Guyana Times - Sunday, March 3, 2024

Sunday,

Sunday,

4th election anniversary Guyana’s democracy must never be threatened by riggers again –

Pres Ali

…says

PPP/C building a Guyana with an advanced governance system

Saturday marked the fourth anniversary of the March 2, 2020, General and Regional Elections and with one year to go before the next elections, President Dr Irfaan Ali has emphasised that riggers must never be allowed to threaten Guyana’s democracy the way they did four years ago.

In a national address, President Ali described the five months between the March 2 elections and August 2 when he was finally sworn in, as “particularly difficult”. According to the President, the then A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition sought to snatch the fundamental rights of all Guyanese.

“Those five months were particularly difficult. It shows how fragile our democracy was. It showed how hell-bent the APNU/ AFC coalition was on stealing the greatest democratic value of citizenship – the right to elect a government of your choice. We did not allow them then. And we will not allow them ever again,” he said.

President Ali further recalled the statements recently made by former Prime Minister Hamilton Green –statements that directly advocate for the rigging of elections. The President made it clear that the people of Guyana would never allow rigging to occur again.

“Notwithstanding, all the challenges we had and overcame, we’re steadfast on this journey of building a strong and resilient Guyana. A Guyana, in a world in 2030 and beyond, [that] will be a model of economic growth, a model of sustainable development, a model and a leader in the area of climate change, focusing on forests. An important player in the energy matrix of the world and Region. And a leading player, if not the leader, in the food matrix of this region and an integral partner in the food and security matrix globally,” he declared.

The Head of State further noted the importance of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government continuing its work to strengthen and modernise Guyana’s laws, ensuring that by 2030 Guyana has an advanced governance system.

“We will be, by that time, a country with an advanced governance system, that is built on the best possible technology, with efficien-

cy, reliability, and transparency, being the hallmark of this system.”

“Moving towards digitisation and the modernisation of our laws and legal systems to withstand scrutiny, reduce biases, improve efficiency and to deliver a higher quality of legal and justice services. This is the Guyana we’re building,” he further said. Under the Burnham regime, there was blatant rigging of the national elections in 1968, 1973, 1978/1980 and 1985 in favour of the People’s National Congress (PNC). It was not until 1992

that the PNC was removed from office when the PPP won the elections and stayed in office until 2015.

When the PNC-led APNU/AFC coalition, under the David Granger presidency, fell to a No-Confidence Motion (NCM) in December 2018, it went against the Guyana Constitution and did not go to elections until more than a year later on March 2, 2020.

In another attempt to cling to power, the APNU/ AFC, after an almost smooth polling day, colluded with senior Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) of-

ficials to rig the election results – a move which plunged Guyana into five months of political deadlock.

Several international observer missions, including the United States-based Carter Center, and other global bodies, world leaders and even regional powers had called out the PNC-led regime for its blatant attempts to derail the election results.

This support from the international community coupled with strong and persistent pushback from local stakeholders ensured that democracy prevailed through a national recount that was supervised by the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

That 33-day exercise found that Clairmont Mingo, former embattled Returning Officer of Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) –Guyana’s largest voting district – had heavily inflated the figures in favour of the then incumbent coalition.

Mingo, along with former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield and other GECOM staffers, as well as PNC party activists, is currently before the courts facing several electoral fraud charges. (G3)

President Dr Irfaan Ali during his televised address

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Dr Cheddi Jagan

Wednesday will be the death anniversary of Cheddi Jagan, who was born in 1918 and passed away in 1997. As such, his life spanned some of the epochal events of the 20th century. Starting with the “Great War” that ended in 1917, it ended with the Far Eastern Financial Crisis of 1997, as a consequence of capitalism’s latest phase - financialization.

Jagan would have appreciated those historical bookends as much as the intervening “pages”, which saw his native Guyana being roiled by global forces like so much flotsam and jetsam in the clash between the contending ideologies of capitalism and communism. In the year before his birth, 1917, two epochal events were witnessed, giving birth to Cheddi, as it were, since they shaped his life. The first was the end of Indian Indentureship, on March 12, by the British, who exploited labour as a bridge between slavery and the so-called “free labour” dispensation that still enmeshes our bodies. In slavery, human beings were property - “chattel”with absolutely no rights. With indentureship, they had to provide labour for a fixed period under defined conditions, enforced by a penal clause that in effect “bound” them to the plantations.

The second event was the Bolshevik October Revolution, which saw the monarchy of Russia being violently overthrown and replaced by a Communist “dictatorship of the proletariat”. As the USSR, Communism presented itself as an alternative to the capitalist world system that had evolved from the mercantilist colonial Empires, of which Guyana, in the “West”, was a part.

Jagan’s parents were both indentured children brought by indentured single mothers to Guyana, and they experienced first-hand the exploitative system on plantations in Berbice. His father was a “driver” at Port Mourant, which would have placed him in the middle strata on the plantation, between ordinary workers and the overseers. But, as he recounted in his book “The West on Trial”, Jagan witnessed the wretched conditions of the former, as compared with the luxury of the latter. As Jock Campbell, later Chairman of Bookers and owner of the neighbouring Plantation Albion, noted, the stables of the estate mules were like palaces compared with the logies of the sugar workers.

Jagan’s parents were able to send him to a local private high school, and then, in 1935, to Queen’s College in Georgetown to complete his secondary schooling. There, he encountered the racial and economic prejudices that typified the urban middle class, whose children he interacted with. He left for college in the US in 1938, during the Great Depression which had driven down wages in the sugar belt and precipitated riots across the Caribbean.

In the US, while qualifying to become a dentist, and augmenting the hard-earned money sent by his parents in Guyana, Jagan was influenced by the racism against African Americans, and their lack of democratic freedoms. His political awareness was sharpened as he married a leftist student nurse, Janet Rosenberg, and then returned to Guiana in 1943.

Here, WWII had sharpened the contradictions of colonial rule, and the Moyne Commission’s Report of 1939 had already recommended opening up the political space.

The radical Jagan was elected to the Legislature in 1947 under an expanded but still restricted franchise -the same year India and Pakistan won independence and spurred efforts here to achieve that status. After the universal franchise was granted, and elections were held in 1953 under Jagan as Leader and Forbes Burnham as Chairman, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) won overwhelmingly. And the modern period of Guyana’s political history was launched.

Unfortunately, it was a history of betrayal by Forbes Burnham, as Britain and the US used the bogeyman of Jagan as a “fellow traveller” of communism and Moscow to oust the PPP from office, and install Burnham in 1964. The PNC then rigged elections until 1992.

Jagan, to his credit, maintained a democratic alternative, and the PPP was then returned to office after the communist threat had collapsed. His party is back in office, upholding his democratic tradition.

Congratulations to Dr. Ramharack for his win at the Guyana Prize for Literature awards

Dear Editor, Congratulations to Dr. Baytoram Ramharack, whose book, “A Powerful Indian Voice, Alice Bhagwandai Singh: Reflections on her work in Guyana”, won the second prize for the 2023 Guyana Prize for Literature (Nonfiction).

The book is deserving of honours; it is one of the finest biographies I ever read. It is meticulously researched and exceptionally well written. A biography not only tells us of the works and achievements of a person, but of the kind of society people lived in at that time, its culture and other significant events that define the society. A biography helps readers to understand history and how people lived, and to empathize with the person’s struggles to uplift the lives of others.

The biography of Alice Singh gives us an account of the contributions of a female immigrant in helping to build a better society. Alice made tremendous contributions to Guyana, and Ramharack captured them nicely in the biography.

Guyanese of my age group (1960s) and later, those with whom I interacted, had never heard of Alice Singh, until the biography became available. Previously, Ramharack had spent considerable

time in the archives, researching Alice Singh’s husband, Jung Bahadur Singh, who was a Surgeon Superintendent on the ships that transported Indians between India and the places to which they were indentured.

The book on Jung Bahadur was published a few years ago. This, I believe, represents the first time that studies have been done on two iconic Indian Guyanese, both husband and wife. And before that research, he penned a book on former Minister BS Rai. Ramharack’s latest book sought to explore Alice Singh’s legacy by addressing three questions; namely, a) Who was Alice Singh? b) What role did Alice Singh play in helping to create an Indian voice in the national cultural space? and, c) Did her work leave an enduring impact on Guyanese society, particularly on Indians?

Alice Singh was raised in a cottage in Paramaribo city in Suriname, but she spent her adult life in British Guiana after marrying JB Singh. She was born on April 22, 1892, and died on Nov 2, 1970 in Guyana. One of her major accomplishments centred around her struggle in the early 1900s to create an Indian voice in the national cultural space in Guianese society. As Prof Ramharack remarked,

Alice possessed several admirable qualities that defined her remarkable character: she was “a feminist, a cultural activist, an agent of change, and a writer.”

