Guyana Times - Monday, March 11, 2024

Saint Lucia inviting Guyanese to Jazz and Arts Festival

Pages

30 Guyanese heading to India for special ITEC course Mechanised cane production imminent on 5000 hectares of Skeldon land …new varieties of canes already sourced, to be planted – Pres Ali Rice production target set at 710,000 tonnes for 2024 Embrace integrity, professional conduct, responsibility –Prison Director to ranks

IDB Invest approved US$173M for Guyana’s Private Sector since 2020

…no financing to Guyana approved by investment arm between 2015&2020

As the 2024 Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and IDB Invest wrap up, it has emerged that the investment arm of the Bank approved some US$173 million for Guyana’s Private Sector over an almost four-year period.

This is particularly significant since, according to the Ministry of Finance, no such approvals were granted to Guyana by IDB Invest between 2015 and 2020, coinciding with the time when the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government was in power.

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh participated in the discussions and informed the attendees that during the 2020-2024 period, 14 such transactions were approved by IDB Invest in Guyana –all valued at US$173 million. The Minister lauded IDB Invest and the President of the Bank, Ilan Goldfajn, also expressing optimism that this money would lead to significant increases in economic activities.

“Guyana is going through

a period of rapid economic transformation and our economic growth will be driven heavily by investment in the Private Sector, and there is an abundance of opportunity for institutions like IDB Invest to participate in and support that transformation, and we see IDB Invest answering that call and re-

sponding to those opportunities and indeed, leading the way in that regard,” the Finance Minister said.

Accelerated funding

In a statement on Sunday, which is the final day for the annual meetings being held in Punta Canta, Dominican Republic,

the Finance Ministry revealed that after the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) assumed office in 2020, approvals of Private Sector projects rapidly accelerated.

“Post 2020, we have seen a rapid increase in approvals granted under the current

Administration culminating a few weeks ago when three agreements were signed between Private Sector companies in Guyana and IDB Invest on the margins of the IDB’s XII Consultations with Caribbean Governors hosted by Guyana,” the Ministry said.

The Ministry explained that the first such agreement signed, was under the transport and logistics category for the sum of US$14 million. This was for Muneshwers Limited to purchase two new gantry cranes for multipurpose cargo activities and to build a logistics warehouse.

“The amount included a senior loan of US$10 million from IDB Invest and US$4 million from the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry. It will allow for an increase in port terminal capacity and productivity in Guyana and berth movements for cargo including from Suriname, Trinidad, Colombia, and Panama,” the Ministry explained.

Meanwhile, a second agreement was signed under the purview of education and social investment to the tune of US$9 million, between IDB Invest, Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited and Texila American University. The money was aimed at enhancing the University’s drive to enhance its services in Guyana, by expanding its accommodation facilities for staff and students.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Monday, March 11 –04:00h-05:30h and Tuesday, March 12 – 04:00h-05:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Monday, March 11 –04:55h-06:25h and Tuesday, March 12 – 05:25h-06:55h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Winds: North-Easterly to East North-Easterly between 3.12 metres and 4.92 metres.

High

metres.

Low Tide: 11:12h and 23:31h reaching minimum heights of 0.27 metre and 0.33 metre.

COMMODITIES

…says

Despite having gone through many trials over the years, President Dr Irfaan Ali on Sunday declared that the soul of Guyana is alive and well, with many of its foundational pillars still being upheld by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

He made these remarks at an annual commemoration held at Babu Jaan, Port Mourant, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), “Celebrating the life, work & legacy of Dr Cheddi Jagan” –the founder of the PPP.

According to President Ali, the “soul of the country” is defined by the fundamental principles and value system of a country. He noted that Dr Jagan was the key architect who led the movement to craft the soul of Guyana as a free nation – one whose identity, values and aspirations require nurturing and protection to grow and advance.

“And if the soul of the nation is its identity, its values and aspirations then you know by now that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic has consistently stood on a value system that protects the rights of people, that fights for democracy and freedom, that upholds the oppressed and that lead in the revolution of thinking and advancement of our country,” he declared.

