Guyana Times - Wednesday, August 28, 2024.pdf

Improved internet connectivity, low data costs for North Pakaraimas – Pres Ali

Man torches house, himself after stabbing wife in domestic dispute

Landmark oil spill law also covers disasters on land, internal waterways

38 B&B facilities conditionally approved for Cricket Carnival Superstructure for $31.9B paediatric, maternal hospital completed – Dr Anthony Fire Service now sending ranks overseas for advanced training in firefighting Constitutional lecture sparks discussion on balancing freedoms …as AG urges balance between individual freedoms and rights of others

Julius Inniss, also known as “Storme”

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Wednesday, August 28, 202423:30hrs to 01:00hrs

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Wednesday, August 28, 2024 - 12:45 hrs to 14:15 hrs

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Sunny conditions are expected during the day. Clear to partly cloudy skies and thundery showers are expected at night. Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 33 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to North-Easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 09:22h and 21:39h reaching maximum heights of 2.30 metres and 2.33 metres.

Low Tide: 15:09h reaching a minimum height of 0.99 metre.

Within next 3 months

Improved internet connectivity, low data costs for North Pakaraimas – Pres Ali

President Irfaan Ali, on Tuesday, told residents in the North Pakaraimas, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) that his government is working towards improved connectivity and low data costs for the district as a means of improved telecommunication services.

“We know also for young people, connectivity and access to the internet is important. That’s why, over the next three months, we’ll be working in all the villages in Region Eight so we can bring better internet facilities for you, so that we can reduce the cost of data and we can give you access to facilities [for your development]. These are the things that are critical [to us as a government],” President Ali said during an address to the Annual North Pakaraimas August Games.

The North Pakaraimas August Games are currently underway in Kamana Village and President Ali was accompanied by Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha and Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Oneidge Walrond.

The government is aggressively pursuing the completion of internet connectivity in 203 hinterland and riverine communities, thereby bridging the digital divide between the hinterland and the coast. The initiative is being carried out through the Office of the Prime Minister.

In collaboration with the Office of the Prime Minister, the ministry has been training managers of the information and communication technology (ICT) hubs over the last 18 months. The training will equip them with the relevant skills and knowledge to effectively manage the ICT hubs.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, disclosed that high-speed internet would soon be rolled out in the villages across Region Seven.

A total of 138 ICT hubs have already been constructed in many hinterland and riverine communities, and the government plans to build 200 hubs by

President Ali also told the North Pakaraima Villages that the government will continue investing in the development of Indigenous Peoples as a means of improving their lives. He noted that since the PPP/C regained the seat of government, they have been channeling funds into improving hinterland infrastructure because the government is one that cares.

“We will continue to invest [in your development] so that more of you could become doctors, medics, health professionals, teachers, sports administrators, whatever you want to be. We want to invest in you and ensure you be that person,” the head of state said, adding “we have Amerindian brothers and sisters in unprecedented numbers for becoming

doctors, nurses, army officers, police officers, fire officers, prison officers and why? Because under the Peoples Progressive Party/ Civic government, we are now giving you the opportunity. We are investing in you. We are making these opportunities available to you, and we will continue to expand all of government programs to ensure that you are given a fair shot and you are part of the development happening in this country,” the president declared.

He said that the aim of the government is ‘to build prosperity’ in every community inclusive of Indigenous communities. He explained that the presence of Minister Mustapha in the District is to craft a plan for the improvement of agriculture services.

“I have the Minister of Agriculture who will

be working with your Toshaos, with all the villages in the Pakaraimas to ensure we build out a food security programme, to ensure we help you in improving your agriculture, to ensure we help you to bring down the cost of food,” Ali said.

Ali also spoke of his government’s investment in sports and other infrastructure within hinterland communities.

“We are working to ensure that we make the investments to make your lives better. Just look around your community, look around this entire region and you will see the type of improvement that is taking place. Drastic improvement is taking place all across the region and we are doing this because we care about you, we are doing this because you deserve it.”

the end of 2024.

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Special education needs

In today’s diverse educational landscape, the importance of training teachers to effectively support students with special education needs and disabilities cannot be overstated. As classrooms become increasingly inclusive, the challenge of catering to a wide range of learning requirements demands not only dedication, but also specialized knowledge and skills from educators. Proper training equips teachers to meet these challenges, ensuring that all students have an equitable opportunity to succeed.

The Education Ministry's move to enhance teacher training, ensuring tailored support and inclusive education for students with special education needs and disabilities (SEND), as reported in the local press, is commendable.

Students with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) present a spectrum of requirements ranging from physical accommodations to tailored instructional methods. To address these varied needs effectively, teachers must be adept at recognising and adapting to each student’s unique challenges. Training programmes that focus on special education can help teachers develop a deep understanding of various disabilities, such as dyslexia, autism spectrum disorders, and ADHD, and learn the best practices for supporting these students.

Training equips teachers with the tools to implement inclusive teaching strategies that benefit all students, not just those with identified needs. This includes differentiated instruction, which involves modifying teaching methods and materials to accommodate diverse learning styles and abilities. For instance, a teacher might use visual aids, hands-on activities, or alternative assessment methods to ensure that every student has the opportunity to engage with the curriculum. Such strategies not only support students with SEND, but also enhance the overall learning environment for everyone.

Likewise, an inclusive classroom environment fosters acceptance and understanding among students. When teachers are trained to handle special education needs effectively, they can model empathy and create a classroom culture that values diversity and encourages cooperation. This not only aids the social and emotional development of students with SEND, but also helps to build a more harmonious and supportive school community.

Students with special education needs often face behavioural and emotional challenges that can impact their learning. Professional development in special education equips teachers with strategies for managing these issues constructively. Techniques such as positive behaviour support, individualized behaviour plans, and crisis intervention strategies can help teachers address and mitigate these challenges, ensuring a more conducive learning environment.

Ongoing professional development in special education not only benefits students, but also contributes to teachers' professional growth. By continually updating their skills and knowledge, educators remain at the forefront of best practices and innovative approaches in special education. This continuous learning enhances their effectiveness and satisfaction in their roles, ultimately leading to better outcomes for their students.

Some time ago, the National SEND Coordinator had explained that more children living with disabilities were being registered by their parents into the public school system. This is indeed a good sign, as it shows confidence that parents, too, are comfortable that their children would be able to get the best education in public schools as in specialised schools.

Training teachers to support students with special education needs is a fundamental investment. By equipping educators with the knowledge and skills to address diverse learning needs, schools can create more inclusive and effective learning environments.

AFC suffering from political amnesia in favour of political convenience

Dear Editor,

Reference is made to the press statement of the Alliance for Change (AFC) issued on August 27, 2024 in respect to the Government of Guyana’s (GoG’s) proposed new bridge across the Berbice River.

In 2007, AFC Member of Parliament David Patterson argued that the GoG should consider a fixed structure bridge instead of a floating structure one. He argued then that a floating structure has a shorter lifespan and higher operating costs, while a fixed concrete structure would have a longer lifespan and lower operating costs that would offset the initial high capital cost (https://www. landofsixpeoples.com/news701/ nc0701258.html).

Back then, Mr. Patterson’s argument was on point. But back then, as well, the combined political Opposition propagated their usual “anti-development” political agenda aimed at sabotaging any developmental project with their masterful employment of deceptive arguments. They had argued then against the Berbice Bridge project, alleging that the feasibility study was "doctored". If any feasibility study has been “doctored”, then any independent professional would be able to demonstrate and expose that; which the Opposition failed to

do, and the so-called independent professionals at the time, who had also opposed the project (Lalbachan Chris Ram et al).

The indisputable fact is that a full-fledged feasibility study was done in 2007 by a prominent international firm; not the usually questionable feasibility study that Mr. Patterson is more familiar with, as in the case of the “infamous” feasibility study for the new Demerara River Bridge.

The feasibility study for the Berbice Bridge at that time had considered both options (the fixed vs the floating). However, the Government’s central limitation was the lack of financial resources, hence the “PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP)” funding model was explored to finance the bridge. This was the main reason why the GoG had to settle for the floating structure, as opposed to the fixed structure.

Now that the lifespan of the existing floating bridge would soon expire (2027), the sensible thing to do is to construct a modern fixed concrete structure bridge to replace the floating structure. As Mr. Patterson himself had correctly argued in 2007, the fixed structure carries a higher initial capital cost, but a longer lifespan and lower operating cost. Moreover, as the useful life of the bridge expires,

the operating cost would be significantly higher thereafter. This means that it would not be feasible to continue maintaining a floating structure bridge after its useful life has expired. The cost thereof may outweigh the cost of investing in a new bridge with a longer lifespan and lower operating cost. Its commonsensical.

Furthermore, in order for serious development to take place at the desired pace and outcome, a fixed structure bridge is necessary; one that would not disrupt the movement of goods and people due to closure to vehicular traffic lasting 1.5-2 hours daily. This is an implicit cost to the users of the bridge, both commuters and businesses.

