Guyana Times - Sunday, June 9, 2024.pdf

Gas-to-Energy Project

Leadership:

Romario’s vision for his village, Kako as newlyelected Toshao

EXIM Bank completes independent assessment, awaits loan approval – VP Jagdeo … says Govt has contingencies to fund US$646M project

Govt disburses $48.6M to 27 Afro-Guyanese groups for developmental projects

story on page 3 See story on page 10

ExxonMobil committed to fully exploring Stabroek Block, finding profitable wells – Exxon VP

Ruimveldt man dies after car plunges into trench

Covent Garden man nabbed with illegal gun

8000 GOAL scholarships approved for

See story on page 9 – recipients to receive letters in new

Cop succumbs 4 days after accident at Fort Wellington

Headless body of woman found in swamp at Port Kaituma

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips; Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Charles Ramson Jr, and Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond with the representatives from the 27 groups at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown on Saturday

Ruimveldt man dies after car plunges into trench

Fifty-five-year-old

Sooklall Pharous of South Ruimveldt, Georgetown was killed on Friday evening after the car in which he was travelling ended up in a trench at the intersection of South Road and Oronoque Street, Georgetown.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the incident occurred at around 18:25h and involved motorcar PJJ 4643, which was being driven by a 36-yearold resident of South Road, Georgetown, and hire car HD 5268, being driven by a 41-year-old resident of Buxton. Pharous was a passenger in the taxi.

Reports are that PJJ 4643 was travelling east along South Road at a fast rate of speed while the taxi was heading south on the eastern drive lane of Oronoque Street. At the intersection of South Road

and Oronoque Street, the taxi driver failed to stop at the stop sign, and drove into the path of the other vehicle, thus resulting in the collision.

The impact of that collision sent both vehicles careening into a trench, while Pharous was reportedly flung out of the vehicle in which he was travelling. Both drivers were rescued from their vehicles by bystanders and EMTs, and were transported by ambulance to

the Georgetown Public Hospital(GPHC) for medical treatment. Pharous was

pulled from the trench by bystanders and taken to GPHC, where he was pronounced dead.

Headless body of woman found in swamp at Port Kaituma

The headless body of a partially nude woman was on Friday found in a swampy area in Port Kaituma, North West District, Region One (Barima-Waini).

The body, which is in a state of decomposition, is suspected to be that of Paulette Edwards.

Edwards was reportedly last seen alive on Tuesday. At the time of the discovery,

the body was clad in a black top that had been pulled up to the chest.

Following the discovery, the Police are attempting to contact a male acquaintance of the woman.

Police are urging members of the public who may have vital information that can assist them in their investigations to come forward. Investigations are ongoing.

Covent Garden man nabbed with illegal gun

A22-year-old construction worker who resides at Covent Garden, East Bank Demerara was on Friday evening busted with an unlicensed firearm. Based on reports received, police officers were on mobile patrol near Back Street in Covent Garden when they saw the suspect running into a shop. Officers went after him,

and he identified himself as Tyrese David. In a search conducted on his person, the ranks discovered a .38 revolver with the serial number filed off.

During interrogation, David reportedly told the ranks, "Sir, is me own. I got it from the interior."

The weapon was confiscated and David was taken into custody, pending charges.

Dead: Sooklall Pharous

The firearm that Police found

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

WEATHER TODAY FERRY SCHEDULE

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Parika and Supenaam departure times –05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily Sunday, June 9 – 05:35h-07:05h and Monday, June 10 – 06:15h-07:35h. Sunday, June 9 – 05:30h-07:00h and Monday, June 10 – 04:00h-05:30h.

Thundery to light rain showers are expected during the day and at night, with sunshine in the mid to late afternoon hours. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 18:31h reaching a maximum height of 2.35 metres.

Low Tide: 12:04h reaching a minimum height of 0.67 metre.

Gas-to-Energy Project…

US EXIM Bank completes independent assessment, awaits loan approval – VP Jagdeo

…says Govt has contingencies to fund US$646M project

ice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has said he has no qualms about the length of time the United States Export-Import (EXIM) Bank is taking to process the US$646 million loan to fund his government’s highly-touted Gas-toEnergy (GtE) Project. He has said there are alternatives available to ensure that this transformative initiative is completed.

It was announced In April 2023 that Guyana had applied for a US$646 million loan from the US Exim Bank to fi-

as soon as that report is ready, then it will go to the [US Bank’s] Board. I don’t know exactly when, but I believe maybe in a month or two,” he indicated.

The Vice President welcomed this independent assessment in light of efforts by some local persons who have joined hands with foreign non-governmental organisations to block the EXIM Bank’s funding of the project.

It was reported as recently as last week that Friends of the Earth United States, an NGO

nance the Gas-to-Energy Project, which includes the construction of an Integrated Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) plant and a 300-megawatt (MW) combined cycle power plant at Wales, West Bank Demerara, utilising natural gas from the country’s offshore operations in the Stabroek Block. That loan is still to be approved by the US-based financial institution more than a year later.

Asked for an update on the processing of this loan, Jagdeo told Guyana Times at a press conference on Thursday that a technical team from the US EXIM Bank was in Guyana to conduct its assessments on the project.

“They came and they did the environmental assessment on their own… So, there was an independent assessment of the entire project, including the environmental issues. And so I think (that)

porter now, and we will be able to pay back for this project even from the proceedings of the sale of the liquids. And we are firm in that, and it’s going to happen,” the Vice President has insisted.

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

The Guyana Government has set

with over 16,000 members, wrote Chairman of the US EXIM Bank, Reta Jo Lewis, demanding the institution does not fund the GtE project.

VP Jagdeo has revealed that Guyana is still pursuing the project, with or without the US Bank’s loan.

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

“So, this project will be built. The Gas-toEnergy Project will be completed. It will deliver 300 megawatts of power; it would produce stable, cheaper electricity for the people of this country; and also, from that project, we’ll start becoming an exporter of cooking gas from an im-

aside a whopping $80 billion in Budget 2024 to advance the GtE initiative this year and its associated infrastructure, including transmission and distribution upgrades to offtake the power. Thus far, the marine offloading facility has been completed, and 26 kilometres (km) of onshore pipelines have been installed. Once completed, the project would allow Guyanese to benefit from 50 per cent reduced electricity costs.

Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo

Editor: Tusika Martin

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State and nation

The ongoing discussion raised by the Guyana Police Force (GPF), on their usage of the terms “Negro” and “East Indian” in their designation of two ethnic groups, is an aspect of our still unresolved contradictions arising from the fact that, at Independence, we inherited a state and not a nation, even though we were designated a “nation-state”.

While the state and nation were stipulated as identical, in reality, the state could never become identical with the people living within its territory. The state may represent the people, but the people inevitably would identify easier with their “nation”, as constructed by their personal experiences living within a common language, culture, and traditions, than their state.

This does not mean that the state cannot be a site of identification for its people, but since the values promulgated by the state are more abstract and “drier”, these would have to be transmitted independently. Where there are different “cultures/ethnic groups/ nations” within a state, inevitable systemic strains are unleashed; since, to create a unified nation, there has to be continued application of force - symbolic and even physical - on some groups to maintain the “imagined community”.

It is self-evident that groups defined as being “different” on account of their disparate cultures have always existed in the same country, but for most of the history of mankind, it was accepted that these groups could define themselves by their birth in a particular territory simultaneously as “citizens” of that territory or state (legally: jus soli), or as a particular “nationality”, depending on their “ties of blood” – culture and heritage (legally: jus sanguinis).

While all citizens would have all of the rights and obligations of citizenship, each “nationality” was governed, for instance, by the personal laws of their culture. Cultural communities therefore were the bearers of rights. It was only in the last three hundred years that Europe, led by England and France, began to insist that all citizens of a particular state only had rights as individuals, and they must also practise one culture –become “one nation” – giving birth to the nation-state.

However, while the concept of the “nation-state” has become a central pillar of the dominant European political paradigm and dogma in modern politics, it is but a contingent moment in European history that definitionally insisted on the “societal consensus” and the “melting pot” theory of assimilation. Even within Britain itself, the Scots, the Welsh, and most obstinately the Irish, never fully accepted the homogenizing premises of the nation-state. Within the bosom of this arch-empire-building nation-state, Ireland declared it would go its own way early in the twentieth century. The cracks have now become yawning chasms.

The actuality is that national unity is always ultimately impossible if it means homogeneity, since such a unity will have to be created (or, more mildly, be represented) by a suppression of differences.

The contradictions and problems of the nation-state were compounded after those Imperialistic European states – again with England and France in the lead – during their 19th-century consolidation phase, partitioned the world into empires and "spheres of influence". Claiming huge areas, which they divided into colonies for administrative convenience, the multitude of ethnic groups (which, in some cases, as in Guyana’s, were created) within each enclave were suddenly told they had to become cohesive "nations".

The onus was even greater in those colonies where the local groups were practically wiped out, ensuring there were no “natural” cultural strains, as in the European model, to evolve into any “national” culture, and the society had to be created almost sui generis. The local politicians who inherited the colonies adopted this imperialistic homogenising premise and insisted on even utilizing force to create "nation-states".

We are reaping the whirlwind, for, while in theory both the modernization school of the West and the Marxist school of the East had prophesied the eradication of ethnicity and the creation of unified “nation states”, history has proven them wrong. Unity in diversity has to be the goal.

The hidden agenda behind PNC-controlled organizations

Dear Editor, When Black Supremacist Eusi Kwayana made the declaration that Guyana should be partitioned; that is, separated into Black and Indian zones, in that statement, he was making a clear and decisive resolution that this country should be forever divided along racial lines, and never to be a multiracial harmonious whole.

Burnham, in his usual con artist style, endorsed that theory of creating racial zones, such as Regions 4 and 10 being Black Zones, while Region 6 remains Indian.

There was a time when the words "East Indian" and "Negro" were not considered racial and demeaning terminologies, but were terms held out to show major differences: as to who should be "pan tap" and who should remain at the bottom of the rat race supremacy ladder.

That separatist move also meant that designated Black Areas were to be singled out for special treatment above all other race-based areas. This was the objective of Kwayana's theory, as was played out in the administration of this country from that time onwards: the PNC Black-based communities were to be held aloft above all others.

But there was one major obstacle facing that PNC dogma, and it was: how would those areas be financially sustained? Or where would the sourcing of

their finances come from? These are the burning issues that dogma faced.

However, Burnham was clever and equal to the task of satisfying the requirements of that theory. One would recall that, at that time, the bauxite industry in Linden was doing pretty well, and there was much to go around. There was "money to burn," the "pan tap" assertion of Hamilton Green was clear. However, that prosperity glitz did not last very long, as bauxite fell and hit rock bottom soon after nationalization. Very early in the 70s, bauxite was no longer a major contributor to the national financial grid, and something had to be done to resuscitate that community. The question on the lips of the Black Supremacists was: who should finance the high lifestyle of those in bauxite? And the answer to that question was sugar. That industry was now taxed to solve the financial woes of bauxite.

There was great consternation in the Sugar Industry, in that they reasoned that they should not be held responsible for the gross mismanagement issues of bauxite, hence the industrial decision to call a strike. That strike was held for 80 days by the sugar workers' union; however, Burnham deemed it an illegal act, and was unsympathetic to their cause. At the end of it all, The MPCA Union had to pay the striking workers for the time spent off the job.

The fact is, Burnham was not interested in rewarding them for their strike action, so monies from his government were not in the least forthcoming.

Fast forward to the present and we see a similar situation unfolding, only this time the reverse is taking place. The PNCcontrolled GTU has called out the teachers on a strike with the expressed objective to pressure the Government into conceding to their inordinate demands. The major difference in this strike is that the union is demanding that the Government pay the teachers for time away from work.

This all stems from the long-held theory that areas where the PNC party can "control", those organizations are to be given special treatment over and above every other category of workers in this country.

That is not going to happen, because every worker is important, moreso those who are in the productive sector of their endeavours. Every single worker deserves a raise in pay. Can anyone show me which category of worker is not worthy of a pay increase?

The answer is none, but there is a legitimate way of going about this. That process is through a reasonable negotiated settlement, done outside of the encumbrance of duress. This is the way forward.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

This church stands atop a hill in Paruima Mission, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) (Photo by A Path to Travel)

My repeated calls for compliance with Time Limits on Judicial Decisions

Dear Editor,

A news story of an exchange between the Hon. Roxane George, SC, Chief Justice and I have created quite a stir, I am told. This consequence was the obvious intent of the author. He mischaracterized and sensationalised a civil exchange between the Judge and me in the course of the hearing of a case via Zoom at which several other lawyers were present.

Inaccuracies aside, the author deliberately attempted to convey the impression of a very hostile engagement. On the contrary, the engagement was firm but respectful. Both sides expressed their different and disparate positions.

I will endeavour to paraphrase hereunder what I consider to be the material parts of the exchange.

At the commencement of the hearing, the Hon. Chief Justice spoke of her hectic day in the Court. Her Honour then proceeded to remark that the public and those who criticize the Judiciary for failing to render decisions on time are not aware of the magnitude of this workload.

As I have done many times publicly, I empathized with the workload of the Judiciary, but retorted that there is a law that requires Judges to deliver decisions within a stipulated time.

What I heard next led me to conclude that the Chief Justice said that, as Attorney General, I should have never passed the law.

I pointed out that I was not the Attorney General who passed the law, but I was in Parliament and supported its passage. I further posited that if the time frame is insufficient, perhaps consideration should be given to changing the law, but there must be compliance with the law. Further, I alluded to the twelve (12) impending additions to the High Court, predicting that this measure would bring valuable reprieve.

The Chief Justice expressed words of welcome for this assistance.

The public record will confirm my repeated calls for compliance with the Time Limit on Judicial Decisions Act 2009. No doubt, the workload of the Judiciary is tremendous - a reality of which I am personally aware, and have publicly acknowledged. It is as a direct recognition of this reality that the Government continues to resource the Judiciary in every way affordable.

Twelve (12) Magistrates were appointed a few weeks ago. Twelve (12) High Court Judges will take the Oath of Office before the end of this month.

Advertisements are out to fill several vacancies at the Guyana Court of Appeal.

Six (6) Magistrates’ Courts are currently under construction. A new Court has been added to the Court of Appeal building. Judges now have the facility of Judicial Assistants, and are further assisted by an automatic audio recording system. I can go on, but I think the point is made.

