– UK recommits support for Guyana's territorial integrity
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Friday met with United Kingdom (UK) Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, to discuss several key matters that will see already strong bilateral ties between their two countries be enhanced.
North-Easterly to East South Easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.02 metres.
High Tide: 13:07h reaching a maximum height of 2.01 metres.
Low Tide: 06:23h and 18:58h reaching minimum heights of 1.13 metres and 1.23 metres.
The Guyanese Head of State met with the newly appointed UK Foreign Secretary, who is the son of Guyanese immigrants, at this official residence at Carlton Gardens in London.
According to a brief post on President Ali’s Facebook page, their “discussions focused on stronger collaboration in commerce, biodiversity, and Haiti, among other matters.”
Similar sentiments were also expressed by the UK Foreign Secretary in a social media post.
“The UK is committed to working together to protect our climate, grow economic ties and uphold Guyana’s territorial integrity,” Foreign Secretary Lammy stated.
He added that as the
lined his vision for promoting international cooperation, addressing climate change, and fostering stronger ties with Commonwealth nations, drawing on his own heritage and experiences to inform his approach.
Following his appointment, President Ali had a telephone conversation with
UK Foreign Secretary of Guyanese heritage, he is proud to be proof of the close connection between our countries.
Lammy has been vocal in his support for Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and only last December, he condemned Venezuela’s threat of aggression against Guyana in the UK Parliament.
Lammy, a seasoned politician and Member of Parliament for Tottenham, was appointed as the UK’s new Foreign Secretary in July and has long been a vocal advocate for social justice, equality, and the rights of minorities.
Born and raised in London to Guyanese parents, who immigrated to the UK in the 1960s, Lammy’s journey to becoming Foreign Secretary is seen as a testament to both his personal achievements and the evolving inclusivity of British politics.
In his inaugural address after being sworn in at Downing Street, Lammy had emphasised the importance of diplomacy, cooperation, and Britain’s role on the global stage. He had out-
Lammy to congratulate him and assured him of Guyana’s strong friendship and partnership.
The British politician had also made several official visits to Georgetown over the years.
In December 2021, Lammy first met with President Ali at the State House in his capacity as Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs. Then in May 2023, Lammy was among several dignitaries who were hosted by the Guyanese Head of State during a visit to London.
Lammy then returned to Georgetown in August 2023, accompanying former UK Prime Minister, Sir Tony Blair, on a two-day visit. Under the Tony Blair administration, he served as Minister for Culture at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.
During that visit last August, Lammy and his wife, Nicola Green, inaugurated the Sophia Point Rainforest Research Centre in Guyana – a hub of research, education and training for stakeholders seeking to fight against climate change.
The solar-powered, environmentally conscious centre is located at the confluence of the Essequibo, Mazaruni and Cuyuni Rivers. Once completed, the new facility will include a multi-purpose lecture theatre and lab space, internet access, basic lab equipment, and basic accommodation for up to 24 persons with free-standing washroom facilities, a kitchen and a dining space. Construction started in July 2023.
President Ali is currently in London to attend the Caribbean Global Awards 2024 slated for today, where he will be receiving an award.
Back in April, the Caribbean Global Awards had announced that based on the results of the People’s Choice for the best Caribbean Global Leader, the Guyanese Leader had emerged with the most votes cast, an unprecedented 609 valid votes.
“This record-breaking participation underscores the immense interest and engagement of the public in recognising exemplary leadership within the Caribbean region,” the award entity had noted in a statement earlier this year.
President Ali travelled to the UK after spending a week in New York, where he attending the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and had a series of engagements on the sidelines. During his presentation at the UNGA debates, the Guyanese
Leader announced the launch of a Global Biodiversity Alliance and its inaugural summit in 2025, which will focus on creating a market for biodiversity credits, scaling biodiversity conservation debt swaps, accelerating biodiversity bonds, establishing a blueprint for biodiversity taxonomies, and promoting nature positive action.
Before his New York visit, the Head of State was in Scotland, where he met with His Majesty King Charles III and had discussions to advance Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030. The visit follows the King’s Foundation's recent engagements in Guyana and the President’s announcement that the Foundation would support the next phase of the LCDS, with a particular focus on sustainable urban development.
During that meeting, President Ali and the King discussed their shared commitment to climate resilience, sustainable development, agriculture, and community-driven initiatives supporting vulnerable populations.
“I am optimistic that we will work together as partners in the years ahead, especially with the new LCDS priorities—including sustainable urban development, biodiversity, and water management,” the Guyanese Leader had stated following the meeting. (G-8)
United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Lammy and members of his team during the meeting
President Dr Irfaan Ali and members of his delegation in London on Friday
Guidance and counselling are very important programmes implemented in schools around the world. It is the process by which students are advised on how to deal with emotional conflicts and personal problems, both in school and in their daily lives. Some sessions also involve career guidance, in which students are advised on which courses to do, and which jobs to expect when one does a particular course.
It allows students to talk with their parents about various things which they feel uncomfortable talking about, and it also allows the students to become better people because they are taught by the counsellors about how to behave properly.
The programme also enables students experiencing difficulties in their lives to have a good place to ask questions and seek clarity from the guiding and counselling office. There are some questions that one may find difficult to ask even one’s parents, which can be raised without fear because the persons in charge are very willing to help.
The importance of guidance and counselling in the school system is also an imperative element to help address the challenge of violence in the school system. This has been recognised as especially paramount to efficiently combat acts of violence perpetrated by students against teachers and/or fellow students.
Studies have shown that comprehensive developmental school counselling programmes positively impact students, parents, teachers, administrators and the institutions, among others. Among the many benefits are: the service prepares students for the challenges of the 21st Century through academic, career, and personal/social development; develops decision-making and problem-solving skills; encourages facilitative, cooperative peer interactions; broadens knowledge of our changing world; provides support for parents in advocating for their child’s academic, career and personal/social development, among other benefits. More importantly, it provides an interdisciplinary team effort to address students’ needs and educational goals.
Apart from subject teaching, teachers are entrusted with many responsibilities nowadays. Consequently, were these programmes to be reinstituted in local schools (if they have not already been), the teachers themselves need to undergo adequate training.
One cannot deny that students’ lives are getting even more complex day by day, and it becomes even more vital for students to understand that individual differences among themselves are expected, accepted, understood, and planned for. Just recently, two videos rose to notoriety on Facebook: one showing two schoolgirls engaged in what appeared to be a schoolyard fight, and another which captured an altercation between a teenage girl and an adult.
Most students involved in these incidents lack a sense of direction, a sense of purpose, and a sense of fulfilment; therefore, they indulge in destructive activities which, unbeknownst to them, could lead to social damage and loss.
The provision of adequate guidance and counselling facilities is the only answer to help guide the youths to worthwhile channels and help them realise the goals of optimum academic, personal and social development.
Another quite effective service is the provision of peer counselling; this is based on the fact that young people often seek out other young people’s help and advice when they are faced with personal problems, especially in the areas of sexuality and family life. Therefore, through peer counselling, peer pressure can provide a positive influence for behaviour change.
Students are likely to respond positively to messages from their peers, approach them often, and influence them more.
Problems and needs in society are nothing new, but today they seem to be proliferating at an unprecedented rate. The unique problems in the changing family; conflicts in values, attitudes, and moral and economic factors; the changing role of work; new pressure and demands on school and problems of the youth, all point to the need for counselling services.
Venezuela
Dear Editor, Gregory Quinn, former British High Commissioner to Guyana, who was here at the time President Granger’s government was attempting to return to office at the 2020 General and Regional Elections by using fraud, in an article written in a series of booklets published by John Mair titled Oil Dorado, and republished in the Stabroek News last Tuesday (24th September 2024) under the headline “Why Guyana should not appease Venezuela and Maduro”, has traced the history of Maduro’s most recent attempt to annex the Essequibo, and has expressed his concern that some in Caricom are advocates to appeasing Maduro, most particularly Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves.
I worked closely with Greg Quinn, former US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch, former Canadian High Commissioner Lilian Chatterjee, and former European Union Ambassador Fernando Ponz-Canto, along with Captain Gerry Gouveia and other members of the Private Sector Commission, to expose and oppose the APNU/AFC’s determination to rig the results of the vote in Region Four.
Referring to the Declaration of Argyle, which resulted from the meeting between Presidents Ali and Nicolas Maduro that was hosted by Gonsalves, promoted by Lula of Brazil, and encouraged by other Caricom leaders, Quinn writes that he understands “some think it was a good thing, but appeasing dictators never worked out well and, I must admit, I don’t see what has been the
benefit of this particular declaration for Guyana”.
I do not agree with Quinn in this regard. There is no doubt in my mind that The Declaration of Peace and Dialogue of Argyle on 14th December 2023, agreeing “that any controversy between the two States will be resolved in accordance with international law, including the Geneva Agreement of 1966”, definitively postponed the possibility of an imminent invasion of the Essequibo by Venezuela.
Let me underline the fact that President Ali did not go to St Vincent to negotiate with Maduro on the border controversy, and Argyle is not a product of any such negotiations, nor does it commit in any way to doing so.
What is of significant note is that, shortly after Argyle, the Inter-American Institute for Democracy, on 4th January, 2024, published an article written by Dr. Luis Fleischman, urging that “if Maduro rejects diplomacy and invades Guyana, the United States should mobilize its armed forces and send a message to the Venezuelan military that it intends to intervene, and for their safety, officers and soldiers must surrender before it is too late. Military action should follow if they do not, particularly from the air. In both scenarios, the result should be the removal of the Maduro regime and the restoration of constitutional government in Venezuela”.
Greg Quinn is, of course, correct in warning that appeasement of any kind simply doesn’t work with dictators like Maduro, though I don’t agree with him entirely that the Argyle Declaration has been of no
benefit for Guyana. It did, in my opinion, serve to successfully postpone the probability of a Venezuelan invasion at the time.
