…billed for August 10
Guyana Govt seeking US$20M to compensate State for CLICO payments
…seeking court order to track and claim CLICO assets
“Police can only do so much” –Traffic Chief on growing roadway congestion
2019 Auditor General's Report PAC demands forensic audit of $269M in unaccounted drugs
“We are bringing development to all your communities” – Prime Minister
Woman among 3 in custody after ganja bust
$1.45B Aubrey Barker Road expansion to proceed in phases amid delay
The roundabout at the western end of the Demerara Harbour Bridge (Photo shared on President Dr Irfaan Ali’s social media page)
BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Tuesday, August 6 – 04:00h to 5:30h and Wednesday, August 7 – 04:00h-05:30h.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Tuesday, August 6 – 5:00h to 6:30h and Wednesday, August 7 – 5:35h to 7:05h.
FERRY SCHEDULE
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
WEATHER TODAY
Cloudy
Guyana Govt seeking US$20M to compensate State for CLICO payments
…seeking court order to track and claim CLICO assets
rue to its commitment, the Government of Guyana has petitioned the High Court to access the US$20 million held in an escrow account to compensate for the billions spent covering CLICO's liabilities in Guyana following its 2009 collapse.
CLICO collapsed throughout the region in 2009, many policyholders throughout CARICOM were unable to receive the monies they had invested, at face value.
According to the claim, the defendant and other members of the CLICO group knew they would be unable to compensate policy holders in Guyana. The claim notes that they stood by and watched as the Government of Guyana took on those responsibilities.
The claim states that the Government of Guyana paid as much as $5.6 Billion to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), which was at risk of collapsing around the same time as CLICO. Moreover, a judgement was already issued against CL Financial Limited, the parent company of the defen-
have known would not earn a return,” the claim states. According to the claim, not only did CIB borrow tens of millions of US dollars from CL Financial without providing security and with no intentions of repaying its debts, they also knowingly accepted payments diverted from other members of the CLICO group “to avoid liability and to falsely create an appearance of liquidity and profitability.”
activities, defrauded policy holders. According to the claim, CIB colluded with CL Financial, run by former executive chairman and CLICO director Lawrence Duprey, in these improper transactions.
“CIB knew or ought to
The Government, with CLICO (South America) named as the second claimant, has taken CLICO Investment Bank Limited (CIB) to the High Court, as the battle for US$20 Million lodged in an escrow account held by the Deeds Registry, continues. According to the Statement of Claim released by the Attorney General Chambers, the government is seeking the release of the funds to its possession.
CLICO was a Trinidadian financial company that had policy holders throughout the region, including Guyana. When
dant. To date, this judgement has never been enforced.
That judgement, issued in 2019 by Justice Gino Persaud, included special damages of US$34 million. Guyana, represented by Attorney General Anil Nandlall, is therefore seeking the release of the US$20 Million in the escrow account, as partial payment of the total US$34 Million, in addition to an order to levy on any assets owned by CLICO in Guyana.
There is also the matter of fraud, with the Guyana Government in its claim noting that CIB, through its
have known or was reckless as to its ability to repay debts which were advanced to it and which were essentially policy holders’ monies. CIB caused the loss suffered by policy holders in Guyana which loss had to be assumed by Guyana. CIB borrowed monies from CLI Financial and the group without providing any or adequate security.”
“CIB actively engaged in promoting unsustainable investment products for and on behalf of the group. CIB allowed itself to be directed by CL Financial Limited to make inter-company loans which they knew or ought to
In light of all of this, the government is also seeking an interim order blocking the release of the money in the escrow account to CIB, until their case is determined. An order is also being sought to trace, and make a claim on, CLICO’s assets, with an order directing the defendants to submit the necessary accounts also sought.
The filing of this case comes a month after the High Court barred Clico Investment Bank from accessing the US$20 Million in the escrow account. At the time, Nandlall had announced that the government of Guyana would be going to court to seek the money on behalf of the state. That judgement was handed down by Justice Navindra Singh, who dismissed CIB’s judicial review against the Registrar of Deeds. CIB, which is registered in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) had claimed that it was entitled to the US$20 Million, by virtue of an agreement between Bosai Minerals Guyana Services and Bosai Minerals Guyana Group Inc.
However, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC., who appeared on behalf of the Registrar of Deeds, argued in his submissions that Section 330 of the Companies Act prevents companies not registered in Guyana, from maintaining legal proceedings locally. And since this is the fifth time CIB has instituted unsuccessful legal proceedings in Guyana’s courts, Nandlall also made an oral application, which was granted, that CIB be barred from instituting a sixth such proceeding. (G3)
Former executive chairman and CLICO director, Lawrence Duprey
CLICO’s office in Port of Spain, Trinidad
Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC
Editor: Tusika Martin
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Diversification
In the ever-evolving landscape of global economics, the quest for economic diversification has become a critical priority for developing nations. Guyana is, however, emerging as a compelling case study in this regard. With our recent shift from a resource-dependent economy to a burgeoning model of diversification, Guyana offers a blueprint for other developing member states that are striving to balance growth and sustainability.
The concept of Guyana being this “blue print” was brilliantly articulated by Caribbean Export Development Agency Executive Director Dr Damie Sinanan, who in a news report said Guyana would be a blueprint for other developing member states who are on the path towards diversifying their economies.
He said: “At the end of the day, we have to be one Caribbean, we have to approach the challenges together, we can’t approach it as 15 different Member States, because we’re too small, we’re not going to have any impact, we don’t have skill. If we unite, come together, do business together, share technologies, that’s the only way we’re going to go forward…Guyana is doing wonderful things. You know, the oil and gas industry is really taking off. But you can see the investment in diversification, you can see the investment in green technologies, you can see the investment in other [sectors], in digitisation, Internet penetration. If these models can be shared, and we can work together as a region, it can really benefit us.”
Historically, Guyana’s economy has been heavily reliant on its rich natural resources, primarily gold. This dependency, while lucrative, rendered the country vulnerable to global commodity price fluctuations and external shocks. However, the discovery of significant offshore oil reserves in recent years has been a game-changer. Rather than falling into the trap of “resource curse,” the current administration has taken measures to leverage its newfound wealth for broader economic development.
Central to this successful diversification is its strategic vision and innovative policy frameworks undertaken by the Dr Irfaan Ali administration, which includes careful management of oil revenues through the establishment of the Natural Resource Fund (NRF). This fund aims to provide fiscal stability, invest in infrastructure, and support social programs, ensuring that oil wealth translates into long-term benefits for the population rather than short-term gains.
Moreover, the Government’s commitment to diversifying economic activities beyond the oil sector is evident in its efforts to develop agriculture, tourism, and technology. Initiatives such as the development of agro-processing industries and sustainable tourism are designed to create jobs, boost local industries, and reduce economic dependence on a single resource.
Economic diversification is not merely about shifting sectors, but also about building human capital and infrastructure. In this area, there has been significant investments in education and skills development to equip its workforce for a diversified economy.
Partnerships with international organizations and private sector players have facilitated the creation of training programs and educational opportunities aligned with emerging industry needs.
Infrastructure development is another cornerstone of Guyana’s strategy. Investments in energy and digital infrastructure are crucial for supporting new industries and improving overall economic efficiency. By enhancing connectivity and modernizing infrastructure, the Government is setting the stage for sustained economic growth and resilience.
While Guyana’s progress is commendable, it is not without challenges. Additionally, balancing environmental sustainability with economic development remains a critical concern, particularly in the context of preserving Guyana’s rich biodiversity.
For other developing nations, Guyana’s experience offers valuable lessons. A multifaceted approach that includes sound governance, strategic investment, and a focus on human capital is essential for successful diversification.
Who is brave enough to back Brazil’s global tax on billionaires? The answer will define our future
By GeorGe MonBiot
Who is Government for? It’s a question we should never stop asking. The answer that keeps coming back is “not the majority”. For example, the first phase of the Covid-19 pandemic produced remarkably consistent polling results. Repeated surveys showed fewer than 10% of people wished to return to the pre-pandemic economy. The great majority wanted to see one good thing emerging from the trauma of the illness and the measures used to address it: a fairer, greener, kinder economic system.
But the Conservative Government had other ideas. It announced what then Prime Minister Boris Johnson called a “significant return to normality”. His normality, of course. The structure of the Covid bailouts ensured that the big banks gained massively, often at the expense of small businesses. Executive pay and dividends for shareholders soared, while lowlier workers lost incomes and livelihoods.
I think we are all either vaguely or painfully aware that, regardless of changes of Government, our needs will be met only if they coincide with the demands of capital. If they run directly counter to those demands, however great and consistent our wishes might be, they scarcely stand a chance.
The response to the pandemic was one test of that proposition. Now the world’s governments face another. Last week, Brazilian climate minister Ana Toni explained a proposal put forward by her Government (and now supported by South Africa, Germany and Spain) for a 2% global tax on the wealth of the world’s billionaires. Though it would affect just 3,000 of the super-rich, it would raise around $250bn (£195bn): a significant con-
tribution either to global climate funds or to poverty alleviation.
Radical? Not at all. According to calculations by Oxfam, the wealth of billionaires has been growing so fast in recent years that maintaining it at a constant level would have required an annual tax of 12.8%. Trillions, in other words: enough to address global problems long written off as intractable. You would need to perform Olympian mental gymnastics to oppose Brazil’s very modest proposal. It addresses, albeit to a tiny extent, one of the great democratic deficits of our time: that capital operates globally, while voting power stops at the national border. Without global measures, in the contest between people and plutocrats, the plutocrats will inevitably win. They can extract vast wealth from the nations in which they operate, often with the help of Government subsidies and state contracts, and shift it through opaque networks of shell companies and secrecy regimes, placing it beyond the reach of any tax authority.
This is what some of the global “investors” in the UK water companies have done. The money they extracted is now gone, and we are left with both the debts they accumulated and the ruins of the system they ransacked. Get tough with capital, or capital will get tough with you.
The Brazilian proposal, which will be put before the G20 Summit in Rio in November, has already been dismissed by the US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who suggested there was no need for it. On whose behalf does she make this claim? Not ours. Wherever people have been surveyed, including in the US, there is strong support for raising taxes on the rich.
In the two years following the start of the pandemic, the
world’s richest 1% captured 63% of economic growth. The collective fortune of billionaires rose by $2.7bn a day, while some of the world’s poorest became poorer still. Between 2020 and 2023, the five richest men on Earth doubled their wealth.
Billionaire wealth impoverishes us all Astonishingly, each of them produces on average a million times more carbon dioxide than the average global citizen in the bottom 90%. Billionaires are a blight on the planet. Yet, because they are the true citizens of nowhere, shifting their wealth and residence between jurisdictions, they pay far lower levels of tax than the most downtrodden of their workers. Oxfam has calculated, using records unearthed by the investigative journalists ProPublica in 2021, that Elon Musk pays a “true tax rate” of 3.27%, and Jeff Bezos less than 1%. Falling tax rates and the clever workarounds designed by the lawyers and accountants serving the ultra-rich help to explain the growth of their fortunes.
Wealth that could otherwise support public services and public wellbeing is siphoned out of nation states. As the global rich accumulate ever greater economic power, and find ever more inventive ways to evade democratic restraint, they become more potent than many governments.
There’s a word for this: oligarchy. Some of them use this power to demolish democratic safeguards. To give one example, they have lobbied successfully to pull down the rules and caps on campaign finance until, in some nations, they appear to wield more influence over elections than the electorate.
Offshore capital has become a new colonial power, colonising rich and poor nations alike. It owes no allegiance, it has neither polit-
ical nor moral boundaries. Loyalty flows only in the other direction: states quake before it, and rush to meet its demands. If you challenge these governments, they will tell you that if we don’t give capital what it wants, it will migrate to a state that will. A global race to the bottom beggars everyone except the oligarchs.
During the Keynesian era, roughly 1945-1975, governments sought to contain this force using capital and foreign exchange controls. But multimillionaires and corporations soon discovered how to break that containment, then buy their way out of further restraints. The UK, above all other countries, has enhanced its undemocratic power by allowing the City of London and its satellites to become the world’s leading money launderer, disguising both the origins and the destination of ill-gotten wealth. With London’s help, capital migrates ever further out of political reach. Every so often, UK Governments promise to act, then deliberately vitiate their own proposals with loopholes wide enough to contain an oligarch’s mansion. When poorer countries propose global initiatives to prevent the ultra-rich from escaping taxation, rich nations, including the UK, have sought to stop them. They do so not in response to public demand, but in response to pressure from a tiny proportion of the population – billionaires, the newspapers they own, and the concierge class that works for them. So, here’s the test the G20 Governments face: 3,000 versus 8 billion. Do their loyalties lie with 0.00004% of the world’s population, or with the rest? If your Government seeks to block the Brazilian proposal, you will have your answer. (The Guardian) (George Monbiot is a Guardian columnist)
A jockey competing in Chonburi's annual buffalo race festival in Chonburi province, Thailand (Reuters)
CCJ vs Privy Council: Implications for the Indian Diaspora
Dear Editor,
Recent rulings by the Privy Council in England on Caribbean cases have again raised questions about whether local courts can be truly trusted to make impartial judgements, and about the integrity of local magistrates and judges.
Courts follow a hierarchical structure, and must oblige by the precedent set by the highest court for that jurisdiction, as set out in a country’s constitution.
Once upon a time, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council was the final court of appeal for all territories of the British Empire. As countries became independent over the course of the 20th century, many dropped the colonial body in favour of a domestic alternative. Ireland, Canada, India and South Africa are among the first to have established their judicial sovereignty, and 22 more have been added to that list from 1933
to 2015. However, eight Commonwealth realms and three republics still utilise the decisions of Her Majesty’s Lords.
Eight of the territories that rely on the Privy Council are in the Caribbean. An alternate, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), was established in 2001, but nations of the region have been reluctant to acquiesce to the Treaty. Only Guyana, Barbados, Belize and Dominica have done so. The Court, however, functions and adjudicates on matters relating to the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, which also established the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).
Despite the CCJ being seated in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago is most reluctant to accept the CCJ. Trinidad and Tobago, as a nation, is joined by the Commonwealth realms: Grenada, St Vincent, St
Lucia, Antigua, St Kitts, Jamaica and Bahamas, who still have Her Majesty the Queen as Head of State. With nationalist Barbados and Guyana becoming the regional powerhouses, the debate in regard to the Privy Council versus the CCJ has intensified. This was the subject of our IndoCaribbean Cultural Centre (ICC) ZOOM discussions.