However, the continuous non-compliance with the aforesaid Act is simply not justifiable. As Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, with responsibility for justice, for me silence is not, and has never been, an option. Hence, my repeated public pronouncements on this matter. I cannot explain to members of the public how a crucial institution like the Judiciary, whose constitutional mandate in the main is to uphold the law and to hold every other agency and citizen legally accountable, violates its law with apparent impunity.

Accountability and transparency are demanded and exacted daily from those funded by the public purse. On what basis should the Judiciary be exempted from merely delivering their decisions within a timeframe prescribed by law? These are questions that are extraordinarily difficult to explain to an enquiring public.

The Act was intended to address an institutional problem of Judges failing to render decisions

promptly, and, worse yet, retiring from the Bench with dozens of decisions outstanding, causing those cases to be tried all over again; and this is after litigants have waited years for their trials in the first place. The result has been, and still is, expressed in the much-cited aphorism “Justice delayed is justice denied”.

It is for these reasons that after public consultations during the 1999 – 2001 constitution reform process, an amendment was made to Article 197 (3) of the Constitution, where the words underlined below were added. “A Judge may be removed from office only for inability to perform the functions of his or her office (whether arising from infirmity of mind or body or any other cause) or for misbehaviour or for persistently not writing decisions or for continuously failing to give decisions and reasons therefor within such time as may be specified by Parliament and shall not be so removed except in accordance with the provisions of this article.”

In short, it is the public that demanded this change as a remedy to the mischief identified above. The Parliament unanimously adopted it. The Act, which came nine years after the constitutional amendment, was intended to enable it. So, it was not legislation conceived in the abstract; it enjoys public consultative and constitutional underpinnings.

At the time of its enactment, the Judiciary was duly consulted but expressed no objection. I was a backbencher in the National Assembly, and I spoke at length and emphatically in support of it. I described it then as “revolutionary”. 15 years hence, my position has not waned.

Section 4 of the Act mandates a High Court Judge to give decisions in a case no later than 120 days after the conclusion of the hearing. Section 5 of the Act compels the Court of Appeal and the Full Court to render their decisions not later than 30 days from

the conclusion of the hearing. Section 6 of the Act states that “In accordance with Article 197 (3) of the Constitution, a Judge may be removed from office for, among other reasons, persistently failing to give written or oral decisions and reasons for the decisions within the time specified in this Act.”

Section 7 of the Act obliges the Chancellor to cause the Registrar to notify the Judges who are in breach of these timeframes, and to inform them of the provisions of Article 197. Section 8 of the Act allows for Judges to seek an extension of time to com-

ply. Section 11 of the Act provides for the Chancellor to instruct the Registrar to submit to the Speaker of the National Assembly an annual report consisting of judges’ compliance with the provisions of the Act. Regrettably, none of the aforementioned provisions of this Act ever enjoyed compliance since its enactment. Only last week I did a one-hour interview with a reporter in which I lauded the many advances that have been made in the Judiciary which have impacted positively in the efficient disposal of cases. News stories of this interview were carried in the

press. I took the liberty of forwarding one to the Hon. Chief Justice.

The truth is that every segment of our population can proffer what they consider justifiable reasons for not complying with the law. However, if it is not a reason provided for by the law, such non-compliance would be unlawful. The Judiciary would so pronounce, and rightfully so. Article 149D of our Constitution guarantees equality before the law and equal treatment by the law. That is all I ask.

Anil Nandlall Attorney General

Ban of the ‘N’ word

Dear Editor,

The flyer screams “Banish the ‘N’ word, there can be no respect without self-respect” and features Nigel Hughes and Winston Felix amongst other speakers, it caught my attention because the ‘N-word’ is internationally recognized as offensive; imagine my surprise, therefore, to learn that it was not the traditional ‘N-word’ (nigger) but instead this group was trying to score cheap political points by referring to ‘negro’ as the N-word. It is a transparent attempt to sow discord in Guyana and, the idea of the PPP administration as racist in the international community.

A sad and tragic move made by expedient political players. We should also examine the word ‘Negro’ and consider the implications of a law that bans the use of the word in our nation as suggested by Nigel Hughes et al.

“But 100 years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty amid a vast ocean of material prosperity…” These are words spoken by Dr. Martin Luther King in his

historic ‘I Have a Dream’ speech and would be considered ‘hate speech’ under Hughes's suggested legislation.

How then would we teach history? Do we simply ignore the words, accomplishments, and speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, W.E.B Du Bois, and other inspirational leaders of African descent and what do we do if/when ‘Of African descent’ graduates to the realm of the offensive? Have the proponents of this change considered the confusion this will cause the next generation of students? Can we expect essays on how racist Malcolm X and MLK were based on their repeated use of the word ‘negro’? And, who is the United Negro College Fund? Are they a bunch of racists raising funds to prevent people of African descent from going to college in America? The confusion will be real for the next generation of students.

Nigel Hughes responded to criticism of his timing of the call to remove the word ‘negro’ from our lexicon since it was in use since colonial times with a Facebook post saying he was only two years old in 1966, I will posit he was therefore in his fifties during the APNU+AFC administration where as

Chairman of the AFC and Husband of a Minister who had the power to summon the Prime Minister to her office, He (Nigel Hughes) was perfectly positioned to influence the banishment of the word Negro from Guyana; lest we forget, Nigel Hughes made a tremendous impact with his ‘half-man’ mathematical formula… In closing, I suggest we be careful with the ‘woke’ and ‘cancel’ culture and its constant revisionism of what is acceptable or we may find our heroes have become villains overnight. I close with the words of Malcolm X (while I still can) “Our people in the Negro community are trapped in a vicious cycle of ignorance, poverty, disease, sickness, and death. There seems to be no way out. No way of escape. The wealthy, educated Black bourgeoisie, those uppity Negroes who do escape, never reach back and pull the rest of our people out with them. The Black masses remain trapped in the slums” and ask my brothers and sisters of African descent to examine those who purport to have their best interest at heart but do nothing to uplift them when they have power and every opportunity.

Sincerely, Robin Singh

VACCINATION FOR DOGS AND CATS (continued)

Having explained the value of vaccinating to prevent specific ailments, we will now discuss the protocols associated with the inoculation of our pets.

Let me, however, make some important comments pertaining to the acquisition, the administering, and the efficiency of the vaccines:

1. The laws of Guyana do not permit Veterinary Technicians/Animal Health Assistants to perform

vaccinations, and/or, for that matter, to administer any injection – unless the treatment is being carried out under veterinary supervision. Of course, the immediate question arises: What is the definition of the

word “supervision”? The law may not be precise on this issue. Also, with widely accessible video conferencing technology, the vet may remotely be able to oversee (supervise) the injection preparation and delivery. Would this be permissible?

The current Veterinary Board of Guyana (VBG) will have to tackle this conundrum with some seriousness.

2. Where are these “Vet Techs” getting vaccines from? Who is selling them the vaccines? Have the vaccines been stored correctly? (They must be stored at 2°C - 7°C (35°F - 45°F). They must not be frozen). Have the “Vet Techs” the capability to store the vaccines the way they should be stored?

3. Should there be a reaction to the injection, can the “Vet Tech” introduce medication to counteract the allergic reaction? Or, worse, can the “Vet Tech” introduce appropriate medication if the patient goes into an anaphylactic shock immediately after the

delivery of the vaccination?

4. Very often, pet caregivers mix up the words “injection” and “vaccination”. Whereas a vaccination is very specific relative to a specific disease, and is given to the animal by injection, an injection is most often not a vaccination. The veterinarian can administer several injections (to an ailing animal), none of which is a vaccination.

NB: One may find in textbooks and in search

5. Many Vet Techs are actually issuing “Vaccination Certificates”, quite illegally, of course. I have in my possession several such illegal documents. Some Vet Techs are actually touting themselves as “Veterinary Consultants” on their “certificates”. I have shared these exemplars of fake “Vaccination Certificates” with the Veterinary Board of Guyana.

6. Whenever a Vaccination Certificate (VC) is issued, the

engines that vaccinations can be administered by the inhalation route. No vet that I know uses this methodology, not lastly because it is relatively difficult to administer; nor are such vaccines easily available.

caregiver must ensure that all the labels associated with that particular set of ailments (which have been vaccinated against) are stuck on to the VC, so that the owner/ caregiver knows exactly what the animal has been vaccinated against.

I have noticed, for example, that the legend on the VC may have one tickedoff square for Leptospira. However, that is not accurate. There are scores (hundreds?) of serovars associated with Leptospirosis, and they do not cross-immunize. For example, if the dog is vaccinated only against Leptospira Pomona, the dog will not be protected against Leptospira Canicola.

Luckily, the vaccine manufacturers have prepared a vaccine that offers defence against the four types of Leptospira germs which are most prevalent in this part of the world.

The point I am making in all this is: THE VACCINATION CERTIFICATE MUST EXACTLY IDENTIFY WHAT DISEASE THE DOG OR CAT HAS BEEN PROTECTED AGAINST.

Please note that the one manufacturer that offers Canine coronavirus as part of the Polyvalent Vaccine only includes two types of Lepto; namely: L.Canicola and L.Icterchaemorragiae. The animal receiving this vaccine will not be protected against L.Pomona and L.Grippotyphosa.

The cat vaccines available protect cats against Feline Panleukopenia, Feline Rhinotracheitis, Feline Calici Virus, and Chlamydia Psittaci.

8. If the mother dog or cat dies during delivery or soon thereafter, the pups/kittens would not have been able to receive that most important “first milk” (colostrum). This means that those neonates (newborns) are especially fragile, and would need extra special care. Such care includes different vaccination schedules than the ones usually used. Under such circumstances, the caregiver and the Vet would together work out the best relevant schedule.

9. Do not vaccinate mother dogs/cats during pregnancy!! Females who have not been vaccinated within a year after the Primary Course (see Vaccination schedule in next week’s “PET CARE” column) has been completed must be vaccinated before being mated.

10. Vaccines are biological products, and can produce (hyper) sensitivity reactions. Inform your vet immediately if the vaccinated animal reacts abnormally (swollen face intense scratching of face and body, sneezing and coughing, etc).

11. An ailing animal should never be vaccinated. Pups and kittens must preferably be dewormed before the introduction of the vaccine.

7. Please note that the currently most common vaccines available (not including Rabies) offer prevention against Canine Coronavirus, Canine Distemper, Canine Parvovirus, Canine Adenovirus, Canine Parainfluenza, and four types of the most prevalent Leptospira germs (viz: Grippotyphosa, Canicola, Icterohaemorrhagiae and Pomona). These are all diseases which can be lethal to dogs. I should also mention that there are vaccines in Brazil that contain as many as 11 protective agents. Are we sure that these vaccines are stored correctly all the way overland between BOA VISTA/ BON FIM and Georgetown?

ExxonMobil committed to fully exploring Stabroek Block, find profitable wells – Exxon VP

– exploration currently underway, more planned into next year

ExxonMobil Guyana’s Vice President and Business Services Manager, Phillip Rietema, has assured that the company is incentivized to fully boost its search for oil in the Stabroek Block. He has made it clear that the company has exploration wells planned for this year and beyond.

During a recent engagement with the media, Rietema spoke of the company’s exploration programme while assuring that the oil giant is committed to its exploration programme.

According to him, exploration wells are already underway, and more are planned for later this year into the new year.

“We are committed to fully exploring the extent of the Stabroek Block and discovering all profitable resources. The contract for the Stabroek Block agreement incentivizes us to do that,

and we continue to invest in exploration wells. We have some underway right now as we speak, and we have further exploration wells planned into the next year,” Rietema said.

The Exxon Vice President also revealed that the company had five unsuccessful wells dug last year. The exploration cost for last year, $55.4 billion, is a significant increase compared to what has obtained in 2022: $8.7 billion.

“All information we receive from drilling exploration wells informs our view of the prospectivity of the block. And when we are making decisions around future investments, we of course take into account the prior results. And so, absolutely! If we have a dry hole, we take that information that comes with additional information, and that informs our future investment and future exploration activ-

ities,” he explained.

“The exploration costs reflect the dry wells. We are exploring a wide extent of the block, and the wells drilled and called as dry in 2023 were in different parts of the block. I wouldn’t say that they’re concentrated in one particular area,” Rietema further explained to the media.

Exxon had previously said the intention is to drill and appraise at least seven new wells within the Stabroek Block in 2024. Those would include two within the western boundaries of the oil field, named the Trumpetfish and the Redmouth.

Five of the wells are expected to guide the company in assessing the quantity and usability of the natural gas reserve in the Stabroek Block, particularly those in the eastern portion. If the wells lead to commercially viable resources, the company could drill additional wells in the area.

ExxonMobil, through its local subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), has a majority 45 per cent interest in the Stabroek Block, and is the operator. Hess Corporation holds a 30 per cent interest, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds the remaining 25 per cent interest.

However, Hess Corporation has agreed to merge with Chevron, and while this transaction was initially expected to

be closed in the first half of this year, it is likely to be delayed after Exxon filed arbitration proceedings to claim pre-emptive rights in the offshore Guyana operations.

ExxonMobil, along with its co-venturers, commenced production activities in the Stabroek Block in December 2019. Currently, production has been ramped up to over 600,000 barrels of oil per day at the Liza Phases One and Two, as well as the Payara projects, all of which account for the three floating, production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessels operating in Guyana’s waters offshore.

The current production figures would be further buttressed by the Yellowtail and Uaru developments, which are already underway

US EXIM Bank completes independent assessment...

The scope of Guyana’s gas-to-energy project consists of the construction of 225 kilometres of pipeline from the Liza field in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, where Exxon and its partners are currently producing oil. It features approximately 200 kilometres of a subsea pipeline offshore that would run from Liza Destiny and Liza Unity floating, production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessels in the Stabroek Block to the shore. Upon landing on the West Coast Demerara shore, the pipeline would continue for approximate-

ly 25 kilometres to the NGL plant at Wales, West Bank Demerara.

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

The Guyana Government has envisioned the startup of the GtE Project by 2025, thus realising its commitment to deliver cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable energy to the population.

But even as Exxon has assured of delivering the pipeline by year-

end, when it will be sealed until it is ready for use, the construction of the power plant and NGL facility has been delayed by at least six months. The contractor, a US-based consortium –Lindsayca CH4 Guyana Inc. (LNDCH4) - is engaged in a disagreement with the Government over the timelines of the project and associated costs.