The Stabroek News, in a comprehensive and informative editorial today (September 27, 2024) explained the connection between the Geneva Agreement and the Argyle Declaration in deferring an invasion, and the importance of Argyle having been promoted by President Lula da Silva of Brazil. As the Stabroek News editorial points out, “If Mr. Gonsalves and company delivered President Ali to the table - and the truth of the matter is he had little choice but to go, given the diplomatic pressure he was under - it was Brazil which brought the Venezuelan Head of State there”.
A great disappointment for me was the role played by Ralph Gonsalves, which he continues to pursue without apology. Gonsalves says he is a friend of Guyana, and that he is a friend of our President. Perhaps he is, though he is yet to publicly recognize that the Essequibo is part of Guyana. I considered Ralph a friend of mine. He was a guest at my 91st birthday party in the company of President Ali, but his embracing Maduro and congratulating him on assuming power, claiming that the Venezuelan elections “were free and fair, reflecting the result”, when the rest of the democratic world knows differently, is unacceptable.
Gonsalves has chosen to ignore, for instance, the report of a UN panel of electoral experts invited by the Venezuelan National Electoral Council (CNE) to
report on the elections process to the United Nations Secretary General, that the “process of the CNE fell short of the basic transparency and integrity measures that are essential to holding credible elections…in the experience of the Panel, the announcement of an election outcome without the publication of its details or the release of tabulated results to candidates has no precedent in contemporary democratic elections”.
Gonsalves knows he is lying. Friend or no friend, he should hang his head in shame.
The St Vincent Prime Minister came to Guyana as a longstanding friend of Sonny Ramphal, to pay his respects and honour him with a magnificent speech at his funeral; but he does no honour to Ramphal, who gave much of his life to fighting for freedom and democracy around the world, by recognizing Maduro as legitimately elected.
Ralph Gonsalves made matters worse while speaking to the media here in Guyana when he recommended that Maduro is a better choice for Guyana than the opposition in Venezuela. He seems to have forgotten that Maria Corina Machado had declared her party’s support for having the matter addressed at the ICJ. Gonsalves went on to say, “We have an Argyle Declaration, and any time, if Venezuela attempts to do anything militarily, you’ll hear that I speak against it”. That’s nice, and I am sure that he means it, but his words would ring hollow if it were to happen.
Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo took a photo op with a group of students and teachers of the Bishops’ High School during an Oil and Gas Youth Form hosted by the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC) at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown
Dear Editor,
The recent statements on GuySuCo by MP Vinceroy Jordan can only be described as totally baseless, unfounded, reckless, impetuous, mischievous, malicious, and wickedly vengeful. The list of similar adjectives can be extremely long.
It has long been the modus operandi of the APNU/ AFC to ceaselessly chant the “corruption” mantra without providing an iota of evidence. The Guyana Sugar Corporation has a robust Internal Audit Department which ensures compliance with laws and regulations and helps to maintain accurate and timely financial reporting and data collection. This Department has never been the subject of any malpractice, and its findings have always been accurate, impartial, and without prejudice.
As a responsible Member of Parliament, Mr Jordan must know this fact, and that the findings of the Internal Audit Department relative to the overstatement of 243 tons of sugar at Rose Hall Estate are subjected to such high standards.
The Production Manager and the Head Lab Technician did not deny there was an overstatement, but the ‘well-informed’ Member of Parliament denied this fact, and attributed
this to “merely a top-of-thesurface rush to the defence of the Minister of Agriculture and the Agency…” This is a gross insult and a direct attack on the Internal Audit Department of GuySuCo.
In simple words, the MP is saying the findings of the Internal Audit Department are a cover-up. As a professional accountant, I take umbrage at such a reckless and willful attempt to besmirch the character and professional integrity of my peers. Who is Jordan to make such a determination? This MP would do well to subject his party, the PNC, to close scrutiny when it comes to corruption, mismanagement, and related cover-ups.
The Auditor General’s Reports for all the years the Coalition was in Government are replete with taxpayers’ dollars being unaccounted for. For instance, Jordan should read the 2019 Report, in which the Auditor General submitted a ‘Disclaimer of Opinion’ which stated that, “I do not express an opinion on Financial Report of the Deposit Fund, Receipts and Payments of the Contingencies Fund and Statement of Assets and Liabilities of the Government which form part of the Consolidated Financial Statements because of the significance of the comments as contained
in the relevant sections of my Report. I have not been able to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence to provide a basis for an audit opinion on these statements for the fiscal year ended 31st December, 2019”.
The Coalition constantly raided and raped the Treasury. The details are in the Reports, Mr Jordan. This was what the Coalition did in their term in office from 2015 to 2020, and Jordan has the temerity and audacity to question the findings of the GuySuCo Internal Audit Department. This MP and his colleagues should spend some time dissecting and digesting the Auditor General’s Reports for all those years their party was in Government. It is anyone’s guess what they would have done with the oil money; they gave a good illustration with the US$18 signing bonus.
The Coalition has no moral or legal basis to speak about corruption. They should stick to conducting ‘pit latrines’ audits.
Mr Jordan and his ilk should have done an audit on the total cost of the closure of the four estates, which this Government has to bear. This is estimated at more than $100 billion. His colleague Winston Jordan had said that the estates would be kept in pristine
operational condition until sold, but instead billions in sugar canes, machinery and equipment were left to rot and decay. Even the grinding estates were not spared, since capital investment and rehabilitation work was minimal and thousands of hectares of sugar cane cultivation were abandoned.
It must be recalled that $17.6 billion from the $30 billion Bond was expended with nothing to show. This Government is now rectifying the havoc unleashed by the Coalition. Jordan and his colleagues should visit the Rose Hall Estate and its environs and behold the progress and prosperity which this Government has brought back. This has been the trend countrywide.
In conclusion, I wish to reiterate a statement from GuySuCo’s response to Jordan’s vexatious and spurious allegations: ‘The people of Guyana deserve better than these cheap political stunts. MP Jordan should focus on contributing positively to the nation, instead of spreading lies and stirring up unnecessary controversy’.
The Coalition should know that they cannot win an election on lies and deceptive statements.
Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf
The Coalition clutching at straws Venezuela...
In fact, Maduro has already violated many of the commitments of Argyle.
As Greg Quinn asks, “Why should anyone believe a word Maduro says or promises he makes?” and as Quinn goes on to offer his advice to President Ali: “Guyana needs to stand firm and ensure those who support it are clear in that support. It should give no sustenance to Venezuela by continuing fruitless discussions over things which are non-negotiable…time for trying to appease Venezuela has long past”.
And so said, so done.
President Ali made no bones about it when he spoke at the United Nations General Assembly. He reminded the world leaders gathered there in New York that “Guyana is a small state that has had to contend with aggression from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for all 58 years of our nationhood”, and em-
phasized the fact that “international law and its strict application have been our armour and our shield in our determination to protect ourselves from this aggression”.
He reaffirmed “Guyana’s unwavering commitment to a peaceful resolution of this longstanding controversy in full conformity with international law and the principles set forth in the United Nations Charter”, and further reminded them that “this controversy, initiated by Venezuela, was submitted by Guyana to the International Court of Justice, in accordance with the decision of the United Nations Secretary General and consistent with our position to settle this matter by legal and peaceful means”.
We can only hope that our friend and Caribbean colleague Ralph Gonsalves, who has led the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines with some distinction over many years, comes to his
senses where Maduro and his ugly threat to Guyana, and indeed peace in our region, is concerned. He would not then find a need to as-
sure us of his friendship; we would take it for granted.
Yours sincerely, Kit Nascimento
RBLCPL 2024 is now climaxing in Guyana
Dear Editor,
The 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (RBLCPL) is now climaxing in Guyana, and defending champions Guyana Amazon Warriors are certainly on a high. In their last match, played on Wednesday night at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, the home team humiliated the Barbados Royals, whom they completely outplayed with ball and bat.
The “Royals” won the toss, and asked the “Warriors” to take first strike; and the Warriors hammered the Royals’ bowling to all parts of the ground as they accumulated a winning 219 runs off their allotted 20 overs.
As international players, the opening batsmen gave the home team a brisk start. Rahmanullah Gurbaz opened the batting with crowd attraction Azam Khan, and they ensured the scoreboard kept ticking over. However, the team’s most respected and exciting batsmen, Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope, put on a dashing, solid century partnership. The batting of these two “Warriors” was indeed exciting, and their ability to rotate the strike and hit the ball out of the boundary was most entertaining.
Meanwhile, Romario Shepherd continues to be the hitman in the tournament.
The spinners Gudakesh Motie, Moeen Ali and the skipper Imran Tahir were always threatening and too good for the opposition batsmen. Only the hard-hitting David Miller proved to be a force to be reckoned with, as he hit out desperately at the end, all by himself.
All roads lead to the Guyana National Stadium at Providence this weekend, where on Saturday the Warriors take on St Lucía Kings, and on Sunday the Trinbago Knight Riders. These two matches will be exciting, as all four teams are already in the “Four” teams’ playoff.
The mammoth and vociferous crowd would be rallying behind their home team as CPL fever grips the nation. Expectations are sky high that the tremendous batting form of Hetmyer, Hope and Shepherd would be better than that of Pooran and de Cock.
Sincerely, Neil Kumar FROM PAGE 4
Replying to the Warriors' score, the Royals visibly suffered heavily from scoreboard pressure, as they struggled and perished in their attempt to attain the Warriors’ imposing score.
Planning and execution of CPL 2024 has surpassed that of previous years, and has resulted in generation of greater interest among the cricketing family around the world. Our players in this year’s tournament are setting records and marketing themselves for “franchises” worldwide. Guyana is glowing, as the carnival atmosphere, the “people participation”, and the efficient running of the tournament have produced thrills of the highest quality.
