to be tabled at next Parliament
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, September 13 –00:15h-01:45h and Saturday, September 14 – 01:15h-02:45h.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Friday, September 13 –12:40h-14:10h and Saturday, September 14 – 13:30h-15:00h.
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
The United States (US) Export-Import (EXIM) Bank is gearing up to advance to the next stage of considering Guyana’s US$646 million loan request for the model Gas-to-Energy (GtE) Project.
Back in April 2023, it was announced that the Guyana Government had applied for the loan from the US EXIM Bank to finance the US$761 million 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.
Last week, Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh met with senior officials of the US EXIM Bank in Washington DC during which discussions were held on the loan.
Providing an update on those talks, Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo disclosed during a press conference on Thursday that the Bank is preparing to submit a report to its Board at a meeting next month.
“They’re aiming to go to the Board – that’s what was said to the minister – by the October Board meeting. But that all of the technical and environmental work have been completed and they have all of the information necessary to go to the Board. Thereafter, they’ll have a 35day notification… It has to be notified to the Congress for 35 days, then it comes back to the EXIM Bank Board and then the loan will be approved,” Jagdeo stated.
As part of its internal due diligence process, the US EXIM Bank hired two consultants – Ramba Consulting Group, a profes-
sional governmental consulting firm which did an environment assessment of the GtE Project, and Sargent & Lundy, one of
According to the Vice President on Thursday, “They have satisfied themselves that [the project] is technically sound and have reported back to the EXIM Bank management. The Environmental consultants came in, they had questions and we answered all those questions, and they’ve gone back and said the project is environmentally sound.”
“Those are the two things
Guyana awaits the approval of this loan, government has already spent some US$400 million on the highly anticipated GtE Project and could potentially fund the entire initiative if the request from the US EXIM Bank is not approved.
VP Jagdeo told reporters at a press conference last month that, “Because of the delay of the loan [approval], we have, from our own resources, paid about US$400 million. So, more than half of the project [was paid] from our own resources.”
the world’s longest-standing full-service architect engineering firms, which did the technical assessment.
These works were done during site visits over the past year. In fact, back in June, President Dr. Irfaan Ali had revealed that the feedback from those two assessments were positive. He
that were necessary. So, when they go to their Board, they will say we have done our due diligence, the project is technically and environmentally sound because the financial case is already made,” Jagdeo posited.
Potentially fund initiative
However, even as
The Vice President explained that the aim was to borrow approximately US$650 million from the US Bank to fund the GtE initiative. The Guyana Government was expected to put up the other US$100 million, as advanced payment, to support the initiative.
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The safety and well-being of children should be a priority for any society, yet in Guyana, alarming reports of sexual assault against minors continue to surface, exposing a worrying deficiency in child protection mechanisms.
The incident where an 11-year-old delivered at the Georgetown Public Hospital on Wednesday is most sickening. This and other recent cases, including a child being accused of dousing her father with hot oil after years of abuse, have shown that while awareness of the issue is growing, there remains a critical gap in how these cases are investigated and handled, particularly by the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF). These institutions must do more to ensure that every report of abuse is treated with the seriousness it deserves.
When a child reports sexual abuse, it is not only an account of a criminal act but also a cry for protection and justice. Yet, in many cases, there seems to be an alarming trend of delayed responses, incomplete investigations, and poor coordination between the relevant authorities. Such shortcomings often result in victims being re-traumatised, perpetrators going unpunished, and families losing faith in the system.
The CPA, as the primary agency responsible for child protection in Guyana, has a crucial role in safeguarding vulnerable children. However, there have been cases where its actions have been reactionary, only stepping in after a case gains public attention, often through social media. The CPA must be more proactive, ensuring that investigations are conducted swiftly, thoroughly, and transparently from the moment a report is made. Failure to do so leaves children at continued risk and emboldens perpetrators.
The GPF, too, must shoulder its responsibility in addressing this issue. Police Officers need to handle child sexual assault cases with greater care and urgency. Every delay in investigating a report of child abuse increases the risk of further harm to the child and diminishes the chances of a successful prosecution. Police must work closely with the CPA to ensure that cases are not only investigated properly but also that victims are protected throughout the process.
Beyond investigating and prosecuting cases, Guyana must address the broader social and cultural factors that enable sexual violence against children. Too often, victims are silenced by fear, stigma, or lack of trust. Education and awareness campaigns are crucial to changing these dynamics. Schools, community leaders, and parents must all be engaged in conversations about protecting children, recognising the signs of abuse, and knowing where to seek help. Year after year in budget after budget, the Government has been providing funding to the Human Services Ministry, the CPA and the Police for such programmes but to a great extent the allocation of resources designated for child protection remains marred by inefficiency.
Every child has the right to grow up in an environment free from violence and exploitation.
It is time for real action, not just rhetoric. Guyana's children deserve a system that protects them, supports them, and delivers justice when they are wronged.
By Fadumo aBdulqadir
reporting oFFicer at muslim Hands, uK
“Each year, we witness a further drop in rainfall – which translates to a drop in produce – resulting in us not having enough food to consume, let alone sell,” Debele Coulibaly, deputy chief of the small village of Safekora in central Mali, told me earlier this year.
Sitting under a tree to shield himself from the scorching sun, he explained how farming has always been the only source of income in the village with 1400 inhabitants, and climate change has left him and countless others struggling to provide for their families.
Some villagers, he told me, resorted to cutting and selling trees to make money and feed their families – a counterproductive practice that speeds up desertification and ends up amplifying the worst effects of the changing climate.
Farmers in Safekora are not alone in their hopeless struggle against climate change. The whole of Mali, a nation of more than 22 million, is suffering immensely as a result of rising temperatures and decreasing rainfall. Between April 1 and April 5, an unprecedented heatwave caused temperatures to climb to more than 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) across the country. During the four-day hot spell, the Gabriel Toure University Hospital in the Malian capital, Bamako, recorded more than 100 deaths.
The same hospital had recorded 130 deaths for the entire month of March before the temperatures soared. According to a study by the World Weather Attribution (WWA), the unusually intense and lethal hot spell was caused by “human-induced” climate change and likely caused hundreds, if not thousands, more excess deaths across the region. The record-breaking temperatures devastated Mali so much that ice cubes began costing more than bread and milk in some parts of the country.
Sadly in Mali, climate change is just one cause of humanitarian crisis among many. Long-term political instability, protracted armed conflict and seemingly endless economic struggles, combined with the effect of climate change on people’s livelihoods (according to the
World Food Programme, agriculture –predominately subsistence production – represents 80 per cent of employment in Mali), created a perfect storm of vulnerability in the country. Millions are displaced, hungry and fearful for the future. Today, some 7.1 million people, corresponding to one-third of Mali’s population, need urgent humanitarian assistance. According to the World Health Organisation, the national rate of severe acute malnutrition, which is the deadliest form of hunger, rose from 4.2 per cent last year to 11 per cent today, the highest level in a decade. Especially in sites for internally displaced people (IDPs) across the country, thousands of them, especially children below five years of age, are in urgent need of nutritional care.
Idrissa, one of the 355,000 IDPs, was displaced internally due to increasing violence. He escaped his conflict-affected village, Mopti, earlier this year and made the 600-kilometre (373-mile) journey to Bamako with his family to start afresh.
I talked to him in his family’s new makeshift home in Commune VI, which is an IDP camp in the compound of a former state school. “As armed conflict and gun violence erupted in my village, I had to make a quick decision to uproot my family,” he told me. “I have already lost two of my relatives, and I could not stand by and watch to lose more of my family members.”
His family may now be relatively safe from armed conflict, but their life is not easy. The overcrowded IDP camp is full of large families experiencing extreme poverty. Even the animals in the camp are starving and there is a dangerous lack of sanitation, resulting in a high risk of disease outbreaks.
Idrissa currently lives in a one-bedroom sheet tent with his wife, four children and frail elderly mother. He struggles to put food on the table, let alone seek more appropriate accommodation, on the small income he earns from his part-time job as a security guard. He says as well as his children, he is especially worried about his ailing mother, whose many health problems are exacerbated as a result of the horrible conditions in the camp. She, however, does not have easy access to care.
The deteriorating security situation, coupled with the devastating ef-
fect of climate change on livelihoods and abominable conditions in most IDP camps, has resulted in thousands of people across the country needing urgent treatment for conditions such as respiratory infections, acute malnutrition, malaria, and diarrhoea. Despite the population’s ever-increasing healthcare needs, public health facilities in many regions, especially in the north and the centre, are not fully functional due to insecurity and a lack of staff and supplies. As a result, it is estimated that 3.5 million people across the country, like Idrissa’s elderly mother, are struggling to access healthcare.
With no free medical facilities available, the only viable solution for Idrissa is to take his mother to a private clinic. His wages do not cover her medical bills and the basic needs of their household. As a result, he often skips the one meal he allows himself a day to try and pay all his bills and feed his family.
With a dejected look on his face, he told me he longs for the life he once had.
“The life we held dear was snatched away from us,” he said. “I was a herder; my life was great. I had to leave behind my cherished animals and way of life. My only dream is to return home and work in my field again.”
Coulibaly and Idrissa, like millions of others across Mali, are trying to come to terms with their new reality and find a way forward for themselves and their families.
Humanitarian organisations like the organisation I work for, Muslim Hands, are partnering with the Malian community to mitigate the devastating effects of climate change. By providing sustainable livelihoods and opportunities for a fresh start, these efforts aim to empower vulnerable families and build long-term resilience.
Mali is experiencing a multifaceted humanitarian crisis that will only deepen without urgent help from the international community. Yet, beyond the efforts of organisations like Muslim Hands, the world seems to be turning a blind eye to the suffering of people who are dealing with the combined consequences of a devastating conflict and a climate emergency. It is high time for everyone, especially world leaders and international institutions, to turn their attention to Mali and its perfect storm.
(Al Jazeera)
The government has implemented a ban on trucks parking in Ruimveldt reserves, following the removal of 11 sand trucks parked illegally at the Industrial Estate, in the vicinity of DSL Cash and Carry, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
According to a DPI report, these trucks have been illegally using the state reserve as a base for their operations, disrupting the business activities of the nearby Continental Agency subsidiary, Torginal Paints Inc.
Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill, visited the site on Thursday, where he engaged the truckers.
Explaining the issue to the media following his
engagement, the minister said, “The sand is finding its way into the factory, and it is contaminating the paint. This matter has reached the courts. We have come and have removed these truck drivers before. Just under two weeks, the police have come and have removed them. They have returned.”
The minister noted that the truckers have attempted to negotiate with the government for alternative locations to conduct their business.
The situation has been further exacerbated by the truckers’ practice of dumping leftover sand on the reserves.
“I have said to them, that if they want to have a
discussion, they can come to my office at 3 pm. But from today…we are preventing and prohibiting the parking of sand trucks here for sale,” the minister is quoted by DPI as saying.
