President Dr Irfaan Ali, British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller, Human Services Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud, and some of the children who participated in the 35th anniversary celebration
Global South adversely impacted by food, fuel, fertiliser crisis due to global conflicts – PM Modi G20 Summit
The G20 should focus on the challenges and priorities of the Global South, which have been most affected by the food, fuel and fertiliser crisis brought on by global conflicts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday.
Modi’s remarks, made during the first session of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro that focused on “Social inclusion and the fight against hunger and poverty”, built on India’s efforts to project itself as the voice of the Global South.
As part of a major push to improve food security around the world, Modi backed the
initiative by Brazil, which is hosting the G20 Summit, for a “Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty”. Modi arrived in Brazil late on Sunday after a visit to Nigeria.
“I would like to say that countries of the Global South are most adversely impacted by the food, fuel and fertiliser crisis caused by global conflicts. So, our discussions can only be successful when we keep in mind the challenges and priorities of the Global South,” Modi said.
“And just as we amplified the voice of the Global South by granting permanent membership of G20 to the African
Union during the New Delhi Summit, we will reform institutions of global governance."
Modi noted Brazil’s G20 presidency has taken forward people-centric decisions made at last year’s G20 Summit in India, including priority for the sustainable development goals (SDGs), aspirations of the Global South and inclusive development.
Highlighting India’s initiatives to tackle hunger and poverty, Modi said the country lifted 250 million people out of poverty in the past decade and is distributing free food grains to 800 million. A total of 550 million people benefit from the world’s biggest health insurance scheme, while 60 million senior citizens will benefit from
free health insurance.
In the field of food security, more than 40 million farmers received benefits worth $20 billion under the world’s largest crop insurance scheme. Aid worth more than $40 billion was given under the farmers scheme, and institutional credit worth $300 billion was given to farmers.
Using a mix of natural and organic farming and new technologies, India has focused on sustainable agriculture, protecting the environment, and nutrition and food security by promoting millets. It also developed more than 2,000 climate resilient crop varieties and started the Digital Agriculture Mission.
“India is also contribut-
ing to global food security. We have provided humanitarian assistance to Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe recently,” Modi said.
Brazil’s left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva opened the G20 Summit by launching the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty and describing world hunger as a “scourge that shames humanity”. A total of 81 countries signed on for the initiative, though Argentina was the only G20 member coun-
African Union – both G20 members – and financial institutions and NGOs, bringing the total number of signatories to 147. The initiative aims to reduce world hunger, which affected 733 million people last year or 9% of the global population, by putting international financing behind it and replicating successful national programmes in other countries. It also aims to improve nutrition in early childhood, provide free school canteens and
try not to endorse it. The Global Alliance also has the backing of international organisations such as the European Union and the
support small farms with the goal of enhancing food access and quality for 150 million children by the end of the decade. (Hindustan Times)
US President Joe Biden shaking hands with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G20 Summit leaders' meeting (AP photo)
China’s President Xi Jinping talking with Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz (AP photo)
BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Tuesday, November 19 – No retraction and Wednesday, November 20 – 03:45h-05:15h.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Tuesday, November 19 - 6:45 hrs to 8:15 hrs and Wednesday, November 20 - 7:40 hrs to 9:10 hrs
FERRY SCHEDULE
35th anniversary of RoC Convention
Govt committed to creating safe spaces for families, children – President Ali
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
n the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), President Dr Irfaan Ali has reaffirmed government’s commitment to creating safe spaces for families and, in particular, children.
On Monday, a ceremony was hosted by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to mark the 35th anniversary of the CRC. President Ali, who was the keynote speaker at the event, spoke of his government’s commitment to creating safe spaces for children and families.
He noted that there are some cases where children are left shortchanged and disadvantaged due to a number of circumstances. According to the Head of State, the government has worked hard to provide opportunities that will eliminate such circumstances.
“In many families the eldest child had to give up education to provide for the youngest children. Not because they were inferior or they were not brilliant. But because the conditions necessitated that. That is why, as a government over the years we’ve invested heavily in creating the infrastructure, building the environment.”
“Creating an enabling environment through which the development of the child can be completed in a holistic way. And these facilities, even the facility you’re in today, is part of that commitment. Creating safe spaces. Family oriented spaces,” President Ali said.
The Head of State noted the importance of the work being done on the constitutional reform process which seeks to address, among other things, the rights of the child. However, he also noted that there is a responsibility that comes with protecting and safeguarding those rights, which must also be addressed.
“Many times, we speak about the rights, all the importance of rights. But we don’t speak about the re-
sponsibilities that come with those rights. And it’s very important that as we engage these children, we do not only focus on the rights, which is essential and important.”
“But that we must be able to demonstrate to them and to teach them the responsibility that comes in
when it comes to children rights. However, challenges remain.
“In Guyana, we have seen many notable achievements in the areas of improved access to education, improved access to health services, legal protections for children, programmes all aimed at advancing child rights. These
Rights of the Child serves a two-fold function, both as a celebration of how far Guyana and the world has come on child rights, as well as a call to action for the work that lies ahead.
“Collectively, we can overcome the challenges that still stand in the way of realizing every child’s
protecting and safeguarding those rights. The responsibility that comes upon children, parents, everybody in society, to support the rights that we speak about,” President Ali said.
Challenges remain
Also addressing the gathering was UNICEF Representative Nicolas Pron, who said that many notable milestones have been reached in Guyana
advancements reflect a collective commitment to building brighter futures for children.”
“However, challenges remain. And many children still face barriers that hinder their full potential including poverty and violence. Inequalities continue to exist, leaving some children at risk of being left behind.”
According to Pron, celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Convention on the
right to survive, thrive and reach their full potential. Together, we must confront these challenges, ensuring that all rights as studied in the convention, are upheld for every child in Guyana,” Pron explained.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted in 1989. So far, 196 countries are parties to the convention, making it the most widely ratified UN convention. (G3)
President Dr Irfaan Ali addressing the gathering
Editor: Tusika Martin
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Championing men’s health on International Men’s Day
Today, as Guyana joins the global community to observe International Men’s Day 2024 under the theme “Men’s Health Champions: Recognising the Importance of Physical, Mental, and Emotional Well-being for Men Everywhere,” everyone is reminded of the vital role men play in shaping families, communities and society. It is a day for celebration, reflection, and most importantly action.
The health and well-being of men are often overshadowed by societal norms that discourage vulnerability and self-care. Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony’s message serves as a crucial reminder: that empowering men to prioritize their health is not just a personal responsibility, but a societal imperative.
Chronic and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) continue to be leading causes of death among men in Guyana and the Caribbean. Prostate cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, and stroke are prevalent, yet largely preventable through early detection and lifestyle changes. These diseases do not only rob men of their health, but impact their families and communities.
The Ministry of Health’s initiatives to tackle these challenges are commendable. This year’s launch of the National Guidelines for the Management of Prostate Health is a step forward in addressing prostate cancer through increased screening and services. Additionally, the rollout of the HEARTS protocol across 150 health centres is transforming the management of hypertension, with one goal being to extend this programme nationwide by 2025.
Diabetes, another significant health concern, is being tackled through expanded screening, enhanced access to medications, and availability of the HbA1C testing tool at 82 facilities. These targeted measures highlight a proactive approach to ensuring men have access to the care they need.
However, the barriers to accessing these services must not be overlooked. Sociocultural factors, stigma, and a reluctance to seek medical help often deter men from engaging in preventive health practices. Dr Anthony’s call for men to overcome these challenges is a critical one: no health concern should be too trivial or too embarrassing to address. Health is wealth, and early action can save lives.
As society reflects on this year’s theme, let us also celebrate the men who inspire positive change in their communities. From fathers who nurture and guide their children, to professionals and leaders who champion causes for the greater good, men play an indispensable role in fostering values and practices that benefit generations to come.
International Men’s Day is not just a reminder of what men contribute to society, but is also a call to action for all — governments, communities, and individuals — to support men in their journey towards better health and well-being.
Let this day serve as a rallying cry for all men to embrace their roles as health champions, not just for themselves, but for the loved ones who depend on them. A healthier man is a stronger pillar of society.
To truly champion men’s health, society must also address the structural and cultural barriers that prevent men from accessing healthcare. Too often, traditional notions of masculinity discourage men from expressing vulnerability or seeking medical help, perpetuating a cycle of neglect. On this International Men’s Day, we must confront these stigmas head-on, and foster a culture where prioritizing health is seen as a strength, rather than a weakness.
Dr Anthony’s emphasis on early detection and the Ministry of Health’s strategic programme provide a solid foundation, but real progress requires a collective effort. Employers, community leaders and families must encourage men to take advantage of the free health services available. Educational campaigns that highlight the importance of regular check-ups and healthy lifestyles can help change attitudes, especially among younger generations. Investing in men’s health is not just about improving individual lives, but is also about strengthening families, enhancing community well-being, and contributing to a healthier Guyana.
Happy International Men’s Day!
Nigel Hughes’s sanctimonious and obfuscating response to Randy Persaud
Dear Editor,
Last week, an AFCsympathizer friend forwarded to me a copy of Nigel Hughes’s Facebook post, titled “Response to Dr. Randy Persaud’s Letter “Questions for Nigel Hughes”, and asked for my comments on what Hughes wrote.
In his letter, Persaud listed 15 questions, most of which probed Hughes’s willingness and/or readiness to apologize for what can be described as APNU-AFC’s [jointly], and AFC’s [solely] political shenanigans that negatively impacted citizens, the country, or both.
Adhering to my friend’s specific request for comments on Hughes’s response to Persaud, here is the one-sentence summation I sent him: “Hughes’ sanctimonious and obfuscating response to Randy Persaud’s call for his apologies reads like an oratorial courtroom drama skillfully crafted to mesmerize the jury of Guyanese into rendering an acquittal of APNU-AFC for their shenanigans that negatively impacted the country.”
Upon receiving my statement, my friend contacted me to probe my response. Going through my summation in parts, I explained that my use of the words “sanctimonious”, which means “acting or speaking as if morally better than others”, and “obfuscating”, which means “to make something less clear or confusing”, were arrived at from an examination of how Hughes responded to Randy Persaud’s call for his apology. Focusing on how and what Hughes presented in his response, I guided my friend to some of Hughes’s exact statements that readily suggested sanctimoniousness, followed
by questions to denote his obfuscation. Here are the direct quotes, followed by questions they raised.
Hughes: “The delays following the No-Confidence Motion were subject to significant legal and procedural interpretation.”
Without addressing why the No-Confidence Motion was challenged, Hughes proceeded to state, “Moving forward, my commitment is to strengthen our democratic institutions to avoid such uncertainties… to ensure there can be no ambiguity when election results are announced.”
Questions: What uncertainties? What ambiguity? Didn’t Burnham claim no ambiguity in his “rigged” election results?
Hughes: “My administration would ensure greater transparency in contracts, negotiating where necessary to protect the national interest.”
Questions: Does Hughes have a transparent contract as a legal counsel for ExxonMobil? How transparent was the contract negotiated between the APNU-AFC government and ExxonMobil?
Hughes: “I remain committed to upholding the highest standards of accountability in all aspects of public service…”
Question: Has Hughes, as part of APNU-AFC, held these political bodies accountable while its members shared in the governance of the country?
Hughes: “As President, I would revisit these policies to ensure they prioritize relief for the vulnerable populations…”
Question: Hasn’t the current Government granted increases in wages/salaries, pensions, housing assistance, free education, and plans to distribute $100,000 to eligible cit-
izens in efforts to bring about economic relief among the vulnerable populations?
Hughes: “As President, I will ensure that sacrifices of our uniformed forces are acknowledged with meaningful support and salaries…”
Questions: Has the current Government failed to support the armed forces, or underpaid them? If it has, why the failure to identify areas that lack meaningful support?
Hughes: “I intend to focus on strengthening the institutions that support… bridging the gap between our divisive elements.”
Question: Isn’t that exactly what President Irfaan is doing? Hasn’t the PPP/C government improved the following institutions: Health: - in the form of new and modernized hospitals, clinics, and improvements in health care; Education: - new schools, free university education, and increasing the number of trained teachers; Economics: - employment opportunities and increased wages and salaries; Family: - in the form of housing, retirement benefits, cash grants; Civic: -recreational centres and sports’ facilities?
From the foregoing statements and questions raised, readers can judge for themselves whether they represent sanctimoniousness and obfuscation. In so doing, the reader may find it worthy to note Hughes’s use of the pronouns “My” and/or “I” in every one of the quoted statements.