Let's rally behind the Amazon Warriors!
Page Foundation
Making a hyperbolic paraboloid
The hyperbolic paraboloid is a ruled surface, which means that you can create it using only straight lines even though it is curved. In fact, the hyperbolic paraboloid is doubly ruled and is one of only three curved surfaces than can be created using two distinct lines passing through each point. The others are the hyperboloid and the flat plane.
(Hyperbolic paraboloids are often referred to as “saddles”, for fairly obvious reasons. Their official name stems from the fact that their vertical cross sections are parabolas ( a plane curve which is mirror-symmetrical and U-shaped ), while the horizontal cross sections are hyperbolas.)
Tools and Materials
Skewers (12 inch)
Glue (superglue)
Marking pen
Step 1: Cut the skewers to the desired length (10 inches).
Step 2: Make a regular tetrahedron – Take six of the skewers. Use three of them to form an equilateral triangle. Glue together. Now use this as a template to form two skewers into a 60-degree angle, completing 2/3 of another equilateral triangle. Connect this to the equilateral triangle. You should be trying to form a regular tetrahedron. While holding this, connect the last edge. Glue them together. Clamps or another set of hands might be helpful.
Step 3: Mark the edges of the tetrahedron in regular
Maths as art
intervals of one inch.
Step 4: Connect the skewers between the marks. Use one edge – the edge that isn’t directly connected to that side. Connect a skewer to the first marks on each of the edges. There will be overlap. I distributed that evenly to each edge. Glue the skewer to the edges.
Step 5: Use skewers going the other direction to doubly rule the surface. Now you are going to use two of the other edges to form the other ruling lines. The goal is to have skewers that are always forming right angles at their connections to the skewers that are already there. You will probably have to experiment
to pick the correct edges and the correct direction. Once you figure it out, all you do is connect the first mark on one edge to the first mark on the other edge and continue as you did in the previous step.
Step 6: Remove the two extra tetrahedron edges (mathcraft.wonderhowto. com)
By Ovid
Whatever its diameter can manage
Through every waking moment, Spares a mouthful Only to shout for more. This voracity, this bottomless belly, As if his throat opened Into the void of stars, Engulfed his entire wealth. His every possession was converted To what he could devour Till nothing remained except a daughter. This only child deserved a better father. His last chattel, he cashed her in for food. He sold her, at the market. But she was far too spirited To stay as a bought slave.
Stretching her arms towards the sea, she cried: “You who ravished my maidenhead, save me.” Neptune knew the voice of his pretty victim And granted the prayer. Her new owner, Who minutes ago was admiring the girl he had bought,
Now saw only Neptune’s art––featured And clothed like a fisherman. Perplexed, He spoke to this stranger directly.
WORD SEARCH:
Guyana positioning itself as a global powerhouse for biodiversity – Pres Ali
With the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) driving the country’s development, Guyana is on the path to becoming a global powerhouse for biodiversity.
This is according to President Dr. Irfaan Ali during his recent participation in the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting 2024’s “Fireside Chat”. He was at the time talking about Guyana’s unique biodiversity resources.
Strategically located in two of the world’s richest biodiversity zones – the Guiana Shield and the Amazon Rainforest, Guyana is already being dubbed by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as one of the countries with the highest concentration of biodiversity.
“We are rich [in biodiversity]. Our bird species is more than the entire United States of America (USA). We have a high concentration of mam-
launch of a global biodiversity product.
“I am pleased to announce the launch of a global biodiversity alliance. We will convene the first global biodiversity alliance summit in 2025, which will focus on creating a market for biodiversity credits, scaling biodiversity conservation debt swaps, accelerating biodiversity bonds, establishing a blueprint for biodiversity taxonomies, and promoting nature-positive action,” the Guyanese Leader told the UN assembly.
President Ali further outlined in his UN presentation that Guyana’s dedication to preserving its rich biodiversity is reflected in its actions.
“We do not make this announcement by mere words. Guyana is also committing to doubling its protected areas by December 2025 and achieving the global biodiversity target of 30 per cent by 2030. These are real solutions that Guyana is putting forward to address the global
mals, birds, and amphibians and of course, we are very rich in fresh water. So, from a biodiversity perspective, we would be a powerhouse globally,” President Ali stated at the New York event.
The Head of state was in New York earlier this week to attend the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and during his debate on Wednesday, he announced the impending
problem of biodiversity loss. We do not lecture; we lead by example without arrogance,” he posited.
Only back in July, the Head of State had disclosed plans for Guyana to mobilise countries with rich biodiversity into a global coalition alliance on biodiversity so that they can work together on creating a scalable model that would address forest and biodiversity together.
This ambitious initiative expands on Guyana’s comprehensive Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, with the second phase now being rolled out and aimed at developing innovative financing instruments for biodiversity preservation.
In fact, only last week, the Guyanese Head of State was in Scotland, where he met with His Majesty King Charles III and had discussions to advance LCDS 2030. The visit follows the King’s Foundation's recent engagements in Guyana and the President’s own announcement that the Foundation would support the next phase of the LCDS, with a particular focus on sustainable urban development.
During that meeting, President Ali and King Charles discussed their shared commitment to climate resilience, sustainable development, agriculture, and community-driven initiatives supporting vulnerable populations.
“I am optimistic that we will work together as partners in the years ahead, es-
pecially with the new LCDS priorities—including sustainable urban development, biodiversity, and water management,” the Guyanese Leader had stated following the meeting.
Already, Guyana is earning massively from its forest carbon. With a tropical forest that takes up 86 per cent of its landmass, Guyana has the second highest percentage of forest cover on earth and one of the lowest deforestation rates. The forest stores 19.5 gigatons of carbon and sequesters more than 153 million tons annually.
In December 2022, the Guyana Government signed a historic contract with USbased Hess Corporation for the sale of 33.7 million of the country’s high-quality certified carbon credits – a deal that saw the nation earning US$750 million for just 30 per cent of its forest carbon. In the agreement, a rate of US$15 per tonne of carbon
was secured and the Guyana Government has allocated 15 per cent or $4.7 billion towards Amerindian development.
But with Guyana set to earn only US$87.5 million in 2024, a reduction from the US$150 million it received last year, it could have meant less money for indigenous communities. To prevent this, however, President Ali last month announced at the opening of the National Toshaos Conference, an 11 per cent increase in the funds to Amerindian communities. This will see these communities getting 26.5 per cent of this year’s earnings amounting to US$23.2 million or $4.84 billion.
Meanwhile, following the 242 Amerindian communities benefitting from the forest carbon funding last year, more communities, even those that are not fully indigenous, are now seeking to participate in the pro-
gramme and as a result, the government is injecting another $100 million from the monies earned directly into these additional communities.
President Ali said during the CGI “Fireside Chat” earlier this week that Guyana has already demonstrated that the country’s development is being guided by the low carbon development strategy and that the LCDS is not only a climate model but an economic model.
“The LCDS was not just about safeguarding the forest, it’s about how do we use this natural resource to earn revenue, expand the livelihood of the people to expand the economy; use it to ensure that the world understands that there is value to this standing forest, the ecological services that the forest provides, the biodiversity services that the forest provides, that there needs to be a market-based mechanism through which this must earn resources for the people and the development of the country.
“It is geared towards the improvement of livelihoods, expansion of the economy, utilising climate and ecological services for the benefit of the country and the world, whilst at the same time safeguarding an important global asset for the existence of people globally… And we’re not changing our development path, that is, we’re not changing our commitment to the forest, we’re not changing our commitment to biodiversity. We’ve accelerated that commitment by saying in 18 months, we’re going to double the preservation area for biodiversity,” the Guyanese Leader stated. (G-8)
President Dr Irfaan Ali during the event hosted by the Clinton Global Initiative
Power...
…and policing
Your Eyewitness knows that he sounds like a broken record, but he can’t help returning to the sorry state of our Police Force; which, from the newspaper reports, is getting sorrier by the minute. Yes, minute!! In addition to the condign quotidian use of force on the citizenry to presumably keep “law and order” as was set out by the British colonial order, we now have a series of crimes that go far beyond the old shakedown for a “fried rice”. But judging from the protruding bellies that have now become the order of the Police Force, they haven’t given up on fried rice!!
So, we now have regular beatings, shootings and, suddenly, “white collar” crimes like embezzlement and illegal establishment and use of businesses to build fortunes!! What he’d like to discuss - as he always tries to do in these matters - is the contextuality of the broader issue in terms of our lived reality in Guyana. The police are the most ubiquitous arm of the state that’s visible to the ordinary citizen, and they are given a lot of power. This includes the ULTIMATE power of the state - to snuff out the lives of citizens if they, the police, determine the “order” of society - including their own lives - is at risk. That’s a lotta power; and, like all power, we shouldn’t be surprised it corrupts the wielders!!
To deal with the initial potential “threat” from the masses, states have organized the police in a very militarized manner from its beginning in the 19th century. And while there’ve since been reforms, the militarized orientation stubbornly persists. In Guyana, there’s been talk for decades of addressing this orientation by renaming the police institution as the “Police Service” rather than “Police Force” - and changing their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS) to operationalize the “kinder, gentler” approach. But we haven’t gotten anywhere, have we? In America, it has long been recognized that in a racially diverse society, part of the problem is that some groups are underrepresented in the police. This has been ignored in Guyana.
The accountability of the police is always an issue: with that much power, it’s always open to abuse. Take the force used to subdue several suspects who were killed in “confrontations” over the last decades. It’s a regular feature for the police to report that the victims were attacking them with cutlasses -- as if Guyanese think cutlasses can ward off bullets!! But the graduation of the police into white-collar crimes is just as wrong as their brutality – they can use their position to shake down at levels light years above fried rice!!
So, will the police “force” ever become a police “service”?