The following are excerpts from our ICC Thought Leaders’ Public Forum held on 3/07/22. The programme was chaired by Charlene Maharaj and moderated by Shalima Mohammed, both from Trinidad. The topic was “The Caribbean Court of Justice vs The Privy Council: Implications for the Indian Diaspora”. See the unedited recording of the programme: https://www.youtube.com/@ dmahab/streams
Dr Derek O’Brien (UK) said: “I think the closest that Trinidad has come to replacing the Privy Council
More protection needed for online shoppers
Dear Editor,
I wish to highlight an online shopping experience I had with a company (name provided) located on Camp Street, Georgetown.
I have a mailbox with this company, and I purchased a few items from Amazon.com on June 13, 2024. According to my tracking records, the package was delivered to my mailbox address, of which this company is the receiving agent on my behalf. The tracking information showed this was done on June 24, 2024 at 9:30am. After a while, I expected my package to arrive in Guyana, but this wasn’t so. I enquired from the local office staff, and shared all the relevant tracking information.
All information indicated that my package had been handed over to an agent at the Miami facility for final delivery to me, but the company denied that they received my package.
Editor, my expectation was that when you take out an online shopping mailbox, the custodian of that mail box would represent any issue that may arise in relation to it. This was not so in my case.
I spent over two weeks querying the whereabouts of my package from over 10 Amazon customer care representatives. They all responded that this package was delivered to the intended address. I made
a final enquiry from the United States Postal Service (USPS), and they finally responded saying, “According to our tracking records, your package was delivered as addressed to a third-party reshipper at the destination address of this package. Therefore, the tracking number associated with it is not eligible for further enquiry. For further assistance with this package, please contact third-party reshipper”. There was no issue with my mailing address, as this was accurately stated. I contacted and shared all my queried information with the manager of the local office at Camp Street, Georgetown, and this is what she had to say, “We are very sorry that this has happened, but we are hopeful that just as you believe the shipping companies in America, you believe us when we say we did not receive your package. We will keep you posted if the package shows up at any time, but until then this is out of our control”. I easily ended up empty-handed through no fault of mine.
This situation highlights a big risk one takes when one shops online. Whether it is this company or any other online shipping company, no shopper should lose his/her money or purchases as mentioned above. There needs to be accountability, and here is where the relevant
Government agencies must address this kind of situation urgently. There must be a thorough review of online shopping and shipping regulations in order to provide greater protection to consumers and online shoppers.
Yours sincerely, C Woolford
with the CCJ was a suggestion back in 2012 that it would use the CCJ only for criminal appeals. So, as it stands, I think it’s going to be a while before any of the other countries in the region replace the Privy Council with the CCJ.”
Barrister Rowan Pennington- Benton (UK) said: “I think actually that the Privy Council here now has quite a lot of cases remotely, and I think that was sped up really by Covid, so I mean that gets over perhaps some of the accessibility points…but I think the main points of principle were rightly raised by Dr O’Brien. I think my central point is just that I wonder whether there will be changes in practices of these institutions that might help the CCJ to move its position forward.”
Dr. Hon. Justice Anthony Gafoor (Trinidad) said: “Barrister Richard Clayton, KC, said that logic
suggests that replacing the Privy Council with the CCJ is not a question of whether or not it is possible, but it requires widespread support. Look at the example of the Brexit vote, which of course has caused all sorts of issues within the UK. The desire to take back control through the private consciousness is a sentiment expressed by many people, but as Richard Clayton says, it can only work if that development chimes with the national mood and aspirations.”
Attorney Ganesh Saroop (Trinidad) -- substituting for Senator Attorney Jayanti Lutchmedial -said: “We really have to get things right at the lower level before we can engage and focus our minds on the CCJ. You have to get things right on a basic level before we can take it to a higher level. To move up, you have to creep before you walk, and we are not necessarily
doing a good job at creeping at this stage, because there are fundamental mishaps in our justice system as it currently stands.”
Dr. Indira Rampersad (Trinidad) said: “In my opinion, I believe that accession to the CCJ is inevitable. We are going to need a special majority, and will need to poll the public through means of public opinion avenues like a referendum, because I believe it is the democratic way to go; but, alas, we don’t have that provision in our constitution. Those islands such as Jamaica have it, but they will have to amend the constitution and bring about the question of constitutional reform in the process. So, the debate will be going on and on, around and around, but we need to ultimately get the facts clear.”
Sincerely, Dr Kumar Mahabir
Another Olympics and Guyana’s medal count is still one
Dear Editor, Guyana’s Paris Olympics outing has ended. We seem unable to get past the heats. This in no way makes little or trifles the performances of our athletes in the various disciplines we participated in; they did their best and must be commended for their efforts.
Apart from Michael Parris earning a bronze med-
al in boxing in 1980, Guyana has since never earned a medal at any Olympics. Are the authorities pleased with this outcome? Were those who were in authority before them pleased with this outcome? What will it take to get us past the heats and onto the podium? Los Angeles 2028 beckons. And what of World Cup Football 2026? Much ado was made of Guyana being in the world line-up.
Sincerely, Shamshun Mohamed
Foundation
Changing from customary units to metric units
Use the chart below to help you convert customary units to metric units. The values may not be exact in all cases but approximations. Milk and fruit juices sometimes include labels that express their liquid volume in fluid ounces. 1 fluid ounce = 29.574 millilitres.
By Joyce Kilmer
Example:
3 yards = how many millimetres?
Step 1: Find yards on the chart above: 1 yard = 0.914 metre
Step 2: Multiply 3 x 0.914 = 2.742m.
Step 3: Multiply the number of metres x 1000 to find millimetres: 2.742m x 1000 = 2742mm
So 3 yards = 2742mm
Exercises: Calculate
When the thread shows that the air is separating away from the shape, this indicates a position where the airflow is transitioning from laminar (smooth layers) to turbulent (swirling).
The thread should be seen to move away from the shape if airflow becomes separated (shapes 1 and 2). It should be seen to stay quite close to shape 3, indicating that the airflow is attached. If the airflow separates, the air pressure will be lower in the zone of separation. This shows where a region of low pressure will be. This region of low pressure is the cause of pressure drag.
Discussion questions
• What shapes cause the airflow to separate from the surface the most?
• What shapes cause the airflow to separate from the surface the least? (Adapted from www.sciencelearn.org)
Finding shapes that reduce separation to keep the airflow close to the surface will reduce this zone of low pressure and so will reduce drag.
I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast; A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in summer wear A nest of robins in her hair; Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain. Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree.
Source: Poetry (Poetry)
Ensure citizens understand their rights - Pres Ali to PUC, Public Service Appellate Tribunal
In keeping with Government’s commitment to support the work of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC): to improve the quality of public services provided to citizens, President Dr Irfaan Ali has disclosed plans to strengthen the agency’s regulatory framework.
The Head of State made this announcement during the swearing-in ceremony of Dr Nanda Gopaul as new Chairman of the PUC, and Justice of Appeal (retired) BS Roy as Chairman of the Public Service Appellate Tribunal.
“The Government is prepared to support efforts at strengthening the country's regulatory framework in relation to public utilities, so (as) to allow the PUC to better discharge its mandate in a more modernized economy. The quality of public utilities can act as either an incentive or disincentive for attracting investment. Improved utility services ensure that businesses can operate with fewer disruptions, reduce operational costs, tap into new opportunities, and acquire competitive edges,” the President announced.
The Public Utilities Commission is empowered by several Acts, including the Public Utilities Commission Act, the Guyana Energy Agency Act, the Electricity Sector Reform Act, and the Telecommunications Act. These laws mandate the PUC to regulate, investigate and enforce standards that maintain the delicate balance between consumer protection and investor interests.
In outlining the various functions of the PUC, President Ali stressed that the Commission is also required to ensure that every
Justice Winston Anderson to act as CCJ President
Justice Winston Anderson has been appointed to serve as the acting president of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) from August 2 to September 16, 2024. This appointment was made by Prime Minister of Grenada, Dickon Mitchell, who is the current Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (Caricom).
Justice Anderson steps into the role while the current President of the CCJ, Justice Adrian Saunders, is on leave.
According to Article VIII, Paragraph 1 of the Agreement Establishing the Caribbean Court of Justice, the functions of the Court's President are to be performed by the most senior Judge of the Court, ap -
public utility maintains its property and equipment in such condition that enables service that is adequate, efficient, non-discriminatory, affordable, and safe.
Expansion
On this point, he further underscored the need for expansion as it relates to the upskilling of personnel within the agency.
“Some expansion is needed. Critical skills will be needed to help the PUC in this very competitive expanded environment that we must operate in as Guyana undergoes a significant economic transformation; the role of the public utilities in enhancing services to both citizens and businesses becomes increasingly crucial. However, this enhanced role also endows utility with greater market power and
influence, which must be carefully managed to avoid potential misuse…So, you can see our role in the Public Utilities Commission directly impacts our competitiveness as a country; directly impacts our ability to maintain a stable business environment,” the Head of State explained.
Aside from strengthening the regulatory framework of the PUC to enhance Guyana’s economic competitiveness, President Ali also emphasised the need for regular outreaches and engagements to far-flung communities in the hinterland and across the coastland. In this regard, the PUC Chairman has been tasked with ensuring that the commission enhances its presence in the various regions, and exercises the oath of office in the interest of good governance
while doing so.
“We believe as a Government that we need to do more to ensure that all our citizens are acquainted with the different commissions, and are acquainted with their rights so that they can equally benefit from, and take part in, and be a part of, these commissions and bodies that protect their rights,” he added. The PUC, guided by the Public Utilities Commission Act No 26 of 1990, came into effect on October 1, 1990. The Act was amended in 1991, 1994 and 1999. The PUC is tasked with regulating utilities and service providers, including GTT, Guyana Power and Light (GPL), Guyana Water Inc (GWI), and Digicel. In the past, it had to level fines against certain utility providers. (G1)
Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), Dr Nanda Kishore Gopaul, taking the Oath of Office before President Dr Irfaan Ali
Justice of Appeal (retired) BS Roy being sworn-in as Chairman of the Public Service Appellate Tribunal
pointed by the Chairman of the Conference until the President returns. Having been appointed as a Judge in June 2010,
Justice Anderson is the most senior Judge currently serving on the CCJ, qualifying him for this interim role.
Justice Winston Anderson
Woman among 3 in custody after ganja bust
Police in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) have unearthed 559 grams of cannabis during a 'Cordon and Search' operation on Sunday.
Reports are that the operation took place on New Street, Cumberland, East Canje, Berbice.
According to Police, the ranks initially conducted a search of a premises occupied by three individuals: two men, ages 28 and 27, and a 24-year-old woman – but no illegal substances were found within the premises.
However, in a follow-up search of an abandoned lot adjacent to the residence, officers discovered two bulky transparent parcels containing leaves, seeds, and stems believed to be cannabis. Upon weighing, the total amount of suspected cannabis was determined to be 559 grams.
The three occupants of the premises were arrested and are currently in custody as the investigation continues.
What about…
…corruption?
The talk – and sneers! - about “corruption” can’t be escaped in Guyana nowadays. But it’s always been there, no?? When the Scottish planters gave contracts only to Liverpool merchants for their goods, wasn’t that corruption?? So, dear reader, you say other folks didn’t have merchants in the beginning? Well, how did THAT situation come about??! One thing about this thing called “capitalism” is it comes with its own morality - with money as its god, and making it as the reason for man’s existence. By any means necessary.
Even carbuncled Karl Marx - who railed against its monstrous tentacles - admitted it was the most efficient system ever invented to produce more and more of whatever we wanted -for less and less!! So, the item you’re selling is defective…do you tell this to the buyer? Hell, no!! Caveat emptor’s the rule – buyer beware!! But what about things BEFORE capitalism?? Were folks a bunch of angels flitting around with halos hovering over their heads? Hell, no!! Using people as serfs and slaves to work their land isn’t corruption – plus having the seignorial “right” to bed their wives and daughters??
In disgust, the philosopher Kant conceded that we’re all created “out of this crooked timber”. It’s a good analogy – from within, none of us are “straight” - and we all have a price. The sooner we concede this the sooner we’ll be able to deal with corruption. We’ll have to accept that any politician who denies there’s corruption at all levels of Government is either a fool or a vagabond. With all the slings against Jagdeo, he admitted there’s corruption in the Government! He just thinks it ain’t as prevalent as the Opposition trumpets.
So wha’d we do?? As Civil Society, we gotta get our act together and investigate claims of corruption, and get “smoking gun’ evidence to take the perpetrators to court!! It can be done!! Guyana’s a small place, and we Guyanese just loooove to talk. Shouldn’t be too difficult to pin down some of the rumours, should it?? Problem is that sometimes we like to talk too much sh*t!!! And we don’t put our money where our mouths are!!
So, what should the Government leaders do?? Well, we can take a few leaves from the Chinese and start EXECUTING some big ones who’re caught with their hands in the cookie jar!! And trust this Eyewitness – this will have a most salutary effect on one and all – including those presently in the spotlight – friends and family and the po-lice!!
And secondly, another low hanging fruit is if officials’ assets exceed their income flow, let THEM have to show the courts where they got the money!! And thirdly, how do we deal with leaders who ignore declaration of assets??
…political corruption
But folks aren’t corrupt only in business, are they?? In fact, there’s a lot of hypocrisy about corruption by only focusing from that angle. What about Burnham’s corruption in rigging elections from 1968 to 1985?? To accomplish that feat, didn’t the PNC corrupt thousands - and generations - of Guyanese to steal the votes of their fellow citizens?? Didn’t this corruption become a way of life?? Does anyone think the corruption could be compartmentalized so it doesn’t spill over into every other aspect of life??
Folks talking about police corruption. Wasn’t it corruption when all those policemen seized “banned” goods and only returned them for “services” from women?? What about the bribes for every service by the Public Service (!!) - like getting birth certificates!??! Isn’t that when petty corruption joined with corruption at the top, so that corruption became power and absolute corruption became absolute power??
We all became complicit since WE knew the dictator was corrupt; the DICTATOR knew he was corrupt, but WE stayed quiet. Lest we’d be assassinated like poor Walter?
…a modus vivendi
Since corruption’s endemic to the human condition, the best we can do is to keep it from drowning us. Let’s ensure some milk’s left for the calf!!