A sign and barricades will be erected at the site, and any trucks found violating this instruction will be impounded.
“The government has initiated a plan where we will develop a piece of land to put all the articulated vehicles…[a] commercial land, [so] they can rent it. But we just can’t allow the lawlessness to happen,”
Minister Edghill asserted.
Traffic ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) will continue to monitor the area.
Following media reports of ITEL Guyana’s plan to cease operations locally, affecting more than 400 workers, the Ministry of Labour has since engaged the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) company.
During an interview on Wednesday, Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton said his ministry is working with the call centre at Camp & Robb Streets, Georgetown, to ensure affected workers
are properly compensated.
The ministry will also assist in finding alternative employment or training opportunities for the staff.
“The local management has indicated that, one, there is discussion and conversation about severing, the number at this moment is not a definitive number. Secondly, the principles of the company will reach out to the ministry soonest. They would be in a better position to advise us about
what their plans are. They have been advised and instructed by the Ministry of Labour about the necessary
procedures they would have to follow,” Hamilton is quoted in a DPI report as saying. He explained that the
company has to formally inform the Chief Labour Officer one month in advance before the severance, and make available a list of all the persons who are to be severed including remuneration packages.
This will allow the ministry to do the necessary calculations to ensure the offer is adequate.
“All is not lost…We have the Central recruitment and Manpower Agency that could be of assistance to per-
sons who might have an interest. We have our job bank, where persons can put up their credentials and seek employment. We have about 300 companies that are registered at the job bank. There is a lot of options that people can explore,” the labour minister asserted. He noted too, that the government has built call centres in different parts of the country and this can also be an opportunity for employment.
Probability is the likelihood of something happening in the future. Knowing how to calculate probability will help you predict future events, although not with 100 per cent accuracy. The simple formula to figure out probability (P) is the number of favourable outcomes divided by the total number of possible outcomes (o). You could express this formula as an equation: P = f/o
If you roll one die of a pair of dice, there are six possible outcomes. Each die is a cube with six sides. Each side has a different number of spots. The die could show 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 spots.
What is the probability of the side with five spots being on top after the die is thrown? The probability of rolling a 5 = 1/6.
What is the probability of a 5 or a 6 or a 4 not being on top after the die is thrown?
Step 1 : Decide how many favourable
If there are 12 boys in your class of 24 students, what is the probability that your teacher will call a boy student’s name during class time?
outcomes there are. 6 – 3 = 3
Step 2 : Set up your equation. P = 3/6
Step 3 : You could simplify that equation 3/6 = 1/2 If you were to roll the die two times, you would have a favourable outcome one of those times.
You decide to watch a movie. There are three comedies in the stack of 8 DVDs. What is the probability you will not pick a comedy? 1 2 3
Twice a week Bill’s mom makes pastries for him. What is the probability that today Bill will not have pastries?
Materials:
Palm leaves; Scissors or pruning shears; Container of water; Coloured threads, ribbons, or additional palm leaves
Instructions
Step 1: Gather fresh palm leaves or fronds. Ensure they are flexible and not dried out.
Step 2: Trim off any excess stems or thorns from the palm leaves, remove the midrib to make them more pliable and cut them into uniform strips. Soak the leaves in water for a few hours to make them more pliable.
Step 3: Lay out two palm leaves parallel to each other to form the base of the basket.
Weave additional leaves perpendicular to the base leaves, alternating over and under, to create a stable foundation.
Step 4: Begin to fold the vertical leaves upwards to form the sides of the basket. Continue weaving additional leaves around the circumference, ensuring they are tightly woven together.
Step 5: As you weave upwards, gradually shape the basket by angling the leaves inward. Adjust the tension of the leaves as needed to maintain a sturdy structure.
Step 6: Once you’ve reached the desired height, fold the top edges of the leaves over to create a neat rim. Tuck the ends of the leaves under the weaving to secure them in place.
Step 7: Final touches Trim any excess leaves or stems from the basket. Optionally, you can add decorative elements or patterns using additional leaves or
Step 8: Let it dry Allow the basket to dry completely in a well-ventilated area before using it. (thanhcongcraft.com)
By D’Arcy McNickle
There is snow, now— A thing of silent creeping— And day is strange half-night . . . And the mountains have gone, softly murmuring something . . .
And I remember pale days, Pale as the half-night . . . and as strange and sad.
I remember times in this room
When but to glance thru an opened window Was to be filled with an ageless crying wonder: The grand slope of the meadows, The green rising of the hills, And then far-away slumbering mountains— Dark, fearful, old— Older than old, rusted, crumbling rock, Those mountains . . . But sometimes came a strange thing And theirs was the youth of a cloudlet flying, Sunwise, flashing . . . And such is the wisdom of the mountains!
Knowing it nothing to be old, And nothing to be young!
There is snow, now— A silent creeping . . .
And I have walked into the mountains, Into canyons that gave back my laughter, And the lover-girl’s laughter . . . And at dark, When our skin twinged to the night-wind, Built us a great marvelous fire And sat in quiet, Carefully sipping at scorching coffee . . .
But when a coyote gave to the night
A wail of all the bleeding sorrow, All the dismal, greyeyed pain That those slumbering mountains had ever known— Crept close to each other And close to the fire—
Listening— Then hastily doused the fire And fled (giving many excuses) With tightly-clasping hands.
Snow, snow, snow— A thing of silent creeping
And once, On a night of screaming chill, I went to climb a mountain’s cold, cold body With a boy whose eyes had the ancient look of the mountains, And whose heart the swinging dance of a laughter-child . . . Our thighs ached And lungs were fired with frost and heaving breath— The long, long slope— A wind mad and raging . . . Then—the top!
There should have been . . . something . . . But there was silence, only— Quiet after the wind’s frenzy, Quiet after all frenzy— And more mountains, Endlessly into the night . . . And such is the wisdom of mountains! Knowing how great is silence, How nothing is greater than silence!
And so they are gone, now, And they murmured something as they went— Something in the strange half-night . . .
The newly commissioned US $12 million air separation plant which was constructed by Massy Gas Products is said to eliminate the need for the importation of gases such as oxygen and nitrogen.
On Thursday, several members from the private sector and officials from the Massy group of companies gathered at the company’s Old Road Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD) location for the official commissioning ceremony of the plant.
Speaking at the ceremony, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Massy Gas Products Guyana Augustus Harris, highlighted the achievement made by the company. According to the CEO, the new US$12 mil-
lion structure is the largest air separation plant to be established in the country and on this point, he highlighted that the plant has the capacity to produce some 13 tonnes of products per day.
“Our plant which produces 13 tonnes of products per day is by far the largest in Guyana and produces oxygen and nitrogen which allows for a more economical way of transporting and storing these products,” he stated.
In this regard the CEO highlighted that the plant will positively impact the economic landscape of the country by eliminating the need for companies to import high quality gases such as oxygen and nitrogen, whilst also being energy efficient.
“No more importation of oxygen and nitrogen gases because our plant produces high purity products which exceeds the requirements of industry, this plant also makes efficient use of energy which offers greater cost savings, considering the increasing global power and fuel cost” he explained.
Moreover, Harris highlighted that the company
package promotions. We have mad low-cost stove packages available to ordinary citizens of this country,” he stated.
Meanwhile, also present at the commissioning ceremony was Natural Resource Minister Vickram Bharrat, who highlighted that the high cost of production deters possible investors from establishing businesses of a
over the years has made significant contributions to the government, in an effort to highlight the organisations commitment towards investing in the country.
“Over the last five years the company has contributed over $6.9 billion dollars to the Government of Guyana through our ongoing stove
similar nature in the country.
“Guyana we probably have one of the highest rates of power generation in this part of the world and there is no way you can compete when your cost of power is so high, when you’re generating electricity at over US$00.20 per kilowatt how
can you compete with a country that is generating at less than $00.10,” the minister explained.
However, the minister highlighted that with the government’s Gas-to-Energy (GtE) Project which is set to come on stream in 2025 business competitiveness will improve significantly. In this regard he lauded the
stakeholders at Massy Gas Products for making the remarkable investment in the country.
“I realised that Massy Gas and Massy companies on the whole must have visionary leaders, leaders who have recognised that Guyana is developing and Guyana is developing at a very rapid pace and they would have recognised from early the opportunities that exist and the opportunities that will come in the future and as a result of that making this significant investment,” he stated.
Meanwhile, construction of the US$12 million air separation plant began in July of 2021, the plant had its first productive run some 2 years after in May of 2023. According to reports the plant which has been in operation for over a year, has displayed remarkable performance by exceeding its rated capacity.
Aspecial projects manager and an accountant at the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) are being investigated as a probe continues to clarify certain irregularities and discrepancies within the agency.
The GMC clarified that the investigation was ordered and is being led by General Manager Teshawna Lall, contrary to the Agriculture Ministry’s statement that subject Minister Zulfikar Mustapha
initiated the probe.
This clarity was provided by GMC following a social media post on Wednesday via Facebook, regarding the purchase or sale of chicken or eggs at its office.
It was alleged that fraud is taking place at the Agriculture Ministry with regard to the sale of “$150 million worth of chicken and eggs” and fingers were allegedly being pointed to Agriculture Minister Mustapha, the Director General and others con-
nected to the Minister’s office.
Subsequently, the Agriculture Ministry debunked the claims saying that these matters fall under the jurisdiction of the GMC.
Nonetheless, the Ministry indicated that the investigation was a transparent process to ensure accountability and rectify any administrative lapses.
The Ministry went on to say it believes that the timing of the misleading
post was unfortunate, as it seemed intended to distract from the ongoing investigation at the agency.
However, the GMC has since disclosed that the probe was under the guidance of its General Manager and not the Ministry.
Providing some insight into what sparked the probe, the agency revealed that the audit began after the General Manager made several requests for documentation and reports containing information needed to verify financial irregularities and resolve the occurrence of issues relating to the sale of food commodities.
It was explained that after the documentation and reports provided yielded no results, the General Manager decided to address the concerns independently.
According to the statement, the internal audit will meticulously review the reported irregularities and evaluate the corporation’s financial practices as the GMC remains dedicated to transparency and accountability and is committed to resolving these issues promptly. Further, the agency has committed to updating the public on the findings of the investigation when details are available.
The recent visit by Dutch historian Marjoleine Kars In Guyana reminded us about our Dutch heritage through the story of the 1763 Rebellion. One legacy from that era is our abiding fears of “Dutchman”!! We’re convinced the ghosts of those cruel slaveowners hover about their old plantations – fast become new housing areas…waiting to pounce on the unwary at nights!! But their reputation exceeds their actual (mis)deeds, don’t it?? While they might’ve delayed the completion of Cemetery Road, has anyone been actually KILLED by one of these phantasmagorical Dutchmen – except perchance from heart attacks brought on by fright?? Didn’t think so!! But for the record, your Eyewitness ain’t taking no chances!! You never know!!!