…and institutional culture
The legendary management guru Peter Drucker famously said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”. He, of course, was talking about business culture and its impact on management strategies for achieving their goals and objectives. Unless you change the culture of the business you wish to be successful, even if you come up with the best strategy in the world, it’ll fail.
And we return to our Police Force, whereon we therefore should be spending a hell of a lot more of our time in changing its culture to one of “service” if we ever expect to have fewer arbitrary police killings and other abuses here. We have to start with recruitment - and this means increased salaries in addition to requiring more education. The training would also have to involve a thorough inculcation of the basic courtesies that the police should extend to citizens. Have you ever been stopped by the police on the road?
But, ultimately, values can only be transmitted through action – and in this case, the actions of the police brass!
…and intellect
Pres Ali met the head of USAID, Samantha Power. She’s an immigrant who made it good big time!! From Yale, she became a journalist who wrote a Pulitzer Prize-winning book on genocide, and then was the US Rep to the UN.
Govt spending $7B to ease rising cost of living
Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday stated that the government has a ton of ideas on how to spend the $7 billion that has been budgeted for 2024 to ease the rising cost of living.
Speaking at his weekly press briefing, Jagdeo related that President Dr. Irfaan Ali will be addressing the National Assembly next month where he is expected to outline those measures.
“I know we have a ton of ideas and the President will speak at the opening of the Parliament,” he said. The National Assembly is currently in recess which runs from August 10 to October 10.
“As far as I know…the money is still in the budget not being utilised as yet for specific interventions on cost of living,” Jagdeo add -
$35,000 one-off bonus in 2023.
The government had allocated $850 million to purchase fertiliser for distribution to farmers. This measure had benefitted 287,000 acres of cultivation and 35,000 farmers. Further, under the Community Infrastructure
ed.
Already, the government has rolled out a wide range of measures aimed at addressing the rising cost of living affecting citizens.
Those measures included a $25,000 one-off bonus paid to all public servants, including teachers and members of the disciplined services, semi-autonomous agencies, and public enterprises such as the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).
In addition, old-age pensioners had received a $25,000 one-off payment in December 2023, which had seen some 72,000 pensioners benefitting.
A one-off grant of $28,000 had been paid to all old-age pensioners in 2022, and they had received a $25,000 one-off grant in 2021. Further, persons living with disabilities who were on the public register had received a
Improvement Project (CIIP), community enhancement workers’ monthly earnings had been adjusted upwards to $40,000, which had seen over 2000 workers benefitting.
The government had also reversed Value Added Tax (VAT) on essential services like electricity and water as well as restore zero-rated status to essential food items.
Additionally, the government had reduced the excise tax on fuel importation to zero while also reintroduced the annual electricity subsidy of $30,000 for pensioners.
With regard to the Old Age Pension, this was moved from $20,500 in 2020 to $36,000 per month this year – reflecting a 75 per cent increase under the PPP/C Administration. Some 76,000 persons are benefiting from this mea -
sure, placing an additional $2.7 billion of disposable
income in their hands.
Moreover, Public Assistance moved upward from $9000 in 2020 to $19,000 in 2024, giving over 35,000 citizens another $1.2 billion in additional disposable income.
The “Because We Care” cash grant of $40,000 per child this year – a substantial increase from $15,000 in 2021 when it was reinstated by the PPP – coupled with the $5000 uniform allowance will see a disbursement of a whopping $9.2 billion in 2024. Over the past four years, a total of $26.9 billion in cash
grants have been disbursed to schoolchildren under the programme.
As a result of the threshold increase, some 13,000 persons were removed from paying income taxes and this will result in a $4.8 billion increase in disposable income of workers. Meanwhile, another $4 billion was set aside for the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarships. In previous years, the allocations for this initiative were: $1 billion in 2021, $1.3 billion in 2022, and $1.8 billion in 2023. Moreover, the govern -
ment has rolled out the first phase of the University of Guyana (UG) student loan write-off exercise.
Furthermore, thousands of Guyanese have benefitted from mortgage relief. Last month, the President had outlined that "the government has increased the mortgage interest relief from 15 million to 30 million… to date, approximately close to 17,000 homeowners have benefitted and the total costs of more than $2.7 billion that was put back directly in the pockets of 17,000."
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
President Dr Irfaan Ali
GOGEC hosts youth forum with focus on integrating youths into oil & gas industry
The Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC) on Friday hosted an Oil and Gas Youth Forum at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown under the theme “Integrating Youths in National Life.”
The forum brought together over 350 young professionals, and students from Queen’s College, President’s College, St. Stanislaus College, St. Roses High School, St. Joseph’s High School, The Bishop’s High School, University of Guyana (UG), Ministry of Natural Resources, Government Technical Institute (GTI) and School of the Nations to explore the critical role of youth in shaping the future of the oil and gas industry and contributing to
Berbice
national development.
The President of the GOGEC, Manniram Prashad focused on empowering young people to take active roles in the energy sector, highlighting the importance of integrating their ideas and talents into the broader framework
of national growth and sustainability.
The keynote Speaker was Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo who emphasised the importance of youth involvement in strategic sectors like oil and gas. He highlighted that the future of national de-
‘wife beater’ nabbed behind Albion Sugar Estate
Almost one month after evading police for allegedly beating his wife, Edwin Jowheir was arrested on Friday in the backlands of GuySuco’s Albion Estate, East BerbiceCorentyne.
He was accused of assaulting his wife, Jyoti Jowheir in August. Jowheir, 38, had been on the run after his wife reported to the Rose Hall Town Police Station that her husband had physically assaulted her.
According to her statement, she was riding her electric scooter around 9:30h on August 26, 2024, when the suspect who was riding his motorcycle, crashed into her deliberately.
She reportedly fell to the ground. Further, she recounted that after the crash, the suspect dismounted his motorcycle and assaulted her by striking her in the face and abdomen.
She also reported that he hurled a brick at her, causing injuries to her face and body. Following the assault, she sought medical attention, and police began efforts to locate Edwin.
Despite a police team being dispatched to apprehend him on the same day, the man managed to escape. Authorities were later able to recover his XR motorcycle, identified by Jyoti as the
vehicle involved in the incident, from his residence.
The motorcycle was secured at the Albion Police Station, as Edwin failed to provide the necessary documents to reclaim it.
Following the woman’s initial report, investigators said they conducted multiple follow-up operations on August 31, September 9, and September 23, to apprehend the suspect but were unsuccessful.
velopment depends on how we integrate young talents into key sectors like energy by investing in youth today, we are securing a prosperous future for our nation.
The Hon. Vice-President explored how youth engagement in the oil and gas sector could contribute to broader national goals, including economic development, innovation, and sustainable energy solutions.
Discussions centred on how academic institutions, the government, and the oil and gas sector can collaborate to equip young people with the skills needed to drive national growth.
Participants participated in the question-and-answer segment, which focused on infrastructural developments in Guyana, the healthcare sector, project management in the energy sector, and innovation-driven solutions to industry challenges.
These young attendees played a central role in the forum, presenting ideas on how they could contribute to the oil and gas industry and, by extension, national development.
Dr. Jagdeo delivered a powerful closing message,
emphasising the importance of sustained efforts to integrate youth into national strategic sectors.
President of the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC), Manniram Prashad at the podium
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
A section of the youths at the event
Edwin Jowheir
1st batch of allottees identify lands at Stewartville-East
The first batch of persons allocated lands at Stewartville-East, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) was able to identify their lots on Friday.
During the exercise, Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal joined the allottees and their families.
The minister highlighted that the combined Stewartville-East and West Housing Scheme area accommodates over 2,100 allottees. Friday’s exercise was facilitated by the agency’s surveys unit and involved the first 200 allottees from Stewartville-East.
Additional batches will be called for a similar exercise as infrastructural work
Essequibo duo remanded on joint armed robbery charge
Twenty-three-year-old Jarod Granville and 33-year-old Rabindra Lall, who is also called 'Pope', have been remanded to prison following their arraignment before Suddie Magistrate Tamieka Clarke on a joint charge of armed robbery.
The police contend that these two residents of Henrietta village on the Essequibo Coast in Region Two robbed Xiaoming Yang, a 38-year-old Chinese national, last Monday at her place of business at Lima village on the Essequibo Coast.
Charged: Jarod Grandville
Details of the robbery were not released to the media, but the two men have pleaded not guilty to the charge, and have been re-
Charged: Rabindra Lall
manded to prison until October 16, 2024. The matter has been transferred to the Magistrate's Court at Anna Regina in Region Two.
in the area progresses.
The first-phase infrastructure works include the land clearing, drainage networks, roads, bridges and culverts. Significant efforts are also being made to develop the main access road to the housing scheme.
“On Stewartville-East we have two more lots to be completed, which will be done in the next three weeks […] and we have one more lot on Stewartville-West to be completed before October
is finished,” said the minister.
He added, “It means that everybody in StewartvilleEast and West will be able to see their land before October is finished”. The allottees can now move forward with constructing their homes, as the Ministry of Housing intensifies efforts to promote homeownership throughout the country.
Over 5,600 house lots have been allocated in
Region Three from 2020 to 2023, and $42.2 billion has been spent on infrastructural works in the region. The ministry is putting a dent in the existing backlog it met upon assuming office in 2020, although it continues to receive applications for house lots. An evaluation of the pending applications for Region Three in 2022 stood at about 14,000, but as of last year, that number had been reduced to just over 13,000.
Two families during the exercise on Friday
Guyana urges global response to combat antimicrobial resistance
– could result in 10 million deaths annually by 2050
Guyana’s Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, issued a powerful call for international cooperation to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at the Plenary Segment of the High-Level Meeting on AntiMicrobial Resistance during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City.
Speaking during a high-level meeting on Thursday, Minister Anthony stressed the devastating impact AMR could have on global health, economies, and food security if left unchecked.
