Surinamese Investment Agency views Guyana as blueprint
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BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Sunday, July 14 – 23:30h-01:00h and Monday, July 15 – No retraction.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Sunday, July 14 – 09:30h-11:00h and Monday, July 15 – 10:35h-12:05h.
FERRY SCHEDULE
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WEATHER TODAY
Surinamese Investment Agency views Guyana
as blueprint for attracting investments – as inaugural Int’l Business Conference launched
The International Business Conference (IBC) has been launched on Saturday at the Guyana Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown. During that launch, the Suriname Investment and Trade Agency (SITA) declared that it views Guyana as a blueprint on how to promote investment opportunities to the global stage, and thus attract investors.
Organized by the GuyanaSuriname Chamber of Commerce with support from SITA, the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), and the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), the IBC is being held from October 15 to 17, 2024.
SITA Director Amar Alakhramsing, speaking of how Guyana is being used as a model in Suriname when it comes to growing trade relations with other countries and putting the country on the global map to attract investments, said:
“There are some main focus points looking at SITA… Setting up SITA in Suriname is actually giving us a bit of pride, because now we are trying to get Suriname out of Suriname itself; (we are) trying to get Suriname known by the world.”
Alakhramsing continued:
“And we are starting with Guyana, because (it) is now a great example for us. We actually learn from Guyana. Actually, the way I see is, we are trying to promote the exporters in Suriname to get out of Suriname.”
In a statement highlighting the influence IBC will have on the region and the benefits that participation in the conference will have, the Suriname Guyana Chamber of Commerce (SGCC) has said, “IBC strives to play a central and influential role in the region’s socio-economic growth by guiding sustainable capital towards key sectors and business opportunities, while serving as a credible and trusted entry point into the region.
“We connect our participants to business opportunities through a dynamic and pragmatic business conference and one-to-one business matching service. With an international reach and local understanding, IBC offers a leading private sector-led investment platform where participants will be provided with access to an unrivalled network and unique information, market intelligence, and ex-
Commerce, Dr Vishnu Doerga, and Ambassador of Suriname to Guyana, Her Excellency Liselle Blankendal, were also present at the launch of the conference. Participation is expected from investors and business leaders from the region and beyond.
In Guyana, the Guyana Office for Investment (GOInvest) has brought in 250 investments since 2020. Guyana has been extending ties around the world, and the Government has assured that investors can expect an en-
posure to business opportunities.
“With high standards and integrity, IBC is built on a belief that a responsible and profitable private sector has a crucial role to play in the development and prosperity of the region”.
Aims of the Conference
GMSA President Ramsay Ali adumbrated what the aim of the conference would be. According to Ali, Government policies would also be examined during the summit in order to find solutions to overcome challenges such as trade barriers, in a move to help enhance regional and international trade.
“We’re here to promote Guyana as a primary destination for manufacturing. Our nation is on the brink of transformative change. It’s crucial that we harness the momentum and foster partnerships with local, regional, and in-
ternational agencies. IBC will delve into several critical topics that are paramount to the future of our manufacturing and business sector,” he said.
“Major focus will be on supply chain, market expansion, export insights for overcoming current restrictions, and optimizing logistics to ensure seamless operations. We will tackle issues related to labour, increasingly pertinent skill gaps, and trying to build a robust workforce capable of contributing to future growth in the Caribbean and Guyana,” Ali explained.
Chief Investment Officer (CEO) and Agency Head of GOInvest, Dr Peter Ramsaroop, also spoke at the launch, and welcomed the hosting of the event in Guyana. Further, he urged the organizers to take a practical approach to engagements with a focus on closing business deals.
Chairman of the GuyanaSuriname Chamber of
abling business environment.
In March 2023, the British Chamber of Commerce (BritCham) was launched in Guyana, coming months after visa restrictions were removed for Guyanese visitors to the United Kingdom (UK). Then in April, the India-Guyana Chamber of Commerce (IGCC) was formed, thus paving the way for the facilitation of trade, investment, and cultural exchanges. In May, the Government of Ghana commissioned the first Ghanaian Chamber of Commerce in Guyana. There is also an American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham).
In November, a European Union (EU) Trade Mission arrived to explore opportunities, with a heavy focus on forging greater economic cooperation in the areas of health, climate, energy, and regional connectivity. (G-3)
A section of the participants at the launch
From left are Suriname Ambassador to Guyana, Liselle Blankendal; SITA Director Amar Alakhramsing; GO-Invest CEO Dr. Peter Ramsaroop; Chairman of the Guyana-Suriname Chamber of Commerce, Dr Vishnu Doerga; and GMSA President Ramsay Ali
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Coalitions in Guyana
There are widespread talks ongoing about coalitions. In modern Guyanese political history, while, after the 1947 elections, there was a loose coalition of parties in the Legislature under the “Labour Party” banner, the coalition that defined the mechanism locally was that made by the PNC and the UF in December 1964, which removed the PPP from office. The latter two parties were strange bedfellows driven by one consideration – to oust the PPP. Whether they were encouraged or facilitated to coalesce by the US is irrelevant; their arrangement of expediency demonstrates the pitfalls of what has been labelled the “coalition of convenience”. Some are once again touting this model.
Coalitions of this type, formed in the post-electoral period, are very unstable, and few survive for several reasons. Firstly, their focus is totally electoral: adding up seats while ignoring the cleavages and forces that made them form separate parties and run on separate platforms in the first place. These differences inevitably surface later, when policies and programmes are formulated and implemented. Secondly, there is the disproportion of size: the larger party sees itself as the senior member to which the smaller should defer, while the latter considers itself as an equal due to its strategic position in “tipping the balance”. Thirdly, since the capture of power was their prime motivator, they constantly manoeuvre to monopolise the same, using bribery, defections, etc.
Coalitions of convenience are to be avoided, since the cynicism that attends their birth ensures them an early acrimonious death. The coalition between the PNC and the UF broke down within two years of its formation, as Mr. Burnham enticed members of the UF (as well as the PPP) to cross the floor to create a moot situation when, by 1967, with the PNC showing clearly that it was going to rig the next elections and rid itself of its erstwhile partner, Peter D’Aguiar, the UF leader, left the coalition but could not bring down the government. In the present constellation of parties, we saw APNU and AFC experiencing the same pressures and fissiparous tendencies.
The permutations and combinations of possible coalitions are almost infinite, but, in general, they form a continuum if grouped according to: (a) how, why, and when they were formed, (b) whether or not they were intended to be permanent, and (c) whether the component parties remain separate or combined in structure. Coalitions are, first and foremost, coalitions of various interests represented by the member parties. At one end of the spectrum is the “coalition of convenience” described above, at the other end is the “alliance”, and somewhere in between is the “coalition of commitment”.
But a major problem in Guyana has been the refusal by political parties to publicly accept that one of the interests that are sought to be protected is ethnic interest.
The “alliance” form of the coalition is formed before elections, and seeks to address one or more major cleavages by the fusion of two or more parties to the alliance. Typically, the aim is to be permanent and in tune with this aspiration, field a common slate, and promote a common programme under a common leadership. After the rigged elections of 1985, and up to 1991, the PPP and five of the six parties that had participated in the elections formed the “Patriotic Coalition for Democracy” (PCD) and worked towards the formation of an alliance. It failed because they could not agree on a leader and a common slate.
The PPP then reached out to certain individuals outside its party structure, notably to Mr Sam Hinds, the AfricanGuyanese Chairman of a new civic organization – GUARD –that had taken a strong, public position for “free and fair” elections at massive rallies across the country. It labelled them a “Civic” component and decided to go into an electoral “alliance” with them, claiming that they would provide the “balance” to counter any criticism of the PPP not being representative of the Guyanese people – that is, that they were addressing the African Security Dilemma.
They have been successful with this model. The Alliance for Change is technically not an “alliance”.
PNC chose to destroy Guyanese while PPP/C chose to develop Guyana
Dear Editor,
Making a political decision by choosing from alternative leaders may potentially be challenging. “Constantly choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil”, according to Jerry Garcia. Sometimes people like to try the evil which they haven’t tried as yet!
In the recent election in the UK, one person asked in the campaign if Kier Starmer and Rishi Sunak are the two best persons the United Kingdom has to offer to save the people. The AFC and the PNC brought forth their two “best” leaders.
In establishing the category of the Order of Democracy back in March 2021, President Dr. Irfaan Ali declared, “Like Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, I believe in equality and justice, in freedom and multiracial democracy, built on the premise that all people are created equal.”
The will of the Guyanese people was recognized by the international community when the 2020 election recount substantiated that the PPP/C won the election despite the PNC’s attempts to rig the results to retain power by foul, and not fair means. To date, the PNC continues to deny the voice of Guyanese by claiming that the PPP/C Government of the day was not legally
elected, but was installed!
Like a broken record, the words of Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who was then CARICOM Chair, will continue to resonate and haunt the PNC for the rest of their lives. She unhesitatingly and fearlessly surmised, “It is clear that there are forces that do not want to see the votes recounted for whatever reasons. Any Government which is sworn-in without credibility and fully transparent vote count process would lack legitimacy.”
While the PNC envelope unilateralism, the PPP/C, on the contrary, embraces multilateralism. Democracy has once again surfaced in Guyana, and the PPP/C Government is preserving its sustenance. The people’s choice will always be recognized by the PPP/C Government.
On International Day of Democracy 2021, President Ali reflected, “Democracy requires all to be involved: religious leaders, civil society, and every citizen who values highly freedom and the ability to choose. All of us must ensure that democracy is safeguarded every day of our lives.”
Since the PPP/C went into power in August 2020, after a 5-month hiatus by the PNC when they created chaos and confusion in trying to deny the installation of the PPP/C in power, the PPP/C have always carefully made choices
that are in the best interest of the people.
The PNC chose to increase the salaries of their Cabinet by 50% and over as soon as they took over administration of the country in 2015. They vehemently told the Public Service that civil servants have to wait. The PPP/C exercised the decency of not following their morbid example. The PNC chose to curtail salary increases between 2015 and 2019, and broke its promises with the GPSU by only granting minimal increases proportionately.
The PPP/C has allowed yearly increases from 7% upwards. In addition, there have been mammoth increases for the security forces and medical personnel, along with the teachers. The PNC chose to stop the Christmas bonus for the armed forces. The PPP/C Government has reinstated the much-anticipated relief at Christmas time.
The PNC chose to implement over 200 taxes on essential goods and services, which caused inflation to escalate and the high cost of living to frustrate the people, resulting in hardship and becoming poor. In their first Budget in 2021, the PPP/C reversed most of those taxes to bring immediate relief and reduce the cost of living by making goods and services cheaper.
The PNC chose to ‘kill’
the children’s “Because We Care” cash grant and deny each child the $10K which the PPP/C Government had instituted. On resumption of office, the PPP/C Government not only reinstated the programme, but increased the grant to $45,000 currently.
The PNC chose to fire some 2,000 Amerindian Community Development Officers. The PPP/C reinstated those very workers and more. The PNC chose to close 4 sugar estates and put over 7,000 workers on the bread line without immediate compensation. The PPP/C employed those workers and revitalized the sugar industry once again. The PNC chose to give only the chosen few, who are the privileged relatives and friends of the PNC family, scholarships to study abroad. Through the GOAL scholarship programme, The PPP/C gave over 21,000 scholarships to Guyanese throughout the country, on an equitable basis without prejudice.
