Region 7 $100K cash grant distribution begins today
Over 6700kg of narcotics seized, destroyed by CANU in 2024
Cop, labourer jointly charged for abduction
500 more body cams for cops – Benn
“It’s a huge undertaking that has to happen” –Culture Minister on Guyana’s copyright laws Lilian Chatterjee now co-chair of Canada-Guyana Chamber of Commerce
The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) of Guyana has issued a public advisory regarding the chemical tanker "Four Plus" (IMO No. 9203920), which was recently detained by Venezuelan authorities for unauthorised entry into their waters. MARAD confirmed that the vessel was falsely flying the Guyana flag, and it is not, in fact, registered under the country's maritime registry.
In its statement, MARAD clarified that the "Four Plus" is not authorised to fly the Guyana flag or claim Guyanese nationality. The department emphasised that it operates a closed Ships' Registry and does not offer a
flag of convenience to foreign vessels.
This incident comes amid growing concerns in the global maritime industry over fraudulent vessel registrations. Recent media reports have highlighted the sanctioning of five oil tankers linked to a Syrian conglomerate with alleged ties to Iran and Venezuela. These vessels were also found to be flying false registration documents.
The issue of fraudulent vessel registration has become a focal point for international regulators. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is expected to address this ongoing issue during the 112th Session of its Legal
Committee in March 2025, with discussions aimed at developing measures to curb unlawful practices in the maritime industry.
In December 2024, MARAD had clarified that the Syrian-owned oil tankers that have been sanctioned by the United States (US) Department of Treasury were fraudulently carrying Guyana Flag.
This clarification had come on the heels of reports that five oil tankers registered under the Guyana Flag, which are linked to a Syrian conglomerate company in Iran and Syria, and also connected to Venezuela, were sanctioned by the US Treasury Department.
It was explained that Guyana, through MARAD operates a closed registry. Therefore, the registration of vessels under the Guyana flag is limited to ships owned by Guyanese nationals, residents, citizens of Caribbean Community states (CARICOM), and corporate bodies established under the laws of Guyana.
According to MARAD, none of the purported owners of the five oil tankers in question falls into any of these categories.
In fact, MARAD outlined that since 2021, incidences of false Guyana registrations have come to the fore. It
said the perpetrators of this fraud have targeted several countries including Guyana, Panama, and regional states. MARAD and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continue to share information on these false registrations, which come into their possession, with all United Nations (UN) member states and relevant regional and international maritime associations.
“The sanctions being applied by the United States of America, the United Kingdom (UK) and other Western States are part of the said response to the threats posed by these false registrations,” the MARAD missive had detailed.
It went onto state that, “The Government of Guyana makes it pellucid that there is no sinister plot afoot to operate or have a separate ship
registry and Guyana does not, has not, and will not offer a flag of convenience for vessels. In this regard, it continues to take steps to protect the sovereignty and integrity of Guyana.”
Back in January 2022, a ‘Guyana-registered vessel’ was intercepted in the West African country of Senegal transporting three containers of ammunition worth more than US$5 million.
The motor vessel, named EOLIKA, has been detained in Dakar, Senegal, and the crew arrested after a search by Customs officials there unearthed the weapons.
It was found that Guyana Flag registration was issued by International Maritime Safety Agency of Guyana (IMSAG), which had dubbed itself as a company providing maritime services on behalf of Guyana.
However, the Guyana Government, through MARAD, had subsequently distanced itself from IMSAG. It was explained that there was an undertaking between MARAD and IMSAG but this was immediately brought to a halt after the discovery of the fraudulent representations and illicit conduct of these entities.
It was further noted that the fraudulent issuance of registration under the Guyana Flag is a deliberate criminal design to sully the good image of Guyana, which the Government has worked tirelessly to rebuild and maintain, and will not condone it.
Moreover, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) had been working with Interpol on that matter.
But despite this, however, the IMO last year flagged two fraudulent shipping registries – one being the IMSAGadministered Guyana registry.
According to reports, the IMO in April 2024 had warned that IMSAG registry continues to operate, issuing fraudulent certificates of registration and authorising recognised organisations, even though the contract was terminated between MARAD and Aryavart Corporation, whose subsidiary is IMSAG
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Tuesday, January 14 –03:45h-05:15h and Wednesday, January 15 – 03:45h-05:15h.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Tuesday, January 14 –16:35h-18:05h and Wednesday, January 15 – 05:35h-07:05h.
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
Sunshine is expected throughout the day, with light to thundery showers in the morning and early-afternoon hours and at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.
Winds: North-Easterly to East North-Easterly between 1.34 metres and 4.47 metres.
High Tide: 16:57h reaching a maximum height of 2.61 metres.
Low Tide: 10:30h and 23:00h reaching minimum heights of 0.77 metre and 0.61 metre.
Acting
Chief Magistrate
Faith McGusty has ruled that the case involving the nine persons charged with election fraud, will proceed summarily and that the case will restart from February 17, 2025, a ruling she noted is in the public interest.
During a sitting of her court on Monday, the acting chief magistrate followed up her December 30, 2024 ruling for the restart of the election fraud case, by ruling that the matter will proceed summarily.
This means that the matter will be ruled on by the chief magistrate herself. Acknowledging the length of time the matters have already been before the court, as well as the long road ahead before these matters are concluded, McGusty noted that it is in the public interest as well as the interest of the defendants to have these matters proceed summarily instead of indictably.
The acting chief magistrate noted the pitfalls of dealing with the matters indictably, since this would mean every charge would have to be dealt with separately. And had she chosen to go this route, a preliminary inquiry would have needed to be done before the matter could even be referred to the High Court for a final ruling.
In her ruling, the acting Chief Magistrate cited the Administration of Justice Act and noted the need for a timely conclusion to the over four year-long case. McGusty meanwhile also did not delve into the matter of penalties, since according to her this would presuppose guilt.
Another issue raised during the conference was the status of two additional charges, which had previously been determined by the Magistrate court would be classified as indictable, before being shifted to summary trial status.
Special Prosecutor, King’s Counsel Darshan Ramdhani has been requesting that these two charges be reinstated as indictable offences, asserting that the earlier decision was incorrect and warrants reconsideration.
On the other hand, defense lawyer Nigel Hughes had countered that the charges had already been reviewed and appealed by higher courts. Hughes had therefore argued that it would be inappropriate for the magistrate to revisit this matter.
When Ramdhani brought these charges to McGusty’s attention on Monday, the acting Chief Magistrate sided with the defense and declined to make a pronouncement on the charges, since in her view this would usurp the power of the High Court.
Dates
Meanwhile, there was much back and forth regarding the dates for the case. While there were no difficulties with the case being held on February 17 at 1:00pm, February 18 from 09:30h and February 19 from 09:30 to noon, defense counsel Eusi Anderson indicated that he would be leaving the country for China and that this would prevent him from
joining in on the case for the remainder of February.
He even ruled out participating via zoom, since the time court would be in session would be “sleep time” for him in China. However, Anderson did commit to “clearing his schedule” in March.
All parties were able to agree on the cases continuing from March 17 to 18 and 20 to 21. After March 24, however, it was agreed that since the defense have cases during this week, the dates would be left tentative until they can be finalized in consultation with those other courts.
Nine persons are before the court this case, which pertains to the March 2020 general and regional elections. They include former Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo; former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield and his former Deputy, Roxanne Myers.
Also charged are former PNCR Chairperson
Together, these nine defendants confront 33 counts of election-related fraud, focused on alleged efforts to manipulate voting results. Initially overseen by Senior Magistrate Leron Daly, the trial began in July 2024, but was paused following her extended medical leave, which has resulted in the trial being reassigned to Magistrate McGusty. When the matter was called on December 8, 2024, the defense had pressed for a fresh start to the already delayed trial. On the other hand, the prosecution had argued that a restart of the case was completely unnecessary and that all the court needed to do was to recall the previous witnesses. Ultimately, however, McGusty had ordered a restart in the election fraud trial. (G3)
Editor: Tusika Martin
News Hotline: 231-8063Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761
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Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Industrial Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown
Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com
Body-worn cameras serve as crucial tools in capturing real-time audio and video evidence during interactions between law enforcement and the public. They act as impartial observers, documenting encounters in a manner that can independently verify events and provide clarity in contentious situations. This technology helps to ensure that all parties are held accountable for their actions, whether it is the Police or members of the public. By fostering mutual trust, body cameras encourage greater cooperation between law enforcement and communities.
Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn aptly highlighted the necessity of body cameras, citing instances of disputes regarding professional conduct, police behaviour, and even cases of assaults against officers. These concerns underscore the importance of equipping ranks with devices that document interactions, ensuring that justice can be served based on factual evidence rather than conflicting testimonies.
One of the most significant benefits of body cameras is their role in improving the professionalism of Police Officers. Knowing their actions are being recorded fosters a greater sense of responsibility and adherence to established protocols. This accountability extends to the public as well, as individuals are less likely to engage in aggressive or unlawful behaviour when they know their actions are being documented.
Moreover, the recordings from body cameras can provide invaluable training material for Police Officers. By reviewing footage of real-life encounters, officers can learn from their experiences and improve their approach to handling various situations. This is particularly important as the Force continues to train its ranks in the use of this technology, ensuring that its benefits are fully realised.
Body camera footage has proven instrumental in resolving disputes and bringing justice in numerous cases worldwide. For example, in the United States, the 2015 case of the fatal shooting of Walter Scott by a Police Officer in South Carolina was brought to light through video evidence, including body camera footage. The recording revealed discrepancies between the officer’s initial account and the actual events, leading to the officer being charged with murder and later convicted.
Closer to home, body camera footage has been utilised in other Caribbean nations to hold law enforcement accountable and ensure fair outcomes. For instance, in Trinidad and Tobago, body camera footage was recently used to exonerate officers who were falsely accused of misconduct during a routine traffic stop. The evidence captured by the cameras corroborated the officers’ accounts, demonstrating the importance of having an objective record of events.
The Guyana Police Force stands to benefit immensely from such capabilities. Body camera footage can help resolve disputes over Police conduct, provide critical evidence in criminal investigations, and protect officers from false accusations. Additionally, it can be a powerful tool for rebuilding public trust in law enforcement, which is often eroded by perceptions of corruption or abuse of power.
The effective use of body cameras requires a robust framework to guide their deployment and sticking to the established Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). These guidelines will ensure the proper retention, storage, and retrieval of recorded media, maintaining the integrity of evidence and preventing misuse.
However, the successful implementation of body cameras depends on consistent adherence to these protocols. This requires ongoing training and monitoring to ensure officers are proficient in the use of the equipment and aware of the importance of following established procedures. Moreover, there must be clear policies regarding public access to body camera footage, balancing transparency with privacy considerations.
The introduction of body cameras into daily Police operations is a step in the right direction, but it is only one part of a broader effort to modernise and professionalise the Guyana Police Force. To maximise the impact of this technology, the Force must invest in comprehensive training, robust oversight mechanisms, and public awareness campaigns to educate citizens on the benefits of body cameras.
By embracing this technology, the Guyana Police Force can build a stronger foundation of trust with the communities it serves, paving the way for a safer and more just society.
Zuckerberg, Musk, answer this: what about the child abuse scandal playing out online?
By SuSanna RuStin
Two seemingly contradictory things are true. It was appalling for the UK’s domestic policy agenda to be hijacked last week by Elon Musk’s blaze of interest in child sexual exploitation gangs. And government action in response to the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse was long overdue. As ministers look in more detail at plans announced in a panic, it is essential that the many anxieties surrounding group-based child sexual exploitation –euphemistically known as “grooming gangs” because of the techniques used to ensnare vulnerable girls –do not distract from the seriousness of the issue.
On Friday, Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, added his voice to those calling for a new inquiry into child sexual exploitation – a specific form of abuse carried out in exchange for money or other things that victims want or need; and often involving financial advantage for perpetrators, who traffic children under their control. A large majority of group-based child sex offences (83% in 2023) are committed by white men, although some areas have a problem with gangs of mainly Pakistani-heritage abusers. It is true that the inquiry’s broad remit did not include a thorough investigation of child sexual exploitation specifically. There are many gaps in the data, as multiple reviews have noted.
Whether or not they pursue the idea of a new national probe, ministers are likely to struggle with the pledges made last week. Criminalising the failure to report suspicions of child sexual abuse or exploitation
is tricky, as the last government found when it tried. Difficulties surround both the issue of scope – who exactly would face these new sanctions – and thresholds. For example: will it become a crime for a youth work volunteer not to tell police if a 15-year-old girl says she has had sex with a 17-yearold boyfriend?
Because 16 is the age of consent, treatment by public authorities of girls on either side of that threshold differs. Bluntly, 16and 17-year-old girls do not qualify for the same degree of care and protection. This ambiguity around the status of older teenagers can be seen clearly in official crime data, where they are grouped with adults. The government’s pledge to follow the independent inquiry’s recommendation for a new child sexual abuse dataset should mean that further light is thrown on this troubling area.