At 15, young Alice began working with her father, Sitalpersad, in the Immigration Department (the so-called “koeliedepot”) in Suriname, where she met JB Singh. At 18, she was wedded, through arrangement, to JB (in 1910), who at the time was a compounder on indentured immigrant ships. The marriage was a lavish affair that captured the attention of most Surinamese, given the fact that her father was a well-known language interpreter for the Dutch, and Suriname’s first “Hindustani” leader.

However, because Indian marriages were not legal in either country, Alice’s marriage ceremony became a three-part affair. In her words, “I had my civil marriage, so this complied with the law of the land, (and) my church (Christian) blessing for Ma. But the real thing was in the evening, my Hindu marriage.”

All of this information is revealed in Alice’s autobiography – the first one ever written by an Indian woman in the West – which dealt primarily with her family in Suriname and her ancestors from India.

Alice Singh’s cultural activities were manifested in the organization she spearheaded, the British Guiana Dramatic Society (BGDS). The BGDS was recognized for its annually organized public performances between the two World Wars, mainly plays written by iconic Indians like Rabindranath Tagore as well as Ramleela.

Alice was active in other social and health organizations as well, including those of other faiths. For example, she played a leading role in the Women's League of Social Services (founding member), Red Cross Society, Women's Auxiliary of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), Tuberculosis Society, Girl Guides Association, Commonwealth Heart and Chest Association, and the St. John's Ambulance Brigade. She served as a government-appointed board member of the Poor Law Commission, where she helped to improve the welfare of the poor, homeless, sick, and addicted.

Ramharack, who hails from Bohemia in East Berbice, has made an enormous contribution to Indian historiography in Guyana. Kudos to him, as well as to the others who won on Friday evening.

Sincerely,

Dr Vishnu Bisram

President Dr Irfaan Ali presented one of Guyana’s finest blends of rum to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during a gift exchange between the two leaders on the sidelines of the VIII Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Community of CELAC, in St Vincent and the Grenadines

GTU must call off strike to reengage Gov’t – Minister Hamilton

– says analysis reveals only 70% of teachers were in classrooms

In order to re-engage the Government in talks to address the needs of teachers, the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) must call off its illegal strike.

This was made clear by Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton during a recent televised programme.

At the High Court on Friday, Attorneys Edward Luckhoo and Robin Stoby, Senior Counsel appointed by Justice Sandil Kissoon, mediated six-hour-long talks between the GTU and the Government; but, in the end, the stalemate remains, and as such, the process will continue on Monday with the hope of bringing a resolution to the five-week-long industrial action taken by teachers.

According to Minister Hamilton, fundamentally, negotiations cannot continue once the Education Ministry is under duress. He explained that the GTU must call off the strike and let teachers return to the classrooms before the union can make the necessary arrangements to resolve the issue amicably. In this regard, he added that roundtable discussions are the only method that can be employed to “iron out the outstanding issues”.

“It doesn’t matter what the GTU do or don’t do, at the end of the day, to re-engage, they have to call the strike off; they have to create the necessary conditions for re-engagement…They can’t ask the Ministry of Education to let us go back to the table when they still have a strike on the road; teachers are still out of their classrooms,” Minister Hamilton explained.

Productivity

During the programme,

the Labour Minister disclosed that the strike action has prompted the Ministry of Education to conduct a teachers’ productivity analysis to determine the daily workload of teachers.

According to Hamilton, the investigation revealed that, on any given day before the strike, only 70 per cent of teachers would turn up for work; and this, he noted, is detrimental to education delivery in Guyana.

“There is not ever 100 per cent, 90 per cent, or 80 per cent (attendance of teachers). That was a shock and an alarm that the assessment brings attention to the matter of productivity…If you extend it further, you can now understand perhaps why we have so many weaknesses in some areas of education delivery and pass rates… because we never had in the schools maximum teachers turning out to work to do their jobs,” Hamilton stated.

Wave of measures

A statement from the Government on Thursday indicated that the Education Ministry has implemented another wave of measures and decisions to benefit teachers. These measures were unsolicited by the Union, but have

been implemented by the Government’s initiative over the past four years.

The last of the engagements between the Education Ministry and the GTU reportedly took place on January 31, 2024, when at least five salary-related issues on the agenda were addressed.

“At the end of the meeting, there was no evidence whatsoever of any rancour, discord, or disagreement between the parties. As a result, the Government was understandably shocked when the Union, a few days after, announced its intention to resort to strike action. The Government wishes to emphasise that at all times, it was (ready), and remains ready and prepared to, resume those engagements,” the statement added.

The GTU had made 41 demands in a multi-year agreement it proposed to the Education Ministry. The Ministry has since fulfilled 25 of those requests. Of the 16 remaining proposals, two are specifically for the benefit of only GTU and its Executive Members, while two others are contrary to the laws of Guyana, and the other 12 are currently under consideration.

While the Government did not think that judicial inter-

vention was necessary, having regard to the established industrial practices, it said there would be participation in the process with the firm expectation that it would put teachers back into the classrooms.

Meanwhile, Chief Education Officer (CEO) Sadam Hussain has also told all teachers and headteachers that the decision to strike was illegal, and is contrary to the agreements signed by the Education Ministry and the GTU.

“To be clear, the MoE has received advice from the Ministry of Labour, the experts on the issue, that conditions for strike action have not been met; as a result of which any such strike would be wholly illegal and unlawful. I believe that the GTU has been unduly influenced by its General Secretary, who serves as Member of Parliament for the main Opposition. This threat of industrial action sets a bad precedent since this is the final term before the NGSA (National Grade Six Assessment) and CSEC (Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate) exams. Any disruption to the teaching-learning process could affect individual children and their entire future,” he penned.

before strike action

06:00 (Sign on) Jewanram Rel. Hour

07:00 Cartoons

08:00 Shekinah Ministry

08:30 Evening News (RB)

09:30 Fast & Loud

10:30 Cartoons

11:00 David Persaud Religious Program

11:30 Blippi Educational

12:00 Movie - Steal Your Heart (2023)

13:30 Movie - Camp Hideout (2023)

15:15 Movie - Eight Below (2006)

17:30 The Healing Touch

18:00 Maths is Fun

18:30 Week-in-Review

19:00 Lucifer S6 E6

20:00 Arrow S5 E22

21:00 Riverdale S5 E17

22:00 Movie - Stardust (2007)

00:00 Sign off

Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton GTU President Mark Lyte

Decision on financing for Corentyne River Bridge expected by end of first quarter – Pres Santokhi

– says regional, int’l institutions expressing interest

President Dr Irfaan Ali and his Surinamese counterpart, Chandrikapersad Santokhi, are expected to decide on the financing of the much-anticipated Corentyne River Bridge, which would link the two neighbouring countries.

This is according to President Santokhi during an interview with Guyana Times on the sidelines of the recently concluded Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government Conference, held in Georgetown last week.

Initially, the plan was to have the bridge built according to a design-build-finance-operate-maintain (DBFOM) model, meaning that whichever company is contracted to build the bridge would be responsible for its design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance. The bridge was also to have been constructed via a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement.

In October 2023, two companies – Dutch engineering company Ballast Nedam and Chinese-owned China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) – submitted proposals to build the bridge over the Corentyne River to link Guyana and Suriname. However, those companies have since indicated that they are unable to meet the pre-financing requirement.

According to President

Santokhi, a decision has been taken to have the team of ministers from Guyana and Suriname, who are collaborating on this project, meet with the technicians and come up with a final proposal on the way forward, to be presented to him and President Ali.

“The two presidents, of Guyana and Suriname, with the ministers, will take a decision, and that is planned for this first quarter of this year…

That is the planning; and we hope that we can handle it by the end of March or the beginning of April, so that we can start with the building of the bridge,” the Surinamese Leader explained.

In the meantime, President Santokhi has said, there are financial institutions that are willing to fund the construction of the bridge across the Corentyne River, which would serve as a critical infrastructure for regional integration. He noted that informal discussions were held with the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB), which has indicated an interest in financing the project.

“The companies should come with prefinancing, but they are not interested in that modality, so we’re looking for other types of financing. There are institutions from the region and outside the region who are willing to finance it. It can ei-

ther be [through] the company, or it can be the State; but, you know, our case is a little bit different, because we are bound by the IMF (International Monetary Fund) programme, so we cannot take the loan. So, we need to be very pragmatic in this, so that is the advice that we’re looking for,” the Surinamese Head of State noted.

