Kaieteur News

U.S official calls for antitrust probe into ExxonMobil, OPEC and others

H

o u s e J u d i c i a r y

outside of the one uncovered

immediately open an

Committee Ranking recentlybytheFederalTrade Member Jerrold Nadler and Commission in its recent nine colleagues on the review of Exxon Mobil Subcommittee on the Corp.’s acquisition of oil

Administrative State, producer Pioneer Natural Regulatory Reform, and Resources, the members Antitrust, on Tuesday sent a urge the DOJ to investigate letter to the Department of rigorously to uncover and Justice, urging the agency to punishwrongdoing.

The members note in investigation into potential their letter, “If U S oil antitrust conspiracies among companies are colluding

U S o i l p r o d u c e r s with each other and foreign ExxonMobil and Chevron, cartels to manipulate global OPECandothers. oil markets and harm

Antitrust is the body of American consumers who law that controls the then pay more at the pump, creation, use and abuse of Congress and the American market power The letter peopledeservetoknow.” states, “As members of the M o r e o v e r , t h e House committee charged full authority of the The members said, “In a how far their dollar will to consumers in the form of Department of Justice has withoversightofthenation’s Department of Justice to single month last year, rising stretchatthegrocerystore.” cheaper products, the oil until June 18th to respond to antitrust laws, we write to investigate and, where gas prices made up more

The members noted that giants have been lining their the members’ questions express our alarm about necessary, prosecute this than half of the overall last year, Exxon and o w n p o c k e t s w h i l e regarding the efficacy of our price fixing in the U.S. oil anticompetitiveconduct. increase in the rate of Chevron both earned their conspiring to keep prices nation’s antitrust laws and industry Majoroilproducers The members said in inflation Moreover, by biggest annual profits in a high.” sufficiency of resources to appear to be colluding with their letter that gas prices raising production and decade. They added, “But To determine whether combattheseharmsandhow each other and foreign today average US$3.60 per transportation costs, higher apparently, instead of there are more widespread t h e D e p a r t m e n t i

cartels to keep prices high, gallon, up from last year It oil prices raise prices across passingthoseprofitsthrough price-fixing conspiracies coordinatingwiththeFTC. padding their profits at the was stated that while theeconomy Fortheaverage expense of American Americans are grappling American, high oil prices consumers.” As such, they with the rising cost of living, can make the difference in urge the Attorney General the price at the pump plays a whether they can afford to Merrick Garland, to use the majorrole. take a family trip by car or

Surinamese President current and generational benefits from oil operations promises citizens transparency,

Surinamese President Chandrikapersad Santokhi on Tuesday reaffirmed his government’s commitment to ensuring transparency, a c c o u n t a b i l i t y a n d maximizing benefits for c u r r e n t a n d f u t u r e generations from the oil and gas industry He made that statement during his keynote address at the Suriname Energy, Oil & Gas Summit (SEOGS). SEOGS 2024 is being held in Paramaribo, Suriname until June 7. The event is hosted by Staatsolie, Suriname’s state oil firm, industry Theseprinciples,he business. Our vision for the under the theme “The Next stressed, are indispensable oil and gas income strategy StageofSuccess”. and non-negotiable The focuses on utilising the President Santokhi Surinamese head-of-state wealth generated to create underscored that while said, “rest assured that we sustainable economies and welcoming investment, will provide a stable and the diversification of our Suriname’s government b u s i n e s s f r i e n d l y economy for current and stands firm on its core environmenttoconductyour futuregenerations.” principles for the oil and gas Santokhisaidthatcentral to Suriname’s approach is the belief that natural resources belong to the people. “The wealth from extractive industries belongs t o t h e p e o p l e , n o t governments,notpoliticians, not political parties, or the privatesector,”hesaid. It is estimated that the discovered oil resource countinSurinameismore (Continued on page 14)

House Judiciary Committee

Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler

(Photo: Francis Chung/POLITICO)

Michael Wirth, Chevron Corp.(Kiyoshi Ota | Bloomberg | Getty Image)

Darren Woods, Exxon Corp.

President Chandrikapersad “Chan” Santokhi

UN Chief urges oil companies to pay more taxes on profits

…calls them godfather of climate chaos

During his address on adopted with the target of the godfathers of climate highlighted the critical need World Environment Day, limiting long-term global chaos, the fossil fuel for financial reform to United Nations (UN) warming to 1 5 degrees industry, rake in record address the climate crisis, Secretary-General Antonio Celsius,andtheagreementis profits and feast off trillions noting that the current

G

e r r e s u rg e d o i l hangingbyathread.

unequal financial flows are companies to pay higher He said the world is subsidies,”hecontinued. hinderingprogress. taxes on their profits, spewingemissionssofarthat UN Guterres highlighted Guterres called for a

significant expansion of “godfathers of climate temperature rise would be immediate action over the affordablepublicandprivate chaos.” guaranteed, adding that at next eighteen months to finance, urging reforms at He criticised the fossil this,theentirecarbonbudget ensure a secure future for the Summit of the Future, fuel industry’s role in will be busted before 2030. people and the planet. He G7, and G20 Summits to obstructing climate progress New data from climate outlined key measures, leverage more private andunderscoredtheneedfor scientists shows that the including drastically cutting finance. He also stressed the

p

n

s to remaining carbon budget to emissions, protecting both

contribute significantly limit global warming to 1.5 people and nature from contributionstotheLossand more to the global fight degrees Celsius is around climate extremes, increasing (Continued on page 9) against climate change 200 bi

Guterres first shared that the According to Guterres, imposing stricter regulations European Commission’s currently, about 40 billion on the fossil fuel industry Copernicus Climate Change tonnes of carbon dioxide is Guterres stressed that these Service officially reported emitted annually, which steps are crucial for that May 2024 as the hottest could deplete the budget achieving a sustainable and May in recorded history before 2030. To stay within safefuture.

“This marks twelve straight the 1.5-degree limit, global “It is a disgrace that the monthsofthehottestmonths emissions need to fall by most vulnerable are being ever For the past year, every nine percent each year until left stranded, struggling turn of the calendar has 2030. desperately to deal with a turned up the heat Our “Thecostofallthischaos climate crisis they did planet is trying to tell us is hitting people where it nothing to create. We cannot something. But we don’t hurts. From supply-chains acceptafuturewheretherich seem to be listening,” he severed, to rising prices, are protected in airsaid. mounting food insecurity, conditioned bubbles, while

The UN Chief said that and uninsurable homes and therestofhumanityislashed like the meteor that wiped businesses. That bill will by lethal weather in out the dinosaurs, in the case keep growing,” the UN unlivable lands,” Guterres of climate change – human Chiefsaid. stated. beings are the meteor “We Guterres noted that As a first step, he said all arenotonlyindanger,weare climate change is the mother developed countries must the danger,” he added of all stealth taxes paid by honour their commitment to Guterressaidthetruthis,itis everyday people and double adaptation finance to almost 10 years since the vulnerable countries and at least US$40 billion a year Paris Agreement was communities. “Meanwhile, by 2025. UN Chief Guterres

United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Antonio Guterres

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EDITORIAL

Actiononclimatechange

United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres yesterdayagainmadeafierypitchforactiontocurbfossil fueluseandarguedthattheindustryshouldbebannedfrom advertisingtohelpsavetheworldfromclimatechange.Ina speechattheAmericanMuseumofNaturalHistoryinNew YorktomarkWorldEnvironmentDay,Guterrescalledcoal, oil and gas corporations the “godfathers of climate chaos” who had distorted the truth and deceived the public for decades. Heagainurgedthetransitiontorenewablesasone waytosavetheplanet.

According to a BBC News report, onWednesday, new studies showed the rate of warming is increasing and that globalheatrecordshavecontinuedtotumble.TheBBCsaid datafromtheEU’sclimateserviceconfirmsthateachofthe past12monthssetanewglobaltemperaturerecordforthe timeofyear Thehightemperaturesweredrivenbyhumancaused climate change, although they were also given a smallboostbytheElNiñoclimatephenomenon.TheBBC reportsaidthatwhileafadingElNiñoshouldsoonbringa pause to the record-breaking sequence of months, temperatures will continue to rise in the long-term due to emissions of planet-warming gases from human activities. Last year was the hottest on record and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Wednesday thattherecordcouldfallagainassoonasthisyear Agroup ofaround50leadingscientistsseparatelyreportedthatthe rateofglobalwarmingcausedbyhumanshascontinuedto increase. They found that ongoing high emissions of warming gases mean the world is moving closer to breaching the symbolic 1.5C warming mark on a longerterm basis. To try to avert this outcome, the UN Secretary Generalhascalledformorerapidpoliticalactiononclimate change,anda“clampdown”onthefossilfuelindustry

Renewablesisthedirectioninwhichmoreplacesonthis planetareleaningwithconvictionandstrength.Itisamatter of economics, and of survival also. For when there is an endangeredplanet,analreadywoundedoneinmanyareas, thentheinstinctforself-preservationtakesover,andtowers overallotherconsiderations.Thus,renewablesaregaining moreandmoretraction,andincreasinglycomeacrossasthe alternativetobepursued.

TheUNispushinghardtowardsthiskindofthinking It makesforwisdom,givenwhatthescienceofclimatechange hasprovenbeyondargument,otherthanthosefrommegaoil company leaders The fact that it is cheaper and cleaner are amongthechiefsellingpoints Manycountriesareclimbing ontothatbandwagonbecausetheyhavebeenhurtrepeatedly bythevolatilenatureoffossilfuels,inclusiveofitssupply,its prices,anditspowerandrecordforholdingwholenations,if nothemispheres,toransom.Inotherwords,fossilfuelscanbe tooeasilyweaponisedandtheworldhasgrownimpatientwith beingvictimisedfromtimetotime.Thiskindoftalkandthis degree of insistence surrounding moving away from fossil fuelsposeaproblemforGuyana Asanewoilproducer,there isgreatenthusiasmtocapitaliseonourgoodfortune,which hasitsmerits Afterall,theoilstayinginthegroundisnota sensibleposture,notwithapoverty-strickennationlooking eagerlyatitsexpectedprosperities.

Theurgetoproduceoil,andasmuchofitasquicklyas suchcanbedone,hastakenholdofleaders.Itisgoingina directiondifferentfromthatbeingpressedforbytheworld, andisalreadyattractingmuchattention.Ourpositionatthis paperissimple,andwebelievethatitiswise-wemusttake advantage of our oil and gas wealth with an eye to the leadershiptemperatureintheglobalenvironment,butwith the necessary benefits in place in both the financial and environmentalspheres.

The talk is of transition, and from many authoritative sources. Our own regional Caribbean Development Bank head has called for this transition, but that it must be prudent. The region must go about it carefully, but not as slowlyashasbeenthecase.Theremustbeacceleration,and the answer is in a combination of fossils and renewables,

Life expectancy also depends on access to nutritional food and other goods and services

DEAREDITOR

Reference is made to a letter written by Dr Leslie Ramsammy in response to my letter on the subject of life expectancy in Guyana (KN 5- 30-2024), and I would like to make the followingobservations.

F i r s t , i n D r . Ramsammy’s letter, he stated that ‘At the moment, Guyana’s life expectancyisapproaching 71(years) ’ (and) at the present pace, between 2025 and 2030, Guyana will, at the minimum, be similar to other Caribbean countries, if not better than many countries, when it comes to life expectancies ’ I would contend that approaching something does not mean youarethereandyouhave attainedit

For example, the minibus is approaching the bus stop; or the batsman is on 43 and is approaching 50 The question is: Has the minibus arrived at the bus stop; or is the batsman on 50? Clearly, the answer is no! So, Dr Ramsammy,

please stop playing aroundwithwords;andlet the professional people in the Department do their job; for they must provide complete and unbiased evidence. And in this

regard, I strongly

recommend that Dr. Ramsammy study and i n t e r n

p

o n a l responsibilitiesofapublic servant as explained by Dr Annand Goolsarran in his Stabroek News article ofMay20,2024,wherehe

respon

lities of a public/civil servant must include ‘ providing advice based on evidence, including expert or professional advice;’ Dr Ramsammyhasprovidedno such evidence but only implausible conjecture that should not be published or senttoanyPresident’sdesk. Second, while Dr R a m s a m m y

a c k n o w l e d g e s that’ Guyana is still below the global average for life expectancy (73 4

years), ’he then advances another hypothetical in which he forecasts that ’Guyana has set a target for 2030 to be once again above the global average for life expectancy…’ Undoubtedly, this would be very good for Guyana; but Editor, may I ask Dr. Ramsammy to publish what is the projected global average for life expectancy in 2030; and what is the projected average life expectancy for Guyana in 2030?

S u c h f o r e c a s t i n g k nowledge by Dr Ramsammy of the world life expectancy six years into the future would be pathbreaking, as he would be outperforming the work by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international Agencies on these life matters In 2023, the World, CARICOM and Guyana average life expectancy was 73 4 years, 74 2 years, and Guyana 69 8 years, respectively In 1950, the Guyana average life

expectancywas49 5years and in 2023 it was 69 8 years

This is a period of 73 years, with a marginal increase over this period of just 20.3 years (See: https://www.worldometer s.info/demographics/guya na-demographics/#lifeexp). Consequently, the change over this period of several decades is incrementally small; and therefore, life expectancy progress cannot be overstated

Finally, life expectancy not only depends on good and the timely access to health care, but it also depends on access to nutritional food and other goodsandservices.

Editor, I addressed these matters in my letter of May 30, 2024, but Dr Ramsammy’s obvious conjecturetookhisattention e l s e w h e r e , a s h e unfortunately sought to impresshissupervisors.

Sincerely,

Dr C.KenrickHunte Professor and Former Ambassador

History of Maida Plantation

DEAREDITOR

Not much is known

about Maida Estate, Corentyne, Guyana An article in the Guyana Chronicle titled, The Little Village of Maida is taking big steps, January 7, 2024 was void of any history of this coconut plantation which was owned by our great uncles, the Sankar brothers going back to the 1930s.

Earlypeoplewhomoved to Maida were coconut pickers who came to work for the Sankars in the coconut industry The estate attracted many Muslims since the owners were

Muslims. The Sankars were pushedtoopentheEstatefor settlement when Cheddi came to office With improvement in drainage and irrigation, rice farming expanded and it is the main economic activity of the villagetoday

My parents, Esar ChickerieandZabiedaKhan were managers of Maida when they leased the estate ownedbythebrothers,Amin andAhmad Sankar in 1957.

Our great grandmother, Batulan Sankar was the sister of the owners. She alsolivedatMaidaforsome time of her life with her daughter Bibi Haniffa.Aunt

withmoreintenseweaningawayfromtheformer Ouroilleader,VicePresidentJagdeodisagrees.Itisour gift, and we must make use of it, hence, we must produce, regardless of what the rest of the world is doing. Interestingly, this former Champion of the Earth is now a doggedfossilfuelconvert.

Strangely,hesaysthatrenewablesusingsolar,windand water sources are “very, very expensive” (KN June 21, 2022) when compared to the greater than US$2B Gas-toEnergy (GTE) project he prefers. We still don’t know the finalcostofthatGTEproject,yethemakesthecomparison withsuchthoughtlesszeal.Itiseitherthatheismissingthe boator,asGuyanesesay,theboatalreadygoneoverfalls.

Haniffa and her husband managedtheestateforsome timebefore1955. Haniffa Khala spoke Standard English, and could also carry on conversations in Dutch and Hindustani. Shewasasternladyofclass andgentry.Foraperiod,her

M

husband, Uncle Isahaq Awad Hussein Al Hazari of Suriname and her son-inlaw, Mr Zaman taught QuranandNamazaccording toAunts Ayesha Rojan and Babs Rajab (Sattaur) who attended.

