New 75-MW power ship to be stationed in Demerara River
Expanded medical services, enhanced facilities for veterans – President Ali
Mandatory continuing education needed to raise standards in legal profession – AG Iwokrama Centre raises alarm over increased requests for forest access
HIV/AIDS deaths recorded annually in
Deadly Corentyne fire Father arrested on cattle rustling report released
BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Thursday, November 14 –03:00h-04:30h and Friday, November 15 – 03:45h-05:15h.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Thursday, November 14 –14:50h-16:20h and Friday, November 15 – 15:30h-17:00h.
FERRY SCHEDULE
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
WEATHER TODAY
Thundery to light showers are expected during the day and at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 23 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.
Winds: East North-Easterly to South-Easterly between 1.79 metres and 4.47 metres.
High Tide: 15:16h reaching a maximum height of 2.84 metres.
Low Tide: 08:50h and 21:17h reaching minimum heights of 0.52 metre and 0.34 metre.
New 75-MW power ship to be stationed in Demerara River …contract
signed ahead of holiday surge
Ahead of the upcoming high-demand holiday season, the Government has inked another contract with Qatarbased UCC Holdings for the supply of a second power ship, which would deliver some 75 megawatts of power to the national grid.
The contract was signed on Wednesday between the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL) and UCC Holdings, which had supplied the 35-megawatt power ship that is currently operating in the Berbice River. Head of the GPL Executive Management Committee, Kesh Nandlall, and UCC Holdings’ Managing Director of the Americas, Antonio Neto, inked the deal in the presence of Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh; Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar; and other officials at the state-owned power company’s Duke Street, Georgetown office.
In a statement from the Finance Ministry, it was revealed that this new power ship will be stationed in the Demerara River, and will, in its first phase, deliver 60 megawatts of generating capacity to the national grid. Another 15 additional megawatts of power would be delivered to the grid in the second phase, bringing to 75 megawatts the total amount to be supplied.
According to the missive, this second floating power plant will be “…deployed to Guyana in another month to assist in supplying the continuous increasing demand for reliable power in the country.”
Only last week, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo disclosed that works have already commenced to prepare for the arrival of the second floating power plant. He explained that five kilometres of transmission mains are being built to accommodate the vessel.
“Their material is often not here in the country, so they are using some spare material now. We are borrowing now, because, you know, to procure a lot of the material, the transformers, the poles – these are concrete poles and such – it takes time. We are hoping that in six weeks, or maybe a month, the power ship could be here and turned on before Christmas,” he told reporters.
Growing demands
Speaking at Wednesday’s signing ceremony, Minister Singh pointed out that Government would continue to supply the country’s growing demand in the short term as it continues to work on meeting the growing economy’s demands in the longer term through larger projects such as the Gas-toEnergy (GtE) Project.
“President [Dr Irfaan] Ali’s instructions are very clear: that, in the first in-
stance, we must meet the immediate demand for electricity, and where that means bringing in emergency power, we must bring in that emergency power. And secondly, we must make the investments that are needed for the medium- and longer-term demand that we will see for electricity,” the Finance Minister explained as he outlined the various actions Government has taken thus far.
“On the short-term side, you’ve seen the several sets we have brought in and commissioned since we came in to office, including the floating sets on the Berbice River concluded with the consortium. That power ship is now supplying 36 megawatts of reliable power to the Demerara to Berbice interconnected system. But even at the time that we plugged in that ship, we said very clearly that the demand will continue to grow and that we will need more power,” he added.
Dr Singh went on to note that for the longer-term, Government expects that
its highly anticipated GtE Project would deliver an additional 300 megawatts of power to the country when it comes on stream next year.
“This PPP/C (People’s Progressive Party/Civic) government is looking even further and projecting what we anticipate will be the demand for electricity further down the road; and in that regard, we anticipate that there will be need for even more power, so we have gone out with another request for
proposal for additional generating capability that will help us again to better be able to meet the long-term needs,” Dr Singh concluded. Also delivering remarks, Minister Indar pointed to the importance of Government providing the generating capability for the country to accommodate the current growth in demand, as well as future demand, and especially with the holidays fast approaching.
GPL’s Head, Kesh Nandlall and UCC Holdings representative Antonio Neto signing the contract for the 75-megawatt power ship in the presence of Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh and Minister within the Public Works Ministry Deodat Indar, along with other officials
Editor: Tusika Martin
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Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com
Leader in climate transparency
Guyana has emerged as a leader in climate transparency, a position validated by its recent recognition as the only Caribbean Community (Caricom) member to receive the prestigious "Champion of Climate Transparency" honour from the United Nations. This commendation underscores not only Guyana’s commitment to transparency in climate action, but also its dedication to setting and meeting environmental goals, a journey critical to achieving the Paris Agreement's net-zero objectives.
Transparency, as UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell articulated, is more than filing timely reports; it is about actively tracking, learning, and evolving strategies for tangible climate action. By submitting its Biennial Transparency Report ahead of schedule, Guyana has aligned itself with only eight other global frontrunners, including Japan, Spain, and the Netherlands. This timely submission highlights Guyana’s proactive approach, as well as its commitment to knowledgesharing, data-driven decision-making, and resource allocation that prioritizes resilience and protection for vulnerable populations.
Guyana’s active participation in these dialogues and its contribution to transparency have powerful implications for CARICOM and the Global South. In a region where climate change poses acute risks — from rising sea levels to severe weather events — Guyana’s efforts exemplify the critical need for developing countries to take a central role in shaping climate policies and demanding accountability from major global emitters. This transparency also provides a model for other nations, signalling that it is possible for small countries to achieve impactful climate governance and influence global frameworks, especially in climate-vulnerable areas.
Guyana’s leadership goes beyond mere reporting. Last year, at COP28, President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s address challenged the international community to recognize the urgency of moving away from rigid doctrinaire approaches to climate policy. He highlighted the importance of flexibility and realistic strategies to achieve net-zero goals in a changing global landscape. This year, at COP29 in Azerbaijan, Guyana would likely continue to emphasize this message, pushing for comprehensive, equitable solutions to climate issues, and championing developing nations' right to participate actively in these discussions.
However, this recognition also places new responsibilities on Guyana. By earning the title of a climate transparency champion, the country must continue to enhance its environmental strategies while advocating for realistic and sustainable practices that benefit both local communities and the global ecosystem. For instance, as Guyana’s Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has noted, it remains to be seen whether this year’s COP would yield substantial outcomes. His reservations reflect a wider concern within the developing world about the gap between climate promises and actions.
Looking forward, Guyana’s transparency in climate reporting is not an end, but a pivotal step toward greater accountability. As a global leader in transparency, Guyana can influence multilateral efforts to ensure that the commitments made at COP conferences translate into concrete actions. Additionally, as discussions of a proposed $1 billion Climate Finance Action Fund at COP29 illustrate, the creation and allocation of financial resources for climate action in the developing world is crucial. Such funds, which intend to leverage fossil fuel contributions for climate resilience and greenhouse gas reductions, are essential for nations like Guyana, where resources are needed to build local resilience and foster sustainable development pathways.
As climate threats intensify, Guyana’s role as a transparency champion in climate action inspires both Caricom nations and the broader global community. By maintaining a transparent and accountable approach, Guyana is not only setting an example, but is also working to ensure that the world’s climate actions are fair, inclusive, and effective in addressing the needs of all nations, especially those most affected by the climate crisis.
Why did Justin Welby fall so tragically short?
Because
he was preoccupied with efficiency, not listening
By Catherine PePinster
When you look at a high-up cleric – someone like Justin Welby, say, dressed in all his finery, vestments trimmed with gold thread and a bejewelled clasp on his cope, as he was at the coronation of King Charles III – it’s hard to believe this has any connection with a wandering rabbi on the shores of the Sea of Galilee with his band of 12 followers.
But Welby and his fellow Church of England prelates take as their guiding light the teachings of that rabbi, Jesus. His words were not all milk and honey. Take, for example, this passage from the Gospel of Matthew: “If anyone causes one of these little ones – those who believe in me – to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”
In the case of Welby, who resigned as Archbishop of Canterbury on Tuesday, that millstone turned out to be the Makin Review, a recently published independent report that charted the brutal savagery of serial abuser John Smyth. Makin was even more disturbing in its account of how some people in the C of E knew about what Smyth was up to and covered it up.
It is not the first such organisation to make its own wellbeing, rather than that
of the survivors of abuse, a priority; nor will it probably be the last. We’ve seen it before with schools, for example. The Roman Catholic Church has also been culpable, and reading the Makin Review, I found so much that was all too familiar from my own reporting on Catholic scandals: the failure to act; not taking children’s suffering seriously; making the reputation of the institution a priority; delay in bringing people to justice, which leads to other children being exposed to abuse.
Makin was very clear about Welby’s own culpability. The report said that, in 2013, soon after his appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury, he was informed of the Smyth case and told that complaints had been reported to the police. But no formal referral had actually been made. Instead, the review said, Welby and other senior church figures showed “a distinct lack of curiosity” and “a tendency towards minimisation of the matter”.
How could this have been his response?
In 2013, he was new to the role of Archbishop of Canterbury. Perhaps with a desk piled high with papers and issues demanding his attention, he missed how important this was. Welby was predicted to be a super-efficient archbishop, given he joined the church after years in important roles in oil businesses.
People believed he would act decisively, and run the church more effectively.
Certainly, when you spoke to him, you sensed he was a CEO who had mentally allocated you five minutes before passing on to the next matter to be dealt with. That is agenda-driven episcopacy, rather than a listening episcopacy. You can’t run a church with a handbook full of business buzzwords like “low-hanging fruit” or “good to go”.
But, given that background, let’s take a few more phrases that Welby might have learned from the business world. Learning curve is one, and for him, there has been a very steep one in the past few days. His first response to the report was to apologise and say he wasn’t going to resign. He quickly learned that nowadays it is survivors of abuse who have moral authority, rather than archbishops; and when they demanded that he go – as well as the thousands who signed a petition urging him to quit –he had to do so.
His resignation statement spoke of him taking “personal and institutional responsibility”; that was entirely right. As he’ll also know from business, the buck stops with the boss; but there’s a danger in that.
Makin showed that others –including at least four serving bishops – also failed children. Others need to examine their consciences, not just Welby. Then there is the future.
Professor Alexis Jay, who was commissioned by the C of E to look at its safeguarding, recommended it move to an independent system, but says it is now dragging its feet. When the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell – now the most senior Anglican cleric – spoke on Radio 4’s Today programme, he indicated that delays were in part due to the church’s structure, requiring its synod to be involved in reforms.
That suggests – using another of those business phrases – it really needs to go back to the drawing board, think about streamlining what it does when it comes to safeguarding, listen more to survivors, and preach a little less.
The Church of England is unlikely to cast aside hundreds of years in an instant for dramatic reforms – although the voluntary resignation of an Archbishop of Canterbury was unprecedented. But it would do well to focus harder on that wandering rabbi who spoke so powerfully of those who harmed children. Otherwise, not only would more be damaged, but all that it stands for –the food banks, the warm spaces in winter, work with the homeless, the places we can go when we need to be still and silent – would be irreparably harmed too. (The Guardian)
(Catherine Pepinster is a writer on religion and a former editor of the Tablet, the Catholic weekly)
A veteran laying a wreath during the Guyana Defence Force’s wreath-laying ceremony held at the Veterans Monument on the Front Lawns of Base Camp Ayanganna on Wednesday (Office of the Prime Minister photo)
UK export agency open to providing finance to local Private Sector – Regional Head
The United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF)
Agency, which earlier this year had tripled to £2.1 billion the ceiling of funds it is willing to make available to Guyanese investments, stands ready to provide funding to the local private sector once proposals are deemed creditworthy.