Having discussed the Hughes’s statements (i)(vi), I then focused on the phrase “oratorial courtroom drama purposefully crafted to mesmerize the jury of Guyanese…” I noted that while Randy Persaud called
on Hughes for apologies regarding APNU-AFC’s or AFC’s political shenanigans that negatively impacted the country, Hughes instead,in “courtroom drama” styleturned to cursory references of ‘legalities, litigation, court rulings, and constitutionality,’ followed by remarks on what “his administration,” or “his presidency” would do for the country - all of which suggest efforts to mesmerize the reader - i.e., “the act of holding someone's attention completely that they cannot think of anything else.”
For example, Hughes’s explanation on his reference to the simple math that 33 does not equate to a majority over 32 is in itself mesmerizing, for he declared: “The issue of 33 vs 32 was first raised by President Donald Ramotar when he solicited and received an opinion from Senior Counsel indicating that 33 was not the majority…my repetition of it was merely the repetition of an earlier opinion from President Ramotar’s presidential records”. This response seems both obfuscating and mesmerizing at the same time. One wonders what Hughes is really trying to say, and what were his views on the issue at the time?
Explaining my use of the phrase “rendering a not guilty plea,” I emphasized to my friend that by not acquiescing to Randy Persaud’s call for his apology, Hughes cannot be held liable for anything - which is tantamount to “rendering an acquittal of APNUAFC for their shenanigans that negatively impacted the country.”
Regards, Narayan Persaud, PhD
President Dr Irfaan Ali chatting with children of Karasabai in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) during his recent two-day visit there, where he was accompanied by Prime Minister Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips, Local Government Minister Sonia Parag, and the Men on a Mission team (Office of the President photo)
Political loyalty and accountability
Dear Editor,
Many important lessons have emerged from the American election of 11/6/2024. Among them is that sectional interest is no longer an important determinant of voting behaviour; rather, ‘common sense’ issues that cut across boundaries of race, income groups, geography, gender, and social standing are what appeal to voters/ citizens.
For Americans, abstract political rhetoric, ideology, and name-calling are repulsive; what are critical are pocket-book issues (grocery
prices, gasoline price, housing cost, transport cost, jobs, and utility cost), as well as an open southern border that leads to an overspill of undocumented immigrants, which wreaks havoc in several American cities. In addition, Americans are pleased that social security and “Tip” income would not be taxed in the future.
Another powerful feature that emerged post-election is the significance of loyalty in party politics. Loyalty is an important force in the naming of President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet. For the position of Attorney General, for
example, Mr. Trump nominated Matt Geetz, a loyalist, despite his having some ethical issues as a congressperson.
In Guyana, many observers believe the PPPC leadership appointed loyalists to cabinet posts. While the appointees might be loyal to the Party, they are also qualified to function in their respective portfolios.
This issue of loyalty in politics goes back to the 1960s, when Mr. LFS Burnham responded to a question: “Do you expect me to hire people who will sabotage my government?” Mr. Balram Singh
Rai, a powerful and loyal force (Deputy Chairman) of the PPP, was first expelled from the PPP because he accused the Jagans of tampering with the internal party election, and was subsequently removed as Home Affairs Minister in June 1962.
The loyalty factor has become a persistent one in determining cabinet and other positions. The underlying assumption is that loyalty is the foundation upon which trust is built, and this would ensure that Government policies and programmes are not sabotaged. Herein lies a di-
Welcome PM Modi to Guyana
Dear Editor,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi-ji arrives here this evening after a G20 summit in Rio in neighbouring Brazil. As is expected, a grand welcoming ceremony is planned.
Head of state ceremonies are technically or diplomatically reserved for visiting heads of states, not heads of governments. Mr Modi is not a head of state, but would be accorded a welcoming ceremony and treatment deserving of a head of state of a very powerful nation or global power.
As is the norm in all of his foreign trips, PM Modi is expected to be accorded a grand welcome by the Indian diaspora, separate from the warm, friendly welcome by the state or Government. The state would accord him an official welcoming ceremony that is given to a visiting head of government or state, perhaps with the presence of the cabinet and all the trappings that go with it.
Modi-ji is not just any foreign leader, he is leader of an extremely important country: one with which Guyana has shared cultural values and objectives, and one that has been very generous in aiding Guyana’s national development. He is a political rock star, and will be treat-
ed accordingly by the state. His visit would be accorded the status of a head of state even though he is not one, signalling the towering respect Government has for this visiting leader, and the importance of India as a partner in development.
As regards the diaspora, in his dozens of overseas trips, the Indian diaspora has been known to provide this PM a cultural welcoming ceremony: garlanding him, presenting him bouquets of flowers, and singing the Indian National Anthem and bhajans. It is certain that the latter would be done at the airport as well as at the hotel where the PM would stay. Huge billboards with photos of Ali and Modi stare down travellers with signs of welcome.
In India, when foreign leaders visit, welcoming posters are plastered all over Delhi or other cities visited by the dignitaries.
The Indian diaspora is very complex and all-encompassing, as it includes descendants of indentured labourers who are now fourth-and-later generations of Guyanese, as well as recent migrants from India (NRIs) who have come to Guyana in various capacities (business, employment, students, residents, new citizens, etc) and lengths of pres-
ence.
Girmitya countries, those with descendants of indentured labourers -- like several in the Caribbean, Africa, the Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Asia -- present a challenge in regard to participation in ceremonial activities relating to India. Then there is the diaspora twice removed, comprising Indian Guyanese or Indo Caribbeans who have settled in USA, Canada, Europe, etc. They can be termed the double-degreed Indian diaspora, a unique diaspora category or group of Indians attached to their former homeland as well as to Mother India.
Which of the two or more Indian diasporas would preside over or participate in the unofficial ceremonies for Modi-ji? As experienced in
Africa, Fiji, Mauritius, etc, where there are two categories of Indian diasporas, as distinct from visits in USA and Europe, Australia and New Zealand, both diasporas participated in ceremonies welcoming Modi, as they should. The PM is very fond of the diaspora, and has a special place in his heart for the Girmityas, or descendants of indentured labourers, who are the pioneers of the Indian diaspora.
Thank you, President Dr Irfaan Ali, for inviting the Indian PM to visit our country. This visit would strengthen ties between our two countries, resulting in increased developmental assistance.
Sincerely, Dr Vishnu Bisram
lemma. When a loyalist runs afoul of the law, or breaks basic ethical standards, how does the leadership respond? Guyanese history has shown that, in such situations, ambivalence tends to prevail. When a top PPPC loyalist, for example, was singled out for corruption, she was not relieved of her position, but was transferred to another ministry. However, more evidence surfaced, and she was forced to step down.
There was the other case of a former PPPC minister who was accused of sexual misconduct, and when the evidence began to mount, combined with public outcry, he had to step down. His case was dropped, and because of his loyalty and hard work, he was assigned to do party work.
A comparable situation of ambivalence happened when a former APNU+AFC minister was accused of accepting illicit gifts (gold bangles), but the leadership did not ask him to resign; rather, he continued in that position. And while in opposition, he allegedly urinated in an open public place. Despite that obscene act and prior accusation of corruption, he was not admonished. In fact, he has risen to a top executive position in the AFC.
When Eusi Kwayana brought charges of corruption against the Elder and another PNC minister, Mr David Singh, the later was found guilty but the Elder was exonerated. He was a loyalist to the PNC and to its leader,
and was later rewarded with a hefty annual pension ($20.6 million + $3.1 million annually in benefits, +2 state vehicles + 2 first-class airfares annually). The pension was to cover the period 1985 to 1992, when he served as Prime Minister but received remuneration as a President.
Both the human rights group (GHRA) and the TIGI launched a trenchant criticism against the pension and other benefits, and asked the APNU+AFC government to withdraw the Pension Bill 2015.
With reference to Mr David Singh, he was found guilty by the Ombudsman and was removed as a minister, but rewarded instead with an Ambassadorial position in China.
The dilemma of leadership is clearly illustrated by these and other cases. A basic component of loyalty is trust, and when trust is solidified, it becomes an essential quality of good governance. Loyalty must exist in a symbiotic relationship with accountability.
Historical experience has shown that the link between loyalty and accountability has been weak. Leaders must therefore ensure that loyalty to policies and programmes be combined with accountability. In this way, leaders would become more decisive, and less ambivalent over breaches committed by their colleagues and followers.
Sincerely, Dr Tara Singh
Page Foundation
Exponents
Remember you can add and subtract numbers with exponents.
Example:
34 - 43
Step 1: Find the value of the first exponential expression:
34 = 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 = 81
Step 2: Find the value of the second exponential expression:
43 = 4 x 4 x 4 = 64
Step 3: Calculate 81 – 64 = 17
Exercises: Find the value
Create a map to tell a story
Create a map that shows the route for a trip you’ve taken recently — either in your city or town or somewhere farther away. Include landmarks you visited or saw along the way.
Paper
Crayons or markers
Materials
Directions
1) Draw a map to show you remember your trip and its destination. You can choose a trip you took locally, like going to school, the doctor, or a friend’s house. Or you can choose a trip that you took to a place further from home.
2) Ask yourself where you started the trip, where you ended the trip, and what you saw along the way. What did you see, hear, or smell? How did you feel while travelling? What was the weather like? Write down what you observed on the trip in a list that you’ll choose from to include on the map.
3) Next, draw a simple map of your route. Draw
where you started the trip first. Then, draw the route to your destination as a line or series of lines to illustrate roads or walking paths. The route should end at the final destination.
4) Check on your notes and decide what other information to include on your map. Place buildings, parks or other special places you noticed on the trip along the lines on the map. Did you pass a grocery store or familiar house? Did you pass a park where you heard birds chirping? Or did you pass a park with trees that shaded you from the sun? Include what you remember on your route.
5) Add labels to the map for your home and the landmarks you saw. Write down the name of roads or towns you passed through. Make a map key that includes information about symbols and markers you include on the map, as well as a scale for distance.
Share the map with a family member or friend and tell them the story of your trip using your map to illustrate it. Point out what direction you went in and what happened along the way. (Adapted from Priyanka Lamichhane, pbs. org)
By yander Vasquez
First day of middle school
Bright sun with fresh air being cool, I feel excited and have a lot confidence I need to try my best and have a lot of intelligence, I made it to the school
There are a lot of students talking While every teacher tries to teach Most students are probably fantasizing about the beach, In this school there is a lot of rules, I found my classroom my first period is math
My math teacher's name is Ash, After math class I need to find a path to my other class, The day was almost over but I still have my last period
My last period is science class, After this period the bell is going to ring When the bell rings my first day of middle school is going to be over, The bell rang and my first day of middle school was very fun.
WORD SEARCH:
Names on OLE fully vetted – GECOM to Norton’s
reckless, “mischievous”
public statement
…warns party agents can be charged for obstructing, intimidating voters
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has had cause to take Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton to task for recent ‘mischievous’ statements that the opposition would be on the lookout to block foreigners from voting, statements that, according to GECOM, are not only wholly misconstrued but can cause fear and harm among eligible voters.
Norton was recently quoted in sections of the media, claiming during a pub-
lic meeting in Calcutta, Mahaicony, that “opposition polling agents would be on the lookout for foreigners who are clearly not connected to Guyana” and that the People’s National Congress/ Reform (PNC/R) would block them from voting. In a statement on Monday, GECOM expressed concern at Norton’s utterances, particularly since the National Registration Act, Chapter 19:08, provides for any Guyanese citizen by birth, descent, naturaliza-
tion/registration or a citizen of a Commonwealth Country living in Guyana for one year or more, to be eligible for registration to vote.
“It is therefore absolutely necessary for GECOM to clarify that in order for any name to be listed on the Official List of Electors (OLE), persons must satisfy the eligibility criteria for registration as stipulated in the National Registration Act, Chapter 19:08. As such once a person has satisfied those requirements and have pro-
Housewife robbed, raped in Linden home
Police are investigating an armed robbery and rape involving a 42-year-old housewife in Amelia’s Ward, Linden, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice).
Reports are that the incident occurred in the early hours of Monday.
According to police reports, the victim was robbed of several valuables, including two gold chains valued at $250,000; a pair of gold earrings valued at $200,000; one gold hand band valued at $200,000; one black and green flashlight valued $5,000 and $5,000.