The Corentyne River Bridge is one of the first agreements between Presidents Ali and Santokhi, with both Heads previously underscoring the critical role the bridge would play in advancing cooperation, creating more opportunities for development for both countries.

In May of 2022, a US$2 million contract was signed in Paramaribo for several preliminary studies and research to be conducted on the Corentyne bridge by WSP Caribbean. The Expressions of Interest (EoIs) were also simultaneously launched.

Then in June 2023, WSP Caribbean presented the design of the Corentyne River bridge to Public Works Minister Juan Edghill and his Surinamese counterpart, Minister Riad Nurmohamed, of a two-section structure that is connected via an island (Long Island) to link Guyana and Suriname. The design also features a two-lane bridge with accommodation for

a third lane in case of an emergency. It has been noted that this presentation by the WSP technical team was made ahead of the final report, which will detail other aspects of their study, such as the cost of the bridge, traffic projections, design of the road, financial and economic evaluation, and environmental assessment, among other key elements. This information would have helped the pre-qualified bidders to prepare and submit their proposals.

Six international companies – five Chinese firms and one Dutch company from The Netherlands – had submitted bids for the construction of the Corentyne River bridge. The bids were opened at the

National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) in Georgetown back in August 2023.

The high-span Corentyne River bridge would be approximately 3.1 kilometres in length, and would connect Moleson Creek in Guyana to South Drain in Suriname, with a landing on Long Island in the Corentyne River, where a commercial hub and tourist destination would be established. That free zone would see major infrastructural development, such as hotels, recreational parks, entertainment spots, tourist attractions, malls, and farmers’ markets.

Running from Moleson Creek to Long Island, the bridge would be a low-level structure, approximate-

ly one kilometre long, with a 2200-metre (2.2km) road across Long Island and a high bridge spanning 2100 metres (2.1km) thereafter.

The high end of the bridge would facilitate marine traffic and cater for 40,000 to 45,000 DWT (deadweight tonnage) capacity featuring a vertical (height) clearance of 43 metres and a horizonal (width) clearance of about 100 metres.

Upon completion, the bridge would not only link the two neighbouring countries, but would also open up access to greater economic opportunities beyond them, into French Guiana and, through the road network being developed, into Brazil, and eventually further into South America. (Vahnu Manikchand)

President Dr Irfaan Ali and his Surinamese counterpart, Chandrikapersad Santokhi

CELAC can play “pivotal role” in region’s climate change, energy & food security – Pres Ali – says CELAC must also galvanise advocacy for the forests

During his address to the VIII Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in St Vincent and the Grenadines, President Dr Irfaan Ali underscored the important role CELAC can play in ensuring the climate, energy and food security of the region.

The Guyanese Leader, who is also the current Chairman of the Caribbean Community, pointed out that climate change and extreme weather conditions, as we are aware, have begun to put the world's food production and global food security at risk; and this situation has been worsened by the effects of the COVID pandemic.

“CELAC can play a pivotal role in seeking to address issues that impact the

sustainable development of the region, just as climate change, energy security and food and nutrition security. Climate change and extreme weather conditions, as you’re aware, have begun to put the world’s food production and global food se-

curity at risk.

The prognosis has been made worse by the effects of the pandemic. Guyana, as the lead in Caricom on this initiative, continues to advocate for food and nutrition security in the region. My government wel-

comes collaborative efforts and partnerships in the retooling efforts to build the necessary capacity to meet the rising need for expertise in advancement of this sector,” the Head of State detailed.

TURN TO PAGE 12

…praise Cheddi Jagan

Wednesday will be Cheddi Jagan’s death anniversary, and while your Eyewitness can’t make it to Babu Jaan, he’d like to pay homage to the great man. He was going to say “Great soul”, but being a through-and-through Marxist, he doubts that Cheddi would’ve had any truck with such non-material notions! He followed Marx in insisting that “religion is the opium of the masses”. And he rejected opium!

Cheddi’s greatest contributions to Guyana were his commitment to improving the lot of the poor and his incorruptibility. While one can say the first was “natural”, because he’d come out of the sugar plantations, where most eked out a subsistence existence, it really wasn’t. He’d returned in 1943 as a qualified dentist with a “white wife”, and could’ve easily slipped into the incestuous and pretentious Coloured- stratified middle class of Georgetown, as so many professionals had done before; but, in the US, he’d detected the wind of change that was coming - especially after the 1939 Moyne Commission had promised an opening up of the franchise when the War was over.

Politics before him had been dominated by middle class politicians, who rationally targeted their peerssince only they qualified for the franchise. In the 1947 elections, held under a partially expanded franchise, Cheddi won a seat in the Legislature, and really shook that joint up! The old order of the Governor and his chosen cronies - both appointed by him and electedhad never been addressed so frankly! The killing of five sugar workers at Enmore, while protesting an arbitrary detrimental change in their work rules, made Cheddi into a prophet for them. Wasn’t this exactly what he’d been saying all along?

Cheddi wore his Marxist ideology on his sleeve, and has received most criticism for this. It’s seen as his Achilles heel that eventually brought him down politically. But he believed in “dialectical materialism” as a law as much as the law of gravity. So, he had no doubts that his position would be proven right in the end - even after he was thrown out in 1953, and again in 1964, by the West. While it might seem egoistic, he believed that he’d placed “The West on Trial”!

And after 28 years in the wilderness, he DID return to office! And so had the last laugh on his bete noir Burnham, whose grandiose plans had all collapsed ignominiously after all his Machiavellian scheming and plotting. They do say, “All smart flies…”! While he didn’t survive his term, he did show he wasn’t as doctrinaire as the West had feared. He governed pragmatically.

It was pleasing to hear Kennedy’s right-hand man Schlesinger apologize for deposing him.

…praise mediation

Well, while the teachers are still out on strike, the judicialization of politics has now seeped into labour relations. But, then again, labour relations in Guyana have always been indistinguishable from politics –probably having birthed it!! Even though the GTU and the Government have been unable to sit down and talk face-to-face about their demands and responses, once the matter entered the courts, the Judge immediately followed the new Civil Procedure Law and proposed an Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanism – mediation!!

And immediately there was a change in the atmosphere! The GTU decided to leave their fiery General Secretary (and PNC MP!) home, while the Government’s legal point man – the Attorney General - found himself “travelling”!! The mediators chosen by the Solomonic Judge were two respected Senior Counsel from two generations ago, who are bereft of political baggage!!

So, we now got the delegations coming out of the meetings smiling and all effusive – without any previous sniping in evidence!

So, maybe tomorrow the teachers might be back with the children??

…diplomacy

Maduro and President Ali exchanging gifts?? With Mad Maduro tearing up the Barbados Agreement for free and fair elections and ploughing ahead with his rigging ways, what makes anyone think the Argyle Declarations won’t suffer the same fate??

President Dr. Irfaan Ali at the VIII CELAC Summit

Way cleared to advance bilateral agenda between Guyana, DR – PM Phillips

– DR Ambassador says over 10 agreements signed in 1 year

As ties between Guyana and the Dominican Republic (DR) continue to deepen, Prime Minister Brigadier (retired) Mark Phillips on Friday evening stated that the path has been cleared to further advance the bilateral agenda between the two nations.

At the reception held to observe the 180th Independence Anniversary of the Dominican Republic, at the Pegasus Suites in Kingston, Georgetown, the Prime Minister stated that, over the past year, there has been an accelerated increase in ties between the two countries.

Phillips, who gave the feature address, made it clear that the appointment of the Dominican Republic Ambassador to Guyana, HE Ernesto Torres Pereyra, clears the path for even deeper ties. Pereyra was accredited in May 2023.

“The Government of Guyana welcomes this partnership that has been developed between our two countries. And we have noted the commitment, on the part of the Dominican Republic, with the establishment of an embassy in Guyana last year June. And your appointment, Excellency, now creates an appropriate conduit for the implementation

and execution of our bilateral agenda.

“For our part, we’re committed to working with the Dominican Republic to give impetus to the several working groups that will serve to advance the programme of cooperation. These engagements will provide very practical support in the management of the outcomes of the multiple initiatives of mutually beneficial cooperation,” the Prime Minister further said.

According to Phillips, these initiatives include the introduction of SKYhigh Dominicana Airline, which commenced operations between Santo Domingo and Guyana only a few weeks ago. And according to the Prime Minister, there is scope for so much more.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Pereyra also spoke about how far relations between the two countries had come; and according to him, bilateral partnerships between Guyana and the DR continue to grow daily.