AMR occurs when bacte-
ria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve to resist the effects of antimicrobial drugs, such as antibiotics, antifungals, and antivirals. This makes infections harder to treat, increases the risk of spreading diseases, and leads to higher mortality rates.
Dr. Anthony highlighted the grave reality of AMR, stating, “AMR is gradually undoing the progress we have achieved in medicine over the past century. In 2019 alone, AMR resulted in at least 1.27 million deaths worldwide, surpassing deaths from HIV and malaria.”
He further emphasised
the economic toll, citing World Bank estimates that project AMR could cost between $1 trillion and $3.4 trillion in GDP losses per year by 2030, with healthcare costs alone reaching $1 trillion by 2050.
The Minister warned that infections are becoming harder to treat, and routine medical procedures are becoming increasingly risky due to resistant bacteria. The World Health Organisation (WHO) predicts AMR could cause up to 10 million deaths annually by 2050.
Dr. Anthony underscored that this crisis: “does not discriminate between
the developed and developing nations”, and called for global solidarity in implementing action plans, investing in new medicines, and ensuring the responsible use of antibiotics.
Guyana has taken a proactive stance, developing a five-year national action
plan to combat AMR. This plan not only supports the country’s healthcare system but also strengthens the CARICOM’s response to AMR. Dr. Anthony expressed Guyana’s commitment to global health security, saying, “We look forward to working with like-mind-
ed partners to make a difference.”
As the world stands at a critical turning point, Dr. Anthony urged countries to unite and use this new political declaration to create a future where antibiotics remain effective, infections can be treated, and economies can thrive.
“Together, we will make a difference through a comprehensive, coordinated, and sustained global response to AMR”, he said.
Just a month ago, the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and the WHO, held a two-day national workshop addressing the rise of AMR in the country.
The workshop aimed to develop a National AMR Strategy to combat this growing concern.
Dr Frank Anthony at the Plenary segment of the High-Level Meeting on Anti-Microbial Resistance in New York City
Trio charged, remanded for Unity Supermarket robbery
Three men who had executed a daring daylight robbery on the Ayan Supermarket at Unity, East Coast Demerara last Saturday, September 22, have been remanded to prison after their arraignment before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Wednesday September 26 at the Cove and John Magistrate’s Court, ECD.
Initially, these men: 23-year-old Lushawn Crawford, known as 'Kang'; 25-year-old Renardo Persaud and 20-year-old Anton Fraser, had been arraigned before Vigilance Magistrate Fabayo Azore on September 24, and had each been placed on $50,000 bail with orders to re-
turn to court on October 15.
On their second arraignment, this time before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, charged with the offences of possession of firearm without licence and possession of ammunition without licence, they have been remanded, and will make their next court appearance on October 16, 2024.
RECAP
It has been reported that last Saturday, September 22, at about 16:10h, while the third suspect waited in the getaway car -- silver-coloured Toyota Axio PAB 5491 – the other two suspects entered the Chinese-operated supermarket, and one of them bran-
dished a firearm at the cashier while the other confiscated the cash that was in the register. The bandits then fled the scene in the vehicle.
An alarm was promptly raised, the police were contacted, and a unit reportedly spotted the getaway car in the Nabaclis area, ECD. A brief chase resulted in this vehicle crashing into another. Fortunately, no one in the other vehicle was injured.
When the suspects were detained, police discovered they had a 9mm Beretta pistol with matching magazine and ammunition, an amount of $9,750 in cash, a haversack, ski masks, and caps. They were later charged.
The gun that the suspects had
Charged: Anton Fraser Charged: Renardo Persaud Charged: Lushawn Crawford, aka Kang
Jagdeo advocates disciplinary action against negligent procurement officials
In a resolute appeal at his weekly press conference on Thursday, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo emphasised the need for strict disciplinary measures against procurement officials who fail to fulfil their duties responsibly.
His remarks follow his recent meeting with Permanent Secretaries and Regional Executive Officers to convey the government’s zero-tolerance policy for breaches, failures, and corruption within the procurement process.
"People should face responsibility," he stated, reinforcing the government's commitment to maintaining integrity in procurement
“We have made it clear that we will not countenance any departure from the procurement act and regulations that form part of the
legislation governing procurement in Guyana.”
Jagdeo highlighted a specific case involving the head of an evaluation committee who neglected proper bid evaluations, merely recording prices instead of thoroughly assessing the submissions. This oversight compromises the evaluation committee's report, which is crucial for cabinet decisions on contractor selections.
"That's not simple dereliction of duty; that is a grave dereliction of duty," Jagdeo asserted, advocating for the official’s termination.
The Vice President underscored that accountability is essential, citing instances where engineers were dismissed for collusion and approving substandard work.
According to the Vice President, while 95 per cent of projects are executed ef-
ficiently, he acknowledged that the remaining 5 per cent exhibit concerning issues, such as sole sourcing and restrictive tendering.
“While we continue to implement the projects that are doing well, there is no intention to turn a blind eye
CPA responded to over 2700 cases of child abuse
The Human Services and Social Security Ministry (MHSSS), through its Child Care and Protection Agency (CPA), has to date responded to approximately 2,753 reports of child abuse, and continues to remain vigilant in an effort to ensure that all children can live in a safe and secure environment.
This has been revealed by Levine Gouveia, Head of the Child Care and Protection Agency, on Wednesday during that Ministry’s annual Child Protection Awareness Rally held at the University of Guyana’s Tain Campus in Berbice.
Subject Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud, who delivered the keynote address at the rally, credited that number of responses to the courage of those who had reported cases of abuse.
“Wherever children are, we need to be more vigilant in ensuring that we listen to our children, we hear them, and we take all steps in our power to ensure that, where they are, they are catered for in how we navigate child care and protection,” the minister has said.
With a focus on rehabilitating survivors of abuse, the MHSSS offers an array of hands-on assistance, including schooling and counselling to children who have been rescued from abusive homes. These efforts are aimed at aiding in promoting a feeling of normalcy and stability for victims.
Dr Persaud has stressed, “We need to be proactive, and we need to ensure that every case is followed up until that child’s safety is guaranteed. We must never allow any child’s case to slip through the cracks, irre-
spective of how many cases we have.”
The MHSSS has published a parenting manual and has introduced parenting courses to educate guardians on proper and safe child care in moves aimed at promoting non-violent disciplinary methods.
As she spoke on disciplinary actions, Minister Persaud encouraged parents to “talk to your child, and use other forms of discipline.”
Teachers also have been encouraged to go beyond academics to educate and nurture students on how to attend to their wellbeing.
Government continues to process child abuse cases and provide the necessary support, while the MHSSS is encouraging all citizens to remember that “child protection is everyone’s business.”
to the 5 per cent that have transgressions,” he said.
As recently as Tuesday, the vice president issued a stern warning to public sector agencies' heads and accounting officers in reaf-
firming the government’s commitment to enforcing strict compliance with procurement rules. He has made it clear that any departure from these regulations would not be tolerated.
He acknowledged the challenges agencies face in managing the country’s “unprecedented” Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP); and while commending public servants for successfully implementing most of those projects despite resource constraints, he expressed concern over issues in procurement practices.
Pointing out that there have been some deviations from the Procurement Act and the Standard Bidding Document despite the time and effort spent in developing these advanced legis-
lative frameworks, Jagdeo stressed that all public officials must familiarise themselves with the Procurement Act and Standard Bidding Documents, and fully comply with the rules. On the rare occasion that the need should arise to depart from the Standard Bidding Documents, he said, it should occur only with prior approval from the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).
He said officials would be evaluated on their adherence to these guidelines, moving forward. He urged accounting officers to ensure that contracts focus solely on essential project deliverables moving forward, and not be used for the comfort of their own agencies.
Security officer among 2 charged with Leonora double murder
Twenty-nine-year-old Alex Amsterdam, a Security Officer and 23-year-old Terry Thorman, a minibus conductor were on Friday arraigned for the murder of Mohamed Kalameeden Nasir and Arvinda Roopram who were stabbed to death during a brawl at Leonora West Coast Demerara (WCD) on Saturday last.
The two accused appeared before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Leonora Magistrate's Court and were not required to plead to the indictment.
As such, they were remanded to prison until October 11, 2024.
It was reported that Nasir and Roopram were stabbed during a brawl with a group of men after leaving a popular night spot. Amsterdam also sustained injuries during the incident.
Based on reports received, Nasir 30, of Lot 1 Stewartville, WCD and Roopram, 25, of Lot 52 Stewartville, WCD and the two suspects were engaged in a heated argument which subsequently erupted into a scuffle during which they were stabbed about their bodies. The two suspects, Amsterdam called ‘Mario’, received one stab wound to his upper abdomen, while the second suspect, Thornman made good his escape from the scene in an unknown direction but was later apprehended by the police.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
Some of the reading materials
Charged: Terry Thorman
Charged: Alex Amsterdam Dead: Arvinda Roopram
Dead: Mohamed Kalameeden Nasir
Storm-affected Linden residents refuse to utilise shelter – Town Clerk
– says rebuilding works progressing
Several persons who were provided shelter by the government following a freak storm in the mining town of Linden over the weekend have since refused the offer. This was according to Linden’s Town Clerk Lennox Gasper during an interview with the Guyana Times.
In a previous interview with the town clerk, he stated that due to the severity of damages to several buildings, an area to shelter the affected persons was identified but on Friday, in an update, he revealed that this resource has not been utilised as yet.
“With the intervention of the Civil Defense Commission (CDC), they would’ve engaged those persons. Some were able to get tents and food supplies along with cleaning materi-
Fire erupts at DDL Diamond power plant
Afire of unknown origin has destroyed a power plant at the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD) location. The fire reportedly started just after 16:40h but with the quick response of the Guyana Fire Service (GFS), the blaze was contained to one building.