Police report stated
that the victim resides in a two-storey house and reported that she retired to bed at about 20:30h on Sunday evening forgetting to secure the back door of her home. At about 01:30h, she was awoken to find a tall, slimbuilt man, estimated to be about six feet tall, inside her house. The intruder, dressed in short blue pants and a short-sleeved blue jersey, grabbed her from behind and held a knife to her neck while demanding cash and jewelry.
When the victim indicated that she had no money, the man became enraged. He then dragged her
downstairs, where he forced her onto a mattress on the ground and allegedly raped her. She recounted that the ordeal lasted approximately four minutes.
Following the assault, the perpetrator continued demanding valuables, prompting the terrified woman to surrender her jewelry and other possessions. The suspect then fled the scene on foot through the back door.
Police ranks visited the scene at about 02:00h. CCTV footage from nearby cameras is expected to be reviewed as investigations continue.
vided authentic supporting documentation, they are registered in accordance with the legal provisions.”
“Moreover, it is important to note that scrutineers from the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) are permanently present at all GECOM’s Registration Offices countrywide and are actively involved in the registration process, including the signing off on the accuracy of applications for registration transactions,” GECOM also noted in their statement.
GECOM pointed out that the law even provides for foreigners who, “in the opinion of the presiding officer” does not understand the language when questioned, to appoint an interpreter on their behalf.
The election agency further noted that elections are managed by it, not by polit-
ical party agents who have no authority to decide who votes or who doesn’t. The agency made it clear that Norton’s “mischievous” comments have the potential to cause fear and harm to eligible voters looking to vote, as per their constitutional right and warned that any political party agents obstructing voters can face the full extent of the law.
“Once, a person’s name is in the OLE, it means that all the necessary legal and administrative scrutiny were done and he/she is qualified to be so listed. In view of the foregoing, it must be emphasised that an election official or security personnel can be prosecuted for committing election offences such as deliberately obstructing or interfering with the work of an Election Officer and intimidating eligible electors.”
“Consequently, the Guyana Elections Commission is urging political stakeholders to be responsible and cautious about their comments in the public domain as these can potentially have effects on the electoral process and severe consequences,” GECOM stated.
The PNC/R has been calling for the names of Guyanese living overseas be removed from voters list, even though the law is very clear that residency is not a requirement to vote. According to the Guyana Constitution, a per-
son’s name can only be removed from the voters’ list through death, or if they become disqualified under Article 159 (2), (3) and (4). This law was tested in 2020, when the Court of Appeal upheld the August 14, 2019 High Court ruling by acting Chief Justice Roxane George which blocked the removal of persons from the National Register of Registrants (NRR) Database – something that the Houseto-House (H2H) Registration exercise at the time sought to do by creating a new database that would have excluded non-residents. With elections expected next year, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and the parties in the APNU: People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) have all concluded their congress to set the pace for the elections.
Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton
GECOM Chair, Justice (retired) Claudette Singh
Embattled Calvin Brutus slapped with 201 new charges
…granted over $10M bail
Embattled Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Calvin Brutus, has been slapped with 201 new charges that pertain to liability of officer, with the acting chief magistrate imposing bail in the sum of over $10 Million for these new charges.
On Monday, Brutus appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty, to answer to 201 new charges. These charges, which pertain to the offence of liability of an official, come on the heels of the 30 charges he faced at his last court appearance in October.
Brutus, who was already out on $6.2 million bail for previous charges, was placed on $10,050,000 million bail during Monday’s sitting and ordered to return to court on January 17, 2025 to answer more new charges.
The embattled senior police officer will also be returning to court on December 18, 2024, for the previous charges. In a brief interview with the media outside the courtroom, Brutus’ legal team assured that they would be vigorously defending these charges at the next court date.
The charges have their genesis in the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU’s) investigation of Brutus, which began in July 2024. Initially linked to the Police Force’s Credit Union, the investigation quickly expanded following information provided by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).
The Assistant Police Commissioner’s assets include $300 million in properties and $500 million across joint bank accounts with his wife, who has also been charged. As a result, most of these accounts have been frozen.
As part of the case, it has been revealed that Brutus received monetary gifts from two individuals. These gifts included US$10,000 as a wedding present and $1,000,000 as a Christmas gift in 2023.
When Brutus appeared in court last month, he was not allowed to plead to the indictments because they were laid as indictable matters. SOCU said that on January 11, 2024, Brutus allegedly instructed a Superintendent of Police to prepare and issue two cheques valued at $6.4 million and $7.4 million from the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF)
Central Welfare Fund to purchase goods that were never supplied.
Further, on January 31, 2024, he instructed the GPF’s Finance Officer to submit 221 payment vouchers to him to procure goods from his wife’s business, but these vouchers were never returned.
Again, on November 16, 2023, the Finance Officer was instructed by the ACP to prepare a cheque to the tune of $20 million to purchase police regulation shoes for the Quartermasters stores, but those were never supplied. In addition, several other charges related to purchase of lands were read to Brutus.
Meanwhile, the ACP’s wife, Adonika Aulder, was slapped with two counts of money laundering, and was granted $1 million bail. SOCU alleged that during December 2023, Aulder withdrew the sums of $243 million and $180 million from two separate Republic Bank accounts registered to her businesses,
and these sums allegedly were derived directly or indirectly from the proceeds of crime.
Further, Brutus and Sergeant Kevin George have jointly been charged for allegedly withdrawing $22 million from the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) procurement office on January 9, 2024. In addition, businessman Asif Zafarally and Brutus have jointly been charged for allegedly withdrawing $71 million from the Guyana Police Force’s Consumer Cooperative Society for goods that were never supplied.
Only recently, Brutus and his wife were ordered by the High Court to pay $750,000 in court cost to several respondents after discontinuing yet another High Court action, which they filed on the August 19, 2024 against the Head of SOCU, the Commissioner of Police and Attorney General Anil Nandlall, who has made it clear he will go after the ACP for payment of these costs. (G3)
Fuming…
…over riggings past
Your equal-opportunity Eyewitness would really like to give as much coverage to our Opposition as he does to the Government - since he verily believes (like that, eh??) the vibrancy of both of them is critical for better governance of our country. And for our prosperity – since, at long last, we’re getting the wherewithal to fund our development. But the Opposition, PNC and AFC, seem to be operating underground or something, because days go by without your Eyewitness hearing anything from them. That is not the best tactic for any entity that depends on the public voting for it in elections - based on what they know about that entity!!
If a political party does all sorts of activities but no one hears about them, does that political party exist??
And then when your Eyewitness finally did get a report about a PNC activity last weekend, it was sadly so irrelevant to the people’s concerns that he’s left wondering where’s the PNC (political) mojo!!
The meeting was at Calcutta in Mahaicony, which, notwithstanding its name, is an African-dominated village, and as such was happy hunting ground for leader Aubrey Norton. Now, Calcutta is a noticeably prosperous farming community, with poultry, rice and cash crops having been developed under the PPP’s push in this sector. The roads have been rehabilitated and asphalted, and several entertainment haunts along the roadway are all doing brisk business!! So, you’d think Norton would’ve taken the opportunity to elaborate on his party’s plans in regard to agriculture, which would presumably take Calcutta and its residents to higher economic heights. This especially when the PNC leader had promised he’d be campaigning heavily in “PPP strongholds”, which in that neck of the woods are also overwhelmingly agriculture-based.
But what did Norton emphasise? The tired trope being hammered to death since 2020, when the PNC tried unsuccessfully to rig the elections: that the PPP was planning to rig the 2025 elections!! Taking a slight shift from pushing the (unconstitutional) “cleaning of the bloated list”, Norton said his party scrutineers would be on the lookout for Venezuelans, whom he claimed the PPP was bringing in to vote.
Norton thundered: “Let we tell them. When we put we polling officers in the polling station and they can’t talk proper English: ‘bam-bam’!!” So, Norton’s now saying the PNC gonna unilaterally impose an “English literacy test” for voting - since the persons would’ve already presented their Guyana ID Cards!!
But that begs the question as to what the PNC polling agents were doing in the 2020 elections, since the Party’s been insisting that the PPP had people voting with furriners’ ID cards!!
The PNC really need to get on showing they can do better than the PPP - not only in rigging!!
…on political parties’ status
Political parties are one of our oldest institutions, formed as we clawed our way out of slavery and indentureship - with ARF Webber launching the Popular Party, the first political party in the British West Indies, in the 1920s. But believe it or not, political parties have no legal basis for their existence, and, by convention, have been operating under the Companies Act, even though they’re not actually businesses and don’t register as such. At start of the millennium, Britain passed the “Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000”, that sets out how political parties are to deal with registration and finances, and make provisions about donations and loans etc.
Now, one PNC member has applied to the High Court to rule that “political parties’ selection of candidates constitutes state action” - and as such, must attract strict constitutional scrutiny on their activities.
The Government says it’s satisfied with the status quo of political parties being quasi-corporations. Shouldn’t they follow Britain’s lead – as others such as Kenya have done??
…at Mad Maduro
From the rhetoric of the incoming Trump Administration, it’s likely that sanctions would be reimposed on Venezuelan oil. That would obviously tighten supplies and lead to higher prices from next year. Go Trump!! Sock it to Mad Maduro!!
ACP Calvin Brutus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Monday, with Attorney-atLaw Yuborn Ellicock (right)
Sugar worker killed in Corentyne Highway crash
Aweeder attached to Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Albion Estate passed away on Monday afternoon after being hit by a car traveling along the Corentyne Highway on Saturday evening.
Dead is 27-year-old Nikon Tappin of Fyrish Road.
Family members have raised concerns about the police investigations and made allegations of unprofessional behavior.
The incident occurred at about 20:55h according to CCTV footage at Kilcoy along the Corentyne Highway where Tappin was sitting on his motorcycle when he was hit by a speeding car. At the time Tappin was said to have been in conversation with his barber.
Tappin, who is also a
poultry farmer, had left home to purchase ice cream from the supermarket and was chatting when he was hit. The car crashed into a structure along the road shoulder hitting Tappin pro-
pelling him several meters through the air.
“By Fyrish bus shed they have a drop on the road and I see this car overtake two cars coming around the turn, so I telling myself that this man don’t realise that they have a drop there... I see this man not easing the pace that he coming with so I had to ride into somebody yard to save myself. Then I see he end up over on the other side of the road. I say I hope that he don’t knock nobody,” his cousin Gimmel Shepard told this publication.
Shepard said he had earlier spoken to his cousin, who was supposed to give him a drop to work and Tappin told him that he was going to purchase ice cream and wait until he was ready.
“A boy come and say that Nikon just get knock on the
road. Right away I asked him what colour is the car. I asked him if it was a dark green car and he say yes. I tell him that the man could have killed me just now. When I go to the scent I see Nikon lying down there on the road,” the cousin related.
The injured man was picked up and taken to the Port Mourant Hospital and then transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital. As a result of the severity of his injuries, he was then transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital in a critical condition.
Shepard said his cousin
had severe head injuries.
“It is just his head I see open up and some fine bruises on his skin.”
Meanwhile, the nowdead man’s uncle, Ruben Caesar related that on Saturday evening they received information suggesting that the driver of the car was imbibing earlier.
“They [the doctors] explained to me that by he got in his head, the brain was swollen and there was bleeding between the brain and the skull,” he related.
Caesar said after they left the Port Mourant Hospital, they stopped at Albion Police Station on their way to New
Amsterdam Hospital and engaged two traffic ranks.
“I asked them why they didn’t do a breathalyzer test on the guy. They told us that we could sit and wait until a senior officer come.”
The crash occurred about 300 meters away from Albion Police Station. Family members have expressed concern over what they claimed is the apparent slothfulness in the police investigation saying that although the accident occurred on Saturday up to Monday afternoon police had not placed any markings on the roadway, as per protocol in accident investigations. (G4)
Nikon Tappin
Better public transportation system needed in Guyana – Private Sector official
As the country contin-
ues to experience sig-
nificant growth in a number of key sectors and attract more visitors, there is an urgent need for a better public transportation system.
This need for improved public transportation was further emphasized by former President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) Timothy Tucker, during an interview with this publication.
Stating that there are already subsidies in place for certain sectors, he noted that the country should not overlook transportation.
“Of course, we have things like a modular oil and gas refinery, a low cost of electricity, and a transportation system, but public transportation is something that is desperately needed in this country. We need a solid public transportation system that can move people without all the congestion.”
In addition to bringing convenience and ease of
travel for locals as well as visitors, Tucker highlighted that a more efficient public transport system could significantly reduce the cost of living.