LNDCH4, which was awarded a US$759 million contract in November 2022 to build the power plant and NGL facility, is making financial claims to the tune of US$50 mil-

FROM PAGE 3

lion over delays from other components of the project which were overseen by Exxon, saying that the late handover would affect its delivery according to contractual timelines.

In light of the delays, the Government has extended the deadline, but the contractor is not satisfied, and wants more time. Moreover, the Guyana Government has rejected the claim, resulting in the contractor moving to a dispute resolution mechanism that would see a three-member board set up to mediate between the two parties. (G-8)

and are each anticipated to contribute 250,000 barrels of oil following their respective start-ups in 2025 and 2026. An application for the sixth development, the Whiptail Project, was submitted by the Stabroek Block operator to the Guyana Government last year, and has already received the necessary approvals, with Exxon making its Final Investment Decision (FID) in April. This project will see Guyana producing just over 1.2 million barrels of oil per day by 2027. In addition to these six projects offshore Guyana, which Exxon anticipates would be online by 2027, the possibility of having 10 FPSOs operational by 2030 is also being eyed. (Jarryl Bryan)

The map showing Trumpetfish and Redmouth well sites in the Stabroek block

EMGL VP Phillip Rietema

Stepping…

…where fools tread

Now that the Government has come out with a proposal to address the demand that the word “negro” be banned from the vocabulary of officialdom, does anyone out there believe this matter has been settled? Your Eyewitness certainly doesn’t think so!! And yes, he knows this is a subject in which “fools rush in where angels fear to tread”!! But it gotta be faced! Let’s take the actual demand: it was that the folks whom the GPF and the medical fraternity dubbed “negroes” be called “African Guyanese”. And what was the Government’s response? They are called “Guyanese of African descent”!!

Now, you may say that they both amount to the same thing, innit? They’re Guyanese who happen to be of African descent. But your Eyewitness is taking bets – he’ll give out the odds later! - that the Government’s formulation ain’t gonna go down with the proponents of “African Guyanese”!! Why? you ask, dear reader. Well, as ole Forbes Burnham used to say, the call was “the occasion for the war, not the CAUSE of the war”!!

And the cause is that the PPP must go – by any means necessary!! Which, of course, was what brought about the whole rigmarole, to begin with!! On that particular social media platform, hardly a day goes by without one or the other caller not announcing the quick and dirty way to get rid of the “illegally installed PPP regime”! The one that got the Government’s notice just happened to be very graphic. However, when yuh dead yuh dead – it doesn’t matter how yuh get dead, right??

So, the first response coming - your Eyewitness believesis that those who were making the demand weren’t consulted in the answer to the demand. And even though it was the UN that came up with the description “People of African Descent”, the demanders will say they didn’t ask for THAT!! Then will come an alliance with those who’ll object to being designated “People of Amerindian Descent”!! Wasn’t it Columbus who was so arrogant that he announced he DISCOVERED a place where people were already living?!!

And called them “Indians”, even though he was 15,000 miles from that country!! And to rub salt into their wounds, when the mistake was discovered, rather than designating them by what they called themselves, settled on AMER-Indians - to distinguish them from those folks who ran around with turbans!! They may demand they be called Loconos – which is what they called themselves.

Anyhow, now that the subject has been raised and the Government has acknowledged the call, the floodgates are open. One suggestion is: maybe the Government can fight fire with fire. Announce that they won’t respond until they’re addressed as the “Legally Elected Government”!!

…into politics

Folks aren’t corrupt only in business, are they?? There’s a lot of hypocrisy about corruption by only focusing from that angle. What about corruption in rigging elections from 1968 to 1985?? To accomplish that feat, didn’t the PNC corrupt thousands - and generations - of Guyanese to steal the votes of their fellow citizens?? Didn’t this corruption become a way of life?? Does anyone think the corruption could be compartmentalized so it didn’t spill over into every other aspect of life??

Wasn’t it corruption when all those policemen seized “banned” goods and only returned them for “services” from women?? What about the bribes for every service by the Public Service (!!), like getting birth certificates!??! Isn’t that when petty corruption joined with corruption at the top, so that corruption became power, and absolute corruption became absolute power??

We all had to become complicit, since we knew the dictator was corrupt. The dictator knew he was corrupt, but we stayed quiet - lest he be assassinated like poor Walter.

…corruption

Since corruption is endemic to the human condition, the best we can do is to keep it from overwhelming us. If those in charge wanna protect their own interest, they’ll ensure there’s some milk left for the calf!!

Almost 8000 GOAL scholarships approved for 2024

– recipients to receive letters in new week

The Government has approved almost 8000 Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarships for this year representing the Administration’s continued efforts to ensure the country’s workforce and populace is better educated and skilled.

In a statement on Saturday, the Finance Ministry announced that it would be distributing 7782 scholarships for 2024 and the recipients will be informed in the new week.

Already, the Government has surpassed its manifesto promise of providing 20,000 online scholarships. As of the end of 2023, 21,500 GOAL scholarships have been distributed. Just two weeks ago, a second batch of students numbering 1712 graduated.

These students completed their studies in various disciplines, including master’s and degree programmes. Graduates were drawn from all over Guyana, including the coast, hinterland, and other remote regions.

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh had said recently that the Government was creating an environment where everyone could explore the opportunities being created, to ensure Guyana could continue to rapidly develop.

“What GOAL does is that it still gives them (Guyanese) the option to pursue higher technical and tertiary education were they so to desire using the online modality of delivery. It also offers a wider range of training options,” Dr Singh had explained, adding that the Government is creating an environment where everyone could explore several opportunities that are being created so that the country could continue its rapid development.

Expounding further on the purpose of the GOAL scholarships, Dr Singh had explained that these are all elements of human capital development and

improving the skills of the Guyanese workforce and population, to have a better skilled and qualified labour force as well as to have a more fulfilled population.

The GOAL scholarship programme was launched in 2021 to offer Guyanese an opportunity to advance their education through the online and distance learning (ODL) mode. The sum of $1.8 billion in budgetary provision was made available to the Public Service Ministry for the programme last year, given the Government’s commitment to the educational advancement of citizens.

With regard to Internet connectivity and computer devices, resources were provided to ensure that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) hubs in several regions were functional.

As a result, from 2021 to 2023, a total of 21,442 persons benefited from GOAL scholarships, and this saw Guyanese attaining certificates, diplomas as well as bachelor’s, post-graduate, master’s, and doctorate degrees in various courses.

Meanwhile, 15 persons in Region One (BarimaWaini) were awarded Government scholarships, 34 were awarded to persons in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and 56 persons residing in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) received a government scholarship in 2023.

Additionally, 142 Guyanese from Region Four (Demerara-

Mahaica) received scholarships, 23 from Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), 42 from Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and 19 from Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

Government has been implementing a number of additional initiatives as it continues to invest in education throughout the country. It was only in March this year as well that the administration launched the “GuyanaCoursera Platform” initiative which will see approximately 50,000 persons benefiting from training in a number of areas across various Ministries countrywide as part of Government’s expansive national training initiative.

The administration has also been using a multi-pronged approach in its education investment initiatives, including through the disbursement of cash and uniform grants to schoolchildren each year, with the 2024 grant to be disbursed shortly to students; cash grants to teachers each term to purchase classroom supplies; and the construction of new schools as well as the rehabilitation of several others across the country.

Additionally, Government recently commenced its Student Loan Writ- Off Programme to potentially benefit over 13,000 Guyanese who have $11 billion in student loan debt. The Administration has also reiterated its commitment to improving education delivery with a total budget of $135.2 billion.

GOAL awardees at their recent graduation

Govt disburses $48.6M to 27 Afro-Guyanese

groups for developmental projects

Some 27 organisations representing AfroGuyanese communities across the country have each received $1.8 million to advance their empowerment projects. This is the second tranche of payment being disbursed under Government’s purview.

The cheques were handed over during a simple ceremony held on Saturday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC). It saw the attendance of Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips; Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr; and Tourism,

Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond.

Prime Minister Mark Phillips has said the Government of Guyana has taken decisive steps towards promoting inclusivity and empowerment of Guyanese of African descent through funding initiatives aimed at supporting cultural organisations and community-driven projects.

These recipient organisations had previously submitted proposals for projects focused on the empowerment of Guyanese of African descent across the country, and the Prime Minister empha-

sised the Government's commitment to a people-centred approach by stating, "We believe in people-centred policymaking and policy implementation. We had to ensure that we have a system in place where you can approach this Government, as leaders in the African Guyanese community, and say that these are programmes, these are projects that we feel will aid in the advancement of our people."

This initiative, he said, aligns with the United Nations' proclamation of the International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024), adopted by the UN General Assembly in Resolution 68/237 in December 2013.

Phillips strongly criticised the former management of funds intended for the AfroGuyanese community, noting that, previously, a large portion of the funding was allocated to administrative costs, resulting in only a few groups

receiving a small amount in funding. This, he noted, is in contrast to the current Government's approach.

"Today, there is no longer a large percentage of the allocation going towards administrative costs, since this cost is absorbed within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport's operating budget," he disclosed.

In recognising the importance of transparency and accountability, the Prime Minister called on the organisations to implement their projects and programmes in a transparent manner, ensuring value for money and maintaining open communication between the Government and community groups.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips; Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Charles Ramson Jr, and Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond with some representatives from the 27 groups at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown on Saturday

Naming and power

The furore that has erupted over the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF’s) usage of the term “Negro” reminds us that questions of identity are still unsettled in our country. And since our politics is dominated by the same question, it explains the intensity of the reaction and the need to address the concerns raised.

A name is much more than just a label; it’s a significant part of our identity, and plays a crucial role in our lives. And this is even more pertinent since our names were given to us by Europeans, to signal their categorization of us as lesser humans who could be exploited first as slaves, then as indentured labour.

The word “negro” is from the Portuguese word for “black” - itself derived from the Latin “niger”. And it was the Portuguese who first introduced Africans into Europe as slaves, with the colour of their skin being their most pronounced physical feature. The notion of race - where behavioural patterns were mapped onto physical characteristics - soon followed.

Even though it was widely used up to the middle of the 20th century by those so tagged - eg, the Negro Progress Convention in Guyana; the United Negro Improvement Association of Garvey - it has to be acknowledged that the term negro still evokes its historical baggage of chattel slavery and its sub-human justification. As such, it should have long been expunged from official designations, as it was in the US, for example, since it was the same official institution that had created the invidious classification, to begin with.

As to what the term “negro” should be replaced with, that should be chosen by the persons affected – Prospero cannot still name Caliban. In the US, there has been a shift to the term “Black” and “African American”, and this is being mirrored in Guyana.

I was exposed to the 1988 debate in the US when Jesse Jackson argued forcefully after his impressive run for the American presidency: “Black does not describe our situation: We are of African-American heritage…Every ethnic group in this country has a reference to some land base and some historical cultural base. There are Armenian-Americans, Jewish-Americans, Arab-Americans and Italian-Americans. (They have a) “degree of accepted and reasonable pride”, and had succeeded in connecting “their heritage to their mother country” and also to “where they are now” in America.” It caught on, but there is still a substantial preference for the word “Black”.

When I returned to Guyana the following year, I proposed that racebased tags like “negro” and “Black” be jettisoned and replaced by our cultural place of origin (ethnicity) hyphenated with “Guyanese” -- which describes our citizenship of the country in which we live, and which guarantees us all equal rights. In our land of “six peoples”, we were (in order of arrival) Indigenous Guyanese; African Guyanese; Portuguese Guyanese; Indian Guyanese; Chinese Guyanese and Mixed Guyanese. It was interesting that one of the first to object to this nomenclature in the press was Mr Desmond Hoyte, who insisted we were all simply “Guyanese”. But as a man given to introspection, he soon changed his mind.

As for the other groups, the Indians who were brought as Indentured labourers (“Girmitiyas”) were labelled “Coolies” by the British in most of their communications – coolies; coolie ships; coolie housing; coolie food, etc. Interestingly, it was also used for the Chinese they shipped around the world as indentured labourers, but in Guiana, the label only stuck to those from India. The term “kuli” was from an Indian language, it means labourer or porter, and is still so used widely in India. However, in the colonies, it was a term laden with negativity, and suggested “uncivilized”, “dirty”, “pagan”, “heathen”, and certainly lesser in all ways to Whites and other groups.

It would appear that the “coolie” usage did not make it into the official designations as “negro” did, but was substituted by “East Indian” to distinguish it from “West Indian”. This raises two related questions arising from Columbus misnaming the islands in the Caribbean archipelago “West Indies” after discovering he was nowhere near the “Indies” and India he was seeking.

Are our Indigenous Peoples comfortable with being labelled “Amer-indian”? In my own writings I prefer “Indigenous Guyanese”, but ultimately, it is a question that they should answer.

And should we stop using “West Indies” in favour of “Caribbean”? Oh, what a tangled web was woven when the Europeans tried to label us.

Govt disburses $48.6M to 27 ...

"We want to hear about success. If there are any problems along the way, come back to us. We are ready to listen and to help, because we, as a collective - Government and you, our African Guyanese communities - we are interested and focused in the advancement of our people, all the people of Guyana…advancing the cause and empowering Guyanese of African descent, and fostering an environment in the wider Guyanese society of shared prosperity and progress for all Guyana," the Prime Minister has said.

Securing these funds allows various groups to tackle critical needs. From agriculture to healthcare and training, these projects would directly benefit the community

of Guyanese of African descent, who have expressed their deep appreciation for this move.

Dr Ruackel Easton, who represented the Association of People of African Descent, has said his group would utilise the funds to offer medical supplies and services to vulnerable persons in underdeveloped communities.

“The funds will be used towards a health outreach programme to as much of the demographic that we can cover. We have many other projects that we will be doing, and thanks to the help of the Government, we will be able to facilitate all of these other projects,” he told the Department of Public Information (DPI).

Another beneficiary,

Rojeria McWatt, who was representing the Afro-Guyanese Union, said the funds would advance the group’s cultural sensitisation outreaches.

“This will help us to host events that will sensitise the general public about what the Afro-diaspora in Guyana has to offer in terms of dance, fashion, performing arts…because we, as a people, have much to offer,” she explained.

The African Renaissance Outreach will champion the cause for increased civic engagements with a strong focus on social justice, according to its Chairman, Elisha Ali.