The GFS in a release following the fire stated that “The Fire Service is currently responding to a fire at the Demerara Distillers Limited Power Plant, Diamond, East Bank Demerara.”
The release further added that “It was reported that a generator was on fire, and upon arrival, firefighters discovered that chemical and fuel bonds, along with gas cylinders, were at risk.”
In addition, the company in a subsequent release stated that “At approximately 16:40h, a fire was observed near one of the generating sets in the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) Diamond Complex Power
Station.”
the Power Station.”
als, however, they would’ve indicated that they do not wish to move. So the shelter has been checked out by the CDC but it's just basically in case they have a change of mind” he said.
He further revealed that some persons are currently camping out in the yards of neighbours, whilst one man even decided to sleep in his car to safeguard his property.
“They are displaced because we know for certain the one on Blueberry Hill, they literally had to pull a tent in the neighbour's yard
then you see their bed and everything that was there. The entire house is basically in the yard. The person on Mckenzie with a quarter of the roof blow off, I think the man was comfortable sleeping in his car because he said he’s not going to leave his place for the night walkers to take advantage of what is there” he said.
Moreover, Gasper revealed that through the central government, most of these homes have already been repaired.
As such, the DDL Fire Response Team responded and worked to control the fire until the arrival of GFS units
“The Guyana Fire Service was able to contain the fire to the power station. No other facilities or installations are under threat. The Guyana Fire Service continues to work to extinguish the fire in
While the magnitude of the destruction is yet to be relayed, one eyewitness stated that the roof of the power plant caved in but no one was hurt. At the time of the
blaze, no one was reportedly in the facility and those who were nearby rushed to safer grounds. An investigation is underway.
Guyana’s Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd is presently attending the IV Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Brasilia Consensus held on the sidelines of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
The meeting will evaluate the Roadmap for the Integration of South America which was approved by the Presidents of South America in October 2023 to give shape to a flexible South American dialogue to advance regional integration and promote cooperation.
The roadmap sets out 17 priority areas of cooperation including climate change, combating transnational organised crime, trade and investment, digital connectivity, cross-border cooperation, defence, social development, education and culture, energy development, financing,
Meanwhile, on Tuesday evening several houses situated in Linden Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Upper Berbice) were affected as heavy winds and rain swept through the mining town. These structures were left exposed to the elements as heavy winds damaged and, in some cases, ripped off the entire roof of these homes. Moreover, flash flooding also affected several residents as heavy rains washed through the town.
Following the freak storm, on Wednesday morning Public Works Minister Juan Edghill alongside Local Government and Regional Development Minister Sonia Parag as well as officials from the Civil Defense Commission (CDC) conducted a walkthrough exercise at several communities to aid affected residents. Through central government materials such as hygienic products, food supplies, cleaning supplies, zinc and tarpaulins.
“Out of the 13 properties on the McKenzie shore that were affected 8 were completed, the balance which would have been 5 they’re still ongoing, and we would have had some technical difficulties in works to be done. In terms of framing over the entire roof. More and more difficult work than just the zinc sheets. On the Wismar shore out of the 20, just about half was completed and the other half is still being worked on as we speak,” Gasper highlighted.
SA 2023 roadmap to advance regional integration being evaluated
gender disaster risk management, infrastructure and transport, productive integration, migration, health and food security.
The meeting is presid-
ed over by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, His Excellency Luis Gilberto Murillo as Pro Tempore President of the Brazilian Consensus.
Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd
Firefighters at the scene after the fire was contained A section of the roof that crumbled
section that was destroyed
7 homeless as fire guts 3 houses in suspected arson
erty. She said tensions have been high over the past few months, with threats coming from family members over the ownership of the land.
“Everybody is fighting for a leased land... the person who burned down the house lives here, she is a relative and people encouraging her. She was sending threats and telling us that she would burn down the place. Neighbours say her… we all know where this came from,” she added.
Seven persons, including two children, are homeless after a fire, suspected to be arson, destroyed three small wooden structures along Hadfield Street, Georgetown, on Friday. The fire, which broke out just after 15:00h, is believed to have been deliberately set, following a bitter family dispute over the land.
Among the displaced is Tinesha Berkshire, who told Guyana Times that she received word of the fire while at work.
“I was at work and was just telling my colleagues that my father living over the road when I saw my phone ringing. As soon as I was about to answer, one of my workmates rushed and said fire, fire over the road. As soon as I heard that, I rushed out and when I reached, I saw the house on fire”, the woman said.
According to Berkshire, the family has been entangled in a longstanding dispute over the land where they live, which is leasehold prop-
The woman added that this was not the first time the property was allegedly targeted. As just a week ago, fire services were called to extinguish a fire in their yard, also believed to be set by the same
relative.
“Neighbours saw her setting the fire that day she
started lighting the fire from behind the house at the back. What she did here traumatised everybody,” Berkshire said, referring to her relative. “We also had a situation where my brother came home and found the house soaked in kerosene oil for which I believe my brother and father went to the police over.”
The fire on Friday reportedly started at the rear of the property, in the home of Berkshire’s 60-year-old father, Nigel Berkshire. She explained that her father, who had been away at work, had taken precautions by unplugging all appliances before leaving.
“They were saying that the fire started at the back of the house. There’s no way the fire could’ve started from anything in his house. My father didn’t even lock his door this
morning. I locked his door. We have been living here (her and her kids) for nine years, my father has been living here longer. When I came, I saw my father in tears.”
When asked about their next move now that they would have lost everything to the fire, Tinesha said they would have to be compensated by the person who allegedly lit the houses on fire.
Meanwhile, Nigel overwhelmed with emotion, told this publication that the loss was devastating and he is still trying to understand how everything happened.
“I’ve lost everything – up to this morning I took out the money and I counted it and I had over $1.2 million in cash. I don’t keep my money in the bank, I save it at home. I lost everything and I am homeless. I lost everything. My pass-
port, my ID card, birth certificate…I purchased a piece of land everything burned up… I don’t have anywhere to go because I am not a friendly person, I don’t mix up so I don’t have anybody,” he shared tearfully.
“I work hard and I save my money. I don’t party or go anywhere, I wanted to put a house on the land that I bought and that was what the money was for. But, now, everything is gone…”.
The family is now calling for justice, adamant that the fire was no accident. “We’ve lost everything, and whoever is responsible for this must be held accountable,” Tinesha stressed.
Authorities are investigating the incident, and the family is hopeful that those responsible will be brought to justice.
(LaWanda McAllister)
Schlumberger pumps G$4.2M into enhancing Guyana’s zoological facilities
What began as a simple WhatsApp conversation among key stakeholders about improving living conditions for animals at the Georgetown Zoological Park has now evolved into the rehabilitation of one of the shelters by Schlumberger to the tune of $4.2 million.
The facility was commissioned on Friday during which the Managing Director of SLB Schlumberger, Sharlene S. Seegoolam, relayed that the facility will house a wide array of animals.
“This space will house some of the zoological park's most treasured and vulner-
able species: the red-footed and yellow-footed tortoises and the majestic jabiru stork, the zoo's oldest resident.”
“SLB was the first to come on board and pave the way for others to follow but beyond the aesthetics, beyond the newly refurbished enclosure, this initiative is about something much larger: safeguarding biodiversity and the rehabilitation efforts at this zoo are part of a broader transformation, one that seeks to turn this facility into research and conservation centre.”
Amidst highlighting SLB’s contribution, she found the need to highlight other key partners who made
this commissioning possible.
“I must acknowledge our partners, the Project Areas Commission and our own incredible team of volunteers, some of whom are joining us today- who have played critical roles in turning this vision into reality. We could not have done it alone in fact, that our early commitment to this initiative encouraged other companies to join in, helping fasttrack the funding for what had been a long-awaited national project,” she told the gathering.
This project was also a key factor in promoting biodiversity and ensuring a vibrant presence in sustainable initiatives aimed at positively impacting the environment.
“It is our goal as a company to create a sustainable environmental footprint in the communities where we operate as it speaks to a larger puzzle, but it is an important piece, it speaks to some of our core values at SLB: environmental stewardship, community engagement, and taking care of our people.”
Meanwhile, Commissioner of the Protected Area Commission
Jason Fraser stated, “We have heard from the general public and let’s be frank, [there is] the dissatisfaction at times at the state of our zoo, [however] behind me is the first enclosure that we would have rehabilitated in our private public partnership. I would like other organisations to also step up to the plate to help us create safer, secure, educational, urban, green spaces including the zoological park.”
Before the commissioning of the facility, Guyanese who have travelled abroad have been testifying about
the differences in standards between Guyana’s local parks and zoos in other countries.
In the past, the zoo and park facilities in Georgetown attracted limited enthusiasm from visitors due to a variety of concerns.
Safety was a key issue, with reports of vagrants and loiterers in the area deterring many from visiting.
Additionally, the environment was often described as untidy, with unpleasant odours noticeable from a distance.
The zoo itself offered lit -
tle novelty, with a limited number of animals on display, including a few exotic birds, large snakes, caimans, turtles, monkeys, and big cats like the jaguar. Visitors also raised concerns about the animals' enclosures, citing the confined spaces as inadequate compared to their natural habitats, which allow for more freedom to roam, climb, and jump. In previous years, some visitors also expressed disappointment with the state of the facility, with a number regretting their decision to pay for entry.
Managing Director of SLB, Sharlene Seegoolam
The new shelter that was commissioned
Occupant of the house: Tinesha Berkshire
Nigel Berkshire
The house that was destroyed by fire
Keep the momentum flowing. Don’t give in or make concessions that compromise your position or ambitions. Be direct about what you want and what you are willing to give back.
Don’t cross lines that will cause emotional turmoil. Offering incentives, positive suggestions and hands-on help will bring high returns. A change of scenery will lead to something exciting.