Convening a victims’ and survivors’ panel to oversee reform, as ministers have also pledged, ought to be reasonably straightforward. So should making grooming an aggravating factor in sentencing, although this brings the vexed issue of prison overcrowding into frame. Already, the government has had to backtrack on one of its flagship measures to reduce violence against girls and women. A pledge for specialist rape courts was put off due to a lack of lawyers. The reports on Rochdale and Rotherham showed how vital local youth and sexual health workers were in exposing what was going on. It is alarming to realise that cuts in these areas could mean girls are even more exposed now than before. Support and supervision for police and social workers should also be pri-
oritised.
There is no question that victims of these crimes have been badly let down, over decades, by police, councils, politicians and media organisations. It is easy to see now that the decision taken more than 20 years ago to delay transmission of a Channel 4 film featuring coverage of a grooming gang because the BNP had endorsed it was a mistake. The film, like later reports, found that concerns about community cohesion, and people’s fears of being seen as racist, inhibited action in some cases. It is right to be outraged by this and disgusted by reports about the sadistic gang-rape of children. But disturbing though these crimes are, they must not distort discussion of sexual abuse overall.
Group-based abuse, including exploitation, made up 3.7% of the 115,489 child sexual offences reported to police in England and Wales in 2023. More than a quarter of that 3.7% were family-based crimes. And while calls for new research on exploitation specifically should be taken seriously, not every story about past failures is true. Last week, BBC Verify traced one widely amplified claim, that the Home Office had issued an edict against investigating grooming in 2008, and showed it to be false.
There is another important element to these attacks on the government and efforts to link the subject of child sexual abuse with immigration. Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement that his company, Meta, would drastically cut back on factchecking and moderation was not immediately connected to Musk’s interest in child abuse. But the two stories are related by more than timing. Because while it clearly
suits US tech billionaires, and rightwing populists such as the shadow justice secretary, Robert Jenrick, to pretend that child sexual exploitation is an import from faraway lands, the truth is far more troubling and complex.
Multiple factors lie behind sexual offences against children. Some are economic, others are ideological. Consideration of the beliefs and opinions that influence men’s attitudes and behaviour, including those derived from religion, must never be off limits.
But it would be a colossal misjudgment for ministers, or anyone else, to ignore the role of the internet in propagating sexual abuse and exploitation. Far from being a “medieval” relic, as Jenrick suggested last week, all the evidence points to such abuse ballooning in 21st-century online spaces. One recent report by academics highlighted the risks in the US, where one in nine men admitted committing online child sexual abuse offences. In the UK, the figure was one in 14. It concluded that 300 million children globally are at risk. A disturbing volume of such offences are now committed by children themselves.
Some of the most egregious abuses have been on pornography websites such as Pornhub, and the one where Gisèle Pelicot’s husband recruited more than 80 strangers to rape her (the computer engineering graduate who set up this site has been arrested). But Meta/Facebook has faced a stream of criticism from whistleblowers avnd experts, while X was fined by the Australian government for failing to cooperate with anti-child abuse efforts.
Dear Editor,
Reference is made here to remarks delivered on two separate occasions by the current Leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC), a third party that once hoped to strike a very important balance between the two major political parties. A third party that spoke highly of its credibility and ability to be the difference in a political landscape that it claimed was overtaken by lies, exaggerations, and omissions of the truth.
In the party’s January 3 press conference, AFC Leader Nigel Hughes doubled down on his position that there were 1200 Afro-Guyanese men that “disappeared” with some or all of the responsibility being laid at the feet of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) that was then in office.
Subsequently, a passionate young man named Nikhil Sankar questioned the validity of this number, sharing his view that the inflation of the numbers could be a direct attempt to reopen and even exacerbate the wounds caused by the horrendous crime wave that occurred from 2002-2006. Rightfully, Nikhil challenged the amount highlighted by the AFC leader, as it appears as if he expected Guyanese to believe what he said because he was the one saying it.
This debate sparked a desire for intense research
in my mind. I begun to ask myself real questions about these alleged disappearances of young black men like myself, and wondered how something of this magnitude could happen with little to no authoritative and objective documentation of what transpired.
After doing some digging, I stumbled upon an impressively detailed article titled Prison Break Carnage: A Stabroek News Investigation In its preamble, the dossier admitted that there was –and, apparently, there still is – what it terms a “heated disputation” surrounding “the number of persons who died in the violence following the…2002 jailbreak”.
Now, what is very important to note is that this dossier, possibly the only compilation of the deaths during the horrendous crime wave that is published and up for scrutiny, details 420 people who were killed. 151 were murdered by bandits, 239 killed in confrontations with law enforcement and in unexplained circumstances, and 30 security officers who lost their lives. A considerable proportion of those who were killed were of ethnicities other than AfroGuyanese.
At the end of the first paragraph, Stabroek News admits that it may not have been able to capture every single death. However, the newspaper affirmed that those not embed-
ded in the dossier “would only be a small number”.
With this sort of information, one finds it increasingly difficult to understand how a political leader who intends to run for office in some form or the other would be so callous as to blurt out numbers that would only serve to instil fear in those listening about the magnitude of the events that unfolded.
But that is not all.
On Friday last, after the challenge by Sankar, Nigel Hughes appears to dismiss the original number he doubled down on. In response to a particular question posed to him, Hughes says: “If you’re asking me to argue whether it is 1200, or 1100, or 1400, to me that’s secondary…”
I wish not to impute any improper motives of Hughes or anyone else. But the reality is simple – our young people deserve the truth. If it is that the argument of 1200 AfroGuyanese men “disappearing” or being the subjects of extrajudicial killings actually forms the basis of fact, do not use yourself as the authoritative source. Compile your list and do not waver. Show us, the young people whose vote you will clamor for at the end of this year, that you are worthy to be believed and that your word is your bond. Dispute the 420 people that Stabroek News put together in the dossier and point us in the direction of the more than
700 others that you assert were the victims of, in some way or other, politically-supported annihilation. The young people of this country, especially those of African descent, can no longer be misled. The power of the internet no longer allows us to.
Finally, I want to condemn the attempts I have seen on Sankar for his bravery to ask, albeit vehemently, for a detailed breakdown of the numbers that appear to be inflated. I have seen him being called all kinds of names for being an Indo-Guyanese and for looking into this matter as intently as he has. Well, I hope that this letter disabuses the mind of anyone with the notion that as an IndoGuyanese, he should not be as interested as he is in this matter. He is not alone, and I am asking, as a young man of African descent, for the substantiation of the numbers presented to this country.
It is time we put to rest, once and for all, this continuous reopening of the wound caused by this dreaded period of our country’s history. It is time that we allow the souls of those to get the respite they deserve, and for the families to find solace in the undisputed conclusion of this matter. Let’s start by underscoring that the numbers matter.
Yours sincerely, Shaquawn Gill
Dear Editor, The widening of Homestretch Avenue is a great opportunity to make the vision of creating a central location for an arts and cultural experience become a reality. We all remember the days when school children could be seen riding their bicycles comfortably along the sides of Homestretch and when during the period of Mashramani the Sports Hall would be a place for singing competitions amongst the schools
and there would be pedestrians all over the avenue on the day of Mashramani, and who could forget the people’s parade when we marched pass Cuffy at the Square of the Revolution while the President and his Generals received our salute. Homestretch Avenue also brings back fond memories of the many school tournaments at the National Sports Hall and outings to the National Cultural Centre. We also had interschool swimming competitions at the
Two of the independent inquiry’s recommendations were for tighter internet laws. Last week, the government announced that the taking of intimate images without consent and the making of explicit deepfakes are to be criminalised. But the code launched by Ofcom in December setting out how businesses comply with the Online Safety Act is full of holes, with no general duty on companies to improve safety.
This, of course, is just as the industry wants it. It has consistently pushed back hard against restrictions on encryption and calls for age verification to protect children from pornography. Now, all the signs
FROM PAGE 4
point to a renewed and aggressive anti-regulation drive under Donald Trump. And while factchecking and moderation are not the same as screening for illegal material, Zuckerberg himself said that the changes mean “we’re going to catch less bad stuff”.
Undoubtedly there is more to be learned about Britain’s sexual exploitation gangs. But if politicians are serious about child protection, they must look to the future as well as the past, and insist that the virtual world is policed along with the real one. (The Guardian)
(Susanna Rustin is a Guardian social affairs journalist)
Presidential Residence pool. Homestretch Avenue was the best road in the country for a very long time. It leads to the Office of the President, the famous Bourda Cricket Ground and key locations such as the Zoo and the Botanical Gardens. It was always a location that represented the progress of the Nation and the excellent workmanship that could be achieved throughout the country.
It is my hope that the expansion of our famous Homestretch Avenue will keep in mind the pedes -
trians, cyclists and those visiting the key National Centres where we gather to celebrate excellence amongst us. This means good parking, cycling lanes, pedestrian walkways and overhead crossings, and the very important minibus sheds for pickup and drop off of passengers to ensure the safety of all users of this very significant area of the Capital City. All the best on this very important endeavour.
Best regards, Jamil
Changlee
“Shake-up” of
Dear Editor, The recent announcement of a management shake-up at the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) signals a pivotal step toward revitalizing the nation’s sugar industry. Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has indicated that, starting in 2025, certain managers will be reassigned or relieved of their duties to enhance operational efficiency across various estates.
This strategic move comes in response to a challenging year marked by subpar production levels, attributed to factors such as extended droughts and operational inefficiencies. The government’s proactive approach, including the engagement of technical experts from India and Cuba, underscores its commitment to addressing these challenges head-on.
President Dr. Irfaan Ali has set clear expectations, emphasizing that “heads will roll” if production targets are not met in the coming year. This decisive stance reflects the administration’s dedication to holding management accountable and ensuring that GuySuCo meets its goal of producing no less than 100,000 tonnes of sugar in 2025.
The planned management restructuring is anticipated to bring a fresh perspective and renewed vigor to GuySuCo’s operations. By aligning managerial roles
with individual strengths and expertise, the corporation aims to foster a more dynamic and responsive organizational culture. This initiative is expected to enhance decision-making processes, improve field and factory operations, and ultimately lead to increased productivity.
Moreover, the government’s investment in technical assistance from international experts signifies a commitment to adopting best practices and innovative solutions tailored to Guyana’s unique agricultural landscape. This collaborative effort is poised to address longstanding issues within the sugar industry, paving the way for sustainable growth and profitability. In conclusion, the forthcoming management shakeup at GuySuCo represents a critical and commendable effort to rejuvenate Guyana’s sugar industry. By prioritizing accountability, efficiency, and international collaboration, this initiative lays a solid foundation for achieving and potentially surpassing the ambitious production targets set for 2025. The nation’s sugar industry stands on the cusp of a transformative era, with the potential to contribute significantly to Guyana’s economic development and agricultural prosperity.
Sincerely, Anand
Ragnauth
L
Example:
It shows Set A = {1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12} and Set B = {2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13}
Exercises: Interpret
By Lewis CarroLL
How cheerfully he seems to grin, How neatly spreads his claws, And welcomes little fishes in, With gently smiling jaws! A Venn Diagram is used to show groups of data and can show if and when
If we look at the overlapping section of the Venn diagram, this represents A ∩ B = {6, 7, 9, 12} (The intersection of A and B). This contains the numbers that are in both Set A and Set B. Taking the two circles in their entirety gives us A ∪ B = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13} (The union of A and B).
Two sets
The Venn diagram below is the graphical representation of two more sets. The sets represent information about two sistersLeah (L) and Kelly (K) and their interests. We could write the sets as L = {read, play netball, draw} and K = {dance, skate, listen to music}.
From the diagram, we see that there is no intersection (L ∩ K = {}) meaning that they have no interests in common.
The union of these two sets would be the set containing the interests of Leah and Kelly:
∪ K = {read, play netball, draw, dance, skate, listen to music}
1) What are the characteristics of shrimps according to the diagram above?
2) Which birds are extinct?
How doth the little crocodile Improve his shining tail, And pour the waters of the Nile On every golden scale!
Children are naturally curious, constantly seeking answers to the countless questions swirling in their minds. One powerful method to ignite this curiosity is through the world of books. Begin a reading adventure by making a bookmark inspired by “Elinor Wonders Why”.
Materials
White paper
Ruler
Pencil
Scissors
Coloured pencils ( red, pink, black)
Thin black marker
Glue
Directions Cut a 6 by 6-inch square from white paper. Save the remaining paper for Elinor’s ears and tail. Fold the square in half diagonally to make a triangle, ensuring the top two corners align.
Fold the lower corners of the triangle towards the top to form a diamond shape, ensuring that all corners meet at the top. Then, unfold the diamond back into the triangle. Bring one tip of the top triangle down to the middle, creating an inverted triangle shape. Press firmly to ensure a crisp crease.
Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Chief Executive Officer
Paul Cheong
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), Paul Cheong has unveiled a seven-point plan for the sugar industry, announcing a bold 2025 plan aimed at doubling sugarcane yield and securing the sector's long-term sustainability.
According to Cheong, the plan covers seven pillars and emphasises GuySuCo’s commitment to the workforce, particularly harvesters, whom he described as the "backbone of the industry." He said, at the GuySuCo’s first award ceremony for the Top Cane Harvesters of the 2024 second crop.
