WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Wednesday, September 18 –03:45h-05:15h and Thursday, September 19 – 03:45h-05:15h.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Wednesday, September 18 –16:25h-17:55h and Thursday, September 19 – 04:55h-06:25h.
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
resident Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Tuesday held high level discussions with United States (US) Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer. One of the several things they discussed pertains to Guyana’s western neighbour Venezuela, where the democratic process continues to be trampled on by the Nicolás Maduro regime.
Since the July 28, 2024 Presidential election in Venezuela, thousands of Venezuelans have taken to the streets protesting against Maduro’s declared victory over electoral irregularities. The state has also heavily cracked down on these protestors, all while refusing to release voting tally sheets to prove Maduro’s ‘victory’.
In a release from the White House, it was revealed that President Ali and National Security Advisor spoke on the telephone and shared their concerns regarding the violations of democratic practices in Venezuela following the election.
Also discussed were the ongoing efforts between the two countries to strengthen their bilateral relationship. Guyana and the US also reaffirmed their shared commitment to advance regional security, democracy and stability.
“They discussed the outcomes of the inaugural Guyana-U.S. Strategic Dialogue that was held in July, and additional concrete steps to contribute to Guyana’s economy, development and territorial integrity,” the release explained.
“Mr. Finer and President Ali agreed to continue collaboration with regional partners to restore security for the Haitian people, and ensure the success and sustainability of the Kenyaled Multinational Security Support mission in Haiti,” it added.
Guyana, along with Suriname, were the only two signatories from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), to sign on to a US led statement last month calling for the Nicolás Maduro regime to respect Venezuelans and their human rights amid its ongoing crackdown on dissidents
At the time, the Venezuelan Government had been escalating its crack
down on the mass protests following the disputed July 28 elections. This escalation had prompted outcries from human rights groups, civil society and the Venezuelan opposition which maintains that the Maduro regime was defeated by a landslide in the polls.
The other countries signing on to the statement had included Argentina, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Spain, Guatemala, Italy, Morocco, The Netherlands, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Uruguay, Ukraine, the US and the European Union (EU).
Separately, Guyana has also issued its own calls for a transparent verification of the vote in Venezuela. Those calls were made by Guyana within days of the election, amid widespread claims of electoral fraud.
During the closing press conference of the 47th CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in St. Georges, Grenada on July 30, President Ali was asked by the Caribbean media about Guyana’s stance on the election and he had made it clear that he was supporting international calls, as well as calls from the Venezuelan opposition, for the process to be upheld.
“In an election there is a process. In that process you have what occurs before an election, what occurs on election day and what occurs after that. And throughout
the process, there are laws and systems governing the process,” President Ali had said.
“Our statement is factual… every mechanism that is provided for in the electoral system, must be adhered to. And if there are calls, and there are calls from the international community and the opposition, for one aspect of that process to be activated, then we support that call because it is part of the electoral system.”
The leaders of other CARICOM countries have for the most part been reluctant to comment on the Venezuelan election. At that same closing press conference, CARICOM Chairman and Grenada’s Prime Minister, Dickon Mitchell had described the Venezuelan elections as a “domestic matter” that CARICOM did not have to weigh in on.
Meanwhile, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves recently went as far as to say that Maduro being declared the winner of the election, was in the best interest of Guyana’s oil and gas sector. Gonsalves was also one of the first leaders in the region, to publicly congratulate Maduro on his “victory”. Guyana and Venezuela currently have a border controversy being adjudicated at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as Venezuela has unjustly claimed two thirds of Guyana, comprising of the mineral rich Essequibo, as its own. This year, the Maduro regime had also stepped up its aggressive tactics, including a military buildup on Venezuela’s border with Guyana… a fact that has been roundly condemned by the international community. (G3)
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The garbage situation in Georgetown, driven by years of chronic mismanagement, has reached yet another tipping point. The Georgetown Mayor and City Council’s latest plan to approach the central government for a subvention to purchase additional garbage trucks is merely a temporary fix to a long-standing issue that has plagued the capital city for far too long.
For years, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has struggled to manage the city's waste, consistently failing to prevent the garbage build-up in areas such as Albouystown, Vlissengen Road, and Broad Street. Currently, the city possesses 33 operational garbage trucks, along with a tractor and environmental workers, but it is glaringly obvious that this is woefully inadequate to tackle the rapid expansion and rising waste production in Georgetown. As the city's population grows and its economic activity increases, so, too, does its garbage. Yet, instead of proactively addressing this issue, the M&CC continues to lurch from crisis to crisis, depending heavily on the central government to step in and clean up the mess.
The most recent proposal, which has been approved by the council and is now being handled by the Solid Waste Department, seeks government funding for new garbage and dump trucks. While it’s true that acquiring additional equipment would help ease the pressure, it’s concerning that the city still doesn’t know how much money it needs for this crucial purchase. Moreover, the problems go deeper than just the lack of trucks.
PPP/C Councillor Jai Narine Singh Jr (Don Singh) has highlighted some of the systemic issues that contribute to the garbage crisis. One glaring issue is that the city’s contracts with private waste management companies do not cover parapet waste, which includes cuttings from trees, bushes, and other yard waste. As a result, residents often resort to illegal dumping. Further, the contracts fail to address the increased amount of commercial waste generated by Georgetown’s expanding business sector.
The question must be asked: Why has the city’s leadership allowed the waste management infrastructure to fall so far behind? A plan to purchase “10 to 12 more trucks” and hire more environmental workers is necessary, but it should have been implemented years ago. What’s even more frustrating is the lack of long-term vision. Rather than simply scrambling for trucks, the M&CC must develop a comprehensive, sustainable strategy for waste management that accounts for Georgetown’s growth and ensures the entire city, including areas managed by private contractors, receives adequate attention.
To make matters worse, despite the council allocating $500 million annually for waste collection, there seems to be no end in sight to the garbage pile-ups. With private contractors failing to meet the needs of the city and the Solid Waste Department stretched beyond its limits, the time has come for the council to rethink its approach entirely.
The illegal dumping problem, which continues to mar Georgetown’s streets and neighbourhoods, would not be solved by adding a few more garbage trucks. It requires an overhaul of waste management contracts, public education campaigns to deter littering, stricter enforcement of penalties for illegal dumping, and stronger collaboration between the M&CC and the central government.
The central government has repeatedly had to intervene to clean up Georgetown, despite waste management being the sole responsibility of the M&CC. The capital cannot continue to depend on these ad hoc interventions. The M&CC must take full ownership of the problem, and work towards a lasting solution that does not rely on government bailouts every time the city’s waste begins to overflow.
Georgetown deserves better. The M&CC must finally develop a realistic, long-term waste management strategy and put an end to the city’s garbage woes.
Dear Editor, Endowed with several natural resources (bauxite, gold, diamond, manganese, pristine forest, arable land and an abundance of fresh water, and now oil), Guyana moves to extract these in a sustainable way, and not only for the benefit of Guyana, but also for Caricom. It is within this context that Guyana has taken the regional lead on 3 strategic pillars of the economy: energy, food security, and climate change.
In terms of energy, Guyana -- whose manufacturing possibilities were hampered by high energy costs, and whose population has had to endure not only high electricity costs, but also periodic load shedding and blackouts -- would soon get important relief from the integrated gas- processing facility at Wales. When the electricity and gas plants become operational, the energy cost to consumers would decline by 50%: from (US$) 22 cents per kwh to (US$) 11 cents per kwh. Though the estimated cost of the project is US$1.9 billion, that works out to just (US$) 4 cents per kwh (covering all capital and operational costs), and the country would save US$100 million annually.
The PPPC government’s record on climate change is second to none. Its detailed plan is captured in the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030. Guyana is Net Zero; thanks to its forest that stores 20 billion tons of CO2, and it also removes 154 million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere each year. Guyana joined 139 countries and signed on to the Net Zero emission by 2050. The funds earned
through LCDS are being used for climate mitigation and adaptation, as well as for Amerindian land titling and community development (carbon credits). I would expand on energy and climate change in future articles.
The biggest challenge to the three pillars, however, is the country’s ambitious 25x25 Food Security Programme, along with Caricom, to reduce the value of food imported by 25% by the year 2025. Between 2018 and 2020, Caricom - for example - imported in value 60% of its food requirements (in a few countries, it was 80%). Recognizing that this level of imports cannot continue, Caricom has been able to reduce the value of imports by 12% in 2023, compared with 2022. And with respect to fish and seafoods, Caricom has set a goal to reduce imports by 20% (from US$387 to US$309).
To illustrate the progress towards 25x25, Guyana’s Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha provided for Guyana figures that are self-explanatory. The rate of increase is substantial.
The production of brackish water shrimp is projected to increase by 25%:
from 958,000kg in 2023 to 1,200,000kg in 2024. A multi-million-dollar project to cultivate prawns is ongoing at Onverwagt, West Berbice. Much work needs to be done in egg production. The expanding corn production would lead to increased egg production. Guyana imports 53 million eggs annually. In 2023, Guyana produced just 27,000 eggs. By August 24, 2024, it produced 97,000 eggs (3.5 times). Minister Mustapha expects that, within a few years, Guyana would become self-sufficient in egg production.
Minister Mustapha is mindful of ‘El Nino’ weather patterns, and has taken measures to mitigate the impact of this phenomenon on production. The Ministry of Agriculture is building Hope-like canals at No 51/52 Villages, and at Lancaster; these canals will offer flood protection for over 360,966 acres of farmland and residential areas as the Government provides incentives and removes obstacles to growth.
The Government is granting duty-free concessions for the importation of machinery and agricultural inputs; has upgraded farmto-market roads, and is con-
structing several highways to benefit all Guyanese, including farmers; has restored the drainage-irrigation charges and land rentals which the APNU+AFC government increased by more than 4 times (from G$3,500 to $15,000) to the original level of $3,500; and is implementing new methods of agriculture husbandry, like hydroponic and shade houses.
President Dr Irfaan Ali takes more than a personal interest in agriculture expansion and diversification. To achieve the target of 25% reduction of imports by 2025, a special Ministerial Task Force on Food Production and Food Security (MTF) has been established to guide the implementation of VISION 25 by 2025. Ministers of Agriculture in Caricom meet monthly to evaluate the situation. For 2023, the value of food imports was reduced by 12% in Caricom, compared with 2022. Minister Mustapha has expressed optimism that Guyana and Caricom would attain the objectives of 25% reduction by 2025. And Guyana would never catch the Dutch disease.
Sincerely,
Tara Singh
Dear Editor,
In response to Mayor Mentore’s letter dated September 15th and titled, “Paltry Central Government Subvention to City is Insult to Citizens”, I seek to clarify and highlight the facts omitted from the mayor’s narrative regarding Government’s interventions in Georgetown.
For decades, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has been plagued by chronic misappropriation of funds, a glaring lack of accountability and transparency, and gross mismanagement, among other persistent issues.
Mayor Mentore’s criticism of the amount of money allocated to the M&CC via Government subvention is particularly disingenu-
ous, given that the Fiscal Transfer Act clearly outlines the criteria for such allocations, including the requirement for a comprehensive audit of the Council's finances.
Notably, it is only now —after six years — that this audit is being conducted, primarily due to concerns raised by the increased number of PPP councillors.
Further, Mr Mentore, as a former deputy mayor, had had numerous opportunities to advocate for an audit, but failed to do so.
Instead of addressing the ongoing mismanagement within the M&CC, Mayor Mentore often frames truthful discussions about the Council’s shortcomings as political grandstanding, rather than seizing them
as opportunities to pursue meaningful solutions.
It is critical to acknowledge that Government subvention is far from the only support provided to the city. The current PPP/C government has consistently stepped in to support the citizens of Georgetown.
Firstly, despite inter-city streets being under M&CC jurisdiction, they are financed, maintained, and where previously non-existent, constructed by the Ministry of Public Works.