“In less than a year, we have already signed over 10 cooperation agreements, and we have received already reciprocal Presidential visits. We have also established strong bonds in the Private Sector, and we have received the

visits of important cooperations in the Dominican Republic, including the Punta Cana group in the field of tourism.

“And we also have gone into energy, in the area of energy production, and we have already, successful corporations from the Dominican Republic operating here, like is the case of the restaurants and in the area of construction, and also in the case of PanAm,” Ambassador Pereyra further said.

Guyana and the Dominican Republic have established diplomatic relations since the 1970s, and

have been making efforts to strengthen bilateral ties in recent years. Only last year, President Ali signed several agreements with President Abinader during an official two-day visit to that country. These agreements included one for the joint establishment of an oil refinery in Guyana. In the months leading up to the signing, ties between Guyana and the DR had grown closer as the leaders of the two countries met at various forums. President Ali continued those bilateral efforts when he and First Lady Arya Ali arrived in the Dominican

Republic for their visit, along with a large delegation of Government officials and members of Guyana’s Private Sector.

As per the terms of the agreement, the DR will have 51 per cent ownership of the refinery. At present, the Government has gone out to tender for proposals to build a refinery in Berbice with a capacity of 30,000 barrels per day (bpd). Last month, it was revealed that four out of the 11 companies that had submitted proposals last year have been shortlisted.

When it comes to agriculture, it is understood

that joint production of agricultural products such as corn and soybeans, as well as partnerships in the poultry sector, were discussed.

According to President Ali, the agreements in agriculture between the two countries would ensure their prominence at the table whenever food security is discussed.

In June 2023, President Abinader had himself arrived in Guyana for a oneday visit wherein talks progressed about potential collaboration. Following bilateral talks between President Ali and President Abinader at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in Greater Georgetown, senior ministers from the two nations signed three pacts to strengthen collaboration, including a MoU on cooperation in energy-related matters.

This MoU established a framework to facilitate and enhance bilateral cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector of the two countries, based on equality and mutual benefit. It included the promotion of investments in each other’s countries, as well as technology transfer, research and development, the building of human resources, and collaboration in the natural gas sector. (G-3)

Dominican Republic Ambassador to Guyana, Ernesto Torres Pereyra (2nd, left), and his wife

Alexandra Varova, as they pose for a picture beside Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips and his wife Mignon Bowen-Phillips

Guyanese writers honoured at Guyana Prize Ceremony

Several writers have been honoured by the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry on Friday evening, during a prize-giving ceremony held at the National Cultural Centre.

The Guyana Prize was established in 1987 by late President Desmond Hoyte to recognise and celebrate outstanding literary works by Guyanese writers across various categories. This year’s ceremony recognised authors in fiction, drama, poetry, and creative non-fiction.

The Best Fiction award saw Michael Jordan copping first place for his piece “The Girl in the Pink Pleated Skirt”, while Somnauth Narine placed second for “Rage from the Blackwater”, and Kennard Ramphal placed third for “Slippery Ochro.”

The Poetry category saw the Best First Book award being captured by Ruth Osman with her “All Made of Longing”, while first place for Best Overall Book of Poetry went to Ian McDonald for “Not Quite Without a Moon”.

Best book of NonFiction was copped by Estherine G.H. Adams for “The Few Among the Many: Women’s Labour in British Guiana”, while second place was awarded to Baytoram Ramharack for “Powerful Indian Voice: Alice Bhagwandai Singh; Reflections on her Work in Guyana.”

There was a tie for

third place between Joanne Collins-Gonsalves, who wrote “Iris De Freitas Brazao: Legal Luminary and Trailblazer”, and Nesha Haniff, who wrote “The Pedagogy of Action: Small Axe Fall Big Tree.”

In the Best of Drama category, Harold Bascom took first place with his piece “Unfounded”, while Shaphan Hestick copped second place with “With a Kisa”, and Jamal La Rose took third place for “Requiem for the Living”.

First place for Best Poetry for Girls went to Reneka Anand, while Best Poetry for Boys saw Samir Mohammed taking the top spot.

During the awards, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles

Ramson Jr, reaffirmed Government’s commitment to protecting and nurturing the talent of literary writers in Guyana.

He said reintroduction of the Guyana Prize was a deliberate decision made by Government to promote the development of the literary sector.

“It was a deliberate decision that we made, because we knew we wanted to protect that space for everyone who had that love and passion and needed the safety of expression of their craft and an environment to grow and prosper,” Minister Ramson underscored.

Further, Minister Ramson explained that adding the youth category was a means of providing

Minister Ramson has said the Ministry remains committed to the drama sector, and would provide funding for plays based on award-winning literary works. Revenue generated from those plays would be given to the directors and performers.

“The MCYS stays committed to implementing initiatives aimed at creating a sustainable and organic environment to develop the literary arts of Guyana. The Ministry extends its heartfelt congratulations to all the awardees for their significant contributions to Guyana’s literary heritage. Their dedication and creativity continue to inspire and enrich the nation’s vibrant cultural landscape,” Minister Ramson has explained.

IOM sparks conversation among Caribbean youths on migration, climate change

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has initiated efforts to spark conversations among youths on climate change and migration, enabling them to share their take on these issues and contribute to decision-making, when it held its fourth episode of Conversations on Migration in the Caribbean recently at the Torarica Hotel in Paramaribo, Suriname.

The panel discussion, which engaged youth leaders from six diverse Caribbean civil society organizations (CSOs), involved a live and online audience, and explored the topic of empowering youths through more meaningful engagement in discussions on climate-induced migration.

The young panelists represented the Aurae Opus Foundation and VIDS (Bureau Association of Indigenous Village Leaders) from Suriname; the Breadfruit Collective and SASOD from Guyana; the Dominica Association of Persons with Disabilities Inc., and the Jamaica Climate Change Youth Council. These stakeholders indicated that communication needs to be contextualized to the youths who may

not yet have understood how climate change connects to them.

Entertainment events and appropriate language were suggested, as well as the fact that youths must first understand the impacts, and then be engaged in the decision-making processes, shaping policies, strategies and innovative solutions.

The young leaders urged decision-makers to seek the traditional knowledge of Indigenous communities, and consider the effects on their communities, livelihoods and rights. This reinforced the broader message that consultation must take place with the people who are affected, allowing them to propose their own solutions.

These affected people include vulnerable youth who, because of their socioeconomic status, are highly susceptible to human rights violations and to being excluded from social services and protection.

It has been underscored that youths must have a meaningful role in making legislation, and be given sufficient time to review proposed legislation and provide feedback.

Conversations on

Migration in the Caribbean underscored the critical role of youths and other underrepresented groups who are affected by climate-induced migration in shaping effective responses and building a more inclusive and sustainable Caribbean region.

The IOM Caribbean team and all CSOs involved hope that the outcome would be tangible actions to include Caribbean youths more meaningfully in decision-making that affects their present and future.

The next opportunity is slated for May this year, at the 4th Conference of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in Antigua, or through the ongoing Caricom-led process to develop a regional approach to migration policy.

The panel discussion was coordinated by the IOM Caribbean Coordination Office on the fringes of a Regional Conference on Environmental Migration and Disaster Displacement for Caribbean CSOs.

Both events are funded by the French Government as part of the Caribbean component of Implementing Global Policies on Environmental Migration and Disaster Displacement at the regional-level project.

Members of the panel during Day One of the discussions

a platform for young writers to develop their skills alongside established writers.

Estherine G.H. Adams receiving her award from Prime Minister Mark Phillips

Minister of Culture, Charles Ramson, presenting the award to Samir Mohammed

US views of Cheddi Jagan

With Dr Cheddi Jagan’s death anniversary three days away, we excerpt views on him from US diplomatic personnel who had been posted in Guyana. Their State Department summarised these to familiarise new personnel posted to Guyana.

ALLEN C HANSEN (19571959) Branch Public Affairs Officer, USIS (Interviewed 1988)

At the time of my assignment to Georgetown, President Kennedy was in the White House. There was great concern that British Guiana, which would soon get its independence, would very possibly become a second Cuba, since the prime minister at the time was Cheddi Jagan. Jagan, usually described as a Marxist, was very friendly with the Cubans and the Soviets. His leanings were certainly in the Communist direction. So, the feeling in Washington was that it was time to have a USIS office there.

Theodore J C Heavner (1969-1971) Deputy Chief of Mission (Interviewed 1997)

In 1968, just a year before I got there, Burnham was still fresh in the job and Jagan was still waiting in the wings, expecting to be elected at the next election; and not unreasonably so, since he was the undoubted leader of the Indian population in that country…He was a very charismatic figure in the Indian community.

