Guyana Times - Friday June 21, 2024.pdf

“I am not, or would not be, compromised”

Teen among 3 busted with gun, ammo in Georgetown

Overheated drop cord leads to Albouystown inferno

GWI to drill 5 new wells along Linden-Soesdyke Highway & Linden Timehri man gets 28 months on larceny charge

Rehabilitation of bypass roads crucial for construction to commence on EBD main corridor – Min Edghill

Charity man charged with stabbing fisherman to death

Charity man charged with stabbing fisherman to death

Shawn Myron

Latchman, also called ‘Bolo’, a 29-yearold fisherman of Charity Squatting Area, Essequibo Coast, was on Thursday remanded to prison after appearing before Anna Regina Magistrate Tamieka Clarke on arraignment for the murder of Avienash Singh, whom he is alleged to have brutally stabbed to death on June 16 at Charity Squatting Area

on the Essequibo Coast. Latchman was not required to plead to the indictment, and was remanded to prison until July 29, 2024. It has been reported that the 30-year-old Avienash Singh was stabbed to death by Shawn Myron Latchman after Latchman had accused him of having an affair with the mother of his children. Reports are that the inci-

dent occurred near the shop operated by Latchman’s children’s mother.

Police are contending that on the day in question, at about 19:00h, Singh and the suspect were at the shop consuming alcohol at different tablets. After some time, Singh reportedly collected his National Identification Card and bank cards from the woman, who has a child for the suspect. This reportedly angered the suspect, who went after Singh and began to assault him.

During the commotion, Latchman allegedly whipped out a knife and stabbed Singh three times to his chest. Singh fell to the ground in an unconscious state, and was picked up and rushed to the Charity Cottage Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries while receiving medical attention.

Latchman fled the scene, but was subsequently apprehended and charged.

Bartica businessman charged with narcotics’ possession

Thirty-seven-year-old Sherwin Hinds, a businessman of Bartica, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), on Thursday

appeared before Bartica Magistrate Teriq Mohamed to answer a charge alleging that on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, he had in his possession 33 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge, and was placed on $50,000 bail. He is expected to return to court on July 12, 2024. Hinds was arrested during a cordon-and-search exercise conducted by the police at his place of business.

Timehri man gets 28 months on larceny charge

Hakeem Thomas, 27, a security officer of Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD) was on Thursday sentenced to 28 months in jail on a larceny charge.

Thomas was accused of committing the offense between June 12 and 16, 2024, at the home of Desiree Browne, a 67-year-old businesswoman of Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

He was reportedly arrested on Tuesday by a rank from the Alberttown Police Station and the charge was instituted.

However, he appeared before Magistrate A. Gibbs at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court where the charge was read to him. He pleaded guilty and was subsequently sentenced.

Murdered: Avienash Singh Charged: Shawn Myron Latchman, aka Bolo

Charged: Sherwin Hinds

Convicted: Hakeem Thomas

The cannabis found during the police operation

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Friday, June 21 – 03:30h-05:00h and Saturday, June 22 –04:30h-06:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Friday, June 21 – 16:10h-17:40h and Saturday, June 22 –16:50h-18:20h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery to light

showers are expected during the day and at night, with sunshine in the

morning hours and the late afternoon hours. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-Easterly to South-Easterly between 0.89 metre and 3.12 metres.

High Tide: 16:14h reaching a maximum height of 2.46 metres.

Low Tide: 09:45h and 21:58h reaching minimum heights of 0.60 metre and 0.78 metre.

“I am not, or would not be, compromised” – Pres Ali – says no one is above the law – as Govt agencies cut ties with US-sanctioned companies

resident Dr Irfaan

Ali has declared that he is in no way compromised in his association with Guyanese businessmen Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed, who along with their companies are facing sanctions from the United States of America over allegations of gold smuggling and public corruption.

During a press conference at State House on Thursday, questions were raised about Ali’s connection to the Mohamed family, but, in a frank response, President Ali maintained: “I am not compromised, or would not be compromised, in any way, shape or form. Not me!”

He admitted to knowing the Mohameds, as most Guyanese leaders do, and further explained that his relationship with them stemmed from their shared religious faith. He also recalled attending the same mosques and camps with the family.

In regard to his using a vehicle belonging to the Mohameds during the 2020 elections period, the Head of State clarified that that was for security purposes. He highlighted that this situation was never hidden from the public.

“The vehicle…was used during the elections campaign and after, when my security apparatus advised me that I needed a safe vehicle because of the distance I was traversing, and in their assessment, the threat that I was exposed to. I didn’t hide it; I didn’t drive in a tunnel…it was open and transparent. And I did not use that vehicle upon assuming office [on August 2, 2020],” he explained.

Ali further pointed out that the Mohamed family is known by the majority of Guyanese persons, given the number of years they have been in business. The Mohameds operate businesses in the financial, gold, construction and other sectors.

“Guyana is a small country… There is no one in this room who can tell me they don’t know the Mohameds… All the banks were associated with the Mohameds. All of the major businesses might have been associated with the Mohameds. The Mohameds have been in business before I was born,” he explained.

Despite his previous association with the Mohameds, the Guyanese Head of State made it clear that he is committed to the rule of law.

“I said the rule of law is the rule of law. And the rule of law must apply equally to everyone. No one is above the law. That is all I want, for the rule of law to work. There is no agenda,” he posited.

Meanwhile, the elder Mohamed, who had campaigned on behalf of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) in the last Local Government Elections (LGE) and won his constituency at the Eccles Ramsburg Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC),

Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned the Mohameds along with their companies, including Mohamed’s Enterprise, for allegedly smuggling some 10,000 kilogrammes of gold out of Guyana between 2019 and

has since resigned from the Chairmanship post.

The Mohameds, along with their businesses and former Government official Mae Thomas, were sanctioned by the US following an investigation into alleged gold smuggling and alleged corruption. The US

2023, thus avoiding paying more than US$50 million in duty taxes.

The Government has since written to the United States, requesting additional information on the investigation. Already, it has suspended the Mohameds’ Cambio licences in a move

to safeguard the country’s financial system from facing any implications as a result of the sanctions. In fact, President Ali further disclosed on Thursday that while preliminary analysis shows that there have been no implications from these sanctions, measures have nevertheless been taken to axe the Mohameds’ connections with state agencies and other institutions.

“Everything is suspended for that company; they can’t(conduct any) transaction… Everything is suspended; all their transactions with the Gold Board… What you need to understand is that the substance of the sanctions, which is doing business and integrating the business, has been adhered to… So, all other [state] agencies, in keeping with the sanctions… would’ve ended or paused relationships [with the Mohameds],” he posited.

The Head of State has defended the decision to revoke the Mohameds’ cambio licence when action is still to be taken on their gold exportation and mining licences – which were the subject of the US sanctions. According to President Ali, the relevant state agencies are currently in the process of dealing with those licences.

He explained that while that process has been activated, there is due diligence that has to be followed, which would necessitate Guyana getting the information it requested from the US authorities.

President Dr Irfaan Ali

Nazar Mohamed (left) and Azruddin Mohamed

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Building blocks of society

Every human society ever studied was based on the notion of “family”. While there were doubts about its existence during the “Stone Age”, a burial site in Germany, with two adults and two children genetically related, suggests that, even then, the nuclear family was present. Because humans are born with very few instincts, and cannot immediately fend for themselves, the actions necessary for survival have to be taught; at least by the mother of children. Even bands of apes show tendencies to live as “families”.

While, in the “hunting and gathering” stage, small tribes might have been the dominant mode of organization, “society” as we know it only arose as humans transitioned into a settled mode of living, when they turned to farm for secure food supplies. At that stage, the earlier nuclear family structure with mother, father, and children became solidified as areas demarcated for farming would have been most effectively cultivated by families that needed a very minimal level of organisation.

This does not mean that modern “property relations” had to be present. In the Caribbean islands and Guyana, before the coming of the Europeans, the farming plots were communally commingled, and villagers would simply harvest for their daily needs. But the nuclear family was strong.

When individuals from Africa were captured and brought here as slaves, they also came from societies in which families were strong, but with polygynous marriages – meaning one man had several wives. But, in the Caribbean, those bonds were torn asunder as those who made themselves “owners of chattel” imposed social relations that were best for production of sugar. The plantation society reverted to being one in which the mothers were the centre of the family and fathers had “visiting” relationships. The planters even “bred” enslaved people to produce individuals they felt might be better workers.

This was the beginning of the destruction of the family unit in the African-Guyanese community, but with the inculcation of Christianity, the nuclear family ideal has been painstakingly recreated into the present, where it remains a work in progress.

The other large community that was imported over 79 years (1838-1917) from India came from a society in which the extended family was the norm. This was changed on the plantations because of the scarcity of women brought into the colony during Indentureship and the allocation of living quarters in the “logies” to nuclear families.

While, after the abolition of indentureship, the Indians gradually recreated elements of their societal relations of village India, the extended family and the tight network of relationships that sustained such communities were never the same.

One of the major effects predicted when such bonds are sundered and the society becomes increasingly atomised is that a feeling of “anomie” would be developed in individuals, and social pathologies such as higher rates of suicide, domestic violence, and alcoholism become more prevalent. This is the reality in the Indian- Guyanese community.

In 1993, recognising the importance of families to the maintenance of viable societies, the UN declared April 15 “International Day of Families”. The theme of this year’s observance focuses on Sustainable Development Goal 3 of the 17 to be achieved by 2030: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

While the form of the family may differ – nuclear, polygamous, extended, single family, same sex, etc. As the UN advises: “Families remain at the centre of social life, ensuring the well-being of their members, educating and socializing children and youth, and caring for young and old. From a policy perspective, taking families into account in the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals has the potential to speed up the achievements of many targets relating to individuals’ well-being.”

While the last exhortation may be directed at governments, ultimately it is the members of the society that have to seize the initiative to create stable families that can be the base of stable societies.

Vice President Jagdeo’s accomplishments are exemplary

Dear Editor,

The publisher of Kaieteur News, Glenn Lall, has been trying profusely to denigrate and discredit the achievements of former President and current Vice President and General Secretary of the PPP/C, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, including his educational credentials.

Editor, please allow me to put on record a summary of the Hon. Vice President’s political and other notable accomplishments: Honorary Doctorates

• Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University, Moscow.

D. Y. Patil University, Mumbai.

TERI University, New Delhi.

University of Central Lancashire (UK).

Trent University (Canada)

Selected Public Lectures

American University, School of International Service (Washington, DC).

Columbia University (New York City, USA).

Trent University (Peterborough, Canada).

University of Toronto (Canada).

United Nations University (Tokyo, Japan).

University of the West Indies.

York University (Toronto, Canada).

Selected Achievements

Lead Head of Government for Agriculture in the Caribbean Community (Jagdeo Initiative), 2003.

• Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award from the President of India in the field of Public Affairs, 2004.

• Chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in September 2005-September 2006.

• The World Economic Forum (WEF) identified Jagdeo as one of their inaugural Young Global Leaders (2006).

• Times Magazine named Jagdeo as one of their “Heroes of the Environment” (2008).

Awarded the United Nations “Champion of the Earth” (2010).

The Secretary-General of the United Nations appointed Jagdeo to serve on the Secretary General’s High-level Advisory Group on Climate Financing. Jagdeo was President pro tempo-

re of the Union of South American Nations (2010-2011).

• Jagdeo was made a Patron of the Delhi-based World Sustainable Development Forum (2010).

• Jagdeo was President of the Assembly of the Korea-based Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). Bharrat Jagdeo was a founding member of GGGI (2010).

• Jagdeo was Roving Ambassador for the Three Basins Forest CountriesThe Congo Basin in Central Africa, the Amazon Basin in South America, and the Borneo Mekong Basin in Southeast Asia (2011).

Jagdeo was ICUN High-Level Envoy for Sustainable Development in Forest Countries and Patron of Nature - the world’s largest environmental organization, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), announced that President Jagdeo would become the (2012).

Jagdeo was conferred with the highest honour of the State of Roraima, Brazil, the Order of Merit 'Forte Sao Joaquim, in April 2013.

Jagdeo led a high-level team of experts to identify solutions for unlocking resources to enable small, poor, and climate-vulnerable Commonwealth countries to combat climate change (2013).