Secondly, the desilting of major canals is undertaken by the Ministry of Agriculture through the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), which is also building a new pump station at Liliendaal to improve drain-
age in South Georgetown.
Additionally, the NDIA supplies fuel to all M&CCcontrolled pump stations. The Ministry of Health provides crucial assistance to Council-run health centres with medications and staffing. Government has also taken on the desilting of internal drains and the construction of footpaths to improve accessibility, following consultations with local residents.
Further, the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport is upgrading and rehabilitating 34 grounds throughout Georgetown. Are all these efforts included in the $30 million subvention? These interventions, representing billions of dollars, underscore the extensive investment Government has
Dear Editor, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton is doing what he knows best: humiliate an opponent or someone whom he claims to be an opponent, and reduce them to nothingness. It is reminiscent of the Burnham ‘days’, when policy stipulated that you follow the leader's dictates without question, as no other views would be accommodated.
The policy at that time further stipulated that all knowledge is vested in the leader, and from him shall all directives flow. This in itself showed that dissenting views, or simply put: a suggestion to have an issue addressed another way, or that another method be tried in doing things, would not be entertained.
This is the slave mentality mode the PNC has forced upon its people. Burnham might have gotten away with it due to his erudite and charismatic footwork; however, that performance lasted for a yesteryear crowd, and has long since outlived its usefulness.
Norton lacks the finesse of a Burnham, whom he
copies, and living in a modern-day world, the younger generation would not put up with that nonsensical view, hence the mass exodus from that party.
So, let's follow Norton's handling of the Jermaine Figueira matter, and his wider appeal to the ordinary rank-and-file members of his party. To begin with, Norton, as a leader, might be a better qualified (paper certification) person than Figueira, but he lacks the intelligence quotient of that member of Parliament, hence his erratic and oftentimes hostile response to that party comrade.
In contrasting the two personalities, one sees Mr Figueira standing out as a grassroots person, one who communes with the people; and this is in distinct opposition to the bam-bam alley personality of the patron.
Also, Figueira chairs the PAC, making a valuable contribution in ensuring our country stays clean and transparent before an international audience; and further, Figueira has extended the proverbial olive branch and has stepped out in soli-
darity with Government under a patriotic “One Guyana” theme. These things do not sit well with Mr Norton, whose philosophy is: remain belligerent and threatening, never support the Government in anything it aspires to do. This in itself is a backward and retrogressive school of thought, but Norton does not see it that way; he is holding on to the false PNC doctrine which states that for you to be considered a great leader, you
must be vindictive and spiteful. How much success that conviction would bring him is left to be seen.
These and other matters provide the firm evidence that Mr Figueira has been under surveillance ever since, and his ostracism has always been imminent. Norton is caught in an inferiority complex mode, and in that insecurity, he lashes out wildly.
Respectfully, Neil Adams
made in responsibilities that should ideally be handled by the M&CC.
As recently articulated by Minister Anand Persaud, the subvention aims to bring direct relief to citizens, and this is reflecting the PPP/C’s commitment to Georgetown’s development.
Essentially, the public recognizes the importance of visionary and strategic resource management to ensure sustainable short-, medium-, and long-term benefits for the city. This approach is being manifested before our eyes, which explains ongoing public support for the current administration. His Excellency
President Irfaan Ali recently unveiled massive plans, in partnership with the Kings County Foundation, to further transform Georgetown through an innovative urban plan, demonstrating a continued willingness to collaborate with the M&CC on this venture.
As a PPP/C councillor, I remain committed to working with my fellow councillors and advocating for ongoing development through all available Government channels for the betterment of Georgetown and its residents.
Sincerely, Steven Jacobs PPP/C councillor
What is wrong with having classes under the cashew tree?
Dear Editor, The listening and grounding walkabout seems focused on the hinterland. With the stiflingly hot weather, what is wrong with classes being held outdoors, under the cashew tree? Many useful lessons are taught and learnt in these conditions.
The report about no building, which is being stuck to, did not mention whether the nursery children were using pit latrines or flush toilets.
The claim of there being no school building has been debunked by the photograph of a flat building. However, in the depiction in one daily (GT September 17) of this building being ensconced amidst greenery, a better walkway could be developed for the students, and the field could be developed for outdoor activities. Outdoor learning is great for the young minds. They get to appreciate nature and the environment, and this can have an impact on their learning abilities.
Sincerely, Shamshun Mohamed
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2024
06:00 (Sign on) Inspiration Time 06:30 Cartoons 07:00 Evening News (RB) 08:00 Stop Suffering 09:00 Food Network
Grand Designs
Paternity Court
Divorce Court
News Break 12:05 Movie - Casa Vita (2016) 13:35 Wheel of Fortune 14:00 The Loud House S4 E32 14:30 Spongebob Squarepants 15:00 Indian Soaps
16:00 Young Sheldon S3 E16
16:30 Chain Reaction (GSN)
17:00 The Young & The Restless 18:00 The Evening News
19:00 CPL Match 19
23:00 The Office S6 E16
23:30 The Last Man on Earth S1 E3
00:00 Sign off
Complete the following test items
1) There are five hundred thousand, three hundred and fifty four people living in the city of Longe. How would you write that number in standard form?
2) Sara is collecting newspapers for a recycling contest at her school. She needs 384 newspapers to win the contest. So far she has collected 289. Rounding to the nearest ten, how many newspapers Sara still needs to collect?
a) 25 x 15 = b) 9 x 56 = c) 83 x 92 =
4) Nafeeza bought five pizzas for her class, but her classmates only ate three-quarters of each pizza. How would Nafeeza express the amount of remaining pizza as an improper fraction?
$13.50 + $10.00 + $23.25 = $1090.00 – $735.25 = $7.07 + $2.93 =
6) Sebastian has been measuring the rainfall for the past seven days. He measured the following amounts: 9mm, 7mm, 2mm, 6mm, 10mm, 2.5mm, and 1.57mm. Rounding to the nearest tenth of a millimetre, what was the total amount of rainfall during the seven-day period?
Comets are large balls of ice, frozen gas, and dust, sort of like outer space snowballs! They travel in long, elliptical orbits around the Sun — it can take hundreds of years to complete one orbit. When a comet gets close to the Sun, the ice turns to gas and together with the dust, it streams out to create two long tails. If the comet passes close to Earth, we can see the tails as bright streaks in the night sky. Comet dust tails can be six million miles long and can sometimes stretch almost 100 million miles!
8) Johnny is mixing the paint he will use to paint his wooden scooter. He needs one part blue to two parts red. If he is using 1 pint of red paint, how many pints of blue will he need? What will be the resultant colour?
20% of (150 ÷ 5) = What is 50% of 4/5? Express the number in both decimal and fraction form.
10) Mana has a rope that is 17.25 metres long. If 30% of the rope has been painted black, what portion of the rope has not been painted? How many metres is that equivalent to?
Supplies
•Chopsticks, popsicle sticks, wooden skewers, or glow sticks (one is all that is needed)
• Aluminium foil (12-inch wide)
• Metallic ribbon, mylar strips, or regular ribbon — 3-6 ft
• Ruler
• Scissors
Making the comets
• Preparation: Cut five pieces of ribbon: two long pieces, two medium pieces, and one short
piece. If you want an extra-long tail, make the long pieces about three feet in length. Cut three pieces of aluminium foil so they’re roughly 6 inches x 6 inches.
• Tie the ribbons around the end of the chopstick, popsicle stick, skewer, or glow stick. To make the ribbon to be as long as possible, tie the knot close to the edge of the ribbon. The ribbons are your comet tails.
• Hold the ribbon pieces off to one side and gather the tin foil around the end of the stick with the knot of ribbons. The aluminium foil
creates the nucleus and coma (freely escaping atmosphere around the nucleus that forms when the comet comes close to the Sun and the volatile ices sublimate).
• Repeat with two more sheets of foil. Gather it around and form it into a ball. If you want a bigger comet, add more aluminium foil!
Now your comet is ready to fly! Hold the stick of your comet and run around the room with enough speed so that the ribbon “tails” are flying behind you. (Adapted from startwithabook.org)
By Ovid
Without a qualm he cut down every tree
In the sacred grove of Ceres––
An ancient wood that had never, before that day, Jumped to the axe’s stroke.
Among those trees
One prodigious oak was all to itself
A tangled forest. Its boughs were bedecked with wreaths
And votive tributes––each for a prayer Ceres had sometime granted. Dryads there
Danced a holy circle around its bole
Or joined hands to embrace it––
A circumference of twenty paces.
Erysichthon ignores all this as
He assesses the volume of its timber, Then orders his men to fell it.
Seeing their reluctance, he roars:
“If this tree were your deity, that every clown adores,
And not merely a tree you think she favours, Nevertheless, those twigs away there at the top
Would have to come down now, as the rest falls.”
He snatches an axe––and hauls
The weight of the broad head up and back.
CONTINUED
The election fraud case, which is already facing delays due to various factors but was supposed to have resumed on Tuesday, has been adjourned again to next month, owing to the presiding Magistrate still being unwell.
Last month, the election fraud cases had been adjourned to September 17, after Senior Magistrate Leron Daly proceeded on 30 days sick leave. On Tuesday, however, the parties in the case were informed that the matter would be further adjourned to October 31, 2024 at 10:00h.
This, according to acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty, was because Daly is still on leave and unable to preside over the matter. It is understood, however,
that the case may be reassigned should Magistrate Daly still be unable to resume her duties by October month end.
Only two witnesses have so far testified; they are Minister of Local Government and Regional development, Sonia Parag, and head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Diaspora Unit, Rosalinda Rasul. Parag had testified on the misconduct she witnessed from GECOM staff during the 2020 General and Regional Elections. Her testimony had included witnessing efforts by GECOM staff, to alter the results by deducting People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) votes and adding votes to the then ruling a Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC).
She had also testified that despite a Court Order from acting Chief Justice Roxane George, which compelled GECOM to use only the Statements of Poll (SOP’s) to tabulate the numbers for the Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica) votes, Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, one of those now on trial, continued to conduct the tabulation using a projector and bedsheet.
The Minister had further testified that both she and the European Union (EU) observer, protested that they could not see the numbers being projected on the bedsheet, to compare with their own numbers. However, their objections were ignored and GECOM pushed on, until Mingo made his now infamous final declaration.
Both Parag and Rasul, testified that members of the GECOM staff consistently ignoring objections from party reps and observers, when they called out results that did not match the SOPs in their possession.
The trial was originally supposed to last from July 29 to September 13, some four years after the 2020 General and Regional Elections. Nine persons are before the court in this case. They include Mingo; former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield and his former Deputy, Roxanne Myers.
Also charged are former PNCR Chairperson Volda Lawrence; PNCR activist Carol SmithJoseph; and GECOM employees Sheffern February, Enrique Livan, Michelle Miller and Denise BabbCummings. They are facing 28 charges relating to electoral fraud committed during the 2020 General and Regional elections.
Among the offences these defendants are accused of committing are: misconduct while holding public office; presenting falsified documentation; and planning to manipulate Guyana’s voters by presenting an inaccurate vote total.
These charges stem from attempts to rig the 2020 General and Regional Elections in favour of the then-ruling APNU/AFC.
The election report of former CEO Lowenfield claimed that the APNU/ AFC coalition garnered 171,825 votes, while the PPP/C gained 166,343 votes.
How he arrived at those figures is still unknown, since the certified results from the recount exercise supervised by GECOM and a high-level team from the Caribbean Community (Caricom) pellucidly showed that the PPP/C won with 233,336 votes, while the coalition garnered 217,920.
Following the recount, Irfaan Ali of the PPP/C was declared President of Guyana on August 2, 2020 – some five months after the March 2, 2020, General and Regional Elections. But the delay in the election fraud case has been a cause for concern, including for the government.