“Evil and dark forces”

The President noted that only four years ago the soul of Guyana was tested when “evil and dark forces” tried to steal the 2020 General and Regional Elections, but these efforts were thwarted by Dr Jagan’s party – the PPP –along with other members of the Guyanese society who are committed to the fundamental values of the soul of the country and will never allow the “evil and dark forces” to tamper with it.

“And that is a reminder to us that the soul of our country, though tested, is alive and well. And it is alive and well, because the principal foundation on which the soul was developed and derived is alive and well, and that foundation is the People’s Progressive Party. We are alive and well. And once the principal foundation on which the soul is de-

rived is alive and well, then our country is in good hands and our country will be alive and well, because the protectors of soul will do everything in their power and capacity for the upholding of the principal value of the soul.”

According to the Guyanese Leader, that fight was similar to the struggles endured by Dr Jagan – who, after fighting for independence from colonial rule – was forced to turn that fight against those who rigged elections for 28 years to snatch the newly-won freedom and

Guyana, they fought to put back the soul of Guyana on the right track, and in 1992, after 28 years of struggle, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic won back the soul of Guyana and brought back the freedom, the independence, the decency, the integrity of the people of Guyana.”

Political consciousness

Today, according to Ali, that fight still continues, but cannot be won by the PPP/C alone. He noted to overcome this, however, requires politi-

to decide where they stand, whether it is part of a system like the People’s National Congress (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity-Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), whose foundational principal pillar is in characters such as Hamilton Green.

Green, a former Prime Minister of Guyana and ex-General Secretary of the PNC, suggested that elections rigging be used to remove the PPP/C Administration from office. His statement, which was made during an address to a group of persons gathered for the LFS Burnham Foundation Annual Commemorative Symposium 2024 last month, was defended by the current leadership of the PNC.

“Those are the enemies of the soul of the nation and we must destroy them with truth, with facts, with hard work and political consciousness… Today, I want us to remember that Dr Jagan, in fashioning the soul of this nation, spoke about equality, dignity, de-

liberty of the Guyanese people.

“We must never forget this history, but what did Comrade Cheddi do? Comrade Cheddi did not bend back, what Comrade Cheddi and the People’s Progressive Party did was that they fought back for the soul of Guyana, they fought to retrieve the soul of

cal consciousness.

Pointing out that national unity was a fundamental principle that the PPP/C stands on, the President posited that anyone who deviates from this and spreads racism and division is fighting against the soul of Guyana.

He said Guyanese have

mocracy – those were foundational elements of the soul and if you look at what we’re doing today, if you examine the policies, we have today you will see how we’re staying true to these foundational elements and principle of the soul of the nation.”

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Opposition’s strategy for 2025

As is constitutionally mandated, we have been assured by the PPP’s General Secretary that General Elections will be held in November or December of 2025. This was not unexpected, since their strategy for winning those elections clearly has been the execution of their development agenda, focusing generally on the massive infrastructural works they have initiated and particularly, on courting the African Guyanese constituency. The latter has overwhelmingly supported the PNC since Forbes Burnham split the unified nationalist PPP movement in 1955 – notwithstanding both parties’ insistence that they were “multiracial”.

However, ever since they lost the 2015 elections to the PNC/APNU, which had entered into a coalition with the Indian-dominated AFC, the PPP have been more receptive to the ethnic/racial orientation of the Guyanese electorate and declared they will be openly targeting the African Guyanese vote. Up to then, outside of their core constituency, they had wooed the Indigenous Peoples’ votes by stressing “hinterland” development and split that bloc almost evenly with the PNC. It would appear they have accepted the political logic of the new demographics since 2011, where their majority Indian constituency has dwindled below 40 per cent and Guyana is now a nation of minorities. Any party desirous of a fair chance of getting into office would have to acquire votes from outside their base to secure the majority that the Guyana Constitution mandates to form the Executive.

