Kaieteur News

One of many Palestinian children dies from starvation in Gaza

(NEWYORKTIMES)It is all too easy to trace the skull beneath the Gazan boy’s face, the pallid skin stretching tight over every curve of bone and sagging with every hollow His chin juts with a disturbing sharpness His flesh has shrunk and shriveled, life reduced to little more than a thin mask over an imminent death.

Inoneofaseriesofnews photographs of the boy, Yazan Kafarneh, taken with hisfamily’spermissionashe struggled for his life, his long-lashed eyes stare out, unfocused. In that widely shared picture online, his righthand,bandagedoveran

intravenousline,contractsin on itself at an awkward angle,avisiblemarkerofhis cerebralpalsy He was 10, but in photographs from his last days at a clinic in southern Gaza,helooksbothsmallfor his age and at the same time ancient. By Monday, Yazan was dead. The pictures of Yazan circulating on social media have quickly made him the face of starvation in Gaza Aid groups have warned that deaths from malnutrition-related causes have only just begun for Gaza’s more than two million people. Five months into Israel’s campaign against Hamas and its siege

of Gaza, hundreds of thousandsofPalestiniansare close to starvation, United Nationsofficialssay Almost no aid has reached northern Gaza for weeks, after major U N agencies mostly suspended their operations, citing mass looting of their cargoes by desperate Gazans, Israeli restrictions on convoys and the poor condition of roads damaged duringthewar

At least 20 Palestinian children have died from m a l n u t r i t i o n a n d dehydration, according to Gazan health officials. Like Yazan, who required medicines that were in acutelyshortsupplyinGaza, manyofthosewhodiedalso suffered from health conditions that further placed their lives at risk, health officials said. “It’s often that a child is extremely malnourished, and then they get sick and that virus is ultimately what causes that death,” said Heather Stobaugh, a malnutritionexpertatAction Against Hunger, an aid group. “But they would not have died if they were not malnourished.”

Gazahealthofficialssaid thattwoofthechildrenwho died from malnutrition were less than 2 days old. While cautioning that it was difficult to say what had happened without more information, Dr Stobaugh said that malnutrition in pregnant mothers and the lack of formula could easily have led to the deaths of infants, who are the most vulnerable to extreme malnutrition.

That dovetailed with an account given by an aid

group, ActionAid, which saidthatadoctoratAl-Awda maternity hospital in northern Gaza had told the group that malnourished mothersweregivingbirthto stillborn children. Yazan’s parents had struggled for months to care for their son, whose condition, experts say, would have meant he had trouble swallowing and neededasoft,high-nutrition diet After the Israeli bombardment on Gaza followingtheOct.7Hamasled assault on Israel, his parents fled their home,

takingYazan and their three other sons to somewhere theyhopedwouldbesafer

Thentheyfledagain,and again, and again, his father said, searching for somewherebetterforYazan, whose condition meant that he could not tolerate the chaotic, unsanitary shelters. E v e r y m o v e w a s complicated by the fact that Yazancouldnotwalk.

His parents could do little but watch as his health steadily deteriorated. “Day after day, I saw my son getting weaker,” said his

father, Shareef Kafarneh, a 31-year-old taxi driver from Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza.

Eventually, they ended up in Al-Awda, in the southern city of Rafah, where Yazan died on Monday morning. He had suffered from both malnutrition and a respiratory infection, according to Dr Jabr alShaer, a pediatrician who treated him. Dr al-Shaer blamed the lack of food for weakeningYazan’salready

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Yazan Kafarneh on his hospital bed in Rafah, southern Gaza, on Sunday By Monday, he was dead. Credit...Hatem Ali/Associated Press

Lining up for food at a refugee camp in Rafah on Tuesday. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are close to starvation, United Nations officials say. Credit...Haitham Imad/EPA, via Shutterstock

Govt. must urgently engage Exxon to get the best deal for Guyana-Opposition

...says VP Jagdeo can kickstart discussion with his new PSA

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo’s challenge for “anyone” to draft a plan for renegotiation of the ExxonMobil oil contract, using conditions he has set, showshehasnointentionto defend the interests of Guyanese.

This is according to the Office of the Leader of the Opposition.Inalettertothis newspaper, the Opposition said, “We noted that VP Jagdeoissuedachallengeto the Opposition to draft a renegotiation plan This plan, he told reporters at his Press Conference, must consider, as he described it, the“constrainingfactors”of Net Zero and the decline in fundingforfossilfuelrelated investmentsglobally.”

The political group reminded theVice President that it was the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration that crafted a new Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) only last year that requires oil companies to pay higher royalty, corporate taxes and other new fiscal terms “which apparently encountered no difficulties with those same Net Zero andfundingconstraints.”

To this end, the Opposition reasoned that if

theVicePresidentgenuinely wanted to improve the Stabroek Block deal, he would simply use the terms of the new PSA as a f o u n d a t i o n o f i t s renegotiation strategy More importantly, the Opposition pointedoutthatwhatJagdeo sees as constraining factors are in fact imperatives or compelling reasons for government to urgently engage Exxon and its coventurers,HessandCNOOC to get the best deal for Guyana, while not jeopardizing their ability to earnaprofit.

“If,asprojected,thepush toNetZerowouldgradually reducedemandforoilinthe

future, then, for us, that should compel the governmenttoseekagreater share of revenues now for the benefit of present and future generations,” the groupunderscored.

Consequently, the Opposition noted, “Let’s therefore call Jagdeo’s challenge for what it is: an attempt to deflect attention from the fact that he has no intention to defend the interests of the people of Guyana.”

According to the politicalgroup,ithasalready pledged to invite the oil companies to the table to discuss getting more revenuesforGuyanesefrom the country’s petroleum resources, after it assumes governmentin2025.

It added, “There are several ways to effectively garner greater income, with ring-fencing being just one possibility” On Sunday, Kaieteur News reported that VP Jagdeo said anyone can submit plans on how the government can renegotiate Guyana’s oil contract once they stick to the conditions that have been outlined by him. While responding to a question from this newspaper at his weekly press conference on

Major meeting today to tackle crisis in Haiti

Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali said that the Community is working assiduously to address the ongoing crisisinHaiti,andhasresolvedtomeetwith the country’s key development partners to chartawayforward.

The chairman gave the update in a broadcast uploaded on Friday evening. He remindedthattheseeffortsarewiththeview ofbringingstabilityandnormalcybacktothe country “We have taken the decision as a community to write the heads of state and heads of government of the key countries with whom Haiti is engaged as partners, inviting them to meet with our heads in CARICOM, in Kingston, Jamaica, on Monday, March 11, 2024, to urgently address the state of affairs and all other mattercriticaltothestabilisationofsecurity and the provision of urgent humanitarian aidtothepeopleofHaiti,”hesaid.

Thepresidentlamentedthatthesituation in Haiti remains dire, and continues to pose seriousconcerns.Reportsindicatethatgangs have taken over Haiti and Prime Minister Ariel Henry remains locked out of the country The gangs in the country are

ThursdayatFreedomHouse in Georgetown, he explained, “The offer to renegotiate Guyana’s oil contracts is open to anyone who can come up with the plantodosooncetheystick totheconditionsset”. He went on to list the conditions, “That we don’t

lose momentum, let me go through it again… so no litigation that will stop the development of future projectsthat’sone.Two,that the window that we have through net zero…be taken into account and there are a coupleofotherconditions.”

Jagdeo at his February 29, 2024 press conference, challenged Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton and his ‘secret’ oil and gas advisorstodrafta“sensible” renegotiation plan for the lopsided Stabroek Block oil contract. Kaieteur News had askedtheVicePresidentifhe willsupportNorton’soiland gas advisors if they devise a strategy to renegotiate the StabroekBlockdeal.

Jagdeo responded, “Let himcomewithastrategyand then I will speak about it” while noting that such a strategy would receive his support if the plan is

sensible.

“If it is a clownish strategy don’t expect me to supportit,ifit’ssensibleand it takes all the variables into consideration ” Jagdeo said.Thefirstvariableisthat “Net Zero” can be a “constrainingfactor”forthe future of oil and gas. Net zero refers to the balance between the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) that’s produced and the amountthat’sremovedfrom the atmosphere. According to Jagdeo, Net Zero is a globalreality

“…Everycountryspeaks aboutit,everycountryinthe worldspeaksaboutit,Saudi Arabiaspeaksaboutit,UAE, Qatar and we in Guyana behave as though that doesn’t exist, that variable, which is a constraining factor for the future,” the VicePresidenttold Kaieteur News

threateningtocommitgenocideandcivilwar ifHenrydoesnotresign.

ArielHenrytookcontrolofHaitiafterthe assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7, 2021. Since then, Henry has not moved forward with the process of holding elections. With this in mind, the chairman assured that the community will continue to work untilthereis a ‘satisfactoryresolution’ thatbringsrelieftothoseinHaiti.Hesaidthat while considerable progress has been made, thereisstillanurgentneedforaconsensuson atangiblesolution.

“The heads of government of the Caribbean Community remain engaged in deep discussions with the various stakeholders in Haiti, and Prime Minister Henry We have impressed on the respective parties that time is not on their side, in agreeing to the way forward,” the CARICOM chairman underscored He maintained,“Wewillcontinuetodoasmuch as we can to the best of our ability, dedicating the time and resources in the interest of the Haitian people and Haiti, remembering that the resolution and solution for Haiti must be led by the people, andownedbythepeopleofHaiti,”(DPI)

Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

Corruption and economic growth

The plus side is grand, but the great weights of corruption and political discord tilt Guyana's bittersweet realities into dangerous territory Sweet because of the lush riches owned by all Guyanese, bitterduetothefatalpoisonsthataresuchahugepartofthe Guyaneseexperience.

GuyanesedonotneedaCNBCreporttoenlightenthem astohowthingsarehere,theyknowbecausethishasbeen their life since Independence. Corruption and political discordhavebeenalmostlikeclosefamilymembers. The twosicknesseshavedominatedinseasonswheretherewas more,andothertimes,whentherewasalmostnothing.Like the jaws of a ferocious pitbull, corruption and political discordhavelatchedontoGuyanese,andjustwouldnotlet go.

Itislogicaltobelievethatwiththeeconomyestimated to double in the next five years corruption could also double. With so much activity and money in the local environment, and considering the rampant rate of local corruption,thereisthefirstboneofcontention. Itisnotjust who cheats and swindles, but who is left out from taking part in the looting of the economy under the cover of multimillion-dollarprojects.

Insatiablegreedandunendingaddictionstocorruption unleash new animosities in those who are left out of the action.

Politicaldiscordfeedson,gainsmuchstrengthfrom,the massive corruptions that are conspicuous by their size, frequency, processes, and the kind of hustlers around the lavish self-enrichments. The lowly and the poor are the oneswhofeelthepainbecausetheyareoutsidethecharmed circleofroguesandhustlers.

The circle is populated by cabals in which many are political, others contractual, and the rest part of the huge surrounding cast of self-dealers in the public and private sectors. This becomes an aggravating and self-fulfilling two-waystreetthatchewsontheconsciousness.

PoliticaldiscordinGuyana,thoughancient,getsanew leaseonlife.

Allthetoxicingredientsarepresent:whogetsandwho doesn't, who is given a chance to participate in their patrimonyandwhoisn't.

Inevitably, there is this great, big slash in Guyanese society: the thin ranks of the haves, and the big and ballooning ranks of the have nots There is an interconnection present, and no bright and inspiring GDP projection number is going to make the antagonistic political underpinnings (discord) go away or ease up. On the contrary, the bigger and more beautiful the GDP projections, the more likely that corruption will intensify, the more hostile, deep, and enduring the political discords thathaveforeverroiledthiscountry

GDPestimated to double in the coming five years is a wonderfuldevelopmentforGuyana.

What would be even more wonderful is if the circumstances in which Guyanese live, especially those struggling with lean times, were to double in a positive direction.

That is, they have spending power in their hands; they can afford more than today Additionally, they are comforted by the experience of feeling the effects of GDP doubling because it touches their lives with good things. From pay to pensions, to other provisions that make all Guyanesefeelwhatitisliketobeprosperous.

Politiciansowecitizensthedutytocleanupcorruption, starting with themselves, and then looking at their own. Politicians must put their heads together to lift above the discord that cripples and retrenches. If not, the best GDP projectionsintheworldwouldnotbeworthmuch.

What Jadgeo sees as constraints to a better oil contract, we see as imperatives to compel urgent action

DearEditor,

We noted that VP Jagdeo issued a challenge to the Opposition to draft a renegotiation plan. This plan, he told reportersathisPressConference,must consider, as he described it, the "constraining factors" of Net Zero and the decline in funding for fossil fuel relatedinvestmentsglobally Jagdeo's ineptitude is so extreme thatheseemstohaveforgottenthatitis his very government which crafted a new model PSA– with higher royalty, corporate taxes, and other new provisions – which apparently encountered no difficulties with those sameNetZeroandfundingconstraints. If he genuinely wanted to improve the Stabroek Block contract, he could simply use the PSA he developed as a

startingpointofanyrenegotiationplan.

But more fundamentally, what he sees as constraining factors, we, in the Opposition, see as imperatives or compelling reasons for Guyana to urgently talk to the Stabroek Block companies to get the best for Guyana, while not jeopardizing their ability to earnaprofit.If,asprojected,thepushto Net Zero would gradually reduce demandforoilinthefuture,then,forus, that should compel the government to seekagreatershareofrevenuesnowfor the benefit of present and future generations.