The cannabis that was found at Cumberland, East Canje, Berbice
Major power outage in Bartica as 3 GPL generators shut down
Residents of Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni)
were on Monday afternoon left without electricity for approximately 8 hours following the shutdown of three of the four Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Bartica power plant generators.
GPL Inc. on Monday stated: “The Guyana Power and Light wishes to apologise to our valued customers in Bartica for the recent service interruptions. The Bartica Power Plant has four engines: two are required to meet the demand, while two serves as a standby unit. Unfortunately, we have only one operational engine in conjunction with the solar farm.”
The unavailability of the
South, Dog Point, One to Five Mile Potaro and West Indian Housing Scheme will be repowered from approximately 15:00hrs to 19:00h.
Customers from Mongrippa Hill, Byderabo Back Road, Carribese Hill, Old Housing, Bamford Point 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, Avenue South, 4th to 7th Avenue North will be re-
farm, one of the generators went down a while ago, so we had the three that was working, I think once the generator which was down a while now is restored that will take care of any future problems, so that is the plan they had instore also to keep the machines well kept and serviced and they (GPL) are currently thinking about
three critical units significantly reduced the plant’s power producing capabilities, which resulted in a ripple effect leaving communities across Bartica without electricity. Moreover, GPL has assured the residents of Bartica that power will be restored in all communities by today.
It said: “Customers from Agatash North, Byderabo Front Road, 1st Avenue South, 1st to 9th Street and 1st to 3rd Avenue North will experience an interruption in your service at from 15:00hrs – 23:00hrs.”
Customers from Agatash
powered from approximately 19:00hrs – 23:00hrs”
Meanwhile, in an invited comment the Mayor of Bartica, Anthony Murray revealed that power outages are not a common occurrence in the town. He noted that one of the backup generators at the plant was inoperable prior to the power outage, which would have contributed to the disruption of power. On this point the mayor revealed plans to ensure the steady supply of power in the region.
“We have four sets of generators along with the solar
nesses would normally equip themselves with standby generators, so they will have those kicking in once GPL
has an interruption of power supply and of course the smaller businesses learn to work with the schedule, they
have been given a notice because the disruption doesn’t last too long,” the mayor asserted.
bringing in two more backup generators to aid in situations like these,” the mayor stated.
Additionally, the Mayor was adamant that the power outage would not significantly affect businesses which operate in the region, particularly large enterprises.
“Most of the big busi-
GPL power plant at Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni)
“Police can only do so much” – Traffic Chief on growing roadway congestion
Addressing the growing issue of traffic congestion on the roadways, Traffic Chief Senior Superintendent Mahendra Singh is contending that the “police can only do so much,” noting that, in many cases, the situation is out of the control of traffic ranks.
Singh has explained that the problems are often compounded by poorly executed roadworks or heavy-duty machinery breaking down on the roadways. Regarding the machinery that breaks down on the roadways, the Traffic Chief contended that owners/contractors must take more responsibility to ensure the vehicles in question are in working order.
“When these machines break down on the road and the congestion is amplified by the actions of inconsid-
erate drivers, only then are you hearing that the police are needed.”
He then urged that fact-checking must be done on crane vehicles before they are driven on the nation’s roads.
“The person who's transporting the crane or large equipment, can they factcheck the lorry and or bet-
ter ensure that it's properly maintained? If you're going to have a poorly maintained vehicle, it's just like your body, you're going to know when your body is not responding the way it usually does.”
He added, “The only thing I can do to mitigate is work with the harbor bridge or others who are
owners of these large equipment and lorries to move the equipment during nonpeak hours. Secondly, deploy ranks on foot or motorcycle where the congestion is likely to occur most. With the cooperation and observation of the rules of the road and compliance with direction, much more can be done.”
The Traffic Chief also reflected on the recent traffic buildup on the East Coast of Demerara, where motorists were stuck for hours. He explained that a damaged GWI pipe delayed repairs, causing further congestion.
“When they excavated that carriageway, they incidentally damaged one of the GWI pipes. GWI came and didn't remedy it until after midday the following day. Then on top of that, the contractor poured cement mix-
ture. So, you had implications for one, nothing still could drive over because it had to cure.”
Additionally, he mentioned that police ranks were left to handle one lane of traffic. “The police were left to maneuver within one lane of traffic for two lanes of vehicle flow. Then drivers on the railway embankment, the inconsiderate attitudes of drivers on the subject cannot be overlooked. When two lanes of traffic were flowing, many of them formed a third and a fourth lane. So, anything going east can't progress. What is going west will go at a slow pace.”
Nevertheless, the traffic chief reminded that his department is also limited by resources. He explained that traffic ranks are also required for patrols and es-
85% of recent divorces uncontested -
corts, both nighttime and daytime duties.
“The allotment of ranks that we have, sometimes when these demands come up, there may be an insufficiency of police to address multiple locations in a specific space to adequately bring relief right away. We can't have people hiding under rocks thinking that we have plenty of ranks.”
Moreover, he emphasised that there can be significant relief of traffic congestion once cooperation from motorists is achieved.
“I wanted to have an appreciation that owing to what prevailed with multiple locations in the same regional police division, the response may not be as adequate or deemed fit or necessary or on demand at the time. Drivers need to have that appreciation.”
Manickchand quells fears about updated law
The Matrimonial Causes (Amendment) Bill was recently passed in the National Assembly.
Under the previous legislation, couples seeking divorce faced the arduous task of proving fault, which often led to bitter proceedings, unnecessary animosity, and prolonged legal battles. The requirement to as-
sign blame often exacerbated already strained relationships, making it difficult for parties to move forward amicably, especially when children were involved.
The new legislation, which was passed in the National Assembly on July 31, removes the requirement to establish fault when seeking divorces.
This change not only
streamlines the divorce process but also promotes a more compassionate approach to separation, recognising that marriages can irretrievably breakdown for a multitude of reasons. Despite the progressive nature of the law, there are critics claiming that it can undermine the sanctity of marriage or could lead to an increase in divorces.
However, Education
Minister, Priya Manickchand – a lawyer by profession – explained that this is not true.
In a social media broadcast on Sunday, she revealed that 85 per cent of divorces in the last five years were uncontested.
“The majority of people already agree…that this marriage is over and they want a divorce but we force them to say horrible and unkind things about each other. Now, they can go get that divorce without saying those things,” Manickchand explained.
In this regard, she dispelled concerns from the public that this new law will encourage more people to unnecessarily get divorced.
“People here tend to fight for their marriages, stay long past the due date…put up with a lot of abuse and insults and hardships in an effort to save the marriage. Nobody runs off and gets a divorce because they can,” she explained.
“And I don’t see that
happening. I think it’s a misplaced fear, I understand where the fear is coming from, but it’s a misplaced fear,” she added.
Key provisions of the Matrimonial Causes (Amendment) Bill include enhanced measures for the equitable division of matrimonial property, more comprehensive guidelines for spousal maintenance, and updated procedures for the dissolution of marriages. The bill also aims to streamline the legal process for addressing marital disputes and improving the support systems available to families undergoing separation.
Attorney-General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, had told the National Assembly that the amendments are expected to significantly influence future divorce proceedings in Guyana, promoting a fair approach to post-marital financial support.
“The bill also amplifies the grounds that a court must take into ac-
count when examining the issue of maintenance and when to grant maintenance when treating alimony. So, the bill as I said in that overview has some very wide-ranging changes with deep and far-reaching ramifications,” he added.
Nandlall added that the newly amended divorce law will allow couples to agree on divorce terms without publicly airing their disputes.
“They are a series of provisions in the principal act that confer protection upon a wife but does not reciprocally confer such protection on the husband. So, in those provisions we have brought equality and equilibrium,” Nandlall said.
This legislative revision follows a pivotal ruling by Chief Justice (AG) Roxane George-Wiltshire, who recently deemed Section 14 of the Matrimonial Causes Act, Chapter 45:02 discriminatory based on sex and gender, as it exclusively permitted wives to obtain maintenance post-divorce. The case emerged when a divorced man contested the prevailing legal structure after being barred from seeking maintenance from his ex-wife.
The Chief Justice highlighted at the time that the current stipulations of the Matrimonial Causes Act unjustly discriminated against men, contravening constitutional mandates against sex and gender-based discrimination.
In response, the Attorney General, who was a respondent in the case, acknowledged the act’s inconsistency with Article 149 of the Constitution, which safeguards against discrimination on various grounds, including sex and gender.
Education Minister Priya Manickchand is a lawyer by profession
Traffic Chief: Senior Superintendent Mahendra Singh
“We are bringing development to all your communities” – PM
…highlights Govt’s commitment to hinterland development, infrastructure
Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), Mark Phillips underscored the Government’s dedication to comprehensive development in Guyana’s hinterland regions, emphasising significant investments and infrastructural improvements.
During a visit to Upper Mazaruni, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) on Sunday, the prime minister reminded that the Government is working to provide internet connectivity to all hinterland areas before the end of the year.
This transformation, he stressed, is significant to bridging the digital divide across the country.
He also assured the people of the Upper Mazaruni region of continued development across all sectors.
“We are bringing development to all your communities. Every community in the Upper Mazaruni will be developed, not only in sport, but in every other aspect of development,” he
declared.
Over the past four years, the Government of Guyana has invested in hinterland communities by boosting indigenous leadership with the National Toshaos Council Secretariat and expanding land rights through a broader titling programme.
Job creation has also been enhanced with the reinstated Community Service Officers (CSO) programme and Presidential Grants. Youth development receives over $1 bil -
lion annually, including $100 million for the higher education of 800 hinterland students, while cultural preservations are being supported with $147 million in 2024 to maintain Amerindian traditions and heritage.
The prime minister noted that, “From 2020 to now, we have spent over $70 billion on hinterland development in all aspects. We have more to spend from 2024 and 2025—five years of development that will encompass all of Guyana,
High speed internet Phillips also spoke to the expansion of the ground-breaking Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) devices initiative to Region Seven and the entire Hinterland, highlighting the on-going rollout of high-speed internet ser -
Phase One has successfully connected Regions one and two, while Phase Two is set to commence in August, beginning with Region Seven and progressively extending throughout the Hinterland.
The Government, through the Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai and the Culture
The
approximately $4 million.
Regulatory authority to oversee local hemp cultivation underway – Agri Minister
One year after disclosing plans to establish an Industrial Hemp Regulatory Authority in Guyana, the government is gearing up to submit the name of personnel for the agency to the Cabinet.
This confirmation was provided by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha during an invited comment with Guyana Times.
“We are in the process of setting up the regulatory authority. The names, I already have the names identified at the board. Now I will take the name shortly to cabinet for approval and as long as it’s approved, the board will come into being and they will meet and appoint a CEO and then the whole operation for hemp will come, get underway,” he stated.
For those considering applying for a license, he advised that the regulatory board will be responsible for issuing them.
“There are the people who want licences and so we’ll make application to the board and the board will look at that. So I’m hoping very shortly that the whole process will be completed and we’ll have the hemp operation in progress.”
He added that two regions are being targeted for this cultivation.
“Two regions have already been identified, Region Six and Region 10.
So, for, the two regions, we have various areas. Some of the areas might be in the upper quarantine, some areas in different parts of region 10. So, those areas will come under the responsibility of the hemp authority to identify those areas. But as it stands now, the two regions have already been identified for hemp cultivation.” He assured.
The Industrial Hemp Regulatory Authority will oversee Guyana’s hemp industry, in keeping with the Industrial Hemp Bill 2022.
While hemp does contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), advocates have argued that this is in very low amounts, below 0.3 per cent, which is too low to be psychoactive. In Guyana, the THC level needs to be below 0.3 per cent for it to be considered legal.
A person shall now cultivate or manufacture hemp or hemp-related products; or conduct research or any other activity related to industrial hemp without a licence issued by the authority un-
der the Act. In the case of a violation, a person is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $500,000 or imprisonment for one year.
The framework states, “The Board shall consider the impact on public health, safety, security, commerce, and agriculture, and need for the orderly development of the sector, including exclusivity, when considering an application for the issuance of a licence under this Act.”
After the licence is granted, a person is not allowed to plant any seed or plant, or harvest any cannabis plant before a sample of the seed
or plant is analysed by an analyst to ascertain whether it confirms to the allowed THC concentration.
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.
Both hemp and marijua-
na are varieties of the cannabis plant, which includes over 100 to 156 different strains. The two most recognised strains are hemp and marijuana.
Hemp presents significant economic opportunities for Guyana, with potential benefits spanning various sectors. With around 100,000 to 150,000 potential use cases and products, hemp can be a versatile addition to Guyana’s economy. (G2)
both the coastline and the hinterland.”
vices across Guyana.
Youth and Sport Minister, Charles Ramson, also presented a GOLDLINK diesel engine generator to the Toshao of Kako Village, which was facilitated through the Amerindian Affairs Ministry.
single-phase unit, boasting 27.5 kVA (22 kW) of power at 235V and 60 Hz, is valued at
Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips
2019 Auditor General's Report PAC demands forensic audit of $269M in unaccounted drugs
…less than 10% of $299M budgeted for Region 3 reconciled
Representatives of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Finance Ministry, have called for a Forensic Audit to be conducted by the Audit Office of Guyana, into Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), where $269 million worth of drugs purchased in 2019, could not be reconciled.
Questions about the $269 million were raised due to the findings in the Auditor General’s 2019 report. The money is part of $299.3 Million that was sent to the Region Three administration that year by the Health Ministry, to purchase drugs and medical supplies. But despite the full amount being spent by December 2019, documents to do a reconciliation of all the drugs purchased were not received.
Regional Health Officer, Dr. Erica Forde on Monday at a sitting of the Public Accounts Committee, explained that less than 10 per cent of the drugs purchased were reconciled with the Material Management Unit (MMU). This leaves $269 Million in drugs un-
accounted for, with efforts to acquire the outstanding Combined Received and Issued Vouchers (CRIV’s), unsuccessful.
“For the year 2019, we would have searched MMU as well and retrieved some CRIVS amounting to $30.9 Million, when the reconciliation was done with the CRIVS that we found… it was less than 10 per cent of the CRIVS found,” Dr. Forde explained, confirming that neither the region nor the MMU could account for the $269 Million.
The situation resulted in Finance Secretary,
Sukrishnalall Pasha calling for a forensic audit, since the absence of these source documents makes reconciling the drugs and medical supplies, impossible.
“I wish to confirm that the information provided by the RHO is correct based on what I was told a few weeks ago. So, the problem that we have right now, the source documents to do the reconciliation are not available. And in the absence of source documents, I would humbly request that a forensic audit be done.”
