Guyana Times - Thursday, June 6, 2024.pdf

Most modern hunting legislation imminent – President Ali

QC student emerges victorious as this year’s youth environmental speaker Tarmac being constructed to accommodate 50 Plaisance roadside vendors

Indigenous villages should be more involved in oil spill response planning – Toshao $110M amphibious excavator handed over to Region 2

Medication and driving do not mix – Police warn drivers Dengue cases increased by 492% since January in Region 6 – data shows

The Public Works Ministry and the Lethem Mayor and Town Council, along with the Regional Democratic Council, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), are working to address the situation at the Pirara Bridge on the Linden-Lethem corridor. A temporary timber deck for light to medium-weight vehicles has been put in place (Public Works Ministry photo)

Cash-strapped City Hall to aggressively pursue rates & taxes defaulters

…as $3.297B late budget passed …pledges to improve transparency & accountability

The cash-strapped Georgetown Mayor and City Council on Wednesday passed a whopping $3.297 billion budget for 2024, which it intends to fund by revenue collection with a specific focus of going after delinquent rates and tax payers.

Under the theme, “Building a green, resilient, safe and sustainable city,” the 2024 budget was presented by Chairman of the Council’s Finance Committee, Lelon Saul, who gave a review of the 2023 financial year before outlining how City Hall plans to finance this year’s multi-billion-dollar budget.

According to Saul, rates and taxes is the “greatest revenue earner” for the Council.

“The largest revenue earner [in 2024] will be from rates and taxes – $2.2 billion [estimated to be earned this year],” he explained.

This, according to Saul, is based on trends from last year when rates and taxes was the top revenue

earner. However, with only about 46 per cent property owners paying their rates and taxes in 2023, the City Council intends to take several initiatives to change this.

The finance committee chairman disclosed that the Council will focus on

aggressively pursuing defaulters and delinquent ratepayers.

Consequently, the Council will implement the remedies under Section 220 of Chapter 28:01 of the Municipal and District Council Act to recover the rates owed. The following rate recovery measures will be implemented: as a civil debt, irrespective of the amount owed, under the Summary Jurisdiction (Petty Debt Act), applicable to ratepayers owing less than $100,000; and by distraint warrant on movable property of the person liable, whether such movable property is situated on the property in respect of which the rates are due or elsewhere.

Additionally, the council plans to improve the

effectiveness of its Debt Recovery Unit by hiring and training more staff members as well as issue Demand Notices more frequently bolstered by a strong public relations programme to remind ratepayers of their responsibility.

Moreover, the Council is also looking to monetise several assets to generate more revenues. “We have a lot of idle assets and we

want to make those assets earn money. And so in 2024, we hope to embark on that process. It will be a transparent process,” he stated.

The City Council will further work with the Valuation Office to make necessary adjustments to the rates charged on some properties and create new valuation list for areas not listed in the city.

Finance Committee Chairman Lelon Saul with a copy of the City Council’s 2024 Budget at Wednesday’s hearing

PPP/C Councillor Steven Jacobs

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, June 6 –03:30h-05:00h and Friday, June 7 – 04:00h-05:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Thursday, June 6 –16:45h-18:15h and Friday, June 7 – 17:15h-18:45h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery to light rain showers are expected during the day and at night, with sunshine in the mid-late afternoon. Temperatures should range between 24 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly to East South-Easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 16:27h reaching a maximum height of 2.52 metres.

Low Tide: 09:59h and 22:10h reaching minimum heights of 0.50 metre and 0.71 metre.

Most modern hunting legislation imminent – President Ali

President Dr Irfaan Ali has revealed plans to bolster Guyana’s legislation on hunting with the aim of protecting hunting grounds and the biodiversity that lives there.

The Head of State made these remarks on Wednesday evening at the Visual Chronicles of The Mahaica Wetlands and Mangroves exhibition hosted by the EMC Foundation in collaboration with the British High Commission in Guyana.

According to President Ali, while the environment can be enjoyed in many different ways, there are concerns of abuse when it comes to activities such as fishing and hunting. However, he assured that these will be dealt with by his government.

“We have to enact the most modern legislation when it comes to hunting, protecting our hunting ground and ensuring that people are not carrying out their fanciful desire by overhunting and destroying our eco-system, our biodiversity and our animal life in these areas. So, we’re going to be addressing that in a very, very strong way,” the Guyanese Leader said while addressing the gathering at the event.

The Visual Chronicles of the Mahaica Wetlands and Mangroves showcases the area’s biodiversity and culture through videography and photography.

This initiative is funded by the Blue Social Challenge Fund, part of the UK’s £35 million Sustainable Blue Economies Programme, that aims to support initiatives that contribute to growing blue economy sectors through marine conservation and educational initiatives.

During his address, President Ali lauded the EMC Foundation for producing a “national product” on World Environment Day – observed on Wednesday as

well.

He said this celebration of the private sector and international partners can be a catalyst for other businessowners to follow, specifically transitioning into foundations that align with national development priorities.

EMC Foundation is the creation of Guyanese company Environmental Management Consultants (EMC) Guyana – owned by Shyam Nokta, is a natural resources, environment and climate change consultant.

According to President Ali, Nokta managed to align his Foundation with the country’s national development priority extremely well. “He’s been able to take the assets of his company and transfer his knowledge into a foundation and he’s now using that Foundation to align national development priorities with what he

wants to achieve”

He went onto laud the company for its public education activities as well.

“What I like about the way the Foundation is approaching the public education, they’re not just targeting the adult population. They’ve found an innovative way in addressing this… starting with kids in nursery school – the children.”

The book the president referenced is “Arya Takes a Swim” which is Guyana's first children's book, launched by EMC Foundation earlier this year, dedicated to turtle telemetry tagging and tells the story of Guyana's sea turtle conservation efforts and the importance of Shell Beach.

The Guyanese leader said the publication of this book “…is important because it’s about building a culture – a culture of knowing what we have, understanding what we

have, valuing what we have and then appreciating the wealth that could be created with this value.”

The Head of State further underscored the need to not only valuing environments but also creating wealth from it in a sustainable manner. He added that Guyana is already leading in this regard.

“In this country, we can lead the world in the way we’ve managed our environment, in the way we’ve approached climate change and in what our forest offers the world. Guyana’s future is about providing global leadership on energy, food, climate and the environment, and we are not going to spare any effort in providing that global leadership,” posited.

President Ali also spoke of the many low-hanging fruits and opportunities available to showcase as well as build ‘Brand Guyana.’

“Mark my words today. By 2030, there is no tourism product in this region that will come close to Guyana’s tourism product. We will have the facilities, we will have the infrastructure, we will have the marketing possibilities, we’ll have the branding, we will have the education.

President Dr Irfaan Ali

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Navigating safety: Damage & accidents on DHB

The Demerara Harbour Bridge stands as a vital link in Guyana's infrastructure, connecting the east and west banks of the Demerara River. Spanning approximately 1.2 miles, it is a crucial piece of infrastructure for commuters, businesses, and trade. However, despite its significance, the bridge has witnessed its share of accidents and incidents over the years, prompting concerns about safety and infrastructure management.

Over the years, the Demerara Harbour Bridge has been marred by several accidents, with the most recent being on Tuesday, when two trawlers drifted and collided with Spans 26 and 27. While this did not result in any major structural damage to the facility, it had caused some delays and worry among commuters.

This is not the first time the bridge has been rammed by an oceangoing vessel and/or trawlers, resulting in damages and also much inconvenience to commuters.

In 2022, an accident that resulted in four spans of the DHB being severely damaged had put the Bridge out of operation for days, and had left thousands of commuters who normally use the facility with no choice but to use water taxis at the old ferry stellings at Vreed-enHoop and Georgetown.

In addition to major incidents, there are accidents occurring on the bridge as a result of reckless driving, causing disruptions. Last year, there was a collision involving multiple vehicles during rush hour, which resulted in significant traffic congestion and minor injuries to several motorists. The incident underscored the challenges of managing high volumes of traffic on the bridge, especially during peak hours. In September 2023, an overweight truck attempted to cross the bridge, violating weight restrictions. The incident necessitated emergency repairs, and raised concerns about the enforcement of regulations governing vehicle weights on the bridge.

Even as the new Demerara River crossing is being constructed, there still need to be efforts to enhance safety on the DHB, which certainly requires a multi-faceted approach encompassing stringent regulations and public awareness campaigns. Strict enforcement of weight restrictions and traffic laws can deter violations and ensure compliance, reducing the likelihood of accidents caused by overloaded vehicles or reckless driving. At the same time, educating motorists about safe driving practices, weather-related precautions, and emergency procedures can empower them to make informed decisions and respond effectively in challenging situations.

We support the management of the bridge when it announced earlier this year that, having observed an increase in traffic violations on the bridge, it would enforce its regulations which can result in a ban on the vehicles from transiting the Bridge.

There is no disputing the very high volume of commuters and vehicles that cross the DHB on a daily basis, with traffic buildup on both ends bringing much frustration to all.

As Guyana continues to develop and modernise its infrastructure, ensuring the safety and integrity of critical assets like DHB must remain a top priority. By learning from past accidents, addressing underlying vulnerabilities, and implementing proactive measures, stakeholders can work together to mitigate risks and safeguard the bridge's vital role in connecting communities and facilitating economic growth. Through collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to safety, accidents on the Demerara Harbour Bridge can be minimized, allowing it to fulfill its purpose as a safe and efficient transportation route for commuters.

Govt is walking the talk, as projects are already ongoing

Dear Editor,

Over the years, there has been a lot of opinions in the newspapers about the gas-to- energy project that the Government of Guyana has sanctioned, and those opinions were mostly negative.

It’s good to see impassioned citizens voicing their beliefs, concerns and commendation of the project; it shows that we are not a country where freedom of speech and expression is a theoretical concept, but a reality.

What I do find disturbing and a grave concern is the disrespect being dished out to all Guyanese when the opinions and demonstration of those from other nations directly stymie Guyana’s development and benefits for all Guyanese.

The Gas-to-Energy Project is the most transformational project Guyana has ever witnessed to date, because, simply put, it will result in cost saving by 50% to most residents in Guyana, and also unlock our country’s potential to become a manufacturing hub. The phrase “cheaper, reliable and cleaner energy” is enough to justify the Government’s pursuit of this project, and form the ground for our country to be granted funding from the US-EXIM Bank.

If these people were really “Friends of the Earth”, why haven’t they congratulated the Government for the carbon credits initiative, which offers an environmental service to the world, where-

by our largely untouched forest for centuries has been sequestering carbon dioxide - which their countries are largely responsible for?

How can they profess that the Gas-to-Energy Project is not necessary? These “Friends of the Earth” have benefitted for decades from the same natural gas and other fossil fuels in their respective countries for power generation, heating and cooking. Are we really going to believe that all of their houses are equipped with solar panels only; that they drive solar-powered vehicles; that they charge their electric vehicles from a renewable source of energy; that their nations were built on 100% renewable energy?

Natural gas is a clean bridge to 100% renewable energy, and it would be nonsensical for our Government to know that we have this resource offshore and not utilize and monetize it for our development. Should we continue utilizing HFO primarily for power generation, we would not be able to benefit from the 40%-50% reduction in greenhouse gases which we would realize from the utilization of natural gas; we would not benefit from a 50% reduction in the cost of energy; we would not have industrial development that would bring more jobs to our fellow Guyanese; we will not be able to attain value added manufacturing and exports. Ultimately, Guyana would be left behind!

The Government has shown in its development plan, that is,

the Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030, that there’s a plan to diversify Guyana’s energy mix, firstly with the shift from HFO to natural gas, and simultaneously by investments in sustainable energy projects such as solar, wind and hydro. In addition, there are solid initiatives and projects - such as sustainable forestry and low impact mining, forest climate services, ecosystem servicesprotecting against climate change and biodiversity loss, etc, and those would further reduce emissions and environmental degradation, although we are already at net zero emissions, and would remain there even with our growing oil and gas activities offshore. The information is there in the public domain, and the Government is walking the talk, as projects are already ongoing.

While 16,000 Americans may not want this project (though they benefit daily from similar projects), there are more than 750,000 Guyanese who would welcome the Gas-to- Energy Project and its transformational impacts. As you look around the world, you recognize that the only way to 100% renewable energy is a pathway through fossil fuels.

It’s sad to see the Kaieteur News supporting this colonial approach to underdevelopment by publishing such an article.

Sincerely, Name withheld

In observance of World Environment Day, the Protected Areas Commission hosted an Open Day in the Botanical Gardens of Georgetown on Tuesday, to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the environment and the National Protected Areas System (PAC photos)

Ministry's tackling of teacher absenteeism is laudable,

but it is a step long overdue

Dear Editor,

A recent headline reported “Education Ministry to tackle teacher absenteeism – current situation ‘unacceptable’ in light of massive government investments, says Manickchand”.

The absence of 30% of staff on any given day does much disservice to students, and has a dramatic effect on student learning and achievement. Teacher absence has a direct influence, and is likely a key factor in low student achievement at the NGSA and CSEC.

The Government has been spending more and more on educational inputs, but massive investment must be accompanied by immediate return on investment. You can’t have massive inputs that are not producing improved results. Which businessman will pour tons of money into an enterprise and not have better sales and profits? Same thing with education. We have to see better results, and cannot keep having 40% of students failing. That is simply unacceptable!

We must put an end to the chronic absenteeism we have now at 30% for any given school day. When teachers are absent, instruction is largely lost for that day. Simply put, if the teachers are absent, the students are not getting taught, and the subject curriculum is not being covered. How about requiring teachers who will be absent to send a video recording of the lesson for that day?

In the USA, if teachers are going to be absent, they must leave lesson plans for a substitute teacher to teach. They have a list of substitute teachers on call if a subject teacher has to be absent. You simply cannot call in sick with-

out sending any lesson plans.

A class in the USA cannot be left unsupervised, and they will not ask another teacher to do substitute work for an absent teacher. A substitute must be called. If a teacher is chronically tardy to school and chronically absent, that teacher’s employment would not last long; he or she would be let go. In Guyana, we must get strict with those teachers who come to school habitually late and are habitually absent. That’s bad modelling. Their employment must be terminated, and they be given help to redirect their careers.

There can be no such thing as “Guyana time” in education (meaning people have no respect for time). The Teaching Service Commission’s “Table of Charges, Offences, and Penalties” includes the option of dismissal at the third breach for “persistent unpunctuality.” We must rachet up teacher accountability with the available provisions we have in our rules.

In North Carolina, where I lived, the State Board of Education mandates how many days of school you should have in a year, and how many clock hours of teaching should be done. In the schools, the State expects instructional time to be protected, because a teacher’s time-on-task in instruction to complete the written curriculum is essential to students doing well on the assessments (tests). If it snows and we can’t have school because the roads are bad, the General Assembly (Parliament) has to give a waiver of the days lost due to severe weather conditions. Schools must also show how time lost would be made up.

That’s how seriously instructional time is protected.

Parents should complain to the school principals and Ministry if a child’s teachers are habitually late or absent, to make teachers accountable for results. Principals must not be afraid to impose sanctions as necessary.

The Minister is reported as saying, “I think it’s fine to call for better salaries and so on. I think it’s ridiculous when people are unreasonable. It is fine to call for more. I think the system is going to have to become more accountable. I think accountable has to mean that, like in any other profession, when you don’t perform, there has to be mandatory retraining or exit”.

In North Carolina (NC), we do not get a onemonth “Whitley Council” leave every four years, as in Guyana. Teachers work for 10 months, and get paid for 10 months, yet NC teachers would do remediation and club activities after school, or attend professional development overtime voluntarily for the good of the cause.

We need to research how the Whitley Council leave affects student learning, time-on-task, and completion of the curriculum. Should teachers who are chronically late and absent from school be entitled to the colonial era practice of “Whitley Council”, or should there be a condition such as if you have a 90+% attendance rate, you are entitled to apply for that leave? We should not reward the chronically late and absent with more leave.

Let’s put students first, while we work on teachers' issues too!

Sincerely, Dr

Jerry Jailall

Efforts by Agri Ministry during rainy season

Dear Editor,

As the rainy season intensifies in 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture in Guyana, under the leadership of Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, has launched a series of interventions to support farmers, particularly in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne). Those efforts are aimed at mitigating the adverse impacts of heavy rainfall, and ensuring agricultural productivity remains stable.

Recently, Minister Mustapha conducted multiple meetings with farmers in Region Six, a crucial agricultural hub. Those meetings served as platforms for dialogue, wherein farmers expressed their concerns and challenges related to flooding and waterlogged fields. In response, the Ministry has expedited several measures to provide immediate relief and long-term solutions. One of the key interventions is the enhancement of drainage and irrigation systems.

The Ministry has allocated substantial resources for cleaning and maintaining canals, trenches and drainage pumps. This proactive approach aims to prevent water accumulation in farmlands, thereby reducing crop damage and loss. In addition, mobile drainage pumps have been de-

ployed to flood-prone areas to ensure swift water removal.

The Ministry has also distributed flood-resistant seeds and seedlings to farmers, ensuring that their crops can withstand excessive moisture. These resilient varieties are crucial for maintaining crop yields despite adverse weather conditions. Further, the Ministry is providing technical assistance and training to farmers on best practices for water management and soil conservation during the rainy season.

To support farmers financially, the Ministry has established emergency relief funds and low-interest loans to help them recover from any potential losses. This financial assistance is essential for farmers to sustain their livelihoods and continue their agricultural activities without significant setbacks.

By extending these

initiatives to all of Guyana, the Ministry is reinforcing its commitment to the agricultural community. The collaborative efforts involving both Government resources and community engagement exemplify a comprehensive strategy to tackle the challenges posed by the rainy season.

In summary, the Ministry of Agriculture's proactive measures and responsive interventions under Minister Zulfikar Mustapha's leadership are vital in supporting Guyanese farmers during the 2024 rainy season. Through improved infrastructure, resilient crop varieties, technical training, and financial support, the Ministry is ensuring that agriculture in Region 6 and beyond remains robust and resilient.

Sincerely,

Elton Saul

Page Foundation

CSEC MATHS

Each sentence is followed by four alternative sentences. Choose the one closest in meaning to the original sentence.

97 persons died on Guyana’s roadways to date – Traffic Chief

In a concerning update from the Traffic Department, Senior Superintendent Mahendra Singh has reported that 97 individuals have lost their lives in road accidents on Guyana’s roadways so far this year. This total includes 42 fatal accidents and 55 road incidents.

The traffic chief explained that some of those accidents were preventable and could have been avoided if people paid more attention to road safety, especially pedestrians.

He highlighted a trou-

bling trend among pedestrians, noting that many walk into traffic without regard for their safety.

“Persons pay no heed

to safety, especially those on foot. Some persons think that when they are crossing a major roadway or thoroughfare like it is

$110M amphibious excavator handed over to Region 2

In a significant boost to the agricultural sector of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha handed over a $110 million amphibious excavator to the region on Wednesday.

At a simple handing-over ceremony at St Denys/Tapakuma community, Mustapha highlighted the government’s commitment to enhancing agricultural productivity in the region.

He said from 2020 to 2024, the Government has supplied eight more pieces of equipment bringing the total in the region to 20.

“We now have 20 pieces of government equipment in the region. This support has enabled us to cultivate approximately 32,000 acres of rice, even under the challenging El Niño conditions. This is a great achievement for Region Two,” the minister stated.

The minister emphasised the importance of the new excavator, urging farmers to utilise it effectively.

“Many times, we need to work in difficult terrains, especially in clearing waterways and canals to ensure a proper supply of fresh water. This excavator will eliminate the need for matting and work

directly in the canals,” he explained.

Mustapha also mentioned plans to establish a management committee to ensure the efficient use of the machine across the Essequibo Coast. He further told the residents that had gathered that the equipment is an expensive but valuable investment for the people of Essequibo Coast.

Meanwhile, Regional Chairperson Vilma De Silva expressed her gratitude to the government and the ministry for the substantial investment.

“This equipment will greatly benefit the people of our region, especially the farmers...Despite challenges such as lengthy dry

someplace remote, they could just walk across without the fear of anything coming to strike you…,” Singh said.

The statistics suggest a persistent disregard for safety among road users, with individuals continuing to engage in risky behaviors. Superintendent Singh criticised the selfish attitude of some pedestrians, stating, “… we have CCTV footage to support what I am saying… some persons use the roads with no feelings for themselves and no caution for other persons”.

However, despite these challenges, Singh reported that the country has seen a notable improvement in road safety overall, with 47 fewer accidents and a 19 per cent decrease in fatal accidents this year compared to last year.

This improvement is

attributed to increased enforcement and collaborative efforts between the Force with various ministries and organisations.

He said the Police Force has been engaging with these ministries and organisations to improve road safety infrastructure, installing better lighting, and implementing other measures aimed at reducing the risk for all road users.

“We continue the enforcement of education.

We continue to engage the Ministry of Public Works and every other stakeholder to ensure that as far as possible, road signage is supported by road marking and or lighting infrastructure, to generally enable the road-using population to use it with good visibility, proper surfaces and so on,” he explained.

As such, the traffic chief called for better use of the roads to reduce the death toll further. (G9)

Cash-strapped City Hall to...

Seizure of properties

However, during the deliberation session following Saul’s presentation, PPP/C Councillor Steven Jacobs raised a number of concerns about the Council’s 2024 Budget including the fact that there are provisions that speaks to the seizure of properties of default rates and tax payers.

weather and floods, the support from the minister and president has helped us succeed in our farming endeavors,” De Silva remarked.

Also present at the handing over were Member of Parliament Juliet Coonjah, representatives from the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), and other regional officials.

The commissioning of the excavator is expected to enhance agricultural activities by improving access and drainage, ultimately supporting the region’s farming community. (G14)

“The one that [Saul] failed to mention but it’s in the document – and if we’re approving it today, this will stand – where he’s basically telling the citizens that we’ll move to seizure of their properties to recover Council’s rates and taxes,” Jacobs highlighted.

According to the Councillor, “A break-even budget is not something that is possible or are we trying to save face and look good for the cameras… We need to take a better approach to manning the city and it’s a hand-on approach.”

In addition to this, PPP/C representatives on the City Council also raised objections about the attainability of the Budget, which they highlighted was presented midyear.

“My concern is that we’re halfway through the

year and many of the key assumptions that are in the budget that provides for increased revenue collection – halfway through the year – have not been implemented or begun to be implemented… My concern is whether the figure here [in the budget] are attainable at all…,” Councillor Alfonso De Armas.

Another PPP/C Councillor, Don Singh, went onto say, “We’re presenting a budget on June 5 with lofty goals and ideas on how we get to where we want to go… another budget [estimate] is due on November 15… We don’t know what we’ve spent in this first six months so we don’t know how much is left of these estimates to spend over the next five months… For me, it’s unrealistic because we’re now left with six months in the year.”

Defending lateness

In response, Georgetown Mayor, Alfred Mentore, defended the lateness of the Budget, citing several numbers of administrative issues including staffing troubles. The City’s Budget is usually presented in March.

“We had to second somebody from another department to get the Budget

going, and it was a number of other things that led to that process that why we missed March, missed April and we’re now at June… And then we had the projection issue…not having all the actual spending of 2023 and up to third quarter. Those are things that caused this thing to be delayed,” Mentore stated.

Nevertheless, despite the concerns raised about the City’s spending, the Budget 2024 was eventually passed with a commitment by the Council to improve transparency and accountability in the future.

“The Council in 2024 will continue to improve transparency, accountability, delivery of core municipal services, revenue collection and stakeholder management… As I speak we are in the process of getting our accounts audited, and that was not done [before] and this Council, would have made a conscious decision that we need to be transparent and accountable, and we will do it. And that will become the norm of this Council –to account to the citizens of this city and to lead when it comes to transparency and accountability,” Saul posited.

Traffic Chief, Senior Superintendent Mahendra Singh

The amphibious excavator that was handed over to the Region Two administration on Wednesday

Choices…

…in Government

Well, democracy’s sure been in action recently in the “Global South”, across three continents – specifically South Africa, Mexico and India - where it was exported by the Imperialists with doubts it would take root!! South Africa was first out of the blocks…and was in so many ways a test case. Up to 1994, it was a paradigmatic example of an anti-democratic regime – with its apartheid laws explicitly denying equal rights to people from different race groups other than Whites. But in 1994, Nelson Mandela’s ANC won the first free and fair elections, to great expectations from the overwhelming Black masses, who’d been excluded from power.

Sadly, those hopes were dashed, as the ANC kept winning elections but its leaders became enmeshed in corruption, which resulted in basic services of Africa’s once top-performing economy – and a member of BRICS – could not be provided. Unemployment soared, and constant blackouts became a daily reminder of the distance not travelled. Were the white doubts on point?? So, finally, the voters spoke - and the ANC’s been denied the majority they commanded for thirty years. They’ll have to govern in a coalition, and it’s hoped that the ANC leaders would be reminded of the promises they’d made during apartheid.

Then the next one up was Mexico - where the drug lords have created states within the state. Plural! But in effect, not much has changed since Pancho Villas! The newly-elected president, who’ll take office on Oct 1st - Claudia Sheinbaum –may be the first female to lead that macho country, but she’s also the protégé of the fella who’s been ruling since 2018Andrés Manuel López Obrador – known by his initials Amlo!! He’s more of a populist, who seems to have worked out a modus vivendi with the gangs by looking away!! In the meantime, during the campaign, some 37 candidates were assassinated. Par for the(Mexican) course!!

And we now reach the grandaddy of all elections – India, with an electorate of 960 million people, where 650 million of them just voted!! That’s democracy speaking, baby!! And what it said was that the smart money who insisted that the BJP would roll over the Opposition and send them into oblivion – especially the old Congress – were absolutely wrong!! The BJP bled seats –especially in their Hindi Belt – and now have to depend, for the first time, on coalition partners!!

For this reason alone, we’ll be living in interesting times. Modi is back as PM, and we’ll just have to wait and see if he’ll be allowed to stride like a colossus across the world. And the word is “allowed”, since, in these matters, every other leader would be vying to become the top gun!!

Trump anyone??

…and prejudice

There’s the charge that, as life in Guyana’s becomes increasingly like a Hollywood “B” movie, it appears that to take care with folks “with extreme prejudice” is becoming commonplace. In military and other covert operations, “terminate with extreme prejudice” is a euphemism for aggressive execution. Like when Obama ordered “Osama bin Laden be terminated with extreme prejudice”. Get it?? Believe it or not, while it originated in movies like “Apocalypse Now”, the expression "termination with prejudice" was part of employment contracts!! In a military intelligence context, it’s generally understood as an order to assassinate.

So, here in our dear mudland - and we’ve heard live and direct - a Guyanese fella who’s living in foreign having the temerity to announce that Pres Ali, VP Jagdeo, AG Nandlall and Finance Minister Singh should all be beheaded!! If that’s not termination with extreme prejudice, then what is??

Now, being a sucker for the aforementioned B movies, your Eyewitness feels we oughta manners that fella - who we understand lives in Georgia.

…in Bridge crossing

Your Eyewitness read that two trawlers hit the DHB the other day, and there were “no disruptions”. Really?? Your Eyewitness took two hours to get from Eccles to the bridge on that day.

“No disruption” for whom??

Medication and driving do not mix – Police warn drivers

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has issued a stern warning to drivers about the dangers of driving while under the influence of medication. This advisory comes in response to a concerning rise in road incidents linked to both prescription and overthe-counter medications.

In an interview with Guyana Times on Tuesday, Sergeant Nicholas Higgins responsible for statistics at the Traffic Headquarters in Georgetown, emphasised the importance of the

tesy, and common sense,”

Sergeant Higgins stated. “You must use your com-

“5C’s” for safe driving.

“You must take into consideration: care, caution, consideration, cour-

mon sense to know that when using certain types of medications, it will affect your body and how you op-

erate.”

Reports have revealed that some accidents have involved drivers being impaired by medications that induce drowsiness, dizziness, and impaired coordination. According to Sergeant Higgins, driving under the influence of these medications can be as hazardous as driving under the influence of alcohol.

“Take the time as a driver, to put systems in place whereby we can stop, give ourselves the time we need to take that medication, and if possible, ac-

BV man charged for narco trafficking

Dexter Aulder, known as 'Tex', of Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara (ECD), appeared on Monday before Magistrate Teriq Mohamed at the Bartica Magistrate's Court facing charges of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

The 46-year-old man pleaded not guilty to the

Charged: Dexter Aulder

office and was remanded to prison. Police stated that Aulder was arrested at the Itaballi Police Checkpoint on May 31, after officers reportedly discovered 507.5 grams of marijuana and 57.6 grams of cocaine in his possession.

The case has been adjourned to June 25. (G9)

Kaneville man on $300,000

bail

for causing death by dangerous driving

Chris Sobers, a resident of Kaneville, East Bank Demerara, has been released on $300,000 bail after being charged with causing death by dangerous driving.

The 22-year-old man appeared on Wednesday before Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Charged: Chris Sobers

quire some rest before continuing any driving”, he pleaded.

The GPF’s warning serves as a crucial reminder for all drivers to

It is alleged that on April 4 at about 15:20h at the intersection of Nelson Mandela Avenue and Freeman Street, Georgetown, he caused the death of 28-yearold motorcyclist Edward Solomon.

At the time of the accident, Sobers was driving motorcar, PAF 4593. The case will continue on July 9. (G9)

be mindful of the potential side effects of any medication they consume before getting behind the wheel.

Ensuring safety on the roads requires every driver to consider how medications may impact their ability to drive, thereby reducing the risk of accidents and enhancing overall road safety. (G9)

Sergeant Nicholas Higgins

Tarmac being constructed to accommodate 50 Plaisance roadside vendors

Infrastructure works on a new tarmac within the vicinity of the Plaisance Market, East Coast Demerara (ECD) is moving apace, with completion slated between June 17 and 23, 2024.

The facility being constructed has the capacity to house some 50 vendors from Plaisance and surrounding areas.

The tarmac follows a commitment made by Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, which aims to ensure that vendors are not displaced or out of business as Government conducts road expansion works along the railway embankment.

Additionally, the project will ensure that vendors who currently ply their trade at roadsides and in the pathway of vehicular traffic, have a safe

and hazard free environment to conduct business.

During an inspection of the project on Tuesday, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill explained that while the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) did not have the capacity to implement the project, it has been tasked with handling the affairs of vendors and maintenance going forward.

“They are not 50 (vendors) right now but we are aware that they are people who come out on Saturdays and Sundays just to sell.

People come with their cars, people come with their canters and so on because it’s a very vibrant market.

What is taking place here is us keeping good faith on the commitment we made to the people of Plaisance and the vendors that occu-

py from the Victoria road coming back there in the market area,” Edghill said.

When asked about project delays due to the May/ June rainy season, Edghill committed to no setbacks, noting that the tarmac is a paramount piece of infrastructure and must be complete so that works can recommence on the road expansion project.

Further, he added that consultations with vendors in other communities on the Coast will commence soon, as government moves to provide relief to those in need.

“I assure you that the very same approach that we would have taken further up at Beehive and other places where people have farm lands, we are getting the project moving without confrontation,

without confusion and we want to thank the people for their cooperation so far because this is a very important project and we want it to keep moving,” he added.

Consultation

The government is upgrading the current twolane Railway Embankment Road to four lanes from Sheriff Street to Enmore. This project falls under the US$192 million Framework Concessional Loan Agreement from the Exim Bank of China to finance Phase II of the East Coast Road Project, which includes the four-lane expansion of the Railway Embankment Road as well as the extension of the main East Coast Roadway from Orange Nassau to Mahaica, and the rehabili-

tation of the existing East Coast Demerara Road from Belfield to Orange Nassau.

As result, consultation between Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo and vendors along the Plaisance ‘Line Top’ were facilitated last year, after eviction letters were issued to them without proper consultation with the Ministry of Public Works.

At the time, the vendors were given seven-day notices to vacate, so that their business won’t be disrupted by

ongoing works, and this prompted protest action.

Shortly after, the vendors were informed by the Dr Jagdeo that they have six months to relocate from the areas where the expansion will occur, while the relevant stakeholders find mutually-agreeable solutions.

Months later, the vendors and engineers from the Public Works Ministry agreed that the tarmac was the safe and economically viable option for them. (G1)

Indigenous villages should be more involved in oil spill response planning – Toshao

Leaders of Indigenous villages should be more involved in oil spill response planning, research and mitigation efforts.

This remark was made by Toshao of Warapoka Village, nestled in the Moruca Region One (BarimaWaini), Jaremy Boyal during an Oil Spill Forum on Wednesday.

In his address to those gathered at Cara Lodge, Georgetown, Boyal issued a call for the Government to liaise more with Indigenous communities, in an effort to effectively implement oil spill risk management systems that are sustainable and take in consideration the livelihood of Amerindians.

According to Boyal,

On this point, he explained that while Amerindians support oil exploration activities in Guyana, they are still mindful of the detriments associated with drilling into the earth, especially since it poses

a threat to their various cultures, and can disrupt eco-tourism, which is the breadbasket for remote

“I think couple years back some of the leaders

representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and ExxonMobil Guyana have held consultation activities with villages in the region a few times over the years, however, the findings of assessments and surveys are yet to be disclosed with the residents.

were part of doing some sort of oil spill response but that was a one-off thing and since then there was none. So, I’m a bit concerned because if or when there is one how do we respond… We just hear one side of the story that there is so much production and there is so much millions,” Boyal said.

Boyal also issued a call for oil and gas experts to simplify the technical languages when interacting with Indigenous folks.

He explained that the constant use of complex language will only limit Indigenous peoples' contribution to the conversation.

“The only type of consultation we have like I said is the EPA and for two to three hours we will reach with the EPA and Exxon representatives and they will give Toshaos a chance to raise questions, but most of these documents are in techni-

cal form… and some of these leaders are not highly qualified to understand technical language,” he added.

Legislation

In the wake of the recent oil spill off the coast of Tobago, which has resulted in a massive clean-up effort by the Trinidad and Tobago Government, Guyana’s Government has assured that legislation aimed at protecting Guyana from such liabilities would soon be coming.

During one of his weekly press conference, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo indicated that these laws had been in the pipeline long before the spillage off the Tobago coast. Such protection will certainly be important in light of the millions of US dollars usually associated with oil spill clean-ups.

In addition to legislative protection,

Guyana already has guarantees from oil producer ExxonMobil, in the unlikely event of an oil spill. Last year following a court ruling, Exxon affiliate Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) had lodged a US$2 billion affiliate insurance guarantee with the EPA.

According to Jagdeo, Exxon’s assets can be sold to cover any expenses related to a spill and in response to questions, he had highlighted how varied and extensive those assets were.

“If I have to list the assets of Exxon, have you read the balance sheet, have you gone to the financial statements and looked at the balance sheets? You should look at that. I have to list every asset that they have and consider something else. We talk about the book value of the assets, let me just

give you an idea. You’ve heard about the merger between Chevron and Hess?” Jagdeo had said.

Last year, ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge made it clear that Exxon had set up a “long line of defences” to prevent oil spills from occurring. These include applying new technologies to the design of the wells, training personnel, and strict safety practices.

Since 2015, ExxonMobil has announced over 30 discoveries in Guyana, including the Liza, Payara, Snoek, Turbot, Ranger, Pacora, Longtail, Hammerhead, Pluma, Haimara, Tilapia, Tripletail, Mako, Yellowtail, Uaru, and Redtail fields.

Guyana is pumping about 645,000 barrels per day (bpd), up from about 400,000 bpd in late 2023, ExxonMobil said earlier this year.

Toshao of Warapoka Village, Jaremy Boyal during the Oil Spill Forum

“Make the most of the opportunity”

CEO to 69 persons seeking

…as BIT launches training programmes in Region 10

Region 10 (UpperDemerara Upper-Berbice)

will soon see 69 skilled persons entering the workforce in various sectors. This is a result of free training programmes being offered to residents as the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) launches the first cohort of training programmes in the region for 2024.

Delivering remarks at the opening ceremony for the programme, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Board of Industrial Training Richard Maughn, told participants that the launch of the programmes were made

possible through government’s investment in the human resource capital of the region, and the country at large. He therefore urged them to make the most of the opportunity.

"You have to be persistent. Training and the development of skills take time and effort. You will have challenges, but don't give up. Do not give in easily. Face the challenges,

–

skills training

be persistent, and you will complete the courses successfully. Be curious. Do not be satisfied with the bare information received from your instructors, but seek to know more," he posited.

He further told to participants that it is important to work as a team in the practical world rather than being isolated. He encouraged them to learn how to work and learn from each other.

Board of Industrial Training CEO Richard Maughn

Chief Recruitment and Manpower Officer Yolanda Grant

QC student emerges victorious as this year’s youth environmental speaker

Recover Guyana in collaborating with ExxonMobil Guyana in observance of World Environment Day kickstarted their annual SHOUT competition at the Georgetown Ramada Princess Hotel. This event saw several secondary schools from across Guyana engaging in dialogue about various environmental issues.

Delivering remarks at the event, Public and Government Affairs Manager at ExxonMobil Guyana, Matthew Scharf, highlighted that the SHOUT initiative aligned with Exxon’s two main

environmental sustainability,” he stated.

He further noted that as an oil and gas company,

has been able to offer valuable perspective along the way that as an oil and gas company, we can still be

community investment focus areas, emphasising the company’s commitment towards responsibly developing the country’s resources and managing environmental impacts.

“I am very pleased that ExxonMobil Guyana is able to support the important work that Recover Guyana is doing with the SHOUT competition. This work aligns with two of our most important community investment focus areas – first, supporting youth and their communities and second,

ExxonMobil is committed to environmental sustainability.

“I hope that ExxonMobil

committed to environmental sustainability. Our commitment is to responsibly develop Guyana’s resourc-

es and responsibly manage environmental impacts; we can and we are doing both, we do this not only through our operations, but also through collaborations with organisations like Recover Guyana, so we can make a positive impact in communities,” he said.

The 2024 competition, which was held in observance of World Environment

Day, saw the top 10 out of 30 schools securing their spots in this year’s qualifier delivering live speeches on various environmental issues.

Queen’s College emerged victorious for a second consecutive year as Gabriella Arjun secured Guyana's 2024 Youth Environmental Speaker title.

Close contenders included Samarah Nazamodeen of President's College, who secured second place, and Tramaine Clarke of Marian Academy, who earned third place.

Queen’s College received a cash grant of $500,000 to kickstart its Environment Enhancement Project.

Other winners received $3 million in cash and prizes. SHOUT aims to involve more young people in environmental action, encourage dialogue, and initiate improvements in school environments, and is supported by ExxonMobil Guyana among other companies.

Queen’s College student Gabriella Arjun

President's College student Samarah Nazamodeen

Tramaine Clarke of Marian Academy

Public and Government Affairs Manager at ExxonMobil Guyana, Matthew Scharf hands over the winner’s cheque to Arjun

Corriverton Market fire

Displaced vendors to occupy new stalls by July - Parag

Vendors displaced by a fire that destroyed a section of Corriverton Market last November are likely to take up occupancy of their new stalls by the end of June.

This assurance was given on Wednesday by Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Sonia Parag.

In November last year, a fire destroyed a section of the Corriverton Market, and the Guyana Fire Service later determined that an electric fan that was left switched on in one of the

stalls had overheated and caused the fire.

During his 2024 National Budget presentation, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh stated that, this year, $1.2 billion had been budgeted to complete five community markets and to rehabilitate the Corriverton, Kumaka, and Suddie Markets.

In Corriverton, $45 million is being spent to rebuild the damaged stalls and replace sections of the roof that were damaged due to the fire.

The project is going

ahead on schedule.

On Wednesday, Parag visited the project, which is almost finished. Speaking with the media, she said by the end of this month vendors will be able to enter the market and recommence their operations.

“But I don’t want you to tie me down to that. We have a completion date of this month, but we want to give ourselves some space in terms of the vendors being satisfied with what they would be going back into. We have been consulting them as we go

along and as far as I am aware, they are satisfied up to this point. I don’t foresee that the transition period would be too long,” she added.

Parag also took the opportunity to meet with market vendors to determine how the ministry can improve conditions.

The issues raised by vendors, Minister Parag said, were fewer than the issues affecting those operating at other markets around the country; issues she said which could be addressed through the ministry. These range from a leaking roof to poor sanitary facilities.

“The Town Council will step in and assist along with the vendors in terms of cleaning their areas. We will support them with some bins. We will ensure that the washrooms are kept

clean on a daily basis, because people have to be here for long hours and then there are some leakages in the roof in the older part of the market, we want to see if we can patch those holes and make it more comfortable for people ply their trade.”

Parag has prom-

ised to engage vendors again within a few weeks during which time the commitments made should be met. Meanwhile, apart from those stalls that were destroyed by the fire, scores of stalls had been damaged, and merchandise had been destroyed. (G4)

Minister Parag and Corriverton Mayor Imran Amin inspecting work done to the roof of Corriverton Market

Local Government and Regional Development Minister Sonia Parag chatting with a fish vendor at the Corriverton Market

Miner dies after another mining pit collapses in Guyana’s interior

Amining pit at Arakaka, North West District (NWD), Region One (Barima-Waini) collapsed on Wednesday afternoon, resulting in the death of a miner.

Dead is Timothy Fraser, also known as the "Mineral Boss," who is a dredge owner.

While details regarding the incident are sketchy, this publication was told that the miner’s body has since been retrieved from the site.

The miner’s body after it was retrieved from the debris

Floodwaters

receding at Black Bush Polder following regional intervention – Chairman

Floodwaters are receding off of the land in Black Bush Polder as interventions have been made by authorities. This is according to Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) Chairman David Armogan.

The flooding of all four polders was as a result of days of rainfall which started during the last week of May.

This resulted in floods in some parts of the region but the worst hit was Black Bush Polder, especially Lesbeholden.

According to Armogan, Lesbeholden was most affected since the sluice at Adventure was silted and could not have been cleared until rains started to fall.

“And secondly, there was no pump at Adventure at the time when the rain started to fall. That’s basically two reasons why you have a high level of water in the Lesbeholden area, so the farmers came out and protested because we had an -

ticipated that a pump should have been put there prior to the beginning of the rainfall because your rainfall was predicted and so action should have been taken by the relevant authorities which in this case would be the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority,” Armogan added.

A pump has since been installed at Adventure and the outfall channel is being dug. He noted that with the pump being there now and with the outfall being dug it is expected that residents of Lesbeholden would

have some relief.

Meanwhile, at Number 43 Village there are two pumps at the sluice which drains Yakasari.

Both pumps at Number 43 Village are operable and the sluice is also operable.

“It is the same problem with the sluice there as well; the sluice needs to be desilted and that is happening right now. There is a contractor working there and both pumps are working. Then there is another pump at Eversham that drains Mibicuri.

Just four days ago, another miner was injured when a 17-foot pit wall collapsed at Arakaka, Perseverance, Matarkai. Nolan Leung was jetting inside the pit with a six-inch water pump near the wall when it gave way.

Leung was transported to the Port Kaituma District Hospital for treatment.

Just a week prior, another miner, Leon Lyken, lost his life at Frenchman Backdam

in Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice). The 27-yearold from Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), was working with others when a section of the pit collapsed.

Lyken was trapped by the debris, while his colleagues managed to escape, though one sustained a broken foot and other injuries.

More than a month before Lyken's death, 47-year-old Stephen Mark Samuels of

Karwap Mission, Region Two, died in a pit collapse at Puruni Backdam, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni). Employed by a Brazilian national, Samuels was working when the eastern wall of the pit caved in, burying him. His coworkers retrieved his lifeless body, and the police, finding no signs of violence, transported it to the Puruni Health Centre, where he was pronounced dead. (G9)

“Make the most of the...

“It is very important that you understand that in the practical world, you do not work in isolation, therefore, as trainees, you have to learn to work with each other. You should encourage each other to finish collectively. You start as a team, you finish as a team, and you graduate as a team." He stressed.

Also delivering remarks was Chief Recruitment and Manpower Officer (CRMO) of the Labour Ministry, Yolanda Grant encouraged the trainees to harness the opportunities lying before them to shape better futures and career paths for themselves.

"Whether your as-

pirations lie in employment, within established enterprises, or embarking on entrepreneurial journeys of your own, this programme is designed to be the catalyst for your success," she stated.

She highlighted that the trainees are receiving cost-free training at a time when Guyana’s economic landscape is morphing at an accelerated pace, and noted that this is due to the government's major push for investment in educational initiatives for its citizens. This, Ms. Grant pointed out, is not only to provide citizens with marketable skills, but also to foster a culture of self-reliance and innovation.

The launch, which saw the registration of 36 women and 33 men, was done via a ceremony held at the Linden Technical Institute (LTI), Linden, Region Ten (Upper-Demerara Upper-Berbice).

These programmes, which spans from four to six months, will equip individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in their chosen fields. The launch ceremony saw the registration of 35 Heavy Duty Equipment Operation (HDEO) trainees; 14 Commercial Food Preparation trainees; 10 Electrical Installation trainees, and 10 A/C (Air Conditioner) servicing and repairs trainees.

Dead: Timothy Fraser

Region Six Chairman David Armogan

Dengue cases increased by 492% since January in Region 6 – data shows

Dengue cases in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) have increased by 492 per cent since the start of the year.

That is according to statistics released by the regional administration.

In January of this year, there were 80 positive cases recorded in the region, 143 in February, 204 in March, 329 in April and 474 in May; this is an increase of 492.5 per cent in positive cases recorded in May over those recorded in January.

The figures were released by Region Six Chairman David Armogan. He pointed out that dengue has been a big problem in the region.

“Mosquito infestation has been on almost for the entire year and therefore what we find is that the number of dengue cases has been increasing steadily starting from January,” the Region Six Chairman said.

According to the Chairman, in some instances, persons who were recorded as having tested positive for dengue and experienced symptoms even though the disease was not active would have gone

and got tested again and were recorded as positive cases.

“All of that is also included in the current status. Once people go and test, once they are recorded positive, either IgG or IgM, it is recorded as dengue,” he said. (IgM antibodies are the first to be produced by the body in response to an infection and are found in blood and

lymph fluids, while IgG antibodies are produced later, found in all body fluids, and provide long-term protection against infections, remaining for some time after a person has recovered.)

A primary dengue infection results in detectable levels of IgM antibodies by the third afebrile day after infection, which generally persists for 2-6

months. Dengue IgG antibodies appear after IgM, approximately on day seven of the fever, in the primary infection and persist for a longer time, even up to years. Secondary dengue infections are characterised by a rapid increase in IgG levels, with modest increases in IgM.

Armogan noted that

more persons have been turning up to get tested and that might be one reason for a monthly rise in figures.

“People are more aware now, especially after those two children died from East Canje and it was pronounced at that time –up to now we don’t have the toxicology report –

that both died of dengue –many people had begun to recognise that dengue is a very serious disease and it can kill you and so as soon as people start to get fever and as soon as people start to experience other symptoms, they go very quickly to the hospital to get tested,” Armogan pointed out. (G4)

Floodwaters receding at Black...

That pump is also operable and there is also another excavator working here to desilt that sluice,” the regional chairman said.

According to him, those interventions should see all of the water being removed from the land.

However, he noted that at Yakusari more needs to be done to ensure those residents get fast drainage.

According to the regional chairman, during his visit to the residential areas at Yakusari he witnesses heavy flooding.

“That is because

there needs to be some work on the internal drainage system because the internal grid system in the Black Bush Polder area was in very good shape as well. The water would have been able to move out of the residential area and come into the main area but unfortunately, we have some areas where some of the trenches need to be cleaned. The Black Bush NDC is working to ensure that those internal drains are cleaned,” he noted.

One of the other problems compounding the Yakasari area

is the backflow of water coming in from the 15-Goodhope area.

“That is normally the case coming through the White Koker. This water would normally come through Yakasari and go through 43 but unfortunately, with the amount of water coming through there, you find that the water is backing up. You know once it comes into the system, it goes through the White Koker and backs up into the Yakasari area. That is why you see so much of water in the back areas of Yakasari,” Armogan pointed out. (G4)

WHO confirms fatal human case of bird flu in Mexico

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday said a person's death was caused by the first laboratory-confirmed human case of infection with the A (H5N2) subtype of bird flu reported globally, and the first human infection with the H5 strain of the virus reported in Mexico.

The 59-year-old resident of the State of Mexico, who had been hospitalised in Mexico City, died on April 24 after developing a fever, shortness of breath, diarrhoea, nausea and general discomfort, WHO said.

"Although the source of exposure to the virus in this case is currently unknown, A (H5N2) viruses have been reported in poultry in Mexico," WHO said in a statement.

The victim had no history of exposure to poultry or other animals, but had multiple underlying medical conditions and had been bedridden for three weeks, for other reasons, prior to the onset of acute symptoms, the United Nations agency said.

In March, Mexico's Government reported an

A drone view shows the Institute of Epidemiological Diagnosis and Reference after the World Health Organisation said a person's death was caused by the first laboratory-confirmed human case of infection with the A (H5N2) subtype of bird flu reported globally, and the first human infection with the H5 strain of the virus reported in Mexico, in Mexico City, Mexico, June 5, 2024 (Reuters/ Daniel Becerril photo)

outbreak of A (H5N2) in an isolated family unit in the country's western Michoacan state, but said at the time this did not represent a risk to distant commercial farms, nor to human health.

After the April death, Mexican authorities confirmed the presence of the virus and reported the case to the WHO, the agency said.

Based on available information, WHO assesses the current risk to the general population posed by this virus as low.

No further cases have been reported during an investigation that tested people who had come into contact with the victim for types of influenza, as well as for COVID-19, it said. Cases of bird flu have now been identified in mammals such as seals, raccoons, bears and cattle, primarily due to contact with infected birds.

Scientists are on alert for changes in the virus that could signal it is adapting to spread more easily among humans. (Reuters)

Winter deepens misery for Argentina's poor following Milei's financial cuts

Homelessness is on the rise across major Argentine cities as the new libertarian Government's tough medicine reforms squeeze pensions, State salaries and push up rental prices, forcing more people into poverty.

The latest survey by local authorities showed the official number of Argentines sleeping rough on the streets of Buenos Aires reached 4009 in April, up from 3511 a year prior. These numbers are being replicated in other urban centres like Cordoba and Rosario, as President Javier Milei rebalances the State purse at a steep cost to the economy and

the most vulnerable.

Rocio Coman, who receives a state pension, has been homeless for several years. She described the current situation as a "disaster".

She was among a mix of homeless and now working-class people seeking help from "Amigos en Camino", a charity in Buenos Aires that patrols the streets distributing aid to those struggling to stay afloat.

Charity organiser Monica De Russis, 59, who has helped run Amigos en Camino, or Friends on the Road, for the past 13 years, has seen conditions worsen. Many more people "who have a roof over their

heads" are coming to them because "they don't earn enough," said Russis. "(We are) doing our bit."

So far, the Government response to the homelessness crisis has faced criticism.

Aid to thousands of soup kitchens was frozen when Milei took office in December, as his Government attempts to tackle corruption in the social welfare system and streamline the process of delivering state assistance. Milei said he wants to end "the business of poverty" by changing the way charities are used as intermediaries when distributing resources to those in need. (Reuters)

Haiti named among 18 hunger hotspots around the world

United Nations humanitarians Wednesday warned that no fewer than 18 crisis locations already suffering from dire food insecurity could see a firestorm of hunger unless aid reaches them urgently.

Although many hunger hotspots are in Africa, fears of famine persist in Gaza, where conflict continues to rage, fuelling the regional risk of new hunger emergencies, warned the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

Haiti was also added to that list amid escalating violence and threats to food security.

Earlier this week, UN humanitarians said they have finally been able to deliver truckloads of food to highly-vulnerable people in Haiti s capital, Port-au-Prince after gang violence prevented access for more than two months.

But the Country Director in Haiti for the WFP, Jean-Martin Bauer, said that the security situation remained exceptionally complex .

Haiti is facing a very challenging situation with widespread violence that is also impacting the ability of young Haitians to receive basic education.

Last month, the UN Office for the

Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that the number of people in Haiti facing high levels of acute food insecurity could reach a record five million, or half of the population, by the end of June.

The price of staple food remains high in the capital Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas amid an already dire food security situation and rampant gang violence, it added.

WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain said Wednesday that once a famine is declared, it is too late (as) many people will have already starved to death .(Excerpt from CMC)

Peru's Boluarte will meet China's Xi after Congress OKs late June trip

Peruvian President Dina Boluarte will travel to China this month to meet with her Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping and leaders from mining, technology and transportation firms after the Andean nation's Congress on Wednesday granted permission for the trip.

The trip, which according to Peru's Constitution needed the green light from lawmakers, was approved by a large majority in Peru's fragmented legislature, dominated by conservative members.

The meeting with Xi, scheduled for June 28, will come a few months before the summit of leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC), which is set be held in Lima in November.

APEC represents nearly half of global trade.

Boluarte is also sched-

uled to meet with executives from Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, an electric carmaker and a port services provider. (Reuters)

Mexico nearing deal with US for direct deportations to home countries

Mexico and the United States are nearing an agreement for non-Mexican migrants to be deported directly to their home countries rather than Mexico, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday.

The Mexican leader stressed he was willing to work with US authorities on the policy, following the executive action announced on Tuesday by President Joe Biden that seeks to reduce the flow of US-bound migrants ahead of November's election.

"We're reaching an agreement so that if they make the decision to deport, they do so directly,"

Lopez Obrador said at a regular press conference when asked about Biden's executive order blocking migrants who enter the United States from claiming asylum protections.

The new asylum restrictions, which took effect on Wednesday, allows US authorities to deport or send back to Mexico migrants who cross the border unlawfully without the chance to claim asylum.

Lopez Obrador also suggested he would accept migrants expelled to Mexico despite his preference for direct deportations, saying "we don't have a problem (with that)" in response to a question. (Reuters)

Around the World OIL NEWS

Oil under pressure as EIA confirms rising crude, fuel inventories

Crude oil prices moved lower Wednesday, after the US Energy Information Administration (EIA)reported an estimated inventory build of 1.2 million barrels for the week to May 31.

The change compared with a decline of 4.1 million barrels for the previous week, which failed to move prices higher, because it came in the company of fuel inventory builds in both gasoline and middle distillates.

The EIA estimate follows the American Petroleum Institute’s reporting a crude oil inventory build along with builds in fuels. The inventory change was unexpected and pressured oil prices, down since the start of the week, further.

In fuels, the EIA reported inventory builds for the last week of May.

In gasoline, the authority estimated an inventory increase of 2.1 million barrels, with production averaging 9.5 million barrels daily during the reporting period.

This compared with an inventory build of two million barrels for the previous week, with production averaging 10 million bpd.

In middle distillates, the EIA reported an inventory build of 3.2 million barrels for the week to May 31, with production standing at an average 5.1 million barrels daily.

This compared with an inventory build of 2.5 million barrels for the previous week, when middle distillate production averaged 5 million barrels daily.

Oil prices, meanwhile, remain depressed, at the lowest level in four months. The slump followed the latest Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies (OPEC+) meeting last weekend, which produced the news that some of the production cuts the group agreed last year may be reversed later this year. The possibility, conditioned on the right market environment, was taken by traders to mean a guaranteed surplus and a selloff followed.

"Brent remains under pressure as a corner of the market continues to view OPEC's proposed taper timeline for the voluntary cuts as a binding commitment to increase by 500,000 barrels per day in Q4 2024 irrespective of the fundamental oil outlook or sentiment come summer's end," RBC Capital Markets’ Helima Croft said in a note, as quoted by Reuters.

The oil inventory build estimated by the API also helped bring prices lower and keep them there. (Oilprice.com)

Gaza war: Hamas leader demands full end to conflict in blow to Biden plan

The leader of Hamas said on Wednesday the group would demand a permanent end to the war in Gaza and Israeli withdrawal as part of a ceasefire plan, dealing an apparent blow to a truce proposal touted last week by US President Joe Biden.

Israel, meanwhile, said there would be no halt to fighting during ceasefire talks, and launched a new assault on a central section of the Gaza Strip near the last city yet to be stormed by its tanks.

The remarks by Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh appeared to deliver the Palestinian militant group's reply to the proposal that Biden unveiled last week. Washington had said it was waiting to hear an answer from Hamas to what Biden described as an Israeli initiative.

"The movement and factions of the resistance will deal seriously and positively with any agreement that is based on a comprehensive ending of the aggression and the complete withdrawal and prisoners swap,” Haniyeh said. Asked whether Haniyeh's remarks amounted to the group's

“Godfathers of climate chaos”: UN chief calls for ban on fossil fuel ads

Each of the past 12 months ranked as the warmest on record in year-on-year comparisons, the European Union’s climate change monitoring service has said, as United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for a global ban on fossil fuel advertising.

Modi set to take oath for 3rd time on June 8 as allies pledge support

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's National Democratic Alliance (NDA) formally named him on Wednesday to lead a new coalition government for a third straight term, a day after it regained power with a surprisingly slim majority.

Modi, a populist who has dominated Indian politics since 2014, will for the first time head a

government dependent on the support of regional allies whose loyalties have wavered over time, which could complicate the new Cabinet's reform agenda.

A day after the humbling election outcome for his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), following a strong performance by the Opposition 'INDIA' bloc, Modi's 15 alliance partners met at his New Delhi

residence and named him as their leader.

The BJP-led NDA won 293 seats in the 543-member Lower House of Parliament, more than the simple majority of 272 seats needed to form a government.

The INDIA alliance led by Rahul Gandhi's centrist Congress party won 230 seats, more than forecast. (Excerpt from Reuters)

The average global temperature for the 12-month period to the end of May was 1.63 degrees Celsius) above the pre-industrial average – making it the warmest such period since record-keeping began in 1940, the Copernicus Climate Change Service said on Wednesday.

This 12-month average does not mean that the world has yet surpassed the 1.5 C global warming threshold, which describes a temperature average over decades, beyond which scientists warn of more extreme and irreversible impacts.

In a separate report, the UN’s World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said there was now an 80 per cent chance that at least one of the next five years will mark the first calendar year with an average temperature that temporarily exceeds 1.5C above pre-industrial levels – up from a 66 per cent chance last year. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

reply to Biden, a senior Hamas official replied to a text message from Reuters with a "thumbs up" emoji. Washington is still pressing hard to reach an agreement. CIA Director

Since a brief weeklong truce in November, all attempts to arrange a ceasefire have failed, with Hamas insisting on its demand for a permanent end to the conflict, while Israel says it is prepared to discuss only temporary pauses until the militant group is defeated.

Israel announced a new operation against Hamas in central Gaza on Wednesday, where Palestinian medics said airstrikes had killed dozens of people. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Putin says West is wrong to assume Russia would never use nuclear weapons

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that the West was wrong to assume that Moscow would never use nuclear weapons and he was considering deploying conventional missiles in striking distance of the United States and its allies.

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 touched off the worst breakdown in relations between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis – and the Kremlin has repeatedly warned that the risk of a global war is rising.

Putin, speaking faceto-face to senior editors of international news agencies for the first time since the war in Ukraine began, dismissed Western claims that Russia could attack NATO as "stupid", citing the military strength of the alliance.

Russia's published 2020 nuclear doctrine sets out the conditions under which a Russian President would consider using a nuclear weapon: broadly as a response to an attack using nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction, or to the use of conventional weapons against Russia "when the very existence of the State is put under threat."