“The money will benefit the African diaspora in Guyana immensely, because we will be able to give back to our communities. We plan on

promoting civic engagements within the community,” he said.

Ali noted that before this intervention by the Government, the organisation relied on fundraisers and donations to advance its programmes.

Funding was allocated within national budgets to support this initiative. In 2018, $68.4 million was allocated to the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly – Guyana (IDPADA-G). Subsequently, funding increased to $100 million annually from 2019 through 2022.

In 2023, Government allocated another $100 million to support a total of 55 groups, of which IDPADA-G is a part.

Ravi Dev

Heartache, survival & triumph of indentured Chinese to be dramatised on stage

By Michael Jordan

The struggles and triumphs of indentured Chinese in the brutal environment of the British Guiana sugar plantations would be vividly portrayed on stage next year.

With a cast of over 40, ‘The Chinese Experience’ is scheduled to be staged on January 12, 2025, to coincide with the anniversary of the arrival of Chinese indentured labourers to British Guiana.

Switching from past to present, the story be-

gins with the immigrants, often separated from their families, arriving from war-ravaged China to the hardships on the sugar estates, and how many prevailed to emerge as prominent members of society.

It’s the creation of veteran producer Gem Madhoo-Nascimento of GEMS Theatre Productions.

Written by award-winning playwright Harold Bascom, the colourful drama would showcase a range of special effects, and include a huge dragon whose presence plays a prominent part in the production. It would be directed by Ayanna Waddell, while Esther Hamer, whom the producer lauded as being “very creative with costumes and sets”, would be the stage and costumes manager. Lecturer and writer Scott-TingA-Kee compiled the research material.

“I spoke with Chinese Ambassador Guo Haiyan, who is very supportive,

and she promised to get the Chinese businesses to assist me in financing the project,” MadhooNascimento told Guyana Times. “The rehearsals have started, and we should be more than ready by January 12, 2025.”

She revealed that

‘The Chinese Experience’ would be the first of a ‘From Whence We Came’ series that uses drama to chronicle Guyana’s rich ethnic tapestry.

Rehearsals began last

month, but the producer is still seeking more actors, and even individuals with little theatre experience, to fill minor parts.

“Our difficulty, of course, is finding authentic Chinese actors, (but) I’m going to use local actors. There are about 12 principal characters, then we have crowd scenes and a dragon dance; so, there are about 40 people in total,” she explained. “I’ve done productions with 150 cast members,” added Madhoo-Nascimento, who has been in theatre since the mid-seventies, and is the co-creator of the hugely successful ‘Link Show.’

The veteran producer and her cast are enthusiastic about the script.

“I’m impressed with the way Harold Bascom wrote it, and he’s already given us a set design. There is a montage that I really like, and that will be impacting. The dragon will be made during the entire play,” she disclosed.

Producer Gem Madhoo-Nascimento

Heartache, survival & triumph of indentured ...

“I CROSSED THE OCEAN WITH THEM”

USA-based writer Harold Bascom told Guyana Times that the research material he worked with has given him a new insight into the challenges the Chinese immigrants had faced and surmounted. He said he had immersed himself deeply into the project, to the point where he felt that he was re-living the experiences of his characters.

“The story is one of pain, peril, destruction and loss; but above all, it’s a story of perseverance and survival, and ultimately a story of pride,” he declared.

“As a writer and playwright, I had never walked in the shoes of a Chinese immigrant, until I started absorbing the research on Chinese immigration to British Guiana that was done by Scott Ting-A Kee. I crossed the ocean with them, and felt the pangs

of leaving one’s country behind. I shared in their turmoil as pioneering men and women on arrival and distribution to different sugar estates. I became part of their new lives…,” he explained.

“But the most important thing I learned was that the Guyanese Chinese never allowed the darkness of their past to define them.”

Madhoo-Nascimento revealed that the idea was birthed 12 years ago, when the late Margery

Kirkpatrick, who took pride in her Chinese heritage, asked her to stage a drama about the history of the Chinese in Guyana.

“She showed me artifacts in her house, including a pair of shoes… and it piqued my interest, and I started picking up these history books about the Chinese. But they couldn’t find the finances to put on the play, so it was abandoned. But, about a year ago, I came across the books and de-

cided I’m approaching my twilight years in theatre, so maybe I could approach this project as a series on our various ethnicities: why and how we came, and our achievements,” she explained.

“I also thought I could approach it from an educational point of view and target students. The idea is to have one public performance and three others for students. We will also send videos to the Learning Channel and schools in the interi-

or,” she divulged. She disclosed that she’ll be seeking involvement of the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Culture in this aspect of the ‘From Whence We Came’ series.

“I’m working on May 5, 2025 for The Indian Indentureship play, and on August 1 for the arrival of Africans. I hope to get Eugene Williams (former director of the Jamaica School of Drama) to direct that play,” she informed.

dance routines lead to int’l recognition

Abudding team that started with 12 dancers between the ages of six and seven has later been reduced to a core of four who have undoubtedly grown to huge fame within Guyana by captivating scores of people with their performances.

Several of their members moved on after taking up family responsibilities, but the team remains alive today because of the dedication of four sisters - Elizabeth David, Reahna Baird, Leahna Emmanuel, and Inezi Emmanuel - whose talents have led to the group being recognised on the global stage.

During one of those performances, an observer was impressed by the girls’ talent and approached Larson, encouraging her to introduce the group to larger, more prestigious events, including those hosted by Government. Hesitant at first, Larson finally decided to embrace the opportunity, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the Riverside Angels.

Soon after, the allgirl group started to perform at Government events, and that was the turning point in their careers.

Global Stage: Qatar 2022

Young Riverside Angels troupe years ago

The Riverside Angels enthusiastically perform at various small community events, and at Guyana’s Republic celebrations. With most of their dancers living in communities on the West Bank Demerara, the group has chosen a name that best represents its geographic location.

However, with numbers dwindling, leader of the group, Pearla Larson, who is also the mother of the four girls, continued to nurture the remaining talents. Her commit-

ment to dance and her daughters’ enthusiasm did not go unnoticed. They continue to perform at school and church events, Mashramani competitions, and at other programmes.

The high point of their careers came when they were invited to perform at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. This invitation was a testament to their hard work and exceptional talent. For Larson and her troupe of devoted dancers, this was more

than just a performance; it was the realization of a childhood dream. Larson recalls how, as little girls, they would watch the World Cup on television, dreaming of one day witnessing it in person. The invitation to perform at the World Cup was a dream come true, and an overwhelm-

ing experience for the entire family.

“Every year, the girls would watch television and would be so engulfed in the performances. One day, the opportunity came for them to do what they love on that world stage,” Larson shared.

Riverside Angels dancing in Qatar 2022

Rising Leadership:

Romario’s vision for his village Kako as newly-elected Toshao

By: Mishael henry

Transformation is not solely bound within the minds of those in urban areas; it also thrives in the heart of a young Leader from Kako Village, Upper Mazaruni District.

In a remarkable blend of tradition and modernity, Romario Hastings stands at the cusp of transforming his village as he steps into the role of Toshao.

At just 29, Hastings embodies a new era of leadership, one that balances the wisdom of the elders with the innovation and energy of youth mixed with an unwavering commitment to his community, Hastings has already

set forth a comprehensive vision for progress and development, rooted in cultural preservation and sustainable growth.

According to Hastings, this electoral process of being Toshao is familiar as his father was once a Toshao, however, he didn’t expect it to come so soon.

“It’s both surprising and expected,” Hastings reflects on his election. “It just happened at a time when I didn’t think it would be so soon. But I believe that what is for you will come when the time is right. It’s a privilege to lead at such a youthful age, and it’s heartening that the community looked beyond tradition,” the young leader expressed. A Vision for

Institutional Building

One of Hasting’s primary goals as Toshao is to strengthen institutional frameworks within the village as he explained that this has been lacking throughout various Indigenous communities.

Hastings expressed that he aims to implement village rules, establish entry protocols, and protect the community’s knowledge systems.

“We engage a lot with researchers and stakeholders, but there aren’t any systems in place for quite a long time. I want to change that.”

Hastings has already initiated a program to develop village rules, set to begin this year.

TURN TO PAGE 20

Toshao Romario’s father passing on the mantle to his son

20 FEATURE

Romario's vision for his village...

“This is just the start, we need to craft and develop our village rules to ensure our community functions effectively and our heritage is protected,” he confidently relayed.

Fostering Tourism and Economic Growth

Recognizing the untapped potential in tourism within his community, Hastings is keen to develop this sector.

“We have the resources, and it’s about building partnerships with the right persons and agencies that can support our vision,” he says.

Hastings has already begun engaging key stakeholders, including the Guyana Tourism Authority, to create a tourism product within three years. Hastings said that tourism can bring economic benefits and a sense of pride to

his community. And it is something that he is very passionate about.

Youth Programs and Health Initiatives

Hastings is particularly focused on the youth, understanding their crucial role in the community’s future. He believes that young people need more targeted programs.

“In areas like reproductive and sexual health, we have a lot of issues. My exposure and networks, both locally and in Georgetown, can help bring these necessary services to our community.” He emphasizes the importance of these initiatives, stating, “It’s about reaching out to the right personnel and leveraging available services to start something impactful.”

Cultural Preservation and Revitalization

A loyal advocate for Indigenous culture, Hastings plans to bolster cultural preservation efforts as he has a high focus on Language revitalization.

“Language revitalization is key. Our district is one where the language is vibrant, but that doesn’t mean it’s secure. We need to establish a working language group or unit to ensure our culture thrives,” he noted.

Hastings also envisions more cultural events and festivals where he wants to integrate intentional activities that bring together expertise in music, arts, crafts, and spiritual practices.

A Resource Center for Indigenous Knowledge

In line with his cultural initiatives, Hastings proposes estab -

lishing a resource center within the Kako village. “We need a space that includes works and materials created by us, showcasing our history and heritage,” he says. “This center would not only preserve artifacts but also serve as a hub for learning about the Akawayo culture.”

Building on Previous Efforts

Amidst the scores of plans that the young leader wishes to implement within his community, he acknowledges the work of previous councils and aims to build on what they have started.

According to him, the previous council started an app for Indigenous learning, and he wants to advance this initiative. He stated that he along with his council needs to be deliberate in

preserving indigenous artifacts and creating a space similar to a museum that’s relevant to our community.

Understanding the importance of inclusive planning, Hastings is set to work closely with the community and the new council as he subscribes to the notion that “planning must always be inclusive,” he stated, “We still need to meet as a new council and with the community to determine our direction. It’s a joint governance, and we have to work together,” he stated.

Reflecting on his path to leadership, Hastings shares, “I’ve been away from the community for education and work, but my focus has always been on improving local governance and addressing social, environmental, and economic issues.

My time at the EPA and my academic background have equipped me to bring meaningful change.”

As he embarks on this journey as Toshao, Hastings remains committed to selfless devotion and the betterment of his village.

“I may have to put some personal goals on hold, but this role demands it. It’s about serving my community and ensuring a brighter future for all.”

The young Leader’s vision is clear: a community where tradition meets progress, where cultural heritage is preserved, and where economic and social development go hand in hand. As he steps into his role as Toshao, Hastings is poised to lead the Kako village into a new era of prosperity and unity.

Current rainfall impacting rice cultivation in Reg 6 – Armogan

The current per-

sistent rainfall would impact only two of the three main rice-producing areas in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), according to Region Six Chairman David Armogan, who also pointed out that one of the two other rice-producing areas is likely to suffer losses to both the first and second crops.

Region Six has about 65,000 acres of land under rice cultivation. Some 4000 acres are at Crabwood Creek and approximately 20,000 acres are at Black Bush Polder.

However, 28,000 acres of rice lands, most of which are situated between Eversham and Alness, are located along the front lands, and farmers who cultivate the front lands are likely to suffer losses to their spring crop, referred to as the first crop; and to the autumn crop, called the

second crop. According to Armogan, those farmers should have completed harvesting the spring crop, but about 300 acres are still to be harvested.

“They are way too late, because by this time all of the rice should have been harvested and (they should have been) into the second crop; but, for the first crop, people have not completely harvested their rice as yet,” he said. Those cultivating the front lands have said they

had gone into the crop late, because they did not get water promptly. They depend on water coming through the Black Bush Polder (BBP), and must wait until the farmers in that area stop pumping water into their fields.

“Even though we tell them not to sow after a certain period, nobody bothers with us, because this is their living. If they don’t get their water in time, what invariably happens is that they will obviously sow outside of the regular recommended time… Now they are harvesting, when rain is falling heavily,” Armogan has pointed out.

“The problem is that the water for the front land areas, besides villages between Numbers 52 and 74, comes from Black Bush. So, when Black Bush is finished, then the front areas will get water. That is one of the big problems that we have.

We have to be able to solve that problem; maybe put in more irrigation pumps so that the front lands can also get water in time, because there is no use telling people that you have to plant within

a certain period and they don’t get the water,” the Regional Chairman explained.

Meanwhile, in Black Bush Polder, where already between 75 and 80 per cent of fields have been sown for the second crop, many farmers are likely to experience losses because of continuous rainfall, which has resulted in a rise in water levels.

TURN TO PAGE 24

Regional Chairman David Armagon

A farmer at Mibicuri is preparing the land for a second time within one month

Traffic Chief bemoans drivers’ improper use of roundabouts

Police Traffic Chief, Senior Superintendent

Mahendra Singh, has voiced concerns regarding the improper use of roundabouts and traffic signs by drivers, especially in Georgetown. In a recent interview with Guyana Times, he highlighted the alarming frequency with which motorists are failing to properly navigate roundabouts and adhere to road signs, despite the clear guidelines provided in the self-study test for obtaining a driver's licence.

Singh pointed out that the self-study test, a crucial component of the driver's licensing process, thoroughly covers the correct procedures for using

roundabouts and understanding traffic signs.

“When one subscribes to the process of purchasing that package and going and sit

that exam, it takes away from the ability to say that they were prevented from passing. The test is to improve the entire process. It has questions that speak to what is, and how to use…,” the Traffic Chief explained.

Improper use of roundabouts has become a particularly pressing issue. Many drivers fail to yield to vehicles already in the roundabout, leading to confusion and increased risk of accidents. Additionally, the misuse of traffic signs, such as ignoring stop signs and not following

directional arrows, exacerbates the problem.