Jagdeo presented his HighLevel Team of Experts report to 53 heads of government and other leaders of the Commonwealth, representing about a fifth of the World’s population at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo, Sri Lanka (2014).

• Jagdeo served as Co-Chair of the 14-member Eminent Persons Group whose mission was to provide guidance and recommendations for the future of the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Grouping.

• Jagdeo was Head, of Commonwealth Elections Observers to Sri Lanka (2015).

• Jagdeo was a high-level contributor to the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change Summit in Warsaw (2015).

Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo served as Guyana’s Executive President for the period August 1999 to December 2011. Prior to his ascension to the Presidency, he served as Junior

Minister of Finance from 1993 – 1995, Senior Minister of Finance from 1995 –1997, and Second Vice President from 1997-1999.

It is important to note that when the PPP/C Government was elected in 1992, they inherited a bankrupt economy. At that time, the debt-to-GDP was 900%, debt service was over 150%, inflation was 87%, interest rate was nearly 40%, and there were zero foreign exchange reserves and zero savings in the bank.

In 1994, the PPP/C Government embarked on the formulation of a National Development Strategy (NDS), which was led by Dr. Jagdeo as Finance Minister at the time. The strategy was finalized in 1996, and its incremental implementation commenced immediately thereafter in 1997.

By the time former President Dr. Jagdeo completed his second term in office, the economy’s debt-to-GDP was reduced from 900% (1992) to less than 50% (2011), debt service-to-revenue ratio was reduced from over 150% to 30%, inflation was reduced from 87% (1992) to 2% (2011), interest rates were decreased from 30% (1992) to 11% (2011), exchange rates were stabilized at $200; foreign reserves stood at US$750 million, representing 5 months’ import cover, from zero in 1992; GDP moved from US$300 million to US$3.7 billion (2011), and per capita income increased from US$500 to US$4,900. From inheriting a bankrupt economy with virtually zero savings in the bank, former President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo exited the Government leaving a total of G$101 billion liquid cash in the Government Deposit Accounts in the banking sector at the end of 2011.

Additionally, Government Revenue through taxes increased by 205% from a position of $40 billion in 1999 to $122 billion in 2011; total banking sector assets rose by 165% from a position of $124 billion in 1999 to $328 billion in 2011; and net international reserves rose by 301% from a position of US$187 million in 1999 to US$750 million in 2011.

It is worth noting that Dr. Jagdeo was never conferred any honorary doctorates from a church.

Sincerely, Joel Bhagwandin

The 10 finalists who will be vying for the title of Miss Guyana Culture Queen 2024 at the Guyana Marriott this evening. The delegates are: Anika Felicien, Jahniah Joseph, Shanae Heber, Alicia Walcott, Tiqumba Hunte, Kayla McAllister, Precious Barrow, Teija Edwards, Shequana Holder, and Miriam Alexander. The winner of the pageant will be representing Guyana at the Miss Caribbean Culture Queen pageant, scheduled to be held in the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis in August

Rumbling, rambling and rummaging with humorous Guyanese rumours

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

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

and heat waves to favour the realms of fantastic flavours. My favorite lyrics are washing on the Guyanese seashore.

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

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

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

The acronym, “Old is gold,” is the golden oldies that remain irresistible. From the days of yore, buccaneers pirated the seas for golden coins

and jewelry. The pioneers explored and exploited the land for nature’s gift. As ‘the New World’ was invaded by intruders, the colonialists grabbed and shipped out Guyana’s gold. Now, Guyana’s gold is being ‘flown’ out without the flight of any imagination.

While many detractors, naysayers, and insurgents are clamoring for the glamour of shutting down the oil and gas industry and the sugar industry, investors are hunting opportunities to be part of the ‘gold mine’ in Guyana. Many overseas business companies want to partner with their Guyanese counterparts. They remain optimistic about the positive advancement of the PPP/C government to develop and advance the country as the fastest-growing country in this hemisphere with

GTU president engaged in deception

Dear Editor, Through reports, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) has learned that Dr Mark Lyte, President of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), is seeking -- from all appearances -- to castigate our Union, without any merit, for living up to our responsibilities.

Such expressions, we learned, were made at a forum of the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) on June 15, 2024. We understand that the GTU President reportedly told his audience that the GAWU signed twelve (12) collective agreements this year. We ask: What is wrong with such achievements? Is it not in our interest to represent our members?

The GAWU remains

staunchly committed to safeguarding and advancing the interests of its workers, where it enjoys bargaining rights. The realization of agreements between the Union and employers testify to our work and dedication. We are proud of those achievements, and cannot be bothered by attempts to belie our successes. The GAWU has not expressed critical views on the efforts of the GTU or any other union. So why are we singled out by Dr Lyte?

From what we saw, Dr Lyte articulated that our Union has some seeming advantage, and attempted to offer a political justification. We find this laughable and downright deceptive. The GAWU has said before, and will say again, that our successes, whether negotiating with public or private sector employ-

ers, are based on our efforts at the bargaining table. There is nothing else, as he wants others to believe in his attempts to mislead.

While the GTU President speaks about collective bargaining, he was mute when GAWU was denied collective bargaining in the sugar industry during the sojourn of the Coalition Government.

We also do not recall Dr Lyte or his Union expressing solidarity when thousands of sugar workers who were laid off. There was also a conspicuous silence when the sugar workers endured a wage freeze between 2015 and 2020.

The situation was quite the opposite for the GTU, which did not suffer the ignominy meted out to the sugar belt. Rather, the GTU regularly engaged in collective bar-

gaining, an opportunity which, as far as we are aware, still remains on the table. Of course, we hasten to remind that collective bargaining is a process that flourishes in an atmosphere of cordiality and respect, without the imposition of preconditions.

We remain disappointed in Dr. Lyte’s expressions. He seemingly now seeks to find scapegoats to bolster his performance. We urge our colleague and comrade that, rather than attacking, his efforts would be more useful in finding practical solutions to the issues at hand. Harping here and there, but not at the bargaining table, will do no good.

Sincerely, Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU)

A time to move on

Dear Editor,

When the GTU called out teachers on a strike 60 days ago, they expressed that teachers were suffering and were worthy of a livable wage. They cited many instances in the prices being displayed in the supermarkets and elsewhere which in their estimation showed that they were on the poverty list.

But are these statements accurate? That's the question one is tempted to ask. Where are all the other sector workers in the economy? Don't they go to the same supermarkets and hardware stores? Aren't they living in the same Guyana the GTU is talking about?

The answer is yes. Nurses, firemen, and all other public servants work, live, occupy, what have you, the very same space that the Guyana Teachers’ Union is talking about. To be precise, in my comparison, all these other sectors work under difficult and exacting conditions, diverse from that of teachers.

The question then comes again: Aren't other public sector workers worthy of a "livable wage"? And the answer is

yes. However, the other public sector workers are a disciplined lot, who are conscientiously awaiting their turn for an increase.

Teachers are no special group from the other workers, and as such, cannot be treated any different.

I put the question to an active member of the strike, and his response was, "Them nurses and other workers are stupid. I am being paid and off the job." Well, how smart teachers will turn out to be with that belief is left to be seen. In the meantime, the nation's children are denied an education.

The reason why the other sectors did not associate themselves in that imbroglio is that they would have rationally concluded that the GTU is fighting a political battle, instead of an industrial one, and it is far removed from anything positive or developmental for this country.

In the first place, the union did not come to the bargaining table with clean hands. For more than 20 years, they have been collecting union dues with no accountability to their mem-

bers or the Government. The Labour Code mandates that unions have yearly audits, the GTU has none. This is preposterous, to say the least!

Further, when parents and teachers turn up at schools, they are met with gates locked and doors closed by principals and school administrators who are anti-Government and are devoutly political. Such actions by political activists have to be addressed.

The union is also demanding that Government pay upfront a hefty 20% ransom money before they can end the strike. All of these actions speak clearly that the union is on a collision course with the Government, never wanting this strike to come to an amicable conclusion. The GTU has conveniently forgotten that Government did pay out a 6.5% increase, which the teachers were a part of, never giving a negative comment until now. The GTU has also blinded its eyes to Government's reinstitution of the "Because We Care" cash grant, among other major educational developments such

as the building of new schools, all towards the building up of the education sector. So, who are the people who really care, and who are the staunchly political ones?

It behooves us then to conclude that it is not worth the effort for the Government to be kept in limbo while our students suffer. We are at the juncture where Government must accept that it is time to move on. This seemingly lawless takeover by the GTU must come to an end. For the nation to move on, Government needs to call the other unions, such as the nurses, and collectively negotiate a bargaining agreement pay rise for the 20242027 period.

This will sober them up, and we must move forward as a unified whole. So, while the union wallows in a political standoff stance, the rest of us need to move forward together. We cannot allow a union that is so vested in politics to hijack our country. Like a formidable team, Guyana must move forward.

Respectfully,

Neil Adams

the highest GDP per capita. This contradicts the negative picture painted by those who see everything wrong with the project undertaken by this progressive administrator.

A Cambio had its license revoked by the Bank of Guyana, a senior official resigned, smugglers were caught at the airport trying to ship out gold illegally, there were numerous drug busts, planes, boats, and other properties were confiscated from the ‘underworld,’ many fields cultivating marijuana/ganja are being destroyed and many drug traffickers are being caught and jailed. The Police and other law enforcement agencies are certainly stepping up in the detection and prevention of illegal activities. More planes, patrol boats, vehicles, and motorcycles are being provided by the Government to help in this fight against crime. Now, with an additional 1200 body cameras, more transparency in police activities is anticipated and the expectation of ‘left or right’ will see some hesitation.

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

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

After centuries of being asleep, the dead has awakened and not a sleeping giant. The ‘B’, the ‘C’ and the ‘N’ words are no longer applicable, allowed, or admitted. Secretly, they were ‘admired’ and addressed appropriately. Will Martin Carter have to rewrite his poem, “I come from the N... yard?” Would he have resisted the change? Guess we have to let ‘sleeping dogs lie.’ By the way, those from the mixed race, will they be objecting to the ‘D’ word... Dougla? Amendment to follow Honorable Minister! We may as well clean the slate.

Gudakesh Motie has spun his way to being named Men’s ICC Player of the Month for May 2024. Again, Guyana is on top of the world and making noise as a tourist attraction to travelers from around the world. With so many visitors bombarding the country daily, it’s not only Guyanese from the Diaspora but others who are seeing and seeking the beauty of the country. The Government is providing financial help for those desirous of getting spectacles. Many from the opposite side may need to take advantage of the Government’s programme. Thankfully, the oil revenue is being properly utilized. But the rumbling, rambling and rummaging of humorous Guyanese rumours will not stop but add sunshine on a rainy day.

Yours respectfully, Jai Lall

Page Foundation

Power Up Maths

◄ Module Test

and reduce result to simplest form

Create a ratio and reduce to simplest form:

In this sound experiment, you will attempt to imitate the sound of a duck.

Materials:

How much of the cake will each person receive if the cake is divided equally among the guests and birthday girl?

Plastic cup

String

21) 20 persons were invited to Mary’s birthday party. How much of the cake will each person receive if the cake is divided equally among the guests and birthday girl?

Create a ratio and reduce to simplest form: 21) 20 persons were invited to Mary’s birthday party. How much of the cake will each person the cake is divided equally among the guests and birthday girl?

Wet paper towels

22) In the church’s parking lot, there are 2 black cars and 4 silver-grey cars. Express this as a ratio.

22) In the church’s parking lot, there are 2 black cars and 4 silver-grey cars. Express this as a ratio.

Drill or tool to punch a hole in the bottom of the cup

Paper clip

Determine if the following proportions are equal (write yes or no):

Determine if the following proportions are equal (write yes or no):

22) In the church’s parking lot, there are 2 black cars and 4 silver-grey cars. Express this as Determine if the following proportions are equal (write yes or no):

NB: Adult help is needed to drill or punch the hole in the cup

Instructions:

Have an adult help you drill or punch a hole in the centre of the bottom of the cup. The hole needs to be big enough to put the string through. Tie one end of the string to the paper clip. Push the other end of the string through the hole in the bottom of the cup. The paper clip will stop the string from pulling all the way through. Hold your Duck In A Cup in one hand. This will allow the string to dangle beneath the cup.