In due course, I will explore this argument in greater depth by way of a cost benefit analysis to answer two key questions: (i) to determine the net benefit derived from the existing bridge, whether the country has received its return on investment (ROI) over the useful life of the bridge; and (ii) the net benefit of the new proposed fixed structure, the stream of benefits that would flow therefrom, together with all the other developments taking place along that corridor.

Yours sincerely, Joel Bhagwandin

Aunty Lilian Elliot, who celebrated her 115th birthday on July 31, being visited by Human Resources Minister Dr Vindiya Persaud at her home at Mashabo Lake, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam). She has 120 grandchildren and 80 great-grandchildren (Human Services Ministry photo)

APNU M&CC councillors seek to remove, reduce political parties' rates & taxes

The Georgetown Mayor & City Council (M&CC) on Monday passed an ‘Institutional Rate Policy’ that seeks to exempt political parties from paying rates and taxes, or reducing those sums.

According to the document seen by this publication, the council, led by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), is looking to affix this benefit to any property titled to a political party, once that party has been in existence for two or more years.

According to People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) councillor Don Singh, this provision would benefit only the APNU, which owes between $250M and $300M in rates and taxes. He said the policy is “hastily put together, without any justification”, as he questioned, “Why reducing political parties’ [taxes] when you running others down for rates and taxes?”

Singh believes this move is a direct result of the Government’s discontinuation of the amnesty period this year. The amnesty period implemented previ-

ously allowed businesses to pay their taxes without the accompanying interests for late payments.

The document has classified political parties in existence for more than ten years as “social and welfare institutions”, allowing them to be exempted from paying rates and taxes, or at least reclassifying those rates to “institutional rates” under the Municipal and District Council’s Act.

Notably, the Municipal and District Council Act, section 214, states that: A council shall have power to exempt from liability to pay rates either wholly or in part…[for] any property used for the advancement of religion, education or social welfare, not with a view to profit.

The law also covers facilities used for sports and health institutions, while leaving the power to the Minister of Local Government to designate any other property for exemption.

During his weekly programme ‘Issues in the News’ on Tuesday evening, Minister of Legal Affairs,

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2024

Anil Nandlall, criticised the council’s move.

“I have not seen in recent times a more vulgar and shameless act,” he said, noting that the council is already cash-strapped and should therefore seek to collect all outstanding debts.

“The Georgetown Mayor & City Council (M&CC) cannot even afford to pick up the garbage from

the residents of Georgetown without a subvention from the Government. They cannot repair their home, which is the City Hall, without a subvention from the Government. They cannot discharge most of their duties without a subvention,” he decried.

As councillors join the criticism of the current cost of living, Nandlall said, the

reduction or exemption of rates and taxes should be directed to the less fortunate, instead of political parties.

“They are not interested in reducing rates and taxes for poor people… whose cause they claim to champion, but they want to reduce rates and taxes for political parties,” he said.

Nandlall said the move

by the M&CC is the opposite of promoting transparency and accountability.

The document outlined Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for implementation of the ‘Institutional Rate Policy.’ The policy needs to be approved by the Local Government Commission (LGC) and the Ministry of Local Government.

Page Foundation

Circles cont’d

A circle’s circumference and area are calculated by using a special long decimal, written as the Greek letter π, pronounced pi. To make calculations easier, pi is often rounded to 3.14. Pi is the ratio of a circle’s diameter to its circumference – a ratio that is exactly the same for every circle.

Calculating the circumference and area of a circle is actually fairly easy to do. A circle’s circumference = pi times its diameter (πd). A circle’s area = pi times the square of its radius (π r2).

Example:

If a circle has a radius of 5cm, you can find its circumference by multiplying the radius x 2 and then multiplying that number x π.

Its circumference = (2 x 5) π cm = 10 π = 31.40cm

To find this circle’s area, you have to raise its radius to the second power and then multiply that times π. In this example, its area = (5 x 5) times π square cm = 25 times π = 78.5cm.

By Emily BErry

1. Calculate the circumference of the circle below. Use 3.14 for π.

2. Calculate the circumference and area of a circle with a radius of 3m.

3. Calculate the circumference and area of a circle with a diameter of 53cm.

4. Name the chord shown in the figure below.

5. What is the perimeter, or circumference, a circle whose diameter is 24cm.

Thursday’s answers

6cm

AB

OA and OB

AB, BC, CD, DE, EF and FA

sometimes urgently, sometimes lightly, just to let them know it was there, and they would think maybe this is what being alive is, when they saw how complicated a tree was and how it wanted them looking at it and saying this, how the color of a particular flower at this particular moment was redder even than the life force, whatever that is, if you could open it up and get right down inside it, if you could put your mouth to it and become as red as that rose even, it was still redder than that, and they wouldn’t know what to do with themselves so they wouldn’t do anything except listen to the songs in their heads which were sad ones like nearly all good songs and watch this feeling rolling in, sunshine or rain, we don’t know yet, it’s a good one, it’s the best one, though it has no name.

Source: Poetry (November 2018)

Man torches house, himself after stabbing wife in domestic dispute

… “thank God that we weren’t in there” – wife

By Andrew CArmiChAel

Adomestic dispute between a husband and wife, who would have celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary on Tuesday ended tragically on Monday afternoon when the man set himself and the couple’s house on fire.

Julius Inniss also known as “Storme”, a 56-year-old labourer of Catherine, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD), died after he locked himself in the house and set it on fire.

The incident occurred just after he and his wife were involved in a domestic dispute, at around 15:00hrs on Monday.

The now-dead man shared the house with his wife and their daughter. The electrician set himself and the house on fire after stabbing his wife.

Police said the wife, 46-year-old Shellon Inniss visited the Mahaicony Police Station earlier in the day to make a domestic violence report. She was then taken to the Mahaicony Hospital for medical attention, after which, a team of police accompanied her back to her home.

Upon arrival, it was reported that the husband ran into the house and locked himself inside.

Soon after, smoke was seen coming from the building, and the man was spotted through the window, setting it on fire. The house eventually became engulfed in flames. Once the fire was extinguished, the man's charred remains were discovered.

Troubled

The grieving widow shared with this publication that her husband had been in need of help. She explained that he became troubled after his father's recent death, especially after being excluded from his father’s will.

“My husband have his own problems and because of that he has a lot of anger, he drinks a lot and oftentimes we would argue,” she explained.

On Sunday the couple was engaged in an argument during which the now dead man had left the home and returned during the wee hours of Monday, where he attacked the woman with a knife.

“I was in the bed and he came in and jump on me with a knife and he had it on my throat. I didn’t know it was a knife, I thought it was a pin. I had to hold it and when I hold it was the knife and he was like ‘I am going to kill you.”

Innis said her 14-year-old daughter ran out of the house and

was able to get some help from a neighbour.

That was short-lived as the man ordered his daughter to get into the house at 03:00h. She said when the neighbour arrived her husband went outside and spoke with him.

“And he talk so cool and so calm to that guy and the boy left but I was by the window showing the guy signs not to leave and to wait but he didn’t see me at the window. If he had seen me, he would have known that we need help because my husband did not indicate to him that something was going on upstairs so the boy left. When the boy left he come back upstairs and he start again.”

The woman said she managed to escape and fled the house without clothing, not knowing where her daughter had gone to hide.

She recounted that her husband chased after

her, but she hid behind a cluster of bushes and returned home at dawn to gather some clothing. Upon entering the house, she noticed kerosene had been spilled on the floor. She then went to one of

her husband's brothers, pleading for him to visit the house and speak with his sibling, but the brother was unable to make the trip.

The woman said she then made her way to a cousin of her husband, pleading with him to visit the home but he too could not go. She subsequently went to the police.

The aftermath of the fire

Julius Inniss, also known as “Storme”

Man, torches house, himself after stabbing wife...

The woman said he broke the window and used one of the panes and lit a stuffed toy to ignite the building.

“He said look and he started to light and the fire started to get big. He spoke to us. He called me and he called his daughter.”

Inniss said she believes her husband was trying to make his way out of the house before he collapsed.

“Like he was coming down the step because

we found him right there,” she added. According to the mother of one, there are indications that her husband might have ingested a poisonous substance pointing out that he had a bottle that contained a whitish substance and she later noticed that several bottles containing chemicals were opened and left under the house.

All the family’s valuables were destroyed in the blaze along with

some construction materials and her daughter’s school supplies.

“Thank God that we weren’t in there... We lost a life; I lost my husband and my daughter lost her father; I don’t care about the house; these are material things. I could get back a house even if it is a small one but I can’t get him back. We need help,” she said as she broke down in tears.

The couple would have celebrated their

14th wedding anniversary on Tuesday.

“We need somewhere to stay because we don’t have nowhere... My daughter has to go to school [Christ Church Secondary] and she travels every day. All her school clothes and everything burn up. She has to go to school on Monday and I don’t have nothing.”

The woman can be contacted on telephone numbers (592) 668-2383 or (592) 638-2229. FROM PAGE 7

Telling…

T…our Berbice story

his Saturday, we’ve got the opportunity to hear the backstory of Guyana’s National Hero, Cuffy – whose statue –commissioned by Burnham and unveiled in 1976 – we’ve all gazed at in wonder at the “Square of the Revolution”. It’s called the “1763 Monument”, and commemorates the revolt against the Dutch owners of Plantation Magdalen enburg on the Canje River in Berbice (now Guyana). Although the uprising was ultimately unsuccessful, Cuffy’s rebellion foreshadowed the eventual end of slavery in Guyana.