The Traffic Chief has emphasized that these behavious not only violate road laws, but also endanger the safety of all road users.

"Based on what you (see), you can rarely use the statement that persons are complying with the rules of the road and comply with signage and the use of a roundabout… Persons are not using the roundabout as they ought to,” he has expressed.

In response to these ongoing issues, the Traffic Department

is considering several measures to improve compliance, among which are increased enforcement through random checks, and stricter penalties for violations. There may also be a push for additional educational campaigns to reinforce the importance of road safety and the proper use of roundabouts and signs.

Traffic Chief

Mahendra Singh has called on all drivers to take their responsibilities seriously, and to ensure they are fully aware of, and compliant with, road laws.

Traffic Chief, Senior Superintendent Mahendra Singh

Citizens urged to be vigilant, as dengue cases surge to over 3000 countrywide

With an overwhelming number of dengue cases recorded for 2024, the Ministry of Health is urging members of the general public to be vigilant and to take precautionary measures to safeguard themselves against the disease.

Guyana has recorded over 3000 dengue cases thus far, with Region Six (East Berbice -Corentyne) reporting an increase of 492 percent. This figure surpasses statistics recorded in 2023, which showed that some 2169 cases were detected from January to August, and up to that time, there were 239 patients hospitalised and 11 dengue-related deaths.

For 2024 so far, there have been two dengue-related deaths from the 3000 recorded cases, and Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony has said the MoH has ramped up the distribution of testing kits and bed nets countrywide in order to ensure adequate diagnostic capacity, and has also

conducted fogging exercises.

Nevertheless, the MoH is continuing to see an upward trend in dengue, which is alarming.

As a result, Dr. Anthony is encouraging citizens to do source reduction, otherwise known as the elimination of mosquito breeding sites, especially around homes, schools, and their surroundings.

“We need a partnership. It’s not just Government, it must be a combination of Government and people, because people need to keep their environments clean, and we need to avoid these stagnant pools, which we have a lot of. So, we have to have that partnership to reduce this burden,”

Minister Dr Anthony has said.

Meanwhile, to properly treat persons with adverse symptoms of dengue, the Health Ministry is retraining all doctors countrywide and providing them with the latest information on treatment guidelines. According to Dr. Anthony, this is part of efforts to ensure that there are no further dengue-related deaths.

“With dengue cases, most people will be okay; but you have the occasional cases where people need to be hospitalized, and so once they come into the hospital, there is a whole protocol of what we’ll do in the hospital. And in fact, in anticipating this, we have done a whole manual and we have trained a lot of our doctors to be able to provide care for dengue patients,” Dr Anthony has explained.

It has been reported that Guyana had recorded 7,859 cases of dengue in 2023, while hospitalizations related to dengue had reached 1,182

individuals. Despite the country’s ability to control the number of dengue cases, the Ministry of Health is actively seeking further measures to minimise these occurrences.

Earlier in the year, Dr. Frank Anthony had told reporters that the MoH is currently in the process of acquiring a new vaccine for dengue.

“We are now trying to get a particular vaccine that will cover the four different types of dengue. As of right now, we are still exploring that option, because the vaccines are quite expensive,” Dr. Anthony has said.

The minister has also highlighted the introduction of a new technique, known as Abate, to prevent the spread of

dengue fever. For context, Abate is a larvicide, which means it effectively targets and kills mosquito larvae, specifically those of the Aedes species, thereby helping to prevent the spread of dengue fever.

The MoH has been signalling its interest in dengue vaccines for years, and it was reported last year that the au-

thority was awaiting official word from the World Health Organization’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization, which is currently analysing data. It was said at the time that this data would help the MoH finalise its decision to purchase vaccines for use in the National Dengue Control Programme.

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony

GPF, Human Services Ministry collaborate to raise awareness on gender-based violence

The Human Services and Social Security Ministry on Friday collaborated with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to conduct a sensitisation exercise at the

mance by the Guyana Police Force Band, led by Superintendent Joseph. The musicians captivated the residents, shoppers, and vendors of the Lusignan community with their melodic renditions, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the market and drawing more attention to the cause.

Current rainfall impacting...

Lusignan Market, ECD.

The objective of the exercise was to

raise awareness of gender-based violence (GBV), and it was aimed at educating community members and business owners about this pressing issue and the resources available to support victims at the Hope and Justice Center

located at School Road in Lusignan, East Coast Demerara.

Subject Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud, along with Dr. Cona Husbands, Superintendent Leslyn Halley, and ranks of Regional Police Division 4'C' participated in the exercise, the ranks actively engaging vendors and residents to provide crucial information about the newly-established Hope and Justice Center.

This facility serves as a 'one-stop' facility that caters to individuals who have experienced abuse, offering them comprehensive support and assistance.

Adding to the impactful initiative, the event featured a perfor-

Some of those farmers are blaming rice farmers in the Cookrite Savannah for releasing their excess water into the Black Bush Polder.

“The regulators that control water coming in from the Cookrite Savannahs into the Black Bush Polder area have all been closed, so there

is no question of Cookrite Savannah water coming into Black Bush Polder, as used to happen before. We have taken out all of the wires, so that nobody can lift the doors.” Armogan noted.

At Crabwood Creek, about 50 per cent of the rice lands have been sown for the second crop, and

according to the Regional Chairman, flooding has not affected that community.

“Because of the interventions that were made earlier, in terms of a new canal that was dug there at Crabwood Creek, they don’t have problems with flooding,” Armagon has said.

A rice farmer pumping water out of his rice field at Johanna, Black Bush Polder

34 now certified as Community Health Workers in Reg 8

In a significant development for Region Eight’s health sector, 34 individuals from 23 different communities have completed their training to become certified Community Health Workers (CHWs).

This achievement represents a valuable addition to the human resource pool in the region’s healthcare system. The journey for these CHWs began in Mahdia, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni), where they underwent comprehensive training that encompassed both theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

The rigorous training commenced in October 2023, and saw participants being equipped with the competencies required to deliver quality healthcare services. On Friday, a graduation ceremony was held for the newly minted workers at the Roger Hinds Hotel in Mahdia township. It saw them marking preparation to apply the knowledge and skills they acquired during their training.

The event was graced by the presence of Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, Hinterland Coordinator Michael Gouveia, and Deputy Director of Health Sciences Education, Chandroutie Persaud, among others.

In his feature address, Minister Anthony reiterated Government’s strategic approach to training, ensuring health workers serve within their respective communities. This approach was taken due to the reluctance of individuals to relocate permanently to remote areas, he explained.

He then expounded on the Government’s aim to offer 115 different interventions at the primary healthcare level. In this vein, he expressed satisfaction about the health workers being exposed to some of these interventions.

“I’m also very pleased that you were exposed to a little bit of telehealth training. Why is that important? Because we are now using a lot of telemedicine equipment to be able to lift the quality of care that we can do at the primary level,” he explained, stating that Region Eight is slated to have additional telemedicine sites in 2024.

With internet access to become available in villages to facilitate telemedicine, Minister Anthony urged all the graduates to keep pursuing additional education in health, so they can elevate themselves.

The Health Ministry has a partnership with United States (US) company Coursera, where close to 11,000 courses are available to those in the health profession free of cost.

Furthermore, Minister Anthony underscored the Government’s commitment to reshaping Guyana’s health sector into a world-class system.

“You can help us to build this from the ground going up. We have to start with community care. We have to make sure that we are able at the very elementary level to make some of these diagnoses. And when we make them,

to have the capabilities of treating them,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, with the healthcare system experiencing rapid transformation due to strategic investments, many opportunities exist.

“We want to make sure that you’re properly trained, so you can take advantage of these many opportunities that will be coming your way,” the minister relayed.

CHWs have also been reminded of their critical role in preventing chronic non-communicable diseases in their respective villages by educating persons on healthy lifestyle choices.

Also attending the graduation were Regional Chairman Headley Pio, Regional Executive Officer Peter Ramoutar, and Regional

Senior cop stripped of command over sexual assault allegations

Asenior police officer who has been accused of sexual assault was on Friday stripped of his command in order that a full investigation of the allegation may be facilitated.

A missive from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) on Saturday informed the media that the Superintendent of Police had been accused of sexually assaulting a

male junior rank in the vicinity of the Kingston Seawall back in April.

According to the police, the allegation is being treated very seriously, and the Superintendent has been relieved of his command as the probe continues. The victim reported the matter to his superiors on Friday evening.

Investigations are ongoing.

Health Officer Dr Talitha Cort, beside friends, families and loved ones of the Community Health Workers.

This is the first group of Community Health Workers (CHWs) to receive training in Region Eight, and they achieved a 100 percent pass rate.

They will be hired by the Ministry of Health within their respective communities.

The human resource pool within Guyana’s healthcare sector is being expanded to complement the modernisation of Guyana’s health infrastructure. Around 12

state-of-the-art hospitals are to be constructed nationwide, including in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine.

In 2023, the MoH produced the first batch of 22 Pharmacy Assistants in Region Two, and they were posted to health facilities across the region. In March 2024, Region 10 also produced the first batch of Community Health Workers, further boosting healthcare for residents there. In April, 27 Pharmacy and 31 Nursing Assistants graduated in Lethem, Region Nine.

Over 1,000 individuals across various regions are currently enrolled and undergoing the Professional Nursing Hybrid Programme through online and in-person classes.

Cop succumbs 4 days after accident at Fort Wellington

A27-year-old Police Constable succumbed to his injuries on Friday, four days after being involved in an accident along the Fort Wellington Public Road, West Coast Berbice (WCB).

The dead cop has been identified as Dwight Chester, a father of one and late resident of Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara and Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice.

While details of the accident remain sketchy, Guyana Times has been informed that Chester had hosted a party called

"Last, Last" in Mahaicony on May 25, and had allegedly left that party under the influence of alcohol in the wee hours of May 26 with two passengers in the vehicle he was driving at the time. It is surmised that Chester may have fallen asleep at the wheel, and thus crashed into a utility pole located a short distance from the Fort Wellington Hospital.

The impact of that crash caused the bus he was driving to burst into flames. A porter exiting the hospital noticed the

burning bus and raised an alarm. The fire was extinguished, but Chester was nowhere to be found.

He was later found in an unconscious state in a clump of bushes, and was rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital before later being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he remained on life support until his demise. He had sustained severe burns about his body among other serious injuries. The two passengers had also suffered serious injuries.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony alongside the graduates and other officials

The bus after the accident

Dead: Dwight Chester

CFATF Plenary Meeting…

“Consequences of not complying are not an option” – AG Nandlall

…as Guyana defends rating in Trinidad

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister

Anil Nandlall, SC, has stated that non-compliance with the international standards when it comes to Guyana’s Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) architecture is not an option, given the consequences this could have for the country.

“Guyana has the structural underpinnings, tools and actions to illustrate that in most areas. We have achieved at least moderate to substantial ratings of effectiveness, with only major or moderate improvements needed, based on the Assessment Team’s findings as well as a horizontal review of other MERs in the FATF and CFATF network,” he explained.

“We recognize that while the cost of compliance is high, the consequences of not complying is not an option. Resources, though scarce, are adequately budgeted for annually to improve Guyana’s AML/CFT architecture. I pledge our government’s unequivocal and unwavering commitment to this cause,” Nandlall stated.

The Attorney General made these remarks at the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) 58th Plenary and Working Group

Meetings, held from June 2 to 7, 2024 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, where Guyana’s 4th Round Mutual Evaluation Report was adopted.

During his address to the Plenary, Nandlall assured that Guyana recognizes the need to continue to invest in law enforcement authorities, in order to ensure that the ability to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing remains paramount and gains further tangible results in its follow-up process.

He pointed out that while Guyana may not have the perfect regime, no one can fault the efforts demonstrably exhibited by the country thus far. This, he added, is coupled with a clear and settled will and intent to combat money laundering, terrorism financing, and proliferation financing in every sphere of national life.

At last week’s Plenary, Guyana successfully defended the favourable ratings that the country’s AML/CFT architecture received after a Mutual Evaluation Exercise was completed last year.

This Mutual Evaluation Exercise consisted of a comprehensive examination of the country’s AML/CFT regime, including a two-week on-site examination which took place in September

SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2024

2023.

The Draft Report was adopted after intense scrutiny and discussions at the Plenary, which consisted of over 200 high-level officials from across the Caribbean, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Organization of the American States (OAS), International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

The Assessment is a peer review process wherein experts from CFATF and FATF jurisdictions assess national measures implemented, which are designed to prevent, detect, investigate, and prosecute money laundering, terrorism financing, and proliferation financing, including the forfeiture of criminal instrumentalities and proceeds and assets derived from crime.

At this face-to-face interrogative peer review engagement in Trinidad, Guyana successfully withstood scrutiny and was able to defend the favourable assessment it received.

The adopted Draft Report will now undergo a quality and consistency process with the Financial Action Task Force and the Global Network before its

publication later in 2024. While the ratings remain confidential until the conclusion of the process, Guyana has provisionally gained good ratings in light of its national coordination mechanisms, the understanding of its risk and context, and the operations of its Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).

Guyana has also demonstrated that it has mechanisms for effective supervision, and preventative measures to enable authorities to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, which encourage the abilities of financial institutions and designated non-financial business professions

(DNFBPs) as gatekeepers towards ensuring that they are not abused for AML/CFT purposes.

The legislative agenda to reform the AML/CFT framework was successful, with Guyana provisionally succeeding in 88% of the Recommendations being rated Compliant or Largely Compliant, with 12% rated Partially Compliant.

In none of the areas in which Guyana was examined were there any provisional rating as non-compliant.

Guyana will report back to the CFATF in November 2025 on its Follow-Up Actions based on the final

published Report.

The Guyana delegation included officials from the Attorney General’s Chambers and Ministry of Legal Affairs; the Bank of Guyana, the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Guyana Gold Board, the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), the Guyana Securities Council, the Treaty Office of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), the Gaming Authority (GA), and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground named as venue for launch of BritCham Guyana

As the September 11, 2024 date approaches for the launch of the British Chamber of Commerce Guyana (BritCham Guyana), the organisation on Saturday announced that the event will be held at the prestigious Lord’s Cricket Ground, Thomas Lord Suite.

This landmark event marks a significant step in strengthening the business ties between the United Kingdom and Guyana. It will bring together influential business leaders, Government officials, and key stakeholders from both nations to celebrate and promote bilateral trade and investment opportunities.