During his press conference last week, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had observed the widespread public frustration over the delays in the trial and had made it clear that the judiciary must address delays. He had pointed out that with all the evidence there to prosecute the cases, it is up to the judiciary to accelerate the proceedings.
While lamenting on the persistent delays, Jagdeo went onto suggest that there could be a deliberate attempt at play. Only last month, Jagdeo had stated that given the pace of the trials in the local courts, he has no doubts that this high-profile matter could end up in the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) – the highest level of judicial redress for Guyana. (G3)
Amajor police operation in Regional Division 4A (Georgetown) resulted in the arrest of several wanted suspects and the discovery of an unlicensed firearm on Monday.
The raid, which took place between 04:00h and 13:00h targeted multiple areas in and around Georgetown, including Independence Boulevard, North Ruimveldt, Stevedore Housing Scheme, and Kitty, among others.
During the operation, officers arrested Nicholas Singh, also known as ‘Pookie,’ a 25-year-old resident of D’Urban Street, who was wanted for the murder of Natram Persaud, which occurred on December 31, 2023, at Canal Number Two, West Bank Demerara (WBD). Manipaul Rambarhak, called “Anand,” a 57-yearold farmer of Canal Number 2 Polder, was also in a critical condition as a result of the incident.
It was reported that the murder/robbery was committed by three men, all of whom were dressed in dark clothing and wearing masks. One of them was armed with a handgun.
Rambarhak was reportedly sitting at the western side of the entrance along with another friend when the three bandits approached him during which one of them discharged two rounds at him and relieved him of his gold band valued at $250,000.
As the men were leaving, the now-dead man reportedly chased after them. He eventually caught up with the men and a scuffle ensued with one of them.
During the scuffle, a loud explosion was heard,
after which Persaud fell to the ground. The three bandits then made good their escape. As relatives rushed to assist Rambarhak and Persaud, they realised that they were shot.
They were picked up and taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) where Persaud was pronounced dead on arrival.
Rambarhak sustained a gunshot injury to his stomach, which exited his lower back, while Persaud received a gunshot injury to
the back of his head.
At the scene, three .45mm spent shells were recovered – one on the bridge area and two at the entrance of the yard.
Meanwhile, during the raid, Police also apprehended Rondell Vanrossum, a 45-year-old resident of Norton Street, Lodge, who had an unlicensed Glock 9MM pistol and ten rounds of ammunition. Julian Aaron, 51, of East Ruimveldt, was arrested for possession of additional ammunition, while Lorenzo Heywood, a 20-year-old from Coldingen, East Coast Demerara (ECD), wanted in connection with several armed robberies, was also captured.
The operation, led by an assistant Superintendents of Police and detectives involved house-tohouse searches in highcrime areas, including Albouystown, D’Urban Backlands, Guyhoc Park, and Sophia.
Several other individuals and properties were searched during the raid, with further investigations ongoing. (G9)
Up north, the “silly season” of frivolous stories to take up the news slack is during the summer months, while we -- living in perpetual summer -- experience it during the season of elections!! If anyone had any doubts that our “silly season” is here already, then the bold headline in one of the tabloids that are not known for their warmth to the PPP government -- that a new party’s about to be launched - should’ve dispelled those doubts like a flutie on a hot GT pavement!!
Now, dear reader, you may ask why your Eyewitness thinks that announcement of this incipient party is frivolous; after all, in our democracy – even though some see “shades of autocracy”!! – isn’t it a sign of its health that folks believe they can take on the incumbent Government and oust it?? Look at the last elections – THIRTEEN parties contested, even though SIX of them were subsumed in the APNU/AFC coalition!! This means there were actually EIGHTEEN parties on the hustings!!
Truth be told - as your Eyewitness has been saying over the years, after witnessing the electoral carnivals - parties spring up like jumbie umbrellas!! Like all mushrooms, these thrive in darkness and on dung!!
Your Eyewitness believes it’s part of our general selfcontempt that so many people believe they can actually come out of total obscurity, and -- possessing no proof that they can even run a black-pudding stand -- think they can run the country!! Part of the pull of running is these deluded souls can prance about as “Presidential” and “Prime Ministerial” Candidates for the duration!! Some who aren’t totally cuckoo have unearthed an obscure device that allows several mushroom parties to run on a “joinder slate” - wherein their meagre votes can be pooled. One threeparty arrangement in 2020 secured one seat, but the refusal of the one with the smallest tally – 240 votes – to vacate after their time-share was up might scuttle this device for 2025. It would appear that not only among thieves is honour missing!!
Now, the first chuckle – if not an outright guffaw!! –elicited by the budding party was its name GUARD!! We’re expected by the worthies behind the venture – who’ve been described as “professionals and others” - to believe that they picked the name “Guyana United for Accountability and Resources Development” to arrive at the acronym “GUARD” fortuitously; and not to fool Guyanese into thinking it’s a revival of the hugely successful GUARD of the pre-1992 era: Guyana Association for Reform and Democracy - that had Sam Hinds and Yesu Persaud at its helm!!
From where your Eyewitness sits, this subterfuge does not augur well for their commitment to “Accountability”implicit in their name!! But it’s the silly season, innit??
…or cleansing the PNC
Your Eyewitness has lifted his arms to the heavens and pleaded for the Opposition to do what Opposition parties are supposed to do in democracies – present a credible alternative to the incumbent Government, and, in so doing, keep the latter on the straight and narrow!! In Guyana, no matter how you slice it, dice it, or puree it, we still vote largely based on our “race”. The Opposition PNC gets its votes mostly from African Guyanese, and the governing PPP from the Indian Guyanese. And they both try their darndest to get a slice of the Amerindian Guyanese votes and slivers from each other’s constituencies!!
Well, your Eyewitness was quite disappointed when he heard that PNC Leader Aubrey Norton had replaced MP Jermaine Figueira as party leader in Reg 10 - a PNC African Guyanese-dominated region – with an Interim Committee. Seems the leader thinks Figueira’s doing too much “social” work, and not enough “political” work!!
Like what?? Not holding off the PPP inroads made through social work?? Go figure!!
…a new brand
Your Eyewitness is watching GTT rebrand itself as “ONE Communications”. Up to now, he hasn’t seen anything new with the service. He wonders whether the company’s just trying to suggest subliminally that they’re the only ONE around.
The Georgetown Mayor and City Council are planning to approach central government for a subvention to purchase an additional garbage and dump truck as trash piles up in the capital city.
This publication was told that the motion to approach central government with a request for a subvention was brought before the administration during its last meeting, as a viable solution to reduce the gross garbage build-up in Albouystown, Vlissengen Road and Broad Street, among other areas.
At present, the amount of money the municipality is seeking to address the issue remains unknown.
When contacted on the matter, People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Councillor, Jai Narine Singh Jr., well known as ‘Don Singh’ has revealed that the plan was approved by the municipal and is being handled by the Solid Waste Department, headed by Walter Narine.
“Well, this was only done like a week and a half ago and that it was brought to full council and it was approved. Now they have to write to the local government ministry indicating work plans for the purchase of these vehicles and then put out a tender and stuff. I have suggested at the final committee level that we start advertising for environmental workers for this
new equipment that we're getting,” Singh said.
Currently, the Georgetown Mayor and City Council possess a total of 33 garbage trucks that are operational along with a tractor and environmental workers.
According to Singh, while the Solid Waste Department is doing a good job with maintaining its throughfare, issues continue to arise in the areas being cleaned by private contractors.
Given that the department cannot cater to the entire city at once, he has suggested that the department embarks on a journey that is more sustainable, which would include increasing its manpower and procuring additional equipment.
“We're way behind. We will need at least 10 to 12 more trucks, first of all, and the manpower that goes with it. As well, as you see, the contractors under their contract do not provide for parapet waste. Parapet waste is like if you cut your trees in your yard, your flower bushes, your whatever. There's no capacity to pick that up under the contracts we have with Cevons and Solid Waste Management Solutions. Our contract does not cover that, so what we find is a lot of people are just dumping that stuff. If you call City Hall, maybe you can arrange for it to be picked up, but right now we don't have capacity
for that. And as I said earlier, the rapid expansion of Georgetown is creating a lot of business waste, it's creating more garbage in general, especially with the bigger spending powers of the population now,” he added.
The illegal disposal and build-up of garbage has been a consistent issue in the capital city.
The responsibility of cleaning the city solely falls under the jurisdiction of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council and local democratic organs, who receives a subvention from central government to fund capital projects.
Notwithstanding this, the government has still been intervening to clean up the city and bring relief to residents.
Back in April, Mayor of Georgetown, Alfred Mentore told media operatives that
council allocates $500 million annually for waste collection, encompassing both private and municipal waste management systems.
Police investigators are searching for a 23-year-old man accused of setting his parents' home ablaze in Aishalton Village, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), on Monday evening. The fire, which occurred around 19:30h, completely destroyed the house, leaving the family of four, including a sevenyear-old child, homeless.
According to the suspect's aunt, Petronella Michael, her nephew has a history of abusive behaviour towards his parents, often fueled by excessive drinking and drug use.
"His behaviour isn’t nice. He was drinking and smoking with his friends in the village, and when he went home, he argued with his father and boxed up his father," Michael explained. "When his father decided to hold on to his hand, he pulled away and ran. Nobody knew at the time he had matches or a lighter."
The incident reportedly unfolded after the family left the house and went to the suspect’s sister's nearby home.
“Everybody came out of the house and went over by his sister’s house. By the time his father turned back, he saw fire at the house. His son lit the house on fire. People also saw the house on fire and ran to help,” Michael recounted.
Michael further noted that her brother, John George, and his wife had faced years of abuse at the hands of their son, yet their cries for help from law enforcement had largely gone unanswered.
"My nephew doesn’t work; he walks around and doesn’t do anything but drink and smoke. This is not the first time. I’ve complained to the police over
and over, and they’re not doing anything," she said.
She expressed frustration with the lack of intervention, adding, "His father told the police that when he kills him, that is when they will do something about it. Now, he burned his parents' house. Look what happened now." The family had been living in the house for 20 years and lost all their possessions in the fire. The suspect fled the scene after the incident, and police are conducting an active investigation into his whereabouts. (G9)
James Lord, a 34-yearold sawmill operator from Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara (EBD) was remanded to prison with the brutal murder of his 29-year-old reputed wife, Alexis Roxanne Harris, following a violent altercation.
Lord appeared before Magistrate Rhondell Weever on Tuesday, where he was not required to plead to the indictable charge. He was remanded to prison until his next court appearance, scheduled for October 8.
The incident took place over a week ago at Harris’ sister’s home in Free and Easy, West Bank Demerara (WBD). According to police reports, the confrontation began when Lord visited the residence to see his children. Witnesses stated that Lord became enraged after seeing Harris using her cell phone. In a fit of anger, he smashed the phone and followed her outside, where the deadly attack unfolded.
Lord reportedly drew a knife from his bag and be-
gan assaulting Harris on the stairway. During the attack, his nephew, Junior Lord, attempted to intervene but was stabbed in the abdomen. As Junior collapsed from his injuries, Lord continued his assault on Harris, fatally stabbing her in the chest and right hand.
Despite her attempts to flee, Harris collapsed in a nearby drain and later succumbed to her injuries. She was pronounced dead upon arrival at the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH). Her body was subsequently transported to Ezekiel Funeral Parlor for a post-mortem examination.
James fled the scene on foot but was later apprehended with the help of the public. He was found with self-inflicted wounds and was under police guard at the WDRH. He was later charged with the offense. Meanwhile, his nephew remains in serious but stable condition at the same hospital. (G9)
In keeping with its Water and Sanitation Sector
Strategic plan, the People’s Progressive Party /Civic (PPP/C) Government has assured that aging water distribution mains in the capital city of Georgetown will be upgraded, in order to ensure clean water is delivered to residents.
This is according to Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal, when he made a presentation during his attendance at the eighth India Water Week 2024, a biennial event that is being held from September 17-20 in New Delhi.