The PPP saw the new politics unfold in 2011 when the AFC capitalised on the PPP’s long incumbency from 1992, which brought the usual disadvantages of incumbency in developing countries – such as perceptions of increasing rent extraction in stagnant or declining economies. Even some usuallyloyal supporters will take a chance with challengers who are considered inexperienced and unconnected, even if they are seen to be of lower quality. It is for this reason the choice of the “outsider” David Granger as PNC leader was fortuitous since his probity level was adjudged to be very high and the addition of Moses Nagamootoo to Khemraj Ramjattan assuaged concerns in the PPP’s erstwhile Indian constituency.

David Granger, however, lost the new plot for governing our divided plural society after he was elected in 2015 with only a one-seat majority (6000 votes) over the PPP and proceeded to shutter four sugar estates and firing 7000 sugar workers. They were the most discontented segment of PPP’s traditional constituency that had been courted by the AFC. They promptly returned “home” in 2020. With the PPP now benefiting from comparatively massive oil revenues, they now had the wherewithal to spend massively in all communities. Even though the PNC/APNU have waged a “dog-whistling” race campaign to persuade African Guyanese they are being discriminated against in the distribution of the largesse, they appear to have overplayed their hand by insisting that there is now a PPP-instituted “apartheid” regime in Guyana. The PPP have – and would be able to produce in the coming year –figures to show improvement in all communities.

Against this background, it appears the PNC/APNU’s strategy – the AFC has become the “Dead Meat” it predicted before coalescing with the PNC – in 2025 would be to convince its supporters and the international community that the PPP will manipulate the electoral system – as they now claim the PPP did to secure office in 2020. Bootstrapping from “observations” their election agents made during the 2020 Recount – and which the Caricom recount team derided –PNC leaders have already started laying the groundwork. One of the new PNC leaders who is challenging for the leadership recently insisted that “a GECOM Report” shows that 35% of ballots from Reg 1; 75% from Reg 2; 68% from Reg 3; 55% from Reg 4; 51% from Reg 5; 77% from Reg 6; 71% from Reg 7; 54% from Reg 8; 80% from Reg 9 and 70% from Reg 10 had “anomalies”. Never mind their Election Agents signed off on all Statements of Poll (SoPs). And the Recount proving that Mingo fiddled with the Reg 4 SoPs even before anyone went into the ballot boxes does not matter.

Their strategy will be to “give a dog a bad name then hang him”.

On hearing David

Hinds,

I wondered what victory he was talking about

Dear Editor, I have been listening recently to a regular early-morning programme on the internet. It is a programme in which the host demonstrates very evident racial bias. For example, two callers to the programme, a man and a woman, frequently call in and could often be heard making references to East Indians in Guyana with the offensive and derogatory ‘C’ word accompanied by descriptions of Indians as “nasty”, “dutty”, “wicked”, and “evil” without rebuke or condemnation from the host whose concluding comments at the end of such calls is “thank you for your call.”

This early morning programme also carries a very noticeable anti-Government stand. On a recent programme I listened to David Hinds, who was a special guest. The main topic of discussion was the recent strike by teachers. The host of the programme was of the view that teachers should “work to rule’. One gathered that the host of the programme saw the teacher’s union issue as one between the Government and black people.

While David hinds cautioned the host of the programme on his views, it was Hinds’ own observations that struck me. Hinds noted that the approach advocated by the host of the programme could attract negative public criticism of the WPA which was to

be avoided since the teachers “had the court on their side.” David Hinds was also of the view, as he expressed it, that the teachers in the case brought by their union had scored a huge victory against the Government. He reasoned that the aim of the strike was to get the Government to come to the table. Hinds felt that the teachers should hold the threat of a withdrawal of labour over the head of the Government, in their endeavour to get from the Government what they wanted.

On hearing David Hinds, I wondered what victory he was talking about. I am aware of Hinds’ bitter, strident anti-Government sentiments.