The PNC chose to allocate 7,534 house lots during their 2015-2020 reign. The PPP/C is well on its way to achieving its 50,000 house-lot commitment by 2025 with a distribution system that is free and fair of discrimination.
The PNC chose to cowardly and unashamedly hide their SOPs from the last general election in 2020.
President Dr Irfaan sharing a light moment with a group of ladies during a cocktail reception at State House for participants of the Caribbean Investment Forum, which was hosted at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown
The Govt’s strategic measures against inflation are a triumph for Guyanese
Dear Editor,
The ill-placed critique on cost-of-living increases fails to consider the full picture of a Government that has acted with empathy and strategic foresight absorbing many costs through the Treasury in order to keep living expenses manageable for all Guyanese.
It is astonishing how the Opposition and certain sections of the media continue to propagate a narrative that ignores the Herculean efforts and strategic measures our Government has implemented to shield Guyanese from the worst effects of global inflation.
The Government’s comprehensive approach has
safeguarded our economy, and enhanced the wellbeing of our people in these challenging times. We tend to forget that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the price of every commodity escalated due to halted production.
For instance, when Indonesia and Malaysia stopped exporting oil, the price of cooking oil surged by 300%, and the domino effect of this increase resulted in the cost of shipping a 40foot container from China skyrocketing from US$3,500 to US$20,000.
Global conflicts like the war in Ukraine and unrest in the Red Sea further strained the global supply
chain, driving costs higher.
Despite these external pressures, our Government, led by Dr. Irfaan Ali, maintained an inflation rate below the regional average, and that was no accident. This stability is a direct result of strategic interventions and substantial treasury expenditures.
While other countries have faced massive increases in transportation and utility costs, Guyanese were insulated against such occurrences because the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) was allocated a large subsidy by Central Government in a decision that positively impacted both the business communi-
ty and ordinary citizens. Similarly, the Government made significant efforts to reduce the cost of the burden of fuel by removing a 50% excise tax on gasoline and diesel, saving the population USD$384 million annually. This tax relief translated into savings of approximately $500 per gallon of fuel, significantly reducing transportation costs and thus the overall cost of living.
Government have indicated that, since taking office, they have increased wages, salaries, and benefits by $90 billion; while pensioners now receive $20 billion more annually, and over 60,000 new jobs have been
Courtesy extended to Minister Bharrat
Dear Editor,
I saw the Facebook posting last Friday: that Minister Vickram Bharrat on Thursday was escorted by Federal Agents upon his arrival at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and questioned.
I hoped that it was not factual, as it would be a great embarrassment for Guyana. This was a posting of great impact, and
should have only been posted if the insinuations that the minister had done something illegal had any foundation, and that he had indeed been questioned.
Minister Bharrat has since denied that he was questioned, and stated that he was indeed met by agents as a courtesy, and was expedited through immigration as he was going to see his father who had
taken ill.
I can state that I have, in the past, had that same courtesy extended to me on numerous occasions when I was travelling to and from the USA. I was met at the door of the aircraft by Federal Agents, taken to the Diplomatic Lane, and was expedited through Immigration. The courtesy did not end there, as I was further accompanied to retrieve my baggage and was
escorted to the exit. There I was bade farewell, and I expressed my thanks.
I make this point to indicate that the explanation of Minister Vickram Bharrat is one that I believe, and hope that postings that have the objective of casting aspersions should be accurate before attempting to vilify.
Sincerely,
K.A. Juman, S.C. A.A.
GHK Lall – an extraordinary empath
Dear Editor,
With the passage of time, GHK Lall is making himself out to be fearless, crazily fearless. There was a time when he was so timid and vague in his writing that one had difficulty determining the subject and/or object of his comments. This is the writing style of a graduate from a fifth-grade university.
Over time, I grew to understand Lall as no more than an expert in the use of adjectives. I am not sure if he has any experience in washing sidewalks on Wall Street, New York. But there is more to this man Lall. In a recent letter he wrote, and which was published in a section of the media on July 11, 2024 under the caption, “Hughes presence in the Local Political Milieu and Jagdeo’s changing modus operandi”, Lall’s latent talents as a mental telepath are revealed. Lall writes:
Because of Nigel Hughes, Jagdeo is running mad
Jagdeo has never been charged up on any development in Guyana as with the emergence of Hughes.
Jagdeo has an insatiable lust for power and has peculiar joys with money.
Jagdeo is distraught
about the appearance of Hughes.
Jagdeo is tormented by Glen Lall
Jagdeo has fears about Hughes
Hughes is held high by many Guyanese voters
Jagdeo was rattled by Exxon’s statement that there is no conflict of interest in its relationship with Hughes.
Jagdeo has fears about Hughes.
Jagdeo expels bodily fluids with thoughts about Hughes, perhaps uncontrollably.
Perhaps the world has never seen nor known an empath such as GHK Lall, who can so boldly reveal so much about Jagdeo’s thoughts and emotions. He should be careful not to be close to Jagdeo when the latter, according to Lall, is in a moment of the uncontrollable excretion of bodily fluids, because Jagdeo is quite likely to drench him.
These remarks by Lall undoubtedly show his disrespect for a distinguished Guyanese leader, Bharrat Jagdeo. It is quite acceptable for Lall to have views differing from Jagdeo and/or the PPP/C Government, but it is quite a different thing when
a man who holds himself out as being morally upright and decent can write disrespectfully and disparagingly about a national leader. In such a circumstance, Lall’s comments on Jagdeo are revolting and unacceptable, and he unmasks himself as a reprehensible person.
It appears, given his now public associations, that GHK Lall writes to please and/or amuse his handlers. On internet shows, appearing with critics of the PPP/C Government, he seems to relish the worthless commendations paid to him for his anti-government posture. His ego seems fed on such occasions. But I daresay that neither Nigel Hughes, who is a political embryo, nor a Gross Horrible Knave can match the stature of Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo. I believe that Nigel Hughes is not a recurring thought in Jagdeo’s world, and for Jagdeo, Hughes perhaps carries no more than footnote status.
Lall wrote a book on the 2015 elections (but not one on the 2020 elections.) In his book, in which Nigel Hughes wrote the “Foreword”, Lall misguidedly referred to David Granger as the “G
Force”. Many Guyanese now know how inept and poor Granger and his Government were about governance in Guyana. Indeed, David Granger turned out to be no more than a damp squib in Guyana’s political experience. Lall has a poor record of political predictions. In the instant case of Nigel Hughes, he does have silence as an option.
Sincerely
Selwyn Persaud
added, turning economic despair into opportunity for every part-time worker, every pensioner, every new job-holder; that’s real, tangible income in the hands of Guyanese.
These are just a few examples of how Government have mitigated the impact of global economic pressures on the local economy.
This Government has managed the complexities of global inflation, not with
empty promises, but with strategic, people-focused actions. Every time one buys fuel, pays their electricity bill, or turns on the tap, just know that the Government is working tirelessly behind the scenes, absorbing costs in order to shield you from economic hardships; and this is a triumph for Guyanese.
Yours truly, Anson Paul
PNC chose to...
The PPP/C has readily and bravely made its SOPs available from day one. The PNC chose not to field candidates in all the Local Authority Areas in the Local Government Election in 2023. The PPP/C contested all areas in all the regions, soundly whipping them and making inroads in 90% of the areas. The PNC chose to run the nation bankrupt both times they were in office. The PPP/C has bailed out the nation in the past and left the economy in sound financial status when they demitted office in 2015. Now again they are setting a path sailing on sound economic strategies which would prosper all Guyanese.
J.K. Rowling forewarned, “Humans have a knack for choosing precisely the things that are worse for them.” The PNC chose the disastrous, diabolic, and detrimental practice of managing the affairs of the nation, which inevitably determined only poverty, nakedness and corruption, thus destroying Guyana during their 33 years of disingenuous reign. On the contrary, the PPP/C has always made the choice of peace, progress and prosperity, which has always cumulatively cultivated a culture of development for Guyana.
Yours respectfully, Jai Lall
TRAVELLING BY PLANE WITH YOUR PET
Last week we discussed travelling by land with your pets, and argued against the need for medications (sedatives/anesthetics) purportedly to ease the tension/anxiety which the pet would supposedly experience when travelling. We urge per caregivers to not place their pets’ veterinarians in the position of having to answer definitively in the negative when such medications are requested.
My position on use of sedatives/anesthetics for air travel is not dissimilar to that for road travel. Basically, the question that needs to be answered
quilizing chemical being administered to the animal.
In the case of interna-
is: How necessary is the sedation/ anaesthetizing of one’s pet prior to air travel? Allow me to posit that the traveller’s pet is usually quite happy in its transport cage in the aircraft’s hold – even without a tran-
tional flights, once the animal is well ensconced in the plane’s baggage compartment, it adjusts quite happily without the need for companionship and emotional support. In fact, more often than not, it is
the pet’s owner who wishes to insist that he/she needs the pet as emotional support. Some airlines accept the pet travelling next to its owner – especially if a qualified medical practi-
on board the aircraft in the passenger cabin.
Actually, such a request may turn out to be selfish, and not taking the comfort of other nearby passengers into consideration. Fellow travellers may suffer allergic reactions to a hair-shedding pet. Cats are notorious for producing allergic reactions – even in veterinarians with years of clinical experience and practice. This is an unreasonable and unacceptable state of affairs. I plead with every companion animal caregiver to place his/ her pet in its accustomed and functional carry-kennel, and let it travel in the cargo compartment of the aircraft. It will, in all likelihood, fare well – sleeping
tioner issues a certificate advising that the individual needs the presence /companionship of his/her pet
most of the journey, totally without need for a tranquilizer/ anesthetic. Allow me to explain an-
other possible scenario: The animal arrives at its destination. The respective airport authority has to examine the dog/cat, but the anesthetic/ sedative administered pre-flight
the world, and even here in Guyana, and which led to heart-rending consequences. The moral of this whole story is: (1) Do not ask your vet to give your inter-
has not quite worn off. The animal displays a certain degree of listlessness. The airport vet has to make an important decision. Is the animal ailing from some disease? Perhaps it is an
nationally travelling pet a tranquilizer/anesthetic prior to boarding the plane. (2) Place the animal in his “carry kennel” in the airline’s hold. In so doing, you would circumvent
Pres Ali commits to assist Zeelugt squatters in relocating
President Dr Irfaan
Ali on Saturday vis-
ited several villages in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), including Zeelugt and MetenMeer-Zorg, during which several issues were addressed: such as road, drainage, infrastructure, and security.
In Zeelugt, the president upbraided regional engineers and contractors for the slow pace at which road and bridge
construction works were ongoing in the area. He urged the Public Works Ministry to take the necessary steps to expedite the work, so that the residents can benefit from improved infrastructure.
Ali also met with a group of residents squatting on Government reserve in Zeelugt North (Sideline Dam). Many of them had been allocated land as part of their relocation process.
He assured continued support in the relocation of the residents to developed housing schemes within the region. These include the provision of steel and cement to accelerate the construction of their homes.
“So, all who got house lots, when you move, we are going to help you…you got this steel and cement vouchers…. Importantly, you can’t stay here…. It’s not good for
the children, it’s not good for you,” he admonished.