Let's therefore call Jagdeo's challenge for what it is: an attempt to deflect attention from the fact that he has no intention to defend the interests ofthepeopleofGuyana.

Let us remind the nation that the Opposition has pledged that, when it assumes government in 2025, it will invite the oil companies to the table to discuss getting more revenues for Guyanese from our petroleum resources.

There are several ways to effectively garner greater income, with ring-fencingbeingjustonepossibility

IntheshortremainingtimethePPP has in office, we can only hope for no furtherdangerstoourcountrycausedby Jagdeo's incompetence and inadequacies.WeintheOppositionwill continuetostandguardintheinterestof thepeople.

Respectfully,

Office of the Leader of the Opposition

CARICOM, Chattel Slavery and Indentureship

DearEditor,

I am writing to you regarding the Communiqué from the 46th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Georgetown, whichwasheldfrom25to28 February On the issue of “reparations” , the Communiquéstated:

“The Conference proposes to place more emphasis on direct engagement, advocacy, and negotiations, including strengthening partnership withtheAfricanUnion.

They agreed to broaden the context for Reparatory Justice to include native g e n o c i d e , c h a t t e l enslavement, indentureship, and colonialism and recognized the peculiar circumstances of overseas territories in the Region in relation to Reparatory Justice. They requested the PMSC [Prime Ministerial Sub Committee] on Reparations to advise on modalities for their involvementinCARICOM's Reparationsagenda”.

TheGuyanaReparations National Committee commends the Conference of Heads of States for its commitment and leadership in advancing the reparations agenda and for its recognition of the diverse and complex historical and contemporaryrealitiesofthe Caribbeanregion.

GRNC respects and appreciatestheworkandthe visionoftheConferenceand the PMSC on Reparations and its efforts to advise on the best ways to involve overseas territories in the reparations'agenda.

The Guyana National

Reparations Committee has received many calls about theDeclarationbytheHeads and as such, offers these comments, observations, and suggestions regarding t h e i n c l u s i o n o f indentureship and colonialisminthecontextof ReparatoryJustice.

Itisquiteunderstandable that the inclusion of indentureship has generated some confusion and controversy among various stakeholders in the Caribbean, Africa, the United States, and the European African Diaspora asthefirstimpressionisthat the current CARICOM 10Point Plan for Reparatory Justice that addresses “Indigenous Genocide will be modified to include “Indentureship”.

Indentureship was a system of labour migration thatinvolvedtherecruitment and transportation of millions of workers from India, China, and other countriestovariouscolonies and territories around the world, including the Caribbean,betweenthe19th and 20th centuries. Indentureship was regulated in India by the Immigration Act of 1854, which was passed by the British Parliament and the Government of India, and which stipulated the terms and conditions of the contracts signed by the indentured workers, such as their wages, food, clothing, accommodation, religious needs and duration of service.

Indentureship was a complex and controversial phenomenon that had both positive and negative

impacts on the lives and societies of indentured workers and their descendants.

On the one hand, indentureship provided opportunities for economic and social mobility, cultural diversity, and inter-ethnic solidarity for many indenturedworkersandtheir d e s c e n d a n t s , w h o contributed significantly to thedevelopmentandidentity oftheCaribbeanregion.

On the other hand, indentureship also involved v a r i o u s f o r m s o f exploitation, discrimination, and violence against the indenturedworkersandtheir descendants, who faced many challenges and hardships in their new Caribbean environments, such as poor housing, working and living conditions, low wages, high mortalityrates,limitedrights andfreedoms,andsocialand politicalmarginalization.

Indentureship deserves to be acknowledged and addressed as part of the reparations' agenda, as it is an integral part of the Caribbean history and experience.

Ithasleftalastinglegacy andimpactontheCaribbean regionanditspeople.

However, scholars and historians have stated that indentureship should be distinguished from native genocide and chattel enslavement, which are widelyrecognizedascrimes against humanity by the internationalcommunityand the United Nations, which has had International decadesforbothgroups.

`Indentureship, while involving many injustices

and abuses, was not a crime against humanity, nor was it created to treat as nonhumanordenythehumanity of the indentured, as it was not a systematic and deliberate attempt to exterminate or enslave a group of people based on theirrace,ethnicity,religion, or nationality Chattel slavery was and is, one of thegreatestcrimestheworld has seen and includes genocide.

Similarly, colonialism, the political and economic dominationofonecountryor territory by another, should also be differentiated from native genocide and chattel enslavement. It was not a crime against humanity, althoughitofteninvolvedor facilitated various forms of oppression and violence against the colonized peoplesandterritories.

The context for

ReparatoryJusticeshouldbe clarified and refined to reflect the different nature and scope of the historical injustices and grievances that affected the Caribbean region and its people, to avoid any confusion or misunderstandingamongthe various stakeholders involved in the reparations' agenda. Differing interpretations among stakeholders have the potential to shape differing visions and mandates and retardthegrowthofaglobal reparations'agenda.

The Guyana National Reparations Committee proposesthatthecontextfor Reparatory Justice should include the following categories:

1.NativeGenocide:The (Continuedonpage6)

Freddie Kissoon is turning out to be PPP/C's canker-worm

DearEditor,

Freddie Kissoon, just about a week ago, in his typical flip-flopping 'nonanalysis' detailed “Why I support the presidency of MohamedIrfaanAli.”Inhis myopic piece on March 03, 2024, chattering in his last refuge,hisrelegatedGuyana Chronicle,hewantstoknow “…why can't a person be supportive of the government without being described in negative terms, evenwhenhis/hersupportis backedbyanalysisbasedon evidence?”

This is indeed a good attempt,andquitesuccessful too, to create waves of laughter Freddie Kissoon has supplied his own debunking, and in a most incontrovertible manner on too many occasions. Let me supplysomeexamplesofhis ownanswer

Freddie Kissoon, in his “The real rigging began on this day,” March 4, 2024, continued his ennui of 'Blaming/Accusing the Opposition, A Partnership For National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) of seeking to rig the 2020 Elections. I mean the series of rigging attempts by APNU/AFC are well documentedandestablished. Discussing what took place in2020isnotworththetime and space. In fact, some members of the rigging coterie are now awaiting court proceedings, hoping

for some kind of reprieve or extrication. So, any issue surroundingtheMarch2020 rigging attempts is like 'kicking a dead horse.' The matterisnowlockedawayin thehistoryannals,andisnot dissimilar to the many 'successful riggings' under BurnhamandHoyte,leading uptothe1992elections.

According to Freddie Kissoon, and this was way afterMarch4;infact,itwas as late as May 19 2020, that “Mercury and the Russians rigged the elections for the PPP” (May 19, 2020)

Freddie was adamant, stating that “Over the weekend,Iwasgivenhighly confidential material about how the PPP rigged the March 2020 general poll in Guyana Based on the material I had, I picked up my two friends; one who writes the satirical column, “Dem Boys Seh” and the otherwhodoes“TheBaccoo Speaks.”

Hecontinued,explaining that “For obvious reason, I cannottellyouwhotheyare. But both do their columns from abroad where they are immigrants. Both are in Guyanaatthemoment.They came to hang around the ConferenceCentretoseethe recount. I turned a white shadeofpalewhenbothtold me from what they were shown, they are recorded as voted in the election even though they were not in the countryonelectionday One

issupposedtohavevotedin Roxanne Burnham Garden, theotherinBuxton.”

Freddie,almostinastate of insane anger added that “With that information and based on data, I have, I now see that the PPP rigged the election through the instrumentality of the American consultant firm, Mercury and the Russians. We owe Ramjattan and Cathy Hughes a huge apology when we rejected their proof of the Russian involvementintherigging.”

Let me summarise Freddie's'erstwhile'andnow 'ensconced' hatred of the PPP/C, as no normal person can have 'evidence' of PPP/C's rigging and still support its government. He unequivocally shouted that PPP/C rigged the 2020 elections He was unambiguous in screaming that “Mercury and the Russians rigged the elections for the PPP.” He vowed that “I now see that the PPP rigged the election

through the instrumentality of the American consultant firm, Mercury and the Russians.”

I am wondering if Freddie Kissoon still thinks orisplanningtorepent,ashe touted that “We owe Ramjattan and Cathy Hughes a huge apology whenwerejectedtheirproof of the Russian involvement intherigging.”

Freddie has unfinished business He could and should have gone to the Commission of Inquiry into the 2020 Elections Rigging Attempts He had and probably still has vital, history-changingevidence.

Secondly, in answering Freddie and with his own 'analysis,' support for the PPP/C should have ceased once and for all sometime ago. On Jan 29, 2009, in his “Guyana's future is in the PNC's hands,” Freddie Kissoonnotedthat“Iamnot ashamed to say that I have livedtoseeformsofstate

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Ending ‘period poverty’ in Guyana

DearEditor,

I note recently that First Lady Arya Ali's brainchild, the “Menstrual Hygiene Initiative,” is gathering momentum and rightly so. The news outlets have it that sheislobbyingforsupportto increase access to menstrual hygiene products Her missionisthattherebe'easy' access for every girl to have the basic necessities to cater for menstrual hygiene, since her basic biology means that she will be 'inconvenienced' forquiteawhile,eventhough intermittently So, on this note, I have a few important facts to relay, all of which willhighlighttheimportance ofLadyArya's'brainchild.'

Some facts that can be checked are as follows, and these should enlighten us in the sense of making us alert and responsive. First, from the time of her first cycle to menopause, the average woman will have around 450-500 'periods' in her lifetime. Cumulatively, this equates to over 10 years, or about more than 3,500 days.

Put in another way, the median number of lifetime menstrual cycles will correspondtodurationof3435 years of menstrual activity, on a monthly routine, or say an average of 13 cycles per year This is serious, and sometimes so 'far-removed'frommalesand generally the uneducated, that no one even pays attentiontothephenomenon.

Secondly, “The average period usually lasts between threeandsevendays,withthe average bleeding shedding between 360ml to 720ml of blood,sothatoveralifetime, the figure racks up to between 14 and a whopping 28 litres. Now that's a lot of blood.So,Ms.Aliisright,as she still has a lot of work aheadofher,sinceshewants to broaden its (the programme)reachtoinclude vulnerablewomen.

Editor,andMs.Arya,asI knowyouareaware,youare notallaloneinthisquest.Itis quitehearteningtoknowthat UNICEFisagloballeaderin (Continuedonpage6)

Not anti-Jagan

DearEditor,

This is a response to Dr JoeyJaganaccusingmeand Ravi Dev of being antiJagan (KN Mar 7). We are pro-Jagan but not MarxistLeninist-StalinistCommunist. The fact that we opposed Communist doesnotmakeusanti-Jagan.

I am pro-USA For American policymakers, there is no distinction between, communism, Marxism, socialism, democratic socialism, Fabianism, Gramcianism, and other left isms. All are considered as threat to American national security and grouped as one. And anyone associated with those 'isms', except Fidel Castro, was removed from office or undermined. Far from being anti-Jagan, I promotedCheddiandwrote

positively on him, and I did everything possible to get himelected.

I am not a member of a gang that is anti-Jagan and or anti-democracy I know ofnosuchanti-Jagangroups otherthanpoliticalnemesis. Hisopponents'loved'himas Cheddi'santi-Americanism, 'anti-Westism' helped to securetheirpoliticalcontrol inGuyana.

Jagan's contributions to androleinGuyana'spolitics anddevelopmentareetched inthehistorybooksandcan never be undermined. His character and integrity can neverbeimpugned.Andthe loveoftheIndianpeoplefor Jagan can never be diminished. But Indians did not embrace or love communism They loved Jagan and still do. He “ah abie mattie', and we

Little hero

DearEditor,

The brutal hacking to deathofasonandmotherin Saxacalli Mission has produced a hero, in the person of the six-year-old, who witnessed the entire ordeal.

Beingleftonhisown,no doubt terribly traumatised and afraid, he had the presenceofmindtothinkin gettinghelp. Reportsarehe sent a voice note to one of his father's friends and this

led to a response of law enforcement officers and other persons.This clearly demonstrated a clear mind and thought process in the face of a calamitous situation The road to recovery for the little hero will be a long one, but with time,itishopedthistoowill pass and can be overcome. My condolences to the grievingfamily

Regards

ShamshunMohamed

supported him for that reasonnotbecausehewasa communist.

J a g a n w a s t h e beneficiary of my decades' longactivisminGuyanaand inthediaspora.Iappealedto him to move away from communism. He rebuffed meashedidsomanyothers.

I spent twenty-five years as part of a movement advocatingandlobbyingfor freeandfairelections(FFE) inGuyana,pioneeringafree and fair election movement in NY and Trinidad I traveled internationally on my own expense seeking support for FFE. I made financial contributions to Jagan's PPP and urged others, including family members, to do same. I attended Jagan fundraisers in America and Guyana. I joined Pandit Ramlall, K a r s h a n , R a m e s h Kalicharran, and Jass Persaud to organize a fundraiserforJaganin1992. I succeeded in getting MembersofCongresstopen letters that benefited Jagan. I piloted 'motions' for sponsorship of lectures and seminars at City College when I was in student government (at both the undergraduate and graduate levels) from 1978 thru the 1980s. Dr Joey and Dr Ralph Gonsalves spoke at one lecture series on Jagan at CCNY at the Finley Students Center that was

s p o n s o r e d b y m y government. Joey's brotherin-law, Chuck Mohan organized several seminars and lectures of Cheddi and Janet Jagan and of other freedom fighters at CCNY and elsewhere; Student Government occasionally provided funding for these activities I penned countless positive articles going back to 1976 on PPP and Jagan. I lobbied the Americans to help restore democracy in Guyana. I wroteletterstotheleadersof Canada, USA, Britain, India, Trinidad, Jamaica, Barbados, and others seeking their assistance for FFE in Guyana. I appealed to American Ambassadors Theresa Anne Tull and DennisHaystosupportFFE inGuyana.Ipennedapublic appeal carried in the international media, including SN, NY Caribbean Daylight, NY CIA News, News India, India Abroad, etc. in 1992 pleading on the Americans togiveJaganachance.Iwas criticized for it by both the leftandtheright. Iappealed to my Professor Arthur Schlesinger(JFK'sAdvisor) to reconsider his views on Jagan, resulting in a favourable article in the liberalNationMagazine.