“We at BritCham are thrilled to host our London, UK launch at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground. I’ve just returned from the UK where I was able to finalise the arrangements and I can tell you this event is not just a celebration of the growth and potential of Guyana’s economy, but also an opportunity

to grow the healthy business relationship between the two nations. Hosting the event at Lord’s, the “Mecca of cricket”, reminds us of the many similarities Guyana and the UK hold close. We look forward to fostering new partnerships and exploring new avenues for collaboration across many sectors. The event is free for our BritCham members, with a limited number of tickets available for non-members to purchase, so don’t delay getting in touch with BritCham quickly, if you don’t want to miss this exciting and historic BritCham event,” Chairman of BritCham Guyana, Faizal Khan stated.

Lord’s Cricket Ground, often referred to as the "Home of Cricket," is significant for cricket fans around the world, particularly in the Caribbean. The ground has been the stage for many memorable matches featuring West Indies cricket teams, showcasing the talents and spirit of Caribbean cricketers.

Legendary Guyanese cricketers such as Clive Lloyd,

Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and Rohan Kanhai have delivered memorable performances at this historic venue.

Distinguished guests, including the British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller; the Guyanese High Commissioner to the UK, Raj Singh, and the Chief Investment Officer, Government of Guyana, Dr Peter Ramsaroop, will be in attendance.

“This event is a testament to the growing economic relationship

Guyana and the UK. We are excited about the opportunities this launch will create for businesses in both countries. We have already seen many British companies enter Guyana, and with [Dr Irfaan Ali] His Excellency's 2030 plan, we anticipate attracting even larger players. GOInvest [the Guyana Office For Investment) will focus on proactively engaging with technology and manufacturing companies to further this agenda,” Dr Ramsaroop noted.

Thomas Lord Suite where the event will be held

Attorney General & Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, SC, led Guyana's delegation at the recent CFATF Plenary Meeting in Trinidad

APPLICATION

[I] The applicant, Ray Anthony Schadde (the ·'Applicant") makes an application for:

CLASSIFIED ADS

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE OF GUYANA REGULAR SURISDICTION 2024- HCDEM- CIV- FDA-BETWEEN: RAY ANTHONY SCHADDE Applicant and 1. ADRIAN MENTORE

2. MENTION SERVICES INC., a company duly incorporated under the laws of Guyana with its registered address situate at Lot 189 Charlotte Street, Bourda, Georgetown, Guyana Respondents, jointly and severally

FIXED DATE APPLICATION

MADE WITH NOTICE

TO: THE RESPONDENTS

A LEGAL PROCEEDING HAS BEEN COMMENCED by the Applicant. The claim made by the Applicant is set out in the following pages.

THlS APPLICATION will come on for a hearing on the 2024 at the Law Courts, Georgetown. e.1-h.n

IF YOU WISH TO OPPOSE THIS APPLICATION , to receive notice of any step in the application or to be served with any documents in the application, you or an Attorney-at-Law acting for you must forthwith prepare an Affidavit in Defence in Form 10C prescribed by the Civil Procedure Rules 2016, serve it on the applicant's Attorney-at-Law or, where the applicant does not have an Attorney-at-Law, serve it on the applicant, and file it, with proof of service, at a Registry, AT LEAST FOUR DAYS before the date fixed for the hearing of the application, and you or your Attorney-at-Law must appear at the hearing.

IF YOU FAIL TO APPEAR AT THE HEARING, AN ORDER OR JUDGMENT MAY BE GIVEN IN YOUR ABSENCE AND WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE TO YOU.

IF YOU WlSH TO OPPOSE THIS APPLICATlON BUT ARE UNABLE TO PAY LEGAL FEES, LEGAL AfD MAY BE AVAILABLE TO YOU BY CONTACTING A LOCAL LEGAL AJD OFFICE.

THIS NOTICE OF APPLICATION has no validity unless it is served on you at least seven days before the date fixed for the hearing of the application.

Address of Registry where issued: Law Courts, Georgetown

TO: ADRIAN MENTORE

Lot 79 Mahaica East Coast Demerara Guyana OR Lot 107 Mahaica Berbice Guyana

MENTION SERVICES

INC. Lot 189 Charlotte Street Bomda Georgetown, Guyana

I. General Damages against the First Named Respondent in excess of 0$100,000.00 (one hundred thousand Guyana dollars) for loss and damage suffered due to negligence caused on October 11, 2022 by colliding a motor lorry No. GYY 5964 with the Applicant's minibus, registration no. PRR 7508;

2. Special Damages against the First Named Respondent in an amount not less than 0$6,600,000.00 (six million, six hundred thousand Guyana dollars) as set forth in Paragraph 16 below for loss and damage suffered due to negligence caused on October 11, 2022 by colliding a motor lorry No. GYY 5964 with the Applicant's minibus, registration no. PRR 7508;

3. An Order declaring that motor lorry No. GYY 5964 is beneficially owned by the First Named Respondent;

4. Alternatively to (I), (2) and (3), General Damages against the Second Named Respondent in excess of 0$100,000.00 (one hundred thousand Guyana dollars) for loss and damage suffered due to negligence caused by the First Named Respondent in the capacity as servant and/or agent and/or employee of the Second Named Respondent;

5. Alternatively to (I), (2) and (3) and in addition to (4), Special Damages against the Second Named Respondent in an amount not less than 0$6,600,000.00 (six million, six hundred thousand Guyana dollars) as set forth in Paragraph 16 below for loss and damage suffered due to negligence caused by the First Named Respondent in the capacity as servant and/or agent and/or employee of the Second Named Respondent;

6. Interest on any damages awarded at the rate of 6% per annum (or at the governing statutory rate) from October 11, 2022 until final judgment and therea er at the rate of 4% per annum or the prevailing statutory rate until fully paid;

7. Costs; and

8. Such fu1ther or other Orders as this Honourable Court may deem just.

[2] The grounds for the application are:

1.The Applicant is selfemployed as an electrician by trade, and is the holder of a valid driver's license as well as the owner of a minibus, registration no. PRR 7508 (the "Minibus"). Prior to the events set forth herein, the Applicant utilized the Minibus both for professional electrical work and for personal use, including social and leisure activities.

2. The First Named Respondent is and/or was the driver of motor lorry No. GYY 5964 (the "Truck"), with the registered owner of the Truck being the Second Named Respondent.

3.On October 11, 2022, at approximately 19:20 hours, the Applicant had parked the Minibus in the designated parking space of Dave's Sports Bar (the "Store"), situated on the Western portion of the Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara, and subsequently exited the Minibus to make a purchase from the Store.

4. The Applicant had positioned the Minibus in the specified parapet area allocated for parking directly in front of the Store, maintaining an approximate distance of 17 (seventeen) feet from the Grove Public Road.

5. At approximately 20:30 hours, the Applicant, while inside the Store, was alerted by a loud noise originating from the Grove Public Road. In response, the Applicant promptly exited the premises and observed the Truck operated by the First Named Respondent colliding with the Minibus, resulting in extensive damage to the latter.

6. At the time of the collision, the Truck was carrying a substantial load of sand, and in the aftermath of the incident, the First Named Respondent verbally communicated to the Applicant that the brakes of the Truck had failed, which he claimed as a contributing factor to the collision.

7. Additionally, at the time of the collision, weather conditions did not pose any hindrance to visibility. The Grove Public Road was in a well-maintained, smooth, and dry state, and ambient lighting conditions were still favourable, this being bolstered by the presence of ample road illumination and exterior lighting in the vicinity of the Store.

8. The Applicant contends that the collision was caused by the First Named Respondent so negligently drivi11g, managing and/or controJling the Truck as follows:

PARTICULARS OF NEGLIGENCE

a. Failing to keep a proper look-out;

b. Failing to have sufficient regard for vehicles on the Grove Public Road generally and for the Applicant's Minibus in particular;

c. Failing to see the Applicant's Minibus in time or at all;

d. Driving too fast in all of the circumstances;

e. Driving into the path of and/ or otherwise colliding with the Applicant's stationasy Minibus;

r. Failing to stop, slow down, steer, or otherwise to control the Truck as to avoid the collision;

g. Failing adequately or at all in time or at all to see, heed or act upon the presence, position or stationary state of the Minibus ahead;

h. Failing to apply the brakes of the Truck in time or at all;

1. Failing to have or to retain any or any sufficient control

over the Truck;

J. Causing, pe1111itting or suffering the Truck to move into the path of and collide with the Minibus;

k. Failing to adequately or at all heed or act upon the fact that brakes of the Truck were defective;

I. Failing to cause or require or to otherwise ensure that the brakes of the Truck were repaired;

m. Failing to refrain from driving the Truck unless or until the brakes was repaired or otherwise steps were taken to ensure that it was or would remain safe to drive the Truck;

n. Driving off of the Grove Public Road; and

o. Exposing the Applicant to a forseeable risk of injury.

9. At aJI material times, the First Named Respondent owed a duty of care to all road users, pedestrians and owners of property on and/or adjacent to the road, inclusive of the Applicant, in respect of, inter alia, the matters set forth in Paragraph 8, which were egregiously breached.

10. Criminal charges were instituted against the First Named Respondent in the matter of the State v. Adrian Mentore CJ#2191/2022 for dangerous driving contrary to Section 36(1) of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act Cap 51:02, in which the First Named Respondent confirmed by way of written statement that (i) on October 11, 2022, at approximately 20:30 hours, he was driving the Truck on the Grove Public Road (ii) the Grove Public Road was in a smooth and dry condition, with adequate lighting at the time of the incident, (iii) he failed to bring the Truck to a halt, and the brakes of the Truck were non-functional, and that (iv) he collided with, inter alia, the Minibus, which was stationary on the Western parapet outside of the Store.

11. The Applicant will rely on all of the aforementioned facts and specifically the fact that (i) the prevailing weather conditions on the Grove Public Road were dry and visibility was favorable, (ii) the Truck crashed into the Applicant's stationary Minibus and (iii) the acknowledged failure of the brakes of the Truck as being conclusive of negligence and that it is inconceivable that such an incident could have occurred but for negligence.

12. Additionally, the First Named Respondent was actively in the process of purchasing and/or acquiring the Truck from the Second Named Respondent, thereby establishing a beneficial ownership and/or possessing a beneficial interest in the said Truck.

13. Alternatively, the Applicant will contend that the Second Named Respondent is liable on the basis the First Named Respondent was driving the Truck in bjs capacity as the

servant and/or agent and/ or employee of the Second Named Respondent, the owners thereof of tJ,e Truck and that the First Named Respondent was acting in the performance or purported performance of his duties as its driver.

14. By reason of the negligence of the First Named Respondent and/or the Second Named Respondent, the Applicant has suffered significant loss and damage.

15. The Minibus has been rendered entirely inoperable and/or irreparable, having sustained extensive damage in the collision with the Truck, affecting its front driver's door, passenger's door, side sliding doors, both external mirrors, the taillights, and the chassis.

16. The cost of replacing the Minibus with a new one of comparable type and functionality is estimated to cost approximately 0$6,600,000.00 (six million, six hundred thousand Guyana dollars).

PARTICULARS OF SPECIAL DAMAGES

a. Costs to be incurred by the Applicant to replace the Minibus in the amount of 0$6,600,000.00 (six million, six hw1dred thousand Guyana dollars).

17. In support of his claim for general damages, the Applicant will rely on the following facts:

a. The Applicant has been deprived of the use of the Minjbus from October 11, 2022, up to the present date which has hjndered his occupation as an electrician, and his ability to commute to job sites;

b. As a result, the Applicant has been compelled to utilize an alternative vehicle owned by his wife, which is inadequately sized and unsuitable for accommodating the necessary electrical equipment and ladders;

c. The utilization of the aforementioned alternative vehicle as described in (b) above, has consequently impeded the Applicant's wife from conducting her own activities that require the use of the said vehicle;

d. The Applicant is a parent to four (4) school-going cbjldren, and the absence of the spacious Minibus has made it excessively challenging and burdensome to transport them; and

e. The Applicant has endured significant emotional and mental distress due to the firsthand experience of witnessing the co11ision and the subsequent dan1age inflicted upon his Minibus.

18. The Applicant has a just and well-founded claim in accordance with the reliefs sought in this Application.

19. For the foregoing reasons, the reliefs sought herein should be granted in their entirety. [3)

The following documentary evidence will be used at the Hearing of the Application:

1.Affidavit of Ray Anthony Schadde with exhibits attached.

Date: February 13, 2024 s. N. Vieira Mr. Abhimanyu S. Dev London House Chambers Attorneys-at-Law for the Applicant A87 Issano Place West Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Guyana Tel: 231-1882

E-mail: dkissoon@ londonhousechambcrs. com nvieira(@ londonhousechambers.com adev<wlondonhouscchambcrs. com

The Registry is located at The Law Courts Georgetown, Demerara. The office is open to the public between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays and 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Fridays, except holidays.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE OF GUYANA REGULAR JURISDICTION

2024- HC- DEM- CIV- .FDABETWEEN: RAY ANTHONY SCHADDE Applicant and-

1. ADRIAN MENTORE

2. MENTION SERVICES INC., a company duly incorporated under the laws of Guyana with its registered address situate at Lot 189 Charlotte Street, Bourda, Georgetown, Guyana Respondents, jointly and severally

FIXED DATE APPLICATION: MADE WITH NOTICE

Mr. Devindra R.T. Kissoon Ms. Natasha M. Vieira

Mr. Abhimanyu S. Dev London House Chambers Attorneys-at-Law for the Applicant A87 Issano Place West Bel Air Park, Georgetown, Guyana Tel: 231-1882

E-mail: dkissoon@,londonhouscchambcrs. com nvieira@ londonhousechambers.com adcvr@londonhouscchambcrs. co1n

Ray Anthony Schadde v Adrian Mentore et anor, which has been adjourned to July 12, 2024 at 8:30 am. The First Named Respondent has 4 days prior to this date to file a Defence.

Caption: Evin Lewis and Rashid Khan were teammates at St Kitts & Nevis Patriots last season

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LEGAL NOTICE 2

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE OF GUYANA COMMERCIAL JURISDICTION 2024-HC-DEM-CIV-FDABETWEEN: RAJESH SANCHARA Applicant-and1.BALRAM RAMSUNHOYEN 2.MAHARANIE SUKHU Respondents, jointly and severally FIXED DATE APPLICATION TO THE RESPONDENTS A LEGAL PROCEEDING HAS BEEN COMMENCED by the Applicant. The claim made by the Applicant is set out in the following pages. THIS APPLICATION will come on for a hearing on ___________________ the ______ day of ___________, 2024 at __________at the Law Courts, Georgetown.