“First of all, the cost of living is a global challenge, and I think for that to really come down in Guyana, it all comes down to developing our inputs, what is actually put into the economy locally. Public transportation is something that is desper-
ately needed in this country. We need a solid public transportation system that can move people without all the congestion.”
He added that Guyana must recognize that it is growing as a city and as a country, and it’s important to embrace modernity with a good, reliable public transportation system to ease traffic congestion.
Tucker suggested that the government could part-
ner with the private sector to overhaul the current transportation system in the country.
“There are different formats we can start with. Either put the mechanisms and incentives in place to allow the private sector to take the lead and bring back the big bus services, give priority lanes, and electric big buses would be a good start. If not, maybe the government, if they want to get involved, could implement something to specifically serve schoolchildren, elderly people, and public servants.”
Tucker proposed that a school badge or public service card could grant free access to these services for eligible citizens.
Meanwhile, Tucker shared his expectations regarding the income tax for vehicles in 2025, expressing
some skepticism.
“I can say that I have zero expectations at this point, because I’ve lobbied so hard over the last year,” he remarked.
“With the congestion of vehicles, I don’t foresee this being addressed in 2025. But ultimately, with the economy booming—especially in sectors like construction, agriculture, and business—it’s crucial that we start re-evaluating our vehicle framework.”
Tucker also shared his views on the classification of luxury vehicles, particularly four-door pickups, which he believes should not be categorized as luxury items.
“We need to reassess what’s considered a luxury vehicle. Four-door pickups, which are essential for many of the sectors I’ve mentioned, should not be listed as luxury vehicles. I
don’t believe they qualify as such,” he said.
“These vehicles can be flat-rated, and more people would opt for four-door pickups instead of two-door models. This would help reduce the number of accidents caused by cramped two-door pickups and ease congestion.”
He added, “By opting for one four-door pickup instead of two two-door vehicles, we would reduce congestion, improve traffic flow, and help people explore more of Guyana, which could also boost internal tourism.”
In February last year, Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill had remarked that the government is committed to improving the public transportation system. Tucker hopes that the details of such plans can be included in next year’s budget. (G2)
GPF beefs up security as Region 7 records spike in murder rates
Region seven (CuyuniMazaruni) has seen an increase in various crimes over the past year, including one additional murder, bringing the total to 10 for 2024.
However, police ranks are already implementing plans to reduce crime and improve security in the region ahead of 2025.
Commander of Region Seven Senior Superintendent Dion Moore explained this during the launch of the Regional Division Seven Christmas Policing Posture for 2024.
“Our statistics show that the number of murders in 2022, 2023, and 2024: in 2022, we had 15 murders; in 2023, we had 9; and in 2024, there was a slight increase to 10 murders,” Moore stated.
According to the superintendent, several other crimes have also increased, with a particular surge in illegal substances being especially concerning.
“In 2023, we seized 15,667 kg of narcotics, and in 2024, we seized more than double that amount, with 39,881 kg seized,” he said.
For cocaine, the police force recorded 19.3 grams in 2023, compared to 221.1 grams in 2024.
Meanwhile, 10 licensed firearms were confiscated in 2024.
“In 2023, we seized 22
firearms, and in 2024, we still managed to find 10 unlicensed firearms,” Moore stated, while showing the gathering an exact picture of one of the confiscated firearms.
He added, “As for ammunition, in 2023, we seized 143 rounds of various calibres, and in 2024, we seized 461 different calibres, which is a significant increase.”
Notably, 9mm and .223 rounds were the most prevalent ammunition seized.
There was also an increase in armed robberies. However, to combat this, there have been regular firearm operations and increased patrols.
With the Christmas season approaching and these concerns in mind, Moore revealed several tactics aimed at keeping crime levels as
low as possible in the region.
“We will implement roadblocks and patrols in the mining areas. The reason for these operations during this period is that many people may need to leave these areas and go home, while others may choose to vandalise or steal. We have established snap and deliberate roadblocks to address this,” Moore explained.
He also highlighted tactics in place for searches of vehicles and persons.
“We will increase daily searches of vessels, vehicles, and pedestrians, which make up the larger group coming into Region 7. We are maintaining collaborative relationships with the business community and other agencies, which is why we have our stakeholders on board.”
Timothy Tucker - former President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI)
Commander of Region Seven, Senior Superintendent Dion Moore
Local Content Secretariat
GMC’s Guyana Shop not among 1032 local suppliers registered
The Guyana Marketing Corporation’s Guyana Shop is notably absent from the list of 1,032 companies registered with and under the purview of the Local Content Secretariat (LCS), sparking concerns about the company’s compliance with Guyana’s local content regulations.
GMC’s status was confirmed on Monday by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha during a brief telephone interview with this publication.
The Local Content Act, a cornerstone of Guyana’s resource-driven economic policy, requires companies operating in sectors such as manufacturing, oil, gas, and mining to register with the LCS to ensure adherence to guidelines promoting the use of local labor, goods, and services.
The GMC has been a longstanding player in the local economy, contributing to employment and industri-
al output. However, critics are questioning how a prominent entity like GMC could remain unregistered, particularly given the Act’s focus on fostering local economic participation.
Mustapha, who weighed in on the topic explained that the matter was recently brought to his attention and is being rectified.
Further, when asked if GMC’s absence from the registry hinders the company’s ability to meet legal obligations stipulated in the Local Content Act, the minister reminded that a number of local products are currently on sale at the Guyana Shop, which is managed by the GMC.
“I told them because when I learned about it recently, I told them they will register on the local content…They have the Guyana Shop, and anybody who wants to buy those local products, they normally go to the Guyana Shop. Guyana Shop is at Robb Street, and it’s fully stocked. And then you have a number of processors who supply their trade in different parts of the country. And then you have a number of supermarkets that have Guyana Shop corner. So, it’s different areas you have these products selling,” Mustapha said.
Critics have argued that had the GMC been registered with the secretariat, it could have been securing markets for local products in the oil and gas sector, including on vessels operating offshore in Guyana’s waters.
The Local Content Act currently outlines 40 dif-
ferent service areas that oil and gas companies and their subcontractors must procure from Guyanese and Guyanese-owned companies.
These include 90 per cent of office space rental and accommodation services; 90 per cent of janitorial services, laundry and catering services; 95 per cent pest control services; 100 per cent local insurance services; 75 per cent local supply of food; and 90 per cent local accounting services.
President Dr Irfaan Ali had noted in April this year that there has been a 20 per cent increase in value through local participation from the level of Local Content Secretariat from 2022 to now, representing an increase of US$84 million and a total of US$524 million.
The Guyanese leader had also explained that for this year, the Secretariat estimates that procurement activities will increase to US$550 million, a 5 per cent
increase from 2023 and a 25 per cent increase from 2022.
Amendments
In December 2021, the National Assembly passed the Local Content Act, which mandates penalties such as fines ranging from $5 million to $50 million for oil and gas companies and their sub-contractors who fail to meet the minimum targets of the legislation, as well as those who are in breach of the Act.
Back in April, Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall, SC, assured that the Local Content Act could be put through revisions later this year to expand the carvedout areas of opportunity for
Guyanese, following consultations with relevant stakeholders and further data from the Local Content Secretariat.
A review of the sector’s performance was conducted earlier in the year by the relevant authorities and according to Nandlall, once a report is forthcoming and consultations completed, Government can go ahead with revising the Act. The AG added that the Act is based on an elastic, build as you go principle so that the legislation remains alive and responsive to changing needs in the industry.
(G1)
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha
Guyana Marketing Corporation
Corentyne farmer dies after being beaten by friend
ACorentyne, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) farmer died on Saturday, one day after being hit in the head by a friend with whom he was imbibing.
Dead is Amrith Persaud, 62, a farmer of Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne, Berbice.
The incident occurred after the two were involved in an altercation following a misunderstanding.
The incident between him and a friend occurred
on Friday afternoon at a supermarket at Bush Lot Village, Corentyne where the duo had been imbibing and Persaud passed away on Saturday evening in an ambulance while being transported to Georgetown for further medical attention.
His wife of fifteen years, Haida Ibrahim recounted that on Friday evening when she arrived home, her husband was already home and in bed.
She said he had difficul-
ty opening the door for her after getting up. However, he eventually got the door opened and went downstairs into the hammock.
“He lie down and saying ‘Ano knock am and he going fuh police’.”
The woman said she did not pay much attention to her husband not realizing the severity of the hit he had received. She said he thought he was under the influence of alcohol.
However, the following
morning before she left to go to the market to sell, she sent one of her grandchildren who lives nearby to stay in the house.
While at the market the child telephoned her and said that his uncle was unable to communicate.
“He tell me come quick like Uncle gon dead,” the woman related.
The woman said while she was making arrangements to get home, a family member went over and took
Persaud to the hospital.
“They say that he have to go to Georgetown to do a CT scan and I have to go with him,” she said she was told when she arrived at the hospital.
It was after 18:00h that they left the New Amsterdam Hospital for the city.
According to Ibrahim about five minutes into the journey, the doctor on board told the ambulance driver to stop and she saw them trying to resuscitate her husband and after a while, he told the driver to go back to the hospital and told her that Persaud did not make it.
Police subsequently arrested the suspect at Number
“Banking Made Easier” to be discussed at WTCG conference
The World Trade Centre Georgetown (WTCG) will convene a conference next Tuesday where key issues such international banking among others will be discussed.
Being hosted at the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre, themed ‘Banking Made Easier’ the conference will feature a robust panel comprising of several well-seasoned business officials.
Sponsored by Demerara Bank Limited (DBL), the WTCG said that the conference is being executed at a time of transformational developments in global business, technological advancements in banking operations, enhanced regulatory safeguards and the need for easier access to financing on the part of small and medium size enterprises.
Among those that will speak at the conference will be Senior Minister, Office of the President with responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh.
Other speakers include Robin van Puyenbroek, Executive Director-Business Development; World Trade Center’s Association and Co-Chair of the US EXIM Bank’s Advisory Council on Small Business, Governor of the Central Bank of Guyana, Dr Gobind Ganga, Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) Chairman, Komal Samaroo and Dowlat Parbhu, Chief Executive Officer, Demerara Bank Limited (DBL). The conference will also bring together industry leaders to discuss actionable strategies and cutting-edge technologies shaping the future of banking in Guyana and its relationship to the global banking sector.
Among the menu of issues on the agenda are: access to trade and business financing, banking regulations & anti-money laundering landscape in Guyana, correspondent banking, banking instruments for Diaspora communities, enhancements in international payment systems and money transfers.
70 Village.
According to Regional Commander Senior Superintendent Shivpersaud Bacchus the police will have to await the results of an autopsy before proceeding. (G4) Dead: Amrith Persaud
Wage increases for sugar workers as GAWU, GuySuCo negotiation underway
Sugar Estate workers from across the country will soon benefit from improved wages among other benefits. These perks for sugar workers were revealed by President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) Seepaul Narine, who highlighted that the union and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) are currently locked in negotiation regarding improved wages and benefits for sugar workers.
In an interview with Guyana Times on Monday Narine disclosed that consultations are already underway with GuySuCo on the issue of improved wages and benefits for sugar workers.
“Certainly, they are likely to get an increase this year too. So, like everybody else, they will also enjoy. We are currently in negotiations with the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) so obvious -
“Whatever is being paid, it's paid at the prescribed rate, what is agreed to and that is prevailing at all the estates. An incentive rate that is added and it goes all the way up to more than double depending on the output, and then there is also, there's also other things that they get paid for as well.”
Moreover, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has injected over $17 billion into the sugar industry and currently supporting close to 8000 workers.
Between 2016 and 2017, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) regime closed several es -
ly that process is going to have an increase.”
Whist, he did not disclose what percentage increase the union is currently lobbying for, Narine reaffirmed its commitment towards ensuring sugar workers receive proper wages. In fact, he revealed that under the PPP/C administration, sugar estate workers benefited from increased wages annually. He asserted that this was something the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) coalition failed to do within their full term in office.
“From 2020 they have had increases every year, every year. From 2015 to 2019 there have not been any increases under the previous government.”
Moreover, Narine highlighted that through the union’s work and government initiatives sugar estate workers receive additional financial benefits apart from their salaries.
The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers' Union (GAWU) is the largest trade union in Guyana. It was founded in 1946 as the Guiana Industrial Workers' Union. After failing in the 1950s it was reformed as the Guyana Sugar Workers' Union in 1961 but changed its name to Guyana Agricultural Workers' Union in 1962 before becoming the GAWU later that decade.
