC that a “huge amount” of the operations shehadcarriedouthadbeen on children under 16, including many under six. She said she had treated people with bullet wounds and burns and that a lack of food available in Gaza meant patients were not strong enough to heal properly
The episode is just the latest sign of tension in the Israeli government to show inrecentmonths.InMay,Mr Gallant, a member of Mr Netanyahu’s Likud party, voiced open frustration at the government’s failure to set out plans for how Gaza would be governed after the conflict.
A 69-year-old construction workerwasshotdeadearlySunday morningwhenbanditsinvadedhis Westminster Housing Scheme, WestBankDemerarahome.
Dead is Jairam Ramkishun. Reports are that three men armed with a gun and dressed in hoodies invaded Ramkishun's home around 01:30hrs where he lived with his family, his wife and their twosons.
The victim's wife told police that the bandits had entered their bedroomandwokethemup.“They thendemandedthatshehandsover cash and jewellery, during which one of the men dealt her several lashes about her head with the gun,”policesaid.
A pensioner, 75, was found murdered, on Friday, inside his ransacked house at Hope Estate, EastCoastDemerara(ECD).
Police suspect that the man identified as Michael Soomair, was strangled with his own bed sheet sometime around 22:45hrs on Thursday. He was found dead thenextdayaround07:45hrsinthe bottom flat of a two-story house wherehelived.
Police said that detectives found his body in the hall area facing downwards with a chair on his back. When the crime scene investigatorsremovedthechairoff him, they saw “a sheet tied with two knots around his head on a pillow”. His hands were also tied behindhisbackwitharope.
Injuries were seen too on the forehead, right ankle, and left elbow “The entire house was ransacked” police said before adding that so far, a 32-inch television set, which is not working, is missing from the pensioner's home. Investigations areongoing.
y engaged the bandits in a scuffle.
One of his sons identified was home at the time and rushed into thebedroomtohelphisfatherfight them off and together, they managed to force them out of the house The son however was reportedlystabbedintheprocess.
Police said that he sustained a stabwoundintheregionofhisleft siderib.Asthebanditsexitedtheir home, Ramkishun armed himself with a cutlass and attempted to
further chase the men out of his yard but the next thing his wife remembers is a loud gunshot. She followed behind only to find her husband lying dead in a pool of blood The woman notified a familyfriendimmediatelyandthat individualcalledinthepolice. Police investigations revealed thatthebanditshadonlymanaged toescapewithtwoiPhones. Police also found a 9MM spent shell, a black haversack and two hats. Investigationsareongoing.
(BBC Sport) - Oscar Piastritookhismaidengrand prix victory in a McLaren one-two ahead of Lando Norris in a dramatic race in Hungary, amid a heated row overteamorders.
Behind them, in a race fullofsee-sawingaction,old rivals Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen collided as theydisputedthirdplace.
Both continued but Hamiltonheldontothirdand the Red Bull driver, his race full of radio messages
peppered with swearing, dropped back to finish fifth behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc McLaren’s team orders controversy unfolded astheytriedtomanagetheir way to a one-two, their first since the 2021 ItalianGrand Prix. Piastri led Norris for most of the race after taking the lead in a three-car fight
between them and Verstappen around the first corner.Butanearlierfinalpit stop for Norris - made by McLaren to protect him
against Hamilton’s Mercedes, which had stopped earlier - put him aheadofPiastri.
Norris was repeatedly asked to slow and let Piastri back past, and reminded of his responsibility to the team,butherefusedtodoso until just two laps from the end.
HisengineerWillJoseph remindedhimto“remember every Sunday morning meeting” and “I tried to protectyou”.
Healsotoldhimthat“the way to win a championship is with the team - you’re gonnaneedOscarandyou’re goingtoneedtheteam”.
NorrisarguedthatPiastri would have to catch him before he would let him by but all the time he was extendinghislead.
For a long time, it appeared as if Norris would refusetocarryouttheorder, butintheendheacquiesced.