“Because without the relevant documents, we cannot
perform any reconciliation. Without the source document, it would be impossible to do the reconciliation… we would be coming to the PAC for the next few years and be unable to complete the exercise,” Pasha said. His call was supported by the PPP/C members of the PAC. However, Opposition members of the PAC called for the scope of the forensic audit to be expanded. In fact, opposition member Ganesh Mahipaul proposed that the forensic audit be expanded to include not only other regions, but also prior years.
“If we want to have a forensic audit, it shouldn’t be isolated to region three and 2019. It should be a holistic approach that targets, perhaps, 10 years back so that we can see what is it we have before us, and in an effort to fix it properly, in addition to the recommendations we made in the 2018 report to the national assembly, to further fix it for the betterment... so I would support the audit, provided it spans a 10-year period,” Mahipaul said. His proposal did not find favor with government member of the PAC, Parliamentary Affairs
Minister Gail Teixeira, who noted that prior to 2016, reconciliation of drugs and medical supplies were much more effective.
“This is not where we’re jumping like hop scotch, into a big area we’re not dealing with. We’re dealing with this audit of region three. And so I do not agree with the recommendations of Mr. Mahipaul, nor in relation to Ms. Fernandes. There has to be an answer why the drugs cannot be accounted for.”
“And as I said, if the drugs can be accounted for, there must be a paper trail somewhere. Or was the money used for something else? We don’t know. We can’t tell… and if in the Auditor General’s investigation, it finds that things were really hopelessly organised at MMU in that period, it may then recommend that it go broader than region three,” Teixeira said.
PAC Chairman Jermaine Figueira meanwhile noted that the scope of the forensic audit will ultimately be up to the Audit Office of Guyana, an independent agency. (G3)
$1.45B Aubrey Barker Road expansion to proceed in phases amid delay
Construction on the $1.45 billion Aubrey Barker Road fourlane expansion project will be completed in phases as the government accelerates the delayed work. The project started in August, 2022 and was expected to be completed and delivered in July 2023. The contract was awarded to Surrey Paving Aggregate
Company Caribbean Limited. However, amid delays faced in the completion of the project, the Public Works Ministry had sent out tenders in February 2024 for the continuation of the 1.3-kilometre road, which will be expanded to four lanes.
The contractors for this aspect of the project have since been identified and
works are ongoing. The works include the build out of drains to address the issue of flooding which severely affect the community when it rains.
According to Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, paving for the stretch of road will be completed by the end of next week while remaining structures will be delivered afterwards.
“This section that is un-
paved should be completely paved by the end of next week. Surrey Paving Aggregate Company Caribbean Limited (contractor) have another 20 metres to complete, so the instructions are that by next week the 1 kilometre would be completed. We have since awarded two other lots to R&B and Premium Asphalt which would be 650 meters each. So, within this present programme we’re going to be going down all the way to 2.3 kilometres,” the Public Works Minister said.
Edghill explained that while the road expansion project started at Aubrey Barker, plans are afoot to rehabilitate and widen the Main Access Road throughout South Ruimveldt.
He said this undertaking will cater for the buildup of traffic from Mandela Avenue that needs to access South Ruimveldt and Roxanne Burnham Gardens.
“We intend to continue to push this road all the way up but we’re doing it in phrases. The problems that we would have encountered included the water levels and that’s nothing new really but we would have thought that with the fill that we put in and the design that we would be able to overcome this… We would like to do a lot more work in the internal areas of South but because of the water we can’t put asphalt in that environment,” he added.
Challenges
The Aubrey Barker Road four-lane expansion project has experienced its fair share of interruptions causing stagnation.
Challenges range from the improper placement of utility poles, flooding due to constant rainfall and procurement issues, among others.
In regard to the removal of the utility pole, the Public Ministry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Guyana Water Inc. (GWI);
GTT; Digicel; Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and National Data Management Authority (NDMA) which states that all the utility providers, as of January 2024, in conjunction with the Public Works Ministry, will be operating to ensure that no one entity prevents another partner from working.
At the time Edghill urged all utility companies to adhere to the MoU to the benefit of the residents of these communities who rely on these important pieces of infrastructure. (Trichell Sobers)
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill inspecting the road
A section of the road to be paved
PAC member and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Gail Teixeira
PAC member Ganesh Mahipaul Auditor General Deodat Sharma
RHO Dr Erica Forde
Elections fraud trial postponed again; magistrate unwell
The 2020 elections fraud trial which was slated to continue on Monday in Georgetown Magistrate Leron Daly’s court has been adjourned to Wednesday, as the presiding magistrate is unwell. The trial commenced on July 29, but three days later, was adjourned to August 5. So far, Local Government and Regional Development Minister Sonia Parag has testified. In her testimony, Parag recalled acts of misconduct she witnessed from GECOM staff during the 2020 General and Regional Elections. Her testimony included witnessing efforts by GECOM staff to alter the results by deducting People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) votes and adding votes to the then-ruling A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC).
She had also testified that despite a Court Order from acting Chief Justice Roxanne George which
compelled GECOM to use only the Statements of Poll (SOPs) to tabulate the numbers for the Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica) votes, Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, one of those now on trial, continued to conduct the tabulation using a projector and bedsheet.
The prosecution, led by Special Prosecutor King’s Counsel Darshan Ramdhani, had complained that witnesses are not being allowed to freely testify as they should. At the last hearing, Magistrate Daly acknowledged that not allowing certain testimony was indeed an error. As
such, she gave permission for the reopening of the examination of the witness, Minister Parag. The trial is set to last until September 13.
Nine persons are before the court in relation to electoral fraud. They are former Returning Officer for Region Four, Clairmont Mingo; former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield; his former Deputy, Roxanne Myers; former People’s National Congress/ Reform (PNCR) Chairperson Volda Lawrence; PNCR activist Carol Smith-Joseph; and GECOM employ -
ees Sheffern February, Enrique Livan, Michelle Miller and Denise BabbCummings. They are facing 28
charges relating to electoral fraud. Among the offences these defendants are accused of committing are: misconduct while
holding public office; presenting falsified documentation; and planning to manipulate Guyana’s voters by presenting an inaccurate vote total.
These charges stem from attempts to rig the 2020 General and Regional Elections in favour of the then-ruling APNU/AFC. The election report of former CEO Lowenfield claimed that the APNU/AFC coalition garnered 171,825 votes, while the PPP/C gained 166,343 votes.
How he arrived at those figures is still unknown, since the certified results from the recount exercise supervised by GECOM and a high-level team from the Caribbean Community (Caricom) pellucidly showed that the PPP/C won with 233,336 votes, while the coalition garnered 217,920.
Following the recount, PPP’s Irfaan Ali was declared President of Guyana on August 2, 2020 – some five months after the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.
Region 3 RDC seeks AG’s help to remove persons living rent-free in Govt quarters
The Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) Regional Administration has written to the Attorney General Chambers, in an effort to determine the way forward over a number of persons who are living rent free in government quarters - some of whom are not entitled to such benefits.
This revelation was made during Monday’s sitting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), when an examination of the Auditor General’s 2019 findings in Region Three was done. According to Regional Executive Officer (REO) Devanand Ramdatt, a total of 43 persons were not paying their rent.
eligible for government quarters to be provided for them.
“Some of these persons were overseers, police officers certainly not attached to the RDC’s payroll. I’ve also seen, there was a former education officer who should have vacated. We have a laborer. A sluice attendant… in my opinion, those quarters would be for persons who live outside of the region. Who are assigned to perform duties in our region,” Ramdatt said.
culars, Public Servants are required to pay rent of 10 per cent and 12 per cent of their salary for unfurnished and furnished government quarters, respectively.
The only exception is when they have a pre-approved entitlement to rent-free government quarters, as a condition of their service. The Auditor General had found that the Regional Administration failed to provide the relevant records to determine whether the occupants of 43 of the 59 occupied buildings were entitled to rent free quarters… or the reason for them not paying their rent.
This was after the Auditor General found in 2016 that out of 300 buildings owned by the Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica) Administration, 132 were occupied. However, only 26 of these occupants were actually paying rent.
He explained that there are 94 government quarters in Region Three and of this number, 45 are currently occupied. There
“On the 5th July, I engaged the attention of the Attorney General, seeking legal guidance on this matter. All the relevant documentation we have, regarding the occupation of these quarters, were provided to the Ministry of Legal Affairs,” Ramdatt explained.
are provisions for eligible public servants to receive rent-free accommodation, on the tax payers’ expense. According to Ramdatt, however, a number of the staff who were cited in the 2019 report, were not even
Meanwhile, PAC member Dharamkumar Seeraj enquired whether the guidance sought from the AG chambers was for two matters - how to collect the rent from those who were eligible for the government quarters and how to evict those who were not. Ramdatt replied in the affirmative.
The Auditor General’s report had explained that as per instructions on cir -
It is not the first time that the issue of persons living rent free in government quarters they were not entitled to, has been raised at the level of the PAC. One of the most egregious cases date back to 2018, when the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) had to be called in to assist in the eviction of those not paying rent.
According to Civil Service Law, 2004 Public Service Rules, “Government quarters provided to public servants as a condition of service, e.g. in the case of hospital staff where presence on a hospital compound may be required on a continuous basis, shall be free of rent.” It goes on to state that: “In lieu of quarters, a house allowance may, with the approval of the Permanent Secretary, Public Service Ministry, be granted to a public servant who is entitled to free quarters but for whom quarters are not available.” (G3)
Magistrate Leron Daly
Former Region 4 Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo
Region Three REO, Devanand Ramdatt
Three of the accused: APNU Member of Parliament Volda Lawrence, former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield and his former deputy, Roxanne Myers
Indigenous Imaginations II: An explosion of culture & talent
…billed for August 10
The second edition of ‘Indigenous Imaginations’ is set to be an exhilarating celebration of indigenous culture, showcasing the diverse talents of Guyana’s indigenous communities.
Organised by The Nine Nations, a newly established collective formed on July 10, 2023, this event promises a vibrant display of indigenous creativity across various forms — fashion, art, music, food, and more.
It would be held on August 10 at the Black Magenta in Georgetown, and it would be offering an unparalleled experience of indigenous creativity and community spirit.
The Nine Nations, as a collective, emerged from a casual conversation between Nigel Butler and Sherica Ambrose, who saw the need for a unique platform to highlight and preserve indigenous culture. This conversation sparked the creation of a group
comprising both indigenous and non-indigenous members, united by their mission to celebrate and sustain the rich heritage of Guyana’s indigenous tribes.
As Leroy Hendricks, the organisation’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), noted, the goal of The Nine Nations is to promote and preserve indigenous culture through innovative and collaborative efforts.
“It makes marketing and networking easier for crafters, artists, make-up artists, designers, graphic artists, photographers, models, chefs, and so much more,” Hendricks, who hails from Lethem, explained to Guyana Times.
Indigenous Imaginations
The first edition of the Indigenous Imaginations fashion show and exhibition was held in August 2023, and it was a tremendous success, according to Hendricks.
“The first event was a
total success, as we had all our tickets sold out. There was a demand for more; however, space did not permit us,” he explained.
As such, this year’s event promises to be bigger and better.
“This year will definitely be bigger and better, as we have already secured a bigger venue, secured 14 sponsors so far, and the participation of over 50 individuals who are dedicating their time to make this possible,” Hendricks noted.
The event will be done in two segments; the first segment is the exhibition, lasting from 11:00hrs to 15:00hrs, where there will be workshops, craft demonstrations, as well as indigenous foods, drinks and craft on sale. This segment of the event is free.
The second part is the fashion show, starting from 18:00hrs and featuring eight designers and over 25 models. A ticket for this show costs $5000
and can be purchased at the Black Magenta or at the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA).
Designers & Artists
The fashion designers lined up to display their creations are: Manicy Allicock, Matts and Annie's Art, Natasha David, Lethem Excusive Apparel, Vanda Designs, and newcomers Sherica Ambrose, Elizabeth Williams and Dolly Chambers.
“They will all be bringing their unique styles: from traditional wear (to) shirts (to) bags (to) swimwear to jewellery. It’s definitely a spectacle you'd want to see! We'll also be seeing the works of Nigel Butler (and) Courtney Douglas, among other artists,” Hendricks expressed. According to the PRO, events like these are important for indigenous creatives, because they help to promote their unique talent to a wider audience.
“Another important aspect is that it contributes greatly to the budding tourism product of our country. One doesn't have to travel very far to witness the unique indigenous culture when it can all be experienced at one place: food, craft, clothing, you name it, it will be there at Indigenous Imaginations II,” he noted.
Govt gives financial support to US-based Guyanese educator’s summer programme
The Government in a move to bolster student’s education on Monday donated a total of $200,000 towards the graduation ceremony of the programme. The programme is being facilitated by USbased Guyanese educator Tessa Webb-Lewis.
Lewis noted that there have been poor performances in the area of mathematics among youths in the country. In fact, at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) the mathematics pass rate last year was 38.87 per cent. This year, there was a slight improvement which was 40.36 per cent of students passing the subject. However, Webb-Lewis noted that more work must be done in this regard. She revealed that this year’s version of her summer learning programme is tailored to specifically bolster students’ math’s capability.
“This programme is really an initiative where I wanted to really come back
and assist with the development of learning, children’s learning, particularly in mathematics, because what I've noticed that as a math professional, I noticed that so many students are falling behind in mathematics. And so while the programme is aimed at developing mathematics, reading, writing, as well as arts and crafts, we
want to be focused mainly a lot in mathematics as well, because that's where most of our students are having difficulty,” she stated.
Moreover Webb-Lewis revealed that the programme which was first introduced virtually last year has seen a significant increase in participation.
“And, you know, I worked
with math. I engaged another teacher for language arts. And we came together and we did a wonderful job, I must say, with the children. By all feedback from parents. And that is what gave me the momentum to continue until today. Here we are, 2024, and now I'm hosting a summer programme with 104 students. Last year
we had 50. And this year we doubled, over double the amount” she stated.
Additionally, the educator revealed that with the rapid technological development which is being seen globally, she plans on integrating AI into next year’s programme to further bolster the programme’s effectiveness.
“With bigger and better things. One of my focuses for next year would be integrating technology. Because we see our kids, we're working with chalkboard and just pencil and paper. But we know what age you're in. With the age of AI, artificial intelligence, we don't want our kids to be left behind. So, I think it's critical at this point for our kids to be using technology as well. So probably if we have a smart board and some tablets, that would be awesome, and the government has been doing that. Over 15 smart classrooms that the government has implemented in several
secondary schools across the country” she stated.