The union was established to represent workers' interests with a view to ensure their rights and benefits are respected and to also engage employers in collective bargaining to improve wages, benefits and conditions of work.
Meanwhile, earlier this year President Irfaan Ali had signalled that the government is working to find the right formula to improve wages for sugar workers while enhancing their skills.
tates across Guyana – an action that displaced more than 7000 sugar workers, who were not only without jobs but who had no means to support their families and contribute to their village as well as the national economy.
However, since assuming office in August 2020, the PPP/C Government has undertaken a slew of measures to revive the sugar sector and rehired hundreds of those dismissed workers.
The PPP/C had promised in its manifesto to revive sugar and reopen these estates. However, after the assets at Wales Estate were sold out by the APNU/AFC regime, the Government announced plans to establish a Development Authority, where several major industrial operations would be undertaken. Similarly, the Enmore Sugar Estate is also being transformed into an industrial area.
GAWU President Seepaul Narine
Kingston Wharf temporarily closed to ease traffic during Indian PM’s visit – MARAD
The Maritime Administration Department
(MARAD) has announced the temporary closure of the Kingston Wharf Facility at Battery Road, Georgetown from Monday, November 18, 2024, to midnight on Thursday, November 21, 2024, to accommodate the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Guyana.
According to MARAD, the closure is necessary to facilitate the seamless movements of the Indian delegation, ensuring the safety of all involved.
“We don’t want any traffic in or around that facility that will be close to where
majority of the operations will be happening during the visit," a MARAD official stated.
While the closure is expected to cause temporary disruption for port users, authorities have assured stakeholders that efforts are being made to minimize the impact. Businesses relying on the Kingston Wharf have been advised to make alternative arrangements for the period.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Georgetown coincides with his travel to neighbouring Brazil, where he attends the G20 Summit, which was held from November 18-19 in Rio.
This visit, marking a significant step in strengthening bilateral ties between Guyana and India, has prompted heightened security measures and logistical preparations.
Prime Minister Modi’s itinerary includes meetings with President Dr Irfaan Ali and his Cabinet; Caricom’s Summit; address to Guyana’s National Assembly among a packed itinerary.
The visit by the Indian Leader comes on the heels of several high-level visits by senior officials of the Guyana Government in recent years including President Dr Irfaan Ali, Vice President Dr Bharrat
In January 2023, President Ali was conferred with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) in Indore, Mahdya Pradesh. He was bestowed with the 17th PBSA award – highest honour conferred on overseas Indians – by Indian President Droupadi Murmu during the valedictory session of the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention.
During that visit, President Ali had met with PM Modi during which the two leaders held comprehensive discussions on a wide range of issues including cooperation in energy, infrastructure development, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, technology and innovation, and defence cooperation.
CDC visiting affected Abary residents following sluice door failure
Following the failure of a door at the Abary sluice in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) Guyana’s leading disaster management organisation, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) over the weekend visited the area.
The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) team which was led by Director General of the CDC, Col. Nazrul Hussain assessed the circumstances and provided support for those affected by the inundation. Some of the items distrib-
Some of the cleaning supplies distributed to residents
uted to affected residents included food and janitorial hampers, these items were distributed by personnel from the Regional Democratic Council (RDC).
Additionally, the commission support-
ed Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha as he interacted with farmers in the area. The Minister indicated that the National Agricultural Research and Extension institute (NAREI) will be on the
ground to aid farmers throughout the ordeal as well.
Moreover, the Health Ministry will also establish temporary clinics to render any medical assistance as is required.
On Friday last spring tide swept aside the Abary sluice door in West Berbice causing several homes to flood. Following the failure of the sluice door stop logs were placed after the tide receded to prevent further flooding. Mustapha during a visit to the area told residents who were affected by flooding that an assessment will be done to determine the extent of the damages. He also highlighted that agricultural inputs and planting materials will be distributed to affected farmers free of cost.
Jagdeo and Prime Minister Mark Phillips along with a host of Cabinet Ministers.
President Dr Irfaan Ali with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2023
Director General of the CDC, Col Nazrul Hussain, and officials inspecting the sluice door
Iwokrama, North Rupununi communities sign communique to combat illegal mining
The Iwokrama International Centre and North Rupununi Indigenous communities have renewed their commitment to the collaborative management of the Iwokrama Forest. This partnership, represented by the North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB), was solidified through the signing of a Collaborative Management Agreement (CMA) and a Joint Communique targeting illegal gold mining activities in the region.
The CMA provides a framework for sustainable and equitable management of the Iwokrama Forest, an internationally certified protected area known for its rich biodiversity. The agreement
underscores a shared dedication to conservation, sustainable use, and the protection of the forest for future generations.
the Siparuni area, remains a persistent challenge. The Joint Communique, signed by Iwokrama and the leaders of the 21 North Rupununi communities, strongly condemns these activities. According to Chair of the NRDDB, Mike Williams the practice involves some local community members and individuals from Guyana, Venezuela, and Brazil, posing threats to the environment and livelihoods. The renewed collaboration outlined five key measures to address illegal mining: Condemn Illegal Activities – A unified stance against illegal mining operations in the Iwokrama Forest; Community Awareness – educating residents about the illegality of gold mining and
In a release on Monday, Iwokrama said that illegal gold mining, particularly in
the repercussions of supplying materials to such operations; Enhanced Monitoring -
a comprehensive programme for communication, reporting, and surveillance to identify and curb suspicious activities; Government Support – Continued partnership with the Government of Guyana to eliminate these activities, supported by arrests and equipment seizures during recent enforcement operations and public Reminder –highlighting the importance of the Iwokrama Forest to local livelihoods and Guyana’s reputation for biodiversity conservation.
The release on Monday
also reminded that Under the Iwokrama Act, no mining, forestry, or resource utilisation can occur without express written permission from the Centre. A one-kilometre buffer zone along the Siparuni River further safeguards the forest. Efforts to access other areas through the forest are strictly prohibited, with violators facing stiff penalties.
The Iwokrama Centre, it noted, recognises the crucial role of collaboration in addressing these challenges. Support from agencies such as the Natural
Resources Ministry, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Protected Areas Commission (PAC), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been instrumental.
The Centre’s monitoring team, in partnership with regulatory institutions and the NRDDB, will intensify enforcement activities, ensuring the protection of the forest and adherence to Guyana’s environmental laws.
NRDDB Executive-Toshao Micah Davis and Chair Michael Williams signing the CMA (Iwokrama-issued photo)
Mining damage in the Iwokrama Forest
Iwokrama CEO Dane Gobin and NRDDB Chair Mike Williams, and some Village Leaders shaking hands on signing of the CMA and Joint Communique (Iwokrama-issued photo)
New Amsterdam woman
‘Miss Irene’ celebrates 100th birthday
Irene Douglas D’Souza-Plass-Ferdinand
She was born 100 years ago, on November 18, 1924. On Monday ‘Miss Irene’ as she is popularly known as, became a centenarian.
As a child, she was Irene Douglas D’Souza but became Irene Douglas D’Souza-Plass when she got married to her first husband. That marriage bore one child.
Miss Irene subsequently married a second time but much was not said about her first marriage to her children as she became Irene Douglas D’Souza-Plass-Ferdinand.
The union with Ferdinand, a security guard and coconut vendor who is referred to as being a popular character in New Amsterdam, yielded two
children.
Her second husband passed away in 1976 at age 48. Since then, Miss Irene continued to make a living as a domestic worker to raise her children. One of her three has since passed. Her eldest child Elizabeth Sinclair told Guyana Times that her mother grew up at Vryheid, which in those days would have been considered on the outskirts of New Amsterdam. She attended Roman Catholic Girls School which is today known as St Therese’s Primary. She was a Catholic then but later in her life became a SeventhDay Adventist. However, she is not an ardent church-
goer now because of her failing health.
About one decade ago Miss Irene was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease which has affected not only her memory but other functions of her body. Miss Irene is visually impaired and also suffers from a severe hearing impediment. Sinclair said there is only one family member, who understands her when she tries to communicate and most times it is to indicate what she needs.
Her children including her 63-year-old son were with her to celebrate the milestone. She has 12 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and 17 great-great-grandchildren. (G4)
Burglars break Britain's Royal Windsor Castle, steal vehicles
Burglars broke into the grounds of Britain's royal Windsor Castle in October and stole two vehicles, it has emerged.
The estate is the primary residence of Prince William, Princess Kate and their family.
In a statement to NBC News on Monday, Thames Valley Police said it received a report of a burglary "at a property on Crown Estate land" at around 11.45pm on Sunday 13 October.
The offenders entered a farm building and "made off with a black Izuzu pickup and a red quad bike" before heading toward a nearby town, police said.
“No arrests have been made at this stage and an investigation is ongoing,” the statement added.
The Sun newspaper first reported the news of the burglary on Sunday.
William, Kate and their three children live at nearby Adelaide Cottage in Windsor, a few miles from where the incident took place. King Charles III and Queen Camilla's primary residence is Clarence House in London, close to the monarch's official residence of Buckingham Palace.
Neither Buckingham Palace or Kensington Palace immediately responded to a request for comment from NBC News.
"As parents of young children, the prince and princess want to ensure that the place they’re living in is as secure as possible, and I’m pretty sure that is the case," said NBC News
royal contributor Emily Nash.
"But it’s obviously concerning when anything like this happens, particularly in an area that you’d expect to be very secure," she said. This is not the first security breach in Windsor in recent years.
On Christmas Day in 2021, a man armed with a crossbow climbed a fence at Windsor Castle, and claimed he wanted to kill Queen Elizabeth II who was staying at the castle at the time.
The man was handed a nine-year prison sentence for treason, possession of an offensive weapon, and making threats to kill.
"Places like this will always be a target," added Nash. (NBC News)
A general view of the grounds of Windsor Castle in 2020 (Chris Jackson/Getty Images file)
Bureau of Statistics conducting labour force survey
The Bureau of Statistics has recommenced the Guyana Labour Force Survey (GLFS), a quarterly household survey which provides key insights into the country’s labour market, including employment, unemployment and underemployment.
This sample survey is conducted in all regions of Guyana, among persons 15 years old and over, regardless of employment status. Areas covered in the survey include Household composition and demographic characteristics, internal migration, education, vocational and professional training, job search and availability to work, income from main job/ business and hours of work.
Enumerators equipped with an official badge from the Bureau of Statistics as well as a Tablet computer, will visit the households to record the data using Questionnaires found on that tablet computer.
There are two types of questionnaires which will be used: Household and Individual. The Household Questionnaire will be administered to one person to capture data at the house-
hold level, while the individual questionnaire will be administered to each individual 15 years and older within the household. Each individual’s interview will last approximately 20-30 minutes.
The Household questionnaire applies to all persons regardless of their age and questions include: “In which country were you born?”, “How many years have you been residing in Guyana on a continuous basis?”, “What is the highest level of education that you have attained?”, and “Are you now enrolled in a school or in an educational institution?”
Questions each individual 15 years or older will be asked include: “In the last 7 days, did you do any work for a wage, salary, tips or any other pay even if only for one hour?”, “What steps did you mainly take to seek work in the last 30 days?”, and “If an opportunity to work for pay or to start a business became available, could you have started or start working?”
This survey will provide national-level labour force indicators which will be used by the Government to
identify the challenges that Guyana faces in the area of employment promotion and to develop, manage, and evaluate labour market policies and programmes which support economic growth, training opportunities and job creation.
The Bureau of Statistics is urging all selected households to participate, as their input is crucial to developing a comprehensive understanding of labour trends and challenges. Please cooperate with our Enumerators and answer every question truthfully and to the best of their ability.
“We also take this opportunity to remind the public that Staff of the Bureau of Statistics are bound by the Statistics Act, to ensure the confidentiality of all information collected and severe penalties are in place for breaches of confidentiality. NO information which identifies you, your household or your individual responses will be made public or provided to any other agency. All data collected and analysed will be provided to the public in aggregated/summarised format,” the Bureau said in a release on Monday.
Digicel Guyana launches “10 Millionaires for Christmas” campaign
This Christmas, Digicel Guyana is spreading joy and prosperity with its extraordinary "10 Millionaires for Christmas" promotion, a five-week customer appreciation initiative set to create ten new millionaires.
Starting November 18, customers across the country can enter for a chance to win $1 million simply by topping up their phones.