The president underscored Government’s commitment to addressing the issue of squatting nationwide, while noting the administration’s dedication to ensuring citizens have safe and comfortable living conditions.
“We want to work together
to improve this…because we want the children to have the best environment…Makes no sense you invest your money and build here and use it,” the president said.
The Housing and Water Ministry, along with the Ministries of Public Works and Local Government and Regional Development, would
return to the area on Sunday to further engage the residents on the relocation process. The president was accompanied by Public Works
Guyana working with UN partners to draft modern cybercrime convention – Min Todd – as cybercrimes increase in frequency, complexity
Foreign Affairs Minister
Hugh Todd
Currently having a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Guyana is working with partner countries at the level of the UN to draft a modern, legally binding cyber-crime and cyber security convention that other countries can sign on to.
Last week, the Fugitive
Offenders (Amendment) Bill was debated and passed in the National Assembly. During those debates, Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd, lending his support to the Bill, linked it to the work being done at the international level to aid in the fight of transnational crime.
A major transnational crime is cybercrime, and Minister Todd, in his address, noted the worrying incidence of this. Further, he spoke of the work being done by Guyana and others at the United Nations, where Guyana is a non-permanent member of the Security Council.
“Today’s crimes have become increasingly international. Guyana cannot afford to be insular, we have to increase our interactions and programmes with our bilateral partners. We have to be part of the efforts with the international community,” he
said.
“Guyana is part of the negotiations taking place at the United Nations to draft a modern, legally binding convention on cyber-crime and cyber security. This is to combat a crime that has taken on a dangerous, complex and intrusive character,” he explained.
Minister Todd also noted that cybercrime has not only increased in frequency, but also in complexity. Hence, he said, there is need for countries to come together on addressing the scourge and formulating a convention.
“Cybercrime incidents have increased in both frequency and security, and have extended beyond boundaries, affecting all nation states. Guyana will remain engaged in this process, because we believe it is important to ensure that there is adequate and secure protection for online operations for work,
research, commercial activities, and social interactions,”
Minister Todd explained.
Guyana currently has a Cyber Crime Act, No. 16 of 2018, which lays out the various cybercrime offences and contains provisions for penalties, investigations and prosecutions. The bill was laid in the National Assembly in 2016 by the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government. It has also catered, inter alia, for illegal access to a computer system; illegal interception; illegal data interference; illegal acquisition of data; illegal system interference; unauthorised receiving or granting of access to computer data; computer-related forgery; computer-related fraud; offences affecting critical infrastructure; identity-related offences; child pornography; child luring, and violation of privacy, among a
slew of other offences.
According to the Cyber Crime Act, if convicted on indictment for the first offence, a person is liable to imprisonment of five years. If convicted summarily on the second offence, a person is liable to a fine of $5 million and imprisonment of three years. And if convicted on indictment, a person is liable to a fine of $10 million and imprisonment of five years.
Some of the most common offences persons have
been charged with under the Act include using a computer system to transmit electronic data that intimidated a virtual complainant; using a computer system with the intent to extort a benefit; intentionally acquiring nude photographs and videos of a virtual complainant; and using a computer system to disseminate information, knowing same to be false, contrary to Section 19(3) (a) of the Cybercrime Act, No 16 of 2018.
According to the minister, incidents of cybercrime are becoming more complex
Minister Juan Edghill and Local Government and Regional Development Minister Sonia Parag, among other technical staff.
President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali interacting with residents
A bridge under construction at Zeelugt, Region Three
Raking in…
…for teachers
Your Eyewitness must admit he was more than a tad taken aback when the GTU appeared to meekly go along with the Govt’s demand during the court-ordered conciliation process that wages and benefits’ discussions couldn’t be retroactive. The GTU wanted to start in 2019when the PNC/AFC was in office. But now, seeing their salary and benefits’ demands for 2024 to 2026, he gotta concede it was a very clever ploy: these new demands will cumulatively surpass any gains they would’ve picked up by going back in time!! Talk softly and carry a big stick!!
Plus they’ve seized the moral high ground from the Government, for being REASONABLE in coming off the streets and start bargaining from “scratch”!! The Govt will now look like Scrooge when they oppose the demands –as they gotta do!! The demanded salary increases start at a whopping 39.5% for 2024 - exceeding the historic one the GPSU received back in 1999 after bloody confrontations and then arbitration!! 30% to be added on TOP of that in 2025 and 2026!! So, if an ordinary teacher’s earning the average salary of $116,000 monthly, she’ll be getting $161,000 monthly for 2024; $209,000 monthly for 2025; and $272,000 in 2026!! -which is just about what a doctor makes!!
And that’s just the tip of a humungous iceberg of benefits!! There’s a MONTHLY internet/mobile data allowance of $10,000; a termly school transportation grant of $150,000 (coastland) - which is $450,000 annually; or $300,000 (hinterland/riverine) - $900,000 annually; a monthly honorarium of $15,000 for headteachers/principals to conduct business on behalf of their institutions, and an annual health/risk allowance of $25,000.
Then there’s the annual clothing allowance of $40,000 and a double salary payment in April each year. And that’s not all: there are to be scholarships to UG - which means not having to teach – and then non-taxable monthly credential allowances when they’ve improved their qualifications. Expanded categories of teachers like headmasters etc will continue getting duty-free concessions for vehicle up to 2000cc engine capacity, and also ATVs for the hinterland teachers!!
Now, once upon a time, your Eyewitness was a teacher, so he’s quite sympathetic to their desires. And, in fact, if they get through with their demands, he’s considering going back to moulding those young minds!! But that’s the point, innit? Teachers’ remuneration - like all workers’ – should be tied to their performance. Your Eyewitness understands that, on any given day, one-third of teachers are absent!! Then there’s the kids’ performance – after the aforementioned mindmoulding!! The GTU’s demanding an additional performancebased incentive of 2% per annum: shouldn’t the Government be allowed to make a deduction if a certain percentage of students don’t pass?
Like 60% of the kids at NGSA math!!!
…for Trump
For a party that’s been doing quite well with the economy, thank you – the Democrats are in a greater state of confusion than dear old PNC in our Mudland!! And that ain’t no mean feat!! And it all has to do with their candidate for the upcoming November elections, who’s already been selected after their Primaries – “Sleepy Joe” Biden, as he was called by his opponent Donald “The Crotch Grabber” Trump!! The latter might have to resort to the other nickname he bestowed, Slow Joe, after Biden’s performance in their debate. We, Guyanese, gotta be wondering how it’s even a QUESTION that Biden should step aside. Can you imagine that, after losing his train of thought during that debate, he followed up with calling the leader of Ukraine – where the US is fighting a proxy war against Russia – PUTIN?? And then following up by calling his OWN Vice President Trump??!!
And he did this at the 70th anniversary of NATO - in the presence of all of the US’ European allies!!
…defamation money
There’s the accusation by an old journalist, Enrico Woolford, that Minister Vikram Bharrat was interrogated by US Federal Agents as he deplaned at JFK Airport.
Surely, he knows US greeters are a routine feature for Cabinet Ministers?
The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance
Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com
Of “Slave Catchers and Arkatis”
Clearly, the electoral season is well on its way, even though VP Jagdeo insists that elections will not be scheduled until November 2025 -- more than a year away.
But, in our political system, the Government have the option of calling “snap” elections at their discretion, once they comply with the regulations for electoral preparedness. Some believe the VP’s claim might be a feint to catch the opposition off-guard. Several reasons have been offered for early elections, the main one being the claimed disarray in the PNC camp following their just-concluded Congress, where Aubrey Norton was re-elected as their leader.
There were trenchant criticisms of the internal elections’ arrangements that led to Norton’s two challengers, Roysdale Forde and Amanza Walton-Desir, dropping out of the race, and not even showing up at the Congress.
The AFC’s credibility had suffered tremendously during its stint in the 2015-2020 coalition government with the PNC. They are now in a rebuilding and rebranding phase, following their Conference in which Nigel Hughes was elected leader and Raphael Trotman was elected General Secretary.
Another reason is the disagreement over these major Opposition parties’ electoral strategy after their coalition was dissolved with the end of their Cummingsburg Accord. The WPA, which have never achieved electoral relevance after receiving only a high of 2% of the votes in 1992, but helped broker the 2011 APNU formation with the PNC and three other paper parties, have again pushed a wider coalition. They have proposed a coalition in which they arrogated a place for themselves as the AfricanGuyanese “intellectuals” and Black Nationalists, and select a preelection “consensual” leader who would be their presidential candidate because of our constitutional prohibition of postelections’ coalitions.
There appears to be a wide assumption that Nigel Hughes would be best qualified to fill that position, and this has precipitated a wide debate in the Opposition on the role of class in AfricanGuyanese leadership in general, and the PNC in particular. When the PNC was formed, the League of Coloured People (LCP), led by John Carter, represented the presumptions of the Mixed Guyanese middle class, and their United Democratic Party (UDP) was one of the founding blocks. African-Guyanese like Burnham could aspire to this class through their education, speech, and other social capital, including “marrying up” in colour.
Nigel epitomises the present Mixed Guyanese middle class, and Norton the African Guyanese. Norton, however, rejected the notion of anyone being parachuted into the Opposition presidential candidate’s position: “I don’t believe that we should just take the hard work we do and give it to anybody who just flies off of a tree top, land on the ground and say you must be the presidential candidate.” He opined that as the largest block in any opposition grouping, any “consensual presidential candidate” must come from the PNC.
The last major source of uncertainty in strategy is over mobilization tactics. The WPA “intellectuals” reject the PPP’s approach, which is to now more explicitly court African-Guyanese voters to augment their traditional support in the Indian-Guyanese community, as “slave catchers”. They, of course, are referring to the historical role of those who captured Africans and sold them into slavery to the Europeans. They refer to African-Guyanese who join or work with the PPP as “house slaves”. These are very odious comparisons, and do not bode well for a national outlook. They provoke the retort that any attempt of the African-based opposition PPP, and now AFC, to attract Indian-Guyanese voters to give them the title of “Arkatis”. These were the individuals who promised prospective Indentured labourers in India that they were going to a “land of milk and honey”.
The game plans up to now, as adumbrated by Dr David Hinds, who has also announced that he is available to be an opposition “consensual candidate”, if for the PNC to garner the AfricanGuyanese votes as they have traditionally done; the AFC, with Nigel Hughes as Leader and Raphael Trotman as General Secretary, would garner the Mixed-race voters; and the WPA, with him, would gather the Black nationalist voters. They do not contemplate – as do the PPP with African-Guyanese voters – persuading many IndianGuyanese to vote for the Opposition, but would take any brought in by ordinary executives like Mahipal (PNC) and Ramjattan (AFC) as “gravy”. This is a very divisive strategy for a nation with IndianGuyanese constituting 39% of the populace.
Regional private sector urged to be more proactive in Caricom’s developmental agenda
The regional private sector was on Wednesday encouraged to be more proactive in the Caribbean Community’s (Caricom’s) developmental agenda, which seeks to resolve pressing issues, including the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME); the progress towards implementing the free movement of all Caribbean nationals; climate change; financing; and regional security.
