GECOM commissioner blasts
GECOM commissioner blasts PNC/R for hypocrisy over new appointments
…after party calls for chair’s resignation despite approval of
qualified managers
Despite Guyana Elections Commission
(GECOM) Chairperson, retired Justice Claudette Singh, approving qualified candidates to fill two key vacancies in the secretariat, the fact that they were not candidates the opposition supported has prompted the People’s National Congress/ Reform (PNC/R) to launch further attacks on her.
The vacancies in question were for a new Civic and Voter Education and a new Logistics Manager. In response to the opposition’s attacks on the Chairperson, however, GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj on Friday slammed the party for its hypocrisy over the subject of appointments. Nor did he spare Opposition GECOM Commissioners Vincent Alexander, Charles Corbin and Desmond Trotman.
“It is rather ironic that the PNC/R has launched an attack on the Chairman of GECOM in relation to her recent vote to appoint (the new candidates). This attack comes on the heels of similar objections from the Opposition trio of Alexander, Corbin and Trotman on the same issue,” Gunraj noted in his comments.
“Differences of opinion on suitable candidates to fill vacancies at the Commission is not new. In fact, for as long as I can recall, there has hardly been a candidate that has had unanimous support in their appointment. While amnesia is a condition that naturally affects all of us with age, it seems as though selective amnesia is being resorted to in this instance.”
Gunraj pointed to the alleged wrongdoing by former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Gocool Boodhoo in 2011. Despite this, Boodhoo continued to be employed with GECOM, something that Alexander and Corbin as commissioners even back
then should be more than aware of.
“Alexander and Corbin are the only two current members of the Commission who were Commissioners then. They ought to be ashamed to mention that much less cite it as an example of unsavory employment practices at GECOM. They now seek to lay their incompetence and non-action at the feet of others.”
Myers
Additionally, he referenced when former Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO) Roxanne Myers was appointed under the chairmanship of late retired
Justice James Patterson, who himself was appointed by former President David Granger under a cloud of controversy and eventually had to step down from the post after the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) found that he was not legally appointed.
According to Gunraj, in the case of the appointment of these new candidates, they actually have the qualifications and experience. He noted that Myers, who is currently before the court charged with electoral fraud, did not have the requisite experience in managing an election prior to her appointment as DCEO.
“In that (previous) instance, a person with no election experience was appointed in favour of a person who previously served in the very position. This appointment was reviewed by the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) and found to be improper.”
“In the instant appointments, both candidates exhibited the requisite qualification and experience to execute tasks associated with each position. They have dutifully served in various capacities with the Commission for several years and over several elections, without issue,” Gunraj said.
Furthermore, Gunraj pointed out that both candidates who the Opposition had favored for the Civic and Voter Education and Logistics Manager vacancies, are employed in other positions within GECOM… positions they continue to hold.
Calls for resignation In their press statement, the PNC/R accused Justice Singh of favouring the PPP/C, by discharging her constitutional duty and voting in favor of qualified candidates for the civic and voter education and logistics manager.
Opposition GECOM Commissioners, from left; Vincent Alexander, Charles Corbin and Desmond Trotman
GECOM Chairperson, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh
GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj
BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Saturday, November 2 – 04:30h to 6:00h and Sunday, November 3 – 05:00h to 06:30h.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Saturday, November 2 –16:30h-18:00h and Sunday, November 3 – 05:00h-06:30h.
FERRY SCHEDULE
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
East North-Easterly to Easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.92 metres.
High
Low Tide: 09:55h and 22:14h reaching minimum heights of 0.63 metre and 0.49 metre.
Election fraud case
Trial to restart next Wednesday with acting Chief Magistrate presiding
The election fraud case will be restarting on November 6, with a new Magistrate, in the form of acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty, taking over the case from Senior Magistrate Leron Daly as a result of her extended illness.
When the election fraud case resumed on Friday before Magistrate McGusty, it was announced that she would henceforth be handling the case. This comes even as Senior Magistrate Leron Daly, who previously presided over the case, continues to be on sick leave.
During Friday’s hearing, it was further disclosed that a number of important persons in the case are out of the jurisdiction. They include Local Government Minister Sonia Parag, who was the first witness called, Special Prosecutor Darshan Ramdhani and Defense Counsel Eusi Anderson.
As a result, Magistrate McGusty announced that while it had been acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Yonnette CummingsEdward’s wish that the case restart on Friday, that would just not be possible.
After initially considering November 4, both defence and prosecution agreed that a restart of the case on Wednesday, November 6, 2024 at 2:00pm would be in everyone’s best interest. As a result, November 6 was set as the date for resumption, with a Case Management Conference.
Additionally, the Chief Magistrate’s proposal for a recording device to be used to record testimonies was shot down by Anderson, who expressed concern over the potential for the record to be contaminated by hearsay evidence. Nevertheless, assurances were provided by the Magistrate that this would be guarded against.
The decision to restart
the trial comes despite two witnesses– Minister Parag and Rosalinda Rasul, the current Head of the Diaspora Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairshaving already testified.
The judiciary has faced criticisms over the lengthy delays associated with this trial. Only on Wednesday, during his press conference, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had urged the judiciary to address delays in important cases such as these.
A few months ago, Jagdeo had stated that given the pace of the trials in the local courts, he has no doubts that this high-profile matter could end up in the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) – the highest level of judicial redress for Guyana.
The elections fraud trials commenced on July 29 for several individuals facing charges of alleged irregularities during the General Elections in 2020. Being heard before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, the trial was expected to run from July 29 to September 13 but only three hearings had been completed.
The matter was initially deferred to August 5 but the parties were informed that the presiding magistrate was out sick and the matter would be heard the following day. However, they were subsequently told that the magistrate has been placed on 30 days of sick leave.
When contacted, Special Prosecutor and King’s Counsel Darshan Ramdhani, related to this newspaper that he only found out about the Magistrate’s sick leave on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 6.
In her testimony, Parag had recalled acts of misconduct she witnessed from GECOM staff during the
Regional
forts by GECOM staff to alter the results by deducting People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) votes and adding votes to the then-ruling A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC).
She had also testified that despite a Court Order from acting Chief Justice Roxane George which compelled GECOM to use only the Statements of Poll (SOPs) to tabulate the numbers for the Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica) votes, Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, one of those now on trial, continued to conduct the tabulation using a projector and bedsheet.
The prosecution, led by KC Ramdhani, had complained that witnesses are not being allowed to freely testify as they should. At the last hearing before she came down with her illness, Magistrate Daly had acknowledged that not allowing certain testimony was indeed an error. As such, she gave permission for the reopening of the examination of the witness, Minister Parag.
Nine persons are before the court in relation to electoral fraud. They are former Returning Officer for Region Four, Clairmont Mingo; former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield; his former Deputy, Roxanne Myers; former People’s National Congress/ Reform (PNCR) Chairperson Volda Lawrence; PNCR activist Carol Smith-Joseph; and GECOM employees Sheffern February, Enrique Livan, Michelle Miller and Denise BabbCummings.
They are facing 28 charges relating to electoral fraud. Among the offences these defendants are accused of committing are: misconduct while holding public office; presenting falsified documentation; and planning to manipulate Guyana’s voters by presenting an inaccurate vote total. (G3)
2020 General and
Elections. Her testimony included witnessing ef-
Those charged with electoral offences are, top row, from left: Volda Lawrence, Keith Lowenfield, Denise Babb-Cummings, and Michelle Miller. Bottom row, from left: Enrique Livan, Sheffern February, Clairmont Mingo, and Carol Smith-Joseph
Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty
Editor: Tusika Martin
News Hotline: 231-8063Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761
Marketing: 231-8064Accounts: 225-6707
Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Industrial Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown
Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com
Elevating Guyana’s tourism
November is a month dedicated to celebrating and promoting the tourism sector, and there should be some reflection on the strides Guyana has made while also acknowledging the challenges that lie ahead in the tourism sector. Themed “A People-Centred Tourism Product: Elevating Our Profile,” this year’s Tourism Awareness Month reminds that at the heart of travel and tourism are the very people who inhabit this beautiful country. The Government’s commitment to crafting tourism experiences that resonate deeply with both visitors and locals is more vital than ever.
Minister Oneidge Walrond’s message, as published in this newspaper, underscores an essential truth: the travel industry thrives when it is built on the foundations of community engagement and cultural understanding. By focusing on the needs and preferences of visitors, we can create unique memorable experiences that not only captivate tourists, but also provide tangible benefits to our citizens. This people-centred approach aligns with our national development goals, ensuring that opportunities for growth and sustainable careers flourish within our communities.
One of the most exciting developments in Guyana’s tourism landscape is the commitment to community-led tourism initiatives. By collaborating with local communities, the sector can develop unique offerings that highlight the rich cultural embroidery of Guyana. This not only creates economic opportunities, but also ensures that the benefits of tourism are shared among all citizens. The focus on integrating vibrant traditions and festivals into the tourism product further enhances appeal as a destination that celebrates its heritage.
In the post-pandemic world, Guyana has made remarkable progress in establishing a versatile and sustainable tourism product. The increase in airline connectivity, with seven new airlines introducing flights to these shores, significantly enhances accessibility for international travellers. Additionally, expansion of the accommodation sector, including the recent opening of Aiden by Best Western and the upcoming introduction of over 1,000 new hotel rooms, positions us to welcome larger numbers of visitors and host significant events.
The introduction of over 55 new experiences within the past four years has diversified our tourism offerings, catering to a wide range of interests and traveller types. From eco-lodges to adventure tourism, our growing portfolio promises something for everyone. Further, the training programmes initiated by the Guyana Tourism Authority, which have equipped over 2,000 individuals with essential skills in areas such as birding and eco-lodge management, ensure that our workforce is prepared to meet the demands of an evolving tourism landscape.
The innovative concept of glamping is also set to elevate our local tourism profile. By combining the thrill of adventure with the comforts of modern hospitality, we are poised to attract nature enthusiasts who seek immersive experiences without sacrificing comfort. This initiative, starting in Region Two, could position Guyana as a premier destination for those looking to connect with nature in a unique way.
Moreover, the emphasis on MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism reflects our strategic vision for the future. With a growing calendar of major events and new hotels on the horizon, Guyana can expect significant economic benefits for local businesses, from hotels and restaurants to taxi drivers and tour operators. This holistic approach to tourism development not only boosts our economy, but also enriches the visitor experience.
Collaboration with regional partners is also key to elevating the profile of Destination Guyana. By strengthening cross-border travel and shared tourism experiences with countries like Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, and the Dominican Republic, Guyana is broadening the reach and enhancing visibility on the global stage.
Throughout November, the Ministry of Tourism and stakeholders would engage in a series of activities that celebrate Guyana’s achievements and invite the public to explore Guyana’s remarkable destinations. This is a time not only to reflect on what Guyana has accomplished but also to look forward to the bright future that lies ahead for the tourism sector. With visitor arrivals exceeding prepandemic figures, and with increasing interest from investors, it is clear that the potential for tourism in Guyana is vast.
The message from Minister Walrond serves as a call for everyone to embrace and support the local tourism sector. By prioritizing a people-centred approach, Guyanese can craft experiences that resonate with visitors, while ensuring that communities thrive.
Here’s how the winner of the 2024 US Presidential Election did it
By Jonathan Freedland
Here’s one prediction about the US election you can take to the bank: when the result is finally known, there will be a stampede of experts and prognosticators rushing to insist that, in effect, they knew it all along; that, hard though it was to glimpse through the fog of polls and shifting data, the eventual outcome was obvious, even inevitable.
That would be truer still if, when the voters’ will is finally known, it turns out not to have been so close after all, with one of the two main candidates sweeping most of the swing states to rack up a healthy majority in the electoral college, if not the popular vote.
The funny thing is that, if that happens for either candidate, it would not entirely be a surprise. Even now, you can sketch out in advance a very plausible case for why Donald Trump could be about to retake the Presidency. And you can do the same for why Harris might be on the brink of becoming the first woman to hold the world’s most powerful office.
So, much as Boris Johnson had drafted two columns on the eve of the Brexit Referendum – one advocating ‘leave’, the other ‘remain’ – here, while the US’ verdict is still unknown, is the story of how Trump or Harris pulled it off.
Starting with the scenario of a victorious Trump, to understand it might require a single number: 28. That’s the percentage of Americans who tell pollsters they believe the country is on the right track. A measly 28%. In that environment, incumbent parties
lose; and for all the drama and buzz of her swift installation as candidate and her positioning as the face of change, Harris is a member of the incumbent party, and is a senior figure in the current US Government. A nation that made clear long ago that it wanted to fire Joe Biden, largely over the cost of living and rising prices, as well as immigration, was bound to seize the chance to do the next best thing – reject his deputy.