In a release on Monday, Digicel said that every $1,000 spent unlocks an entry into the weekly draws, allowing participants to increase their
chances of winning by topping up multiple times. With two winners announced every Monday from November 25th through December 23rd, the campaign promises to brighten the holidays for ten lucky individuals.
CEO of Digicel Guyana, Deonarine Gopaul, shared the company’s inspiration behind the campaign, “At Digicel, we've seen how our previous promotions have transformed lives, enabling business ventures, home ownership, and educational opportunities. With ‘10 Millionaires for Christmas,’
we’re continuing this tradition of making a meaningful impact in the lives of our customers. This is our way of giving back to the Guyanese community who have supported us throughout the years.”
According to Digel, customers will be able to participate by topping up: every $1,000 spent earns one entry; check entries: customers can text "WIN" to 1441 to track their entries; topup locations: Digicel outlets, authorised dealers, and the MyDigicel App. The competition ends on December 23.
T&T father shot dead while sleeping next to baby boy, wife
Atwo-month-old baby narrowly escaped death when gunmen killed his father, who was sleeping next to him and his mother in Marabella yesterday morning.
Police said Mark Phillip Heeralal, 24, of Sum Sum Hill, Claxton Bay had gone to his mother’s home at Bayshore West on Friday. He stayed in an unfinished concrete and wooden structure where he previously resided. Investigators said
the family retired for the night around 11.30 pm on Saturday. Around 12.05 am Sunday, Heeralal’s wife was jolted awake by what she initially thought were firecrackers.
To her horror, she discovered Heeralal motionless on the bed, bleeding from a gunshot wound to his head. She immediately raised an alarm, and relatives called the E999 hotline. Officers on mobile patrol responded. Meanwhile, police are also investigating the mur-
der of a Penal man in a separate incident. Officers said 22-year-old Deshawn Thompson of Penal Rock Road was standing with another person along the SS Erin Road, near Xora Bar and Lounge, around 3 am when a silver Nissan Tiida pulled up. A gunman came out of the car and opened fire on Thompson.
He was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. —Kevon Felmine.
(T&T Guardian)
Lula launches alliance to combat world hunger as Brazil hosts G20
The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has opened the G20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro with the launch of an alliance to combat hunger, which he described as the “ultimate symbol of our collective tragedy”.
Brazil holds the rotating presidency of the group and is hosting the meeting this Monday and Tuesday, attended by all but two –Russia and Saudi Arabia – of the 19 member countries.
In his speech, Lula recalled attending the first G20 meeting in the US in 2008: “Sixteen years later, I regret to say that the world is worse,” he said.
n a litany of the world’s current troubles, the leftwing leader included the highest number of armed
conflicts since the second world war, the largest recorded displacement of people, extreme weather phenomena, and deepening social, racial and gender inequalities.
But Lula said the “scourge that shames humanity” was hunger and poverty, with 733 million undernourished people worldwide, according to figures from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization.
In a world that produces nearly 6bn tonnes of food every year, this is unacceptable,” he said, addressing leaders including Joe Biden, China’s Xi Jinping, the UK’s Keir Starmer and France’s Emmanuel Macron.
“It is the task of those gathered around this table to address this shame-
ful scourge that dishonours humanity. For this reason, we have made the launch of a Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty the central goal of Brazil’s G20 presidency,” said Lula.
Eighty-one countries have backed the plan, but initially it seemed that only 18 of the 19 G20 members had signed up. Argentina, whose far-right president, Javier Milei, has previously described Lula as a communist, did not initially back the plan but later came around after negotiations.
Earlier, Lula had welcomed all the leaders at the Museum of Modern Art, where the summit is being held. It was the first time Lula and Milei had met face to face, and the coldness of their handshake drew attention. (The Guardian)
Hundreds of Honduran villages cut off by torrential rain
Torrential rain caused by Tropical Storm
Sara has cut off more than 1,700 communities in Honduras.
The slow-moving storm caused widespread flooding across the Central American nation.
So far, Honduran officials have confirmed only one death but said that more than 110,000 people had been affected by the storm.
Forecasters say Sara is likely to further weaken on Monday as it moves over the southern Mexican state of Quintana Roo.
Sara formed in the Caribbean Sea on Thursday.
The tropical storm was extremely slow moving, dumping huge amounts of rain on northern Honduras for four days running before moving north to Belize and Mexico.
Some areas saw 500mm (19.7 inches) of rain fall causing rivers to swell.
Nine bridges were destroyed by fast flowing waters and another 19 damaged, Honduran emergency services said.
Several highways also became impassable following landslides.
Honduran President Xiomara Castro had
warned citizens living near rivers as early as Thursday to take shelter elsewhere and thousands heeded her call.
More than 2,500 homes were damaged and more than 200 destroyed, officials said.
Sara is the 18th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season and the third this month. (BBC)
Venezuela
Eleven people have been arrested as part of an investigation into an explosion and fire at a major gas complex last week, Venezuela's vice-president and oil minister Delcy Rodriguez said on Monday.
The Muscar gas complex in the country's eastern Monagas region, operated by state oil company PDVSA, was temporarily shutdown after a pipeline explosion caused a fire, injuring at least five workers and forcing tougher power rationing in some places.
Several foreigners con-
gas complex,
minister says
nected to the case have fled the country, Rodriguez said, adding PDVSA had suffered $157 million in impact, though it was unclear if that figure corresponded only to the Muscar incident or to others as well.
Muscar distributes gas for reinjection to oilfields and domestic supply.
Rodriguez, who appeared with Hector Obregon, the head of PDVSA, and the company's head of security, said at least three other attacks had taken place or were attempted against PDVSA facilities this month.
The government in Venezuela, whose President Nicolas Maduro is expected to begin a third term next year after a fierce dispute with the opposition over which side won a July presidential election, has said repeatedly that sabotage and terrorism are behind incidents at oil and power facilities, including a nationwide August black out.
Maduro has often held his political rivals responsible for "attacks" on the power grid without offering evidence, accusations the opposition has always denied. (Reuters)
Paraguay President Pena hospitalised in Brazil while attending G20 11 people arrested after explosion, fire at
Pde Janeiro, his office said, citing an "indisposition" being treated at the city's Samaritano hospital. In a separate post on so-
cial media, Vice President Pedro Alliana said he had spoken with Pena after a "slight indisposition."
"He is doing well and awaiting the results of his medical exams," Alliana said.
The hospital did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for more information.
Pena, a 46-year-old economist from the South American nation's conservative Colorado party who took office in August last year, had been attending the global leaders' summit in neighboring Brazil. (Reuters)
UN to resume Haiti aid flights after planes hit by gunfire
The United Nations Humanitarian Air Service will restart flights within Haiti on Wednesday after around a week's hiatus and resolving regulatory issues, according to a statement from the U.N. World Food Programme, which manages the service.
The U.N. paused flights to Haiti's capital last Tuesday, a day after gangs struck three commercial planes with gunfire, prompting the U.S. aviation regulator to ban U.S. airlines from flying to the conflict-ravaged Caribbean nation for 30 days.
"UNHAS provides passenger and light cargo transport in Haiti for the entire humanitarian community, including local and international NGOs," WFP said in a statement, adding that the suspension had
not affected food supplies.
Haiti's government helicopter also resumed services on Monday, transporting three new government ministers following a cabinet shakeup last week that saw the prime minister ousted and many of his top ministers replaced.
Even as the flights restarted, armed violence continued in parts of the capital Port-au-Prince such as Lower Delmas.
The majority of Port-auPrince is under the control of armed gangs who have been making gains in recent weeks while a long-delayed partially deployed U.N.-backed mission to reclaim territories and ensure aid deliveries continues to stall.
"The isolation of Portau-Prince is amplifying an already dire humanitarian situation," the IOM Haiti chief Gregoire Goodstein said in a statement, adding that only 20% of the capital was accessible to humanitarian workers.
"Our ability to deliver aid is stretched to its limits. Without immediate international support, the suffering will worsen exponentially," he said.
UNICEF Haiti chief Geeta Narayan said over half of the 20,000 displaced were children, who were facing the "compounded impacts of malnutrition, cholera outbreaks, severe psychological distress, and all too often, tragic loss of life." (Reuters)
On Sunday, U.N. migration agency IOM estimated more than 20,000 people were displaced across the capital in just four days, marking the largest mass displacement in over a year.
Strong currents in the Bermejo river washed away a bridge in San Pedro Sula (Reuters photo)
Paraguayan President Santiago Pena
araguayan President Santiago Pena was hospitalized on Monday while attending the G20 summit in Brazil's Rio
Around the World
Oil prices ease, but caution prevails over Russia-Ukraine war
ORussia vows 'tangible' response if US missiles are used against its territory
Russia says the use of US long-range missiles by Ukraine will lead to "an appropriate and tangible" response.
Such an attack inside Russian territory "would represent the direct involvement of the United States and its satellites in hostilities against Russia", a foreign ministry statement said.
il prices retreated on Tuesday after the previous day's rally driven by halted production at Norway's Johan Sverdrup oilfield, but investors remained cautious amid fears of a potential escalation in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Brent crude futures for January delivery slipped 7 cents, or 0.1%, to $73.37 a barrel by 0119 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures for December delivery were at $69.23 a barrel, down 7 cents, or 0.1%. The more active WTI January contract fell 4 cents, or 0.1%, to $69.21. Both benchmarks climbed more than $2 a barrel on Monday.
"Some position adjustments kicked in after Monday's rally," said Toshitaka Tazawa, an analyst at Fujitomi Securities.
"But investors stayed wary, assessing the direction of the Russia-Ukraine war after the weekend's escalation," he said.
Russia unleashed its largest airstrike on Ukraine in almost three months on Sunday, causing severe damage to the country's power system. In a significant reversal of Washington's policy, President Joe Biden's administration allowed Ukraine to use U.S.-made weapons to strike deep into Russia, two U.S. officials and a source familiar with the decision said on Sunday.
The Kremlin said on Monday that Russia would respond to what it called a reckless decision by the Biden administration, having previously warned that such a decision would raise the risk of a confrontation with the U.S.-led NATO alliance. (Reuters)
Trump confirms he would utilise US military to conduct mass deportations
Donald Trump said on Monday that his administration would declare a national emergency and use the US military to carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.
In an early morning social media post, Trump responded “TRUE!!!” to a post by Tom Fitton, the president of the conservative group Judicial Watch, who wrote on 8 November that the next administration “will use military assets to reverse the Biden invasion through a mass deportation program”.
Since his decisive victory, Trump has said he intends to make good on his campaign promise to execute mass deportations, beginning on the first day of his presidency. But many aspects of what he has described as the “largest deportation program in American history” remain unclear.
Trump has previously suggested he would rely on wartime powers, military troops and sympathetic state and local leaders. Such a sprawling campaign – and the use of military personnel to carry it out –is almost certain to draw legal challenges and pushback from Democratic leaders, some of whom have already said they would refuse to cooperate with Trump’s deportation agenda. Through personnel announcements, the president-elect has put together a team of loyal-
ists and hardliners to implement a second-term immigration crackdown.
Tom Homan, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in his first administration, was named “border czar” with a wide-ranging remit. In a short social media post announcing the position, Trump said Homan would be “in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin”.
Also returning for a second term is Stephen Miller, a chief defender of the last administration’s most controversial immigration policies, including the use of family separation as a means of deterrence. Miller was named White House deputy chief of staff for policy and a homeland security adviser, giving him far-reaching influence over immigration policy.
(Excerpted from the Guardian)
President Joe Biden approved the use of the missiles on targets in Russia in a major change of US policy - two months before he is due to leave the White House.
It is not clear if his successor, President-elect Donald Trump, was consulted or whether he will
stick by the decision, having promised to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
Ukraine has had US ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) with a range of 300km (190 miles)
- as well as French and British Storm Shadow missiles of a similar rangebut the Western allies had barred Kyiv from hitting Russia with them.
Biden's decision to lift
that condition is a significant moment in the war, which marks its 1,000th day on Tuesday.
Russia launched a fullscale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Moscow has now intensified attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure as the sides appear to have reached a stalemate on the battlefield.
The US decision also follows the arrival in Russia's Kursk regionwhere Ukrainian forces captured and are holding onto a small piece of territory - of more than 10,000 troops from North Korea to help President Vladimir Putin's forces. (Excerpted from BBC)
Gaza ministry says 20 killed in anti-‘gang’ operation after looting of aid convoy
Gaza’s Hamas-run in-
terior ministry has said that at least 20 people have been killed in an operation targeting “gangs” accused of looting trucks bringing aid into the war-torn territory which is facing the threat of famine.