It was UKEF that stepped up to finance the construction of a multi-billion-dollar paediatric and maternal hospital at Ogle, East Coast Demerara. In a recent exclusive interview with this publication, UKEF Regional Head, Camilo Neira, said the agency looks forward to financing not just public sector, but private sector projects as well.
“The potential is immense. I mean £2.1 billion is intended to go to all public and private (initiatives). We haven’t yet engaged in any private sector opportunities, but we’re happy to look into that, of course. We need to be careful in terms of credit worthiness,
for instance, in Guyana; and it happens around the world.
“We’re open to financing private sector opportunities, but we have to be very careful in terms of credit worthiness, the financials have to be solid. But we’re very much happy to do so,” Neira explained.
Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh had also recently expressed hope that the agency would eventually finance private sector projects. As a matter of fact, the Minister urged investors who had arrived in Guyana on a UK trade mission to explore the financing options offered by UKEF.
“UKEF also finances private sector projects. And I don’t think we’ve done a private sector transaction as yet, but I’m hoping we do a private sector transaction. And I should say that reflecting the UK’s posture in relation to promoting British businesses in Guyana, UKEF and the British Government have increased the country’s ceiling.
“So, there’s £2.1 billion.
If you take out the projects that have already been granted, probably about £1.8 billion worth of business to be done, financed and supported by UKEF,” the Finance Minister also said.
The UK-funded $31.9 bil-
lion Paediatric and Maternal Hospital is being built by VAMED Engineering, and is on track for completion by the final quarter of 2025. The Paediatric and Maternal Hospital will be a referral centre for women and children.
The facility will also have 256 beds and high-quality equipment sourced from the United Kingdom.
The hospital was birthed from a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Guyana and Austria. While the agreement had catered for another set of works, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government had made amendments for the construction of this facility after entering office.
It had been announced in February 2024 that UKEF’s country credit limit for Guyana had been increased from £750 million to £2.1 billion. Making that announcement was the UK Minister for the Americas, Caribbean and Overseas Territories, David Rutley.
He had pointed out that through UKEF, the Government would be able to access competitive loans on a term basis for national propriety projects such as social infrastructure, health care and education…though owing to
UK’s policy direction away from fossil fuel, the agency would not be funding projects in the oil and gas sector.
“This effectively increases the ability of businesses to access finance for projects and programmes. This effectively enhances the level of potential new business the UKEF can support in Guyana, across sectors in which the UK offer can be more instrumental,” Rutley had said. The Minister had further noted that British confidence in the PPP/C government’s stewardship of the economy, which is poised to record real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 42.3 per cent this year, was responsible for this policy change.
UKEF aids overseas buyers across the world in accessing the financial support they need to procure from the UK, unlocking the potential of the UK supply chain by making their bids more competitive.
(G3)
Questions for Nigel Hughes
Dear Editor,
Nigel Hughes has been getting lots of attention recently. As next year rolls around, however, and as the nation begins to focus on elections, the public must get answers to some burning questions on Hughes’ mindset and his policy positions. To facilitate this process, fifteen questions are posed for him below. I remind Hughes that clarity of his answers is essential.
1. Are you, the AFC, and APNU willing and ready to apologize for delaying the elections for nearly 437 days after the No-Confidence vote was taken in the National Assembly on December 21, 2018?
2. Are you willing and
ready to apologize for the ridiculous argument that 33 does not constitute a majority over 32?
3. Are you remorseful for the broad daylight attempt by the AFC to help steal the elections of 2020?
4. If the answer to question three is yes, when will you apologize for the disruptive and unconstitutional behavior of the AFC, the party that you now lead?
5. Are you, Sir, ready to apologize to the 7047sugar workers who were let go by APNU-AFC and forced onto breadlines.
6. Are you willing and ready to acknowledge and apologize to the hundreds of baux-
ite workers who lost their jobs under the APNU and your party, the AFC?
7. When will you apologize for the broken promises and betrayal of trust to these workers and their families?
8. When will you apologize for the lopsided deal that the APC member signed with ExxonMobil and partners?
9. Are you willing and ready to apologize for the US$18 million that the APNUAFC took from the oil companies after signing a lopsided contract?
10. Are you prepared, willing and ready to make your tax records public in the interest of transparency and accountability?
11. Is the AFC ready to acknowledge and apologize for the 200 taxes that were placed on the backs of the Guyanese people and Guyanese businesses during its five-year rule between 2015 and 2020?
12. Will you apologize to the 185,000 students (annually) who had their Because We Care cash grant taken away from them between March 2015 and July 2020?
13. Are you willing and ready to apologize for the onemonth bonus taken away from the uniformed forces during the APNU-AFC rule?
14. Since the law firm (Hughes, Fields, & Stoby), of which you are a partner, represents the interests of
Fire them up, or fire them!
Dear Editor,
I watched the video in which President Ali chewed up and spat out ministers, permanent secretaries, engineers, and other officials over a huge number of Government projects being four or more months behind schedule.
I have never seen such a name-and-shame effort, but that is what it probably would take to get efficiency in Government projects. All those ministers and Government officials who usually act high and mighty were appropriately cut down to size. I now know whom I will complain to when NIS, Regional Ministry, GRO, Education, Health, Water, Housing, Home Affairs people and others don’t respond.
It’s a toxic culture when Government people don’t do their jobs efficiently, and where
a culture of “nobody cares” predominates across Government. The poor people suffer. Thanks to the President for caring! I had called before for an Efficiency Czar to be appointed. I have no tolerance for Government being unresponsive, with no sense of customer service, as it provides “slow motion” services to our people.
In America, employees apologise to you profusely if you have to wait a few minutes to get served. Their Customer Service operates on this basis: Rule No. 1 –“The Customer is always right.” Rule No. 2 – “If you don’t believe the customer is always right, see Rule No. 1.” Imagine if we practise such customer service values how revolutionary it would be for the working masses and the country.
In Guyana’s top-down sys-
tem, rich people don’t have to go through what poor people go through. They have “lines” with the big boys, and don’t have to sit in a waiting area in an office to get served. It’s the poor people who go through hell getting Government services.
It should not have to take a president’s involvement to get things done on time. If the President has to intervene, it means the ministers and other people he trusted and put there are not doing their jobs, and are letting him down and embarrassing him. The President should fire some of the bad eggs, so the country would know he means business about efficiency. Fire them up, or fire them!
Truth be told, since Independence, we have still operated in largely colonial systems geared for control and
sloth, not efficiency. Nobody, from minister down, by design, wants to change these bad systems, because if you do, it would close down the bribery and corruption industry going on now at all levels to speed things up.
Mr President, you are on the right track. You will be the people’s hero if you weed out all the ineffective and inefficient folks we now have in Government. Follow President Trump’s example where he has appointed Elon Musk to be the efficiency czar, and set up a Government Efficiency Commission. I can do the job for $1 a year, but you have to give me the power to fire the deadweights embarrassing your government!
Sincerely,
Dr Jerry Jailall
ExxonMobil Guyana (EMGL), and since you are the head of a political party, how will you resolve the obvious conflicts of interest that are bound to arise?
15. Can you clarify how you can possibly maintain your contractual obligations to EMGL, while at the same time further the national interest of Guyana, many of which are
non-negotiable?
After you answer these questions I will pose the further 53, but will save the ink in my hope that the conscience of the defeated will find favor in the truth.
Sincerely, Dr Randy Persaud
UKEF Regional Head Camilo Neira
Page Foundation
Multiplying decimals
Multiplying decimals and whole numbers is exactly like multiplying whole numbers – except for one important thing. You have to count the number of total decimal places in the numbers you multiply. When you multiply decimals, you don’t have to line up the decimal points.
Example: Multiply 36.2 x 3.22
Step 1: Set up your multiplication exercise as you would any other multiplication exercise. Do not line up the decimal points: 36.2 .362 x 3.22 x.322
Step 2: Multiply. At this time, pay no attention to the decimal points: 36.2 .362 x 3.22 x .322 722 722 7220 7220 108600 108600 116542 116542
Step 3: Count the total number of decimal places in the factors. Factors are the numbers you multiplied. 36.2 has 1 decimal place. 3.22 has two decimal places. 1 + 2 = 3.
Step 4: Starting at the right side of the product and moving left, count off the same number of places. Then place your decimal point. The product of 36.2 x 3.22 = 116.542 three decimal places
Step 5: But what about if you have fewer decimal places in the product than the factors? For example .226 x .321? After multiplying without accounting for the decimal points, the product is 72546. There are six decimal places in the factors, but only five in the product. You have to add enough zeros to make the total number of places in the product equal the total number of decimal places in the numbers you multiplied. Add the needed zeros after the decimal point. So the product of .362 x .3220 = .072546 six decimal places
Exercises: Multiply
Materials
Square wood craft frame
Finishing nails
Hammer
Pencil
Ruler
String or yarn
Hint: Finishing nails do not have a head so you can easily slip off the string after you create different compositions and start again.
Instructions
Step One: Lay out the nail holes. Determine the centre of the frame or plaque by drawing a diagonal line from corner to corner.
Step Two: If using a frame measure in halfway between the frame edges and open-
By Olive RunneR
Give me the long, straight road before me, A clear, cold day with a nipping air, Tall, bare trees to run on beside me, A heart that is light and free from care. Then let me go! – I care not whither My feet may lead, for my spirit shall be Free as the brook that flows to the river, Free as the river that flows to the sea.
Maths Art: String Art Geometry
ing and draw a square.
Step Three: Using your centre point mark the centre on each side of the square. Divide each half of the square into three equal sections. Repeat until you have equally spaced marks along the entire square. These will be where your nails go.
Step Four: Hammer in a nail at each mark.
Step Five: Cut a long length of string and tie it around a nail at the corner of your frame. Make some string art!
Tips
Pull the string taut while wrapping the nails. It takes some practice to be able to pull the string tightly and wrap the nails at the same time.
Don’t cut too long a piece of string as
it may get tangled in the nails and/or you may inadvertently tangle it into a knot. If you want to make more permanent
string art, use nails with a head.
Ideas for exploring geometry through string art
Replicate basic geometric shapes in string, like a square, rectangle hexagon, etc.
Replicate the shapes in order of the number of sides each shape has using the same string. Start with a triangle and move up to an octagon.
Explore fractions and the division of shapes. Start with a square and divide into equal portions using the string. What shapes are created when you divide it? This is also a great opportunity to see how fractions work. They can visually see ½ of a square, etc.
(Adapted from babbledabbledo.com)
Guyana seeking partners to develop hemp industry – Pres Ali tells UK trade mission
…Industrial Hemp Regulatory Authority to be established soon
With legislation having been in place since 2022, the Guyana Government is now actively moving to develop a local hemp industry, and is looking for potential investors to take this initiative forward.
During a reception hosted by the British High Commission on Tuesday evening to welcome a United Kingdom Business
some construction materials made from hemp, for example. I know this is an area [or] product that you’ve been looking at,” noted Managing Director of the UK’s Caribbean Council, Chris Bennet. According to the Guyanese Head of State, Government has already earmarked lands for farming use, including that of hemp cultivation.
ited.