Burnham, however, in power, was repeatedly able to arrange that the elections didn’t come out that way. They were rigged, and we knew they were rigged, and that was fine with us. In those days, we thought we could not risk having a second communist country in our own hemisphere.

We were concerned about Jagan essentially taking over by violence. He had been trained, and was patronised by the Soviets. He went regularly to Moscow, where he was lionised. He was clearly at all times following the Soviet line on all questions of any international importance. He seemed to be almost a rubber stamp for the Soviets. His wife was probably the more astute politician there: Janet Jagan, who was an American and lost her citizenship as a result of being a Guyana cabinet officer, and then was subsequently given it back.

David C. McGaffey (1986-1990) Chargé d’Affaires, (Interviewed 1995)

Cheddi was personally very personable. He was polite, courteous, an interesting conversationalist, but his mentality seemed to be frozen in a time warp. He would just not acknowledge any of the changes in the world that had taken place; not acknowledge what was happening in the Soviet Union; not acknowledge what was happening to socialism worldwide.

He was waiting to restore things to the way they had been when he was young. His wife Janet seemed to be, in my judgment, his intellectual superior. She also, in her ordinary comments, reminded me of listening to radical SDS students in my youth. The two of them had been politically prominent, and yet out of politics for 28 years, and they were in a holding pattern.

Dennis Hays (1988-1992) Deputy Chief of Mission, (Interviewed 2001)

Cheddi’s fault was that he was a Marxist without a sharp edge. If he had been a Castro, a Rawlings (Ghana), or any of these guys, he never would have lost power in the first place. He had it, but he let it go, so he was still out there.

A quick story on Cheddi, which is indicative of how things worked: He used to go to these communist party gatherings that they would have, and he would sit kind of in the back, because he wasn’t a head of state at this point (in 1968). He was eight or nine rows back in the audience. This was the time of the Czechoslovakian invasion.

A couple of speakers had gotten up from the communist party from Australia, and they had criticized the Soviet Union for its actions. So, when Cheddi gets up and launches into this attack on them: that how dare they question the judgment, the commitment, the dedication of our fraternal brothers in the Soviet Union, who protect us, he went on and on and on. So, he gave this little speech, and they broke for lunch, and when they came back, he was sitting next to Brezhnev.

From that point on, he was always a front-row guy for the next twenty years. He moved up. He also got a Dacha on the Black Sea.

(Jagan returned to Guyana and transformed the PPP the following year, 1969, into an official “Marxist Leninist party).

Joinder

Agreement… Dr Asha Kissoon refusing to relinquish parliamentary seat

– calls on her to “do the right thing”

ANew and United Guyana (ANUG) has accused the Leader of The New Movement (TNM), Dr Asha Kissoon, of breaching the Joinder List Agreement after she refused to vacate her seat in the National Assembly, in keeping with provisions of that deal.

On March 2, 2020, ANUG, TNM and the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) put into effect a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in which they agreed to merge the votes earned by them, if sufficient to take a seat in Parliament, and to share a rotational occupation of that seat in Parliament in proportion to the votes earned by each.

The result of the election was that LJP and ANUG, each with more than 2200 votes, would occupy the single seat won by the merger for the majority of the time, while TNM, with 244 votes, was entitled to occupy the seat for 91 days.

Since the Constitution of Guyana provides for the removal of a Member of Parliament only by his resignation or by his

removal by the Representative of his party’s List, ANUG has said it is clearly understood that the MoU was based on trust and integrity, since removal would not be enforced in court.

“The three parties would have to trust each other,” ANUG noted in a statement on Saturday.

After the 2020 Election, LJP leader Lennox Shuman took occupation of the single merger seat, which he held for two and one-half years before honouring his commitment and resigning.

It has been explained that since TNM was allocated only a few months by virtue of the MoU, and was at risk of being kept out of Parliament altogether in the event that an early election was called in 2025, ANUG offered to permit the TNM to take the seat for the allotted period immediately after Schuman demitted.

That seat was occupied by Dr Kissoon, who was sworn in as a Member of Parliament in April 2023. Based on the MoU signed, the TNM Leader should

have resigned from the National Assembly in November 2023.

“However, Dr Asha Kissoon has now held that seat for more than twice her permitted allocation under the arrangement of trust set out in the Memorandum of Understanding. She has so far refused to relinquish her seat, and remains in possession of the seat as a Member of Parliament against the will of the electorate as a result of her breach of trust, and has not committed in writing to ANUG to any timeline whatsoever to demit office,” the party detailed in its statement.

According to ANUG, Dr

– ANUG

Kissoon on one occasion had indicated a “verbal and informal promise” to vacate the seat on February 29, 2024 – three months late, and has now apparently breached that commitment.

“A New and United Guyana calls on Dr. Asha Kissoon to do the right thing,” ANUG stressed. The party further stated, “It is regrettable that such circumstances have arisen, further undermining the confidence of the Guyanese people in third parties. ANUG reaffirms its commitment to integrity and transparency.”

TURN TO PAGE 16

Ravi Dev

ANUG Chairman Kian Jabour

TNM Leader Dr Asha Kissoon

CELAC can play “pivotal role” in region’s climate change...

President Ali extended his call for CELAC advocacy to also be in the arena of forest management and the REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) concept. Moreover, he revealed that Guyana had been invited by Brazil to present its forest preservation model to the G20, and added that Guyana would be willing to make a similar presentation to CELAC.

Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States, and two regional bodies: the European Union and the African Union.

“I believe that CELAC must galvanize its advocacy for the sustainable management of forests and the conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks, REDD+ processes, and other policy approaches, as decided by (COP),” he said. “Therefore, (Guyana is) most appreciative of the invitation extended by His Excellency President Lula daSilva for Guyana to present to the G20, in July of this year, our model for the preservation of the forests -- a model that Guyana would be happy to present to member states of CELAC at the earliest possible opportunity.”

The Group of Twenty (G20) comprises 19 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan,

The G20 members represent around 85 per cent of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about twothirds of the world population. The 2024 G20 summit is slated to take place at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in November.

In 2022, Guyana signed a contract with Hess Corporation which saw the nation earning US$750 million for 30 per cent of its forest. In that agreement, a rate of US$15 per tonne of carbon was secured, and so far, 15 per cent ($4.7 billion) has been allocated towards Amerindian development.

Already, more than 500 projects that run the gamut from tourism to agriculture are currently being pursued utilizing the $4.7 billion which was given to hundreds of Indigenous vil-

lages as part of their share of the US$150 million carbon credits sale.

In addition to its rich biodiversity and ecosystem, Guyana’s total forest cover of some 18.4 million hectares stores more than 19.5 gigatonnes of carbon, and removes some 154 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually.

This week, it was announced that Guyana has been issued with 7.1 million carbon credits dating back to 2021, marking it the first time that carbon credits have been issued that can be used by airlines to meet their carbon emission targets for the 2024-2026 period. The credits have been issued by the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART).

In 2023, it was revealed that Guyana has the potential to raise at least US$2.5 billion from its carbon credits over the next 10 years. According to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo in a presentation at COP28, this can be done by tapping into favourable market upsides. (G-8)

Celebrating women: “I knew my worth as a woman” – Dr Valarie Goorsammy-Smith

International Women’s Day will be observed on March 8, and it is essential to recognize the importance and significance of empowering women and girls, especially in today’s society.

Educators are some of the most impactful individuals in imparting knowledge and self-awareness. One of the most impactful ways to empower women and girls is by providing them with access to quality education; for it is mainly through education that they acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to become independent critical thinkers who are capable of making informed decisions about their future.

By nurturing a supportive and inclusive learning environment, that sense of self-worth and confidence can be cultivated in females, enabling them to overcome any obstacle that may come their way, and encouraging them to find a sense of contentment in all they do for themselves and others.

to establish boundaries to protect personal space!”

Further, she said that, to get respect, one must be willing to give respect in return.

She believes that too many women place too great a dependence on men, not realizing that they were created with great potential and capacity to be powerful and productive, yet not domineering or manipulative.

the university faculties. Her dedication to education and commitment to shaping young minds are truly commendable. Throughout her teaching career, she imparted invaluable knowledge to countless students, leaving a lasting impact on their lives.

Goorsammy-Smith, upon retiring from the University of Guyana, has decided to embark on a new path as a business advisor, coach for public speaking, and trainer for managers and leaders in the private and public sectors in the area of language and communication.

Guyana Times had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Valarie GoorsammySmith, an educator, pastor and businesswoman, who, in detailing her journey as an educator, shared some of the struggles and accomplishments that brought her through every step of her journey.