“Crucial areas of focus include increasing access to potable water supply for coastal and hinterland communities. Increasing treated water coverage. Reducing non-revenue water by upgrading and reducing aged distribution mains in our capital city. And modernising the sewage and waste water infrastructure,” Croal said at the inauguration ceremony.
Croal explained that the government has begun an aggressive initiative to
bridge the divide between the coast and the hinterland when it comes to infrastructure. The Minister also highlighted what the government’s efforts to increase access to potable water
“Access to potable water by citizens on the coastland is 98.8 per cent, while in the hinterland and riverain communities, 82 per cent of the more than 200 communities do. Communities in all 10 of our administrative regions, receive improved and increased access to potable water supply through the installation of new mains, upgrades of aged infrastructure and drilling of wells.”
“We’ve also placed emphasis on quality assurance and sustainability, through a massive treated water supply programme, which aims to increase our demand or treated water coverage from 52 to 90 per cent by the end of 2025. Some 260,000 persons or 65,000 households, will benefit from improved water quality and service,” he further explained.
According to the Minister, the Guyana Water
Incorporated (GWI) has implemented a strict water quality monitoring system, with the aid of water quality testing labs. He noted that they strictly follow World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.
Croal also noted GWI's efforts to enhance water quality management, including the construction of a state-of-the-art central water testing laboratory equipped with an ISO17025 management system, capable of conducting chemical, microbiological, and wastewater analysis.
Conceptualised and first organised in 2012, India Water Week is a biennial event. It is a four-day conference and exhibition that is considered India’s international water resources event. Seven editions of events have been organised in 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2022.
The event, which was organised by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, serves as a global platform bringing together global level decision-makers, politicians, researchers, experts, planners, innovators, students
and stakeholders in the field of water resources from across the world, with the theme of “Partnerships and Cooperation for Inclusive Water Development and Management”.
The four-day conference includes exhibitions and study tours with seminars, panel discussions, side events, exhibition and cultural programmes, as well as opportunities for businesses to find prospective partners and customers.
Guyana has made strides when it comes to delivering potable water to citizens, including the residents of Georgetown. Last month, however, complaints from some residents in Georgetown over the poor
water quality resulted in GWI pleading for patience while it worked to address the issues.
It had been explained that there were high levels of sediment at GWI Shelter Belt canals, with preliminary investigations revealing that the issue occurred when GWI dredged the East Demerara water conservancy. This caused a buildup of sludge that contaminated its Shelterbelt, resulting in the distribution of the ‘rusty and unhealthy’ water.
GWI Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shaik Baksh had explained that aged Drainage and Irrigation infrastructure in the affected areas were preventing GWI teams from flushing the sed-
iment out of the pipeline, thus increasing work time. While some areas such as Stabroek, Regent Street, Hadfield and Alberttown were showing high levels of water clarity, other areas at the further end of the distribution network including Kitty and Charlestown were experiencing gradual improvements.
He had assured, however, that GWI’s technical teams were aggressively flushing the Shelterbelt network to improve the clarity of the water. GWI had also hired additional labour to clean the canals while technicians in the laboratory conducted daily tests to monitor the quality of water being accessed. (G3)
Warning that the practice of parking vehicles on roadways must come to an end, Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill recently revealed that the government is in the process of developing a plot of land for owners to rent a space to park their trucks and articulated vehicles.
Edghill made this statement last Friday during an engagement with truck drivers last Friday, he said.
“We cannot allow this lawlessness to continue last night. I was on the Heroes Highway, trucks are actually now parking on the highway as overnight areas for sleeping because they don’t have anywhere to park,” he stated.
In this regard, the minis-
ter highlighted that the government will soon establish specified parking areas for trucks.
“We have a lot of trucks. When somebody invest in their truck they must know ahead of time where they are going to park it, we can’t just buy trucks and leave it at any road corner. The government has initiated a plan where we are going to develop a plot of land to put all of the articulated vehicles,” the minister stated.
Meanwhile, the government has implemented a ban on trucks parking in Ruimveldt reserves, following the removal of 11 sand trucks parked illegally at the Industrial Estate, in the vicinity of DSL Cash and Carry,
is contaminating the paint. This matter has reached the courts. We have come and have removed these truck drivers before. Just under two weeks, the police have come and have removed them. They have returned.” The minister noted that the truckers have attempted to negotiate with the government for alternative locations to conduct their business. The situation has been further exacerbated by the truckers’ practice of dumping leftover sand on the reserves. A sign and barricades will be erected at the site, and any trucks found violating this instruction will be impounded. Additionally, traffic ranks of the Guyana Police Force will continue to monitor the area.
Abuilding that was in the midst of an own-
ership dispute over the weekend went up in flames and the divisional fire department suspects arson.
The fire took place on Sunday evening and reduced a two-storey house to rubble.
Divisional Fire Officer
Clive McDonald said shortly before midnight on Sunday, a report was made of a fire at Betsy Ground, East Canje.
Two appliances responded and when the first one ar-
rived, the building was engulfed in flames.
Initial investigations re-
ownership of the building.
McDonald said investigators were told that no one was at home at the time of the fire.
However, based on investigations so far, it is suspected that the fire was maliciously set.
“However, subsequently we have persons who came and made a set of claims but we are still doing out investigation. It is w two story building with wood and concrete.”
McDonald said one person occupied the building and that person was not stated to be the owner.
“From our preliminary investigations the cause of the fire is malicious setting,” he said.
vealed that there is a current court matter over the
Investigations are continuing. (G4)
Agold miner and a construction worker were arrested on Monday after police discovered an unlicensed, loaded .38 revolver during a search at a house in Herstelling, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
The arrest followed a report of a break-and-enter at the residence, which was made at the Providence Police Station. Police officers responded to the scene at around 14:30h, where they encountered a 36-year-old gold miner and a 20-yearold construction worker.
The gold miner informed officers that he was in charge of the house, explaining that the property was disputed and that a relative had instructed him to stay there. The police requested permission to search the home, and the miner complied.
During the search, ranks discovered a .38 revolver in a bathroom on the upper floor. The firearm was checked and found to be loaded with ammunition.
Upon questioning, the construction worker reportedly admitted ownership of the weapon. Both men were arrested on the spot and taken into custody. Investigations are ongoing. (G9)
Martin Calvin, a 30-year-old resident of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was sentenced to five years in prison on Tuesday after pleading guilty to an armed robbery charge. The sentencing took place at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Alisha George.
The charge stemmed from an incident that occurred on September 13,
arrested on Saturday in connection with the crime.
Calvin was charged under Section 222 (c) of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:01, and promptly admitted his guilt. Following his guilty plea, he was sentenced to five years in prison.
Not once did any of us hear Winston Jordan, Guyana’s worst-ever Finance Minister, express regret that his government had granted a tax-free contract to EXXON. Never once did he apologize to the Guyanese people for helping to foist that contract on the Guyanese people, and keeping it a secret for some time. But ever since the President Irfaan Ali-led PPP government abolished all the more-than 350 new tax measures that the APNU/ AFC government imposed on people between 2015 and 2020, we have heard him crying that farmers MUST be taxed.
Dr Leslie Ramsammy
Like Khemraj Ramjattan, who admitted in Parliament what he thought about sugar workers, Jordan also admitted that he believes the PPP government favours farmers because they are supporters of the PPP. It has not dawned on him that farmers are supported by the Government because PPP governments always have prioritized agriculture in the country’s developmental agenda. The PPP’s overall support to agriculture and to farmers has nothing to do with whom farmers politically align with. But, like closing sugar estates, Jordan wants to punish farmers because he is convinced they support the PPP.
Collectively, farmers invest in Guyana more than any private sector enterprise other than EXXON and the oil companies. Rice farmers alone invest more than $50B annually in the economy. When we look at expansion of agriculture under the Irfaan Ali-led Government, farmers and investors in agriculture pour in more than $100B annually into the country’s domestic investment. For this, Jordon wants to punish them.
As agriculture expands, Guyana - which before 2023 had imported almost US$50M in corn and soya meal for feedstock production - is now looking to meet our entire need through local production. Moreover, we expect to become an exporter of corn and soya by 2028. But do not expect anytime soon that the “geniuses” in the PNC and AFC would ever understand the impact of agriculture and the investment farmers make in Guyana’s development. The only thing these “geniuses” see is the opportunity to tax the farmers.
As Guyana’s Food and Nutrition Security 25x25 Program continues to evolve and expand, Guyana and Caricom’s importation of food is reducing. When first announced in 2021, the naysayers laughed and insisted that the 25x25 goal was a wild dream. In fact, Caricom’s import of food has already been reduced by 15%, and the 25% reduction is in sight by the end of 2025. In the process, no country stands to benefit more than Guyana. This means more domestic and foreign investment in agriculture, more jobs created, and more families engaged in entrepreneurial activities.
Instead of recognizing the farmers’ contribution, people like Jordan want to tax them.
Winston Jordan emerged briefly from his hole last week. After waxing out-of-tune with what he deemed “wasteful” infrastructure projects, and after bemoaning the PPP government’s removal of new taxes or measures that increased taxes, more than 350 measures that the PNC-led APNU/AFC government had introduced, he then identified taxation for farmers. If it were up to Jordan, the Government would widen its taxation to further tax farmers, big and small. Thank God, it is not up to Jordan. The Guyanese people, on March 2, 2020, ensured that “More Taxes” Jordan would never again be in a position to punish them with unbearable taxation.
Jordan and his party have an obsession with taxation. They have always -- for 28 years before 1992, and between 2015 and 2020 -- sought to introduce new taxes or increase existing taxes. In whatever way the PNC could extract more resources out of people’s pockets, they have not been hesitant to do so. Even out of government, they keep talking about more taxes.
Among the many differences between Guyana’s two main political parties, taxation is a fundamental difference. One: the PNC never misses an opportunity to increase tax measures. On the other hand, the PPP always looks to see where they can reduce tax measures. Imagine the optics of GRA officials walking into people’s yards in Region Five, between 2015 and 2020, checking to see how many beds of bora or lettuce or other cash crops they were cultivating for the purpose of imposing taxes on them. Their taxation thirst knew no bounds. And while heaping more tax burdens on people between 2015 and 2020, they took away cash transfer programmes from people, thereby making the tax burdens worse.
Jordan recklessly alleges that the support for agriculture is motivated by political reasons, because farmers are supporters of the PPP. It is the usual dog-whistle. The bottom line is that Jordan’s thirst to tax farmers is motivated by his belief that farmers are Indo-Guyanese who all support the PPP. That most people in Guyana -- and certainly the overwhelming percentage of Indo-Guyanese -- support the PPP is true; but farmers are not exclusively Indo-Guyanese. The majority of Amerindians are farmers, and it is true that most of them support the PPP. There are many farmers who are Afro-Guyanese. In fact, farming might well be the way most AfroGuyanese in rural communities earn their living. It might also now be true that many Afro-Guyanese farmers are becoming supporters of the PPP.
When Jordan talks about taxing farmers, he is not just targeting rice and cash crop farmers, he is also talking about livestock farmers. This includes those who produce mutton and chevron meat. In 2020, production was just under 77,000kg. In 2022, production jumped to 110,000kg, a 43% increase. Caricom today imports almost US$40M in mutton and chevron meat annually. The small farmers can inherit this market in the 25x25 initiative. We must incentivize these farmers and other farmers.
The PPP sees this as a priority; the PNC, on the other hand, only sees another group to tax. But “More Tax” Jordan will never again have the opportunity to add another tax on the burden of the Guyanese people.
this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance
Months after taking over the project from Trinidadian company, Kalco Guyana Incorporated, who had failed in delivering, S. Jagmohan Construction and General Supplies Inc. is in the final stages of completing the long-overdue Conversation Tree Road upgrade.