The Sankars are originally from 78 Village Corentyne. They started in humble means as dry goods stores, sawmill mills, cinemas, bus transport then expanded to Suriname where they owned Waterloo Sugar Estate and which employedover500workers. Affiance in Essequibo, Park, and Hope they also owned in Guyana. Besides the dry goods stores in Georgetown, they also

several car dealerships Burnham confiscated Hope from JoreeMamee(Mrs.Zohorah Sankar, nee Chan) and forced her to accept a fraction of the worth of the property

Sankar was the son of Ramessar, a Brahmin goldsmith with linkage to Gujrat State, and Kadam, a Muslim from India also Kadam was one of the founders of the 1863 Number 78 Masjid. Sankar andhiswifeSakinahadnine children The Sankar brothers, Amin and Ahmad weretheirsons. Prior to my parents managing Maida were my great aunt, Haniffa and her husband, Uncle Ishaq Hussein, well known as the Manga of Maida.Also early families who managed the estate were uncle Mack (Mohammed Ashraf Dookie) Some of his children lived at Maida like Uncle Feroze and his sister Hamida Khatoon.When my father leased Maida he brought manypeople there (Continuedonpage23)

Important clarification for Bisram

DEAREDITOR, Dr Vishnu Bisram contested my May 24, 2024 letter, “Potpourri-Freddie Kissoon,VishnuBisramand AG Nandlall,” and his response,in“Onlypolls,not common sense, can determine popularity of politicians,” (Jun 04, 2024) needs quite a few clarifications.Iamgladthat he recognises and admits (not for the first time) that KaieteurNewsisindeedthe only media entity that gives a ‘free course’ to ‘all and sundry’irrespective of their slant on any issue. Bisram also does not descend into name-calling and mockery, evenwhen‘madefunof.’

Now let me present my clarifications, and in advance, I thank the editor forhistimeandspace.First, Istatedthat“Unlessapollor survey is documented, it is mere guess work, based on common-sense and everyday observation and street talk (as) The obvious needs no investigation. Look at this piece of stupidity: “ Irfaan is more liked than Jagdeo among certain categories or groups of voters…” Is this a finding? Does this require a poll or survey? As a caveat, as my letter clearly delineated, by ‘guess work,’ I meant

‘intelligent assumption’ sinceIwassaying,nopollis necessarywhenasituationis starkclear So, to Bisram, I repeat my concern. Where is your documentation?Ialsorepeat myquestion:“Doyouneeda poll for this?” The same situation exists concerning AubreyNorton,eventhough Imadenomentionofthisin my letter It is so obvious. Aubrey Norton seems like just a face in the crowd. He has waned so significantly that unless he simulates a PPP/C Congress act, he is out.

By the way, it will do Vishnu a great good to find out about the ‘how’ and ‘who’ regarding the delegates at this PPP/C Congress. This will give some insight into AG Anil Nandlall’s‘planned’phasing out.

The other point to disambiguate is where Bisram stated that “Riley made reference to a 2008 personalizedattackreferring to me as “Bismuth”, (explaining to) assure Riley (me)thatI(Vishnu)haveno changingform.”

Editor, maybe Bisram was in a hurry and did not fully‘getthedrift.’Mypoint wasthatFreddieKissoon,in addition to Bisram was not to be taken seriously He is

theonetoberate,inmocking tones, Bisram, and how ironic too, as he did so by incorrectly using the analogy of the Bismuth element. Let me present the excerpts (straight from my missive):

“I hope readers go back to Freddie Kissoon (on Bisram)onJuly10,2008,in hisattackonVishnuBisram titled, “Mr Bismuth Bisram in Grenada is due in Guyana.” In this errorriddled and envy-laced attack, Freddie Kissoon got sopersonal,hisminutiaeofa point got lost. First, he tries to make a mockery of Vishnu Bisram, telling readersthat“Justincaseyou don’t know, bismuth is a chemical in the periodic table. It is outside the scope of this essay to describe its properties but one of its valuesisitschangingform.I am using the word here in thatcontext.”

Note what I said: “What a joke? Any Chemistry student will do the ‘Presidential Jiggle’on this. Why?

The answer: “Fact: “Although bismuth-209 is now known to be radioactive,ithasclassically been considered to be a ‘stable’(yes indeed) isotope because it has a half-life of approximately 2 01×1019

years, which is more than a billion times the age of the universe.”

Thus, I emphasized that “Freddie is either a dummy, or he knows that people seldom pay attention to him and his ‘supposed’ irrefutablefacts.Henotedin that piece, and in fact anticipated that “It may comeacrossasfunnytoyou (readers) to read me referring to Vishnu Bisram as Bismuth Bisram but I have no jocular intention. I believe Vishnu Bisram’s ‘changing forms’ have caughtupwithhim.”

I then elaborated that it was Freddie Kissoon who changesform.

Iquoteagain. “Now, talk about change! This is Freddie before his venal (PPP) conversion.”

“I don’t see the PPP surviving in a physiological statethatwouldallowittobe an energized competitor in the next electionin 2020. In mycolumnofDecember19, 2014 titled, “The PPP will physically die should it lose power,”Iexplainedwhythe PNC survived after 1992, but the PPP will not after May2015.”

I of course referred to Freddie as a ‘protean analyst.’Inotherwords,he (Continuedonpage06)

What is the President going to do?

DEAREDITOR

The Guyana Chronicle on 5th June quotes the President as saying “we are also going to take strong measures against those landholders with large plots of land and leases that are doing nothing. But they are sitting on it, and they are profiteering on it. Because many of them are illegally sellingtheleases”.

Asanexample,let’sflash back to the explosive discovery that well known PNC Member andActivistJamesBondwasfounddoing just the same thing the President is talking about in this article. Charges were laid but nothing more was heardofthatpublishedcase. It seems that Bond indeed profited and invested his money into his Cigars and Cognac Bar If this isn’t moneylaundering,thenwhat is? Who cares and who will do something about these illegalacts?Fornow,noone is doing anything meaningful.

Not too long ago were heard of a scheme at the CH&PA, that too has gone quiet Shame on you Minister Croal and Rodrigues.

Thefactismorescrutiny is needed in the issuance of Titled and Lease lands as thesearenotpublishedinthe official gazette as transfers oftransportedpropertiesare. While it is acknowledged that the process for transferring a transported property is onerous and the use of Titles and Leases speedsuptheprocess,itdoes lack transparency and credibility and has been misused.Agood first step is to have details of titles and leases published in the Official Gazette which the same information that is publishedfortransported (Continuedonpage22)

There are laws in place but to no effect as they are being broken every day by the lawmakers and the powerful in society When land is issued to you by the Government, it is issued at preferential rates which cannot be obtained on the open market; as such, there are special conditions that come with those lands. One of those conditions is that you cannot transfer to a 3rd party,etc.Hereweseethatit is known by the highest Authority in the land, the President himself, but his comment on the matter is thatwearegoingtodosoand so…Whenandwhatareyou goingtodoMr President?

NYGuyanese commemorated IndianArrival

D

EAREDITOR

, Indian Arrival was celebratedinNewYorkCity last Sunday June 2 with a magnificent entertainment packed cultural variety concert and a (talent) pageant that included a brilliantdisplayofsingingof Bollywood songs and sizzling dancing at the Smokey Park in Richmond Hill,Queens.Culturaltalent from Guyana, Trinidad, Suriname, Jamaica, and the USA entertained an audience of hundreds Several Punjabis and nonIndians were among the crowd drawn to the five hours of fun-filled, fantastic entertainment Sunita Sukhram and Imran Ahmad emceedagreatprogramme. The celebration was plannedandorganisedbythe Indo-Caribbean Federation, a nonprofit organisation This was the 39th annual

Indian Arrival Celebration

hosted by the Indo

Caribbean Federation founded in 1984 Local politicians and community leadersgracedtheeventand committed support. Unlike inGuyana,thecelebrationis called Indian Arrival Day, commemorating the arrival of Indians to the Caribbean andfromtheretoUSA.

According to the ICF President, Mr Ralph Tamesh,a36-yearveteranof the organisation, the event paidhomagetotheimmense contributions Indians have made to the Caribbean and North America. The ICF marked the 186th anniversary since Indians first set foot in Guyana. Indianswerealsoindentured to several other territories and thence to other parts of theCaribbean.FromGuyana and elsewhere, they migrated to North America,

UK,HollandandFrance,the colonial empires that recruited indentured labourers to their Caribbean colonies.

The pageant was organised and co-ordinated by Lolita Singh; it included an introduction of the contestants, modelling and talent (dancing and singing) as well as answering a random question in order to choose an Indo-Caribbean Federation Queen The participantswerebeautifully dressedforeachsegment.

Thequeenreignsfortwo years. Ms. Ashmita Singh was crowned Miss ICF Queen 2024 followed by Aryana Singh as runner up, Shaila Somnarain in third place and Salena Beharry in fourth. ‘The emcee, Lolita Singh and Ambika Singh

described all of the participants as winners Attendees were dressed in

traditional Indian attire (Shalwar Kameez, lahenga, choli, kurtha sets, Nehru suits).

There were several past Queens and runners-up who performed a piece called “DownMemoryLane”.The event also had a Skit performed by the Nirvana Humanitarian Foundation about Indian Arrival and included several ICF executives. The judges for these competitions were Parmanand Sukhu, Shivana SubhirandHaleyPersaud.

Guyana’s Justice of Peace Parmanand Sukhu delivered a feature address on indentureship. He also commended the organisers for their dedication in

promoting Indian culture in the greater NY area.’ The ICFPresidentRalphTamesh expressed gratitude to the organisation’s executive members and volunteers who he credited for making theeventhappened.

Theaudiencecheeredthe performing artistes who performedgratis.Musicwas powered by Toro Sounds.

Imperial Entertainment Tassa brought the curtain down.

Star Party rentals providedtheStageandother a c c o m m o d a t i o n s Decorations were done by Shanta Flowers Several businessessponsoredprizes.

A business, Coffee Distributing, provided

refreshments and also helped to underwrite the costs associated with the p r o g r a m m e S o m e individuals also volunteered theirtime.TheICFputouta special publication, IndoCaribbean Magazine, highlightingitsactivities.

TheICFPresidentRalph Tamesh expressed his gratitudetoallwhohelpedto make the event a success, AnthemBlueBlueCross,the local businesses, the media, the NYPD and Sherry Algreado, Community Board9Chairwoman.

The programme was streamedliveontheinternet onYouTubeandFacebook.

Yoursfaithfully, VishnuBisram

Important clarification...

Frompage05 has no conclusive, evidence-based conviction and opinion. He is the ultimate ‘rollingstone.’

Read again: “His (Freddie Kissoon”) boast was that “Once the PPP falls from power,itwilldie.AllPPPleadersarescared of this reality.” I recall too in June 2008, Freddie in “Time for the PPP to rein in Mr Jagdeo,” stated that “One of my vexations, whichIrelayedtoallthosePPPinsidersthatI haveconfidentiallydiscussedJagdeowith,is how could the PPP allow someone WITHOUT ANY ‘intellectual erudition’, ‘strategic brilliance’, ‘political finesse’, ‘visionary ideals’, ‘philosophical smartness’

and ‘unique ideas’, like Mr Jagdeo, to have humbledtheentirePPPleadershipthewayhe hasdone.”

NeedIsaymore?

My request: Freddie must explain how comehehasbeensoegregiouslywrong.Ido know that he is the epitome of a political chameleon. And, secondly, Vishnu Bisram cannot authenticate his polls; he states the obvious.Hemustproducethedocuments.

AgoodfootnoteisthatIhavetriedtofind a phone number and addresses for Bisram’s NACTAanditisinvain.IhopeBisramwill helpmehere.

Yourstruly, GaylordRiley

BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT

Two-state solution

Guyana Government last week issued a statement reiterating its call for a two-state solution to the ongoing Israel-Palestinian conflict.

But how can a two-state solution succeed when, even today, the fundamental premise of an independent Palestinian state is met with resistance from both American and Israeli leadership?

The persistent refusal to recognise Palestinian sovereignty undermines any genuine efforts towards a peaceful resolution.

This entrenched opposition from key stakeholders not only delegitimizes the prospect of a two-state solution but also erodes the trust necessary for meaningful negotiations.

Major discrepancy uncovered in electricity generation and billed sales - GPL report reveals

In a recently released toaforecastfor2024,reveals performance statistics a significant and concerning report, it was disclosed that trend for the national utility there is a persistent and company growing gap between Thereportshowsthatthe electricity generation and d

understood as the difference distribution network. These company is unable to isolate as the company sells 25% billedsales for over a decade electricity generation between the total amount of

areas where significant less electricity than it by the Guyana Power and megawatts hour (MWh) and electricity generated by GPL

electricity theft occurs and generates, necessitating Light(GPL). billed sales for each year and the amount of electricity challenges for GPL, as explained that in order to do more generation to meet

The annual data, which from 2014 to 2024. This that is actually billed to

so; the company would demand. covers the period from 2014 d

be customers. The total amount represents lost revenue for

While GPL has been of electricity generated and theutilitycompany investment.

the amount actually billed Head of the Executive N

strategies to mitigate these has been steadily increasing Management Committee at m

losses, like upgrading over the years, especially GPL, Kesh Nandlall, programmes aimed at infrastructure, the persistent noticeable from 2019 to recently disclosed that the reducing electricity theft, increase in discrepancies 2024 The growing gap company experiences about though they are challenging s

y 25% in technical and and sometimes risky for comprehensive and effective generation and billed sales commercial losses He employees. He noted that solutions are required. This can be attributed to several shared that approximately while utilities typically face year; some $95.7 billion was f

d i n g 13% of these losses are due a natural loss factor of 3-5% allocated for the energy transm

ssion losses, toelectricitytheft. due to infrastructure, GPL’s sector Included in the sum electricity theft, and Notably, the GPL 25% loss significantly are monies to support GPL’s inefficiencies within GPL’s Executive had stated that the increases operational costs, expansionandoperation.

GuyanamustavoidappearingtoappeasetheAmericans

Guyana may have haditsreasonsto issueastatement noting the ceasefire proposal, developed by the Biden administration, over the conflict in Gaza

Perhaps as a member of the United Nations Security Council, it may have felt a need to express an opinion ontheinitiative.

In its statement, Guyana acknowledged the threephasedealproposedbyU.S. PresidentJosephR.Bidento end Israel’s war on Gaza. Guyana noted that the proposalalignswithpastUN

decisions, which it supported, calling for an immediateceasefire,release of hostages, increased humanitarian aid to Gaza,

and a comprehensive reconstruction plan with security guarantees

Emphasizing the need for a lasting resolution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, Guyana repeated its longstanding call for a two-state solutionwithanindependent State of Palestine based on pre-1967borders,coexisting peacefully with Israel Guyana also called on the international community to intensify efforts to achieve this goal and end the longstandingconflict.

It is not so much what wassaidaswhatwasnotsaid that is disturbing about Guyana’s reaction to the American initiative. It took the deaths of 36,000 Palestinians to force the

United States to do what all along everyone knew it coulddo:restrainIsrael.The UnitedStatesiscomplicitin the ongoing genocide in Palestine.

It always had the ability

influence that could have

disproportionate aggression and the mass slaughter of

n civilians For decades, Americanpolitical,military, and financial support has emboldenedIsrael.

Fordecades,thissupport hasallowedIsraeltoactwith impunity while violating international laws and human rights Despite possessing the leverage to demand restraint and

UN Chief urges oil companies to pay....

Frompage3

DamageFundandastrongfinanceoutcome fromCOP29.