Dr Goorsammy-Smith, born in the village of Bath, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, shared that her father did not believe in career women, and wanted her to stay at home and learn a skill in preparation of becoming a housewife. After completing her primary education and being granted a space at a top secondary school in the region, she was debarred from taking up the offer.

However, she said, “My teacher encouraged my father that there is something more about me that he needs to consider”. She disclosed that the teacher insisted that she go to the Mahaicony Secondary School, where the space was granted. “The teacher took the opportunity and signed me up, thus I was given the chance to complete my secondary education, passing nine subjects at the GCE O Level exams; and soon after, I was able to move on to my first job in 1977 by teaching in New Amsterdam at the St. Theresa Primary School.”

By this time, she said, her father’s views about ‘girl’ children were slowly changing.

‘Goorasammy’, as she is most popularly referred to, realized that teaching at that level was not her calling, and she applied for enrollment at ‘Lilian Dewar College’ for secondary training in 1979. There, she graduated with a double major in Mathematics and English, Class 1 Grade 1 Trained Teacher’s Certificate. She then served as a trained Math teacher at the Bygeval Secondary School.

“My father was a proud father!” she related, while

stating that she taught at the school for four years, after which she was transferred to North Georgetown Secondary School in Woolford Avenue Georgetown, where she spent another four years teaching CXC Mathematics.

She took a break for one year to take care of her firstborn, recognizing the importance of nurturing her child as a mother, a role all women should take seriously, she declared.

Returning to the classroom, she joined the staff at St. Joseph High School, where she spent 10 years serving exclusively in the English Department. Here, she noted, she was able to impact the lives of her female students, giving guidance and counselling in a variety of areas where they had domestic and personal struggles.

She said that, as a female teacher, “It was a privilege to relate to all the female students with inner struggles. The male students were helped in many ways, but the female students were able to overcome their lack of selfesteem and develop selfworth and confidence.

“If I notice a student gets withdrawn, or gets quiet, or not completing assignments, I will literally find time to talk to them away from the classroom; and that has proved to be an amazing approach that has benefitted so many of them, who are now great leaders all around the world,” she divulged.

She expressed that, beyond the classroom, it is essential to provide mentorship and guidance to young women, offering them support and encouragement as they navigate their educational and personal journeys. By serving as a positive example and educator, Goorsammy-Smith continues to inspire women, young and old, to strive for their full potential, instilling in them the belief that they are capable of achieving anything they set their hearts to achieve.

“Furthermore, as an educator, I have made it my mission to promote gender equality and advocate for the

rights of women at all levels in life. I do not see any woman better than the other; we all have the ability and potential to be proficient in our respective choice of careers,” she explained.

As a national and international motivational speaker, Dr GoorsammySmith has participated in women’s conferences, panel discussions/conversations about gender stereotypes, discrimination, and the importance of equal opportunities. These encounters, she stated, have resulted in women revolutionizing their thinking.

She believes that a platform for dialogue and awareness must be opened up to women continuously. This, she profoundly stated, would empower our women in every walk of life to envision a future wherein they are valued and respected for their abilities and accomplishments. Further, she noted that this would bring a sense of contentment and fulfilment for all women.

Goorsammy-Smith has credited her strides of success and achievement to her firm belief in Jesus as her Lord and Saviour. She emphasized that her troubles were many, but trusting God daily for His wisdom has been the key factor in her being able to overcome and keep pressing to fulfil set goals, which should never be overlooked.

She currently serves as an Apostle/Pastor at the Healing Centre Ministry Internationala church founded in 2000.

Women, as well as men and children globally, have been impacted by this ministry. This is where she can continue her mentorship beyond the classroom, since it is essential to guide women from any platform, offering them support and encouragement as they navigate their educational and personal journeys.

Asked how she overcame challenges in her work and personal life, she said, “Let there be space in your togetherness!” This is an adage she has followed for most of her life. “One needs

As the mother of three boys, who are all successful businessmen, she reflected that it was never easy for her, since she spent most of the years with them as a single parent wanting the best for her boys. She said she did several jobs to make ends meet. “I sometimes would even do hairdressing - certainly not professionally, just making full use of an old blow dryer - to make ends meet, because I did not believe in depending on a male or anyone, but God, as a single parent.

“I understood that favours do come with expectations that can be costly! I believe that as I take up my responsibility as a woman, I need to work towards fulfilment”, she noted.

Goorsammy-Smith is a remarkable woman with a wealth of experience, having dedicated years of her life to various endeavours. One notable achievement in her journey was receiving an honorary doctorate from the Vice Chancellor of the University of Detroit in 2009 while on a trip to Barbados as a guest speaker. This recognition serves as a testament to her significant contributions and expertise.

She spent 20 years as a Lecturer at the University of Guyana, working in the Department of Language and Cultural Studies as one of the main lecturers in the Use of English programme. Here was where she was able to impact students’ lives from all

This transition has allowed her to continue sharing her extensive knowledge and expertise with individuals and organizations seeking guidance in the business world. Her role as a female business advisor exemplifies her passion for helping others, especially women, succeed and achieve their goals.

Goorsammy-Smith’s journey as a woman with a wealth of experience is now marked with notable achievements, such as receiving an honorary doctorate and dedicating herself to the service of educating the children of our nation via the ‘Goorasammy Royal College’.

She shared that women should learn to cope and strive with whatever they have, using the little they have and investing it. As we observe this International Women’s Day, it is a time to encourage the championing of empowerment of women and girls through education. Investing in their potential and fostering an environment that promotes gender equality, paving the way for a future wherein all women and girls would have the opportunity

to thrive and contribute to society in meaningful ways.

Dr Goorasammy-Smith noted very strongly and firmly that her journey has had many crises and challenges that can be identified with women who suffered emotionally, financially, and even physically; but she said that none of these experiences had thrown her into any state of depression or helplessness.

She ended this interview by saying, “I knew my worth as a woman. I knew my strengths. I was always able to rise above the storms and run again! When my enemies prepared for my fall, they had to gaze with disappointment; because, like the late great Maya Angelou said: ‘Still I rise’.”

She encourages everyone to take this moment to celebrate the strength, resilience and achievements of women in Guyana. Acknowledging their contributions, big and small, have made a significant impact.

And to women, she says, “Remember that your voice matters, your dreams are valid, and your potential is limitless.”

Guyana can offer leadership on global issues – Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud

Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud, Guyana’s High Representative for United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Affairs, has said that Guyana can offer to

the world leadership and vision on global issues that require firm and practical solutions. Foreign Secretary Persaud, at the time reflecting

Secretary and High Representative for the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Affairs, Robert Persaud

on Guyana’s impactful tenure as President of the UNSC during February, underscored the significance of this country’s role in contributing to the Security Council’s efforts at maintaining international peace and security.

“It demonstrates that, as a small country changing, we can offer leadership on important global matters,” he declared.

February saw Guyana being actively engaged in critical discussions on matters such as the situation in Gaza and the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Through those discussions, he said, Guyana provided leadership and offered perspectives

that resonated with the global community.

On behalf of the Government of Guyana, Persaud has extended heartfelt gratitude to Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and her team in New York, for their exemplary Presidency of the United Nations Security Council.

“Your hard work and dedication symbolise Guyana’s unwavering commitment to the maintenance of international peace and security,” he expressed.

He also expressed his gratitude to the 15-member team based in Georgetown that lent support.

Foreign Secretary Persaud, having reaffirmed Guyana’s status as an elected member of the UN Security Council for the next two years, has said, “Guyana will continue to engage constructively with all members of the Security Council, to uphold the UN Charter and International Law.”

This, he noted, would be achieved through bilateral and wider engagements geared towards upholding the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter in shaping global outcomes and promoting peace and security.

CMessage from the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission for World Wildlife Day

onnecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation

In this modern age, technology is very much an essential part of our daily lives.

Technological advancements in recent years have meant that wildlife conservation can also benefit from digital innovation and technological applications. Technology is useful in raising awareness, conducting research, generating income, managing trade and monitoring animals. Technological applications that have been useful in wildlife conservation include:

• Drones and camera traps which

allow for real time monitoring of wildlife in a particular area

• Microchips which track the movements of animals

• Use of GIS to create maps detailing harvest zones, wildlife hotspots, human-wildlife conflict mapping, etc.

• Software to analyse data garnered from research

• Environmental DNA (eDNA) – this can be used to assess the species richness of an area by scanning samples of water or soil for traces of animal DNA.