H a m i l t o n a n d Verstappencollide
H a m i l t o n a n d Verstappen’s incident happened on lap 63 as the RedBulldriverdivedforthe insideatTurnOne.
The Dutchman overshot
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
Overall,theforecastfortoday is fairly good. The aspects seemtofavorfiguringoutthe meaning of all that's transpired over the past several weeks It's an opportunity for you to take a leisurely
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Have you felt somewhat lost forthepastfewdays?Thefog maylifttodayandenableyou to situate yourself at last. You'reprobablyeagertosettle a question that has nagged at you and interfered with your judgment.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
You may have been feeling somewhat disillusioned. Perhapsyoulostsightofyour goals or misplaced your faith in yourself. You'll feel some reliefbeginningtoday
CANCER(June21–July22)
Youmightbetemptedtosettle certain matters by radical means. The visionary part of you means you're painfully aware of the world's wrongs. You see no reason not to take actiontocorrectthem.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Today will be fairly calm in terms of outside events, but yourinnerworldislikelytobe in a rush of activity Today you wish you could find the solutiontoyourheartachesas well as your career predicaments.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
You have a lot of thinking to do about your professional goals, Virgo. You'll go over the elements to see if there isn't some way to approach thingsdifferently
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Youjustcan'tdoeverythingat once, Libra. How do you expect to reduce your stress and recuperate while at the same time continue to be a superstar performer in every areaofyourlife.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)
Thisisagoodmomenttoadapt your logic and reason to reality, Scorpio. If you don't, you're going to run into some
Everyone knows that you find newideasplentiful.
SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)
It'sgoingtobealittledifficult talkin
you today, Sagittarius. You, who can be easily influenced by others, will be listening to and criticizing everything that peoplesay
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Haveyoubeenreviewingyour family history lately, Capricorn? Of special interest is your cultural background. What educational, social, and religious environment were you born into? What are its values?Intheend.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) It's time to elevate your senseofself,Aquarius.You're justasgoodasanyoneelse,so why don't you believe it? The problem is that you're very sensitiveabouthavinganego. Even though you know everyonedoes.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
Today your intellectual and expressive abilities should receive a boost from the planets.It'sanexcellenttimeto organize your thoughts about presentingaproject.
the corner and Hamilton’s front left wheel caught the right rear of Verstappen’s as the Red Bull speared past andintotherun-offarea.
It was the climax of a bad-tempered race for Verstappen as he railed against Red Bull’s strategy choices, that first put him behindHamiltonandthenat the second pit stop also behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc Verstappen caught andre-passedLeclercbuthis anger seemed to spill over intohisdrivingashetriedto passHamilton.
Itwastheirsecondbattle of the race - Verstappen had been stuck behind Hamilton in the second stint after
Frompage24 sportsgear.Eachparticipant of the Academy received a medalofservice, schoolbag andahotandcoldflask. The Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club also presented 2 special gifts to the coaches at theAcademy The club would like to express special thanks to all the persons and companies who contributed to the success of the Academy includingBakewell,Guyana beverage company, the NationalAssembly,Minister Joseph Hamilton, Minister CollinCroal,MinisterSusan Rodriguez, KC Singh, Desincotrading,BanksDIH, RomarioSamaroo, John Ramsingn, Alistair Collins,, Target innovation, Mike’s Pharmacy, NAMILCO, R o g e r Harper,bBhesramRamnaut, Kiran Kadir, Dr Terrence Blackman, Donna Todd, D e m e r a r a B a n k , CanadianSurplus, Chris LachmanoftheUSAamong others.
They are RHTYSC also unveiled its squad of 12 under 11 players from the Academyforitsspecialelite training program which would start shortly The playersselectedwereLamar Lafleur,Akeem Frazer, Randy Williams, Kelvin Ramlal, Anthony Sirkisoon, Dilshan La Cruz, Aden Moore, JawanFrank, Daniel Alexander, Ronaldo Roberts,Kumar Chandradeo and Jonathan Lyte. These playerswouldbeinvestedin the future with special trainingandgears.