Wrap the wet paper towel around the string and pull down firmly in sharp little movements. Your Duck In A Cup should start quaking!

How it works:

The string vibrates as you pull the wet paper towel down. While these vibrations are usually almost undetectable, the cup amplifies the sound making a loud and distinct duck quacking sound.

21) 20 persons were invited to Mary’s birthday party. How much of the cake will each person receive if the cake is divided equally among the guests and birthday girl? 22) In

Make this a science project:

What happens if you use a different sized cup? What happens if you use a different length of string? What happens if you use a different type of string? (sciencefun.com)

WORD SEARCH:

“No

fatal flaws” from independent assessments done by US EXIM Bank – Pres Ali

The Guyana Government is confident that the United States ExportImport (EXIM) Bank will approve the US$646 million loan to fund its highly-touted Gas-to-Energy (GtE) Project, stating that nothing has been found that would be fatal to the initiative.

Earlier this month, it was reported that a technical team from the US EXIM Bank was in Guyana and completed technical and environmental assessments.

With this due diligence completed, President Dr Irfaan Ali, during a press conference on Thursday at State House, disclosed that Government expected the loan proposal to be submitted to the EXIM Bank’s Board of Directors in the coming months.

“The Government of Guyana expects the EXIM Bank to submit the loan to the EXIM Board on or before the third quarter of 2024,” he stated.

In fact, the Head of State related that based on feedback from the technical team that was here, there should be no hindrances to the approval of the funding for the GtE Project.

“The technical team has advised that there are no fatal flaws arising from the technical and environmental due diligence,” Ali stated.

This was in response to a question about local and international lobbying efforts to block the funding for the GtE Project by the US EXIM Bank. Only earlier this month, it was reported that Friends of the Earth United States, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) with over 16,000 members, wrote the Chairman of the US EXIM Bank, Reta Jo Lewis, demanding that the institution not fund the GtE Project.

But according to the Guyanese Leader, “We have never found ourselves in any situation where there was

any objection that is fatal to any aspect of the project.”

He went on to further dismiss any concerns occasioned by the recent sanctions imposed by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control on two prominent Guyanese businessmen and a government official over gold smuggling and public corruption allegations.

“[The sanctions] are totally unrelated. They’re not concerned at all. This is a Guyana Government project. The relationship between the Government of Guyana and the Government of the United States is different from any relationship between any individual and the United States or any Departments of the United States,” the President noted.

It was announced in April 2023 that Guyana had applied for the US$646 million loan from the US EXIM Bank to finance the GtE Project, which includes the construction of an Integrated Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) plant and a 300-megawatt (MW) combined-cycle power plant at Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD), utilising natural gas from the country’s offshore operations in the Stabroek Block.

While Guyana awaits funding from the US EXIM Bank, construction works on the Project continues with Government expecting

the power plant to come on stream in the first half of next year.

In fact, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had said at a June 6 press conference that Guyana would still pursue the project, with or without the US Bank’s loan, noting that there were alternatives available to ensure that this transformative initiative was completed.

“So, it’s moving forward. We’re not desperate, or at a point where we have to stop this project, because the loan is not coming through. And we have several alternatives, too. We’re not a party or a government that doesn’t have contingencies,” Jagdeo explained.

“So, this project will be built. The Gas-to-Energy Project will be completed. It will deliver 300 megawatts of power; it would produce stable, cheaper electricity for the people of this country; and also, from that project, we’ll start becoming an exporter of cooking gas from an importer now, and we will be able to pay back for this project even from the proceedings of the sale of the liquids. And we are firm in that, and it’s going to happen,” the Vice President had insisted.

Jagdeo had previously disclosed that the Government could use bridge financing to get the Project underway until the EXIM Bank loan comes on stream.

The Guyana Government has set aside a whopping $80 billion in Budget 2024 to advance the GtE initiative this year and its associated infrastructure, including transmission and distribution upgrades to offtake the power.

Thus far, the marine offloading facility has been completed, and 26 kilometres (km) of onshore pipeline have been installed by US oil major ExxonMobil. Once completed, the project would allow Guyanese to benefit from 50 per cent reduced electricity costs.

The scope of Guyana’s GtE Project consists of the construction of 225 kilometres of pipeline from the Liza field in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, where Exxon and its partners are currently producing oil. It features approximately 200 kilometres of a subsea pipeline offshore that would run from Liza Destiny and Liza Unity Floating, Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessels in the Stabroek Block to the shore. Upon landing on the West Coast Demerara shore, the pipeline would continue for approximately 25 kilometres to the NGL plant at Wales.

In last year’s national budget, the project received a $43.3 billion allocation in addition to the $24.6 billion injected into the start-up of the transformational project.

The Guyana Government has envisioned the startup

of the GtE Project by March 2025, thus realising its commitment to deliver cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable energy to the population.

But even as Exxon has assured of delivering the pipeline by year-end, when it will be sealed until it is ready for use, the construction of the power plant and NGL facility has been delayed by at least six months. The contractor, a US-based consortium – Lindsayca CH4 Guyana Inc (LNDCH4) – is engaged in a disagreement with the Government over the timelines of the project and associated costs. LNDCH4, which was awarded a US$759 million contract in November 2022 to

build the power plant and NGL facility, is making financial claims to the tune of US$50 million over delays from other components of the project which were overseen by Exxon, saying that the late handover would affect its delivery according to contractual timelines.

In light of the delays, the Government has extended the deadline, but the contractor is not satisfied, and wants more time. Moreover, the Guyana Government has rejected the claim, resulting in the contractor moving to a dispute resolution mechanism that would see a three-member board set up to mediate between the two parties.

(G-8)

“I am not, or would ...

“The agencies are independent, and they will make all the necessary decisions…that are relevant to this case… But due process has to be taken, which is going… I can’t say whether [the gold exportation and mining licences have] been revoked as yet. I know there is a process of engagement, the process with the banks, the process with the Gold Board and mining; all of those processes are ongoing…,” he informed.

“The Government is awaiting the infor -

mation… GRA (Guyana Revenue Authority) and the Ministry of Finance have requested the information. We cannot operate without the information. When that information comes, and if there is a discrepancy between what was declared here and what was declared there, which leads to the tax evasion issue, then (it) helps us to build the case and hold GRA and the other agencies to take the necessary actions that are required,” President Ali noted. (G-8)

President Dr Irfaan Ali

Follow…

the dirt??

Your Eyewitness has been following the bareknuckle infighting that’s broken out in the PNC as they approach their Congress at the end of July -- wherein they’re supposed to be electing their leader. Now, he knows that all politics is local; but, jeez, does the PNC have to import their modus operandi of intimidation in national politics into their private affairs?? Or is that where it actually started? When Burnham was around, of course, not a dog barked!! But there were stories about Hamilton Green laying his gun on the table at cabinet meetings to intimidate the comrades!! Not surprisingly, Fat Boy made sure he was outside his succession plans by safe apparatchiki like Desmond Hoyte!!

There’s a difference between then and now, however. Then, the PNC was in power, and the Leader could banish ambitious comrades to foreign climes!! That’s what Burnham did to John Carter - who had his own following in the League of Coloured Peoples’ strata. So Norton, the present leader, gotta try to hold on to the reins of power - such as they are in a political party – the only way he knows how: bare-knuckled street fighting!! So we had the CPU with all the records of members who’d be voting at Congress suddenly gone “missing”!! Was it ever recovered? Was it vetted for corruption?? Enquiring PNC members would wanna know!!

Then one of the candidates for leadership - Roysdale Forde - publicly accused Norton of appointing members loyal to him - like the Executives, who’re practically all neophytes brought in on the slate and coattail – into the critical Credentials Committee. They’ll determine who votes!

But it wasn’t all “Get Norton!” One particularly vicious piece of character assassination was committed on the sole female challenger – dragging incidents from her personal life into the public arena. But that was just small potatoes compared to the bombshell that was just lobbed Norton’s way!

It was all meticulously stage-managed. First, a PNC member from foreign – a noted opponent of Nortonwrote to the press that Norton had sexually assaulted a very prominent female PNC leader from his hometown of Linden!! Well, Norton had to defend himself, and in doing so, he denied he was ever in the situation describedmuch less committing the act!! He dared the female PNC member to speak up – and she did!! That the incident was “true”, and she was only bringing it up now because it was already made public!!

So, what’s next? It’s now gonna be up to the membership of Congress to decide whose story they believe. But, in the meantime, other PNCites whose names were “called” will have to step up to the crease and bat for Norton – or his accuser!!

…the leader?

Now, while Norton’s facing the heat on sexual harassment accusations, one top civil servant – and a man of the cloth from back in the day - claimed that such actions were routine for Burnham!

He described, in the SN, a trip to Hope Estate, when Burnham would “supervise” the civil servants working in the canals. “There were some women folks who were in knee- deep water in the trench with their skirts stuck into the bottoms of their underpants. Here I heard firsthand the vulgarities, suggestive remarks, and abuses that were belched out to the members of the opposite sex. Burnham was barely twenty feet away from where I stood. I was incensed, and wondered what kind of "President" was this? A vulgar man makes a corrupt President.

“The Kabaka and his henchmen's philandering were not a secret to many of us. I was reminded of one somewhat attractive young lady of Afro-Guyanese descent who was invited to a function at the Durban Park residence on Vlissengen Road. Late in the evening, she was propositioned by the Kabaka himself to be available for a more intimate encounter. People were generally scared to offend by refusal, because of serious consequences.”

Is this part of Burnham’s legacy being followed?

Govt, GTU closer to reaching agreement to end teachers’ strike – Pres Ali … to meet today to discuss Terms of Resumption

he Government is mov-

Ting closer to reaching an initial agreement with the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) on conditions that would end the more than 60 days strike by some teachers.

This is according to President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali who stated that progress is being made towards reaching a preliminary agreement while responding to a question posed by the media at his press conference at State House on Thursday.

Ali noted that there have been numerous conversations relating to the resumption of work and the concerns raised by teachers.

“…From the most recent feedback I have received, there seems to be some movement in relation to getting to an initial agreement on terms that would see the situation resumed to some amount of normalcy.”

The strike by some teachers started on February 5. It surrounds a proposal for an increase in wages and salaries along with other interventions.

The Government has highlighted that it is fully prepared to work on a multi-year agreement from 2024 with teachers but the GTU held out that negotiations for salaries must commence from 2019. It later recanted and agreed to negoti-

ate from 2022.

To this end, the Head of State stressed that the Government will continue to prioritise the well-being and needs of teachers, students, and parents.

As part of its continuous developmental ambitions, the Government is heavily investing in the education sector to execute numerous policies and programmes.

Additionally, the President stated that students will have greater access to educational opportunities.

“We are committed to ensuring that they have fair treatment. We are committed to ensuring that their welfare and

lives in totality improve as our country continues to improve,” he vowed.

“And our priorities [are] to ensure that our children will not suffer or the teachers. And that is why we are investing in giving our teachers the best infrastructural conditions to work in, supporting their career development and supporting their personal aspirations for education and becoming trained.”

As the world continues to transform digitally, the government is looking to establish its first digital school shortly in the country.

Ali further pointed out, “Continuous learning will be heavily influenced by technol-

ogy. We said that we want to have the most skilled population. The most skilled population must allow every citizen, those who dropped out of school, and those who didn’t have the opportunity to go to school to be in an environment of learning…”

Meanwhile, after talks failed for the third time between the two parties, they both signalled interest in ending the ongoing strike and as such, it was agreed that the Ministry on behalf of the Government would map out the way forward and later communicate the same to the Labour Ministry to mediate a final meeting.

However, during an interview with the Guyana Times, Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton disclosed that his ministry has not engaged the Education Ministry since the last meeting (June 10).

“We have no new information other than the meeting ending with the Ministry of Education saying that they will return or they will speak to the GTU about their proposal” Minister Hamilton recently told the Guyana Times.

Nevertheless, General Secretary of the Guyana Teacher’s Union (GTU) Coretta McDonald stated that the union is still prepared to pursue national arbitration if talks fail for a third time.

On this point, she not-

ed that the nationwide teacher’s strike continues. “Well, we can only say that the Ministry of Education and by extension, the Government, are not interested in the education of our children. They are not interested in the welfare of our teachers. And the ordinary people in this country simply don’t mean anything to this Government because of the way they’re operating,” she contended.