Whentherewasaneffort to derail Jagan's victory in 1992,IappealedtotheUS

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CARICOM, Chattel Slavery and Indentureship

Frompage4 systematic and deliberate killing, displacement, and dispossession of the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean by the European colonizers,whichresultedin the near extinction of many native cultures, languages, andpopulations.

2. Chattel Enslavement:

The forced and brutal transportation, exploitation, and dehumanization of millions of Africans by the European slave traders and plantation owners, which resultedinthegenocidalloss oflives,dignity,andidentity o f m a n y A f r i c a n descendants, as well as the enrichment of the European powersattheirexpense.

Thepurposefulnegation of the humanity of the enslaved person was an essential and major component of chattelization –where Africans were treated as property The legacies of chattel

enslavement are well documented and include persistentpoverty,thedenial of opportunity to generate wealth from one's labour, and, more critically, the preventionofthecreationof intergenerational wealth by Africans and their descendants.

3 Indentureship: The regulated and contractual migration,employment,and settlement of millions of workers from India, China, and other countries by the British and other colonial authorities, which resulted in the diversification, development, and integrationoftheCaribbean society, as well as the m a r g i n a l i z a t i o n , discrimination,andviolence against many indentured workers and their descendants.

4 Colonialism: The political and economic domination, administration, and influence of the

European and other foreign powers over the Caribbean territories and peoples, which resulted in the m o d e r n i z a t i o n , globalization, and cooperation of the Caribbeanregion,aswellas the disruption, oppression, and dependency of the Caribbean nations and cultures.

The modalities for the involvementoftheoverseas territories in CARICOM's Reparations agenda should be based on the specific historicalandcontemporary realities and needs of each territory The participation and consultation of the representatives and stakeholders of each territory should be ensured andrespected.

The Guyana National Reparations Committee highly recommends that the Prime Ministerial Subcommittee on Reparations (PMSC) should establish

Freddie Kissoon...

Frompage5 power under the PPP, in particular in the Jagdeo era, thatareworsethanunderthe ruleofForbesBurnham.Isay this unapologetically I say w i t h u n l i m i t e d unambiguousness, I have seen manifestations of monstrous corruption and horrible incompetence since thePPPcametopoweratthe beginningoftheninetiesthat the PNC Government under Forbes Burnham and Desmond would not have tolerated.”

Headdedthat“ThePPPis using East Indians and has a blackmail stratagem hanging overtheirheads–“Youwant the PNC back? Remember thePNCwasaterribleregime that will do what they did to you when they governed for 28years.” He thus advised that “This madness the Indians have to exorcise from their minds.

Guyana threw off the yoke of the PNC going into

seventeenyearsnow,yetlook atthestateoftheworldofthe Guyanese Indians. Look at the tattered fabric of Guyana underthePPP

East Indians have to take the fantastic step that white and Hispanic Americans havedoneandwashawaythe Guyanese George Bushes a n d t h e G u y a n e s e Republican Party that in Guyana appears in the form ofthePPP

Itisnottruetosaythatthe PPPis all that better than the PNC under Forbes Burnham.”

Editor, I know I am askingforyourtoleranceand indulgence. I thank you for yourspace.

You are helping me reveal how feeble, corrupt and hypocritical are Freddie Kissoon and the PPP/C

Bottom line: according to Freddie Kissoon, PPP/C is notworthyofsupportanditis guiltyofrigging.

Yourstruly,

PresscottMann

Ending ‘period...

Frompage5 menstrualhealthandhygiene activities through d e v e l o p m e n t a n d humanitarian programmes acrosstheworld.

population will increase in knowledge and improve its response,andhenceagreater positive impact will be engenderedinalleviatingthis 'removable'situation.

and coordinate separate and specialized commissions or committees for the indentureship and colonialism categories of the Reparatory Justice agenda and continue the present arrangement where genocide and chattel slavery, both “crimes against humanity” are managedintheCRC.

Itishopedthatthisletter will lessen the racial or ethnic overtones associated w i t h t h e r e c e n t announcement of the Heads atthe46thConferenceasthe Guyana Reparations Committeebelievesthatthe reparations agenda is a common and shared cause that transcends any differences or divisions among the Caribbean people.

Sincerely,

EricPhillips Chair, Guyana National ReparationsCommittee

The goal of UNICEF is that “We are committed to building programmes that increase confidence, knowledge, and skills – and to improve access to materials and facilities – for adolescent girls, women, transgender and non-binary individuals to manage their menstruation safely and with dignity.”

Overall, UNICEF will focus in four key areas for improved menstrual health and hygiene: Social support, Knowledge and skills, Facilities and services, and Accesstoabsorbentmaterials and supportive supplies UNICEF will also primarily support governments in building national strategies acrosssectors,likehealthand education, that account for menstrual health and hygiene.

ThedetailsfromtheFirst Ladyarethat“…millionsof girls in the Caribbean lack access to the resources and facilities needed to control their menstrual cycle in a way that respects their privacy, dignity, and safety, and that some of them “don't know” what menstruation is or how to handle it in a hygienicway.”

I alluded to these factors already, and I hope the

Theearliermorecomeon board, the quicker Guyana canrealisebecomingthefirst nation in the Caribbean and Latin America to give menstrual hygiene products to its women and girls at no cost. Indeed, like the First Lady declared, “This would bearemarkableachievement for our country and by extensionourregion.”

Thesignsaretheretooas “In an effort to eradicate periodpovertyinGuyana,the Office of the First Lady started the Menstrual Hygiene Initiative in September2021 (andsince then) every year, over 32,000 schoolgirls have received free sanitary pads thankstothisinitiative.”

I suggest we all make a big effort as Menstrual Hygiene Day is upcoming. It's on 28 May, and the objectives are about “Breaking the taboos and ending the stigma surrounding menstruation, “Raisingawarenessaboutthe challenges regarding access to menstrual products”, “Educating people about menstruation and periodfriendly sanitation facilities, and “Mobilising the funding required for necessary action.”

Yourstruly, HBSingh

GTU holds firm salary talks must cover 2019-2023

...produces minutes of meeting to debunk claims by Ministry of Education

Th e G u y a n a Teachers' Union (GTU) is holding fast to its proposal that the multi-year agreement for teachers'salariesmustcover theyears2019-2023.

This is despite a memo which was released by the Chief Education Officer (CEO) of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Saddam Hussainfollowingameeting with the Union and the Ministry on Thursday last stating that “any multi-year agreement must start from the year 2024, not retroactively.”

As a result, the GTU released a copy of the minutes of the meeting via itsFacebookpagesignedby

both representatives of the Union and the Education Ministry which states the partiesagreedthatthesalary mattersrelatedtomulti-year proposal for 2019- 2023 are among the issues identified to be prioritised during their discussions.

Speaking on live stream via the Union's Facebook pageonSunday,Presidentof theGTUDr.MarkLytesaid they are sticking to the proposal to have the GovernmentofGuyanalook at the multi-year agreement with a view of reaching an agreementforteacherstobe paidincreasesinaccordance with the amounts. He said that the GTU was forced to release the minutes of the

meeting to expose the inaccuracies of the memo releasedbytheministry

“Over the past five weeks, we have been exposed to one lie after the other…youknow,theunion was reluctant to release the minutes of the meeting but we had to put it out there because many of members werealreadyconcludingthat that memo was accurate,” Dr.Lytedisclosed. Henotedthattheminutes assignedbybothparties,has shownhow“deepseatedthis lie is, this is rulership that lies to succeed…” As such, theGTUPresidentcalledon members not to be distracted.“Wecannotallow thefalsenarrativestodivide

us…We have asked for the salary matters relating to 2019 -2023, there is nothing there in the minutes about 2024. We never submitted a 2024 proposal; our submission is for 2019 –2023andweareholdingfast tothat.”

Henotedtoo:“Itisreally scandalous and borders on ourintegrityasindividuals.” Dr. Lyte led a 13-member d e l e g a t i o n t o t h e negotiations with the Chief Education Officer and his team at the Ministry's boardroomonThursday

The CEO issued a statement later that night following media reports denying that the Ministry had agreed to the GTU's

President of the GTU, Dr. Mark Lyte

proposalfortheperiod20192023. He said the articles “conveythefalseimpression that the Government of Guyana has agreed there

shall be a multi-year agreement, 2019-2023. This is a matter proposed by the union that will be discussed.”

The part of the minutes that lists the discussion for the proposal from 2019-2023 was agreed on the two sides

WhatafriendwehaveinJagdeo!

Theaftermathofthe2020 general and regional elections in Guyana was supposed to have led to a seismic shift in the political landscape, particularly for the coalition of APNU and AFC. The People's National Congress Reform (PNCR) andAFC,themainentitiesof the APNU+AFC coalition found themselves grappling with the consequences of a failedattempttobenefitfrom an attempt to doctor the electionresults.

In 2020 general and regionalelections,thePPP/C managed to secure only a slender one-seat majority However, due to widespread public outcry over attempted electoral manipulation, this narrow victory was transformed into a wave of political goodwill towards the PPP/C government, which was forced to wait for fivemonthsbeforeassuming office.

T h e a t t e m p t t o manipulate the elections not only tarnished the reputation of theAPNU+AFC coalition but also led to significant international isolation, particularly impacting the PNCR.Formerleadersofthe party found themselves sidelinedontheinternational stage, excluded from roles such as heading electoral missions or spearheading workswithintheCARICOM region. This isolation was starkly evident, with contrasting examples like former Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding and former Prime Minister Kenny Anthony being actively involved in mediating the crisis in Haiti,

while former PNCR leaders are not even being considered for such appointments.

The fallout from the election rigging attempt left the PNCR in a precarious position.Ithasbeenbranded as a pariah on both regional and international fronts

However, during this evolvingpoliticalisolationof the PNCR, Bharrat Jagdeo emerged as an unexpected saviour,throwingalifelineto thestrugglingparty Jagdeo's relentless attacks on the opposition, particularly the PNCR have served to reenergize the party's base. Each week, Jagdeo takes to the airwaves to lambaste the opposition and to counter its narratives In so doing, Jagdeo has inadvertently g a l v a n i z e d P N C R supporters, transforming theirfrustrationintorenewed politicalvigour

This has been an old and unsuccessful strategy When Jagdeo was in office, this strategy was also tried. The PNCR would hold a press conference and the PPP/C would respond soon after with its response in the form ofpressreleasesandinsome casespressconferences.That strategy did not work. But what has made things even worse is the busing out that takes place each week. It is becoming something of a sideshowandconveyingthe impression that the PPP/C is now a besieged party and government Jagdeo's strategy of targeting the PNCR with vitriolic rhetoric proved to be a double-edged sword. While intended to weakenthePNCR,ithadthe

DEM BOYS SEH

unintended consequence of rallying PNCR supporters behind their beleaguered leadership Instead of witnessing mass defections due to the party's involvement in election r i g g i n g , J a g d e o ' s antagonistic attitude has fostered solidarity among PNCR loyalists, bolstering theparty'sstrength.

Prior to Jagdeo's weekly onslaught, the PNCR appeared to be teetering on the brink of irrelevance. The party's weakness was palpable, with concerns looming over its traditional strongholdsinmunicipalities l i k e L i n d e n , N e w A m s t e r d a m , a n d

Georgetown However, Jagdeo's relentless attacks has so antagonised the s u p p o r t e r s o f t h e APNU+AFCthatitigniteda ferventresponsefromPNCR supporters, leading to rising victories in all three municipalities in last year's local government elections.

The very tactic meant to undermine the PNCR inadvertently breathed new lifeintotheparty,reaffirming its significance in Guyanese politics Jagdeo has thus madethePNCRstrongerand giventhepartyanewleaseon life. By constantly engaging in confrontational rhetoric, Jagdeo inadvertently elevated the PNCR's profile, transforming it from a perceived weak entity into a formidable force to be reckoned with. In a twist of fate, Jagdeo's actions, driven by a desire to weaken the opposition, inadvertently s t r e n g t h e n e d i t , demonstrating the

De PPP run to Babu Jaan fuh help!

Dem had an event at Babu Jaan yesterday fuh de death anniversary of Cheddi.Departywentalloutfuhdisone. Asure sign of desperation. Dem lined de narrowentrancetobemeetingplacewith partyflags.

But all de fanfare cannot conceal de factthatfuhyearsnowdemkeepinglowkeyeventsfuhCheddi.Evendeman25th death anniversary pass with a low-key ceremony

We did gat all kind of international conferencesinGeorgetownwherepeople arrived in their hundreds. But only lowkeyed observation fuh de 25th anniversaryofdefounderofdePPP.

Butnowdepartyunderpressure.Itis besiegedbyitscriticsbecauseofdewayit managing de country's resources. The leaders of the government however

unpredictable nature of politicaldynamics.