Burnham’s historian P.H Daly went further and romanced the story of Cuffy’s heroics to suggest a direct link between the events of 1763 and Burnham’s escapades two centuries later. However, historian Marjoleine Kars went back to contemporaneous documents - written in Old Dutch - and has crafted a much more nuanced narrative that all Guyanese should hear: “Blood on the River”.

This is a preview written by the impartial “History Today”: Before 1763, Berbice had a population of between 4,200 and 5,000 enslaved people, 300 indigenous people, and only 350 Europeans. It was the possession of the Sociëteit van Berbice, a private company under the sovereignty of the Dutch Republic.

An enslaved Akan, named ‘Coffij’ by his Dutch enslaver, was brought across the Atlantic to ‘Goed Land en Goed Fortuin’ coffee plantation up the Canje Creek. It was just one among many privately and company-owned sugar and coffee plantations, where the small number of whites ruled over the enslaved population with unchecked violence. In February 1763, that population rose up in a coordinated attack on the Dutch. Thousands joined the rebellion in the following weeks. Coffij emerged as an astute leader of the rebellion, taking control over a diverse group of Africans, locals, and even mutinous white soldiers. The victorious Cuffij put forward the radical proposal that the colony be divided in two, and that he rule the black part, with the Dutch ruling the remainder. His proposal was rejected.

Kars represents the complexities of the rebellion without romanticising it; the survival of revolution in the face of European enemies required strict control over resources and people. Governor Coffij attempted to create a black state where freedom was coupled with coercion, while African notions of honour, servitude and sacrifice contrasted with the independence envisioned by many formerly enslaved people. Divisions within the rebel camp played a crucial role in the fate of Coffij and the revolution itself.

Despite this, the Dutch victory was far from a foregone conclusion. Their success was possible only because indigenous people fought for them, keen to maintain their trading ties and leery of rebel infringement on their land. The final blow was the aid that the Dutch received from colonies of other Europeans.

Despite imperial rivalries, they feared the freed Africans more.

…with democratic change

One very smart fella once pointed out that “democracy ain’t instant coffee”; you gotta be patient!! America launched their democratic revolution since 1776, and they’re still busy straightening out kinks. But it ain’t a matter of what the Yanks are doing; it’s more about whether we want to live in a democracy or not!! If we don’t – like the Venezuelans, for instance – then we should expect that, even though we have oil, we would descend into the hell of hunger, nakedness and homelessness, as we did under Burnham!! We can’t run with the hare and hunt with the hounds.

So, we gotta accept that, if we don’t win an election, we must “take our licks like a man” - as one Caricom PM advised back in 2020; and, until then, fix what went wrong and get ready. But it seems that some “wild men” in the Opposition enjoy yapping at Aubrey’s heels to undermine his credibility. Meaning, they’re guaranteeing the Opposition losing “corn and husk” in 2025!

…from truculence

As Opposition Leader Norton is pressured by extremists, one has to feel for him. He’s trapped by his past reputation… even though he knows the times have changed!! Let’s salute him for just declaring otherwise!!

Superstructure for $31.9B paediatric, maternal hospital completed – Dr Anthony

The structure for the $31.9 billion state-ofthe-art Paediatric and Maternal Hospital in Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara (ECD), which will revolutionise healthcare in Guyana has been completed.

The hospital is being built by VAMED Engineering, which has implemented more than 1,000 projects across the globe, and provided highend services for more than 820 health facilities in Latin America and the Caribbean.

During a telephone interview with this publication on Tuesday, Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony explained that with the structure in place, the contractor will soon commence works to enclose the building.

This phase, he said, will include the layering of walls that extend from the foundation to the roof, installation of doors, windows and drainage systems, among others.

“While we would be finishing off the cladding on the outer layer, they would start working inside. So, I think we'll start seeing the building moving very quickly. So, by next year we should be in a position to open the hospital,” Dr. Anthony said.

The Paediatric and Maternal Hospital will be a referral centre for women and children. It will specialise in maternal, neonatal, and paediatric care with a huge imaging suite for ser-

marks Guyana’s first UK Export Credit Agency financing and is being done in accordance with the FIDIC yellow book standards, a standard contract where the design is carried out by the contractor.

Further, the sum of $129.2 billion was set aside in the 2024 Budget to advance the healthcare sector and a large chunk was assigned to the Paediatric and Maternal

vices such as CT scans, X-rays, MRI’s scanning equipment, a modern laboratory, and surgical suites.

The facility will also have 256 beds and high-quality equipment sourced from the United Kingdom.

According to Dr. Anthony, the hospital supports systems being put in place by government to reduce Guyana’s morbidity rate, have less diseases and be able to treat diseases properly.

“Well, the hospital would focus on two main things, high-risk mothers, so we'd be able to provide all the services for those high-risk mothers and manage them in a better environment. And also, for gynecological patients that would need certain amount of care, we'd be able to provide that care at that hospital. In addition to the paediatric components of the hospital, we'll be able to do a lot of specialised paediatric services so things that are not possible right now,” he added.

The Paediatric and Maternal Hospital was birthed from a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Guyana and Austria. While the agreement had catered for another set of works, the PPP/C Government had amendments for the construction of this facility after entering office.

The EUR$149 million (Guy$31.9 billion) contract for the hospital was signed on June 8, 2022. The project also

Hospital in Plantation Goedverwagting.

To be exact, $10.3 billion of the allotted sum was provided for the construction of the facility.

At the time, government had highlighted that the provision will cater for the advancement of works on the site, especially in crucial areas that will help the administration to achieve world-class healthcare delivery. (G1)

The superstructure at Goedverwagting

Fire Service now sending ranks overseas for advanced training in firefighting

The Guyana Fire Service in an effort to improve the firefighting capabilities of its employees is currently in the processes of sending ranks overseas to receive advanced firefighting training.

This is according to Chief Fire Officer (Ag), Gregory Wickham, who in an interview with Guyana Times explained that the fire service recognises that its ranks need to be better trained.

As such, he revealed that the Fire Service is currently in the process of providing the necessary funding and resources needed for ranks to be trained internationally.

“What we are doing, we are in the process of having our ranks being trained regionally and internationally on other firefighting aspects but, we are waiting on those

approvals as we source out those courses for our ranks but generally locally, we would have done all the necessary training advance level of training that is available locally,” he explained.

Moreover, apart from human resources, the fire chief noted that investments are also being made to acquire more modern equipment which will drastically improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the fire service day to day operations.

“As we speak, we have some small firefighting appliances which we plan to deploy in the other regions and we have one sky lift that can go as high as 120ft in the air we would have used that at the ramada fire to rescue about 13 persons we have another one that will be coming and another fire boat, these are expected

to arrive before year end” he stated.

The fire chief also noted that several fire engines have been acquired by the fire service through partnership between the Guyana Government and Angloco Limited – one of the United Kingdom’s oldest manufacturers of fire engines. He highlighted that several of these engines have already been delivered to respective stations across the country.

Additionally, emphasising that fire prevention is paramount, the fire chief also highlighted that the Guyana Fire Service is actively conducting inspection exercises on both public and private buildings to further bolster fire safety in the country.

“That’s a constant thing that we have been doing and I wouldn’t say we ramped up but we con-

tinue because not only public building but all structures whether that be private or public, we have been doing more and more inspections, we have been doing public education… and that’s the way forward” he stated.

Only last Friday, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn at the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) firefighter graduation ceremony, highlighted the importance of fire safety awareness and prevention amid the country’s rapid industrial growth. He stressed the need for specialised firefighting capabilities to address new challenges, especially with the upcoming petrochemical complex in Wales.

Additionally, the Government had since revealed plans to retool, retrain, and better equip the GFS in a bid to ensure its capabilities match

Guyana’s current growth.

Last week, the GFS workforce was strengthened as a total of 97 persons, who hail from eight administrative regions across the country, successfully completing a three-month training programme at the Leonora Training School. The graduation of Batch One of 2024 marks a signif-

icant milestone for the GFS as the largest and most diverse class in the service’s history. Notably, the sum of $90.6 billion was set aside in this year’s fiscal package for the security sector, for which $6.5 billion was allotted for the Guyana Fire Service and the Guyana Prison Service.

38 B&B facilities conditionally approved for Cricket Carnival

Atotal of 38 Bed and Breakfast facilities have been granted conditional approval under the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce/Guyana Tourism Authority’s (GTA) Cricket Carnival Bed & Breakfast initiative. This was disclosed by Tourism Business Support Officer, Stephanie Noble during a telephone interview on Tuesday.

“These are locals who have placed their properties up or registered under the Cricket Carnival Bed and Breakfast initiative. These have the capacity to accommodate approximately 342 individuals

who are expected to be here during the cricket season,” she noted.