Regulatory authority
Guyana’s National Assembly approved the Industrial Hemp Bill back in August 2022, paving the way for the legalization of industrial hemp in the country. Local stakeholders have since been awaiting the establishment of a licensing authority to kickstart the commercial cultivation of hemp.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha told Guyana Times on Wednesday that Cabinet has already approved the members of the Guyana Industrial Hemp Regulatory Authority, and the body would be formally established soon.
“I already identified the members and got Cabinet’s approval. So, it will be set up in two weeks,” the Minister noted.
Previously, Mustapha had disclosed that lands
Mission to Guyana, President Ali informed potential investors of opportunities in this infant sector.
“We are going to develop the hemp industry, but we’re developing the hemp industry for the innovative sector, for the transformative type of products that hemp can stimulate and add to the economy. And we are looking for partners in the development of this industry,” he stated.
This UK trade mission is the fourth of its kind to come to Guyana in recent years, and among the companies represented in this batch is one that manufactures construction materials from hemp.
“We have a very big delegation this time…20 people from across a wide range of sectors, including defence, security, construction and construction equipment, and construction materials, including
“We are building out the infrastructure now for the opening up of 50,000 new acreages of land for medium-size farmers. But it must link to a processing facility,” he revealed.
On this note, President Ali urged the UK businesses to see Guyana as not only a potential new market, but also a destination to expand their operations.
“If you are manufacturing products for the Caribbean, Latin American and North American markets, and you’re not thinking about establishing a footprint here, you are making a grave mistake. And if you’re not going to do it in two years, you will pay the cost of doing it after that, because it’s going to be expensive… So this is the period, the sweet spot in which the policy direction of reducing the cost of electricity is linked to your own investment decision,” the Guyanese Leader pos-
were earmarked in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) and Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice) for small-scale farmers to cultivate one to two acres of industrial-type hemp.
Meanwhile, only in August, the Guyana Hemp Association held a Hemp Expo on Main Street.
During an interview with <<Guyana Times,>> Secretary of the Guyana Hemp Association, Cort Gomes, explained that the Association aims to have hemp become a staple product in Guyana.
“What we would like to see happen is a ‘Made in Guyana’ stamp; meaning we can grow it from the ground, we can grow it from our soil, and then manufacture it in a manufacturing plant here in Guyana, sold here in Guyana, and exported as a Guyanese product,” he stated.
Gomes added that
Guyana can be the leader in hemp cultivation in the Caribbean. Citing growing hemp industries in countries like India, the Netherlands, and even neighbouring Suriname, he noted that Guyana can be the largest hemp producer in the region.
At the expo, various items made from hemp were showcased , and Gomes explained various benefits of the plant-based products.
“Hemp also possesses a medicinal purpose, meaning it’s good for medicine, and that’s the CBD (Cannabidiol) part of it. Not limited to cancer, pain, sleep deprivation, anxiety, inflammation, etc, hemp cannot cure, but help ease, and it’s a natural alternative,” he stated.
In construction, hemp can also be made into blocks for the building of structures.
“Hemp blocks can be made from the hemp fibre part of the plant, and it’s water-resistant, it’s fire-resistant, it’s also good for the atmosphere, and it’s lighter than concrete. So, you can use that, and it’s a better product to use to build your house with, other than concrete,” the official noted.
Hemp is a multibillion-dollar industry that can lend to the production of hundreds of items. Some uses for hemp include rope, textiles, clothing, shoes, food, and belts. Hemp is often confused with marijuana, but it is crucial to understand the distinction between the two. Hemp and marijuana are both varieties of the cannabis plant, which includes more than 100 strains and even to 156 different strains. The two most recognised strains are hemp and marijuana. With around 100,000 to 150,000 potential use cases and products, hemp can be a versatile addition to Guyana’s economy. (G8)
President Dr Irfaan Ali
An example of hemp cultivation
Opening up… …horizons?
With Trump having dissed his former Secty of State Mike Pompeo - by taking time out specifically to inform the world that Pompeo WOULDN’T be part of his team in his second coming - your Eyewitness wondered at the latter jetting down to our dear Mudland the very next week.
Most insiders figure that Trump’s diss was due clearly to Pompeo positioning himself for a run at the presidency in 2024, after they had had to demit office in 2020. Part of that positioning was Big Mike’s decision to trim down from his massive 300lbs - and by 2022, he’d shed an incredible NINETY pounds!! Looking at the pic with him and Jagdeo this week, many Guyanese thought the fella was actually Pompeo’s SON!!
So, back to why he was in Guyana. Basically, the same reason why ex-Brit PM Blair and ex-US Pres Clinton had done the same. With all that oil money flowing into our coffers, after wallowing in decades of PNC-induced poverty, they figure we need help spending the money!! A good chunk of which would end up in their pockets - for which we should be grateful, since they’re more au fait with the life of milk and honey, and we can copy them!! “Demonstrator effect”, the economists call it!! Expect some offers from Pompeo a la the Clinton and Blair Foundations!!
There’s been a stream of other official and semi-official visitors - and this would swell into a river!! – who aren’t as high profile, but are even more significant to our future when it comes to our oil wealth. These worthies will be reps. from multilateral, bilateral, and corporate institutions, who’ll come bearing grants and loans to “help” with our development!!
Now, isn’t that rather strange: to be pressed on this front just when we’re hauling in oil earnings?? Well, it ain’t that strange when you think about it. Those who provide grants – which don’t have to be repaid – often as not do so because they want to influence us in some way; not because they’re altruistic!!
And even though it may sound counterintuitive, contrary to what we think about those who provide loans, they’re more interested not only in being repaid, but being repaid the INTEREST!! And those who got money are better bets when it comes to repaying loans.
After sixty years of “aid” and loans, the developing world sent back $185 billion more last year in just principal repayments to the developed world than they disbursed in loans. And imagine the interest that piles up when you can’t repay!!
Back in the day, the PNC debt of US$800 million had ballooned to US$2.1 billion by 1992!! So, where does this leave us?? Just be wary of furriners bearing schemes and loans!!
…Pax Americana
Ever since the end of WWII, America has pushed what its critics have dubbed “Pax Americana”. That is, its commitment to maintain its “rules-based order” through projecting and deploying its superior military might across the globe. Countries like the USSR – now its rump Russia – and China, along with the old Non-Aligned Movementhave long resisted and worked to undermine this American arrogation of its hegemony over the world. But with the election of Trump, there’s a new mood abroad.
After all, Trump has declared that America under his regime would quit spending trillions to be the world policeman. He’s insisting, for instance, that the European nations in NATO foot the bill to counter whatever threats they see from Russia or elsewhere!! This means that the Ukraine war would soon grind to a halt when Trump cuts off the oxygen tank of military supplies!! Out in the Indo-Pacific, expect a military de-escalation against China, as the MAGA movement tries to rebuild America’s industrial might!!
…on old-time cricket
Your Eyewitness is pleased that Alvin “Kalli” Kallicharran released a new autobiography, “Colour Blind: My Life Journey”, in which he demonstrates the wider impact of cricket on our unity as a Caribbean people.
The present crop gotta read this.
Guyana honoured as climate transparency leader
…joins ranks of Japan, Netherlands, Singapore
Guyana has been honoured as the only country in the Caribbean Community (Caricom) to be recognized as a champion of climate transparency. It has earned praise from the United Nations (UN) following the submission of its Biennial Transparency Report.
During the UN Climate Change Conference, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said Guyana is among nine countries to receive this honour. Those nine countries are Guyana, Andorra, Panama, Japan, Spain, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands and Singapore.
“The progress made this year alone has been remarkable. I want to recognize the frontrunners: Andorra, Guyana, Panama, Japan, Spain, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands and Singapore, who have already submitted their reports and set themselves apart as champions of transparency globally, setting a powerful example for other countries,” Stiell remarked on Tuesday.
Parties to engage fully in the review process and share what you’ve learned,” he added.
The UN Climate Change Conference is a component of the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP29), which is being held in Baku, Azerbaijan from November 11-22. Among the developments surrounding the conference is Azerbaijan proposing a US$1 billion Climate Finance Action Fund (CFAF) to invest in climate action in the developing world.
and adapt to its effects.
Last year, Guyana had used its platform at COP28 in Dubai to emphasize the stark reality that persisting with a doctrinarian approach would not lead to the achievement of net-zero goals. President Dr. Irfaan Ali had, in his address, highlighted the shifting landscape, and called out leaders for ignoring current realities in achieving net zero – which means cutting greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible, with any remaining emissions being re-absorbed from the atmosphere.
“This is a stand-and-deliver COP(29). These countries are standing and delivering on this crucial commitment under the Paris Agreement. Each Biennial Transparency Report represents a milestone, capturing the strides made and charting the path ahead,” he declared.
and refining our strategies to achieve our goals.”
According to Stiell, these reports are crucial for both governments and businesses to better inform their climate policies and actions. He noted that transparency goes beyond the submission of timely reports, important as this is. It is also about “learning
Further, Stiell explained that countries have until the end of the year to submit their biennial transparency reports. He noted that Guyana and the other eight countries who have already submitted theirs have set a standard and example for other countries to learn from and follow.
“Transparency is crucial, not only because it highlights progress in climate action, but because it spurs more ac-
tion; enabling data-driven responses that build resilience and protect vulnerable populations by identifying risks and vulnerabilities, and leading to better resource allocation,” Stiell explained.
“Every submission, every lesson learned, brings us closer to the goals of the Paris Agreement. For all these reasons, I urge all Parties to submit their Biennial Transparency Reports on time, using the support available from the secretariat wherever needed. I urge
It is envisioned that this fund would take financial contributions from fossil fuel-producing countries and companies and use the money to invest in projects in the developing world that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help build resilience to the impacts of extreme weather.
Every year, leaders from countries around the world head to COP to join the global dialogue on addressing climate change and its impacts, setting emission reduction targets, and developing international agreements on climate-related issues. The goal is to coordinate global efforts to mitigate climate change
At this year’s COP29, it is expected that Guyana would continue to add its voice to global discussions on climate change mitigation and adaptation. However, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, in his capacity as General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), had recently expressed a lack of optimism that any major developments would come out of this year’s conference.
“I simply believe that not enough will be done. I am not very optimistic that there will be a major outcome,” Jagdeo, a Champion of the Earth awardee in 2010, had expressed. (G3)
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell (left) presenting a certificate of recognition to Guyana as a champion of climate transparency
Expanded medical services, enhanced facilities for veterans – President Ali
Government has announced plans to significantly expand medical services and upgrade healthcare facilities dedicated to the country’s military veterans.
The announcement was made by Commander-inChief of the Armed Forces, President Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Wednesday during the wreath-laying ceremony at the Veterans’ Monument Site at Base Camp Ayanganna; and the initiative is aimed at improving healthcare access and support systems for veterans who have served Guyana with distinction.
According to President Ali, the move answers calls made recently by majority of the veterans to increase access to dental services, provision of spectacles, and extend said provisions to their spouses and close family members where applicable.
In response, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Anthony Phillips has already committed to rehabilitation of the veterans’ home and other facilities.
Ali explained that resources are available to execute these works through the national programme, and as such, veterans can expect
their request to be fulfilled soon.
“All of these things that we’re investing in is to ensure that not only you look forward for a long and enjoyable twilight time as veterans, but that whilst you’re in service, you can enjoy the dignity of that service, and retire with dignity in that service; and that is what we’re investing in. And even for our veterans, outside of what we do nationally: our programme on dialysis, our programme on spectacles’ distribution, our dental programme, our health care programme, our fortnightly programme with the Defence Force doctors visiting your facility; outside of all of this, we continuously seek to invest more in making your
accessible environment for veterans.