The numbers prove the point

The PNCR's press conference used to be streamedinsocialmediaand used to only have less than 6000 views. But as recent, and given Jagdeo dedicating his press conference to busing out the PNCR, the online viewership has balloonedtobetween19,000 to29,000ofrecent.Youmust add to this the exposure that

the PNCR is having from Jagdeo's weekly press conferences that are lived streamedonsocialmediaand broadcast on both NCN television and radio, the Opposition is enjoying a bonanza when it comes to publicity and vicarious national reach. This strategy by the PPP is dumb at best.

Jagdeo is now the PNCR's best friend. What began as a strategy to isolate and weaken the PNCR has

ultimately led to its resurgence Thanks to Jagdeo!

(The views expressed in this article are those of the a u t h o r a n d d o n o t necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaperanditsaffiliates.)

playinginnocentandnahwanttoadmittodem mistakes.

People are dissatisfied and therefore de faithfulhadtobemustered.PapaCheddiname had to be reinvoked to try to appease de disgruntledsupporters.Anddepartyhadtofind ascapegoat:sodemfindoneinKaieteurNews.

People come from all over fuh de event. Morepeoplecomefromoutsidederegionthan fromderegion.

Dempartyhadtobusinsupportersfuhmek itdon'tlooktoobad!

Poor Cheddi, he mussy be turning in he grave. When he look at de spending wah dem fella doing fuh celebrate he death anniversary, hecannotbepleasedatallwhereverheis.

ButdemturninsultintoinjurywhendeVee Pee spend more time cussing out de Kaieteur NewsthanpraisingPapaCheddi.

Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

The Opposition has to stand up and count for something

Morethananyothertime in this country’s postindependence existence, an Opposition of substance and rigour is needed An Opposition is more than

needed, it just is, has to be, must be a vital cog in the machinery of national governance. Now for the reality check: where is the Opposition? What

happened to it? This is the worst possible time for any Opposition in Guyana to be weak, to be without knees, missingbackbone.Iregretto share my observation, my

thinking that the Opposition PNChascometothis.

Wheredoesthisleaveus? Who is this ‘us’ of which I speak? It is the Guyanese people, particularly those abandoned by the PPP brass ofDr Ali,Dr Jagdeo,andDr Nandlall. I throw in Dr Nandlall because, as much as he has deteriorated in my eyes, he still has sufficient mental oomph to be a gamechanger

Insteadofsurrenderingin craven endorsement to everythingthatemergesfrom the glistening tome of Guyana’s domestic Machiavelli Jagdeo, Dr Nandlall could be that restrainingvoice,thattraffic cop to his bosses that things aregoingtoofastandtoofar Especially concerning oil postures. It is a way out hope,butIstilltableit. The crisis is that the PPP Government has abandoned the Guyanese people and all fancy themselves to be BritishersandYankees.

It is at this juncture of punishing disenchantment that the listless people of Guyana cast about for, could urgently use, an Opposition thathassomesturdyessences about it. In Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton, I thoughttherewastheman.

While I was thinking so, therestofGuyanahavebeen askingonequestion:whereis themainman? Yes,whathas ever come about the vaunted Opposition Leader Norton? When there is one SoS after anotherbeingsentoutforthe Opposition,anyOpposition, Guyanese shrank in silence, came to this dreadful pass: they are on their own. Just so that everyone is on the same page, when I speak of disturbed and desultory Guyanese,Iamnotspeaking of PPP fat cats or perfumed heavyweight peacocks preeningforthecameras.

Throughout, I am watching the Jagdeo-led PPP juggernaut running downhill and creating havoc with Guyanese aspirations, andthereisnotsomuchasa squeaky mouse of an Opposition to say: hold it! Or,notsofast! Or,overthis dead body! Surely, the Opposition PNC cannot have descended to the dogs inthisingloriousfashion? If there is no Opposition to fight for Guyanese, then the nationaloutlookisgrim.

F i r s t , t h e P P P stormtroopers have a wideopen highway to run amok and trample upon those Guyanese who dare to stand up and speak out I can see Dr Jagdeogrinningfromear to ear as though he has just won the latest Exxon sweepstakes. Thetruthishe did(again).

Second, the big man Jagdeo gets to sit back and leisurely take potshots at the PNC Opposition, and make fun of its once-feared leader, Mr Norton

Third, the plotter Jagdeo has the luxury of revisiting and expanding his enemies list (I assure my fellow Guyanese that he has one somewhere) and deciding who has earned the distinction of a special recognition and visitation from PPP-sponsored rogues andrabblerousers.

Fourth, Jagdeo can be a Yorkshire terrier when dissentingGuyaneseobjectto his schemes, but a waddling Pekingduck(Beijingdoesn’t sound right or feel right) when the Yankee colonizers runwild. ThinkExxon.

My hope is that citizens come to an understanding of whattheabsenceofastriding, cock-of-the-walk Opposition signifies When a few ordinary people become the substitute Opposition or is identified as such by Dr

Jagdeo and his PPP army, thentheFreedomHouseand OP and OPM platoons of goons have free passes at what passes for a civil opposition in Guyana and pickthemoffatwill.

Civil society at its broadest and its best is not a good enough opposition force Nobody voted for its members;andcivilsocietyis neither broad nor approaching anything substantial. A few spirited public commentators, if there are that many, questioning the PPP Government, or individuals pressing President Jagdeo, cannot and do not have any standing as a political opposition with muscle and machinerytomatch.

Having tabled the above, whethervotedforornot,there isunquestionableutilityinthe presence of a real political opposition that is recognized assuch Giventhenumerical strengthofthePNC,itstands in a category by itself as a powerfulpoliticalforce

Though it has suffered fromalongfallthatstruckits head hard, it is still the PNC that must be in the vanguard of challenges to the government and Jagdeo, its godlike figure (to himself).

The PPPand Dr J have had toomuchroomtoroam,and it is time for it to be tightly cramped. Guyana needs this. I would argue the PPP itself needs the PNC, since by itself, it is its own worst enemy. So, it is back to the future: where is the PNC?

More pointedly, where art thou,Mr.Norton?

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaperanditsaffiliates )

Womanandsonescapeaftergunman ‘shootup’NorthEastLaPenitencehouse

Policearepresentlyhuntingamanwhoon Saturdaydroveupinfrontofawoman’shome at North East La Penitence, Georgetown and beganshootingatherandherson

Policesaidthattheshootingincidenttook place around 10:30hrs. The victims were identifiedasRobertaMurray,48,andherson Devon Murray, 29, of North East La Penitence. Murray told police that she was sitting on her veranda when the gunman pulled up in front their home in a burgundy newmodelToyotaPremio.

Her son Devon was in their yard at the

time.The gunman reportedly stepped out of thecarandshouted“yocomehere”. Devon, after hearing those words, reportedly ran to thebackoftheyardwhilethegunmanpulled outagunfromhiswaistandstartedshooting atthevictims.

Atotaloffiveshotswerefired,according to reports. Luckily, the bullets missed them but struck their house. The gunman then reenteredhiscarandspedaway Policehavesincerecoveredanumberof 9mm spent shells from the scene and have identifiedthesuspect.

FiredestroysguesthousesatEteringbang

Four hotels went up flames on Sunday morning after a fire erupted at Eteringbang, Cuyuni River,RegionSeven Kaieteur News received the callaround03:30hrsthatresidents were battling a massive blaze They used their water pumps to accesswaterfromanearbyriverto

containthefireaprocessthatlasted hours. Residents told Kaieteur News thattheywerefinallyableto extinguish the flames around 09:00hrs.

While lamenting their losses, thehotelownerswerestillgrateful that no life was lost and that everyonewhowasinthebuildings at the time was evacuated to

safety In a press release, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) said that the fire started around 03:00hrs.

“According to Mr Raimundo Lucio Dos Anjos Oliveira, a 52year-old mixed-race Brazilian national residing at Eteringbang Landing, he noticed the fire erupting from the circuit board

area of his two-storey building, which consists of ten (10) rooms”, thefireservicestated. He reportedly attempted to extinguish the flames with water but his attempts were futile as the fire quickly spiraled out of control,engulfinghisbuildingand two other structures nearby “The valiant efforts of Mr Oliveira and

community members, who rallied with water pumps, contained the fire from spreading to additional buildings. There were no reported casualties”,theFireServicesaid. At this time, the cause of the fire is unknown and the GFS is currentlyinvestigatingtofindthis out Residents, however, suspect thatfiremightbeanelectricalone

The buildings being destroyed by fire on Sunday.

The rubble that remained after the destruction.

Ceasefirenow!

Stop genocide in Gaza

...Guyanese tell Israel during protest in city yesterday

Former President of Guyana, Donald Ramotar on Sunday called for“themurderinGazatostop”as scoresofGuyanesecongregatedat “CuffySquare”toshowsupportfor Palestine.

Sunday marked 155 days since Israeli bombardment of Gaza killing thousands of Palestinians, manyofthemwomenandchildren.

At least 31,045 Palestinians have been killed and 72,654 injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October7.Thereviseddeathtollin Israel from Hamas’s October 7 attacksstandsat1,139,anddozens continue to be held captive. On

Sunday led by a movement called Free Palestine,scoresofGuyanese marched through the streets of the

city around 07:30hrs with banners calling for a “Ceasefire in Gaza Now.”

Others held placards with slogans “No child should look to theskyandwonderifwhat’sfalling isdeathordinner”.

They then congregated at the Square of the Revolution where Former President, Ramotar

Protestors in the streets on Sunday

addressed them “I want to congratulateallofyouwhoarehere today on coming out to give your solidarity to what is the most importantcauseintheworldtoday, stoppingthemurderofPalestinians and the freedom of the Palestinian people.”

Ramotar said that the Palestinianpeoplehavebeenliving in an open prison for actually 75 years and more recently for 16 years Nevertheless, they have shown their resilience to build universities and produce doctors andlawyers.Hewentontoaccuse theWesternmediaofdistortingthe factstomakethePalestinianslook bad so that Israel can continue to oppress them by killing their womenandchildren.

Meanwhile, a Palestinian woman was also present to share her story of living in the oppression. She had even lost her

relatives to the ongoing war in the GazaStrip.“It’soverwhelmingand sometimes, I feel completely helpless. My heart bleeds for my uncle; I was only talking to him hoursbeforethisterribleincident,” she said, while adding “he was going to find food for his family when he was killed in the most horrificwaypossible.”Despitethe tragedy, she said she is standing with her people for freedom. “The last thing I want to remind you is that we will never surrender to an Israeli occupation, we will never giveup,”shesaid.

At the conclusion of the recent 46thRegularMeetingoftheHeads of Government new Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), President Irfaan Ali addressed the ongoing crisis in Gaza,expressingdeepdistressover theescalatingviolenceand

Continued on page 17

Former President, Donald Ramotar during Sunday’s protest

Exxon targeting two more discoveries in Stabroek Block this year

Senior Vice President of ExxonMobil Corporation (XOM), Neil Chapman recently revealed that the company will be ‘anchorhunting’fortwotothreenew discoveries in the prolific StabroekBlockthisyear

ExxonMobil holds a 45%interestintheStabroek Block, while its coventurers, Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds 30 percentinterestandCNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited holds25percentinterest.

Since 2015, Exxon has unlocked 40 discoveries in the26,800squarekilometers block, amounting to over 11 billionbarrelsofoil.In2023, two new discoveries were made.

C h a p m a n w h i l e appearing at the Morgan Stanley’s Energy and Power Conference on Wednesday

in New York discussed the company’s strategy and its intent to push production to 1.2 million barrels of oil in Guyanaby2027.

Currently, Exxon is producing over 600,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) from its three operational projects,LizaOne,LizaTwo and Payara. Each of the Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessels (FPSOs) are producing above the designed productionlevels.

Chapman said, “This is an enormous block and it’s actuallyquitephenomenalif yougodownthere.Wehave sixdrillingshipsinthebasin in pretty close proximity.” He pointed out that the Stabroek Block is in fact equivalent to more than 1,000 blocks in the Gulf of Mexico. Already enjoying

-SeniorVicePresident

the successes of the Guyana basin, Exxon is looking to secure at least two more discoveriesthisyear

He explained, “so our plansforthisyearandImay notgetthenumbersrightbut inorderofmagnitudethisis correct,wearecontinuingto appraise that south east corner because it’s an enormous area and we’re continuingtoappraiseandso whether you call it an appraisal well or an exploration well, (the) order ofmagnitude,sevenoreight ofwhichIwouldcalltwoof themaretruewhatwecallin Exxon anchor hunting objectives...they’re north of

Liza and Payara and these are looking for, I would say, new anchor discoveries, which are successful, you canbuildoff.”

Chapman added, “Maybe there’s one more you can put in that category aswell,buttheotherfouror fiveareappraisalwellsinthe vicinity of our existing discoveries which may lead tomorediscoveries.”

ExxonMobil has been given the government’s blessings to ramp up exploration and production activities across the block.

The Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) in 2 0 2 3 a p p r o v e d

ExxonMobil’s35Multi-well Exploration and Appraisal DrillingCampaign.

In the meantime, government continues to ignorecallstoengageExxon for a better deal for its citizens.Thecontractsigned withExxonhasbeendeemed

ExxonMobil’s Senior Vice President, Neil Chapman

the ‘worst’ oil deal by this government, but it has determineditwillnotseeka renegotiation.

Citizens fear that due to the lack of ring-fencing and otherkeyprovisionssuchas thetax-freeholidaysgranted to Exxon and its subcontractors, Guyana will continue to collect a meager share of revenues from the sector well into the future. The deal allows Exxon to deduct 75% of the monthly earnings to cover its investments.