However, the fear of the Dutchmen of yore seems to’ve been replaced by another (related??) bogeyman – the dreaded “Dutch Disease” – especially from the Opposition benches!! And no, it’s not related to Monkeypox coming out of Africa. This one’s the dark cloud the Opposition is convinced will overwhelm whatever silver linings we’ve stumbled over in our oil strike!!
What’s this Dutch Disease, that’s scaring the bejesus out of the Opposition?? Well, seems that after languishing in the economic doldrums of post-WWII Europe that was getting richer by leaps and bounds, the Dutch struck gas off their coast. Now everyone (not unreasonably) thought that was a good thing. But something strange happened on the way to again enjoying the good life from the days when they dragged us from Africa to work on their plantations for free!! As foreign exchange flowed in from their gas exports, their currency – the guilder – increased in value!! That’s a good thing, no?? Well, no!! It INCREASES the price of the OTHER goods you export and as exports decrease, manufacturing falls, wage demands rise and more folks have to fall back on providing services. The entire economy becomes distorted – all because of the resource discovery and exploitation!!
That’s why it’s also called the “Resource Curse”. But does it apply to us?? Right off the bat, we gotta acknowledge that we’ve struck oil and started earning (comparatively) massive amounts of foreign currency from the sale of our 14.5% of the oil profits. But has our Guyana dollar appreciated in value?? Not the last time your Eyewitness looked – this morning!! That’s been stuck in the low $200s to US$1 for years!! But the Opposition points to the drop in exports of our traditional goods – rice, sugar and forest products.
But none of this has anything to do with an appreciated Guyana dollar – but everything to do with excessive rainfall and other production problems!! And for sure, our wages haven’t ballooned!!! While we’re diversifying!!
Gwan da side, Chicken Little Opposition!!
…constitutional changes
So the PPP Government’s inexorably inching towards ‘constitutional reform” hearings – as promised in their winning manifesto. But even before listening to what the people want, the Opposition’s already demanding a GUARANTEED share of the government – or else!! But hold it!! – wasn’t “constitutional change” also on the APNU/AFC manifesto in 2015 – which led them to pip the PPP and slink into office?? Whatever happened to that promise?? Blowin’ in the wind??
Nah…buried in the mud!! With great fanfare, right after the elections, the coalition had established a Steering Committee on Constitutional Reform headed by Nigel Hughes. With a welter of talent on constitutions –like Haslyn Parris and Bryn Pollard. They held hearings; took submissions across the country and pretty much on schedule – even though Parris passed away – submitted their recommendations to PM Moses Nagamootoo in Sept 2016.
And that’s where it languished until after much pressure from Civil Society, it was revealed by Nagamootoo he’d invited in the UNDP, which came, inquired and made recommendations in 2017.
Yet nothing ever came out of it!!
…massa days
A trope from our past colonial relationship was that we were left with the “scraps from the masters’ table”. This hit your Eyewitness as he read about a company bidding to remove food scraps from the FPSOs!!
The lifeless body of a female who was later identified only as ‘Desiree’ of no fixed place of abode was found on Thursday lying on a mattress in a guard hut at the Merriman’s Mall, North Road and Church Road along Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown.
Police stated that the woman occupied the guard hut with Troy Williams for the past three years.
During interrogation, Willaims related that at about 08:30h on Thursday, he observed Desiree lying on the mattress and not breathing.
However, an ambulance was summoned to the scene and the woman was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), where she was pronounced dead. The police did not find any marks of violence as investigations continue.
The guard hut in which the woman’s body was found
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has arrested a man for allegedly impregnating an 11-year-old who delivered at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) on Wednesday.
Based on reports received, the child was taken to the GPHC earlier in the week and delivered three days later.
However, after reports started to circulate on social
media, the Human Services and Social Security Ministry stated that they were made aware incident and it was investigated thoroughly.
“The Ministry through the Childcare and Protection Agency would like to inform the public that the situation was investigated thoroughly. The matter was reported to the police where the alleged perpetrator was held, and the case file is currently with the office of the Director
of Public Prosecution (DPP),” a release from the ministry stated.
In addition, the ministry stated that the child's identity, under any circumstance, SHOULD NOT be made public or further compromised through pictures or any other detail that may lead to the victim's identity.
“The child continues to receive psychosocial and medical support,” the ministry added.
Vehicles are permitted to have tint without the need for a permit, but the occupants within must be visible.
This clarification was revealed during an interview with this publication by Inspector Garvin Boyce, who is the Officer in Charge of Traffic attached to Regional Division 4A (Georgetown).
His comment comes on the heels of generally re-emphasising police’s policies but also in light of the recent heat wave that Guyana has been recently experiencing where drivers are putting on to curb beaming sunlight rays.
According to Boyce, there is a misconception around Guyana stating that tint is illegal, and it should not be on vehicles however people nationwide must understand that it is not illegal.
“Tint is not illegal. Don’t let anybody tell you that tint is illegal. Tint is legal, but it’s just a percentage,” he clarified during an interview with this publication.
He also clarified that tints can be placed on the side windows; however, there must not be any tints on the front glass, and police must be able to see into the car.
“As long as a policeman could observe him or her driving, it’s no problem. But then we find that when forces are given permission by the Honorable Minister to put tint on a vehicle, they are putting on a higher percentage, breaching the document that they receive,” he explained.
He added that, at times, persons abuse this, making it difficult for police officers to see within the car.
“Sometimes some of them have 5 per cent tint, which makes it difficult for them to see properly when maneuvering, whether turning or what have you. So, that’s a problem.”
All of these laws that he expressed are backed by the Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn.
“The Home Affairs Minister is the one who has the authority to grant tint permits, which require 65% light penetration. What the Minister doesn’t grant is for forces to cover the front windshield with tint. So, tint is not illegal. Don’t let anybody say tint is illegal. Tint is legal, but it’s just a percentage.”
When asked about the surge of the current heatwave being experienced in Guyana and whether people who normally seek to get a darker tint to mitigate against sun’s rays could see the law reviewed, he remained assertive in his view that the decision is up to the Home Affairs Minister.
“I understand what we’re going through. But, again, I said, the only person who’s fitted to deal with that is the Home Affairs Minister. He has the authority, not really the police. The Home Affairs Minister has the authority,” he highlighted, adding that the police’s job is only to enforce the law as it stands.
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has issued an advisory as the country faces a period of above-normal temperatures predicted by the Hydrometeorological Service for September to November 2024. With extreme heat and heatwave days expected, particularly in September and October, the GFS is urging citizens to take preventive measures to reduce the risk of fires and ensure public safety.
According to the Hydrometeorological Service, the coming months are forecasted to be among the hottest of the year, with temperatures likely to be higher than average. This increase in heat could have significant impacts on public health, agriculture, livestock, and fire risks. (G2)
The Rose Hall Sugar Estate in Berbice is struggling to meet the production capabilities of its sister estate at Albion in terms of the amount of cane needed to produce one tonne of sugar.
The estate is using much more cane than Albion to produce each tonne of sugar according to Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne)
Chairman David Armogan.
Generally, it takes about 7 – 10 tonnes of sugarcane to produce one tonne of sugar.
Both the Rose Hall and Albion Estates have started grinding for the second crop.
At the Albion Estate on the Corentyne it takes about 14 tonnes of sugarcane to produce a tonne of sugar. At the Rose Hall Estate in East
Canje, it takes more than 20 tonnes of cane to produce each tonne of sugar.
This was told to the Region Six RDC by Regional Chairman David Armogan who is also the head of the Regional Agriculture Committee.
The TCTS – (tonnes cane per tonne sugar), at the Rose Hall Estate Armogan said is too high.
“So we have to be able to look at Rose Hall to bring down the TCTS because we are using far more cane to make a tonne of sugar,” Armogan told the RDC.
Additionally, there is another challenge affecting both the Albion and Rose Hall Estate. Armogan said the procurement of lumber continues to be a challenge, explaining that the lumber used as firewood is scarce posing additional challenges for sugar production.
“You know when the boilers have to start up, they have to get lumber for the fire because they are not producing enough bagasse so they have to be buying firewood and they are not getting enough firewood to buy so that they can start up the boilers on time.”
Meanwhile, Armogan
said both estates are also working hard to ensure that the dam infrastructure is in good condition, which is vital to maintaining the smooth operation of the sugar industry.
As grinding operations continue for the second crop, work is being done on cane for the next crop and fertiliser is currently being applied to 193 hectares while planting is still taking place. (G4)
Works to widen and upgrade the Eccles Landfill Road also known as the ‘Dumpsite Road’ are progressing and the section being undertaken by the Housing and Water Ministry is already some 70 per cent completed.
Already, the section from the Jaguar Roundabout to the Windsor Estate Road has been completed while works are currently ongoing along the stretch from the Windsor Estate Road, heading west to the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) Public Road.
Minister Collin Croal, during an interview with this publication explained that, that segment should be finalised by year-end.
“Most of the southern wall for all of the persons who are constructing, we’ve completed southern wall because in the widening, it’s also widening the old road that is there, right? So, it means that we have to do the concrete walls for both northern and southern walls. So, we’ve completed all the southern walls and they’re working on the northern walls. And in some cases, they’re working on filling as well as for compacting. So overall, it’s about 70 per cent complete. And to have a completion for the end of the year, that’s what I’m working towards,” the housing and
water minister disclosed.
Croal explained that the road works align with the government’s broader objective of crucial connector roads to the East Bank thoroughfare, ensuring greater traffic flow and enhanced connectivity throughout Guyana.
“Well, that road is intertwined in terms of the massive plan as a result of where we’re placing the bridge. You know, the industrial road was always existing. But the reason why we have to widen that is because of the volume of traffic that is flowing. So, if you’re coming from the East Bank, it’s one of the main access points. When the Ogle to Eccles Four-Lane Road is complete, you’ll be able to connect and come all the way to the East Bank without having to turn because you’ll meet the Eccles roundabout and then go to the main road. The Demerara Harbour Bridge is landing at Nandy Park. Following that, there are a number of connecting roads that will be done. And one of where it will flow into, will be the Eccles Industrial Road,” Croal added.
Works began several years ago on upgrading the Eccles Landfill Road with the initial cost of $1.2 billion, however, it was later extended in keeping with the transformation of the Guyana’s infrastructural
landscape. According to Croal, as the project progress, commuters can anticipate improved infrastructure that will facilitate more efficient travel experiences.
Back in April, 2022, the $2.3 billion four-lane Ecclesto-Mandela Highway was opened, thus providing an alternate route to bring relief from the heavy traffic on the EBD during the morning and afternoon rush hours.
The project, which was executed by the Housing Ministry’s Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), represents the construction of the country’s first fully concreted four-lane highway, with dual carriageways of two lanes each and jointed reinforced concrete pavement.
Late 2023, the Eccles to Diamond four-lane road was commissioned and named the Heroes Highway, in honour of the five Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ranks who died days before in a horrific helicopter crash.