Meanwhile, the President of the GTU, Mark Lyte told sections of the media that another meeting with the Ministry of Education is set for today. While he did not offer any details, Lyte revealed that the Union will be heading into that meeting with an agreed position, based on consultations with teachers from across

the country on the Terms of Resumption.

Guyana Times understands that one of the concerns by the GTU is that teachers could be struck off the “pay sheet” if they fail to report to work on the last day of the current school term and the first day of the next school term.

The Government had stated that it had already addressed over 20 issues affecting teachers, aimed at improving their working conditions and overall welfare.

In fact, at the time of the last strike, President Dr Irfaan Ali had reminded that he had already met with teachers across the country and outlined the Government’s plan to improve their livelihoods.

President Dr Irfaan Ali

GTU President Mark Lyte GTU General Secretary Coretta McDonald

Rehabilitation of bypass roads crucial for construction to commence on EBD main corridor – Min Edghill

Major road works within the Farm, Grove, and Diamond areas are crucial to the commencement of the highly anticipated US$75.8 million East Bank Demerara (EBD) Road improvement project, spanning from Good Success to Timehri.

This was according to Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill during an inspection of several ongoing projects while noting that the community roads will be used by commuters as bypasses given that the main access road will most likely be closed for some time to meet its 36-month deadline.

“Very soon we will be able to give this road to the people of the community and not only the community because this links with the main road at the back (Hero’s Highway) so people can be able to use this as an alternative route. And this becomes more and more important because once we

start construction on the Grove-Timehri Road, we will need all the bypasses in place,” Edghill said.

The scope of works in Farm includes the laying of crusher run, and grading asphalt on some 2.5 kilometers of road from the East Bank Public Road to the Heros Highway.

Additionally, the construction of 21 roads in Grove, totaling 3.5 kilometers in length is ongoing as well as 1 kilometer in 5th Street, Diamond. The road works which started in April are being undertaken by the Ministry of Public Works' Special Projects Unit.

The East Bank Demerara (EBD) Road improvement project aimed at supporting climate-resilient infrastructure development, marks the first of its kind to be funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in Guyana.

According to the Ministry of Public Works, the project has been divided into three

sections to ensure it remains on schedule with minimal disruption to commuters.

Section A covers the

the project is the integration with the Soesdyke/ Linden Highway through the construction of a round-

stretch from Good Success, beginning at the Ganga Temple, to Supply, while Section B extends from Supply to the Soesdyke Junction. Section C continues from the Soesdyke Junction to the Timehri Junction, near the Timehri Police Station.

A notable feature of

about, designed to facilitate smoother traffic transitions.

The project entails the rehabilitation of 24 kilometres of road, alongside the reconstruction and widening of over 58 bridges and culverts.

The roadway will be upgraded to a two-lane highway, complete with en-

hanced safety features such as sidewalks and cycle lanes to cater to vulnerable road users, including pedestrians and cyclists.

Additionally, thermoplastic road markings, LED street lighting, and traffic signs will be installed to enhance safety and navigation along the carriageway.

To manage the flow of traffic during the construction period, a comprehensive traffic management plan has been developed. Construction will begin in Section B, where there is sufficient space to accommodate ongoing work without severe traffic disruption.

During that time, at least one lane of traffic will remain open at all times, with efforts to maintain two lanes wherever possible.

This project is part of the PPP/C Government’s effort to improve the country’s infrastructure, as part of its manifesto commitment to provide enhanced transportation efficiency and safety nationwide for all road users.

As the main roadway leading to the country’s main port of entry – the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) in Timehri, the EBD corridor has been massively expanded in recent years.

An alternative four-lane highway from Mandela Avenue to Diamond, a Diamond to Mocha/Arcadia two-lane road, a four-lane road at Little Diamond, a new Grove/Diamond Road, and several road ongoing expansions at Diamond to Craig, Providence, and Eccles have significantly lessened traffic congestions on the East Bank.

These and other planned road works along the EBD corridor will be further bolstered by the current construction of the Indiafunded bypass road project that will link the EBD corridor at Eccles to the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) at Ogle, creating a new highway in the backlands. The Government plans to eventually extend this four-lane road to CJIA.

Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, and team during the inspection

Some of the paved community roads

Sexual allegations against Norton PNCR Executive wants allegations to be treated with deserving “seriousness”

– calls for “merciless” attacks against alleged victim to end

In light of the recent sexual allegation made against the Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC-R), Aubrey Norton, his colleague Amanza Walton-Desir has said the nature of the allegation cannot be ignored, and must be addressed with the seriousness it deserves.

Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Region 10, Vanessa Kissoon, in a video recording released on Wednesday, is accusing Norton of threatening to rape her at gunpoint. Following that revelation, Norton’s supporters have taken to social media to ridicule Kissoon, currently a

Linden Town Councillor. In this regard, Walton-Desir has called for the “merciless”

attacks against Kissoon to end.

“It is very important to note that Ms. Kissoon was asked by Mr. Norton to come forward and speak on this matter. It is therefore deeply troubling to see Ms. Kissoon being mercilessly attacked on social media. These attacks are unacceptable, and undermine the principles of unity, respect and support that should define us,” Walton-Desir has said.

Walton-Desir, who is also contending for position of Leader of the PNCR, added that the nature of the allegation cannot be ignored, and must be addressed with the seriousness it deserves.

“We must stand against any form of victim-blaming or victim-shaming. Especially

as women, we must lean into our better angels and our God-given ability to nurture,

rather than naysay; to comfort, rather than condemn; so that even as we find ourselves in an hour of disagreement, we can interrogate, and not castigate. We must foster an environment where every voice is heard and respected,” she appealed.

Further, she is requesting fair process for both Kissoon and Norton.

“The truth will always set us free, and I ask that others step back, as I will, and allow matters to follow the necessary course of action that is appropriate under these circumstances,” Walton-Desir has said.

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton

Former PNC MP Vanessa Kissoon

PNCR Executive member Amanza Walton-Desir

Overheated drop cord leads to Albouystown inferno

Afire that reportedly was started from an overheated drop cord charging a cellphone has destroyed a house at Callender Street in Albouystown, Georgetown, and four persons have been rendered homeless.

The fire reportedly originated in a two-storey, wooden-and-concrete building owned by 63-yearold Angela Gariba at about 7:00h. At the time of the blaze, the upper flat was occupied by the elderly woman and Trevon David, while the bottom flat housed two apartments, one occupied by 69-year-

Clifton Mathara, and the other by an unknown tenant.

Guyana Times understands that after the fire was spotted, the Guyana Fire Service was contacted and two water tenders, a water carrier and 16 firefighters were deployed to the scene. This swift response resulted in the fire being extinguished, but the building suffered severe damage and its contents were destroyed.

The cause of the fire has since been determined as an overheated drop cord that was charging a cellphone reportedly caused a breakdown of insulation, leading to arcing and sparking that ignited nearby combustible materials.

old

The house destroyed by the blaze

Firefighters at the scene

CDB Annual Meeting

Canadian Minister of Int’l Development lauds Guyana Government for its digitisation efforts

– to provide digital skills training to over 2000 Guyanese

Guyana’s Finance Minister who also holds the portfolio as Public Service Minister, Dr Ashni Singh attended the 44th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) which concluded on Thursday.

The event brought together the Bank’s highest decision-making body, thought leaders, innovators, academics, business leaders, policymakers, and government officials for vital discussions to address issues pivotal to sustainable development efforts in the Caribbean Region.

This year’s meeting, being held in Ottawa Canada under the theme, ‘Partnerships for Resilient Prosperity’ aimed at advancing a common vision to address global threats including climate change.

The meeting was chaired by the Canadian Minister of

International Development and the current chairman of the CDB's Board of Governors, Ahmed Hussen, and was attended by over 300 participants from around the world.

During his remarks at the Opening Ceremony, Minister Hussen recognised the efforts of the President Irfaan Ali-led Government in the area of digitalisation as he alluded to the launch of the ‘One Guyana’ Digital Skills Initiative Programme in March this year, for which Canada has provided support.

The programme represents a significant investment in the future of Guyanese citizens, empowering them with valuable digital skills and opening doors to exciting employment opportunities in the rapidly evolving tech industry. It aims to provide digital skills training to over 2000 Guyanese and upon

completion, participants are expected to emerge as fullstack developers, equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in the digital landscape.

Digitalisation is one of the top ten areas identified by Governors of the Region for attention during the next five to ten years. The other top areas include disaster prevention, preparedness and emergency response, climate action, capacity building, education, health, environmental protection, renewable energy, digitalisation, water and sanitation, and agriculture.

Guyana has been developing at a rapid rate with the Government of Guyana already focused on and implementing several programmes and projects in the above-listed areas to transform its economy. It is the country leading CARICOM’s Food Security Agenda ‘25 by 2025’ which seeks to reduce

CARICOM ‘s food import bill by 25 percent by 2025. The Government of Guyana (GoG) also continues to recognise the important role that Guyana’s forest plays in not only the development of the country but also in combatting the global impact of climate change. The Government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030 sets out a vision for monetising the climate and ecosystems provided by our standing forest while accelerating the country’s economic development along a low-carbon trajectory.

In November 2022, Guyana was issued the world’s first jurisdiction scale carbon credits, following which, in December 2022, the Government agreed to the world’s first sale of such credits in the global carbon market for a minimum payment of US$750 million between 2022-2032.

This year’s annual meeting focuses on the importance of regional and international collaboration as a driving force for sustainable development. Discussions will also focus on gender equality, economic growth, private sector engagement and financing, disaster preparedness, and how the financial institution can respond to the call for change as well as support the re-

gion’s development goals over the next ten years despite the challenges faced by the region. Many of the challenges include the region’s continued recovery from the effects of COVID-19 and other global crises such as the war in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as the devastating impacts of climate change which are likely to intensify.

Security officer gets $1M bail for death of auto sales employee

Three months after the shooting to death of 18-year-old Jared Jagnandan, the security officer involved was on Thursday slapped with a manslaughter charge.

Deandrell Semple, 20, of Kingelly Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB) appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Vigilance Magistrates’ Court where the charge was read to him. Police stated that on March 21, 2024, he unlawfully killed Jagnandan at SMK Shaf

Auto Sales, Lusignan, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

He was not required to plead to the indictment but was granted bail in the sum of $1 million. As a condition for bail, Semple was ordered to lodge his passport.

The matter was adjourned to July 8, 2024.

The charge was laid after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) recommended that the security office be charged with manslaughter.

On May 21, Jared’s par-

ents, Avalon and Reshma Jagnandan, voiced their frustration with the handling of the case by the Guyana Police Force in a public statement. Jared, a sales and marketing representative residing in Martyrs’ Ville, ECD, was shot and killed at his workplace.

The security guard involved in the shooting was employed by the auto company and was subsequently

arrested following the incident.

According to the police report, the owner of Shaf Auto Sales stated that he and his wife returned to the store around 11:10h on the day in question after completing some business errands. They claimed that they found the suspect and Jared seated near the security officer’s desk and shortly after, they heard a loud bang from the store.

Rushing out of his office, the businessman said he discovered Jared lying motionless on the floor, bleeding.

The security guard later informed them that Jared had been shot. He was taken to a private city hospital and succumbed to his injuries. His parents have since been advocating for a comprehensive investigation to seek justice for their son.

Charged: Deandrell Semple Dead: Jared Jagnandan

Dr Ashni Singh and other officials at the meeting in Canada

$231M Jawalla Secondary School to advance education delivery in hinterland

The community of Jawalla in Region 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) is set to benefit from the construction of a new secondary school, which will be outfitted with the necessary facilities and equipped to advance the level of education being accessed in the area and its surroundings.

The sod was turned for the $231 million project on Wednesday, which has a 9-month deadline. Upon completion, that school will house approximately 250 students.

The contract for works

was awarded to Sheriff Construction Inc. following a rigorous and competitive bidding process, as outlined in the Public Procurement Act.

The new Jawalla Secondary School will be equipped with facilities including Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and Information Technology laboratories, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) laboratories, a Home Economics room, library space, teachers' quarters, spacious classrooms, and a small dormitory.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand during the sod-turning exercise stated that the project aligns with the broader educational goals of the region, promoting academic excellence and holistic development.