“There is absolutely no doubt about our commitment that is a GDF commitment, nor on the Government commitment towards serving members and our veterans. Absolutely no doubt! And all I ask is for us to be continuously fair in our assessment, continuously fair in our evaluation, and always be true to our conscience. And once, as a country, we are true to our conscience, we will all be in a position to make better decisions in our daily life and also in our public life,” he added.
About three weeks ago, Prime Minister Mark Phillips announced that the Government of Guyana would donate $2 million to
life comfortable,” President Ali said.
President Ali has provided the Guyana Veterans Legion with a new minivan through the Guyana Defence Force. Equipped with a threshold ramp for ease of access, this vehicle would enhance mobility for veterans with various disabilities.
During the Veterans’ Day wreath-laying ceremony, President Ali presented the keys to the minivan, along with monetary contri-
butions, to Legion President Lt Col (Ret’d) George Gomes.
Since assuming office in August 2020, the PPP/C Administration has been expending the sum of $50 million annually to support military veterans. According to the Head of State, more funds will be injected in 2025 to equip medical centres with new equipment and upgraded facilities to advance diagnostic tools, provide private consultation, and create a comfortable and
the Guyana Veterans Legion to help the organisation continue to provide support to veterans.
Further, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to Guyana’s veterans, PM Phillips also announced that each surviving World War II veteran would receive $100,000 from President Dr Irfaan Ali.
Moreover, he said the Government is committed to continuing to provide other biannual support. (G1)
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Dr Irfaan Ali, addressing veterans at the wreath-laying ceremony at the Veterans’ Monument Site
President Ali handing over the keys to the minivan, along with monetary contributions, to Legion President Lt Col (Retired) George Gomes
Armed bandits rob
Corentyne roadside vendor
ten weeks
Ster
vendor
has had to confront another tragedy when two armed bandits robbed her of her
day’s earnings shortly before 20:00h on Tuesday. Mangru detailed that
she was attending to a customer when the bandits pounced on her. They were both masked, and one was armed with a handgun.
“I hear a gunshot fire, and then another one, and one more. When I turned around, I saw a masked man stand up next to me. He didn’t say anything to me, he just stretched out his hand. I had a bag hanging up with some things inside, and he stretched and took down the bag. He pulled my apron, and I told him to hold on, and I took my hand and started to loose it. I told him I was going to give it to him, and while I was loosing it, he just pull it off. It was two of them,” she related.
Not only did Mangru lose her day’s sales, but other cash she had had in her handbag was also taken. She was robbed of approximately $160,000 from her business, and other money she had set aside to pay to a group saving venture was also taken.
Mangru said a car driver was waiting to collect the money for the group saving venture, but she could not have given it to him at the
time because she was attending to a customer. She said the two bandits made good their escape through an empty plot of land that leads to a back street.
“They just walk in like that and put the gun to my side, they didn’t do me anything else. And after they took the apron and they had customers at the stand, they run to go and catch the back street,” Mangru detailed.
She said the car driver who was waiting to collect the money from her gave chase, but by the time he reached to the back street, the bandits had already disappeared.
Mangru said the incident occurred while there were three customers at her stand. She also said the police were quick to respond, but the bandits had long been gone.
Mangru has been vending for some 30 years.
“My husband died ten weeks ago, and I have two children, both going to school; so, I sell here for a daily living,” she said.
Police are investigating this incident. (G4)
New 75-MW power ship...
Meanwhile, the UCC Holdings representative indicated that the company would be mobilizing the vessel as soon as possible to have the power ship deployed to Guyana.
This power ship will be the second one that Government, through GPL, has chartered to assist in offsetting generation shortfalls of the national grid. Through an agreement with the consortium, the first power ship was deployed to Guyana in May of this year, and is currently stationed at Everton in the Berbice River. The floating power plant has been supplying 36 megawatts of electricity to the Demerara Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS).
As part of that agreement, GPL had paid a US$1 million mobilisation fee, a fee of 6.62 US cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) as a monthly charter fee for the vessel, and a monthly operation and maintenance fee of 0.98 US
cents per kWh based on electricity generated.
Additionally, GPL is required to provide Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) for the operation of the generators onboard the vessel.
It is unclear what are the terms of the new deal for the second floating power plant. Efforts to contact GPL’s Nandlall for additional information on the contract were futile.
Meanwhile, in addition to the two recent power ships, and since it assumed office in 2020, the PPP/C Administration has implemented several initiatives in order to bring immediate relief to citizens, including installing 10 megawatts of emergency power, operationalising the 46.5 megawatts at Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara in October 2022, as well as procuring an additional 28.9 megawatts of generators at the Columbia substation at Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara. (G8)
ome
af-
the death of her husband, Corentyne
roadside
Basmattie Mangru, called “Hanna”, of Alness Village, Corentyne,
Basmattie Mangru at her stall on Wednesday
Sophia Point Rainforest Research Centre
tasked with establishing nature tourism facility
…Guyana to pioneer sustainable forest research, entrepreneurship
In a bold step towards sustainable forest management and eco-tourism, the Sophia Point Rainforest Research Centre has been commissioned, positioning Guyana as a leader in green entrepreneurship and environmental conservation.
This new centre, located at River’s View in Region Ten (Upper DemeraraUpper Berbice), would serve as a hub for research, education, and training aimed at empowering stakeholders in the global fight against climate change.
President Dr Irfaan Ali, in his address at the opening of this facility on Wednesday, highlighted the
centre into a full-fledged nature tourism facility. Mr Lammy is of Guyanese heritage.
What the President envisions is a sustainable business model that demonstrates how economic growth can emerge from preserving the natural environment.
“I want to challenge in the innovative aspect of what you do here, to be a bit different, to build out a business model out of nature, that would teach people how you can earn, how you can develop economic prosperity from nature itself. And you have an excellent start point…We should not only train persons on
centre's potential as an educational and economic engine, and tasked UK Parliamentarian David Lammy, co-founder of the centre, along with his wife Nicola Green, to devise a plan that would expand the
science and research, but as we get these students coming in, we have to let them know that nature as it is has in it entrepreneurial opportunities,” President Ali said as he articulated his vision.
“How do we identify those entrepreneurial and
livelihood opportunities? And how do we develop a programme here that will teach them about these opportunities, and that will help them to develop plans?” the President asked, as he further articulated his vision.
Plans are already in
place for students of the University of Guyana (UG) and other young environmentalists to benefit from development and capacity-building education at the centre.
However, with a broader vision in mind, President Ali emphasized the unique opportunity to merge conservation with business innovation, encouraging the center to attract international students, especially during summer breaks, to
experience immersive research and survival training in Guyana’s rainforests.
“So, it is also important to Sophia Point, in this biodiversity and nature story, to build in it the business ecosystem that will allow persons to understand that nature can be kept, and, on the contrary, offers you opportunity in livelihood,” the President continued.
“It is also important, I think, that now that we have this piece of asset here,
that, by itself, is a pullback for the community to get involved in the building out of a nature tourism facility, where we can target students from the UK, from environmental schools, to come here during the summer break. Or to use this community as community research and learning area that is connected to survival” he added.
The Sophia Point Rainforest Research Centre includes a multi-purpose lecture theatre and lab space, internet access, basic lab equipment, and basic accommodation for up to 24 persons; with free-standing washroom facilities, a kitchen and a dining space. It also possesses an expanded pontoon and jetty that would facilitate the arrival of larger boats and operate as a site for sampling and water quality assessments; while a canopy access platform aims to support canopy level and meteorological measurements.
President Ali had, in August 2024, announced the inauguration of the centre as he spoke about Guyana’s environmental conservation efforts. (G1)
President Dr Irfaan Ali along with British High Commissioner Jane Miller at the Sophia Point Rainforest Research Centre
Deadly Corentyne fire
Father arrested on cattle rustling report released from custody …returns
home to face tragedy
Berbice police have released Rohan Ramjattan, called “Map Head”, the cattle farmer who had fathered the four children who perished in a fire on Tuesday, when two houses were destroyed at Number 64 Village, Corentyne.
Arrested by the police on Monday afternoon for cattle rustling, Ramjattan was in custody when his home went up in flames and his wife and four of his five children perished.
Police have arrested a teen family member following that tragic incident which claimed the lives of 34-year-old Hemwattie Singh and her five children: Kelvin Ramjattan, called “Rovin”, 14; Brandon Ramjattan, called “Ravin”, a 10-year-old child living with a disability; Cindy Ramjattan, called “Emily”, an 11-year-old student of New Market Primary School; and Tomesh Ramjattan, called “Arvin”, a 2-year-old toddler.
According to a source close to the police, the teenager arrested was being sought by investigators in relation to other matters;
and up to Wednesday afternoon, he was still in police custody.
The investigation into the fire continues, and police are awaiting the out-
come of autopsies to be conducted on the remains.
RECAP
At approximately 02:00h on Tuesday, a fire
erupted at the two-storey home of Hemwattie Singh at Number 64 Village, Corentyne while she and her five children were asleep in the building.
Police Headquarters have issued a statement on the tragedy, detailing that Singh’s 17-year-old son was asleep in the ve-
randah on the upper flat of the building when he was awakened by the sound of an explosion and the crackling of a fire.
The teen ran downstairs to where his mother and siblings were located, and noticed that they were already awake and trying to escape from the burning
NA supermarket fire
building. The family tried to run out of the house, but the intense heat generated by the flames forced them to turn back and head upstairs, where they became trapped by the fire.
This 17-year-old managed to escape, and had sought help for the family, but to no avail.
Low water pressure affected firefighting capabilities – official
Dhas said the efforts of firefighters who battled the fire that destroyed a supermarket and other businesses in New Amsterdam on Monday evening were hampered by low water pressure coming from the Guyana Water Inc (GWI).
Speaking with the media on Thursday morning, McDonald said the fighters were using both an open source and water from two pit hydrants.
“Due to the magnitude of the fire, we had to pump at a very high rate, so the water in the pit was exhausted; so, we had to wait, and sometimes reduce the rate of the pump, so that the pit can refill,” he explained.
McDonald pointed out that the Fire Department was eventually able to get GWI to boost the water pressure in the immediate vicinity of the fire, and
that allowed the firefighters to successfully battle the blaze.
This fire, of hitherto unknown origin, ripped through a building that housed a supermarket, a boutique and a music store, and damaged a hotel and a commercial bank on Strand Road in New Amsterdam. The two-storey building that housed Bob and Sons Supermarket, Haniff Bacchus Boutique and a music store was flattened. Thick smoke had initially been seen coming from the upper flat of this building.
McDonald explained that when firefighters arrived on scene, the entire first floor of this building was already consumed by fire. The immediate objective was thus to prevent the fire from spreading, because there were massive threats. The Penguin Hotel was immediately next door, and right in the building with the super-
market were gas cylinders and bottles of other flammable stuff, besides other combustible materials that could have caused an explosion.
“So, it was a bit challenging for us. However, we were successful and were able to overcome it, and we stopped that fire from spreading to Scotia Bank and the hotel,” he detailed.
He noted that the Penguin Hotel suffered minor damage to sections of the exterior, the ceiling, and furniture within the building; and that Proprietress Mavis La Bennet has said she has not as yet been able to estimate the cost of the damages suffered.
“The bank also suffered some minor damages to some PVC pipework at the ceiling,” McDonald added. He said the investigation is still ongoing. (G4)
ivisional Fire Officer Clive McDonald
Dead: Hemwattie Singh and her four children who perished in the fire: Kelvin, Brandon, Cindy and Tomesh
Restorative Justice Programme launched in Region 7
During a recent outreach to Region 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, launched the Restorative Justice Programme in the township of Bartica with the aim of re-
Iwokrama Centre raises alarm over increased requests for forest access
The Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development (IIC) has expressed concern over the surge in requests for access through the Iwokrama Forest, and numerous North Rupununi communities have voiced similar apprehensions.
According to Iwokrama, this trend has emerged alongside an uptick in illegal mining activities within the protected area since onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it presents a growing challenge for the Centre as it battles these incursions.
Iwokrama has reported that some of these requests for access are being camouflaged as “research” proposals, and are often submitted by the same individuals who had previously been implicated in unlawful activities.
To protect the ecological integrity and prevent further damage to the forest, Iwokrama’s Management Team and Board have reiterated strict access rules: passage through the Iwokrama Forest to access any mining or forestry areas is strictly prohibited; mining within the Iwokrama Reserve is absolutely forbidden; and activities such as logging, hunting, and fishing are permitted only with explicit permission from Iwokrama’s management.
Iwokrama has also emphasized its zero-tolerance policy for unauthorised activities, noting that such actions disrupt the forest ecosystem and put its international certification at risk. Offenders would face legal consequences, with enforcement under the Iwokrama Act and other applicable laws.
In response to these challenges, Iwokrama has expressed gratitude to the North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB) and other community partners, the Natural Resources Ministry, and the Guyana Police Force for their steadfast support in upholding the protections contained in the Iwokrama Act.
The Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development (IIC) was established in 1996 under a joint mandate from the Government of Guyana and the Commonwealth Secretariat to manage the Iwokrama forest, a unique reserve of 371,000 hectares of rainforest “in a manner that will lead to lasting ecological, economic and social benefits to the people of Guyana and to the world in general”.
ducing the cycle of repeat offenders by solving the root causes of crime.
“Maybe the incident which is before the court or before the police may not be the underlying issue that causes the problem. Restorative justice allows you to go to the incident, the root cause, and address it,” the Justice Minister told his audience on Tuesday evening.
Restorative Justice involves mediation outside of adjudication, allowing for the perpetrator of the crime and victim thereof to be brought together and reconcile their differences.
“It allows for the payment of compensation, and for the perpetrator to do a number of things to make amends for the alleged wrong,” Minister Nandlall explained, as he added that it helps in removing the prevalence of repeat offences.
To ensure the success of this programme, police officers, probation officers, teachers, prosecutors, magistrates, community leaders and religious leaders are being trained to practise restorative justice in their daily tasks.
During this outreach to Region 7, several transactions were completed by
the Deeds & Commercial Registry, which also falls under the ambit of the AG’s Office. The Deeds Registry was able to complete several transfers of land titles from one person to another, file powers of attorney, deed polls to change names, etc.
The commercial arm of this Registry was also able to successfully complete several registrations and incorpora-
tions of companies, registrations of businesses and registrations of mortgages among other things.
The Attorney General has said that efforts are underway to acquire a space to construct a branch of the Deeds and Commercial Registry in Bartica. The Registry has recently established an office in Mabaruma, Region One (Barima-Waini)
Iwokrama Forest view from Turtle Mountain Summit (Iwokrama photo)
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, interacting with residents after the launching of the programme
The launching of the Restorative Justice Programme in Bartica, Region Seven
US EXIM Board approval for GTE loan imminent – Finance Minister …says technical team meeting weekly with EXIM counterparts
Approval from the United States (US) Export Import (EXIM) Bank board for the loan that Guyana is seeking for the Gas to Energy (GtE) project is imminent. This update was provided by Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh.
Back in April 2023, it was announced that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government had applied for a loan from the US EXIM Bank to finance the US$761 million GtE Project.
In an exclusive interview with this publication, Dr. Singh explained that the process towards getting approval from the EXIM Bank board is progressing well. As a matter of fact, the Finance Minister was confident that approval from the US EXIM Bank board for the loan is expected very shortly.
“It’s progressing very well. I’ve had multiple meet-
Minister explained. Back in April 2023, it was announced that the Guyana Government had applied for the loan from the US EXIM Bank to finance the US$761 million GtE Project, which includes the construction of an Integrated Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) Plant and a 300-megawatt (MW) combined cycle power plant at Wales, West Bank
ings with them myself, and we have a technical team that meets with their counterparts in EXIM on a weekly basis. They meet every week. They update myself and the senior leadership of the government, the President and Vice President in particular, on a regular basis,” Singh said.
“So, the discussions have gone very well. And we anticipate very soon that we’ll be going to the board and we will have board approval. So, it’s looking very positive. And there’s every likelihood that we will have board approval very shortly for that project,” the Finance
Demerara (WBD), utilizing natural gas from the country’s offshore operations in the Stabroek Block.
As part of its internal due diligence process, the US EXIM Bank had hired two consultants to do a technical assessment of the project. These assessments were done during site visits over the past year, and President Dr. Irfaan Ali had previously revealed that the feedback from those two assessments was positive.
In September 2024, the Finance Minister had met with senior officials of the US EXIM Bank in Washington DC, during which discus-
sions were held on the loan. And Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had said at the time that after the bank makes a submission on the project to its board, this would be followed by a 35-day notification, after which it returns to the board.
However, even as Guyana awaits the approval of this loan, Government has already made it clear that it would continue to provide funding so that any delayed funding does not hamper the project. Already, Government has spent more than US$400 million on the highly anticipated project. Meanwhile, there have been local and international lobbying efforts to block the funding for the GtE Project by the US EXIM Bank. Earlier in June, it was reported that Friends of the Earth United States, an NGO with over 16,000 members, wrote Chairman of the US EXIM Bank, Reta Jo Lewis, demanding that the institution does not fund the GtE Project.
However, these efforts have been dismissed by the Guyana Government, and even the local private sector had written the US financial institution to declare their support for the transformative GtE Project, which would not only provide cleaner energy, but also cut the country’s high electricity costs by half. Nevertheless, while Guyana awaits funding from the US EXIM Bank, construction works on the project continue, with Government expecting the power plant to come on stream in the first half of next year. (G3)
Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh
The US EXIM Bank
5100 HIV/AIDS deaths recorded annually in Caribbean – PAHO
…urges action on late-stage diagnoses, prevention, care
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has revealed statistics that shows that despite many efforts to end the HIV/AIDS scourge in the Caribbean, a significant number of persons still die from the disease every year.
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) findings revealed that approximately 5,100 people still die each year from HIV-related causes. Moreover, the organization revealed that onethird of the HIV cases are identified in advanced stage.
These facts formed critical areas for discussion at the regional workshop: “Uniting Science and Communities to Accelerate HIV Response in the Caribbean,” hosted in Trinidad and Tobago last week. The International AIDS Society (IAS) and the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) led the initiative in collaboration with The Global Fund, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and Plataforma LAC.
During her remarks at the high-level engagement, PAHO Advisor for HIV/ STI/TB and Viral Hepatitis, Caribbean Sub-regional Office, Sandra Jones, highlighted that the Caribbean has progressed with HIV prevention and treatment services and innovations in HIV service delivery.
However, she noted that the Caribbean did not achieve the 90-90-90 targets, and data from the 2024 UANIDS Report indicated that the region is not poised to achieve the 95-95-95 targets in 2025. She underscored that this may affect the ultimate goal of ending AIDs as a public health threat in 2030.
“Despite 40 years of the epidemic, one-third of the HIV cases are identified in advanced stage. The Region needs to scale up HIV prevention with effective linkage into care early through the implementation of the “treat all policy”, to reduce late diagnosis while providing different innovations and interventions aimed at
reducing HIV mortality, especially for those with advanced HIV,” she declared.
Also present at the engagement was Advisor, HIV Care and Treatment, PAHO/ WHO Dr Omar Sued, who highlighted that the region is equipped with the tools needed to combat the HIV scourge.
are happening at a critical moment in the Region’s HIV response.
“This workshop is especially significant because it speaks to the unique challenges and urgent needs we face in the Caribbean. These topics are not just timely, but essential in guiding our efforts to bridge the gap between science, policy, and the experiences of those we serve…Together, we can continue the regional response that is impactful,” she said.
The workshop aimed to provide a platform for HIVrelated health and social service providers, key community actors, youth, researchers, Government representatives and policymakers to brainstorm bridging the gap between evidence-based science, policy and action. The meeting was pivotal to sustaining the Region’s HIV response, advancing dis-
“We have the tools to eliminate HIV. There are accessible HIV tests, effective antiretroviral treatments, and robust preventive strategies, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP),” he said.
He referred to the data regarding the number of persons who die each year from HIV-related causes in the Caribbean, and underscored that many of these are preventable.
“During this meeting, we aim to focus on critical strategies to end HIV as a public health problem. This includes normalizing and increasing the volume of HIV testing, reducing stigma and discrimination in the healthcare sector, and expanding the care package for advanced HIV. We believe strategic investments in these targeted interventions can significantly reduce preventable deaths. This is not only the right thing to do, it is also the smart thing,” he said.
Director of the PANCAP Coordinating Unit, Dr Wendy Telgt-Emanuelson, noted that the discussions
Mandatory continuing education needed to raise standards in legal profession – AG
The Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, has said there is need for continuing education in the legal fraternity.
He made this remark following complaints received about the conduct of lawyers. This matter of continuing education will be discussed with the Bar Association of Guyana with a view to raising the standards in that profession, he has said.
The Guyana Bar Association is the recognised body that represents the interests of local attorneys-at-law. Membership is voluntary, and comprises attorneys admitted to practise law in Guyana.
“In the legal profession in certain countries, you have continuing education made mandatory. I believe the time is right now in Guyana for us to consider that as a serious option,” he said during his weekly programme of ‘Issues in the News.’
The AG noted that while he does not have a supervisory role of lawyers and other legal professionals, the Bar Association can assist in this respect, and will be engaged.
“The Government is prepared to partner with any profession, in particular the legal profession, in ensuring that there is continuing education in the profession. And I believe it would help to raise the standards of
the profession,” Nandlall has said.
Noting that he does not foresee the idea being rejected, the AG pointed out that many laws are being amended or passed in the National Assembly, and lawyers are also required to be educated on those pieces of legislation.
The Attorney General’s Chambers recently met with the Executive of the Guyana Bar Association to discuss issues of mutual importance, including the need for continuous consultations on major bills concerning the legal sector. At that meeting, the Association requested that consultations should last for four to six weeks in order to review and discuss the bills.
cussions on investing in healthcare infrastructure, and creating a more sustainable future, wherein the economic effects of HIV are minimised, allowing the People of the Caribbean Community to lead healthier, more productive lives.
2021–2026 commitments
If targets and commitments in the strategy are achieved, the number of people who newly acquire HIV would be decreased from 1.7 million in 2019 to less than 370,000 by 2025. The number of people dying from AIDS-related illnesses will decrease from 690,000 in 2019 to less than 250,000 in 2025. The goal of eliminating new HIV infections among children would see the number of new HIV infections drop from 150,000 in 2019 to less than 22,000 in 2025.
95-95-95 targets
Ninety-five per cent of people living with HIV know their HIV status; 95% of people who know their status are on treatment; and 95% of people on treatment with suppressed viral loads.
Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall meeting with the Executive of the Bar Association of Guyana last week
PAHO’s Advisor for HIV/STI/TB and Viral Hepatitis, Caribbean Sub-regional Office, Sandra Jones
Advisor, HIV Care and Treatment, Dr Omar Sued
ExxonMobil, co-venturers celebrate 500M barrels of oil from Stabroek Block
ExxonMobil Guyana and its Stabroek block co-venturers, Hess and CNOOC, on Wednesday announced that they have reached 500 million barrels of oil produced from Guyana’s offshore Stabroek block.