Meanwhile, Ukraine's First Deputy Foreign Minister visited China on Wednesday and urged it to send a delegation to a planned summit on Ukraine this month in Switzerland, in the apparent hope it was still possible to persuade China to attend. Russia has not been invited to participate in the June 15-16 meeting. Beijing has so far said it will stay away, describing the attendance of both warring sides as a prerequisite for any substantive peace conference. (Excerpt from Reuters)

But when asked about the risk of nuclear war, the 71-year-old Kremlin chief said that Russia's nuclear doctrine did allow the use of such weapons if the country's territorial integrity or sovereignty was threatened.

An Israeli soldier stands in a tank, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, near the Israel-Gaza border, in Israel (Reuters/Amir Cohen photo)

William Burns met senior officials from mediators Qatar and Egypt on Wednesday in Doha to discuss the ceasefire proposal.

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Position yourself for success. Don't let anyone infiltrate your space or exploit your kindness or generosity. Apply energy to what matters most and refuse to let anyone make you feel guilty.

Consider your next move and how and who you want to help. Instead of trying to control what others do, change how you respond, and the outcome will satisfy your soul.

Take an aggressive approach to getting and doing what you want. Set standards and boundaries that allow you to dictate how your life unfolds. Trust yourself to come up with good ideas.

Revisit your goals and aspirations and consider what makes you happy. Consider incorporating the skills you enjoy using most into your moneymaking plans.

Connect with people with as much to offer as you. Use your bartering skills to reach agreements that ensure everyone's a winner. Live, love, laugh and enjoy what life has to offer.

Consider your routine and how it affects you. Attend a seminar or conference that offers alternatives that, with a bit of guidance, can lead to self-improvement.

Go on an adventure. Whether you dream about what you want to do or follow your heart and make things happen, it will become a learning experience that changes how you think.

Try something new and exciting that takes you on a memorable journey. Explore the possibilities and consider how you can expand your mind. Invest in yourself.

Do something that gets your juices flowing, your heart beating and your mind racing. Let the excitement build and your ideas flourish. Refuse to get stuck in a rut.

Get down to business and deal with money, prospects and career issues. Be observant and learn something about yourself and what you can do to get ahead. Don't let negativity set in.

Take precautions and refuse to let emotional situations stand between you and what you want. Use your insight, intelligence and originality to find your niche.

Let what others say and do sink in before you make a move or agree to something that isn't in your best interest. Design a strategy to reach your goal. Work alone.

PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PICKLES ARCHIE

India quicks lead demolition of Ireland on fizzing pitch

New York’s second match as a T20I venue was a lot like its first: low-scoring and brutal.

Two days after South Africa had bowled Sri Lanka out for 77 here,

both teams took body blows: Rohit retired hurt on 52 soon after being struck on the arm, and by the time India wrapped up their win, their thoughts may have gone ahead to June 9 at the

India bowled Ireland out for 96. A different strip was used for this game, but the bounce was just as inconsistent, and batting was just as difficult, if not outright dangerous. India’s selection was

same venue, and what kind of pitch they may have to play Pakistan on.

ARSHDEEP SETS THE TONE

The first two overs had given enough of a clue of how this pitch

brought India their first wicket, Paul Stirling top-edging a heave across the line at the start of the third over; and by the end of that over, Arshdeep had taken out both openers.

He was finding ways to mix up his stock inswinger to the righthander with balls that kept going with the left-armer’s angle across them, and one of these away-slanters bowled Andy Balbirnie, as he stayed leg-side of the ball and tried to steer one down to third.

IRELAND COLLAPSE

By the end of the powerplay, Ireland were still only two down, but Harry Tector had already been hit on the glove and the thigh pad, and was batting on 1 off 10. That

ing short of their lowest T20I total - 68 against West Indies during the 2010 edition of this tour-

became 4 off 15 before a nasty short ball from Bumrah hurried him, and he ended up gloving the attempted pull into his helmet and then to the fielder at short extra-cover. By then Ireland had also lost Lorcan Tucker, bowled in trying to drive a nip-backer from Hardik.

India kept getting length balls to nip around and short -of-length balls to climb, and Ireland kept losing wickets. The introduction of spin didn’t stem the collapse, as Barry McCarthy was caught-and-bowled by an Axar Patel ball that stuck

At 50 for 8, Ireland were in danger of fall-

nament. They eventually crossed that mark - with Gareth Delany’s risk-taking coming off where those of his teammates mostly didn’t - in a 14-ball 26 that carried Ireland to 96.

ROHIT, PANT FINISH THE JOB

Rohit and Virat Kohli came out swinging. Perhaps they reckoned that the new ball and powerplay field restrictions gave them the best chance of quick runs, and they came away with contrasting outcomes. Kohli fell early, caught on the deep-third boundary while charging at Mark Adair and looking to slap

him over the covers. Rohit enjoyed two slices of early luck: when Balbirnie put down a tough chance at second slip in the first over, off Adair, and when an inside-edge in the second over, off Josh Little, ran away for four past the stumps. He carried on to score his 30th T20I fifty.

The pitch remained treacherous, and Rohit’s control percentage hovered in the 40s for most of his innings, before climbing to 51 by the time he retired hurt. But he hit some telling blows too, most notably two trademark pulls off successive balls from Little, which

Ireland (20 ovs maximum)

BATTING R

Andy Balbirnie b Arshdeep Singh 5

Paul Stirling (c) c †Pant b Arshdeep Singh 2

Lorcan Tucker † b Pandya 10

Harry Tector c Kohli b Bumrah 4

Curtis Campher c †Pant b Pandya 12

George Dockrell c Bumrah b Mohammed Siraj 3

Gareth Delany run out

(Mohammed Siraj/†Pant) 26

Mark Adair c Dube b Pandya 3

Barry McCarthy c & b Patel 0

Josh Little b Bumrah 14

Ben White not out 2

Extras (lb 5, nb 1, w 9) 15

TOTAL 16 Ov (RR: 6.00) 96

Fall of wickets: 1-7

(Paul Stirling, 2.1 ov), 2-9

(Andy Balbirnie, 2.6 ov), 3-28

(Lorcan Tucker, 6.5 ov), 4-36

(Harry Tector, 7.6 ov), 5-44

(Curtis Campher, 8.6 ov), 6-46

(George Dockrell, 9.4 ov), 7-49

(Mark Adair, 10.1 ov), 8-50

(Barry McCarthy, 11.2 ov), 9-77

(Josh Little, 14.2 ov), 10-96

(Gareth Delany, 15.6 ov) •

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Arshdeep Singh 4-0-35-2

brought up his 599th and 600th sixes in international cricket. Before that, he had also gone past 4000 runs in T20Is. Pant looked more fluent than Rohit; indeed, as fluent as anyone could have looked on this pitch, and he hit three sixes and two fours while scoring an unbeaten 36 off 26. He took a hit to the elbow and one to the shoulder, and his response to the latter blow summed him up as a cricketer and character: he finished the match off the next ball, reverse-scooping McCarthy for six over the wicketkeeper. (ESPNCricinfo)

Siraj

Jasprit Bumrah celebrating a wicket

Gareth Delany and Ben White walking off after Ireland were dismissed for 96

Rohit Sharma hitting through the leg side

Rishabh Pant launching the ball down the ground

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2024

Fireworks expected in both 400m events at AP Invitational

The 400m events for both male and female athletes at this year’s Aliann Pompey Invitational, set for June 22 at the National Track and Field Centre at Edinburgh, Leonora, West Coast Demerara, each promise to be a humdinger because of the announcement of a stellar line-up of Guyana’s future track and field stars alongside some of the best athletes in the region.

But although Abrams’s record-breaking performance was remarkable, she would need to replicate or improve it during the Olympic qualification period (July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024) in order to book her spot at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France. The Olympic qualifying time for the women’s 400m event is 50.95 seconds, and her season’s best currently stands at 51.93 seconds.

Although Springer is not yet close to qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games, pundits are eager to see the double gold medallist from the CARIFTA Games face tougher competition, especially since she remains undefeated in the 400m at local, regional, and international champi-

The women’s event will feature Guyana’s national record holder, the Olympian Aliyah Abrams, as well as Youth Commonwealth Games champion Tianna Springer. Abrams’s time of 50.20 seconds at the NACAC New Life Invitational not only secured her the win, but also broke Aliann Pompey’s previous national record of 50.71 seconds, set at the World Championships in Berlin, Germany in 2009.

onships.

Springer ended 2023 with the seventh-fastest time by an under-18 athlete in the world, while her 52.31 seconds at this year’s CARIFTA Games is currently the second-fastest under-18 time globally.

The 17-year-old had a stellar 2023, winning the 400m at the CARIFTA Games and the South American U20 Championship in Athletics, where she also broke the event’s record.

Additionally, she swept the Youth Commonwealth Games, winning Guyana’s first individual gold medal in the history of this event.

Colombia’s Melany Balono, Thailand’s Chinenye Onuorah, and the Dominican Republic’s Milagros Duran are the overseas athletes who would be participating in the 400- metre event, while Deshana Skeete, Kenisha Phillips, and Narissa McPherson are the other Guyanese competitors in the line-up.

In the men’s event, the competition features Arinze Chance,

Tianna Springer

CARIFTA Games U20

400m Champion Malachi Austin, and the Dominican Republic’s Lidio Feliz.

Known for his 400m prowess during his collegiate career, Chance recorded a personal best of 46.01 seconds in 2019. His season’s best this year is 47.67 seconds, achieved in April.

Austin is one of Guyana’s promising prospects in the 400m. His 46.35 seconds which won him first place in the Men’s U20 event at the CARIFTA Games this year makes this 17-year-old the fourth-fastest U18 athlete

in the world.

In the Tokyo Olympics 4x400m Mixed Relay, Feliz, along with Alexander Ogando, Marileidy Paulino and Anabel Medina, finished second with a time of 3:10.21, just behind Poland (3:09.87) and ahead of the USA (3:10.22).

Feliz again teamed up with Ogando, Paulino, and Fiordaliza Cofil to win the 4x400m mixed relay at the 2022 World Championships in a time of 3:09.82, beating the Netherlands (3:09.90) and the USA (3:10.16).

Feliz’s personal best is 44.26 seconds, set in 2022,

while his season’s best is 46.25 seconds.