On this point, she disclosed that the facility will help to ease the overcrowding at the DC Caesar Fox Secondary School in Waramadong, given that students in other communities, including Quebanang, Kako, Imbaimadai, Kambaru, Ominike, Abbou, and Eladupai will be trans-

These students are currently either not receiving a secondary education or are being educated in primary tops, a secondary department in a primary school.

“While we have this very simple ceremony it’s a huge investment in you, a huge investment in your children and you’re going to start seeing in five, six, ten years how children from right here will come back as doctors, accountants, and lawyers… As you can see, we're training teachers right from the village... this is the first time in the history of Guyana, we have as many teachers training. We used to be able to train about 535 teachers per year. We're now training

just under 2000 teachers per year. Many of them are coming from hinterland communities.”

The Minister further explained that these initiatives are being taken to ensure that teachers and students can thrive regardless of where they are in the country, and it is with this in mind that the Government increased efforts to improve both the physical and technological systems in schools across Guyana.

“President Ali has made it very clear that the bounty that Guyana is seeing now, the resources that we have in the country will be used for every single person, not concentrated in any given region and not concen-

trated in Georgetown. So, right now we have a massive build-out of secondary schools happening all across the country,” she added.

The Jawalla Secondary School is just one of several new hinterland secondary schools the Ministry of Education plans to construct this year since the Government set 2025 as the target to achieve Universal Secondary Education (USE).

To support this effort, the Education Ministry was allocated $74.4 billion through the National Budget, a portion of which will be used for the construction, rehabilitation, extension, and maintenance of educational facilities nationwide.

PNCR Executive wants...

Since the revelation of the incident, Norton has come out to deny all allegations, denying that he was ever alone in a vehicle with Kissoon and calling on the former MP to come out and speak to the issue.

In her statements released shortly after Norton’s denial, Kissoon said she had confided the incident to third parties “sometime back”, hence why it has now been leaked, something Kissoon maintains she did not approve of or consent to.

“Despite what Mr Norton is now alleging, I have trav-

elled in Mr Norton’s car and under what I considered to be a threat to use a firearm which he had in his possession and showed to me,” Kissoon said in her statement.

“Mr Norton stopped his car, locked it, showed me his gun in his foot and asked me, “If I put this to your head and rape you, what would you do?” I responded by saying,” I ain’t afraid of you or that sk*nt and you will have to f*cking kill me.”

While she added that Norton did not carry out his threats or desires, she had

carried the burden of this threat, disrespect, and violation for years. On the other hand, Norton that this recent allegation is a political plot designed to derail his campaign for leadership of the party. He also pointed out that the person who first leaked the allegations is known to be campaigning for one of the candidates for leadership.

“I saw a malicious and false post… contending that there’s some allegation of sexual harassment against me. I repeat, it is false and malicious. I wish to make it clear that at no point in my life did Sharma Solomon (PNC member & current Linden Mayor) ever ask me to drop Vanessa Kissoon to Linden. Secondly, at no time were Vanessa Kissoon and I in any vehicle alone, heading to Linden.”

“All of these claims are false and malicious. I wish to call on Sharma Solomon and Vanessa Kissoon to speak to this issue, since failure to do so may suggest that they’re complicit in this false and malicious post.”

Norton, nevertheless, threatens legal action.

ferred to the school.

The existing secondary school at Jawalla

Education Minister Priya Manickchand, Representatives of Sheriff Construction Inc, and village leaders during the sod-turning exercise

GWI to drill 5 new wells along Linden-Soesdyke Highway & Linden

Ateam from Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) led by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Shaik Baksh visited several villages along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway and Linden where they engaged residents on possible sites to drill new wells.

The areas visited were

Timehri, Kuru Kuru, Kairuni, Old England/ Siberia, and Coomacka.

In Timehri, the team held discussions with key personnel from the GDF Air Corp to ascertain an appropriate site for the drilling of a well in the area.

However, in Kuru

Kuru, residents were upbeat about the prospects of having a new well drilled in the area, as this will improve the supply of potable water to the community.

Additionally, in Kairuni and Old England, sites were identified for the wells to be drilled, with the cooperation of resi -

dents and the input of the GWI team.

Also, the residents of Coomacka were elated as they raised their concerns and assisted the team in identifying an area in the community for a new well.

The drilling of wells and other infrastructural works for these communi -

ties will be completed by the end of this year and will provide much-needed access to water supply by Guyana Water Inc.

GWI has recently completed the drilling of wells along the SoesdykeLinden Highway at Swan, Waiacabra, Long Creek, Kairuni, and Bamia.

Follow-up visits will be conducted in those areas with further assessments and preparations for the mobilisation of the team to commence work.

GWI remains committed to ensuring that residents have access to safe and reliable water sources.

GWI CEO Shaik Baksh and team inspecting one of the areas

The team during one of its visits

68-year-old ECD resident gets new home from MoM Initiative

Sixty-eight-year-old

Famida Kumar from Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD) recently received the keys to her brand-new home through the Men on Mission (MoM) initiative.

Kumar, originally from the Grove squatting area, had relocated to Bagotstown and applied for a house lot 15 years ago. However, financial constraints prevented her from building a proper home, but her hope of owning a house remained alive.

She subsequently reached out to MoM for assistance in constructing a home.

“I felt as though the world was ending for me. I had given up. But by the grace of God, the Men on Mission stood up for me…I

couldn’t believe it. I was not well and then I got strong. I am very happy,” Kumar expressed while reflecting on her journey.

The woman’s son will be living with her in the new home. To support herself, she runs a small business.

During the handing-over ceremony, Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat, emphasised that the ‘One Guyana’ platform is about more than unity; it aims to ensure that economic development and prosperity benefit every Guyanese.

“We know that our country is developing at a rapid pace and we want everyone to be a part of this development process…And that is what our government has been doing since we took office in August 2020,” he stressed.

Over the past four years, the government has been aggressively working to provide housing solutions and promote homeownership.

“She [Ms Kumar] is now in a better position, especially with the help from the Men on Mission. There is no greater achievement in one’s life than having their own home,” Bharrat highlighted.

Although assisting with home construction, the MoM initiative focuses on mentoring youths, particularly the vulnerable.

Bharrat commended the private sector for partnering with the Government and MoM on such initiatives. This marks the sixth house handed over by MoM in 2024.

The Men on Mission programme has signifi -

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat and other officials at the handing-over ceremony cantly evolved over the years, assisting the less fortunate in society.

MoM’s representative,

Dr Daniel Josh Kanhai, and several representatives from the Grove/ Diamond Neighbourhood

Democratic Council (NDC) were among those present at the event.

Overheated dropcord leads...

The owner of the building told Guyana Times that she was alerted to the fire by nearby residents, and she wasted no time in running to safety.

“I can’t tell you what caused the fire, but I was lying down and I was smelling the smoke. Because I know people burn copper around the area, I didn’t think that it was my house on fire. Is meh neighbours who ran out and alert me of the fire, and ah run out the house,” she detailed.

She highlighted that while running to safety, she attempted to rescue her two dogs, and sustained minor burns to her forehead as a consequence.

“A little bit around 20-to- 7, quarter-to-7 that’s when I got the alarm. Fire Service came on the scene a little bit after, but other people were trying to help throw water to out the fire, but the fire was going too fast,” she told reporters.

Property owner Angela Garida speaking with Evening News

CJIA expansion to support increased air travel to Guyana – Min Edghill

– inspects ongoing works at main port of entry

With growing appeal as a travel destination, the Guyana Government aims to enhance visitors’ experiences from the level of air travel and to support this move, works are ongoing to upgrade the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

In this regard, new spaces for food concession areas, 15 duty-free shops, lounges, play parks, and restaurants will soon be available at CJIA while over 300 airport staff will be moved to the new administration building.

During an inspection of the site on Wednesday, engineers and technical teams from the various contracting companies spearheading the project revealed that the construction of the VIP lounge and commercial centre is approximately 58 per cent complete.

Further, the baggage handling system which will eliminate the need for passengers to take their bags to the scanner is about 50 per cent completed with its deadline set for July 16.

K&S General Contractors Inc. is tasked with upgrading the baggage make-up area, with a $81 million budget while Avinash Contracting and Scrap Metal Inc. is working on the administrative building with a budget of $890 million and on the rigid pavement with a budget of $703 million.

Meanwhile, PD Contracting is working on the commercial center with a budget to the tune of $874 million.

According to Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, the new amenities are part of the government’s broader vision to transform CJIA into a world-class facility that caters to the needs of modern travellers and supports the growth of Guyana’s tourism sector.

“If we are building out Guyana to be a point connecting the Caribbean and South America, in transit passengers must have an experience…So, we are catering to all of that in this”.

“We want more than a million users (travelers) in 2024 and next year we

must be able to climb that up to another 300,000. The more people come through this airport is better for Guyana's economy,” Edghill said.

Minister Edghill added that the design changes to the commercial centre will cater to the influx of travelers Guyana is anticipating in coming years, by ensur-

ing passengers are properly accommodated.

On this point, he also revealed that a section will be constructed specifically for local small businesses to ply their trade so that visitors who are just passing through can have a taste of Guyanese culture.

“If you want to have fine dining because you have

a four-hour layover or you come early to the airport because you don’t like to be in the crowd, you must be able to sit and have a hot meal so we want to be able to put those facilities in… Some of the contractors are doing exceptionally well, others are behind time, we have had those engagements with them. We want this wrapped

up very soon. In another twothree months because this is June by the end of August or early September when you come to the airport you will be seeing something you really love,” he added. The contract for the airport expansion project was initially signed in 2011, during Dr Bharrat Jagdeo’s tenure as president, with China Harbour and Engineering Corporation (CHEC).

The then People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) administration acquired a US$138 million loan from the China Exim Bank and used US$12 million from the Consolidated Fund (taxpayers’ money) for the total project cost of US$150 million.

However, upon assuming office in 2015, the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government altered the proposed expansion project. Upon resumption of office in 2020, the PPP/C Government reverted to the old proposal and included some new amenities.

GTA showcases tourism destinations at Caribbean Media Marketplace in NY

The Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) recently participated in the Media Marketplace during Caribbean Week in New York, demonstrating its commitment to promoting Guyana as a premier travel destination. Representing Guyana at the event was Christina Koontz from CornerSun Destination Marketing, one of Destination Guyana’s North American Marketing Representatives.

The Media Marketplace, a highlight of the week-long celebration of Caribbean tourism, took place on June 17, 2024, at the InterContinental New York Times Square.

The Media Marketplace event serves as a vital plat-

form for networking with leading voices, experts, and stakeholders from across the Caribbean tourism industry. This year’s event brought together media professionals, travel writers, influencers, and tourism officials, providing an opportunity to showcase Guyana’s unique offerings.

Koontz highlighted the significance of participating in such a prestigious forum. She stated “The Media Marketplace provided an exceptional platform for us to share Guyana’s rich culture, vibrant heritage, and unparalleled natural beauty with influential media and travel professionals. We are excited about the prospects this exposure brings for our destination.”

Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Kamrul Baksh emphasised the importance of these engagements in promoting Guyana on the international stage.

“Our participation in the Media Marketplace at Caribbean Week in New York is a testament to our ongoing efforts to position Guyana as a top travel destination. By engaging with key media outlets and industry professionals, we are ensuring that Guyana’s tourism potential is recognised and appreciated globally,” Baksh stated.

The event featured prominent media publications, including Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, and Essence Magazine. As

a Gold level exhibitor, the GTA had the opportunity to conduct multiple meetings with these influential outlets, fostering valuable connections and enhancing Guyana’s visibility in the competitive tourism landscape. The Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), organiser of Caribbean Week in New York and its signature Media Marketplace event, is dedicated to positioning the Caribbean as the most desirable, year-round, warm-weather destination.

The CTO’s mission aligns with the GTA’s efforts to promote sustainable tourism and showcase Guyana’s unique attractions to a global audience.

Minister Edghill and other officials during the inspection of works ongoing at CJIA

The new administrative building under construction

Another section of the modernisation project

Christina Koontz of GTA at Caribbean Week

World Refugee Day 2024

HIAS making a positive impact on lives of migrants – assisted over 9000 in various sectors

World Refugee Day was observed on Thursday, June 20, 2024, and HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) Guyana since its formation in 2020 has been playing its part to assist migrants in various aspects ranging from health care to legal protection.