If there was a way to avoid that fate, it would have required Harris to make a cleaner break from Biden than she was willing to do. Whether it was personal respect for the man or fear of rupturing her coalition, she didn’t do what had to be done. In this narrative, a key moment would prove to be her October appearance on The View, when she was asked if, looking back over the past four years, she would have done anything differently from her boss. “Not a thing that comes to mind,” was her answer.
At a stroke, she robbed herself of the mantle of change, and confirmed Trump’s core message: vote Harris, get Biden 2. Should the need arise to explain a Trump win in 2024, incumbency in tough times would be the meat of it, but it won’t be the whole story. Other factors besides inflation and petrol prices would have played their part, tied more to culture than politics. Trump’s astonishing lead among men, especially those without a college degree – including some, albeit qualified, evidence of increased support among Black and Hispanic men, which had previously been beyond the reach of the Republican party – points to
an element of Trump’s appeal that has endured for nearly a decade. Call it cultural defiance. It sees the wagging finger of all those who sit in judgment – whether that’s the media, the universities, the “woke”; foreign countries, especially European ones; or, at its most loosely defined, women, especially educated women – and shows them a big, fat middle finger in response.
This is what Trump’s critics took so long to understand. What for years they thought would hurt him –scandal, two impeachments, multiple criminal prosecutions and convictions –only made him stronger, confirming him as an outlaw, a transgressor who crossed the very boundaries so many of his followers, chiefly men, itched to cross with him. That photo of him bloodstained, seconds after dodging an assassin’s bullet, urging his devotees to “fight, fight, fight!” – how, we may come to ask, did we ever think he could be beaten after that?
After all, Harris was his ideal opponent. A liberal, accomplished, affluent woman from California, an avatar for the very cultural elite he and many millions of others despise. In case that impression of her were not sharp enough, she reinforced it with a parade of A-list stars campaigning for her in the final stretch, repeating the same mistake Hillary Clinton had made in 2016.
Finally, given that the US has hardly cured itself of racism or misogyny, it should not be a shock if, in the coming days, we see that a Black woman could not get elected to the White House. It may be 2024, but
perhaps the US is still not ready. So much for a Trump win. How will we explain victory for Harris, if it comes? The answer may boil down to one word: women.
Outraged by the supreme court’s Dobbs ruling overturning abortion rights in 2022, women confounded the pollsters in that year’s midterm elections: there was no Republican red wave, despite soaring inflation, because women came out in big numbers to prevent it.
Success in 2024 would mean that, once again, and with an intensity missed by most surveys, women in the US had quietly resolved to do the exact same thing to the man who shaped the supreme court, Dobbs’s ultimate author: Trump.
How can I vote for Kamala Harris if she supports Israel’s war? Here is my answer: In that and in other senses, Trump’s fate would have been sealed before the 2024 campaign even began. If he loses, it would surely be because he’d become too toxic a figure to win. Witness his place on the losing side of every election cycle after that first narrow victory in 2016.
What’s more, the toxicity has only got worse recently with his fascist, authoritarian tendencies laid barer than ever, whether in his threats to deploy the US military against “the enemy from within”, meaning his liberal critics, or his reported desire to be surrounded by “the kind of generals that Hitler had”, obedient to his every whim and diktat. For too many Americans, enough might just have been enough.
The University of Guyana (UG) is set to enhance its library resources with a donation of 1,100 Chinese books from Jiangsu Province. These books will be housed in the Confucius Corner of the library (Chinese Embassy Guyana photo)
Return to the 2015 elections' results
Dear Editor,
I was stunned by a letter that appeared in the local press of 31 October 2024; it had some barefaced allegations, was mired in crass racism, and was signed by the three Commissioners handling the "business" of the PNC.
Actually, I'm not sure if the PNC is APNU or any of the names it has changed in its imagined attempt at credibility-reimaging, or in its attempt to improve its consistently faltering support. Then, again, isn't one of those Commissioners the representative of a virtually nonexistent entity?
The three -- someone aptly described them as "three blind mice" in the
comments after their letter -- defied local, regional and international findings, opinions and evidence for FIVE gruelling and embarrassing (to Guyanese) MONTHS in their parties' attempts to reverse the will of the people. Guyanese would NEVER forget the humiliation they had to endure, until, like in 1992, they had no option but to release their stranglehold on the Guyanese people, and were forced to hand over the Government, but NOT THEIR SOPs (up to more than four years after).
But enough about 2020; the “three blind mice" would NEVER see the light of day on that sordid episode. Let's go back to 2015,
which THEY mentioned. I remember that, before the final results were announced, the PPP objected to the results GECOM reported on a number of ballot boxes. I remember the then GECOM Chairperson saying (and it was reported publicly) that he would consider recounting, at the PPP's request, 22 disputed ballot boxes. When this was not forthcoming, the number was reduced; and finally, the PPP said it would ask for ONLY FIVE boxes to be recounted, and if it was found that GECOM's numbers were correct, it would accept the results; but if the recount showed a difference, then the other "disputed" boxes should be
recounted. The recount of even ONE box was NEVER done.
Also glaringly shameful was that the PPP allegedly lost by one vote in Region Eight, and even there, a recount was not allowed. Nowhere in the world would this have occurred. What a disgrace it was!
Do these three remember that? Or do they also now have defective memories? Do they also have failed memories of the mysterious disappearance of responsible GECOM officials, who could not be located to conduct recounts requested by the PPP for certain disputed ballot boxes in Region Four?
And what about the
Chairman at that time?
Can Guyanese people have the benefit of your memory and comments, PLEASE?
The reason I'm raising this again is because I know an election petition is before the courts, and even if it’s heard and determined TOMORROW, it would have absolutely no effect on the results of that election; its results would be only for academic and historical purposes.
I understand that the ballots for that election are locked away in containers. Those ballot boxes can be used again (if they have not rotted by now), and the containers can be returned (are we paying rental for these?) or reused, thereby saving
millions of dollars, I'm sure. My suggestions are: That GECOM agrees to recount ALL the ballot boxes for the 2015 elections. Should this not be considered favourably and in the interest of compromise, then the 22 ballot boxes identified by the PPP as having incorrect numbers should be recounted. This would prove -- in my opinion, conclusively -- who really won the 2015 Elections. The elections petition can then be withdrawn by the PPP; we learn from the past, move on as a nation, and continue to progress.
Regards, Harry N Nawbatt
How can Ganesh Mahipaul be so disingenuous?
Dear Editor,
There are fundamental flaws in the views expressed by Parliamentarian Ganesh Mahipaul at a recent PNCR press conference. Those views appeared in one of the local newspapers as an article titled “Police force has become a national security risk - Mahipaul”.
Given the company that Mr. Mahipaul has kept, and the positions that he and his political brethren have brazenly assumed in relation to the last General and Regional Elections, it is no surprise that transparency, truthfulness, decency, and a clear understanding of how things really should be in a normal society would not be part of his thought processes.
Lest we forget, this gentleman comfortably operated in a vortex of deception and misinformation to the public, perpetrated by a number of coalition desperados. It seems as though the ease of misrepresentation that held the nation in embarrassing suspense for five agonizing months has permanently rubbed off on Mr Mahipaul in a manner that has emboldened him to pronounce definitively on issues with which
he is clearly unfamiliar. His assessment of the current state of the Guyana Police Force: suggesting that it has devolved into a national security risk under the governance of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic, is -- as I have suggested -- fundamentally flawed. He has not familiarized himself with the clearly defined workings of the Force, particularly its methods of internal investigation. There is also a reckless crusade for answers to issues that he should know are outside the scope of such (internal) probes, and that are being dealt with by the appropriate entity (the courts).
To say that the Police Force has been compromised by criminal activities at high levels is an assertion for which he should be asked to provide details; and he should not be allowed to wax lyrical about this assertion in the absence of hard evidence.
“Top officers are allegedly involved in various crimes.” How can you be taken seriously, Mr Mahipaul? If you have proof, don’t hide behind the term “allegedly”; it is deceitful to do so.
The MP also speaks of
Here’s how the...
Trump has torn through so many old-school verities of politics that it’s become tempting to think none of them holds good any more. But on-the-ground organisation still matters. If they win, the Democrats would point to a machine that got their vote out in the critical States precinct by precinct. Trump outsourced that task to Elon Musk, but there are some things even money cannot buy.
A Trump defeat would confirm another old rule: no politician could ever fully escape his record. This time, to take one example, he hoped to make inroads with Arab and Muslim Americans who are distressed and furious
FROM PAGE 4
at the plight of Palestinians in Gaza, but that would require those same crucial voters forgetting what Trump had promised a decade ago: a “Muslim ban”, denying entry into the US to people from a long list of Muslim countries. Amnesia exists in politics, perhaps especially in the US, but there are limits.
All these different elements are real, even if they could be combined into two very different narratives. Who would win the US election? No one knows. But even if we don’t yet know the result, we can already understand it. (The Guardian)
(Jonathan Freedland is a Guardian columnist)
high-ranking officers “reportedly serving as a source for tip-offs and cover-ups that benefit criminals”. Reportedly?
How can Mr Mahipaul be so disingenuous as to assert that Government is failing to address these issues, and that both local and foreign security agencies are now hesitant to collaborate with the Force? And what yardstick has he used to determine that public trust in the Police Force has reached an all-time low?
Contrary to his beliefs, the PPP government knows that the Guyana Police Force
is certainly not failing the people of Guyana. The Head of State has frontally spoken to the Force’s hierarchy about any perceived inadequacies, and has demanded that those inadequacies be addressed.
President Irfaan Ali is not one to suffer fools gladly. Any shortcomings are highlighted by him, and the results have been evident. There is no disorder, as in years past.
Mahipaul also warns that the current trajectory may lead to Guyana being blacklisted for financial crimes, thus affecting the nation’s economy. If
he is referring to charges brought against Assistant Police Commissioner Calvin Brutus, it would be apt for him to note that the judicial system has been allowed to operate without hindrance; something that cannot be said for the periods that Mr Mahipaul’s party was in power. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo in particular has unequivocally stated, “Let the chips fall where they may”.
Mr Brutus is being afforded due process, and there is clarity that neither the Government nor the Police Force is interfering.
In closing, it is hilarious to hear Mr Mahipaul’s vision of the future: that “As the next government, we are confident we will transform the Guyana Police Force into a professional, well-trained and highly motivated entity in service of the people.” Mr MP, that transformation has occurred right before your eyes. It’s happened at breakneck speed; and maybe because you feel so safe and secure in the midst of it all, you just can’t see the forest for the trees.
Sincerely, Rolan Allen
Page Foundation
Rates
Sometimes, you will be asked to solve a problem about rates. A rate is a fixed ratio between things. For example: Margot drives at a rate of 50 kilometres per hour. How many hours does it take her to drive 75 kilometres? Notice this is really a proportion problem.
Step 1: Express a proportion problem using two ratios. In this problem, let’s use h for the unknown number of hours: = .
Step 2: Use the proportion problem to set up an equation. Then cross-multiply: 75 = 50 x h.
Step 3: Find the side of the equation with the unknown number. Then look at the known number on that side. (In this equation, it is 50.) Divide both sides of the equation by that known number. 75 ÷ 50 = h It will take Margot 1 hours to drive 75 miles.
Exercises: Solve
1) Benny eats 3 mangoes in 1 day. How many days will it take for him to eat a basket of mangoes containing 48 mangoes?
2) Seelall can polish 480 square metres of floor in 6 hours? It is the day before Deepavali, how long will it take him to polish the dining room floor which is half that size?
3) Angela travels 4000 kilometres in 8 hours. How many kilometres will she travel in a day?
4) 12 horses can plough 24 acres of land in 12 minutes. How many acres of land can 6 horses plough in one hour?
5) How many minutes will it take 20 people to stack 10,000 chairs if each person can stack 10 chairs per minute?
Upcycle paper products into plantable seed paper
Count out a consistent number of seeds for each piece of seed paper to track how many germinate.
Note: We recommend growing at least 4 seeds per condition or piece of paper. Carefully add the seeds, evenly spaced apart, on top of the pulp to incorporate it into the paper.
Remember: Your pulp shape should be the same dimensions as your pot. If it is not, you will need to cut it and re-count the number of seeds!
Gently press the pulp into a thin layer on the strainer.
Note: This will also help cover the seeds, although covering them is not necessary for the seed paper to work.
Wait for the paper to dry overnight (12-24 hours). You can use a fan to help it dry quicker, but this is optional.
The next day, pour off any excess liquid in the bowl below down the drain.
Once the paper has dried, lift it from the strainer, and it will be ready to use!
Note: Once the seed paper is dried, it
CONTINUED
is shelf-stable because the seeds are still dormant in the dry paper. Therefore, you can either continue the experiment right away or at a later date.