This four-lane road project is a result of efforts by the President Dr. Irfaan Ali-led Government to ease traffic congestion on the East Bank, which not only leads to the country’s main port of entry – the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) – but also fields traffic coming from West Demerara. (G1)
With unlimited restrictions on the cost and subjects, Guyanese are being encouraged to apply for the prestigious Chevening Scholarship to get the opportunity to pursue their Master Degrees at renowned universities in the United Kingdom (UK).
At least four Guyanese will become beneficiaries this year of Chevening –the UK Government’s international scholarships programme.
Funded fully by the British Government, the Chevening Scholarship targets persons 18 years and older with an undergraduate degree and at least two years of work or volunteer experience to pursue a one-
year Master’s programme at any university across the UK.
Applicants are allowed to apply for three different courses in any fields at any UK university. In addition to the tuition costs being covered, successful applicants will also receive roundtrip airfares, free accommodation and a monthly stipend. Extra costs for research papers and local travels relating to the scholarship programme will also be covered.
While there are multiple scholarship programmes available including the Guyana Government’s own GOAL (Guyana Online Academy of Learning) initiative, Deputy British High Commissioner, Judy
Kpogho, contended that Chevening is a better option for potential students given its little to no restrictions.
No restrictions
“Chevening is phenomenal and because Chevening has no restrictions besides the age limit. You can study at any chosen university and any chosen subjects… I’ll actually challenge you to go online and check other scholarships, there are restrictions on the number of courses or the locations you can go… But Chevening is a phenomenal scholarship, there are no restrictions on the subjects you can study, no restrictions on the location of study,” Kpogho said to the Guyana Times when asked why students should choose this UK scholarship over the other programmes available.
The Deputy British High Commissioner was at the time addressing interested persons during an openday session on Thursday at the British Residence, where they were given a detailed presentation on the Chevening Scholarship programme, benefitted from tips for the application process and also engaged with local Chevening alumni.
Kpogho further told persons gathered there that successful applicants will not only become part of the massive Chevening alumni that spans the globe but
also tap into their expertise.
“The beauty of Chevening is we also have an alumni of over 85,000 members to date… You [will] become a part of this big family. So if, for example, you’re looking to address specific issues of something you’re worried about in your community, you can reach out to alumni as far as China, the US, Africa – basically globally, and you have shared knowledge and shared experiences that could potentially solve or help resolve specific issues not just in Guyana but globally,” the UK diplomat stated.
Founded in 1983, Chevening is the UK Government’s international scholarship and fellowship
programme. Funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and partner organisations. This programme offers awards to study in the UK for one year on a fully funded master’s degree course.
At a reception to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Chevening Scholarship in September last year, Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, a Chevening Alumni himself, had lauded the UK Government for initiating this programme in Guyana, and for contributing to the country’s human resource development through the tertiary education scheme. He had not-
ed that Guyanese beneficiaries should take advantage of the opportunity not only to obtain a world class education in the UK but also to immerse themselves in the cosmopolitan experience of living and studying in a diverse multicultural society, and thereby broaden their world view, all of which would be critical in the modern Guyana.
To date, almost 200 Guyanese have benefited from the Chevening Scholarship. Last year’s beneficiaries were Keisha Edwards, Joshua Benn, Deanna Walcott, and Amrita Naraine. Applications for this year’s intake are open until November 5, 2024. (G8)
As the National Assembly amended the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act to introduce 24-hour road surveillance cameras just two months ago, several poles have already been erected throughout various parts of Guyana to complete the installation of these cameras.
This move was revealed during an interview with Guyana Times and Inspector Garvin Boyce, Officer in
Charge of Traffic attached to Regional Division 4A (Georgetown).
He explained to this publication that there is a process in which these cameras must be installed, one of the first steps being the setup of poles.
“They are currently doing construction by digging holes and casting the foundations to put the poles up first. Once all the poles are erected, they will start in-
stalling the cameras.”
Meanwhile, he shared the locations where these poles have been erected so far.
“I can give you a few. At present, at Manchester Brickdam, Georgetown, there’s a pole that we’ve never seen before, which is very good for us. At Brummel and Brickdam, and as you go down Brickdam at different corners, poles are already there.”
He added, “in the vicinity of the old Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), which is on Brickdam, before the Ministry of Health, there’s also a base being prepared for a pole. Poles are being placed on various streets, which will help the police in their investigations and help avoid conflicts between individuals.”
He explained that this will significantly aid the police, especially in communities that have never experienced this kind of surveillance.
In July, the National Assembly amended the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act to introduce 24hour road surveillance cam-
eras, an initiative aimed at curbing dangerous driving habits. These intelligent camera systems will be installed at traffic lights across the country and will be managed by the Guyana Police Force (GPF). The amendment came in response to the growing number of road accidents, particularly those caused by speeding and drunk driving. The cameras will be positioned along public roadways to monitor drivers’ activities, capturing photographic and video evidence of traffic violations, including speeding and failure to wear seatbelts.
The footage will be stored in a dedicated database maintained by the National Data Management Authority (NDMA), with access granted to law enforce-
ment officials and the judicial system.
This database will also facilitate the payment of fines and aid in prosecutions within the magistrates’ court.
Authorities believe the new surveillance system will improve road safety and help reduce the strain on police resources, as officers will be able to focus on other matters while the cameras operate continuously, regardless of weather or time of day. The amendment is expected to address key traffic offences and discourage dangerous behavior on the nation’s roads, including stunts performed by reckless drivers. The bill has garnered support from both the government and opposition members in Parliament. (G2)
Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo announced on Thursday that the much-anticipated new oil spill legislation, which will mandate compensation to individuals and entities for economic and other losses incurred as a consequence of any oil spills, is expected to be tabled before the National Assembly at the next Parliament session.
This new law is designed to address a glaring gap in the current regulatory framework, which currently holds only oil producers liable and covers their insurance for spill cleanups, leaving affected individuals and businesses to pursue civil suits for compensation.
Speaking on Thursday at his weekly press conference at Freedom House Jagdeo emphasised the government’s commitment to advancing this crucial piece of legislation.
“That legislation is in draft, we’re discussing it now and we will go to parliament,” he confirmed.
The proposed legislation marks a pivotal shift in how oil spill liabilities will be managed in Guyana. It seeks to extend liability beyond oil companies to include crude oil transporters, who will also be held accountable for all costs associated with spills.
The new law will ensure that all oil and gas companies, as well as crude oil transporters, will be financially responsible for compensation claims related to
lost economic activities and other damages caused by oil spills.
«We missed it in the last session of Parliament, but in the new session of parliament we intend to pass legislation to make all oil and gas companies, and then to extend it to everyone else like the transporters of our crude, liable for all costs associated with any spill including costs for compensation to people for loss to economic activities,” Jagdeo said.
Jagdeo had spoken on government’s plan to legislate better oil spill coverage earlier this year as Guyana observed difficulties faced by the Trinidad and Tobago Government in dealing with the catastrophic oil spill that ensued after a mystery vessel ran aground and released approximately 50,000 barrels of oil.
This incident underscored the urgent need for comprehensive legislation covering all potential parties responsible for oil spills. The oil spill in Tobago left severe damage to the island’s beach, with the government declaring the situ-
ation a national emergency, and estimating that the damage could reach as much as US$30 million.
Legislation
This legislation will not only affect oil spills relating to the production of crude offshore but also the
transportation of petroleum and related products in and around Guyana.
In August, Prime Minister Brigadier (Retd) Mark Phillips told this publication that that the country’s oil spill legislation will deal with oil spills beyond offshore Guyana – where ExxonMobil and its coventurers are producing oil.
The prime minister urged participants of the workshop to develop a deeper understanding of oil spill contingency planning and to refine the skills required to effectively implement the national oil spill contingency plan.
Underscoring the importance of preparedness in mitigating the risks associated with the burgeoning oil and gas industry in Guyana, Prime Minister Phillip stated that the repercussions of an oil spill could be far-reaching and long-last-
ing, impacting everything from tourism and fisheries to the overall health of the natural environment.
Guyana has taken several proactive measures to strengthen its oil spill preparedness and response capabilities. Among these efforts is the passage of the Petroleum Activities Bill 2023, which replaces the outdated Petroleum Exploration and Production Act of 1986. This new legislation ensures responsible and modern management of the petroleum industry.
Additionally, the government has significantly strengthened oil permits, and environmental regulations to minimise liabilities and manage environmental and economic impacts. Recently, a model Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) was developed to sign with new investors.
From January next year, Guyanese and other nationals who currently enjoy visa-free travel to the United Kingdom (UK) will be required to have an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before visiting the country.
Last year, the British Government introduced the ETA requirement for travelers, who do not require a visa to travel to the UK.
Based on information shared by the British High Commission in Georgetown, an ETA is a digital permission to travel and permits multiple journeys to the UK for stays of up to six months at a time over a two-year period or until the holder’s passport expires – whichever is sooner.
The UK diplomatic office said, “[The ETA] is being introduced to deliver a more streamlined, digital immigration system.”
An ETA costs just over G$2740 (£10).
It was noted that effective, January 8, 2024, all Caribbean nations, who currently do not require a visa to travel to the UK will require an ETA for travel to the UK.
Eligible persons can start applying for an ETA in advance from November 27, 2024.
Applications are available via the UK ETA app, which can be downloaded from the Google Play or Apple app store. It is also available on the UK Government’s official website at: gov.uk
Based on international
reports, the ETA scheme was first rolled out in November 2023 and was initially for travellers from Qatar. In February of this year, it was extended to travellers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan. Subsequently, the UK Government announced a further expansion of this initiative that now requires all visitors – including those from Europe – to complete the online pre-travel check form.
In a September 10 statement from the UK Home Office, it was noted that the British Government is taking major steps towards delivering its ambitious aim to digitise the UK border and immigration system.
“Everyone wishing to travel to the UK – except British and Irish citizens –will need permission to travel in advance of coming here. This can be either through an ETA or an eVisa,” the statement detailed.
While most travellers will have to meet the ETA requirement in order to travel to the UK from January, this timeline will be extended to
eligible Europeans, who will need an ETA to travel from April 2, 2025.
According to the UK Home Office, ETAs are digitally linked to a traveller’s passport and ensure more robust security checks are carried out before people begin their journey to the UK, helping to prevent abuse of our immigration system. It added that the introduction of ETAs is in line with the approach many other countries have taken to border security, including the United States (US) and Australia.
The UK Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Seema Malhotra, said in the missive that, “Digitisation enables a smooth experience for the millions of people who pass through the border every year, including the visitors we warmly welcome to the UK who are predicted to contribute over £32 billion to our tourism economy this year. The worldwide expansion of the ETA demonstrates our commitment to enhance security through new technology and embedding a modern immigration system.”
In November 2022, the UK Government lifted the visa requirement for Guyanese passport holders.