To date, some 9,386 migrants have received assistance from the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO)

HIAS Guyana is a branch of the global humanitarian organisation,

She emphasised that a significant portion of the individuals assisted by HIAS are prepared to enter the workforce. “We prepare persons to access jobs and when I say jobs I mean we prepare migrants to enter into the world of work," Ocrospoma revealed.

Presently, the organisation does not have a program in Guyana that directly connects people with jobs. However, they have partnerships that would have enabled individuals to access job interviews and

those who don't speak the language. That's where we come in; we serve as a connection to migrants and refugees," she explained.

HIAS’s Week Plans for World Refugee Day

Meanwhile, in observance of World Refugee Day, Ocrospoma revealed that HIAS has organised a series of informative sessions, screenings, and group discussions to raise awareness and provide essential information to migrants in various regions of Guyana.

"For Refugee Day, we

dedicated to supporting migrants and refugees. The organisation offers comprehensive services including mental health support, legal protection, economic inclusion, and assistance for survivors of gender-based violence.

Aligned with its mission, "to welcome the stranger, protect the refugee," A representative, Lyn Ocrospoma spoke of the organisation's comprehensive strategy during a recent interview with

formal employment opportunities.

She added that the language barrier is a major challenge in Guyana which poses additional difficulties for migrants daily.

"One of our main services is to provide connections to health services. Many people come to us and say that because of our colleagues, they were able to get treatment at the hospital. Navigating the public hospital system can be confusing, especially for

would have had informative sessions about protection services, how to access services in Region 3, Diamond, and Region 7, as well as activities in our office on GBV and protection services. We are also planning a foreign cinema event in Region 1.”

Further, she stated that throughout the week, “we'll have various activities, including an MHPSS group session online so people can participate from where they are. Additionally, we

have started a project with the European Union (EU)."

"The programme focuses on access to services and skills. This EU program aims to create safe spaces in regions 3 and 7. By identifying and providing these spaces, we facilitate access to our economic inclusion programs. This initiative also aims to improve the capacities of community leaders, enabling them to create safe spaces for various TPP situations," Ocrospoma elaborated.

When asked about the mental toll of their work and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Ocrospoma noted that HIAS has adapted its pro-

grams to continue supporting migrants.

They provide critical information sessions about protection services, how to access various services and reproductive health. This effort is bolstered by significant support from international donors, including the US Government, UNHCR, Airbnb, and the European Union.

"Our work is hard, but we have coping mechanisms in place, including psychological support sessions for our staff… We also rely on the creativity and collaboration within our team to manage the workload and achieve our goals."

Looking ahead, HIAS is committed to continuing its support for migrants in Guyana. They encourage the local community to welcome and integrate newcomers, emphasising that refugees are often forced to leave their home countries due to dire circumstances.

"We want to thank the Guyanese community and government for their support. We ask everyone to be kind and help each other access services," says Ocrospoma.

Over the years Venezuelans have fled their homeland to Guyana due to harsh economic conditions in search of better-

ment here. To date, some, 29,000 of them live in various regions across that country.

Migrants in Guyana Venezuelan migrants seeking refuge in Guyana are being encouraged to present themselves to immigration authorities to get registered to benefit from services offered by the Government.

Registration is made easy through the implementation of “roaming immigration officers” who traverse the areas usually populated by migrants and offer registration and extension of stay services remotely. This process is focused on regularisation of these migrants thus preventing or reducing their vulnerability to trafficking and sexual and labor exploitation.

In Guyana, all children of migrants, legal and illegal, from Venezuela and other countries are allowed full access to be enrolled in the public school system within the host communities, and to benefit from Government-funded support programmes including school feeding programmes, school uniform vouchers, and the “Because We Care” cash grants given to all students. (Mishael Henry)

Teen among 3 busted with gun, ammo in Georgetown

Three persons, one of whom is a 19-yearold, were arrested on Wednesday evening in Georgetown during a police intelligence-led operation that has led to the recovery of an unlicensed 9mm pistol and two live rounds of ammunition.

Reports are that detectives attached to the Alberttown Police Station were on mobile patrol when, at about 22:45h, they received information and proceeded to Fifth Street Alberttown, where they intercepted black Allion motorcar HD 6172 which was parked on the northern side of the street.

The firearm and ammunition found during the operation

Three persons were in the car at the time: a 43-year-old taxi driver from Den Amstel, a 34-yearold unemployed resident of Timehri, East Bank Demerara, and a 19-yearold unemployed resident of Rosemary Lane (Tiger Bay) in Georgetown; and when police searched the men and vehicle, a black 9mm pistol with two live rounds of 9mm ammunition were found inside a bag that was around the neck of the teenager.

The three occupants were arrested and escorted to the Alberttown Police Station, where they were placed in custody. The firearm and ammunition will be sent to the ballistics section for analysis, while these three men are expected to be charged today.

Guyana Times.

Sarai Morris and Lyn Ocrospoma, officials of HIAS Guyana, engaging migrants

50 women to be trained for roles on solar

farms

which will add

35MW to national grid

...18MW to be available in 18 months

Fifty women are expected to receive jobs on the five solar farms that are expected to be established in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The solar farms are expected to produce 35 megawatts of solar power with the first 18 megawatts to become available by January 2026.

The Government through Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) has already acquired the land in the respective regions. The solar farms will be constructed by Chinese stateowned conglomerate SUMEC Co Ltd.

GPL, which has been experiencing several challenges in providing reliable and sustainable power supply to Guyanese has embarked on a new project that seeks to address those two issues and reduce production costs.

Guyana Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Program (GUYSOL) will be executed in Regions 2, 5, 6 and 10.

Guyana has earned financing from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) as

part of the Low Carbon Development Strategy. It intends to utilise this financing to implement the programme.

GUYSOL falls under the utility company, while the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) manages the project.

Social Management Specialist of GUYSOL, Chitra Singh Samaroo addressing the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Five on the project pointed out that thirty acres of land had been acquired at Trafalgar in that Region.

The initial 18 megawatts will come from the coastal regions. Two solar farms will be established in Region Two - one at Charity which will be expected to produce five megawatts of solar power; Onderneeming which is expected to produce 3 megawatts which will have a combined capacity of 8 megawatts of solar power and a minimum of 8 MWh of battery storage for the Essequibo Coast. It will also include installing an automated monitoring and control system and remote-control system for the Essequibo Coast.

The tree solar farms in Berbice are being built with the capacity to produce 10 megawatts of solar power. There will be no battery storage for the farms in Berbice, with 4 megawatts coming from the farm at Trafalgar in Region Five and three each from the two farms in Region Six; at Hampshire on the Corentyne and Prospect on the East Bank of Berbice.

“Eventuality this project will inject 33 MW of renewable energy into the national grid. Obviously, this

will displace the use of fossil fuel in energy generation; it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions which is good for the country, more than that it would improve the infrastructural services as a country.”

The Government has already got the IDB to release the required US $83 million to set up the five farms and train persons to work on them.

Additionally, the procurement of an extra 15 megawatts peak is scheduled for

later this year for Linden in Region 10.

Speaking of some benefits individual regions would derive from the project, Samaroo said it would add value to infrastructural development and aid in developing the local economy.

“Because the contractor will be hiring people from the region to work on the solar farm as well as we will be sourcing material from these regions to build the solar farm.”

It will also implement two

energy apprenticeship programmes to provide handson experience to 20 Guyanese men and women, including those with disabilities.

“In addition, to us installing the solar farms in regions 2, 5, and 6 we also have a social and developmental initiative that we will execute within a short period. We are trying to get a total of fifty women from regions 2, 5, 6, and eventually Region 10. Once they have a minimum of three CSEC subjects: Mathematics, English Language, and at least one science subject, and live in Guyana they can be a part of a programme where they will be exposed to free training for one and a half months and then they will have a job opportunity to put into practice whatever they were taught for eight months,” the Social Management Specialist explained.

Land preparation for the initial five farms is expected to commence before the end of June and all five farms should be up and running by the end of January 2026 as SUMEC Co Ltd had been given eighteen months to have all solar farms functional.

(Andrew Carmichael)

Embrace yoga for a healthier life, harmonious society

In today’s busy and demanding world of work and study and handling other stressful situations, self-care and maintenance of mental and physical health cannot be overlooked.

International Day of Yoga 2024, celebrated on June 21, 2024, brings these issues under the spotlight as captured in its theme “Yoga for self and society”.

Good physical and mental health are by far the best wealth, said Agnela Patil, a yoga teacher. She explained that it enables the holder to enjoy a full and wholesome life, which would redound to a healthier and more harmonious society.

“It goes a long way in helping to reduce the ill effects of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety on individuals and the usual accompanying impact on their families. These, if not addressed, could negatively impact productivity at the individual level and the level of society and could be a financial burden to tackle them in the long run,” she noted.

Ms. Patil is an Indiatrained yoga teacher. She

is a former teacher at the High Commission of India in Georgetown and has more than 12 years of experience working with groups of diverse backgrounds.

These include Army personnel, prisoners, the LGBT community, corporate enterprises, public servants, and children of varying age groups. Most of these classes are conducted at the Namaste Yoga Studio, lo-

cated in Ogle, East Coast Demerara.

Yoga, she noted, is an ancient Indian science geared at achieving a balanced mind and healthy body, and given its holistic benefits, it transcends known barriers in society.

“With the stresses and tensions of today’s world, it has gained international appeal, cutting across race, religion, gender, and pol-

itics,” said Ms. Patil, who quickly pointed out that the theme for International Day of Yoga 2024, “Yoga for self and society” cannot be more apt.

“It is never safe to allow yourself to be consumed by work and challenges around you. Take time to focus on yourself— your mental and physical health. Yoga is a pathway to address these challenges, and naturally,

a healthy body and positive mindset would result in a better and more productive society,” she said.

Former World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director, SouthEast Asia, Dr. Poonam Singh had identified yoga as a useful tool to help relieve stress, improve immunity, and build and maintain physical fitness and emotional well-being.

Yoga involves stretches (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), meditation and relaxation.

According to Ms. Patil, one session of yoga once properly instructed improves brain function, lowers stress levels, and increases flexibility, and after a few months of practice, participants experience lower blood pressure, improved lung capacity, reduced chronic neck and back pain, relief from anxiety, lower blood sugar levels in diabetics and an improved sense of balance.

As enthusiasts the world over gear up to celebrate International Day of Yoga, she is encouraging more persons of all age groups to embrace the practice and the path to a healthier and harmonious life.

This June 21 will mark the 10th edition of International Day of Yoga. The June 21 date was proclaimed by the United Nations on December 11, 2014, and recognises the international appeal of yoga and seeks to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga.

Social Management Specialist Chitra Singh-Samaroo

Suchitra Patil depicting a warrior’s pose

Suchitra Agnela Patil depicting a dancer’s posture

DAILY HOROSCOPES

(March 21-April 19)

Focusing on the truth will help you make better decisions and determine which path will get you where you want to go. Refuse to follow someone else when it doesn't benefit you.

Don't cause a ruckus if you want to get things done. Look for the positive in every situation and proceed with an upbeat attitude, and you will reach your destination. Emotions and money won't mix.

(May 21-June 20) (April 20-May 20)

Consider where you reside and what's available to you in your community. Take advantage of any opportunity to meet people who share your interests and concerns.

(June 21-July 22)

(July 23-Aug. 22)

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

Showing what you can do will result in lucrative opportunities. You can expect to encounter opposition, but you will reach your goal if you handle it with finesse and intellect.

Don't pass along information without disclosing where or who it came from. Choose your concerns wisely. Avoid pointing out the weakness of someone else's position.

Take a moment to go over your expenses and any concerns regarding joint ventures. It's better to adjust what's troubling you than to let stress drag you down. Put yourself first.

Don't feel you must lower your expectations because of what others do or say. Look for opportunities or new ways to use your skills. Progress is up to you. Do your own thing.

You have plenty to gain if you put yourself out there. Travel, self-improvement and financial planning that allow you the freedom to do what makes you happy are within reach.

Consider your relationships with others and take a break from anyone dancing to a different beat. Figure out why you aren't achieving what's important to you.