President Dr. Irfaan Ali, also serving as Caricom Chairman, emphasized that while governments would continue to offer incentives to the private sector to enhance their engagement in trade and other sectors, these entities must now devise innovative strategies to address present challenges.
He referred to the 250,000 hectares of land made available in Guyana for regional investors more than a decade ago, in order to increase yield in food commodities such as corn and soy, and noted that, to date, no interest has been received.
The Head of State noted that that same body of land would today make Guyana self-sufficient in grains, aiding in the country becoming the net exporter of corn and soy in the region by 2026.
He noted that regional
private sector involvement in the project, which coincides with CARICOM’s “25 by 2025” goal, would have propelled development of the agriculture sector even further.
“We will be using that grain to create the forward and backward linkages in the feed (animal feed) right here. That will save us more than US$30 million in imports every year. So, these are some of the realities I just wanted to address; not to be harsh, but to be factual; to be open as we discuss how we are going to build this region,” the president said.
Further, President Ali
emphasized that investment opportunities are beyond agriculture. He referred to several projects across the Caribbean in infrastructure, transport and logistics, healthcare, tourism, and ecological services that require investment.
“We have to leverage capital that’s already in the system. We have to move away from operating in silos and build more regional partnership… Here, in Guyana, for example, we are looking at the development of prefab homes. We have to look at how we create high-yielding output and opportunities that answer the
issue of resilience and sustainability in terms of revenue”, he explained.
The Guyanese Leader was at the time addressing the opening of the third Caribbean Investment Forum at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown. It was held from July 10 to 12.
As this year’s host country, Guyana centred discussions on crucial topics such as sustainable agriculture, transitioning to a green economy, and the digitisation of business operations.
In this regard, agriculture and food security were high on the list, along with the target of achieving cheaper energy by 2025 in order to facilitate large-scale agro-processing and sustainable farming.
The conference also provided a platform for businesses to showcase their developmental plans and projects to potential investors, given that another key objective of the forum is to foster joint ventures and partnerships, particularly in sectors like tourism, to enhance collaboration and product offerings.
Some 400 bankable investors from the region attended the event, which included an exposition for local private companies.
Ravi Dev
President Dr Irfaan Ali
Corruption in public procurement process
Framework underway to computerise evaluation of contractors
Anationwide initia-
tive is underway in Guyana to digitize contractor evaluations with the aim of combatting and eradicating corruption in the public procurement process.
This new system aims to standardize and enhance the ability of the evaluation committee of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) to monitor infrastructure projects and the allocation of Government contracts to various entities.
Currently, contractors are required to report to the committee on ongoing projects and the percentage of work completed on those projects.
However, due to the dishonesty of several contractors, Government, by way of direct order from President Dr. Irfaan Ali, has begun to pursue liquidated damages for delayed state projects. In this regard, approximately $3 billion in charges for liquidated damages have been instituted over delays in public projects awarded through the Ministries of Public Works, Housing and Water, and Agriculture, among others.
The Public Works Ministry has issued letters to contractors on 365 projects which have experienced unjustified delays, seeking liq-
uidated damages of $934.65 million.
With concerns rising in regard to corruption in the public procurement process, Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Komal Singh, has said the new framework would close loopholes being used by contractors to defraud the state.
“So, the platform will now allow us an opportunity to make sure that awarding contracts are being awarded to contractors who have the requisite capacity to execute those projects, thus eliminating the perception that there is corruption in the long run… So, the whole evaluation process is done in a very transparent manner, and it needs to take into consideration many factors on that particular contractor,” the PSC Chairman said.
Singh made these comments during a recently televised programme in which he further disclosed that the framework would root out from the system personnel who bypass protocols for their personal gain.
“If you’re being placed in a position where you need to manage the system and follow due process that is documented, and you fail to follow those processes and you use the system for your per-
sonal gain, I mean, it is clearly written on the wall: the Government just need to do what they have to do and hold those people accountable. If it means putting them in front of the court to face whatever action needs to be taken, you know, from a private sector standpoint, we feel they need to do it,” Singh added.
With the platform in place, he added, Guyana is keen to see increased foreign investment, economic growth, and more international business relationships, which would scale-up the country’s competitiveness.
In fact, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday echoed similar sentiments while adding that, to protect Guyana’s economic transformation, systems must be implemented. According to Jagdeo, the Regional Administrators across Guyana would be asked to investigate and be knowledgeable of the companies’ owners before contracts are awarded.
In defending his reason behind this position, the VP explained, “There are some contractors who, through their families, own multiple companies: wife, children, everybody, and they come and bid. You don’t know who
they are because they are companies, and then you end up with a single family putting in three or four different bids. And often, they win contracts and the community knows who they are and we don’t.”
Jagdeo added that Government would be asking contractors to declare their interests.
No prohibition
Jagdeo also hinted that the same measures would have to be implemented against some public servants who also participate in, and could possibly influence, the bidding process.
“There is no prohibition, if you work for the Government, to bid in a contract, but you should not do so in an entity that is connected to you. So, we’re enforcing that so that you can’t prejudice the bid process,” he explained.
Jagdeo said these issues were addressed during a recent outreach to Region Two (Pomeroon–Supenaam), at a meeting with contractors and employees of the regional administration.
Looking at the regional administration’s perspective, he said there needs to be full compliance with the Procurement Act and the re-
lated regulations. “Too often we have found departures from the standard bidding document that is a part of our legislation, and because there (are) so many procuring entities around the country…at different levels…sometimes they can alter the bidding document, which should be standard,” he pointed out.
As such, more training has been recommended for procurement staff within the various regions to ensure they clearly understand the tendering process in order to enhance the system.
The Government is also working to blacklist contractors who are failing to com-
plete projects that are in keeping with quality, or in a timely manner.
“We had a tough talk with the contractors too, that we intend to rigidly enforce the law,” the VP stated about his recent visit to the PomeroonSupenaam region.
The meetings hosted in Region Two would be replicated across the country in order to deal with procurement issues.
“The Ministry of Finance will go across the country, ensuring that all the procuring authorities…are aware of this, and that departures from established procedures would have consequences,” Jagdeo noted.
PSC Chairman Komal Singh
Influenced by the love for his Guyanese mother’s cooking, 17-year-old Ryan Kundan has opened his very own restaurant - ‘Everything Nice with Spice’ –in New Jersey, USA, serving various Guyanese dishes.
“Me and my mom have been trying to open a restaurant for a very long time to make Caribbean food because there are not many restaurants out here that represent the Guyanese culture and the flavour of Guyana,” Ryan told Guyana Times.
Recently, the teen was granted an opportunity to participate in a programme called ‘Boss Up’ offered at the Essex County Community College. The programme teaches teens the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and provides students with a $500 stipend at the end to develop and launch their own businesses.
“…they taught me how to manage a business, how to advertise for a business, and how to network myself
this achievement, saying, “It’s just amazing. I feel great, I feel amazing, I feel stressed at the same time but it’s all worth it honestly.”
He recalled the last time visiting Guyana was in 2021 emphasising his love for the country’s pristine rainforest and the availability of fresh vegetables, spices, and other food products that makes the dishes tastier.
“The food is just amazing because you get all your ingredients fresh and it tastes so different from how it comes here in the [United] States,” he said.
Ryan said his love for Guyanese food is a result of his mother’s cooking. He said she is also his greatest inspiration in his entrepreneurship journey.
Ryan’s mother, Shavana Kundan originally hails from Skeldon, East Berbice Corentyne. She migrated to the USA in 2001 and food has been her way of feeling connected with her homeland.
She said, “It really does
several persons would lend a helping hand to prepare for large number of guests.
“One of the experiences I am having out of it is that it makes me feel like when we have a function back home and we’re doing all this big cooking and even when we have customers
with other people and get out there in the public,” he said as he thanked Jamila Davis, the program’s director for the opportunity.
The skills garnered from the course led to the restaurant’s opening on June 15, 2024. The teen asked how he felt about
mean a lot” that her son can own his business at such a tender age.
Shavana is the lead Chef at ‘Everything Nice with Spice’. The mother of three said she loves cooking. She said cooking in bulk reminds her of big functions at home where
that are total strangers to us, they feel like family when they come in and you’re serving your own hand-cooked dish for them to try,” she explained.
The 46-year-old woman added that the restaurant attracts many Guyanese but also other Caribbean
people. “It is bringing in our kind of people and more of the Caribbean, everyone else who want to try the food. It makes me feel a part of being back home,” she told Guyana Times.
The restaurant purchases spices from Guyanese, who ship products from major manufacturers in Guyana.
Some of the specialties in the restaurant include
Jerk chicken, chicken curry, roti, dhal, fried rice, chowmein, pumpkin, calalu, and pastries such as Pine tart, cheese rolls, and buns among others.
They have seen many customers return as a testament to the deliciousness of the cuisine.
While his mother heads the kitchen, Ryan’s role at the new restaurant has mainly entailed managing the front of the store, running the juice bar, and leading advertising efforts. Ryan encourages other entrepreneurs, young and old alike, to pursue their dreams of owning a business. The teen advised to “don’t give up. Know what you want and continue to put your head on and go for it because if you don’t, then you’re sitting there wondering what it would have been like to own that business. Why think about it when you can do it and accomplish what you’re dreaming?”
From secondary school queen to Miss India Guyana 2024 – Diana Heralal tells her story
By Mishael henry
For 26-year-old Diana Heralal, the weight of a crown has never been a burden. Winning the first-ever pageant at Diamond Secondary School paved the way for her success at the Miss India Guyana 2024 Pageant, held at the Ramada Princess Hotel at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
Heralal’s journey in the realm of pageantry is a steadfast portrayal of holding a crown with unwavering determination. In an exclusive interview with Guyana Times hours before she winged off to the United States, the newly-crowned Miss India Guyana 2024 spoke about her rigorous journey to the coveted crown.
That simple yet pro found moment deep ened her interest in pag eantry, as she later became the first Miss Diamond Secondary Sari Queen, mark ing the school’s first competition. From that pivotal moment, her father saw signs of greatness in her, and placed her in the back of his pickup truck, parading her around and fuelling her interest in pageantry.
Heralal, who was born and raised at Timehri, East Bank Demerara, relayed that her path into pageantry started some 13 years ago, when she was at the back of her class in secondary school, catching up on old times with a very close friend.
“I was in class gossiping with my friends, and I had my earphones in. Then I saw the teacher come to the door, and she was talking about something. I wasn’t paying attention, (but) my friend next to me removed
the earphones, (and) I asked what she was talking about, and my friend said something about pageantry. I stood up right away, and since then everything changed for me,” Heralal happily recalled.
“After I won, we had a pickup van back then, and this man put me at the back of the van with my crown and he drove to Timehri. He was so proud, and that made me feel so amazing, because they were there supporting me,” she explained.
As her interest in pageantry grew, she decided to sign up for the Miss India Guyana competition. However, there were some minor hurdles in her way, which she began to learn
ager and young adult, I gained weight and became self-conscious. I felt like I wasn’t worthy of being in pageantry. But I believe the opportunity came at the right time, when I was prepared and ready for it. I wasn’t going to let it pass by,” she said.
Amid these situations which partially obscured her vision towards reaching her goal, she decided to undergo in-depth planning, and entered the competition on the exact day of the deadline.
“I couldn’t make up my mind. But in April, on the
to cross, including her busy tertiary education and career commitments that initially held her back.