Noble explained that the conditional approvals are valid for six months, providing the opportunity for the facilities to be used for the ICC WorldCup Games in June and CPL Games in September/October and other end-of-year events. It encourages the proprietors to have their businesses registered on the AirBnB platform which allows for the receipt of payments for rooms and related fees. The tourism body also conducts inspections of the amenities and quality of accommodation provided to visitors.

Noting that most of the properties are located in Regions Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice), she said 80 per cent is already booked.

However, the GTA is encouraging other persons to sign onto the initiative.

“Currently doing inspections in Region Two

it can be a hectic one,” the Tourism Business Support Officer told this publication.

[Pomeroon-Supenaam] and Six [East BerbiceCorentyne], and we will do some more in Region 10. During this period, we will continue to monitor and evaluate the preparation for the accommodations and also to ensure that safety is implemented and ensure that establishment owners are ready for this period because we know

Training in First aid/ CPR as well as customer service was delivered to representatives of the bed and breakfast facilities. The Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce under whose purview the GTA falls, continues to roll out programmes that will improve the service delivery in the tourism and hospitality sector. Over 2500 persons are expected to benefit from capacity building programmes this year, according to the GTA.

This year’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) which is one of the key

highlights of the Cricket Carnival, commences on August 29 in Antigua and Barbuda and returns to Guyana from September 20.

Further, in October, the ICC World Cup games continue at the Providence National Stadium.

The GTA has indicated that in leisure; sports and entertainment activities this year as well as the ICC games in June, a significant number of visitors to Guyana were recorded. For the first seven months of the year, six have been record-breaking months, with June and July recording 29,727 and 34,739 visitors respectively.

Education Ministry strengthens teacher training for students with special needs

The Education Ministry is ramping up its training efforts for teachers to ensure that students with special education needs/disabilities (SEND) are provided with tailored support and inclusive education.

This was done in collaboration with the Amanah Academy to enhance teachers’ development.

On Monday the ministry said that the training sessions is being done throughout this week.

According to the ministry, this is part of their efforts to ensure that progress is made.

The ministry added that the training covers a wide base which will certainly be beneficial for teachers.

“The training encompasses the theoretical aspect, complemented by a coaching component,”

“The quality of life for learners with special education needs/disabilities (SEND) is a key focus,” the release stated, adding that the series of training sessions for teachers including particularly those completing the associate degree in disability studies.

it said, pointing out that teachers will be engaged in understanding the scope of Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA) and the role of the Behaviour Intervention Plan (BIP), making the connection to the concept of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) as they execute the be-

haviour intervention plan. ABA is a theoretical framework used to address challenging behaviours. This training dovetails with the focus areas (autism and intellectual abilities) in their just-completed coursework, giving them an even clearer understanding of how best to support learners with behavioural issues within

the classroom. The premise of the training is that by reducing challenging behaviours, academic achievement will increase.

In 2022, the National SEND Coordinator Savvie Hopkinson had explained that during the Education Ministry’s Spotlight Programme that 706 teachers were trained across nine regions, including Regions One (Barima-Waini), Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo), Ten (Upper DemeraraBerbice), and Georgetown, in special education needs. These training sessions were targeted based on findings from officers during visits or from information provided by teachers.

According to the Coordinator, more children living with disabilities were being registered in in public school system due to increased sensitization and are even accessing learning in the mainstream setting, as opposed to specialised schools.

Teachers at the training session

Some of the SEND trainers

Constitutional lecture sparks discussion on balancing freedoms …as AG urges balance between individual freedoms and rights of others

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall has reminded citizens that Guyana’s constitution provides mechanisms that allows for persons to ensure their enshrined rights are enforced. He was at the time speaking at a lecture, at the Arthur Chung Conference Center (ACCC) on the fundamental rights provisions in the Constitution of Guyana, the redress provisions in the Constitution of Guyana and the incorporation of key human rights instruments in the Constitution.

During his remarks he explained that, human rights play an important

role in our lives however, he noted that these rights mean little if they are no proper systems in place to enforce them, as such he highlighted article 153 of the constitution which ensures that the fundamental rights enshrined within the constitution are enforced.

“The constitution provides a mechanism that allows you to enforce these rights and that mechanism is contained in article 153, any person including a person acting on behalf of another, so if your fundamental rights are violated and you can’t file an action someone can file it on your behalf, or you can act on behalf of a group whose rights are

violated and all of these are new amendments” he stated.

Moreover, the Attorney General informed the class that though the constitution provides the right to certain freedoms, these freedoms are not absolute, noting that several conceptual difficulties arise from the issue of freedom.

“Regularly you hear a person asserting their freedom to do this and rightfully so, but no freedom is absolute, you have a right to free speech but you cannot shout fire! Fire! In a crowded cinema, because it will cause mayhem, you have a freedom of movement but you cannot drive down a one-

way street so all freedoms have restrictions” he stated.

On this point he explained that persons must pay due regard to the conflicting rights and freedoms of others, if not he noted that freedom will lead to chaos and anarchy amongst the population.

“So if we are to live in a civilised and ordered society then the same rights and freedoms that the constitution gives you musty be balanced against the rights and freedom of your neighbour, so you have a right to play music but your neighbour has the right to enjoy peace and quiet, so if you play your music to such a decibel so as to affect his quietude then you have a prob-

lem. And the same principal applies to every single right,” he stated.

Meanwhile, over 100 Guyanese are participating in the Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Ministry’s International Human Rights Law Course. The newly launched course saw some 1000 persons submitting applications to be a part of the course however only 250 were shortlisted and 195 were enrolled in the programme.

Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister, Gail Teixeira addressing the gathering said that the programme stemmed from the urgent need to sensitise citizens about human rights and the importance of these rights.

In this regard the minister highlighted that the ministry has conducted several programmes over the years which only catered for the staff of government agencies, however to further sensitise persons, there was a recognised need to administer the programme to a larger audience. The programme commenced on August 5 and will be executed for a total of 10 weeks, with classes being held two times per week virtually from 18:00h to 20:0h, upon completion participants will receive a certificate from the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance for dedicating their time towards completing the course.

Participants at the launch of the International Human Rights Law course

Ramsammy’s Ruminations

Conflicts and politicization of solutions

OGood Success-to-Timehri Road Contractor submits design for $75.8M project

n August 12, 2024, the world observed the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions. The 1949 Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols are international treaties that contain the most important rules limiting the barbarity of war. They protect people who do not take part in the fighting (civilians, medics, aid workers, reporters and journalists), and those who can no longer fight (wounded, sick and shipwrecked troops, prisoners of war, etc.). All UN Members have signed on to the conventions, but some countries, like the USA, have not signed on to all the protocols. Guyana is a signatory to the conventions and all three protocols.

The Geneva Conventions, inspired by the brutality of World Wars 1 and 2, represent the foundation of the International Humanitarian Laws (IHL). While the conventions were motivated by events surrounding World Wars 1 and 2, they are also applicable to internal conflicts in a country. The Rwanda Genocide, the crisis in the Sudan, Haiti, and now Venezuela fall squarely under the remit of the conventions.

Free and fair elections in countries are important to prevent internal conflicts. While free and fair elections cannot guarantee freedom from internal conflicts, free and fair elections significantly reduce the number of internal conflicts. A good example is Venezuela. After years of an evolving humanitarian crisis that has seen millions of Venezuelans fleeing their country, Venezuela held an election in July that many had hoped would ease the internal conflicts. But President Nicolas Maduro and his allies in Venezuela, including those that control the electoral machinery, the Supreme Court, and the armed forces, have rigged the election results. Even close allies such as Brazil and Colombia cannot accept the results.

Weeks after declaration of the bogus results, the internal conflicts have intensified, and more people are fleeing the land of their birth.

The Geneva Conventions and other IHLs, if honoured by all countries, can prevent such crises. The global system must hold accountable those who conspire to rig elections. Whether or not they are our friends, a single global instrument must hold accountable those who take away the fundamental rights of citizens anywhere in the world. It is disappointing therefore that, just because Maduro is a friend of some countries, those countries have squeezed their noses so they cannot smell the stench coming from Maduro’s rigging of an election. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) must be able to hold criminally responsible those persons who deprive people of their fundamental voting rights.

I was proud to stand with my colleague Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues as we joined foreign affairs ministers and ambassadors and other prominent individuals in Geneva to observe or celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions. The Swiss Government, together with the Security Council and the International Committee of Red Cross, collaborated in highlighting the need for greater compliance with the Conventions, in order to reduce or eliminate humanitarian crises around the world.

Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues attended the various events in her capacity as the Permanent Representative of Guyana to the UN, New York, and as a Member of the Security Council of the UN in New York. Ambassador Leslie Ramsammy, in his capacity as the Permanent Representative to the UN, Geneva, attended also. Both Guyanese ambassadors were invited to be part of a select high-level team that attended a reception hosted by the State Secretary in Geneva. A distinguished panel addressed the challenges, and made recommendations to ensure that there is less impunity in violating the conventions. Afterwards, members of the Security Council of the UN had an opportunity to comment. Guyana’s Security Council Representative, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues, spoke on behalf of Guyana. Our country should be proud of its ambassador, and particularly OF our country’s posture, both on the conventions and the growing number of global humanitarian crises.