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

You'll have plenty to consider before you decide what to do next. Don't count on anyone for anything. Take the initiative and put things in place. Romance is favored.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Put muscle behind your actions, and you will achieve what you set out to do. An opportunity will arise due to hard work. Your actions will determine the outcome; reach for the stars.

Think big, but stick to a tight budget. Use your creativity to devise a plan that works to make your life manageable and stress-free. A talk with a loved one will offer insight into possibilities.

ICC T20I World Cup 2024: India vs Afghanistan…

– through efforts of Yadav, Bumrah

There were geniuses at play in Bridgetown, wearing the India blue as they cruised to victory in their first Super Eight game against Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup 2024.

The pitch was again tough to bat on; it was slow and offering purchase to everyone willing to roll their fingers across the ball.

Suryakumar Yadav, though, found a way to prosper, as he often does in T20 cricket, and he helped his team post an above-par total of 181 for 7. That brought Jasprit Bumrah into the fray, and he immediately set about dismantling Afghanistan, his two early strikes leaving them indisposed for the rest of the chase.

The old guard

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma did not play a single T20I between the end of the previous World Cup in 2022 and January this year. But they’re here now because each wants that medal around his neck. They want

India in winning start to Super Eight

because they weren’t comfortable with the options they had down the order. That’s changed now, because their best T20 batter mans the #4 position.

Suryakumar played

spot in the laws of physics and mercilessly pokes holes in those laws. But more in terms of just knowing his areas and trusting his skill. Even in the one time when he made jaws drop to the floor as he dragged Azmatullah Omarzai from somewhere off the wide line to the square-leg boundary, he was just trying to put away a full toss. The legside was the shorter boundary,

his shape - when they went slower ball. First time he tried it, he got beaten. Second time, he nearly hit the ball out of the ground. This was a classic case of an attacking batter paring down his options to just those he knew would succeed in the conditions.

Suryakumar was box office, even without bat in hand. In between the innings, he admitted that he

and that just made sense.

Suryakumar focused on three things while he was out there: Sweep to mess with the wristspinners. He played four, and each of them resulted in a boundary. Smash whenever the quicks went too full. He struck a six that sailed into the Three Ws stand, and he held his pose. Worrell, Weeks and Walcott would’ve loved that. Finally swipe - after making sure to hold

was nervous. “I began chewing my gum harder when Kohli got out,” he said.

But he knew he couldn’t let himself be bogged down. “It was important to keep the intent up,” he disclosed.

India do not want to fall into the same traps as before. This World Cup, they’re going to bat like they have a full ten wickets to spare.

Bumrah on fire He has twice as many

wickets as he’s conceded boundaries (8 vs 4) in this T20 World Cup. Bumrah is undeniably India’s most important player. He came on to bowl after Rahmanullah Gurbaz had struck a lion’s share of the 13 runs in the first over of the chase. He had seen, in the first innings, that slower balls had been mighty effective (five wickets for 30 runs at an economy rate of 7.2).

position to that degree that quickly is the reason why he is an all-format great. He gave away only seven runs, the second-fewest by an Indian bowling four overs in a T20I.

There were further positives as well. Kuldeep Yadav, back in the XI to exploit favourable conditions, picked up 2 for 32. Axar Patel began with a wicket-maiden in the powerplay. Ravindra

Immediately, he dialled one up, and also shifted his line real wide to deny Gurbaz the straight hit that he likes so much. Assessing the conditions and the op-

India (20 ovs maximum)

BATTING R

Rohit Sharma (c) c Rashid Khan

b Fazalhaq Farooqi 8

Virat Kohli c Mohammad Nabi

b Rashid Khan 24

Rishabh Pant † lbw b Rashid Khan 20

Suryakumar Yadav c Mohammad

Nabi b Fazalhaq Farooqi 53

Shivam Dube lbw b Rashid Khan 10

Hardik Pandya c Azmatullah Omarzai b Naveen-ul-Haq 32

Ravindra Jadeja c Gulbadin

Naib b Fazalhaq Farooqi 7

Axar Patel run out (†Rahmanullah Gurbaz/Naveen-ul-Haq) 12

Arshdeep Singh not out 2

Extras (lb 5, w 8) 13

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 9.05) 181/8

Did not bat: Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah

Fall of wickets: 1-11

(Rohit Sharma, 2.5 ov), 2-54 (Rishabh Pant, 6.6 ov), 3-62 (Virat Kohli, 8.3 ov), 4-90 (Shivam Dube, 10.5 ov), 5-150 (Suryakumar Yadav, 16.6 ov), 6-159 (Hardik Pandya, 17.6 ov), 7-165 (Ravindra Jadeja, 18.4 ov), 8-181 (Axar Patel, 19.6 ov) •

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Fazalhaq Farooqi 4-0-33-3

Mohammad Nabi 3-0-24-0

Naveen-ul-Haq 4-0-40-1

Rashid Khan 4-0-26-3

Noor Ahmad 3-0-30-0

Azmatullah Omarzai 2-0-23-0

Afghanistan (T: 182 runs from 20 ovs)

BATTING R Rahmanullah Gurbaz † c †Pant b Bumrah 11

Hazratullah Zazai c Jadeja b Bumrah 2 Ibrahim Zadran c Sharma b Patel 8 Gulbadin Naib c †Pant

b Kuldeep Yadav 17

Azmatullah Omarzai c Patel b Jadeja 26

Najibullah Zadran c Arshdeep Singh b Bumrah 19 Mohammad Nabi c Jadeja b Kuldeep Yadav 14

Rashid Khan

Jadeja had a good run out as well. And Arshdeep recovered from a two-over spell for 22 runs to almost pick up a hat-trick in the dying moments. (ESPNCricinfo)

Suryakumar Yadav went attacking all around the ground

Rashid Khan struck in back-to-back overs, this time removing Virat Kohli

Hardik Pandya started playing his shots after taking time to settle down

Jasprit Bumrah got Rahmanullah Gurbaz in his first over

GABA U23 Championships…

Trojans, Kobras continue winning ways

Action in the Guyana Amateur Basketball Association’s Under-23 Club Championships continued on Wednesday night at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue with the University of Guyana Trojans and Prospect Kobras emerging winners of their respective games.

The University of Guyana Trojans handed Wortmanville Pacesetters their second defeat in the tournament with their unique ability to counterplay to the basket. Starting the game on a high, the Trojans led the first quarter with the

scoreline reading 10-6.

The Trojans retained their lead in the second quarter by scoring 13 baskets and restricting the Pacesetters to only 12 points, ending that session with a scoreline of 23 points compared to the Pacesetters’ 18 points.

Class was on full display during the third session, when the Trojans netted another 24 points for an accumulation of 47 points while restricting the Pacesetters to a mere 20 points for a total of 38 points.

With the scoreline reading 47-38 at the beginning of the fourth session, the Trojans went on to secure

the win in the final quarter, when the scoreline read 6945.

10 more teachers complete F4S, Child Safeguarding workshop RHTY&SC continues

Another ten teachers, representing nursery, primary and secondary schools, have completed the FIFA Football For Schools (F4S) training module, and have familiarised themselves with the GFF Child Safeguarding Policy.

The workshop, which took place on June 12 and 13 at the ChristianburgWismar Secondary School in Linden, Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice), was led by Orin Francois, Senior Child Welfare and Protection Officer of the Ministry of Human Services.

Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde aims to ensure that individuals interacting with young footballers comprehend and adhere to the Federation’s stringent Child Safeguarding protocols, safeguarding the well-being of every child involved in the sport. This local policy aligns with FIFA’s Guardians initiative.

Educators Alliyah Antigua, Shamaul Swaving, Shanna Chester, Dillion Scipio, Donnet Marks, Roy Haney, Melinda Adolph, Boris Adams, Delon Peters and Maurice Cummings have completed the F4S modules, which focused on using sport to foster essential life skills.

Facilitator Francois described the sessions as “interactive,” noting that participants appreciated the emphasis on child safeguarding protocols. He added that F4S training will continue nationwide in the coming months.

To date, nearly 100 educators have undergone training in the F4S philosophy, introduced in 2022 with strong backing from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

The GFF is currently preparing for the Round-of-16 of the Blue Water Shipping Under-15 Girls’ National Secondary Championship, scheduled for June 22 and 23. This stage includes two schools from Region Ten - Mackenzie High and ChristianburgWismar Secondary.

Among the other teams in the much anticipated second round of Guyana’s largest girls’ tournament are Santa Rosa Secondary, Waramuri Primary Top, Westminster Secondary, Queen’s College, New Campbellville Secondary, Bush Lot Secondary, Woodley Park Secondary, New Amsterdam Secondary, Bartica Secondary, St Ignatius Secondary, Charity Secondary, Tucville Secondary, President’s College and Ann’s Grove Secondary.

The tournament, endorsed by the Education Ministry, began on May 4 and represents the competitive phase of the F4S programme.

Teachers who attended the recent F4S workshop represented Christiansburg Wismar Secondary School, Wisburg Secondary School, Mackenzie High School, Linden Foundation Secondary, One Mile Primary, Kwakwani Secondary, Pine Street Nursery and Amelia’s Ward Primary.

Jushawn Bailey was pivotal in the offensive attack for the Trojans, top-scoring with 15 points.

Prospect Kobras managed to continue their winning ways as they annihilated a winless Black Caimans in the second match of the evening, handing Caimans

their third straight defeat in the tournament. The Kobras used the jump ball to grab an early 17-15 lead as they set the tempo of the game.

The second quarter saw the Caimans showing their ability from the three-point line to decimate the Kobras’ lead to one point. The Caimans scored 18 points in that session to elevate their score to 33 points, while the

The Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, MS, is forging ahead with its cricket development programme as it strives to maintain its reputation as one of the top clubs in Guyana.

Cricket management under the leadership of club manager Robby Kissoonlall and secretary Hilbert Foster is currently working on a series of planned activities with special emphasis on obtaining all equipment needed on and off the field.

The club, in an effort to maintain the Area H ground, would be purchasing a mobile grass-cutter costing $850,000 with sponsorship from Panthera Solution and Dr. Alsteen Denbow.

Colonel Liverpool presented a cheque to Kissoonlall during a RHTY&SC ceremony in New York on Saturday last. Kissoonlall disclosed that the mobile grass-cutter would be purchased by the end of the month. He expressed gratitude to the famed Guyanese medical doctor who is based in the USA.

In a prepared statement read by Colonel Liverpool, Dr. Denbow stated that he is very delighted to assist the club, as he has been very impressed with the club’s achievements

over the years. Dr. Denbow pledged to continue supporting the club in the future, once the standard is maintained.

The RHTY&SC would also be undertaking the con-

Kobras scored 17 points in that session to take their total to 33 at the end of that quarter.

Third-quarter action saw the Kobras keeping both their composure and control of the game, as they managed to score 21 points to elevate their score to 55 points, while the Caimans struggled to score 11 points to register an overall total of 44 points.

With seconds to go in the game, the Kobras pounced on the Caimans to seal the deal by breaking through their defense. The ultimate scoreline read 78-65 in favour of the Kobras.

The Guyana Amateur Basketball Association’s Under-23 Club Championships continue at the same venue this Saturday.

cricket development

nual Republic Bank Summer Camp, to be held at the Rose Hall Town Primary School.

A total of over $600,000 worth of prizes would be distributed to the top awardees of both programmes, and RHTY&SC Assistant Secretary Jonathan Rampersaud has expressed thanks to Singh for his continued assistance to the club, which he represented in the late 1990s.

Meanwhile the club has received support of former members to obtain a 32x8 batting mat for usage on the concrete pitch at the Area H ground. Kissoonlall has said that with the rainy season in full effect, the club is forced

struction of 700 feet of boundary board around the southern and northern sections of the Area H ground as it strives to have a suitable home venue.