The other awardees were:Best batsman: Mario
making a later first pit stop thantheMercedesdriverand failed to get by after a numberofattempts.
Verstappen complained abouthiscar’sperformance, lack of grip and the team’s pit-stop choices, and when he was chastised by race
engineer Gianpiero Lambiaseforgoingtoohard toosoononhistyresafterhis finalstop,heagainswore.
“Don’t give me that now,” he said. “You guys gave me this strategy I’m tryingtorescuemyrace.”
But he did the opposite and, after the collision, dropped behind Leclerc and was unable to catch the Ferrari.
Butcher Best bowler: Sohil Sirkisoon Best attendance: Dev Seepersaud Most disciplined:DarvishNarain
Most improved player: R
BestUnder 13 player: Jaden Ganpat BestUnder 11
player: Joshua Brijlal Best fielder - Leon Reddy Special awardees: Jonathan Hicks,NarsLachgadu,Sohil Ve
Cameron, Jevon Crandon, Darwin McKenzie and DineshSingh
Thecurtainsforthe 34th edition of the Rose Hall TownYouthandSportsClub annual cricket Academy came down on Friday last with an impressive closing ceremony at the Rose Hall TownPrimarySchool.
The Academy which startedonMondaythe8thof Julyattractedtheregistration ofcloseto90youthsandwas conducted by a panel of cricket coaches headed by Level 3 cricket coach Winston Smith Other cricket coaches were Gregory Crandon, Floyd Benjamin, Ryan Alguand former national player Eon Hooper. Present at the closing ceremony Rose Hall Town Mayor Dave Budhu, Town Clerk Natasha G r i f f i t h , f o r m e r MayorChattergoon and Region 6 Sports Officer RandyMangru.
Club secretary Hilbert Fosterstatedthatdespitethe weather which affected 2d a y , t h e 2 0 2 4
Bakewell/Busta Academy was a huge success and exceeded the club’s expectations. The coaches place special emphasis on physical fitness while numerous sessions were donewiththemainobjective of improving the batting, bowling and fielding skills oftheyouths.
The participants of the Academywerealsoinvolved in several practice matches while they were involved in lectures on a wide range of topics such as the history of the game, rules of cricket, rulesofasportsambassador, personal hygiene, the importance of education, table manners, drug abuse, peerpressureandrespectfor theelderly.
Members of the Academyalsohandedovera donationtothePortMourant therapy unit and Rose Hall Town Council security department as part of their community development outreachcampaign. RHTYSC cricket
m a n a g e r R o b b y Kissoonlallnoted that the success of the club on the cricket field can be traced back to the club cricket Academy which since 1991 has trained over 4000 youths.Atotalof123players from the Academy have gone on to play for either Berbice and Guyana while 16 have played for the West Indies at different levels. Nine RHTYSC members have also played at the international level.They are Assad Fudadin, Royston Crandon, Kevin Sinclair, AkshayHomraj, Dominique Ricky, Shemaine Campbell, S h a b i k i G a j n a b i , ShenetaGrimmondandErva Giddings. Kissoonlall noted that thisAcademy last week also produced two players fortheWestIndiesUnder19 female team, Trisha Hardatand DanellieManns. Head coach Winston Smith stated that he and the other coaches were very impressed with the work ethics of the youths. Smith
Day2sawastale
n i s h a s Guyana and TrinidadandTobagoplayed toadrawattheCumberland Playing Field Ground, despite 9 wickets between spinners Goolcharran ChulaiandKrsnaSingh. Guyanaledby249runs after opener Rampertab Ramnauth hit 79 and
Andrew Lim 53, to help theirsidepost249alloutin theirfirstinnings. Trinidad and Tobago were rattled out after much resistancethankstoin-form left-arm spinner and leading wicket-taker for Guyana, Chulai snared 6 wickets. His spin partner Singh also snared 3 wickets
which
follow-on Trinidad crept to 67-5 in their second innings with not much coming from their batting line and all-rounder ThaddeusLovellpickingup twoofthe5wicketstofall. Guyana will play JamaicaonTuesdayinthe ppening match of the 50oversChampionship
noted that the coaches were able to complete their plannedprograms. Theheadcoachurgedthe youths to continue working ontheirgameandtoputinto practice what they have learned Regional sports officerRandyMangruhailed the outstanding work of the clubovertheyears.Henoted that sports in the region would benefit from millions of dollars of investment by the government of Guyana into venues across the county Guyana junior cricketer Matthew Pottayawas named cricketer oftheAcademyafteraclose
and competitive battle with several other players
Participants were involved inamultiplechoicetestsfor 50 marks, 10 marks for an essay while 40 marks were given for attendance, commitment, Personal discipline and performance on the cricket field. The runnerup of the Academy was national UNDER 13 player Tameshwar Deonadan while the best female was Jada Frazer, niece of Kevlon Anderson. The cricketer of the Academy received close to $300,000 worth of prizes including an electric bike
from KC Singh, an electronic tablet, a King’s Jewelry World gold medallion, design clothing and watch, a headphone, kitchen utensils, household items, a lazy boy from A H and L Kissoon, cosmetic hampers, food hampers among other prizes The best batsman and best bowler receive a complete cricket kit from Demerara Bank, Rose Hall Branch Other awardees receiveawiderangeofprizes including trophies, bicycles, electronic tablet, hampers, footwear, designer watches, educationalpackagesand (Continuedonpage23)
GCB U17 50-Over trials Game 1…
National batsman Adrian Hetmyer warmed up with a classy half-century yesterday at Meten-Meer-Zorg Ground to help the Afraz Budhoo XI secure a 73-run winovertheParmeshwarRam-ledteam.
Batting first the Budhoo XI managed to pile on 170-8 off 50 overs. National youth playerHetmyerretiredafterscoringaclassy 61.
His teammates in Deonarine Dindyal (23), Ramario Ramdeholl (21) and Govin Persaud (21) gave some support as they stabilizedthemiddle/lower-order.
BowlingforRam'sXIsawtheconsistent JaydenDowlinsnappingup2-25followinga goodspell.
Chasing a decent target, Ram's XI had a shaky start making just 28-1 after 10 overs beforegoingontomake97-8off43overs.
A gritty knock of 23 from 100 balls by MarcelNandu23andpatient21off41from skipper Parmeshwar Ram, ended as the key batters.
Corporate Guyana has continued to answer the call to support one of the growingcrickettournaments – Kares One Guyana T10 Tapeball Blast – as Trophy Stall and General Marine haveoptedtoshowsupport.
As a supporter of all sports in Guyana, Ramesh Sunich, Managing Director of Trophy Stall, has
benevolently donated trophiesforsecondplaceand all of the ‘Regal Stationery’ i n d i v i d u a l accolades Player of the Final, Most Runs, Most Wickets, and the Assuria Insurance Most Valuable Playeraward.
Trophieswillbeawarded for the Cricket For Charity Match led by President Dr IrfaanAliandmedalsforthat match and the tournament’s final. Meanwhile, General Marine has sponsored the titled rights for the ‘Kawasaki Super Striker’ throughitsKawasakibrand.
The stakes for the 32 teams vying for the coveted championship title are rising.
This year’s competition boasts a bigger prize pool: G$1.5 million will go to the winners, G$500,000 to the runner-up,andG$250,000in
John Ramsingh of FL Sport (left) with one of the trophies to be awarded at the end of the tournament, along with Ramesh Sunich of Trophy Stall
consolation prizes for the losingsemifinalists.
The action commences August 3rd with a knockout format.
Opening-round matches will be played at the Police Sports Club, Queen’s College Ground, and LusignanSportsClub.