The contract for the road project was awarded to S. Jagmohan Construction back in April, and the contractor is set to commission the road sometime this week.
Guyana Times visited the project site on Tuesday where contractors were paving the lanes, among other works.
Initially pegged at $1.8 billion, the Conversation Tree-to-Dennis Street Project was split into two lots, with the first lot having already been completed on time by S. Jagmohan Construction to the tune of some $1 billion.
The second phase, which was awarded to controversial Trinidadian company Kalco Guyana Inc., was stalled for several months and the previous contractor was flagged on multi-
ed that Kalco had instructed its engineers to halt operations and no other work had since been done.
complete the works, with a deadline of October 29.
It was also revealed that Kalco was already paid some
with the Trinidadian company comes on the heels of efforts to clamp down on contractors who are lagging on projects being executed for the State.
Back in April, during a meeting with representatives of Ministries and agencies responsible for awarding and monitoring government contracts, President Dr. Irfaan Ali had ordered that penalties outlined in several government contracts be enforced for companies that continue to default on their contractual obligations.
At that meeting, the Guyanese Leader also instructed that project updates for several ongoing works be completed for re-
Consequently, the government had announced in May that it was moving to terminate the $830 million contract with Kalco after the company “did not live up to expectations”.
Thereafter, the administration decided to award the contract of the sec-
$465 million. Though not pursuing liquidated damages against the contractor, the government said it took possession of the contractor’s vehicles and equipment to the value of $153 million.
Edghill had explained that penalties were not applied to the contractor since
ple occasions for poor performance after abandoning work on the roadway.
Even though the initial project deadline was set for November 5, 2023, during an inspection conducted on March 4, 2024, it was not-
ond phase to S. Jagmohan Construction.
Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill in August had revealed to the National Assembly that S. Jagmohan was given the contract to the tune of $844 million to
the agreement was “amicably settled” as opposed to the contract being terminated.
Lagging on projects
This move by the government to end the contract
view, and according to Minister Edghill, work has been ongoing to fulfil the President’s order.
The project updates will be provided to Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, SC, and letters of notice will be issued, while the Finance Ministry is tasked with calculating the liquidated damages.
Further, the Head of State disclosed that action must now be taken to strengthen project management teams in the public sector. Consequently, units are now being established at the various ministries and state agencies to assess the performances of contractors carrying out government projects.
Additionally, a Contract Compliance Unit has been established at the AG Chambers to support the work of those units. President Ali had noted that all project managers and senior engineers under this unit would be properly qualified, and it was subsequently announced that 50 scholarships would be given to 50 officers from various fields to better monitor and evaluate projects. (G1)
In light of several major developmental projects that are currently underway throughout various parts of the Soesdyke-Linden Highway Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Public Affairs and Information, Kwame McCoy highlighted that a number of job opportunities among other benefits will now be available for residents who live in several villages lining the highway.
McCoy made this highlight during a recent engagement with residents from Circuitville Yarrowkabra, along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway for their Heritage Day celebrations. Whilst interacting with residents, the minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment towards developing every area of the country.
Linden Highway, for which a multimillion-dollar contract has already been awarded. He added that these projects will provide numerous job opportunities which will positively impact the lives of the residents.
“You only a few weeks ago witnessed us sign the contract for the reconstruction of the Soesdyke-linden Highway in that project you will have people along the Soesdyke-linden Highway who will be able to grab at job opportunities. Right not too far from here you have the Silica City Project and right across the highway you have seen and will see numerous development projects that will all go towards the enchantment and beautification of this corridor creating more jobs and also opportunities for small businesses,” he added.
ers, through agriculture.
lanes undivided, nine bridges, and six culverts with improved design, quality, and standards. It also includes ancillary works and road corridor improvements providing essential public administration support, and improved connectivity with communities, and roadside and other facilities.
He said, “your government continues to be a government that focuses on the development of citizens, right here on the highway you have seen a lot of work ongoing in relation to brining the Soesdyke-linden Highway in the limelight of the development trajectory that our country is on.”
In this regard the minister highlighted the numerous government-led projects that are currently being undertaken in the area, one such project is the reconstruction of the decades-year-old Soesdyke-
McCoy also spoke of another critical initiative that targets employment, which is the government’s 500 Homestead Project. This focuses on providing empowerment to women, particularly single moth-
“You have heard us speak about our 500 Homestead Project for single mothers where this project will cater for our women and will have an agricultural component from which single mothers will be
able to earn by growing crops that will be part of the food production chain,” he stated.
Meanwhile, upgrading the Soesdyke-Linden Highway involves the rehabilitation and reconstruction of 73 kilometres of the road, with two
The scope of work also entails milling of existing asphalt surface course, application of varying pavement structures above the milled sections of pavement inclusive of asphalt, sand asphalt, and sub-base; full-depth pavement reconstruction in certain sections, construction of two roundabouts along the alignment, sidewalks extension to nine multi-span bridges, drainage work, and utility relocation, and installation of roadway lighting.
The Human Services and Social Security Ministry has uncovered a fraudulent scheme involving unauthorised copies of Old Age Pension and Permanent Disability Books, which have been submitted for encashment at post offices and other payment venues across the country.
According to a statement from the ministry, these counterfeit books lack the official security features and colors of the legitimate documents. “We have provided all the information and evidence in our possession to the Guyana Police Force (GPF),” the ministry’s statement said.
The GPF has since launched an investigation into the matter. The ministry further warned that anyone attempting to present these unauthorised books for encashment will also be held accountable.
In response to this discovery, the ministry has requested that its staff, along with
Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister,
Anil Nandlall has described the delays in the election fraud trial as an “orchestrated attempt”.
He expressed concern that another national election is approaching and “we do not have a determination yet for fraud charges that arose out of elections four years ago”.
The election fraud trial which commenced on July 29 and was scheduled to end on September 13, has faced several delays.
The last delay lasted for 30 days after the presiding Magistrate Leron Daly proceeded on sick leave.
The matter was scheduled to resume on Tuesday, September 17, but it was again delayed as the magistrate remains on sick leave.
It is now adjourned to October 31.
During his programme “Issues in the News”, the Attorney General bemoaned the various delays in getting the trial started and now, the current delays.
“Finally when we felt that the way was paved for the trial to begin and proceed with some level of alacrity, though delayed, we are now confronted with a series of adjournments,” Nandlall
said.
He reminded of “the way different magistrates have been shifting these cases, in my view, in a clear attempt not to hear these cases” and recalled the intervention of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to write the chancellor to assign a magistrate to allow an expeditious trial.
“Now we are where we are,” Nandlall expressed, noting that these cases are of grave public importance.
«They are cases of national importance. The conduct of the persons who have been charged and who are before the courts struck at the very foundation of the democratic process of this country. That conduct attempted to alter the will of the people as expressed by their ballots. That conduct sought to derail the democratic elections of this country. It sought to have a different government in place instead of one elected by the people. These are not ordinary, run of the mill cases. In any other democracy, the judiciary would have accorded the highest priority to cases of this type, unfortunately in Guyana, that is not the position,” Nandlall noted.
According to Attorney
General, “the judiciary must act and act quickly to reprieve its credibility in this matter.”
He added that every Guyanese should be concerned with the current state of affairs, noting that “the duty lies with the judiciary to arrest the situation and to do so with every convenient speed.”
The attorney general also clarified that he is not attacking the judiciary.
“It is my duty and part of my portfolio to speak out on these matters even if i have to make outspoken comments,” he noted.
“I do so however respectfully and I do so without attributing any ill or ulterior motives to members of the judiciary,” he added.
Nine persons are before the court in relation to electoral fraud. They are former Returning Officer for Region Four, Clairmont Mingo; former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield; his former Deputy, Roxanne Myers; former People’s National Congress/ Reform (PNCR) Chairperson Volda Lawrence; PNCR activist Carol Smith-Joseph; and GECOM employees Sheffern February, Enrique Livan, Michelle Miller and Denise Babb-Cummings.
The Health Ministry has announced plans to downsize and eventually close the National Psychiatric Hospital (NPH) in Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) as part of a broader effort to reform mental health care delivery in Guyana.
According to the recently published ‘Guyana National Mental Health and Suicide Plan,’ the focus is on decentralising services and integrating individuals with severe mental illnesses into communities.
A DPI report stated that this approach aims to reduce stigma and human rights violations while bringing care closer to where people live.
The previous National Mental Health Plan sought to reduce the hospital’s ca-
pacity by 50 per cent. Still, progress was slow due to many long-term patients lacking family support or having families unwilling to take them back.
The NPH accommodates 195 patients, 160 of whom are long-term residents. The hospital employs approximately 190 staff members, providing a one-to-one staffto-patient ratio.
The new plan aims to implement a needs-based assessment to guide the redistribution of resources across regions. Inpatient and outpatient facilities will also be established to ensure that mental health services are accessible throughout the country.
According to the DPI report, the Human Services and Social Security Ministry will also collaborate with
The Natural Resources Ministry has announced that it is inviting eligible bidders to submit proposals for the Provision of Marketing Services for the Guyana’s oil entitlement. This opportunity covers various lots associated with oil production from different FPSO vessels.
The bidding process is divided into several lots: Lot 1: Liza Destiny FPSO Vessel; Lot 2: Liza Unity FPSO Vessel; Lot 3: Payara Prosperity FPSO Vessel; Lot 4: Any two (2) Lots combined; Lot 5: Combined Lots 1, 2, and 3.
In a noticed published, the ministry stated that interested parties can obtain further details by emailing jmckenzie@nre.gov.gy or visiting the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry
of Natural Resources, 96 Duke Street, Kingston, Georgetown.
All bids must be submitted no later than 09:00h on October 1. The notice stated that late submissions will be rejected and returned unopened. Bidders must ensure their proposals are valid for 120 days from the bid opening date, the ministry said.
The notice stated that bid opening will take place at 09:00h on October 1 at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, Ministry of Finance, Main & Urquhart Streets, Georgetown, Guyana. The notice also stated that bidders can choose to bid on one or more of the lots as specified in the bidding documents.
Police on Tuesday acting on intelligence, raided the home of a 56-yearold unemployed woman of BB Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
The operation, conducted between 16:10h and 17:00h, by a police team, led an assistant superintendent, was carried
out under a search warrant for narcotics.
During the search of the house and yard, police officers noticed a black plastic bag containing a transparent ziplock bag over the back concrete fence in an alleyway near some banana trees. Inside the bag was a quantity of suspected cannabis.
The suspected narcotics were retrieved and taken to the Providence Police Station, where they were weighed and found to amount to 27 grams of cannabis. In a statement, police said that they have since begun fingerprint analysis on the bag. Investigations are continuing.
the health ministry to reintegrate long-term patients with their families. Families will be supported through disability and caregiver pensions, while those without family care will be housed in community rehabilitation facilities.
Community treatment teams will provide ongoing medical and mental health support for individuals in residential facilities, ensuring a more holistic and community-based approach to mental health care.
Meanwhile, the government is laying the groundwork for a more supportive environment for those struggling with mental health challenges and suicidal predispositions through the implementation of the National Mental Health and Suicide Plan 2024-2030.
Venezuela has arrested a fourth American citizen since the start of this month, the country's Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said on Tuesday, without naming the person detained.
The American was arrested after taking photos of military units, power stations, and state entities, Cabello said during a National Assembly session which was broadcast on State television.
"Another citizen of North American origin was captured, an American we had been following was captured here in Caracas taking photos of electrical installations, oil installations, military units," Cabello said.
On Saturday, Spain asked Venezuela for information regarding the arrest of two Spaniards,
three US citizens and a Czech, following reports they were detained over an alleged plan to destabilise the country.
The arrests came after the Venezuelan Government recalled its ambassador to Spain this week for consultations and
summoned the Spanish Ambassador to appear at the Foreign Ministry, escalating diplomatic tensions following Venezuela's disputed presidential election.