The remaining 25% is then shared equally with Guyana.ThismeansGuyana receives12.5%oftheprofits and 2% royalty as agreed in thecontract.

Hess reviewing timeline for Chevron’s buyout after ExxonM moves to arbitration

Following ExxonMobil Corporation’s move to arbitration in relation to the dispute with Chevron over the lucrative Stabroek Block-HessCorporationhas announced that it is reviewingthetimelineforits merger with that US oil major,CNBChasreported.

Chevron’sUS$53billion acquisition of Hess gives it access to Hess’ stake in the Stabroek Block and positions the oil major to profit from Guyana’s emergence as an oil powerhouse,boastingoneof the world’s fastest-growing economies.

However, Exxon initiated arbitration on Wednesday last to defend what it perceives as its right to submit a counteroffer for Hess’Guyanaassetsundera

174

jointoperatingagreement.

“We disagree with ExxonMobil’sinterpretation of the agreement and are confidentthatourstancewill prevail in arbitration,” Hess communicated to its employees via email on Wednesday

“In light of this development, we are reevaluating the projected timeline for legal closure and will furnish further details in our upcoming merger update,”Hessadded.

Initially set to conclude in the first half of 2024, the dealhasfaceddelays,andis now anticipated to extend until mid-2024 as the Federal Trade Commission scrutinizes the agreement.

Exxon operates all productioninGuyanawitha 45%stakeintheconsortium with Hess and China’s CNOOC as its minority partners Last October, Chevron proposed to buy Hess largely to obtain the Guyanastake.

According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Chevron cautioned that arbitration over Hess’ Guyana assets might prolong the closure untilOctober2025.

Hess, alongside Exxon andChinaNationalOffshore

persons graduate

from BIT programme in Region Six

A

section of the graduates

One hundred and seventy-four individuals of Region Six who have successfullycompletedseveralprogrammes through the Board of Industrial Training (BIT)lastweekreceivedtheircertificates.

ThegraduatesarenowcertifiedinMotor Vehicle Servicing and Repairs, Heavy-Duty Equipment Operation, Welding and Fabrication, Electrical Installation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Repairs, Furniture making, and Hydraulic. During Friday’s graduation ceremony at Outback Adventures, Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamiltonemphasisedtheneedfordiscipline inachievingsuccess.MinisterHamiltonthen pointedoutthatthegraduatesmustdiversify theirtalentsinordertobesuccessfulmoving forward.

“Youmustuseyourcraftandtraining to develop yourself in all respect, more so financially.Importanttothat,theboardof industrial training allow for people who graduated in one programme to do anotherprogrammeiftheysodesire…You havetohavemorethanoneskill.Youhave to be prepared that in the event one door closes, you can walk into another,” the labourministersaid. He highlighted that BIT expended over $31 million towards the execution of the

Oil Corporation, forms part of a consortium operating the Stabroek oil block, boasting an estimated 11 billion barrels of oil and gas resources.Witha30%stake, Hess stands alongside Exxon, holding a 45% stake,andCNOOCwitha 25%stake. In a recent filing, Chevron alerted investors that the merger with Hess would be terminated if an arbitration court determines Exxon’s right of first refusal. In such a scenario,Hesswouldremain an independent entity and retainitsshareintheGuyana assets, as per Chevron’s filing.

Chevronhasconsistently argued that the joint operating agreement does not apply to its merger with Hess. Exxon Senior Vice PresidentNeilChapmansaid

Wednesdaythattheoilmajor is “extremely confident in our position that preemption rights exist in this contract ” Arbitration disputes can take up to six monthstoresolve,Chapman said.

Chapman indicated that Exxon could make a bid for Hess’ stake in the Stabroek block. “We believe there is opportunityvaluehere,there is option value here,”

Chapman said during an interview at a Morgan Stanley event “If that transaction does not proceed, there is potential value down the road for ExxonMobil that option value is really, really important.”

“ I t w o u l d b e incomprehensible for us to say ‘well we’re not going to lookatthatvalue,we’rejust going to let the transaction

proceed,’” Chapman said. “Youhavearesponsibilityto shareholders.”

Hess said in the Wednesday email that “there is no possible scenario in which Exxon or CNOOC could acquire Hess’interest in Guyana as a result of the ChevronHesstransaction ”

According to Reuters, the arbitration case seeks to preserve Exxon’s right to acquireHess’s30%stakein the giant Stabroek offshore oil block Guyana’s Stabroek Block, which is consider the largest oil discovery in decades, is the prize in Chevron’s bid for Hess

Exxonmadeclearforthe firsttime,itwouldbidforthe Hess’s Guyana properties if Chevron proceeds with its proposed $53 billion Hess purchase.

trainingprogrammesintheregion.Guyanais making significant investments in skill trainingprogrammescountrywideduetothe government’s recognition of the need for moreskilledlabour Meanwhile,BIT’sChief Executive Officer (CEO), Richard Maughn, extended congratulations specifically to the women who have not only done exceptionally well in their training programmes but also paving the way for other women to pursue possibilities in traditionallymale-dominatedareas.

“In this diverse cohort of people, we proudly acknowledge the outstanding achievement of 24 accomplished women whohavedefiedstereotypeandcarvedapath in traditionally make dominated fields,” Maughnadded.

Maughnwentontoexhortthegraduatesto ensuretheymaintaintheirwillingnesstoallow everyone to have equal opportunities in the workplace “So,yourfemalecolleagueswho are working with you must feel equal to you when it comes to the skills and what is expectedofthemtodointhefieldofwork I also want to charge you to be a voice of fearless,beitmaleorfemale Ialsochargeyou tobereadytoembraceopportunities,”stressed Maughn Regional Chairman, David Armoganalsodeliveredbriefremarks (DPI)

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One of many Palestinian children dies from...

From page 2

frail immune system. Obtaining enough to eat had already been a struggle for many in the blockaded Gaza Strip before the war. An estimated 1.2 million Gazans had required food assistance, according to the United Nations, and around 0.8 percent of children under the age of 5 in Gaza had been acutely malnourished, the World Health Organization said.

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Five months into the war, that appears to have spiked: About 15 percent of Gazan children under the age of 2 in northern Gaza are acutely malnourished, as well as roughly 5 percent in the south, the World Health Organization said in February. With half of all Gazan infants fed by formula, Dr. Stobaugh said, the lack of clean water in Gaza to make the formula is compounding the crisis.

Adele Khodr, the Middle East director at UNICEF, the United Nations children’s agency, said this week, “These tragic and horrific deaths are man-made, predictable and entirely preventable.”

The situation has left parents frantic.

Ali Qannan, 34, does not know what is wrong with his 13-month-old son, Ahmed, who is being treated at the European Hospital in southern Gaza.

Neither, he said, do the doctors at the five hospitals he has taken Ahmed to since the baby developed a swollen belly, diarrhea and vomiting a month after the war began. Ahmed has gotten ever worse, with trouble breathing and worrisome blood tests, but, given the war, the doctors say they cannot run the proper diagnostic tests, Mr. Qannan said.

Every pediatrician has had a different suggestion for what to feed Ahmed, Mr. Qannan said — boiled potatoes, bread, special fortified formula used for treating severely malnourished children — but each was either impossible to find or seemed not to help. Mr. Qannan says he is sure that malnutrition has something to do with Ahmed’s problems.

“Look at him. He’s turned into a skeleton,” Mr. Qannan said of his son on Wednesday. “I need help from someone, anyone, to help me get out of Gaza as soon as pos-

sible.” World leaders are increasingly warning about catastrophic hunger in Gaza, and even some of Israel’s closest allies are pressing Israel to do more.

On Thursday, President Biden announced that the U.S. military would set up a floating pier to help move supplies into the enclave. On Friday, the Israeli agency known as COGAT, which regulates aid to Palestinians, said, “Israel is also exerting a constant and significant effort to find solutions that will bring aid more smoothly into the Gaza Strip, and into its northern area in particular.”

Before war tore Gaza apart, Yazan Kafarneh was gradually seeing an improvement in his long struggle with cerebral palsy, his family said.

Physical therapists provided by nonprofits treated him at home, while medicines helped improve his condition, his father said. He might not have been able to walk, but he could swim. Mr. Kafarneh carefully planned out a highnutrient diet for his son based around soft foods, including eggs for breakfast and the bananas Yazan loved. But the medications disappeared as

the war broke out, and as the family’s food supplies dwindled, Mr. Kafarneh said he had been unable to maintain Yazan’s special diet. He swapped out eggs in the morning for bread he made into mush using tea; he struggled to find bananas, so he tried giving Yazan other sweet foods, even though the price of sugar had soared. The already difficult challenge of feeding him properly turned nearly impossible.

On Feb. 25, his family brought Yazan to Al-Awda’s pediatric wing. He had pneumonia, which his weeks of hunger and already fragile condition had aggravated. Although the doctors and nurses gave him antibiotics for the infection, they could not find a reinforced nutrition drink that had been used to nourish him before the war, said Halima Tubasi, a nurse who cared for Yazan before he died. Mr. Kafarneh said the cause of his son’s death was no mystery.

“The foods he used to have aren’t being eaten anymore,” he said. “The medicines and supplementary foods weren’t available at all.”

Not anti-Jagan

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From page 6 Administration and Members of Congress to pressure Hoyte to accept the will of the voters. After Jagan became President, I met Ambassador George Fleming Jones, appealing for increased aid for Guyana. I repeated the appeal at a media conference on Robb Street to launch Ram Jodha's newspaper where Ambassador Jones was present and addressed the gathering. I engaged Amb. Charge Hugh Simon on same objective after David Hobbs was recalled as Ambassador. Vishnu Bandhu was with me at an invite at Charge Simon's residence for a private reception. When Jagan suffered a massive heart attack, an appeal was made to Charge Simon and to the Clinton Administration (for which I campaigned) for US medical assistance. The Americans airlifted him to Panama and thence to Washington at Walter Reed hospital that is reserved for eminent American politicians.

I wrote several news releases carried in Indian and Caribbean publications on Jagan's heart attack. I left for my research sabbatical to the Philippines. As news came that Jagan's medical condition was deteriorating, I cut short my stay in the Philip-

1

pines and flew back to New York. Mike Persaud and I monitored Jagan's medical condition. Mike and I agreed to alert the New York Times of Jagan's medical condition. He spoke with the news editor to carry a story on Jagan. The news editor informed him that they were on top of the story and that an obituary was already prepared should be passed on. And when Jagan passed on a day later, NYT carried a gracious tribute. I helped to organized tributes and memorials for Jagan at mandirs and halls. And years later, I did same for Janet when she died.

I flew down to Guyana for Cheddi's funeral. Did the communists fly down from Russia and the former Soviet satellite states to attend the funeral?

I met Basdeo Panday, Randy Depoo, Raj Singh, Arjune Karshan, Chuck Mohan, Mel Carpen and host of other ACG boys at the funeral. I reported on the funeral for the media in New York and India. I was at Albion and also attended the night wake at the Ankerville home of Jagan's parents where Cheddi was born. Vishnu Bandhu, Roy Ramsaran, Ramko Kalicharran, and several other New Yorkers were

there with me.

Ralph Ramkarran gave one of best tributes to Jagan at Babu Jahan. When the funeral pyre was lit by Joey and Nadira, the party comrades left in a hurry and rushed to cross the river with ferry back to town.

The Jagan's family, including Joey and his son, Uncle Suchit and Aunty Janey stayed behind as did I and Roy Ramsaran and other true Jaganites to watch the last embers of the cremation. Who displayed more love for Jagan?

Joey and others blamed America for toppling Jagan. America acted in what it thought was in its national interests. At the height of the cold war, you don't defy Washington.

Guyanese couldn't migrate to Soviet bloc countries. Today, more Guyanese, including Joey, live in USA than in Guyana and almost every Guyanese at home seeks to migrate to USA. A communist wrote that the working class of Guyana has been impoverished. I invited the working class to my pujas and assisted as much as I could with financial assistance. Do the wealthy communists share their loot?

Yours truly,

Dr. Vishnu Bisram

Republic Bank opens $1.2B branch at Williamsburg

The$1.2billionRepublic BankWilliamsburgbranchin Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) has been defined as a wise investment by His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, since it supports the government's plan to expand and diversify the economyoftheregion.

Speaking at the symbolic ribbon cutting and unveiling o f t h e f a c i l i t y ' s commemorative plaque on Saturday, the head of state notedthatmuchdevelopment isonthecardsfortheregion, in the form of world-class training centres, public infrastructure and private sectorinvestments.

The Berbice region is poisedtoplayanintegralrole in the government's gas development strategy, especially in the transport andlogisticssectors.

President noted the creation of the Mabura to Lethem roadlink, connecting Guyana and Northern Brazil as an important foundation for the region's development trajectory “That is why President Lula (Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva), Guyana and Suriname,wearediscussing now, how we can expedite the connectivity We've already started 121 kilometres of the road. But we already understand that

we need to have a fixed Berbice bridge,” theheadof state noted, highlighting thatthebridgewillconnect French Guiana, Brazil, Venezuela and even Columbia, opening up a series of investment prospects”, President Ali said.

According to the President, the banking and financial sector is currently standing on very strong foundations, as a result of a carefully crafted plan by his administration.

The modern $1.2 billion banking hall will offer efficient services to customers.This,he said, can e n e r g i z e f u r t h e r advancement of the local economy by supporting investments However, he highlighted that there is a needforthebankingsectorto moderniseitsservices.