Gunmen attacked and looted about 100 trucks carrying desperately needed supplies over the weekend, the biggest such attack during 13 months of war in the territory and new evidence of the growing power of Gaza’s criminal gangs.
In a statement late on
Monday, the Gaza interior ministry said that more than 20 people had been killed “in a security operation carried out by security forces in cooperation with tribal committees”.
The statement said that thefts had “severely affected society and led to signs of famine in southern Gaza”, and warned that the operation was the start of a broader campaign to tackle the problem.
An interior ministry source told AFP the 20 were killed in connection with the looting on Saturday of a con-
Almost 100 Gaza food
aid lorries violently looted, UN agency
Aconvoy of 109 UN aid lorries carrying food was violently looted in Gaza on Saturday, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) says.
Ninety-seven of the lorries were lost and their drivers were forced at gunpoint to unload their aid after passing through the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing with southern Gaza, in what is believed to have been one of the worst incidents of its kind.
Eyewitnesses said the convoy was attacked by masked men who threw grenades.
Unrwa commissioner general Philippe Lazzarini did not identify the perpetrators, but he said the “total breakdown of civil order” in Gaza meant it had “become an impossible environment to operate in”.
Without immediate intervention, severe food shortages are set to worsen for the two million people depending on humanitarian aid to survive, according to Unrwa.
says
A UN-backed assessment warned earlier this month that there was “strong likelihood that famine is imminent in areas within the northern Gaza Strip”.
It came after Israeli forces launched a major ground offensive in the north and the UN said fewer aid lorries had entered Gaza last month than at any time since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in October 2023.
Saturday’s looting was first reported by Reuters news agency, which cited an Unrwa official in Gaza as saying that the convoy was instructed by Israeli authorities to "depart at short notice via an unfamiliar route" from Kerem Shalom.
Gaza's Hamas-run interior ministry said its security staff killed "more than 20 members of gangs involved in stealing aid trucks" in an operation carried out in cooperation with "tribal committees", a network of traditional family clans. (BBC)
voy which was transporting thousands of tonnes of food provided by the UN agencies Unrwa and the World Food Programme (WFP). It was attacked shortly after entering Gaza on Saturday, UN officials and local community leaders said.
Ninety-eight trucks of the 109-truck convoy were
looted and some transporters were injured during the incident, said Louise Wateridge, Unrwa’s senior emergency officer. The incident “highlights the severity of access challenges of bringing aid into southern and central Gaza”, she told Reuters. (Excerpted from The Guardian)
Canada reportedly foils Iranian plot to kill former Justice Minister Irwin Cotler
Canada reportedly foils Iranian plot to kill former justice minister Irwin Cotler Tehran alleged to have targeted retired politician, 84, who is also human rights activist and critic of Iran
Canadian authorities foiled an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate a former justice minister and rights activist who has been a strong critic of Tehran, the Globe and Mail newspaper has reported.
The 84-year-old was justice minister and attorney general from 2003 to 2006. He retired from politics in 2015 but has remained active with many associations that campaign for human rights around the world.
According to the Globe and Mail, he was informed last month that he faced an imminent threat – within 48 hours – of assassination from Iranian agents.
Authorities tracked two suspects in the plot, the paper said, citing unnamed sources.
In an email to AFP, the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, where Cotler is international chair, con-
firmed the Globe and Mail report.
Cotler “has no knowledge or details regarding any arrests made”, said Brandon Golfman, an organization spokesman.
“We cannot comment on, nor confirm specific RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) operations due to security reasons,” a spokesperson for Dominic LeBlanc, the public safety minister, told AFP.
Jean-Yves Duclos, the government’s senior minister in Quebec province, where Cotler lives, commented that it was likely “very difficult for (Cotler), in particular, and his family and friends to hear” about the alleged plot.
Another senior government minister, FrancoisPhilippe Champagne, called the plot “very concerning.” Cotler had already been receiving police protection for more than a year after the 7 October 2023 attack in Israel by Hamas. He is Jewish and has advocated globally to have Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps listed as a terrorist entity. (The Guardian)
The US has approved the use of ATACMS missiles against targets inside Russia (file photo)
President-elect Donald Trump
Explore places nearby that offer something of interest. Communicate with your peers, and the information you receive will provide insight. Set a budget before you venture into something that has hidden costs.
Take pride in what you do. Replace whatever you don’t like with something you do. Take control of your happiness and choose the path that allows you to be yourself.
It’s up to you to create opportunities. Pay attention to personal expenses and cut some corners. Discipline applied to spending, lifestyle and fitness will pay off.
Daydreaming will spark your imagination, but following through will take you where you want to go. Don’t hesitate; control your actions and press forward with enthusiasm and charisma.
A temptation to share sensitive information will surface. Think twice before you cross a line. Keep the peace at all costs and choose intelligence and compassion over anger and pressure.
Host an event, open your doors and help someone who needs direction or comfort. Don’t let uncertainty stand between you and something you desire. Do your research, and you’ll figure out the best way forward.
Listen, absorb and observe how others react, and you’ll know how to handle situations to ensure you get what you want. Refuse to let an emotional dispute disrupt you at home or work. Maintain your equilibrium.
Hold on to what you’ve got. Live in the moment, use your attributes to achieve your goals and trust in your ability to handle matters yourself. Stretch your imagination, and you will be satisfied with the results.
Express yourself openly. Share your vision, but be willing to listen to the input you receive. Ultimately, you must do what’s best for you and allow others the same privilege.
Concentrate on being your best, and others will take notice. Use your attributes to dazzle someone you want to work with or are interested in getting to know better.
Avoid letting anyone push emotional buttons that set you off. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Be intelligent, mindful of others and ready to work.
Recognize what’s real and what’s fake. Change is in your best interest. If you don’t like what’s happening around you, remove yourself from the situation. Love yourself.
AUSTRALIA IN CLEAN SWEEP OF T20I SERIES
– As Zampa, Stoinis trounce Pakistan
Australia signed off their T20I series against Pakistan as they played the rest of it: with a decisive seven-wicket win that also sealed the series 3-0.
rings around Pakistan after the powerplay, his 2-11 in four overs being the catalyst for their collapse.
Babar Azam -- who topscored with 41 off 28 -- had led Pakistan to a good position in the first six overs; having the visitors sit relatively pretty at 58 for 1; but Marcus Stoinis put any jeopardy out of the contest in the chase when he smashed Haris Rauf for 22 in an over. His 27ball 61 meant Australia got to the target with almost nine overs to spare, after Pakistan had made a respectable start in their attempt to defend a
game. Sahibzada Farhan fell early, but what Pakistan were trying to do was obvious: take advantage of the powerplay. Even Babar, usually a slow starter, found the boundary off the first ball, and carried on in
Babar's entertaining knock in his third over by adjusting the flight of his delivery as he saw the batter running down the wicket, and that cleaned up his stumps.
Even when he wasn't taking wickets, Zampa was piling on the pressure at the other end. Pakistan's stand-in captain, Salman Ali Agha, played
fourth delivery, triggering a Pakistan collapse.
us" got Haris's number.
Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matthew Short fell early, and Jahandad Khan's variations had made life tricky for Australia in the powerplay; but, as Stoinis later guaranteed, the visitors were merely delaying the in-
Pakistan's bright start Pakistan came out with clear intent, after having shown precious little of it when trying to chase Australia down in the previous
that vein. Haseebullah Khan was riding his luck somewhat, with his edges finding the boundary; but that, too, was a product of flashing hard. The upshot was that Pakistan raced to 58 -- their highest powerplay score in an innings against Australia.
Zampa's sorcery Zampa's impeccable control and skill makes him little short of a sorcerer in this format of cricket. For Pakistan, today he was also their torturer - toying with batters at will as he varied pace, line, and variations; keeping batters second-guessing all the time. Taking just five balls to make Haseebullah's luck run out -- the flash outside off stump finding short third -- he ended
five dot balls against him before he was put out of his misery by Aaron Hardie in the following over; and figures of 4-0-11-2 didn't remotely flatter Zampa.
Pakistan's balance
It's difficult to expect batters to play high-risk cricket when there simply aren’t enough batters. Pakistan had clearly briefed the team that aggression was expected from the outset, even from players to whom it doesn't come naturally. Usman Khan tends to take a few balls before being able to launch, but he came out from ball one looking to slog, even when the shot was never on. It never looked sustainable, as was demonstrated when he holed out off the
Every fall of wicket was made all the more concerning for the visitors, because of the extreme length of their tail. They effectively ran out of batters when the fifth wicket fell, and Abbas Afridi had to come out at #7. It proved a problem for them in the second game, too, and remains an issue they need to find a way to resolve.
Australia finally overcome Haris
A running theme in this series is Haris Rauf coming out and dominating whichever Australian batter he finds at the other end. This has been especially true of Glenn Maxwell, but Stoinis said post-match he had told Haris this was the only time "one of
Pakistan (20 ovs maximum)
Sahibzada Farhan c Bartlett
b Johnson 9
Babar Azam
b Zampa 41
Haseebullah Khan † c Short
b Zampa 24
Usman Khan c Ellis
b Hardie 3
Salman Agha (c) lbw
b Hardie 1
Irfan Khan run out (Johnson) 10
Abbas Afridi c Short
b Hardie 1
Jahandad Khan c Stoinis
b Ellis 5 Shaheen Shah Afridi c †Inglis
b Bartlett 16
Haris Rauf not out 0 Sufiyan Muqeem
b Johnson 1
Extras (lb 1, nb 1, w 4) 6
Total 18.1 Ov (RR: 6.44) 117
And Stoinis did so in enthralling fashion. At the end of the eighth over, Australia were 57 for 2, but Pakistan still believed they had time to insert jeopardy into the game. The ninth over saw Stoinis clobber Haris for two fours and two sixes off the first four balls, with the final six flying totally out of the Bellerive Oval. It began a passage of play that saw Stoinis plunder 45 off his next 12 deliveries, including a 25-run over off Shaheen Afridi.
The following over, Abbas had Stoinis caught at deep square leg, but Abbas had overstepped. Sixty-one runs came off the final 21 balls to draw curtains to the match and the series.(ESPNCricInfo)
Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Sahibzada Farhan, 1.4 ov), 2-61 (Haseebullah Khan, 6.5 ov), 3-64 (Usman Khan, 7.3 ov), 4-70 (Salman Agha, 9.4 ov), 5-91 (Babar Azam, 12.3 ov), 6-92 (Irfan Khan, 13.1 ov), 7-92 (Abbas Afridi, 13.5 ov), 8-116 (Shaheen Shah Afridi, 16.5 ov), 9-116 (Jahandad Khan, 17.3 ov), 10117 (Sufiyan Muqeem, 18.1 ov) • DRS Bowling
Australia (T:
Adam Zampa sent back ‘the big fish’, Babar Azam
Debutant Jahandad Khan struck in his second over
Adam Zampa celebrated with Glenn Maxwell after dismissing Haseebullah Khan
Marcus Stoinis made 61* off 27 balls
Chase, Dolphin retain top spots after Round 5 play
TThen the upset of the day occurred when East Ruimveldt Secondary, who up until Sunday’s game had been having a horrible tournament, turned their fortunes around with a 3-1 victory over President’s College.
based outfit.
Under-manned, South Ruimveldt Secondary then opposed West Ruimveldt Secondary in a match that was played to an entertaining 1-all draw. Both goals came early, with West Ruimveldt’s Jeremiah Griffith opening the scoring in the 3rd minute, and South Ruimveldt’s Devonte Gaime equalising in the 5th minute. Near misses occurred in the rest of the encounter, but scores remained locked.
became a stunner of a goal to put Dolphin ahead. Goalscoring ceased thereafter, allowing Dolphin to secure a top two spot in the League.
Chase’s Academic Foundation and Dolphin Secondary are thus far the only unbeaten teams in the tournament, but Waramuri Secondary trails closely behind, having conceded that solitary loss.
The day began with defending champions Chase’s
he Republic Bank Under-18 Schools’ Football League got a little more intense last Sunday when Round 5 of the 7- Round league was contested at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground on Carifesta Avenue in Georgetown.
Academic Foundation securing some easy points, after being awarded a walkover when their intended opponents, Bartica Secondary, failed to show up for the face-off.
Aaryan Hooblall is latest beneficiary of Cricket Gear Initiative
At nine years old,
Aaryan Hooblall is the youngest cricketer ever to benefit from the cricket gear initiative that is jointly managed by Anil Beharry of Guyana and Kishan Das of the USA.