Additionally, he advocated for new sourcesoffunds,suchascarbonpricingand taxing windfall profits of fossil fuel companies, to fund climate action. He said, “Itis[high]timetoputaneffectivepriceon carbon and tax the windfall profits of fossil fuel companies.” Added to this, Guterres called for a direct confrontation with the fossilfuelindustry,criticisingitslonghistory of obstructing climate progress through misinformation and deception He acknowledged the efforts of academics, activists, journalists, and whistleblowers whohaveexposedthesetactics,oftenatgreat personal risk. Guterres urged fossil fuel

leaders to transition to clean energy, noting thatlastyeartheindustryspentamere2.5% ofitscapitaloncleanenergy

He highlighted that doubling down on fossilfuelsisanoutdatedstrategyandcalled on executives to use their profits to lead the energytransition.Financialinstitutionswere also urged to stop funding fossil fuels and invest in renewables, presenting clear transitionplansanddisclosingclimaterisks.

“Many in the fossil fuel industry have shamelesslygreenwashed,evenastheyhave sought to delay climate action, with lobbying, legal threats, and massive ad campaigns,” the UN Chief said. He concludedbyurgingthepublictomaketheir voices heard and their choices count in the fightforalivablefuture.

DEM BOYS SEH

Middlemen, oh Middlemen!

The middlemen runningtingsin Guyana, and it look like they running tingsallthewaytodebank. De farmers working hard, sunhot,backbending,and alltheygetisthedustfrom deground.Butwhogetting fat?Wholivingnice?Isthe middlemen.

Yousee,demiddlemen smart. Dem does swoop down pon de farmers produce like vultures Theybuyitallup,thenturn roundandsellitbacktothe vendors for a price that does make you wonder if decassavagotgoldinside. The farmer get a few

pennies, while the middlemen get the quank. And who does get the blame when you see de high prices at de market?

De poor farmer The farmer who working harder than a mule but it’s

de middlemen who laughing all the way to de bank.Then you got dem

middlemenwhodoeswork fordemcorruptpoliticians. These are the baggage men. Dem boys seh that these fellas does do all de dirtywork.

They does collect de bribesandthensplititwith decorruptpoliticians.And when deh thing blow up, whodoestakedefall?Not de politician Is de middleman who does get catch with he hand in the cookie jar And de bad politician? He smiling, playing innocent, and still collectingmorebribes. Demboysshe,yougot to admire the middlemen though; they got loyalty They go down with the ship while de captain abandonshipandjumpina lifeboatmadeofcash. Andthen,ah,thenyou got de sweetman De original middleman De sweetman, he does be de maninthemiddlebetween a husband and his wife or the girlfriend and her

accountability from Israel, theU.S.haslargelyoptedto shield its ally from global censure. Assuch,itmustbe joinedasaco-accusedinthe attempttotheeradicationof the Palestinian people Guyana could have used its diplomatic lexicon to indicate that the United States has finally used its unquestionable diplomatic muscle to restrain Israel. It shouldhavepointedoutthat had the Americans acted earlier, it could have saved thelivesofmorethan36,000 innocentPalestinians.

Guyana continues to peddletheideaofatwo-state solution The two-state solution is now an anachronism. Given what hastakenplaceoverthepast year, it now difficult to realizeamidthedeep-seated bitterness, hatred, and enduring pain that Palestinians have had to endure Decades of occupation, dispossession, and violence have inflicted profound psychological and emotional wounds, making reconciliation and coexistence seem like distant dreams The systematic injustices, from land seizures to military assaults and the killing of civilians,havesownseedsof deep resentment and mistrust, which mere political agreements cannot easily erase. The grief and trauma, of the past eight months, experienced by Palestinians create significant barriers to forgiving or forgetting the

boyfriend Thismiddleman enjoying the good life, spending de husband money while de husband breakinghebackworking. Desweetmangottowatch his back though One wrong move and he could endupwithmorelicksthan a cricket ball. But if tings going good, he living sweet,sweetlikesugar He enjoying de best of both worlds while de husband doessweat.

So you see, dem boys seh, middlemen always find a way to get ahead. From the market to the mansion, they smooth, theyslick,andtheyalways seem to come out on top. De world could fall apart, but as long as there is a middle, there will always be a middleman ready to make his cut. And all the while, the rest of we does just stand up and watch, wondering why we never thinkofitfirst. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

’ s disproportionate actions has made the practical implementation of a twos t a t e s o l u t i o n a n impossibility

How can a two-state solutionsucceedwhen,even today, the fundamental premise of an independent Palestinian state is met with resistance from both American and Israeli leadership? The persistent refusal to recognize Palestinian sovereignty undermines any genuine efforts towards a peaceful resolution. This entrenched opposition from key stakeholders not only delegitimizestheprospectof a two-state solution but also erodesthetrustnecessaryfor meaningful negotiations Without a firm commitment to Palestinian selfdetermination from both the United States and Israel, the vision of two states coexisting peacefully remains an unattainable ideal rather than a viable reality In its recent statement, Guyana missed the opportunity to highlight that the Prosecutor of the InternationalCriminalCourt (ICC) has applied for arrest warrants for the leaders of both Israel and Hamas

Additionally, despite aligning itself with actions against Israel at the International Court of Justice(ICJ),Guyanadidnot reference the ICJ’s Order calling on Israel to refrain from committing genocide. These were significant

oversights in Guyana’s statement Acknowledging these legal actions would have underscored the seriousness of the international community’s stanceontheissues.

Guyana’s endorsement of President Biden’s initiative fails to demand justice for the victims of genocide. The statement indulges in diplomatic niceties without addressing accountability for the atrocitiescommittedonboth sides.

By not calling for concrete actions against those responsible for the mass killings and systemic oppression of Palestinians, and for the deaths and kidnappings of Israel citizens,Guyana’sstatement aligns more with appeasing American political interests than advocating for the necessary justice and reparations for the victims. This stance, while diplomatically palatable to the U S , overlooks the crucial need for holding perpetratorsaccountableand delivering true justice to those who have suffered immensely (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)

The more Bharrat brawls, the more he brutalises himself

The more that Dr The more he rants and all know what many have what brother Jagdeo has prefertobeajumbie. Disturbing the peace Bharrat Jagdeo engages in rolls his eyes as if in the done when a long rope is donetohimself,howdeephe What will trigger him Creating a riotous condition. his weekly brawls, the more throes of an epileptic(fits) giventothem. Weshouldall has sunk with what he calls into a frenzy and send him Inciting to hostility (of all he brutalises his name, his attack, the more he savages be familiar with how those pressconferences. off the deep end like some kinds, which don’t have standing, his existence. I himself, bringing himself thataretermed‘crazies’,lost What will he come up demented maniac, a man in enough commissions in wouldhavetobeadognotto into wider ridicule A and out of control street with next to display his the grasp of some powerful Guyanatogothrough). feel pity for this poor fellow, spectacle he has made people, are given the biggest version of political and spirit, helpless to its One of the qualities that a brother fallen by his own himself into, a man to be spaceandamostcarefuleye. individual masculinity? If whisperings in his ear? has become conspicuous in hand. given the longest rope. We To my utter dismay, this is that is masculinity, then I What voices are Bharrat the VP’s press dogfights is Jagdeo hearing that drives that he has a glass jaw (not a him, in the manner of New glasskey).

York’s Son of Sam, week He cannot take a punch. after week to run on press He is made so fragile by rampages? One has to be a shadows and all types of heartless barbarian not to lurking fears that he feel some degree of imagines a blow on the way, sympathy for Jagdeo, given when there is none in the howhiseverywakinghouris making.

wracked by a terrible None intended. None sickness. directed at his face. The

I have been made an question is what has made object of this helpless man’s him so nervous, always on wrath, but it would be a the edge of his seat with this failureonmypartasahuman oil patrimony of the people. being, as a believer, not to Did he dabble in dark deeds? say a good word for him to Did he go into sinister holes, the forces upstairs. It is why shake hands with dirty I seek to guide him at every people, and make deals that opportunity to the straight can never see the light, must paths with this oil. I assure remain a secret at all costs, myfellowGuyanesehishate and by any means? will not be returned with any Including thrashing about hate. and lashing out at those who In a short time, all that torment his existence by hating leaves everyone asking torrid questions. Or twistinginthewind,avictim siccing his war dogs at those of their self-destructive found to be obstacles to be follies. flattened.

If this is the harrowing The next time I direct my price of national oil attention at the other leadership, the boldest and headman, Mr Alistair cleanestoilgovernance,then Routledge, I must pick his IurgeBharratJagdeotoletit brain on things like these. I go. Give it to President am sure that if I catch him in IrfaanAli,hecan’tdoworse, a rare reflective mood, he though I have my doubts. may have a few tiny nuggets Step aside and let Attorney of truth to share Oil GeneralAnilNandlallspread companies are not below his wings, and show all stooping low and all the way Guyanese,alltheworld,how tothebottomtoachievetheir smart he is, how much he is ends,andExxonisaleaderin capableof,andhowdifferent thisdepartment. hecouldbe. But back to Bharrat, this For better or worse, and suffering brother I can’t with the hope for a rising, giveuponhim,forthatisnot viable opposition, I cast my mynature,noranoption. He eyes on Nandlall and is free to rant. I am here to imploreJagdeo:removeself soothe.

out of the oil and Hecanrevile. Myroleis g o v e r n a n c e a n d to beautify He can toy with policymakingequations truth I have a sacred

Do not continue for one obligation to use truth as a minute longer with this weaponoflightandpeace. mockery for weekly press If truth turns out to be a engagementsthatdeteriorate terror weapon for Vice from the first word into rum- President and PPP General shoprowdiness,streetcorner Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo, throwdowns. then I reassure him that it is

If Jagdeo were not a only collateral damage. Get former head of state, the better,Bharrat. Iampraying Guyana Police Force would foryou.

be summoned in a hurry, and (The views expressed in he would have been hurled this article are those of the headfirst into the Black a u t h o r a n d d o n o t Maria, now repainted in a necessarily reflect the m o r e s e r e n e b l u e . opinions of this newspaper.)

-OppositionMPraisesconcerns

Govt. not holding meeting meetings of Foreign Relations Committee

Amidst the ongoing border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela, the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on ForeignAffairshasnotmetinsixmonths.

Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Amanza WaltonDesir in a statement on Tuesday noted her disappointment and concern that the “longawaited” meeting set for June 3, 2024 was abruptly cancelled a mere hour and a half beforeitwastocommence.

Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Amanza Walton-Desir

Furthermore, she pointed out that no alternative date has been proposed for the meeting.TheMPtoldthisnewspaperthatthe last meeting of the Committee was convened our nation’s sovereignty and territorial in November 2023. “My colleague Member interiority The people of Guyana deserve of Parliament, Ronald Cox journeyed from transparency and decisive action from their Mabaruma, Region One for this meeting. leaders, especially on matters of such critical Region One is on the frontline of this crisis importance.” The MP was keen to note that and is acutely affected by a myriad of issues she has consistently called for updates and resulting from the current migration crisis,” discussions on these developments and has Walton-Desirreasoned. evenwrittenmultipleletterstotheMinisterof

The Opposition Member of Parliament Foreign Affairs, Hugh Todd, urging the argued that the last-minute cancellation was convening of this committee. These letters notmerelyaninconveniencebutasignificant havebeenmetwithsilence. setback in efforts to address the pressing Walton-Desir said, “This is not a time for national security concerns posed by political manoeuvring The safety and Venezuela’s actions regarding the Essequibo securityofournationareatstake...thepeople region. The committee was to expected to of Guyana must be kept informed of the real discuss among other things, the ongoing threats we face and the measures being taken militarybuildup along the border and receive to protect our country.” She therefore called updatesonthelegalaspectsofthecasebefore on the government to immediately announce theInternationalCourtof Justice(ICJ). a new date for the meeting of the Sectoral

To this end, Walton-Desir contended, Committee and to ensure this key body is “The continued failure to convene this enabled to perform its constitutionally important committee undermines our ability mandatedrole,asmattersofnationalsecurity to respond effectively to these threats against demandunitedeffortsandfullattention.

Micobie Village to get $253M secondary school

Micobie Village in reported that the agency Region Eight is set to get a awarded a $231,959,143 brand-new secondary school

Section of the Amerindian village of Micobie in Region Eight. (Photo courtesy Micobie/Facebook)

building which will be

Constructiontoconstructthe constructed to the tune of secondary school at Jawalla $253,561,500. VillageinRegionSeven,and

This is according to the a $326,598,400 contract was National Procurement and awarded to Trevon David T nder Administration Construction Services to Board (NPTAB), which build a school in Waramuri recently awarded the $253 inRegionOne. million project to contractor

It was reported that this NK Engineering Services year, the Ministry of following the national Education was allocated biddingprocess. some $74.4B, a portion of

Thispublicationreported which will be used for the that the move to have a construction, rehabilitation, secondary school erected in extension and maintenance the village was announced ofeducationalfacilities. last year by authorities This newspaper reported followingthedeadlyMahdia too that the Ministry has d

T

e embarked on an aggressive dormitory, before it was Manickchand told the Instead, a decision was which would take care of the K

e Committee of Supply of the

programmetoensurethatthe

Micobie students who were understands that the new nation’schildrenhaveaccess accommodated female National Assembly that it secondary school at Micobie in the dorms as well as those schoolissettocaterforsome to secondary education. The students from Micobie and w a s d e t e r m i n e d a t that would cater to students who are now leaving Grade 200children. Government has set 2025 to other villages that were consultations with the from that community that Six. And the girls at Grades In addition to the achieve universal secondary attending the Mahdia community and relevant were once residing at the 9,10 and 11 and who are in secondary school for education. To achieve this, SecondarySchool. stakeholders that there was dorms. the dorms will come out and Micobie, the NPTAB theministryhassincemoved It was reported last year reluctance to have another “The decision of the be housed at the President’s recently awarded similar to have several secondary August that Minister of dormitory built at the Cabinet was to build a College,” Manickchand said projects for other hinterland schools constructed across E d u c a t i o n , P r i y a Mahdialocation. secondary school at Micobie atthetime. areas This publication thecountry

Miner dies as mining pit caves in at Arakaka

Dead: Timothy Fraser also known as “Mineral Boss”

Aminer identified as Timothy Fraser aka “Mineral Boss” reportedly died on Wednesday afternoon after a mining pit collapsed at Four Miles, Arakaka, North West District (NWD),RegionOne.

Up to press time, investigations were still ongoing. However,acell-phonevideoseenbythismediahouseshowed other miners pulling a motionless Fraser out of some “slushy mud” that buried him in the pit. They placed him in a hammock and alerted the relevant authorities. Details are that he owns a dredge in the area and was working the pit with his workerswhenduringtheearlyafternoonhourstragedystruck.

New deadline set for botched Conversation Tree Road project after Govt. fires TT contractor

T h e G u y a n a Government was forced to terminate the contract it signed with a Trinidad and Tobago firm for the western section of the Conversation Tree Road project following months of delays and other setbacks.

Ongoing works on the Conversation Tree Road project.

The contract has now been handed to local contractor, S. Jagmohan and Sons. The Department of Public Information said that theMinistryofPublicWorks reached an amicable agreement with the TT firm –Kallco Guyana Inc, which would see it paying for works completed up to this point and the company stood the cost of other response to the project also project. I want to officially settling all outstanding liabilities after the project causing significant announce that Kallco has f i n a n c i a l m a t t e r s surpassed the contractual inconvenience to residents been demobilised from the surroundingtheproject.This time frame and suffered and impeding crucial site. They have settled all of includes returning the prolongeddelays. infrastructural development. their obligations as it relates outstanding balance for Minister of Public “Wehavealightattheendof to their contract with the work to be done on the Works, Juan Edghill noted the tunnel when it comes to GovernmentofGuyana,”the project. The company also that the action comes as a the Conversation Tree (Continued on page 22)

Customers place order, walk away with items after putting gun to storeowner’s head

TwomenpretendingtobecustomersonTuesdayplaceda gun to a store owner’s head at America Street, Georgetown androbbedhimafterplacinganorder

Police identified the business place as America Styles. Investigators did not say when the robbery took place but said that the owner was open for business when two men walked in. They reportedly pretended to be customers and Kaieteur News understandsthattheyevenplacedanorderfor some items. After receiving the items, the gunmen held the storeowneratgunpoint. Kaieteur News wastoldthatnotonly didtheyleavewiththeitemstheyreportedlyorderedbutalso took away the store owner’s two cell phones, some cash and thenescaped.Investigationsareongoing.