(One recalls his “undermine this Government “exhortations on the east coast recently, and in relation to which he has been ignored). Hinds sounded almost orgasmic in his declaration that teachers had scored a huge victory against the Government.

But the public knows that prior to the political demonstrations conveniently described as strike action by teachers, their union, whose General Secretary is a PNC MP, had been engaged in talks with the Government and that such talks included discussion on teachers’ wages and salaries and other benefits. What David Hinds did not say, is that it was the teachers’ union that walked

away from these talks with the Government thereby abandoning the causes of the teachers of this country. It may be true that David Hinds would like to see some kind of victory against the Government, given the dimming hope of an electoral victory by what is left of the WPA as a political party and even by that motley mix APNU, but this was not one such occasion for such an expectation.

On the contrary, this was a victory for the Government. The teachers’ union is back at the table for talks with the Government which they had earlier abandoned and which were intended to be for the good and benefit of teachers and the teachers are back in the classrooms.

Victoria regnat, professor. Sapientes.

Sincerely,

Selwyn Persaud

Ending period poverty in Guyana

Dear Editor,

I note recently that First Lady Arya Ali’s brainchild, the “Menstrual Hygiene Initiative,” is gathering momentum and rightly so. The news outlets have it that she is lobbying for support to increase access to menstrual hygiene products. Her mission is that there be ‘easy’ access for every girl to have the basic necessities to cater for menstrual hygiene, since her basic biology means that she will be ‘inconvenienced’ for quite a while, even though intermittently. So, on this note, I have a few important facts to relay, all of which will highlight the importance of Lady Arya’s ‘brainchild.’

Some facts that can be checked are as follows, and these should enlighten us in the sense of making us alert and responsive.

First, from the time of

her first cycle to menopause, the average woman will have around 450-500 ‘periods’ in her lifetime. Cumulatively, this equates to over 10 years, or about more than 3,500 days. Put in another way, the median number of lifetime menstrual cycles will correspond to duration of 34-35 years of menstrual activity, on a monthly routine, or say an average of 13 cycles per year.

This is serious, and sometimes so ‘far-removed’ from males and generally the uneducated, that no one even pays attention to the phenomenon.

Secondly, “The average period usually lasts between three and seven days, with the average bleeding shedding between 360ml to 720ml of blood, so that over a lifetime, the figure racks up to between 14 and a whopping 28 litres.

Royalty computation, clarifying Lalbachan Ram et al’s perplexing confusions

Dear Editor, Reference is made to Lalbachan Ram’s on March 9, 2024, with the caption, ‘the royal storm”. Mr Ram, who is a conventional bookkeeper, weighed in on the royalty debate by amplifying Prof Hunte’s nonsensical calculations, by supplementing Hunte’s analysis with his own version of idiocy. For the readers’ benefit, this author would like to rehash a previous response to the Hunte’s version – and extend on that analysis in response to Ram’s latest additions that magnified his mediocrity and dubiousness on the subject.

In that regard, readers would recall that Prof Hunte had argued that the royalty is calculated on profit oil instead of sales as per Article 15.6 of the Petroleum Agreement. The Professor relied on the 2022 financial statements for ExxonMobil Guyana (EMGL, formerly EEPGL), Hess and CNOOC for his analysis, albeit a flawed and misleading analysis.

Fortunately, the evidence disproving Hunte’s flawed analysis and computation was exhibited on March 6, 2024, wherein a copy of EMGL’s financial statements for 2022 was

included as part of the report. To this end, EMGL reported gross revenue of G$876.8 billion in 2022, representing EMG’s 45% stake in the Stabroek Block (Hess has 30% and CNOOC has 25%). In the said financial statement, royalty expense was G$18.9 billion, which represents 2.15% of gross revenue (sales). Similarly, Hess reported revenue of $591.5 billion for the year 2022 and royalty expense of $12.5 billion, which represents 2.1% of the gross revenue (sales). The only notable difference in financial reporting was by CNOOC, whereby CNOOC’s financial statement reported on net sales as opposed to gross sales. As such, there was no royalty expense reflected on CNOOC’s financial statements. This is where Prof Hunte et al are confused. They are not quite sure how to read and analyze the financial statements correctly, as is evidently demonstrated herein.