Subsequently, President Dr. Irfaan Ali had disclosed that at least five European countries have agreed to support Guyana’s bid for visa-free travel to Schengen countries.
Moreover, Guyana has been in talks with a number of other countries including Italy and Mexico on the possibility of visa-free travel.
During a recent visit to Campbelltown, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo announced that $100 million has been set aside to upgrade several internal roads in Campbelltown, located north of Mahdia.
The investment will cater for the reconstruction of roads from laterite to concrete beginning from where the main access road ends and extend to the Village Office, covering 500 metres in length and 20 feet in width.
Additionally, curbs will be installed to mitigate challenges currently being faced by villagers as a result of poor drainage and irrigation.
During an engagement with the community on Wednesday as a follow up to the Vice President’s visit, Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill revealed that eight community contractors have already been identified and will soon be evaluated to spearhead the project.
To ensure all qualified bidders benefit, the project will be divided into multiple lots to maximise participation.
Edghill noted that the community-driven initiative is part of the government’s efforts to retain economic benefits within the village where major projects are being undertaken.
“These concrete works, with good advice and proper supervision, local people
could get it done… all we need to do is to get your technical person so we can do the surveys, pick up the level, steak it off and then we will be able to start working. The model that we are using is that we give the work out in lots and everybody get the same rate. That rate that we are using is one that will make everybody smile,” the minister shared.
While addressing those gathered, Edghill also disclosed plans to construct a road heading to a main school in Campbelltown.
Engineers from the public works ministry and a few community members, have since been tasked to inspect the road and draft a design for the necessary interventions. This structure will
However, with Guyana already injecting more than half of the project cost into advancing the works, Jagdeo said this augurs well for the country.
“That’s even better for us. [With] the loan from EXIM, we can get reimbursed for [the money we spent] because of the way it’s structured. But just to tell you, the project will be done and whereas, even if it means carrying it from our own budget. And the country should even be happy about this; that we managed to carry [the works done so far] from our own budget and still do all the other developments we’re talking about,” he contended.
VP Jagdeo had previously explained that the loan can fund retroactive expenditure hence government could use bridge financing to get the works going. Bridge financing is a short-term financing option in order to fund a project before the financing is expected.
This year alone, the Guyana Government has set aside a whopping $80 billion in Budget 2024 to advance the GtE initiative and its associated infrastructure, including transmission and distribution upgrades to
offtake the power.
Efforts to block
Meanwhile, there has been local and international lobbying efforts to block the funding for the GtE project by the US EXIM Bank.
Earlier in June, it was reported that Friends of the Earth United States, an NGO with over 16,000 members, wrote Chairman of the US EXIM Bank, Reta Jo Lewis, demanding the institution do not fund the GtE Project.
However, these efforts have been dismissed by the Guyana Government and even the local private sector had written the US financial institution to declare their support for the transformative GtE Project that will not only provide cleaner energy but also cut the country high electricity costs by half. Nevertheless, 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.
Government had initially envisioned the startup of the GtE Project by this year end. However, the contractor, a US-based consortium
cover 1.6-kilometre of thoroughfare.
“A priority for us is access to education and children’s attendance at school. I was told its about 1.6-kilometre, so immediately we will start the road in Campbelltown and then they will have to do the design of the road from the turn here all the way down to the school. That is going to be like three times the length of this section that we’re doing,” he added.
Also present at the community meeting was
Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai and Local Government and Regional Development Minister Sonia Parag.
During her address, Minister Pauline Sukhai highlighting that, building the roads aligns with government’s broader commitment to infrastructural development across the country.
She added that, hinterland communities are seeing increased investments, with the public works ministry
allocating $300 million annually for road maintenance in Amerindian villages.
“The roads in Mahdia definitely needs upgrading and investments. Our government is investing not only in the main connecting highways or connecting roads to various villages but they have now embarked on a phrase which allowed them to do some internal community road networks in the hinterland,” Sukhai explained. (G1)
FROM PAGE 3
– 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, 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 financial claim, resulting in the contractor moving to a dispute resolution mechanism that has seen a three-member board set up to mediate between the two parties.
The arbiters are expected to conduct a site visit sometime soon, the GtE Project Lead, Winston Brassington, told the Guyana Times last month.
Government has already assured that this dispute is not affecting construction works, which continues uninterrupted. (G8)
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Sherwyn Greaves has reaffirmed the agency’s firm stance against squatting and illegal land activities. During an impromptu visit at Phase 4 Amelia’s Ward/Fitz Hope in Linden by the CEO, there was a rise in unauthorised occupation of residential lots and illegal construction on land that had been properly allocated to families through legitimate channels.
In a statement on the CH&PA social media page, it was stated that Greaves addressed the community after reports surfaced that some individuals have been fraudulently selling allocated lots
istry is under no obligation to acknowledge or honor any claims resulting from these illicit activities.
The CEO stressed that individuals engaging in these illegal actions not only jeopardise their current situation but also risk impairing their ability to access residential lots from the CH&PA in the future.
“The Ministry will not be coerced into transactions by those involved in unlawful activities,” Greaves stated.
“Their names are recorded, and such actions could impede legitimate transactions down the line.”
In his address, Greaves called on legitimate landowners in the area to remain vigilant and collaborate with the CH&PA in
Limited (NICIL) and the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GLSC) to meet growing demands.
In addition to addressing land issues, Greaves highlighted ongoing efforts to enhance the region’s infrastructure, announcing that an additional $80 million has been approved by the Board for road network upgrades in the area.
Will not condone
Only recently, while noting that the government has made tremendous efforts over the past four years in regularising existing squatting areas, Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues highlighted that the government will not condone the
and advising buyers to claim false occupation dating back to 2017. He issued a stern warning to those affected by such deceptive practices, stating that any illegal structures erected on these lands are at risk of demolition. Furthermore, the min-
monitoring the region to prevent further squatting.
He assured the public that the Ministry is committed to serving all eligible applicants and is actively seeking additional lands through National Industrial & Commercial Investments
establishment of new illegal housing areas.
She made the comment during a recent broadcast of The Guyana Dialogue, where she made reference to a study which was conducted in the late 1990’s. The study revealed that there
were over 200 identified squatting areas across the country at that time.
efforts, a majority of these informal settlements were regularised.
“We found over 200 squatter settlements across the length and breadth of Guyana and there is a report to that effect. During the 10 years of the PPP/C from the 90’s to date we have regularised about 175 of those just over 200 communities,” she stated.
However, the minister said that the establishment of new squatting settlements within the country will not be tolerated by the government.
tolerating any new squatting so if a new area was to popup overnight somewhere across the country that area would not be regularised because we really need to put an end to squatting, squatting is illegal,” she explained.
Moreover, the minister added that, with the government’s aggressive housing drive which seeks to allocate thousands of house lots to Guyanese citizens across the country, there is no need for persons to engage in squatting.
Some 1644 lots in 13 squatting areas in sever-
The minister noted that the high number of informal settlements in the country was due to the lack of a proper housing programme and legislation. As such Rodrigues noted that through the government’s
“There are areas that keep popping up around the country sometimes with squatters and we have the unpleasant task of removing those people especially when they’re located in a zero-tolerance area. We have been very clear that we are not
al regions have been regularised, benefitting hundreds of households between 2020 and 2023. For this year alone, eight squatting areas have been earmarked for regularisation in Regions Three and Four, benefitting 479 households.
Afive-day programme on Barrett Radio Training and
Installation being conducted in Guyana through a collaboration with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) is expect-
United States (US) citizens currently living and/working in Guyana would be able to vote in the upcoming Presidential Elections in their homeland.
This was announced by the US Embassy in Georgetown via a post on its Facebook page on Thursday.
“Attention US Citizens living or working in Guyana! You can vote in the upcoming U.S. Presidential Elections!” the embassy stated.
In order to facilitate this voting process, the embassy’s Consular Team will be hosting a Town Hall meeting on how to register and request an absentee ballot so that these persons can cast their votes from Guyana.
the US diplomatic office in Georgetown urged.
US voters will be heading to the polls on November 5 to elect their 47th President – an election that could see the return of former President Donald Trump for a second term or America’s first female president in Vice President Kamala Harris.
Initially set a 2020 rematch with President Joe Biden running for a second term in office alongside his current Vice President. However, the 81-year-old
The Town Hall will be held today at the Cara Lodge Hotel in Georgetown from 14:00h.
“Come out to learn about your voting rights, how to register and request a ballot, and tips to ensure your vote counts - no matter where you are in the world!,”
American leader ended his campaign back in July and endorsed Harris, who is now running for the US top office with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her Vice President pick.
ed to strengthen Guyana capacity to utilise radio communication effectively.
The team building exercise is being administered by experts from CDEMA - the regional disaster management body of the Caribbean Community whose primary role is to be a facilitator, driver, coordinator and motivating force to the promotion and engineering of Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) in all the participating states.
Among the beneficiaries are operators from Guyana’s Civils Defence Commission (CDC), the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).
The training is being executed at CDC Headquarters, Thomas Lands, Georgetown.
The Barrett Radio Training is a significant step towards strengthening disaster preparedness and communication capabilities in the region, ensuring that responders are well equipped to handle emergency situations effectively.
It is designed to provide participants with in-depth knowledge of effective radio communication techniques and operational readiness. As part of the field operations, attempts will be made to contact Caribbean islands such as Tobago and Turks and Caicos via radio to test its readiness during times of disaster.
This exercise is crucial for ensuring reliable communication during disaster situations.
Just a few months ago, the region was hit by the devastating Hurricane Beryl that made landfall on July 1 in Carriacou, Grenada, as a Category
Four hurricane and subsequently intensified into a Category Five storm. In addition to Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Beryl wreaked havoc in Barbados, St. Lucia, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago – countries with large Guyanese diasporas. Beryl has killed at least ten people and disrupted economies on the various small islands, from tourism to agriculture, in particular the 25 by 2025 goals that were first championed by Guyana and President Ali, before and during his Chairmanship of CARICOM in the first part of the year.
The Biden Administration said on Thursday it was imposing US sanctions on 16 allies of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in response to voter fraud in the country's election and his government's ensuing crackdown on the political Opposition.
The move came just days after Edmundo Gonzalez, recognised by the US and other countries as winner of the July 28 presidential election, fled to Spain after Maduro's Government issued a warrant for his arrest.
Among those targeted for sanctions were Supreme Court President Caryslia Rodriguez, electoral council director Rosalba Gil and National Assembly Vice President Pedro Infante. The list includes others linked to the election as well as military and intelligence officials accused of post-election repression.
As part of the first punitive US measures in response to Maduro's disputed re-election claim, Secretary of State, Antony Blinken said Washington was also imposing visa restrictions on an unspecified number of "Maduro-aligned" officials.
But the US stopped short of announcing any
new actions against the Organisation of Petroluem Exporting Countries (OPEC) member's vital energy sector, which is already under heavy US sanctions, an omission that raises questions about the potential impact of the new measures.