SurinamesePresident promisescitizens...

From page 2 companies. “Let us be ready than 2.4 billion barrels and for the next stage of success its natural gas resources are not only on a company level 12.5 trillion cubic feet. With b u t r e g i o n a l l y a n d substantial oil and gas international corporate r e s e r v e s , S a n t o k h i collaboration between highlighted the importance countries is vital in today’s of responsible leadership in world,”headded. managingtheseresourcesfor Neighbours, Guyana and thebenefitofsociety Surinamearebothnewtothe He said leadership oilandgasindustry Thefirst responsibility is another key discovery offshore Guyana principle According to was made in 2015, while the President Santokhi, elected first discovery offshore leaders are duty bound to Surinamewasmadein2020. design a natural resource Suriname has been management strategy that praised for ensuring that it uses the wealth and does not fall prey to some transforms societies and grave flaws in Guyana’s economies by ensuring Stabroek block Production widespread and sustainable Sharing Agreement (PSA) benefits. Transparency and with ExxonMobil Guyana a c c o u n t a b i l i t y a r e Limited(EMGL). paramount, Santokhi The Stabroek Block PSA asserted, highlighting the hasbeenconsideredbysome government’s commitment to be too generous to the oil to managing resources companies The deal safely “We are committed to includesaroyaltyrateof2%, managing these resources a 75% cost recovery ceiling, safely, accountably and after which the remaining transparently Safeguarding 25% profit is shared 50-50 their benefits for the future between Guyana and the oil using the sovereign wealth companies. fund as a tool,” the president Notably,thecontractalso said. lacks a ring-fencing

Lookingahead,President provision and gives the oil Santokhi underscored the companiesatax-freeride. necessity of planning for a In contract, Suriname’s post-oil and gas era, model contract with highlighting the importance TotalEnergies, impose a of energy transition for a higher royalty rate of 6.25%, sustainable and diversified a 36% income tax, a profit economic future. Moreover, splitthatvariesbetween30% President Santokhi also and 50% and a cost recovery spoke about local content c e i l i n g o f 8 0 % o n and encouraged local companies. It also includes a companies to step up and ring-fencing provision to participate in the industry prevent revenue losses for He also, encouraged foreign Suriname, and ensure that companies to form joint the country gets a higher ventures with local shareofupfrontdollars.

Housepassesproposalsanctioningtopwar-crimes courtafteritsoughtNetanyahuarrestwarrant

WASHINGTON (AP) — The

The House bill would apply expected to boycott the speech. House passed legislation Tuesday sweeping economic sanctions and Both the ICC and the United that would sanction the visa restrictions to individuals and Nations’ highest court, the International Criminal Court for judges associated with the ICC, International Court of Justice, have requesting arrest warrants for including their family members. begun to investigate allegations Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Democrats labeled the approach as that both Israel and Hamas have Netanyahu and other Israeli “overly broad,” warning it could committed genocide during the officials. ensnare Americans and U S seven-monthwar

The 247-155 vote amounts to companies that do important work Last month, ICC’s prosecutor, Congress’firstlegislativerebukeof with the court. “This bill would Karim Khan, accused Netanyahu, the war crimes court since its have a chilling effect on the ICC as his defense minister Yoav Gallant, stunning decision last month to an institution which could hamper and three Hamas leaders—Yahya seek arrest warrants for the leaders the court’s efforts to prosecute the Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and ofIsraelandHamas.Themovewas numerous atrocities that have been Ismail Haniyeh — of war crimes widely denounced in Washington, perpetrated in many places around and crimes against humanity in the creating a rare moment of unity on the world, from Ukraine to Gaza Strip and Israel. Netanyahu Israel even as partisan divisions Uganda,” said Rep Gregory a

over the war with Hamas Meeks, the top Democrat on the condemned the ICC’s move as intensified. ForeignAffairsCommittee. disgraceful and antisemitic

While the House bill was

The legislation reprimanding President Joe Biden and members expected to pass Tuesday, it the ICC was just the latest show of of Congress also lambasted the managed to attract only modest would be better for Congress to be Matt Miller reiterated the support from House Republicans prosecutor and supported Israel’s Democratic support, despite an united against the Hague-based administration’s opposition to the for Israel since the Oct. 7 attack by righttodefenditself. outpouring of outrage at the court’s court. “We’re always strongest, sanctionsbill.“Wehavemadeclear Hamas that ignited the war Israel is not a member of the decision, dulling its chances in the particularly on this committee, that while we oppose the decision Republicans have held several court, so even if the arrest warrants Senate. when we speak with one voice as taken by the prosecutor of the ICC, votes related to Israel in recent are issued, Netanyahu and Gallant

The White House opposes the one nation, in this case to the ICC we don’t think it is appropriate, months, highlighting divisions do not face any immediate risk of legislation, calling it overreach. and to the judges,” GOPRep. Mike especially while there are ongoing among Democrats over support for prosecution. But the threat of arrest Both the Republican and McCaul, chair of the Foreign investigations inside Israel looking theU.S.ally could make it difficult for Israeli Democratic leaders of the House Affairs Committee, said during at somebody’s very same Congressional leaders have leaders to travel abroad. “Failing to Foreign Affairs Committee House debate “A partisan questions, and we were willing to invitedNetanyahutoaddressajoint act here in the Congress would acknowledgedthebillinquestionis messaging bill was not my work with Congress on what a meeting of Congress this summer, make us complicit with the ICC’s unlikely to become law and left the intention here but that is where we response might look like but we which is likely to further inflame illegitimate actions and we must door open to further negotiation are.” don’t support sanctions,” Miller tensions over Israel’s handling of not stay silent,” McCaul said. “We with the White House. They said it State Department spokesperson said. the war Many Democrats are muststandwithourallies.”

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu

‘Amerindians being brainwashed on benefits of Exxon’s oil operations’ - Region One Toshao tells oil spill forum

By Davina Bagot

Dr AdamsandAboud.Forhispart, Morawhanna. The Toshao was Dr Adams stressed the dangers keen to note, “The communities

The consultations hosted by oil posed by ExxonMobil Guyana there, we survive off the natural major, ExxonMobil along the Limited (EMGL) by increasing oil resources, so people use the water coastal communities have often productionabovethesafeoperating from the creeks, from the rivers, a been described as a tool to merely l i m i t s o u t l i n e d i n t h e lot of these villages there is no check off the boxes in the E n v i r o n m e n t a l I m p

t running tap water; we still use regulatory process, so that the Assessments (EIAs) of the three ponds and lakes so we are very company can receive approval projects currently producing oil. m

from the Environmental Protection Meanwhile, Aboud, among other environment.” Agency (EPA) to move to things, cited the fact that As such he reasoned, “So production. hydrocarbons could already be part thinking about that if there is an oil

IntheIndigenouscommunities, of our diets with flow of spill, imagine what would be the the process has been heavily hydrocarbons from the recently impact. It’s like losing everything focused on playing up money to be overturnedvesselinTobago. andIthinkit’swhatwedoaswellas madefromoilratherthaneducating the public on the potential dangers theyareexposedtoasaresultofthe offshore activities. This startling revelation was made by the Warapoka Village Toshao, Jaremy Boyal, a key speaker at an Oil Spill

“...there is always as well the idea and the message out there that the possibility of an oil spill is almost zero so don’t worry about that... if there is an oil spill and whatever likely effect is there, most of the time the people on the ground are the ones that suffer the most. The rich and the wealthy like the investors, they don’t worry about water, they will always have. The people on the ground are the ones that suffer the most.” – Toshao Boyal

Hesaidtopicsdiscussedusually forum hosted by Red Thread and are “how would the drilling affect the Greenheart Movement, in wildlife within that area as well; observance of World Environment there is always as well the idea and Day Thisyear,WorldEnvironment the message out there that the much production, that there is so Day was observed under the theme possibility of an oil spill is almost

The Village leader said, “I am a village and there’s a lot of much millions that we can earn in ‘land restoration, desertification zerosodon’tworryaboutthat.” really grateful for the opportunity communities now talking about the next five, 10, 15, 20 years and anddroughtresilience’. The Toshao said the village to hear these two presenters, you eco-tourism and our product that therateofdevelopmentplusweare The forum brought together would often hear stories or read could imagine we don’t have all of we have is the natural environment one of the fastest growing Guyanese experts such as stories about how spills affected this information it’s been a so losing that would be losing economiesintheworld.” International award-winning other countries but citizens are discussion for us, if there is an oil everything as well as (our) culture

The village leader said this Lawyer, Melinda Janki, former oftenafraidtospeakoutlesttheybe spillhowwewouldbeaffected”. because of what we depend on to often appeals to the Indigenous Head of the EPA, Dr Vincent viewed as unqualified by their

The Toshao told the gathering survive.” population, especially since they Adamsaswellasfoundingmember fellow villagers or even be that after listening to the previous At a number of public are not privy to the type of of the Trinidadian non- victimised. He recalled that some speakers he was very fearful as consultations held in the past by information he received. During governmental organisation years ago, the leaders were ExxonMobil often boasts about ExxonMobil, the Toshao said he those consultations, he said for ‘FishermenandFriendsoftheSea’, involved in a onetime oil spill how much profits Guyana would enquired about the Shell Beach about two to three hours Gary Aboud. A number of notable response activity but even with make and the development the protected area; however, his representatives from ExxonMobil Guyanese advocates for better more projects approved for the country will achieve from its question has not been addressed. and the EPA would provide governance of the oil and gas operator, there has been no further offshoreoperations.Hepointedout Oil spill modeling shows that this information and allow the Toshaos sector, such as Vanda and Danuta programmes to engage the that a research done last year area can be affected by an oil spill; to raise questions. Boyal explained Radzik, Frederick Collins, community on preparation for such concluded that Warapoka’s natural however, the Toshao said, “That however, “Most of these Elizabeth Hughes and Alfred adisaster environment is intact as within six has not been on the agenda...many documentsareintechnicalform(or Bhulai were among those that Consequently, the Village weeks90%ofallspeciesinGuyana times sometimes we would try to language) like the Toshao and two joined the discussions at the Cara Leader said he was deeply wererecordedapresencethere. have what would be the effect, how other representatives might come Lodge Hotel, Quamina Street, concerned about the how the Wa r a p o k a Vi l l a g e i s are we playing a role if there is but some of these leaders are not Georgetown.Therewasalsoalarge village would respond to a spill, approximately 90 miles from the gonna be one, but again that is not you know, highly qualified to virtualattendanceofthesession. whattheywoulddoandwhowould mouthoftheWainiRiver;however, something that we as villages are understand very technical Boyal in his remarks said he compensate them for their loss of there are a number of other villages awareof.” documents so that would definitely was really appreciative of the livelihoods. “Like I said, we don’t in close proximity, including Three Accordingtohim,“Wejusthear beaproblem.” information shared by speakers - knowthatandalotvillagesarevery B

,

and one side of the story that there is so closetotheWainiRiveraswell,the water would be washing up and down I think with the little information that we have and the stories we have been hearing as well many times, if there is an oil spill and whatever likely effect is there, most of the time the people on the ground are the ones that suffer the most. The rich and the wealthy like the investors, they don’t worry about water, they will always have. The people on the ground are the ones that suffer the most and we don’t know like what the last presenter just said, we probably eating some of the stuff already coming into our system.” The Toshao therefore made an appeal for the Indigenous communities to be properly

Warapoka Village Toshao, Jaremy Boyal

Attendees at the Oil Spill forum in observance of World Environment Day

Trini fisherfolk raise oil spill concerns posed by ExxonMobil’s Stabroek Block operations

ATrinidadian and of hydrogen and carbon,

Tobago non- which are chief components

p r o f i t ofpetroleumandnaturalgas. organisation, Fishermen and As such, Aboud explained Friends of the Sea (FFOS), that as a result of the release

on Wednesday raised of hydrocarbon, it leads to concernsabouttheriskposed the contamination of some to the twin island and other fishes.

Caribbean nations, during an He said, “We are eating

O i l S p i l l f o r u m i n hydrocarbon, so there is a

observance of World critical issue that arise,” He EnvironmentDay then asked, “why are we not

D u r i n g a v i r t u a l enraged? Why is the appearance at the event common man not enraged?” hosted at Cara Lodge, Tothisend,hearguedthatthe

Q u a m i n a S t r e e t , risks posed by an oil spill in Georgetown, the founding Guyana to other parts of the member and Corporate Caribbean are yet to be Secretary of the Tobago- properly addressed by an based fisherfolk body, Gary Environmental Impact

Aboud reminded the Assessment (EIA) “If audience of the oil spill that Guyana has a spill...it comes occurred in Trinidad and directly onto our waters Tobago on February 7, 2024 (Trinidad and Tabago) and about 6 kilometers’ off the 70 percent of our Gulf of coastofStudleyPark. Paria water comes out from The Tobago oil spill the Orinoko...yet the EIA involved two vessels, a tug does not even address the andabarge,confirmedbythe risk to Caricom, the risk to Trinidad and Tobago Coast Trinidad,’Aboudlamented. Guard, both of which were He continued, “So bound for Guyana but never Guyana is operating as if arrived. Guyanaisatriskforoffshore

The spill has caused platforms. They are not at environmental concerns and risk; the movement from the impacted Tobago’s southern water does not flow onto beachesandcoastline Guyanese shores; so all of a

Taking this into account, sudden where is the TOR Aboud elaborated that as (Terms of Reference) for result of the oil spill, the Guyana.” Caribbean Sea was affected. The Trinidadian said Herevealed,“Myporesraise citizens have raised this because we are eating concern with government hydrocarbon.” officials in T&T previously

The Corporate Secretary both in person and through further explained, “we have letters;however,itisyettobe everythingonpaper,wehave addressed. anationaloilspillemergency FFOS main objective is plan, nothing was put in to promote sustainable place,nobodyintheCaricom development, organised was warned about it until 10 e n v i r o n m e n t a l days later, when all of it m a n a g e m e n t , (Oil) flooded the accountability, inclusion, CaribbeanSea.” t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d

It is to be noted that community empowerment hydrocarbon is a compound throughouttheCaribbean

A drone photo taken on February 8 shows the extent of the damage caused to the coast of Scarborough, Tobago. –

Photo courtesy Dayreon Mitchell

Corporate Secretary at FFOS Gary Aboud raising his concerns via zoom during the oil press conference.