“I started preparing mentally since then. I always wanted to do pageantry. Two years ago, I wanted to join the Miss India pageant, but I was so caught up in my career and studies that I didn’t have the time,” she explained.
In addition to time constraints, Heralal faced con-
day of the deadline for submissions, I decided to do it. After that day, I had to make a schedule for myself. I wrote everything down: what I wanted to do, what I wanted to wear, my talent piece, hairstyle, makeup, and how much time off I needed from work. I had to balance my work and personal life, because it was stressful,” she said.
Miss India Guyana Diana Heralal (middle) alongside Mrs. India Guyana 2024, Devi Lim, and Miss Teen India Guyana 2024, Timran Dookna
The newly crowned queens and franchise holders Hashim and Melissa Ali
From secondary school queen...
The crowned queen prepared herself mentally and physically for the competition, as she changed her diet, avoided foods that would cause her skin ‘to break out’, and took vitamins. Though she didn’t get to hit the gym as often as she had wanted, she made sure that her diet was on par. Her talent preparation was challenging, but she rose to the occasion.
“I was so frustrated. I didn’t know what songs to choose or what dances to do. I sought advice from different people. When I couldn’t get a move right, I would beat myself up, cry and worry; but after that, I got up and completed it. I went on stage and did the best I could,” she said.
In a grand coincidence, the final question she was asked in the Miss India Guyana pageant was similar to the one she answered in her primary school pageant.
“My final question for that pageant was, ‘What advice I would give to young women or children struggling’. It was basically the same question for Miss India. I believe that I was a step ahead because I was
prepared for it.”
Remembering the night in which she was surrounded by scores of young women who were humbly waiting to hear their names being called, she revealed that she was glad for the support from her parents.
“On the stage of the Miss India Guyana, I couldn’t see out into the crowd because of all the lights. But I heard them! I heard their screams! I heard my name! And it really made me feel like I was loved and supported by these people,” she said.
With this significant journey, the queen offered proverbial advice based on her realization of the path she had endured during her journey.
“Please remember (that) when things are not going your way, it’s just the Universe telling you it’s probably not your time yet. But what is meant for you will never pass you! So, keep on putting in the work, believing in yourself, and you will accomplish all of your goals,” she said.
“There are so many beau-
tiful young women out there who feel like they’re not enough or they’re not doing enough with all of the societal pressures and the digital influences that we have right now. Young women feel that they have to be someone they’re not. But to all the wonderful young women out there, you are unique in your own way. By being yourself, you might be inspiring oth-
ers. And that’s who I am right now. This is who I am.”
Heralal related that she believes in herself. “I’m being myself. I’m a very humble person, and my goal is to inspire and uplift each and every young woman out there in Guyana, so that you can believe in yourself and you can go after your dreams,” she declared.
Now with the crown on
her head, Diana will have big shoes to fill as she competes in the international pageant later this year, a title that is currently being held by Miss India Guyana 2023, Aruna Suhkdeo.
Throughout her one-year reign, Diana is committed to fulfilling various responsibilities and making the most of her journey.
The queens and Director of Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center, Rudra Jayanta Bhagawati
Born on July 12, 1922, John Walker Rudder, commonly known as Johnny Walker, celebrated his 102nd birth anniversary on Friday.
Raised in the East Bank Berbice villages of Kortberaadt and Mara, where he spent his early years, Walker began his education at Kortberaadt English School, and later moved to Friends Primary School, EBB, where he completed his schooling. Later, he moved to Islington, East Bank Berbice, and worked for most of his life as a sugarcane harvester (cane cutter).
Johnny Walker found love with his first wife, Kulsum Rudder. The couple shared a life until her passing at age 69, and the union produced five children. Rudder later remarried, and his current wife is 95 years old. They have produced four children.
Johnny Walker says being 102 is special. “Where I am, I don’t feel that where I
am I should feel so. When I think of my age, I question myself, ‘What! 100 years?’ I didn’t believe it, because my feelings are not all that bad, because I can run; I can get up from here and run on the road. I am sure that a
man my age can’t even get up, but praise be to God,” Rudder said during a birthday interview.
The centenarian’s youngest child is 58 and his oldest is 81. He has 48 grandchildren, 30 great-grand-
children and numerous great-great-grandchildren.
He provided this publication with the secret to a long life. “The secret is a blessing from God. If you obey His laws, you will live the life that we expected to
live to whatever the Lord says. If you live the life according to the Lord, you will live 100 and over,” he disclosed.
Rudder also spoke about what he has been eating, and advised that oth-
ers should practise those same eating habits. “When it comes in the line of food, I eat anything!”
Apart from a slight difficulty in hearing, Walker has no known ailment, and even helps with chores around the home. He pointed out that he would not pick up a shovel or fork in the garden, but uses the cutlass to weed.
“What I am able to do I will do: sweep, or do anything in the home, or even in the backdam. If I go, I can weed. On a daily basis,(I do) anything that I feel to do. If my wife has plenty work to do, I help her to do it. If they have something to lift and they want a hand, I give them a hand. Whatever it is, once I feel that I can do it, I will do it,” he expressed. Rudder had seven of his nine children who are alive share the special day with him on Friday. And Region Six Chairman David Armogan, who visited him, expressed birthday wishes on behalf of the Regional Democratic Council.
John Rudder and his 95-year-old wife Margret with one of their grandchildren
John Rudder, also called Johnny Walker
Guyana’s agricultural production continues to rise steadily – Mustapha tells Reg 3 farmers
For the past four years, Guyana has shown exponential growth in its agriculture sector, with increased yields in its main crops such as rice and sugar, and even in its poultry production. The increase is due to the huge sums invested in research to ensure better quality crops are reaped and that there is diversification of new crops into the agriculture industry.
During a meeting with Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) farmers last week, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha noted that the in-
crease in yield is not from the addition of planting lands, but rather from the proper practice of crop husbandry.
Crop husbandry is the practice of cultivating and managing crops by selecting suitable soils for different types of crops, and preparing the soil for optimal growth. In 2022, some 610,000 tonnes of rice were produced, while there was a production of 653,000 tonnes last year. This year, a target of 710,000 tonnes has been set in the agriculture sector. Additionally, 2023 had seen an increase of almost 60 per cent in sugar production.
“In all the areas, we have been doing research to increase the yield. We haven’t increased the acres of land for rice, we are still planting between 200,000 to 220,000 acres of land. We used to produce between 550,000 tonnes to 600,000 tonnes of rice on the same measure of land, and now we are producing more. We used to get 5 tonnes per hectare, now Guyana is receiving 6.7 tonnes per hectare from the same land,” Minister Mustapha recounted.
The increase, he noted, is also from the Rice Research Station in Burma, Mahaicony, Region Five, which is generat-
ing a better variety of rice.
Moreover, turning his attention to the livestock industry, the agriculture minister disclosed that last year there was an 11 per cent increase in livestock production. With the new abattoir being built at Onverwagt in Region Five, Minister Mustapha emphasized, there is need to ramp up activities of cattle and poultry rearing countrywide.
“If we are building the abattoir, we have to get animals to slaughter there. So, that is why we are resuscitating our cattle industry. We have intensified the Artificial Insemination Programme and, for the first time in our country, we have started the Embryo Transplant Programme,” the agriculture minister stated.
A contract has been signed with a Brazilian company to
perform embryo transplantation in Guyana. These transplants consist of sure pregnancy within cattle to produce high-breeding animals.
Already, 50 transplants have been conducted in 2023, while another 250 are expected to be done between 2024 and 2025.
Mustapha further pointed out that 63 breeding bulls were brought into the country from Texas last year, to assist farmers in getting better breeds within their cattle farms.
And as it pertains to poultry, the ministry has started its Breeders Programme that is
aimed at producing its hatching eggs. In 2023, some 27,000 eggs were produced.
Not only will these investments contribute to the food security bill being reduced by 25 per cent by 2025, but they would also aid in developing every other sector in the country.
“So, as long we can save these funds from importation and produce our crops and livestock right in our country, then those monies can be used in other areas and improve the other sectors,” the minister stressed.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha addressing the farmers
Farmers at the meeting
Prime Minister Mark Phillips handing over agricultural tools to residents
Miner remanded for murder of Venezuelan national
Williams Andres
Ugas Amudarain, a 23-year-old miner of Quartz Stone Backdam, a Cuyuni riverine community in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), has been arraigned before Bartica Magistrate Faith McGusty for the murder of Adrian Williams, a Venezuelan national, allegedly committed during a drunken row last week.
Amudarain was not required to plead to the indictable charge, which stated that on June 5, 2024, he murdered Adrian Williams
at Quartz Stone Landing. He has been remanded to prison, and will make his next court appearance on August 9, 2024.
Recap It has been reported that the late Williams had been imbibing at a shop in the area with the accused and another Venezuelan.
The shop owner told police that, on the day in question, he locked his shop at about 23:00h and retired to bed. At about 23:30h, he heard a loud noise, and upon inves-
tigating, he saw Williams and one of the Venezuelan nationals known as ‘Barber’ involved in a scuffle. They were eventually separated by onlookers.
The men left the area, and according to another resident, just after midnight, he heard a loud noise, and upon venturing outside, he saw the accused standing over Williams with a cutlass with which he was attempting to chop Williams further. However, he was deterred by onlookers, and later made his escape, leav-
ing Williams in the middle of the walkway in a pool of blood.
Police ranks when informed visited the area, where they found the body of Williams on the ground, clad in short pants with no footwear or top. The ranks examined the body and observed several chop wounds to the right-side chin, throat, left-side head, and right shoulder. A small bottle of rum was found in Williams’s pants pocket.
Amudarain was later arrested and charged.
Dead: Adrian Williams
Charged: Williams Andres Ugas Amudarain
Gunshots fired at Trump Pennsylvania rally
Fmr President injured, suspected shooter among 2 dead
Donald Trump was whisked off the stage at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania after apparent gunshots rang through the crowd.
The shooter was reportedly killed by the Secret Service while an attendee was also shot dead during the incident. In addition,
Trump also received a possible gunshot injury as blood was seen on his ear and face. It was reported that the former US President and presumptive Republican nominee were showing off a chart of border crossing numbers during his last rally before the Republican National Convention opens
Monday when bangs started ringing through the crowd. Trump could be seen reaching with his right hand toward his neck. There appeared to be blood on his face. He quickly ducked behind the riser as agents from his protective detail rushed the stage and screams were
Female motorcyclist crushed to death by overtaking truck
Afemale motorcyclist lost her life on Friday after being involved in an accident with a motor lorry which subsequently ran over her head.
The accident occurred along the Mon Repos Railway Embankment Road, East Coast Demerara, and the dead woman has been identified as 52-yearold Limwattie Laljie, also called ‘Savitha’, of Phase 2, Good Hope Housing Scheme, ECD.
According to reports received, Laljie was driving-
motorcycle #CK 6224 along the Mon Repos Railway
Embankment Road while the lorry was proceeding in the same direction behind her. As the lorry was in the process of overtaking the motorcyclist, its left side tray came into contact with the motorcycle, and Laljie was thrown onto the roadway and was run over by the lorry’s left side rear wheels.
The driver, a 26-year-old resident of Diamond, East Bank Demerara, has been arrested and is assisting with investigations which are ongoing.