At the GWCMC, we have implemented technologies in various ways to assist us in carrying out our mandate. This includes:

• Managing the wildlife trade – software is utilised to monitor and track exports of wild animals

• Research – camera traps, GIS

• Monitoring – microchips have been inserted into animals

To celebrate World Wildlife Day this year, the GWCMC, in collaboration with the Protected Areas Commission (PAC) will be hosting a Wildlife Fair at the Zoological Park today, Sunday, March 3 from 13:00 h. Attractions include - interacting with live species of wildlife, captivating games, face painting and numerous opportunities to win fabulous prizes, all while learning about the importance of wildlife and how technology has contributed to the conservation of Guyana’s wildlife. We look forward to seeing you there!

Every year on March 3, World Wildlife Day is celebrated. This date marks the signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). As the designated CITES Management Authority for Guyana, part of the GWCMC’s functions is to oversee all international wildlife trade and execute activities to observe World Wildlife Day.

GWCMC staff setting up camera trap to monitor wildlife

Foreign

Dr Asha Kissoon refusing to relinquish parliamentary...

When she was sworn-in as a parliamentarian last year, Dr Kissoon was also elected as Deputy Speaker. She replaced Shuman, who served as both Opposition MP and Deputy Speaker for over two years.

At the March 2020 elections, the number of votes secured by the three joinder

parties was: 2657 by LJP –the most votes secured; while ANUG and TNM obtained 2313 and 244 votes respectively. Based on the joinder agreement, each party would occupy the shared seat for a specific period. The stipulated duration of the terms each party would

hold the seat are: two years, six months, and 20 days for the LJP; while ANUG would serve for two years five months, and TNM for 80 days. The three parties had previously committed to acting as a broker between the Government and the main Opposition. The process for replacing

an MP involves the National Assembly writing to the head of the party list to whom the seat belongs, once its occupant has submitted a formal resignation. The head of the list is tasked with informing the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) which party candidate’s name to extract and sub-

mit to the National Assembly.

Back in January this year, ANUG had identified its representative to take up the parliamentary seat in the person of Althia King – an active ANUG member since 2019. King had participated in the run-up to the 2020 General Elections as well as in the recount process.

FROM PAGE 11

King has served on the Executive Board of ANUG for four consecutive years, engaging in humanitarian projects for youths, in outreaches, and in other activities across various regions in Guyana. She was described by the party as “people-centric and results-oriented.” (G-8)

Govt to construct $400M water treatment plant at Six Miles, Reg 7

– $12M water system for Daag Point

Government will be investing some $400 million to construct a new water treatment plant at Six Miles, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), in a bid to supply residents of Five Miles to Seven Miles with advanced access to treated water.

Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal made this announcement during an outreach at Bartica Community Centre on Friday.

In Bartica, $21 million has already been spent to upgrade the inline filters upgrading the intake capacity from the river to the treatment plant.

“But what you have here now is not sufficient. It does not cover the coverage for every resident, that goes all the way to 7 miles,” Minister Croal told those gathered.

“The tenders are open, the award will be made sometime in March; so, the commencement date will be in April for a new treatment plant to suffice with the current system that we have, that will see areas such as Five Miles and Seven Miles will be getting full supply from that when we finished with that investment,” Croal explained.

Further, he pointed out that significant resources have been invested in expanding access to treated water over the years, as only 30 per cent of the region’s population had access to drinkable water in 2020.

In the hinterland, $95 million was invested in 2021 to increase treated water access in several areas, and another $250 million was invested in 2022. “(There will be) another $190 million (in-

vested) for hinterland water distribution,” Croal has added.

In three years, $535 million has been invested in the water sector; and, this year, another $345 million has been budgeted to increase water coverage in the hinterland.

“By the end of this year, $880 million will be directly invested in hinterland water for Region Seven, increasing the coverage from 30 per cent to 90 per cent. Our commitment is that we must have 100 per cent access by 2025,” Croal explained.

Minister Croal and his team on Friday visited the site where the new water treatment plant will be constructed. He also visited the site where a new well is being drilled at Daag Point, within the region, to provide enhanced

access to treated water to some 400 residents. During that visit, residents interacted with the team and were assured by the Minister that the project would be completed and put into operation soon.

Already, the well has been successfully drilled

and activated, but some ancillary works to be done include installation of a new PV system, including a panel rack frame, solar panels, pump, well master, new storage tanks on the existing metal trestle, and interconnection to the pipe network.

Additionally, a perimeter fence will be constructed, and 3000 metres of 50mm PVC pipes and 1000 metres of 19mm PVC pipes, with 60 service connections, will be installed. The estimated budget for the execution of these ancillary works is $12 million.

Residents of Daag Point meeting with Minister Croal and the Housing Ministry team

Family of 6 homeless after fire guts East Canje house

Afamily of six is now homeless after an early morning fire on Saturday destroyed their two-storey home in East Canje, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

Sixty-four-year-old Elna Thornhill, who had shared the house with her husband, daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren, told <<Guyana Times>> that she was in the bathroom on the lower flat of the building when she was alerted that the house was on fire.

“I was in the shower, and my gentleman ran in and said, ‘Fire! Fire!’. He really can’t communicate much because he has a stroke. I ran out of the bathroom naked skin, then I ran back into the bathroom for a towel…Like I don’t know what I was doing. I ran into the bedroom for my bag, then I ran back. I was running up and down because I was so confused! After all, nothing like this ever happened to me before!” she explained. Her daughter Melissa Ramalho related that she immediately sprang into action by grabbing her two children

– ages 5 and 7 - and taking them to safety. She related that it was not until she had reached outside that she realised the smoke was coming from the upper flat.

“All I see was smoke, and I got my kids and went outside. When I came outside, I saw that the smoke was coming from upstairs,” she related.

Ramalho said that at the

time she was engaged in normal morning chores, and had just finished speaking with her husband, who is currently in the interior.

“After I make sure that the kids were outside, and then I called my neighbours, and they came over,” she added.

The woman further related that neighbours were able to save some household

could not be located in the confusion.

Ramalho has said she cannot say what would be her next move.

Family members have been high in praise of members of the New Amsterdam Fire Service. While the family has not yet been able to estimate their losses, Thornhill – a businesswoman - explained that her stocks for the business, which she operates at New Street in New Amsterdam, have also been damaged in the fire.

“I run back, but the heat was too much. I was running to go upstairs to see if my grandchildren (had been left

rience as being traumatic, Thornhill has said that, at age 64, it is difficult for her to restart.

“What would you get back? All of your important papers burn up. You would have to go through a whole long process to get them back. I am not able. Where would I start from?” she asked while hinting at her difficult past.

“I suffered too much in life. I went through too much hardship; sleeping on people's floors and all. I must go back to the same thing? My daughter gave me a break, and now this…Anyway, God is in charge, and I suppose everything will be well,” she con-

items from the burning building. However, an electric bike was burnt, and a car that was parked under the house was severely damaged, as the key

behind), but when I go up the step inside, the heat and the fire was too much; I had to come out back,” she detailed.

Referring to the expe-

soled herself.

The Fire Service is currently trying to determine the cause of the blaze.

(Andrew Carmichael)

The family members who are now homeless

The aftermath of the fire

Dixon's strike the difference between Reggae Boyz and Soca Warriors

Jamaica's senior Reggae Boyz drew first blood against their Trinidad and Tobago counterparts, as they registered a 1-0 win in the first of their twomatch friendly series at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Friday.

Kaheim Dixon's 58th-minute strike proved the solitary goal of the contest, which was played behind closed doors to facilitate preparation for the twin-island republic's Carifta Games trials.

Dixon, the former Clarendon College stalwart, was the first Reggae Boy to score on debut since Justin McMaster's feat against Cameroon in 2022.

Reggae Boyz Assistant Coach Merron Gordon said their main objective to expose new talents were met as they fielded 13 debutants on the day.

"Games like these are al-

ways tough playing against Trinidad and Tobago, but I think it was a good game. Both teams, I think, had the same objective, which was to expose these players as much as possible and I think we got that," Gordon said in a post-match interview.

"When you see a player like Kahiem score a goal on his debut is amazing, and

these are the kind of things that we want for them to transition from schoolboy football into international football and I think he acquitted himself well, and young Jayden Hibbert in goal is a teenager as well so that augurs well for us," he added.

The Jamaicans started well, and were more threatening in open play in the early exchanges, before the Soca Warriors found their rhythm. Though the first half ended goalless, it wasn't for a lack of trying, as both teams had looks at goal.

In the 12th minute, Kaihim Thomas got the first effort off for the Soca Warriors from a distance, but Reggae Boyz goalkeeper Kemar Foster took flight to tip over.