Kares Engineering, Banks DIH Limited, Star Rentals,MinistryofCulture, Youth and Sport, Montra Restaurant and Lounge,
SuperBet,DemeraraMutual, ETS, Metro Office and Computer Supplies, Building Expo 2024, Premier Insurance, ENet, Avinash Contracting and Scrap Metal Inc., Trophy Stall, ANSA McAL Distribution,RS53RestoBar and Lounge, Jacobs Jewellery, First Change Builders Inc., Samaroo Investments and Coel’s Boutique are the other sponsorsonboardthusfar.
(BBC Sport) - Tadej Pogacarsealedasensational TourdeFrance-Girod’Italia double by winning the stage 21timetrialintoNice.
TheUAETeamEmirates riderfinishedtheTourwitha sixth stage victory and became the first man to win cycling’s two biggest races inthesameyearsinceItalian MarcoPantaniin1998.
The Tour’s finale was held outside of Paris for the first time since 1903 as the French capital prepares to hosttheOlympics.
Wearing the yellow jersey Slovenia’s Pogacar, 25, finished the stage 63 seconds clear of secondplacedJonasVingegaard.
Thewinsecuredhisthird Tour de France title, extending his lead over nearest rival and two-time winner Vingegaard, of Visma–Lease a Bike, to six minutesand17seconds.
“I cannot describe how happyIam,”saidPogacar
UAE Team Emirates’Tadej Pogacar celebrates winning stage 21 and winning the Tour de France
“After two hard years in theTourdeFrance,thisyear everything went to perfection.” Tour debutant RemcoEvenepoel,ridingfor Sou
, finished third on the stage and completed the general classification podium, nine minutes and 18 seconds behind Pogacar The 2024
e remembered for Mark Cavendish’s record 35th stagevictoryinSaintVulbas intheopeningweek.
After completing the final stage, the legendary British sprinter said this year’s Tour is likely to have beenhislastrace.
HooperhitbackatLarafor‘grossmisrepresentations’inhisbook
(ESPN Cricinfo) - Viv Richards and Carl Hooper have strongly hit back at former West Indies teammate Brian Lara for “gross misrepresentations” in his book - Lara: The England Chronicles. In a joint statement released on Sunday, both former West Indiescaptainshaverejected Lara’s“claim”thatRichards made Hooper “cry once a week”, describing it as “categorically false”, and asked the latter to “issue a sincereapologyfortheharm caused.”
“SirVivianRichardsand Mr Carl Hooper are deeply disheartened by the gross misrepresentations made about them in Mr Brian Lara’s recently released book,” the duo said in a statementputoutbyHooper “The allegations presented notonlydistorttherealityof their relationship but also
impugntheircharactersinan unjustandharmfulmanner.”
Inthebook,anextractof which was run recently on ESPNcricinfo, Lara wrote that Richards’ words in the dressing room could “intimidate”players,though hemadeclearhealwayshad West Indies’ betterment alwaysatheart.“Vivusedto make me cry every three weeks, but he would make Carl cry once a week. Viv’s tone of voice is intimidating and if you’re not strong enough, you can take that personallyandbeaffectedby it. Me, I was never really affected by it. In a way I welcomed it, because I was somuchunderhisarmthatI knewabusewascomingand I was a strong personality Carl? I know for a fact that Carl shied away from Viv Richards.”
But Hooper said Richards never caused him
any “distress” and always hadhisback.“Theclaimthat Sir Vivian was aggressive towards Mr Hooper and madehimcryonceaweekis categorically false Such descriptionspaintSirVivian asaperpetratorofemotional abuse — an assertion that is not only baseless but also deeply hurtful to both parties.
“Sir Vivian, as Mr Hooper’s first captain, has never caused emotional distress to Mr Hooper On
the contrary, he has always acted as an encouraging mentor and provided unwaveringsupport. Their nearly 40-year relationship has been founded on mutual respect andcamaraderie.
Themisrepresentationof their interactions in Mr. Lara’s book is a grave disservice to the truth and has caused undue distress to both parties and their families.”