State guilty of abusing Indigenous rights at Isseneru - IACHR Report

By Rehanna Ramsay

non-material damages they for instance Platinum Mining Inc. sufferedduetotheviolationoftheir and other mining groups, had T

a

Three male residents of Isseneru located in Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Region Seven.

human rights, as stated in the purchasedlicencespriortoIsseneru Commission on Human Rights previoussection. obtaining title in 2007 and the (IACHR)— an autonomous organ

Such reparations, the human coming into operation of the of the Organization of American rights body said should include AmerindianAct of 2006, Guyana’s States (OAS) based in Washington compensation, satisfaction and any primary legislation on Indigenous DC, has found that Guyana is other 86 measures that may be matters. Thus, the Court held that responsible for several rights appropriate in accordance with village councils had no authority to violations committed on the I

, stop operations and no means of Indigenous community of Isseneru including the provision of the protectingtheirland.Appealstothe -CuyuniMazaruniRegionSeven. required health services to the Court of Appeal were postponed

In a report released onApril 24, members of the community indefinitely in 2009 due to the 2024, the Human Rights body affected by the environmental failure of the High Court judge to spoke to several violations that contamination. submit written reasons for their were committed against the largely

Additionally, the IACHR decision and this still has not been Akawaio community in Region recommended the State should heardtoday Seven including government’s mend its legislation in order to Afterfilingapetitionin2013to failure to adequately issue title to ensure that the provisions of laws the Inter-American Commission of theIndigenouspeoples. and regulations related to Human Rights (IACHR), an

According to the report, the Indigenous territorial property are autonomous organ of the State violated the Indigenous in harmony with the American Organization of American States people’s right to collective Declaration, in accordance with (OAS) based in Washington DC, territorial property under Article international law in accordance thecasehasbeenreviewed. XXIIIoftheAmericanDeclaration, withthismeritsreport. As reported in the press, because it has failed to grant

With full respect for the IACHR has ruled that Guyana is Isseneru a property title over its Isseneru community’s right to responsible for at least sixteen entire ancestral territory, even autonomy and free management of violations of the rights of the t h o u g h t h e c o m m u n i t y its natural resources, the right body community and its members, as a demonstrated that it is a primarily said the State should adopt the result of which Guyanese law will Akawaio Indigenous community, it necessary measures to support havetobeamended. is geographically set within Isseneruanditsmembersinthedue In its previous letter to the Akawaio ancestral lands, the fulfillment of their own duty to Guyanese Minister of Foreign territory it claims corresponds to to health, water, food, cultural activity within the untitled parts of preserve and protect the Affairs, IACHR gave Guyana two that of the ancestors and integrity and a healthy Isseneru’s ancestral territory, environment, particularly in months to provide information on grandparents of its current environment. However, the rights before said territory is duly titled, relation to the mining operations how it intends to comply with the members. body pointed out that in relation to demarcated and delimited in its full that they themselves carry out in decision The Commission has The organisation concluded the Isseneru community, the State extent, the State of Guyana would theirancestralterritory concluded that the state failed to that the State also violated the right hasfailedtoproperlyimplementits incur in a violation of international The case of Isseneru vs Guyana grant community titles over to indigenous collective territorial legislationrequiringtheconduction law, in particular of the right to is historic Isseneru Village ancestral lands, that equality of law property, insofar as the provisions of prior environmental social and collective property under Article Council(IVC)firstfiledadomestic was violated, and that mining of its Mining Act fail to properly impact assessments before the XXIIIoftheAmericanDeclaration. legal case against mining operators concessions were granted without incorporate the human rights initiation of any mining operation

R working within ancestral lands

guarantee of prior consultation in inIndigenousterritories. recommended that the State adopt back in 2007. Previous rulings representatives. The Commission cases of small- and medium-scale TheIACHRhighlightedthat,if the necessary measures so that the stated that Isseneru had no also concluded that the right to miningprojects. any permits, concessions or Isseneru community and its jurisdiction over this territory health, food, water, as well as the These rights, according to the licenses are issued for mining, members receive comprehensive Guyana’s High Court ruled that rights of children and mothers, had IACHR, are interconnected rights forestry or any other extractive reparations for the material and third parties operating in the area, beenviolated.

Man chased, stabbed by 2 suspects in Sophia

Shaquille Leacock

Police are investigating an alleged stabbing incident that occurred on Tuesday at Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The victim has been identified as 24-year-old Shaquille Leacock of ‘C’ Field Sophia. He was stabbed by two identifiable males. Investigations revealed that on Tuesday about 17:30hrs, Leacock was seated on a culvert liming when two men attacked him. He ran away, but the suspects accostedhiminayard.Oneofthesuspectswasarmedwitha knife and dealt two stab wounds to Leacock- one to his abdomenandanothertohisleftthigh.

The victim then ran out of the yard and collapsed due to the impact of the wound and the suspects fled the scene. According to police, the victim was found lying in a semiunconscious state. Thereafter an ambulance service was summoned, and upon arrival, the victim was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he isreceivingtreatmentwithhisconditionslistedasserious.A search was conducted for the suspects but to no avail. Investigationsareongoing.

Govt. examining more areas for sandpit mining

The Ministry of Natural r e g i o n a l t r a d e , Resources is examining transportation, and logistics additional areas for sandpit centre between Roraima, mining in response to the Brazil; South America, and increasing demand for sand theCaribbean. drivenbyGuyana’sbooming “And so, we are looking infrastructuraldevelopment. at other areas. So, it means

Minister of Natural now we may have to change Resource, Vickram Bharrat the approach to sand mining. on Monday highlighted the Rather than trucking, some significant increase in people may have to invest in applications for sandpit barging sand down the river, mining operations along the whichI mustadd,is farmore Linden-Soesdyke Highway. f e a s i b l e , f a r m o r e However, he stressed the profitable,” the minister need to consider alternative underscored. sites, in light of the ongoing Minister Bharrat also developmentinthearea. reminded persons with Massive enhancements agriculture leases along the marked for the Soesdyke- Soesdyke-Linden Highway Linden Highway include the that mining can only be done new Silica City where in those areas if no objection construction is underway for is granted by the Guyana the first 100 young L a n d s a n d S u r v e y s professional homes Commission. Only then can Plantation York along that the Guyana Geology and stretch has also been M i n e s C o m m i s s i o n identified for a new housing (GGMC) issue a mining development. Moreover, a permit This is also the multi-million regional food procedure for those seeking hubisbeingdevelopedthere, to operate a sawmill on the positioning Guyana as the highway (DPI)

GTU, Labour Ministry to resume salary talks on Monday

Discussions on higher thepackagethatwecurrently those back years, the salaries for teachers between have The union won’t Government has got to be the Guyana Teachers’Union compromise further Our prepared to compromise on (GTU) and the Labour position remains the same. its position. But all we are Ministry are scheduled to We will continue to have our hearing is that the Union reconvene on Monday, June voicesraised,”Lytesaid.The must compromise and not 10. GTU has said it wants the the other side and it is unfair

This was revealed by Government to put up a to workers of this country to President of the GTU, Dr counter proposal to theirs as beaskedthroughtheirUnion Mark Lyte during a live they seek to bring an end to to compromise five years broadcast via the Union’s the over 50-day strike action whenthereisnocompromise Facebook page on Tuesday for better salaries. They said ontheotherside.Iwouldsay Dr Lyte gave an update too that they are prepared to this now, that if the about the talks towards amend their multi-year Government is prepared to reconciliation “We are agreement proposal from take two years – 2022 and the multi-year agreement w o r k i n g o n a w a y 2019-2023to2022-2025. 2023 – and we go with 2024, “We have always been forward…We have reached Last Thursday, Lyte told 2025, then we can have a willing to comprise but it’s out because we believe that News Source that the Union four-year agreement ASAP, the Gove

this situation must not go on is prepared to compromise if the Government is prepared to do the same. forever – that through and begin negotiation on an prepared to go with that. We Every time, we offer d i a l o g u e , m a t u r e , agreement that would cover are prepared to give up some something, the Government responsiblepeoplecanmend the years 2022 to 2025. of the years under the has an excuse as to why they their differences,” Dr Lyte According to News Source, proposal that we submitted. can’t meet the demand. The said. the GTU President said the Is the Government prepared GTU said that it is prepared

However, he noted that Union is willing to give up to go back and compromise, to take two years – 2022 and “until the favourable terms more than two years from its rather than hold its position 2023 – and we go with 2024, ofresumptionaresigned,the original proposal, and he to say 2024 and no more?” 2025, then we said we are strike will continue.” The believesitisnowtimeforthe Lyte is quoted by News prepared to give up some of GTU President further Ministry of Education to Source assaying. the years under the proposal reiterated that there could be show that it is serious and Meanwhile speaking to thatwesubmitted. Theysaid no way forward on the also offer two years for Kaieteur News on the issue, no… We asked for lump process until the terms of negotiationthatwouldmatch GTU General Secretary, sum, they said no ” resumption are satisfactory the two years that the Union Coretta McDonald said this McDonald lamented that totheunion. would have remaining from is not the first time that the while the government

“My concern as leader of itsoriginalproposal.” Union has presented the continues to be stiff-necked, the Teachers’ Union is that “If the Union is ready to g o v e r n m e n t w i t h a the nation’s children are we are unable to survive on compromise on some of compromise as it relates to suffering.

President of the GTU, Dr. Mark Lyte

Driver on $300,000 bail for causing death by dangerous driving

A22-year-old man, onWednesday, was granted $300,000 bail when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’Court toanswertoachargeofacausingdeathbydangerousdriving.

ChrisSobers,anelectricianofKanevilleGrove,EastBank Demerara (EBD) made his first appearance before Chief Magistrate Sherdell Isaacs-Marcus. He was not required to pleatotheindictableoffence.

Sobers is accused of driving motorcar PAF #4593 in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of 28-year-old Edward Solomon on April 04, 2024 at Mandela Avenue,Georgetown.

According to a police statement on the mentioned date at approximately 15:20hrs, the vehicle driven by Sobers was stationaryfacingnorthontheeasterndrivelaneofthewestern carriageway of Nelson Mandela Avenue, halted by a traffic light. When the light turned green, Sobers allegedly failed to ensure the path was clear before making a left turn onto FreemanStreet.Thismanoeuvreplacedhisvehicleinthepath of motorcycle #CJ 9016, driven by Solomon, who was traveling north in the same lane, resulting in a collision. Both Solomon and Sobers suffered injuries to their heads and other partsoftheirbodies.

Police arrived at the scene, conducted an investigation, and both individuals were taken to Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for treatment. Solomon was readmittedtothehospitalonMay28,2024,andsuccumbedto hisinjuriesonMay30,2024,atapproximately00:00hrs.

Following these events, Sobers was summoned to La Penitence Police Station, where he was informed of the offencecommittedandsubsequentlycharged.

During court proceedings, Sobers was represented by Attorney-at-law, Stacy Goodings, who made an application for bail in a reasonable sum. The attorney told the court that her client has no prior incidents and that Sobers is not a flight risk. It was also revealed by Goodings that the deceased was riding the motorcycle going at a fast rate. Prosecutor did not object to bail but petitioned the court to grant bail in a substantial amount. In light of this, Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus placed Sobers on $300,000 bail. He is scheduled to return to court on July 9, 2024 for disclosure. He is also required to report to the Kaneville Grove Police station, on the first Fridaysineverymonthuntilthematterisfinished.

Granted bail: Chris Sobers

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Health ministry launches tobacco reduction plan

Guyana recently introduced Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) programme at the Eccles Health Centre

The Ministry of Health has set in motion a plan to reduce the number of cigarettes being smoked through the introduction of pills that contain nicotine lozenges. Nicotine lozenge is a medicine that helps people quit smoking and is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. It provides users the same satisfaction that comes from smoking cigarettes, but

without the toxic chemicals.

Guyana will be rolling out the medication under a new project called Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). The medication will be available at all the tobacco cessation clinics and distributed free of charge. This was disclosed by Technical Officer at the Chronic Disease Unit, Tobacco Control, Dr. Shaliza Gopie recently, on the

ministry’s programme called Health Matters. The intake of the lozenges will be managed by physicians from the health centres.

To introduce the programme, the first set of nicotine lozenge pills was distributed to the Eccles Health Centre, East Bank Demerara. “Also, the nicotine patches are on their way but it’s just that the lozenges are going to

be introduced first. We also hope to introduce the gum as well,” the technical officer stated.

Tobacco cessation clinics can be found at the health centres in Industry, East La Penitence, Festival City, Kitty, Lodge, Enmore, Buxton, Craig, and Grove. Cessation clinics will soon be established at other health centres countrywide. (DPI)

Bandits clear out $6M from

Kuru

Kuru businesswoman’s house

A woman was on Tuesday morning held at gunpoint and robbed of $6M cash by two men who went to her grocery

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shop at Kuru Kuru, Soesdyke-Linden Highway to purchase gasoline.

Police identified the vic-

tim as 64-year-old Jean Ferrier. She told police that they ransacked her shop and house located in the same

yard before escaping with the cash. A report has been lodged with police and investigations are ongoing.

What is the President going to do...

From page 05 properties. The fact of the matter is that there is no one assigned the responsibility for curbing illegal use of titled and lease land within the CH&PA and the Guyana Lands and Survey’s Commission. Daily Facebook publications

advertise lands that were issued by the Government at preferential rates that cannot be sold or transferred within 10 years…these are advertisements clearly indicates transferable in 5 years, not transferable and so on. The scheme here is a cash transaction and the issuance

of an irrevocable agreement to transfer the land at the end of the 10-year period. So, I ask again what are you going to do Mr. President? Pass more laws, when existing laws are not being followed?

Yours sincerely Marcus Perry.

Kamla blasts Charles’ UNC ‘treachery’

( T R I N I D A D GUARDIAN) United

Patriots’ Rodney Charles, who may be facing the loss of his seating position in Parliament next to United National Congress (UNC) leader Kamla PersadBissessar, says it doesn’t matter where he sits in the House. More significant, he says, are the “enduring principlesofintegrity,ethics and decency” on which he firmlystands.

This, after PersadBissessar on Monday said she was hurt at an MP who sitsnexttoherinParliament being“treacherous”,andher calltoUNCwhipDavidLee that they need to “do somethingaboutthat.”

Persad-Bissessar did so at a Star slate meeting in Chaguanas The Stars, which she supports, are contestingintheparty’sJune 15 national executive election against the United Patriots (UP) led by MP Rushton Paray Charles is part of the UPs. Charles sits at Persad-Bissessar’s left hand in Parliament. Paray and UP members Dr Rai Ragbir and Dinesh Ramballysitlowerdownthe

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, second from left, with MPs from left, David Lee, Rodney Charles and Kadijah Ameen at a sitting of Parliament in March

front bench MP Anita Haynes-Alleyne, also a UP member, is a backbencher Persad-Bissessar on Monday slammed the UP, including alluding to the vote on the President when three UNC ballots were spoiled She said, “How deceptive can a person be theysitlikesnakesintheirseat onesittingnexttomebythe way “One still sitting next to meintheParliament!Sittingat my left hand! They sit so deceptively treacherous is theword Iwithdraw‘snake’

Let’s leave the snakes in the Balisier How deceptive can you be?” While she spoke, a voice note was played with Charles’ voice saying the UNC had become a party whicheveryonewithintegrity wantstoavoid

The video of Charles speaking was also played. Persad-Bissessar added, “I seeamanonaplatformwho sitsnexttomeinParliament you know that kind hurtingme,youknow,Chief whip, we should do something about that! “The

History of Maida Plantation...

Frompage04 and afforded them the opportunity to own house lots and rice land. Mr Amin Sankar gave my father two sections at Maida for rice farming, and that was over 100 acres. The Kissoons at Bush Lot Village received one entire section from Mr AminSankaralso,especially that Uncle Alston was married to Ms. Lyla Sankar, daughter of Uncle Amin. Many of my father’s friends from Bush Lot came to Maidatogrowrice. Myfatherbrokethelease he signed in Georgetown with the Sankars since the estate made no profit. He thenfocusedmoreonhisrice farming. After my parents quit running the estate, Mr Mohammed Mobin of Bush Lot Village then rented the estate and held it until the 1970s The Dalgety Graveyard and the Big House The Sankar Brothers purchased Maida Estate fromtheDalgetyfamilywho also had owned Waterloo, Suriname The Sankars bought both plantations in the1930s.Maidawasowned by Dalgety ancestors in the 1880s. A younger Dalgety w r o t e , “ M y o t h e r grandfather owned Plantation Maida, Berbice, he was into cattle and was buriedonhisland.”