Former club member KC Singh has also donated two electric bikes to the club for its upcoming summer activities. One of the bikes would be given to the top cricketer of the 2024 RHTY&SC cricket academy which would be held at the Area H ground from the 8th of July, and would involve 120 players. The other bike would be the top prize at the 15th an-

to make alternative arrangements for practice and to get youths to still continue attending sessions in the afternoon. The batting mat would allow the batsmen to continue practising all year round, while the club has introduced a financial reward system to reward attendance by junior cricketers during the rainy season. Several junior cricketers have already been rewarded for 100% attendance during the May/June period. The RHTY&SC, as part of its expanding cricket development programme, has also

obtained 100 yards of practice net and all-purpose catching practice equipment. This equipment is been shipped in from the USA along with cricket uniforms for members. Club secretary Hilbert Foster, who had been President of the Berbice Cricket Board, has said that the main objective of the RHTY&SC over the next five years is to provide at least 30 players for Berbice and Guyana at all levels. He expressed gratitude to all of the donors who assisted, including Dr. Denbow, KC Singh, Pastor Ravi Singh, Cricket Zone USA, and Sharma Sukhdeo.

Another 10 teachers (in photo) have completed the FIFA Football For Schools and GFF Child Safeguarding workshop

The University of Guyana Trojans

The McDoom Prospect Kobras

KC Singh handing over letter of commitment to RHTY&SC Assistant Secretary Jonathan Rampersaud

Colonel Liverpool handing over donation to RHTY&SC Cricket Manager Robby Kissoonlall

ICC T20I World Cup 2024…

England’s Salt, Bairstow down West Indies with ease

Adevastating 87 not out from Phil Salt, supplemented by an unbeaten 48 from Jonny Bairstow, resulted in England thrashing the West Indies by eight wickets in St Lucia in the kind of performance that set down a marker for the rest of the teams in the Super Eight of the T20 World Cup 2024.

The defending champions made light work of their target of 181, with a clinical 97-run stand between Salt and Bairstow earning them victory with 15 deliveries to spare. Played out on a fine batting deck at the Daren Sammy National Stadium, Jos Buttler opted to chase at the toss, and things looked precarious after eight overs, with West Indies getting 72 on the board for the loss of just Brandon King, who collapsed with a side strain early in the fifth over, having scored 23 off his previous 12 deliveries.

A diet of spin restricted the West Indies’ batters, thanks to Adil Rashid - the

That West Indies were able to reach 180 without any further loss from a position of 143 for 4 with three overs to go owes as much to Sherfane Rutherford as it does to Wood. The former was able to find 28 from 15 deliveries, 13 of them off the latter, as the 18th over was taken for 19.

England’s pursuit began steadily enough, reaching 58 for no loss after six overs.

Roston Chase’s flat delivery eventually ended the opening stand of 67, trapping Buttler in front, before Moeen came and went, batting at # 3 for the first time since March 2023.

Salt remained, and though he did end up slowing down, Bairstow was on hand to pick up the slack, striking 46 off 21 up to the 16th over. It was then that Salt tagged back in, and unfurled a brutal attack on Romario Shepherd, striking the seamer for 30 with three fours and three sixes, which produced the joint-most expensive over by a West Indian in a T20 World

pick of the bowlers with 1 for 21 from his four overs - and Moeen Ali, who went on to remove Johnson Charles.

Rovman Powell, promoting himself to #4, took 20 from the 15th over, striking Liam Livingstone for three sixes down the ground in four deliveries. But an attempt at a fourth off Livingstone’s final ball brought his downfall, as he was caught low at short third by Mark Wood, returning to the XI in place of Chris Jordan.

It was the first of three wickets to fall in the space of 12 deliveries for just six runs. Jofra Archer removed Nicholas Pooran caught behind in the next over, before Andre Russell nailed a Rashid googly straight to wide long on.

ing in tandem and less of the strike, he had stalled. Going into the 14th over, he had scored just 12 more from 15 deliveries.

That was when Bairstow set about a jump-start. For some reason, Powell returned to Alzarri Joseph instead of persisting with the frugal Chase. Bairstow used the pace on the ball to send the first delivery over the deep midwicket fence - the longer side, no less - before ramping the next delivery for four.

Powell attempted to correct his error by bringing Akeal Hosein back on for his final over. Bairstow, though, was in an unforgiving mood. An attempted reverse sweep brought a subdued lbw appeal, before a conventional sweep, a 76-metre six heaved into the stands at midwicket, and a fortuitous inside edge brought 14 from three deliveries. The 16 from the over outright made it Hosein’s most expensive of this World

Salt set about his assault on Shepherd. Bairstow watched on from the other end, settling into the role of cheerleader as his partner went ballistic. He eventually had the honour of striking the winning run, raising his personal best at T20 World Cups to 48 not out.

“Once Jos got out, I had to be the batter to bat through,” explained Salt. “For Jonny to come out and take the pressure off me by taking calculated risks, I couldn’t be happier about that as a teammate.”

Windies given the run around Intent comes in many different forms. England blitzed the six-count on the tournament’s truest batting pitch, but the difference between the running out in the middle told as true a story.

West Indies, for all their might, set a new unwanted record of 51 dot balls - the most any team has registered in a

previous highest - 50 - in the 2016 edition, albeit when they chased down 193 to take down India in the semi-final on their way to their second title.

Moreover, they were second-best when making use of this ground’s lop-sided dimensions, failing to rotate the strike as much as they could,

the match England’s way, it was Archer’s in the 17th over that vindicated Buttler’s investment.

Cup.

The first of those boundaries brought up Salt’s half-century from 38 deliveries, before he skewered any remaining jeopardy. It left West Indies to rue a half chance to remove Salt on seven in the third over, when he toed a hack across the line through to Pooran, who could not hold on.

Bairstow clicks himself and Salt into gear

Salt deserved the Playerof-the-Match award. But without Bairstow’s help, he - and maybe even England - might not have had something to celebrate.

Salt had emerged from the powerplay with a respectable 35 off 20. But with the field spread, twirlers work-

Cup It was at that point, with 40 needed from 30, that

T20 World Cup when posting a score of at least 180. They were also responsible for the

Upper Mazaruni Football… Waramadong, Kamarang secure spots in girls', boys’ final

Two teams have booked their spots in the final of the Upper Mazaruni District Boys’ and Girls’ Football tournament, following two exciting semifinals on Wednesday afternoon at the Edwins United Sports Ground in Waramadong Village, Region Seven. In the female category, home team Waramadong were the first to book their spot in the final, after pulling off a 3-0 victory over Kako

girls. Esther Livan found the back of the net first in the 24th minute, while her teammate Damelese Brown made it a 2-0 affair in the 48th. Just four minutes later, Edelsa Daniels pushed Waramadong’s tally to 3, to seal their spot in the grand finale. Over in the male competition, Kamarang cruised past Kako 3-1 to secure their spot in the final. Kelvin McAlmont

led the charge for Kamarang with a brace. After opening the scoring in the 18th minute, McAlmont completed his double in the 40th. Milton George later picked up where McAlmont left off, finding the back of the net in the 56th minute for Kamarang’s 3. The semi-final action was scheduled to continue on Thursday afternoon with Kamarang and Jawalla’s girls going toe-totoe for the remaining spot in

the girls’ final, while defending champions Paruima and Waramadong boys battle for a spot in their final. The second edition of the Upper Mazaruni District Football tournament has been sponsored by Guyana Beverage Inc. under their Busta and Turbo brands, and by sporting goods store MVP Sports. The final of both the Boys’ and Girls’ categories are scheduled for Sunday, June 23, at the same venue.

and running just nine twos across their 120 deliveries.

Not only did England run three more in 15 fewer deliveries, but they even managed a three in the fourth over, when Buttler could not quite time a cut to the cover point sponge. It brought Salt on strike for the final ball of the over, which he used to get going by charging at Russell and launching him back over his head and onto the roof for the first of five sixes.

Archer glee

At the time, the purchasing of Powell’s wicket for 20 runs from Livingstone’s only over did not seem a smart deal. Powell was only averaging 16.25 coming into this match. Having cooled a partisan St Lucian crowd watching their captain hoist three quick sixes was a surefire way to get them warmed up for the arrival of Russell to assist Pooran, who was set on 32.

Both were back in the hut 11 deliveries later. And while Rashid’s snaring of Russell was the icing on the cake in this little stanza that shifted

Over the wicket to Pooran, Archer hammered a tight line across the left-hander. Ranging from full and yorker length, barring one misstep - a full toss third ball which Pooran guided through point for four - Archer had it all his own way. He was too sharp - consistently around the 90mph mark - and too unwavering for a batter slowly falling into a funk, desperate for room to access his favoured hitting zones down the ground. The least full of all the deliveries was the one that took the edge through to Buttler, Pooran presenting the face of the bat in defeat rather than defiance.

With six wickets, Archer is now England’s joint top wicket-taker, alongside Rashid, boasting an economy rate of 6.58, which is lower than any of his teammates barring Reece Topley (5.50), who has played two fewer games and is still yet to register a dismissal.

But the best stat of all is that Archer has now turned out five times for England in the last 15 days. The previous five caps came in the space of 448 days. After the nightmare run of elbow and back injuries over the last two years, the 29-year-old may finally be out the other end. (ESPNCricinfo)

Phil Salt and Jonny Bairstow powered England home

Roston Chase and Sherfane Rutherford celebrating a wicket

Sherfane Rutherford once again gave the finishing touches

Moeen Ali provided England with the breakthrough

Carlos Petterson-Griffith is 93kg Squat record holder

Aphenomenal dis-

play by Carlos

‘The Showstopper’ Petterson-Griffith at the World Classic Open Powerlifting Championships in Druskininkai, Lithuania has seen the Guyanese strongman whipping the best in the world, with his 337.5kg Squat becoming the new world record.

Having promised to rock the world, that is exactly what he did yesterday when he achieved what no other Guyanese in any sport has done: claim a world record.

The achievement was by no means an easy one, as the Guyanese arrived in Lithuania about 7 hours before competition, and was faced with another challenge of having to shave off 2kgs to make the 93kg weight.

No stranger to these kinds of challenges, Petterson-Griffith, working closely with his Coach Dexter Jones, was able to make the weight and take care of business as he had promised Minister of Sport Charles Ramson Jr. just before heading to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri on Tuesday night.

Petterson-Griffith had given the world a hint of what was to come when he became the first Guyanese to compete at Sheffield24 in February as one of the top 12 powerlifters in the world. There he ended 7th overall and broke the world record momentarily, as Gavin Aiden of the USA reclaimed it with a 337.0kg squat.

Petterson-Griffith did attempt 337.5 but did not get it. Back to the table with his coach he went, and the

rest is now history, as he was 10kg better than the silver medalist yesterday.

The overall winner of the 93kg class, Gustav Hedlund, was 2nd in the quat with 327.5kg.

Petterson-Griffith achieved a best benchpress of 177.5kg while his best deadlift was 345.0kg. He attempted 370 as the competition to the overall top three medals was very fierce, but he was not successful, cramping up just before completing the lift.

The same weight was attempted on his third attempt, but the result was the same.

The Showstopper end-

ed as the fifth best athlete in the world with a total of 860.0kg. Sweden’s Hedlund’s 895 claimed the overall gold. Bulgaria’s Emil Krastev also achieved an 895.0kg total, but was relegated to silver as the gold medalist trumped him on a lighter bodyweight. The bronze medal went to the USA’s Brandon Pitre with 887.5kg.

Meanwhile, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., has extended congratulations to Petterson-Griffth on behalf of the Government and people of Guyana, stating that he had had no doubt that this day would come.

“On behalf of His Excellency President Irfaan Ali and this nation, we extend huge congratulations to you Carlos, and to Domini Tyrell who won a bronze medal on debut. Your achievement is sensational to say the least, and we are proud of you for flying the Golden Arrowhead aloft and being the best in squat along with the world record in the 93kg class, which is the most fiercely contested category.”

Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, also extended congratulations to PettersonGriffth on this accomplishment, which brings pride to the nation.

Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) President Franklin Wilson also congratulated Petterson-Griffith on his achievement, and noted that this was in the making, having watched his charge at Sheffield24.

“Carlos’s achievement is great for this nation, which has been on a really positive trajectory when it comes to the development of sports and the empowerment of our athletes. Carlos has been receiving tremendous support from the Ministry of Sport, the National Sports Commission, and by extension the Government of Guyana and the Guyana Olympic Association, among others. This support no doubt has been vindicated with this world record. Watch out, much more will come.”

Wilson also noted that this success is even more commendable, given that Petterson-Griffith trains at home.

Carlos Peterson-Griffith (R) alongside Dominic Tyrell who won a bronze medal earlier this week at the World Classics

Guyanese Carlos Peterson-Griffith standing atop the podium