"Rest assured that this gentleman is part of the plan against Venezuela," Cabello said. (Reuters)
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness has “strongly rejected” the recommendations of the Integrity Commission (IC) that the Financial Investigation Division (FID) and Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) examine his financial dealings.
The recommendations are contained in a 179-page investigation report into his statutory declarations which was tabled in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
While the Commission’s director of investigation ruled that no charges be brought against Holness for failing to declare four bank accounts during his statutory filings, the Commission raised a litany of questions
in relation to bond transactions and loans taken out by companies in which at least one of his sons is connected. Questions were raised about whether the companies were compliant with their statutory filings with the TAJ.
In a statement in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Holness said “let it be known that I have complied with any obligation placed on me within the law. The company with which I am the directly associated is compliant and up to date with its tax filings”.
The Prime Minister declared that he has worked hard for what he possesses. “And I have worked hard, wisely and honestly to achieve whatever I have. I have never depended on the public purse”.
According to Holness, “the weaponisation of accusation of corruption is nothing new in politics, however, even the most sceptical onlooker must conclude that the handling of this matter, the time it has taken, and the public resources used to pursue it raise cause for concern on many levels”.
“While I will not pursue the view that this was politicised, I believe it is commonly agreed that the law governing the IC is in urgent need of revision. The current context of its operation does weaken its credibility, and we must do everything to ensure that the appropriate laws are in place to prevent the politicisation of the commission,” he said. (Jamaica Observer)
Health Minister and Member of Parliament (MP) for St Joseph, Terrence Deyalsingh was robbed at gunpoint while in his constituency on September 17.
Newsday understands Deyalsingh was sitting outside Nyahbinghi’s bar at about 17:00hwhen two men
armed with guns held him up and robbed him of his bera – a traditional Indianstyle gold bracelet – before getting into a car and escaping.
A video circulating social media showed the MP sitting outside the bar speaking to someone on the phone whom he called “Minister,”
recounting the incident.
“I am just letting you know where crime has reached,” Deyalsingh said.
“The Police is here, you don’t have to get involved, I am just letting you know.”
At the start of the video, police were seen driving off. (Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)
The Caribbean is no stranger to hurricanes and natural disasters, given its geographic location. Past headlines serve as grim reminders of the destruction hurricanes have wrought on the Region. For countries like Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines, the wounds are still fresh, with the damage laid bare before their people. Although mainland Grenada was mostly spared when Hurricane Beryl swept through on July 1, 2024, the storm – a powerful Category 4 hurricane – unleashed its fury on Petit Martinique and Carriacou.
When the winds subsided, the extent of the devastation became evident. Carriacou, with just over 3000 inhabitants, saw over 90 per cent of its buildings destroyed. Petit Martinique experienced similar destruction.
Speaking with Guardian Media at the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) in the Cayman Islands, Grenada’s Tourism, Creative Economy, and Culture Minister Adrian Thomas reported that the cleanup is ongoing two months later. “Our primary focus now is to clean up both islands. There is a lot of garbage and debris, and we need to make it habitable again,” he said.
Thomas also mentioned that a rapid assessment of the housing stock and agricultural sector is underway to determine resource allocation.
A similar situation is unfolding in St Vincent and the Grenadines. At SOTIC, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sustainable Development, and Culture, Carlos James reaffirmed his Government’s commitment to provide EC$136 million for the recovery effort as parts of the Grenadines begin to rebuild after Beryl’s passage. James stated that the country plans to work closely with the United Nations to devel-
op a framework for tourism disaster management and natural disaster response. However, he emphasised that St Vincent is “open for business.”
According to a 2017 report commissioned by Climate Analytics, the economic costs of cyclones in the Caribbean have averaged two per cent of GDP since 1950 and are projected to increase under current policies. With Grenada committing EC$269 million to the relief efforts, Thomas reiterated a call made earlier this year by Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell –large countries must step up to help Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
“The damage they are causing to the environment requires them to assist us because, year after year, we must find money and borrow to fix the disasters they create. It doesn’t make sense, so wherever we get the platform, we will let them know they need to come forward,” he told Guardian Media.
The Grenadian Government has also offered concessions and waivers for the residents of Carriacou and Petit Martinique, including a 100 per cent waiver of taxes on machinery, appliances, furnishings, and equipment, loan/grant facilities for businesses, and a waiver of all property taxes for 2025.
It has been five years since Hurricane Dorian struck the Bahamas as a Category 5 storm, one of the strongest landfalling tropical cyclones in recorded history. Dorian’s devastation led to US$3.4 billion in damages (nearly a quarter of the nation’s GDP) and claimed at least 74 lives. Director General of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments, and Aviation, Latia Duncombe said they have encouraged visitors to participate in restoration efforts through programmes such as the Mission for Mangroves—a tourism-based initiative that allows tour participants to plant
mangrove seedlings at various coastal sites. Hurricane Dorian destroyed nearly 74 per cent of Grand Bahama’s mangroves and 40 per cent of Abaco’s. Mangroves play a crucial role in protecting coastal communities from extreme weather events, such as hurricanes.
The scenes unfolding across the Caribbean are reminiscent of the Dutch-French island of Sint Maarten/Saint Martin. Seven years ago, Hurricane Irma—a powerful Category 5 storm—made landfall on September 6, 2017, wiping out most of the infrastructure and causing billions of dollars in damage. The disaster affected the island so severely that the St Martin Government now benchmarks its data against 2016, pre-Irma, and post-Irma.
St. Martin has spent the past few years gradually rebuilding. Valerie Damaseau, President of the St Martin Tourist Board, explained why the process has been so lengthy. “We have been working to bury everything underground – from the sewage system to telecommunications and electricity. All the cables you see are now replaced by solar panels,” Damaseau said.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) sixth assessment report, the Caribbean is likely to experience fewer tropical cyclones overall, but those that do occur will be more intense. The IPCC also predicts that “sea levels will very likely continue to rise around small islands” and that “sea level rise coupled with storm surges and waves will exacerbate coastal inundation.” If these predictions come to pass, regional governments will need to juggle multiple roles: advocates for their people, creators of sustainable policy, and leaders in climate change initiatives.
(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)
Energy executives and US Government officials on Tuesday clashed at an international energy conference over efforts by President Joe Biden's Administration to globally advance clean fuels and geopolitical aims.
Top energy executives took to the stage at the GasTech conference in Houston to blast the US, saying it lacked a clear policy for achieving its aims or supplying needed power for economic developments such as the rise of artificial intelligence.
“It would appear we do not have a cohesive, collective decision on how policy should be rolled out and also the sustainability of that policy for sustainable energy development," said Lorenzo Simonelli, CEO of Baker Hughes.
"AI’s advance will depend not only on the design labs of Silicon Valley, but also on the gas fields of the Permian basin," Chevron CEO Michael Wirth said at the annual conference.
ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance also said the US has been slow to approve needed energy export projects or address needed permitting improvements.
"We absolutely need permitting reform, and we need more infrastructure," he said.
But Brad Crabtree, an Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy and Carbon Management at the US Department of Energy, told the audience that the Administration's Infrastructure Bill has made billions of dollars available for new energy projects.
The DOE is moving to accelerate project reviews to get funding distributed for hydrogen, carbon storage and other clean energy efforts before the change of administrations in January, he said.
"I'm thrilled by the scope and pace of what we're doing" to reduce carbon emissions, said Crabtree. He added he was "very concerned" about challenges to permitting for hydrogen and carbon storage projects.
The US is collaborating broadly with other nations and energy groups to achieve clean-energy goals and counter rivals, said US State Department official Geoffrey Pyatt.
A second thrust of US energy policy is to "make sure that Russia pays a price on the extraordinary violence that it is inflicting on citizens", pointing to efforts to build an coalition on sanctions.
Peter Clarke, an Exxon Senior Vice President, said developing nations should not be expected to adopt the same clean-energy strategies as advanced economies.
“There is not a one-size-fits-all for Asia," Clarke said. “We need to be careful with taking policies in developed nations, and expecting developing countries to jump to that.” (Reuters)
US Democratic presidential candidate
Kamala Harris called on Tuesday for an end to the Israel-Gaza war and said that Israel must not reoccupy the Palestinian enclave once the nearly year-old conflict comes to an end.
Speaking in Philadelphia to the National Association of Black Journalists, she called for a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants, a two-State solution and Middle East stability in a way that does not empower Iran.
"We've made ourselves very clear this deal needs to get done in the best interest of everyone in the region," Harris, the US Vice President, said in response to questions asked by three Journalists.
At least 41,252 persons have been killed and 95,497 wounded in the Israeli offensive in the Hamas-ruled strip
Militant group Hezbollah promised to retaliate against Israel after accusing it of detonating pagers across Lebanon on Tuesday, killing nine persons and wounding nearly 3000 others who included fighters and Iran's envoy to Beirut.
Lebanese Information Minister Ziad Makary condemned the late-afternoon detonation of the pagers – handheld devices that Hezbollah and others in Lebanon use to send messages – as an "Israeli aggression". Hezbollah said Israel would receive "its fair punishment" for the blasts.
The Israeli military, which has been engaged in cross-border fighting with Iran-backed Hezbollah since the start of the Gaza war in October, declined to respond to questions about the detonations.
The death toll rose from eight to nine on Tuesday night while the number of injured remained at 2750, Lebanon's health ministry said.
Hezbollah confirmed in an earlier statement that the deaths included at least
two of its fighters and a young girl.
The pagers exploded in southern Lebanon, the southern suburbs of Beirut known as Dahiyeh and the eastern Bekaa Valley – all Hezbollah strongholds.
In one instance, closed-circuit surveillance video carried by regional broadcasters showed a
person paying at a grocery store as what appeared to be a small handheld device placed next to the cashier exploded.
A Hezbollah official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the incident was the "biggest security breach" for the group in nearly a year of conflict with Israel.
Hennis-Plasschaert deplored the attack in a statement and said it “marked an extremely concerning escalation” in the conflict.
since October 7, the Gaza health ministry said. The war began that day when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1200 persons, mostly civilians, and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Harris was asked about Springfield, Ohio, a city that for days has found itself at the center of a social media maelstrom after right-wing agitators latched onto false claims that Haitian arrivals were eating household pets.
Former President Donald Trump, Harris' Republican rival in the November 5 presidential election, has pledged to conduct mass deportations of Haitian immigrants from Springfield if elected, even though the majority are in the United States legally.
"This is exhausting and it's harmful and it's hateful and grounded in some age-old stuff that we should not have the tolerance for," Harris said. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Sean "Diddy" Combs appeared in a Manhattan court on Tuesday
Hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs has been denied bail after pleading not guilty in a sex-trafficking case.
A New York Federal Judge remanded the musician in custody after prosecutors argued he was a "serious flight risk".
Combs, 54, was arrested on Monday evening, accused of running a criminal enterprise from at least 2008 that relied on drugs and violence to force women to "fulfill his sexual desires", according to prosecutors.
A 14-page indictment charges him with racketeering, sex trafficking by force, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
If convicted on all three
counts, the rapper and record producer faces a sentence of 15 years up to life in prison.
Asked by US Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky how he wished to plead, Combs stood up and said: "Not guilty."
His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, said the defence team had already launched an appeal against the judge's bail decision, with a hearing set for Wednesday.
"We believe in him wholeheartedly," Agnifilo told reporters at the Manhattan court.
"He didn't do these things. There's no coercion and no crime. He's not afraid of the charges."
Agnifilo said Combs was the target of "an unjust prosecution". (Excerpt from BBC News)
The New York Times reported that Israel hid explosive material in the Taiwan-made Gold Apollo pagers before they were imported to Lebanon, citing American and other officials briefed on the operation. The material was implanted next to the battery with a switch that could be triggered remotely to detonate.
The Palestinian militant group Hamas, which is waging war with Israel in Gaza, said the pager blasts were an "escalation" that will only lead Israel to "failure and defeat".