The Maida Big House and its surrounding space stretched from the Maida Ball Field to the Trench opposite where Mr Kesho Ramlall’s property now stands. This was the said houseandpropertythatAunt Haniffa and her daughter, Aunt Zaiboon (Baba) lived in, and which Mr Moneer Khan sold The original plantation house was not a hospitallikesomethought.It wasagrandmansioninearly times. The Dalgety family graveyard was in between Mr. Esar Chickerie’s home and what is now Mr DipnarineRamlall’shome.It was all destroyed by Mr Moneer Khan when he leveled it and sold it off to Mr MikeyofKildonian. Attempt to take over Maida Mr Moneer surprised us all when he cametoMaidaclaimingthat he owned the estate Evidently, Uncle Muneer’s wife was related to Mrs. Rabbia(Macdoom) Sankar When the Sankar brothers split holdings,MaidaEstate waspassedontoUncleDino (Ahmad Sankar). Thus, no one knows of any deal Rabbia Sankar made with Mr Moneer Khan. His ownership of the estate was challenged in court several times andhe lost. The family was shocked

whentheproperty wassold and they were more or less evicted. Aunt Baba went to Georgetown and spoke to uncle Dino who was willing to put a stop to the sale. Aunt Baba was too soft and gentle. They did not contest the sale like my father suggested they should. The home had belonged to her mother, our Aunt Haniffa who was the sister of my grandfather Esau Khan. Mr. Moneer Khan had the audacitytotakemoneyfrom AuntBabaforatinypieceof landnextdoor

Myfather,EsarChickerie was able to restore Maida Plantation back to the people afterseveral sinister attempts to take it over by several characters Dadwas offered large sums of cash to go to America,andkeephislandfor hissilence

My parents spoke with excitement about prosperous ricefarmingduringDr Cheddi Jagan’stime HeopenedBlack Bush Polder and improved drainage and irrigation all the way to Burma where we still ownriceland Theyspokeof how Cheddi opened business opportunities overseas for Guyanese entrepreneurs like theSankarsbrothers wholeft Corentyne for Georgetown toexpandinbusiness

Regards RayChickerie

you betray the people who gaveyouthepositionyou’re in.” Whip David Lee didn’t replytoqueriesyesterdayon if Charles’ seat might be changed. ‘I brought excellence to UNC’ MP Charles responded via a statementtoqueriesoverthe attack by Persad-Bissessar, saying, “In response to threats that I’ll be removed from the front bench: I was invited to sit at the table becauseofwhatIbroughtto themenu,notbecauseitwas full and I was hungry It matters not where I sit in Parliament.

Bible tells us there’s no greater sin than ingratitude, ungratefulness! So I see a videosomebodysentmeand I’mseeingthispersonsaying ‘nobodywithintegritywants to have anything to do with theUNC’.

B u t y o u t h e r e campaigningtotakeoverthe UNC!Youhavetobecrazy! Bi-polar is a very good word!You’ve been there 15 years ungratefulness!” Shesaidshe’dheardone UP member’s sister got a house/work while another’s husband got a promotion. “When you sell your soul,

Of more significance are the enduring principles of integrity, ethics and decency onwhichIfirmlystand”

He added, “Where I sit says more about the present leadership than about me

Contrary to what was espoused(Monday),Ihavean accomplishedlifeinandoutof politics MrsPersad-Bissessar suggests that I’m ungrateful, unmindful of the fact that I brought to the table of the UNC a lifetime of excellent performance It was an exchangeandnotahandout.”

Detailing his career, he said, “I stand on my hardearned achievements; it wasn’t a one-way street. In

Parliament,Istoodupmano a mano to Dr Keith Rowley from 2020 to 2024, I spoke on 44 bills and asked 53 Prime Minister’s questions. “When Mrs PersadBissessar recruited me in 2010tobeUNAmbassador, I was neither inexperienced, undistinguished nor was I job hunting. I was in that same position when recruited to become Naparima MP and I wasn’t hand to mouth when recruited in 2014 to become campaign manager Whilst I’m grateful to her, the exchange was mutually beneficial ” He added, “When the time comes, and I meet my maker, I think it mattersnotwhetherIsatinthe front, back, side or outside in Parliament but the manner in which I lived my life Consistent with my belief in the need for a generational transferofpoliticalleadership, IsupportMPParay’sslate ” Also contacted yesterday, Paray added, “Seating arrangements are the Chief Whip’scall

Quitefrankly,sincewe’re allequalsintheParliament,it matters not where I sit but whereIstandandcontinueto stand on matters affecting citizens’lives”

Port Kaituma man drowns at Potaro Backdam

Po l i c e a r e presently trying to locate the relativesofaPortKaituma, Region One man who reportedly drowned in the Ewang River, at Potaro, Region8.

He has been identified only as Camoody, a miner ofOronoque,PortKaituma. Policedidnotdivulgemuch detailsbutsaidthathisbody was found floating in the EwangRiveronMonday.

No marks of violence were seen on his remains and investigators suspect that he is a victim of drowning.

His body is at the Mahdia Hospital Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Uganda’s bowlers and Riazat seal their first win in T20 World Cup history

Frompage27

ESPNcricinfo - A hardfought three-wicket win gave Uganda their maiden win at the T20 World Cup. They beat Papua New Guinea in a low-scoring game in Guyana where both teamsviedfortheirfirstwin in the competition. PNG’s batting crumbled to 77 all out after being put to bat first, before Uganda, themselves in trouble at 26 for 5, reached home in the 19th over Riazat Ali Shah, oneofUganda’srisingstars, used a low backlift in his careful 33 off 56, shepherding the Cranes through the tricky chase, falling just before the milestone moment PNG were left to rue their poor batting, but they also conceded 15 wide runs, which eased Uganda’s chase.

evening was Uganda’s bowling in the first innings, setupbythepairof43-yearold Frank Nsubuga and 21yearoldJumaMiyagi.

But the story of the

Both vindicated their inclusion in this game with superbspells Nsubugabowled themosteconomicalspell(min four overs) inT20World Cup history,withfiguresof4-2-4-2 Healsobecameonlythesecond bowlertobowl20dotballsina T20 World Cup game, after

AjanthaMendisin2012.

Ugandan pace rocks PNG AlpeshRamjanigaveUgandaa wicket in the second ball the left-handedAssadVala played back to the left-arm spinner, who angled the ball from aroundthewicketandontothe stumps Miyagi and Cosmas KyewutathenkeptPNGonthe backfootwiththeirpace

Thursday June 06, 2024

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 t

y, 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.

Norway, Philippines, Portugal, and South Africa, amongothers.

The Guyanese duo is set toleavelocalshoresonJune 24 for Frankfurt, Germany

Notably, Team Guyana has securedtheirparticipationat this year’s World Cup

Left-handed Sese Bau couldn’t clear Miyagi over mid-off where Roger Mukasa took a tumbling catch going backwards Kyewutathengotthebigone when Tony Ura, PNG’s highest run-scorer in T20Is, also holed out to Mukasa. Lega Siaka was run out for 12intheseventhover,trying totakeasecondrunashefelt under pressure playing out dots against the two fast bowlers.

Nsubugaontarget

When Nsubuga slid one through Charles Amini’s leg stumpintheeleventhover,he became the second-oldest bowlertotakeawicketinthe T20WorldCup Nsubugathen hadHiriHirilbwalthoughon first view it looked like the batterhadcometoofardown thewicket Thereviewthough wentinUganda’sfavour Ramjani’s second wicket came when he also trapped Kiplin Doriga lbw for 12 CaptainBrianMasabathengot into the act with a topspinner that slipped through Chad Soper’sdefences Miyagiand Kyewuta took the last two wickets,asPNGwerebowled outwithfiveballstospare Riazat’s calmness prevails When Uganda were 35 for 5, Amini dropped Riazat when he was on eight It was an simple chance at point after Riazathadplayedafalseshot, but it turned out to be the turning point in Uganda’s chase Riazat struck his only boundary in the 11th over when he struck a nice cover drive against Vala. He added 35runsforthesixthwicketwith Miyagi,butthelatterwasrun outafteramix-upinthe14th over Riazatkeptcalmdespite the dismissal, though PNG also kept helping them Bau dropped Kenneth Waiswa on four, although Riazat finally fell in the 18th over John Kariko took a good catch at third-man, though it was a littletoolate.

Scores: Uganda 78 for 7 (Riazat 33, Miyagi 13, Nao 2-16) beat Papua New Guinea77(Hiri15,Nsubuga 2-4, Miyagi 2-10) by three wickets.

through sponsorships from; Cuesoul Chen of Cuesoul Player Union, Cyrils Transportation Service, Sunil Persaud, Keith Jackson of Darts Central (USA) and William Panaram, former Secretary of the Guyana Darts Association.

Golden Jaguars World Cup...

Frompage31

ColinNelson,RyanHackett, and Kelsey Benjamin, alongside Western Tigers’ DanielWilsonasthelocallybasedplayersontheteam.

Drawn into Group D alongside Panama, Nicaragua, Montserrat, and Belize,theyfaceformidable opponents, starting with theiropeningfixtureagainst Panama, currently ranked third on the CONCACAF IndexasofMarch31. Guyana currently occupies the 19th position onthetable.

The squad is set to take on Belize, currently ranked 29th by CONCACAF, in BarbadosonJune11. G u y a n a ’s m o s t significant advancement in the Cup qualifiers occurred in the lead-up to the 2014 tournament in Brazil, where the Golden Jaguars reached the penultimate round in the CONCACAF region, where they faced eventual qualifiers Mexico and Costa Rica, along with playing El Salvador in home-and-awayfixtures

CROFTY’S CRICKET CALL

- Interesting first week of ICC WT20 2024

So , a f t e r m u c h anticipation, fanfare and supposedly tremendous preparations, both logistically and financially, ICC WT20 2024 has stuttered to a start, with strange situations already occurring away fromthecricketitself.

Similarly, some cricket games already played, two of which will befeaturedlaterhereinthisarticle, have been interesting, intriguing, maybeevensomewhatbaffling.

T-20-International cricket games have no real dominant “masters”, since no game has any resemblance whatsoever to either the beach-cricket-like Indian Premier League (IPL) or the CaribbeanPremierLeague(CPL).

Onepersoncorrectlysuggested “T-20 cricket is like Guerilla Warfare.

Even weaker Davids, with correct strategies and approaches, have power to deflate the supposedlymightierGoliaths. Big namesbeware.

Any team can win!” Anyway, oneisunsureastohowtoassessthe preparations and readiness at the start of the Guyana leg of ICC WT20 2024 From a Sports Journalistic perspective, my personal efforts had been extensively tedious, time and energy consuming, and even sometimesseriouslyhilarious.

I was fortunate to have good continuing contacts with one of Guyana’s Local Operations Committee, but processes and effortstogetanythingdoneforthe cricket in Guyana is worse than gettingteethpulled,orsoitalways seems.

Having many months ago applied for my Media AccreditationforICCWT202024; a worldwide event; that Media Accreditation was still not ready twodaysbeforethefirstgamewas scheduledtobeplayedinGuyanaGame No. 2, West Indies v Papua NewGuinea,onSunday02June.

The reasons given for the unreadiness of all of the Media Accreditations were that the printing machines were not working properly, as apparently, those had been damaged either in, or in transit from, another neighboring Caribbean cricket country

Even God will occasionally struggletohelpusaroundhere!!

Sometimesonehastolaughout loud. When exactly will we be reallyready?

Compare that to the fact that I already have my Media Accreditation, in hand, for the Farnborough International Air Show (FIAS), in the United Kingdom, in July 2024.

Preparation, professionalsim and progress all wrapped into work!

That FIAS Media Accreditation had been transmitted to me electronically since late April last, andIhadusedthesamecriteria;my USA Passport; for identification. A-Iandalltechnologiesarounddo actuallyworkwell!

The FIAS is a biennial event that brings together all of the world’s major aviation entities, military and commerciala i r f r a m e s , e n g i n e s , connectivity’s, accommodations etc - Boeing, Air-Bus, Rolls Royce, Ratheon, ATR, NASA, Lockheed Martin, General Electricetc.,andhundredsofother aviation entities, for billions of dollars of business transactions. Allaviationpersonneltrytoattend, asitisnormallyamassiveaviationgeneratedorgasmicparty!

I have been attending the FIAS since the 1980’s, more recent in time than my advent and inclusions into West Indies cricket,whichstartedin1970

So, as I waited to uplift my MediaAccreditation last Friday, I sat in the Media Center at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence for about three hours, during which time the power supply to that part of the Guyana National Stadium failed aboutseventimes

Absolutely, truly amazingly poorservice!!

Guyana has been experiencing “Load Shedding” overall since the 1970s. Whycanthisaberrationnot befinallyfixed? IsthisnotanICC WT20WorldCup?

Even when the power did very sporadically come on, the only elevator in that massive Media Centerneverworkedatall,causing much consternation and serious distress to the myriads of technologists who were trying desperatelytosetuptheirbroadcast equipment.

Some had to lift heavy equipmentupseveralsetsofstairs, totheveryuppermostplatformsof that Media Center I was informedthat“thatelevatorhasnot worked for years!” God must helpus!!

There was even more sporadic connectivity with the internet carrier

The answer to my query was: “We ain’t test this situation yet, so we are testing it now to see if it would work”. This competition wasscheduledsixyearsago!!

Nowtotwoofthebettergames so far, which have all, been quite belowpar.

This first game in ICC WT20 2024 included twenty two players who hailed from at least ten (10) different original countries, but now represent their adopted countries; USAand Canada. Talk aboutacclimatizingveryquickly!!

This was very different from theveryfirstinternationalcricket game ever played, back in 1844, which also featured teams representing USA and Canada, and was played at either St George’s Club, New York, USA, or Hartford, Connecticut, USA, (reports vary) Both teams back then consisted of only Englishmen Oh, how have things changed and evolved; evenadapted

Having won the toss with a big contingent of fans from both teamspresent,USA,thepedigree team, invited competition debutantsCanada,tobatfirst

That decision looked questionable when Canada raced to50-2insixovers;85-2inten overs; before subsiding somewhat to 159 - 4 in over No 18 At that stage, Canada were looking good for possibly 200 in their 20 overs, but fell just short of 200; a very creditable 194 - 5 fromtheir20overs

Veteran Canadian opener, Aaron Johnson, originally from Jamaica, and fellow Canadian opener, Navneet Singh Dhaliwal, who was born in Chandigarh, Punjab, India, put on 43 quick runs for that first wicket Navneet Singh Dhaliwal did eventually get to a very useful, workmanlike 61, from 44 deliveries, including six 4’s and three6’s,inCanada’stotalof194 -5

Also contributing well to Canada’s total were Nicholas Kirton, who was born in Barbados, finishing with 51 polished runs from 31 deliveries, including three 4’s and three 6’s, and wicket-keeper Shreyas Movva, also born in India, who makeaquick-fire32fromsixteen deliveries, including two 4’s and two6’s

With 194 - 5 scored, Canada seemed set for a massive upset overUSA

That thought strengthened as USA wobbled to 42 - 2 in over No 7 USA’s No 4 batsman, Aaron Jones, also born in Barbados, then made a spectacular 94 n o from only 40 deliveries, including four 4’s and ten, yes, ten mighty 6’s, obliterating Canada’s bowling. He was ably assisted by wicketkeeper Andries Gous, who was born in Welkom, Free State, South Africa, and who was also

flambouyant for 65, from 46 deliveries, including seven 4’s and three 6’s They saw USA through USA made 197 - 3 in only 17 4 overs - first blood to USA!

GAMENo.2-WESTINDIESv PAPUANEWGUINEA-02

JUNE2024-GNSP

This was a game, like banana skins, that West Indies nearly, probably should have, slid on. They were lucky, even with all of theirIPL/CPLpedigree,tojustwin in the 19th over Alan Gardner, writing for ESPNCRICINFO, called the West Indies victory “jittery”! Other much more unprintable words are more apt here.

Winning the toss,West Indies asked debutants Papua New Guinea to bat first in front of a stadium crowd that was probably 25 % (one quarter full)

Suggestionsforthepoorturn-out were that tickets were too expensive, with the cheapest one for GNSP costing US$40 (Guy$8000);veryseriousmoney

PNG might be diminutive in stature, but they have brave hearts Theyneverflagged,were never overawed, and fought to theveryendofthegamevWI

PNG made only 136 - 8 in their 20 overs, strangled somewhat by the less than true surface that had been produced, some deliveries “stopping”, “catching”, even “two-paced”; not very good preparation for a gameofonly40overs.