Meanwhile, in an effort to support the programme minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy has donated a total of $200,000 towards the programme’s graduation ceremony on behalf of the government. He further reaffirmed the government’s commitment towards investing in education.
“But the education budget was just about $52 billion, a lot of money but much more now at a $135 billion dollars so you see how much more money the government has taken it up from 52 to $135 billion” he stated. The classes started on July 15 and will end on August ninth. This year’s programme has been expanded to accommodate 100 learners from Victoria, Bachelor’s Adventure, and surrounding communities.
Models at last year's Indigenous Imaginations fashion show
Strict enforcement measures coming soon to keep city clean – Indar
In light of the Government’s focus on maintaining a clean and healthy environment, Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar, has underscored that strict enforcement measures would soon be implemented to curb the improper disposal of garbage around the capital city.
Minister Indar made this disclosure as he addressed several representatives of business support organisations at the Private Sector Commission’s Headquarters last Friday, where he told them that
businesses have been found to be one of the most culpable sections of society in the
removal of waste material.
“This is not [just] normal garbage, this is indus-
trial garbage. This is garbage that is construction waste,” the minister is quoted as saying in a DPI report.
Indar, who is also Chairman of the National Enhancement Committee (NEC), said it has come to his attention that commercial operations are indiscriminately disposing of their garbage by paying vagrants to get rid of it in improper and unhealthy ways.
The minister disclosed that the NEC is obtaining video and photographic evidence of those people breaking the law, and
he said this would kickstart a vigorous campaign to charge those who continue to flout the anti-littering regulations.
“I have video and pictures in my phone of them coming out and dumping their garbage in the streets…We’re going to go on a campaign where the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] now will get involved, and the police and everybody else, to make sure that we charge people and we deal with them condignly,” the NEC chair asserted.
On August 17, the NEC, in collaboration with
the private sector and other volunteer organisations, would be executing its 9th National Cleanup Exercise. Several areas would be targeted, including the Seawall, Stabroek Market area, Dennis Street, Linden, Mabaruma, and New Amsterdam. Also in attendance at the meeting were City Councillors Don Singh and Steven Jacobs; representatives of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA); and President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Kester Hutson.
GNBS encourages companies to take advantage of traceable, affordable calibration services
…as Building Expo kicks off this week
As the highly anticipated International Building Expo 2024 is set to kickstart this week at the Guyana National Stadium themed, “Building on the foundation of sustainability and unity”, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) is encouraging companies to readily take advantage of the opportunities in which they have in store.
Being amongst the exhibitors the GNBS plays an important role in ensuring accuracy and reliability is in the construction sector through its precision testing and calibration services.
The Building Expo event brings together various stakeholders in the construction industry to explore innovations and best practices for sustainable buildings.
This encouragement comes in a significant time as Local persons would be chiming in on the Building Expo this week in attempts to enhance their homes.
On this note the GNBS has encouraged companies to take advantage reiterating its high support to the public.
“Measurement and accuracy are the key foundations of any infrastructure. From ensuring the right number of materials are ordered to having pre-
cise measurements at the design stages and throughout the project, it guarantees structural integrity and safety of buildings,” the GNBS stated.
Through its Industrial Metrology and Testing (IMT) Department, the Bureau provides calibration services in the areas of mass, volume, temperature, dimension, electricity, torque and force. The Standards used are traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), PTB Germany, and other highly recognised NMIs internationally.
In addition to calibration, the Bureau also wished to encourage members of the public that they offer testing of concrete hollow blocks, cement cubes and cylinders, concrete structures, and more.
As it relates to concrete hollow blocks, testing is offered for blocks measuring four, six, and eight inches in accordance with the National Standard – ‘GYS 215:2018 – Specification for Load Bearing Masonry Concrete Units.’ To ensure durability, these items are evaluated for compressive strength, moisture content, and absorption over three days.
This service is accessible to manufacturers who can also pursue Certification to the standard, or contractors and homeowners looking to determine the quality of blocks they are purchasing. Concrete cubes and cylinders are also tested for compressive strength.
Some measuring instruments calibrated for the construction sector include electrical multimeters, torque wrenches, callipers,
measuring rules and tapes, ovens and more. Regular calibration ensures consistent data, reduces errors, and supports the quality and safety of construction materials. The GNBS encourages every company and laboratory to take advantage of its traceable, reliable, and affordable calibration services.
Finally, following complaints about the quality of residential and commercial buildings being constructed, the GNBS introduced the Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) for concrete structures. This test assesses strength, durability, and susceptibility to deterioration, eliminating doubts about substandard structures. It determines the compressive strength of existing structures with a range of 0 – 8,400 Pounds Per Square Inch (PSI) per
the ASTM Standard (C805) Standard Test Method for Rebound Number of Hardened Concrete.
Meanwhile, as the National Standards Body (NSB), the Bureau is also promoting the use of National, Regional, and International Standards related to the products and services used in the industry. There are several construction standards available at the GNBS to provide guidance to contractors and manufacturers of related products. These standards address the safety, durability, and resilience of structures against hazards such as floods and vibrations. The International Building Expo 2024 is set to be a significant event, with thousands of certificates of title expected to be distributed on the opening night – August 8. (G2)
Garbage pileup in Georgetown (DPI photo)
a rare bird, Indigenous communities in Guyana are winning
y C arla r uas
During an expedition to southern Guyana in 2000, researchers from the Smithsonian Institution and the University of Kansas were surprised to see a red siskin flying overhead. A small bird with a bright red chest, the red siskin (Spinus cucullatus) had never been observed outside Venezuela, Colombia and Trinidad and Tobago. And even in those countries, sightings were extremely rare.
For the Guyana expedition, it was the Wapichan, Macushi and Wai Wai — local Indigenous communities in this region known as South Rupununi — who were essential to helping the scientists understand their findings. The partnership sparked a decades-long community-led conservation movement that has protected the red siskin and helped locals reconnect with nature.
Once common across tropical South America, the red siskin’s population declined dramatically over the last century. The species is classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List, and its
Indies to the United States.
The news of a new population in Guyana made waves among scientists and conservationists.
“There was no information about the bird in the region,” says Leroy Ignacio, an Indigenous Macushi who helped in the early days of the Red Siskin Initiative, which Smithsonian scientists Mike Brown and
ers, farmers and teachers who wanted to use our abilities to become the guardians of this species.”
The organization established one of the country’s first conservation zones to protect the species, covering 75,000 hectares (185,000 acres) of Indigenous land. This past June, Ignacio won a prestigious Whitley Fund for Nature award to expand
international trade is prohibited under Appendix I of CITES, the global convention on the wildlife trade.
Yet it continues to be hunted illegally for its unique red-and-black plumage, used as a fashion accessory. Bird breeders also seek out the species, looking to produce a red hybrid of a canary. (Both birds belong to the same family of finches, Fringillidae.) Most recently, pet owners have pursued them for their song and beauty, with markets spanning from the West
Kathryn Rodriguez-Clark started soon after sighting the birds. “We got to work collecting data on bird population, active nests, and their habits.”
The collaborative experience encouraged local communities to establish the South Rupununi Conservation Society (SRCS) to protect the species. Ignacio is now the society’s president. “We are not biologists with techniques and methodologies or anything like that,” he says. “We are local villag -
the area and strengthen its monitoring, management and sustainability.
“We’re still trying to determine precisely the number of active birds in the region, as they can move long distances,” Ignacio tells Mongabay. “But we have been maintaining a stable population, and that’s already a success.”
Anti-smuggling patrols
The pet trade continues to be one of the biggest threats to the red siskin. As news broke about the pop-
ulation in South Rupununi, illegal traders flocked to the region. “Almost immediately, birds started going missing,” Ignacio says. “There’s a lot of interest in this species, especially from neighboring Venezuela, where it’s practically extinct.”
Traders often hire local community members to capture the birds from the wild. The job has become attractive in recent years as Guyana’s cost of living skyrocketed after a big oil boom. “Each red siskin can sell for $400, even though local trappers will keep only a small portion of that amount,” Ignacio says.
The organization created a brigade to monitor the forest for smugglers and deter illegal activity. “We go out in groups and search hotspots for days at a time,” Ignacio says. “We report incidents to the village council and try to get information about who is trying to purchase and sell the birds from the wild.”
They also want to encourage locals to earn a living from conservation. In recent years, they’ve provided training in various skills, from project management to storytelling, with a goal of building up an ecotourism industry that will protect the red siskin while also sustaining the community.
Uncontrolled burning
The SRCS has also taken on the task of mitigating the increasingly destructive wildfires that threaten the bird’s habitat. In 2016, wildfires were responsible for almost 40% of all tree loss in Guyana. In 2018, a report by the Guyana Forestry Commission found that fires had become one of the country’s primary caus-
es of deforestation.
In South Rupununi, uncontrolled fires can burn through the red siskin’s nesting sites and feeding trees. “The birds like these little forest islands in the middle of the savanna, which are quite vulnerable to fires,” says Kayla de Freitas, program coordinator of the SRCS. “These sites will typically burn to the ground.”
While the vegetation eventually regenerates, the birds are forced away for months at a time. “In a particularly hot and dry season, they have no refuge. That poses a big threat for the population,” de Freitas says.
She attributes the increase in uncontrolled fires to climate change and changes in land use. “People are planting cash crops such as peanuts and cassava. These are monocultures that use more land and fire and leave less time
dinator with the SRCS.
To plant the seeds of conservation, they’ve implemented an after-school program in more than 16 communities, teaching about the red siskin, including its habitat and threats to the population.
The lessons offer a mixture of traditional and scientific knowledge. The children are introduced to ecological research and surveying, and also learn about Indigenous culture and tradition, including fire management skills.
“Most of all, we want to instill in these kids an appreciation for green spaces and wildlife,” Melville tells Mongabay. “When you think of Indigenous communities, they already live within nature. But many youth have seen their communities develop and their environment change, with buildings coming up all around them.”
The curriculum has
for reforestation,” she says.
The SRCS has been working to bring back traditional fire strategies to safely renew farming soil, promote biodiversity, and prevent larger burns.
In 2019, the organization partnered with a United Nations program to train a local fire brigade on carrying out prescribed burns and monitoring active fires, also known as “fire chasing” — strategies that have been making a comeback. “We are looking for funding to continue and expand these efforts to protect the red siskin’s habitat,” de Freitas says.
The next generations
For community leaders, it’s increasingly clear that the future of the red siskin lies with their children.
“We want them to become rangers, geologists and conservation managers that will continue this work,” says Alyssa Melville, environmental education coor -
been so successful that Melville was recently invited to travel to two other regions of Guyana interested in implementing similar projects. She says she hopes the community’s love for conservation is spreading across the country. “It’s common for kids to know that elephants, sharks or rhinos are being threatened, you know? But what about the wildlife right here in our backyard?” (Mongabay.com)
(Carla Ruas is a Brazilian journalist with over a decade of experience reporting on human rights and the environment in Brazil and the United States. She has a Master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and has received multiple awards and grants for this work, including The Guardian’s Contributoria grant for investigative journalism and New America’s grant for reporting on unpaid care work.)
Environmental education classes take place in 16 communities throughout South Rupununi (Image courtesy of SRCS)
Leroy Ignacio is president of the South Rupununi Conservation Society, which works to protect the red siskin (Image courtesy of Chung Liu/SRCS)
In southern Guyana, red siskins inhabit savannah bush islands and forest edges (Image courtesy of SRCS)
Exxon 'feels good' about arbitration over Hess's Guyana assets
ExxonMobil (XOM) saw record production in the Permian Basin after merging with Pioneer Natural Resources. Similarly, the oil and gas company also saw record production in Guyana, contributing to its second quarter earnings growth. Chief Financial Officer Kathryn Mikells joins Market Domination to discuss both of these operations and how they play into the overall outlook of the company.
"As we look at the combined now Pioneer-Exxon Mobil Permian operations, we see even more opportunities for synergies there which we're getting out
in front of already. And so just as an example, Pioneer has a remote logistics operations that Exxon Mobil has now taken on and added into our remote wells and completions operations in order to drive more synergies across logistics and procurement. We are starting to utilize what is a very large water recycling infrastructure in the Midland
Basin that Pioneer brings to the table," Mikells says of the merger. She notes that with Pioneer, Exxon has been able to further its commitment to reducing its environmental footprint and that there are more opportunities for synergies ahead.
Meanwhile, Hess (HES) shareholders approved an acquisition by Chevron
(CVX) despite a dispute over Exxon's claim of a right of first refusal over Hess's Guyana assets. Mikells explains that the company feels "really good about the arbitration panel timeline," explaining that it is a situation that warrants "people to take time in order to really inform all the data and all the circumstances to interpret the joint operating agreement." A hearing is slated toward the end of May in 2025, with a final ruling to come by September 2025.
Mikells adds, "if for some reason we were not successful in affirming the preemption that we have, our expectation would be that the Chevron-Hess transaction would move forward. But in the next breath, I would tell you we feel very good about our position in this arbitration being one of the parties that actually negotiated the agreement that's being discussed in the arbitration." (Excerpted from Yahoo finance)
Curl Fete 2024 to be hosted at Promenade Gardens
Curl Fete 2024 is slated for hosting on August 17 and 18 at the Promenade Gardens in Georgetown. This year’s slash water theme aims to educate participants about the importance of moisture and haircare, especially as it relates to keeping hair follicles hydrated.
Created with the purposes of empowering women and girls to embrace the uniqueness of their naturally textured hair, nurture conversations on self-confidence, and celebrate the joy of caring for kinky and curly hair while aiming to eliminate stereotypes surrounding natural hair, Curl Fete is recognised as one of the largest curated annual natu-
ant things about our vendors is that they’re small businesses, and many of them are women led start-ups. Curl Fete is one of the most important business events
ral hair, beauty and wellness exhibitions in the Caribbean.
The event is anticipated to guarantee sheer excitement, positive energy, and high spirits as it brings together hair and beauty enthusiasts in a diverse and inclusive space to engage with a variety of brands on display by dozens of entrepreneurs.
In fact, co-founder Tamika Henry-Fraser has said that over 50 vendors have already signed up to be featured at the two-day event.
“One of the most import-
for them throughout the year, because it’s their opportunity to really promote their brand and market their products to thousands of people…and I think that is so impressive for an expo, and it means that there are these many small businesses in Guyana creating their own products and putting some (value) on the market. And at Curl Fete we are so trilled and proud to be able to capture those vendors,” HenryFraser told this publication.
Another crucial component of Curl Fete is that
it provides rich education on cultivating a culture of self-expression that is grounded on women and girls boldly navigating their individual hair journeys while persistently overcoming daily societal challenges.
At the same time, the event ensures access to the necessary resources these vendors need to positively impact their businesses and lives, according to Curl Fete representative Jovan Wilson.
“The inclusivity is important, and Curl Fete creates the environment for learning. Even though it is a fun one, it really gives you an opportunity to belong to a community of people that are taking care of their hair, and are educated about the identity of their hair, and are proud to wear their hair as is,” Wilson said.
Natural hair extravaganza
Those who make their way to Curl Fete 2024 would experience an impressive line-up of activities. These activities would spotlight beauty, fashion, cosmetics, food and beverage, health and wellness, traditions and culture, and tons more.
The event would also feature the return of classics like the Carol’s Daughter Hair Show that would see salons competing to win priz-
es, and there would be a segment wherein one lucky lady would be the ‘Big Chop Girl’ and get a makeover from Glamour Beauty.
Team work makes the dream work
Henry-Fraser has emphasised that to successfully execute annual Curl Fete events involves organising the team into different committees. Each team comprises of experts with backgrounds in public relations, science, banking, healthcare, marketing, carpentry and hospitality.
The teams are able to provide key support in areas such as public relations, vendors, entertainment, décor, content production, and security, to name but a few.
Vendors usually get the
opportunity to display different brands at Curl Fete.
“I am incredibly proud of the team of young people that make up the Curl Fete family; who are committed to giving back to our community as much as they are invested in creating a oneof-a-kind event,” she not-
ed, before stating: “Our approach to planning and leadership is collaborative and decisive at the same time. One of my favourite things about the team is our willingness to take risks in planning and advertising Curl Fete in ways that are not typically done.”
Curl Fete Co-founder Tamika Henry-Fraser Curl Fete representative Jovan Wilson
Regional Venezuela opposition leaders urge army and police to abandon Nicolás Maduro
Venezuela’s opposition leaders, who are widely believed to have beaten Nicolás Maduro in last week’s disputed presidential election, have urged the police and armed forces to abandon the strongman leader and his “despicable interests”.
In an open letter to Venezuelan security forces, Edmundo González Urrutia and María Corina Machado claimed they had won an “avalanche” victory over Maduro in the 28 July vote – a conclusion supported by analyses of election data carried out by the Associated Press and the Washington Post and which a growing number of western governments have also reached.
Hours after the letter
was posted on social media, attorney general Tarek Saab announced he was launching a criminal probe against González and Machado for
inciting police and military
officials to break the law.
In a statement posted on X, Tarek said the pair had “falsely announced a win-
Farmers attack Indigenous people reclaiming land in Brazil
Armed men backed by farmers in trucks and tractors attacked Indigenous people reclaiming land in Brazil's farming state of Mato Grosso do Sul at the weekend, injuring 11 of them, government officials and a rights group said on Monday.
The Ministry of Indigenous Affairs said five of the 10 people injured on Saturday were taken to hospital to be treated for wounds from gunshots and rubber bullets in the first attack in the Douradina district.
"The Guarani-Kaiowa people are retaking land in the Panambi-Lagoa Rica territory," the ministry said in a statement, blaming the violence on the uncertain legal situation surrounding Indigenous land claims.
On Sunday night, the farmers broke through
a rope put up by the Indigenous group to mark the land they claim and set fire to their tents, police said.
At least one person was injured by a rubber bullet in Sunday's incident, said the Indigenous Missionary Council, a rights group linked to the Catholic Church. It said police had failed to stop the farmers.
The latest violence erupted two days before Supreme Court justices and lawmakers met to reconcile differences on a controversial law limiting Indigenous land claims.
As Brazil's farm frontier has advanced toward the Amazon, mainly to plant soy for export or raise cattle to produce beef, disputes over land claimed by Indigenous people have multiplied.
Violent land disputes have become more frequent
with the ongoing debate over the movement to limit Indigenous claims to ancestral lands in a Conservative Congress backed by Brazil's powerful farm lobby. Less than half of Brazil's 1.6 million Indigenous people live on about 13% of the country's land mass. Lawmakers have proposed an amendment to Brazil's constitution to introduce a limit for claims to lands Indigenous communities lived on no later than 1988, even though the Supreme Court has ruled that setting such a time framework was unconstitutional.
The ministry said in its statement that "the instability generated for land claims not only causes legal uncertainty for Indigenous peoples, but also opens the door for acts of violence in which they are the main victims." (Reuters)
ner of the presidential election other than the one proclaimed by the National Electoral Council, the only body qualified to do so” and that they had openly incited “police and military officials to disobey the laws”.
After being declared the winner by Venezuela’s government-controlled electoral authority, Maduro has launched a harsh crackdown on political opponents since his claim to victory sparked two days of protests and turmoil. More than 2,000 people have been imprisoned, many on terrorism charges, while human rights groups say at least 22 people have been killed by security forces or pro-government gangs.
On Monday, González and Machado accused the
incumbent of waging a “brutal offensive” against opposition leaders and supporters with the “ridiculous intention of hiding the truth” about González’s landslide and stealing the election to secure a third term.
“We appeal to the conscience of military and police officials to put themselves on the side of the people and of their own families. With this massive violation of human rights, the top brass is aligning itself with Maduro and his despicable interests,” they wrote, urging police and soldiers “to prevent the regime’s lack of restraint against the people”.
“Maduro has staged a coup … and he wants to make you his accomplices,”
González and Machado added. Their letter came less than 24 hours after Maduro appeared before the cameras with top military officials and heavily armed troops in a clear attempt to project military unity and strength. “Always loyal! Never traitors!” they shouted repeatedly during the ceremony, clutching riot shields and rifles.
Amid growing criticism of his post-election crackdown, Maduro vowed to “pulverise” the latest challenge to his rule and told troops he was “willing to do anything” to protect the “Bolivarian revolution” he inherited from Hugo Chávez after his premature 2013 death. (The Guardian)
Mexican journalist killed while under police protection
AMexican journalist who reported on violent crime has been killed while under police protection.
Unknown gunmen shot Alejandro Martínez as he was travelling in a car with two security guards in the central state of Guanajuato.
Mr Martínez, who was known as "The Son of the Lone Ranger", died in hospital from the bullet wounds he sustained in the attack.
Mexico is one of the world's most dangerous countries for journalists, with over 150 media workers killed since 1994, according to campaign group Reporters Without Borders.
Martínez, who was in his 50s, ran a popular news outlet on Facebook, which has more than 340,000 follow-
ers. He had been under police protection after surviving a similar attack on his life in 2022.
Local authorities said the attackers opened fire from a pickup truck on the car carrying the journalist and his bodyguards.
Police sources told AFP news agency that the bodyguards returned fire but could not save the reporter, who was hit by a bullet in the head.
A woman in another car was also struck and wounded by a stray bullet, sources said.
In an interview three years ago, Mr Martínez said he felt incredible pain and sadness witnessing the damage done to the region by increasing levels of vio-
lence.
Balbina Flores from Reporters Without Borders in Mexico told AFP that "he was a journalist who was at risk".
He had been assigned bodyguards under a federal programme for reporters who receive death threats, a government official said. His shooting is the latest in a string of deadly attacks on journalists.
Earlier this month, Federico Hans, a journalist in the town of Caborca in northern Sonora state, was shot and wounded as he got into his car outside his home.
And on 29 June, Víctor Culebro was found dead along a highway in the southern state of Chiapas. (BBC)
2 friends die in crash after night out
Anight out for a group of friends ended tragically on Sunday, after two of them fell to their deaths when the pick-up they were travelling in ran off the highway and plunged into the Cipero River in San Fernando. The Hunters’ Search and Rescue (HSR) team discovered the bodies of businessman Sachin Teeluckdharry, of Clarke Road, Penal, and Ryan Ramnanan, of Tulsa Trace, San Francique, at 2.38 pm. Both men were already dead. Scores of relatives, friends and onlookers crowded the bridge along the Solomon Hochoy Highway, which passes over the river, moments after the discovery. Emergency vehicles parked on the road created traffic congestion for hours as Mon Repos firefighters worked to retrieve the bod-
ies from the badly mangled pick-up, even as the rains came.
Reports indicated that Teeluckdharry and Ramnanan were among a group of friends who were earlier hanging out along Cipriani Boulevard, Port-ofSpain, on Saturday night.
A friend told police he last saw the men when he overtook Teeluckdharry’s Nissan Navara near the Gasparillo Interchange at 3.30 am.
HSR team captain Vallence Rambharat told Guardian Media that his team received the distress call from Teeluckdharry’s family at 9.38 am, asking for assistance after the men did not return to their homes and calls to their phones were unanswered. The families also reported them missing to police.
The HSR team gath-
ered around noon and began searching the highway from Gasparillo, intending to reach Penal.
The team eventually reached Ste Madeleine, where they observed a vehicle overturned in the river, between the north and southbound lanes. They climbed down and started to call but got no response. It was then they approached and found the lifeless bodies inside the crushed cabin.
Mon Repos firefighters cut the pick-up to get the men out, while a crane truck lifted the vehicle from the river.
Investigators said they believe the pick-up veered off the road, became airborne, and crashed into the bridge wall.
Relatives who were at the scene declined to comment to the media. (T&T Guardian)
María Corina Machado, front-center, waves from a truck decorated with images of Edmundo González during a demonstration on Saturday protesting the presidential election results (Juan Barreto/ AFP/Getty Images)
Guarani-Kaiowa Indigenous people, who are reclaiming land, stand in a camp during a conflict with men backed by farmers in trucks and tractors in Douradina district, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil August 3, 2024 (Reuters/Gabriel Schlickmann Purchase Licensing Rights)
Around the World
OOIL NEWS
Oil prices climb more than $1 on fear of spreading Middle East conflict
il prices climbed more than $1 on Tuesday, paring the previous day's loss as concern that an escalating Middle East conflict could hit supplies outweighed fear of a possible U.S. recession that could hurt demand in the world's biggest oil consumer.
Brent crude futures gained $1.25, or 1.6%, to $77.55 a barrel by 0037 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures climbed $1.35, or 1.9%, to $74.29.
On Monday, both benchmarks fell around 1% against a backdrop of falling global stock markets. Oil's slide was limited by worry that Iranian retaliation for the assassination of a Hamas leader in Tehran may lead to a wider war in the Middle East.
"Increased fear of escalating Middle East conflict prompted fresh buying," said Hiroyuki Kikukawa, president of NS Trading, a unit of Nissan Securities.
"The market has largely factored in a retaliatory attack by Iran so the focus is on its scale and Israel's counterattack," Kikukawa said. If the conflict escalates, oil prices will rise, but if it is contained in the short term - as it was in April amid similar escalation fear - gain will be limited, he said.
Israel and the U.S. are bracing for significant escalation after Iran and its allies Hamas and Hezbollah pledged to retaliate against Israel for killings last week of the Hamas leader and a Hezbollah military commander.
The U.S. has been urging countries to convey to Iran that escalation is not in its interest, a State Department spokesperson said on Monday, amid what Secretary of State Antony Blinken called a "critical moment" for the region. On Monday, at least five U.S. personnel were injured in an attack against a military base in Iraq, U.S. officials told Reuters. It was unclear whether the attack was linked to the retaliation threats.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian told a senior ally of Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday that Tehran was determined to expand relations with its "strategic partner Russia", Iranian state media reported. (Reuters)
Euphoria in Bangladesh after PM Sheikh Hasina flees country
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned after weeks of deadly anti-government protests, putting an end to her more than two decades dominating the country's politics.
Ms Hasina, 76, fled the country, reportedly landing in India on Monday.
Jubilant crowds took to the streets to celebrate the news, with some storming the prime ministerial palace, reportedly looting and vandalising parts of her former residence.
Hours after Ms Hasina's resignation, President Mohammed Shahabuddin ordered the release of jailed former prime minister Khaleda Zia and all students detained during recent protests against a quota system for government jobs.
President Shahabuddin said he had chaired a meet-
ing of army chiefs and political representatives.
He said an interim government would be formed, new elections called and a national curfew lifted.
In Dhaka on Monday, police and other government buildings were attacked and set on fire. Protesters attempted to tear down a statue of independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,
Ms Hasina's father.
Army and police units were deployed across the city. Mobile phone service was reportedly cut off for several hours before being restored.
On Monday, protesters were seen carrying out furniture from the prime minister's residence.
Dozens were reported killed on Monday, although
the precise toll remained unclear. The AFP news agency reported the toll as 66 dead, though local outlet the Dhaka Tribune said as many as 135 had been killed.
Ms Hasina's departure leaves a vacuum in Bangladeshi politics, which has long been characterised by a rivalry between her Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
The country has experienced several military coups, most recently in 2007.
The US commended the army for its "restraint" and said an interim government should be formed. The EU urged an "orderly and peaceful transition" towards a democratically elected government.
There was no official reaction from neighbour and regional power India. (Excerpted from BBC)
Google's online search monopoly is illegal, US judge rules
AUS judge has ruled Google acted illegally to crush its competition and maintain a monopoly on online search and related advertising.
The landmark decision on Monday is a major blow to Alphabet, Google's parent company, and could reshape how technology giants do business.
Google was sued by the US Department of Justice in 2020 over its control of about 90% of the online
US personnel wounded in attack against base in Iraq, officials say
At least five U.S. personnel were injured in an attack against a military base in Iraq on Monday, U.S. officials told Reuters, as the Middle East braced for a possible new wave of attacks by Iran and its allies following last week's killing of senior members of militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah.
Two Katyusha rockets were fired at al Asad airbase in western Iraq, two Iraqi security sources said. One Iraqi security source said the rockets fell inside the base. It was unclear whether the attack was linked to threats by Iran to retaliate over the killings.
On Wednesday, Iran said the U.S. bears responsibility in the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran because of its support for Israel.
The U.S. officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said one of the wounded Americans was seriously injured. The
casualty count was based on initial reports which could still change, they said. "Base personnel are conducting a post-attack damage assessment," one of the officials added.
Last week the U.S. carried out a strike in Iraq against individuals U.S. officials said were militants getting ready to launch drones
and posed a threat to U.S. and coalition forces.
The U.S. has been watching to see if Iran would make good on its vow to respond to the killing of Haniyeh two days ago in Tehran, one in a series of killings of senior figures in the Palestinian militant group as the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza rages. (Reuters)
search market.
It is one of several lawsuits that have been filed against the big tech companies as US antitrust authorities attempt to strengthen competition in the industry.
This case has at times been described as posing an existential threat to Google and its owner given its dominance of the search and online advertising business.
It is unclear yet what penalties Google and Alphabet will face as a result of the decision. The fines or other remedies will be decided in a future hearing.
The government has asked for "structural relief" - which could, in theory at least, mean the break-up of the company.
In his decision, US
District Judge Amit Mehta said Google had paid billions to ensure it is the default search engine on smartphones and browsers.
“Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly,” Judge Mehta wrote in his 277-page opinion.
Alphabet said it plans to appeal against the ruling.
“This decision recognises that Google offers the best search engine, but concludes that we shouldn’t be allowed to make it easily available," the statement from the company said.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland, the country's top prosecutor, hailed the ruling as a "historic win for the American people".
“No company - no matter how large or influen-
tial - is above the law," Mr Garland said in a statement on Monday. "The Justice Department will continue to vigorously enforce our antitrust laws.”
Federal antitrust regulators have filed other pending lawsuits against Big Tech companies - including Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook, Amazon. com and Apple Inc - accusing them of operating unlawful monopolies.
Monday's ruling comes after a 10-week trial in Washington DC, in which prosecutors accused Google of spending billions of dollars annually to Apple, Samsung, Mozilla and others to be pre-installed as the default search engine across platforms. (Excerpted from BBC)
Harris to announce VP pick today ahead of Philadelphia rally – report
Kamala Harris is reportedly set to announce her choice of a running mate with a video released on Tuesday, before they appear together at an evening rally in Philadelphia to kick off a fiveday tour of the swing states that are crucial to winning the presidential election.
Politico, which first reported the Harris campaign’s plan, noted that Joe Biden also prepared a video to reveal Harris as his running mate in 2020.
The culmination of what has been a lightning-fast vetting process – it is little more than two weeks since Biden, the 81-year-old president, made the historic decision to stand aside and Harris became the de facto nominee –
has seen a round of interviews both in person and online.
On Monday, Reuters reported that the search had narrowed to two governors: Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Tim Walz of Minnesota. Harris, 59, interviewed both men, as well as the Arizona senator Mark Kelly, over the weekend at the Naval Observatory, the Washington DC residence of the vice-president.
Three other men were reported to be on her shortlist: the Illinois governor, JB Pritzker; the Kentucky governor, Andy Beshear; and Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who is now the US secretary of transportation.
With polling showing her
gaining on Donald Trump – CBS gave the Democrat a one-point edge nationally and put the candidates level in battleground states – and a rocky rollout for Trump’s own vice-presidential pick, JD Vance, speculation has been rife as to whom Harris will select, with reporters seizing on even the smallest clues. Her choice of Philadelphia, in Pennsylvania, for her first rally with her new running mate has fueled speculation that it will be Shapiro, while Kelly on Sunday tweeted then deleted the statement: “My mission is now serving Arizonans.” Reuters subsequently cited anonymous sources that Kelly was indeed out of the running. (The Guardian)
Bangladeshi protesters storming Prime Minister's Palace
Military vehicles of U.S. soldiers are seen at Ain al-Asad air base in Anbar province, Iraq January 13, 2020 (Reuters/John Davison/ File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights)
SUDOKU
DAILY HOROSCOPES
(March 21-April 19)
Take a reticent approach when dealing with associates. Listen, assess and contemplate your next move. Structure your plans around what’s available to you.
Take charge and initiate the changes that will enhance your life. Participate in events or activities that will help you get ahead or introduce you to positive lifestyle changes.
(May 21-June 20) (April 20-May 20)
(June 21-July 22)
(July 23-Aug. 22)
(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)
(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)
(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)
Take more time to sort through your options; if you act hastily, you’ll make a mistake. Channel your energy into discovering what’s available. Treat uncertainty as a warning sign.
You can talk your way into anything. Promote what you want to achieve, ask for help and set yourself up for advancement. Romance is on the rise. Honesty will be required.
Make updates and ensure you have the qualifications and resources needed to achieve your goals. Refrain from relying on others to pick up the slack or do the work for you.
Stay focused on getting things done on time and being responsible and accurate. Pay attention to what others expect of you. Make changes as you go. Don’t worry about outside pressure.
Learn from experience and situations that require hands-on action. Tend to meaningful relationships to avoid emotional fallout. If you take someone for granted, you’ll pay the price.
Trust your judgment regarding your professional reputation. Giving compliments and being charming will help you avoid interference that may compromise your objective.
Gullibility will be your downfall. Don’t give anyone the benefit of the doubt. Clarity is necessary to avoid being taken advantage of. Simplifying your life will help you get ahead.
(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
You’ve got what it takes to get things done. Seize the moment and forge ahead with confidence, skill and a smile. Surround yourself with valuable people, and don’t hesitate to take the lead.
(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)
Protect your possessions and work on meaningful relationships. Set a budget and schedule to ensure success. Aim to ease stress and to free up time to do what makes you happy.
Simplify your life, relationships and goals. Steer clear of situations that tempt you to ignore what’s important and give in to poor behavior. Choose your friends wisely.
Former District Six na-
tional athlete Esan
Hooper has taken the top spot in the Big Star Youth and Sports Club Emancipation 10k Road Race, run last Sunday from Number 35 Village to Ulverston Village on the Corentyne Coast in East Berbice.
Locals flocked the roadways in their numbers to see Hooper stop the clock at 43 minutes and two seconds to take the win from close to 30 highly competitive athletes who participated in the race.
Arvin Valenzuela won the 5K version of this race, while Princes Wong won in the female category of the 5K race, which started at Bush
Lot Village. Lasandra Davis emerged as the winner in the female category of the 10k
version of the race.
Hooper took the lead early, leaving Anton Wright in
Fredericks benefits from cricket gear distribution initiative
Anil Beharry of Guyana and Kishan Das of the USA have partnered to continue the initiative "Cricket Gear for Young and Promising Cricketers in Guyana", and 15-year-old Delounce Fredericks of Tucber Park Cricket Club has been the most recent beneficiary of this initiative.
Young Fredericks has been blessed with one pair of batting pads, one cricket bat, and one pair of cricket shoes in a presentation made by Surindradat Beharry, who represented the project.
Beharry advised the youngster to work hard on his game, and to remain disciplined and focused on his studies; while the youngster expressed his gratitude at being a beneficiary and excitement to receive the gear.
Beharry has said, “We will continue to support young people, and are happy to be associated with the development of cricket, especially through youths.”
Total goods obtained or bought so far for cricket is as follows: Thirteen coloured cricket uniforms, two trophies, eighteen pairs of cricket boots, thirty-one pairs of batting pads, thirty-three cricket bats, 29 pairs of batting gloves, 24 thigh pads, three pairs of wicket-keeping pads, six arm guards, two chest pads, two boxes, ten cricket bags, six bat rubbers, six helmets, one fibre-glass bat, and ten boxes of white cricket balls, among the $370,000 worth of equipment donated thus far.
Apart from the aforementioned, Sheik Mohamed, a former national wicketkeeper/ batsman, has provided gear valued at over $600,000. All funds received are being used to buy required equipment that isn't currently accessible.
Seven gear bags, two trophies, four arm guards, thirty bats, three boxes, six helmets, eighteen pairs of batting pads, twenty-four thigh pads, one bat grip, thirty pairs of batting gloves, one pair of wicketkeeping pads, and three pairs of wicketkeeping gloves have all been beneficial to eighty young players from all three counties in Guyana to date. Additionally, two used bats were beneficial to two teams in the Pomeroon region.
The Cold Fusion Cricket Club received thirteen co-
loured uniforms, three boxes of balls, fifteen white cricket shirts, one pair of junior batting pads, and one pair of wicketkeeping pads; while the Pomeroon, Leguan, and Wakenaam Cricket Committees, as well as Cotton Tree Die Hard, have each received one box of red cricket balls. Cricket-related items, used or new, are distributed free of cost to young and promising cricketers in Guyana. Skills, discipline and education are important characteristics of the recipients. Talent spotting is being done across the country, and club leaders also assist in identifying talent. Progressive and well-managed cricket clubs with a youth programme would also benefit.
Hooper wins Big Star Youth and Sports Club Emancipation Race
second and Assany McPhoy who finished third. Shaquail Smith came in fourth to round out the top finishers in the male 10k race.
With Valenzuela taking top honours in the 5k male race, Javier Henry had to settle for second, while Joseph Rahaman came in third. Amari Gibbs finished in fourth.
Leander Bennette, Princes Butcher and Torremica Dick were the other finishers in that order at
the female 5k race.
Berty Rahaman took the brave step to run the over-50 category solo, and he finished in style. Veteran coach Patrick Gray, one of the founding fathers of the club, was presented a special award for his services over the years. The race was successfully organized by Tyrone Smith and the Big Star Committee members, while sponsors came from A. Ally and Sons, Courts, Republic
Bank, Banks DIH, Sparkle Supermarket, and Athletics Guyana. In addition to the companies, locals from the area supported the event financially.
Big Star Youth and Sports Club, founded in 1991, is known for producing cricketers, with Melroy Barkley being the club’s first national youth cricketer, while current Guyana Harpy Eagles selectee Sylus Tyndall started his career at the Ulverston-based club, Big Star.
Paris Olympics: Several Caribbean athletes move through 200M rounds
St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred, the reigning 100m Olympic champion, has continued her stellar performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning her heat in the semifinals of the Women’s 200m. Alfred clocked an impressive time of 21.98 seconds to secure her place in the final with the second fastest overall time. USA’s Gabrielle Thomas has clocked the fastest time, winning her heat in 21.86 seconds.
Meanwhile, in heat two, Jamaica's Niesha Burgher
finished seventh in 22.64 seconds and received a penalty for a first-lane infringement. Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands finished eighth in heat one, clocking 22.70 seconds. In heat three, Jamaica's Lanae-Tava Thomas finished seventh in 22.77 seconds.
Despite their incredible efforts, Burgher, Hodge and Thomas did not make it to the finals, ranking 12th, 17th and 18th respectively.
The women's 200m final is scheduled for August 6, with Julien Alfred representing the Caribbean and looking to add another Olympic medal to her haul. Fans and supporters eagerly await what prom-
ises to be an exciting race.
On the other hand, Wanya McCoy of the Bahamas and Alexander Ogando of the Dominican Republic have been the only two Caribbean athletes to secure automatic qualification to the semifinals of the men’s 200m at the Paris Olympics at the Stade de France on Monday.
McCoy, running out of lane nine, produced an excellent last 50m to finish second in heat two in 20.35 behind Uganda’s Tarsis Orogot, who won in a comfortable 20.32.
Brazil’s Renan Correa ran 20.41 to secure the third automatic spot, relegating Jamaica’s Andrew Hudson, who ran 20.53 for fourth, to
Tuesday’s repechage round. Ogando was the third fastest qualifier to the semis, after running 20.04 to finish second in heat four behind American Kenny Bednarek, whose winning time of 19.96 was the fastest in the heats. Germany’s Joshua Hartmann took the third automatic spot in that race with 20.30. Jamaica’s Bryan Levell and Bahamian Ian Kerr will both have to come back to tomorrow’s repechage round if they are to make it to the semifinals after fourth and fifth place finishes in their respective heats.
Levell ran 20.47 to finish fourth in heat six behind 100m champion Noah Lyles (20.19), defending Olympic champion Andre De Grasse (20.30) and Japan’s Towa Uzawa (20.33). Kerr ran 20.53 for fifth in heat five, won by American Erriyon Knighton in 19.99. Zimbabwe’s Tapiwanashe Makarawu ran 20.07 for second, while South Africa’s Shaun Maswanganyi ran 20.20 for third.
Medal contenders Letsile Tebogo of Botswana (20.10) and Joseph Fahnbulleh of Liberia (20.20) have both advanced as heat winners. (Sportsmax)
Delounce Fredericks receiving the equipment donated
Julien Alfred ran 21.98 to win her semifinal in the women's 200m at the Paris Olympics on Monday
Wanya McCoy (left) and Alexander Ogando (right) were the only two Caribbean men to achieve automatic qualification to the semifinals of the 200m in Paris
Esan Hooper was all alone in his dominant victory in the 10k race
Prime Minister Phillips reiterates commitment to hinterland sports development
PDuring the opening of the 25th Annual Upper Mazaruni District Games, held at the Tunnel Tigers Sports Ground in Kamarang/Warawatta
rime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, accompanied by ministers of Government, recently visited the Upper Mazaruni area of Region Seven and gave assurance that Government is committed to the development of sports in that area.
Guyana Cup 2024…
Village, the Prime Minister highlighted the ruling administration’s commitment to sports development, and especially to the Upper Mazaruni District Games, as he commended the organisers for
Easy Time gets outside 12-gate
…Newcomer gets one gate
Defending champion
Easy Time will leave from the outside 12gate in Sunday’s 1,600-metre Banks DIH-sponsored Guyana Cup horse meet, which will be run off at the Rising Sun Turf Club (RSTC) on the West Coast of Berbice on Sunday, August 11, 2024.
His newly imported USAbred stablemate Stat will leave from the inside onegate in this prestigious event, which carries a record purse of US$53,819.500.
The Master Z-owned, six-year-old Kentucky-bred Easy Time, a son of Not Time/ Rushing Falls, will be partnered by regular jockey Colin Ross for trainer Nasrudeen Mohamed Jr.
The 32-year-old Mohamed could become the first trainer since the first running of this event in 2007 to record the first hat-trick in this marquee event.
Asked about the inside and outside post positions: draw one-gate for newcomer Stat, and 12-gate for Easy Time, Mohamed has said: "I saw the jockey (Colin Ross) had a different look. Stat got a good draw. He has the speed. It is a very competitive race, as the horses entered in this race are stakes
or graded-placed. This year's running is the most competitive Guyana Cup ever run off. I wish every owner of horses entered in the race the best of luck."
Young Jayden Jagdeo, whose dad Therbhuwan won the inaugural event with Ice Follies in 2007, asked about his dad's two runners, Loyal Company (gate 3) and Oy Vey (10), said, "They are exercising good so far. They have settled in well. The competition is good. The defending champion Easy Time will be the horse, I think, but I am confident about our horses."