This Grade Three student of the Valmiki Vidyalaya Primary School, located at the confluence of Peter Rose and Crown Streets in Queenstown, Georgetown, has been presented with one pair of batting pads, one pair of batting gloves, and one box.
Aaryan, a right-arm medium-pace bowler and left-handed batsman, is fanatical about cricket, and one day wishes to play for the West Indies. He has expressed gratitude at being selected to benefit from this initiative, and has promised to work diligently to fulfill his aspiration.
Total cricket-related items received/purchased so far: $460,000 in cash, thirteen coloured cricket uniforms, one set of stumps, two trophies, thirty pairs of cricket shoes, thirty-five pairs of batting pads, thirty-five cricket bats, thirty-six pairs of batting gloves, twenty-six thigh pads, three pairs of wicket-keeping pads, six arm guards, two chest pads, two boxes, twelve cricket bags, six bat rubbers, six helmets, one fiberglass bat, one pair of floppy hats, thirteen boxes of white cricket balls, nine boxes of red cricket balls, and twenty-eight footballs.
In addition to the above, gear valued at over $600,000 has been donated by former national wicketkeeper/batsman Sheik Mohamed.
All cash collected is being used to purchase cricket gear requested and not available at the time.
To date, eighty-seven young players, male and female from all three counties
of Guyana, have benefitted directly from the receipt of cash, seven gear bags, two trophies, four arm guards, thirty-three bats, four boxes, six helmets, thirty-one pairs of cricket shoes, twenty-one pairs of batting pads, twenty-four thigh pads, one bat grip, thirty-five pairs of batting gloves, one pair of wicketkeeping pads and three pairs of wicketkeeping gloves.
Many other persons have benefited indirectly, and two clubs in the Pomeroon area have benefitted from receipt of two used bats. Pomeroon, Leguan and Wakenaam cricket committees and Cotton Tree Die Hard have also each received one box of red cricket balls, Cold Fusion Cricket Club thirteen color uniforms while RHCCCC received six boxes of balls, fifteen white cricket shirts, one pair of junior batting pads, one pair of wicket-keeping gloves, two sets of stumps and bails.
Other beneficiaries are:
The Essequibo Cricket Board, the Town of Lethem, youth coach Travis Persaud (one box of red cricket balls), male
and female teams playing the traditional hardball and softball in the Upper Corentyne area, #65 Young Titans with 30 T-shirts, youths of Just Try Cricket club of Wakenaam Cricket Academy (one box of white balls), Shamar Joseph, Nehemiah Hohenkirk, Shamar Apple, Leguan Cricket Committee, Tucber Park Cricket Club, Malteenoes Sports Club (nine cricket balls each), Kendall’s Union Cricket Club with two boxes of red balls; Lower Corentyne, Corentyne Comprehensive and JC Chandisingh Secondary schools with twelve red balls each.
Cricket-related items, used or new, are distributed free of cost to young and promising cricketers in Guyana. Skills, discipline, and education are important characteristics of the recipients. Talent spotting is being done across the country and club leaders also assist in identifying the same. Progressive and well-managed cricket clubs with a youth programme would also benefit.
After a quiet first half, in which the score remained deadlocked, East Ruimveldt’s Gavin Towler broke the ice in the 30th minute, but Omarie Grandson of President’s College levelled the scores in the 42nd minute. Josiah Norton again put East Ruimveldt ahead in the 55th minute, and Gavin Towler’s 65th minute strike completed his brace and sealed the victory for the Mandela Avenue-
In the final game of the day, Dolphin Secondary needled the mighty Waramuri Secondary when Collin Frank David’s explosive shot in the 20th minute of the match
Republic Bank U18 Schools’ Football League will continue next Sunday, November 24, at the same Carifesta Avenue venue. The tournament is supported by Guyana Beverage Inc under its Busta Brand, and by MVP Sports and Tiger Rentals.
RAIN WASHES OUT GAME FIVE
– Buttler delighted England regain “winning habit”
Jos Buttler is pleased to have England's "winning habit back", after his team secured a 3-1 T20I Series win over the West Indies, the final match having been abandoned due to rain.
England had opted to bowl, and the hosts had reached 44-0 through Evin Lewis’s 29 and Shai Hope’s 14 after five overs; but the downpour began in St Lucia, and in spite of ground staff's attempts to clear the surface, the match was abandoned.
England claimed the win 3-1, although they lost the ODI leg of the tour 2-1.
The tourists had won the first three T20Is before the West Indies had earned a consolation win in a high-scoring clash on Saturday. Despite not finishing their final white-ball assignment of 2024, Buttler was delighted with the work his side have done this week.
"We're delighted with the series win. We've played some brilliant cricket," Buttler said. "I've been happy with how we've started games, setting the tone with the powerplay wickets, as we've seen from Saqib being named player of the series. We've had lots of different guys chipping in at various times, so I'm really pleased for everybody,” he said.
"The fast-bowling department is looking good, and they all bring something different with their variety; so, it's exciting for English cricket to have that,” he declared.
"I enjoyed it (captaining without keeping). I felt like I had a bit more time, and it was nice to be out there running around and (being) closer to the bowlers. I got everything I wanted to out of doing that,” he declared.
"It's great to have the winning habit back," he admitted.
West Indies had struggled to carry over their ODI form into the T20I series, but were looking to restore some pride in the final match, having impressed in the fourth. Captain Rovman Powell is now hoping they can find some consistency.
"It's been a tough series, and credit (must go to) Jos Buttler and his team, who came to these conditions and dominated. Having said that, we played good cricket in patches, but not in long enough periods," he admitted.
"I think we always, as a batting group, use a template, but that didn't work in our first few games,” he acknowledged.
“As a team, we need to assess faster; it took us two or three games (to do that). The bowling group (also) needs to sharpen up in a few areas,” he admitted.
"It's always a problem with the Caribbean cricketers: we always wander off when we are not playing for West Indies. It's a treadmill, and we don't spend time together. We have to keep our communication with players, and ensure they are ready to go," he declared.
Aaryan Hooblall with his gear
(Sportsmax)
Dolphin Secondary (blue) got the better of Waramuri Secondary
ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League…
Hassan Khan ready for GSL T20 challenge with Amazon Warriors
Pakistan’s Hassan Khan is ready to take on the challenge of the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSLT20) as he joins the ranks of the Guyana Amazon Warriors. Known for his versatility as a left-arm spinner and a dependable lower-order batsman, Khan is thrilled to represent the Warriors in this exciting global tournament, which runs from November 26 to December 7, 2024 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
“I’m excited to join the Guyana Amazon Warriors, and determined to help the team win matches,” said Hassan Khan. “This tournament is a big stage, and I’m here to give it my all. Every game is an opportunity to make a difference, and I’m ready to do whatever it takes to ensure the Warriors
come out on top. Let’s win it together!”
The tournament prom-
ises action-packed entertainment, with 10 thrilling group-stage matches and
Priyanna Ramdhani shines at Suriname Badminton tournament
The Guyana team that competed in the Suriname International Badminton tournament over the past weekend will return with four medals, three of which have been won by national champion Priyanna Ramdhani.
When paired with Trinidad and Tobago’s Chequeda DeBoulet, Ramdhani bagged a silver in the women’s doubles event.
In the women’s singles event, she settled for bronze after competing against a tough opponent in the semifinals; and an injury concern forced Ramdhani and Akili Haynes to settle for bronze in the mixed doubles category.
In the women’s dou-
bles event, the Guyanese/ Trinidadian duo advanced to the final after an impressive semifinal victory over Suriname’s Crystal Leefmans and Chan Yang in straight sets: 21-8, 21-17,
showcasing their dominance on the court.
However, in the final, the duo came up against Peru’s Ines Lucia Castillo and Namie Miyahira; and although they put up a fight,
the Peruvians won the contest in two straight sets: 2116, 21-12.
In the women’s singles semifinal, Ramdhani came up against Peru’s Castillo again, and missed out, losing 21-6, 21-9.
In the mixed doubles event, the pair of Ramdhani and Akili Haynes were forced to retire from their match because Haynes was struggling with a recurring ankle injury which he had sustained during practice. As is the case in most racquet sports, once a player has made it to the semifinal stage, a medal is guaranteed. This Guyanese Badminton pair were already guaranteed a bronze medal.
The Suriname International Badminton tournament featured athletes from 12 countries around the world.
the much-anticipated grand finale on December 7th.
The participating teams are Guyana Amazon Warriors, Lahore Qalandars, Hampshire Hawks, Rangpur Riders and Victoria.
Tickets, ranging in price from $1,000 to $7,000, are available at the following five convenient locations:
Georgetown: Local Box Office: 233-234 Camp Street (Weekdays: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Saturdays: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM)
Berbice:
A. Ally and Sons: 15-9 Main and New Streets, New Amsterdam Sensation Variety and Gift Shop: 10 Number 78 Public Road, Corriverton Essequibo: ICAN Technologies: 1 Apartment 47 WD’s Mall, Charity ICAN Technologies: 53
Cottonfield, Essequibo Coast S&N Creole Snackette, Cottonfield Old Road, Essequibo Coast Match Schedule
Tuesday, Nov 26: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Lahore Qalandars (7:00 PM)
Wednesday, Nov 27: Hampshire Hawks vs Rangpur Riders (7:00 PM)
Friday, Nov 29: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Victoria (7:00 PM)
Saturday, Nov 30: Hampshire Hawks vs Lahore Qalandars (10:00 AM)
Sunday, Dec 1:
Rangpur Riders vs Victoria (10:00 AM)
Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Hampshire Hawks (7:00 PM)
Tuesday, Dec 3: Victoria vs Lahore Qalandars (7:00 PM)
Wednesday, Dec 4: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Rangpur Riders (7:00 PM)
Thursday, Dec 5: Lahore Qalandars vs Rangpur Riders (7:00 PM)
Friday, Dec 6: Hampshire Hawks vs Victoria (7:00 PM)
Saturday, Dec 7: GSLT20 Final (7:00 PM)
Ninvalle and team re-elected to lead GBA
Incumbent president Steve Ninvalle will serve another four years at the helm of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), following a recent vote of the Electoral Congress held at the National Racquet Centre on Woolford Avenue last Friday.
Ninvalle and his committee of executives were unopposed, and Dr Marissa Parris will be taking up the position of first Vice-President, while Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Nedd and Carl Graham will serve as respective second and third Vice Presidents. Stacey Correia will serve as Secretary; Dexter Patterson will serve as Treasurer, and Seon Bristol will serve as Assistant Secretary/Treasurer alongside Ninvalle for the next term.
In a comment invited by this publication, Ninvalle thanked the coun try’s boxing gyms for supporting his re-elec tion, and noted that a lot of collaboration is to be done over his next tenure.
“Well, I thank the gyms of the Guyana Boxing Association for having the confidence in me and the other executives so as to give us another 4 years to try to move along with the development of Boxing, not only in Guyana, but in the Caribbean. It’s a lot of work that has to be done. We’ve been doing a lot of work,
but this time around I hope we can have much more collaboration from all the affiliates, referee/judges, coaches, boxers and the executive members,” Ninvalle told Guyana Times Sport.
Citing the attraction of more females to the sport as a goal for this next term, the GBA President also shared additional priority areas for his administration when he divulged, “High on the priority is, again, our Nursery, the Under-16, the Juniors; and also to have our referee/ judges and coaches certified. I think now we only have one 1-star coach, Mr Clifton Moore from the Vergenoegen Gym; and one three-star coach. We need to make sure that even if
we don’t get all (certified), most of our coaches should be certified during the course of next year.
“We also want to see Guyana moving to a stage where we have 3-star referee/judges also. That is something that I will be speaking with the International Boxing Association hierarchy about when we have our congress in Dubai early next year,” he disclosed.
Meanwhile, Ninvalle’s first task as returning President will be to see off a team to the Caribbean Boxing Championships in spite of late notification.
“First and foremost on our agenda is our participation at the Caribbean Championships, to be held in St Lucia during the second week of December. There’s approximately 4 million (dollars) that we will have to get in order to send our team to that prestigious and very important tournament,” he disclosed.
Steve Ninvalle would serve another term at the helm of the GBA
Hassan Khan will be bringing his all-round skills to the Guyana Amazon Warriors
Priyanna Ramdhani and Akili Haynes posing with the Golden Arrowhead and their bronze medals
Guyana’s Badminton team following the conclusion of the Suriname International tournament