IF YOU WISH TO OPPOSE THIS APPLICATION, to receive notice of any step in the application or to be served with any documents in the application, you or an Attorney-atLaw acting for you must forthwith prepare an Affidavit in Defence in Form 10C prescribed by the Civil Procedure Rules 2016, serve it on the Applicant’s Attorney-at-Law or, where the Applicant does not have an Attorney-at-Law, serve it on the Applicant, and file it, with proof of service, at a Registry, AT LEAST FOUR DAYS before the date fixed for the hearing of the application, and you or your Attorney-at-Law must appear at the hearing.

IF YOU FAIL TO APPEAR AT THE HEARING, AN ORDER OR JUDGMENT MAY BE GIVEN IN YOUR ABSENCE AND WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE TO YOU. IF YOU WISH TO OPPOSE THIS APPLICATION BUT ARE UNABLE TO PAY LEGAL FEES, LEGAL AID MAY BE AVAILABLE TO YOU BY CONTACTING A LOCAL LEGAL AID OFFICE.

THIS NOTICE OF APPLICATION has no validity unless it is served on you at least four days before the date fixed for the hearing of the application.

Date: _____________________

Address of Registry where issued: Law Courts, Georgetown

Issued by: Signature of Registry TO: BALRAM RAMSUNHOYEN

MAHARANIE SUKHU

Lot 189 Section ‘D’ Non Pariel,East Coast Demerara Georgetown, Guyana OR 24120 143 RD Avenue Rose

Dale NY 11422 United States of America

APPLICATION

[1] The Applicant, Rajesh Sanchara, (the “Applicant”) makes an application against Balram Ramsunhoyen and Maharanie Sukhu (the “Respondents”) for:

1. An Order for Specific performance of a written Agreement of Sale and Purchase (the “Agreement”) executed between the Applicant and the Respondents on June 26, 2014 for the sale by the Respondents to the Applicant of the following property (the “Property”):-

Lot numbered 189 (one hundred and eighty-nine) being a portion of Section 'D' of Block 13, Parts of Front Lands on Non Pariel (West) formerly Coldingen and Non Pariel (East) situate on the east Coast of Demerara, In the County of Demerara, Republic of Guyana....and more fully described In Transport No. 1380 of 2012…

2. An Order that Transport of the Property be passed to the Applicant within one (1) month of the date of the Order granted herein, failing which an Order that the Registrar of Deeds be hereby authorized to pass Transport of the Property to the Applicant;

3. An Order that the balance of the purchase price less expenses, including legal, filing and vesting fees for the conveyance, legal fees for filing this Fixed Date Application herein, any costs which may be awarded pursuant to the Fixed Date Application filed herein and any and all statutory fees to be paid to the statutory authorities, including but not limited to the Revenue Authority and the City Council (collectively referred to as the “Net Balance”), be lodged with the Registrar of Deeds and that the Respondents only be authorized to uplift the Net Balance on the production of a Certificate of Compliance from the Revenue Authority to the Registrar of Deeds;

4. Alternatively to (3), an Order that the Applicant be authorized to apply for a Certificate of Compliance from the Revenue Authority and that that the Net Balance be lodged with the Registrar of Deeds;

5. Costs; and

6. Such further and/or other Order as this Honourable Court deems just.

[2] The grounds for the application are set forth below, contained in the accompanying affidavit in support and the submissions to be made the Court in these proceedings:

1. The Applicant is and was at all material times an adult of full age and capacity of Lot 83 Section 'C Enterprise, East Coast Demerara, Guyana.

2. The Respondents are and were at all material times adults of full age and capacity of Lot 189 Section ‘D’ Non Pariel, East Coast Demerara, Georgetown, Guyana as well as 24120 143 RD Avenue Rose Dale NY 11422, United States of America.

3. On June 26, 2014 (the “Execution Date”), the Applicant and the Respondents executed the Agreement, whereby the Respondents agreed to sell the Property to the Applicant in consideration for the total sum of G$2,000,000.00 (two million Guyana dollars).

4. The Agreement expressly required that the Applicant pay to the Respondents the sum of G$1,000,000.00 (one million Guyana dollars) as a deposit and part payment and further provided that completion should take place within 3 (three) months of the Execution Date, being September 26, 2014 (the “Intended Completion Date”).

5. On the Execution Date, in accordance with the Agreement, the Applicant duly paid to the Respondents the required deposit of G$1,000,000.00 (one million Guyana dollars), the receipt of which was duly acknowledged by the Respondents pursuant to the terms of the Agreement.

6. Additionally, pursuant to the Agreement, the Applicant took vacant possession of the Property within 1 (one) month of the Execution Date.

7. On July 16, 2014, the Instructions to Advertise the intended transport/conveyance of the Property was filed in the Registry of Deeds, together with Transport No. 1380 of 2012, Affidavit of Vendors, Affidavit of Purchaser and Valuation.

8. On January 28, 2023, the intended transport/ conveyance of the Property was advertised in the Official Gazette No. 30/2023.

9. Since the date of the aforementioned advertisement, there have been no efforts on the part of the Respondents to complete the said conveyance, and the Respondents have failed

and/or neglected to obtain the requisite compliance certificates and pay the requisite vesting fees to enable the transfer of the Property to the Applicant.

10. By way of letter dated May 30, 2023, the Applicant through his Attorney-at-Law requested the Respondents to ensure that the necessary steps were taken to enable the transfer of the Property to the Applicant.

11. The Applicant has received no response to the letter dated May 30, 2023 to date.

12. The Respondents failed to complete the Agreement on the Intended Completion Date and despite repeated requests from the Applicant, refused and still continues to refuse to take the necessary steps towards the completion of the Agreement.

13. The Applicant was on the Intended Completion Date and has at all material times since that date been and is now ready, willing and able to complete the Agreement and fulfil all his obligations in the Agreement.

14. The Applicant is entitled to the relief of specific performance for the following reasons, inter alia:

a. The Agreement is a valid, complete and enforceable contract in writing pursuant to Section 3 (d) (iv) of the Civil Law Act Cap 6.01 and was made for adequate consideration;

b. The Applicant has materially performed all of his obligations pursuant to the Agreement and all applicable laws, and is therefore approaching the Court with “clean hands”;

c. Damages would be an inadequate remedy, the Property having a unique value independent of its monetary value since the Applicant has already enjoyed the use and physical possession of the Property for nearly 10 (ten) years. Additionally, the location of the Property falls within an increasingly competitive real estate market, with limited availability, rendering it impossible to substitute the value of the Property with monetary compensation;

d. It has not become impossible for the Respondents to perform the Agreement; the Property not being advertised for sale to any external party;

e. There is no prejudice to the Respondents if the reliefs sought herein are granted, the terms of the Agreement not being unconscionable, oppressive in any manner if performed;

f. The transfer of the Property pursuant to the Agreement has already progressed to a material stage, the only remaining steps for completion being that the Respondents obtain the requisite compliance certificates and pay the requisite vesting fees; and g. The Applicant has always been ready, willing and able to complete the conveyance of the Property.

15. For the foregoing reasons the reliefs sought herein should be granted in their entirety.

[3] The following documentary evidence will be used at the hearing of the application:

1. Affidavit of Rajesh Sanchara dated ____________, 2024.

Date: _________, 2024

Mr. Devindra R.T. Kissoon Ms. Natasha M. Vieira Mr. Abhimanyu Dev London House Chambers Attorneys-at-Law for the Applicant A87 Issano Place West Bel Air Park, Georgetown Guyana Tel: 231-1882 E-mail: dkissoon@londonhousechambers. com nieira@londonhousechambers.com adev@londonhousechambers.com

The Registry is located at The Law Courts Georgetown, Demerara. The office is open to the public between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays and 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Fridays, except holidays.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE OF GUYANA COMMERCIAL JURISDICTION 2024-HC-DEM-CIVFDA-BETWEEN: RAJESH SANCHARA Applicant-and1.BALRAM RAMSUNHOYEN 2.MAHARANIE SUKHU Respondents, jointly and severally FIXED DATE APPLICATION

Mr. Devindra R.T. Kissoon Ms. Natasha M. Vieira| Mr. Abhimanyu Dev

London House Chambers Attorneys-at-Law for the Applicant A87 Issano Place West Bel Air Park, Georgetown Guyana Tel: 231-1882 E-mail: dkissoon@londonhousechambers. com nieira@londonhousechambers.com adev@londonhousechambers.com

Rajesh Sanchara v Balram Ramsunhoyen et anor, which has been adjourned to July 26, 2024 at 11:00 am. The Second Named Respondent has 4 days prior to this date to file a Defence.

Miller, Baartman help South Africa end Netherlands jinx in low-scoring nail-biter

South Africa made heavy weather of a modest chase in New York before David Miller and Tristan Stubbs dug deep to save them from a third straight defeat at Netherlands' hands at an International Cricket Council (ICC) tournament.

Miller and Stubbs added 65 for the fifth wicket to lift them from the pits of 12 for 4 on a pitch that didn't play anywhere as badly as the scorecard suggested, even though there was enough in it for quick bowlers – 13 of the 15 wickets fell to them, while there were two run-outs.

As he walked out to bat, Miller might have had a flashback of Adelaide 2022, where his wicket, with 47 needed off 28 balls, shut the door on South Africa and gave Netherlands a 13-run win. On Saturday, Miller stayed the course and remained unbeaten on 59, flicking on his best six-hitting self in the penultimate over with South Africa needing 16 off 12.

In the end, in a game where 209 runs were scored in 38.5 overs, South Africa won with enough to spare.

The South African meltdown Quinton de Kock was run out without facing a ball. Reeza Hendricks got a peach from Logan van Beek that angled in and straightened to hit

the top of off. Vivian Kingma had the first of a double when he strangled Aiden Markram down leg to leave South Africa 3 for 3. And when Heinrich Klaasen's rush of blood had him picking out Tim Pringle attempting a pull off Kingma, Netherlands dared to dream –or maybe just expected the expected, considering the recent results between the two sides at ICC events.

Miller and Stubbs take over

Both Miller and Stubbs are instinctive batters who love taking the bowlers on. But the situation they walked out to was not for that sort of batting, it was a crisis. A misstep could have meant curtains. So they chose caution, saw off the powerplay without any further damage, and hit only a further two boundaries until the 10-over mark to leave South Africa needing 72 off the last 10 overs. Stubbs was on 9 off 21 at this point, struggling to force the pace, especially when the ball was dug in to the pitch. A hint of grip for the spinners also made it difficult for him to hit out. So when Bas de Leede came on in the 11th, Stubbs gave him the charge and enjoyed a massive slice of luck as a thick inside edge flew wide of the midwicket fielder. Miller, too, rode some luck. A big hit down the ground off

SCOREBOARD

Netherlands (20 ovs maximum)

Michael Levitt c †de Kock

b Jansen 0

Max O'Dowd c Jansen

b Baartman 2

Vikramjit Singh

b Jansen 12

Sybrand Engelbrecht c Jansen

b Baartman 40

Bas de Leede c Miller

b Nortje 6

Scott Edwards (c)† run out (Markram) 10

Teja Nidamanuru c Klaasen

b Nortje 0

Logan van Beek c Nortje

b Baartman 23

Tim Pringle c Markram

b Baartman 0

Paul van Meekeren not out 1

Extras (lb 2, nb 2, w 5) 9

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 5.15) 103/9

Did not bat: Vivian Kingma

Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Michael Levitt, 0.3 ov), 2-15 (Max O'Dowd, 3.4 ov), 3-17 (Vikramjit Singh, 4.3 ov), 4-32 (Bas de Leede, 9.1 ov), 5-46 (Scott Edwards, 11.3 ov), 6-48 (Teja Nidamanuru, 11.5 ov), 7-102 (Sybrand Engelbrecht, 19.1 ov), 8-102 (Tim Pringle, 19.3 ov), 9-103 (Logan van Beek, 19.6 ov) •

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Marco Jansen 4-0-20-2

Kagiso Rabada

Ottneil Baartman

Anrich Nortje

Keshav Maharaj

left-arm spinner Pringle only just eluded the long-on fielder in the 12th over with South Africa still needing 57 off 50.

Stubbs finally shrug off the pressure that had built around him with a hoick for six off Vikramjit Singh, and then launched van Beek down the ground three balls later to turn the tide South Africa's way.

Miller lands the finishing blows

It should have been a smooth ride from there, with South Africa needing 29 off 30. But there was another twist. First, Paul van Meekeren delivered a maiden over to Miller, and the pressure showed when Stubbs holed out to deep midwicket in the next, off de Leede. Then, in the 18th, van Beek came back after being walloped for six by Miller to dismiss Marco Jansen.

But, with South Africa needing 16 off 12, de Leede erred in line. Miller began the penultimate over by dispatching a half-tracker over fine leg, and then finished the game with a sequence of 2, 0, 4 and 6 – cue a roar and wild fist pumping.

Miller had tamed the demons of Adelaide 2022.

Engelbrecht props up Netherlands

4-0-27-0

4-0-11-4

4-0-19-2

4-0-24-0

South Africa (T: 104 runs from 20 ovs)

Reeza Hendricks

b van Beek 3

Quinton de Kock † run out (van Meekeren/O'Dowd) 0

Aiden Markram (c) c †Edwards

b Kingma 0

Tristan Stubbs c van Beek

b de Leede 33

Heinrich Klaasen c Pringle

b Kingma 4

David Miller not out 59

Marco Jansen

b van Beek 3

Keshav Maharaj not out 0

Extras (lb 1, nb 1, w 2) 4

TOTAL 18.5 Ov (RR: 5.62) 106/6

Did not bat: Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ottneil Baartman

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Quinton de Kock, 0.1 ov), 2-3 (Reeza Hendricks, 1.4 ov), 3-3 (Aiden Markram, 2.3 ov), 4-12 (Heinrich Klaasen, 4.3 ov), 5-77 (Tristan Stubbs, 16.2 ov), 6-88 (Marco Jansen, 17.5 ov) • BOWLING O-M-R-W

Vivian Kingma 4-1-12-2

Logan van Beek 4-1-21-2

Paul van Meekeren 4-1-13-0

Bas de Leede 3.5-0-34-1

Tim Pringle 2-0-14-0

Vikramjit Singh 1-0-11-0

Sybrand Engelbrecht, who represented South Africa at the Under-19 World Cup in 2008 and only recently made his Netherlands' debut, topscored with a 45-ball 40 on a surface where the next best among the top seven was 12.