Be optimistic and offer positive affirmations to those around you, and you’ll get high returns. Make changes at home that are conducive to better health and peace of mind. Refrain from making snap financial decisions.
Socialize and do something that lifts your spirits. Walk away from negativity, criticism and demanding people. A hidden skill will evolve if you invest time in something that you can add to your qualifications.
Try something new. Participate in an event that connects you with interesting people. Fact-check and apply what’s valid to your plans. Protect your assets and your secrets. Walk away from emotional drama.
Challenge yourself physically and connect with people heading in a similar direction. Make health a priority, and build solid relationships with like-minded people as part of your mission.
Gather information and discuss your plans with those closest to you. An opportunity is apparent. Listen to concerns and evaluate the pros and cons, but in the end, follow your instincts.
Get in the game, do your thing and contribute to something you believe in. Instead of fretting over what will be, take control and steer your way to victory. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Sort through your options and choose what’s best for you. An opportunity is only worthwhile if it positively impacts your life and well-being. Don’t settle to satisfy someone else’s whims.
A change of routine will give you the boost you need to pursue something that excites you. Refuse to let anyone talk you into something that doesn’t benefit you. Follow your heart.
Choose to spend more time with someone who brings value to your life. Enjoying a pastime or event with someone will improve your pilgrimage. Talks will lead to valuable legal, medical or financial information.
Take the time to consider the pros and cons of whatever situation you face and sit tight until you feel able and ready to implement a move. Pay attention to self-improvement and feeling comfortable with your surroundings.
New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka 2024: Test 2 of 2…
Sri Lanka dominate day 2 at 602 for 5
– as Kamindu Mendis scores 182*, Kusal Mendis scores 106
For Sri Lanka, it was a day of big numbers.
Kamindu Mendis became the fastest man to 1000 Test runs in 75 years when he struck 182 not out. He equalled Don Bradman's pace to the milestone, and sits third-equal alongside the greatest batter cricket has ever seen.
Kusal Mendis made a hundred too - the tenth in his career - as he and Kamindu put on an unbeaten stand of 200 for the sixth wicket. All up, Sri Lanka got to 602 for 5 before declaring the moment Kamindu had crossed the 1000-run mark. They had batted 163.4 overs.
For New Zealand, it was a day of much smaller numbers. They claimed only two wickets in the 73.4 overs they bowled on day two, with Glenn Phillips being the only bowler to make a breakthrough. Towards the end of the day, they had 14 overs to face, and inside those, Tom Latham was out for 2, and Devon Conway was dismissed via a contro-
versial third-umpire's decision for 9. They finished at 22 for 2, with hope getting slimmer by the over that they could meaningful-
SCOREBOARD
Sri Lanka 1st Innings
Pathum Nissanka c †Blundell
b Southee 1
Dimuth Karunaratne run out (Phillips/Latham) 46
Dinesh Chandimal †
b Phillips 116
Angelo Mathews c O'Rourke
b Phillips 88
Kamindu Mendis not out 182
Dhananjaya de Silva (c) c †Blundell
b Phillips 44
Kusal Mendis not out 106
Extras (b 6, lb 8, nb 2, w 3) 19
Total 163.4 Ov (RR: 3.67, 670 Mins) 602/5d
Yet to bat: Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell †, Glenn
ly compete in this match. The pitch seemed to be taking substantial turn towards the end of the day, at least it seemed to be the case while Sri Lanka operated with the new ball.
Kamindu's progress from 51 overnight was largely in the morning session, in which he moved to 93. He scored heavily square of the
fussily to a fifth Test hundred, and celebrated with trademark reserve. Kusal started slowly as New Zealand put together some tight spells after lunchMitchell Santner bowling with particular control - before he, too, began to find run-scoring easier, particularly thanks to his strong sweep shot. He made only
sion, going to tea at 135 and 70. The evening was about notching milestonesKamindu making the second 150 of his career before Kusal strode to his century off 148 balls in the end. After that, it was about letting Kamindu get to 178, so he could surpass the 1000run career tal ly. Captain de Silva declared soon as Kamindu had launched Ravindra down
the ninth over of the innings was not as straightforward. Conway had defended at a turning ball from Prabath Jayasuriya, and the bowler and wicketkeeper appealed immediately - seemingly for the lbw. Umpire Nitin Menon gave Conway out, but when the batter reous outside edge before the
However, after it struck pad, the ball had flown to de Silva at slip, who seemingly took a low catch.
Did not bat: Nishan Peiris, Prabath Jayasuriya, Milan Rathnayake, Asitha Fernando Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Pathum Nissanka, 0.6 ov), 2-124 (Dimuth Karunaratne, 39.1 ov), 3-221 (Dinesh Chandimal, 72.3 ov), 4-328 (Angelo Mathews, 96.3 ov), 5-402 (Dhananjaya de Silva, 118.3 ov) Bowling O-M-R-W Tim Southee 19-1-70-1 William O’Rourke 17-1-81-0 Ajaz Patel 41-5-135-0 Mitchell Santner 33-5-82-0 Glenn Phillips 38-4-141-3 Rachin Ravindra 12.4-0-54-0 Daryl Mitchell 3-0-25-0 New Zealand 1st Innings Tom Latham c Nissanka
wicket, as usual, rarely going several balls without finding a scoring shot. Through this period, Phillips always seemed the likeliest bowler to get a wicket, thanks in part to the work he was putting on the ball.
Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee (c), William O’Rourke Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Tom Latham, 0.5 ov), 2-19 (Devon Conway, 8.2 ov) •
In fact, Phillips got two wickets, both off top edges, as Angelo Mathews and Dhananjaya de Silva attempted sweep shots. Mathews had added only ten to his overnight 78 before de Silva made 44 in Kamindu's company. After lunch, Sri Lanka had it almost entirely their way. Kamindu moved un-
24 off his first 71 balls, with only one four on his ledger. But with batting to come and Sri Lanka's total growing gigantic now, Kusal began to attack, going after Phillips first, as he got to his fifty in an over in which he struck two fours and a six, before settling into a more positive outlook in general. Twice he launched Ajaz Patel, who went wicketless in the innings and conceded 135, over deep midwicket for six. Kamindu also launched Ajaz down the ground for a six. The pair batted right through the middle ses-
the ground for the six that got him there.
New Zealand faced a testing spell from Asitha Fernando first up, as the bowler got substantial late swing in to the left-handed openers. One of these balls moved back in to Latham in the first over, took his edge and flew to gully, where Pathum Nissanka gobbled it up. The dismissal of the struggling Devon Conway in
The replays did not conclusively show that he had his fingers under that ball, though it was close. The third umpire ruled it out, however, much to Conway's displeasure. Such was the amount of turn Sri Lanka's spinners were generating towards the end of the day that even Kane Williamson struggled. He was 6 off 42 at stumps, alongside nightwatchman Ajaz. (ESPNCricinfo)
Kamindu Mendis went past 150 in another big knock
Kusal Mendis celebrating his century
Dhananjaya de Silva scored 44
Asitha Fernando struck with his fifth ball, taking out Tom Latham
Tim Southee and Glenn Phillips got together after one of the latter’s wickets
Bravo parts ways with CSK, joins KKR as mentor for IPL 2025
…Will also be in charge of Knight Riders’ teams in other T20 leagues
Former West Indies
cricketing allround-
er Dwayne Bravo has ended his long and celebrated career at Chennai Super Kings -- with whom he had won four IPL titles in different roles -- and has joined defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as mentor from the 2025 season.
ESPNcricinfo has learnt that Bravo recently met with KKR CEO Venky Mysore during the CPL before agreeing to a long-term contract. Apart from KKR, he will be in charge of all franchises under the Knight Riders label in T20 leagues: Trinbago Knight Riders (CPL), Los Angeles Knight Riders (MLC), and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (ILT20).
"DJ Bravo joining us is an exciting development."
Mysore said in a statement.
en roles in India's support staff. At KKR, Bravo will have Chandrakant Pandit as head coach and Bharat Arun as bowling coach.
The mentor role with KKR is Bravo's second team management position in the IPL. Having joined CSK in 2011, he retired from the IPL after the 2022 season and joined the franchise as bowling coach from the 2023 season. Bravo had immediate success in his first coaching role, as CSK won the title in 2023 to go with his three titles with them as a player.
Bravo, who turns 41 in October, replaces Gautam Gambhir, who took over as India's head coach soon after helping KKR win their
"His relentless drive to win, along with his vast experience and deep knowledge, will greatly benefit our franchise and players."
third IPL title in 2024. A day prior to the announcement, Bravo had retired from all formats of cricket. Apart from Gambhir, KKR also lost two of their assistant coaches: Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate, both of whom have been giv-
Alfred honoured with special award and cash prize on 'Julien
Alfred Day'
Julien Alfred’s whirlwind year of achievements has been celebrated in grand style on Friday, designated as ‘Julien Alfred Day’ in her home country of St. Lucia. The Olympic gold and silver medalist, who has enjoyed a stellar first year as a professional athlete, received a special award and a cash prize in recognition of her historic accomplishments.
The 22-year-old sprint star has had an unforgettable year. After winning the 60m title at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow in March, she cemented her place in history with a gold medal in the 100m event at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, becoming the first St Lucian to win an Olympic medal.
She followed that performance with a silver in the 200m, further solidifying her status as a national hero, and capped her remarkable season by winning the presti-
gious 100m Diamond League title in Brussels earlier this month.
The celebrations continued on Friday morning with her being presented with a special award by George Pagoulatos, Greek Ambassador to the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States. That presentation held extra significance as Greece is the birthplace of the Olympic Games, making the moment a symbolic recognition of Alfred’s place among the world’s elite athletes.
Following the ambassador's presentation, Alfred was then honoured by the St Lucia Olympic Committee (SLOC) with a cash prize of EC$75,000 as a token of appreciation for her historic feats on the global stage. The financial award was a gesture of gratitude for the pride and joy she has brought to St. Lucians.