“The banking sector needs to do a lot more in the modernisation process and we (government) have to supportthatby[a]legislative mechanism, by educating the public, moving from cash base transactions to moreelectronictransaction.

Thesearethingsthatare critical, not only for the modernization of the financial sector but for safety and security,” the headofstateunderscored.

In concluding his feature address, the head of state congratulated the financial institution for their significant achievement, notingthatitisrespondingto the needs of the market.

“They are responding to an economic need, they are responding to a futuristic need and I would say that you have made a perfect decision, you have made a wise decision by investing here and any investor, any member of the private sector that invest in this region, you're making an economic andfinancialdecisionthatis wise and prudent,” he remarked Meanwhile, Chairman of the Board of Directors,NigelBaptistesaid this milestone solidifies the institution's vision of strengtheningrelationsinthe East Berbice-Corentyne region.The establishment of abranchintheWilliamsburg Village community development was driven by the advancement of communities. More scenes from the formal opening of the multi-billion financial institution

“Our core objective, beyond the provision of financial services, is to pursue meaningful relationships and make a d i f f e r e n c e i n t h e communities that we serve

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali unveiling the facility's commemorative plaque on Saturday

throughourvariouscustomer educationandempowerment programmes as well as our community relations,” Baptisteaffirmed.

The state-of-the-art financial institution was meticulously designed, built andequippedatacostof$1.2 billion and has employed a team of 29 professionals to ensure seamless delivery of itsservices.

This new Berbice branch isthelargestofitskindandin addition to the standard banking services offered, it also has Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) that are equipped with two machines and a provision for a third. This feature will ensure that customers always have easy accesstocashwhileenjoying the comfort of the spacious and modern banking hall. (DPI)

Public Service Commission cleared backlogofmorethan300issues

The Public Service Commission (PSC) has cleared a backlog of more than300issuesthatwerependingprior toittakingofficeinJulyof2023.

This was disclosed by PSC Chairman Manniram Prashad while speaking recently, at the launch of the Public/Police Service Commission Website. “Within a mere six months, the commission successfully cleared a two-yearbacklogofworkover300and something issues were there pending because there were no commission earlier Our commissioners worked beyond the call of duty, to get up to scratch, and I can tell you as of today, thereisnobacklog,”hestated.

He also lamented the discrepancies in the operations of the previous commission. “The last commission issuedonlyonevacancycircularonthe 27th of June 2019 for its entire three years…just one vacancy circular, that commission spent over three million dollars to pay a few retired education officers to do shortlisting for the MinistryofEducationonly Interviews were conducted with shortlisted candidates and a few appointments were made, but it didn't end there, qualified candidates were listed as unqualified and were not short listed and interviewed, persons were offered

positions that they did not apply for, totalchaos,”Prashadstated.

He noted that the discrepancies resulted in a dissatisfied education officer moving to the Public Service Appellate Tribunal PSAT, to challenge the entire process. “For the eight months that we were in office, not one of our decisions were challenged, not one went to the PSAT, and all of the decisions were unanimous,” he emphasized.Prashad emphasized the critical role of human resources in driving the successful implementation of the 2024 Public Sector Investment Programme PSIP, noting that the recently launched website will help theseeffortsbyensuringtimelystaffing and ensure resource allocation. ” “In future, we see a vibrant collaboration between the PSC, ministries and regions in which all parties are involved,intherecruitmentprocessby utilizingthewebsite.

We encourage cooperation in the trackingandshortlistingofcandidates, and promote an open and engaged culture,”hestated.

Prashad noted the charge given by President Dr Irfaan Ali, for the commission to explore innovative approachestoimproveservicedelivery tothepeople. Hestatedthatinresponse

to this directive, the commission embarked on a mission to streamline processes and leverage technology for the benefit of all. Manniram Prashad, MauriceRudranauthGajadhar,Melcita Agatha Bovell, Chandrawati Leila Ramson, Mohandatt Goolsarran, and Janice Isabella Bowen, were sworn in ascommissionersofthePublicService CommissiononJuly13,2023.(DPI)

‘Extreme hunger’ in Gaza as Ramadan begins

(ALJAZEERA) As Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins, UNRWA chief says “extreme hunger” spreading rapidly in Gaza, while two more Palestinians die of starvation in north Gaza bringing total deaths frommalnutritionto25.

Israeli forces intensified attacksacrosstheGazaStrip, killing at least 15 people, including women and children, in the Nuseirat refugeecampandal-Mawasi area in southern Gaza on Sunday.Canada and Sweden have restored funding to UNRWA after it accused Israel of forcing some of its stafftomakefalsestatements about their involvement in Hamas.

Israel's intelligence agency says truce talks are ongoing as Hamas chief Haniyeh called on Israel's allies to “stop this heinous war on Gaza” At least 31,045 Palestinians have been killed and 72,654 injured in Israeli attacks on GazasinceOctober7.

The revised death toll in

Stop genocide in Gaza

Frompage12 humanitarian situation. Ali read CARICOM's statementwhichcalledforanimmediateceasefire in Gaza The statement reaffirmed its condemnation of the violence in Gaza, emphasizing the tragic loss of civilian lives, includingwomenandchildren,andthewidespread sufferingcausedbytheconflict.

“Inthisregard,CARICOMurgesanimmediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and safe and unimpededaccessforthedeliveryofadequateand sustained humanitarian assistance,” the Chairman stated. The statement also reiterated CARICOM's stance against attacks by Hamas and violations of international humanitarian law by Israeli forces. CARICOM also highlighted the urgent need for unimpededaccessforhumanitarianaidtoalleviate thediresituationfacingcivilians.

The regional body also advocated for the

IsraelfromHamas'sOctober 7attacksstandsat1,139,and dozens continue to be held captive Meanwhile, according to Sadeq alKhadour, a spokesman for the Palestinian Ministry of Education, 52 students have been killed in the occupied West Bank since October 7, and another 10,000 students andfacultywerewoundedin thebesiegedcoastalenclave.

“More than 261 faculty have been killed since the war began,” he tells Al Jazeera. “Almost 286 out of 307 government school buildings sustained some damage ”“We must remember that 620,000 students in the Gaza Strip havebeenoutofschoolsince October 7, including 320,000 in government facilities and 300,000 in UNRWA and private schools.” In one of the most infamous examples of Israel'sattacksonPalestinian educational institutions, footageshowedthecomplete demolition of a Gaza university

release of hostages and detainees held without charges to their families, stressing the importance of upholding the rule of law It was stated, “Israel's continued and expanding occupationofterritoryintheoccupiedWestBankposesa seriousandcontinuingthreattoapeaceful, secure and stable world ” Highlighting the broader implications of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, CARICOM reaffirmed its commitment to a twostatesolutionbasedonUnitedNationsresolutions. The community expressed concern over Israel's disregard for UN resolutions and called for collective action to ensure compliance “The community therefore calls for a renewed commitmenttoapeacefulresolutionoftheIsraeliPalestinian conflict through meaningful dialogue and negotiation and calls upon international community to play a constructive role in facilitating a lasting solution to the conflict and achieving a durable peace that guarantees the human rights, dignity and security of both sides,” Alistated.

US military ship heading to Gaza to build port

(BBC News)- A US military ship is sailing towards the Middle East, carrying equipment to build atemporarypieroffthecoast ofGaza,thearmysays.

The support ship, General Frank S Besson, set sail from a military base in the state of Virginia on Saturday It comes after President Joe Biden said the US would build the floating harbour to help get aid into Gazabysea.

The UN has warned that famine in the Gaza Strip is "almost inevitable" and children are starving to death. The US and Jordan carried out an airdrop on Sunday,parachutinginmore than 11,500 meals that included rice, flour, pasta, and canned food, the US militarysaid. Aiddeliveries by land and air have proved difficult and dangerous.The WorldFoodProgrammehad topauselanddeliveriesafter its convoys came under gunfire and looting. And on Friday, there were reports that five people had been killed by a falling aid package, when its parachute

failed to open properly The US ship departed "less than 36 hours" after Mr Biden madehisannouncement,US Central Command wrote on X.

It is "carrying the first equipment to establish a temporary pier to deliver vital humanitarian supplies" to Gaza, the statement continued.ThePentagonhas said it could take up to 60 daystobuildthepierwiththe helpof1,000troops-noneof whom would go ashore Charities have said those suffering in Gaza cannot waitthatlong.

Meanwhile, an aid ship laden with some 200 tonnes offoodhadbeenexpectedto set sail from a port in Larnaca, Cyprus on Sunday afternoon, Cypriot media reported. However, as of around 1700 GMT, Cypriot authorities said the vessel remainedinport.

It was repositioning within the harbour but was not expected to leave "for some time", they said. It f o l l o w s a n E U announcementthatanewsea route would be opened over

the weekend to allow aid to sail directly from Cyprusthe closest EU country to Gaza.

The ship, Open Arms, belongs to the Spanish charity of the same name, and the food on board has beenprovidedbyUScharity WorldCentralKitchen.

Itisunclearhowanyaid delivered by sea would get safelytoshorebeforetheUS pier is built. Gaza has no functioning port and its surrounding waters are too

shallowforlargevessels.

However Oscar Camps, the founder of Open Arms, toldtheAssociatedPressthat at the destination pointwhich remains a secret - a teamfromtheWorldCentral Kitchen has been building a piertoreceivetheaid.Israel has welcomed the ocean initiative,andsaidaidwould be delivered after security checks were carried out in Cyprus "in accordance with Israelistandards".

Israel'smilitarylaunched

The General Frank S Besson is carrying the first load of equipment to build a floating harbor

an air and ground campaign in the Gaza Strip after Hamas'sattacksonIsraelon 7 October, in which about 1,200peoplewerekilledand 253 others were taken hostage. More than 30,900 people have been killed in Gaza since then, the territory's Hamas-run health ministrysays.

Theconflicthascreateda growinghumanitariancrisis, and the UN has warned that at least 576,000 people across the Gaza Strip - one

quarter of the populationarefacingcatastrophiclevels of food insecurity Western countrieshavepressedIsrael to expand land deliveries by facilitating more routes and opening additional crossings.Lorrieshavebeen entering the south of Gaza through the Egyptiancontrolled Rafah crossing and the Israeli-controlled KeremShalomcrossing.But the north, which was the focusofthefirstphaseofthe Israeligroundoffensive,has been largely cut off from assistanceinrecentmonths.

An estimated 300,000 Palestinians are living there with little food or clean water

Israel has been accused ofhamperingaidefforts,and an independent UN expert last week accused it of mounting "a starvation campaign against the Palestinian people in Gaza".

YeelaCytrin,alegaladviser at the Israeli mission to the UN, responded that "Israel utterly rejects allegations thatitisusingstarvationasa toolofwar",beforewalking outinprotest.

Israel completes building road across Gaza

The Gaza coastline lies in the distance while the Hebrew white text reads 'All the way west into the Gaza Strip’

The IDF told the BBC, they were attempting to gain an "operational foothold", and facilitate the movement of troops and equipment. But some experts fear it will used as a barrier, preventing Palestinians from returning to their homes in the north.

Others said it appeared to be part of an Israeli plan to remain in Gaza beyond the end of current hostilities In February, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiledapost-warvisioninwhich Israel would control security in Gaza indefinitely International leaders have previously warned Israel against permanently displacingPalestiniansorreducing thesizeofGaza.

What do we know about the road?

It runs across north Gaza, with central and southern areas lying below it. It starts at Gaza's border fencewithIsraelneartheNahalOz kibbutzandfinishesnearthecoast. It also intersects with the Salah alDin and al-Rashid roads, the two

major arteries running through the territory Although there is a network of roads which connect eastandwest,thenewIDFrouteis the only one which runs uninterruptedacrossGaza.Satellite imagery analysis by the BBC reveals that the IDF has built over 5km(3miles)ofnewroadsections to join up previously unconnected roads.Theinitialsectionoftheroad in eastern Gaza near the Israeli border was established between late last October and early November But most of the new sectionswerebuiltduringFebruary andinearlyMarch.

The new route is wider than a

typical road in Gaza, excluding Salahal-Din.

Imagery analysis also shows that buildings along the route, which appear to be warehouses, were demolished from the end of December until late January This includes one building several stories high. The road spans an area which previously had fewer buildings and was less densely populatedthanotherpartsofGaza. It also sits below a makeshift and winding route which the IDF had been using to move from east to west An Israeli TV channel reported on the route in February, saying it was code named

"Highway 749". A reporter from Channel14travelledalongpartsof theroutewiththeIsraelimilitary In the video, road construction vehicles and diggers were seen preparing for the construction of newsectionsoftheroute.

How 'Highway 749' could be used

Analysts at Janes, a defence intelligencecompany,saidthetype ofunpavedroadsurfaceseeninthe Channel 14 footage, was suitable fortrackedarmouredvehicles.

The IDF did not go into this type of detail in its statement. "As part of the ground operation, the IDF uses an operational route of passage,"itsaid.

Retired Brig Gen Jacob Nagel, former head of Israel's National Security Council and a former security adviser to Mr Netanyahu, told BBCArabic that the objective ofthenewroutewastoprovidefast access for security forces when dealingwithfreshthreats.

"It will help Israel go in and out...becauseIsraelisgoingtohave total defence, security and responsibility for Gaza," he told BBCArabic. He described it as "a road that divides the northern part from the southern part". "We don't want to wait until a threat is emerging,"headded.

Maj Gen Yaakov Amidror, formerly of the IDF, had a similar view The primary purpose of the new road was to "facilitate logisticalandmilitarycontrolinthe region",hesaid.