Alex Marshall, who proved a menace to the Soca Warriors' backline, responded for the Reggae Boyz, but

his effort was parried by Adrian Foncette in goal for Trinidad and Tobago.

Jamaica's Reggae Boyz maintained the momentum on the resumption and again went close through Romeo Guthrie, whose shot was blocked by Foncette at his near post two minutes in.

The deadlock was eventually broken when Dixon produced an intelligent run down the right channel, dismissed a defender, and tucked home.

They should have doubled the lead in the 65th when Sue-Lae McCalla found himself with space and time to fire home from Guthrie's corner, but somehow steered the effort wide.

Seconds later, Marshall and Dixon connected well with the latter driving his right-footer into the side netting.

The Reggae Boyz continued to apply consistent pressure, but found the Soca Warriors defence in defiant mode, as a 69th-minute effort by Jason Wright from Andre Fletcher's pass was charged down.

A minute later, Devante

Campbell played a perfect pass across the face of goal, but Wright couldn't apply the finishing touch.

Campbell also had a grand opportunity to get on the scoresheet in time added, when he found himself in a one-on-one situation with substitute goalkeeper Christopher Biggette, but his tame effort was swallowed up by the custodian, who left his line well.

Despite the scoreline, Soca Warriors Head coach Angus Eve took heart from the performance.

"Not disappointed at all. Many of these players are playing at this level for the very first time, and I think they acquitted themselves well and we were in the game for the most part, but we gave away a sloppy goal that proved the difference in the game. We want to give people exposure; as you can see, we made minimum number of changes because we wanted to expose the young guys as much as possible. So, this is a good exercise for them to understand the pace of the game at this level going forward,"

Kaheim Dixon

DCB U19 Tournament…

Ramchand Auto Spares hops on board

Ramchand’s Auto Spares became the most recent sponsor to materialise its support for the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) Inter-Association Under-19 championship.

A member of the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA), Ramchand’s now joins other members of the Association who have pledged their support to the youth tournament.

Ramchand Ragbeer, owner of the auto parts giant which is located at 51 I Sheriff Street, Georgetown, recently handed over a cheque to the DCB. Ragbeer said that he was happy to once again be part of this tournament and would continue to support the development of young people,

to be given the opportunity to be part of this significant tournament.

The tournament will involve the five associations of DCB –Upper Demerara, East Bank, East Coast, West Demerara and Georgetown – and will be played under a round-robin format, with the top two teams qualifying for the final. The final will be livestreamed across the globe.

It is the main yardstick to be used by the selection panel to select the Demerara

team for the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Inter-County Under-19 Tournament.

The tournament will be branded Trophy Stall/ Ramchand’s Auto Spares/ Ariel Enterprise/Rohan Auto Spares/Steve’s Jewelry/ Petama Enterprise/Motor Trend/Cricket Equipment Guyana/General Marines/ Terry Mathura, Raj Mathura and Pandit Anand Persaud.

The DCB has taken the opportunity to thank Ramchand’s Auto Spares and others for coming on board.

Olympian Edghill interacts with junior female windball players

National female table tennis champion and Guyana's only table tennis Olympian, Chelsea Edghill recently made her return to the sport of windball in a fun, interactive session withs students who have now taken up the sport.

In her junior years, the table tennis champ competed in school windball cricket.

During her interaction, she met with the parents present at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue, and also had a

long chat with the students from West Coast Demerara (WCD); East Coast Demerara (ECD); East Bank Demerara (EBD); Linden-Soesdyke Highway and Georgetown who are attending a programme titled, “A perfect place for your child to be”.

These students were selected from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS)/National Sports Commission (NSC) Janet Jagan BA School Girls Windball Tournament, and they are also preparing for the Easter Weekend WIW Windball championships.

Edghill reminded the

young girls that they must balance their lives: making education and sports work hand in hand, after which she played a bit of windball cricket with the students.

The visit was organised by MCYS/NSC Sports Officer A Munroe.

Edghill engaging young windball players

Owner of Ramchand Auto Spares, Ramchand Ragbeer

Flashback! A young Chelsea Edghill (left) in her days as a windball cricketer

guyanatimesgy.com

offering support for hosting of World Cup

The upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup, which is set to bowl off in the Caribbean and the USA on June 1, will receive the full support of Caricom in logis-

tics, security, and other areas.

The revelation was made at the conclusion of the 46th Meeting of the Conference

of Caricom Heads of Government on Wednesday last by Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell.

Citing the logistical support that Cricket West Indies (CWI) might need, Mitchell noted that Caricom was all too happy to ensure the Region was represented well.

“We’ve got the T20 World Cup in the Region. It is a wonderful opportunity again, for us to showcase to the world, our cricket, our wonderful hospitality, our wonderful creativity. But we would also appreciate mass events like cricket come with challenges,” Mitchell shared.

He went on to affirm, “The case of the community, the logistics of movements and so, Heads have pledged their unwavering support to working with Cricket West Indies to make sure we do all that we need to do institutionally, regulatory, and legally to facilitate the movement of fans, players and support staff to ensure that we have the smooth running of our Cricket World Cup.”

Mitchell went on to zero in on the aspect of security during the global event, noting

that Caricom would not be taking this for granted.

On the matter of security, Mitchell stated, “Mass events also pose significant public safety and security risks and in the current geopolitical tensions that we’re facing in the world, we are very keenly aware that we need to ensure that we do not take this event for granted from a public safety and security perspective.”

“So, we’re working with all our regional partners, all of our international partners to ensure we do all that is necessary to ensure the Cricket World Cup T20 in the Caribbean is a success, is a safe event and that we can use this as a platform to be-

Caricom Classic Chess Tournament…

gin to rebuild T20 cricket, One-Day cricket and as Sir Clive Lloyd [put it] the ultimate examination of cricket – Test cricket,” the Grenadian Prime Minister went on to state.

The 2024 Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup is set for June 1-29, with the much-anticipated event bowling off in Texas, USA and Providence, Guyana, with the United States taking on Canada and West Indies battling Papua New Guinea respectively at the Grand Prairie Stadium and the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago will host one semi-final each, while Barbados will host the grand finale on June 29 at the Kensington Oval.

Viswanathan Anand to visit opening today

International Chess Federation (FIDE)

Deputy President and Grandmaster

Viswanathan Anand will visit Guyana for the first time this weekend.

Grandmaster Anand, a five-time World Chess Champion, will be present for the opening of the inaugural Caricom Chess Team Tournament set for March

4 to March 9 at the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel, Guyana.

The Caricom classic chess tournament, the first of its kind, will be hosted by the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF), in collaboration with the Caricom Secretariat.

The much-awaited tournament has garnered sponsorship from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport; Texila American University; Enet; ExxonMobil; Republic Bank (Guyana) Ltd; Guyoil; KFC; Topco; NEW GPC INC; Rouge Salon and Spa; Platinum Investments; Optique Vision Care; Sterling Products Ltd; Marics & Co Ltd; Regency Mall; Semekiah Supercentre; GSK Inc; GuyCan Inc and Icon

Grandmaster Anand is an Indian chess grandmaster who won the World Chess Championship titles in 2000, 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2012. Anand became the first chess grandmaster from India in 1988 at 19 and

has the eighth-highest peak FIDE rating of all time. In 2022, he was elected the Deputy President of FIDE, the International Chess Federation. FIDE is the governing body of the sport of chess, and it regulates all international chess competitions. His presence will be the highlight of this weekend’s opening ceremony for the Caricom tournament, a School Chess Festival, and a chess lecture.

On Saturday, March 2, the GCF hosted a School Chess Festival at the Texila American University for students from invited schools to meet and interact with

the grandmaster. The event will also allow prospective students the opportunity to tour the university campus. Students from Texila will also have a chance to interact with GM Anand.

Today, Sunday, March 3, the University of Guyana will host a lecture by GM Anand at its Turkeyen campus in the George Walcott Lecture Theatre. The estimated two-hour event will include an interactive portion where members in attendance can ask about game tips, challenges, and opportunities that arise in the discipline of competitive chess.

The Federation has extended its deepest appreciation to its generous sponsors who came on board to support the event. Without the sponsors’ invaluable support, this inaugural event would not have been possible. Thanks to the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel for its support and sponsorship. Furthermore, the GCF also wished to thank the Confederation of Chess for the Americas (CCA) and FIDE for their kind support.

The GCF wholeheartedly welcomes GM Anand to Guyana. His presence promises to be perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our enthusiastic chess players to meet and interact with a five-time world champion. We wish GM Anand an enjoyable stay with us in the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

The West Indies men will be looking to capture a record third World Cup title at home

FIDE Deputy President and Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand

Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell