Corentyne River Bridge awaits financing approval from China
GCCI
Essequibo taxi driver charged with assaulting Police Officers, resisting arrest Guyana to import chemicals from India to combat paddy bug infestation Chinese national charged with gun, ammo possession granted bail
BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Tuesday, July 23 –04:00h-05:30h and Wednesday, July 24 – 04:00h-05:30h.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Tuesday, July 23 –05:30h-07:00h and Wednesday, July 24 – 06:20h-07:50h.
FERRY SCHEDULE
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
WEATHER TODAY
Thundery showers are expected to prevail during the day, with late-afternoon sunshine. Clear to partly cloudy skies are expected at night. Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.
Winds: East North-Easterly to South South-Easterly between 1.78 metres and 3.57 metres.
High Tide: 06:36h and 19:03h reaching maximum heights of 2.76 metres and 2.65 metres.
Low Tide: 12:36h reaching
metre.
Corentyne River Bridge awaits financing approval from China
– Guyana, Suriname settle on contractor, preliminary works already started
With a contractor already identified by both Guyana and Suriname and preparatory works already started, all that remains for works to begin on the Corentyne Bridge itself is for financing from China to be approved.
This was revealed by Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill, during a recent meeting with the Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce. According to the Minister, preparatory works have already started, inclusive of the roads and bridges that are being built from Moleson Creek to El Dorado in Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne).
According to Edghill, the government is waiting for approval of financing from China, something both sides are seeking since Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi recently visited China, carrying a letter jointly signed by himself and President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, to finalise the financing agreement.
“We have gone through the full tender process, we have a preferred contractor at the end of an evaluation process and both governments have agreed to approach our partner, the Republic of China to finance the project,” Minister Edghill said.
According to Edghill, construction on the bridge will begin once the financial agreement has been finalised. In addition to the preparatory work, the Public Work Ministry’s engineering team has also surveyed the corridor to finalise the alignment of the bridge.
The chamber was also informed of the ambitious plans the government has for the bridge, such as adding a free-trade zone
along the Long Island corridor, which will boost the bridge’s economic viability. Additional plans include the construction of hotels, a farmers’ market and water sports facilities.
The Corentyne River Bridge is one of the first agreements between Presidents Ali and Santokhi, with both Heads previously underscoring the critical role the bridge would play in advancing cooperation, creating more opportunities for development for both countries.
The Corentyne River bridge will be approximately 3.1 kilometres in length and would connect Moleson Creek in Guyana to South Drain in Suriname with a landing on Long Island in the Corentyne River, where a commercial hub and tourist destination would be established. That duty-free zone would see major infrastructural development, such as hotels, recreational parks, entertainment spots, tourist attractions, malls, and farmers’ markets.
In May of 2022, a US$2 million contract was signed in Paramaribo for several preliminary studies and research to be conducted on the Corentyne bridge by WSP Caribbean. The Expressions of Interest (EoIs) were also simultaneously launched.
Then in June 2023, WSP Caribbean presented the design of the Corentyne River bridge to Public Works Minister Juan Edghill and his Surinamese counterpart, Minister Riad Nurmohamed, of a two-section structure that is connected via an island (Long Island) to link Guyana and Suriname. The design also featured a two-lane bridge with accommodation for a third lane in case of an
pre-financing requirement.
emergency.
Six international companies – five Chinese firms and one Dutch company from The Netherlands – had submitted bids for the construction of the Corentyne River bridge. The bids were opened at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) in Georgetown back in August 2023.
Initially, the plan was to have the bridge built according to a design-build-finance-operate-maintain (DBFOM) model, meaning that whichever company is contracted to build the bridge would be responsible for its design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance. The bridge was also to have been constructed via a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement.
In October 2023, two companies – Dutch engineering company Ballast Nedam and Chinese-owned China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) –submitted proposals to build the bridge over the Corentyne River to link Guyana and Suriname. However, those companies have since indicated that they are unable to meet the
In an interview with Guyana Times on the sidelines of CARICOM Heads of Government Conference, held in Georgetown earlier this year, President Santokhi had said that there are financial institutions that are willing to fund the construction of the bridge. Santokhi had noted that informal discussions were held with the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB), which had indicated an interest in financing the project.
The bridge will be a lower-level structure approximately one kilometre long from Moleson Creek to Long Island, with a 2200-metre (2.2km) road across Long Island and a higher-level bridge spanning 2100 metres (2.1km) thereafter.
The high end of the bridge would facilitate marine traffic and cater for 40,000 to 45,000 DWT (deadweight tonnage) capacity featuring a vertical (height) clearance of 43 metres and a horizonal (width) clearance of about 100 metres.
Upon completion, the bridge would not only link the two neighbouring countries, but would also open up access to greater economic opportunities beyond them, into French Guiana and, through the road network being developed, into Brazil, and eventually further into South America. (G-3)
Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill
Proposed alignment of Corentyne River Bridge and approach roads
Editor: Tusika Martin
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A prudent move
In a commendable move, President Dr Irfaan Ali has announced Government has partnered with religious institutions to enhance the delivery of preventive healthcare services across communities. This decision is not only welcome but also crucial in addressing the persistent health challenges faced by the nation. By leveraging the extensive reach and trust that churches, not limited to one religion, hold within local communities, the Government is poised to create a more effective healthcare system.
The Head of State, in the announcement, said: "I want to extend our services to the church. Because I believe that your work is evidence of the type of environment we want to create in service to people...This is not only members of the church who can benefit. When the church speaks about the community, it’s everyone. This facility is open to everyone.”
One of the most significant barriers to health care in Guyana is accessibility; remote areas often suffer from a lack of medical facilities and healthcare professionals, leaving residents vulnerable to preventable diseases. While the telemedicine initiative is one way of bridging this barrier, more effort to complement this is needed.
Churches, with their widespread presence and established networks, can serve as vital conduits for health education, screening, and preventive measures. This collaboration can bridge the gap between healthcare providers and underserved communities, ensuring that essential services reach those who need them most.
The partnership with churches is strategic in another critical aspect: trust. Religious institutions in Guyana enjoy a high level of trust and respect among the populace. By working through these trusted entities, the Government can more effectively disseminate health information and encourage community participation in preventive health programmes. People are more likely to engage with and adhere to health initiatives when they are endorsed by familiar and respected community leaders.
Preventive healthcare is a cornerstone of sustainable health systems. By focusing on prevention, the Government can reduce the burden of disease, lower healthcare costs, and improve the overall health and wellbeing of the population. The church collaboration can facilitate widespread vaccination drives, health education campaigns, and routine health screenings, significantly reducing the incidence of diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and infectious diseases.
This initiative also has the potential to empower communities by providing them with the knowledge and resources to take charge of their health. Churches can host workshops and seminars on various health topics, offer counselling services, and even train community health volunteers. Empowered with information and support, community members can adopt healthier lifestyles and practices, leading to long-term health improvements.
While this collaboration holds great promise, it will not be without challenges. The Government must ensure that the partnership respects and maintains a focus on health without encroaching on religious practices or beliefs. Additionally, there must be a concerted effort to train church leaders and volunteers in basic health care delivery and health promotion to ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of the services provided when collaborative medical outreaches are conducted.
The Government's decision to collaborate with churches to enhance preventive health care is a pragmatic approach to addressing the health challenges. By tapping into the extensive networks and trusted positions of religious institutions, the Government can improve healthcare accessibility, build community trust, and promote preventive care.
This initiative has the potential to not only improve health outcomes but also foster stronger communities. As this partnership unfolds, it will be crucial to monitor its implementation and outcomes, and once successful, it can be replicated in other Government social services.
Is Kamala Harris the “Trump” card for the Democrats?
Dear Editor,
Will Kamala Harris in the Home of the Brave, be given the opportunity to break the glass ceiling and become the first female to preside over the United States of America? Is America, the Land of the Free, ready to be ruled by a woman, more so, by a Black woman, or an Asian? Or, in the Land of Milk and Honey, will history repeat itself as Déjà vu for Donald Trump? Despite winning the popular vote in 2016 by almost 2.9 million votes, the Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton, lost to Donald Trump in the Electoral College Vote. Is America ready for a second stint of the ‘Mogul’ who instead, wanted a code name ‘Humble’?
All these eventualities became possible when President Joe Biden retracted his candidacy for the US Presidential 2024 election over the weekend and endorsed his Vice President to be the Democratic presidential candidate. Will the aging and feeble 81-year-old 46th US president continue to serve out his full term, or, will he resign and allow Kamala Harris to become the next US President by way of default? A precedent would be created in the U.S. of A. The “States” was known as Turtle Island and “Sleep Joe” was changed to “Crooked Joe” by the Republican 2024 presidential candidate, Donald Trump. Biden, now considered too old to be selected, was once too young to serve. He was 29 years old when he
won a US Senate seat in 1972. From being former President Barack Obama’s vice president, he weathered the storm to defeat the incumbent Donald Trump from holding a second presidential term in 2020. Despite his disastrous debate performance with Trump, Biden still outraised and outspent Trump in last month’s campaign. President Biden raised US$64 million and spent US59 million to leave US$95 million in the bank. Trump managed to raise US$21 million while spending US$10 million to leave US$128 million at the end of June.
The walls caved in as President Joe Biden’s loyalists and influential Democrats, namely, Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Chuck Schumer, doubted his viability and expressed frustration over the Democratic criticism of Biden’s ability to beat Trump. His slips, spills, and stumbles did not help as his age caught up with him and he was unable to jog with his VP. Recently, he proved positive for COVID-19 and had to rest. Unable to briskly board Airforce 1, his physical declension showed as he slowly climbed the stairs. At a social event, he looked lost among dancing people, and on another occasion, Barack Obama held his arm to lead him off the stage. He even fumbled when he named Trump instead of Kamala Harris as his vice president, after calling Ukraine’s president “Putin” and quickly correcting himself. Being a grown man who wanted to
finish the job, he told Trump, “Make my day pal.”
The 77-year-old Donald Trump is not a happy camper with Biden out of the race. He now has to face a potential Kamala Harris, the current seasoned VP, a brilliant attorney younger than him. He cannot side step by pointing out flaws at age and agility or ability. His cognitive abilities are also questionable as he got the name of his own doctor wrong, seemed to think Obama was the current president, and even mistook his arch-Republican rival Nikki Haley for Nancy Pelosi. Trump, the felon, has been convicted in the damaging Stormy Daniels case. President Biden told Trump, “You have the morals of an alley cat.”
Republicans are shielding Donald Trump of any wrongdoing on the January 6th, 2021 attack on Capitol Hill. Ironically, he is making this a cornerstone of his bid to return to the White House. Five people died, many injured and some 1,200 people have been charged and many have been fined and sentenced to jail. He promised to pardon them the first day he returned to office.
Jason Stanley, a philosophy professor at Yale, said in history the question comes up over and over again: “When a coup against the democratic regime happens and it’s not punished, that is a very strong indicator of the end of the rule of law and the victory of that authoritarian movement,” said Stanley, the author of “How Fascism Works.”
The attempted assassination of Donald Trump has helped to unify his party and reinvigorated him as he clenched his fists shouting, “Fight, fight, fight.” At the Republican Convention, presidential candidate elect, Donald Trump, warned of his vision which includes harsher immigration laws, tougher stands on foreign adversaries, and rallying against electric vehicles as he pledged to, “Drill, baby drill.” Trump once described climate change as a “hoax” and said that, “he will take America out of the 2015 Paris Agreement to combat climate change and support greater use of declining fossil fuels such as coal.”
Kamala Harris, a product of an Indian mother and Jamaican father, is yet to be fully endorsed by the Democratic Party. The ‘ugly truth’ is that being far younger than Trump, she is a breath of fresh air and a sigh of relief for the younger generation. She will appeal to the colored population and her “stance” on border policy may influence the Spanish community. Being of a mixed descent, she will reach out to the colored population. Trump is known as a flirtatious woman grabber, his attack on women, shady business deals and other negativities. Women overall, may be more sympathetic with Harris.
Is Kamala Harris the “Trump” card for the Democrats?
Yours respectfully, Jai Lall
Members of Guyana’s Olympic contingent touched down in Paris ahead of the Games, which are scheduled to commence on Friday, July 26, 2024 (Chelsea Edghill photo)
President Ali and PPP/C have demonstrated extraordinary leadership, vision
Dear Editor,
As we approach August 2, 2024, marking four years of President Dr. Irfaan Ali's administration, it is fitting to commend the President and his People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) for the unparalleled development that Guyana has experienced since August 2020. Under Dr. Ali’s visionary leadership, Guyana has undergone a remarkable transformation, with advancements evident in every facet of our nation.
The 2020 elections were a critical juncture in our history. President Ali and the PPP/C bravely led the
Dear Editor,
President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, is contesting elections in that country due to be held on the 28th of this month, that is, this coming Sunday, for a third time in office. All the independent reports from Venezuela indicate that he will lose a free and fair election but, already, Maduro is taking steps to fraudulently manipulate the elections and prevent the opposition leader Maria Corino Machado’s party from contesting by the fraudulent manipulation of the electoral process.
Maduro, for instance, has recently ordered the arrest of 24 of Machado’s campaign team, including her personal bodyguard. In turn, the US government has intensified its pressure on the Maduro government to hold a free election or suffer the consequences of across-the-board sanctions on its oil industry exports re-imposed in April.
Nevertheless, the Reuters News Agency earlier this month reported that “the Biden administration remains open to dialogue with the Venezuelan government” after Maduro said that “he had agreed to restart direct talks” with the US government.
We know that Machado was earlier banned by Maduro’s government, upheld by the Venezuelan Supreme Court, who is now represented by a former Venezuelan Diplomat, Edmundo Gonzalez, to lead the opposition.
We also know from a statement made by US State Department spokesperson, Vadent Patel, that behind the scenes, the US Government continues to leave the door open for Maduro to hold a free election. Patel is quoted as saying “we are cleareyed that democratic change will not be easy and certainly requires a serious commitment”.
We also know that Maduro will not hold an election which will result in him
fight to preserve our democracy, thwarting attempts by the APNU-AFC coalition to undermine the will of the people. The struggle to ensure a free and fair election was arduous, but it highlighted the President's unwavering commitment to democratic principles and justice. This dedication laid the foundation for the prosperity and stability we now enjoy.
President Ali’s leadership extends beyond national borders, making a significant impact in the Caribbean and on the global stage. His proactive approach to governance is
reflected in his constant presence in communities across the nation. Whether in bustling urban centres or the most remote villages, President Ali has made it a priority to connect with the masses, ensuring that development reaches every segment of society. This hands-on approach has fostered a sense of unity and inclusiveness, epitomised by his One Guyana Initiative.
One of the most commendable aspects of President Ali's leadership is his focus on food security. By diversifying agriculture and implementing pol-
icies aimed at reducing the Caribbean's food import bill by 25% by 2025, he has positioned Guyana as a key player in regional food security. His administration's emphasis on sustainable agriculture not only enhances our economic security but also contributes significantly to the well-being of the entire Caribbean region.
Furthermore, the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030 is a testament to President Ali's commitment to sustainable development. This strategy balances economic growth with environmental stewardship, ensuring that
Guyana’s natural resources are utilised responsibly. The prudent economic management under his administration has led to robust infrastructure development, enhancing connectivity and boosting economic activities across the country.
President Ali's dedication to the holistic development of Guyana is evident in his administration’s efforts to improve healthcare, education, and social services. His policies have created an environment conducive to investment and innovation, driving economic growth and improving the quality of life for all
Venezuela’s elections
being removed from office. So, what should we expect from Maduro?
Maduro has not withdrawn nor backed down from the Resolution passed by the Venezuelan National Assembly on 21st September, 2023, calling for a Referendum approving “the creation of the Guayana Esequiba State and that an accelerated and comprehensive plan be developed for the present and future population of that territory” namely, the Essequibo region of Guyana.
This, in defiance of the provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 1st December, ordering Venezuela to “refrain from taking any action which would modify the situation that currently prevails in the territory in dispute, whereby the Cooperative Republic of Guyana administers and exercises control of that area”. The Referendum was also condemned by the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Commonwealth and CARICOM. When Maduro signed on to the Resolution passed by the Venezuelan National Assembly, his words were “sooner rather than later we will recover Venezuela’s right to Guayana Esequiba. So I swear and so it will be”.
Maduro was then, at the intervention of CARICOM and Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), required to meet with President Irfaan Ali in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. A meeting which led to the Joint Declaration of Argyle, binding Venezuela to refrain from threatening or the use of force against Guyana and binding Venezuela and Guyana to act in accordance with international law, including respecting the 1966 Geneva Agreement.
Maduro, however, had already violated the commitment he made at Argyle, in-
cluding illegal overflights of Guyana, minor incursion of the Venezuelan military across the border, causing Guyana, on 9th April, to request a meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) which resulted in a statement from the Security Council urging both Venezuela and Guyana to respect their obligations and comply with the provisional measures issued by the ICJ and commending the Argyle Declaration requiring both countries to resolve any differences in accordance with international law and the United National Charter.
While all of this has effectively given pause to Maduro pursuing further aggression against Guyana, he now faces the choice of either conducting a free and fair election and being thrown out of power with all of its probable unpleasant consequences for him or the imposition of severe sanctions by the US Government denying Venezuela access to its major market for the sale of its oil and the financial implications thereof. Neither is an acceptable choice for Maduro. He is, in fact, in an increasingly desperate situation of his own making and desperate people are prone to desperate action.
Our government is well
aware of this fact which is why Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on 16th May, 2024, announced the fact that our government had “notified all of the relevant partners, both of a multilateral and bilateral nature about the continued attempts by Venezuela to build up a presence (military) at our border in a threatening posture” and that “we are very vigilant; while watching the development; we have been working with our allies on this matter and our primary preoccupation is the retention of our territorial integrity and sovereignty”.
It is not by accident, in fact, it is with specific intent, that just this week the Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs of the US Government, Daniel Erickson, reaffirmed the US support for Guyana in the border controversy with Venezuela and, of considerable interest, is the fact the Erickson pointedly said that he was speaking on a directive from US President Joe Biden himself.
Earlier in April in a phone call with President Ali, the US Principal Deputy National Security Advisor, John Finer, had also underlined the US’s “unwavering support for Guyana’s sovereignty in light of threats from
neighbouring Venezuela”. In February, Finer had paid a one day visit to Guyana, accompanied by Juan Gonzalez, the National Security Council’s Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere.
Question is, given the clear and unequivocal message from the US Government and equally strong messages coming from the newly elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom along with the fact that Maduro signed on to the Argyle Agreement in the presence of most of the CARICOM Heads of Government, Brazilian President Lula’s Special Advisor and Personal Envoy, the Chef de Cabinet of the Office of the Secretary-
Guyanese. In conclusion, President Dr. Irfaan Ali and the PPP/C have demonstrated extraordinary leadership and vision over the past four years. Their achievements have set a high standard for governance and development, making Guyana a beacon of progress in the Caribbean. As we celebrate this milestone, let us acknowledge and commend the President’s tireless efforts to build a united, prosperous, and sustainable Guyana.
Yours truly, Anson Paul
General of the United Nations Security Council, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Columbia and Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Honduras at the Declaration of Argyle, would a desperate Maduro dare to attempt to impose his government’s declared intention to formally annex the Essequibo region by military means? We shall know in a matter of days, unless, of course, Maduro decides to cancel or defer an election he cannot win fairly. One thing is certain, we must be prepared to the fullest extent possible for any eventuality.
Yours sincerely, Kit Nascimento
Plotting ordered pairs Page Foundation
The figure below is a grid. A grid has a horizontal axis, known as the x-axis, and a vertical axis, known as the y-axis. All points on a grid can be expressed, or identified, by two numbers: the x-coordinate which indicates where the point is located on the x-axis and the y-coordinate which indicates where the point is located on the y-axis. Each point is identified using the x and y coordinates in an ordered pair.
The point where the vertical and horizontal axes meet is the origin. The origin is identified by the ordered pair (0,0). The x-coordinate indicates how far the point is to the right (positive) or how far to the left (negative) of the origin. The y-coordinate indicates how far the point is above (positive) or how far below (negative) the origin.
To find the x-coordinate, move your finger along the x-axis to the point. To find the y-coordinate, move your finger along the y-axis to the point. To identify the ordered pair , put the two coordinates in brackets – the first number is the x-coordinate and the second number is the y-coordinate. In this figure, point A can be expressed as A (1, 4) and point B can be expressed as B (– 3, – 2).
Exercises:
BY KARA JACKSON
Use the rubber band to hold the wax paper in place. Point the bottom of the paper cup at a bright light from about two to three feet away. Slowly walk toward the light and you should soon see an image of the light bulb appear upside down on the wax paper.
Source: Poetry (March 2021) In
How it works: Light enters our eyes through our pupils after it reflects off of an object. The light then makes its way through the different parts of our eyes and produces an image on our retina that is upside down. The image then travels to our brain through the optic nerve. Our brain
compensates by reversing the image so that it is right-side up so we do not see an upsidedown image. In a pinhole viewer, the light enters through the small pinhole we made in the bottom of the cup. This is similar to the way that light enters the eye through the pupil. The light creates an image on the wax paper, similar to the way that light creates an image on the retina of the eye. Our pinhole viewer lacks a “brain” to “correct” the image, so it will appear upside down on the wax paper.
Make this a science project: Try a white plastic grocery bag. Try tracing paper. Try tissue paper. (sciencefun.org)
i look in the mirror, and all the chips i’ve eaten this month have accumulated like schoolwork at the bottom of my tummy, my belly—a country i’m trying to love. my mouth is a lover devoted to you, my belly, my belly the birds will string a song together with wind for you and your army of solids, militia of grease. americans love excess, but we also love jeans, and refuse to make excess comfortable in them. i step into a fashionable prison, my middle managed and fastened into suffering. my gracious gut, dutiful dome, i will wear a house for you that you can live in, promise walls that embrace your growing flesh, and watch you reach toward everything possible.
PAC hearing
$133M in undocumented cheques found in Reg 1 RDC safe 2 months before 2020 elections
– probe continues into 6 unevaluated contractors who received $79M in contracts
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday sought an update on the Audit Office’s investigation into the discovery of 333 cheques totaling a whopping $133.9 million in a safe in the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) office in Region One (Barima-Waini) with no supporting documents.
The 333 cheques, missing payment vouchers, and other important documents were found when the Audit Office visited the region in January 2020 – two months before the National and General Elections.
While the Region subsequently did send documents to the audit office, in many cases these documents resulted in even more queries -queries the region did not satisfactorily answer.
“On the 14th October 2020, when the REO was Mr. Bissessar, who was deputy REO for years back, 2019, 2017. He became the REO in 2020. He received a management letter, from
the Audit Office, for him to respond to those queries. And he did not respond to the queries?” PAC mem-
Executive Officer (REO) did respond, satisfactory answers and the missing documents were not provided at the time.
ber Ganesh Mahipaul questioned.
To this, Audit Director Gitanjali Singh noted that while the then Regional
And it wasn’t until the next year when they visited the region again, that documentation was found. It was disclosed by the Audit
Director that they verified that some of the cheques had been paid over and others returned to the consolidated fund, in this subsequent visit.
“In 2021, the Audit Office went into the region. And when they went into the region, they found all the documentation to satisfy these 333 cheques… I’d have to say we found the cheques were paid. They weren’t in the safe anymore,” she explained.
“In terms of all the documentation satisfying the requirements, I wouldn’t be able to say at this time. To pay a cheque, you would have had to have the voucher for it to be signed. We would not have gone back and done a 100 per cent verification, on a prior year, if we’re doing the current year.”
The 333 undocumented cheques are a part of the 1,194 cheques totaling $791.109 million that had been found in the safe… cheques that, according to the Auditor General, should have been refunded to the
Consolidated Fund.
Contractors
Meanwhile, Region One was also put in the spotlight by the committee, over the Auditor General’s 2019 findings that six contractors who were not evaluated, received $79 million worth of contracts from the region.
It was found at the time that the six contractors, who had not been evaluated by the Regional Tender Board, got 15 contracts. PAC member Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo quizzed Regional Executive Officer (REO) Sewchand, on this occurrence.
But when he could not provide answers on how and why these contracts were awarded, as well as whether the equipment procured was still functioning, an undertaken was given by the REO to provide an update to the committee in a couple of weeks.
The REO was also asked about breaches that occurred when ten contracts totaling $60.5 million were issued without being public-
ly advertised. A similar instance occurred in 2018, this time with four contracts totaling $17.6 Million.
According to the REO, however, he had no answers since efforts to get such from his predecessor had failed. As such, PAC member and Public Works Minister Juan Edghill sought clarity from the Audit Director Gitanjali Singh.
“For the three-quote method, we were querying in paragraph 1208(a), supply of 2 37KVA generators, $8.2 Million; purchase of priority medical equipment, $7.9 million; purchase of health equipment, $7.8 million; purchase of priority medical equipment, $7.4 million.”
“Supply of electrical hardware items, $5.9 million, supply of one Caterpillar generator set, $5.9 million; supply of electrical hardware items, $5 million; supply of (two) outboard engine, $3.7 million (and) purchase of priority medical equipment, $3.4 million,” she detailed. (G-3)
Region One REO Sewchand
PAC Member and Public Works Minister Juan Edghill
PAC member Dr Vishwa Mahadeo
Audit Director Gitanjali Singh
Chinese national charged with gun, ammo possession granted bail
More than a week after 30-year-old Ying Xin Su was charged and remanded for having an unlicensed firearm and ammunition was on Monday granted $400,000 when she made her second court appearance.
Su, a former travel agent was one of three Chinese nationals who were busted at a city hotel two weeks ago with $39 million and one unlicensed 9mm pistol with 15 rounds of matching ammunition.
Following the joint operation, the Special Organised
Crime Unit (SOCU) issued a wanted bulletin for Zhenjian Fang from New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara (WCD).
However, during Su’s appearance on Monday, she was represented by attorneys-at-law, Bernard Da Silva, Ganesh Hira, and Naresh Poonai who made a bail application on her behalf.
After listening to the arguments, the Magistrate granted their request on the condition that she report to CID Headquarters once a month until the termination of the matter.
Essequibo youth jailed on armed robbery charge
Jailed:
Twenty-four-year-old
Ricardo Singh from Onderneeming/Sand Pitt, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) was on Monday sentenced to two years and three months on an armed robbery charge.
Singh appeared before Magistrate Teriq Mohammed where the charge was read to him which stated that on January 25, 2024, he robbed Mohamed Azam Shadiek also called 'Muslim' while being armed with a weapon. The offence was committed at Sand Hill Backdam.
However, Singh pleaded guilty to the charge, and the sentence was imposed.
Revolution…
…in the US of A
It’s hard to believe nowadays…but the USA was once a COLONY of Britain – just like WE were!! Imagine that!! But they fought a very bloody revolution to gain independence – yet kissed and made up to develop their present SPECIAL relationship!! But in the process, became to the rest of us in the British Empire a model for our dreams. Well, from what’s been going on recently in the US of A, seems like there’s another revolution brewing – and maybe we’ll get some lessons again.
And no…this ain’t – as someone suggested –about one of our local leaders imitating Biden who announced he wasn’t gonna be running any longer for the presidency – and recommended his VP Kamala in his stead. Firstly, the individual selected for committing political Hara Kiri – Aubrey Norton – ain’t old and decrepit and the suggested beneficiary of this largess – Amanza Walton-Desir – ain’t his deputy!! In terms of revolution, what your Eyewitness thinks might once again be worthy of emulation is the action going on over in the Republican Party – now under the formal leadership of Donald Trump!! And sorry to disappoint you Dear Readers – who might be salivating at the thought of your staid Eyewitness recommending crotch-grabbing as “revolution” – that’s just crass and crude behaviour!!
No…what your Eyewitness wants all of us in dear ole Mudland to take notice of is Trump promising to throw out the political system they took over from the Brits after throwing them out – liberalism!! Now you may protest, Dear Reader, that the Yanks didn’t adopt the Monarchy from their erstwhile rulers – represented by “Mad Hatter” George III. True…true… but behind the new “REPUBLIC” the Yanks created, they retained the assumptions of LIBERALISM!! Meaning they simply insisted that Old George wasn’t following the LIBERAL tradition where THE INDIVIDUAL – EVERY individual – was equal to any other - in their rights!! And Georgie Boy –who assumed he was the source of all power and could do as he very well pleased – was out!!
Is your Eyewitness sayin’ that all individual rights will now be thrown overboard?? Well, when you get to the bottom of all the fancy rhetoric, that’s exactly what Trump’s promising!! So your question is whether they’ll be bringing back Mad George?? MAYBE – but his name will be “The Don”!!!! He complains that all these individual rights have gotten out of hand – witness all the confusion about, say, gender!! The state oughta reabsorb those powers and create a more harmonious society – under one leader!!
Freedom hasn’t delivered the benefits it was supposed to – innit?? Look at the handful of trillionaires with more wealth than the rest of America!!
Is Guyana ready for this revolution??
…in
Venezuela?
While the new American revolution is brewing up in the USA, let’s not forget that in just FIVE days, Venezuelans – those who’re left in the country!! –will be heading to the polls. But will it matter?? Mad Maduro’s been busy stacking the deck in his favour against the Opposition – and not so incidentally preparing to mow them down in the event he’s caught with his hand in the ballot boxes!! He’s branded them – especially most powerful opponent Machado who he banned from participating – “fascists” – who’re planning to overthrow the Government and as such, they must be dealt with condignly!!
So, what’s the Yanks – who’ve sworn to “defend democracy in the world and more specifically in their backyard through their Monroe Doctrine – gonna do ‘bout it?? Well, it looks like the madman might’ve been thrown a lifeline with the confusion reigning in Washington as THEY face their own election in November.
He must figure the Biden White House gonna be too preoccupied with prepping Kamala to knock out the Don!!
…in the Opposition?
Some feel Nigel’s present mobilisation drive’s gonna be so successful, it’ll force Aubrey to step aside for him as the head of the Opposition. But Aubrey’s retort will be the Burnhamite’s “No way canoe can bore punt!!”
Ricardo Singh
Charged: Ying Xin Su Wanted: Zhenjian Fang
Guyana leading way in developing ecosystem services – IDB Country Rep ...says
country deserves credit for sustainable economic models
Lauding the pioneering role that Guyana has played in developing ecosystem services, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Country Representative Lorena Solórzano Salazar has described the country as the place to be as it continues to build a sustainable economic model.
During a recent interview on the Energy Perspectives Podcast, Salazar noted that Guyana is a pioneer when it comes to developing eco-services. This includes the sale of carbon credits, allowing Guyana to extract value from its forests without the effects of deforestation, while at the same time providing a valuable service to the world.
“In the case of Guyana, Guyana has been a pioneer. Using the efforts that Guyana has done to preserve the forests, preserve the country, and very aware of climate change. And the impact it has on the world. So, I would say that it’s a good market, that has expanded over the years. People are always aware of the impacts of climate.”
“But also, there is also a lot of interest in the decarbonisation around the world. So having this mechanism allows the country to offer a market to support the decarbonisation of the more developed countries that don’t have forests or don’t have wetlands,” Salazar said.
She noted that Guyana is one of the first to monetise its standing forests, initially in partnership with Norway and now as part of the volunteer market. According to the IDB rep, Guyana deserves much credit for how it has set out to create a sustainable economic model.
Salazar also spoke of how the bank itself can contribute, not just through lending but also through the technical knowledge and experience it brings to the table. This has already manifested in the range of programmes IDB has implemented with Guyana, from the Support for the Criminal Justice System (SCJS) programme to the Safety Nets for Vulnerable Populations programme.
Only days ago, the IDB had also approved a US$400,000 loan for the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce to bolster Guyana’s food security efforts. This funding will be used to strengthen trade and logistics at the Guyana-Brazil border and the Guyana-Suriname border. According to Salazar, Guyana is one of the most attractive destinations in the region for a reason.
“In a way, Guyana is
the place to be in this region. So, I would say, it has a growth and appetite to expand. There are new businesses that are being developed. But also, in our case, we acknowledge that we have experience in other jurisdictions.”
“And that’s what we bring on board. We are not just the lending and credit rating. We also bring to the table, as a partner, knowledge. And even if you’re not ready, we can support
you as an investor, to be ready,” the IDB rep added.
The IDB Group is the leading source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean. It contributes to improve lives by providing financial solutions and development expertise to public and Private Sector clients.
The Group comprises the IDB, which has worked with Governments for more than 60 years; IDB
Invest, which serves the Private Sector; and IDB Lab, which tests innovative ways to enable more inclusive growth.
Hess Corporation, which is one of the partners operating in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, had agreed to buy 2.5 million credits per year for the period 2016 and 2032, valuing US$750 million.
IDB Country Representative Lorena Solórzano Salazar
Govt to reinforce conducting risk assessments on job sites in light of increased workplace deaths
In light of recent workplace deaths and electrocutions, the government through the Labour Ministry’s Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Department will reinforce the need to conduct risk assessments on job sites before operations commence.
This was according to a Consultant of the Labour Ministry’s OSH Department, Gweneth King at the launch of a nationwide sensitisation pro-
gramme in collaboration with the Guyana Power and Light (GPL).
“One of the things that they need to do is when they have these jobs, they need to conduct a risk assessment before they begin. That risk assessment is very, very important. And they need to create that awareness and sensitise the workers about safety and health in the workplace. They need to do that, and they need to ensure that they wear the
respective or the required protective wear,” the OSH consultant added.
However, the safety sensitisation programme aims to address the growing disregard for safety protocols, especially when it comes to electrical matters.
It also seeks to enhance workers' understanding of good safety and health practices in the workplace, to prevent electrical injuries or worse, deaths. The initiative will tackle hot spots in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Ten (Upper DemeraraBerbice).
King stated that the move answers a direct call issued to the ministry by GPL, which has expressed its concern about the pressing issue.
“Anything that has to do with any accident that has to do with electricity generation, we collaborate
with GPL. And what we have, um, what we should be bringing out shortly is a seminar for contractors or for the construction industry… Just to sensitise them about not only electrical hazards but generally hazards associated with the construction sector’s commitment or their involvement in making efforts to reduce accidents.”
Recent deaths
Guyana has recorded at least three workplace fatalities thus far for 2024, which are of electrical origin. One recent case that occurred on July 16, at
Lot 37 Section ‘C’ Land of Canaan claimed the life of a 28-year-old construction worker, Christopher Paul Fernandes.
Senior OSH Officer, Darwin Bourne, is leading the preliminary investigation to ascertain the causes of the accident and make recommendations to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Another incident at Windsor Estate East Bank Demerara claimed the life of a Truck Driver, Maniram Navindralall of Lot 59 Patentia, West Bank Demerara (WBD).
According to reports, Navindralall was hired to
pick up and deliver four crates of concrete blocks in Windsor Estate at a private property, whilst offloading the blocks, the vehicle came into contact with a 13, 800 volts primary network, resulting in him being electrocuted.
King told this publication that the investigations into these cases are still ongoing.
“The investigation is not completed as yet, because it's not only going to the site and getting information, but we have got to have statements from witnesses and all of that, who may not be available at the time that we visit,” she said.
Labour Ministry Occupational Safety and Health Department
Consultant Gweneth King
Senior OSH Officer Darwin Bourne conducting investigation into Christopher Paul Fernandes' death
GCCI calls for independent probe into corruption, financial impropriety within GPF
The Georgetown Chambers of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has joined others in calling for an independent probe into allegations of corruption and financial irregularities within the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
This comes in light of damning allegations against Deputy Commissioner of Police Calvin Brutus who has since proceeded on leave to facilitate an investigation by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU). Already, the leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC), Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton,
and others have called for an independent investigation.
It is alleged that Brutus reportedly deposited $15 million into his account at the Police Credit Union on December 15, 2023. The money was allegedly returned to him the following day and the source of funds was given as contributions from before, during, and after his wedding.
However, the GCCI has echoed its concerns over recent revelations. “As the body responsible for upholding and enforcing the laws of Guyana, it is repugnant that the very individuals who have been empowered to maintain law and order
in the country are engaging in malpractices, which brings to fore questions of the GPF’s credibility and objectivity,” the GCCI stated in a release to the media.
It further stated that if the agents of the state who are responsible for maintaining stability and lawfulness are engaged in malfeasance, then they can no longer be trusted to uphold the standards that they ought to be enforcing.
“The Guyana Police Force must not operate with impunity—in fact, the members of the Force must be held at a higher degree of accountability. Failure to act can be viewed as assenting to cor-
ruption, and this can lead to a descent into lawlessness.”
Furthermore, the body stated that an independent probe is needed in the interest of objectivity and transparency, as SOCU, which has been tasked with investigating these issues, is an arm of the GPF.
“These circumstances are abhorrent and untenable; therefore, the Chamber calls for it to be dealt with swiftly, and for those found culpable
to face the brunt of the law.”
Only last week, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo reaffirmed the government’s confidence in the ability of SOCU to investigate allegations of Brutus, reassuring that there will be no pressure to change the course of the probe.
“There are allegations of corruption against Brutus. He is on leave and SOCU has been ordered to do the investigation… And I can
say to you that at SOCU, there’d be no pressure by anyone in the Police Force because the President [Dr Irfaan Ali] himself is looking into this matter and all these matters. There’d be no pressure by anyone, internally, to alter the course of this investigation or any other investigations of malpractices anywhere in the country or the Police Force,” Jagdeo stated.
These allegations against Brutus come on the heels of the Police Force, earlier this month, announcing a shake-up of some senior officers – a move that saw Brutus being removed as Deputy Commissioner Administration and put as Head of the Special Branch. At the time, Commissioner Hicken had explained that the rotation of senior officers is a management tool that is used to create and foster efficiency in an organisation.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Calvin Brutus
GCCI President Kester Hutson
Police Commissioner (acting) Clifton Hicken
GWI advances interventions to improve Kwakwani’s sanitation, water supply networks
The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) is advancing interventions to ensure better water distribution and sanitation systems in Kwakwani, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice), where more than 7000 persons would benefit from the improved services.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the water company, Shaik Baksh led a technical team on a site assessment in the community over the weekend where he inspected the water treatment plant and storage facilities and held discussions with the Kwakwani Utilities Incorporated (KUI).
The team also visited several areas where GWI is leading infrastructural upgrades to the sanita-
tion network as part of the Caribbean Regional Fund for Wastewater Management+ Guyana Project (CReW+). Approximately $35 million is being invested in Kwakwani under this project. KUI, a subsidiary of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), is responsible for managing Kwakwani’s main utility services including water and sanitation. Its General Manager Winston Rozario and staff updated the GWI personnel on challenges with water supply and distribution including blockages in the system that contribute to low water levels in some areas.
Currently, water is supplied to residents for three
hours in the morning and another three during the afternoon. KUI requested GWI’s support to improve
these services.
Baksh, however, noted his satisfaction with the existing water treatment and storage system, the environmental upkeep of the facilities and the existence of a good water source, which
will develop an improvement programme to support Kwakwani’s water quality and supply.
He emphasised the need for data on the distribution network so GWI’s technical personnel can comprehen-
are key for continued service. He assured that GWI, based on its evaluation,
sively evaluate the needs and identify solutions. Data is required for production,
storage, and consumption.
The GWI and KUI teams agreed that there is a need for greater public awareness on water conservation and storage especially since the community is supplied with non-revenue water.
With regards to sanitation, the CReW project is almost 75 per cent completed in Kwakwani with activities such as the clearing of blockages in the more than 70-year-old sewerage network, upgrades to damaged chambers, repairs and/or construction of seven septic tanks and adding of tertiary treatment to remove pathogens and nutrients from the waste. Additionally, the project will support the community’s secondary school to upgrade its waste-to-energy facility enabling the students to continue using pig manure to produce cooking gas for their home economics classes.
The project is awarded to local contractor, Sachia Jones Construction and Supplies Services of Kwakwani.
GWI’s CEO Shaik Baksh inspects the water treatment plant operated by the Kwakwani Utilities Incorporated
Baksh and team with personnel from the Kwakwani Utilities Incorporated
Baksh and team visit a project site where Kwakwani’s sewerage system is being upgraded
18-year-old dies, husband critical after car slams into crane along Corentyne roadway
An 18-year-old girl is now dead while her common-law husband is critical after the vehicle in which they were travelling slammed into a crane that was left parked along the Kiltearn Public Road, Corentyne Berbice.
Village, Berbice. Her husband, Niraz Sukdeo,24, also a medical technologist is battling for his life.
Based on reports received, Sukhdeo was driving a motorcar, PAF 6330 along the Kiltearn Public Road, allegedly at a fast
The dead woman has been identified as Bibi Aleah Ali, a medical technologist of Lancaster
rate, when he lost control of the vehicle and collided with a Crane. Following the collision, the car ended up in a
canal on the eastern side of the road.
As a result of the impact, Ali was reportedly flung out of the vehicle and land-
ed in the canal. Sukhdeo was picked up and taken to the Anamayah Memorial Hospital where he is suffering from multiple injuries. Ali on the other hand, was rushed to the Skeldon Public Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
The area where the accident occurred was report-
edly dark thus limiting visibility. The crane, based on video was not on the parapet as the Police stated but took over one lane of the roadway with just a few reflective cones a few feet away.
Mohamed Ali, the father of the dead woman told the media that he received a telephone call at about 2:56h on Monday morning from an unknown caller informing him that his daughter was involved in an accident and succumbed to her injuries. He noted that his daughter’s body was severely damaged.
While he couldn’t say where they couple was going, he confirmed that they were living together for the past eight months. Her
2000 house lots to be allocated at Int’l
ome 2000 more
SGuyanese will be allocated house lots during the Ministry of Housing and Water’s ‘Dream Realised’ exercise at this year’s International Building Exposition slated for the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara from August 8 to 11, 2024.
During a recent episode of the Guyana Dialogue, Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, emphasised that the government’s aggressive housing programme is progressing well, since some 34,000 house lots have been allocated to date.
“There is at least another 2,000 [house lots] that we will be allocating at the building expo…And the allocation exercise will ramp up coming down to the end of the year. For this year, we are close to 4,500 allocations. We have another 6,000 that we want to do for this year to ensure that we can meet our target of 50,000,” Croal highlighted.
Some 2,000 lots were distributed during last year’s
Preparation underway for the much-anticipated expo
building expo.
The government is working to acquire more lands to develop new housing areas as the demand for house lots increases. Apart from the lots, the government has built 3,435 houses. Of that amount, Minister Croal revealed that over 1,750 houses have been distributed.
“The others are at various stages of completion. That is a lot when you think about it in terms of Regions Three, Four, and Six. We have just
started some in Bartica for Region Seven and some for Region Nine. We are doing land preparation to commence in Region Ten,” the housing and water minister noted.
This, he pointed out, has brought tremendous relief to many people who want to own a home but do not have the time to do their design or build their dream homes.
At the launch of the Expo earlier this year, Minister within the Housing and
death, he added "I hurt, it hurt me real bad because is my firstborn that, and as a father you must have to feel hurt."
However, an eyewitness, Anand Seeraj related that he was awakened by the crashing sound.
“I don’t live too far from where the accident happened. All I heard was a loud bang, and when I got up and went to the front verandah, I saw the car on the other side of the road, like it had hit the crane and ended up there.”
He further added that Ali was already dead while her common-law husband’s feet were broken. Another eyewitness stated that he was guarding the crane but
at the time of the accident, he went to fill up gas from a nearby pump.
All meh hear something go blam…me start run one side but when meh see people start run, me come back and abee assist to pull out the man from the car… He de groaning and we collect he phone and contact he parents… from what me see, is like he de speeding…”
This smash-up comes one day after another teenager, Julio Joseph was killed after the car in which he was travelling crashed into a concrete fence along the Essequibo Coast. In that accident, the driver, another young man, Gavinash Narine is in a critical condition.
Building Expo 2024
One of the core homes being constructed
Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues, highlighted the Government’s commitment to a people-driven movement.
“Land allocation and title distribution programmes will be a central feature of the expo. Thousands of Guyanese will receive house lots over the two days, joining over 34,000 recipients of house lots or houses in the
past three years,” Rodrigues has said. “We are a government that remains people-driven, and our investment in the housing sector is geared towards empowering Guyanese with homeownership and preparing them to participate and prosper in the bright future we are creating for every Guyanese family.”
Meanwhile, Guyana’s ambitious Silica City project will be prominently featured at the expo as the country’s premier low-carbon and climate-resilient urban city. Minister Croal had already confirmed that the ministry is in receipt of the master plan and will be unveiled at the Expo.
Dead: Bibi Aleah Ali
The crane on the road
The decease's father, Mohamed Ali
Critical: Niraz Sukhdeo
The car in which the two young people were travelling
Guyana signs US$45M agreement with World Bank to enhance flood management capacity
As Government continues to ramp up efforts to strengthen the country’s flood adaptation and resilience, Finance Minister who also holds the portfolio of Public Service Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, on Monday inked US$45 million agreement with the World Bank, for the Coastal Adaptation and Resilience (CARes) project.
Signing on behalf of the World Bank was its Resident Representative, Diletta Doretti. The CARes project marks the latest and the second largest investment to date being financed through the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF) established by the Government pursuant to the Guyana-Norway partnership under the original Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), utilising the remaining portion of the over US$220 million earned by Guyana for its forest climate services.
This US$45 million CARes project will see the rehabilitation or complete replacement of more than 45 kokers/sluices across Guyana and builds on Government’s efforts to enhance flood risk management.
This intervention will increase Guyana’s resilience and adaptive capacity to prevent, manage and mitigate flooding across its coastal regions, safeguarding lives and livelihoods and building on the extensive investment that the Government has made in strengthening its coastal resilience. The Ministry of Agriculture will be the project's executing agency while the World Bank will act as a partner entity, bringing its technical expertise on flood risk resilience and its fiduciary, social and environmental safeguards.
Minister Singh, while delivering remarks, highlighted that under the leadership of President Dr. Irfaan Ali, the Government has been significantly ramping up investments to address the strengthening, expansion and rehabilitation of the country’s Drainage and Irrigation (D&I) infrastructure, which lays the foundation for rapid growth in agriculture, and improvement in quality of life being enjoyed by the citizens who live in all of the areas that will now be better protected from the risk of flooding.
Dr. Singh further detailed that the CARes project is financed under GRIF, which has its origins in the original LCDS 2009, when the then-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, called for new global models for low-deforestation development pathways. This culminated in the 2009 Guyana-Norway Agreement, under which Norway paid Guyana over US$220 million for its forest climate services for the period 2009 to 2015.
The new and expanded LCDS 2030 builds from an original vision set out in 2009, and now provides for Guyana to receive revenues for forest climate services from global voluntary carbon markets. On December 1, 2022, the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions announced the issuance of 33.47 million TREES credit to Guyana for the five-year period from 2016 to 2020. On December 2, 2022, the Government of Guyana entered into an agreement with the Hess Corporation for the sale of carbon credits for a minimum of US$750 million between 2022 and 2032.
In addition, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar
Mustapha, explained that the project is in keeping with the Government’s continuous vision in enhancing the country’s D&I infrastructure. This will contribute significantly to the country’s goal of becoming a lead food production hub and exporter of agricultural produce to the Caribbean Region. He further noted that with the utilisation of the oil and gas revenue, all sectors are being developed and modernised to be made more resilient and competitive.
Meanwhile, the World Bank Group Resident Representative for Guyana and Suriname, Diletta Doretti said that the project is also a critical component of Guyana’s LCDS aligning with the country’s broader vision for climate resilient growth.
Under Component 1 of the CARes project, the rehabilitation and replacement of kokers will benefit an estimated population of 320,000 people and assist in protecting approximately 130 square kilometres of urbanised area and 1,270 square kilometres of agricultural land in the connected catchments.
Under Component 2, the investments will continue to enhance the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority’s (NDIA) capacity and capability to manage and operate drainage infrastructure assets and apply flood risk management principles in spatial planning of new developments.
So far, funds earned through the GuyanaNorway partnership under the original LCDS have been invested in 18 projects, and are being implemented under different thematic areas including socio-economic development, climate resil -
ience and adaptation, hinterland development, digital infrastructure, and renewable energy.
Of the 18 projects, six are still under implementation: the Amerindian Land Titling
Project; the Sustainable Land Development and Management Project; the ICT Access and e-Services for Hinterland Poor and Remote Communities Project; Support to the National Toshaos’ Council;
the recently launched Guyana Solar Energy Project for 33 megawatts of renewable energy across Berbice, Essequibo and Linden; and now the Coastal Adaptation and Resilience (CARes) Project.
Tage Singh elected President of Reg 5 Chamber of Commerce
Tage Singh, a contractor was elected President of the 15-member Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) Chamber of Industry and Commerce for 2024-2025 when the organisation held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Park Square Resort on Sunday.
The other executive members include Niron Singh who was re-elected as the Vice President while Faizal Jaffarally was elected as the Treasurer and Imran Saccoor as the Secretary.
Amarnauth Singh will serve as the Business Liaison Officer, Pradeep
Bachan will be appointed Public Relations Officer (PRO), and Arnand Kistoo will be the Assistant Secretary/Treasurer.
Singh after his ascension to the head of the body stated that he looks forward to working with business stakeholders to widen the scope of opportunities within the Region. He added that the Chamber will continue to work closely with the government and all stakeholders for development and look forward to continuing this journey with a good working relationship.
“We are confident that the enabling business envi-
ronment is accommodating to promote business growth and building investors' confidence.”
However, Chief Investment Officer of GoInvest, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop encouraged the Chamber to take full advantage of the various investment opportunities. He also urged the newly elected members to follow the country's developments and start joint ventures to expand their scope of business. Further, he calls for including female business owners in the Chamber to foster equality.
The new executive members of the Region Five Chamber of Commerce
Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh and World Bank Group Resident Representative for Guyana and Suriname, Diletta Doretti signing the agreement
Officials after the signing of the US$45 million agreement
PNCR calls for probe into defective Paruima airstrip –
urges tests to determine extent of deficiencies
The People's National Congress Reform (PNCR) over the weekend issued a call for a full examination of the recently constructed Paruima Airstrip in the Upper Mazaruni District, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), which was commissioned in April 2024 to the tune of $400 million.
This call was made after several deficiencies were reported on the structure shortly after its opening. The party highlighted that engineering tests must be done to determine the extent of deficiencies on the airstrip.
According to the PNCR, the current situation at the facility is unacceptable, noting that the runway deficiencies could have resulted in the loss of several lives.
Despite any accidents being recorded, this situation the party stated should not be taken lightly. It recommended that to enhance safety, the design and construction process for civil projects should incorporate checks and balances, quality assurance, and quality control.
Similarly, throughout the design process, design deliverables such as geotechnical reports, structural calculations, construction drawings, and specifications should be independently reviewed and approved.
This review, the PNC stated is crucial to the safety of Guyanese using newly constructed roads, bridges,
and airports.
“No contractor should be allowed to perform work unsupervised. This supervision should ensure reinforcement bars are clean and placed as required by the drawings, that the concrete mix design is as per contract, and the concrete is placed and compacted as required. This process should also include routine compressive tests performed on concrete placed into the works, and if these tests fail, the contractor should be required, as per contract, to remove and replace the substandard concrete,” a release from the party stated.
The party contended that if these processes had been followed, there is no way the Paruima runway could have failed. The PNCR, nevertheless demands a full and transparent investigation into the Paruima airport fiasco.
The situation at the airport was first raised by leader of the Alliance for Change, Nigel Hughes who had reported that the facility was non-functional.
But in response on Friday, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill refuted the claims reiterating that the airport was in full operation.
Edghill clarified that rehabilitation work on the Paruima Airstrip was completed on April 14, 2024, and the project site was handed over to the Ministry of Public Works on April 15.
He added that representatives of the ministry along with the contractor did a site visit on June 19, 2024 following reports from aircraft operators that the runway was in distress. During the inspection, several surface defects were highlighted and the contractor was given clear instructions to have these defects remedied within one week.
“To date, these defects have since been corrected and MoPW is currently executing plans to assess the structural integrity of the remainder of the runway structure to ensure conformity with design strength and correct any possible area of deficiency to avoid
Guyana leading way in...
The deal with Hess came on the heels of Guyana being the first country to receive a certification of more than 33 million carbon credits by the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) on December 1, 2022.
However, while the deal is for 10 years, that is, 2022 to 2032, the Government was able to negotiate, as part of the sale agreement, for the oil major to also purchase some 12.5 million carbon credits from the period 2016 to 2020 – referred to
as “legacy credit”.
The country’s more than 18 million hectares of forests are estimated to store approximately 20 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. The remaining 70 per cent of Guyana’s carbon credit will be put on the market for future sale agreements.
For the period 2021 to 2025 in the Hess deal, Guyana’s carbon credits would be sold for US$20 per tonne, thus earning the country another US$250 million; while an -
other US$312 million is expected during the 20252030 period when the credits would be sold at US$25 per tonne.
A carbon credit is a tradable permit or certificate that allows the holder of the credit the right to emit a stated tonnage of carbon dioxide or an equivalent of another greenhouse gas. Countries and companies that exceed their permitted limits can purchase carbon credits from nations that have low emissions such as Guyana.
further inconvenience to aircraft operations. The Ministry would like to note that the current video circulating on social media platforms was taken before June 19, 2024,” Edghill stated in a release.
Additionally, he pointed out that due to the re-
moteness of the location and the logistical challenges in transporting equipment and materials to the site, smaller-sized equipment and locally available materials were most feasible for the rehabilitation of the airstrip.
“As it relates to the competency of the Contractor,
were both rehabilitated by the Contractor in 2020 and 2021, respectively. The surface type of these airstrips is double bituminous surface treatment, they are in very good condition and no defects have been observed to date.”
Essequibo taxi driver charged with assaulting Police Officers, resisting arrest
Thirty-five-year-old Jitendra Baljodah, a taxi driver from Onderneeming/Sand Pit, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) appeared at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court on Friday where several charges were read against him.
The charges include assaulting a Peace Officer, resisting a Peace Officer, disorderly behaviour and threatening language.
However, during his appearance before Magistrate Tamieka Clarke on Friday, he pleaded not guilty to the charges, and as such, he was granted $35,000 bail on the assault and resisting arrest charge. For the threatening language and disorderly charges, Baljodah was granted 10,000 bail each. The case was adjourned to August 9, 2024.
Jitendra Baljodah
The Paruima Airstrip
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill and other officials at the commissioning of the Paruima Airstrip in April
Port Kaituma and Baramita Airstrips
Guyana to import chemicals from India to combat paddy bug infestation
Due to the ongoing paddy-bug infestation drastically impacting rice productivity in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), farmers will soon receive aid in the form of four new combination chemicals and 4 new AI systems from an Indianbased Company, Rainbow Chemical.
These chemicals are expected to arrive within nine weeks.
Deputy Registrar of the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board, Surest Amichand, made this announcement during a recent visit by members of the Agriculture Ministry, the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board, and Region Six farmers.
“One of the largest companies in India, Rainbow Chemical has registered four new combo chemicals with us, the AIs are different from the ones we have now so those chemicals are registered. The importer is going to start to import them so in a couple of months when the ships reach, we will have those chemicals here,” Amichand told the gathering.
He added that the new importation which is soon to arrive, is vastly different from the pesticides that are currently being used in Guyana.
“4 new chemicals with 4 new AI’s combination chemicals so they are not the ones that we use currently these are different chemicals, some of them are systemic.”
Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha acknowledged Amichand’s approach to eliminate the threat, however, he noted that currently, the ministry will have to use what it currently has to fight against the infestation.
“The crops are at a differ-
Increase in
ent stage now; some are flowering and some are growing and now is the time that the bugs will want to migrate to go into the field we have to prepare for the big invasion so I am suggesting that we take action now.”
Additionally, he revealed that there will be swift movement to start the insecticides spraying on the rice lands and a committee has been set up to keep track of this.
“Region Six is a very important rice-producing area for us. As a result of that, there were several proposals that the farmers made. But we have looked at the most re-
alistic proposal. That proposal is to help them with the chemicals to spray the areas where the bugs are present hopefully, we can control the bugs.”
He added, “I have asked the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) to work along with the farmers, we have set up a paddy bug committee in Region 6 which will monitor it and give me daily reports of what happened. I am hoping that we will be able to control the bugs so that we can have full harvest.”
The report from the newly formed Paddy Bug committee will indicate if further interventions need to be made re-
lating to the insect situation.
A proposal that was supported by a minority of farmers was that there should be spraying done in a nearby Savannah.
Meanwhile, this idea was merely supported due to the possibility of the insecticides causing harm to animals.
Meanwhile, farmers have acknowledged that the substantial investments and interventions made by the government over the years have resuscitated the rice industry, as well as enhanced rice production and their livelihoods.
Due to these direct invest-
ments and policies, rice farmers are optimistic that they will surpass this year’s rice production target of 710,000 tonnes, as compared to 653,000 tonnes last year. Additionally, farmers will also have improved access to drainage and irrigation, as several outfalls will be cleared in the region, which will provide significant relief.
To date, 68,000 acres of rice land are currently under cultivation in the region and Paddy Bugs infestation are posing a Grand threat to rice farms as most crops are currently in the flowering stage.
cardiovascular diseases recorded in young adults – Dr Carpen
Head of the Cardiology Department at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Dr Mahendra Carpen recently revealed that there has been an increase in cardiovascular diseases within the younger population.
Dr Carpen made this revelation during the launch of the new Strengthening Our Cardiovascular Advocacy’ (SOCA) Heart Health Project which was developed by the Health Ministry in collaboration with STRIDE592, the Caribbean Heart Institute and the GPHC’s Cardiology Department.
The doctor told the gathering that since his return to Guyana some 12 years ago there has been a noticeable shift in the age demographic for persons dying from cardiovascular-related complications.
“It’s 12 years since I returned home doing cardiovascular medicine, when I first came back the heart attack patients were in their 50s and 60s. I did a procedure on a 24-year-old, and the change in the age group for serious cardiovascular disease is astounding. In just 10 years we have moved to a much younger population. So it's very common now to see 30s and 40s year olds coming into the hospitals with heart attacks” the doctor stated.
Moreover, he attributed the increase to persons being unaware of important
health factors such as blood pressure and cholesterol among others. He noted that these are simple factors that most people take for granted.
However, the new SOCA Heart Health Project which was launched on Friday plans to eradicate cardiovascular diseases within the country.
This is according to the founder of STRIDE592 Onika Jervis who highlighted that Guyana is currently leading the Caribbean diaspora in cardiovascular deaths. On this point, she noted that the new project was not only developed to decrease cardiovascular disease deaths and cases in the country but also to provide the necessary funding need-
ed to expand the project and also to provide funding for crucial research.
“For Guyana, we are leading the Caribbean diaspora in cardiovascular deaths and I’m like, not on my watch. We are also doing it because we need to raise some money to do some research, I could only tell you those statistics because I couldn’t find none really for Guyana right, so we need to get a Heart Data research programme funded also so that we can go into all of our regions to get people walking” she stated.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony highlighted that out of the 6,000 people who die every year in the country, the majority of these deaths are re-
lated to chronic non-communicable diseases.
The minister noted that most of these diseases are lifestyle diseases and are influenced by how persons live their lives. On this point the minister noted that initiatives like the SOCA Heart Health Project are crucial steps towards reducing the spread of chronic non-communicable diseases in the country.
“But many of these things are lifestyle diseases, and its really how people are living their lives. So daily, if you're eating the wrong things, then you will not be healthy, or you will be contributing to getting one of these diseases even faster. I think we need to have an education programme where we teach people how to eat
and what to eat. I think this is a very important initiative. In the ministry, we recognise that chronic non-communicable diseases play a very important role in the profile of diseases that we have in Guyana” the minister stated.
Established some 14 months ago, STRIDE592
is a movement created to encourage people to exercise and improve their lives. The SOCA project, launched under Stride592, acts as an educational and social campaign to bring awareness about the move to eradicate cardiovascular diseases within the country.
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony
Participants participating in physical exercises
Head of the GPHC Cardiology Department, Dr Mahendra Carpen
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha
Farmers at the meeting
Cemetery Road Project to be completed in 3 weeks with 2 new sub-contractors
– defaulting contractor to pay for new arrangement
Days after the Public Works Minister told residents of Roxanne Burnham Gardens that the government is considering taking control of the delayed Cemetery Road project, he announced on Monday that two sub-contractors were hired to complete the job.
This new development comes after the original contractor, Avinash Construction and Metal Works failed twice to complete the project within the stipulated deadline. Avinash Construction and Metal Works was on Monday summoned to a meeting and agreed to a ‘Programme of Execution’, which requires the company to pay the sub-contractors for their work.
In an interview with the Guyana Times, Edghill disclosed that all the parties involved have approximately three weeks to complete the much-anticipated project. He explained that the decision was made given that the pertinent piece of infrastructure is one year behind. To date, it stands at 70 per cent complete.
“A sub-contractor will complete the Princes Street
bridge; another sub-contractor will build the culverts at Sussex Street and all the other remedial works including paving will be executed by Avinash. Everybody has the same timeline and the monies that will be paid to the sub-contractors will be deducted from the sum of the contract Avinash bid for.”
According to Edghill, the Government’s evaluators decided against terminating the contract with Avinash Construction and Metal Works since the company had significantly advanced works, despite its slow pace.
Nevertheless, he said the Government has already pursued liquidated damages from the contractor for the delays suffered in the execution of the contract.
The $475 million project will see the two-lane carriageway being extended into four lanes. When completed, it is expected to significantly alleviate traffic congestion.
Edghill said no further delay will be tolerated given that the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) administration has already committed to the residents of the East and
West Ruimveldt.
“I can’t deem it as a further extension because they have already been charged liquidated damages as expected… We apologise to the people for the inconvenience they have been suffering as a result of this lagging project but we are determined to get it finished”.
“I am saying it here loud and clear; we will not allow that contractor to continue to frustrate the people of East and West Ruimveldt. We will have to take over
the project and we will finish Cemetery Road,” the Minister stressed.
Back in April, the Government terminated the contract of Kalco Guyana Inc. after it failed to complete Lot 8 ‘B’ of the Conversation Tree to Dennis Street Road project. During an inspection on March 4, it was revealed that work on the project had come to a complete halt despite the initial project deadline being set for November 5, 2023.
Around this time,
Deeds & Commercial Registry takes legal
Avinash Construction and Metal Works was also on the chopping block but was given a second chance.
The Government later announced that it was moving to terminate the $830 million contract with Kalco after the company “did not live up to expectations”. Edghill and his team had met with the Trinidadian company to iron out the conditions of the termination, including liquidated damages.
services to Reg 1
– over 100 transactions, 77 new businesses registered in Mabaruma
The Attorney General’s Chambers has again taken its Deeds and Commercial Registry services to Port Kaituma in Region One (Barima-Waini) on Monday.
During the engagement, residents accessed a range of services under the Registry’s gamut, including business registration, powers of attorneys, and notarisation.
During his brief address to the gathering, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Mohabir Nandlall reaffirmed the government’s commitment to establishing a permanent Deeds and Commercial Registry office in Mabaruma.
The government also plans to open similar offices in Bartica, Mahdia, Lethem, and Linden.
“Many of you would recall that last June, President Ali
led an outreach programme in Region One. At his outreach he made several promises and commitments. [He committed] that this outreach would be held and led by me, comprising of this team, to initiate your engagement with this agency, as well as to hear your complaints, your problems of a legal nature and attempt to work with you in addressing those problems,” the AG reminded.
He added that the effort forms part of the government’s agenda of modernising the country’s landscape, ensuring that adequate legal and commercial services are available in all ten administrative regions.
“We often speak about bringing government to the people and what you are part of here is an initiative that is bringing government to the people. That means that wher-
ever you are located in the country, you don’t necessarily have to travel to Georgetown to get services of the government. The government has committed to delivering those services to you in your locality, and what you are witnessing here is that principle at work,” he said.
Sub-Regional Chairman, Keith Parker stated that the outreach was a much-needed operation in the Matarkai sub-region and has even opened doors for persons to expand their businesses.
He explained that several impediments hinder business owners from accessing loans at commercial banks, noting that the business registration process being brought to the region addresses this, bringing greater ease to the business owners.
“This is a welcome initiative. We had a lot of unregis-
tered businesses here so now that we had this outreach persons were able to get their registration so there would be greater compliance, and if any opportunity arises from any loan or any other process that they need, they can get it,” he shared.
One resident, Shirley Narine welcomed the outreach, asserting that her transactions were completed swiftly.
“The service was great. We just came here, waited a few minutes, and got through. It wasn’t difficult. We are very much grateful to everybody who provided the service. It’s much better than going to Georgetown.”
Pensioner, Alvin Obermuller, who resides in Oronoque related that he is happy to have been able to register his small business without the hassle of travel-
ling to Georgetown.
“It is wonderful that they brought it here. I feel very happy because I don’t have to pay as much. They brought it right here for us.”
Also sharing his views on the outreach, Sampson (only name given) said, “It is a wonderful thing. It is convenient for us because we don’t have to leave here to go to Georgetown to get this kind of service.”
He noted that travelling to Georgetown for these services often meant a significant time commitment, sometimes requiring multiple trips to the office on different days.
“Sometimes you can get frustrated. But you see, there are people here that we can talk to, they help to speed up the process of getting your documents. I appreciate the outreach. It is a very good thing the government did, and
I’m quite satisfied with it.”
Another Port Kaituma resident, Oric James, said he was able to address a long-standing business registration issue in just a few minutes, thanks to the outreach. Meanwhile, also present at the outreach were representatives from the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, General Register Office, and Guyana Elections Commission.
Moreover, recognising the volume of cases involving the registration of birth certificates, a team from the General Register Office Guyana (GRO) is expected to return to the region to expand its services in several communities.
During last week’s outreach programme in Mabaruma, over 100 transactions were completed, with 77 new businesses registered on the spot.
A section of the unfinished work
The incomplete Princes Street bridge
A section of the gathering requesting legal services in Port Kaituma
Attorney General Anil Nandlall addressing the gathering
Regional Violence against Brazil's Indigenous people unabated under Lula, report says
Protection of Brazil's Indigenous communities from violence by land grabbers and ranchers was "insufficient" in 2023, according to a report, published on Monday, dashing hopes that the situation would improve under leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula.
The Missionary Council for Indigenous Peoples (CIMI), an organisation of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Brazil, said the Lula Administration's first year in office showed contradictions in its Indigenous policy and disappointing advances in the recognition of ancestral land claims.
While Lula's Government resumed the enforcement against illegal invasions of recognised ancestral lands, there were 208 murders of Indigenous people last year, mainly with gunshots, compared to the previous highest number on record of 182 murders in 2020, CIMI said, citing data from the Brazilian Health Ministry.
The president's office did not immediately respond to a Reuter's request for comment.
CIMI reported the involvement of Police in private militias that are being investigated for Indigenous deaths. The Police act as escorts for farmers, sharing information and supporting attacks against some communities such as the Guarani and Kaiowá in southern Brazil, according to the report.
Coming after the openly anti-Indigenous Government of hard-right President Jair Bolsonaro, Lula started his third term in office on January 1, 2023 by walking up the ramp of the presidential palace arm-in-arm with Brazil's most renowned Indigenous leader, Kayapo chief Raoni Metuktire.
His first measure after swearing in was to create an Indigenous Affairs Ministry for the first time in Brazilian history, headed by an Indigenous woman,
Sonia Guajajara.
Lula also ordered a massive operation with Police and troops to expel thousands of illegal miners from the Yanomami reservation, Brazil's largest, where the invaders caused a humanitarian crisis with violence, illness, and malnutrition.
But Brazil's conservative-leaning Congress also approved a bill limiting Indigenous land claims, even though rights to their ancestral lands are enshrined in the Constitution. Lula's partial veto of the bill was overturned by lawmakers with the backing of the powerful farm lobby.
Invasions of Indigenous lands totalled 1381, mostly in lands in the process of being officially recognised, the report said.
The Lula Government formally recognised eight reservations that will be protected by the State, a higher number than in previous years, but "below expectations", CIMI said. (Reuters)
US envoy to UN announces US$60M in aid for Haiti during visit
The U. envoy to the United Nations announced tens of millions of dollars in aid for Haiti during a visit a month after the first contingent of Kenyan Police arrived as part of an international security mission aimed at tackling gang violence.
The US$60 million in humanitarian assistance announced by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield while in Haiti will support the country's people and alleviate suffering caused by gang violence, according to a statement. It will fill critical gaps in nutrition, food security, and shelter and improve water and sanitation services, among other support.
The US, through the Department of Defence, also will provide a "significant number" of mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles to the international security mission. The State Department also intends to procure additional armoured vehicles to assist
mission personnel, according to the statement.
Gang wars have displaced more than 578,000 Haitians, while nearly five million – almost half the population of 11.7 million – are facing acute hunger, with 1.6 million of those people at risk of starvation, the United Nations says.
Armed gangs, which now control most of the capital Port-au-Prince, have formed a broad alliance while carrying out widespread killings, ransom kidnappings, and sexual violence. The UN has said that between January and August 2023, rape cases increased by 49 per cent compared with the same period in 2022.
Some 200 Kenyan Police arrived in Haiti late last month as part of the long-delayed multinational security support mission to help national police fight the armed gangs. The full force is set to number over 2500, but it remains unclear when additional members could arrive and funding has lagged far
behind requirements.
The UN Security Council authorised the force in October 2023, a year after Haiti's previous Government asked for help. The United States has provided some US$300 million for the mission, which is not a UN peacekeeping operation.
Thomas-Greenfield during her visit on Monday met with the transition council and Prime Minister Garry Conille. She also toured the international security mission's life support area, according to a pool reporter travelling with the Ambassador. The UN has appealed for US$674 million to help Haiti in 2024, but has received less than a quarter of that target.
At least 40 Haitian migrants were killed at sea after the boat they were travelling on caught fire on Wednesday last week, the International Organisation for Migration in Haiti said. (Reuters)
Stop covering up the Gaston Browne III rental deal and appoint the Information Commissioner now – Antigua MP
Antigua and Barbuda Member of Parliament (MP) Richard Lewis in a scathing attack on Prime Minister Gaston Browne said stop covering up the Gaston Browne III rental deal and appoint the Information Commissioner now, the Antigua Observer reported.
In a statement, he said:
“During the May 10th session of Parliament, the Prime Minister promised to bring a resolution to the next session of Parliament to confirm the appointment of Anthony Athill as Information Commissioner.
This has still not been done.
“I call on Prime Minister Gaston Browne to explain why he failed to confirm the appointment of the Information
Commissioner at the last session of Parliament, held on Thursday, July 18th, and to undertake this process with immediate effect.
“Failure to confirm the appointment of the Information Commissioner, after near-
ly two years, directly prevents the people of Antigua and Barbuda from getting to the truth of Government Friar’s Hill Rental Deal with Gaston Browne III [The Prime Minister's son]. This is because the Information Commissioner
is legally responsible for ensuring Ministries and other bodies respond to Freedom of Information requests, in the manner that the law prescribes.
“On April 2nd, I delivered letters under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), formally requesting answers and documentation from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Housing, Works, Lands and Urban Renewal, and the West Indies Oil Company (WIOC).
“The information requested included records on the manner of WIOC’s sale of the property to Gaston Browne III, records of all rent payments, and expenditures to repair and upgrade the property,
the re-negotiated lease terms (agreed to after the expiration of the initial 18-month term), the tendering process, and correspondence between the property owner, the ministries and WIOC.
“The Freedom of Information Act requires that a response be provided within twenty (20) working days of receipt of a request. Today, over 90 days later, there has not been any compliance from any ministry. Our people are therefore still without answers on how much was spent to upgrade the Gaston Browne III property, how much was paid in rent after renegotiating the lease agreement, and other details of the questionable deal.
“Gaston Browne’s failure
to appoint the Information Commissioner is clearly covering up the truth, and fighting against the people’s right to information about the activities and expenditures of Government. I therefore call on the Prime Minister to take immediate steps to appoint the Information Commissioner, so that Ministries are made to comply with the FOIA request, and provide answers to the public.
“I further advise the Prime Minister that if no action is taken to appoint the Information Commissioner, legal action will be taken to get to the bottom of this matter, in the public interest to ensure that the appointment is made.
(Antigua Observer)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva attend a ceremony of presentation of the Legion of Honor to honour Brazil's Indigenous chief Raoni Metuktire, at the Combu Island, near Belem, Brazil, March 26, 2024 (Reuters/Ueslei Marcelino photo)
Haitian Foreign Minister Dominique Dupuy; US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda ThomasGreenfield; Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille and US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Brian Nichols stand for a photo before a meeting at the Villa d'Accueil in Portau-Prince, Haiti, July 22, 2024 (Roberto Schmidt/Pool via Reuters)
MP Richard Lewis (File photo)
Around the World
OIL NEWS
Australia's Woodside Energy to buy US LNG developer Tellurian for US$1.2B
Energy producer Woodside Energy has agreed to buy
U.S. liquefied natural gas developer Tellurian, including its US Gulf Coast Driftwood LNG export project, for US$1.2 billion including debt, the Australian company said on Monday.
The agreement could strengthen the position of the US as the world's largest producer of the superchilled gas by securing the completion of Tellurian's 27.6 million metric ton per annum facility in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
The transaction includes the US$900 million cash purchase of outstanding Tellurian common stock at US$1 per share, Woodside said in a statement, representing more than a 75 per cent premium to Tellurian's last closing price.
The buyout is expected to be completed by the end of the year, Tellurian said in a filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday.
The deal gives the Australian firm access to a fullyauthorised project in the US amid difficulties for other LNG developers to advance proposals due to President Joe Biden Administration's pause on approvals for new LNG exports to countries that do not have free trade agreements with the US.
The acquisition "positions Woodside to be a global LNG powerhouse", Meg O'Neill, the company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) said.
The transaction adds a scalable US LNG development opportunity to Woodside's existing 10 million metric tons a year of equity LNG in Australia, she added.
Tellurian's stock went up to 96 cents a share on Monday, the highest level since March 11.
The agreement could also help solve Tellurian's financial woes. The US company has been searching for financial partners to fund the Driftwood LNG facility. In May, it said it would sell its upstream assets to pay off some of its debt.
As part of the agreement, Woodside is providing Tellurian with a bridging loan of up to US$230 million at a 12 per cent interest rate to secure uninterrupted operations and continue the construction of the Driftwood LNG plant, the US company said in a separate filing.
The Driftwood LNG project has had many setbacks, including the cancellation of some LNG supply deals amid concerns over the company's ability to finish the project.
(Excerpt from Reuters)
At least 50 bodies pulled from mud after southern Ethiopia landslide
At least 50 bodies were pulled from the mud on Monday following two landslides in southern Ethiopia, a local official said.
"There was a heavy rain yesterday night and some people died from a landslide," said Kassahun Abayneh, the Government spokesperson for Gofa district in the South Ethiopia regional state.
"In the (Monday) morning, locals, including Police, gathered at the site to save those who were affected by the first landslide. That is
Israel sends tanks back into Khan Younis area, 70 killed after new evacuation order
Israel sent tanks back into the greater Khan Younis area after ordering evacuations of some districts it said had been used for renewed attacks by militants and at least 70 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire, Gaza medics said on Monday.
The Palestinians were killed by tank salvoes in the town of Bani Suhaila and other towns fringing the eastern side of Khan Younis, with the area also bombarded from the air, they said.
Residents of the densely built-up area of southern Gaza said the tanks advanced for more than two kilometres (1.2 miles) into Bani Suhaila, forcing residents to flee under fire.
"It is like doomsday," one resident, who only identified
himself as Abu Khaled, told Reuters via chat app. "People are fleeing under fire, many are dead and wounded on the roads."
The Gaza Health Ministry said the dead included several women and children and that at least 200 other persons had been wounded. The Gaza Ministry does not distinguish between militants and civilians in its death tallies.
The Israeli military said in a statement evacuation orders to the population in eastern Khan Younis resulted from intelligence information indicating militants were firing rockets from those areas and Hamas was attempting to regroup.
"Since this morning, the IAF and IDF artillery forc-
es have struck more than 30 terror infrastructure sites in Khan Younis, including in the area from which a pro-
jectile was launched toward Nirim in southern Israel ear-
In taking on Trump, Harris vows to draw on her prosecutorial skills
US Vice President Kamala Harris, building Democratic backing for her sudden presidential run, rallied supporters on Monday with a debut campaign speech vowing to go after Republican nominee Donald Trump like the courtroom prosecutor she once was.
"I took on perpetrators of all kinds. Predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain," Harris told campaign workers 28 hours after President Joe Biden, 81, abandoned the 2024 White House race and endorsed her.
"So hear me when I say I know Donald Trump's type. In this campaign, I will proudly, I will proudly put my record against his," said Harris, who was Attorney General of
California and a US Senator before serving as Biden's Vice President.
Trump is due to be sentenced in September after having been found guilty of falsifying business records to hide hush money payments
Bangladesh PM Hasina
blames Opposition for violence, curfew to remain
Bwhen the second landslide happened around 10:00 am (0700 GMT) today and those who gathered there died."
Meskir Mitku, the district general administrator of Gofa district in the Southern Ethiopia region, said women, children, and local Police were among the dead, the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) reported. Photographs on Facebook shared by EBC showed scores of people on a blank hillside searching for victims. (Reuters)
angladesh Prime Minister Sheikha Hasina blamed her political opponents for deadly violence that swept the country during recent student-led protests against quotas in Government jobs, stating on Monday that a curfew would be lifted when the situation improved.
Her comments came a day after the South Asian country's top court agreed to scrap most quotas in a ruling on Sunday, following days of clashes between protesters and security forces that prompted the Government to shut down Internet services, impose a curfew, and deploy the army.
Hospital data showed at least 147 persons were killed in one of the worst outbreaks of violence in recent years.
Hasina, 76, won a fourthstraight term in power in
January in a national election boycotted by the main Opposition party.
"When arson terrorism started, the protesting students said they were not involved in it," Hasina said in an address to business leaders in the capital Dhaka, her first comments since her Government ordered a curfew late on Friday.
"We were forced to impose a curfew to protect the lives and property of the citizens. I never wanted it," she said. "We will lift the curfew whenever the situation gets better."
Hasina blamed the main Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Jamaat-e-Islami party and its student wing for the violence that started last week.
The parties did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Excerpt from Reuters)
to a porn star. He also faces criminal charges related to his efforts to overturn Biden's
2020 victory. He falsely claims he lost in 2020 because of election fraud.
Biden, who pulled out of the race on Sunday amid questions about his age and health, called into Harris' campaign event. Recovering from COVID-19 at his home in Delaware, he sounded hoarse but appreciative of his Vice President.
Biden said he thought he had made the right decision by dropping out. The oldest person ever to occupy the Oval Office, Biden said on Sunday he would remain in the presidency until his term ends on January 20, 2025. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Russia restricts entry to border areas in southern Belgorod region
Russia's southern region of Belgorod is restricting entry from Tuesday to 14 areas on the border with Ukraine that are subject to heavy attack from Kyiv's forces, measures that appeared to be part of a Kremlin strategy to set up a border buffer zone.
Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said the restrictions applied to the localities "where the pertaining operational situation is extremely difficult", according to the Interfax news agency.
The move follows on from the Kremlin's order to protect Russian territory from Ukrainian attacks and secure areas and facilities so they are beyond the range of Ukrainian fire.
Under the restrictions, outlined by Gladkov last week in a video posted on the Telegram messaging app, checkpoints are to be set up outside the localities, public transport is barred and anyone wishing to visit must advise local authorities in advance.
"Entry will be permitted only for male adults with strict rules: in armoured vehicles with military electronic equipment and in bullet-proof apparel and helmets, accompanied by servicemen or local officials," Gladkov said.
Gladkov did not explicitly say civilians were being evacuated, but said it was "unacceptable" to allow women and children in the restricted areas and all property would be kept under strict guard.
Ukraine has subjected Russia's southern border regions to daily shelling and drone attacks, particularly settlements on or near the border in Belgorod region.
Russian forces launched a cross-border incursion in May into areas of Ukraine's Kharkiv region across from Belgorod region and the military had taken control of several towns and villages.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said in recent weeks that Kyiv's forces had stabilised border areas. (Reuters)
lier today," the military said. (Excerpt from Reuters)
A man squats next to a fire, as Palestinians, who fled the eastern part of Khan Younis, were ordered by Israeli army to evacuate their neighbourhoods amid Israel-Hamas conflict, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, July 22, 2024 (Reuters/Mohammed Salem photo)
US Vice President Kamala Harris
SUDOKU
DAILY HOROSCOPES
(March 21-April 19)
People will respect and appreciate what you offer if you set boundaries. Insight will pave the way to a lucrative future. Invent and manifest what you desire.
Take the path that makes sense. At the end of the day, it’s you who must be happy with the decisions you make. Don’t be fooled into thinking you can buy love, trust and equality.
(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)
Consider what you are trying to achieve, and come up with a plan dedicated to learning. Follow your heart, not someone misusing your attributes. Believe in yourself and do what’s best for you.
Hold your head high and navigate a path to the top. Interviews, meetings and financial matters will turn out better than you anticipate if you pay attention to detail.
Start a regimen focused on getting you in shape. The better you look and feel, the easier it is to advance. Don’t be a slouch; activity and participation are the keys to life, love and happiness.
If you venture off course, you will need help completing your mission. Be cautious of anyone trying to change your mind. Discipline and hard work will get you to your destination.
Stay focused, be creative and don’t be afraid to dance to the beat that draws you. The trick to success is finding enjoyment in what you do and being grateful for your skills.
Change begins with you, so make every move count. Refrain from allowing others to disrupt your plans or take advantage of what you have to offer. Make changes for the right reason.
Agree to something only once you are satisfied that you can achieve your goals. Trust yourself, verify facts and move forward. Arguing is a waste of time.
(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Question anything that appears to be outdated or overdue. A domestic change needs careful handling. A joint venture will require proper management. Avoid shared expenses.
(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)
Devise a more efficient way to live and implement change. Don’t expect everyone to agree with your plans. Explore your options. Self-improvement will lead to personal opportunities.
Stick to what and who you know and trust. Don’t let an emotional matter infiltrate into other aspects of your life. Separate business from pleasure.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that a review into the conduct of T20 World Cup 2024 will be carried out after the global body set up a panel with three of its Board Directors –Roger Twose, Lawson Naidoo and Imran Khawaja – to oversee the review and submit findings later in the year.
ESPNcricinfo had reported earlier that there was scrutiny on the extent of expenditure on the US leg of the tournament and the organisation of the Caribbean leg. The decision to appoint a review panel was taken at the ICC annual conference in Colombo from July 19 to July 22, which was attended by all 108 members. The three-man panel will engage an independent consultancy to carry out the review, before reporting back to the Board.
The ICC also approved the expansion of the Women's T20 World Cup to 16 teams in 2030. Eight teams had taken part in the inaugural tournament in 2009 and that number rose to 10 in 2016. Ten teams will also take part in the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in October. The 2026 edi-
tion will have 12 participating teams, for which the cutoff date for qualification is October 31, 2024, before the expansion to 16 in 2030.
For the next Men's T20 World Cup in 2026, the ICC said the allocation of the eight regional qualifying spots would be as follows: two teams each from Africa
Clunis's Olympic dreams shattered by administrative oversight
…CAS declares “no jurisdiction”
In a decisive ruling on Monday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Ad Hoc Division concluded that it lacks jurisdiction to hear the dispute brought forward by Jamaican hammer thrower Nayoka Clunis. The decision came after a detailed examination of the timeline and events leading up to the application filed by Clunis on July 18, 2024.
On July 4, 2024, Clunis's name was omitted from the list sent to World Athletics (WA). By July 7, she was informed by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) that her name was missing from the list, and on July 8, WA confirmed that her name could not be added. Despite Clunis's contention that the dispute only crystallised when she received detailed submissions from WA on July 19, the CAS determined that the dispute had arisen earlier.
The CAS proceedings began on July 18, 2024, with a videoconference hearing on July 20. The parties involved included Clunis and her counsel Dr Emir Crowne and Sayeed Bernard; representatives from the JAAA; the International Olympic Committee (IOC); WA and the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA). The panel, consisting of President Dr Annabelle Bennett and arbitrators Carine Dupeyron and Kristen Thorsness OLY, found that the timeline
of events placed the dispute outside their jurisdiction.
Clunis's submission stated that due to an administrative error and the impact of Hurricane Beryl, her name was not submitted to WA for the Paris Olympic Games. She argued that this exceptional situation warranted the CAS Ad Hoc Division's intervention to prevent an unjust outcome. However, the IOC and WA contested the jurisdiction, pointing out that the dispute arose before the 10-day window preceding the Opening Ceremony.
The CAS panel reviewed the chronology of events, noting key dates such as WA’s confirmation of qualified athletes on July 5 and the JAAA’s attempts to rectify the error from July 6 onwards. The dispute, according to the CAS, did not arise when Clunis received the de-
tailed correspondence, but rather when she was first informed of the omission.
Ultimately, the CAS concluded that it had no jurisdiction as the dispute arose before the 10-day period leading up to the Olympics. The panel acknowledged the unfairness to Clunis, who was deprived of the opportunity to compete due to circumstances beyond her control. Despite recognising the hardship, the CAS emphasised that jurisdiction could not be assumed where it does not exist under the rules.
Mike Morgan and Ben Cisneros appeared for the JAAA; Antonio Rigozzi and Eolos Rigopoulos for the IOC, Ian Wilkson for the JOA and Catherine Pitre (Counsel) and expert witnesses Carlo de Angeli and Marton Gyulai for WA. (Sportsmax)
ICC confirms review into conduct of T20 World Cup 2024
and Europe, one from the Americas, and three from Asia and East Asia Pacific (EAP) combined. Previously, Asia had two spots and EAP one.
The ICC also announced that USA Cricket and Cricket Chile have been "formally put on notice" because both organisations are not compliant with ICC mem-
bership criteria. They have 12 months to make rectifications.
"Neither member is considered to have in place a fit-for-purpose detailed governance and administrative structure and systems," the ICC said in a release. "The ICC Americas office will work with Cricket Chile to support them in remedying their non-compliance. The Board agreed that a normalisation committee comprising of board and management representatives will be set up to oversee and monitor USA Cricket's compliance roadmap and the ICC Board will reserve its right to suspend or expel the member for continued non-compliance." (ESPNcricinfo)
Gambhir on working with
Kohli:
“We are going to be on the same page”
Gautam Gambhir, whose stint as the new India Head Coach will start with the tour of Sri Lanka later this month, has had his share of on-field run-ins with Virat Kohli in the past, but said their equation is "between two mature individuals" and not for public consumption.
He also said that the two were "on the same page" when it came to the shared goal of achieving success for the men's national team.
"Good for the TRP, but my relationship is not public," Gambhir said on Monday when asked about Kohli in his first press conference since assuming his new role. "What kind of relationship do I share with Virat Kohli, I think it is between two mature individuals.
"On the field, everyone has got the right to fight for their own team, for their own jersey, and want to come back in a winning dressing room. But, at the moment, I think you are representing India and representing 140 crore Indians and I am sure we are going to be on the same page and try and make India proud.
"I share a very good relationship off the field and we will continue to do that. But yes, to make it more public what kind of a relationship [we have], I think it is between two individuals."
Kohli and Gambhir had a scrap during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match in 2013, when Gambhir was the Kolkata Knight Riders Captain. Later, there was another incident when Gambhir was the Lucknow Super Giants mentor in IPL 2023. Gambhir, while celebrating LSG's one-run win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru, was seen shushing the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, a gesture which Kohli reprised at Lucknow's Ekana Stadium when RCB won the return fixture. Kohli and Gambhir had to be pulled apart by people around them in the end.
During IPL 2024, howev-
er, the two were friendly with each other in public. When asked about his relationship with Kohli, Gambhir had said "perception was far from reality". And when Kohli was asked about it during the season, he said: "I hugged Naveen [ul-Haq, with whom he had an altercation in IPL 2023], and then the other day, Gauti bhai came and hugged me… We're not kids anymore."
Gambhir said that he and Kohli have had discussions in recent times, but didn't want to divulge the details.
"How many chats have I had with him, after my announcement or before my announcement, during the games, after the games – I think sometimes just because we want headlines – it is not important," Gambhir said. "The most important thing right now is that we both have got to be working extremely hard to make India proud. And that is our job.
"He is a thorough professional, he is a world-class athlete, he is a world-class player. I have always said that. I have huge respect for him as a player and it is going to continue. And hopefully we can work together really well."
Gambhir backs Rohit and Kohli to play 2027 ODI World Cup Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who retired from T20 Internationals (T20Is) after India's World Cup win last
month, have been picked in the One-Day International (ODI) squad for the tour of Sri Lanka, but they are both past 35, and the next 50over World Cup is only in 2027. How long will they be around? Gambhir has left that decision to the two players, but feels they still "have a lot of cricket left in them" if they "can keep their fitness".
"I think they have shown what they can deliver on the big stage, whether it's the T20 World Cup or the 50-over World Cup as well," Gambhir said. "One thing I can be very clear of is that both those guys have a lot of cricket left in them. More importantly, with the Champions Trophy [in 2025] and a big tour of Australia [in November 2024], obviously they would be motivated enough. And then, hopefully, if they can keep their fitness, the 2027 [ODI] World Cup as well.
"But this is a very personal decision. I can't say how much cricket is left in them. Ultimately, it's up to them as well, it's up to the players. How much can they contribute to the team's success. Because, ultimately, it's the team that is important.
"But looking at what Virat and Rohit can deliver, I think they still have a lot of cricket [left to play]. They're still world-class players and obviously any team would want to have both of them for as long as possible." (ESPNcricinfo)
The delivery of the 2024 T20 World Cup didn't go according to plan
Hammer thrower Nayoka Clunis
Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli have moved past public spats they’ve had in the past
Guyana Panthers champions of inaugural Youth Academy Cup
The best of Guyana’s Under-16 football talents were on show on Sunday evening, marking the culmination of a weeklong opportunity for those players to put their skills to the test.
After three preliminary competition days, Guyana’s Jaguars and Panthers team ascended to the final of the inaugural Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Youth Academy Cup.
There, the Panthers managed to get the better of their countrymen by way of penalties.
The first strike in the 1-1 regulation time game came in the 30th minute when Neeiaz Baksh, receiving an assist from Darius Chester just outside the box, lobbed the ball over the head of the keeper and into the opposing corner of the net, giving the Panthers a 1-0 advantage.
The reply from the Jaguars came just at the end of the first half (40th+1), off the boots of Rondell Peters, who capitalised on a lapse from the keeper to tap the ball into the net.
With the scores still locked 1-1 at the end of regulation time, the affair went
down to kicks from the penalty mark. The Panthers were able to rebound from missing their first shot, to win the game 4-3.
Following the game, Panthers Captain Malcolm Hendricks discussed the win, labelling his side the underdogs.
“The final was a very tough final against a team that we train together, know each other, we have great chemistry together, both teams and it was a very tough match. But we pulled through,” Hendricks shared.
The defender went on to ad, “It was important, because my teams were the
underdogs. Jaguars was the best team, apparently to people. So, it was everything to us that we pulled through and we came out victorious and beating the champions apparently.”
Reflecting on the pressure of the penalty kicks, Hendricks told Guyana Times Sport, “I wanted to take the burden off my team and step up first, because all of us were nervous and I stepped forward and I missed and it was pressure for me and my team. When I walked back to my team, I couldn’t look them in their face, because I was the captain and I missed the first
3 Guyanese successfully concluded Road Cycling Training Camp
The Guyana Cycling Federation is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of the Road Cycling Training Camp held at the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Continental Development Satellite in Couva, Trinidad and Tobago, from June 30 to July 8, 2024. The training camp aimed to enhance the skills and performance of promising cyclists in the Region.
The camp saw the participation of three talented cyclists from Guyana: Alexander Leung, Sidwell Sandy, and Aaron Newton. These athletes underwent intensive training sessions designed to improve their endurance, speed, and tactical understanding of road cycling under the guidance of top coaches and experts from the UCI.
Leung, known for his remarkable endurance and consistency, focused on enhancing his long-distance riding capabilities and race strategies. Newton, with his explosive sprinting ability, worked on optimising his sprint finishes and overall speed. Sandy, an emerging talent, concentrated on building his strength and improving his climbing techniques.
penalty. It was just different.”
Hendricks went on to reveal he relished the opportunity of being able to compete against local and international talents in his age group.
“It was good because we get to see football from different countries. Trinidad and Tobago was a good Academy; they performed, but we performed better. It was a good game between us and the first Academy, be-
cause we didn’t get to play the second one. But it was great football from both academies and club,” the youngster related. For individual awards, Hendricks was named the Most valuable Player, while Quancey Fraser and Jaden Fraser, both Jaguars, shared the highest goalscorer award. Panthers’ Fabio LaRose was the best goalkeeper of the tournament, conceding a solitary goal. The U16 tournament was hosted by the local Federation in preparation for the Regional U17 Championships, slated for 2025. Trinidad and Tobago’s Point Fortin and Tinto Academies were invited to and competed during the week-long tournament.
(Jemima Holmes)
Barbados crowned CWI Rising Stars 2-Day champions
Barbados have been crowned champions of the 2024 Cricket West Indies (CWI) Rising Stars Men’s 2-Day Championship after a draw with defending champions Jamaica in the final at Arnos Vale Playing Field on Sunday.
Barbados batted first on Saturday after being put in by the Jamaicans and made 200-9 declared off 62.4 overs in their first innings.
Jamaicans.
The wickets of Morgan (33); Trevaun Williams (2) and Captain Brian Barnes (16) followed soon after as they eventually reached 1278 off 43 overs before declaring to try and force a result out of the game.
Teams will now turn their attention to the
Rising Stars Men's 50-Over Championships starting today.
Defending champions Jamaica will
and
Endurance Training: Long-distance rides and stamina-building exercises
Speed Workouts: Sprint drills and interval training to increase speed
Tactical Sessions: Race simulations and strategy planning
Technical Skills: bike handling, cornering, and climbing techniques
Nutrition and Recovery: Guidance on proper nutrition and effective recovery methods to maintain peak performance.
The athletes also had the opportunity to engage
The UCI Continental Development Satellite in Couva provided a worldclass training environment, equipped with state-of-theart facilities and resources. The camp featured a variety of training modules, including the following:
in knowledge-sharing sessions, where they learnt from experienced coaches and interacted with fellow cyclists from different countries. These interactions provided valuable insights and fostered a spirit of camaraderie among the participants.
The Guyana Cycling Federation has extended its heartfelt gratitude to Wayne DeAbreu of the Continental Cycling Club and the UCI Continental Development Satellite, for hosting the camp and providing an exceptional training experience. The Federation noted that it was confident that the skills and knowledge gained by Sandy, Leung, and Newton will significantly contribute to their future success in competitive cycling.
Raneico Smith led the way with 50 off 57 balls, including seven fours and a six, batting at number nine after the Jamaicans had Barbados reeling at 79-5 in the 26th over at one point.
Captain Nathan Sealy also provided some important runs with 29 against 3-61 off 19 overs from Tamarie Redwood and identical figures of 2-39 off 10 overs, each, from Jevone Wynter and Michael Clarke.
Jamaica, in their reply, reached 72-2 off 24 overs at stumps on day one, trailing by 128 runs, with Steven Wedderburn and Matthew Morgan at the crease on 39* and 28*, respectively.
The first over of day two saw Wedderburn fall without adding to his overnight score and that signaled the beginning of the end for the
Off-spinner Saurav Worrell was the pick of the Barbadian bowlers with 3-24 from his 10 overs while Jatario Prescod also took three wickets.
Barbados then batted smartly in their second innings, eventually reaching 172-2 in 57 overs before proceedings drew to a close with them as champions.
Openers Kyle Jordan and Joshua Morris made 62 and 52, respectively.
Full Scores:
Barbados U-19s: 200-9 declared off 62.4 overs (Raneico Smith 50, Nathan Sealy 29, Tamarie Redwood 3-61, Michael Clarke 2-39, Jevone Wynter 2-39) & 172-2 off 57 overs (Kyle Jordan 62, Joshua Morris 52, Joshua Dorne 29*, Zion Brathwaite 22*) Jamaica U-19s: 128-8 declared off 43 overs (Steven Wedderburn 39, Matthew Morgan 33, Saurav Worrell 3-24, Jatario Prescod 3-51, Raneico Smith 2-16)
CWI
face Guyana at Arnos Vale. The Leeward Islands will face Trinidad
Tobago at Sion Hill while Barbados take on the Windward Islands at Park Hill. (Sportsmax)
Barbados’ Under-19 team
The Guyana Panthers dogpile their keeper after he made the game-winning save (Jemima Holmes photo)
Panthers Captain Malcolm Hendricks was named MVP of the tournament (Jemima Holmes photo)
Local physios embark on groundbreaking certification course
The United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association’s Accredited Strength and Conditioning Coach (ASCC) certification can soon be added to the repertoires of a group of local physiotherapists who are making steady progression in the course.
Two instructors from the United Kingdom namely, Martin Gallyer and Dr John Jakeman are currently in Guyana, administering a component of the UKSCA course to a batch of 14 Guyanese physiotherapists.
The physios have been engaged in practical examinations under the watchful eye of the UK duo for the past two weeks, with that stage of the certification process coming to a close on Monday.
On Monday, Guyana
Times Sport spoke with one of the instructors, Gallyer, who gave an overview of the programme, its difficulty level and an update on how the Guyanese have been progressing.
“So, what the UKSCA have done in here is created a teaching pathway of the ASCC, the trainer course, to
give people an understanding of what a technical model is, how to plan programmes, how to do the really foundational bit of what S&C is and then we can start to develop their coaching, so, they can work with the athletes later on. It’s really about a process
GCF marks World Chess Day with tournament
The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF), in collaboration with the Gambit Group, hosted a one-of-a-kind chess event marking the celebration of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) centenary on Saturday, July 20, 2024.
Talented players of the local chess world moved pieces to commemorate the 100th year of FIDE and World Chess Day in the two tournaments, Rapid and Blitz in an official attempt for FIDE to gain entry into the Guinness World Records for the most chess games played in 24 hours.
Hosted at the School of the Nations, the event saw the return of many dormant players who gave the returning headliners a good fight. The open Blitz tournament was a battlefield only for the best, with FIDE Master (FM) Anthony Drayton emerging victorious,
the chess scene, Prince Dunn secured second, while 13-yearold Alek Ubaldo Singh, also from Marian Academy, bagged third place together with the Under-12 and Under-14 awards. Ten-yearold Javier Davenand copped the Best Under-10 award.
snatching the $30,000 cash prize. Keron Sandiford won $20,000 for the second-place prize, and veteran player Rai Sharma claimed the $10,000 for third place.
The Rapid tournament for unrated players was all about the rising stars. Fourteenyear-old Micaiah Enoe from Marian Academy, not only took first place but also won the under-16 award, pocketing the prize purse. Newcomer to
The success of the tournament is due to the hard work of FIDE Arbiter John Lee of the GCF, with vital assistance from National Arbiter Odit Rodrigues, Gambit Group founder Oluwadare Oyeyipo, and Ethan Lee. The vigilant oversight of Marcia Lee, GCF Company Secretary, ensured the smooth running of the event.
The tournament drew a
crowd of over 50 participants of all ages and skill levels. It was a melting pot of new talents from St Joseph High School, The Bishops’ High School, Dolphin Secondary, and St Winifred School, along with some familiar faces making a grand return.
As the chess pieces were packed away, and the champions toasted in their triumphs, one thing was clear: this event left a legacy. The GCF has inspired a new generation of chess enthusiasts, setting the stage for future successes.
FIDE stepped up plans for its centenary anniversary (1924-2024) by collaborating with member federations globally to promote the most chess games played worldwide in 24 hours and to secure an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records which was achieved hours before the deadline. Certificates from FIDE, signed by President Arkady Dvorkovich, were presented to the participants of the FIDE100 Rapid and Blitz tournaments.
On July 22, 2024, FIDE announced that a total score of 5.4 million chess games were played (up to 8pm CEST) in 24 hours, making it a new Guinness World Record.
The Guyana Chess Federation was proud to be part of the official effort.
of getting people who might have been physios, like these guys, and getting them to understand a different field,” Gallyer explained.
The instructor further stated, “All of these guys in the room here are at the stage where they’ve passed all the live assessments in module A, B and C, which is safety in the gym, foundation movement, and strength-based training. They’ve really progressed and done well and thrown themselves in which is a really good thing for myself and John to see.”
The course is being fa-
cilitated in Guyana by InSync Therapeutics, whose Managing Director Neil Barry, detailed the course from the learner’s perspective.
“For the last two weeks, we’ve had a really rigorous practical programme where we needed to understand some of the fundamentals of coaching and some of the technical elements of performing a lift, safety around athletes, being in the gym especially and me, personally, I learned a lot and we still have about three months more left to go,” Barry disclosed.
He went on to add, “We’ll then be doing some work remotely, we’re going to actually train a few athletes, we’ll be doing some testing, then we’ll be doing some reviews and all of that is reviewed by a panel in the UK before you actually pass. So, as I said, it’s about a five per cent pass rate. So far, it look like everyone’s going to pass. So, that’s pretty good,” Barry went on to divulge how he believes the certification can boost the Guyanese sport fraternity since it’s an area that hasn’t been tapped into.
He said, “I think what it does, it really underlines that strength and conditioning is in itself a facet of high performance and potentially, it’s not one we’ve tapped into before. I’m not aware of Guyana having really high-level S&C’s before now. This course is what people will want to do if they want to work in the Premier League or with some of the big national teams around the world, even in the NBA.”
“So, what this allows is for Guyanese [athletes] to be trained by other Guyanese who have these high- level certifications; they have a background in science and they can sort of take the strain off coaches in preparing, in preparing strength and conditioning plans and now expose more of our athletes to highlevel performance. I think it’s going to bring us into the future,” the renowned physiotherapist went on to add.
Once they are successful in completing the course, the Guyanese physiotherapists will listed on the UKSCA’s platform as accredited coaches and will be equipped to work with major sport teams across the globe.
Linden triumph in ExxonMobil Youth Relay Festival
The National Track and Field Centre was a hive of activity on Sunday as secondary school athletes from around the country competed for top honours in the first-ever ExxonMobil Guyana Youth Relay Festival.
When the dust settled, it was Linden, with their ability to move swiftly through the wind, who finished with 172 points to grab the inaugural title.
Missing out by two points were Georgetown, who posed a threat to the title winners, but had to settle for second place. Berbice ended in third place and West Demerara in fourth position.
Berbice boys and girls came out to dominate, copping gold in the U16 boys and girls 4x200m respectively, forcing Linden boys and Georgetown girls into second place while West Demerara boys and Linden girls had to fill the position of third.
Georgetown boys and girls managed to come out on top of the competition in the U20 girls and boys 4x200m, with Berbice boys and Linden girls settling for second place, while Georgetown boys B and Linden girls claimed third place.
In the U16 boys and girls sprint medley, Linden Boys and West Demerara Girls were phenomenal as they copped first, with Georgetown boys and Berbice girls filling the position of second and Georgetown boys B and Linden girls in third place.
The Georgetown boys and Linden girls, despite their small stature managed to come out on top of the proceedings in the U20 girls and boys sprint medley. Georgetown girls and Berbice boys crossed the line second and Linden boys and girls B finished third.
In the U16 boys and girls 4x100m, Linden boys and girls dominated, tak-
ing first place and driving Berbice boys and girls into second place, with Georgetown boys and Berbice girls having to settle for third.
In the U20 Boys and Girls 4x100m, Linden girls and Georgetown boys were phenomenal as they copped first, followed by Berbice boys and West Demerara girls filling the position of second and Georgetown girls and West Demerara boys in third place.
With their determination in the U20 4x400m, Georgetown boys and Berbice girls copped first place while Georgetown girls and Berbice boys were second, as West Demerara girls and Berbice boys completed the podium.
The U16 4x400m Boys race was not short of excitement as Linden managed to finish at the top of the podium, with Berbice missing out on first place by seconds, while Georgetown had to settle for third place.
UKSCA’s Martin Gallyer
A section of the Physiotherapists who are taking the UKSCA Course
Champions of the ExxonMobil Guyana Youth Relay Festival – Linden
Blitz winner FM Anthony Drayton
Rapid winner Micaiah Enoe