Enshrined in this bold strategy is the improve -
ment of procurement and inventory management systems as GuySuCo moves to streamline operations and bolster efficiency by ensuring that essential inputs are available precisely when needed, eliminating delays and optimising production processes. Additionally, major focus will be placed on increasing cane planting density. GuySuCo aims to boost yields significantly, employing advanced techniques to ensure that crops receive the nutrients they need at the right time, promoting healthier and more robust cane growth and implementing timely and efficient weed control measures to protect crops and maintain optimal field conditions.
Further, to strengthen its market presence, Cheong revealed that GuySuCo plans to ramp up its marketing and distribution strategies. This includes exploring new markets, enhancing branding efforts, and ensuring that Guyanese sugar reaches a broader audience both locally and internationally.
“We will continue to focus on training and development to ensure that we have to requisite skills to undertake all the task required to grow the industry effectively. I’ll like to take this opportunity to thank His Excellency, President Dr Mohammed Irfaan Ali and our Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha for all the support they have and are continuing to give to the industry as we strive for excellence,” Cheong said.
Moreover, the CEO explained that GuySuCo’s ambitious plan promises to bring renewed vitality to the sugar industry, signaling a brighter and more sustainable future for the sector and the country.
With these strategic measures, GuySuCo is confident in its ability to overcome challenges and build a sustainable future.
“I believe that we stand on the brink of a new chapter for GuySuCo. I am optimistic about the jour -
ney ahead and initiatives like this reminds us about the importance of team work and we can never turn around this industry unless we do it together. Teamwork is very important and vital for our success,” he added.
On the topic of teamwork, President of Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU), Seepaul Narine urged the management of GuySuCo to boost collaboration with the union on matters regarding sugar workers.
According to Narine, GAWU was not engaged regarding the recent GuySuCo advertisement for cane harvesters, however, the union hopes that workers will be prioritised over contractors to ensure a productive 2025.
“It is important that we turn around the industry in 2025… I want to urge that we work together in the best effort of everyone, cooperation and the workers and on that note from now we are extending a hand of friendship, we want to extend a hand of cooperation. We hope that as an important stakeholder, we could be able to engage on matters that ought to be engaged particularly as it relates to cane cutting,” Narine said.
“I hope that we could have a better year ahead
and before contractors get cane cutting that the workers will be given enough work so that you can continue to maintain your productivity and continue to earn because once you reach that level you depend on that earning for your day to day living,” he added.
Award At the commence of the 2nd crop for 2024 an incentive of $500,000, $300,000 and $200,000 respectively was introduced for the top three cane harvesters from the four grinding estates, which includes Uitvlugt Sugar Estate, Blairmont, Rose Hall and the Albion Estate.
The initiative which aims to motivate workers by fostering a shared vision of success, saw a total of twelve sugar workers, three from each estate were awarded recently for
their exemplary contributions.
In his remarks to the awardees, Cheong highlighted that harvesters are the backbone of the industry, noting that their efforts drive the vision for a stronger and more sustainable future for GuySuCo.
“Today we are not just recognising productivity, we are celebrating your commitment, your resilience and rewarding your achievement in this second crop 2024. Harvesting sugar cane is not an easy task, it demands physical strength, endurance and unwavering determination to overcome challenges. You, our harvesters are the backbone of the industry and your efforts fuel not just our factories but also our vision for a stronger and more sustainable future for GuySuCo,” Cheong told the gathering. (G1)
The Government has commenced the distribution of the $100,000 cash grant in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni).
Between January 1416, 2025, residents from Bartica, Itaballi, Kartabo, and Karrau Lower Mazaruni will be able to collect their cheques from designated locations outlined by the Finance Ministry.
For other villages, including Falmouth, Kaburi (72), Butakuri, 14 Miles Issano, Black Water, and Aranka, distributions will take place from January 17-27, 2025. The Ministry has established community centres, police stations, administrative offices, ben-
abs, and landings as distribution points to ensure smooth delivery.
This initiative follows the Government’s approval of more than $84 billion in supplementary funds, of which $30.5 billion has been allocated to the $100,000 one-off cash grant programme. Announced by President Dr Irfaan Ali in October 2024, the initiative aims to provide financial support to all Guyanese citizens aged 18 and older.
Over 400,000 citizens have registered for the oneoff cash grant initiative, and notably over 300,000 cheques being printed, 95,000 of which have already been distributed.
To date, senior citizens along with Ministries’
staff, teachers, members of the Disciplined Service and some communities in the hinterland have received their grants.
To ensure the integrity of the process, technical teams equipped with pre-programmed tablets have been dispatched to register eligible citizens. The registration process includes the verification of applicants’ data, followed by the issuance of cheques at the same locations where registration occurred.
Additionally, a photo of the applicant’s ID or passport is taken to verify that the information on the document matches the person registering. These measures seek to prevent any attempts to defraud the
system or manipulate the process.
Private data safe
During his most recent press conference, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo had indicated a zero tolerance for any breaches to the Data Protection Act and has assured that private data of citizens will be safe.
At the time, Jagdeo was addressing one of the more prevalent fears around the $100,000 cash grant distribution - that of data breaches. Acknowledging that the programme’s rollout has not been without its flaws, Jagdeo nevertheless assured that persons should not be worried about their data in the
hands of the Government.
“Some of them deliberately stoke… in many cases bad planning on the ground, to distribute the cheques. And has led to some difficulties among people. And that’s something we need to work on improving as a Government. And a lot of the officers who are doing this, need to do this with a bit more heart. They deliberately stoke skepticism about it.”
“Because they want to do that for political purposes. They think by creating an issue around its distribution, that you can negate the benefits of people receiving the grant. And somehow convert that, to a political benefit. Its all-public data. I don’t
see a single bit of information there that anyone can use,” the Vice President said.
In August 2023, the Data Protection (Amendment) Bill 2023 was passed in the National Assembly to protect the privacy of personal data. The Act contains stiff penalties for any breaches by data controllers, that is the persons who determine the manner and purpose of which personal data is processed.
Additionally, it is a criminal offence for such officers to operate without being registered or without nominating a representative, carrying a fine of $10 million- or two months’ imprisonment.
The Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU) last year seized and destroyed some 6,700 Kilograms (kg) of narcotics.
The confiscation of these illegal substances was highlighted by Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn during his Ministry’s year end press conference.
The Minister noted that due to ramped up inspections and investigations by CANU, a significant number of illegal substances were seized last year.
bust in the northwest and for cannabis 1643.45 kilograms and methamphetamine 92 grams…so we have had a dramatic increase in the cocaine seizures and also in relation to the work against drug trafficking, drug growing the cannabis.”
This is a significant increase when compared to the 1363 kilograms of narcotics netted in 2023.
For the year 2024, a total of 71 cases were made with regards to illegal substances from which there were 82 ar-
The Minister noted that of the 6,000 kg of substances confiscated, cocaine amounts for more than 90 per cent of the findings, followed by cannabis and methamphetamine respectively, these drugs amounted to some $5.6 billion.
“There was indeed dramatic findings, discovery, recovery and destruction by the unit of some 6000 kilograms of narcotics of all kinds. Cocaine was 5094.67 kilograms. Much of it the big
rests. This is a decrease from the previous year, whereby there were 93 cases made. Moreover, for last year, there were 54 charges laid in relation to drug trafficking however, 11 were either withdrawn or dismissed.
Moreover, Minister Benn noted that there is no high demand for these illegal substances in Guyana and that rather, the country is being used as a transshipment hub for the narco-trade. In this regard, he called for in-
creased collaboration among the international community in a bid to end the drug trafficking ring.
“This is the question that we pose to our interna-
of support in terms of training, information, visits and conferences we would like to see more physical support. We would like to see support in terms of radar coverage, we would like to see more support to the police and CANU in relation to vehicles and planes, and the other specialised testing equipment in relation to the question of drugs.”
Meanwhile, last year following the massive drug bust at the Clandestine Airstrip in Region One (BarimaWaini), the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) has disclosed that the cocaine found amounted to some 4.4 tonnes with a street value of some €176 million (G40.7 billion).
The narcotics, which were found hidden in several bunkers around the illegal airstrip near Matthew’s Ridge, were destroyed after samples were extracted for
The Yanks had complained – more like dressing us down, frankly! – that we were getting too chummy with China – especially after the coalition APNU/AFC Govt signed on to that country’s Belt and Road Initiative (B&RI). America’s made no secret it considers China the major threat to its NUMERO UNO position in the world. Not militarily, where China still has quite a ways to go, but economically where the Yanks have already been practically pipped. So it ain’t surprising that Uncle Sam looks askance at countries (Belt) tightening ties with China – especially in this hemisphere where its 200-year-old Monroe Doctrine claims first dibs!!
So, we had the new CJIA; several highways; the Demerara Bridge; and so on – all being built with Chinese financing. They insisted their B&RI lending has “Chinese Characteristics”. Meaning, \ they say, having been at the receiving end of Western “loans and aid” – from institutions like the IMF and World Bank – like the rest of the developing world, they know where the shoe pinches. And they strive to remove those pinches. The first thing they do is to declare right up front that all of their loans would be on “concessional” terms and without too many questions asked!!
Now that’s quite a commitment – since with the Western Breton Woods institutions to get concessions on interest or default penalties, etc, you gotta stand on your head and wring your ears while accepting “conditionalities”. Pretty much tantamount to sacrificing your firstborn!! Now the West didn’t take all of this sitting down – especially since the Chinese were doling out THEIR funds – US$trillions which they’d paid China for becoming their workshop!! China was outcompeting with them for influence with their own money!! So they pushed the line that Chinese loans were too much of a good thing!! The catch was the projects weren’t viable and on defaulting, the Chinese would walk in and take over the infrastructure!! Sounded reasonable – save that there weren’t that many projects the Chinese actually took over!!
Well, after having been pulled up by the Yanks, two years old our government signed a US EXIMBANK MOU for US$2B to finance infrastructure, etc – obviously with US companies. In July 2023, they applied for a US$660M loan to help finance the Wales Gas-to-Shore power generation plant –for which they’d already signed a contract with an American firm. Well after two years during which the US EXIMBANK consultants did their “assessments” and “analyses”— etc – with on-site inspections then US congressional approval, the Board FINALLY granted a US$526M loan at 4% interest payable over 15 years. Meanwhile, our govt’s already sunk US$100M in the project!!
By now the Chinese would’ve financed three generating plants!! America gotta do better to compete!!
tional partners too, how can they help us to work on issues of demand reduction the demand is not in Guyana for cocaine or for marijuana/ganga in the quantities which are being produced in some places, the demand is elsewhere.”
further investigations. This operation was a collaboration between the local Joint Services and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Law enforcement officials believe that the drugs were
Benn added, “We are afflicted by this demand and we would like to get more support, while there is a lot
brought to Guyana from neighbouring country/countries and were stored until further transshipment to Europe.
When your Eyewitness was in school one of the first thing his economics teacher pointed out was the difference between “growth” and “development”. Growth, she intoned, was about the economy – which includes building bridges, highways, factories and stuff. And alphabet soup concoctions like GNP and GDP and so on describe it. On the other hand, development refers to people! So all that growth – which could be negative, mind you, like during the Burnham years! – could still take some time to improve people’s lives.
As such, development ain’t like instant coffee where you just heat up the water, throw in the coffee, stir and bingo!! So the government’s doing itself a disservice by insisting we’re experiencing “development” when most folks are still struggling to survive. What makes it tougher for “development” is when the demanded work skills and culture -- like working three shifts and weekends! – lag. They became barriers to growth producing development. So let’s tell it like it is – we gotta bear strain with growth but better (development) days are comin’!!
…contortions
Your Eyewitness finds the contortions – verbal and physical – of the fringe elements trying to force the Opposition Leader into their hysteria, hysterical!! Good thing, they ain’t getting no traction and look like Chicken Little crying, “The Sky is falling…!”
During its four years in office, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government has successfully constructed nearly 2,000 young professional homes. President Dr Irfaan Ali announced that by the end of the first quarter of 2025, the Government will have completed a total of 3,500 such homes.
On Sunday, the President went into details about the various areas of development the PPP/C Government has advanced Guyana. One such area is housing, with the Government well on its way of keeping its promise to distribute 50,000 house lots within its first term in office.
management of the previous Government.
“Housing was practically dead under the APNU/AFC
mortgage interest relief ceiling increased to $30 million, but an innovative programme was launched to
When it comes to young professional homes, the President revealed that 1,923 of these homes have already been built. Further, by the end of the first quarter a total of 3,500 of these homes will have been completed.
“Almost 2000 homes have been completed under the young professional homes programme. Giving our young people not only home ownership, but dignity and pride in the communities in which they live. Another 1500 homes are in the process of completion.”
“By the time we finish the first quarter of this year, almost 3500 young professional homes will be completed. That is what we’re delivering, every single day to the people of Guyana,” the Head of State explained.
There have been other advancements in the Government’s housing drive, with the PPP/C Government investing over $244 billion in the housing sector to reenergise it after the mis-
(A Partnership for National Unity / Alliance For Change) Government. Over the past four years, the housing sector has been reenergised. We’ve invested more than $244 billion in housing. This is where our resources go. We’ve been able to allocate more than 41,000 house lots. We’ve been able to regularise more than 26 squatter settlements.”
“Bringing home ownership to more than 42,000 persons. So, they can be empowered. They can own their own title, transport. They can get a loan, improve their living conditions and disposable income. They can have a loan now to go into small business, medium sized enterprises. That is how you empower people. By creating the mechanism and eco system to make them and their families more viable.”
To bring down the cost of construction, the Government also removed Value Added Tax (VAT) on local produced building material. And not only was the
provide 500 homesteads to single mothers.
This programme will see single mothers be provided with land along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, with coconut or breadfruit trees and shade houses, so that these homeowners can grow and sell their own produce.
President Ali had previously explained that this bold initiative would tackle several issues at once, including home ownership, building community wealth, and food security. He had also explained that the Government would get the banks to finance a package that include the low-income home.
Additionally, it had been explained that these homes would be equipped with solar panels, which would reduce their cost of energy. The fact that these homesteads will be equipped with crops means that they will be able to have a recurrent revenue source.
Only recently, Housing
and Water Minister, Collin Croal had highlighted the success of the Home Construction Programme, which has seen an investment of over $12.5 billion by the PPP/C Government for the construction of some 1,865 houses on the coastland. These include 867 low-income homes, 398 moderate-income homes, 138 middle-income homes, 330 young professional homes and 82 Core homes under the Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme – all of which have been completed and handed over. In 2024 alone, $4.3 billion of the $12.5 billion was invested in the construction of homes and resulted in over 550 houses being completed and handed over. (G3)
As the Guyana Police Force (GPF) works to improve its capabilities, an additional 500 body cameras were recently purchased for the organisation.
The accusation of these new pieces of tech was highlighted by Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn on Monday during his Ministry’s End of Year Press Conference
“So the body cameras, we have brought 500. They are being activated and used, the reasons are more or less obvious, we have had situations where there is a questioning of the interaction between the police and persons and the public, they have been questions of professional behaviour and conduct.”
Just last February a whopping $44.8 billion had been approved for the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The sum of $30.3 billion was approved for the GPF of this total $5 billion was set
aside for rehabilitation of Police stations, while sums had also been budgeted for the procurement of some 300 body cameras for Police ranks.
With the addition of these new 500 body cameras, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) monitoring capabilities has been improved significantly with the police force now owing some
800 body cameras in total.
According to Minister Benn, since the implementation of the new tech among ranks, there has been a decline in cases ranging from police misconduct and ranks being assaulted among other issues.
“There have been a number of them, and these have reduced dramatically over the last year, assault of po-
lice men and women. So it’s a move towards engaging and recording and making sure that there is sufficient information to determine which is the best approach towards resolving an issue.”
The Minister highlighted that ranks from the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) and Customs AntiNarcotic Unit (CANU) are also being equipped with these devices.
“Yes, they are being trained, in fact both the prison system and the CANU personnel are being outfitted with cameras too.”
Additionally, the Minister also urged members of the public to record police interactions with citizens noting that these footages can contribute to investigations.
“I keep saying too to the public that they have a right too to take out their phone and video tape police or other citizen’s behaviour, it helps a lot.”
Meanwhile, last Friday during an engagement with the officers and ranks of Regional Division Five (Mahaica-Berbice) at the Headquarters in
Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice (WCB), Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken issued a strong directive, emphasising that body cameras must always be worn by ranks during vehicle stops. Only earlier during the week, Hicken sent a stern warning to traffic ranks to desist from stopping motorists without being equipped with their body cameras and more so, cautioned them to stop doing traffic duties and focus more on engaging with members of the public.
The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government’s vaccine programme has evolved, to the point where the Ministry of Health provides vaccines for 19 diseases, including a vaccine for cervical cancer which it is encouraging parents to have their children take between the ages of 9 and 15.
During President Dr Irfaan Ali’s recent visit to Strathspey, East Coast of Demerara (ECD), the Head of State was accompanied by Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony who encouraged parents to avail themselves of this vaccine for the sake of their children. This is in addition to women aged 16-45, for whom the vaccine is also available.
“We want to ensure that all our children get good vaccines. Because when they get vaccines, it protects them against diseases. And right now, we’re giving vaccines to protect our children from 19 different diseases. This is a big investment the Government is making.”
“And one of the vaccines we want to give for children between the ages of 9 to 15, is the HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccine. Why we want to give that vaccine? As you grow older, one of cancers affecting women is cervical cancer. And with this vaccine, if the child takes the vaccine between 9 and 15 years of age, it can prevent the cancer from ever happening to that child.”
The Health Minister took the opportunity to encourage persons to come and take advantage of the public health services offered at communi-
ty centres around the country. With $129.8 billion allocated to the health sector in the 2024 national budget, the Government spares no effort in spending on the sector. And according to Dr Anthony, more persons should avail themselves of the services provided.
“So please, let us get our children to take the vaccine. And there are many many programmes we have, where we’re interacting and doing good things for people. But if people don’t come, then what is the value of the programme? The investments are there, the value is there, but we need people to come and make sure they get the benefit.”
“For older people, we want to make sure that if you got sugar or high blood pressure, that we can manage it properly. And therefore, we can prevent people from getting complications. But please, come to the clinic,” Dr Anthony also said.
The Guyana Government aims to contribute to the global push to significantly reduce cervical cancer cases by 2030 and as such, parents are being encouraged to allow their girl children to get the HPV vaccines.
Last year, the Health
Ministry launched its Global Strategy for Cervical Cancer Elimination. That strategy speaks to the need for 90 per cent of girls to be fully vaccinated for HPV by the age of 15.
Education Minister, Priya Manickchand had emphasised during the launch of the strategy in April 2024 that the vaccines were free of cost and that parents play a vital role in ensuring the lingering cervical cancer disease is erased from Guyana. According to her, though there is a goal to reduce cervical cancer by 90 per cent, she foresees that if Guyanese publicise the need for the vaccine, especially among girls, there would be no cases of cervical cancer throughout Guyana by 2030.
In addition, the Health Minister had alluded to some of the targets set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to significantly reduce cervical cancer cases by 2030. This includes having 70 per cent of women screened by the age of 35, and again by age 45.
Cervical cancer is a growth of cells that starts in the cervix, the lower part of the uterus and can be prevented by taking the HPV vaccine. (G3)
“It’s a huge undertaking that has to happen” - Culture Minister on Guyana’s copyright laws
Recognising that strong copyright legislation is needed to support the work of local creatives, Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jrsaid that an indepth analysis is needed before copyright laws are amended.
He, at the time, was replying to a reporter from this news publication who pointed out what implementations are going to be provided for musical artistes this year in light of the Jackie Jaxx situation, which grew very popular in September of 2024.
In September of 2024 Jackie Hanover, popularly known as Jackie Jaxx, and Ivan Harry who performs as D’Ivan, filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in the United States (US), against One Communications
(Guyana) Inc. and Tennicia De Freitas, known by her stage name NEKEITA, for the unauthorised use of their musical compositions “Guyana” and “Oh Guyana” during a rebranding of the telecommunications giant.
The lawsuit alleges that One Communications and NEKEITA infringed the plaintiffs’ copyrights by performing, broadcasting, and commercially exploiting the songs without obtaining the necessary permissions.
Hanover and Harry are contending that One Communications, in particular, gained significant economic benefits by infringing their copyright protection.
According to the Minister, there needs to be a deepened study of the legislation before it is done due to the complexities of how the music is made popular
in the first place.
“And also, the analysis has to be very clear too because all of these musicians that make music, when they write their music—part of their joy is to see other people singing their songs. And when they go on a stage and sing their song, and they sing a hook, and they turn their mic to the crowd and the crowd sings it—how did it get popular in the first place? It gets popular because the radio station plays it. So we’ve been, engaging the radio station to play it; we’ve been incentivizing them to do that.”
He also added another reasoning for this in-depth analysis which is the type of music market Guyana has.
“But I think it’s something for us to study very carefully because of our market. It’s a small consum-
Guyana has seen a four per cent reduction in its prison population last year, when compared to the previous year. This was revealed by Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn on Monday during the Home Affairs Ministry End-of-Year press conference.
In relation to the total amount of persons incarcerated for 2024, Benn highlighted that this number stands at just over 2000 persons, with a small percentage of this population being women.
This figure he noted represents a 4 per cent reduction in incarcerations when compared to data recorded in 2023 which showed that some 2,240 persons were imprisoned.
“2032 persons incarcerated, it’s a 4 per cent reduction over the previous year; 69 ladies are in the prison system and I would say that they are far way better much behaved than the males.”
Notably, the Home Affairs Minister revealed that more than 40 Venezuelan nationals are imprisoned in Guyana.
Benn explained that these individuals were incarcerated for various crimes including domestic violence, murders and robberies.
“We have a challenging issue in relation to Venezuelan migrants and those who may be forced into different kinds of activity. We did have a couple of incarcerations and expulsions, 49 Venezuelans nationals in the prison.”
Moreover, the Home Affairs Minister highlighted that the Government has been investing heavily into the prison system, with special focus on rehabilitating prisoners so that upon their release from jail, they can contribute meaningfully to society, rather than return to a world of crime.
“One of the things that we have been speaking about in the prison system is a fresh start project and programme…The intention is that if you work a particular activity in the prison related to your rehabilitation you will be paid and secondly is if that you’re clearly upskilled vocationally or otherwise.”
Minister Benn added. “That on leaving the prison
er-based market. The radio stations themselves are not multibillion dollar and they don’t have record labels.”
Additionally, he said that he is not sure if the Ministry can currently undertake it to fully go into the process of assuring amendments are made due to the fact that the Youth Sport and Culture Ministry is currently undergoing much work as
it pertains to Mashramani, among other projects.
“It’s a huge undertaking that has to happen. I can’t say that I can make that undertaking now because, you know, it is a busy year for us. We don’t even have the full year.”
He added, “What people want copyright protection for—and it already exists—is how they are going
to make more money. And the whole point of that is that every time a song is played on any radio station, they are supposed to pay a small sum, but the problem is, if your song is not being played on the radio, it never gets popular. And if it never gets popular, the demand is not there for the song to be played. So, it’s something that is very interesting for us to look at very carefully,” Ramson stated,
In September of 2024, Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo said that there should be a review of the legislation due to him believing that the country is moving into a more modernized era.
Meanwhile, National Events Coordinator Andrew Tyndall revealed that steps have been taken by the Ministry’s National School of Music, which would have introduced this semester a course on the business of music. This is geared for persons who are in the music industry, including the artistes. So, once they register for the course, they would have the knowledge to navigate that.
you will be given the full kit to go out and to start work by yourself or with your partners in lawful activities.”
Meanwhile, last year, the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) received a total of $6.5 billion, covering provisions for prison infrastructure and the training of prison officers. At Lusignan, East Coast Demerara (ECD), the Government is actively expanding the prison facility to accommodate a greater capacity. In 2022, over $3 billion was invested in upgrades and expansions, including the completion of six state-of-the-art prisons, currently housing close to 1000 inmates.
The ongoing expansion project features a vocational school, aiming to provide inmates with training to reduce recidivism and enhance their skillsets. Other upgrades include a female prison, staff living quarters, an Infirmary Annex, a new headquarters building, and the construction of the outer perimeter fence, collectively contributing to the comprehensive transformation of the Lusignan prison facility.
With preparations already underway, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr is confident in pulling off the
country’s largest and most electrifying Mashramani celebration this year following a segment of early preparations.
Officially launched
in November 2024, Mashramani 2025 will be observed countrywide under the theme “Expressing our culture and creativity as One Guyana.”
Some of the main events – which will run from February 14-24 – include the Calypso Monarch, Soca Monarch, Dancehall Monarch, Splashramani, Masharama, Chutney Monarch, Republic Flag Raising ceremony, and the
earlier than usual, so they can maximise the level of their creativity and not produce low-tier work in a rush to the final date.
“What we did is sought to get the funding earlier this time and have the designers present their pro-
close to Mashramani.”
highly-anticipated Costume and Float Parade, as well as the Panorama Steel Band Competition.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr – whose Ministry handles the planning of the Mash activities – is confident that the early preparations this year will result in great success.
He at the time made these remarks during his end of year conference on Saturday.
According to the Minister, this early step was taken to ensure designers provide their proposals
posals earlier than usual so that they can have longer presentations and preparations. So, this was the first time that has happened.”
According to the Minister, he told them to organise their proposals early as they don’t want them to start preparing close to the Mashramani date.
“We took the funding early. We told them in October to get your proposals, go and meet the Ministry. We certainly did—we wrote to all the Ministries to finalise your design so that they can prepare early. We don’t want them to do this too
Meanwhile, as talks proceeded into the preparations for Mashramani, on the Dancehall Monarch competition, the Minister noted that this newest addition has received great interest since its introduction last year.
“The dancehall submission has the greatest number of submissions even though it’s the newest, and it shows that despite some initial pushback, it was an area that was left untapped for us as a country, and its success is already showing itself. So that will be included in this year’s Mashramani.”
Meanwhile, the Minister also issued a call for more collaboration with the business community and other stakeholders to make Mashramani 2025 bigger and better. (G2)
An investigation has been launched into the death of a sevenyear-old student of Skeldon Primary School, who died on Sunday evening, after an iron gate allegedly fell on her at Taj Mahal Hotel and Bar in Corriverton, Berbice, police said.Dead is Kareena Persaud, who was residing at the hotel with her 40-year-old aunt, who works as a manager at the establishment.
In her report to cops, the aunt stated that on Sunday night at about 20:30h, she was preparing to close the doors of the hotel when she heard her niece call out to her. Upon turning around, she saw the heavy iron gate, made of hollow-section metal and weighing approximately 250 pounds, had fallen on Kareena, who was lying on the ground with head injuries and bleeding. The woman said she screamed for help, and bystanders assisted in lift-
ing the gate off the child, who was rushed to Skeldon Public Hospital. She was however, pronounced dead on arrival.
Reports are that the aunt has been caring for Kareena since the girl was just four months old, after her biological mother abandoned her. The woman told Police that she had recently relocated to Berbice, where she took up employment at her uncle's hotel. Despite moving into a house at No. 77 Village Housing Scheme a week prior, she and the child spent most of their time at the hotel, the woman told police.
Police said that they were notified at about 23:00h and visited the hospital where the child's body was in the Emergency Room. A detective noted a visible cut on her forehead. According to Police, they have also identified several CCTV cameras at the hotel that will be reviewed as part of the investigation.
in International Affairs.
The CanadaGuyana Chamber of Commerce has announced the appointment of Lilian Chatterjee, former Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, as its Honorary Canadian Co-Chair.
Her term began on January 1, 2025.
Chatterjee brings decades of expertise in diplomacy and public service to her new role. She served as Canada’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Ambassador to Suriname, and Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ambassador from 2017 to 2020.
Most recently, from 2021 to 2024, she represented Canada as High Commissioner to Barbados and six other Caribbean nations.
In offering congratulations to the Chatterjee, Chair of the Canada-Guyana Chamber of Commerce, Patricia Bacchus stated “we are absolutely thrilled to welcome Ms Chatterjee to the Chamber. Her deep knowledge of Guyana and the Caribbean, coupled with her distinguished career in Canadian public service, will be invaluable in helping us advance our mis-
sion to promote trade, investment and strengthen the relationships between Canada and Guyana.”
Also expressing similar sentiments was the Chamber’s Co-Chair, Winston Kassim, who highlighted that “Ms Chatterjee’s appointment reflects the Chamber’s commitment to leveraging exceptional expertise to facilitate meaningful collaboration and growth. Her leadership will enhance the
The Peruvian president, Dina Boluarte, has appeared before prosecutors to explain a two-week absence for plastic surgery on her nose that she insists was medical, not cosmetic.
Boluarte, 62, did not
appoint a caretaker president for the period of her absence in July 2023, and stands accused of abandoning her post.
She appeared before prosecutors investigating the case for four hours on Monday, and left without
speaking to reporters waiting outside.
Some lawmakers have called for Boluarte to be removed from office. She had not informed the public or delegated her powers to Congress, as determined by law.
But her team said she had carried out her duties virtually while recovering at a clinic in Lima from rhinoplasty for “breathing problems”.
Boluarte has been embroiled in controversy for months.
Prosecutors also accuse her of accepting bribes in the form of Rolex watches and jewelry, and she is being investigated over the deaths of more than 50 pro-
testers during a crackdown on demonstrations against her presidency in 2022. She has denied any wrongdoing.
Boluarte took office in December of that year, replacing the leftwing president Pedro Castillo after he was impeached and imprisoned for unsuccessfully trying to dissolve Congress.
She had been his vice-president.
Boluarte does not have her own party in Congress and has a disapproval rating of nearly 95%. Her term ends in July 2026.
Peru suffers from chronic political instability and has had six presidents in the past eight years. (The Guardian)
Chamber’s ability to connect businesses in the region, create opportunities, and further strengthen economic partnerships”.
Before her diplomatic career, Chatterjee’s professional journey began in journalism and extended to public service roles in the Canadian House of Commons and international non-government organisations (NGOs). She holds an undergraduate degree in Journalism and a master’s
In fact, in 2003, the newly appointed CoChair joined the Canadian International Development Agency, eventually holding senior executive positions at Global Affairs Canada. Roles and responsibility In her honorary position as Co-Chair of the CanadaGuyana Chamber of Commerce, Chatterjee will typically serve in an advisory and symbolic capacity, playing an important role in guiding the strategic direction and enhancing the organisation’s influence.
While the specific responsibilities may vary depending on the Chamber’s bylaws and the individuals involved, the core function of the Honorary Co-Chair is to provide high-level advice and support. This could include offering insights on economic and trade relations between Canada and Guyana, particularly regarding opportunities for business growth and investment between the two countries.
Looking ahead, Chatterjee stated that she is most excited to promote “bilateral trade and foreign direct investment between Canada and Guyana”.
The Attorney General (AG) and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, SC has emphasised the importance of teaching Guyana’s constitution in schools.
During an outreach in Campbelltown village in Mahdia, Nandlall explained that the Government’s drive to strengthen the country’s legal framework also involves public awareness of various elements of the law.
“I think our constitution should be taught in our schools. We may have to adjust our curriculum to accommodate it,” he told a gathering last Saturday while on a visit to Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni), Department of Public Information (DPI) reported.
Nandlall said if the initiative would empower students from an early age with a basic understanding of the constitution and several essential aspects of its content.
“I believe that we can begin to teach that as early as possible in our education system. It will require some adjustments because we would have to train our teachers first in that regard and then move in that direction,” he is quoted in the DPI report as saying.
Guyana’s education sector is already undergoing a significant transformation to empower students with the critical skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the challenges, advantages and opportunities of the 21st century.
A29-year-old labourer of Bel Air Georgetown and also of Bamia, Linden, who was arrested on Wednesday was charged jointly on Monday with Lance Corporal Delon Younge with the offence of abduction with intent to hold for ransom, contrary to Section 9 of the Kidnapping Act, Chapter 10:05.
Okeemo Brumell along with the cop were charged with committing the act (Abduction) on Kevin Fiedtkou, a 31-yearold businessman from Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), which occurred between 2024-10-10 and 2024-10-11. They appeared on Monday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore, where the charge was read to them. They were not required to plead and were remanded to pris -
on. The case was adjourned to January 15.
Last Tuesday, the lance corporal was charged and granted bail following his appearance in court on a charge of conspiracy to commit a felony related to a robbery that took place at the Giftland Parking lot in October 2024.
On that occasion Younge had appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse, where the conspiracy charge was formally read to him. He pleaded not guilty, and the court set bail at $40,000.
The incident in question involved the abduction of gold mining worker, Fiedtkou, who was forcibly taken from the parking lot by three men, later identified as two cops and other man, who has since been arrested. Fiedtkou, who was held at gunpoint, was driven to his home in Providence on the EBD, where he was allegedly
robbed of over $9 million that belonged to his family’s trucking business. The perpetrators, including Younge, were captured on video during the incident.
After the abduction, Fiedtkou reported the crime to the police, revealing that the suspects returned the following day in a police vehicle, demanding additional money. Fiedtkou, however, managed to evade further robbery by claiming he had no more money. Despite the second attempt, the men left empty-handed.
Police have confirmed that an investigation into the matter led to the charging of Younge, while another officer, whose name has not been disclosed, faces disciplinary action for the unauthorised use of a police vehicle during the incident.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had initially recommended criminal charges for both officers involved. However, after further investigation, only Lance Corporal Younge has been charged and brought before the court.
Meanwhile, police investigators have arrested 29-year-old Okeema Brummel whom they had issued a wanted bulletin for last year. Brummel is believed to be the mastermind behind the robbery. Brummel was taken into custody along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway last week.
Glast
Ambassador Guo Haiyan became the first female envoy from the People’s Republic of China to represent China in Guyana. During her tenure in Guyana, she was pivotal in strengthening bilateral relations and promoting practical cooperation between China and Guyana. Ambassador Guo Haiyan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Guyana National Bureau of Standards to strengthen cooperation.
Guyana’s president Dr Irfaan Ali commended the outstanding contributions that she made to increase cooperation that both countries benefitted from. (MSN. com)
The Government has given assurances that financing will be made available in the 2025 budget to advance tourism in Rockstone, Linden.
The Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond, made the announcement during a community engagement on Wednesday in Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice)
Rockstone sits on the bank of the Essequibo River about 27 kilometres (km)
ed by promising additional resources which will include training. Her announcement was met with a resounding applause by those who participated in the community engagement.
According to a Department of Public Information (DPI) report, the Minister explained that by adding more tourism itineraries, visitors will be offered a greater variety of diverse tourism products,
to aid the development of eco-tourism guest houses countrywide. These guest houses will comply with international standards.
A practical manual has already been created to guide villages on building eco-lodges.
Training programmes were rolled out in 2024 and will continue this year, allowing communities to gain knowledge to construct and manage eco-lodges.
“It’s just having the expertise and the know-how on how to build standard rooms so that when our tourists or visitors come, they have a comfortable stay and would want to return,” the Minister is quoted by DPI as saying.
Rockstone residents were also informed about the importance of partnerships between communities and the private sector.
west of Linden. It is famous for fishing and is named for its large rock formations.
Residents of Rockstone asked for training to benefit from the boost in tourism. Minister Walrond respond-
lengthen the amount of time they spend in the area and increase their likelihood of returning.
Minister Walrond also informed the community of the Ministry’s drive
Walrond explained that the private sector plays an essential role in developing the tourism industry because it infuses both capital and expertise into the sector.
“We can bring and/or connect you with the partners who want to invest and develop your product,” she stated.
Many community development initiatives are currently being implemented in Chenapau in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) Each project will significantly impact the livelihood of Chenapau residents.
The remote Amerindian village is utilising financial resources provided by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to construct critical infrastructure and create employment and income opportunities.
The projects include an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) hub, an art and craft centre, a sewing centre, and a pavilion and playfield.
According to a DPI report, on Friday, Toshao Edward Mc Garrel led the Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai, on a tour to inspect the projects.
Following the inspection,
the village leader informed the Department of Public Information (DPI) that persons working on the projects were recruited from approximately 30 villages.
He explained that most materials, including sand, wood and stones were sourced locally.
Toshao Mc Garrel said the projects will significantly benefit the village when they are completed.
For instance, elders will be able to engage in art and crafts once the $5 million centre is completed. The ICT hub will serve the educational needs of youths, specifically those who do not have their own personal resources.
“The ICT will do a lot for our young people. It will ease all the complaints that we’re getting that they’re not getting to do their studies,” Toshao Mc Garrel said.
The $4 million play-
ground and pavilion will serve as a recreational space for villagers, both the elders and the youth.
The $5 million sewing centre will support families of school-age children, and create another stream of income for some residents.
In 2023, Minister Sukhai commissioned a guest house and a multipurpose hall in Chenapau. The $7 million guest house can accommodate up to six persons and continues to host visitors regularly.
The $2 million multipurpose hall is being utilised for community engagement and celebrations hosted by the village. The community also benefitted from a $7 million pick-up truck, which has made commuting much easier. Chenapau is also a beneficiary of financial resources earned from the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030.
Days before Donald Trump returns to the White House with a vow of mass deportations, migrants in Mexico say they are increasingly nervous about whether their asylum appointments will be honoured.
Some of the appointments with US authorities are scheduled for days after Trump takes office on January 20, or even on Inauguration Day itself.
“There is a kind of sense of despair,” Yusmelis Villalobos, a Venezuelan with a January 23 appointment, told AFP from the southern Mexican city of Tapachula, near the border with Guatemala.
“It’s no secret that sometimes when Donald Trump says things, he does them,” Dayana Hernandez, a 36-year-old Venezuelan said.
Nicolas Maduro’s inauguration in Caracas last week for a highly contested third term as president has added to the dilemma facing
migrants from her country, Hernandez said.
“We really don’t know what to do, whether to go back, keep going forwards — we really don’t know,” she added.
Trump has accused immigrants of “poisoning the blood of our country” and threatened to carry out the largest deportation of migrants in American history.
During his first term in the White House from 2017 to 2021, Trump put heavy pressure on Mexico to turn back a tide of migrants from Central America.
Hernandez appealed to the president-elect not to kill her hopes of reaching the United States.
“Just as there are bad people, there are good people who want to work,” she said.
Hernandez was one of hundreds of migrants waiting in Tapachula this week for permission to travel to the border to request asylum, after having made an appointment through the
Migrants wait outside the regional office of the National Migration Institute to await their safe conduct to transit through Mexican territory on their way to the United States, in Tapachula, Chiapas state, Mexico on January 13, 2025. Although US President Joe Biden's administration said last week that nearly one million immigrants from El Salvador, Sudan, Ukraine and Venezuela will be allowed to legally remain in the United States for another 18 months, President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to carry out a mass deportation of migrants after taking office on January 20 (Photo by ALFREDO ESTRELLA / AFP)
US government’s CBP One mobile app.
Without a permit, they risk being detained by Mexican authorities while on the move.
But Mexican authorities are struggling to deal with
the crowds waiting near the city’s immigration office.
Some migrants, frustrated with the wait, have set off on foot in caravans from Tapachula in recent weeks, braving hunger, exhaustion and the cold.
Hundreds of thousands of people fleeing violence and poverty travel across Mexico every year for the US border, some of them paying people smugglers to transport them in trucks.
CBP One was introduced
curb illegal migration.
Although making an appointment through the app does not guarantee that migrants can remain in the United States, it allows them to obtain a work permit while they continue their process there.
Anais Rojas, a 20-yearold Venezuelan travelling with her young son, is also worried about whether her appointment for January 23 will be canceled.
“Thank God we got the appointment, but of course things are still uncertain. We don’t know what will happen,” she said.
But Rojas said she did not “feel hate” toward Trump, despite his anti-immigrant rhetoric.
If his policies succeed in boosting the US economy, that could be good for migrants, she added.
“There’s a reason he won,” Rojas said. “If the economy is better, it benefits us too.” (AFP)
At least 400 illegal miners remained trapped underground in South Africa two months after a Police raid, a group working on behalf of the miners said on Monday, which provided footage of dozens of dead bodies and emaciated men in the mine.
A spokesperson for the South Africa Police Service (SAPS) did not respond to a request for comment. Makhosonke Buthelezi, spokesperson for the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, said bodies had been retrieved from the mine but said no further details could be di-
vulged ahead of an official report. The two videos, which Reuters verified, were obtained by South African miners' rights group Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) on Monday. They received them from miners emerging from the gold mine in North West Province on January 10, when a pulley was restored to the bottom of the cavern.
A Reuters reporter counted what looked like three dozen bodies in the footage. Reuters could not independently confirm that the body-shaped objects wrapped in plastic at the bottom of the
mine shaft were corpses.
The first film reportedly showed piles of miners' bodies wrapped in sacks and plastic, while living miners who are still stuck underground pleaded for help. A second video showed shirtless miners looking emaciated, with their ribs protruding.
Police said they blocked miners' supplies of food and water to force them out and arrest them for illegally entering the abandoned mine in search of leftover gold –part of a crackdown on illegal mining that has plagued South Africa for decades.
(Excerpt from Reuters)
China aims to deepen Caribbean ties, Grenada affirms one-China principle
China is ready to deepen its comprehensive cooperative partnership with Caribbean nations, President Xi Jinping said on Monday during a meeting in Beijing with Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell of Grenada, a one-time diplomatic ally of Taiwan.
China is willing to keep up assistance to regional countries to aid their economic and social development, the official news agency, Xinhua, cited Xi as saying.
Grenada has benefited greatly from ties with China and looks forward to strengthening cooperation with the Asian giant, it quoted Mitchell as saying at the meeting.
"Both sides should ... draw a new blueprint for the long-term and high-level development of bilateral relations," Xi said, adding that two-way ties had developed successfully over the last two decades.
Mitchell said Grenada firmly adhered to the one-China principle and called for its sovereignty and territorial integrity to be re-
spected, Xinhua added. Mitchell, the first foreign leader Xi has met this year in Beijing, was on an official week-long visit to China from Saturday.
The Caribbean and Latin America have the largest concentration of Taiwan allies, with seven of its remaining 12 allies in the region.
China views the democratically-governed island as part of its territory with no right to state-to-state ties, a position Taiwan's Government strongly disputes.
Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Secretary of Infrastructure, Quarries and Urban Development, Trevor James says he has been nominated to contest the general election for the Tobago People’s Party (TPP).
The Scarborough/Mt Grace assemblyman had first expressed interest in contesting a seat during a news conference at the Shaw Park Cultural Complex on September 7, 2024.
At that time, he told reporters he felt he could change the status quo in the Parliament as an MP.
“I decided I must offer myself to the TPP and to the people of Tobago as one of the
candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections. The time has come when we need serious people in the space,” James had said.
On the Tobago Updates morning show on January 13, James reiterated his position.
The general election is constitutionally due in 2025.
“I would make myself available to the people and to the party for either Tobago East or West, because I think we need stronger voices in the Parliament.
“I think the solutions to our problems with the Tobago House of Assembly Act and the way the jurisdiction in Tobago is managed is from the Parliament, and no doubt there is a need for stron-
ger voices to articulate the Tobago position in Trinidad and, therefore, I offered myself.” (Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)
Arguments are due to begin in a South Korean court today in a trial to decide the fate of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached after his short-lived bid to impose martial law threw the country into the worst political chaos in decades.
However, the
Constitutional Court session is likely to be cut short as Yoon, who has been holed up in his hillside villa in Seoul, is not expected to attend, with more substantive arguments likely in the next session scheduled for Thursday.
The Constitutional Court must decide within 180 days
whether to remove Yoon from office or restore his presidential powers. Yoon also faces a criminal investigation for alleged insurrection, with authorities seeking to execute an arrest warrant after he ignored summons to appear for questioning. (Excerpt from Reuters)
At least 40 farmers have been killed in an attack by armed groups in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno State, according to Government officials.
Fighters from the Boko Haram group and ISIL (ISIS) affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP) were suspected of carrying out the attack, Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum and State Information Commissioner Usman Tar said on Monday.
Tar said the groups rounded up dozens of farmers in Dumba on the shores of Lake Chad and shot them dead late on Sunday.
“Initial report indicates about 40 farmers have been
killed while the whereabouts of many who escaped the attack are being traced for reunion with their families,” Tar said.
The state government has ordered soldiers battling rebel fighters in the region “to track and obliterate the insurgent elements” operating around Dumba and their enclaves in the wider Lake Chad area, Tar added.
The farmers “strayed off” the safe limit set by the armed forces for farming and fishing in the area that is a sanctuary for fighters from ISWAP and Boko Haram and is dotted with landmines and “prone to nocturnal attacks”, the commissioner said.
Governor Zulum warned
civilians to stay within designated safe zones that have been cleared by the army of both fighters and munitions. He also called for an investigation into the attack by the armed forces.
Lake Chad, which straddles Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad, serves as a hideout for Boko Haram and ISWAP, which use it as a base to launch attacks.
Boko Haram took up arms in 2009 to fight Western education and impose their version of Islamic law.
Some 35,000 civilians have been killed and more than two million have been displaced in the northeastern region, according to the United Nations. (Al Jazeera)
PTaiwan broke off ties with Grenada 20 years ago after the Caribbean nation switched ties to China.
In the Caribbean, Haiti, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, as well as Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are still its allies.
China and Taiwan have for years traded accusations of using "dollar diplomacy" as they compete for diplomatic recognition.
Last year, Taiwan security officials said they believed China was likely to continue to whittle away at the number of its allies. (Reuters)
resident-elect Donald Trump's Republican allies in the US House of Representatives are trying to build support for a bill on authorising talks for the purchase of Greenland, according to a copy of the bill circulated for co-sponsors on Monday.
The bill is called "Make Greenland Great Again Act", the offices of Republican US representatives Andy Ogles, who is leading the bill, and Diana Harshbarger said. The copy of the draft was reported earlier by Fox News Digital and had 10 co-sponsors as of Monday morning.
Why it's important Trump says he wants to
make Greenland a part of the United States and does not rule out using military or economic power to persuade Denmark to hand it over.
Republicans won a narrow majority in the House and Senate in the November 5 US elections.
The bill, if passed, will allow the President to enter into negotiations with Denmark on January 20, when Trump takes office.
"Congress hereby authorises the President, beginning at 12:01 pm Eastern Standard Time on January 20, 2025, to seek to enter into negotiations with the Kingdom of Denmark to secure the acquisition of Greenland by the United
States," the bill's draft says. "Not later than 5 calendar days after reaching an agreement with the Kingdom of Denmark relating to the acquisition of Greenland by the United States, the President shall transmit to the appropriate congressional committees the agreement, including all related materials and annexes," it adds.
Greenland has been controlled by Denmark for centuries, previously as a colony and now as a semi-sovereign territory under the Danish realm. It is subject to the Danish constitution, meaning any change to its legal status would require a constitutional amendment.
(Excerpt from Reuters)
At least 10 persons have died after landslides swept through two cities in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, state officials have said.
The Bethania neighbourhood in the city of Ipatinga was the worst affected by the mudslides, which were triggered by torrential rain.
The mayor's office said that 204mm (8in) of rain fell in Ipatinga on Sunday morning.
Landslides following torrential rains are not uncommon in the rainy season, with neighbourhoods precariously built on steep hill-
sides the worst hit.
Ipatinga Mayor Gustavo Nunes declared a state of emergency.
At least 150 people have been left homeless in the city, which is located some 570 kilometres north of Rio de Janeiro.
The mayor said the city had been surprised by the intense rains. "There was no time for people to prepare," according to Nunes.
At least nine people are confirmed to have died in Ipatinga, while another body was found halfan-hour's drive north in Santana do Paraíso.
‘‘outraged’’
Local media reported that two youths managed to escape alive from a home where five of their relatives died buried under the mud.
The city's health centre was also damaged by the landslides, Ipatinga's Health Minister said.
"At this time, the health centre is in no state to attend to people and all the patients who were here waiting to be transferred have been moved," Walisson Medeiros said.
He thanked neighbouring cities for offering to help. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has expressed sorrow and outrage following the deaths of three children in a house fire in St Ann Sunday, a terrible tragedy that, he says, should not have occurred.
The three children — seven-year-old Tashawna Mattis, four-year-old Tashawnie Mattis, and twoyear-old Tavano Mattis — died less than a week after another child, five-year-old Kimberly Harrison died in a fire at her home on Whitehall Avenue, St Andrew.
Once again, for the second time since the start of the year, the nation mourns a terrible tragedy that should never have occurred of children dying in house fires,” Holness is quoted in a release from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). “It is absolutely heartbreaking to lose three innocent lives in such a preventable manner.
“Every Jamaican child deserves to grow up in a safe environment, and this incident brings into sharp focus the gaps in vigilance and responsible parenting we face as a nation,” he added.
While acknowledging the economic demands on parents, particularly sin-
gle-parent households, the prime minister said there can be no excuse for leaving children unattended or with little or no supervision, particularly in cases that could not be considered an emergency.
“As parents, we must do more to ensure our children are cared for and protected at all times. That is not a responsibility any parent can transfer to another lightly,” Holness said.
He said that in light of Sunday’s tragedy, the Government is strongly reminding parents and guardians of their moral duty to their children and their legal responsibilities under the Child Care and Protection
Act.
Holness has also directed the relevant authorities to investigate the fire in Walkerswood, St Ann, thoroughly and provide every support to the families and the community.
The OPM release noted that late last year Holness spoke on the matter of house fires caused by open flames resulting in the deaths of children.
The office said that the Government is committed to addressing energy poverty and ensuring that all Jamaicans have access to safe, regularised, and affordable electricity to meet their basic living needs. (Jamaica Observer)
The Venezuelan Government has petitioned the International Criminal Police Organisation, known as Interpol, to seek the arrest of leading Opposition figure abroad.
Attorney General Tarek Saab announced on Monday that his office has requested an arrest warrant for Leopoldo Lopez, a former mayor and leader of the Voluntad Popular political party.
Lopez lives in exile, having fled in 2020 for Spain after spending six years in prison and under house arrest.
Saab’s call for his arrest comes after Lopez posted on social media in support of recent comments made by former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.
Uribe, a right-wing president who served from 2002 to 2010, held a news conference on Saturday at the Colombian border with Venezuela, where he pushed the international community to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
“We are calling for international intervention, preferably backed by the United Nations, to remove these tyrants from power and immediately call for free elections,” Uribe said from the border town of Cucuta.
Lopez responded to a video clip of Uribe’s speech on the social media platform X that same day.
He cited the disputed July presidential election as an indication that the Opposition has exhausted all its options for removing Maduro.
“After trying ALL paths, including winning an election with 70% of the votes, we must seriously consider this proposal,” Lopez wrote. “I dare say that the vast majority of Venezuelans agree.”
Sworn in to a third sixyear term on Friday, Maduro, a former bus driver, succeeded his political mentor Hugo Chávez as President in 2013.
His administration has long been accused of human rights abuses, including the arbitrary detention and torture of perceived political ri-
vals.
Scrutiny of that human rights record was heightened during the 2024 election, when leading candidates were barred from the race and the results were criticised for a lack of transparency.
The national electoral authority announced Maduro’s victory within hours of the polling stations closing, without providing the usual breakdown of the votes, spurring suspicion.
In response, the Opposition published copies of what it said were the official voting sheets, showing its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, winning by a wide margin.
Gonzalez himself has since gone into exile, after a Venezuelan court issued a warrant for his arrest in September. Ahead of Maduro’s inauguration, he returned to the Americas to tour countries that backed his claim to the presidency, including Argentina and the United States.
Maduro has long accused foreign powers of seeking to undermine his authority, and he has often dismissed protests against his government as the result of foreign conspiracies.
“The gringos are behind this plan,” Maduro said in a televised address after protests erupted in the wake of the latest presidential race.
Ultimately, the Government estimates 2000 persons were arrested in the post-election crackdown, and human rights groups say 25
people were killed. The US has since increased its bounty for information that might lead to Maduro’s arrest, from US$15 million to US$25 million. It recognises Gonzalez as the rightful winner of the 2024 election.
Maduro, meanwhile, announced his Government had arrested foreign “mercenaries” last week, including Colombian and US citizens.
Lopez, the Voluntad Popular leader, was initially detained under Maduro in February 2014.
The government charged him with a range of crimes, including public incitement and conspiracy to commit arson, although some of the most extreme charges — including “terrorism” — were later dropped.
He was eventually sentenced to more than 13 years in prison. Human rights groups like Amnesty International denounced the proceedings as likely to be “politically motivated”, and a United Nations working group on arbitrary detention called for Lopez’s release.
In 2017, Lopez was moved from the Ramo Verde prison to house arrest, and in 2020, he fled to Spain.
In announcing new charges on Monday, Attorney General Saab told Venezuelan State television that he would seek to arrest Lopez again for instigating the use of arms against the State, treason, conspiracy and criminal association. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Rescue workers in northern Peru were searching for trapped miners at a small gold mine on Monday , after the mine was allegedly attacked by suspected illegal miners, a local mayor said.
Segundo Armas, mayor of the Pataz district in the region of La Libertad, said
that as many as 17 miners could be trapped at the small remote mine which collapsed after it was attacked on Sunday by "possibly rival miners".
The Mayor was unable to confirm how many workers had been able to escape.
"The area is difficult to access and we are trying to confirm the number
of those trapped," Armas said, adding that cellular service does not reach the mine.
La Libertad is one of the regions with the highest gold production in Peru, and according to official reports at least 40 per cent of the supply comes from artisanal or informal miners. (Reuters)
prices climb 2% to 4-month high with sanctions expected
Oil prices climbed about two per cent to a four-month high on Monday on expectations that wider US sanctions on Russian oil would force buyers in India and China to seek other suppliers.
Brent futures rose US$1.25, or 1.6 per cent, to settle at US$81.01 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose US$2.25, or 2.9 per cent, to settle at US$78.82.
That put Brent on track for its highest close since August 26 and WTI on track for its highest close since August 12, and kept both benchmarks in technically overbought territory for a second day in a row.
Moreover, with Brent and WTI front-month prices rising over six per cent over the past three trading sessions, the premium of front-month contracts over later-dated futures, known in the energy industry as time spreads, soared to the highest in several months.
With interest in the energy market growing, total futures volume in Brent on the Intercontinental Exchange rose to its highest on January 10 since hitting a record in March 2020. Open interest and total futures volumes for WTI on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose to their highest since March 2022.
Chinese and Indian refiners are seeking alternative fuel supplies as they adapt to new US sanctions on Russian producers and tankers that are designed to curb the revenues of the world's second-largest oil exporter.
"There are genuine fears in the market about supply disruption. The worst-case scenario for Russian oil is looking like it could be the realistic scenario," PVM analyst Tamas Varga said. "But it’s unclear what will happen when Donald Trump takes office next Monday."
Goldman Sachs estimated that vessels targeted by the new sanctions transported 1.7 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil in 2024, or 25 per cent of Russia's exports. The bank is increasingly expecting its projection for a Brent range of US$70-$85 to skew to the upside.
"No one is going to touch those vessels on the sanctions list or take new positions," said Igho Sanomi, founder of oil and gas trading company Taleveras Petroleum.
At least 65 oil tankers have dropped anchor at multiple locations, including off the coasts of China and Russia, since the United States announced the new sanctions package.
Many of the tankers named have been used to ship oil to India and China after previous Western sanctions, and a price cap imposed by the Group of Seven countries in 2022 shifted trade in Russian oil from Europe to Asia. Some of the ships have also moved oil from Iran, which is under sanctions as well.
Six European Union countries called on the European Commission to lower the price cap put on Russian oil by G7 countries, arguing it would reduce Moscow's revenue to continue the war while not causing a market shock.
Factors weighing on oil prices
In a move that could reduce some of the supply risk premium built up in global oil markets, mediators gave Israel and Hamas a final draft of a deal to end the war in Gaza after a midnight "breakthrough" in talks attended by envoys of both Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
The dollar climbed to a 26-month high versus a basket of other currencies following data last week that showed US job growth unexpectedly accelerated in December and the unemployment rate fell to 4.1 per cent, which could lead to higher inflation.
That prompted traders to scale back bets on how many interest rate cuts the US Federal Reserve would make this year. Markets were now no longer fully pricing in even one rate cut from the Fed in 2025, down from roughly two quarter-point cuts priced at the start of the year.
A stronger US currency could reduce demand for energy by making dollar-priced commodities like oil more expensive for buyers using other currencies.
Higher interest rates, used to combat rising inflation, could also reduce demand for energy by boosting borrowing costs and slowing economic growth.
(Reuters)
Negotiators will meet in Doha today seeking to finalise details of a plan to end the war in Gaza, after US President Joe Biden said a ceasefire and hostage release deal he has championed was on "the brink" of coming to fruition.
Mediators gave Israel and Hamas a final draft of a deal on Monday, an official briefed on the negotiations said, after a midnight "breakthrough" in talks attended by envoys of both the outgoing US president and Presidentelect Donald Trump.
If successful, the ceasefire deal would cap over a year of start-and-stop talks and lead to the biggest release of Israeli hostages since the early days of the conflict, when Hamas freed about half of its prisoners in exchange for 240 Palestinian detainees held by Israel.
The official briefed on the
talks, who did not want to be otherwise identified, said the text for a ceasefire and release of hostages was presented by Qatar to both sides at talks in Doha, which included the chiefs of Israel's Mossad and Shin Bet spy agencies and Qatar's prime minister.
Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Biden's envoy Brett McGurk are expected to again attend today's talks in Doha, with Hamas negotiators nearby for quick consultations in an effort to reach a swift deal.
Officials on both sides and the United States have reported progress. US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken said the sides were "closer than we've ever been" to a deal, and the ball was in Hamas's court. Hamas said it was keen on reaching a deal.
Bloodshed continued in Gaza on Monday. Residents
reported a series of explosions in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip that targeted homes and roads. Palestinian health officials said at least 40 Palestinians were killed and dozens were wounded in Israeli military strikes in the
Los Angeles firefighters braced for high winds on Monday expected to fuel two monstrous wildfires that have already levelled entire neighbourhoods, killed at least two dozen people, and burned an area the size of Washington, DC.
Dry Santa Ana wind gusts of 72 to 112 kilometres per hour (45 to 70 miles per hour) were forecast to resume on Monday and persist through Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a "particularly dangerous situation" red-flag warning, the agency's most serious advisory.
More than 8500 firefighters attacked the fires from the air and on the ground, preventing the conflagrations at either end of Los Angeles from spreading overnight.
But the National Weather Service in Los Angeles warned, "This set-
turning entire neighbourhoods into smouldering ash and piles of rubble, leaving an apocalyptic landscape.
The Palisades Fire, which wiped out upscale communities on the western flank of Los Angeles, burned 23,713 acres (96 square km) and was 14% contained, a figure representing the percentage of the fire's perimeter that firefighters have under control.
up is about as bad as it gets," and Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley told Angelenos, "We are not in the clear."
Officials said the state was pre-positioning firefighting crews in vulnerable areas, not just in Los Angeles but also in other Southern California counties that were also under elevated fire danger.
The two main wildfires erupted on Tuesday, fuelled by hurricane-force winds bringing dry air from the inland deserts.
At least 24 persons have died in the fires since then, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner reported.
The wildfires have destroyed or damaged more than 12,000 structures,
The Eaton Fire in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains east of the city consumed another 14,117 acres (57 sq km) and was 33% contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) reported.
A third fire of 799 acres (3.2 sq km) north of town was 95 per cent contained and three other fires in the county have been fully brought under control in recent days. (Excerpt from Reuters)
ebanese President
LJoseph Aoun summoned Nawaf Salam, head of the International Court of Justice, to designate him Prime Minister after most lawmakers nominated him on Monday, a big blow to Hezbollah, which accused opponents of seeking to exclude it.
The choice of Salam underlined the major shift in the power balance among Lebanon's sectarian factions since the Iran-backed Shi'ite Muslim group
Hezbollah was pummelled in a war with Israel last year, and its Syrian ally Bashar al-Assad was toppled.
The presidency said Salam, currently outside the country and due to return today, had secured the backing of 84 out of Parliament's 128 lawmakers, and Aoun had summoned him to assign him to form the government.
Salam won backing from Christian and Druze factions, and prominent
Sunni Muslim MPs, including Hezbollah allies and opponents of the group who have long demanded it give up its powerful arsenal, arguing it has undermined the State.
But lawmakers from Hezbollah and its Shi'ite ally the Amal Movement, which hold all the seats reserved for Shi'ites in parliament, did not name anybody, indicating they currently do not intend to participate in Salam's government and raising
the prospect of a sectarian rift if they remain outside Cabinet.
Senior Hezbollah lawmaker Mohammed Raad, whose Iran-backed group had wanted incumbent Najib Mikati to stay in the post, said Hezbollah's opponents were working for fragmentation and exclusion. He said the group had "extended its hand" by electing Joseph Aoun as president last week only to find the "hand cut".
(Excerpt from Reuters)
You must bend to appease others. Listen attentively, but don’t sign up for anything you cannot afford or that doesn’t fit into your schedule. Put your needs first.
Pondering your next move or will not help you reach your goal. Consider how much you are willing to do and spend. Work to guard your reputation.
Slow down, rethink your motives and size up what’s doable. Too much of anything will lead to trouble. Focus on learning all you can before you commit to something.
Let your creative imagination lead the way, and you’ll find an outlet for your skills, experience and knowledge. A chance to get involved in a joint venture will enhance your relationship with someone special.
Emotions will escalate, and a desire for change will dominate your mind. Clarity is necessary to avoid a financial loss or health risk. Verify facts and figures before go any further.
You’ll feel uncertain trying to choose a direction. Consider what’s important to you before you try to take on too much. A change of scenery will clear your head.
Stop, listen and defend your rights. Refrain from letting anyone railroad you into something you don’t agree with or want to pursue. Create opportunities that are in your best interest.
Do whatever makes you happy. Sign up for a class that offers insight into better health and fitness or that brings you in touch with someone you want to get to know better.
You know how to play the game, so don’t let anyone cheat you or undermine your intelligence. Ask questions and make choices that are in your best interests.
Don’t waste time: Say what’s on your mind, and you’ll resolve issues quickly. Being efficient and completing things on time will boost your reputation.
Clearing space will give you a sense of accomplishment. Working in support of a cause or doing someone a favor will lead to a unique idea and a financial opportunity.
Hesitation is the enemy. Less talk and more action will help you keep up with your responsibilities. How organized you are will determine if you can maintain a good reputation.
The 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to start on March 21 with Eden Gardens hosting both the season opener and the final on May 25. It is also understood that the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 will be held between February 7 and March 2. Ahead of the mega auc-
tion in November, the IPL had shared with the franchises the windows for the next three seasons (202527). For 2025, the window was between March 15 and May 25. However, with the 2025 Champions Trophy final scheduled for March 9, the IPL decided to keep close to a two-week gap between the tournaments. The
full IPL schedule is expected to be out later this month.
As has generally been the case, the home venue of the defending champions will host the opener and final. This season it's Eden Gardens, home base of Kolkata Knight Riders who won IPL 2024. While Eden Gardens will also host Qualifier 2, the first two
The MI Emirates rebounded from an opening game defeat at the hands of the Dubai Capitals on Saturday with a 26-run win over the same opposition on Monday to get their first points of the 2025 International League T20 (ILT20) season on Monday.
Tom Banton led the way with 74 off 52 balls while Captain Nicholas Pooran hit 59 off 29 deliveries as MI Emirates posted 187-7 from their 20 overs after Capitals Captain Sikandar Raza won the toss and chose to bowl.
After losing openers Kusal Perera (5) and Muhammad Waseem (18),
playoff matches – Qualifier 1 and Eliminator – will be played in Hyderabad.
The 2025 season will comprise 74 matches, the same as the last three seasons – 10 fewer than the 84 games a season listed by the IPL in 2022, when media rights for the 2023-27 cycle were sold. In the tender document for the new rights
cycle, the IPL had listed a varying number of matches per season: from 74 games in 2023 and 2024, 84 in 2025 and 2026, and a maximum of 94 games for the final year of the deal in 2027.
Four venues shortlisted for WPL The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has
also added two new venues for the WPL. Along with Mumbai and Bengaluru, Baroda and Lucknow will also host WPL games this year. The exact number of matches at each venue is not yet known as the WPL schedule is not yet out for the season scheduled to begin on February 7. (ESPNcricinfo)
Pooran and Banton added 109 for the third wicket to set up the competitive total.
Banton’s knock, his first half-century in ILT20, included nine fours and two sixes while Pooran hit two fours and six sixes on his way to his second fifty in as many games this season.
Kieron Pollard also contributed a 19-ball 22 for the Emirates against Gulbadin Naib’s 3-18 and Olly Stone’s 2-31.