Justin Crump, a former British ArmyofficerwhorunsSibylline,a risk intelligence company, said the new route was significant "It certainly looks like it's part of a longer-termstrategytohaveatleast someformofsecurityintervention andcontrolintheGazaStrip,"said MrCrump.

"This area cuts off Gaza City fromthesouthofthestrip,making it an effective control line to monitororlimitmovement,andhas relativelyopenfieldsoffire."

KhaledElgindy,aseniorfellow at the US-based Middle East Institute, also thinks the road is a long-term project. "It appears that the Israeli military will remain in Gaza indefinitely," he told the BBC. "By dividing Gaza in half, Israel will control not only what goes in and out of Gaza, but also movement within Gaza," said the analyst.

"This includes quite possibly preventing the 1 5 million displaced Palestinians in the south fromreturningtotheirhomesinthe north.”

(BBC) The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has finished building a new road which runs across northern Gaza from east to west, according to satellite images verifiedbytheBBC.

India extend lead at No. 1 in the World Test Championship

(Cricinfo) - India have extended their lead at the top of the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) points table by beating England in Dharamsalatowinthefive-match series4-1.TheywillstayatNo.1 irrespective of the result of the ongoing Christchurch Test between New Zealand and Australia, who are second and third respectively in the points table.The 4-1 series win also helpedIndiaovertakeAustraliaat thetopoftheICC'sTestrankings andtheywillremainNo.1evenif Australia beat New Zealand in Christchurch. India are also the top-ranked ODI and T20I side at present.India had slipped to fifth place in the WTC points table after losing the first Test of the series against England in Hyderabad, but climbed back up toNo.1bywinningthenextthree

matches. The innings victory in Dharamsala extended their percentage points to 68 51%, havingearned74outof108points after playing nine matches (six wins,twodefeats,onedraw)inthe ongoingWTCcycle.

MondayMarch11,2024

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19

Control is apt to be a big themeforyouandthepeople around you today, Aries You'll find such a brutal dispute over who is holding thereins.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

In general, things should be goingextremelywellforyou today, Taurus, so don't miss this opportunity to pursue yourdreamsineverysenseof the word. Do things with passionanddon'tholdback

GEMINI(May21–June20)

You may feel anxious today, even more so than usual, Gemini.Your nerves may be quite jittery, and there's a feeling that you may not be onexactlytherighttrack.

CANCER(June21–July22)

Other people are the most important aspect of your day today,Cancer You'llfindthat thingsmightgetabitdifficult andunrulyalone..

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Don't be a pushover today, Leo.Thisisyourtimetolead. At least get your opinion out intheopenandletitbeknown tothepeoplearoundyou Put some passion in your day in ordertoliventhingsup

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

You have a great deal of poweratyourdisposaltoday, Virgo. You should keep in mindthatjustaboutanything you wish for will come true. Don'twastewordsoractions.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Be careful of getting into fightstoday,Libra.However, ifasquabbleoraltercationof some sort seems inevitable, don'tshrinkawayandhide.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)

Issuesregardingfreedomare apttocomeuptodayinmore ways than one, Scorpio These issues could be connectedwithopportunities foradventureandtravel.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

Thereisagreatdealofstartup energy working for you today, Sagittarius. You may feel as if you're walking on hot coals. This isn't a good day to sit on the couch watching TV The coals will burnyouforsure.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Yourenergywilllightupany room you enter today, Capricorn. Feel free to take advantage of this incredible magnetism by initiating and encouragingotherstojoin.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

Put an extra spring in your step, Aquarius. The slow, steady pace may be something that you're comfortablewith.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Be prepared for all-out combat with people today, Pisces, even though this is pretty much the opposite of your normal style. In fact, "opposite"isthenameofthe gameforyoutoday

According to theWTC points system,ateamgets12pointsfora Test win, six for a tie, four for a draw, and nothing for a defeat. Andtheyarerankedaccordingto the percentage of points won because each team plays a different number of Tests in the WTC cycle Points are also deducted for slow over rate penalties, which is why England have only 21 points despite winning three Tests in this WTC cycle.Theyhavelost19pointsfor slowover-ratepenaltiesandarein eighth place with only 17 5 percentage points after playing ten Tests New Zealand are presentlysecondwith60%points and Australia are third with 59.09%. If New Zealand win the ongoing Christchurch Test, they will increase their percentage pointsto66.67%;andifAustralia win,theywillmoveaheadofNew Zealand on 62.5%. With only a Bangladesh-Sri LankaTest series togobeforetheIPLseasonbegins on March 22, India are set to remainNo.1forafewmonths.

Bangladesh are presently fourth in the WTC points table, but they have played only one series in the ongoing cycle, followed by Pakistan, West Indies,SouthAfrica,Englandand Sri Lanka.The top two teams at theendoftheWTCcyclewillplay the final at Lord's in June 2025. India had qualified for both the previous WTC finals so far, but lost to New Zealand in 2021 and Australiain2023.

NBA:Doncicsets...

Frompage22 last two but got back to winning ways by holding off the Phoenix Sunsfora117-107victory.Jayson Tatumscored29pointsandJaylen Brown added 27 as the Celtics improvedto49-14,despiteKevin Durant scoring a season-high 45 points for hosts Phoenix.”It's all about how you respond," said Tatum. "[If] you want to be a special team, you've got to do a goodjobresponding.Webounced back in a positive way."Keldon Johnsonhad22pointsfortheSan Antonio Spurs as they won 126113 at a Golden State Warriors team playing without Stephen Curry.Klay Thompson came off the bench to score 27 points for Golden State but it was not enough to stop the Warriors (3330) suffering consecutive defeats for the first time since JanuaryBoth Curry and San Antonio's star rookie Victor Wembanyama missed the game with right ankle injuries as the lowlySpursimprovedto14-50.

India had slipped to fifth place in the WTC points table after losing the first Test of the series against England in Hyderabad, but climbed back up to No. 1 by winning the next three matches. (Getty Images)

PreparationsalmostcompleteforKMTCPhagwahHorseRaceMeet

- Over 60 horses entered so far

BySamuelWhyte

Over60horsesalreadyentered the Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) annual Phagwah Horse RaceMeet.

TheKMTC,whichisoneofthe premiere horse racing entities in Guyana, has one of the best horse racingfacilitiesinthecountry

The entity also holds the distinction of staging exciting and well-organised meets Horse owners, jockeys and turfites have grown accustomed to the quality races staged that they prepare ardently for the occasion The KMTCwillstageitsannualmeetat itsBushLotFarmCorentynevenue onSunday,March17,2024.

Atotalofsixracesarelistedfor the day with over $5M in cash, trophiesandotherincentivesupfor grabs. The nation's best horses are set to grace the starting line for highlycompetitiveraces.

The feature attraction pits animalsinthe'C'andLowerClass

overadistanceof1milewithafirst prize of $1M. This event is sponsoredbyMetroStationeryand Office Supplies Among those already entered to compete are StolenMoney,AmericanTraveller, Bechan James, Cremore, Wild TexasTomandPhilinEcho.

TheH1andLowerraceoversix furlongs for a winning take of $500,000 and a trophy also has a top-notch lineup that includes Supremacy, Amicable Kate and EmotionalDamageamongothers.

There is an increase in prize money for the Three years old Guyana Bred race with over $400,000 and a trophy, which is availableforthe7-furlongevent.

The animals classified J and K and lower will be competing over six furlongs for a winning take of $300,000andatrophy

Horses running in the L class open event over 6 furlongs have a winning take of $200,000 and a trophy compliments of Torginol

NBA:Doncicsetsnew recordinMavericks winoverDetroitPistons

(BBC Sport) - Luka Doncic became the first NBA player to record six consecutive 30-point triple-doubles as the Dallas Mavericks won 142-124 at the Detroit Pistons Russell Westbrook's mark of five in a row from2017wasbeatenbyDoncicas the Slovenian, 25, delivered 39 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds onSaturday

He also extended his own recordwithafifthstraight35-point triple-double "That just shows what level he's playing on right now," said Mavericks coach Jason Kidd.Kyrie Irving added 21 points for Dallas, who pulled away in the second half to claim their second straight win after a three-game losingstreak.

Dallasnowhavea36-28record behind just the New Orleans Pelicans (38-25) in the Western

ConferenceSouthwestdivision.

The Denver Nuggets had their highesteverhalf-timeleadof78-44 beforeclosingouta142-121winat hometotheUtahJazz.

TheNuggets,whobeatEastern Conference leaders the Boston Celticslasttimeout,ledbyasmany as 39 points in the first half before Utah rallied to get within 14, scoring as many points in the third quarterastheydidinthefirsthalf.

Jamal Murray tied his seasonhighwith37pointsforDenverand two-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic added 26 as the defending champions improved to 44-20, moving into a tie with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the second seed in the Western Conference behind the Oklahoma City Thunder (44-19) NBA pacesettersBostonhadlosttheir (Continuedonpage19)

Pelicans (38-25) in the Western Conference Southwest division.

PaintsGuyanaLimited.

The race for L non-winners overadistanceof5furlongswhere thewinnercollects$200,000anda trophy is sponsored by Mrs. Chan Kennardandfamily

Businessman Ramesh Sunich oftheTrophyStallGuyanawillbe sponsoring trophies for the outstanding jockeys, trainers and stable.AccordingtoMrs.Kennard, the track is in excellent condition and an exciting day of racing is anticipated.

With the absence of a functioning Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA) the organiser wishestoremindhorseownersthat theeventisbeingconductedunder theaegisoftheKMTC.

Interested persons can make contact with Basil Bactowar on 661-7815,FazalHabibullaon6577010, T Jagdeo on 618-7278 or IsaacDallooon689-0629formore information.

Racetimeis13:30hrs.

The KMTC is already in budding shape as preparations continue for the highly anticipated event

GMR&SC announces plan to construct Spectator Pavilion at South Dakota Circuit

Tpavilion at the South Dakota Circuit, an initiative supported by theGovernmentofGuyana.

Thisannouncementfollowsthe Government's allocation of G$4.6

sports advancement within the

GMR&SCPresidentMahendra Boodhoo has expressed profound

gratitude for the government's

significanceofthisdevelopmentin the advancement of motorsport in Guyana.Thiscomesontheheelsof the recent extension of the South Dakota circuit to 1.6 miles, a change that has significantly contributedtothesport'sgrowth.

Motorsport in Guyana has seen substantialprogress,withincreased inclusivity, faster cars, and closer competitionmarkingthesuccessof theseefforts.

The proposed pavilion will feature essential amenities, including washroom facilities and

shadedareas,cateringtoourvalued spectators,particularlywomenand children,whohaveshowngrowing interestinthesportovertheyears.

TheGMR&SCexecutiveteam, responsible for laying the groundwork for this project, remains dedicated to pushing forward motorsport development withlong-termplansandgoals.

This pavilion represents more than just a structure; it symbolizes the commitment to enhancing the spectator experience and ensuring thecontinuedgrowthofmotorsport as acherishedsport inGuyanaand aroundtheCaribbean.

An aerial view of the South Dakota Circuit

Briton John takes Jagan's Memorial 2nd Stage

After a commanding victory in the initial stage, British cyclist John continued his impressive performance on Sunday in Berbice, securing a comfortable win in the second leg of the 2024 Cheddi Jagan Memorial RoadRace.

John's stylish triumph saw him complete the challenging 70-mile course in an impressive three hours, fourminutes,and15seconds (3:04:15s), leaving secondplace finisher Curtis Dey trailing by a significant 15minute margin The Open category race unfolded at Babu John in Berbice, featuring 23 cyclists who set off in front of the Freedom House Building in New Amsterdam. Despite a slow pace at the start, the peloton gradually made its way northwardto19Village,then towards the Springlands Police Station for the turnaround. John maintained a substantial lead up to the turnaroundpoint.

On the return leg, John accelerated away from the

peloton, widening the gap evenfurtherandleavingDey and experienced cyclist Paul Choo-wee-naam behind. In the final 45 minutes, John increased the pace, securing an even larger lead as he crossed the finish line in 3:04:15. Curtis Dey claimed

Winners of the Jagan's Memorial Road Race second leg pose for photo-op at Babu John in

the second spot, with Choowee-naamfinishingthird.

In the Junior's division, AlexanderLeungshowcased an exceptional performance, claiming the top spot and surpassing Sidel Sandy, who secured second place. The Veteran Under-50 race was

dominated by Paul Choowee-naam, securing first place, while Alex Mendes and Roy Mangru secured second and third place, respectively.With two stages completed,Johnisfilledwith confidenceashepreparesfor the third and final stage

scheduled for March 31 in Essequibo. Reflecting on his success, John acknowledged the favourable race conditionsandthesignificant role played by wind factors heading to Springlands. He credited his hard training over the past weeks,

expressing gratitude to both himselfandhiscoach.

"I am truly confident headingintothefinallegand will definitely be looking to complete the sweep," John concluded. The race is set to conclude on Sunday, March 31,inEssequibo.

…SohilMohammedreceivescricketgears

“We are very proud of you for winningthetitlesandforupholding the rich tradition of the RHTYSC.

Ourobjectiveistodominatecricket at all levels in Berbice by working as collective unit and be focused, discipline and dedicated. Use this rewardasanincentivetodosimilar featsinthefuture,”werethewords of RHTYSC Secretary Hilbert Foster at a simple ceremony to honour members of the Rose Hall Town Poonai' Pharmacy Under 11 and Under 13 teams for emerging champions of Berbice at their respectivelevel.