According to the group, it is their industry-leading pace of development that enabled this production mile-
stone less than five years after Guyana became an oil-producing nation. “Our unrivalled success in developing Guyana’s oil resources at an industry-leading pace, cost and environmental performance is built on close collaboration with the Government of Guyana, as well as our co-venturers, suppliers and contractors,” ExxonMobil
Guyana President Alistair Routledge said, adding, “We remain committed to Guyana for the long-term, and look forward to continue delivering for the country.”
ExxonMobil Guyana, Hess and CNOOC have committed nearly US$55 billion to develop six Governmentsanctioned projects on Guyana’s offshore Stabroek block. The first three proj-
ects – Liza Phase 1, Liza Phase 2 and Payara –are averaging more than 650,000 barrels of oil per day in production. Plans are in place to grow production capacity to more than 1.3 million barrels of oil per day by the end of 2027, when the ExxonMobil Guyana-led consortium anticipates having all six projects up and running offshore.
According to the company, oil production will generate tens of billions of dollars of revenue and significant economic development for Guyana.
Since first production in December 2019, more than US$5.4 billion in oil revenues and royalties have been paid into the Guyana Natural Resource Fund.
More than 6,000 Guyanese
support the Stabroek block operations, which is nearly 70% of the industry workforce locally.
ExxonMobil affiliate ExxonMobil Guyana Limited is operator, and holds 45% interest in the Stabroek block. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30% interest, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited holds 25% interest.
Govt seeking to accelerate works on building out Silica City
President Dr Irfaan Ali has stated that his government is looking to accelerate the development of its highly-touted Silica City Project on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway in the coming years.
Addressing a United Kingdom Business Mission currently in Guyana to explore potential opportunities, the Head of State pointed to his brainchild project, Silica City, as one initiative they can consider making
2030 as the deadline for realisation of the Silica City Project, the Guyanese Leader explained that works would be accelerated in building out this initiative in the coming years.
“As we continue to build beyond next year…we would want that city to be substantially advanced within [the next] five years. So, you can understand the pace with which we will go after that city. [With] tremendous pace, we’ll go after that
ning model for Silica City, which is one of his government’s climate change mitigation initiatives under its Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).
Only on Tuesday, the Head of State met with an executive team from Republic Bank Guyana to discuss collaborations on a number of innovative projects, including the Silica City project.
In February last year, a $2.1 billion contract was
investments in.
“[There are] exciting opportunities in the building out of Silica City. It’s open for investments. We have a lot of knockers at the door, but I think that you should look at Silica City as an important plank through which you can bring in foreign direct investment in the building out of the city,” President Ali noted.
With Government having already set the year
city, and we’ll be looking at all the potential investors in matching the pace in getting the city done. It must be done; there is no stopping of getting it done,” he posited.
Conceptualised since 2009, and located on the Soesdyke- Linden Highway, Silica City is Guyana’s first modern and sustainable city.
Back in August, President Ali announced the completion of the plan-
inked to develop Silica City. It is envisioned that, over the next two decades, this new secondary city along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway would grow to hold more than 12,500 households.
It would initially cater to just over 3000 households in the first five years, but 3800 acres of land have been earmarked for the new city. The first phase of the project would see an initial 400 Young Professional
homes being constructed. It was previously reported that the Housing Ministry had already begun shortlisting persons for these homes.
In fact, construction has already commenced on the first 110 Young Professional homes in the city, and these works are 50 per cent complete.
Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues, inspected the progress of works at the project site last week. She also disclosed
that all the infrastructural works have been completed, including road and drainage networks and the installation of utility services.
“We are looking to wrap up [construction on] these houses within the next few months…The next stage is to ensure that we have potable water to ensure people can move in immediately by the time the houses are completed,” she stated.
There are 75 flat housing units and 35 elevated units. The flat houses are
priced between $25,200,603 and $25,290,178, while the elevated ones cost from approximately $33,980,153 to approximately $34,450,145.
Silica City would have high-end developments, including smart homes with the newest energy-saving technologies for wastewater management, energy management and water conservation. It would also have recreational parks, community centres, an electricity grid, and a multi-specialty health facility.
1300 house lots to be distributed as Govt opens up new lands in
In a bid to address the growing demand for housing in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), the Ministry of Housing and Water would return to that community on Friday to distribute approximately 1,300 house lots to local residents.
With around 4,000 legitimate applications from the region in the Ministry’s land management system, many residents have been awaiting house lots patiently.
In an interview with this publication, Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal reiterated Government’s commitment to making new lands available to meet the housing needs of the region.
He disclosed that house lots would be allocated for new housing developments at Wismar and at Amelia’s Ward.
“We're moving now to address Region 10. We have been able to get some additional lands. It's two days of activity, but not continuous, so the first day, on Friday, will be addressing the allocation in an area within Wismar, and then the following week we're gonna address a portion of land within Amelia's Ward. We're hoping to make available at least from the combination of both allocations as I said, it's more than one day, at least to make available a possibility of at least 12 to 1300 lots,”
Linden
the Minister said.
Guyana Times was told that 500 house lots have been opened up and would be allocated in Fitz Hope, Linden; and over 1,000 lots would be allocated in Wismar on later dates.
Croal explained that in addition to ensuring citizens have access to affordable housing opportunities, his ministry has been working tireless over the last two years to regularise land in several areas within the region.
“You would recall we already had an allocation exercise since we came into government in Amelia's Ward. Then, in addition to that, addressing and the regularization of squatting for a number of areas. And even the very Amelia's Ward we had persons who squatted on land that belongs to Central Housing and Planning Authority.
“So part of the task over the past two years was con-
centrated on addressing the squatting, and with these upcoming allocations, we're looking to reduce our arrears in terms of pending applicants, and the exercise will continue as part of our national program of ensuring every region is benefitting from the Government's housing programme. And for Region 10, it's no dissimilar, because we also have a programme to address in constructing of houses, which we'll speak about more…in time to come,” he added.
An occupational survey conducted in August has revealed that over 1500 housing structures are in existence in five different areas along the Soesdyke- Linden Highway. As Government continues to regularise housing along the highway, plans are in place to develop more structured communities and relocate 900 of these households. (G1)
Silica City on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway
Works progressing on the first set of homes at Silica City
Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal
Around the World
OOIL NEWS
Oil rebounds slightly on shortcovering as strong dollar caps gains
il prices rebounded slightly on Wednesday on shortcovering a day after they fell near a two-week low on the reduced demand forecast of Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), but gains were limited as the dollar hit a seven-month high.
Brent crude futures settled up 39 cents, or 0.5 per cent, to US$72.28 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained 31 cents, or 0.5 per cent, to US$68.43.
On Tuesday, the benchmarks closed at their lowest level in nearly two weeks after OPEC lowered its global oil demand growth forecasts for 2024 and 2025, citing weak demand in China, India, and other regions. It was the producer group's fourth straight downward revision for 2024.
"The forecast is no doubt bearish and the market is still digesting it," said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho, adding the market bounced back as some speculative investors tried to recoup losses.
Both US and global oil production are set to rise to slightly larger record highs this year than prior forecasts, the US Energy Information Administration said.
US oil output is now expected to average 13.23 million barrels per day (bpd) this year and global production is set to reach 102.6 million bpd.
The International Energy Agency, which has a much lower demand growth forecast than OPEC's, is set to publish its updated estimate today.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have underscored the importance of continuing a "close coordination" within OPEC+ during a phone call on Wednesday, also providing some support.
On the supply side, markets could still face disruption from Iran or further conflict between Iran and Israel.
"If this war continues, Israel is eventually going to attack Iranian oil assets," said Clay Seigle, an independent political risk strategist. "This could be limited to Iran's refineries, but Israeli planners may be more ambitious and go for production and export facilities," he said.
Trump's expected pick for secretary of state, Senator Marco Rubio, could be bullish for prices as his hawkish view on Iran could see sanctions enforced, potentially removing 1.3 million bpd from global supply, said Panmure Liberum's Ashley Kelty.
Iran's Oil Minister said Tehran had made plans to sustain oil production and exports and was ready for possible oil curbs by the US, the Ministry's news website Shana reported.
Limiting oil price gains, the dollar advanced to near a seven-month high against major currencies after data showed US inflation for October increased in line with expectations, suggesting the Federal Reserve will keep cutting rates.
A stronger greenback makes dollar-denominated oil more expensive for holders of other currencies, which can reduce demand.
US crude stocks fell by 777,000 barrels last week, market sources said, citing American Petroleum Institute figures on Wednesday.
That compares with a forecast by analysts polled by Reuters for a 100,000-barrel build. Government data is due today at 11:00h ET. Both reports were delayed a day due to Monday's Veterans Day holiday. (Reuters)
Brazil's
Israel presses airstrikes as Beirut awaits truce ideas
Israeli airstrikes pound-
ed Beirut's Hezbollahcontrolled southern suburbs for a second consecutive day on Wednesday, as Lebanon waited to hear Washington's latest ceasefire proposals after a US official expressed hope a truce could be reached.
More than seven weeks since Israel went on the offensive against Iran-backed Hezbollah, mid-morning airstrikes levelled half a dozen buildings in the Beirut suburb known as Dahiyeh and killed eight in Dawhit Aramoun, a vil-
lage south of the capital. The dead included three women and three children, Lebanon's Health Ministry said.
"They used to hit Dahiyeh at night, now they are doing it in daytime. Things are intensifying day after day," said Hassan Moussa, 40, speaking in Beirut, adding that Israeli airstrikes had also widened to areas such as Aramoun.
Israel launched a major air and ground offensive against the heavily-armed Hezbollah in late September after nearly a
Biden, China's Xi to meet on Saturday in Peru, US officials say
US President Joe Biden will meet his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping for likely the final time on Saturday, senior Administration officials said, as Beijing prepares for a potentially more confrontational period with Washington under Donald Trump.
The two leaders are expected to hold talks spanning a range of global hot spots, including heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Lima, Peru, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters. He did not confirm the date of the meeting.
It will be Biden and Xi's first known interaction since an April phone call.
The two leaders have
tried to keep tensions at bay over issues ranging from Taiwan to the South China Sea and Russia, and American demands for more Chinese help to stem the flow of the ingredients for fentanyl, the leading cause of US drug overdoses.
Biden will raise concerns over a Chinese-linked group that recently hacked into private telecommunications of prominent US officials, Sullivan said.
"The President has demonstrated that the US and (the People's Republic of China) can manage our differences and prevent competition from veering into conflict or confrontation, and he's done that by ensuring the maintenance of open lines of communication," he said.
(Excerpt from Reuters)
top court evacuates after 2 nearby explosions, 1 dead
Brazil's Supreme Court was evacuated after two explosions went off outside the building on Wednesday night and a man was killed by one blast in the square in front of the court, Police and eyewitnesses said.
The Justices were evacuated safely, the court said in a statement.
The first explosion was in a car park adjacent to the court building, and local television showed the blast occurred in the boot of a parked car.
Police swept the area for other explosive devices, and the country's Solicitor General called the explosions on social media an "attack".
The body of the dead man was found lying in the square opposite the court. It was not clear what his connection was to the second explosion.
The Supreme Court is located across the square from Brazil's presidential palace, where President Luiz In cio Lula da Silva had left for the night minutes before the ex-
plosions.