Richards and Hooper
have pulled up Lara for “attempting to profit from suchdeceit”,somethingthey find “inconceivable” considering his stature in global cricket. “We demand that Mr. Lara immediately issues a public retraction of thesefalseclaimsandoffera sincereapologyfortheharm caused. It is crucial for the integrity of public discourse and their personal and professional lives that the truthissetright.”
Lara and Richards only appearedinoneinternational match together for West Indies, an ODI at Lord’s on the 1991 tour of England, batting together briefly in a 20-run partnership - Lara laments not getting more time in the middle with him in the book, writing that it was “every young man’s dreamistobewaitinginthe middle, watching The Greatest walk through the
gateandontothefieldwhere I’mstanding.”
Lara played much more with Hooper, both leading him as captain and playing underhiscaptaincy.
Lara’s first international match in 1990, an ODI in Karachi, was in a side that included Hooper and Lara also played in what was Hooper’s last international game, against Kenya at the 2003 World Cup. In the book, Lara is fulsome in his praiseofHooper,callinghim one of finest talents to have comeoutoftheCaribbean.
“Man,whataplayer The ease in which he batted brought out a kind of awe in us, and in all of us, even the senior players.You felt that when Carl went out to bat, they enjoyed itHaynes, Richards, Greenidge, all these guys would stop what they were doingjusttowatchhim.”
Jamaican sprinter
Kishane Thompson, the world’s fastest man in 2024, is the
frontrunner in iBET Supreme’s odds to win gold in the Men’s 100m at the ParisOlympics.
TheOlympicGameswill commence on July 27, with TrackandField,arguablethe main attraction, beginning on August 1 Fans are eagerly anticipating the thrilling 100m event on August3.Alleyeswillbeon the Stade de France, where Thompson, with a seasonbest time of 9.77 seconds, aims to surpass reigning World Champion Noah LylesfromtheUSAtoclaim the prestigious Men’s 100m Gold Thompson is the favourite with odds of 2.13, closely followed by Lyles at 3 10 Another strong contender from Jamaica, ObliqueSeville,hasodds of 7 80 and is poised to challengeforthetopspoton thepodium.
Lyles, who clocked a lifetime-bestof9.81seconds at the London Diamond League, is the third fastest globallythisyear
Seville’simpressive9.82 seconds, achieved at the Racers Grand Prix in Jamaica on June 1, cements his status as a formidable competitor Kenyan sprinter
Kishane Thompson
Ferdinand Omanyala, the second fastest man this year with a time of 9.79 seconds achievedonJune15,islisted withoddsof28.00towinin Paris Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, who clocked 9.99 seconds this season, ranks 28th fastest and has odds of 13.00.
Reigning Olympic Champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs posted a competitive timeof9.92seconds,placing him 10th this season and securing the fifth-best odds of22.00todefendhistitle.
Inthemen’s200m,Noah Lyles is the favourite with o
phenomenal time of 19.53 seconds not only tops this year’s leaderboard but also ranksastheeighth-fastestin history Lyles is the third fastest ever in the 200m, trailing Jamaicans Yohan Blake (19.26s) and world record holder Usain Bolt (19.19s). American sprinter Kenneth Bednarek has odds of5.40forapodiumfinishin Paris, while Tebogo holds strongwithoddsof7.40.
In the women’s 100m, reigning World Champion Sha’Carri Richardson leads thepackwithoddsof1.54to
Fayyaz Hanif, the son of former Guyana wicketkeeper/batsman Azib Alli Hanif, slammed a brilliant84forSuperColtsUnder-16recently in the 2024 Toronto and District Cricket AssociationUnder-16T20tournament.
The right-handed Hanif stroked six sixes andsimilarnumberoffoursfromhis56-ball show at the crease to help team reach a challenging 141-5 from the allocation of 20overs.
But his team still lost to Ontario Cricket Academy, who won by 5 wickets with 17 ballstospare.
The 15-year-old Hanif got contribution fromVedPatelwith33asseamerParamPatel took3-21fromhismaximumfourovers.