At the toss, Netherlands were put in to bat seemingly, because South Africa wanted to exploit the morning conditions, and had them tottering at 32 for 4. South Africa's four-pronged pace attack, led by Jansen, was breathing fire at that stage, with pace and bounce off the pitch for assistance.

South Africa's hostility didn't end there, with Ottneil Baartman and Anrich Nortje ensuring there weren't any freebies. This resulted in Netherlands attempting to manufacture strokes, like Scott Edwards did when he executed a reverse scoop for six, but they simply didn't have enough.

It came down to Englebrecht's patient knock and his 54-run association with van Beek to get them into three figures. It would have been inadequate on most days, but Netherlands can give themselves a pat on the back for making a match out of it to keep Group D very open. (ESPNcricinfo)

Australia blitz, Zampa guile leave England title defence in the balance

Australia outplayed England in Barbados to leave the defending champions sweating on their qualification for the Super 8s. They posted the highest score of the T20 World Cup to date after David Warner and Travis Head blitzed 70 runs in the first five overs, before Adam Zampa made the difference in England's lacklustre run chase.

The result is not terminal for England's title defence, but they have one point from their first two matches and face an anxious week ahead in Antigua. They will almost certainly need to beat both Oman (on Thursday) and Namibia (on Saturday), but even then, they would likely have to rely on net run rate to qualify for the second round ahead of Scotland.

The dimensions played a major role at Kensington Oval: one square boundary was nine metres shorter than the other, measured at just 58m. Australia targeted it, almost immediately. Will Jacks, surprisingly given the second over, conceded three sixes in his

first four balls, all flying over the shorter leg-side boundary; Mark Wood's first over from the same end also cost 22. Australia's total relied on cameos throughout their batting line-up rather than one substantial innings. Warner, likely facing England for the final time in international cricket, top-scored with 39, but everyone in their top five reached at least 28; Matthew Wade's 10ball 17 not out was another useful contribution from number seven, tak-

SCOREBOARD

Australia (20 ovs maximum)

Travis Head

b Archer 34

David Warner

b Ali 39

Mitchell Marsh (c) st †Buttler

b Livingstone 35 Glenn Maxwell c Salt

b Rashid 28

Marcus Stoinis c Brook

b Jordan 30

Tim David c Livingstone

b Jordan 11

Matthew Wade † not out 17

Pat Cummins run out

(†Buttler/Jordan) 0

Mitchell Starc not out 0

Extras (lb 1, w 6) 7

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 10.05) 201/7

Did not bat: Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

Fall of wickets: 1-70 (David Warner, 4.6 ov), 2-74 (Travis Head, 5.4 ov), 3-139 (Mitchell Marsh, 13.5 ov), 4-141 (Glenn Maxwell, 14.2 ov), 5-168 (Tim David, 16.5 ov), 6-200 (Marcus Stoinis, 19.4 ov), 7-200 (Pat Cummins, 19.5 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Moeen Ali 2-0-18-1

Will Jacks 1-0-22-0

Jofra Archer 4-0-28-1

Mark Wood 3-0-32-0

Adil Rashid 4-0-41-1

Chris Jordan 4-0-44-2

Liam Livingstone 2-0-15-1

England (T: 202 runs from 20 ovs) Phil Salt b Zampa 37 Jos Buttler (c)† c Cummins b Zampa 42

Will Jacks c Starc

b Stoinis 10

Jonny Bairstow c Maxwell

b Hazlewood 7

Moeen Ali c Warner

b Cummins 25

Harry Brook not out 20

Liam Livingstone c Starc b Cummins 15

Chris Jordan not out 1

Extras (lb 3, w 5) 8

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 8.25) 165/6

Did not bat: Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood Fall of wickets: 1-73 (Phil Salt, 7.1 ov), 2-92 (Jos Buttler, 9.5 ov), 3-96 (Will Jacks, 10.5 ov), 4-124 (Jonny Bairstow, 14.1 ov), 5-128 (Moeen Ali, 15.4 ov), 6-152 (Liam Livingstone, 18.5 ov) •

ing Australia past 200. England, by contrast, fell away badly after Zampa accounted for both of their openers – Jos Buttler and Phil Salt – inside his first 11 balls. They were 73 for 0 after seven overs, but only managed 92 for 6 in the following 13, their middle order failing to adjust to a dry pitch quickly enough against a clinical Australian attack.

Head, Warner's fast start

For the first time in their T20 history, England opened the bowling with

Australia's left-handed opening pair, but Jacks –- who had only bowled two overs in his 14 previous T20 Internationals (T20Is) – was pumped over the short boundary three times in four balls. Wood took over from Jacks at the same end and his first over was equally as expensive: he tried to tuck Warner up and bowl to his sweepers, but instead fed his strengths and was cracked over the short side for three more sixes and a four. Moeen broke through when a ball

over.

Jofra Archer was the quickest England bowler to adjust to the conditions, using his slower balls and dragging his length back, and could celebrate a first international wicket in Barbados when his offcutter burst through Head and hit middle and off stumps. Even still, Australia's 74 for 2 was their highest powerplay at a men's T20 World Cup.

Australia's strong finish England started to drag things back when

tion when Stoinis picked up four from a toe-ended reverse-sweep, Archer and Jonny Bairstow leaving the ball to one another at point and backward point.

Zampa makes the difference England's openers looked to maximise the powerplay, with Buttler using his feet to target Josh Hazlewood and Salt launching a 106-metre six off his Kolkata Knight Riders team-mate Mitchell Starc. The seventh over, Starc's third,

spin from both ends. It didn't work: Moeen Ali's first over cost only three runs to Head and Warner,

skidded under Warner's bottom edge, but only after conceding two fours and a six in his second

the field spread, though Mitchell Marsh continued to find the boundary. He nailed a pull over midwicket and onto the solar panels on the roof of a stand off Adil Rashid, and swung Archer over the leg-side boundary after the mid-innings drinks break.

Glenn Maxwell's 28 off 25 was his joint-highest T20 score since February, but he and Marsh fell within four balls of one another: Marsh was stumped by Buttler at the second attempt off Liam Livingstone's legspin, and Maxwell picked out deep midwicket off Rashid. At 142 for 4 in the 15th over, Australia needed a strong finish.

But Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, and Wade ensured they reached 200 with regular boundaries at the back end, and England became ragged in the field: Rashid threw his hands up in frustra-

then cost 19: Head caught Salt at deep third, but while stepping on the boundary, and Buttler picked off a six then a four.

But on a dry surface, Zampa was the key bowler and struck with his first ball, which crashed into the top of Salt's off stump as he looked to create room to cut. In Zampa's second over, Buttler swung him down the ground for six, but then reverse-swept straight to Pat Cummins at point, leaving 109 required off the final 10 overs.

Jacks cracked one boundary off Cummins, but then picked out Starc at long-off, who took an excellent diving catch off Stoinis, and Bairstow looked short on rhythm throughout his 13-ball 7. Moeen briefly threatened something special, hitting three sixes in a Maxwell over, but the required rate proved insurmountable. (ESPNcricinfo)

Marcus Stoinis made a 17-ball 30

Mitchell Marsh is stumped by Jos Buttler

Jos Buttler gave England a bright start in the powerplay

Edghill secures 2nd Olympic Games qualification

Two times a charm for national table tennis player Chelsea Edghill who will represent Guyana at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games scheduled to be held from July 26 to August 10.

Edghill, Guyana’s highest-ranked female player who narrowly lost in her Olympic qualification quest in a seven-game thriller to Estella Crespo of Cuba at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Americas Pan American qualification event, held from May 14-18 in Lima, Peru, was granted the sole female wildcard spot to the games when she gained the votes of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and ITTF.

For table tennis, only one men’s singles and one) women’s singles wildcard Tripartite Commission Invitation Places for the sport are made available for the Olympic Games.

This would be Edghill’s second showing at the Summer Olympics games, after becoming the first table tennis player from Guyana and the first female player from the English-

Guinness “Greatest

speaking Caribbean region to qualify for and compete at the Olympic Games when she participated in the 2020 Tokyo Games. At the Tokyo Games, she had an impressive

of the Streets” Essequibo… Henrietta, Chelsea, All-Stars among inaugural night winners

Henrietta United, Chelsea, Ballers, and Suddie recorded contrasting wins when the Guinness “Greatest of the Streets” Essequibo edition commenced on Friday evening at the Anna Regina car park tarmac.

In front of a large gathering, Henrietta United defeated Police B 2-0. M Rosario and D Romeo scored in the fifth and seventh minute respectively.

Likewise, Chelsea outflanked the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) 2-0. K Glasgow and O Warrick scored in the second and sixth minute respectively. Meanwhile, Ballers downed Dartmouth 1-0. Marvin Walcott found the back of the net in the second minute. Also, Suddie downed ETI 1-0 via a T Brandon strike in the second minute.

In other results, Henrietta arrested Police A 2-0 via a Joel Haynes’ Guinness Goal (GG) – a goal scored in the final three minutes of normal time that counts as two – in the 17th minute.

Gunners riddled Lakers 2-0, compliments of a Hayla Haynes GG conversion in the 18th minute. Also, AllStars dismantled Young Guns 3-1.

The winner of the event

will pocket $300,000 and the championship trophy, while the second-, third-, and fourth-place finishers will pocket $200,000, $100,000, and $80,000 apiece and the respective trophy. To date, the Georgetown, Berbice, and Linden zones have been completed, with the Bartica, East Coast Demerara, and West Demerara zones set to commence following the conclusion of the Essequibo leg.

Complete Results

Round of 16

Game 1

Police A 0 v Henrietta 2

Joel Haynes (GG) – 17th

Game 2

showing, captivating Guyana and the Caribbean region when she defeated two-time Olympian Sally Yee of Fiji 4-1, 11-5, 4-11, 11-3, 11-6, 11-8, a commanding debut performance in the preliminary round at the global games.

Edghill progressed to the main draw, but lost to Yubin Shin of South Korea in the women’s singles 117, 11-8, 11-7, 12-10.

Edghill, a University of Lindenwood Missouri graduate in Chemistry, the holder of a master’s degree in Sport Management from the University of London, and Chair of the Athletes Commission Guyana, is a former ITTF with The Future in Mind Scholarship Awardee and a former Junior Olympian (Nanjing, China 2014). She has been a Caribbean champion at different levels, and a winner of several medals at the international, Caribbean, European, North American

and collegiate level and also played professionally in Portugal at club Lusitania de Lourosa and in Germany in 2023.

This is a win for Guyana and regional table tennis and is a testimony to the talent, hard work and determination of Edghill, built on the sacrifices of the player’s officials sponsors and stakeholders of the past and present Olympic Games, which represent the pinnacle of all sports. This represents a truly historic achievement. it is once again a victory for us as a nation and as a region.

It is significant in that this has shown ITTF and IOC recognition of our player’s talent and country programmes in selecting Edghill. This provides the platform for us to continue to enhance our sports profile and market Guyana to the world, lobby for more support for our athletes and truly show we have

players with the talent and ability.

The Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) was of the strong view that Shamar Britton was also a key candidate for a wildcard spot given his performances in international competition during the qualification period June 2023 to June 2024. However, he was unable to attend the qualification events due to clashes with the Olympic qualification event and final-year exams at the Hugh Wooding School of Law, which was a key requirement to being considered for selection for wildcard spots.

According to a statement from the GTTA, the key focus is now working on ensuring that Edghill continues to get the requisite preparation to face the challenge ahead. Part of this process has been a programme with Coach Yasel of Cuba in Guyana.

National Boxing Novice Championship punches off this Thursday

Building on an already-eventful year for the boxing discipline, the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) will conduct its National Novices Championship on June 13 at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue.

The three-day event, which continues on June 14 and concludes on June 15 at the same facility, will feature representation from approximately seven gyms across the various regions.

Lakers 0 v Gunners 2

Hayla Haynes (GG) – 18th

Game 3

Suddie 1 v ETI 0

T Brandon – 2nd

Game 4

All-Stars 3 v Richmond

Young Guns 1

Game 5

Police B 0 v Henrietta

United 2

M Rosario – 5th

D Romeo – 7th

Game 6

GDF 0 v Chelsea 2

K Glasgow – 2nd

O Warrick – 6th

Game 7

Dartmouth 0 v Ballers 1

Marvin Walcott – 2nd

They are: Forgotten Youth Foundation, the Guyana Defence Force, the Guyana Police Force, Pace and Power, Vergenoegen, New Amsterdam Academy, and Republicans gyms.

GBA Technical Director and administrator of the annual programme, Terrence Poole, said, “This is the breeding ground and starting point for many boxers in the sport. This is where we identify future and potential talents, because often this is where they start their respective careers.”

According to Poole, “We are expecting a lot of excitement, because most of the boxers will be new to the sport and, though not technically correct, are very eager and enthusiastic. After the event, we will identify

the respective talents and call them to camps and trials, so that they can get more specialised and experienced training. This is where we look to the future, and we have discovered many talented boxers in this tournament throughout the years.”

Meanwhile, GBA President Steve Ninvalle noted, “This is our ‘year one’ in the development of boxing. This is our nursery, the stage where we plan for our future by unearthing new talents and beginning the eventual and natural process of transition. The Novices Championship holds an innate importance in the grand scheme of our developmental system and should not be overlooked in

any way, but viewed as an example and opportunity for the future generations of pugilists to make their mark and seek recognition in the sport.” He further said, “The GBA remains steadfast in its pursuit of excellence in the discipline by building on existing programmes and by implementing modern standards and practices that are proven and respected by the global boxing community. The nursery is vital in this regard, and we will continue to work and support its advancement given its empirical value, which has led to Guyana maintaining its dominance in the Englishspeaking Caribbean Region.”

Chelsea Edghill will make a second trip to the Olympics this year

A glimpse of what to expect at the National Novices

Action in the Guinness “Greatest of the Streets” Essequibo edition at the Anna Regina car park tarmac