Local media outlet UOL said a man was seen near the front of Supreme Court building with explosives, without saying how it got the information.
The two explosions were heard within 20 seconds of each other, according to local media.
(Reuters)
year of cross-border conflict fought in parallel with the Gaza war.
The Israeli military said its air force had destroyed nine Hezbollah weapons storage facilities and command centres in strikes in the Beirut area, and that Hezbollah fired 40 projectiles into Israel on Wednesday. Six Israeli soldiers had been killed in combat in southern Lebanon,
the military said. It said a heavy barrage of rockets was fired later in the day from Lebanon at Israel, where sirens sounded in the central areas. There were no immediate reports of any damage or casualties from that attack.
White House envoy Amos Hochstein, the U.S. official who has led several fruitless attempts to broker. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Trump selects Tulsi Gabbard to head national intelligence; GOP retains House
US President-elect
Donald Trump has chosen former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to serve as Director of National Intelligence.
Gabbard is an Iraq War veteran who campaigned to end "forever wars" and made a long-shot bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, eventually won by Joe Biden.
A Samoan-American, she was the first Hindu elected to Congress.
"I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our intelligence community, championing our constitutional rights and securing peace through strength," Trump said in a statement.
Gabbard joined Trump on the campaign trail during the election.
Meanwhile, Presidentelect Trump's Republican Party will control both houses of Congress when he takes office in January, Edison Research projected on Wednesday, enabling him to push an agenda of slash-
ing taxes and shrinking the federal government.
Republicans will have at least the 218 votes needed to control the 435-seat House of Representatives, Edison projected, with nine races yet to be called. They have already secured a US Senate majority of at least 52-48 with one race uncalled after the November 5 election.
During his first presidential term in 2017-2021, Trump's biggest achievement was sweeping tax cuts that are due to expire next year. That legislation and Democratic President Joe Biden's signature US$1 trillion infrastructure law both came during periods when their parties controlled both chambers of Congress.
By contrast, during the past two years of divided government, Biden has had little success in passing legislation, and Congress has struggled to perform its most basic function of providing the money needed to keep the Government open.
(Excerpts from Reuters)
Smoke billows over Beirut's southern suburbs after an Israeli strike amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as seen from Baabda, Lebanon, November 13, 2024 (Reuters/Thaier Al-Sudani photo)
US President Joe Biden waves as he walks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Filoli estate on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, in Woodside, California, US, November 15, 2023 (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque file photo)
Former US Rep Tulsi Gabbard in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US, November 4, 2024 (Reuters/Jeenah Moon photo)
Don’t forget to take care of yourself. Physical activity will ease stress and boost your confidence. Listen to your inner voice and broaden your scope regarding something or someone of interest.
Channel your emotional energy into love, learning and lifestyle changes. Participate in events that help you recognize what’s holding you back and offer insight into new possibilities.
Conversations will be misleading. Put your efforts into fact-finding, arranging short trips and learning something. Take better care of yourself and your finances.
Don’t rely on maybes or the remote possibilities others suggest. If you want something done, it is best to do it yourself. Your effort will raise your profile and someone’s interest in you.
Keep an open mind, listen and be direct regarding what you can and will contribute. Your power is in your willingness to share and to make a difference. Draw on your imagination.
Actions speak louder than words. Refuse to let anyone talk you into something you don’t need. Say no to temptation. Be wary of misleading or unhealthy situations.
Take a trip down memory lane, attend a reunion or reach out to someone you miss. It will spark your imagination and help you plan something that excites you. Set a budget, stick to it and forge ahead.
Set a tight schedule and finish what you start. Working alone is in your best interest. Choose to be creative, recognize what’s meaningful and head in a direction that brings you joy.
Take better care of yourself and your money. Impulse purchases will set you back. Focus on fitness and socializing with people who enrich your life by offering commonsense alternatives to what’s trending.
Tell the people in charge what you want. Paint a picture that piques people’s interest and encourages change. It’s time to run the show instead of just participating.
Keep your opinions to yourself to avoid conflict. Refuse to let uncertainty stop you from engaging in activities or events that can stimulate your mind.
Don’t get angry; get moving. Let your accomplishments speak for you. Don’t lower your standards or expectations. A physical change or adjustment to how you do things will pay off.
3rd T20I, India tour of South Africa
Tilak ton, Arshdeep 3-for put India 2-1 up
Tilak Varma became India’s second centurion in the space of six days and ensured they cannot lose the four-match T20 International series. They lead 2-1 with the final match to be played on Friday, and the hosts left with only the option of a draw. South Africa have not won a bilateral T20I series since beating Ireland 2-nil in August 2022 and have lost five and drawn two series in that time.
At a time when the next major tournament is 15 months away, and with the knowledge they reached this year’s T20 World Cup final, that may not worry South Africa too much. But there will be questions over their depth and some of their strategies after they conceded heavily and stumbled in the chase for the second time in the series.
South Africa’s seam strength without Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Anrich Nortje, is, as expected, inexperienced. It showed in a messy display at Supersport Park, which included 10 wides and three no-balls. Those numbers pale in comparison to that of Tilak, who, at 22 years and five days old, became India’s second youngest centurion after Yashasvi Jaiswal, and took just 51 balls to get to his hundred. He shared in a 107-run second-wicket stand with Abhishek Sharma, and
and ensured the result flattered them. He scored his first T20I half-century and blitzed four fours and five sixes, three down the ground, to threaten a coup. But South Africa had left themselves with too much to do. Jansen was dismissed lbw to Arshdeep Singh with three balls left in the innings and 18 to get. South Africa lost by 11 runs.
South Africa strike early; India strike back Jansen got South Africa off to a perfect start when his second ball scythed through
a 58-run fifth-wicket partnership with Rinku Singh, in which Tilak contributed 45. Though India were set for a total above 240, after bringing up 100 in the ninth over, Tilak still made sure they had enough. With an asking rate of 11 needed, South Africa fell behind early on. They needed close to 12 runs an over by the end of the powerplay and as much as 17 runs an over in the last five. At that stage, they had their two biggest hitters, Heinrich Klassen and David Miller at the crease and their partnership had reached 58 off 35 balls. In an eerie reminder of Suryakumar Yadav’s catch on the long-off boundary in the T20 World Cup final in June, Axar Patel timed his jump at deep mid-wicket boundary to perfection and Miller had to depart. Marco Jansen kept South Africa in it until the last over
Sanju Samson. Samson’s allor-bust time continued, with his last four T20I scores reading 111, 107, 0, 0, but India did not spend too much time dwelling on that. They promoted Tilak to number three with astonishing results. He hit the second ball he faced through backward point for four and then smashed Jansen over third for six. Abhishek, who was dismissed for single-figure scores at both coastal venues, quickly rectified that when he took 14 runs off Gerald Coetzee’s opening over, and he showed the full range of his repertoire. Abhishek went through midwicket, over point and then through the covers. Coetzee was swiftly replaced by Lutho Sipamla, who Tilak pulled behind square, and Jansen by Andile Simelane, who bore the brunt of Abhishek’s aggression. He struck back-to-back sixes to opposite corners of the
ground, and India were running away with the powerplay. They were 70 for 1 after six overs, and South Africa were yet to bring on the spinners.
Maharaj and Simelane apply the brakes India brought up 100 inside nine overs when Abhishek launched Keshav Maharaj over long-on, but South Africa’s experienced left-arm spinner had the last laugh. Three balls later, he dragged a delivery wide of Abhishek, who reached out to try and send it through the leg side, but missed and was stumped. In the next over, Simelane gave Suryakumar width and tempted him to cut, but the Indian Captain could only slice it to Jansen at deep point. Simelane now has two international wickets and both are Suryakumar’s. Maharaj’s second over cost 10 runs, but he was kept on for a third, with success. Hardik Pandya missed a sweep, was hit on the back pad and given out lbw. India lost 3 for 25 in 26 balls, as South Africa pulled them back.
But there’s no stopping Tilak Maharaj is known for his ability to slow things down,
with Tilak finding the long and short boundaries. Jansen bowled a boundary-less 17th
cerned they would fly into the players’ eyes. The players were taken off after an over of South Africa’s chase and a light pylon at SuperSport Park was turned off in the hope the flying ants would find somewhere else to congregate. After 28 minutes, they did and play could resume with no overs lost. It’s wild out in Africa, they say, and so it was.
Varun the victor
Forget everything history says about spinners struggling on the Highveld and just look at Varun Chakravarthy. He came into this match as the leading wicket-taker in the series (with double the number of wickets as his nearest rival) and added another to his name with his most unplayable delivery. South Africa have had no idea about his googly, and Reeza Hendricks
over and Rinku was bowled by a Simelane yorker in the 18th. But by then Tilak was unstoppable. He brought up his hundred when he smoked Sipamla past mid-off for his seventh four. Tilak went on to hit one more four to add to his seven sixes and ended unbeaten on 107.
Flying ants stop play
We’ve had bees at the Wanderers, but this is, to this amateur historian’s mind, the first time flying ants have
but by his last over, Tilak had had enough. He used his crease well to go 4-6-4 over extra cover, deep square leg, and deep mid-wicket, and Maharaj finished with 36 off his four overs. That was the warning shot. Coetzee took an absolute pasting in his next over, which also included three wides,
stopped play. What, you may ask? Maybe you call them Patingas or Parwana or Eeyal or Eesal, but you probably know the ones. They come before the rain, are attracted to light and shed their wings upon landing, and there were so many of them at SuperSport Park, the umpires were con-
was done for a second time. He advanced on Varun, slogged wildly, missed and was stumped. South Africa finished the powerplay on 55 for 2.
India (20 ovs maximum) Batting R Sanju Samson † b Jansen 0 Abhishek Sharma st †Klaasen b Maharaj 50
Tilak Varma not out 107
Suryakumar Yadav (c) c Jansen b Simelane 1
Hardik Pandya lbw b Maharaj 18 Rinku Singh b Simelane 8
Ramandeep Singh run out (†Klaasen) 15
Axar Patel not out 1
Extras (lb 6, nb 3, w 10) 19
Total 20 Ov (RR: 10.95) 219/6
Did not bat: Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakravarthy
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Sanju Samson, 0.2 ov), 2-107 (Abhishek Sharma, 8.4 ov), 3-110 (Suryakumar Yadav, 9.4 ov), 4-132 (Hardik Pandya, 12.5 ov), 5-190 (Rinku Singh, 17.5 ov), 6-218 (Ramandeep Singh, 19.5 ov)
Bowling O-M-R-W Marco Jansen 4-0-28-1 Gerald Coetzee 3-0-51-0
Lutho Sipamla 4-0-45-0
Andile Simelane 3-0-34-2
Aiden Markram 2-0-19-0
Keshav Maharaj 4-0-36-2
South Africa may have thought they had the better of Varun when Aiden Markram hit him for two sixes over longon in his third over, but it was a case of the opposite. Markram should have put the last ball away over mid-wicket, but hit it straight to Ramandeep Singh and extended a miserable run for the South African Captain. He has gone 27 innings without a T20I half-century and has not gone past 30 in his last 12 innings. Klaasen was the only player who could take some bragging rights after he hit Varun for three successive sixes, including the biggest of the match at 109 metres, in an over that cost 23. Varun finished with his most expensive T20I analysis but made two crucial breakthroughs and in the end, that’s all that matters. South Africa needed 86 off the last five overs and though Jansen flexed his batting muscles, it was a bridge too far. (ESPNcricinfo)
South Africa (T: 220 runs from 20 ovs) Batting
Tilak Varma leaps in celebration after bringing up his first international century
Marco Jansen had a good game with bat and ball
Abhishek Sharma was full of attacking intent as always
Heinrich Klaasen goes big
India and South Africa players walked off the field owing to flying ants
Maid Marian Wheat-Up to power women’s football year-end tournament
A$500,000 grand prize will be on the line at the Parade Ground in Georgetown, waiting for women’s football teams from around the country to grab, when the Maid Marian Wheat-Up women’s tournament gets underway from November 30 to January 4, 2025.