UN special coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine
Washington said it was not involved in the explosions and did not know who was responsible. The US renewed calls for a diplomatic solution to tensions between Israel and Lebanon. It urged Iran – which with its allies Hezbollah, Yemen's Houthis and armed groups in Iraq has formed an "Axis of Resistance" against Israeli and US influence – not to take advantage of any incident to raise instability.
Without commenting directly on the explosions in Lebanon, an Israeli military spokesman said the chief of staff, Major General Herzi Halevi, met with senior officers on Tuesday evening to assess the situation. No policy change was announced but "vigilance must continue to be maintained", he said. (Excerpt from Reuters)
“I
thought I’d spend my whole life here, fighting a corrupt government – but the younger generation did something.”
Samadhi Paramitha Brahmananayake is looking at the field where she spent months camped out with thousands of other demonstrators in Sri Lanka’s capital in 2022.
She can’t quite believe that luscious green grass has replaced the hundreds of protester tents that filled the field opposite the presidential secretariat.
Two years ago, huge crowds forced the country’s deeply unpopular leader from office – now voters are just days away from choosing who they want for president.
It’s the first election since the mass protests – called the “aragalaya”, Sinhalese for struggle –which were sparked by Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis. Inflation was at 70%. Basics like food, cooking gas and medicine were scarce. (Excerpt from BBC News)
“I feel we’re now more energetic, more powerful,” says Brahmananayake, a 33-year-old banker based in Colombo.
Refrain from falling into a trap set by someone looking for an argument. Channel your energy into home or self-improvement or sorting through clutter and clearing a path to a simpler, less complicated life.
Do whatever is necessary to figure out your next move. Travel, knowledge and experience will be crucial. When in doubt, ask an expert to weigh in on your dilemma. A practical approach will offer reasonable solutions.
Rethink every choice you make to avoid an impractical decision. Someone will try to push you in a direction better for them than for you. Being a follower will cause friction. Let your intuition guide you.
Explore the possibilities and look for an opening that will allow you to use your skills to your advantage. A proactive approach to health and well-being will pay off. Handle financial and medical issues yourself.
Broaden your horizons, make new connections and expand your awareness. Listen, learn and figure what’s best for you. Don’t attach yourself to someone else’s dream. Follow your heart. Romance is on the rise.
Set high standards, cover your tracks and keep your plans to yourself. Don’t allow uncertainty to put you in a vulnerable position. Be observant and cautious, and look out for your best interests.
Put solid plans in place before making a move. Listen, learn and evaluate instead of following the crowd. Explore what makes you happy and build confidence and a healthy lifestyle. Romance is favored.
Dig in and continue until you are satisfied with the results. Use your imagination and skills, and you’ll be happy with what transpires. Don’t waste time or energy worrying about things you cannot control.
An opportunity is only worthwhile if it helps you reach your goal. Don’t sign up for something to please others when you need to put yourself first. Focus on self-improvement and personal growth.
Take a close look at your expenditures. Don’t let your emotions lead you astray. Plan your actions and make the necessary changes, and it will ease stress and push you in a healthy direction.
Pay attention to your schedule, routine and lifestyle. How you deal with your money, health and relationships will determine what unfolds and how others treat you. Be open to trying something new.
Pursue your dreams. Your discipline and hard work will pay off, encouraging you to believe in your abilities. Refrain from letting outside influences control you. Change begins with you.
Building on the successful delivery of
the inaugural women’s Gold Cup (W Gold Cup) this year and the recently launched CONCACAF women’s club competition – the W Champions CupCONCACAF has taken another positive step in the ongoing growth and development of women’s football in the region with an expanded calendar of women’s national team competitions now being confirmed for the 2025 to 2029 international cycle.
The revamped women’s national team ecosystem, which the CONCACAF Council recently approved, will provide a consistent calendar of competitions for all CONCACAF federations, providing their women’s national teams with regular opportunities to compete on
the regional and global stages. Tournaments would include the W Qualifiers and W Championship, which would serve as qualification paths to the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Summer Olympic Games, the introduction of an inaugural CONCACAF W Nations League, and a second edition of the W Gold Cup.
CONCACAF has developed these competition formats after consulting with key stakeholders and analyzing FIFA’s new women’s international match calendar.
Regarding this important announcement, CONCACAF President, FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani, has said: “These tournaments will provide a tremendous boost to women’s football in CONCACAF, with a consistent calendar of competitions now in place for 2025 to 2029
which delivers all 41 of our federations with opportunities to grow and thrive on and off the pitch.
The men’s hockey team of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago are still basking in their qualification for next year’s Pan American (PanAm) Cup in Uruguay, after topping the recently-concluded Pan American Men’s Hockey Challenge in Peru.
The Calypso stickmen hammered the hosts 6-0 in a lopsided final, in which captain Jordan Vieira secured a hat-trick while the tournament’s top-scorer, Teague Marcano, had a brace. Nicholas Grant got the other goal.
An elated Tarell Singh has said that winning the title, and by extension qualifying for the PanAm Cup, has been just reward for their hard work over the past week and leading up to
the competition.
“Qualifying feels great, because the Pan American Cup is where we should be competing,” Singh beamed.
“We have the quality to compete amongst the top teams in the Pan American region. The reason we went unbeaten in this tournament is because we came to make a statement, and we also worked for each other and kept trying to push positivity amongst the team,” he added as he reflected on the win.
In the showpiece contest, Vieira handed Trinidad and Tobago a 1-0 lead at the half-time interval, before they later asserted their authority on the encounter.
Vieira scored twice in the third quarter, while Grant also got his name on the
scoresheet to make it 4-0, before Marcano fired in the last two to cap a solid performance for the Twin Island Republic, who ended the tournament as the only unbeaten team.
They tallied 60 goals in the process, 27 of which came from Marcano’s stick, while they only conceded a mere two goals across seven games.
Trinidad and Tobago would now be hoping to build on those performances leading up to, and at, the PanAm Cup scheduled for July 25 to August 3 in Montevideo, Uruguay. The Calypso men would be hoping to replicate or even surpass the thirdplace finish secured in 2013, which remains the country’s best showing at the PanAm Cup. (Sportsmax)
“We are now five years on from the launch of our CONCACAF W women’s football strategy, and much progress has been made: from establishing new competitions to celebrating six of our national teams qualifying for and competing at the last FIFA Women’s World Cup, and of course the delivery of countless coaching and development programmes that have provided women and girls across our region with opportunities to engage with the sport. We know there remains much more work to do, and we are committed to continuing to support our member federations to develop every level of women’s football in CONCACAF.”
A look at CONCACAF’s sequence of Women’s tournaments until 2028
2025-26 CONCACAF W Qualifiers (Qualifies teams for the 2026 CONCACAF W Championship)
The 2025-2026 CONCACAF W Qualifiers will serve as the preliminary round of the 2026 CONCACAF W Championship, and consist of a single round to be played during the FIFA Women’s International Match Windows of October and November 2025 and February and April 2026.
For these qualifiers, which would not include the region’s two topranked nations according to the CONCACAF Women's Rankings (they will receive a bye to the 2026 CONCACAF W Championship), CONCACAF member associations would be split into six groups.
Following group-stage play, wherein each team would play a maximum of four matches (two home and two away), the six group winners would advance to the 2026 CONCACAF W Championship.
2026 CONCACAF W Championship (Qualifies teams for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup and 2028 LA Summer Olympics)
The first of the three major centralized competitions announced in the new CONCACAF women’s national team calendar, the CONCACAF W Championship, would be played in November 2026, and would serve as the Confederation’s qualifier for
and guarantee their places in the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027, while the four losers would progress to a Play-In, where they would face off for CONCACAF’s two remaining slots in the Women’s World Cup (this is based on the confederation’s slot allocation for the previous FIFA Women’s World Cup. The final slot allocation for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 would be confirmed by FIFA in due course). The 2026 CONCACAF W Championship Finalists would also secure a berth in the 2028 LA Summer Olympics Games Women’s Football Tournament. Should the USA finish as one of the two W Championship Finalists, CONCACAF’s second berth would be awarded to the competition’s third-place finisher (based on the precedent of host nations’ automatic qualification for previous editions of the Olympic Football Tournament at the Summer Olympic Games).
2028 CONCACAF W Nations League (Qualifies teams into 2029 CONCACAF W Gold Cup)
the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027 and the 2028 LA Summer Olympics.
The eight teams participating in the five-round, direct elimination, knockout-style competition would include the region’s two top-ranked teams and the six group winners of the 2025-26 CONCACAF W Qualifiers.
The competition would begin with the Quarterfinals, followed by a Play-In, Semifinals, Third-Place Match, and Final. To determine the Quarterfinal pairings and each team's path to the Final, CONCACAF would rank teams 1-8, with the highest-ranked team facing the lowest-ranked team.
At the conclusion of the Quarterfinals, the four matchup winners would qualify for the Semifinals,
The inaugural edition of the CONCACAF W Nations League would take place following conclusion of the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup. The competition’s Group Stage would occur in February and April 2028, followed by the Finals, wherein a champion would be crowned in November 2028.
2029 CONCACAF W Gold Cup
The second edition of the CONCACAF W Gold Cup would take place in the summer of 2029, and would feature the region’s best women’s national teams.
More details on the 2028 CONCACAF W Nations League and 2029 CONCACAF W Gold Cup would be announced later.
Having marked her international debut in these championships last year in Peru, where she had set the tone for what had been a very successful sojourn for Guyana, Sarah Sanmoogan would again be setting the stage for what is expected to be another successful campaign for Guyana when the South American Women's and Men’s Classic Powerlifting Championships enter their second day today in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) has sent three athletes to represent Guyana this year: Sarah Sanmoogan, Kheon Evans, and the indefatigable Naranjan Singh, who would be celebrating his 80th birthday next month.
Sanmoogan, who had snatched four gold medals and one silver in these championships in Peru, would be going all out to better last year’s performance, and the only athlete standing in her way is Antonia Madrid of Chile, who is rated as the number one athlete in the Juniors 69kg category. Other competitors in this category are Sophia Cabrera of Peru, Luana Delgado of Uruguay, and the host na-
tion’s Kira Yashnyk.
Coach of the Guyana team is Kerma Singh, who a few days ago completed the IPF Basic Training Education Course, and is again confident that his charges would do well for themselves and the nation.
“I do not doubt that our athletes will keep the Golden Arrowhead flying high. We had a bigger team in Peru last year, and they represented (Guyana) well by capturing 14 gold medals, two silver, and five bronze overall. That was
indeed an inspiring performance, and I can assure you that this year will be no different in terms of our success,” Coach Singh has said.
The other two lifters, Kheon Evans and Naranjan Singh, would be taking the platform on Saturday. Both are competing in the 83kg class, Evans in the Open and Naranjan in the Masters 4.
Evans would have to pull out all the stops in his category, as he would be taking on lifters from Peru, Chile,
One of Guyana’s best jockeys, Colin Ross, is expecting fireworks on Sunday, September 22, at the Rising Sun Turf Club in West Berbice when the President’s Cup horse race card takes centre stage.
More than 10 horses were imported for last month’s Guyana Cup race meet, and more have been added to that list for the upcoming President’s Cup race meeting.
Ross has been working out top horses, with the likes of Easy Time, Stat, Spankhurst and Mapa Do Brazil, and according to him, the horses are now more ready to compete than they had been for the Guyana Cup race meet.
“So far, preparation go-
ing quite well, no complains. Everyone is going comfortable, the trainer doing a good work, grooms doing a good job; so, right now, everything is going well,” he has said.
“We have a lot of new horses, but now they are more accustomed to the conditions. They have acclimatized, they are more comfortable with the track,” Ross has said.
Asked about expectations, Ross has said: “the race get stiff. A lot more new horses coming in, and everybody wants to win. The Guyana Cup champion going back, seeking to now win the President Cup. Easy Time will be there; Mapa Do Brazil is there, and he is a very good horse; Spankhurst is also set to return.”
Ross, who had won “the jockey of the year” accolade for 2023, remains one of the most decorated jockeys in Guyana’s history. “I expect to have a good race this time. I will try my best,” he has promised.
“A lot of work going into the track at Rising Sun, so we expect to have a good race,” the champion jockey has said.
Nine races are on the programme for the 2024 President’s Cup race meet, and more than G$15 million will be up for grabs. The feature race, to be contested over approximately eight furlongs, would be open to all horses three years old and over. Registration closed on September 17, and organisers have indicated that no late entries are permitted.
Uruguay, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Bolivia. The competition would be tough, but Evans has said he is up to the task and is prepared for the battle.
Naranjan Singh is the lone competitor in his weight category, but he has promised that that notwithstanding, he would be putting on a classy performance.
Having expressed gratitude to the GAPLF for again ensuring that Guyana is represented at these championships, he has promised that, once he has life and good health, he would continue to represent the Golden Arrowhead with pride.
GAPLF President Franklin Wilson, who is also
in Argentina and would be attending the South American Federation Congress this evening, has met with the athletes and Coach yesterday, and has congratulated them for again making the sacrifice to represent Guyana. He has also expressed his expectation that these athletes would again deliver solid performances.
Wilson is expressing his gratitude to the Hon. Charles S. Ramson Jr, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport; Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle; and President of the Guyana Olympic Association, Godfrey Munroe, for their continued commitment towards the further advancement of powerlifting.
ICC enters era of equal prize money for men and women
The International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 would be the first ICC event wherein women would receive the same prize money as their male counterparts, marking a significant milestone in the sport’s history.
The decision was taken at the ICC’s Annual Conference in July 2023, when the ICC Board took the step of reaching its prize money equity target seven years ahead of its schedule of 2030, making cricket the only major team sport to have equal prize money for its men’s and women’s World Cup events.
Winners of the tournament, which would now be staged in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), would receive US$2.34 million, a massive 134 per cent increase on the million dollars (US$1M) awarded to Australia when they clinched the title in South Africa in 2023.
Runners-up team would receive $1.17 million, an increase of 134 per cent in comparison to the $500,000 South Africa received for reaching the final on home soil at Newlands Cricket Ground.
The two losing semi-finalists would each earn $675,000 (up from $210,000 in 2023), with the overall prize pot totalling $7,958,080, a massive increase of 225 per cent from last year’s total fund of $2.45 million.
This move is in line with the ICC’s strategy to priori-
tise the women’s game and accelerate its growth by 2032. Teams would now receive equal prize money for the equivalent finishing position at comparable events, as well as the same amount for winning a match at those events. The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 event prize money is only higher on account of 10 additional teams participating and 32 more matches being played.
Each win during the group stages would see teams take home $31,154, while the six teams who fail to reach the semi-finals would share a pool of $1.35 million, depending on their finishing positions.
In comparison, the equivalent pool for the six teams in 2023 was $180,000, shared equally. Teams who finish third or fourth in their group would each receive $270,000, while the teams who finish fifth in their group would both receive $135,000. Each of the 10 participating teams is assured of $112,500.
The increase in prize money for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 comes in line with the prize pot for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 also increasing to $3.5 million in total.
The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 would commence on October 3 with Bangladesh taking on Scotland at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. There has been a minor change to the match order for the double header on Saturday, October 5 in
wo new faces are ex-
Tpected to feature in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (RBL CPL), as the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW)
and Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) source replacements
plies his trade in England, as a temporary replacement for injured Captain Imran Tahir.
Sowter has played 142 T20 matches, and has claimed 152 wickets at an average of 22.19. The leggy has best figures of 5-15, with four 4wicket hauls and one 5-wicket haul under his belt. Sowter most recently competed in the Hundred competition in the UK, where he helped his team, Oval Invincibles, lift the championship trophy in August. Sowter had also suited up for Durham in the T20 Blast earlier this month.
No stranger to the Caribbean, all-rounder Chris Jordan will suit up for TKR, replacing USA international Ali Khan who has been forced to withdraw from the tournament due to injury.
Also in CPL news, the tournament’s organizers have launched a ticket offer for those fans wishing to attend the Eliminator match scheduled to take place at the
One Communications, formerly GTT, in collaboration with the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB), showcased the players' vibrant outfits on Tuesday as Guyana’s Female Hockey Team gets ready to participate in the 2024 Pan American Hockey Federation (PAHF) Challenge tournament, which is scheduled to take place in Hamilton, Bermuda from September 20 to September 28.
The 2024 PAHF Challenge, which serves as Guyana’s only route to the World Cup, also serves as a qualifier for the 2025 PAHF Cup in Uruguay, and the Guyana team would be coming up against Peru, Mexico, Paraguay, Brazil and Bermuda.
While speaking at the presentation ceremony for the outfits, GHB President Phillip Fernandes commended this exceptional company One Communications for their continued support, and expressed hope that the hockey team would reap success. Fernandes declared, “You know, the communications company has been with us for
many years, supporting us and so on. Under their new brand, now One Communications, we're really pleased to have them still continue helping what we do: which is develop the youth of Guyana; expose them; have them compete; have them, you know, represent Guyana at that international level. So, once again, we're taking the team, the women's national team, to Bermuda to try to qualify for the next step, which is the Pan Am Cup.
“And hopefully, if they go to the Pan Am Cup, they have a shot at qualifying for the World Cup. That would be a big leap for Guyana, but nevertheless, we must start somewhere. And without companies like One Communications, we wouldn't even be able to get off the ground. So, we're very pleased to be here, we're happy for the support, and we look forward to good competition under our new banner. Absolutely!”
Jamisha Wright, representing One Communications, wished the team good luck in the tournament, and divulged
the company’s commitment to sports.
Wright shared, “They look amazing in their new branded uniform. They're getting ready to head off to Bermuda for the tournament there, and we just want to wish them all the very best. And we will continue to support not just hockey. I mean (to say that) we are committed to the development of our sports in Guyana overall, so this is just one element of our contribution to sports and culture in Guyana.”
The full Guyana team reads: Goalkeeper – Alysa Xavier; Defenders – Kezia Chinian, Kirsten Gomes, Makeda Harding, Tekeisha Deleon, Trisha Woodroffe; Midfielders – Clayza Bobb, Gabriella Xavier, Madison Fernandes, Sarah Klautky; Strikers – Abosaide Cadogan, Carolyn Deane, Chantelle Fernandes, Makayla Poole, Princessa Wilkie, and Samantha Fernandes.
When Guyana last participated in the PAHF Challenge in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2011, they came in second to Uruguay.
Guyana National Stadium at Providence, EBD on Tuesday, October 1st. For every four tickets purchased for the Eliminator match, patrons would receive four free tickets for one of the matches between Barbados Royals
and Saint Lucia Kings, set for Providence, East Bank Demerara on Saturday, September 21st and Sunday, September 22nd. Both matches are set to begin at 10:00h.
This offer would last as long as there are tickets avail-
able for those matches over the weekend.
Those patrons who have already purchased their Eliminator tickets can redeem their free tickets at the Guyana Amazon Warriors’ Box Office, where the offer is exclusively available. Similarly, patrons would be accommodated while stocks last.
CPL CEO Pete Russell has said about the promotion: “We hope that this ticket offer makes the cricket at Providence this year even more accessible. The Eliminator match will play a huge part in deciding the fate of the CPL championship this year, and adding in a free ticket for a Royals vs Kings match on either the 21 or 22 September makes it even better value for families to come and enjoy the cricket.”
In a move that has become customary for Petra-organized schools’ football tournaments, the team-briefing exercise for the 11th Courts Optical Pee-Wee Under-11 Football Tournament was conducted at the National Library in Georgetown on Tuesday afternoon.
In addition to being enlightened on the tournament’s rules, regulations and format, the participating schools were also presented with a complement of footballs to aid in their preparation.
During the event, Petra Organization Co-Director Troy Mendonca touched on the difference that support and guidance have made for a number of upcoming players, as he encouraged
the senior ballers to lend a hand with the teams.
“What they’re doing is a testimony to the kind of effort that these teachers and coaches have been putting in over the years.
I also know of a personal friend who went to help out another school, F.E Pollard, so I’ll probably use the opportunity also to ask former players or current national players and so on to come forward and give some assistance as it relates to the participation of these teams,” Mendonca expressed.
The event was also used to unveil Stenna Drilling as an official sponsor of the upcoming tournament. Stenna’s Operations Engineer, Alberto Lener, shared with the students
and teachers gathered why the entity is eager to hop aboard.
“We believe that investing in our youth and fostering their passion for sports is vital for their growth and development. This tournament not only provides young athletes with the opportunity to showcase their skills, but also promotes team work and disciplines which are fundamental values. We’re proud to be part of an event that brings together the community and encourages our future stars,” he said. The Pee-Wee tournament will feature in excess of 30 schools hailing from Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10. The tournament will get going on Saturday, September 21st.
to 61-6 at the midpoint.
Cornwall was not nearly done after dismissing Odean Smith then completing his five-wicket haul when Ryan John was brilliantly caught by Alick Athanaze in the deep.
The Patriots were in major danger of being dismissed for a total under 100, but Joshua da Silva and Anrich Nortje joined forces in a 39-run ninth partnership – the best of the innings – to avoid that
pads by Hasaranga, who surprisingly had been held back until the sixth over.
But de Kock rolled past another half-century as the Royals emphatically booked a play-off berth. (CPLT20)
ecalled Rahkeem Cornwall starred with a five-wicket haul as Barbados Royals crushed St Kitts & Nevis Patriots by nine wickets at Kensington Oval to book a spot in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) play-offs.
Enjoying the spin-friendly surface, Cornwall claimed 5-16 as the Patriots lost seven wickets for 31 runs and were bowled out for 110 in the last over to fall well short of a competitive total.
In-form opener Quinton de Kock (59 not out off 38 balls) was unstoppable as the Royals mowed down the target in the 12th over.
The Royals (5-1) cemented their spot at the top of the CPL ladder, while the Patriots’ (1-7) bid for a play-off berth is all but over.
After a delayed start due to a wet pitch, the Royals elected to bowl and it proved the right move. The Patriots struggled in the powerplay leading to a frustrated Evin Lewis, a centurion earlier in the tournament, holing out in the fourth over.
Skipper Andre Fletcher finally broke the shackles with a targeted assault on Jason Holder before a rush of blood saw him charge down the pitch at Cornwall’s first ball only to miss the shot and be stumped.
Cornwall was recalled after three straight ducks with the bat, but continued to make an immediate impact with the ball after luring Mikyle Louis into a false shot.
He could not complete a hat-trick, but soon claimed his third wicket with the scalp of Wanindu Hasaranga as the Patriots crashed
ignominy.
Quinton de Kock was in fine touch again, hitting another half-century
The Patriots were unable to take early wickets as de Kock and Kadeem Alleyne made it look easy with an opening stand of 57 in the powerplay. After smashing a ton against Guyana Amazon Warriors, de Kock continued his rich form with sublime shots around the wicket.
He capitalised after being given out lbw to Kyle Mayers in the fifth over only for the decision to be overturned on review. The Patriots finally ended the stand when Alleyne, on 25, was hit on the
(lb 1, w 2) 3 TOTAL 19.1 Ov (RR: 5.73) 110 Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Evin Lewis, 3.3 ov), 2-38 (Kyle Mayers, 5.3 ov), 3-49 (Andre Fletcher, 7.1 ov), 4-49 (Mikyle Louis, 7.2 ov), 5-57 (Rilee Rossouw, 8.4 ov), 6-61 (Wanindu Hasaranga, 9.2 ov), 7-65 (Odean Smith, 11.4 ov), 8-69 (Ryan John, 13.2 ov), 9-108