Together with Algeria, Guyana raised the issue of Gaza. While the panelists and opening addresses by the hosts did raise Gaza briefly, I was disappointed that other security council members chose to ignore Gaza as an example where the Geneva Conventions are violated with shameless impunity.

But Guyana’s ambassador also highlighted the increasing risks that the people who tell the agonizing stories around the many global humanitarian crises – reporters and journalists – are confronted with. More reporters and journalists have been killed in the Gaza humanitarian crises than the combined total in World Wars 1 and 2. Guyana was the only country among the security council members to raise the issue of the media and how violations of the conventions have led to an unprecedented number of deaths in Gaza alone. I sat there proud of the statement that was made in the name of Guyana by our distinguished ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues.

One of the events that Ambassadors Rodrigues and Leslie Ramsammy attended was an event at the Broken Chair Monument. In 1997, a treaty to ban the use of anti-personnel mines was signed into action. It became known as the Ottawa Treaty, or the Mine Ban Treaty. At the same time, to encourage nations to sign on to the treaty and stop the use of landmines, the non-governmental organization Handicap International commissioned Swiss sculptor Daniel Berset to create the Broken Chair to draw attention to the victims of mines. The result was the 40-foot-high, 5.5-ton sculpture with its left leg broken in half that now stands over Place des Nations. It has now become a symbol of the horrors of wars and conflict.

Wars and other conflicts have now become a leading cause of disabilities in the world. The Broken Chair Monument stands as a global indictment of the violations of the Geneva Conventions, and of those nations – America, Russia, China and others - that have refused to sign the 1997 Ottawa Treaty. Clearly, we need the Geneva Conventions, but 75 years after they came into being, we still have no reason to celebrate.

China Road and Bridge Corporation, in collaboration with local company Sheladia Associates Inc, doing surveillance operations along the East Bank Demerara corridor

China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) has finally submitted the complete design for the highly anticipated US$75.8 million East Bank Demerara (EBD) Road improvement

Juan Edghill told this publication that the design is currently being reviewed, so that it can be finalised and works can commence.

The delay in the submission of the design has caused a loss of approximately 27/28 days of labour time.

In a previous interview, Edghill had reassured that the delayed design will not affect the stipulated 36-month deadline.

The East Bank Demerara (EBD) Road improvement project is aimed at supporting climate-resilient infrastructure development and marks the first of its kind to be funded by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) in Guyana.

Public Works Minister

project, spanning from Good Success to Timehri. Works were slated to commence on August 1 but the contractor, had only completed the design for seven kilometres of road at the time. The project spans 24 kilometres. As a result, government through the Public Works Ministry instructed the CRBC to submit the design by August 20 and the contractor has complied.

TURN TO PAGE 16

Dr Leslie Ramsammy

Landmark oil spill law also covers disasters on land, internal waterways – PM

The Government of Guyana is planning to table its landmark oil spill legislation this year, which is expected to strengthen Guyana’s capacity to ensure full liability coverage and for oil spill preparation, planning, and response. Importantly, this legislation will not only affect oil spills relating to the production of crude offshore but also the transportation of petroleum and related products in and around Guyana.

On Tuesday, a four-day workshop commenced at the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Headquarters for key personnel from the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and other agencies. The workshop is being conducted by the Regional Activity Centre/ Regional Marine Pollution

Emergency, Information, and Training Centre for the Wider Caribbean Region (RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe).

Addressing the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips said that the legislation must be comprehensive and robust so responders are provided with the necessary resources and have the capability to act swiftly.

He added that as the country strengthens its capacity to address disaster preparedness, the legislation must consider how oil spills can happen in places outside of where oil is being produced.

“We tend to associate oil spills with only the oil and gas industry but the reality is every country in the world where they have a sea coast or coastline, every country must be prepared to deal

Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips speaking at the opening of a four-day workshop being hosted by the Regional Activity Centre/Regional Marine Pollution Emergency, Information, and Training Centre for the Wider Caribbean Region (RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe)

with accidents,” the Prime Minister said.

He went onto explain that “in your day-to-day activities, thousands of barrels of oil are being utilised by every country to fuel their economic activities and in the case of Guyana, we have to move petroleum oil and lubricant to

participants of the workshop to develop a deeper understanding of oil spill contingency planning and to refine the skills required to effectively implement the national oil spill contingency plan.

the hinterland because while we are an oil producing country, we are an agriculture and a mining country also. So at every stage, even before oil and gas, we had to be prepared to deal with oil spills.”

Contacted by the Guyana Times for more information on this point, the Prime Minister explained that the country’s oil spill legislation will deal with oil spills beyond offshore Guyana – where ExxonMobil and its coventurers are producing oil.

The prime minister urged

Underscoring the importance of preparedness in mitigating the risks associated with the burgeoning oil and gas industry in Guyana, Prime Minister Phillip stated that the repercussions of an oil spill could be far-reaching and long-lasting, impacting everything from tourism and fisheries to the overall health of the natural environment.

The workshop coincides with the ongoing drafting of the National Oil Spill Prevention and Management Bill 2024.

“We are at the stage where we want to put a bill before the National Assembly to make this whole issue lawful in Guyana. This workshop serves as a precursor to the passage of this critical legislation, further solidifying our commitment to oil spill preparedness and response,” PM

Phillips said.

Thus far, Guyana has taken several proactive measures to strengthen its oil spill preparedness and response capabilities. Among these efforts is the passage of the Petroleum Activities Bill 2023, which replaces the outdated Petroleum Exploration and Production Act of 1986. This new legislation ensures responsible and modern management of the petroleum industry.

Additionally, the government has significantly strengthened oil permits, and environmental regulations to minimise liabilities and manage environmental and economic impacts. Recently, a model Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) was developed to sign with new investors.

The workshop is sponsored by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the United Nations Environmental Programme Regional Coordination Unit, and RAC/REMPEITCCaribe.

Regional

Venezuela's Machado says peaceful protests, external pressure could still oust Maduro

Peaceful street protests and international pressure still have the potential to unseat Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said on Tuesday, as an election dispute reached the one-month mark and the opposition's pathways to claim power seemed narrow.

The disagreement over the July 28 contest has sparked international cries for the release of full vote tallies, deadly protests and moves by the country's prosecutor to investigate the opposition and arrest journalists.

Machado said in an interview with Reuters that the opposition has a "robust strategy" to claim victory. She would give no details but added that she and former opposi-

tion candidate Edmundo Gonzalez are united.

"It is the coordination between internal and external forces which will achieve change," Machado, who has appeared at marches but otherwise been in hiding since the vote, said via video call. "What does Maduro have left today?

A very reduced group of high-ranking soldiers, the control of magistrates from the (top court) and arms...he is sowing fear."

Venezuela's national electoral authority and its top court named Maduro the election's victor, saying he won just over half of votes in the election.

But tallies from about 80% of ballot boxes posted on an opposition website show a resounding victory for Gonzalez, giving him 67% support.

Some Western coun-

tries, nearly all democracies in the Americas and international bodies such as a United Nations panel of experts have called for the release of full vote tallies, with some alleging outright fraud by the ruling party.

The electoral council has not yet posted detailed tallies, saying a cyberattack on election day affected its systems.

Asked if Maduro, who has said Machado and Gonzalez should be jailed for stoking violence at protests, could remain in power on the back of military control, Machado said "no, absolutely not."

Machado's comments came the same day that Gonzalez is expected to ignore - for a second time - a summons to appear at the attorney general's office to testify about the opposition website.

(Reuters)

Mexico freezes relations with US, Canadian embassies after criticism of judicial reform

The Mexican government has paused its relationship with the U.S. and Canadian embassies in the country, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Tuesday, after their ambassadors criticized a proposed judicial reform that he backs.

"There is a pause," Lopez Obrador said in a press conference, clarifying that the freeze was with the embassies and not with the countries.

The president is pushing a reform to elect judges, including Supreme Court justices, by popular vote. A committee in the lower house of Mexico's Congress passed the proposal late on Monday, paving the way for it to be approved when the newly elected Congress takes office in September. Proponents say the reform will boost democracy and help fix a system that they argue does not serve the public, while critics say it will skew power in favor of the executive, cut off judges' careers, and make the courts more susceptible to criminal influence.

Brazil suspects criminals set record São Paulo fires

Government officials in Brazil say they suspect "criminals" are behind a record number of fires which have devastated large swathes of São Paulo state.

The head of Brazil's National Office for Protection and Civil Defence, Wolnei Wolff, said 99.9% of the blazes in the state had been caused by human action.

He said there had been no lightning

strikes or downed high voltage cables which would account for the large amount of blazes.

Four people have been arrested.

Environment

Minister Marina Silva called the situation "unusual", saying her team had not seen so many fires ignite in far-flung locations at the same time.

Officials have not said what the motive of those setting the fires may have been, but said

the fact they had broken out simultaneously in different parts of the state indicated they had been set on purpose.

Data from the space agency Inpe suggests the number of fires burning in São Paulo in the month of August has been higher than in any August since it started collecting data in 1998.