No trainer has ever recorded a hat-trick of wins in this event. Senior trainer Colin Elcock scored back-to-back successes but has never won the hat-trick. Similarly, veteran trainer Fazal Habibulla’s horses have won on three occasions but have never won the hat-trick. Therbhuwan Jagdeo holds the unbreakable record of having secured the first win in 2007 with TNT-bred Ice Follies.
Asked about the draw, Dennis Deoroop responded, "The draw is not bad. I prefer the outside, because, if you miss, you get closed, as it is a full gate of 12. The competi-
tion has a lot of newly imported (and) very good horses. I still believe the horses that are here and have acclimatized are the ones (to look out for). I think Easy Time is the horse (to beat). (He) recently won at Port Mourant, and as I said, the horses that settled in, like Bossalina, the track conditions are different for them. Apart from the weather, the horses are okay.
Deleep Esreepersaud, owner/ trainer of Bossalina, the queen of Mahaica Creek, sharing his candid opinion on the draw and the competition, said: “The competition is going to be very tight. The draw gate too is fine. I do not see any threat. It will be a gate to wire win."
Proceedings in the 2024 Guyana Cup will start promptly at 12:00h at the Rising Sun Turf Club on the West Coast of Berbice. This year’s event will be the biggest in the history of this event, with over 40 million dollars in cash and prizes being up for grabs.
The Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee has also planned to attract more families to the event with a kids’ fun park, and the biggest DJ competition will take centre stage.
their sustained efforts over the past 25 years while emphasizing the Government's dedication to improving the sports facilities in the area.
He said that, in 2022, President Dr Irfaan Ali committed to developing the ground to regulation size, and thus far, a significant amount of money has been spent on the development of the Kamarang ground (Tunnel Tigers Sports Ground), with the installation of lights featuring underground wir-
ing, the construction of new stands, and rehabilitation works on the ground.
“We have spent some $21 million in bringing the ground to this standard to host these games. That is how serious we are about sport in Guyana,” he stated.
The Amerindian Affairs Ministry has donated $1.5 million for the overall support of the games, and the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry has contributed $1.7 million in trophies and other support.
Prime Minister Phillips has pledged Government’s long-term support for the district games. “You have a lifelong commitment from the People's Progressive Party Civic Government to support these district games for the next 25 years,” he announced.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr, and by Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai.
GFF unveils new kits for KFC Elite League teams
Last evening, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) proudly handed over new club kits to the teams competing in the KFC Elite League.
The Elite League currently features ten (10) competitive teams: the Guyana Defence Force FC, Slingerz FC, Guyana Police Force FC, Santos FC, Western Tigers FC, Den Amstel FC, Fruta Conquerors FC, Ann’s Grove United FC, Monedderlust FC, and Buxton United FC. Each team eagerly received their new kits, symbolising their readiness to vie for the championship.
GFF President Wayne Forde, who presented the kits at the event, highlighted the significant role of the GFF’s Members Financial Assistance Program (M-FAP) in making this possible. “The M-FAP program has allowed the GFF to provide tailored support to our members. These kits are part of
the Elite League Clubs M-FAP entitlement in-line with the regulations,” he said.
He added, “We look forward to seeing the brands of our loyal and generous sponsors being proudly displayed to the fans at home and to the thousands who are viewing the League via the FIFA+ platform weekly.”
The new kits signify the league's growing prestige and the commitment of the GFF to elevating football in Guyana.
The KFC Elite League comprises GFF clubs that play at the highest level of football in the country, ensuring that fans witness the best in local football talent and competition.
As the teams forge ahead in their football endeavours, the new kits would enhance their professional appearance and confidence. The GFF thanks its generous sponsors and looks forward to their continued support.
Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr, and Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai taking in the action at the Upper Mazaruni District Games
Team representatives show off the brand-new kits presented to Elite League teams on Saturday last
Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips taking a photo opportunity with athletes competing in the Upper Mazaruni District Games
Members of the head table: from left are Nasrudeen Mohamed Jr, promoter and trainer; Mortimer George, Special Events Manager at Banks DIH; Steve Ninvalle, Director of Sport; Dr Dwight Waldron, CEO of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority; and Glen Mohammed, a steward
CWI to appeal ruling after GCB’s High Court win
The back and forth between the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and Cricket West Indies is now expected to intensify following a ruling in the GCB favour on Monday in Guyana’s High Court.
For over a year now, the GCB has been challenging the election of Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) President Azim Bassarath as Vice-President of Cricket West Indies (CWI), which occurred back in March 2023.
The GCB had allegedly nominated Bassarath for the position, but reportedly later rescinded that nomination. However, the election allegedly proceeded with the GCB nomination as its basis, and the TTCB boss secured 6 votes, with 2 voting against and 4 abstaining.
According to the GCB, Justice Navendra Singh ruled that, among other things, the March 25th 2023 election is null, void, and of
of Vice President of CWI in accordance with the Artiles of Association of CWI Inc. GCB later withdrew the said nomination prior to the election. The said withdrawal was done in writing, and was premised on certain reports/ information received by the GCB in relation to Mr. Bassarath’s conduct as President of the Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board.
The Returning Officer for the CWI elections, Mr. Greogory Nicholls, an Attorney–at–Law from the Island of Barbados, pro-
many requests and the fact that GCB is a Full Member shareholder of CWI, these alleged opinions were never given to GCB. GCB came to the reasonable conclusion that CWI never had any such opinions.
With CWI refusing to correct the unmistakable unlawful election of Mr. Bassarath, GCB was left with no alternative but to approach the High Court for redress. The GCB thereafter filed High Court Action No. 2024-HCDEM-CIV-FDA-566.
Messrs. Bassarath and
no legal effect, being contrary to the Articles of Association of Cricket West Indies and the laws and rules governing elections.
While the GCB has said it is happy with the ruling, CWI immediately announced an intention to appeal the ruling; which was followed by another official statement from the GCB.
Below are the full statements from each entity in correct sequence.
GCB’s Initial statement: “On 5th August, 2024, High Court Judge of the Supreme Court of Guyana, the Honourable Mr. Justice Navindra Singh, ordered and declared that the election of Azim Bassarath as Vice President of Cricket West Indies Inc. (CWI) at the election held on 25th March, 2023 was null, void and of no legal effect, being contrary to the Articles of Association of Cricket West Indies and the laws and rules governing elections.
The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), in January, 2023, nominated Azim Bassarath for the position
ceeded to hold the election for Vice President with Mr. Bassarath as the candidate, despite the written and oral vociferous objection by GCB.
At the said election, after the objections were made by GCB, the Returning Officer and a selected few immediate past Directors of CWI met secretly in a huddle and decided to proceed with the election of Mr Bassarath. The select few immediate past Directors of CWI and Mr. Nicholls refused to extend the common courtesy of affording GCB an audience and an opportunity to be heard in that “huddle”.
Immediately after the election, GCB wrote several letters to CWI to correct the glaring and blatant wrongdoing at the election, but CWI, despite being given more than a year to correct the wrong, refused to do so.
On several occasions, CWI boasted to GCB that it was relying on the legal opinions of several leading regional legal scholars which allegedly suggest that the election of Mr Bassarath was lawful and proper. Despite
Nichols and CWI were named as Respondents in the High Court Action, and notwithstanding that they were served with the proceedings in May, 2024 and June, 2024, they did not file any defences or applications prior to the first Court hearing on 5th July, 2024. The High Court, on an oral application made by Mr. Sanjeev Datadin, Counsel for CWI, Bassarath and Nicholls, granted further time to file any applications which they may wish to do, but again they failed to do so within the timeline fixed by the Court. The hearing of the matter was adjourned to 5th August, 2024.
On 2nd August, 2024, a mere two (2) days before the second hearing, CWI filed an application seeking to challenge the jurisdiction of the High Court on the ground that the matter should be referred to arbitration. The application was opposed by Mr. Arudranauth Gossai, Counsel for GCB.
The Honourable Mr. Justice Singh held that the application to challenge jurisdiction was made out of
effect, and contrary to the Articles of Association of Cricket West Indies Inc and the laws, rules and procedures governing elections;
time, and that there was no application for an extension of time to file that application (to challenge jurisdiction), and neither was there an application for relief from sanctions for failing to file the application within the timeline. Further, that neither Mr. Bassarath nor Mr. Nicolls filed any defence or applications of their own.
The Learned Judge also noted that neither CWI nor Mr. Bassarath nor Mr. Nicholls were present at the hearing on 5th August, 2024 despite the fact that they could have joined the hearing virtually.
The Learned Judge did however consider the issue of the arbitration raised by CWI and found that CWI never offered any different interpretation to the Articles of Association, relevant to the election, to the interpretation advanced by GCB, and therefore it could not be said that a dispute arose as to the interpretation of the Articles of Association, and therefore the arbitration clause did not apply.
The Learned Judge then proceeded to make the following orders:
I: That the nomination of Azim Bassarath for the office of Vice-President of Cricket West Indies Inc at the Cricket West Indies Inc.’s elections on 25th March, was null, void, and of no le gal effect, and contrary to the Articles of Association of Cricket West Indies Inc.
ii: That GCB’s withdrawal of its nomination of Azim Bassarath for the office of Vice-President prior to the elections of Cricket West Indies Inc. held on 25th March, 2023 was valid, law ful, and in compliance with the Articles of Association of governing elections;
i: That the decision made by Gregory Nicholls that Azim Bassarath was duly and validly nominated despite the withdrawal of GCB’s nomination was unlawful, being contrary to the Articles of Association of Cricket West Indies Inc, and the laws, rules and procedures governing elections;
iii: That the office of VicePresident of Cricket West Indies Inc is hereby declared vacant;
iv: That a new election be held by Cricket West Indies Inc. to fill the vacant position of Vice-President of Cricket West Indies Inc.;
v: Costs to GCB in the sum of $100,000.00 to be paid on or before 26th August, 2024.
The GCB is quite happy about the decision, and feels that it would pave the way for the lawful conduct of future elections and also provide guidance in the election process.
GCB was forced to file the instant action to ensure good governance at the CWI level, and to safeguard the integrity of the election process.”
CWI responded to the ruling: “In a case filed by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) in the High Court of Guyana challenging the election of Mr Azim Bassarath as Vice President of the Cricket West Indies, the Court ruled this morning in favour of the GCB.
The case was brought against Cricket West Indies Inc., Mr Bassarath, and Mr Gregory Nicholls, the Returning Officer, all
Meeting in Antigua on March 25, 2023. Mr Bassarath was unopposed, and gained six votes, with two voting against, while four abstained.”
GCB later responded to CWI’s intent to appeal: “The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) is deeply concerned about the contents of a Press Release purportedly issued by Cricket West Indies Inc. (CWI) following a ruling by the High Court in Guyana earlier today (5th August, 2024) that the election of Azim Bassarath as Vice President of CWI was unlawful, null, void, and of no effect.
The contents of the said Release are misleading to the public, and give an inaccurate and incorrect description/narration of the proceedings before the High Court.
The Press Release failed to highlight that the application to challenge the jurisdiction of the High Court was made by CWI, and not by either Azim Bassarath or Gregory Nicholls. Secondly, the Release deliberately omitted the fact that CWI, Bassarath and Nicholls failed to attend the hearing. Thirdly, the Release deliberately omitted the fact that the challenge to the jurisdiction of the Court was based on the ground that the matter called for an interpretation of the Articles of Association, and therefore subject to arbitration. Fourthly, that the Learned Judge pointed out that neither CWI nor Bassarath nor Nicholls advanced any contrary interpretation to the Articles to make “interpretation” of the Articles an issue
diction, and grant ed the orders sought by the GCB.
Further, the Release also deliberately omitted the fact that CWI, Bassarath and Nicholls failed to file their application to challenge the jurisdiction of the Court within the stipulated timeline, but the Learned Judge still considered their challenge to jurisdiction.
ii: That the election of Azim Bassarath as VicePresident of Cricket West Indies at the elections held on 25th March, 2023 was null, void, and of no legal
The respondents respectfully differ with the Court's ruling. Consequently, CWI has instructed its legal team to immediately file an appeal, and will await the decision of the appellate court.
The election of Mr Bassarath as CWI Vice President was held at the 24th Annual General
The GCB is also concerned that it was not privy to any meeting of the Directors of CWI where the decision was made to file an appeal against the ruling of the Learned Judge. CWI seems adamant to continue with a Vice President who was unlawfully elected rather than to correct a grave wrong which was committed on 25th March, 2023 at the CWI election.”
The Guyana Cricket Board saw Justice Navendra Singh ruling in their favour on Monday morning
Cricket West Indies (CWI) have expressed an intent to appeal Monday’s ruling
GCB and CWI have been at loggerheads for over a year after the election of Azim Bassarath as CWI Vice-President
Guyana’s Aaliyah Abrams will get another shot at securing a place in the Women’s 400M semifinal at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the repechage round, following a fifth- place finish in her Heat on Monday morning.
Abrams clocked 51.55s for fifth place in the Heat, which was won by World Champion over the quarter mile, Republic’s Marileidy Paulino in 49.42s. United States’ Aaliyah Butler and Austria’s Susanne GoglWalli were the other two to secure the automatic spots from that race in 50.52s and 50.67s respectively.
Though missing out on the automatic qualification, Abrams will compete in the repechage round today, in Heat one at 05:20hrs this morning.
A newly introduced feature for the Paris games, the term ‘repechage’ is a French term which can
Olympic semifinal for Abrams
translate to ‘second chance’. Utilized in other sports like rowing or fencing, The recently introduced ‘second chance’ round gives eliminated athletes another shot at making a semifinal or final stage.
Back in 2022, World Athletics approved the repechage round for the Paris Games in individual track events, moving the number of rounds in an event from three (Round 1/Heat, Semifinal, Final) to four (Round 1/ Heat, Repechage Round, Semifinal, Final).
Individual events such as the Men’s and Women’s
200M, 400M, 800M, 1500M and hurdles (100MH, 110MH and 400MH) will see athletes getting another round to make a case for themselves in the semifinals.
Abrams would need a win or one of the next two fastest times – outside of the race winners - to advance to Wednesday’s semis. The Women’s 400M semifinals are also scheduled to be run off on Wednesday from 14:45hrs. Abrams is in a 5-member contingent representing Guyana at the Paris Olympics.
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Aliyah Abrams (second from right) coming down the back straight during the Women’s 400M Heat 5 at the Paris Olympics
Aliyah Abrams will try again today for a spot in the Women’s 400M semifinal