Renny Quow, the 400m bronze medallist at the 2009 World Championships, is also part of the line-up. Quow, now 36, has had a stellar career, but has never qualified for the Olympics. The Dominican Republic’s Nefer Santana and Wilbert Encarnacion are the other athletes registered for the 400m in this year’s AP Invitational.

Australia will miss ‘natural winner’ Warner when he retires, says Ponting

DIrving is “the most gifted player the NBA has ever seen”, says LeBron James

Kyrie Irving is the “most gifted player the NBA has ever seen”, and he holds the key to the Dallas Mavericks’ chances of victory in the NBA Finals.

This is according to former team-mate LeBron James, who played on the Cleveland Cavaliers team with Irving from 2014 to 2017, when they made the NBA Finals in each of those seasons and triumphed in 2015-16.

Irving had then enjoyed stints with the Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets before joining Dallas last February.

He has been in great form during the offseason, averaging 22.8 points and 5.2 assists, as well as shooting 48.5 per cent from the field to help put Dallas in contention for their second NBA championship.

Speaking on an episode of his ‘Mind the Game’ podcast, James said of Irving: “I’m so happy and so proud to watch him continue his

growth. I’m so f****** mad at the same time that I’m not his running mate any more. I would call Kyrie ‘the wizard’ all the time. There was nothing on a basketball floor that Kyrie couldn’t do.”

James highlighted Irving’s performance in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, when he scored 24 of his 30 points in the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves, as the standout moment of this postseason.

While Boston may be favourites for the NBA Finals, which tip off on Thursday at TD Garden, James says Irving’s ability gives Dallas a chance.

“That was like, ‘Oh s***, Dallas may be able to not only win the Western Conference finals, they might be able to win the whole thing’,” James said of Irving’s Game 1 display.

“Because of that wild card, he’s the most gifted player the NBA has ever seen.” (Sportsmax)

avid Warner would leave “a really big set of shoes to fill” when he retires from international cricket after the T20 World Cup, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has said.

The 37-year-old Warner will complete his stage-by-stage international retirement at the conclusion of the tournament, where Australia begin their campaign against Oman on Thursday.

The reigning Cricket World Cup winners and World Test champions, who would also play England, Scotland and Namibia in Group B, are aiming to complete the sweep of global international honours in the United States and the West Indies.

Warner would be one of four players to have appeared in all three finals; the others are Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Travis Head.

A steady and injury-hit Indian Premier League season with the Delhi Capitals - led by three-time World Cup winner Ponting - has led to question marks being placed over Warner’s selection for this competition. But, to Ponting, Warner’s inclusion was never in doubt, and Ponting is backing travelling reserve Jake Fraser-McGurk, winner of the IPL 2024 Electric Striker of the Season award, to fill the void when Warner brings the curtain down on his international career.

“He’s the sort of character you want to have around your team,

especially in big tournaments like World Cups,” Ponting told ESPNcricinfo about Warner. “He’s just one of those natural winners. Everything he does, he wants to win. You can see that with his attitude in the field and the way he goes about his cricket.

“There’s more than just the runs that we’ll be missing when Warner finally is gone. But hopefully, the depth of Australian cricket is good enough to find someone to come in and fill that void,” Ponting has said. “It’s going to be a really big set of shoes to fill, there’s no doubt about that. They have got a lot of depth there.

“I’d be very surprised if he [Fraser-McGurk] doesn’t go straight into the T20 team when David’s finally done. I was lucky enough to coach him at the Delhi Capitals this year as well. He’s got extreme talent.” (Sportsmax)

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Aliyah Abrams

Kyrie Irving and LeBron James had once suited up for the same team

Australia’s David Warner

AC recall stalling completion of Sports Hall upgrades

The country’s premier indoor sporting facility, the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) on Homestretch Avenue, has been out of commission for quite some time.

Back in 2022, rehabilitation work was announced for the venue, encompassing the installation of air conditioning units, bucket seats and new floors. However, estimated timeline for the completion of those works, costing in excess of $200M, has long expired.

In a recently invited comment, Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr. gave reasons why the venue has not yet been completed.

“We had a challenge on the recall of the ACs. So, the company that manufactured the Ac’s, they wrote to us to say that they were recalling the Acs. So, that was the delay,” he explained.

“They’re sending us new ones, they’re already being manufactured right now,” the Sport Minister disclosed to media operatives.

Ramson Jr. went on to share about contracting woes. “We had to terminate the previous contract because of the delay. They were taking too long, and we’re a lot firmer now. Now that I’ve had the experience with some delinquent contractors, I’ve taken firmer decision about how I deal

with them,” he explained.

“But we terminated the previous contract. We went out to tender already, the contract’s already awarded. Those bits of equipment are going to be on their way

With big names like Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope and Shamar Joseph riding the bench in West Indies’ first ICC Men’s T20 World Cup fixture on Sunday last, West Indies are experiencing some ‘good headaches’.

Quizzed about what changes can possibly be made for their next game against Uganda this weekend, Head Coach Daren Sammy told local media operatives that it’s only dependent on conditions, since his team is stacked with match winners.

“I have fifteen match winners; you know, everybody up for selection. Obviously, the start of the tournament, that’s the eleven we thought, against this opposition would be good for us. We’re going to assess again, it’s a night game, different conditions. We saw the night game Afghanistan versus Uganda, we saw how the wicket played, we’re go-

ing to assess and trust in the selection process, that whoever we put out there on the field will turn up for us and perform,” the West Indies Head Coach shared.

The Head Coach delved into the topic of roles he has assigned his players, highlighting the flack he has received for Roston Chase’s selection, which has paid off thus far.

Sammy explained, “When we identified some of the areas we had to improve (on) in order to be successful, not in this World Cup but in T20 cricket period, that person when the wicket’s difficult, rotate the ball around; he [Roston Chase] and Shai, you know that’s their role, with Pooran who we know can be very destructive. You need that calm factor, that security at one end.

“Chase is one of the players over the years I get cursed for a lot, but I am with these guys every day and understand what skillset and what role they

soon; so, once they get here, it’s time to finish up the AC,” he explained.

When the AC issue is rectified, the Sport Minister shared, the remaining projects would need to be completed before the Sports Hall can reopen its doors.

“Because we are finishing up the exterior right now, we’ve already chosen the flooring for not the court, but for the section

where they have all the teams, washrooms, and the entrance. It’s the international type of flooring, the epoxy type. I examined it myself, so I’m satisfied.” Ramson Jr divulged.

bring to this team. So, I’m really proud of the way he’s accepted the role; and again, like I tell him, if you look at the bench, who’s on the bench. Guys who play gotta come and perform, because they got men waiting to come in and at any time can fit in,” he went on to say.

Elaborating on the matter of roles, Sammy revealed that it has helped to manage selection expectations, even though the quality on the bench has made selection tougher.

“I think the culture we’ve built in this team. I think I pride myself on honest conversations, making sure that the guys understand I don’t look at the personnel, I look at the roles required to be executed and fit the person best required for that role. Once I take out the emotions and the personnel, and like I said look at the role, then the selection becomes very easy,” Sammy related.

But it hasn’t been easy. When you look at Hetty on the bench, you have two fast bowlers on the bench, you have Shai on the bench… So, we have a quality side, and it’s always good when you have competition for places because of performance,” the Head Coach concluded.

West Indies will take on Uganda next on Saturday, June 8, at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD) from 20:30hrs local time.

…As

It was a significant day for the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) on Sunday, with the kick off of their Senior Men’s League and the presentation of $1.4 million by Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde to ensure the league’s successful completion.

The June 2 ceremony, attended by GFA Executive Council Members, including President Otis James, VP Clifton Adams, VP Michelle George, Treasurer Akram Sabree, and Secretary Lomell Johnson, was held at the GFF’s National Training Centre (NTC) at Providence, East Bank Demerara.

GFF President Wayne Forde also presented essential equipment, including balls, cones and bibs, to the GFA’s ten clubs: defending champions

“When we move into the next phase, it’s not going to be a very complicated phase, which is, to get the stands. So, we’ve already started to get in touch with the manufacturers, to give them the dimensions for them to start to send us how the seating arrangements would look. Once we get done with our other projects, we can then put in our order for that,” he said in addressing the installation of the bucket seats.

The Sports Hall was reopened back in 1997, and as such, the ongoing upgrades are aimed at modernizing the facility.

Federation’s nine member associations in four key areas: administration and operations, equipment and materials, competitions and technical development, and infrastructure.

President Forde congratulated the GFA on the launch of another successful league, noting that he has been impressed with both the overall plans for the season and the players’ energy.

Beacons FC, Black Pearl FC, Campton FC, Riddim Squad FC, Eastveldt FC, Georgetown FC, Northern Rangers FC, Pele FC, Vengy FC and Ordis FC.

The funds were provided through the Members Financial Assistance Programme (M-FAP), which was launched in 2020 to support the

“Club football is a key element to the sport’s growth, and this cannot happen without the commitment of all stakeholders, including the GFA Executive Council, club managers, players, and of course the GFF. M-FAP was launched to ensure that we can support our members’ competitions.

Congratulations once again, GFA. I am looking forward to a season of amazing football,” he said.

All member associations will receive similar funding for their leagues.

GFA is now the third regional association to start their league. Essequibo Coast /Pomeroon Football Association (ECPFA) commenced in April, while the East Bank Demerara Football Association (EBFA) kicked off in May. The remaining six Regional Associations – Bartica Football Association (BFA), Berbice Football Association (BFA), East Coast Demerara Football Association (ECDFA), Rupununi Football Association (RFA), Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA), and West Demerara Football Association (WDFA) – are gearing up to kick off their respective tournaments in the coming weeks.

The champions of the regional leagues will have the chance to compete in the GFF Elite League Promotional Playoff for a spot in Season Seven of the premier club tournament.

In the GFA’s opening matches, Northern Rangers FC drew with Eastveldt FC 2–2, while Black Pearl FC secured a victory against Vengy FC 2–1.

Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr.

The GFF has supported the GFA with M-FAP funding

A look at the first game in the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) 2024 Senior Men’s League

West Indies are in preparation for their second T20 World Cup match, to be played at the Guyana National Stadium

Senior League kicks off – Sammy talks managing selection and expectations