These latest tributes
came on the heels of a private dinner held in her honour on Wednesday night. It was hosted by the BodyHoliday Resort and First National Bank, and family and friends gathered to celebrate her unprecedented achievements.
The day of celebrations was capped off with a special concert on Friday night, in which fans, dignitaries, and fellow athletes came together to honour Alfred’s achievements in music and entertainment. It was an emotional moment for Alfred, who expressed her gratitude to the people of St. Lucia for their unwavering support throughout her journey.
The sprint sensation has made history for her small island nation, and with her star continuing to rise, 'Julien Alfred Day' will no doubt be remembered as a significant moment in St. Lucia’s sporting history. (Sportsmax)
"I've been part of the Trinbago Knight Riders for the last 10 years in the CPL. Having played for and against the Knight Riders in various leagues, I have a lot of respect for how they operate," Bravo said in a statement. "The owners' passion, the professionalism of the management, and the family-like environment make it a special place. This is the perfect platform for me as I transition from playing to mentoring and coaching the next generation of players."
One of the best death bowlers in T20 cricket, Bravo is the third-highest wicket-taker in IPL history, and the first player to win two purple caps in the tournament. With more than 500 T20s’ worth of experience,
Bravo is considered by players and peers as among the best tacticians and motivators, qualities that had elevated him to the West Indies captaincy. He had retired from international cricket after the 2021 T20 World Cup, and while he continued to play in T20 leagues (at Mumbai Emirates in ILT20, Texas Super Kings in MLC, and TKR in CPL), he gradually moved towards coaching. During the 2024 T20 World Cup, Bravo played a key role as a consultant coach for Afghanistan, helping the team to make the semi-finals for the first time in their history. (ESPNCricinfo)
…Happy with where team is as playoffs commence Pollard puts TKR’s up-anddown season down to injuries
Trinbago Knight Riders captain Kieron Pollard is happy with where his team is ahead of the 2024 Republic Bank Limited Caribbean Premier League playoffs (RBLCPL), set to begin on October 1 in Guyana. With two games still to be played in the preliminary phase of the tournament, the four-time champions have a record of five wins and three losses in their eight games.
“From a performance perspective, we’ve played eight games: won five, lost three. We’ll take that. The first step in any tournament is to qualify. If we were in fifth place or sixth place, it’d be a different conversation. You expect this to happen. It’s T20 cricket,” Pollard said in a press conference on Thursday ahead of their game against the Barbados Royals at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Friday.
“Given all the obstacles that we’ve had transpire throughout this season, we’ll take where we are at this particular time. We have an opportunity to finish in the top two. We still have to play good, consistent cricket,” he added.
The major obstacle that Pollard referred to in his comments on Thursday was the number of injuries that have hampered his team’s ability to field their best eleven consistently throughout their eight outings.
“Throughout the entire tournament, we’ve been hampered by injuries. We have not mentioned what sort of injuries we’ve had throughout, and we’ve had to sort of chop and change. That might’ve caused a lot of discussion amongst fans as to why this one and that one is not playing, but we had to battle that,” he said.
Notwithstanding, Pollard has commended his team for their performance despite the circumstances.
“The way how the guys have battled forward through injuries, coming in at the late stages, we have to commend them for their efforts,” he said.
The Knight Riders and the Royals have met 24 times in the past, with the Knight Riders holding a 15-9 edge.
Their last meeting came on September 13 when the Knight Riders won a thriller by two wickets with one ball remaining, at the Kensington Oval.
The Knight Riders, currently fourth in the standings with 10 points, could secure a top-two spot with wins in their final two games over the Royals and the Guyana Amazon Warriors.
“It’s known in the dressing room what needs to be done; and hopefully, all the experience that we have and the exuberance of the youth as well will come forth, and we’ll be able to finish the tournament a lot more con-
sistently,” Pollard said. (Sportsmax)
Julien Alfred receiving her accolades on Julien Alfred Day in St Lucia
TKR Captain Kieron Pollard
Dwayne Bravo will be switching allegiances fully to the Knight Riders’ franchises
RBLCPL 2024 playoffs’ stage…
Klusener pleased with GAW campaign thus far
–
“Good to be in control of our own destiny,” he says
An action-packed weekend is anticipated at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence when home side Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) embark on the homestretch of their home-leg in the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (RBLCPL 2024).
As defending champions, GAW will first suit up against the St Lucia Kings on Saturday morning, before taking on arch-rivals Trinbago Knight Riders on Sunday night in a rematch of the tournament’s most exciting rivalry.
GAW Head Coach Lance Klusener, in a recent press conference, expressed elation with the team’s current form, highlighting that it’s nice for the team to have their destiny in their own hands.
“I think if some one had said at the start of the competition (that) with two games to go, we would qualify for the top four, I
think we would’ve taken that all day long. So, we’re happy with that. We also understand that finishing in the top two gives you two bites of the cherry; so, that would obviously be first priority,” he explained. “I think we’re pleased with where we are. We’re pretty injury-free as well, which is important after a long compe-
tition,” Klusener shared with Guyanese media operatives.
He added, “It’s good to be in control of our own destiny as well. So, pretty pleased about that. Just looking forward to the next 10 days.”
Quizzed about the areas that may need extra attention for the back end of the tournament, this coach, a South African, has identified batting as such, but admitted to seeing positive signs in the GAW last game.
The Amazon Warriors’ Head Coach responded, “As ‘Sheppy’ touched on, we were
Preparation moving apace for CAC Bodybuilding C/ships in Guyana
In an effort to ensure the 2024 edition of the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Bodybuilding Championships are on track to become a grand success, the Guyana Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (GBBFF) has been meeting weekly with Honourable Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Mr. Charles Ramson Jr; and the Director of Sports, Mr. Steve Ninvalle.
Those meetings were primarily to deal with Government’s financial input and support from requisite agencies, but weekly meetings have also been held with CAC and with executive members of the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB). Those meetings were primarily focused on analyzing Guyana’s preparation progress and advising on logistical issues and expectations.
Meetings have also been held with participating countries to confirm the number of athletes competing and dates of arrival and departure.
The National Cultural Centre at the confluence of Mandela and Homestretch Avenues in Georgetown has been inspected and highly approved by the CAC Inspection Team that visited Guyana in December 2023 and June, 2024. A production meeting
is being planned with the management and staff of the NCC.
Other tasks being carried out by the GBBFF in anticipation of this upcoming international event involve correspondence with the Guyana Fire Service, Guyana Police Force, Ministry of Health, and several other state agencies to request their support in their different capacities.
Thus far, Guyana’s hosting of this year’s CAC Championships has received support from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport
(MCYS); the National Sports Commission (NSC); the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA); Twins Manufacturing Chemists; Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited; Fitness Express, and Camille’s Academy.
Meanwhile, the GBBFF is requesting more corporate support for this international championship, which has last been hosted in Guyana in 2004. More than 20 countries and in excess of 250 athletes would be competing in Guyana from October 17th to October 20th 2024.
concerned a little about our batting. However, I thought in the last game we responded well to what we chatted about, and our challenge is to make sure that we keep going with that. I though we bowled reasonably well. We defended well, also, scores that have been pretty low; so, that has been good.
There’s always a few things, those little one percenters, that you can do better, especially towards the business end of a competition where games are probably go-
ing to be close. So, just need to tighten up on a few things. Just from the last game, I was happy with the boys from a batting point of view. That was good for us.”
Like the Warriors, the St. Lucia Kings are coming into tomorrow’s contest on a hot streak, having won three ‘day time’ games on the trot. Klusener is, however, not too concerned about his opponents.
“We’re not really too worried about what St. Lucia’s been doing; we’re worried
about what we’re doing. I think that’s important because we’ve got a couple of big games going ahead, and it would be important to make sure that we’re settled in our performances. St Lucia obviously had a nice little streak. So have we! So, we look forward to that game,” the GAW Head Coach related.
The Guyana Amazon Warriors will take on the St. Lucia Kings from 10:00hrs today at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, EBD.
Ninety golfers to feature at Brava Guyana Open tournament
The Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) would again be partnering with Brava to host the Brava Guyana Open golf tournament 2024. This two-day event is set for rollout on November 2nd and 3rd, and there is every expectation the tourney would be filled with passionate fans and supporters.
More than 90 athletes from Canada, the USA, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname and Barbados would be participating in this tournament, and they would be placed in different flights, lower handicappers being 0–9 years old, middle class being 10–18 years old, and 19-28 years old being Premium.
President of Lusignan Sports Club, Anasha Ally, emphasising the significant impact of these investments made by sponsors and the expectations of the tournament, has said, “I would just like to say, on behalf of the Guyana Lusignan Club Committee, members and non-members, all players, that we are so happy to be part of this engagement for the Brava Guyana Open golf tournament 2024. I know that GT&T has always been,
and has always had a long association with the Guyana Open, and so we are so happy that Brava has come on board with us for this occasion. We are expecting over forty players from as far as North America, Canada and United States, and our Caribbean neighbours. So, that number, added to our Guyanese players and of course the X-Factor in Guyana, which is growing, makes it a very (good) competition ahead.”
Also speaking at the launch ceremony was Brava General Manager Hilton Wong, who divulged on their dedication towards their investment in sports when he
said, “This is an example of our commitment and dedication towards the development of golf. Golf in our country is a pillar of national pride, and we continue to celebrate wins as a feeling of accomplishment at Brava, as we are committed towards the development of (the sport) locally, and we have demonstrated that dedication through similar contributions across several sport disciplines.”
Prizes would be given to winners of the following categories: the longest drive, nearest to the pin, best gross and best net, which is the champion.
GAW Head Coach, Lance Klusener
The Guyana Amazon Warriors will take on St Lucia Kings today and TKR tomorrow evening, in an action-packed weekend