Only nearly 33 year old Sese Bau made any impression, his left-handedness counteracting the wiles ofWI left-arm spinners Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie, whose total six overs cost 33 runs, while getting three wickets

WI fast bowler Alzarri Joseph looked out of sorts, and while Romario Shepherd and Andre Russell, faster bowlers too, looked more in tune to what was required on that pitch, WI bowling attack lookedtameandtired.

When WI batted, looking for just 137 in 20 overs, theylooked yet another “T” too - very timid indeed-strangereally,considering that the present WI team is supposedly riddled with so many worldbeaters,ifoneconsidersIPL andCPL.

Johnson Charles must be the luckiestcricketerever

HeshouldneverbeinanyWest Indies white ball team. Charles wassoonbackinthehutch,outfirst ball,forno-score. Thisguysimply cannot bat well enough for this level.

Eventhenormallyeffervescent

Brandon King struggled somewhat, his 34 seeming patchy as he hit seven 4’s from his 27 deliveriesfaced.

Then, only Alfred Hitchkock, thatmanofmystery,couldtellwhat could have happened if WI’s Nicholas Pooran, supposedly one of the world’s top T-20 batsmen, had been given out, when he was palpably LBW, to Alei Nao, but Umpire Rashid Riaz said “Not out!” Pooran was then on zero. Replays suggested “three reds”Dead!! Heshouldhavebeengiven outLBWthen.

Not only was that umpiring decision very poor, even from 70 meters away, but for PNG not to have “gone upstairs”; referred that incorrect decision to the Third Umpire; with the possibility of having WI two wickets down, especially Nicholas Pooran, in over No. 2, and having made only 136 - 8, is still unbelievably unfathomable. PNG will rue that decision forever intheircricketinglives.

Pooran did make a scratchy 27 from 27 deliveries, with one four and two 6’s, but it was left to some really intelligent and patient batting from, in my mind, WI’s best all-rounder, Roston Chase, who was 42 not out, from 27 deliveries, including four 4’s and two 6’s, and some late power-hitting, from Andre Russell, who made 15 not out from nine deliveries, to put West Indies over the line, in 19 overs;WestIndieswinningbyfive wickets;137-5.

On Saturday 08 June, WI will play Uganda for their last game in Guyana in the preliminaries

If West Indies are to return to Guyana for semi-final No 2 on 27 June 2024, they will have to improve 200% One expects a much better showing from WI intheir2ndgame

With Afghanistan and New Zealand also in their group, WI will not have it easy even to make it to the “Super Eights”, while getting to the semi-finals is still another story altogether, regardless of the vuvuzela sounds coming from their camp! Enjoy!!

Former West Indies International Cricketer

Fitzgerald and Madhoo to make second appearance at PDC World Cup in Germany

The 14th edition of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) World Cup will be held from June 27-30 at the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt, Germany, featuring 40 pairings competing for a total prize poolof£450,000.

Guyana is set for their

second appearance following their debut last year. Representing the Golden Arrowhead are

Norman Madhoo and Sudesh Fitzgerald from the ForeignLinkDartsClub.

The 2024 World Cup of Darts is a team event where players compete in pairs. Guyana joins 39 other countries in this prestigious tournament Since its inception in 2010, the tournament format has evolved, and it now exclusivelyfeaturespairings in competition. The four highest-ranked countries automaticallyqualifyforthe knockout phase, while the remaining 36 countries are divided into 12 pools of three These countries competeforaspotinthelast sixteen, after which a knockout format determines thechampion.

In the early years, the World Cup of Darts was dominatedbyEngland(with Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis) and the Netherlands

(wit

Barneveld, initially with Co Stompé and later with Michael van Gerwen)

However, in the past five years, Scotland (twice), Wales(twice),andAustralia (once) have emerged victorious.

Defending champions

Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton are aiming for a third title for Wales, while last year’s runners-up, Peter Wright and Gary Anderson, are back representing Scotland.Worldnumberone Luke Humphries will debut for England alongside 2023 World Champion Michael Smith, and Josh Rock will makehisdebutforNorthern

BrendanDolan.

Teng-LiehPupoandAnSheng Lu will make history as the first pairing from Chinese Taipei to compete, whileNorwayreturnsforthe first time since 2016. Paul Lim, making his tenth PDC WorldCupappearanceatthe age of 70, will partner once again with Harith Lim for Singapore.

Madhoo and Fitzgerald will face competitors from territories including Bahrain, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Malaysia, NewZealand,Netherlands, (Continuedonpage25)

Fireworks expected in 400m at AP Invitational

The 400m at this year’s APInvitational, set for June 22attheNationalTrackand Field Centre, promises to be exhilarating, following the announcement of a stellar line-upfeaturingfuturestars of Guyana’s track and field alongside some of the best athletesintheregion.

The women’s event will featureOlympianandnational recordholderAliyahAbrams, a s w e l l a s Yo u t h Commonwealth Games champion Tianna Springer Abrams’ time of 50 20 secondsattheNACACNew Life Invitational not only secured her the win but also broke Aliann Pompey’s previous national record of 50.71 seconds, set at the World Championships in Berlin,Germany,in2009.

AlthoughAbrams’recordbreaking performance was remarkable, she will need to replicateorimproveitduring the Olympic qualification period(July1,2023,toJune 30,2024)tobookherspotat the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris,France.

The Olympic qualifying time for the women’s 400m event is 5095 seconds, and currently,Abrams’seasonbest standsat5193seconds

Meanwhile, although Springer is not yet close to Olympic qualification for the ParisGames,punditsareeager to see the double gold

medallist from the CARIFTA Games face tougher competition, especially since sheremainsundefeatedinthe 400m at local, regional, and internationalchampionships.

Springerended2023with theseventh-fastesttimebyan under-18 athlete in the world, whileher5231secondsatthis year’s CARIFTA Games is currently the second-fastest under-18timeglobally

The 17-year-old had a stellar2023,winningthe400m at the CARIFTA Games and the South American U20 Championship in Athletics, where she also broke the event’s record Additionally, she swept the Youth Commonwealth Games, winning Guyana’s first individual gold medal in the event’s history Colombia’s Melany Balono, Chinenye Onuorah ofThailand, and the Dominican Republic’s Milagros Duran are the overseas athletes, while Deshana Skeete, Kenisha Phillips, and Narissa McPherson are the other Guyanese competitors in the line-up On the men’s side, the competition features Arinze Chance, CARIFTA G a m e s U 2 0 4 0 0 m Champion Malachi Austin, and the Dominican Republic’sLidioFeliz. Chance, known for his 400m prowess during his collegiate career, recorded a

personalbestof4601seconds in2019 Hisseason’sbestthis year is 47 67 seconds, achievedinApril AustinisoneofGuyana’s promising prospects in the 400m His 4635 seconds, which won him first place in the Men’s U20 event at the CARIFTA Games this year, makes the 17-year-old the fourth-fastest U18 athlete in the world. Feliz, along with AlexanderOgando,Marileidy Paulino, and Anabel Medina, finished second in the Tokyo Olympics 4x400m Mixed Relay with a time of 3:1021, just behind Poland (3:0987) and ahead of the USA (3:1022) Felizagainteamed up with Ogando, Paulino, and Fiordaliza Cofil to win the4x400mmixedrelayatthe 2022 World Championships withatimeof3:0982,beating theNetherlands(3:0990)and the USA (3:1016) Feliz’ personalbestis4426seconds, setin2022,whilehisseason’s bestis4625seconds

Renny Quow, the 400m bronze medallistat the 2009 World Championships, is also part of the line-up. Quow, now 36, has had a stellar career but has never qualifiedfortheOlympics.

T h e D o m i n i c a n Republic’s Nefer Santana andWilbertEncarnacionare the other athletes registered in the 400m for this year’s APInvitational.

Guyana Darts’stars, Sudesh Fitzgerald (right) and Norman Madhoo.

Kick-off time for Reggae Boyz World Cup qualifier adjusted due to inadequate stadium lighting

SportsMax - The kickoff time for Jamaica’s opening game of the World Cup Qualifiers against the Dominican Republic today, Thursday, June 6, 2024, at the National Stadium in

Kingston has been rescheduled to 3:30 pm by CONCACAF

The change comes after

a n a s s e s s m e n t b y CONCACAF deemed the

stadium’s lighting insufficient for an evening match, despite recent efforts toenhancethelighting.

Last week, Jamaica’s Sports Minister, Olivia Grange, announced plans to upgrade the stadium’s lightingontheweekend.

The upgrades included new lights on Tower Four and additional lamps on the stadium canopy, intended to significantly enhance the lighting and meet the international standard of 1,000lumens.

“The National Stadium lights over time have been less than optimal,” Minister

The kick-off time for Jamaica’s opening game of the World Cup Qualifiers against the Dominican Republic today has been rescheduled to 3:30 pm.

G r a n g e s t a t e d “IndependenceParkLimited has installed LED lights on Tower Four and some additional lamps on the canopy, pending further upgrades. This latest shipment of equipment, once installed, will improve the lighting substantially.”

D e s p i t e t h e s e improvements, the recent evaluation by CONCACAF

revealedthatthelightingstill fell short of the minimum acceptable standards, prompting the adjustment to anearlierkick-offtime.

The Reggae Boyz and their supporters are now gearing up for an afternoon showdown, hoping to start

their World Cup Qualifying campaign on a high note.

Theteam’smanagementand players are focused and ready to give their best performance in front of a homecrowd.

Fanseagertosupportthe Reggae Boyz can purchase

tickets at www.jff.football, with prices set at $1,500 JMD for bleachers and $5,500 JMD for grandstand seats.

The team looks forward to robust support from their fansattheNationalStadium onThursdayafternoon.

Australia will miss ‘natural winner’ Warner when he retires, says Ponting

SportsMax - David

Warner will leave “a really bigsetofshoestofill”when he retires from international cricket after the T20 World Cup, former Australia captainRickyPontingsays.

The 37-year-old will complete his stage-by-stage international retirement at the conclusion of the tournament,whereAustralia begintheircampaignagainst Omantoday,Thursday

The reigning Cricket World Cup winners and World Test champions, who will also play England, Scotland and Namibia in Group B, are aiming to completethesweepofglobal international honours in the United States and West Indies.

Warner would be one of four players to have appeared in all three finals, along with Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Travis Head. Asteady and injuryhit Indian Premier League

season with the Delhi Capitals - led by three-time WorldCupwinnerPontingled to question marks over h

Ponting,Warner’sinclusion was never in doubt, and he is backing Jake FraserMcGurk - the winner of the IPL’s 2024 Electric Striker of the Season award and a travellingreserve-tofillthe void when he brings the curtain down on his international career “He’s

David Warner

the sort of character you want to have around your team, especially in big tournaments like World Cups, ” Ponting told ESPNcricinfo.

“He’s just one of those naturalwinners Everything he does, he wants to win You can see that with his attitude in the field and the way he goes about his cricket “There’s more than just the runs that we’ll be missingwhenWarnerfinally isgone.

India quicks lead demolition of Ireland on fizzing pitch

ESPNcricinfo - New York’s second match as a T20Ivenuewasalotlikeits first:low-scoringandbrutal.

Two days after SouthAfrica bowledSriLankaoutfor77 here, India bowled Ireland out for 96. A different strip was used for this game, but the bounce was just as inconsistent,andbattingjust as difficult, if not outright dangerous.

India’s selection was spot-on - they picked four fast bowlers including Hardik Pandya, and two spin-bowling allrounders to lengthentheirbatting,which meant they left Kuldeep Yadavonthebench.

They didn’t need all that batting in the end, as Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant helped them cross the line with 46 balls remaining, but the packed pace attack proved extremely useful

A r s h d e e p S i n g h , Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik picked up 8 for 81 between them, extracting seam movement and up-and-down bounce right through an Ireland innings that lasted just 16 overs.

As good as those performances were, though, this match will be remembered for the conditions Batters from

both teams took body blows - Rohit retired hurt on 52, soon after being struck on the arm - and by the time India wrapped up their win, their thoughts may have gone ahead to June 9 at the same venue, and what kind of pitch they may have to playPakistanon.

Arshdeepsetsthetone

The first two overs gave enoughofaclueofhowthis pitch would behave, with both Arshdeep and Siraj extracting inconsistent bounce One ball from Arshdeep - seam-up rather thanaslowerballorcutterbounced a second time

b e f o r e r e a c h i n g wicketkeeperPant,butmost of the inconsistency was up rather than down, with one ball forcing Pant into a leaping, overhead, goalkeeper-stylesave. Extra bounce brought India their first wicket, Paul Stirling top-edging a heave across the line at the start of thethirdover By the end of that over, Arshdeephadtakenoutboth openers He was finding ways to mix up his stock inswinger to the righthander with balls that kept going with the left-armer’s angle across them, and one of these away-slanters bowled Andy Balbirnie, as

hestayedleg-sideoftheball andtriedtosteeronedownto third.

Irelandcollapse

By the end of the powerplay,Irelandwerestill only two down, but Harry Tector had already been hit on the glove and the thigh padandwasbattingon1off 10. That became 4 off 15 beforeanastyshortballfrom Bumrahhurriedhim,andhe ended up gloving the attempted pull into his helmetandthentothefielder atshortextra-cover

Bythentheyhadalsolost Lorcan Tucker, bowled trying to drive a nip-backer fromHardik.

India kept getting the lengthballtoniparoundand the short-of-length ball to climb, and Ireland kept losingwickets.

Eventheintroductionof spindidn’tstemthecollapse, as Barry McCarthy was caught and bowled by an Axar Patel ball that stuck in thepitch.At50for8,Ireland were in danger of falling short of their lowest T20I total-68againstWestIndies during the 2010 edition of thistournament.

They eventually crossed that mark, with Gareth Delany’srisk-takingcoming off - where that of his teammates’ mostly didn’t - in a

Sharma gets down low to play the ball. (AFP via Getty Images)

14-ball 26 that carried Irelandto96.

RohitandPantfinishthe job Rohit and Virat Kohli cameoutswinging-perhaps they reckoned that the new ball and powerplay field restrictions gave them the best chance of quick runsand came away with contrastingoutcomes.

Kohli fell early, caught on the deep-third boundary while charging at Mark Adair and looking to slap himoverthecovers.

Rohitenjoyedtwoslices of early luck - Balbirnie put down a tough chance at second slip in the first over,

Paolini stuns Rybakina to reach

BBC Sport - Jasmine

Paolini stunned Elena Rybakina in a back-andforthcontesttoreachherfirst GrandSlamsemi-finalatthe FrenchOpen.

Italian 12th seed Paolini won 6-2 4-6 6-4 against the Kazakhstanifourthseedona windy Court PhilippeChatrier

“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” said Paolini, who wrappedupthewinaftertwo hours and three minutes at RolandGarros.

She will face Russian MirraAndreevainthesemifinals.

Paoliniwascompetingin herfirstGrandSlamquarterfinal following an impressiveseasonwhichhas seen the 28-year-old break into the top 15 for the first time and win her maiden WTA1,000titleattheDubai Tennis Championships in February.

B u t i n f o r m e r Wimbledon champion Rybakina,24,shewasfacing

Jasmine Paolini was competing in her maiden Grand Slam quarter-final. [Getty Images]

offAdair,andaninside-edge in the second over, off Josh Little,ranawayforfourpast thestumps-andcarriedonto scorehis30thT20Ififty.The pitch remained treacherous, and Rohit’s control percentage hovered in the 40s for most of his innings, beforeclimbingto51bythe time he retired hurt. But he hit some telling blows too, most notably two trademark pulls off successive balls from Little that brought up his 599th and 600th sixes in international cricket. Before that, he also went past 4000 runsinT20Is.

Pant looked more fluent

than Rohit, indeed as fluent asanyonecouldhavelooked on this pitch, and hit three sixes and two fours while scoring an unbeaten 36 off 26.