Thus far, the tournament has 10 confirmed teams hailing from Georgetown, Lethem, and Bartica who will compete under a seven-a- side format.
During the official launch at the National Milling Company (NAMILCO) head office at Agricola, Greater Georgetown on Wednesday morning, Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde touched on their intention to revive Parade Ground to offer the female players a spot in the lucrative year-end window.
The GFF President shared, “We’re thrilled to open this new chapter together, one which we aim to make an annual event, that will continue to grow and include more teams in the coming years. This year, the Maid Marian Wheat-Up Women’s Cup will take place at the historic Parade Ground in Georgetown. We’re grateful to the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown for allowing us to use this iconic venue, where we have already begun upgrading the facilities.
“Our goal is to re-establish Parade Ground as a key venue for grassroots football,
reviving the vibrant football spirit that once defined that space.
“For the second time, our women will share the endof-year platform traditionally dominated by men, with the opportunity to showcase
es, the Lady Jaguars continue to make Guyana proud. What is urgently needed is more developmental opportunities for our future stars, and more exposure so that they can put on show their significant skills. Now, during this festive season, NAMILCO is pleased to spearhead this process through its Maid Marian brand of fine flours.”
Meanwhile, Women’s Football Association
President Andrea Johnson articulated high hopes for a competitive tournament.
“We can’t wait to see the talent, the drive and the spirit that each team will bring. So, as we get ready to kick off, let’s remember that every goal scored, every tackle made and every cheer is a step forward for women in sports. Let’s make this a tournament to re-
their talent and passion for the game on an equal stage,” Forde said, simultaneously confirming the GFF’s intention to also host a men’s yearend tournament.
Citing widespread issues with garnering support for women’s football, NAMILCO Finance Controller Fitzroy McLeod expressed the company’s elation to support the sport.
McLeod highlighted, “As is the case in many jurisdictions, women’s football in Guyana often plays second fiddle to the male version of the beautiful game. It is, therefore, more negatively impacted on by resource limitations of all sorts and despite this and other challeng-
member – full of great games, respect and camaraderie,” Johnson remarked.
With Guyana’s National Women’s Under-17 and Under-20 teams in preparation for international competition, Forde responded to inquiries on how the tournament will boost their preparation.
He divulged, “The youth female teams that are preparing for the international tournament will play in the tournament as a team as well. So, that was one of the motivations to put this on: to give them some game time. They have some international games against Suriname coming up pretty soon, but they also have games where they
will play as a unit. So, they will get to run against the girls from Rupununi, Bartica, GDF, Police and so forth.”
While the championship-winning team pocket the $500,000 grand prize, second place will receive $200,000 and third place will cart off $100,000. The seven-a-side games will run for 60 minutes, with action scheduled for every Saturday in the aforementioned timeframe for the tournament.
CG United Super50…
GHE campaign ends as Jamaica surge into top 4
The Guyana Harpy Eagles (GHE) will have to go another CG United Super50 season without clinching the coveted championship trophy after being ousted from semifinal contention.
The Harpy Eagles, who only managed two victories in seven games this season, also had to endure two no-result matches when it appeared as though they would secure victories. Given also their three losses, the Guyanese outfit could only muster 37 points in those seven games.
Following a no-re-
sult between the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and Jamaica Scorpions owing to rain on Tuesday evening, the Scorpions managed just enough points to move past the Harpy Eagles into the top four.
With no more games in hand, the Guyanese will not be able to move on to the tournament’s semi-final round, which is scheduled to be contested on Wednesday, November 20 and Thursday, November 21. Currently, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, Jamaica Scorpions, Barbados Pride and Leeward Islands Hurricanes are the
Badminton quartet for Suriname International tournament
AGuyanese racquet-wielding quartet of Priyanna Ramdhani, Nkosi Beaton, Frank Waddell, and Jonathan Debidin have journeyed to neighbouring Suriname to represent Guyana at the Suriname International 2024, which served off on Wednesday, November 13 in Paramaribo, Suriname.
The tournament which will feature singles, doubles, and mixed doubles events is scheduled to wrap up on Sunday, November 17.
In the preliminary round on November 13, Beaton, Waddell, and Debidin were
The Surinamese tournament features competition from 12 countries, namely: Canada, Guatemala, Guyana, India, Israel, Malta, Mexico, Peru, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, the USA, and hosts Suriname.
The Guyana Badminton Association (GBA), in a missive, extended its best wishes to the team and expressed gratitude to the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), Chet Bowling, Andrew Browne, Gavin Caio, and Jason Stephney for their support in making the athletes’ participation in the tournament possible.
Guyana’s badminton team took a photo opportunity before their departure
teams in the Super50’s top four. The final is set for Saturday, November 23.
A look at the CG United Super50 points table after Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and Jamaica Scorpions’ no-result on Tuesday
Women’s Football Association President Andrea Johnson
GFF President Wayne Forde
NAMILCO Finance Controller Fitzroy McLeod
“Feels like home” – Golden Jags debutant keen on making an impact
Bhas either played the sport for leisure or been a part of acade-
mies and clubs.
Now, the forward who competes for FC Lisse in the Netherlands has taken a major step in his internation-
MVP Sports Girls’ U11 tournament…
al career, opting to suit up for Guyana’s senior men’s national football team, the Golden Jaguars.
After a training stint in Guyana in October, George has been named in the team’s 23-man squad for their CONCACAF play-ins against Barbados.
During an exclusive interview with Guyana Times Sport, George spoke of his experience being back in Guyana for a second time.
“The first time that I came here I was like three years old. So, I had a chance now, like a new experience, so, coming back to the place where my parents were born and raised, it feels good because I live in the Netherlands and there’re not a lot of Guyanese people there, to come in a place whereby there’s a lot of Guyanese people, the culture and that kind of stuff, it feels really great,” George told this publication.
The forward then went
GBI’s Kool Kidz announced as supporting sponsor
The Petra Organisation on Wednesday conducted its customary ball distribution exercise ahead of the kick-off of the MVP Sports Pee-Wee Girls
sponsor the tournament as mutually beneficial.
“Our involvement, it really speaks to youths on all levels. So, whether it’s the grassroots football or
Under-11 football tournament. It was then that the Guyana Beverages Inc (GBI), under its Kool Kidz brand, seized the opportunity to hop on board the developmental programme which will see girls’ teams from Regions One, Three, Four, Seven and 10 in action.
As such, in expressing GBI’s eagerness to add to youth development once again, the company’s Event Coordinator Colin Higgins described the opportunity to
it’s Elite League, we try to support football at all levels and being diverse when it comes to our spread, we try to touch on games in the city and in the hinterland as well. So, when the Petra Organisation approached us again about this tournament, we recognised it as a mutually-beneficial opportunity, supporting not only the goals of Petra Organisation, but also the goals and dreams of these young athletes that you see here today,” Higgins shared
receive $70,000, $50,000 and $25,000, all in kind.
with the gathering at the National Library.
Citing the challenges encountered with hosting the girls’ version of the PeeWee tournament, Petra CoDirector Troy Mendonca expressed gratitude to GBI for its valued support.
Mendonca related, “Over the years, eight years we’ve been fighting to have the girls’ programme and you know, I won’t delve into the challenges and the fight we normally go through to have the girls’ programme. But today, we’re proud to announce GBI once again joining us with their Kool Kidz brand to deliver this Under-11 programme.
“It allows us to create a space for the girls to have fun, meet new friends, play together while inculcating the attitude of teamwork. So, we at Petra and the entire football fraternity, we want to thank the management and staff at Guyana Beverages for their contribution,” the Petra Co-Director added.
In addition to ball distribution, the 16 participating teams were advised on the tournament’s rules during Wednesday afternoon’s activity at the National Library.
The tournament will kick off on Saturday, November 16 with teams vying for a $100,000 grand prize while second to fourth place will
into detail about his football career which began at the tender age of five, as he cultivated a passion for the sport.
“At the age of 12/13, being seen by pro-academies, clubs and they invited me for trials to come, so at 13/14 years old, I grow into the professional academies. From there on, my journey started, I went there for three seasons, then I went to a Third-Division club when I was 18, then again I went to a pro- academy club for the Under 21s, then this season I joined a Third-Division club again,” George related.
The forward added, “I think I just love the game, since I was small. Of course, the Netherlands is a soccer country. It’s just something that you love to do, you feel free when you come on the pitch, your mind, it just empties. Yeah, just love it.”
During his time with the Guyanese national team, George identified some welcomed differences, highlighting that the camp felt like home.
The Netherlands-based player explained, “That – the way of playing, the system, how they play, the way they speak and coach – is a little bit different than in Holland,
but I mean soccer is soccer. It’s been great, it’s a good level here, even with the overseas players and the local players.”
“The Guyana team, it’s a family I’ve seen. They talk with each other, how they spend time with each other like brothers. So, it feels really great to be in the group. It just feels like home,” George went on to express.
The 21-year-old is poised to experience his first international camp soon, holding high hopes for his career with the Golden Jaguars.
“I hope really to play for Guyana, to score goals, to win matches and to make Guyana and the fans proud. Even the teammates as well. So, my impact that I want to bring to this team is just to bring them to a higher level,” George said.
The Golden Jaguars will take on Barbados tomorrow at the Barbados Football Federation Technical Centre, St Michael from 19:00h. The teams will then head to Guyana for the return game at the National Track and Field Center (NTFC), West Coast Demerara (WCD) next Tuesday, for kick-off at the same time.
Remainder of National T20 Championship to be hosted at National Stadium
The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has announced that after 15 preliminary matches, the semi-finals, third- place match, exhibition match, and the grand finale of the National T20 League, which is sponsored by BetCAGESports, will be hosted at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
The match schedule for this weekend’s action is as follows:
Friday, November 15
Essequibo Jaguars vs Berbice Piranhas
Time: 14:00 hours
Demerara Pitbulls vs Essequibo Anacondas
Time: 19:00 hours
Saturday, November 16
Female Exhibition Match Time: 10:00 hours
Third-Place Playoff
Time: 14:00 hours
Final Time: 19:00 hours
According to the GCB, this final lap of the tournament promises exciting cricket action and will showcase some of the county’s top talents.
As such, the GCB is encouraging cricket enthusiasts to come out and support their favourite teams, with great competition on show. The National T20 League is sponsored by BetCAGESports and endorsed by the Government of Guyana.
By Jemima Holmes
orn to Guyanese parents in the Netherlands, Enoch
George has always had a passion for football. For much of his 21 years, George
The Guyana National Stadium will host the remainder of the National T20 League
Enoch George (front left) shares a light moment with his Golden Jaguars teammates
New Golden Jaguars forward Enoch George
Petra Organisation’s Troy Mendonca and Troy Peters. Ministry of Education’s Joel Gonsalves and GBI’s Colin Higgins are flanked by young ladies who will feature in the MVP Sports U11 football tournament
Higgins (left) makes a presentation to Petra’s Troy Mendonca (second from right) in the presence of MoE’s Joel Gonsalves and another GBI representative
GBI Events Coordinator Colin Higgins