President Joe Biden's Administration is seeking to punish Maduro and his loyalists for what the US sees as reneging on the promise of a competitive democratic vote while also pressuring him into negotiations with the Opposition.
"The Treasury Department is targeting key officials involved in Maduro's fraudulent and illegitimate claims of victory and his brutal crackdown on free expression following the election, as the overwhelming majority of Venezuelans call for change," Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said in a statement.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said in a message on Telegram that his government rejected the "new crime of aggression by the United States against Venezuela in imposing unilaterally coercive, illegitimate and illegal measures on officials of the state".
top of the Democratic ticket for the November 5 US election, are wary about giving Republicans a further opening on the hot-button immigration issue.
Asked whether the US was weighing future oil sector-related actions, including adding restrictions on US oil producer Chevron's operations in Venezuela, a senior US official told reporters a "range of options" were under consideration, but did not provide details.
The new Treasury sanctions call for freezing any US assets held by the targeted officials.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez met Venezuela's self-exiled opposition leader Gonzalez in Madrid on Thursday, a day after the Lower House of Spain's Parliament voted to recognise Gonzalez as the winner of the presidential election in July.
Gonzalez, 75, who is wanted by Venezuelan authorities on charges of conspiracy and other crimes, sought asylum in Spain on Sunday while Sanchez was visiting China.
Demands for transparency Election officials and Venezuela's top court have said Maduro, a Socialist who has been in power since 2013, won the election. The Opposition said tallies collected by its observers show a resounding victory for Gonzalez.
Many democratic countries have condemned Maduro for claiming victory without providing proof, demanded full transparency, and accused him of tampering with the vote count.
Gonzalez, a 75-yearold veteran diplomat, flew
Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh has slammed Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, for her "unprovoked and inflammatory attack" on the Government's management of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the use of vaccines.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Health Minister said:
"For the record, the COVID-19 vaccines distributed in Trinidad and Tobago – Sinopharm, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson –were all approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) prior to their use,
and follow our stated policy to only use WHO-approved vaccines. Our healthcare professionals administered 1,554,804 doses, and it is critical to note that of the 4444 COVID-19 deaths, 3960 or 89.1 per cent were unvaccinated persons."
"The specific allegation that ‘hundreds of thousands were given a fake vaccine’—as quoted in a Newsday article dated September 11, 2024—must be condemned,” Deyalsingh stated.
He added: “The assertion that a ‘fake vaccine’ was administered to citizens is an affront to the entire public and private health sector and implies
that our doctors and nurses, and other publicly-spirited individuals who administered these vaccines, were complicit in a hoax. The allegations made by the Opposition Leader may also suggest that doctors and nurses breached their sacred oaths."
The Health Minister is calling for a complete retraction of the Opposition Leader’s statements, which he described as “an abuse of freedom of speech”.
“This pattern of malicious politicisation of serious public health matters undermines public trust and confidence and serves no constructive purpose,” he said. (Trinidad Guardian)
The Government of Peru has announced a three-day period of national mourning following the death of controversial former President Alberto Fujimori.
President Dina Boluarte signed a decree for a period of mourning on Thursday, one day after Fujimori, convicted of corruption and human rights abuses during
his tenure in office, died at the home of his daughter, Keiko Fujimori, in the capital Lima.
“This morning, the National Flag was raised at half-mast in the Legislative Palace due to the death of the former president of the republic, Alberto Fujimori,” Diario Oficial El Peruano, the country’s official daily paper, said on Thursday.
Fujimori’s body will lay in the Ministry of Culture in Lima until Saturday, when he will be moved to a cemetery south of the capital. The outlet Peru 21 posted photos on social media showing supporters queuing outside of the Ministry of Culture to pay their respects. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
to Spain seeking political asylum last weekend after Venezuelan authorities threatened to arrest him, accusing him of conspiracy and other crimes, charges that he denied.
Venezuelans' hopes for political change have largely faded with Gonzalez's flight, the post-election crackdown and the international community's failure so far to take decisive action to loosen Maduro's grip on power.
Washington's cautious response, some US officials have said, reflects misgivings about actions that could spike global oil prices or inflict serious damage to Venezuela's already struggling economy, fearing that could spur an increased flow of Venezuelan migrants to the US-Mexico border.
Aides to Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who has replaced him at the
However, there are questions about the effectiveness of such individual sanctions, given that Washington has already targeted more than 140 Venezuelan officials, including Maduro himself in 2017, and placed US visa bans on nearly 2000 persons.
The US official insisted the sanctions were an important step in an effort to pressure Maduro to "make better decisions" on Venezuela's political situation before the presidential inauguration in January.
Washington, which rejected Maduro's 2018 re-election as a sham, broadly eased sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry last October in response to a deal between Maduro and Opposition parties. But in April the US reimposed the sanctions, accusing Maduro of failing to meet most of his electoral commitments.
Meanwhile, Spanish
"I give Edmundo Gonzalez a warm welcome to our country, his reception underscores Spain's humanitarian commitment and solidarity with Venezuelans," Sanchez posted on X social media platform.
The post showed a video of the two men and Gonzalez's daughter walking in the gardens of the Moncloa Palace, the prime minister's official residence.
In a separate statement, Gonzalez thanked Sanchez, his Government and the Spanish people for the welcome.
"We spoke about the serious situation in Venezuela and the need to work together for a transition toward democracy," he said of his talks with Sanchez.
The Venezuelan Parliament has asked the Maduro government to cut its already shaky diplomatic ties with Madrid in response to the Spanish parliament's motion. (Excerpt from Reuters)
South America is being ravaged by fire from Brazil's Amazon rainforest through the world's largest wetlands to dry forests in Bolivia, breaking a previous record for the number of blazes seen in a year up to September 11.
Satellite data analysed by Brazil's space research agency Inpe has registered 346,112 fire hotspots so far this year in all 13 countries of South America, topping the earlier 2007 record of 345,322 hotspots in a data series that goes back to 1998.
A Reuters photographer traveling in the heart of Brazil's Amazon this week witnessed massive fires burning in vegetation along roadways, blackening the landscape and leaving trees like burned matchsticks.
Smoke billowing from the Brazilian fires has darkened the skies above cities like São Paulo, feeding into a corridor of wildfire smoke, seen from space stretching diagonally across the continent from Colombia in the northwest to Uruguay in the southeast.
Brazil and Bolivia have
A view of the devastation caused by a forest fire in the Amazon in an area of the Trans-Amazonian Highway BR230 in Labrea, Amazonas state, Brazil, September 4, 2024 (Reuters/Bruno Kelly photo)
dispatched thousands of firefighters to attempt to control the blazes, but remain mostly at the mercy of extreme weather fuelling the fires.
Scientists say that while most fires are set by humans, the recent hot and dry conditions being driven by climate change are helping the fires spread more quickly. South America has been hit by a series of heatwaves since last year.
"We never had winter," said Karla Longo, an air quality researcher at Inpe, of
the weather in São Paulo in recent months. "It's absurd." Despite still being winter in the Southern Hemisphere, high temperatures in São Paulo have held at over 32 degrees Celsius since Saturday. Hundreds of people marched in Bolivia's highland, political capital La Paz to demand action against the fires, holding banners and placards saying "Bolivia in flames" and "For cleaner air stop burning." (Excerpt from Reuters)
Russia "started" the conflict in Ukraine and can end it "straight away”, Sir Keir Starmer has said after Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested Moscow would regard Western missiles being fired into Russia as a serious escalation of the war.
il prices rose over two per cent on Thursday as producers assessed the impact on output in the US Gulf of Mexico after Hurricane Francine tore through offshore oilproducing areas before being downgraded to a tropical storm.
Over 730,000 barrels per day, or nearly 42 per cent, of Gulf of Mexico oil output was shut-in due to storm Francine on Thursday, the US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose by US$1.66, or 2.5 per cent, to settle at US$68.97 per barrel. Brent crude futures rose by US$1.36, or 1.9 per cent, to US$71.97 per barrel.
Both contracts had gained more than two per cent on Wednesday as companies evacuated offshore platforms due to Francine. The disruptions are estimated to reduce output this month from the Gulf of Mexico by around 50,000 barrels per day, UBS analysts said.
Some analysts, however, cautioned that Francine's impact could be short-lived, as it lost intensity quickly after making landfall in Louisiana on Wednesday evening. That could turn the oil market's attention back to a lack of global demand, Alex Hodes, an analyst at StoneX, told clients in a note.
Oil and fuel export ports from south to central Texas had already reopened on Thursday and refineries were also ramping up.
Concerns about weak global oil demand, particularly from top importer China, have weighed heavily on prices in recent months. Brent crude futures settled near a three-year low on Tuesday after the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies (OPEC+) producer group slashed its annual demand growth forecasts for the second month in a row.
The International Energy Agency on Thursday lowered its 2024 demand growth forecasts by more than seven per cent to 900,000 bpd, citing weak demand in China and feeble growth in other regions.
The US, the top consumer of oil, is also flashing signs of weak demand. Oil stockpiles rose in the country last week as crude imports grew, exports dipped and fuel demand slumped, data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed on Wednesday.
US gasoline prices are trending towards a three-year low because of weak demand and abundant supplies, analysts said. US gasoline consumption represents nearly nine per cent of global oil demand.
Market participants are also closely following a weeks-long crisis over control of Libya's central bank, which has led to oil output and export reductions from the country. A preliminary agreement was reached last week to resolve the crisis, but the situation remains fluid.
Analysts at FGE said crude output in Libya is recovering and export loadings are resuming, but warned that a full recovery remains uncertain. (Reuters)
Two astronauts – a billionaire and an engineer – completed the world's first private spacewalk in orbit on Thursday outside a SpaceX capsule, wearing a new line of spacesuits in a risky feat previously exclusive to astronauts from national space programmes.
The astronauts on the Polaris Dawn mission went one at a time, each spending about 10 minutes outside the gumdrop-shaped Crew Dragon capsule on a tether, as Elon Musk's company again succeeded in pushing
the boundaries of commercial spaceflight. Jared Isaacman, a pilot and the founder of electronic payments company Shift4, exited first, followed by SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis, while crewmates Scott Poteet and Anna Menon watched from inside.
The whole process, unfolding about 730 kilometres (450 miles) above Earth, lasted an hour and 46 minutes. The four astronauts have been orbiting Earth since Tuesday's launch from Florida. (Excerpt from Reuters)
The PM is in Washington for talks with US President Joe Biden today, as allies of Kyiv discuss giving Ukraine permission to fire their missiles at targets inside Russia. Putin told Russian State television that this would “mean nothing other than the direct participation of NATO countries – the US and European countries – in the war in Ukraine".
"It is their direct participation," he said. "And, of course, this substantially changes the very essence, the nature of the conflict.”
He added: “If that is the
case, we will take corresponding decisions based on the threats that will be created to us.”