Ramp attendant, another charged, remanded
on possession for narcotics
Two men who were each busted with a quantity of ganja in separate incidents have been charged and remanded to prison.
Mark Ferrell, a 52-yearold Ramp Attendant of Trans-Guyana Airways and resident of Pigeon Place in South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was arrested with 59.50lbs of cannabis on July 10, 2024 at the Eugene Correia International Airport at Ogle, East Coast Demerara.
Arraigned before Sparendaam Magistrate Rushell Liverpool, he pleaded ‘guilty with explanation’ when the charge
Charged: Mark Ferrell and Nicholas Amardeo
was read to him. Upon hearing his explanation, Magistrate Liverpool entered a ‘not guilty’ plea on his behalf.
Consequently, Ferrell was remanded to prison, and will return to court on August 6.
Meanwhile, Nicholas Amardeo, a 26-year-old
heard in the crowd of several thousand people. The bangs continued as agents tended to him on stage.
Live microphones picked up the Secret Service agents’ comments as they moved the former President to safety: “Shooter is down!” “Are you ready! On you! Move! We’re clear!”
His motorcade had left the venue. His condition was not immediately known.
As he was escorted off the stage by Secret Service agents, Trump held his fist in the air as chants of “USA! USA!” echoed through the
crowd. Police began vacating the fairgrounds shortly after Trump left the stage.
“An incident occurred the evening of July 13 at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania,” Anthony Guglielmi, the Chief of Communications for the United States Secret Service, tweeted. “The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former President is safe. This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available.
Leaving Mass in Rehoboth Beach, President
Joe Biden was briefed about the incident. He later condemned the shooting and said: “There’s no place in America for this kind of violence.”
“It’s sick, it’s one of the reasons we have to unite this country,” he said, speaking from Delaware. “We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this, we cannot condone this.”
Biden added that he’s tried to get in touch with Trump, noting that the former President is with his doctors and appears to be doing well.
Police cite speeding as cause for deadly Linden-Soesdyke Highway smash-up
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has confirmed that speeding was the cause of the tragic accident that claimed the lives of former national footballer Carl Hunte and his grandson Malique Roberts on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.
That accident occurred at approximately 17:00h on Friday in the vicinity of Kairuni, as Hunte, driving motor car with trade plate BMS #4, was reportedly travelling at high speed in a southerly direction when he lost control of the vehicle.
That circumstance resulted in the vehicle veering into
León Moore, a 22-yearold porter of Phase Two Farm, East Bank Demerara, has been remanded to prison after being found in possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition.
resident of Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, was on Friday arrested with 252 grams of marijuana. In his arraignment before Diamond Magistrate Delon Bess, he pleaded not guilty to the charge, and was remanded to prison. He will make his next court appearance on July 26, 2024.
The young man was arrested on Tuesday with the weapon, and was on Friday slapped with a charge detailing that he was found in possession of a firearm and ammunition without possession of a licence.
When Moore appeared before Diamond Magistrate Delon Bess, he pleaded not guilty to the offence and was remanded to prison. He will make his next court appearance on July 19.
the path of an oncoming lumber-laden canter, GAH 1532, being driven by a 26-year-old resident of Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara.
The Canter driver has said that despite his attempts to avoid a collision, the motorcar slammed into the right side of his vehicle, and the impact caused Hunte’s vehicle to topple several times before coming to a halt on the eastern side of the highway in a wrecked condition.
Public-spirited citizens rushed to the scene and helped to extricate the injured occupants from the
wreckage. They were transported to the Linden Hospital Complex, where doctors pronounced Carl Hunte and Malique Roberts dead on arrival.
Hunte’s two other grandchildren, aged 10 and 12, were also injured. The 10-year-old was treated and discharged, while the 12-year-old has been transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital and admitted to the Accident and Emergency Unit in stable condition.
The driver of the canter has been detained as investigations continue.
Remanded: León Moore
Dead: Malique Roberts
Dead: Carl Hunte
Dead: Limwattie Laljie
Former President Donald Trump being whisked off stage by Secret Service agents
The illegal firearm and ammunition
High Court throws out lawsuit filed by murder accused kept on remand for 9 years – orders him to pay AG $500K
High Court Judge, Justice Navindra Singh has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Jones Raymond, who had claimed that his imprisonment for almost 10 years on a murder charge constituted a breach of his fundamental rights.
But Justice Singh found in his ruling on Friday that Raymond’s rights as provided for in Article 141 (1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Guyana have not been infringed.
Raymond had been remanded for the murder of 33-year-old Gary Joseph, which had occurred sometime between December 26 and December 27, 2012. He was subsequently charged with murder and remanded to prison on December 28, 2012.
The father of four, who had been on remand for more than nine years, was released from prison by Justice Sandil Kissoon in July 2022 because of the lengthy time he had spent in pre-trial detention. In ordering the release of the murder accused, Justice Kissoon had, among other things, declared that the State had violated Raymond’s constitutional right to a fair trial within a reasonable time, as guaranteed under Article 144 of the Constitution, due to the inordinate delay in trying him. Justice Kissoon had also stayed all criminal proceedings against Raymond.
Following his release, the 68-year-old Raymond, of Micobie Village, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), filed a lawsuit against the State – naming the Attorney General as the respondent, seeking more than $1 million in compensation for the violation of his fundamental right to protection of the law, guaranteed under Article 144 (1) of the Constitution, as a result of him being imprisoned on remand for more than nine years without a trial, after being charged with the capital offence of murder.
His legal team, which was led by Timothy Jonas, SC, claimed this was in contravention of Raymond’s right to receive a trial before a court within a reasonable time, as guaranteed by the above-mentioned constitutional provision.
The lawyers had also sought damages of over $1 million for the inhumane and degrading treatment their client had endured while being incarcerated in both the Camp Street and Lusignan Prisons for more than nine years without a
trial. And they sought compensation for Raymond of more than $1 million for having been kept and housed in prison in awful and deplorable conditions.
However, in Friday’s judgement, Justice Singh ruled on the issue of Article 144, saying there was no breach of Raymond’s right to a fair trial. He found that the claimant's assertion of his right to a trial does not mean that he has to specifically demand a trial, rather, the court is entitled to assess the claimant's conduct in determining whether he waived his right to a trial for any or all of the delay period.
The court found that Raymond effectively waived any period of delay when he indicated that he wanted to plead guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter before Justice Kissoon, who had sent the case to the Suddie High Court for the plea to be taken.
Moreover, Justice Singh said Raymond had not averred to any actual instance of prejudice that he has suffered as a result of the purported delay in being able to prepare or lead a defence at a trial, if he had opted to have his trial on the charge of murder.
The Judge ruled that a lengthy time on remand awaiting trial or the completion of a Preliminary Inquiry (PI) does not, without further evidence, mean that an accused person would not be able to get a fair trial.
According to the High Court Judge, even Justice Kissoon, despite staying the murder charge, did not find that Raymond could no longer get a fair trial and as long as a fair trial is possible, it is in the public’s interest that cases should be tried, especially when the charge is murder and the accused is accepting liability for homicide.
In fact, Justice Singh declared that a stay of prosecution of the charge is gratuitous and is an affront to
public justice.
While the High Court Judge did find that there was an unacceptable and unexplained delay in the prosecution of the charge against Raymond, he contended that the claimant's right to a fair hearing within a reasonable time as provided for in Article 144 of the Constitution of the Republic of Guyana had not been infringed.
The court also found that by his pleadings the claimant is not claiming that he was subjected to degrad-
ing treatment or in any event has not pleaded facts to support a claim that he was subjected to degrading treatment while incarcerated.
With regard to claims that Raymond was placed in an unsanitary and uncomfortable environment, he has not pleaded that that caused him any serious physical and/or mental pain or suffering. It is clear from the pleadings that his health did not suffer nor did he contract any illness as a result of the alleged unsan-
itary environment.
As a result, the High Court did not find that the allegations set out in the pleadings demonstrate that the claimant was subjected to inhuman treatment.
In coming to these conclusions, Justice Singh cited several case law authorities from the United Kingdom, the United States, the Caribbean, and Guyana. He also ordered that Raymond pay the Attorney General costs to the tune of $500,000.
Despite the stay in the prosecution of the case,
Raymond is still facing the murder charge. The prosecution’s case was that the deceased and several friends had been imbibing at a shop on Boxing Day of December 2012 when he had an altercation with Raymond, who then armed himself with an arrow and bow and shot the man. The arrow had struck the abdomen of the now-deceased man. The injured man had been rushed to the Mahdia Hospital before being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he died.
Murder accused Jones Raymond
Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC High Court Judge Navindra Singh
PSC steps up to assist in tackling illegal trade, counterfeit products
C– illicit trade desk set up at Waterloo St headquarters cerns to consumers. Despite these implications, the crime persists, affecting legitimate business operators and impacting the safety and well-being of citizens,” the PSC explained.
ognisant of the challenges monitoring illegal trade, smuggling and counterfeit products, among other illegalities, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) is stepping up to assist the State by establishing an Illicit Trade Desk at its Waterloo Street headquarters.
According to the PSC in a statement, the Desk will be established to take in reports and complaints on cases related to unfair trading practices, smuggling, uncustomed goods, and counterfeit products.
“The Desk will be housed at the Commission’s headquarters on Waterloo Street. It is open to any member of the public, and complaints can be made in person, by telephone, or by sending an email to the Commission.
Once complaints are received, the Commission will forward them to the relevant law enforcement agencies for action,” the PSC explained.
PSC Chairman Komal Singh was quoted in the statement as making it clear that these crimes were taking their toll on legitimate businesses and members of those businesses. He noted that the Commission was determined to do its part and collaborate with the relevant stakeholders.
“Illicit trade continues to erode the competitiveness of our local businesses, distributors, and traders. Many of our members are losing market share, which directly impacts their long-term profitability.
“Employment opportunities, business stability, and
economic growth are also at stake. In doing our part, we will continue to collaborate with the relevant stakeholders, and the Commission intends to continue raising awareness on this matter via public awareness programmes,” Singh further said.
It was also noted by the umbrella organisation that when these crimes persist, the safety and well-being of citizens are in jeopardy since these illicit products can include pharmaceuticals and consumables.
“Illicit trade is a crime that involves counterfeiting, tax evasion, and the smuggling of consumer products. Key items susceptible to illicit trade include highly-taxable commodities such as tobacco, alcohol, pharmaceuticals, designer apparel and footwear, and wildlife.
“The scope of illicit trade is extensive, and products sold illegally or unregulated pose serious health con-
Truck driver electrocuted while offloading concrete blocks
The electrocution of a truck driver while working at Windsor Estate, East Bank Demerara (EBD) has led to an investigation by the Labour Ministry’s Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Department.
The dead man has been identified as Maniram Navindralall of Patentia, West Bank Demerara (WBD).
Based on reports received, Navindralall was hired to pick up and deliver four crates of concrete blocks in Windsor Estate at a private property. While he was offloading the blocks, the vehicle came into contact with a 13, 800-volt primary network, resulting in him being electrocuted.
Following the reports made, Assistant Chief OSH
Officer Royden Croal visited the scene, where he commenced investigating to determine the causes of the accident and to provide recommendations to prevent future recurrences.
Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton continues to express increasing concerns about the occurrence of workplace injuries and accidents.
He holds the view that when a worker leaves home and goes to work, there is an expectation by the family that he or she will return home safely at the end of the work day or work period and every effort should be made to ensure that workers are protected on the job.
As such, he extends his sympathies to the affected persons.
Another point made by the PSC was the strain on the resources of law enforcement since they are also faced with solving more high-level crimes. According to the Commission, the public and private sectors need to work together on the issue.
“The Commission understands that addressing this issue requires a collaborative effort between public and private partners and is committed to providing resources to strengthen public and law enforcement agencies to address the scourge. Persons with information or complaints related to activities they suspect to be illicit trade can contact the
Commission via email office@psc.org.gy or telephone 225-5347,” the PSC said.
Guyana has been faced with illegal trade of a range of commodities, from gold to cigarettes. For instance, the Demerara Tobacco Company (DEMTOCO) Limited had estimated earlier this year that the country could lose as much as $1 billion in revenue from the illicit trade of cigarettes this year.
According to DEMTOCO Managing Director Vijay Singh, the market share of illicit cigarettes in Guyana has risen alarmingly to an estimated 29 per cent, representing a 100 per cent increase in just one year.
In Guyana, songbirds are also a frequent target for intended smugglers. In 2023, several persons were caught attempting to smuggle songbirds out of Guyana and were penalised in accordance with the provisions of
the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act (2016).
But perhaps the most notorious case of smuggling involved the gold trade.
Two US citizens and one Guyanese were charged last month after being intercepted with US$560,000 worth of raw gold at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
Further, in recent sanctions imposed against local gold dealers Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed and
their associated businesses, the United States has alleged that some 10,000 kilograms of gold had been smuggled out of this country between 2019 and 2023. The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which announced the sanctions, alleged that owing to the under-declaring of gold and tax evasion, the State was defrauded of more than US$50 million in duty taxes.
Hurricane Beryl PM Gonsalves extends gratitude to Guyana for providing essential aid
As Guyana continues to stand in solidarity with its Caribbean counterparts, St Vincent and the Grenadines
Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves has expressed gratitude to President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali for providing relief supplies to his country following Hurricane Beryl.
While the shipment was being offloaded on Thursday, PM Gonsalves highlighted that the island received food supplies, lumber, galvanised building materials, tools, gasoline generators, and other items.
“I am very happy to see our Guyanese brothers and sisters who came on the vessel bringing the shipment of relief aid such as food and building materials. Guyana has been very generous. Guyana also has a strong
are moving with a lot of advocacies in the world for assistance for the Caribbean countries who are affected,” Prime Minister Gonsalves underscored.
PM Gonsalves pointed out that very soon Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines would receive another shipment of essential supplies from Guyana.
Beryl made landfall in Carriacou, Grenada, as a Category Four hurricane and subsequently intensified into a Category Five storm.
Guyana’s swift response saw several shipments of
covery efforts following Hurricane Beryl, 50 ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) will be going to Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines under the leadership of Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Dale De Mendonca today.
Based on an assessment, over 80 per cent of St Vincent and the Grenadines’ agriculture sector has been impacted. The rural communities in Jamaica have suffered the most.
Meanwhile, the situation was described as ‘horrific’ in Grenada since the islands of Carriacou and
relation with Grenada. The Caribbean Community has come together quite well. We have had meetings already on the relief matters…We
essential items being dispatched to the hurricane-affected Caribbean countries.
To aid in immediate re-
Petite Martinique have had their permanent and cash crops, as well as livestock, destroyed.
The Private Sector Commission’s office on Waterloo Street
PSC Chairman Komal Singh
The vessels that were loaded with essential supplies for the affected countries last weekend
St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves interacting with an official
Jaiswal and Gill wrap up series in style for India
Zimbabwe’s most-assured batting effort wasn’t enough to mount a challenge against India’s young IPL stars.
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill made light work of a 153-run target, sauntering home in just 15.2 overs in a sensational exhibition of intent-laden batting of the kind we hadn’t seen in the series so far.
Where Zimbabwe hit all of 10 fours in their 20 overs, Jaiswal and Gill smashed as many in their first four overs en route to a 10-wicket thumping that delivered an unassailable 3-1 lead for India with one more game to play today.
India’s ‘fifth-bowler’ squad shine after Zimbabwe’s solid foundation
managed to rein in the scoring; eventually an effort to up the ante against India’s
Zimbabwe had lost at least two wickets in the powerplay in each of the three T20Is in the series before this game. On Saturday, though, Wessly Madhevere and Tadiwanashe Marumani rode their luck to add 63 in 8.4 overs to give them a platform.
In the third over, Marumani was dropped by Shivam Dube at mid-on while on 3. He also benefited from an overthrow that went to the boundary in the same over, and Marumani appeared to change gears after the reprieve by going after debutant Tushar Deshpande, who conceded 21 off his first two overs. Gill quickly turned to spin inside the powerplay and they
part-time bowlers, who needed to fill the fifth-bowler’s quota, got Marumani. Off Abhishek Sharma’s fourth ball, he looked to pull and ended up hitting it towards the longest part of the boundary where Rinku Singh was waiting at deep midwicket. This allowed Gill to bring on Dube from the other end in a bid to get the fifth-bowler’s quota out of the way, but he too struck – in his first over, he had the other set batter, Madhevere, pulling a short ball to Rinku at deep square leg.
Abhishek could have had a second wicket in T20Is, but for Ruturaj Gaikwad shelving a dolly at extra cover to reprieve Brian Bennett. The missed opportunity didn’t cost India much though.
Raza to Zimbabwe’s rescue Raza needed to rescue Zimbabwe as they had suddenly lost 4 for 33 after the solid opening. Having been guilty of running out Jonathan Campbell, Raza’s industry kept the runs ticking until he flicked the switch with five overs re-
maining.
On 21 off 17 at that point, he launched Washington Sundar over deep midwicket for a 90-metre six, and
giving him width and he kept crashing them away through point, alternating between hitting them along the ground and playing
then went after Khaleel Ahmed in his next over, hitting a four and a six. Overs 16 and 17 produced 31 as Zimbabwe charged towards 160. That they fell eight short was thanks to two excellent overs from Deshpande, who dismissed Raza for his maiden international wicket, and Khaleel. Zimbabwe had a competitive, if not match-winning, total.
Jaiswal and Gill make merry India’s chase was kickstarted with Jaiswal hitting three fours off left-arm seamer Richard Ngavara in the first over. Jaiswal was in no mood to stop there, hitting Tendai Chatara for four more fours off his first over, the third of the innings. The seamers kept
the full-blooded cuts. India raised their fifty in just 3.5
Zimbabwe (20 ovs maximum)
BATTING R Wessly Madhevere c Singh b Dube 25
Tadiwanashe Marumani c Singh b Abhishek Sharma 32
Brian Bennett c Jaiswal b Washington Sundar 9
Sikandar Raza (c) c Shubman Gill b Deshpande 46
Johnathan Campbell run out (Ravi Bishnoi) 3
Dion Myers c & b Ahmed 12
Clive Madande † c Singh b Ahmed 7
Faraz Akram not out 4
Extras (lb 5, nb 1, w 8) 14
TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 7.60) 152/7
Did not bat: Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Tendai Chatara
Fall of wickets: 1-63
(Tadiwanashe Marumani, 8.4 ov), 2-67 (Wessly Madhevere, 9.6 ov), 3-92 (Brian Bennett, 13.4 ov), 4-96 (Johnathan Campbell, 14.4 ov), 5-141 (Sikandar Raza, 18.3 ov), 6-147 (Dion Myers, 19.1 ov), 7-152 (Clive Madande, 19.6 ov)
overs, with Jaiswal contributing 39.
Jaiswal got to his half-century off 29 balls, and then unfurled one of the shots of the day when he sent Raza inside-out over extra cover. Having been beaten in flight, he quickly adjusted to loft him through the line and bisect the tiny gap between deep cover and wide long-off.
Gill then took over, helping himself against Faraz Akram’s gentle seam-ups in an exquisite display of hitting-on-the-up. Gill’s second straight half-century, off 35 balls, was mellow in comparison to Jaiswal but effective nonetheless.
As the match raced towards the finish line, the only point of interest was if Jaiswal could get the 17 of the 18 remaining runs needed to get to a hundred. He couldn’t; ended up 93 not out, having displayed his full range in an exhilarating display reflecting the type of intent that won India the T20 World Cup last month after 17 years.
(ESPNcricinfo)
India (T: 153
Sikandar Raza top-scored for Zimbabwe with 46
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill put on 156 runs for the first wicket
Jaiswal was seven short of a century
Tushar Deshpande delivers the ball on his international debut India celebrate
Exhilarating action promised in Kares One Guyana T10 Blast
The Kares One Guyana
Tapeball Blast is set to ignite the cricketing world with a knockout-style tournament, as organisers unveiled the highly-anticipated fixtures on Saturday.
With a straight knockout format, teams will have no margin for error, as it’s “do or die from ball one”, according to the tournament organisers.
The action kicks off on August 3 with the intense round-of-32 matches, spread across the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC); Police Sports Club (PSC) and Queen’s College Grounds.
Matches are scheduled for 09:00h, 11:00h, 13:00h, and 15:00h.
The surviving teams will clash in the round-of-16 on August 4, also at DCC and PSC Grounds.
The final eight teams will then battle it out at the Enmore Community Centre Ground on August 11 to secure their spots in the semi-finals and the grand finale, which will be held on August 25 at the National Stadium.
Tournament organiser John Ramsingh expressed his anticipation for the tournament, highlighting the fierce competition expected from the participating teams. “With so many established community teams involved, we’re expecting some explosive cricket,” Ramsingh said. “The fans are in for a treat.”
Ramsingh also acknowledged the impact of the weather on preparations, but expressed satisfac-
tion with the teams’ continued training and the ongoing support from corporate Guyana.
The winner of the tournament will take home $1.5 million, with the runners-up securing $500,000 and the losing semi-finalists each receiving $250,000.
Matches on August 3: MS-13 All-Stars v Team Corruption – QC Pitch 1 at 09:00h; Upsetters v GPL Inc – QC Pitch 2 at 09:00h; Montra Jaguars v Falcons
GCF elects new executive members
During the las week, the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) convened an extraordinary meeting, which was hosted for the purpose of filling key positions within the Federation’s executive committee, which is essential for driving the future of cycling in Guyana.
As such, the newly-elected GCF members are:
General Secretary: Mark St Claire
Vice President (FundRaising Committee): Hector Edwards
Vice President (Racing Committee): Linden Dowridge
Racing Secretary: Joseph Britton
Assistant Secretary: Carlotta Thompson
According to the Cycling Federation, the election of these individuals marks a significant step forward for the GCF, ensuring a robust
and dedicated leadership team to oversee the development and promotion of cycling activities throughout Guyana.
Mark St Claire, the newly-appointed General Secretary, brings a wealth of experience and organisational skills to the Federation. He will be pivotal in ensuring effective communication and coordination within the Federation and with external stakeholders. He is ably assisted by Thompson, who will provide administrative and digital communication support.
As Vice President in charge of the FundRaising Committee, Hector Edwards will lead initiatives to secure necessary funds to support the Federation’s activities and promote the sport nationwide.