The agency has registered 5,281 so far this month, compared with 1,104 in the same period last year. (BBC)

Contractor submits design...

U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar last week labeled the reform a "major risk to the functioning of Mexico's democracy" and cautioned of a potential risk to the U.S.-Mexico trade relationship. The U.S. and Mexico are each other's largest trade partners.

Canada's ambassador to Mexico, Graeme Clark, also warned of investment concerns.

Later on, Tuesday after Lopez Obrador's comments, Salazar posted a diplomatic note from the embassy, dated Aug. 23.

"The United States supports the concept of judicial reform in Mexico, but we have significant concerns that the popular election of judges would neither address judicial corruption nor strengthen the judicial branch of the Government of Mexico," the note read. The Canadian embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

(Reuters)

According to the Public Works Ministry, the project has been divided into three sections to ensure it remains on schedule with minimal disruption to commuters.

Section A covers the stretch from Good Success, beginning at the Ganga Temple, to Supply, while Section B extends from Supply to the Soesdyke Junction. Section C continues from the Soesdyke Junction to the Timehri Junction, near the Timehri Police Station.

A notable feature of the project is the integration with the Soesdyke/Linden Highway through the construction of a roundabout, designed to facilitate smoother traffic transitions.

The project entails the rehabilitation of

24 kilometres of road, alongside the reconstruction and widening of over 58 bridges and culverts.

The roadway will be upgraded to a two-lane highway, complete with enhanced safety features such as sidewalks and cycle lanes to cater to vulnerable road users, including pedestrians and cyclists. Additionally, thermoplastic road markings, LED street lighting, and traffic signs will be installed to enhance safety and navigation along the carriageway.

To manage the flow of traffic during the construction period, a comprehensive traffic management plan has been developed. Construction will begin in Section B, where there is sufficient space to accommodate ongoing work without

severe traffic disruption. During that time, at least one lane of traffic will remain open at all times, with efforts to maintain two lanes wherever possible. Construction activities will be confined to one side of the roadway at a time to further mitigate traffic issues.

Stakeholders and road users will remain informed through the RESOLV 75 app, which will provide real-time updates on the project activities.

Additionally, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) will also be mobilised to maintain order and ensure a steady flow of traffic throughout the construction period. When completed the road will alleviate traffic congestion and facilitate vital routes for efficient transportation. (G1) FROM PAGE 15

The fires razed huge sugarcane fields in the agricultural state of São Paulo

Exxon looks to sell non-core oil assets in the US Permian Basin

Top U.S. oil company Exxon Mobil (XOM.N), is looking to sell oil assets in the U.S. Permian Basin that could fetch $1 billion, Bloomberg Law reported on Tuesday.

Exxon, which purchased Pioneer Natural Resources for $60 billion in May, wants to sell a collection of conventional oil and gas properties in the Permian across west Texas and New Mexico to focus on highergrowth assets.

Reuters first reported on the planned sale in June. The company is offering 14 asset groups, eight operated by Exxon and stakes in six non-operated groups, according to a company prospectus.

Exxon said the sale is consistent with its strategy to continually evaluate its portfolio. (Reuters)

Ukraine's Zelenskiy to present plan to Biden to end war with Russia

Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday that the war with Russia would eventually end in dialogue, but that Kyiv had to be in a strong position and that he would present a plan to U.S. President Joe Biden and his two potential successors.

The Ukrainian leader, addressing a news conference, said Kyiv's threeweek-old incursion into Russia's Kursk region was part of that plan, but that it also comprised other steps on the economic and diplomatic fronts.

"The main point of this plan is to force Russia to end the war. And I want that very much - (that it would be) fair for Ukraine," he told reporters in Kyiv

Israel frees hostage in Gaza, battles Hamas, as displaced families seek safety

Palestinians displaced by fighting in the Gaza Strip crowded onto the seashore as Israeli forces continued to battle Hamas fighters in central and southern areas, freeing one hostage in an operation in the south of the enclave on Tuesday.

Gaza's health officials reported that at least 22 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli military strikes across the territory.

As ceasefire talks were continuing in Cairo with little sign of a concrete breakthrough over key issues separating the sides.

Israel said it had rescued Qaid Farhan Alkadi, taken hostage on Oct. 7, after a "complex operation" in southern Gaza. It said his medical condition was normal.

In recent days, Israel has issued several evacuation orders across Gaza, the most since the be-

of the war launched by Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. He did not elaborate further on the next steps, but said he would also discuss the plan with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and probably also with Republican Donald Trump, the two nominees for the U.S. presidential election. Zelenskiy said he hoped to go to the United States in September to attend the U.N. General Assembly in New York and that he was preparing to meet Biden.

His remarks indicated that he sees the main potential forum for talks as a follow-up international summit on peace, at which Ukraine has said it wants Russia to have representa-

tives.

The first summit to advance Kyiv's vision of peace, held in Switzerland in June, pointedly excluded Russia, while attracting scores of delegations, but not from China, the world's second largest economy, despite Kyiv's push to win

over the global south. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in Kyiv last week, spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and told him he supported an early and peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict. (Reuters)

Surging seas are coming for us all, warns UN chief

The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has said that big polluters have a clear responsibility to cut emissions – or risk a worldwide catastrophe.

“The Pacific is today the most vulnerable area of the world,” he told the BBC at the Pacific Island Forum Leaders Meeting in Tonga. “There is an enormous injustice in relation to the Pacific and it’s the reason I am here.”

“The small islands don’t contribute to climate change but everything that happens because of climate change is multiplied here.”

ing more and more carbon dioxide.

ginning of the 10-month war, prompting an outcry from Palestinians, the United Nations, and relief officials over the reduction of humanitarian zones and the absence of safe areas.

Residents and displaced families in the southern city of Khan Younis and Deir Al-Balah, in central Gaza, where most of the population is now concentrated, said they

have been pushed to live in tents now packed on the beach.

"Maybe they should bring ships, so next time they order people to leave we can jump there, people are now on the beach near the seawater," said Aya, 30, a displaced woman from Gaza City, who now lives with her family in western Deir Al-Balah. (Reuters)

But eventually the "surging seas are coming for us all," he warned in a speech at the forum, as the UN releases two separate reports on rising sea levels and how they threaten Pacific Island nations.

The World Meteorological Organization’s State of the Climate in the South West Pacific report says this region faces a triple whammy of an accelerating rise in the sea level, a warming of the ocean and acidification – a rise in the sea’s acidity because it’s absorb-

“The reason is clear: greenhouse gases – overwhelmingly generated by burning fossil fuels – are cooking our planet,” Mr Guterres said in a speech at the forum.

“The sea is taking the heat – literally.”

This year’s themetransformative resilience –was tested on the opening day when the new auditorium was deluged by heavy rains and buildings evacuated because of an earthquake.

"It's such a stark reminder of how volatile things are within our region, and how important it is that we need to prepare for everything," Joseph

Sikulu, Pacific director at 350, a climate change advocacy group, told the BBC. Not far from the venue was a street parade, with dancers representing the region, including Torres Strait islanders, Tongans and Samoans. At the start of the parade, a big banner reads: "We are not drowning, we are fighting". Another says: "Sea levels are rising – so are we". It echoes a challenge that threatens to wipe out their worldthe UN Climate Action Team released a report called "Surging Seas in a Warming World" showing that global average sea levels are rising at rates unprecedented in the past 3,000 years. (BBC)

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy

Antonio Guterres (L) speaking with Lord Fatafehi Fakafanua, Speaker of the Tonga Parliament

Mourners reacting during the funeral of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, August 27, 2024 (Reuters/Ramadan Abed)

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Acting prematurely or because of outside pressure will come back to haunt you. Put your emotions and reason aside, and stick to a workable budget. Consider your motives and the outcome you desire.

Don’t jump too quickly into something that tempts you. If you have doubts, do your due diligence first. Put more emphasis on tending to matters that don’t depend on others.

If you want change, step up and make it happen. Time spent complaining instead of sharing valid and innovative ideas and plans will result in a no-win situation. Use your power of persuasion to make a difference. Don’t share too much information. The element of surprise will give you the advantage you need. Knowing what you want, sizing up your situation and utilizing resources will get you closer to victory.

A little charm will go a long way. Attend functions, send emails, make calls and connect with those who can help you reach your goal. Don’t be flustered by an oversight; be grateful, fix the problem and proceed.

Monitor what others do and make logical choices. Don’t let someone’s ambiguity take you on a journey that can cost you. Keep up with the times, be true to yourself and implement positive personal changes.

You know the rules, and if you don’t, make a quick fix to ensure you have all the right answers. Getting along will have more to do with your capabilities than your beliefs.

Keep your money and ideas someplace safe, and refuse to let anyone pry into your personal life or documentation. Whatever you do, leave nothing to chance. You must be cautious!

Handle partnerships carefully. Be a good listener and make suggestions, but don’t rush to take on someone else’s problems. Put your energy into whatever benefits you most.

Deal with emotional, financial or health matters. Clear up what’s hanging over your head, and you’ll gain peace of mind. Take control and live life your way.