Asked for his response to the remarks on his flight to Washington, the Prime
‘Undemocratic overkill' in Pakistan as Imran Khan's followers push to free him
For weeks, the roads around Islamabad have been lined by shipping containers; road blocks ready for immediate deployment in the event of any protest.
Pakistan’s capital has become used to entire areas being sealed off whenever the authorities get an inkling that unrest could be brewing. It is a constant reminder to the city’s residents that at any moment, everything could tip.
Last Sunday, the containers were out in force, blocking 29 routes around the city.
In a much-publicised and anticipated political rally, Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters made their way in their thousands towards Islamabad. The crowd waved flags and banners while a poster of the former Prime Minister suspended by balloons gently floated overhead. Others wore eerie masks of Imran Khan’s face. Chants of "Imran Khan
(long
The containers did not contain them; video on social media shows lines of supporters shoving the corrugated metal aside and surging through to reach the rally’s venue.
The man whose face was everywhere was not in attendance. Imran Khan has been behind bars for more than a year, having been convicted of corruption and charged with leaking State secrets.
Khan has called all the charges against him politically motivated. But despite seeing his sentences overturned and a UN working group declaring that he had been "arbitrarily detained", there seems little movement toward his release. Most analysts say that without the explicit say-so from Pakistan’s politically powerful military, Khan will not be let out. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Minister struck a robust tone repeatedly stating that Russia had started the war.
“Russia started this conflict. Russia illegally invaded Ukraine. Russia can end this conflict straight away,” he said. He later added:
“To reiterate, it was Russia who started this in the first place. They caused the conflict, they’re the ones who are acting unlawfully.”
The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary David Lammy are on a blitz of international diplomacy, as
Ukraine’s allies discuss how to respond to Iran stepping up its support for Russia. Lammy told the BBC this “clearly changes the debate” as he visited Kyiv alongside the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. There has long been a hesitancy to allow Ukraine to fire Western missiles into Russia because of fears it could be seen as provocative and draw the US, European countries and others directly into the conflict. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Acourt in Georgia has dismissed two of the 10 criminal charges against Donald Trump and one other charge against his allies for alleged attempts to interfere in the 2020 presidential election.
Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee ruled on Thursday that the southern state did not have the authority to bring the specific charges related to the alleged filing of false documents in federal court.
Judge McAfee allowed the rest of the case to move forward, including eight charges against Trump, out of the original 13.
Three other charges against Trump were dropped earlier this year after the same Judge ruled that the charges lacked detail.
Steven Sadow, a lawyer for Trump, praised the ruling, saying: "President Trump and his legal team in Georgia have prevailed once again."
Judge McAfee on Thursday said that the two dropped charges fell under federal jurisdiction, rather than under Georgia state law.
The dropped charges against Trump include conspiracy to commit false documents and conspiracy to commit forgery, according to court documents.
Two of his co-defendants had their charges of forgery dropped as well. According to the indictment filed in August 2023 by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, Trump conspired with 18 other defendants to interfere in the election result.
The group "refused to accept that Trump lost, and they knowingly and wilfully joined a conspiracy to unlawfully change the outcome of the election in favour of Trump".
Part of the alleged plot included Trump's phone call to Georgia's top election official, in which he pleaded with him to "to find 11,780 votes" – the margin by which he lost. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Be imaginative, but don't let anyone take advantage of you. You may desire change, but it must be beneficial. Learn from experience, and don't settle for less than what you want.
Use your talents, skills and expertise to access something new and exciting. Change is within reach, and so is the chance to raise your income, reputation or prospects.
You'll be overwhelmed if you take on too much. Seek out what interests you most, and refrain from falling short and feeling stressed. You owe it to yourself to engage in self-improvement.
Do a thorough investigation of a proposal you receive, regardless of how convincing it is. You may be craving a change or a new beginning, but you are best off sitting tight unless it feels right.
Refrain from acting prematurely. Consider what is possible and what will contribute to something you want to achieve. Be open to suggestions, but don't back yourself into a corner.
Stop denying yourself the opportunity to explore the possibilities. Put your energy where it counts and offers you peace of mind and reassurance that you can move forward. Don't get angry; get moving.
Don't jeopardize your health, emotional well-being or domestic situation. It's essential to give yourself enough breathing room to figure out what's best for you and how to make the most of what you have.
You are in a better position than you realize. Pay attention to detail but add innovative ideas that will motivate others to get involved in helping you achieve your goal.
Share your plans only with someone you trust. Focus on something you enjoy doing, or sign up to participate in a challenge that stimulates you. Explore the possibility of spending more time with someone.
Evaluating your assets will give you the confidence to make changes that improve your life. Start the process, ease stress and engage in pastimes that encourage better health and well-being.
Put more time, money and effort into being your best. A new look, educational pursuit or better money management will pay off. Look at your surroundings and adjust whatever is necessary to accommodate what you want.
Don't go overboard, even if someone tempts you. Indulgent behavior will leave you in a vulnerable position. Put your energy into something that offers a positive return.
… “to expand competitive opportunities for club players”
The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has officially introduced Division 2 of the Elite League, aimed at providing additional competitive opportunities for players from the 10 participating clubs who were not selected for their respective Elite League rosters.
This new initiative is designed to ensure that all registered players have the chance to develop their skills in a competitive environment and work toward future inclusion in the top-tier teams.
The GFF’s Elite League
Division 2, also known as the Reserve League, kicked off on September 1, 2024, and has already completed five matches. The tournament is held on Sundays at various venues and features a total of eight teams, including two U17 national teams.
GFF President Wayne Forde highlighted the importance of this new division, stating; "Division 2 allows clubs to maximise the development of their players, ensuring that no talent is overlooked simply because they didn’t make the final Elite League roster. It’s about creating more opportunities for growth and competition."
Newly re-elected President of the St Kitts and Nevis Athletics Association (SKNAA), Delwayne Delaney has ambitious plans to boost the country's athletics programme, with the pivotal involvement of 2003 World 100m champion Kim Collins.
Delaney, who secured his second term as President on September 7, revealed that the legendary Collins would play a central role in enhancing the development of athletes, coaches, and officials in the twinisland nation.
“Just probably a week from now, we will be making an announcement as it relates to Mr Collins,” Delaney told Sportsmax. TV during an interview on Wednesday. “He is our world champion, he is still a household name within track and field,” he said. “He is still recognised on the global market, and even if persons haven’t heard about St Kitts and Nevis, they mention Kim Collins and they say, ‘Ah, yes, I know.’ So, we definitely have to be tapping into his expertise where he can lend his support in moving the product forward.”
Delaney, himself a former sprinter and 2011 Pan American Games silver medallist in the 4x100m relay, emphasised that Collins’ global recognition and vast experience would be crucial in helping to modernise the country’s athletics landscape. The
President believes that involving Collins in their strategy will not only inspire younger athletes but also provide invaluable insights into competing at the highest level.
The broader vision for athletics in St Kitts and Nevis involves a comprehensive development plan that will encompass athlete training, coaching education, and the upskilling of officials. Delaney noted that the nation has long had the talent to compete internationally, but strategic development and adaptation to the modern demands of track and field are necessary to reach new heights.
“We think that we have a good product here in St Kitts and Nevis. We have always had a good product here and I think honing into those athletes and those nuances that we have will definitely benefit the sport and ultimately, the athletes, who are the main stakeholders in all of this,” Delaney explained.
“We look forward to a very productive tenure moving forward. We have a very good crop of athletes, we just need to further develop them.”
The SKNAA President also took the opportunity to shine a spotlight on some of the nation’s rising stars, including Carifta medallist De’Cheynelle Thomas, Akanye Samuels, Chesson Liburd, T’anna Liburd, Jaylen Bennett,
Naquille Harris, and Zahra AllersLiburd. He expressed optimism that with the proper guidance, these athletes could help St Kitts and Nevis become a “real force” in athletics.
“Track and field now is not the same as when I used to compete back in the mid-2000s. The standards and qualification processes for major meets have changed, so we need to get our athletes and coaches up to par to remain competitive,” Delaney explained.
He emphasised the importance of creating an enabling environment for athletes and coaches to thrive, noting that partnerships with both the public and private sectors will be crucial in achieving these goals. He also highlighted the strong relationship St Kitts and Nevis shares with regional training programmes, particularly those in Jamaica.
“We will explore collaboration with the private sector, public sector – that being government – and even our regional partners. We have had a very good relationship with the clubs and camps in Jamaica, having trained there quite extensively with Mr (Glen) Mills and forging relationships with the MVP Camp, my former teammate Michael Frater, and others. With a strategic approach, we can gain much,” Delaney said. (Sportsmax)
The participating teams for the inaugural season include Ann’s Grove FC, Santos FC, Monedderlust FC, Fruta Conquerors FC, Den Amstel FC, Guyana Defence Force FC, Guyana Panther U17, and Guyana Jaguar U17.
Division 2 operates as a single-table competition, where each team plays one round of matches.
At the conclusion of the round-robin stage, the top four teams will advance to the play-offs. The firstplace team will face the second-place team for a spot in the final, while the third and fourth-place teams will
compete for a chance to enter the final. This format ensures a competitive and dynamic season.
In terms of results, the first set of matches held on September 1 saw Santos FC and Monedderlust FC playing to a goalless draw, while Fruta Conquerors FC defeated Den Amstel FC 2-0.
The second set of matches, held on September 8, had Guyana Panthers U17 dominating Den Amstel FC with a 4-0 victory. GDF FC delivered a stunning 8-0 win over Monedderlust FC, while Fruta Conquerors FC secured another 2-0 win, this time against Ann’s Grove
five matches already completed, the tournament continues to draw interest as teams aim to secure their play-off spots.
Matches are held on Sundays, with kick-off times starting at 10:00h at various locations, including the National Training Centre (NTC). The tournament will run through to November 2024, with the top four teams moving to the play-off rounds. However, the U17 teams will not compete for points or playoff positions. The GFF’s Division 2 of the Elite League marks a significant step forward in the Federation’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the football pipeline and give more players a chance to excel.
T(TTFA) President Kieron Edwards is op
portance of having afication, which requires the full support of the Government, Private
timistic that they will at tract some high-quality candidates for the senior Soca Warriors Head Coach post, with hopes of secur ing qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Edwards, who, along with his administration, was heavily criticised for cutting former Head Coach Angus Eve without a suitable replacement, shared his optimism as he revealed that invitations to select the new coach will go out this week.
The Soca Warriors, currently being led by Derek King on an interim basis, closed the recent CONCACAF Nations League window with a 0-4 loss to Honduras and a goalless stalemate with French Guiana, which left them at the foot of Group B in
face a must-win scenario in their next two fixtures in October to survive.
However, Trinidad and Tobago remain alive in the World Cup qualifiers, which resume next year, as they sit second in Group B on four points, two points behind Costa Rica.