Param Patel returned with the bat to lead histeamwithacomposed89whichwaslaced with11foursandtwosixesfrom58balls.
YashPatelandJainaimShahgrabbedtwo wickets apiece for Super Colts Under-16 team.
Thecompetitionisslatedtocontinuethis weekend.
Sha’Carri Richardson
secure her first Olympic Gold Richardson’s dominance this season, with a world-leading time of 10.71 seconds, adds to the anticipation of her performanceinParis.
Jamaican sprinter Shericka Jackson follows withoddsof4.80,boastinga season-bestof10.84seconds andrankingfifththisyear St.LuciansprinterJulien Alfredstandsat7.40,aiming forthegold,whilelegendary sprinter Shelly-Ann FraserPrycehasoddsof12.00fora chance at her second Olympic100mgold.
Fraser-Pryce, competing in her fifth Olympics at 37 years old, has accumulated animpressiveeightOlympic medals, including consecutive 100m golds in 2008and2012.
In the women’s 200m, Shericka Jackson is determined to claim her first individualOlympicgold With favorableoddsof285,sheisa top contender, closely trailing American sprinter Gabby Thomasat2.28.
Jackson initially led the odds for Paris, but recent reportsofherinjuryhavecast doubt on her prospects
Despite this setback, she remains the second-fastest womanintheevent’shistory.
JulienAlfredfollowswith odds of 5.80, positioning herselfasthethirdfavouriteto win the women’s 200m in Paris.
In addition to these competitive odds offered by the company, iBET has launchedanextensivereferral campaign for the summer called ‘Make Money with iBET’
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(BBC Sport) - World number 51 Nuno Borges beatRafaelNadal6-36-2to win the Swedish Open in Bastad.
Spaniard Nadal, a 22time Grand Slam champion, slipped to a resounding defeat in his first final since 2022.
Hampered by injury in recentyears,the38-year-old has fallen to 261 in the rankings and opted against playing at Wimbledon this summer to prioritise the Olympics.
Portuguese Borges, playing his first ATP final compared to Nadal’s 131st, took the first set in 46 minutes and won three gamesinarowinthesecond tosealvictory
“It’scrazy Iknowweall wantedRafatowin-apartof
me wished that too - but something even bigger inside of me really pushed through today,” said 27year-oldBorges.
“I was wishing for this momentforawhilealready
“I’m just really happy overall. I really don’t know
what to say I’m very emotional.”
The Olympic tennis tournament begins in Paris on27July
Nadalhassaidplayingat RolandGarros,wherehehas won14FrenchOpentitles,is his“maingoal”thisyear
(ESPN Cricinfo) -
Shoaib Bashir’s first fivewicket haul on English soil sealed victory inside four days for the hosts, after Joe Root and Harry Brook had set England up against West Indies in the second Test at TrentBridge.
Root and Brook each scored centuries before the hosts were bowled out for 425 in their second innings - the first time in England’s history that they had scored 400 in both innings of a Testsetting West Indies a targetof385
Then, at 20 years and 282 days, off-spinner
Bashir became the youngest England bowler to take a five-wicket haul in a men’s Test at home, beating the previous record of just-retired seamer James Anderson
His 5 for 41 gave England the win, by 241 runs, and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series being played for the Richards-Botham Trophy
On a flat batting track and with a monumental run-chase at Headingley nearly seven years ago still in the recesses of s o m e m e m o r i e scertainly captain Kraigg Brathwaite’s - the task was still steep, not to mention in light of an innings defeat at Lord’s in the first Test of this series, even if Brathwaite and Mikyle Louis made a bright start by taking West Indies to 61 without loss
But Chris Woakes and Bashir put it out of reach as West Indies lost 5 for 21 in the space of 35 balls and Bashir finished things, West Indieslosing10for82inall as they were bowled out for 143.
Woakesstruckwiththe first ball after the evening drinks break, a length ball outside off stump that lured a faint edge behind fromLouis Moments later, Kirk McKenzie fluffed an attempted drive off a Bashir short ball and fell to a sharp catch by Jamie Smithbehindthestumps. Brathwaite, on 47, edged Woakes to the keeper and Bashir drew another edge to Root at slip off Alick Athanaze with one that dipped and turnedappreciably
In between, Bashir had pinned first-innings centurion Kavem Hodge lbw, and after three overs, Bashirhad3for8
Mark Wood, who had bowled with jaw-dropping speed in West Indies first innings, produced venom of a different kind to removeKevinSinclair,his short ball spitting up higher than the batter expected and, as Sinclair put his hands in front of his face, it rapped the wristband of his glove and wastakenatsecondslip
Joshua Da Silva, who had scored an unbeaten 82 in the first innings, started playing some shots, pulling Gus Atkinson through midwicket for four and crunching Bashir over the fence at wide long-on
B u t A t k i n s o n responded in his next over with one that moved back in from outside off to strike Da Silva on the back pad in line with middle stump and, two balls later, he put England on the brink of victorybybowlingAlzarri Joseph.
No sooner had Jason Holder taken him for six and four to move to 37, and Bashir rattled off stump with a gem that turnedinandbeattheedgeas Holder pressed forward, leaving West Indies nine down.
Bashir then bowled Shamar Joseph with a
fuller ball on middle stump to the absolute delight of his captain, Ben Stokes, who grinned broadly as his young charge tookathirdfive-wickethaul injusthisfifthTest.
Earlier, Root was serene in posting 122, his 32nd Test century having moved to eighth on the all-time Test run-scorers’ list with 11,940 during the courseofhisinnings.
Brook had reached 1 0 9 i n s i m i l a r l y unruffled style, the pair putting on 198 runs for the fourth wicket
ThatwasafterOlliePope and Ben Duckett had fallen in quick succession on the thirdday,themselveshaving each passed fifty and put on 119runstogether
Seales broke through with a double-strike on the fourth morning and another wicketonthelastballbefore lunch to Sinclair lifted West Indiesfromapositionwhere the match looked to be slipping beyond their reach as Root and Brook settled intotheirstand.
They added 100 runs to England’s overnight score but the hosts lost three wickets for 19 runs in 7.2 overs.
Brook brought up his fifth Test ton - and first on home soil - nudging Alzarri Josephforasingletomid-on and, two balls later, Root clippedonetothelegsideto bringuphisfifty,andthe150 partnership.
But,afteranear-flawless
found the edge and sailed through to Da Silva behind thestumps.
Sealesstruckagainwhen he removed Stokes cheaply, turning a short ball straight t
backwardsquareleg.
That brought Jamie Smith to the crease and he managed only 6 before Sinclair drew a faint edge withadeliveryonoffstump andDaSilvacollected. M
Woakes edged a rising Shamar Joseph delivery towards second slip, where the towe
Holder took a strong catch moving to his left with arms str
hed above his head, Root raised his century with a thumping drive through deep point for four off AlzarriJoesph.
innings, he fell wafting at a Seales delivery that moved away slightly off the seam,
Holder returned to the attack with great effect, Root smashing a full, wide delivery straight to Kirk McKenzie at cover
Root departed to hearty applause from the crowd and handshakes from his opponents
Seales saw two slips catches put down off Wo
mistake with the third when he bowled Wood for a duck with the next, a fuller ball just outside off which seamed in and clattered into the top of off stump.
Seales’ fourth wicket ended England’s innings, Bashir the last man out, bowled by a yorker
England 416 (Pope 1 2 1 , D u c k e t t 7 1 , Stok
s 69) and 425 (Root 122, Brook 109, Duckett 76, Pope 51, Seal
s 4-97) beat We s t I n d
s 4 5 7 (Hodge 120, Da Silva
82* , Athanaze 82, Woakes 4-84) and 143 ( B r a t h w a i t e 4 7 , Bashir 5-41) by 241 runs