Hetookahittotheelbow and one to the shoulder, and his response to the latter blow summed him up as a cricketer and character: he finished the match off the next ball, reverse-scooping McCarthy for six over the wicketkeeper

Scores: India 97 for 2 (Rohit 52, Pant 36*) beat Ireland 96 (Delany 26, Hardik 3-27, Bumrah 2-6) byeightwickets.

French Open semis

theworldnumberfouranda player,alongsideSabalenka, who was favourite to challenge two-time defending champion Iga SwiatekforthetitleinParis. Paolini started brightly, showing no signs of nerves asshebrokeRybakinainthe openinggame.

W i t h R y b a k i n a struggling for consistency,

Paolini took advantage, servingherfirstthreegames to love with a whipping cross-courtforehandwinner

Paolini broke again before seeing out the set 6-2 withRybakinaearningjusta single point on the Italian’s serve.

Havingdroppedasetfor the first time this year in Paris, Rybakina needed to

resp

unforced errors punctuating her performance, she started to find more consistency withherstrokes.

The pair traded multiple breaksbeforeakeymoment came at 5-4 as a Paolini backhand went long, giving Rybakinasetpointwhichshe claimed with some good workatthenet.

The deciding set saw both players hampered by the wind and struggling for consistency with unforced errorsandbreaksofserve.

At 4-4 a wild forehand into the net from Rybakina, which prompted a puzzled look from her coaching team, gave Paolini a 30-15

lead which she took advantage of, earning the chance to serve for the match.

A long backhand from Rybakina-her48thunforced error - then gave Paolini victoryforthebiggestwinof hercareersofar

WhoisJasminePaolini?

Paolini was born in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, atowninTuscany,andmade herdebutontheWTAtourin 2015.

She has won two singles titles but has enjoyed her mostproductiveyeartodate in 2024, reaching the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time at the AustralianOpeninJanuary

Her performance against Rybakina - who she beat for the second time in her nineyearcareer-wonthebacking of the Paris crowd, who cheered throughout her tenaciousperformance. With Jannik Sinner also reaching the last four, there will be Italians in the semifinals of both the men’s and women’s singles at a major forthefirsttimeintheOpen era.

“It was a really tough match I was a bit too emotionalinthesecondset,” saidPaolini.

“Isaidtomyself,‘OK,it isgood.[Rybakina]isagreat championsoitcanhappen’.I tried to hit every ball and it worked,Iamhere.

“I just tried to stay there every point, to forget what happenedinthesecondset.I managedtocomebackandI just accept that and fight again.

Thank you guys, thank you very much for cheering forme.”

Rohit

Alcaraz beats Tsitsipas to set up Sinner semi-final

BBC Sport - Carlos Alcaraz made light work of StefanosTsitsipastosetupa tantalising French Open semi-final against incoming world number one Jannik Sinner

Spanish third seed

Alcaraz,21,won6-37-6(73) 6-4 against Greek ninth seedTsitsipasontheRoland Garros clay It was the second year running that Alcaraz had dismantled 2021 runner-up Tsitsipas in thequarter-finalsattheParis major

The reigning Wimbledon championhasnowwonallsix ofhiscareermeetingsagainst Tsitsipas

Meanwhile, second seed Sinnercontinuedhispursuitof asecondstraightGrandSlam titlebycomfortablyseeingoff Grigor Dimitrov earlier on Tuesday

The Australian Open championwon6-26-47-6(73) against the Bulgarian 10th seed and found out after the matchheissettomovetopof theATPrankings

Defending champion Novak Djokovic pulled out beforehisquarter-finalwitha leginjury,meaninghewillbe replaced by 22-year-old Sinner when the latest rankings are released next week. “It’s every player’s dreamtobecomenumberone

intheworld,”saidSinner,who willbecomethefirstItalianto lead the men’s rankings since theywereintroducedin1973

“On the other hand, seeing Novak retiring [from the tournament] is disappointing, so I wish him a speedy recovery”

Djokovic’s withdrawal means there will be a new name etched on the Coupe des Mousquetaires after Sunday’s men’s singles final.Who that will turn out to be is still anyone’s guess, butAlcarazstrengthenedhis claims with another impressive win. Alcaraz, whose other major triumph came at the 2022 US Open, arrived at Roland Garros

Out-of-sorts

BBC Sport - Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva claimed the biggest win of hercareeragainstanout-ofsorts Aryna Sabalenka to reach the semi-finals of the FrenchOpen.

Second seed Sabalenka was seen grimacing and pointing to her stomach as shetalkedtomedicalstaffin themiddleofthefirstset.

She continued to struggle and appeared to consider retiring from the match.

Despite being far from herbest,Sabalenkamanaged to move past her discomfort tocompletethematch.

But it was Andreeva, ranked 38th in the world, who emerged victorious, wrapping up a 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-4win.

The 17-year-old is the youngest Grand Slam semifinalistsinceMartinaHingis attheUSOpenin1997.

“Honestly I was really nervous before the match, I

Sinner has reached the French Open semi-finals for the first time. [Getty Images]

with an arm injury which limited his preparations on theEuropeanclaycourts.

Despite still wearing a protective arm sleeve, the problem seems behind him as he continues to smoothly movethroughthegears.

Alcaraz made a rapid start by breaking a nervouslooking Tsitsipas in the first game of the night session match and backing that up with a comfortable hold to love Tsitsipas famously blamedlastyear’sone-sided defeat-wherehetrailed6-1 6-2 5-1 before losing the third-set in a tie-break - on taking melatonin pills to facilitate an afternoon snooze. While he did look

Carlos Alcaraz, who reached the semi-finals last year, is bidding for his first French Open title. [Getty Images]

sharper as he settled down, Tsitsipas still did not pose enoughquestionsofAlcaraz andaterribleservicegameat 5-3handedovertheopening setafterjust31minutes.

Things threatened to run away from the Greek in a woeful start to the second set.Angrilychunteringathis box and losing focus, Tsitsipas quickly fell 3-0 behindbutralliedtotakethe setintoatie-break.

However,Alcaraz upped his level again to secure a two-set lead and was gifted another decisive break for a 4-3 lead, in what had been a tighter third, when Tsitsipas produced his second double fault of the game. “It was a

very good match, I played great I controlled my emotions and I was really calminthemomentsIhadto be,”saidAlcaraz.Relentless SinnerendsDimitrovrunOn a blustery Court Philippe Chatrier, Sinner appeared focused on just his second quarter-final appearance at theclay-courtGrandSlam.

Having secured his first major title in Melbourne earlier this year, Sinner added titles in Rotterdam and Miami, where he beat Dimitrov in the final and reached a career-high world ranking of second.This was a first quarter-final appearanceatRolandGarros for Dimitrov and the 33-

year-old, 11 years his opponent’s senior, looked uncomfortable throughout the first set. He struggled to copewithSinner’srelentless power, batting the Italian’s forehand away with a weak backhandtoconcedethefirst break before saving three breakpointsbutrelentingon the fourth to go a double breakdown.

The second set started much the same with Sinner crunching a forehand down the line to steal Dimitrov’s serve in the opening game andthatwasallheneededto eventually take a two-set lead Dimitrov managed to avoidanotherdisastrousstart in the third set, fending off break point to hold from d e u c e Wo r d s o f encouragement continued to shower down from his coaches but Sinner showed why he will soon be the highest-ranked player in the world by capitalising on a poor service game from the Bulgarianat4-4tobreakand have the chance to serve for thematch

Dimitrov picked that moment to switch it on, immediately breaking back and forcing a tie-break, but hislatesurgewastonoavail as Sinner steamed ahead to dominate the tie-break and preventafourthset.

knocked out by Andreeva, 17

knew she’d have an advantage,” said Andreeva, who had lost both her previous meetings with the Belarusianinstraightsets.

“Me and my coach, we had a plan today but again I didn’t remember anything. I justtrytoplayasIfeel.”

Andreeva capitalises on Sabalenkastruggles

After exchanging breaks early in the opening set, it quickly became apparent that Sabalenka was feeling

Mirra Andreeva was playing in her first Grand Slam quarter -final. (Getty Images)

Sabalenka received medical attention throughout the match. (Getty Images)

undertheweather.

The Australian Open winner became increasingly frustrated with her belowpar performance and called for the trainer as Andreeva broketogo4-3up.

After talking to the match doctor and returning tothecourt,Sabalenkamade aswipinggestureatherneck and seemed close to signallingherretirement.

But she appeared to brighten and managed to

level the set at 5-5 before diggingdeepinthetie-break totaketheopener

The same problems returned for Sabalenka, however, and she often needed to crouch down and steadyherselfonherracquet - receiving a time violation ononeoccasion.

The 26-year-old looked closetotearsformuchofthe secondsetandmadeaslow, lethargic walk to her seat whenAndreevabrokeat5-4

toforceadecider

Bothplayersstruggledto hold serve as the match trundled past the two-hour mark, and Sabalenka continuedtoreceivemedical attention.

Andreeva capitalised on heropponent’sstrugglesand landedanoutrageouslobon hersecondmatchpointat54tosealafamousvictory

Andreeva’s rise continues It is another win that

marksAndreeva’s rapid rise tothetopofthesport.

Whenthelatestrankings arereleasedonMonday,she issettofindherselfinthetop 30forthefirsttime.

PlayinginherfirstGrand

Slam quarter-final, Andreeva occasionally looked agitated by Sabalenka’s discomfort, annoyed the world number two could hit stunning winners after struggling to standupstraight.

Buttheteenagerkepther nerve and calmly moved throughthesecondandthird set, using a powerful twohanded backhand and delicate drop shots to good effect.

It continues a fantastic 12monthsasshereachedthe last 16 at Wimbledon last summer and then thrashed three-timeSlamfinalistOns Jabeur on her way to the fourth round at the Australian Open earlier this year

GoldenJaguarsWorldCupqueststartsinPanamatonight

BYRAWLETONEY

The2026WorldCupison the horizon, and like every country affiliated with football’s global governing body, FIFA, Guyana will be hoping to qualify for the beautiful game’s biggest spectacle.

The Golden Jaguars will start their journey to the World Cup against Panama today in Panama City, with kick-offsetfor8:30pmatthe Estadio Rommel Fernández Gutiérrez.

Of the 211 countries affiliated with FIFA, only 80 have ever qualified for the FIFA World Cup. Among those, just 11 are from the Confederation of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) region.

Golden Jaguars Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz believes Guyana could join Cuba (1938), Haiti (1974), Jamaica(1998),andTrinidad and Tobago (2006) as Caribbean countries to reach

Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz and his assistant, Wayne Dover, having a moment with some Golden Jaguars players during their lead-up to tonight’s game.

FIFA’spremiertournament. GuyanawillplayPanama for just the second time in their history, with the first meeting, at the 2019 Gold Cup,ending4–2infavourof theCentralAmericanside.

The Golden Jaguars headed to Panama following a stint in Brazil where they faced some of the country’s top sides, as Shabazz stated, “The matches in Brazil

provided a good dress rehearsal for us. Our tactical patterns are ambitious but clearly understood by the players. We have a couple more days to complete our w o r k ”

ShabazzwillturntoChicago Fire’s Omari Glasgow and Seattle Sounders forward OsazeDeRosariotoleadhis attack, with both players competing in Major League

Golden Jaguars players in preparation mode in Panama ahead of their World Cup qualifier.

Soccer (MLS) NextPro League.

“I’m excited about the World Cup campaign,” Glasgow said. “This is what we’ve been preparing for, so I’m excited to go out there andperformindividuallyand asateam.Ithinkthefirsttwo games will be a test, but I’m upforthechallenge.”

Glasgow is Shabazz’s talisman, being his leading

scorer in League B of the CONCACAF Nations League,andisonthevergeof becoming the country’s leading scorer, with 16 goals in 22 appearances for Guyana.

Shabazz will also have Nathan Moriah-Welsh at his disposal. The player, who recentlysignedwithScottish Premier League side Hibernian FC, has not suited

up for Guyana since scoring for the Golden Jaguars in their 6–0 win over Antigua and Barbuda in the final Nations League game last year Slingerz FC’s captain Quincy Adams and his teammates Curtez Kellman, Darron Niles, Leo Lovell, andAkelClarkewilljointhe GuyanaDefenceForce’s (Continuedonpage25)

MbappearrivalleavesBarcafearingMadriddomination

AFP - Real Madrid wrestled the Spanish title back from Barcelona at a canter this season and, after claiming a record 15th Champions League, their signing of world football’s biggest star Kylian Mbappe rubs yet more salt in their rivals’wounds.

Los Blancos’addition of Mbappe to an already starstudded squad is a striking statementofintentandcould tilt the domestic balance of power even further in Madrid’sfavour Barcelona, grappling

with self-inflicted

debilitating financial challenges, cannot keep up in the arms race with Madrid Mbappe arrives for free attheendofhisParisSaintGermain contract, but Barcelona would not be able to afford the 25-yearold’s lavish salary or signonfee

Over the past decade

Barca squandered hundreds of millions of euros on failed signings, including

Philippe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembele and AntoineGriezmann,aswell as satisfying a sky-high wagebill.

Madrid’s financial muscle is showcased by the fact they already boast ViniciusJuniorwholikesto playinthesameareaonthe left side of the attack so Mbappe could even be consideredaluxuryarrival.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti will have to reconfigure his attacking set-up, with Rodrygo Goes potentially dropping out of the side to accommodateMbappe However, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez

sees Mbappe as the final piece of the puzzle to go with their completed Santiago Bernabeu stadium refurbishment

By contrast Barcelona of late have contented themselves with loan arrivals and out-of-contract stars reaching the tail-end of their careers and looking foronelastchallenge

They were unable to adequately replace veteran defensive midfielder Sergio Busquets last summer and

theirdefencecrumbled.

FrancecaptainMbappe’s marquee arrival and numerous other already acquired young stars, including Engl

Bellingham, can help MadriddominateLaLigafor yearstocome.

In response Barcelona may look to hit back by targeting Nico Williams fromAthletic Bilbao for the leftflankoftheirattack.

TheSpaininternational’s

50 million euro release clause makes him a more financially feasible option for the cash-strapped Catalans than other players ofsimilarquality

However,anysignificant arrivals would require Barcelona to first offload playerstobalancethebooks, potentially sacrificing some squaddepthandbalance.

-Braceforimpact-

Mbappe’s arrival could upset the harmony in Madrid’s dressing room, given his superstar status Ancelotti may also take time to find the best system to fit the forward in. Having committed to giving part of their television revenue away for the next quarter of a century in exchange for heavy investment two summers ago, Barcelona will need to rely heavily on their La Masia youth academy

Variousbrilliantyoung players including Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi have emerged recently, giving hope they can continue to battle Madrid’s millions with

homegrowntalent Barcelona have been on the sharp end of Mbappe’s explosive talent already, with the forward netting twice in April to knock them out of the Champions League in the lasteight

Including a hat-trick in 2021, Mbappe has six goals in four games againstBarcelona

Other Spanish sides willbedreadingMbappe’s impacttoo

With Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s goalscoringexploitsinthe past, it has been eight years since any player has scored 40 league goals, but Mbappe has the capacity

Opponents will likely sit deeper and deeper against Madrid to stop Mbappe and Vinicius vaporising them on the counter-attack, as they so often did against Barcelona in their heyday underPepGuardiola

Now the Catalans are bracingthemselvesforwhat Madrid and Perez hope will be a similar era of glittering success rather than another failedGalacticoexperiment.

Paris Saint-Germain’s French forward Kylian Mbappe netted twice against Barcelona at Montjuic in the Champions League. (FRANCK FIFE)

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Uganda’s bowlers and Riazat seal their first win in T20 World Cup history

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GoldenJaguarsWorldCup queststartsinPanamatonight

Jasprit Bumrah celebrates a wicket. (Getty Images)