The ceremony was sponsored by Poonai's Pharmacy and organised by the management of theRHTYSC,MS.

The Poonai's Pharmacy Under 11teamdefeatedarchrivalsAlbion in the finals of the BCB/Rickey MooreandSontournament.Foster describedthechampionshipwinas a great surprise as Albion had defeated their Rose Hall Town counterparts twice before in the preliminary rounds of the tournament.

Club cricket manager Robby Kissoonlall stated that the players were determined to emerge as champion and dedicated themselves to working hard to

correct mistakes in their game. He started that the full time return of Foster to the club after his resignation at the Berbice Cricket Boardhashadapositiveimpacton allcricketers.

The end result has been four major Cricket titles within the last four months at the U11, U13, U23 and first division levels. The club has to date reached the quarter finals of the Dr Amarnauth Dukhi Under15 and the under17 tournament while the senior team has also reached the finals of the BCBPremierT20tournament.

Each member of the under 11 team received a financial stipend andaneducationalpackageastheir award.

The members of the Under 13 team received a financial stipend and a special MK watch for emerging as champion of the Romario Shepherd Under13 tournament.

The team defeated Rose Hall Canje by six wickets at the Canje Groundtowintheirsecondoverall Berbice title The Poonai's Pharmacy under13 team has reached all four finals of tournamentsorganizedbytheBCB since the introduction of under 13 Cricket in the county Assistant

RHTYSC and Poonai Pharmacy honours U11 and U13 champions

Manager, Keith Hicks urged the players to continue working hard and committed the club management to provide all the necessarysupport.

Henotedthattheteamsinceits formation has produced several Berbice and Guyana players including Tameshwar Deonadan, Rafael McKenzie, Balraj Narine, Dinesh Singh, and Leon Reddy Sponsor Poonai Bhirooj congratulated both teams on been

crowned champion of Berbice and forrepresentinghiscompanybrand wellonandoffthefield.

Meanwhile, the RHTYSC handed over a pair of wicket keeping pads and gloves to Sohil Mohammed on his selection to the Guyana Unde 15 team. Foster wished Mohammed well on the tour to Antigua and urged him to representtheclub'sbrandwell.The RoseHallTownFarfanandMendes U15 player is a solid middle order

batsman and wicket keeper, who hasplayedforGuyanain2022and 2023atthislevel.Fosterstatedthat th Mohammed is the 8 RHTYSC member to gain national selection in 2024 following Kevlon Anderson, Kevin Sinclair, Shemaine Campbell, Sheneta Grimmond, Shabiki Gajnabi, Plaffiana Millington and Trisha Hardat Mohammed expressed gratitude to the club for the donation9fthegears.

Members of the u11 and u13 teams pose with RHTYSC officials

RHTYSC Pepsi teams assist historic Sharon Congregation Church

....honours Rose Hall

Town Postal workers

The Sharon Congregational Chapel church is the oldest Christianchurchinthetownshipof RoseHall.Thechurchwasfounded in 1842 and has survived over the last182yearsbuttodayisashadow ofitsformerglory OnTuesdaylast, theteamscameonboardtosupport the efforts of the small congregation to restore the church toitsformerglory

RHTYSC secretary Hilbert Foster stated that the cricket teams oftheclubaremandatedtomakea positive difference in the lives of youths the elderly and the less fortunate.The RHTYSC, he stated is committed to improving the skills of its cricketers not only on the field but also in their personal self-development Each of the different cricket teams, Poonai PharmacyUnder11and13,Farfan and Mendes Under 15, Bakewell Under 17 and second division, Pepsi Under 19 and Under 23, MetroFemales,NAMILCOUnder 21 and First division are mandated

toorganizeatleast30personalselfdevelopment programs each year Under a wide range of subheadings including education, sports, culture, charity, medical, youth development, community development, anti-drugs, anticrimeandreligious.Astheirtwelve projectsfor2024,themanagement and members of the Pepsi teams have agreed to sponsor a fundraisingraffleinaidofrepairing the church's roof which is in dire need of attention. The players handed over the first prize of an electric bike and have also committed to donating two other prizes.

The team also handed over an electric fan to assist the congregation during services and donated food hampers to the sixteenfamiliesthatarepartofthe church. Foster, the long-serving secretary stated that the RHTYSC isveryproudtobeassociatedwith Guyana's smallest township. The club he stated is quite aware of the

historic role of the church in the township and was committed to assisting as much as possible.

Secretary of the Sharon Congregationalchurch,Ms.Keisha Marks expressed gratitude to the Pepsi teams for this support and wished them continued success on and off the cricket field in the future. Ms. Marks stated that the churchwelcomesanyassistanceto restore the roof and interested persons can contact her on 6428014.

Meanwhile, the Pepsi teams alsohonouredalltheworkersofthe Rose Hall Town Post Office under

GFSCA DCB U19 Inter-Association Super50 Tournament...

Mohabir's combo, Allen 5-Fer leads GCA to 149-run win

Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) surged to a commanding149-runwinoverEast Bank to emerge champions of the GuyanaFloodlightSoftballCricket Association (GFSCA) sponsored Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) Inter-Association U19 InterAssociation Super50 Tournament onSaturday

AlvinMohabirstruckavital54 off 48 with 8 fours and two maximums while Mavindra Dindyal (37), Jayden Dowlin (30) andDaveMohabir(25)helpedtake GCAto212-10.

Spinner Krsna Singh continued to impress as he snared 2-40 with Anthony Lim grabbing identical figures (2-40) to emerge as the top bowlersforEastBank.

SeamerWavellAllen(5-15)put animmediatestoptotheEastBank chasewhileDaveMohabirreturned with the ball to churn out an excellent spell with (4-21), as the two-man show bowled GCA to a commandingwin.

Thepursuitofanattainabletotal

WavellAllen and Dave Mohabir teamed up to bag 9 wickets for GCA

never materialized as East Bank were woefully shot down for 63 in 23.4 overs with the Lim's; wicket-

its annual Tribute to Heroes program. Each of the workers received two special gifts from Food for the Poor (Guyana) and Mike's Pharmacy They also receivedatrophyandaMedalfrom theteams.

The postal workers were recognized for their service to the township and hard work. Foster hailedthemasheroesofRoseHall Town and urged them to continue their remarkable service to the community Aseniormemberofthe team, Matthew Pottaya, stated that they have already honoured medical personnel, outstanding

students and others in 2024 and wouldshortlydosotofiremen,law enforcement officers, teachers and workers of the Rose Hall Town Council. Post Mistress Ms. Sharon Kendall expressed gratitude to the club for their kind gesture and statedthatthepostalworkersallfelt humbled to be honoured by the cricketers.Among the members of the teams are national players Kevlon Anderson, Junior Sinclair, Jonathan Rampersaud, Jeremy Sandia,SohilMohammed,Ramzan Koobir, Tameshwar Deonadan, Matthew Pottaya and Rafael Mckenzie.

Slingerz FC triumphs over Santos FC to claim KFC Elite League summit

Slingerz FC staged a stunning comebacktodefeatSantosFC3-1 on Saturday, securing their position at the top of Guyana's KFCEliteLeague.Theenthralling matchunfoldedatapulsatingpace, keeping spectators on the edge of theirseats.

Theearlymomentsofthegame saw Michael Oie of Santos FC makinganimpact,puttinghisteam ahead in just the second minute of play Theleadhelduntillateinthe halfwhenDarrenMilesofSlingerz FCleveledthescoreswithatimely strike in the 45th minute, just beforethehalftimewhistle.

And as the half wound down, SlingerzFCseizedtheopportunity to shift the momentum in their favor Bryan Wharton's powerful strikethreeminuteslaterpropelled Slingerz FC into the lead, leaving Santos FC trailing 2-1 at the interval.The climax of the game unfolded in stoppage time when Marcus Tudor sealed the victory forSlingerzFCwithanothergoal, securing a 3-1 triumph This remarkable win marked Slingerz FC's third consecutive victory, propelling them to the summit of the league table with a perfect

recordofninepoints.

Winning coach Alex Thomas, reflecting on the challenging yet satisfyingvictory,commendedhis team's character "This one was more challenging, more physical but I liked this game because it showed the type of character the team has. To come from one-nil down and still maintain our composure, we were patient, and stuck to the game plan and executed, that is what I like I was very impressed."In other league action, Fruta Conquerors reboundedfromtheirpreviousloss to Slingerz FC by securing a 3-1 victory over Den Amstel. Naron Jerick and Makhaya Jarvis played pivotal roles, helping Conquerors claimtheirfirstwinoftheseason. With Western Tigers and Guyana Defence Force eagerly waiting to hit the field, Slingerz FC's triumph has set the stage for an exciting battle at the top of the table. Western Tigers will face Monnederlust FC on Tuesday, while Defence Force takes on Ann's Grove United on Thursday, both teams vying to join Slingerz FC in the league's pinnacle (SportsMax)

The Postal Workers share a light moment with Hilbert Foster

keeper Josiah (15) and Anthony (12), the only players to hit double digits.

CARICOM Classic Chess Team Tournament…

GuyanafinishessecondasT&Tclaimthetitle

The conclusion of the CARICOM Classic Chess Team tournament ended with the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobagotakingthefirstprizeafter gaining 18 points in the team chess tournament Guyana's Team One came in second place with 14 points. Barbados ended also with 14 points, but Guyana edgedpastonthetiebreaker

Guyana and Trinidad and Tobagowentheadtoheadduring the last round of the round-robin format, resulting in a win for the visitingteam3.5-0.5.

CM Taffin Khan drew his finalencounterinthetournament.

Khan, playing white, was paired with FM Joshua Johnson, the strongestintheTrinidadianteam.

Both players played cautiously, knowing it was the final battle for players of all CARICOM teams. Johnson and Khan carefully maneuvered their pieces for advantage, but both players went all the way to the endgame.

With equal material of Rook, Bishop, and pawns remaining on theboard,thetopTrinidadianand Guyaneseplayer,agreedtoavoid furtherriskandemergedwithhalf apointeachfromthetruce.

FMAnthonyDrayton,Jessica Callender, and Shazeeda Rahim losttoFMQuinnCabralis,WCM Ysvett Hermoso Rodriguez, and ZaraLaFleur,respectively

Drayton went down to TrinidadianCabralisinafighting endgame, but the Guyanese had tocontendwithaweakerposition from lost material. A confident Cabralis with a force of extra pawns and an active King forced his Guyanese counterpart to resign.

The winning teams were presented with medals, trophies, and cash prizes by Mr Davion Leslie, Programme Manager responsible for Sports Development within the CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana. The cash prizes,trophies,andmedalswere sponsored by the CARICOM Secretariat.

Guyana's Taffin Khan gained 8.5 points, while Zara La Fleur fromTrinidadandTobagogained 9pointsinthenine-roundroundrobin competition, making them the top scorers in the week-long event The Barbados Team comprisedofEmarEdwards,FM Phillip Corbin, WCM Katrina Blackman, and Hanna Wilson, tookhomethethird-placeprizes.

Guyana's Team Two scored a victory over Dominica 3-1 in round 9. Keron Sandiford and KyleCouchmandrewwithNigel Francis and Nicholas Goldberg,

while Sasha Shariff and Aditi JoshidefeatedZahiduHenryand AyaniCasimir The tournament was supervised by International Arbiter Kelvin Daniel from Barbados, FIDE Arbiter John Lee, and National Arbiters Kim Shing Chong, Odit Rodrigues, and Ricardo Narine. Trinidadian National Arbiter Sandy Razark wasalsopresenttoassist.Leewas also the technical personnel behind the scenes with the live streaming of the games on guyanachess.gy for viewers at home The Guyana Chess Federation expresses its sincere gratitude to The CARICOM Secretariatfortheircollaboration in making this historic tournament possible and to the participating member states for competing and visiting our shores.

The GCF is incredibly grateful to the sponsors for their generous support Thanks to Texila American University, ENet, Exxon Mobil, Topco, Republic Bank (Guyana) Ltd., KFC,Guyoil,Starbucks,Optique Vision Care, Rouge Salon and Spa, Platinum Investments, New GPCInc.,SterlingProductsLtd., Semekiah Supercentre, Regency Mall, Marics & Co. Ltd., GSK

Inc Guycan Inc Icon Investments who came on board tosupporttheevent.

Thanks to the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel for their support and sponsorship. The GCF also wishes to acknowledge the International ChessFederation(FIDE)andthe Confederation of Chess for the Americas (CCA) for their kind support.

Furthermore, the Federation expresses immense gratitude to the Ministry of Culture, Youth andSportfortheirsponsorshipof theevent.

The contributions of these sponsors were instrumental in making the event a success, and the GCF could not have done it withouttheirsupport.

The Board of Directors and the membership are immensely proud of the Guyanese players who represented their country in this inaugural chess tournament. Congratulations are extended to allofthem.

Thanks to the visiting teams for participating: The Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Dominica,Jamaica,Trinidadand Tobago,Suriname,andSt.Lucia.

FollowtheGCFonFacebook, andInstagram,andcheckoutthe website, guyanachess gy for information on how to become a member

Taffin Khan andAnthony Drayton faced off against Joshua Johnson and Quinn Cabralis

Guyana finishes second as T&T claim the title

Guyana finishes second T&T claim the title

2nd Stage

Senior cyclist, Briton John celebrates after winning the Cheddi Jagan Memorial Road Race second leg.

Minister of Sports, Charles Ramson Jr. (centre) shares a light moment with GMR&SC President, Mahendra Boodhoo (third from right) and executives

The Guyanese team amassed 14 points to end the championship on the podium