Edwards said the process of selecting the new coach has been delayed a bit, but they remain firm that the suitable candidate must meet the requirements outlined to secure the necessary results and, by extension, World Cup qualification.
tation was due to the Soca Warriors loss to Honduras, Edwards said that result
“I know we hardly have time, but we cannot rush the process. We know that the toughest game in the group would have been against Honduras, and what they told me is that they would have planned for that result,” Edwards explained. Still, Edwards is hoping to receive applications from quality coaches to change things. It is reported that former Soca Warriors striker-turned-coach Dwight Yorke and former United States Coach Gregg Berhalter were interested in the job. (Sportsmax)
TAfter being inserted, the Falcons posted a competitive total of 176-5, largely thanks to a composed stand of 92 runs between Sam Billings and Justin Greaves, that
was also a record for any wicket for the Falcons.
a rain-affected evening in Bridgetown.
In response, the Royals got off to a shaky start, Mohammad Amir stitched
Falcons
bowling effort, a frustrated Rahkeem Cornwall then plinked his seventh delivery, his first from Chris Green, straight to Roshon Primus at mid-off. Primus celebrat-
ed the catch keenly, but his fortunes would take a dramatic turn shortly after-
With the Royals on 81-2 off 11 overs, needing 96 runs off the remaining 54 balls, Primus served up an over that went for 23 runs and seemed to last an eternity. The over saw Primus lose his radar with four wides and three chest-high fulltoss no balls accompanying two fours, a six and the wicket of Quinton de Kock caught behind for 48 off 30 balls. By the end of the over, the Royals had motored to 104-3 with a crucial run rate injection. The players came and went from the field a couple of times as the rain clouds built over Bridgetown, a decisive and heavy downpour seeing the match eventually called and curtailed with seven overs to go. The Royals comfortably ahead on DLS to run out winners by 10 runs.
De Kock was named
Billings † b Holder 56
Player of the Match for another confident knock with the bat, the South African southpaw has racked up 154 runs in three innings at an average of 77 in this year’s
Lando Norris says he wants to try to earn the world title on mer it, despite McLaren asking his team-mate Oscar Piastri to support the Briton if necessary.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella told BBC Sport the team would "bias" their operations towards Norris as they seek to win the drivers' title as well as the constructors' championship this season.
Norris said he was "thank ful" for the team's decision, but said: "I don't want to be given a championship.
"Yes, it would be great to have a championship, and short term you feel amaz
ing, but I don't think you'd be proud of that in the long run. It's not how I want to win a championship."
Norris heads into this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix 62 points behind championship leader Max Verstappen of Red Bull, with a maximum of 232 points available in the remaining eight races.
McLaren are just eight points behind Red Bull in the constructors' championship, with Ferrari a further
Norris added: "I want to win it by fighting against Max and beating Max, beating my competitors and proving I'm the best on track. That's how I want
Stella made it clear that McLaren had not decided to ask Piastri to back Norris under any circumstances.
"The overall concept is we are incredibly determined to win, but we want to win in the right way," he said.
"We [will] bias our support to Lando, but we want to do it without too much compromise on our principles.
"Our principles are that the team interest always comes first. Sportsmanship for us is important in the overall way we go racing – and then we want to be fair to both drivers."
Piastri said: "The team have asked me to help out, and I've said for the last few races that if I was asked, then I would.
"Of course, naturally, as a driver, it's never an easy thing or a simple thing to agree to. But again, there's a much bigger picture in play than just myself."
Both Norris and Piastri played down the idea the Australian might be asked to sacrifice a win for his teammate.
Norris said: "Probably not. In general, probably for lower positions, but if he's fought for a win and he's deserving of a win, then he deserves to win.
"Oscar is still fighting for his own racing, he's still going out and doing his stuff. And it could be that there's no time this year that he needs to help me.
"It's more that I've got Oscar's help when needs be, but he's still going out with that intent of every session of fighting for himself." (BBC Sport)
competition so far – powering the Royals to second in the table on six points with Guyana Amazon Warriors ahead of them only by run rate. (CPLT20)
The Annual Heritage Games, which highlight the abilities of Indigenous peoples throughout Guyana, got underway with much fanfare on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, at the Everest Cricket Club (ECC) Ground, Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown.
The Games are anticipated to be filled with thrilling gameplay and ardent spectators.
The event, which is a hallmark of Amerindian Heritage celebrations, shines a
While declaring the Games open, Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr emphasised the impact of investment on the development of the Games, giving the athletes a platform to showcase their talent.
Traditionally, two horseracing stables were at the tip of the tongues of fans: Jumbo Jet Racing Stables and Jagdeo Racing Stables. Fast forward to 2024, more owners are in the country and the competition is intense.
According to veteran Jockey and trainer Winston Appadu, the quality of horses that are currently in Guyana is arguably the best.
Slingerz Racing Stables are the current Guyana Cup and President’s Cup winners, J’s Racing Stables is arguably the hottest newcomer in Guyana’s horse racing with top quality buys, and Simply Royal Racing Stables have also made a name for themselves in feature races.
There are still a number of
high-quality horses at Jumbo Jet Racing Stables and Jagdeo Racing Stables, but with more owners coming into the sport, the competition level continues to rise and this has aided in the growth of Guyana’s horse racing.
When asked about the calibre of horses in Guyana, Appadu said; “The competition is hard up there. Javed (Slingerz Racing Stables) bring three good horses, Junior (Jumbo Jet Racing Stables) bring some horses in, and J’s Racing Stables. Competition is hard, so you must keep focusing and prepare your horses properly.”
“Things changed. A lot of different horses with different speed. So, it’s good for Guyana horse racing. It’s improving a lot. You can come see stakes
horse running in Guyana. Back in the days, you would get a $10,000 claimer coming to run,” Appadu said.
While the quality of horses imported into Guyana continues to rise, so does the cash payout, as the Guyana Cup 2024 saw a $16 million increase for 2023, with $40 million being the total purse.
The horses and horsemen will have a grand showdown on Sunday, September 22 at Rising Sun when the President’s Cup takes centre stage.
Nine races are on the provisional programme and more than $15 million will be up for grabs. The top horses that featured at the Guyana Cup and more new horses will ignite the Rising Sun Turf Club in less than 10 days’ time.
and culture and will see the participation of 735 athletes. As such, this year’s theme, “Many Voices, One Song,” emphasises unity and the rich heritage of Guyana’s Indigenous peoples.
The Minister said: “Every year this has been a development and a progressive investment year on year, on year that we have been making so that we can get it to this point. Year after year, that investment has been made so that you the athletes, the sportsmen and women, you get the opportunity to not just play in your village but to play to represent your village and to represent your region. It’s done so that you can get the platform to showcase your skills and that those skills wherever they are in your villages, they require investment.”
The Minister went on to reiterate the investments made towards community grounds in hinterland communities.
He said, “In the previous five years before we returned to office, the entire five years, the previous
administration spent just $90 million on community grounds; in the last four years, this year included, we have spent over $570 million on community grounds in the hinterland alone. So that every single year when we continue to see your sporting talent, that the investment that's being made on your community ground is then showcased here at the Heritage Games.”
Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai, while giving brief remarks, noted the growth of the Games and the longevity of the event with their investment.
The Amerindian Affairs Minister shared, “Today, Heritage has grown, Heritage sports is now 25 years old and that speaks for volumes for the People’s Progressive Party's investment in the Amerindian youths. Heritage Sports is one of the biggest, the hugest events that showcase the talent of the athletes for the Amerindian and hinterland communities, including the coastal communities, in fact from all 10 administrative regions; therefore the event this year boasts of 735 young athletes.”
The Heritage Games will see the participation of athletes over the next three days in athletics, swimming, cricket, football and volleyball, with the final for each competition set for Sunday at the same venue.
National Badminton Champion Priyanna Ramdhani, after coaching her younger peers in the Caribbean Regional Badminton Confederation (CAREBACO) Junior Tournament, has switched gears to competition mode as she currently competes in the Costa Rica Future Series 2024.
Ramdhani has put her racquet to the test in the women’s singles and women’s doubles categories thus far.
In the singles, the Guyanese defeated Costa Rica’s Yaslin Sanchez in the Round of 32, 21-9, 21-7. However, her fortunes were not the same in the Round of 16, as she came up short to Portugal’s Mariana Paiva, 21-13, 21-10.
In the doubles division, Ramdhani teamed up with Trinidad and Tobago’s Chequeda de Boulet. The duo took on a pair from El Salvador, Gabriela Barrrios and Margareth Revelo in the Round of 16 and won 21-12, 21-13 to book a spot in the quarter-finals.
The Guyanese-Trinidadian duo continued to dominate as they moved on to the medal rounds. Ramdhani and de Boulet got the better of Costa Rica’s Jenny NG and Emma Rodriguez, 219, 21-4 to secure a spot in the women’s doubles semifinals.
Their semi-final are scheduled for today, Friday, September 13 and will see the Guyanese-Trinidadian pair coming up against Fernanda Munar and Rafaela Muner of Peru, who are the second-seeded pair in the competition.
Having made it to the semi-finals, Ramdhani and de Boulet are already guaranteed to walk away from the tournament with at least a bronze medal. However, a victory in today’s match will see the duo upgrading that bronze to a gold or silver.
The Costa Rica Future Series 2024 served off on Wednesday, September 11 and will conclude tomorrow, Saturday, September 14, 2024.
Kings on Thursday night resulted in the franchise picking up their first win at home, when they took on the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots at the Daren Sammy Stadium.
The home side called the toss correctly and opted to field first, after which the hapless Patriots, who have now slumped to their sixth loss of the season, posted 173-5.
Evin Lewis went early for 15, but two half-centuries in contrasting fashion from Andre Fletcher (62 off 50 balls) and Rilee Rossouw (50 off 31 balls) powered the Patriots to their total. A series of quick wickets at the end meant the likes of Josh Clarkson, Mikyle Louis and Wanindu Hasaranga would miss out on pushing the Patriots’ tally even further.
Then, St Lucia Captain Faf du Plessis and hometown hero Johnson Charles put on a masterclass on chasing. They constructed a
115-run partnership for the first wicket in just 11 overs.
After du Plessis perished for 62, Charles pressed on, but could not see the home side over the line.
Charles fell for 74 in the 16th over, with the Kings requiring just three more runs for victory.
Similarly to the Patriots,
Caribbean Premier League will heat up this weekend in Barbados as the home team take on the Trinbago Knight Riders and Guyana
Amazon Warriors back to back today, September 13 and Saturday, September 14 respectively. Both games will bowl off at 19:00h.
there was a series of quick wickets at the back end, but one decisive blow towards the boundary was all it took for Roston Chase to find the winning runs for the Kings.
“It was a very good innings. I would have loved to finish off for the team. Opening with Faf has been good. We feed off each oth-
er’s energy,” Player of the Match Charles reflected after the match while praising the vociferous support of the Kings fans.
“It feels lovely, with the crowd supporting us, even when we lost two. A huge thank you to our supporters.”
The Republic Bank