20-Feb. 19)

Treat yourself to something that puts a skip in your step. A positive attitude will help you get to the finish line. Opportunity knocks, so open the door.

Take a break and relax. Don’t dismiss what’s important to you or give in to someone trying to take advantage of you. Consider your needs, keep your thoughts to yourself and do what’s best for you.

PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES PICKLES

Rocky start for Guyana at World Athletics U20 Championships

In what has not been the best of opening days for the Guyana under-20 team competing at the World Athletics Championships in Lima, Peru, Monday’s events have resulted in no one from the Guyanese contingent progressing to the next stage.

Guyana, Youth Commonwealth Games record holders and South American Games champions, missed out on a spot in the 4x400M final after stopping the clock at 3 minutes, 26.06s in Heat 3 of the Mixed Relay event. The team of Enoch Munroe, Tianna Springer, Narissa McPherson and Dh Neilson

Gill finished 6th in that Heat, which was won by the Polish team in a season’s best time of 3:21.92. In the male and female 100M events, the Guyanese team again experienced misfortune, as Ezekiel Newton missed out on a spot in the semifinals after clocking 10.80s for sixth place in Heat 5, and Jackson Clarke clocked 10.68s for fifth place in Heat 7 of the same event.

The race involving Newton was won by Jamaica’s Gary Card in 10.40s, while the race involving Clarke was dominated by South Africa’s Bradley Nkoana in 10.27s.

The 16-year-old Guyanese athlete Athaleyha

Hinckson also failed to progress to the semifinal round of the 100M event, after clocking 12.01s for sixth place in Heat 1, which was won by Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands in a time of 11.45s. Hodge has just recently competed at the Paris Olympic Games.

The Guyanese team will today look to turn their fortunes around when Narissa McPherson and Tianna Springer suit up for the preliminary round of the Women’s 400M event. The duo will compete in Heat 2 and 5 respectively, and South American and CARIFTA Games

Champion Malachi Austin

Work ongoing to create international exposure for hinterland athletes

While attending the opening ceremony of the North Pakaraimas District Games in Kanama Village, Region Eight, the Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, revealed there is work ongoing that would allow outstanding athletes from the Heritage Games to represent the country and gain international exposure.

Minister Ramson shared, “There are major opportunities that we are working on your behalf right now, so that you can get international opportunity. In fact, you may or may not know that several persons who came and participated in District Games and Heritage Games they ended up representing Guyana overseas and internationally. Many of them have received scholarship just so that they can go and play football.”

The minister has indicated that Government would continue to fund these games in future, and expounded on the importance of the Games to the village.

“And what I can guarantee you, on behalf of the Government of Guyana, is that we will continue to fund the North Pakaraimas Games this year and next year, and the

will compete in Heat 5 of the male version of this event.

Guyana is being represented at this premier under-20 athletics event by a 10-member team comprising

years to come under the People’s Progressive Party Government. These Games are important, they are important not just for the development of the teams, but the development of your villages; and it is a huge opportunity for every village to host these Games, it’s an opportunity for you to show every single person coming into this village what your village is like, and the hospitality of the people of the village,” Minister Ramson said.

The North Pakaraima Games will feature 22 teams from various villages competing in such sports as foot-

ball, volleyball, archery and cricket. Among the participating teams are those from Kato, Kopinang, Tuseneng, Itabac, Kamana, Bamboo Creek, Micobie, Chenapau, Paramakatoi, Kanapang, and Maikwak.

The Games hold significant importance, as the winning team would represent Region Eight at the Amerindian Heritage Sports event scheduled to be held from September 1115 at the Everest Cricket Club ground in Georgetown, where a valuable platform is provided for showcasing talent and competing at a broader level.

Tianna Springer, Narissa McPherson, Athaleyha Hinckson, Nalicia Glen, Malachi Austin, Dh Neilson Gill, Enoch Munroe, Ezekiel Newton, Jackson Clarke and

Guyana’s Ninvalle submits to

IBA Caribbean developmental programme for boxing

Following conclusion of the America Boxing Confederation (AMBC) Forum on Monday in Havana, Cuba, President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), Steve Ninvalle, submitted to the International Boxing Association (IBA) a fouryear Caribbean developmental programme for boxing.

Ninvalle disclosed that he presented the pilot initiative on behalf of the Caribbean region, and confirmed that the proposed programme has importantly received support of IBA President Umar Kremlev, who lauded the project and confirmed that the entity would provide the necessary resources for its implementation. The upgrading of technical officers, specifically referees, judges and coaches, was also discussed, Ninvalle disclosed.

Further, it has been revealed that the region, led by Trinidad and Tobago, would be undertaking a Caribbean Professional Series. The GBA President shared about this development, “The importance of the forum and resulting developments cannot be easily quantified and/ or understated. What the region - and specifically the Caribbean territories

GBA President Steve Ninvalle (left) posing with his Caribbean counterparts: Vincent Straun of the Bahamas, Neil Roberts of Grenada, Shawn Blair of St. Maarten, Vice President Ronald Joefield of Trinidad, Edwin Bass of Curacao, and David Christopher of St. Lucia, after the Forum of the America Boxing Confederation (AMBC) had been concluded

- strive to accomplish as a collective, despite having their individual ambitions and objectives, is to create a competitive and professional ecosystem to develop the discipline, which in turn will reduce the skill gap that exists between this region and the traditional areas of power. In the simplest of terms, this programme is essential to the holistic advancement of the region.

“This initiative will also serve in the evolu-

tion of our technical officers, who were discussed in detail in an effort to improve their ability and performance. Naturally, better judges, referees and coaches can only serve to the benefit of the sport. If we want to improve our sport and its overall quality and product, the advancement of technical officers (is) required. That is the universal truth, rooted in empirical evidence,” Ninvalle has further stated.

Kaidon Persaud. The team is being managed by Sheryl Hermonstine and coached by Julian Edmonson, and Aretha Legall is the physiotherapist.

The North Pakaraimas Annual District Games kicked off on Monday with the presence of esteemed Government officials, including the Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, and Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai

A 10-athlete Guyanese team has been named for the World Athletics U20 Championships

SA tour of the West Indies 2024: T20I series, Game 3 of 3…

West Indies sweep series 3-0

– through efforts of Shepherd, Pooran, Hope

The West Indies have completed a clean sweep of the T20I series to underline their dominance of South Africa in this format of the game. They have played South Africa ten times in T20I cricket since March 2023, and have won eight of those matches, including back-to-back 3-0 series victories on either side of the T20 World Cup. The last of those wins came in a shortened affair in the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.

A rain delay caused the series finale to start an hour later than the scheduled 3pm start time, but no overs were lost when play got underway. Another weather interruption midway through the fifth over of South Africa's innings took 70 more minutes out of the game and reduced it to 13 overs a side.

South Africa's total of 108 for 4 lacked significant individual contributions, which has been a concern for the Proteas throughout the series. They were kept quiet by two West Indies' spinners, Akeal Hosein and stand-in captain Roston Chase, who conceded 22 runs in five overs between them. Only Tristan Stubbs scored more than 30, and West

rest of the batters grabbed the contest by the scruff of the neck and delivered West Indies the victory.

Shai Hope and

Shepherd's double strike

Romario Shepherd became the leading wicket-taker of the T20I series with two wickets in

Nicholas Pooran shared a second-wicket partnership of 58 off 20 balls to put West Indies in a posi-

Indies' target was adjusted to 116.

The hosts were on the back foot early, when Bjorn Fortuin had Alick Athanaze caught at midon in the first over, but the

tion to push for victory, before an unbeaten 56-run stand between Hope and Shimron Hetmyer ended the match with 22 balls to spare.

With South Africa in need of quick runs, he took on West Indies senior seamer Obed McCoy in his first over of the series to announce himself, even as he got his eye in. Stubbs had faced just four deliveries when he pulled McCoy over backward square leg for his first six, then hit a full ball through cover for four, and finally smashed a short ball over deep mid-wicket for a 101metre six.

Stubbs took 16 runs off three balls, and finished his innings on 40 off 15 balls to push South Africa over 100 and towards a competitive total.

Maphaka learns the hard way Kwena Maphaka's first IPL match was a baptism of fire, when Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma tore him about, and he conceded 66 runs in four overs to record the most expensive figures on debut.

his first over, and South Africa's tenth, to push the visitors back in their pursuit for quick runs. His first ball brought success, as Aiden Markram went after a ‘back of a length ball’ and nicked it off.

South Africa's T20 captain has not got past 20 in his last six completed innings in this format of the game, and has only once got past 20 in his 12 knocks.

Three balls later, Shepherd's slower ball had Ryan Rickelton caught at mid-off, thereby sending South Africa from 61 for 1 to 66 for 3 with 20 balls left in their innings.

Stubbs signs off on a high

After registering his first Test half-century in Trinidad earlier this month, Stubbs finished the T20I series as the highest run-scorer, and displayed a level of maturity that bodes well for his future with the South African side.

The lessons have kept coming. Playing his third international in six days, and given the ball in the third over of the shortened chase, Maphaka started with a full, wide delivery outside off, which he had to bowl again.