Linden Dowridge, tak-
ing on the role of Vice President for the Racing Committee, will focus on enhancing the competitive aspects of cycling in Guyana. His expertise will be crucial in organising races and ensuring they meet international standards.
Joseph Britton, the new Racing Secretary, will work closely with Dowridge to manage race logistics, athlete participation, and overall race day coordination, ensuring smooth and successful events.
The Cycling Federation has extended its gratitude to all members who participated in the election and looks forward to a productive tenure under the new executive leadership. The Federation remains committed to fostering a vibrant cycling community, encouraging youth participation, and achieving excellence in the sport.
XI – PSC at 09:00h; Street Ballerz v Village Rams –DCC at 09:00h; EC Express v Mahdia – DCC at 11:00h; Soesdyke XI v Airport XI – QC Pitch 1 at 11:00h; Renegades Cricket Club v Tarmac Titans – PSC at 11:00h; Eccles All-Stars v Eastsyde – QC Pitch 2 at 11:00h; Titans All-Stars v Stripling Warriors – PSC at 13:00h; Premier Insurance v Min Housing – QC Pitch 1 at 13:00h; Moruca Super Giants v Lil Rams – QC
Pitch 2 at 13:00h; The Guards v Mahaica Super Strikers – 13:00h at DCC; Green Scorpions v Avinash All-Stars – QC Pitch 1 at 15:00h; Brooklyn Youth Strikers v Cotton Tree Die Hard – PSC at 15:00h; Diamond Gunners v TG Titans – DCC at 15:00h; The United Crew v Bartica Bulls – QC Pitch 2 at 15:00h.
Kares Engineering; Banks DIH; Star Rentals; Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport; Montra Restaurant and Lounge; Ministry of Housing and Water; Premier Insurance; Regal Stationery & Computer Centre; ENet, Avinash Contracting and Scrap Metal Inc; Demerara Mutual Insurance; Massy Distribution; RS53 Restobar & Lounge; Jacobs Jewellery & Pawn Shop and First Change Builders Inc are the other sponsors on board thus far.
England add Wood to Test squad after Anderson retirement
Mark Wood has been added to England’s squad for the second Test against the West Indies, replacing James Anderson after his retirement.
England’s all-time leading wicket-taker Anderson signed off from his glittering red-ball career on Friday, taking a wicket on the final day at Lord’s in his farewell Test.
Ben Stokes’ side hammered the touring Windies by an innings and 114 runs, and England have made just one expected change to their playing squad.
Anderson’s retirement has paved the way for Durham quick Wood to return, having missed the first Test after featuring in the T20 World Cup with Jos Buttler’s whiteball team.
Stokes will likely stick with Chris Woakes and
Gus Atkinson, the latter who impressed significantly in his first international with remarkable match figures of 12-106, leaving one fast-bowling slot available.
Wood will battle it out with the uncapped Dillon Pennington and Durham team-mate Matthew Potts for a place in the second Test, which begins on Thursday at Trent Bridge.
Should Pennington feature and make his debut, the Nottinghamshire bowler would do so on his home ground.
England men’s squad for second Test v West Indies: Ben Stokes (Durham); Gus Atkinson (Surrey); Shoaib Bashir (Somerset); Harry Brook (Yorkshire); Zak Crawley (Kent); Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire); Dan Lawrence (Surrey); Dillon Pennington (Nottinghamshire); Ollie Pope (Surrey); Matthew Potts (Durham); Joe Root (Yorkshire); Jamie Smith (Surrey); Chris Woakes (Warwickshire) and Mark Wood (Durham). (Sportsmax)
More big sixes are on the cards for 2024
The best of the best will be part of the Kares One Guyana T10 Tapeball Blast 2024
England’s Mark Wood
Guyana flatten Leewards to clinch women’s T20 Championship
Another four-wicket haul from Trisha Hardat and some runs upfront off the bat of Naomi Barkoye led Guyana’s Under-19 Women to a tournament win in the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Rising Stars T20 Championships on Saturday morning.
Rain delayed the start at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago, but once the heavens cleared, Leeward Islands won the toss and opted to bat first.
Leewards’ top three of Megna Baishya, Katherine Bean Rosarion and Sainvani Kambalapalli were quickly sent back to the dugout for 3, 1 and 1 respectively. In fact, similarly to their preliminary game in which they faced Guyana, the only batter to stand up for Leewards was Captain Jahzara Claxton.
Claxton hit 25 in 28 deliveries before becoming Hardat’s second victim of the day. The second highest score of 7 from 12 balls later came off the
bat of Courtney Browne. What propelled Leewards was the 22 extras that the Guyanese bowling outfit gave away.
Nonetheless, Guyana were able to restrict their opponents to 68 all out in 19.4 overs.
Hardat claimed 4-10 from 4 overs, while Danellie Manns picked up
2-14 from her 4.
Despite a stumble from her fellow opener Laurene Williams, Barkoye gave Guyana a great start to the chase and alongside Shonette Belgrave, got their team within 15 runs of the target.
The 45-run second-wicket partnership saw Barkoye hitting a run-
District 10 reign supreme at 2024 Inter-District
Kayaking Competition
Consistency and determination were displayed as District 10 emerged champions, for the second time, in the third ExxonMobil Inter-District Kayaking Tournament at the Watooka Guest House in Linden.
District 10, with their ability to move swiftly through the water, finished with 71 points to walk away with a $400,000 grand prize. 2023 Champions District 9 posed a threat to the title winners, but had to settle for second place and a $250,000 reward. Meanwhile, District 7 were forced to settle for third place and $150,000.
The first event saw
District 7 coming out on top of their competition, clinching first place in the Under-14 Male Short Distance, followed by District 9 in second and District 1 finishing third.
The Under-16 Male Short Distance Singles race also saw District 10 clinching first place with their coordination; District 7 came in second, with District 9 in third place.
In the Under-16 Mixed Short Distance Double, District 7 won first place.
District 10 and District 9 placed second and third respectively.
District 10 managed to come out on top of the competition in the Short
Distance U16 Females
Single, with District 9 settling for second place and District 2 with third.
District 9 were phenomenal in copping first in the Male Long Distance Open Relay, with District 10 filling the position of second, and District 7 rowing in third.
District 1, with their persistence, managed to secure first in the Open Short Distance Mixed Relay as they pushed District 10 into second and District 7, third.
The tournament would not have been possible without sponsorship from ExxonMobil, SLB, the Education Ministry and many more.
with 63-5 on the board in 11.3 overs, Guyana were well ahead of the par score and thus won the match. Amara Richards and Kambalapalli each picked up two wickets for Leewards.
Guyana won five out of six games in the championships and ended the preliminary aspect of the tournament with 22.8 points, 6.4 points ahead of the second-place team.
SCOREBOARD
a-ball 24, while Belgrave slammed 21 in 15 deliveries. Latoya Williams later added 8 from 10 balls, but when a pair of ducks threatened to destabilise the Guyanese, the heavens opened once again.
The lengthy rain delay forced the game to be decided by the DuckworthLewis-Stern method, and
Close to 60 horses entered for Port Mourant horse race meet
…track in pristine condition
The Port Mourant Turf Club will come alive today, Sunday July 14 with a grand one-day horse race meet. Some 55 horses have confirmed entry to the event which now has seven races on the cards.
After a change of weather pattern, the track at Port Mourant is in immaculate condition with host stable, KP Jagdeo Racing Stables preparing the track for high-quality racing.
The feature event, which is the CARICOM Cup, will be open to all horses running at 1350 meters. Seven top horses confirmed spots for the feature race which has a top cash prize of G$ 1.5 million.
Guyana Cup winner for 2023 Easy Time, champion horse for 2023 Spankhurst, Bossalina, Jessica’s Pride, Wild Texas Tom, Glorious Business and Beckham James are the seven horses entered.
Race one in the cards will be the J Class and Lower and seven horses will be battling it out. Regal Surprise, Sarkar, Get Them Bobby, Amazing Grace, Rescue, Trump and Princess Samiyah are the horses for the opening race.
Race two will be the two-year-old Guyana bred. Perfect Star, Miss Simron, I’ll have another, Cotton Candy, Secret Traveller, Citation, Stepping Razor, Easy Bella,
Jamrock and Miracle Star are the horse Beete red for race two.
The H Class race has seven horses entered.
Patta Patta, Nuclear Fire, She WBO on Time, Regal Intention, Emotional Damage, Supremacy, and Blinding Lights are the horses in the H Class race.
Race four is the J/K/L maiden and 14 horses confirmed entry. The horses are; Security Rock, Get Them Reggie, Lion Heart, Swinging Jet, Money Jet, Bruk Gun, Little Africa, Bin Ladin, Scarlet Rose, Catch the Cat, Wonder Girl, Legacy, Rockstar, and Patsy Celine.
Seven horses are in race five, which is the L Class race. Princess Sasha, Rags to Riches, Shake the Bank, Wartime, Royal Flight,
Perfect Dream and Top Gun are the horses for race five.
The three-year-old race has five horses. Royal ink, Country Rock, Super Quick, Sex Appeal and Storm Again are the horses entered.
All races will be run under the guidance of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority rules, and races are subject to change. Horse owners would need to show proof of horses’ vaccination at time of entry. The Port Mourant Turf Club horse race meet, which was originally listed on the 2024 calendar as the Caricom meet, is sponsored by AJM, KP Jagdeo General Contractors, Old Broom Lounge, Jumbo Jet Auto Sales, and Crown Vibes. Race starts at 12:00 hours local time.
Guyana’s U19 Women are champions of the CWI Rising Stars T20 Championship
Close to 60 horses will be in action today at Port Mourant Turf Club
Guyana have picked up three medals thus far in the South American Under-20 Athletics Championships, which began on Friday in Lima, Peru.
On Friday evening, 16-year-old Athaleyha Hinckson, who was among the three youngest competitors in the eight-woman race, was the first to bag gold for Guyana, crossing the line in 11.76s in the women’s 100m final.
Colombia’s Maria Maturana crossed the line second in 11.85s, while Brazil’s Vanessa Dos Santos clinched third in 11.86s. The Guyanese teenager had earlier won her semi-final in 11.98s.
Meanwhile, on Saturday morning, Malachi Austin added to the gold medals when he crossed the line first in the Male 400m event. Austin
clocked 47.21s, ahead of Colombia’s Ian Reasco in 47.69s and Brazil’s Vinicius Galen in 48.29s.
Austin, Hinckson cop gold at South American Championships
In the distaff, Tianna Springer clocked 55.12s for a bronze-medal finish. She was bested only by Brazil’s Julia Ribeiro, who clocked 54.32s for first place and Colombia’s Castro Nahomy, who stopped the clock at 54.87s for the silver medal.
While Austin and Springer were only intended to compete in one event, Hinckson will turn her attention to the 200m event.
The Guyanese athletes are eyeing qualification for the World Athletics Under-20 Championships, which are scheduled for August 27- 31, also in Lima, Peru.
The Guyanese team was accompanied to Peru by Team Manager Kenisha Headley.
Athaleyha Hinckson stands atop the podium following her South America U20 triumph Tianna Springer receives her bronze medal
Malachi Austin gestures to the crowd after crossing the line first in the 400m event