The Capitals chase was then a one-man show as Shai Hope was the only batsman to get past 20 against some excellent MI bowling.
Hope made a very
well-compiled 101 off just 59 balls, his second T20 hundred, including 11 fours and three sixes, but it couldn’t prevent the Capitals from being restricted to 161-6 in their 20 overs.
Fazalhaq Farooqi, who took a five-wicket haul in the first meeting between these two sides on Saturday, was once again excellent, conceding just 22 runs in his four overs while claiming
Chameera
(Kusal
Olly Stone 4-0-31-2
Dushmantha Chameera 4-0-43-1
Farhan Khan 3-0-36-0
Gulbadin Naib 0-18-3
Sikandar Raza 3-0-27-0
Zahir Khan 3-0-31-0
…as GBF concluded national men’s try-outs on Sunday
As Guyana prepares to compete in the highly-anticipated “Nations Cup” tournament, set to take place from January 24 to January 27 in Paramaribo, Suriname, the Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) concluded the men’s national tryouts on Sunday, January 12, which Head Coach Adrian Hooper conducted.
The trials at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) included standout performers from the ongoing One Guyana Premier Basketball League: Travis Belgrave (Eagles); Harold Adams (Royals); Dominic Vincente (Ravens); Zian Gray (Eagles); Nikkoloi Smith (Ravens); Yannick Tappin (Royals); Shelroy Thomas (Colts); Jushawn Bayley; Oquacey Shortt (Colts); Shane Webster (Colts); Orlan Glasgow (Royals); Jermaine Slater (Kobras), Kimol Grimmond (Untouchables), Domair Gladstone (Untouchables), Stanton Rose (Untouchables); Shamaar Huntley (Ravens); Denzil
Ross (Eagles); Jamaal Gilkes (Untouchables); Brando Bento (Mambas); Emmanuel Atherly (Kobras); Nathan Saul (Pacesetters); Jaleel Duke (Pacesetters) and Elijah David (Kobras).
Head Coach Hooper, speaking exclusively to Guyana Times Sport, divulged that the mixture of youth and experienced players would have a positive impact on the team coming out victorious.
“Alright, basically we would have shortlisted a team of 20 players. The guys came out in numbers to put their best foot forward. Today being Sunday, we had trials on Saturday also. It was just for two days, so now we're going to go back to the drawing board,” he said.
“We want to shortlist the team to at least 15 players. And from there, we're going to break it down to the final 12 that we'll be travelling
Sherfane Rutherford believes there should be a clear line between promoters and players in franchise leagues, emphasising the importance of mutual respect for one another. His comments refer to an incident during the previous season of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), which resulted in his expulsion.
"It's important that you respect the player, because at the end of the day, it's my job and this is what I want to do. So, I don't think I purposely want to not perform," Rutherford, 26, told Cricbuzz in Dubai on Friday on the sidelines of the ILT20 in which he's part of the Desert Vipers team.
Rutherford was alluding to the owner of St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.
"The owner didn't play any cricket. So, obviously, if you never play the sport, you would not understand the top days, the good days and the bad days – they are always there in cricket. So it's just emotions. I think he just got off of emotions. As adults, we need to control that because at the end of the day, our decision can take us farther. So, I think it was him wrongdoing," Rutherford said.
After being dismissed for a duck, Rutherford received a message from the team owner, an Indianorigin businessman, blaming him for the team's loss.
Following a response from Rutherford about the timing of the text, he was asked to leave the team.
"After a game against Barbados (which) we lost, the owner texted me about making the team lose. He said, I caused them to lose the game. I responded in a way. That is not a good time to message a player. We are professionals, we have feelings. So obviously when you're not doing well, you just want to reflect. So, when he texted me at the wrong time, I responded to him. That was where they decided for me to leave."
Owners intervening in cricketing matters is not new in the franchise leagues and Rutherford felt that the owners should understand that cricketers don't go out to fail.
"I don't think the owners should text players, especially about performance, because at the end of the day we didn't go there to fail. We know that in cricket you're not guaranteed anything. The most we can do is prepare well, and I think I have been doing that for a while now."
Reconciled, Rutherford is now looking to move on. "I don't know which franchise I will go back to, but I'm looking forward to a new adventure. I have told my agent about it. I told him I'm not comfortable with him texting me about any game, because at the end of the day, I'm dealing with the coach and, and the staff," he said. "On and off, it's okay. It's a part of life. It was good learning."
(Cricbuzz)
[with]. So, it's just a matter of just selecting the right 15 to move forward.
“Well, it's a new group I'm working with. I'm the second in coaching the national team. It's a good experience, but I'm almost certain that we'll try to get the best players who will repre-
sent Guyana in this tournament.
“Whether it be youths or whether it be the older generation. But a combination of both should do good for us in this tri-nation series in Suriname. And we look forward to coming victorious.”
When quizzed on areas needed for improvement to reap success, Hooper disclosed that he would be trying to focus more defensively, restricting teams from scoring and he also noted that the ongoing One Guyana Tournament has a positive Impact as he was able to select the best players from the tournament.
Hooper said, “Well, I will be trying my best to focus on mostly defence for the team. Because most of the competition that we face when we leave the shores, there's a lot of bigger and taller competition out there. So, we've got to focus more on defence to at least limit the other teams'
scoring and transition baskets and stuff like that.”
“So, it's more of a defensive team and to be balanced out at the same time to take this round.”
“Well, the tournament playing right now is a plus for us, because we're able to pull players directly from this tournament that are excelling right now. So, we actually pulled the best of the best from the tournament at present to try out for this team, this national team.”
In a press release on Friday, GBF President Michael Singh, indicated the Nations Cup marks the beginning of what promises to be a busy and exciting year for Guyana’s National basketball team and that the tournament serves as a key step in the team’s preparation to defend their title at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championship. (Omar Mckenzie)
Minister Charles Ramson Jr
Legendary Guyanese and West Indies cricketer Sir Clive Lloyd is set to take a lead role in the implementation and running of Guyana Cricket Academy; Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr has revealed.
Ramson made the disclosure during his end-of-year review on Saturday last at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH), Homestretch Avenue, while giving an update on the Cricket Academy Project which will have a home at Good Hope on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).
The Sport Minister stated, “We commenced the clearing of the area and I also want to announce that Clive Lloyd has agreed to have a lead role in the operationalisation – well, project execution as well as the operationalisation of the Cricket Academy and we’re going to be entering into a contract with him for employment in the next maybe, week or two weeks or so.”
“We believe that it is important for us to have a Cricket Academy here in Guyana, it is our lead sport,” Ramson Jr emphasised.
In boldly titling cricket as Guyana’s ‘lead sport’, Ramson Jr also took the opportunity to justify the heavy investment in the sport.
“So, the investment, sometimes people say ‘oh why are we investing so much in cricket?’ but the investment is important, without the investment, how are you going to get the players? And that’s one of the reasons why West Indies cricket was on the decline. It was on the decline because there was no investment being made on the development of players. There was a lot of management, administration, politics, but there wasn’t a lot of investment, especially infrastructure and technological investment being made in the players and the developmental programmes,” the Sport Minister explained. Ramson Jr also reiter-
ated the need for a Cricket Academy in Guyana given that Guyana currently has several players in the West Indies set-up, who are also performing exceptionally.
The 2025 West Indies 4-Day Championship is set to bowl off at venues around the Caribbean on Wednesday, January 29. As such, defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles (GHE) are working assiduously to ensure they are prepared for their title retention.
Harpy Eagles hopefuls recently wrapped up the first of two practice matches at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence where Kemol Savory’s XI came out on top of Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s side in the three-day encounter.
Harpy Eagles Head Coach Ryan Hercules, during the practice match, expressed his excitement for the 4- Day season ahead.
“Pretty excited. Some good cricketers around the set-up for quite some time and two titles basically, we won back-to-back, it makes
the work even harder, but it’s challenging and I really enjoy the challenge. So, for me, it’s all excitement, I want the guys to know that we’re going to work hard, there’s a lot to be done over the next few weeks while we’re in the tournament, even when we have the breaks as well,” Hercules expressed in an invited comment.
“So, we look forward to the challenge and at the back of it, if we get that success, it’s a good feeling,” he added.
After a year’s absence, 4-Day action will return to Guyana’s premier cricket venue at Providence, East Bank Demerara for four of the tournament’s seven rounds, much to Hercules’ content.
The Harpy Eagles Head Coach shared, “Obviously good to be home. It’s important that we get an early start in terms of points table with the first three games here, we
go to Jamaica and we come back for the fifth one. So, if we could set the percentage from early in terms of how we getting some points from up front. This is our conditions, our surface, we know how the pitch plays, we get lots of success at home.
“It can go both ways as well. I don’t want the guys to get too complacent, thinking that we’re playing at home means we’re definitely going to win. Also, you have to go out there and play good cricket at the end of the day.
I think it’s a great thing for us starting at home, haven’t played a lot of games in Guyana for quite some time, but, nevertheless, still thankful for the first three games, looking to make the best of those games,” Hercules went on to speak.
This season Cricket West Indies (CWI) has lined up several pink-ball matches for the 4-Day tournament, of
which Guyana will play two; a welcomed initiative for the coach.
“I think it’s a good initiative getting it back in. We had it a few years ago, most of the guys probably haven’t played a pink ball match, so, it was good having this practice game so they could actually see what the pink ball does under the lights and in different conditions. Obviously, if it’s a format being played in international cricket then we need to get it in the regional level. So, I must commend CWI for getting pink-ball cricket back
into first- lass cricket,” the Coach divulged.
As the Harpy Eagles head into another practice match on Wednesday, Hercules divulged some key areas of focus during these games.
The Coach related to this publication, “Like mentioned, we had two practice games at Lusignan Ground and we’re into our first game here at the stadium. Obviously, we’ve been working on guys getting back into red-ball cricket for the season. Defending the title is going to be a lot of hard work, not to come with the
same plans. From a batting perspective, getting guys to spend more time in the middle, the senior and junior guys; bowlers need to be more challenging when they’re out there, be more consistent taking wickets and obviously in the field, guys being there, being aggressive, wanting the ball to come to them and you know, all together look to see where we start off from today.”
The Harpy Eagles will take on the Barbados Pride in the opening round of the West Indies Championship.
The Mahaica Determinators Football Club, Potaro Strikers FC and Pele FC have all advanced to the semi-finals of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) 2025 Season 7 Elite League Playoffs following a packed weekend of club football action.
On Saturday at the Rosignol Ground in Berbice, Mahaica Determinators clinched a commanding 4-1 victory over Paradise Invaders in the opening match of the qualification tournament, while Potaro Strikers and Pele FC followed on Sunday with similar, narrow wins over Uitvlugt Warriors and Agricola Red Triangle at the Uitvlugt Ground, West Coast Demerara (WCD).
The Determinators triumphed over Paradise Invaders FC with standout performances from Nicholas Daw (7), Travon Adams (10), and Julius Hamilton (28th), denying the Invaders an opportunity to qualify for the upcoming season.
Travon Adams spearheaded the East Coast team’s attack at the Rosignol Community Centre Ground, netting twice in the first half. Adams’ first goal came in the 42nd minute, followed by another in the 44th minute, putting the Determinators firmly in control.
As the match progressed, Paradise Invaders’ hopes dwindled, despite Eric Calendar’s effort to get on the scoreboard for the Invaders in the 53rd minute. The Determinators sealed their victory in the
final minutes of the game, with Hamilton scoring in the 88th minute and Daw adding a goal in the 90th minute after coming off the bench.
Pele FC edged out Agricola Red Triangle with a lone goal scored by Akon DeSantos (#6) in the 35th minute. Their strong defensive effort ensured the early lead held
throughout the match, earning them a spot in the next stage of the competition. Meanwhile, Potaro Strikers triumphed over Uitvlugt Warriors in a 2-1 showdown. Kevin Reddy (#42) opened the scoring for Potaro Strikers in the 62nd minute, with Daniel Gardener (#40) sealing the win with a crucial goal in the 84th minute. The
Warriors managed to score once, but fell short of levelling the match.
The semi-finals are set to take place on Wednesday, January 15, 2025. Pele FC will face Mahaica Determinators, while Lake Mainstay FC (who received a bye to this round) will go up against Potaro Strikers. Both matches promise exciting action as the teams battle for a place in the final and a chance to secure a spot in this year’s Elite League.
The eventual winner of the tournament will gain the automatic spot in Guyana’s premier football League, that was vacated by Buxton United, who finished at the bottom of the points table in the 10- team competition in 2024. The Elite League Qualifiers final is billed for Saturday, January 18, 2025.
Meanwhile, the second-place finisher (loser in the final) will have a reprieve, as they get the opportunity to battle Ann’s Grove United in a play-off for another spot in the League. Ann’s Grove finished ninth in 2024’s Season Six of the League and will need a win in that game to maintain their spot in the League. The game is scheduled to be hosted on Wednesday, January 22, 2025.
Slingerz FC and Monedderlust FC were the successful teams out of last year’s Elite League Qualifiers and managed to maintain their spots, heading into the seventh season.