With the gas ramped up to 141kph, Pooran took one run off his next ball to put Hope on strike, and

he showed Maphaka no mercy. He sent successive short balls over the leg side for six before being foxed by a slower ball. Maphaka could not close out the over quickly, and sent down a no-ball and another wide before Pooran whipped him away for the third six of the over, to put West Indies in charge of the chase.

Maphaka's first over cost 22 runs.

Hetmyer hits out It was his first T20I of the year, but Hetmyer looked as though he had not missed a beat after he found his feet. It took him seven balls to find his first boundary, and it came off the outside edge of Lizaad Williams; but runs came easily after that.

SCOREBOARD

West Indies (T: 116 runs from 13 ovs)

Alick Athanaze c Markram b Fortuin 1

Shai Hope not out 42

Nicholas Pooran † c Smith

b Baartman 35

Tristan Stubbs c Allen

b Forde 40

Jason Smith not out 6

Wiaan Mulder not out 1

Extras (b 3, lb 1, w 1) 5

TOTAL 13 Ov (RR: 8.30) 108/4

Did not bat: Patrick Kruger, Bjorn Fortuin, Lizaad Williams, Kwena Maphaka, Ottneil Baartman

Fall of wickets: 1-23 (Reeza Hendricks, 4.6 ov), 2-61 (Aiden Markram, 9.1 ov), 3-66 (Ryan Rickelton, 9.4 ov), 4-106 (Tristan Stubbs, 12.4 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Akeal Hosein 3-0-11-1

Matthew Forde 3-0-28-1

Roston Chase 2-1-11-0

Gudakesh Motie 2-0-23-0

Romario Shepherd 2-0-14-2

Obed McCoy 1-0-17-0

Shimron Hetmyer not out 31

Extras (b 1, nb 1, w 5) 7

TOTAL 9.2 Ov (RR: 12.42) 116/2

Did not bat: Roston Chase (c), Fabian Allen, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, Matthew Forde, Obed McCoy

Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Alick Athanaze, 0.4 ov), 2-60 (Nicholas Pooran, 3.5 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Bjorn Fortuin 1-0-8-1

Lizaad Williams 2-0-20-0

Kwena Maphaka 2-0-34-0

Ottneil Baartman 2-0-32-1

Patrick Kruger 2.2-0-21-0

Hetmyer pulled a Maphaka short ball over long leg for six, then sent Ottneil Baartman to opposite ends of the fieldthrough mid-off and backward point - for successive fours, and finished the over with a third four over fine leg.

He was the senior partner in a half-century partnership with Hope, and scored 31 runs off 17 balls to ensure West Indies finished in style. (ESPNCricinfo)

Shimron Hetmyer looked in fine touch in the chase

Nicholas Pooran blasted 35 runs off 13 balls

Tristan Stubbs clubbed 40 runs off just 15 balls

Tickets for CPL final go on sale from tomorrow

Lengthy lines and scores of avid cricket fans are expected to engulf Camp Street in Georgetown tomorrow, as tickets for the highly-anticipated Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) playoffs and final, which is slated for the Guyana National Stadium at Providence from October 1st to 6th, go on sale from 09:00hrs at the Guyana Amazon Warriors’ (GAW) Box Office.

With the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) poised to defend their title at home, the rush for

sale

playoff tickets is expected to surpass that of the sale of regular season tickets -- which saw patrons lin-

ing up from 17:00hrs on the day before the Box Office opened in order to secure their tickets two weeks ago. For the Eliminator, Qualifier 1 and Qualifier 2 matches, a ticket to the

Massy WCPL 2024…

Green Stand would cost $7000, Red Stand $6500, Orange Stand $6000, and the grass mound $3500. A ticket to the final would cost $8500 for the Green Stand; $8000 for the Red Stand; $7500 for the Orange Stand, and $4000 for the grass mound.

As usual, there would be a stipulation on the number of tickets one patron can purchase. As such, for the final, fans can buy four tickets per person. For the Eliminator and Qualifier 1 matches, a fan can pur-

chase ten tickets per person; and for the Qualifier 2 match, there is a limit of 6 tickets per person for the stands, or 8 tickets per person for the grass mound.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors Box Office is located at 233- 234 Camp Street, Georgetown (between Middle and Quamina Streets). The Eliminator, Qualifier 1, Qualifier 2 and the grand final are scheduled for Tuesday, October 1st, Wednesday, October 2nd, Friday, October 4th and Sunday, October 6th respectively.

Royals edge GAW to remain undefeated

Defending champions Barbados Royals have booked their place in the final of the 2024 Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) with a 17run victory over Guyana Amazon Warriors in a match played at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.

In that encounter, in which ball dominated bat on a testing wicket under lights, the Royals were inserted after Warriors captain Lauren Winfield-Hill won the toss; and Hayley Matthews’s side struggled to break the infield or find the boundary in the early stages.

Matthews fell for just two runs after facing 13 deliveries, and the normally fluent Chamari Athapathu used up 27 deliveries for her 15 runs before being pinned lbw by Chloe Tryon.

It was hard going throughout the innings for the Royals in the face of tight bowling, with just 25 runs added in the PowerPlay and 33 on the board after the first ten overs.

Erin Burns again starred for the Warriors, this time with the ball in hand, as she returned figures of 3/31 off her four overs.

The Royals eventually recorded a total of 101/8 off their twenty overs. Qiana Joseph top-scored

for the 2023 champions with 19 runs, and the slow left-armer later pocketed 3/16 with the ball to cap a Player of the Match performance.

The Warriors found conditions equally as tough in their response. The Royals put the squeeze on, and showed their class and composure in defending a

small target. When Erin Burns – the tournament’s top run-maker – was dismissed by Athapathu, the Warriors were on 44/5 in the twelfth over, and the game drifted out of sight for Winfield-Hill’s side.

The Royals have chalked up another win, and look increasingly strong in this year’s com-

SCOREBOARD

Barbados Royals Women (20 ovs maximum)

Hayley Matthews (c) c McLean

b Grimmond 2

Chamari Athapaththu lbw

b Tryon 15

Qiana Joseph

b Burns 19

Aaliyah Alleyne

b Burns 18

Laura Harris

b Ismail 14

Amanda-Jade Wellington st †Winfield-Hill b Burns 9

Afy Fletcher

b Tryon 9

Shabika Gajnabi

b Ismail 0

Rashada Williams † not out 4

Djenaba Joseph not out 10

Extras (lb 1) 1

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 5.05) 101/8

Did not bat: Cherry-Ann Fraser

Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Hayley Matthews, 4.3 ov), 2-28 (Chamari Athapaththu, 7.6 ov), 3-53 (Aaliyah Alleyne, 14.1 ov), 4-56 (Qiana Joseph, 14.5 ov), 5-72 (Amanda-Jade Wellington, 16.1 ov), 6-84 (Laura Harris, 17.1 ov), 7-84 (Shabika Gajnabi, 17.4 ov), 8-88 (Afy Fletcher, 18.3 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Chloe Tryon 4-1-17-2

Shabnim Ismail 4-1-11-2

Sheneta Grimmond 4-0-18-1

Erin Burns 4-0-31-3

Karishma Ramharack 4-0-23-0

Guyana Amazon Warriors Women (T: 102 runs from 20 ovs)

Lauren Winfield-Hill (c)† c

Athapaththu b Q Joseph 12

Sheneta Grimmond

b Athapaththu 1

Shemaine Campbelle

b Matthews 0

Erin Burns

b Matthews 18

Chloe Tryon c †Williams

b Wellington 5

Ashmini Munisar st †Williams

b Q Joseph 14

Natasha McLean c Fraser

b Matthews 20

Shabnim Ismail c Wellington

b Q Joseph 2

Karishma Ramharack st †Williams

b Matthews 7

Shakera Selman not out 1

Extras (nb 1, w 3) 4

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 4.20) 84/9

Did not bat: Nyia Latchman

Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Sheneta Grimmond, 1.3 ov), 2-10

(Shemaine Campbelle, 2.6 ov), 3-25 (Lauren Winfield-Hill, 5.6 ov), 4-38 (Chloe Tryon, 8.4 ov), 5-44 (Erin Burns, 11.1 ov), 6-61 (Ashmini Munisar, 17.1 ov), 7-63

(Shabnim Ismail, 17.3 ov), 8-79

(Karishma Ramharack, 19.2 ov), 9-84 (Natasha McLean, 19.6 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Aaliyah Alleyne 1-0-7-0

Chamari Athapaththu 4-1-13-1

Hayley Matthews 4-0-14-4

Qiana Joseph 4-0-16-3

Amanda-Jade Wellington 4-0-14-1

Afy Fletcher 3-0-20-0

petition. It is now a case of who they will meet in Thursday’s final, with Trinbago Knight Riders and Guyana Amazon Warriors both tied on two points each.

Deandra Dottin’s Knight Riders have the chance to secure their place in the final, but would need to find a way to beat the undefeated and dominant Royals tomorrow night in order to do so. (CPLT20)

Fans are expected to rush the GAW Box Office on Thursday when CPL playoff tickets go on

Qiana Joseph produced a brilliant all-round performance