Test the seed paper as a fertiliser You will prepare one pot for each condition. For example, if you have two controls (positive and negative) and three types of seed paper to test (newspaper, notebook paper, and construction paper), you will need five pots total for a single trial. We recommend completing at least three trials, so you would need a total of fifteen pots. You can scale this up or down based on the number of seed paper types made from different paper products that you want to test. Observe the plants daily for four weeks to see how the fertilisers impact plant growth over time.
To rehydrate the coconut husk, pour the dry husk into a container and add a similar amount of water to the top. Mix the husk with the water until it has a soil-like consistency. Add coconut husk to pots until they’re
¾ full or 1 inch from the top.
Add either your plant paper or fertiliser and seeds to each pot.
Positive control: Add ¼ teaspoon of liquid commercial fertiliser once a week + seeds (same amount as seed paper).
Experiential conditions: Add each type of seed paper to a separate pot (no seeds, already added to paper).
Negative control: Do not add any fertiliser + seeds (same amount as seed paper).
Add a thin layer of coconut husk over each fertiliser or seed paper. Your seed packet will help you determine the best depth for the seeds!
Note: To ensure consistency of your results, add each type of fertiliser at the same depth as your experimental controls to accurately compare it to your seed paper made from different materials.
Place the plants in a sunny place or under a grow light to encourage germination and plant growth.
(Adapted from Laura Ohl, PhD, Science Buddies) To be continued
By Cherokee AkAn ewe
see
i'm smarter than our last times ova here my aim is to buy county auction homes and parcels of real properties to garden and farm our own veggies etc. which goes directly into our stockpile for our Innkeeper purposes you see me you see us?
yes
we own and control ours globally traditionally like Siafu do this creates employment from east to west north to south globally as they world is an inn indeed of how they made theirs and we ain't trying to help them undo cause they loving living sidewayz sidewayz...
6-year-old dies after swallowing thumb tack at school
Asix-year-old boy lost his life at a private school on Tuesday, after reportedly choking on a thumbtack.
Dead is Mekhi Rodrigues.
The incident occurred as Mekhi reportedly approached his teacher, struggling to breathe and holding a water bottle. He subsequently collapsed and was then rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH), where doctors worked to resuscitate him, but he was pronounced dead shortly afterward.
An autopsy conducted by state pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh later confirmed suffocation as the cause of death, stemming from a blockage in the child’s airway by a thumbtack.
Documents to be submitted to US EXIM Bank’s board this month – VP GtE Project loan
Documents that are needed for the Guyana Government to acquire the multi-billion-dollar loan it is seeking from the United States Export Import (US EXIM) bank, are expected to be submitted this month.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo was asked for an update on the US$646 million loan request for the Gas-to-Energy (GtE) Project. Guyana is presently seeking this sum from the US EXIM bank, which will help finance the transformative project.
In response to the family’s account, which alleged that the teacher was negligent, the school released a video which shows the teacher assisting the child when he approached her with his water bottle, displaying signs of distress. The school contended that the teacher immediately alerted other staff and coordinated emergency assistance before the boy was taken to the hospital.
The Education Ministry has since acknowledged the incident, with its Welfare Department investigating the circumstances surrounding the child’s death. (G9)
Soldier to face disciplinary actions for stealing fuel from GDF vehicle
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) has confirmed the authenticity of a video circulating on social media, which shows a soldier stealing fuel from a service vehicle near a military installation. The video, which was intended as evidence of the act, has raised concerns among the public after being shared widely online.
According to the GDF, the incident was detected through their electronic vehicle tracking system, a technology implemented to enhance accountability and management of Defence assets. Upon receiving an alert about an anomaly in fuel usage, a superior officer caught the soldier in the act, leading to immediate disciplinary action being initiated against him.
In a statement, the GDF emphasised that this incident exemplifies the success of their recent technological advancements aimed at improving oversight and accountability.
“This interception is a testament to the measures taken to enhance our asset management, and we are committed to continuing this trajectory of accountability,” the statement read.
The GDF reaffirmed its commitment to swiftly addressing any illicit activities
within its ranks and highlighted the importance of maintaining high standards of integrity and professionalism.
“The people of Guyana deserve no less,” the GDF stated.
GECOM commissioner blasts PNC/R...
The party went further and called for the chairperson to resign and for a new chairperson to be appointed. They also included their customary call for a clean voters list and for biometrics to be used at the polling place.
Their calls for Justice Singh to resign are not new, as they reached fever pitch during the lead up to and after the March 2020 General and Regional
elections, when Justice Singh repeatedly used her tie-breaker vote at the commission to ensure that the will of the people were respected at the polls by the election body charged with protecting that will.
When it comes to their calls for biometrics, the PPP/C Government has already said that such measures are not only unnecessary, but open the door for mishaps in much the same
way as the decision to use ID cards in the 1997 elections opened the door for those elections to be challenged in court.
As a matter of fact, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, SC, during his weekly programme of ‘Issues in the News’, had expressed the belief that calls for electronic voting were aimed at causing “mishaps” on election day. (G3)
According to Jagdeo, Guyana will be submitting the necessary documents to the US EXIM board this month. Additionally, the Vice President provided behind the scenes information on the recent visit of a delegation from the US Foreign Relations Committee.
“I think they’re working towards getting the documents to the board, which would be sometime in November. The US delegation that I met, which is some of the staff members of the legislation in the US, went extremely
well. We spoke a lot about the future and our future plans. And how we intend to manage the resources in a manner that would ensure long term prosperity for Guyana,” the VP said.
According to Jagdeo, it was emphasised to the visiting team that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has established through its track record, its ability to manage financial windfalls. This includes the work the party did from 1992, to bring Guyana back from the brink of economic collapse.
“We’re equipped with the tools to manage these resources sustainably. And
I gave a number of examples. I told them about the effort to develop the frame work to manage the oil and gas sector was in place. I outlined some of those frameworks.”
“How we’re dealing with the question of corruption and accountability, resources, all of these issues. We had a really good conversation and it lasted quite a while. So, we’re pleased that they reached out and that some of the distortions that they sometimes get from different sources, can be explained,” Jagdeo added.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 17
Dead: Mekhi Rodrigues
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
The GDF rank allegedly taking the fuel
Transforming…
…GECOM
Folks who run elections in most countries are faceless bureaucrats who just need to know addition, as they count ballots cast for different parties. Couldn’t get simpler than that, could it? Well, Burnham changed that simplicity for us when he decided to rig the 1968 elections so he could rule on his lonesome –without his erstwhile coalition partner, the UF, looking over his shoulders! Not that the Brits - who ruled us for over a hundred years - were any angels. For most of that time, they simply announced we weren’t FIT to rule ourselves!! Then, in 1964, they changed the voting RULES to ensure the compliant Burnham and D’Aguiar would “defeat” the incumbent – but recalcitrant – PPP!! Burnham, however, wanted to have his cake and eat it too: to say to the world he was elected “fairly” because of his popularity, while leaving nothing to chance in how the people voted – which is the whole point about democracy!! So, he changed the legislation to have the Chief Elections Officer - whom he controlled - overseeing the counting have complete authority to decide who would garner and count overseas vote. And for the next two decades, the Guyana Elections Commission – GECOM - stamped off on one crooked election after another!! While a British Parliamentary Observer Group in 1980 said the elections “were more crooked than barbed wire”, the description could’ve been just as well applied to GECOM!!
But, for our purposes today, it should be asked why the Brits hadn’t messed around with the Elections Commission and their counting responsibilities to choose suitable lackeys to govern. And the simple answer is it’s better to change the RULES of the game than corrupting the umpire. Once you do that, you would’ve started a process that destroys the game itself - because of the cynicism generated in the participants!! Here, the voters. And that’s the reason why GECOM’s professionalisation has been at the centre of “electoral reform” proposed by domestic and international observers. However, one of the challenges in professionalising any section of OUR public institutions is that they’re staffed overwhelmingly by African Guyanese - who generally support the PNC. While professionalism is needed, we need to appreciate that ethnic predispositions and the imbalance has to be rectified. It’s not mere fortuity that all nine officials who’re on trial for attempting to rig the 2020 elections are from one demographic.
But, in Guyana, there’s a stigma in calling this spade a spade; so we witness the three Opposition Commissioners (all African Guyanese) accusing the PPP of “politicising” GECOM as the PPP attempts to transform GECOM by hiring professionals to replace the folks on trial, but inevitably end up with SOME of them being Indian Guyanese!! The Government cannot flinch, but must do the right thing!!
…BRICS+
As you would know, dear reader, your Eyewitness has been following the goings-on in BRICS+, as it moves to expand that “plus” so that it can become an alternative bloc to counter the US-led western bloc that’s been dominant since WWII. And this is where members like India – who want to run with the hares and hunt with the hounds – seem to be confused. BRICS+ would inevitably be “China-led”, especially as the US continues to make strategic moves to retain its dominant position!!
The “iron law of oligarchy” – which we’ve seen operating down the millennia - states baldly that all forms of organization, regardless of how democratic they may be at the start, would eventually and inevitably develop oligarchic tendencies, thus making true democracy practically and theoretically impossible, especially in large groups and complex organizations.
China’s overwhelming economic and military superiority would not allow it to compromise if its interests - defined only by itself – are threatened!!
…UN toothlessness?
Last Wednesday, 187 countries voted at the UN in favour of the US ending the blockade against Cuba. The US and Israel were the only voters against the resolution. This is a lesson for us: not to depend totally on the UN in our struggle against Mad Maduro.
“Apologies for what?” – AFC’s Nigel Hughes on attempts to derail 2020 elections
In a bold statement at the Alliance for Change (AFC) weekly press conference on Friday, party leader Nigel Hughes declared that the AFC stands firmly by its actions during the tumultuous aftermath of Guyana’s 2020 elections, and has nothing to apologise for.
Responding to media inquiries regarding the possibility of an apology, Hughes firmly stated, “I’m not sure what we would apologise for,” and challenged reporters to specify actions the party took during the election process that warranted an apology.
“Whether the AFC will apologise? If you're talking about our role in elections, I would ask you to identify to me specifically what it is that you are saying the AFC did in the elections for which you are seeking an apology,” Hughes told the reporter.
During the 2020 elections the AFC was a mem-
ber of the APNU/AFC then coalition Government, which faced massive accusations of undermining the electoral process. For five months following the March 2 elections, the APNU/AFC Coalition employed various delay tactics, including filing multiple court cases to stall the official declaration of results, which were ultimately confirmed through
a CARICOM-led national recount. Hughes defended the AFC's position, dismissing allegations of wrongdoing and asserting that the party acted in accordance with their understanding of the electoral process at the time.
Despite a clear victory for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), official results were not de-
clared until August 2, leading to claims of election rigging and manipulation. Elections observers from the Organisation of American States (OAS) in their report noted that they had “never seen a more transparent effort to alter the results of an election,” further complicating the AFC's defense.
Legal proceedings are currently ongoing against several top electoral officials and politicians linked to the previous Government, including former PNC Chair Volda Lawrence. These individuals are facing charges connected to the protracted dispute over the election results.
In December 2018, when the no-confidence motion was passed in the National
Assembly against the David Granger Administration, Hughes had sparked a contentious debate, exacerbated by legal and procedural challenges that had significantly delayed the country’s electoral process. Central to this debate was Hughes’ argument that, mathematically, one half of the House when divided stands at 32.5 members. “There is no such thing as a half member, so half of the House is 33 members…this is because you have to round up to identify half of the House,” he had said, mere days after the no-confidence motion was passed. Therefore, he posited that 34 is the majority of the 65-member House rather than 33.
The aftermath of the motion as a result of this argument had been marked by
legal challenges, appeals, and judicial decisions that extended beyond the constitutionally-mandated threemonth deadline for the calling of an election. In June 2019, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) handed down its decision that 33, not 34, was the majority of the 65-member House.
In December 2022, the AFC formally severed its coalition with APNU. Since then, the AFC has been navigating the fallout from the elections and its subsequent actions. Hughes’ refusal to apologise may further ignite debates about accountability and the integrity of the party. AFC’s stance raises questions about the future direction of the party and its role in the country’s democratic framework.
AFC Leader, Attorney Nigel Hughes
National Register of Registrants (NRR)
AFC leaders still calling for removal of names, despite court ruling
…issue would lead to voter disenfranchisement
Leaders of the Alliance for Change (AFC) on Friday called for the scrapping of the existing National Registrar of Registrants (NRR) used by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), a course of action that directly contravenes the 2019 ruling by Chief Justice Roxanne George which established that names cannot be removed from the NRR.
During their weekly press conference on Friday, AFC Chairman David Patterson asserted that the current NRR should be replaced with a fresh database created through the return of house-to-house registration process.
Scrapping of the existing NRR would essentially remove everyone from the NRR and house to house registration would only return the names of those persons found at a residence when visited by GECOM personnel. Hence creating a new NRR would inevitably lead to the removal of individuals not captured during the registration exercise. Nonetheless Patterson maintained that scrapping the existing NRR would not remove names.
“A new house to house process could give you a new NRR. We’re not taking anybody off the list, you’re creating a new list,” Patterson stated.
“There is nothing precluding us from doing house to house. We are not removing anybody; we are starting a register at the base of all eligible persons that should be on it and then it is populated like it is done all the time. Same claim and objections, continuous registration etc.”
Also present at the press conference, AFC Leader, Nigel Hughes, also an attorney, brushed aside the legal ramifications of scrapping the existing NRR and maintained that the party's stance remains consistent with Patterson’s statements.
However, the situation described by Patterson is the exact situation that the Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George ruled on in 2019, where she categorically established that
it is unconstitutional for qualified persons to be removed from the list. She noted that since residency is no longer a qualification for registration and that names cannot be removed from the NRR solely based on a failure to verify residency during a houseto-house registration. Her ruling came in response to concerns raised by attorney and chartered accountant Christopher Ram, who argued that such a process would disenfranchise many registered voters.
In her decision, Chief Justice George clarified that while a house-tohouse registration exercise itself is not unconstitutional, it cannot be used as a means to remove names from the NRR. Only deceased individuals or those disqualified under specific constitutional provisions may be removed. She emphasised the sacrosanct nature of the right to vote, stating, “residence requirements from citizens is no longer a qualification for registration.”
The AFC’s push for a new NRR raises significant legal and ethical questions about the voting rights of Guyanese citizens, especially those who may be away from their registered addresses during the proposed registration exercise.
Chairperson of GECOM, Retired Justice Claudette Singh has also previous established that constitutional reform would be needed in order for the Commission to be empowered to clean the present voters’ list and introduce biometrics into the voting process.
AFC Chairman David Patterson
‘Sonny’ remanded for murder of GDF Coast Guard during carjacking
Jamie Ghanie known as ‘Sonny’, a 26-yearold resident of Section A, South Sophia, Greater Georgetown, was remanded to prison on Friday after appearing before Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Ghanie, who was slapped with the murder of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard Lieutenant Rondel Douglas, is scheduled to reappear on November 22.
Ghanie’s arrest stems from a police operation at Kairuni Backdam along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway last Saturday. Police had been on the hunt for Ghanie, who was wanted in con-
Lieutenant Rondel Douglas
nection with the murder of Lieutenant Douglas, and for his associate, 27-year-old Hansi Jones, who is facing three counts of alleged rape.
The men attempted to flee when police arrived at the location last Saturday,
Chinese national shot during robbery of Essequibo Coast restaurant
Kwang Yong Chinese Restaurant at Reliance Village, Essequibo Coast
AChinese national is recovering from a gunshot wound to the hip following a robbery at Kwang Yong Chinese Restaurant in Reliance, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).
The incident occurred around 20:30h on Thursday evening when three armed, masked men entered the establishment.
Injured is 48-year-old Ge Wan Zhou, of Reliance Village, Essequibo Coast.
Two of the assailants rushed into the restaurant, with one holding Zhou at gunpoint as they demanded cash. The suspects grabbed an undisclosed amount of money from the drawer before fleeing the scene. As they were exiting, one of the gunmen shot Zhou in the hip.
Paosi Ru, the wife of Zhou, recounted the terrifying moment armed men stormed into the restaurant. She explained that while she was inside, three men, all dressed in dark clothing and armed, entered from the western side of the building.
“Two of them rushed toward me, while one of them held my husband outside they demanded cash and emptied the contents of the drawer before making their escape. As they were leaving one of them shot my husband in the hip,” Ru added.
Zhou was taken to the Suddie Public Hospital for treatment, where he remains as a patient in stable condition. Police have since launched an investigation. (G14)
but officers quickly apprehended them. Police reported that Ghanie was detained after a short pursuit, while Jones was caught after tripping during his escape. A search on Jones revealed an unlicensed 9mm pistol, live rounds of ammunition, a spent shell, and a quantity of cannabis.
The charges against Ghanie relate to the June 7, 2023, murder of Lieutenant Douglas in a violent carjacking. Douglas, who worked part-time as a taxi driver, had been lured to Cul-de-Sac Street in North Ruimveldt by a passenger posing as a customer.
Upon arrival, a second man emerged from nearby bushes and attacked
Douglas
-
ants, managing to exit the car and chase after one of the men before he was fatally shot. Douglas, wounded in the head and chest, collapsed near his vehicle while the suspects drove off, abandoning the car later that night in Campbellville.
The tragic killing of Lieutenant Douglas, who was widely respected within the GDF, prompted an extensive police investigation. By mid-June, police had charged two men— Randy Wright and Joshua Parris—in connection with the murder. Wright, 33, and Parris, known as “Stewie,” were both remanded after appearing before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Douglas in an attempt to steal his vehicle. Security footage showed
struggling with his assail
Remanded: Jamie Ghanie
“Guyana offers blueprint for sustainable growth” – First Lady tells int’l conference
First Lady Arya Ali has promoted the Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) as a blueprint for sustainable growth.
The first lady was at the time participating in a panel discussion at the International Year of the Family +30 Conference, which was hosted by the Doha International Family Institute (DIFI) in Doha, Qatar, on October 30.
The conference sought to examine the impacts of megatrends – such as climate change and technology – on families across the globe.
During her presentation, Ali highlighted some of the impacts of climate change on families in Guyana; including displacement due to flooding, and droughts which have affected farming communities.
However, she noted that Guyana is equipped with a modern and dynamic policy – in the form of the LCDS – which outlines how the country can responsibly exploit its resources and use the proceeds from to build a resilient economy and country.
‘Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy offers the world a blueprint for sustainable growth,” she is quoted in a release from the Office of the First Lady as saying.
Among the things Ali drew attention to in the LCDS, was Guyana’s prudent management of its forests which has allowed for US$1 billion in agreements to be signed for its continued protection.
“Earning money from the preservation of our forests, which the world benefits
from, has allowed us to provide critical support to the
same communities which have been most affected by climate change,” Ali told the gathering.
She highlighted Guyana’s groundbreaking efforts to use climate finance, through the sale of carbon credits, to support
242 Indigenous communities, enhancing livelihoods and promoting sustainable development at the grassroots level.
Climate finance, and even oil revenues, have also allowed for increased investments in climate adaptation
and mitigation – including through renewable energy, climate smart agriculture, and flood management and other infrastructure development.
“Important in all of this, too, is education and capacity building as critical components in combating climate change and promoting sustainable practices,” the First Lady explained.
She added, too, that Guyana is also committed to the conservation and sustainable use of its terrestrial and oceanic resources, ensuring that these are leveraged for economic, social, and environmental benefits.
The panel also included: Dr. Lydia Abela, First Lady of Malta; Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, Minister of Family and Social Services of Turkiye; Mohamed Behnaasi, President & Senior Environmental Expert at the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, Morocco; and Jenna Spitzer, DIFI-Duke Report Author “Climate Change and the Family”.
Massy Guyana customers stand to win SUV as company unwraps Christmas Jackpot
Massy Stores Guyana has announced the launch of its Christmas Jackpot Promotion, offering customers the chance to win a brand-new 2024 Nissan Qashqai Sense SUV.
In a release to the media, the company says that from November 1, 2024, to January 31, 2025, every purchase of $5,000 or more, either in-store or online, qualifies shoppers for a chance to drive off in this sleek and stylish ride.
In addition to the grand prize, every two weeks lucky customers will be eligible to win $100,000 throughout the promotion.
“This generous opportunity is part of the company’s commitment to giving back to customers, rewarding them for choosing Massy Stores as their preferred shopping destination,” the company said in its release. We’re truly excited to
give one of our customers a prize that could make a real difference in their life,” said Marketing & Promotions Coordinator, Chrystel Taylor, at Massy Stores Guyana.
“The holidays are such a meaningful time, and we want to add to that joy for our customers. We invite all our customers to shop with
us for their chance to win. Shop online too! Customers shopping through our website, massystoresgy.com or using our easy-to-use self-checkout machines are fully eligible to win.
Earlier this year, Dr Yara Martinez Dias won an MG ZS SUV, while Colin Weeks, won a Nissan XTrail T32 last year.
Guyana’s First Lady Arya Ali speaking during a panel discussion at the International Year of the Family +30 Conference, Doha International Family Institute (DIFI) in Doha, Qatar
GNBS awaits approval to implement updated code of practice for local restaurants
With the aim of improving the level of services offered by restaurants throughout the country. The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), has revised its Code of Practice for Quality Management in the Restaurant Service. Currently the organisation is awaiting final approval before rolling out this code countrywide.
The Code of Practice for Quality Management in the Restaurant Service was first developed in 2003 to guide efficient managerial skills, personnel skills, and contractual arrangements that should be made on a daily basis in a restaurant.
However, recognising that the document is outdated and was in dire need of review, the GNBS recently embarked on a process to update it, soliciting feedback from industry stakeholders.
This was revealed by Head of Corporate Communications at the GNBS, Lloyd David during an interview with Guyana Times.
According to the GNBS spokesperson the code has since been updated and has been sent to the National Standards Council (NSC) for final approval.
“We recognise that there are many restaurants opening across Guyana, and that is why we took the opportunity to revise the standard to make sure that it is current based on what is happening today in restaurant services, so that when we propose the implementation of this standard by the various restaurants across Georgetown and so forth, they will be able to conform to the requirement, be satisfied with the requirement, because the requirements are relevant.”
“Currently, that standard is for approval by the National Standards Council. All the work has been done by the Technical Committee of Tourism. Of course, we have to get the approval of revision by the authority body, the National Standards Council. Once that standard is approved by the National Standards Council, the GNBS will make every effort to publicly promote the standard to encourage stakeholders within the restaurant industry to conform to the requirement.”
Guyana Times was told that when the code is launched, all restaurants operating in the country would be encouraged to sign onto it, currently over 90 restaurants are operating in the country.
Meanwhile, this code of practice was developed by members of a technical committee comprising representatives from the GNBS, Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), the Competition, and Consumer Affairs Commission, the University of Guyana (UG), private sector officials, and other associated Governmental organisations.
In adhering to the Code of Practice for Quality Management in the Restaurant Service, several comprehensive measures are instituted to ensure consistent excellence throughout all facets of restaurant operations.
The code places paramount importance on the meticulous selection of sub-contractors and suppliers, emphasising criteria such as their ability to consistently provide high-quality products,
willingness to accommodate specific restaurant requirements, and reliability in ensuring a steady supply. Once chosen, clear specifications are communicated to these partners, outlining the restaurant’s quality standards, and each item is assigned a unique order number for streamlined procurement processes.
Upon receipt of products from external sources, rigorous inspection and testing protocols are implemented to verify their adherence to defined quality standards. Only after passing these checks are the products approved for
use or distribution, safeguarding against the introduction of substandard items into the supply chain.
Comprehensive records are to be meticulously maintained to document all inspection and testing activities, providing tangible evidence of compliance with quality requirements.
This systematic approach to record-keeping ensures traceability and facilitates informed decision-making.
All personnel involved in restaurant operations should be thoroughly briefed on the restaurant’s food safety policy. Effective communication
practices are to be established to ensure the seamless dissemination of information relevant to the restaurant’s quality management system. This will help to foster transparency, collaboration, and a shared commitment to maintaining quality standards across the organisation.
Stringent controls are also to be instituted for handling, storing, packaging, and delivering purchased items and customer possessions. Among other things, innovation will have to be pursued with rigor and foresight, as top management oversees the planning and execution of new product and service offerings. By adhering to meticulous developmental procedures, restaurants can uphold their commitment to innovation while maintaining the highest standards of quality. Through these comprehensive measures, restaurants can ensure that every aspect of their operations is conducted with precision, integrity, and a steadfast dedication to delivering unparalleled quality and service excellence to their customers.
GNBS Head of Corporate Communications, Lloyd David
Caricom’s 25 by 25 initiative
Caribbean Poultry Association reaffirms support
…says region is 75% self-sufficient in broiler meat
Following on the outcomes of the recently concluded 115th Special Meeting of the Council of Trade and Economic Development (COTED) – Agriculture and the 44th Meeting of the Board of Directors, the Caribbean Poultry Association (CPA) has reaffirmed its support and commitment to the CARICOM 25 per cent by 2025 Reduction in the Regional Food Import Bill.
In 2025, the CPA will celebrate its 25th Anniversary. Over the years, the association has grown and now represents stakeholders from the largest agribusinesses in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) which includes small, medium, and vertically integrated producers.
These stakeholders are involved in the production of grains, poultry meat, eggs and value-added products as well as finished feeds for poultry, swine, cattle, sheep and fish. The CPA’s extensive network includes, among others, input suppliers, transportation services, technical specialists, managers, and operational staff distributed across various countries.
According to the CPA, the poultry sector accounts for just over 80 per cent of the total animal protein in the diets of CARICOM peoples. There has been notable growth in broiler meat production in Guyana, Belize, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. The Region is 75 per cent self-sufficient in broiler meat and approaching self-sufficiency in table eggs.
With the products of nine processing plants in Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago approved by the COTED for entry into member states and with that
body’s further agreement that member states would work towards the adoption of the CRS28:2012, CARICOM REGIONAL STANDARDSpecification for Poultry and Poultry Products, the CPA is positioning itself to increase production not only in grain, broiler meat and eggs, but also in value added products and to trade these products to satisfy growing regional demand.
In this regard, the CPA acknowledges and commends recent initiatives amongst its members which include:
Barbados - leading the way to further reduce the
low carbon footprint of chicken production with Rooftop solar on chicken houses. A new feed mill will soon be commissioned.
Belize – having achieved self-sufficiency in broiler meat, table eggs, hatching eggs, corn, and soya, is positioning itself for exports of broiler meats.
Guyana - harvested its first major crop of soya beans this year, displacing 12 per cent of imported soya bean meal. The Government of Guyana is supporting the industry to develop breeding farms to meet its hatching egg requirements. Investments are underway in environmentally controlled housing
for both egg and broiler production.
Jamaica – initiating intra-regional trade in value added poultry products and innovating to meet consumers’ evolving trends for flavours, convenience, eco-friendly brands, and products that promote personal well-being. Thirty per cent of its hatching egg requirements are now met by local breeder farms.
Suriname – placing high priority on utilising all available by-products in its feed formulations with significant use of rice, rice bran, fishmeal, and wheat middling.
Trinidad and Tobago –maintaining a balanced industry with 60 per cent of broiler meat produced by integrated operators and 40 per cent small farmers. There have been major in-
vestments in hatcheries and environmentally controlled housing to support a market that consumes one million chickens a week.
The CPA was established in 1999 to promote the development of the Caribbean broiler and table egg industries. Its activities revolve around the pursuit of four main objectives: to improve the competitiveness of the industry; to collaborate with Governments to improve public sector services to the industry; to promote trade & domestic policy supportive of the industry’s development; and to promote and represent the industry in national, regional and international fora. The CPA is the strongest Caribbean regional livestock association and one of the strongest regional agribusiness associations.
Guyana’s aeronautical engineering school receives BSc programme approval
Guyana’s Aeronautical Engineering School the Art Williams & Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School was on Friday granted Programme Approval by the National Accreditation Council of Guyana (NAC-G) for its Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Programme.
This achievement, the school said, is of considerable significance to the graduates of the School’s AbInitio Aircraft Engineer’s Programme. To enroll onto the BSc Degree Programme, students must complete the Ab-Initio Programme and achieve their Completion Certificate or Associate Degree.
The Ab-Initio Programme graduates would have had to complete their prior learning to meet international and national requirements for the acquisition of their Aircraft Maintenance Engineer’s Licence. The AbInitio Programme was modified in year 2019 by the Guyana Civil Aviation authority’s requirements to cover all basic aircraft engineer’s licence training for a duration of forty (48)
months and its curriculum is in accordance with ICAO Doc 7192, Part D 1 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
Review and subsequent approval for this revision were done by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, under whose governance, the school has maintained its ATO 001 Approval status.
Whilst the Ab-Initio Programme was evaluated by the NAC-G, Ministry of Education, as equivalent to an Associate Degree when it was initially registered (2010) and gained Institutional Accreditation in 2019, it was recommend-
ed to be reviewed at its 2023 re-accreditation audit. This provided an opportunity for the complement of additional units to achieve the BSc. in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Degree. This approval, the school added, paves the way for the graduates from the Ab-Initio Programme, holding an Associate Degree in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering, to further enroll and qualify with a degree that would propel them in the workplace for jobs requiring a higher level of qualification as well as compete for engineering jobs in the oil and gas sector.
Students of the Art Williams & Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School working on a project
East La Penitence man charged with illegal gun-possession
…released on $200,000 bail
Kennard Jabar, 36, of East La Penitence Georgetown, previously acquitted in a high-profile bank robbery case, was placed on $200,000 bail after appearing before Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday.
Jabar, who pleaded not guilty, now faces charges related to possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred on October 31. Police reported that around 03:00h, Jabar was driving a vehicle, PZZ 6819, along the New Mandela to Eccles Road in Georgetown and during a roadblock, law enforcement officers conducted a search of his vehicle, which led to the discovery of a firearm. A further inspection revealed additional ammunition concealed under the front passenger seat. Jabar reportedly admitted he was not a licensed firearm holder and was subsequently detained and taken to the East La Penitence Police Station for questioning.
Jabar is scheduled to return to court on November 22.
Jabar was reportedly one of the suspects in a shooting
Charged: Kennard Jabar
incident on September 28, 2023, that left two women injured.
Jabar was also accused of being involved in another high-profile case from 2016, when he was one of four men charged in connection with the armed robbery of the Bank of Baroda’s Mon Repos branch, ECD.
It was alleged that Jabar, along with accomplices Eon Campbell, Sean Aaron, and Shawn Harris, robbed bank employees Raywanttie Lall and Latchmie Mohabir of over $2 million in cash, as well as a .32 Taurus revolver belong-
ing to Roshan Khan Security Service. The prosecution argued that Jabar served as the driver of the getaway car and presented a caution statement in which he purportedly admitted involvement. However, Jabar later claimed he had been pressured into making the statement due to his wife’s detention by police.
After a lengthy trial, Magistrate Alisha George dismissed the charges against Jabar, ruling that the evidence presented by the prosecution was circumstantial and insufficient for a conviction.
Documents to be submitted...
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.
In September 2024, 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. And the VP had said at the time that after the bank makes a submission on the project to its board, this will be followed by a 35-day notification, after which it returns to the board.
As part of its internal due diligence process, the US EXIM Bank hired two consultants – Ramba Consulting Group, a professional governmental consulting firm which did an environment assessment of the GtE Project, and Sargent & Lundy, one of the world’s longest-standing full-service architect engineering firms, which did the technical assessment of the project.
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 said the teams found “no fatal flaws” from the technical and environmental due diligence work done here.
However, even as 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.
Meanwhile, there have been local and international lobbying efforts to block the funding for the GtE Project by the US EXIM Bank. Earlier in June, it was re-
Police awaiting advice on man accused of killing bandit Port Mourant Market robbery
As police continue to investigate the botched robbery of a Port Mourant Market jeweler and the alleged unlawful killing of one of the suspects, the hunt continues for one of the bandits.
However, a man is currently in custody assisting with the investigation into the unlawful killing of one of the bandits.
Last Saturday two teenagers, one armed with a cutlass and the other with a firearm attempted to rob a Corentyne jeweller who was plying his trade at the Port Mourant Market.
Police said one of the perpetrators was 18-yearold Parmand Pertab called
“Mikey” of Hampshire Village, Corentyne.
Pertab, who was armed with a cutlass and who already had all of the stolen merchandise in his possession was confronted by several persons in the market who managed to disarm him and take the bag away. He managed to flee from his attackers, who gave chase through several streets of Port Mourant.
Pertab then made his way to a construction site where a 32-year-old woman, who is known to him worked and he asked her to help him. Because he was masked the woman said she cannot leave her worksite but it was then that he took off the mask and revealed himself. By that time
a mob arrived, some carrying cutlasses and other sticks and inflicted blows on the suspected bandit. He was nonetheless taken to the Port Mourant Hospital where he subsequently died.
Divisional Commander Senior Superintendent Shivpersaud Bacchus told this publication that the police had detained several persons but did not provide more details.
This publication understands that among those detained for the unlawful killing of Pertab is one of his relatives.
The police have since sent a file with statements to headquarters in Georgetown to get advice on the way forward.
(G4)
Man escapes from Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court
Ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) are on high alert following the escape of a man identified as Kevin Mohamed from the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Mohamed, who was appearing in court on a charge of simple larceny, managed to flee custody shortly after his hearing, sparking an immediate search by police.
Law enforcement officials are urging the public to be vigilant and report any sightings of Mohamed to the nearest police station. A photograph of the escapee has been released to aid in his identification. The police have warned that anyone who harbours or assists Mohamed in evading capture could face legal repercussions.
This incident echoes a similar occurrence earlier this year, when two prisoners, 31-year-old Keon Webster and 23-year-old Kareem Douglas, made a daring escape while being admitted to the Lusignan Prison. The two
men, both on remand for simple larceny, managed to flee custody by sprinting away from officers shortly after arriving at the prison with another detainee.
According to police reports, the two officers escorting Webster and Douglas had exited the police van to open the doors for the prisoners. Seizing the opportunity, Webster and Douglas— who had been handcuffed to each other—bolted towards the nearby public road, later splitting up and disappearing from sight despite a pursuit by police and prison guards. Webster reportedly fled with one handcuff still hanging from his wrist. An immediate search was launched, but the prisoners were recaptured days later.
ported 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’s 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. (G3)
The Gas to Energy project model FROM PAGE 7
Kevin Mohamed
Regional
Pilot spared prison: Airman fined after being held with drugs at Kingston airport
Apilot who was held with 18 pounds of ganja last year at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston pleaded guilty and was fined J$275,307 in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Friday.
Kenado Thomas, 37, a Turks and Caicos Island citizen, who at the time of the incident was employed by a well-known airline, was charged after parcels of ganja were found in his suitcase while he attempted to board the airplane he was scheduled to fly on April 23, 2023.
Thomas was fined $15,000 for possession of ganja and $260,307 for attempting to export ganja after his attorneys-at-law, King’s Counsel
Peter Champagnie and Samoi Campbell, urged the court for leniency on his behalf.
The charges of conspiracy to export ganja and dealing in ganja were dismissed.
Thomas had been on $2 million bail since last year when his attorneys successfully convinced the court he was not a flight risk despite his oc-
cupation.
Allegations were that Thomas checked on a blue suitcase which was x-rayed at the baggage check area. Anomalies were reportedly detected, and he was alerted. Police searched the suitcase in his presence and found the drugs. He was subsequently arrested. (Jamaica Observer)
PriceSmart wants to sell T&T plant
PriceSmart, which operates four membership shopping warehouse clubs in Trinidad, has taken a decision to sell its sustainable packaging plant in this country.
The information was disclosed in the company’s financials for its fiscal year ended August 31, 2024, which was published on Wednesday.
PriceSmart said it recorded a US$5.7 million impairment charge primarily related to the write down of assets in connection with its decision in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2023 to seek to sell its Trinidad plant.
The company has complained in the past about the difficulty of accessing US dollars in this market.
In its 2022 annual filings, PrimeSmart said, “The ability of the company to convert local currency into US dollars to settle US dollar invoices can be impacted in certain markets due to economic factors or government policies creating illiquidity of the local cur-
rency. This has been the case in Trinidad in fiscal years 2017, 2020, and 2021, which led us to reduce shipments from the US to Trinidad to amounts that our Trinidad subsidiary could pay for using the amount of tradeable currency that could be sourced in that market, resulting in lost sales.”
PriceSmart, which now has 54 warehouse clubs in 12 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, reported that its total revenues for the fiscal year ended August 31,
2024 increased 11.4 per cent to US$4.91 billion compared to US$4.41 billion in the prior year.
PriceSmart operates ten membership warehouse clubs in Colombia; eight in Costa Rica; seven in Panama; six in Guatemala; five in Dominican Republic; four each in Trinidad and El Salvador; three in Honduras; two each in Nicaragua and Jamaica; and one each in Aruba, Barbados and the United States Virgin Islands. (T&T Guardian)
Brazil surprised by Venezuela's 'offensive tone' as diplomatic row escalates
T
he Brazilian foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday it was taken by surprise by an "offensive tone" that Venezuelan authorities used against Brazil, the latest development of a diplomatic row between the two leftist-led countries.
In the statement, Brazil's foreign ministry said the choice for "personal attacks and rhetorical escalations" does not match the respectful way its government treats Venezuela and its people.
Earlier this week, the
Venezuelan government recalled its ambassador in Brazil over what it described as "repeated interventionist and rude statements" from Brasilia, while also criticizing Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's top foreign policy advisor Celso Amorim.
The diplomatic escalation comes after months of tension following Venezuela's disputed presidential election in late July. Brazil has not recognized claims of victory by either Venezuelan President Nicoals Maduro
or his opposition. Relations further soured earlier this month when Brazil vetoed Venezuela's admission into the BRICS group of emerging economies, which Venezuela has branded as an "inexplicable and immoral aggression."
On Thursday, Venezuela's national police posted on its official Instagram account a photo of Lula's silhouette, with Brazil's national flag behind him, and the sentence: "Whoever messes with Venezuela will pay for it."
(Reuters)
Ex-police officers jailed over Brazil politician's murder
Two former police officers have been jailed in Brazil for the murder of Marielle Franco, a prominent leftwing politician killed in a drive-by shooting in 2018.
Anderson Gomes, Franco's driver, was also killed in the attack but her press officer Fernanda Chaves, who was in the car, survived.
Ronnie Lessa confessed to firing the shots and was sentenced to 78 years and nine months, while Élcio de Queiroz received 59 years and eight months for being behind the wheel.
Franco, a gay Black woman, was an emerging light in Brazil's socialist party, with her death at the age of 38 sparking nationwide protests.
Speaking to the court from prison by video-link, Lessa said he was "blinded" and "driven crazy" by the prospect of a million-dollar reward for the murder.
In March 2024, Brazil's Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski said the homicide was "evidently politically motivated".
He said Franco wanted to convert property into housing for the poor, while others wanted to use it for commercial use.
Both defendants signed plea bargains, leading to the arrest of politician Chiquinho Brazão and his brother Domingos in March on suspicion of ordering the hit.
Lessa said the brothers told him Rivaldo Barbosa,
the state's chief of police at the time, had signed off the killing. Barbosa was arrested the same month.
After the sentencing, Franco's father Antônio da Silva Neto said his family would continue their fight for justice.
"It doesn't end here because there were masterminds [of the crime]. The question we're asking now is: when will the masterminds be convicted?"
Life sentences do not exist under Brazilian law and each defendant is expected to serve a maximum of 30 years.
The two were ordered to pay together 706,000 reais (£93,000; $120,000) in damages to Franco's mother, partner and daughter, and to Gomes' wife. (BBC)
Venezuela's oil exports hit a 4-year peak on higher output, sales to US, India
Venezuela's oil exports rose to a fouryear high, approaching 950,000 barrels per day in October, boosted by growing crude output and more sales to India and the United States, according to shipping data and documents from state firm PDVSA.
The increase happened despite a large storage terminal fire last month, tighter U.S. sanctions since June and the arrest of the country's former oil minister, Pedro Tellechea, and former PDVSA executives over corruption allegations. A bounce in crude production, mainly due to the stabilization of processing operations at Venezuela's largest oil region, the Orinoco Belt, has allowed the recovery of heavy crude inventories, the PDVSA documents showed.
In total, PDVSA (PDVSA.UL) and its joint ventures exported an average of 947,387 bpd of crude and fuel, 21% over the previous month and the highest monthly figure since early 2020, according to the data, based on tanker movements. The South American country, which has remained under U.S. sanctions since 2019, also exported 314,500 metric tons of oil byproducts and petrochemicals, slightly more than the 267,000 tons of September.
Crude shipments by Chevron (CVX.N), opens new tab to the United States reached a peak of 280,000 bpd, the highest since the U.S. producer resumed exports of Venezuela's heavy grades early last year. Spanish producer Repsol (REP.MC), opens new tab also exported Venezuelan
oil cargoes to the U.S. and Spain last month. PDVSA increased exports to India, which used to be a top market before the sanctions, sending three cargoes, or about 141,000 bpd, last month, the data showed.
Crude deliveries to the U.S., Europe and India are authorized under U.S. licenses to some PDVSA's joint venture partners and customers, including Chevron, Repsol, Eni (ENI.MI), opens new tab, Maurel & Prom (MAUP.PA), opens new tab, and Reliance Industries (RELI.NS), opens new tab. However, China remained the main destination of Venezuela's oil exports in October with 385,300 bpd shipped to the world's top oil importer directly and indirectly. Exports to China had been higher in September, when they averaged some 451,500 bpd. (Reuters)
Marielle Franco's daughter, mother, sister and father hugging after the verdict
Around the World
OIL NEWS
Exxon, Chevron top Q3 profit expectations as US oil output hits record high
US officials say Russians faked ‘Haitian voters’ video
US intelligence agencies say “Russian influence actors” are behind a suspected fake video of a Haitian man who claims to have voted “multiple times” in Georgia.
The 20-second video, which has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on X and other social networks, shows two men in a car claiming to be Haitian.
U.S. oil producers Exxon Mobil (XOM.N), opens new tab and Chevron (CVX.N), opens new tab posted better-than-expected third-quarter profits on Friday, outperforming their European rivals, as record U.S. oil production cushioned the blow from a plunge in fuel margins.
The two focused on expanding oil and gas production as rivals BP (BP.L), opens new tab and Shell (SHEL.L), opens new tab spent heavily on wind, solar and renewables that have yet to pay off. Both U.S. oil firms have meanwhile benefited from acquisitions of smaller oil producers. Still, their surging production could soon face a challenge from uncertain demand, especially in top oil importer China, and the potential for OPEC to lift production curbs as soon as next month. The group is expected to delay a plan to add 180,000 barrels per day amid concerns over weak demand and oversupply.
Exxon pumped a record 4.6 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) in the third-quarter, up more than 24% from a year-ago, as its $60 billion bet on Pioneer Natural Resources and purchase of Denbury paid dividends. Chevron, whose $53-billion takeover of Hess (HES.N), opens new tab has been held up, posted a 7% increase in third-quarter output to 3.36 million boepd, mostly from gains in its U.S. shale business which pumped a record 1.61 million boepd. It added a drilling rig in the Permian basin last quarter and will begin a production expansion in Kazakhstan next quarter.
Both companies reported lower year-over-year profits as weak global refining margins that hit BP and TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA), opens new tab hard and also cut their oil earnings. Exxon’s third-quarter profits were 5% lower than last year, while Chevron’s fell 21%. (Reuters)
One says they obtained US citizenship within six months of arriving and have voted for Kamala Harris in Gwinnett and Fulton counties in Georgia. They encourage other Haitians to come to the United States.
The BBC has found clear
indications, including false addresses and stock photos, which indicate the video is a fake. In a statement, three US security agencies said that the video “falsely depicted individuals claiming to be from Haiti” and was made by “Russian influence actors”.
“This Russian activity is part of Moscow’s broader effort to raise unfounded questions about the integrity of the US election and stoke divisions among Americans,” said the joint statement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Cybersecurity and
Democrats have a plan if Trump prematurely declares election victory
Democrats are readying a rapid-fire response to flood social media and the airwaves with calls for calm and patience with vote-counting should Donald Trump try to prematurely claim election victory, as he did in 2020, Harris campaign and party officials told Reuters.
The Republican candidate told reporters this week that he hoped to be able to declare victory on Election Day, although election experts have cautioned that it
Spain floods disaster: death toll rises to 205, as extra troops mobilised
The death toll from the floods in Spain this week has risen to 205, as residents in the Valencia region were warned to brace for more rain and an additional 1,000 soldiers were earmarked to help with the rescue operations.
Authorities in Valencia raised the death toll on Friday afternoon in what have been the deadliest floods in Spain’s modern history. The state weather agency Aemet said early on Friday that four regions, including Valencia, remained on amber alert because of the risk of rain and storms, days after rivers of mud-coloured water left a trail of devastation.
The flash floods swept away bridges, cars and streetlights. The number of
missing people remains unknown. Thousands more have no access to water or reliable food, while parts of the heaviest-hit areas remain inaccessible. The piles of vehicles and debris have trapped some residents in their homes while others are without electricity or stable phone service.
“This is a disaster,” a resident of hard-hit Paiporta told the broadcaster RTVE as he fought back tears.
“People can’t imagine what this is like, you see images on television but this is three times worse ... We can’t continue like this, we need help.”
As rescuers scrambled to comb the devastated areas, politicians sought to blame each other for the delay in the civil protection service alert warning people to stay
in their homes – it was sent only after the flooding had begun.
In some of the hardest-hit areas, residents drew a direct link between the delay and the death toll. “If they had warned us, these deaths would not have happened,” said Laura Villaescusa, a resident of La Torre. “The deaths we have now could have been avoided.”
On Friday, the concerns over those who are still struggling coalesced into a show of solidarity. Thousands of people from unaffected parts of the Valencia region – carrying shovels, food and water – turned up to offer help. Many arrived by foot, often walking several kilometres to reach the devastated areas, with roads across the region remaining blocked.
(The Guardian)
Infrastructure Security Agency.
Researchers at Clemson University said that the video bore the hallmarks of a Russian disinformation operation known as Storm-1516.
“This narrative is consistent with what we’ve seen from Storm-1516, especially in recent weeks since they’ve turned their focus squarely on the US election,” said Clemson’s Darren Linvill.
“We should absolutely not be surprised that they are focused on undermining the integrity of the US election.
“This is consistent with Russian strategy over the last two election cycles.”
Linvill said the “narrative focus, style and production of the video” match previous efforts by the Russian operation, which is linked, Clemson researchers say, to an organisation called the Russian Foundation to Battle Injustice.
The organisation was founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the mercenary leader who headed the Wagner Group until he launched a rebellion against Moscow and died in
a plane crash.
Georgia’s chief elections official, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, said that the clip is “fake and part of a disinformation effort”.
He asked X owner Elon Musk and owners of other social media platforms to remove the video.
One man in the clip shows multiple driving licences to the camera, presumably as proof of identity. BBC Verify took screenshots of these and enhanced the images to be able to read the details on them.
The addresses on two of the licences match up to a business site and a location in the middle of a road near a petrol station - not residential addresses.
A reverse image search of the photograph on one of the licences showed it was a stock image of a man originally produced by a production company in South Africa.
US intelligence agencies said last week that a video purporting to show a poll worker destroying mail-in ballots marked for Donald Trump in Pennsylvania was “manufactured and amplified” by Russians. (BBC)
14 dead in Serbia railway station canopy collapse
could take several days for the final result to be known, especially if there are demands for vote recounts in some key areas. Trump is locked in a razor-thin race with Democratic rival Kamala Harris.
U.S. election winners are typically declared by major media outlets who analyze vote counts provided by election officials. While candidates sometimes declare victory before those calls are made, it is unusual to do so before the winner is at least arguably apparent.
“We are sadly ready if he does and, if we know that he is actually manipulating the press and attempting to manipulate the consensus of the American people ... we are prepared to respond,” Harris said in an interview with ABC on Wednesday.
She gave no details of those preparations, but six Democratic Party and Harris campaign officials said the initial fight against any early Trump victory claim would take place in the court of public opinion. They plan to flood social media and television airwaves with demands that all votes be counted before victories are declared.
“As soon as he (Trump) falsely declares victory, we’re ready to get up on TV and provide the truth and tap a broad network of people who can use their influence to push back,” a top official with the Democratic National Committee said in an interview. (Reuters)
At least 14 people have been killed after a concrete canopy at a railway station in northern Serbia collapsed, the country’s President Aleksandar Vu?i? said.
A young girl aged six or seven was among the dead, he added.
People were sitting on benches under the outdoor overhang at the station in Novi Sad, Serbia’s second city, at the time of the collapse around noon local time (11:00 GMT), Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) reported.
Three people are in hospital. Among them are two women who were pulled alive from under the rubble a few hours after the collapse.
In an address to the nation, Mr Vu?i? said he hoped the number of dead would not rise beyond 14, adding that five of those killed had still not been identified.
“Those responsible, I assure you, will be punished,”
he said, quoted by
Around 80 rescuers from all over the country are involved in the search, using heavy machinery, which is still ongoing.
The railway station building was renovated in 2021, and renovated again this year in order to be officially opened on 5 July.
Serbian media quoted Railway Infrastructure of Serbia, the body responsible for the concrete canopy, as saying it had not been reconstructed with the station. It was built in 1964.
Prime Minister Miloš Vu?evi? said Friday was one of the most difficult days in Novi Sad’s post-war history.
“This is a great, terrible tragedy for Novi Sad and for all of Serbia,” he added, sending condolences to the families of the victims and thanking first responders. The government declared Saturday as an official day of mourning. (BBC)
AFP.
The Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump, and the Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris
Tune in to what’s trending. Listen to others, and use your intuition to guide you down the right path. A chance to turn something you enjoy doing into a moneymaker is feasible if you take it slow.
Embrace change and see where it leads. Focus on home, family and relationships; it will change your perspective regarding how you want to spend your time. Don’t be shy; let others know how you feel.
Refrain from getting into a discussion prematurely. Consider the motives and outcomes before jeopardizing your relationship with someone. Pour your energy into honing your skills or learning something new.
Take a unique look at someone or something of interest, and you’ll gain perspective regarding your next move. Don’t hesitate to reach out to a loved one; romance will unfold.
Be careful what you share. Keep sensitive information to yourself. Channel your energy into activities that rely on your mental and physical attributes. Don’t be afraid of a challenge.
Share your story, embrace the moment or invite someone who interests you on an adventure. Getting to know someone better will help you transform your relationship into something special.
You’ll excel if you practice. Focus on doing something you love, and you’ll perfect your skills, making the process significantly more enjoyable. Taking a trip or attending a reunion will lead to romance.
Jump in and do your part. Your enthusiasm will lead to popularity and offers you want to take advantage of. Keep moderation in mind; you’ll make gains. A positive change is apparent.
A positive attitude will help you navigate past anyone trying to manipulate you. Stick to those who enjoy the same activities as you and enjoy the physical aspect of doing something.
Changing plans or your environment will trigger your actions or reactions. Attend an event that provides insight and adds value to your decisions and plans.
You’ll need to catch up if you let outsiders interfere with your plans. Stop worrying about what others do or think, and get on with what makes you happy. Change and opportunity begin with you and your choices.
Do things your way. Refuse to let anyone undermine you or make you feel self-conscious or uneasy about your choices. Avoid indulgence or putting yourself in a vulnerable position.
ARCHIE
Managers and members of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) are hereby congratulating eight members of the club who have obtained annual cricketing contracts with either the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) or Cricket West Indies (CWI).
Those eight members of the club are: Kevin Sinclair, Kelvon Anderson, Junior Sinclair and Sylus Tyndall; and Shemaine Campbelle, Shabika Gajnabi, Shenetta Grimmond and Plaffianna Millington.
Formed in September 1990 by three-time Commonwealth Youth Service Awardee the St Frances Xavier Roman Catholic Youth Club, Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club has grown into becoming Guyana’s most dynamic youth and sports club, and its activities and achievements are unmatched.
Club Secretary Hilbert Foster has said the club is very proud of its members, and among clubs in the West Indies, the RHTY&SC has perhaps the most members with cricketing contracts at national and regional levels. He sees this as a fitting tribute to the hard work put in by the players and the massive investments made into their careers by management of the RHTY&SC.
Kelvon Anderson, Kevin Sinclair, Junior Sinclair and Sylus Tyndall have each obtained a one-year contract with the Guyana Cricket Board at the senior level; Kevin Sinclair has represented the senior West Indies team at all levels: Test, ODI and T20; and Kelvon Anderson has represented Guyana over the last two years, served briefly as captain, and is a former West Indies Under-19 and Academy player.
Junior Sinclair, who is yet to make his senior debut for Guyana, is a former national junior player. The talented all-rounder has, for the last three years, represented the Amazon Warriors team in the Caribbean Premier League.
Sylus Tyndall, a former national junior fast bowler,
is yet to make his senior debut, but is currently with the Guyana 50-Overs squad in Trinidad. Former West Indian pacer Ian Bishop has very highly praised this Berbician fast bowler.
Of the four RHTY&SC females contracted, three have played for the West Indies at all levels: Test, T20 and ODI.
Shemaine Campbelle, who served as vice captain of the team which recently reached the semifinals of the ICC T20 World Cup, has obtained a multi-year contract with CWI, and Shabika Gajnabi is on an academy contract. Shenetta Grimmond and Plaffianna Millington are among 14 regional female cricketers who have been awarded contracts by the CWI.
Off-spinner Millington
Mike Parris U16 Boxing resumes today
The Andrew ‘Six Head’ Lewis Gym in Albouystown will be a hive of activity today, when the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) resumes its monthly under- 16 championships.
Dubbed the “Pepsi Michael Parris Competition”, these championships, usually held twice per month, are the linchpin of the GBA’s developmental strategy. Besides pugilists drawn from the Andrew ‘Six Head’ Lewis Gym, those from notable gyms such as Pace and Power, Pocket Rocket, Rose Hall Jammers, New Amsterdam Academy, Bailey, Vergenoegen, and Forgotten Youth Foundation feature prominently in these championships.
“The developmental process of the GBA is an ongoing project that will continue to evolve and develop with each iteration and year. The U-16 program is the most important step in the entirety of our developmental efforts. It’s our nursery, and has laid the foundation for our continued success at the regional
level,” GBA President Steve Ninvalle has said.
According to Ninvalle, “The success of this programme is undeniable, given our record in the Caribbean School Boys and Juniors Boxing Championships, an event that has been dominated by Guyana since its inception in 2016. That dominance and overall success of the nation is a testament to the fruits that are being reaped via the implementation and constant evolution of
this initiative, which has become a benchmark within the Caribbean.”
Revealing that continued investment would go into this aspect of boxing, given its role and importance in sustaining the sport, Ninvalle has said, "We believe that this is the most effective way of unearthing and eventually developing talents that possess the requisite skills and ability to achieve regional and international success and acclaim.”
RHTY&SC hails eight players contracted with GCB, CWI
was adjudged best bowler in the 2024 female CWI tournament, having recorded outstanding performances at the T20 and 50-over levels.
RHTY&SC Organizing Secretary and Cricket Manager Robby Kissoonlall has urged all these players to remain focused and continue training to better themselves. The veteran administrator has said that RHTY&SC prides itself on achieving success via a simple formula of personal discipline, sheer hard work, determination, and a strong faith in God.
‘Champion
Back
Kissoonlall is expressing gratitude to sponsors of the RHTY&SC cricket teams for the roles they have played in the development of these players’ careers. These sponsors are: Farfan and Mendes Ltd, Poonai Pharmacy, Bakewell, Pepsi, Metro Office Supplies, and NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour.
The RHTY&SC has, since 1994, produced 124 players for Berbice and Guyana, 16 of whom have gone on to play for the West Indies at different levels. The club has also won a total of 125 titles at all levels, including three national championships, and has won the Guyana Cricket Club of the Year Award five times: in 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010 and 2016. Kissoonlall notes that two of the club’s junior female players: Daniella Manna and Trisha Hardatt, are currently with the West Indies Under-19 team in Antigua, and players Clinton Pestano, Keon Sinclair, Jonathan Rampersaud and Matthew Pottaya are currently playing in the national T20 League.
of Champions’ Futsal tournament…
Circle, Gold is Money, North East target semifinal berths
Following a group round that produced unexpected results, the business end of the inaugural ‘Champion of Champions’ futsal tournament will start this evening with Back Circle, Gold is Money and North East La Penitence going into action at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue.
Tournament Coordinator Troy Lambert has said, “The tournament has exceeded expectations! Who would have imagined that both Sparta Boss and Bent Street, traditional giants in this format, would have failed to advance to the knockout round? That has never occurred in this format, and (that) is evidence of the highly competitive nature of the tournament.”
He added, “This has to be the most competitive and open tournament in recent memory! This shows that the smaller teams are improving by acquiring better players, so there is nothing as easy as ‘an easy match’ anymore in this format; which bodes well for the future of the format. While there are still a few traditional powerhouses remaining in the event, there are emerging teams that are in the mix, which makes for an exciting finish! Anyone can genuinely win!”
This evening’s opening encounter features the undefeated North East La Penitence locking horns with Team Cruel of Beterverwagting (BV) at 20:00hrs. North East La Penitence ended the group stage with a perfect 3-0 record, which included an impressive victory over Back Circle, and are considered by many pundits to be the ‘dark horse’ of the event, given their stellar performances.
Nevertheless, given the tactical quality of their roster, Team Cruel would fancy themselves as having a good chance of staging another ma-
What to expect when the Bent Street Champion of Champions tournament continues tonight
jor upset in the event as they attempt to secure their maiden semifinal spot in this format.
In the second fixture, Gold is Money will tackle giant killer Mocha at 20:45hrs. Gold is Money has been in imperious form following a flawless group campaign, but would be tested by the dangerous Mocha, who were responsible for the elimination of Bent Street.
The third encounter would pit Stabroek Ballerz against California Square at 21:30h.
Stabroek Ballers are an unknown quantity. They possess arguably the most balanced lineup in the entire tournament, and their confidence of moving one step closer to winning their first Futsal Championship would be sky-high. However, by dint of sheer dogged determination and experience, California Square presents a tricky challenge for any team.
In the final match, Back Circle would oppose North Ruimveldt at 22:15h. Having suffered an unexpected defeat in the earlier group stage, tournament favourites Back Circle would be gunning to right that wrong and simultaneously prove that that defeat was simply an anomaly.
However, an ultra-defensive North Ruimveldt unit would be standing in their
way; and that unit have already displayed their championship credentials by a clinical win over Sparta Boss in the previous round.
The winner of the Champion of Champions event would pocket one million dollars and the championship trophy; while the second-, third-, and fourth-place finishers would respectively receive $500,000, $300,000, and $200,000 plus the corresponding accolade.
On the individual side, prizes would be given to the highest goal scorer, the most valuable player, the best defender, and the best goalkeeper.
Complete Fixtures
Day 4 Quarterfinals
(3): North East La Penitence vs Team Cruel: 20:00hrs
(2): Gold is Money vs Mocha: 20:45hrs (1): Stabroek Ballers vs California Square: 21:30hrs (4): North Ruimveldt vs Back Circle A: 22:15hrs
Day 5 Semifinals
(5): Winner (1) vs Winner (2) (6): Winner (3) vs Winner (4)
Day 6 3rd-Place and Final (7): Loser (5) vs Loser (6) (8): Winner (5) vs Winner (6)
Shemaine Campbelle Kevin Sinclair
GBA President Steve Ninvalle
West Indies power to huge win
– through fireworks from Evin Lewis, four-for from Gudakesh Motie
The only way is up as England seek to reboot their once glorious white-ball fortunes, but on the evidence of a deeply one-sided first ODI against West Indies, the journey to the 2027 World Cup will be long, arduous, and perhaps most significantly unfamiliar, to a new generation of cricketers whose lack of experience in 50-over cricket was all too plain to see in Antigua.
However, the format's rhythms weren't quite such a mystery to the man who gunned them down. Evin Lewis had been absent from West Indies' ODI plans for more than three years -- until last weekend, when he announced his second coming with a 61-ball century in Sri Lanka. Now he has added a startlingly violent 94 from 69 balls, making light of a two-paced pitch and a stodgy outfield to blaze eight sixesone for each of the wickets by which his team eventually won. It might even have been nine for nine, had he connected properly with the shot that got him out: an inside-out slap to wide long-off, with victory already in the bag.
The result had scarcely been in doubt after Gudakesh Motie's four-wicket haul had wrecked England's hopes of a competitive total, but the only real challenge to West Indies' dominance was the rain, which arrived at the end of the 15th over of their chase to briefly raise the prospect of a very unjust washout. West Indies were 81 without loss by that point - with Lewis himself on 51 - but after an hourlong delay and the loss of 15 overs and 53 runs from the target, the skies cleared sufficiently for justice to be served on a red-raw England line-up featuring no fewer than four debutants.
The power and poise of the run-chase was at total odds with the tentative fare that had preceded it. Whereas England had had to wait until the 32nd over of their innings before their stand-in captain Liam Livingstone struck the first of their two sixes on the night, Lewis himself outdid that tally fourfold, having waited just 11 deliveries before hoisting the lively pace of John Turner over the ropes at deep backward square.
Even when Adil Rashid did him in flight in his second over, Lewis's commitment to the aggressive option allowed him to find enough hangtime to leave deep midwicket sprawling for his fifth six in the space of 13 overs. He then followed that up by whipping Sam Curran through backward square for his first four of the night, and after bringing up his fifty from 46 balls, he jogged through for one more single before the rain break, to reach his 2000th ODI run.
Lewis's sidekick, Brandon King, offered a more earthbound assessment of the tricky batting
conditions, grinding along to 30 from 56 balls as Jofra Archer and Turner, making his long-awaited international bow, repeatedly harassed his outside edge in a lively but unrewarded powerplay gambit. King's torturous stay might have ended in the first over after the rain delay, but Livingstone's half-tracker lbw was found to have pitched outside leg. Instead, he fell to perhaps his most
the outset, not least Jayden Seales, who shrugged off a wicketless tour of Sri Lanka earlier this month by claiming both of England's openers inside his first five overs. The first to fall was Phil Salt, whose third-ball blaze through the covers belied a notably sluggish outfield that would add to the sense of an innings with no momentum, and would ultimately vindicate Lewis's decision to take
emphatic shot of the nighta full-blooded full through a Jacob Bethell long-hop that picked out deep square leg to end a 118-run opening stand.
The damage had, however, long since been done, leaving Keacy Carty and Shai Hope to wrap up victory with 24.1
the aerial route as much as possible.
On 18 from 29 balls, Salt tried just that, but his toe-ended drive was well caught by Alzarri Joseph as he ran back in the covers, and Salt’s innings came to an end
inside the powerplay for the 18th time in 23 ODIs.
Will Jacks, promoted to opener in the absence of Ben Duckett and the injured Jos Buttler, then produced a near identical knock of 19 from 27. He eventually skied an attempted launch off Seales to Motie at mid-on, leaving England neither here nor there at 46 for 2 in the 11th over.
Matthew Forde's lack of extreme pace was scarcely any less effective on a receptive surface that offered grip and bounce to his cutters. Jordan Cox projected confidence at #3 in the first act of his extended international audition, and with the prospect of a Test debut in New Zealand looming next month; but then he ruined the impression with a horrid hack to deep third.
old stagers - Livingstone and his de facto deputy Curranfound the gumption to thrive briefly in a fifth-wicket stand of 72, but their endeavours were derailed by a familiar recent nemesis. Motie's wily offerings had been instrumental in West Indies' twin series wins this time last year, and sure enough, he accounted for the senior menmost crucially Livingstone, who had just be- gun to step up his tem- po with a calculated assault on the offspin of
four runs later. When Curran holed out to long-on for 37, the tail came as meekly as the rest.
Jamie Overton, making his ODI debut, had been singled out for his long-levered ability to hit sixes down the ground, but fell lbw to Motie as he missed a firstball sweep; while Dan Mousley's international debut was scarcely any more memorable, though he did at least connect well on the flat pull off Motie that picked out Lewis on the midwicket boundary for six.
Roston Chase.
Bethell, another Test debutant-in-waiting, looked sparky as he kept rotating the strike, but he also fell to an ungainly slog into the covers, to hand Forde his second.
Only the team's relative
Having been given a life on 44, as the returning Shimron Hetmyer spilled a simple chance at short midwicket off Chase's final delivery, Livingstone then popped a return catch back to Motie
DRS
Bowling O-M-R-W
Matthew Forde 9-0-48-2
Jayden Seales 8-1-22-2
Alzarri Joseph 8.1-0-46-2
Gudakesh Motie 10-0-41-4
Roston Chase 10-0-47-0
West Indies (T: 157 runs from 35 ovs)
Brandon King c Jacks b Livingstone 30
Evin Lewis c Bethell
b Rashid 94
Keacy Carty not out 19
Shai Hope (c)†not out 6
Extras (lb 3, w 5) 8
Total 25.5 Ov (RR: 6.07) 157/2
Did not bat: Sherfane Rutherford, Shimron Hetmyer, Roston Chase, Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, Matthew Forde, Jayden Seales
Fall of wickets: 1-118 (Brandon King, 19.1 ov), 2-144 (Evin Lewis, 22.3 ov) •
O-M-R-W Jofra
Joseph had been expensive in his initial spell, not helped by some lax work in the outfield; but he bounced back well with the late wickets of Archer and Rashid, England's leading ODI run-scorer in this deeply inexperienced squad, who extended that lead by a further 15 runs to drag England's total past 200.
Not even the onset of rain in Antigua could delay the inevitable for long.
(ESPNCricInfo)
20.5 ov), 5-165 (Liam Livingstone, 34.5 ov), 6-179 (Dan Mousley, 38.2 ov), 7-179 (Jamie Overton, 38.3 ov), 8-187 (Sam Curran, 40.1 ov), 9-204 (Jofra Archer, 43.2 ov), 10209 (Adil Rashid, 45.1 ov) •
Gudakesh Motie claimed four wickets, including that of Liam Livingstone
Liam Livingstone found some traction for England on a tricky surface
Evin Lewis cracked eight sixes in his match-winning 94
Determined Marian, first-timers Santa Rosa battle for Pee-Wee title today
It would be either a tale of the prodigal son finally returning to glory or a clean sweep for first-timers when the 11th edition of the Courts Optical Pee-Wee Under-11 Schools’ Football final is contested at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground in Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown today.
Marian Academy and Santa Rosa Primary both booked their tickets to the premier game of the season a week ago, by respectively defeating 2023 Champions St. Pius Primary and St John the Baptist Primary by similar margins of 2-1.
With the future of Guyana’s football talent on show, there will be some crucial players to look out for in what is being touted as one of the best Pee-Wee final battles in years.
Marian Academy’s Joshua Johnson and Cristiano LaRose have been critical at the top for their school, while two defenders have proven almost impenetrable at the back. On the other hand, Santa Rosa’s Taz La Rose and Deon Henry are a similarly prolific combination up top, but with the addition of Ethan John’s precision at the back, a mouthwatering contest awaits.
Marian Academy’s Coach Troy Wright, who only a year ago led the school’s Girls’ team to the MVP Sports Girls Pee- Wee Championship, is confident that his male troops can pick up their second title in the competition, more than a decade later.
“My team improved from last year. Last year we were knocked out by that same school in the quarterfinals, and I tell them we could reach next year finals (but we) just have to work hard and continue doing what I tell you to do,” Wright said about their semifinal performance.
Addressing the winning combination of LaRose and Johnson in the striking positions, Wright explained, “Yes, the combination is crucial, because it’s something we work on in our practice. Cris to Johnson, Johnson to Chase, that scored the first goal in the quarterfinal against Enterprise; and, upfront, it’s a good combination. We’ve been working on it actually every day in practice.”
Quizzed on what a victory in today’s game would mean to the Carifesta Avenuebased outfit, the Coach responded, “It would mean a lot to me. Because when I was asked by Marian Principal to
come and coach the school…I said the children are talented but just certain things need to be polished up, and once they listen to me and I could polish up that area, they will be successful. I did it last year with the girls’ team after 12 years, and I have the boys now.”
Santa Rosa’s Coach Earl Richards was equally as contented with his team’s performance in last week’s semifinal. Richards related to this publication, “I think the guys sticked to the game plan from the inception. At the half-way stage, we devised a different plan (in) trying to defend the two goals, but we had to adjust that plan and continue moving forward. But I’m pleased with the results.”
Having watched the opposition play on multiple occasions, Richards is confident of crafting a plan that could trump Marian Academy.
“Yes, we are! We were
GBF Elite 16 tournament tips off tonight
…Double-header scheduled for Gymnasium Basketball
Court
The National Gymnasium comes alive tonight as the Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) Elite 16 tournament tips off with a doubleheader.
At 7:15pm, the action starts with New Amsterdam Warriors going head-to-head against Colts, setting the tone for a night of intense competition. Following that, two Georgetown teams, Ravens and Nets, will take the court in a showdown that promises edge-of-your-seat excitement.
The clash of the Elite 16, the GBF said, serves as a perfect warm-up for the highly anticipated ‘One Guyana’ Basketball League, which will bring together Guyana’s basketball best under one banner.
“The GBF Elite 16 tournament is designed to showcase high-quality basketball across all GBF associations,” GBF President Michael Singh has said ahead of the opening tip-off. “With players from Bartica, Linden, Georgetown, and Berbice in the mix, this tournament will sharpen competition and elevate the game for the upcoming season.”
A champion will emerge
from this battle of the elite, earning a $300,000 winner’s purse. Second-place finishers will pick up $100,000, thirdplace take home $50,000, and the tournament MVP will be awarded $25,000 for their standout performance.
The tournament schedule is stacked with must-see matchups: on November 6, Eagles will face off against GDF, followed by Kobras taking on Block 22 Flames.
November 9 brings a doubleheader, wherein Mambas will battle KK Untouchables, and Victory Valley Royals will go up against Bartica. The action continues on November 13 with Amelia’s Ward Jets taking on Pacesetters, followed by Retrieve Raiders clashing with Trojans.
On November 16, the winner of Game 1 will face the winner of Game 3, while the victors from Games 2 and 4 will square off.
Advancing further, the winner of Game 5 will meet the Game 7 victor, while the winners from Games 6 and 8 will battle on November 20.
The semifinals tip-off on
November 23, leading to the grand finale on November 30.
Singh expressed confidence in the players’ readiness, highlighting, “This tournament primes our senior players for ongoing competitive play through 2024 and into 2025. After the ‘One Guyana’ League, we’re gearing up for Mecca 6, a critical platform for national team selection for international events.”
Singh is thanking the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport; the National Sports Commission, and key sponsors like MVP Sports and Praetorian Security for making the Elite 16 possible.
confident all the way, and we are still very much confident! I think that once we stick to our game plan in the finals…I would’ve seen Marian play, and that’s a plus. I think that I was able to at least see two of their games. So, I think we’ll come up with a good plan, and we’ll be able to pull this off,” he explained.
Each coach is pretty confident in their troops’ ability to take home the Championship Trophy. A self-assured Wright has said, “Yes, I’m confident! once I beat St Pius, I’m confident! That school was the stumbling block, and I tell the guys (if) we get past them, we’ll win this championship. If they just listen, follow instruction, our defense is holding, the combination with Joshua and Crissy is
playing well. If we continue with that, Marian will become the champion again, after 13 years.”
On the other hand, Richards said, “This will mean almost everything to
the school. It’s their first year, in the 11th edition of the Courts Pee-Wee. So, coming first time and taking the trophy back home, I can only imagine what the celebration would be like back home.”
Central Corentyne continues to benefit from cricket equipment program
As support continues to pour in, JC Chandisingh and Corentyne Comprehensive Secondary schools have been the latest to benefit from this joint initiative between Kishan Das of the USA and Anil Beharry of Guyana. They were the recipients of two boxes of red cricket balls each, compliments of Kaieteur Cricket Club of Kitchener, Canada.
Representatives from both schools expressed thanks to the sponsors and this initiative; and the owners of this cricket gear initiative have said: This project is thankful for the continued support provided by our friends. Special thanks to coordinator Derek Kallicharran, former Guyana and West Indies cricketer. Our aim is to keep as many young people as possible off the streets and get them actively involve in sports, cricket in particular.”
Total cricket-related items received/purchased so far: $460,000 in cash, thirteen coloured cricket uniforms, one set of stumps and bails, two trophies, twenty-seven pairs of cricket shoes, thirty-three pairs of batting pads, thirty-five cricket bats, one floppy hat, thirty- two pairs of batting gloves, twenty-five thigh pads, three pairs of wicket-keeping pads, six arm guards, two chest pads, two boxes, twelve cricket bags, six bat rubbers, six helmets, one fiberglass bat, thirteen boxes of white cricket balls, nine boxes of red balls and twenty-eight footballs.
In addition to the above, gear worth more than $600,000 was donated by Sheik Mohamed, former national wicketkeeper/batsman. All cash collected is being used to purchase cricket gear requested and not available at the time.
To date, eighty-six young players, male and female from all three counties of Guyana, have benefited directly from the receipt of cash, seven gear bags, two trophies, four arm guards, thirty-three bats, three boxes, six helmets, thirty-one pairs of cricket shoes, twenty pairs of batting pads, twenty-four thigh pads, one bat grip, thirty-four pairs of batting gloves, one pair of wicketkeeping pads and three pairs of wicketkeeping gloves.
Many others have benefited indirectly. In addition, two clubs in the Pomeroon area benefited from receipt of two used bats. Pomeroon, Leguan and Wakenaam Cricket Committees and Cotton Tree Die Hard also received one box of red cricket balls each, Cold Fusion Cricket Club thirteen coloured uniforms while RHCCCC received six boxes of balls, fifteen white cricket shirts, one pair of junior batting pads, one pair of wicket-keeping gloves, two sets of stumps and bails.
Other beneficiaries are
The Essequibo Cricket Board, the Town of Lethem, youth coach Travis Persaud (one box of red cricket balls), male and female teams playing the
traditional hardball and softball in the Upper Corentyne area, No.65 Young Titans with 30 T-Shirts, youths of Just Try Cricket Club, Wakenaam Cricket Academy (one box of white balls), Shamar Joseph, Nehemiah Hohenkirk, Shamar Apple, Leguan Cricket Committee, Tucber Park Cricket Club, Malteenoes Sports Club (nine cricket balls each), Kendall’s Union Cricket Club with two boxes of red balls, Lower Corentyne, Corentyne Comprehensive and JC Chandisingh Secondary schools with twelve red balls each.
Cricket-related items, used or new, are distributed free of cost to young and promising cricketers in Guyana. Skills, discipline and education are important characteristics of the recipients. Talentspotting is being done across the country and club leaders also assist to identify same. Progressive and well managed cricket clubs with a youth programme will also benefit. Anyone interested in contributing to the programme can contact Anil Beharry on 623-6875, or Kishan Das on 1718-664-0896.
GBF President Michael Singh
Marian Academy Coach Troy Wright (in white) in celebratory mode
Santa Rosa Coach Earl Richards (orange) celebrating a semifinal win with his team