Of note, the total royalties deposited into the Natural Resources Fund (NRF) in 2022 amounted to G$32.2 billion, whereas the royalty expenses reflected on the financial statements amounted to $31.4 billion. Clearly, the

amount deposited in the NRF was greater than the reported amount in the financial statements of the oil companies.

The reason (s) for the variances are that (i) royalties are deposited every quarter into the NRF at the prevailing market price for crude oil, (ii) the financial statements are prepared based on the average price for the reporting period, (iii) there would be marginal variances in the exchange rate used for the conversion into the local currency, and (iv) there is a timing difference based on when the royalty payments are made as explained hereunder.

Turning now to Lalbachan Ram’s contention, he boldly accused the Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo of not being familiar with the Petroleum Agreement (2016) (hereinafter “the PA). But ironically, Lalbachan Ram demonstrated his own ignorance of the PA and the royalty computation in his column, by merely citing part of the relevant Article in the PA. To this end, Article 15.6 states that:

“The Contractor shall pay, at the Government’s election either in cash based on the value of the

relevant Petroleum as calculated pursuant to Article 13 or in kind, a royalty of two percent (2%) of all Petroleum produced and sold, less the quantities of Petroleum used for fuel or transportation in Petroleum Operations, from all production licenses subject to this agreement. The Minister shall make its election in writing with effect ninety (90) days following such election and that election shall remain in effect for the latter one (1) year or ninety (90) days from the date the Minister notifies in writing that it elects the alternative treatment. Cash payment shall be due quarterly, thirty (30) days following the end of each calendar quarter. Within one hundred and eighty (180) days following the end of each Year, assessment receipts evidencing payment of Contractor’s royalty shall be furnished by the Minister to the Contractor stating the amount and other particulars customary for such receipts.”

Pursuant to Article 15.6 of the PA as highlighted above, the royalty payments are due in the ensuing quarter, and in the case of the year-end period’s production, royal -

Ending period poverty...

Now that's a lot of blood.

So, Ms. Ali is right, as she still has a lot of work ahead of her, since she wants to broaden its (the programme) reach to include vulnerable women.

Editor, and Ms. Arya, as I know you are aware, you are not all alone in this quest. It is quite heartening to know that UNICEF is a global leader in menstrual health and hygiene activities through development and humanitarian programmes across the

world. The goal of UNICEF is that “We are committed to building programmes that increase confidence, knowledge, and skills – and to improve access to materials and facilities – for adolescent girls, women, transgender and non-binary individuals to manage their menstruation safely and with dignity.”

Overall, UNICEF will focus in four key areas for improved menstrual health and hygiene: Social support, Knowledge and skills,

Six-year-old hero

Dear Editor,

The brutal hacking to death of a son and mother in Saxacalli Mission has produced a hero, in the person of the six-year-old, who witnessed the entire ordeal.

Being left on his own, no doubt terribly traumatised and afraid, he had the presence of mind to think of getting help. Reports are he sent a voice note to one of his father's friends and this led to a response

of law enforcement officers and other persons.

This clearly demonstrated a clear mind and thought process in the face of a calamitous situation.

The road to recovery for the little hero will be a long one, but with time it is hoped this, too, will pass and can be overcome.

My condolences to the grieving family.

Sincerely,

Shamshun Mohamed

Facilities and services, and Access to absorbent materials and supportive supplies. UNICEF will also primarily support governments in building national strategies across sectors, like health and education, that account for menstrual health and hygiene.

The details from the First Lady are that “… millions of girls in the Caribbean lack access to the resources and facilities needed to control their menstrual cycle in a way that respects their privacy, dignity, and safety, and that some of them “don’t know” what menstruation is or how to handle it in a hygienic way.”

I alluded to these factors already, and I hope the population will increase in knowledge and improve its response, and hence a greater positive impact will be engendered in alleviating this ‘removable’ situation. The earlier more come on board, the quicker Guyana can realise becoming the first nation in the Caribbean and Latin America to give menstrual hygiene products to its

ty payments therefrom are due within 180 days in the ensuing year. For example, the royalty payments reflected in Q1 of 2023, for example, would be in relation to production for the preceding year (2022 Q4).

With the foregoing in mind, as of the end of 2023, the total royalty payments since inception amounted to US$438.2 million (1.8%), total profit oil amounted to US$3.04 billion (12.5%), which would give rise to a total production from the inception of US$24.3 billion (100%). Thus, the royalty payments received for this period based on the total value of production was equivalent to 1.8%, resulting in a variance of 0.2%. This is because, as explained above, there were two (2) lifts which occurred in December 2023. Therefore, the royalty payments in relation to the production that occurred in December 2023 will be received within the first 180 days in 2024.

In fact, evidently, Lalbachan Ram and Hunte et.al, did not even read the NRF reports thoroughly because they would have observed in the footnotes on page 19 where it was noted that “profit oil payments for two (2) lifts which occurred in December 2023 of US$73.573 million and

FROM PAGE 4

women and girls at no cost. Indeed, like the First Lady declared, “This would be a remarkable achievement for our country and by extension our region.”

The signs are there too as “In an effort to eradicate period poverty in Guyana, the Office of the First Lady started the Menstrual Hygiene Initiative in September 2021 ... (and since then) … every year, over 32,000 schoolgirls have received free sanitary pads thanks to this initiative.”

I suggest we all make a big effort as Menstrual Hygiene Day is upcoming. It’s on 28 May, and the objectives are about “Breaking the taboos and ending the stigma surrounding menstruation, “Raising awareness about the challenges regarding access to menstrual products”, “Educating people about menstruation and period-friendly sanitation facilities, and “Mobilising the funding required for necessary action.”

Yours truly,

US$73.333 million are to be received on January 2 & February 14, 2024, respectively”.

Notably, Lalbachan Ram partially correctly answered his own question, wherein he said that the observable difference between the royalty deposited into the NRF and his computation by applying the 2% based on total production for the respective years, could be explained by the difference in accounting methodology. In this regard, the NRF accounting is based on a cash basis whereas the financial statements for the oil companies are prepared on an accrual basis.

Considering that the Vice President reported that no deductions of crude oil are made for transportation and fuel costs since the FPSOs are powered with gas, this means that the 2% royalty is applied on the total production.

In conclusion, this author would like to urge the likes of Lalbachan Ram and Hunte et.al, to conduct more responsible, thorough, and prudent analysis and research going forward on these complex issues that are not always straightforward.

Yours respectfully,

Bhagwandin

Page Foundation

Customary Units of Liquid Volume

1)

2)

3)

Example:

Remember:

You

Exercises: Convert

5)20

4)

In this fun and easy colour science experiment, we’re going to explore water-storing crystals and use them to create an array of rainbow colours.

Materials:

Water storing crystals – You can easily find these online. These are great for experimentation and are used primarily to hold water in soil for plants.

Measuring spoons

Measuring cups

Several different colours of food colouring

Several paper cups

Water

Instructions:

Put one tablespoon of water-storing crystals into five or six paper cups. Add one quarter cup of water to each cup. Put a drop of food colouring into each cup. Observe the water absorbing crystals for 30 minutes.

How it works:

Water-absorbing crystals are small chunks (or crystals) of man-made, water-absorbing polymers that are often added to soil to help provide moisture to plants. The water-absorbing crystals are like little sponges and each crystal holds

a lot of water compared to their size. Once saturated, the crystals can be many times larger than their original size. The water is then gradually released over time into the soil. When food colouring is added to the water, this makes the water absorbing crystals take on the colour and allows you to create rainbow crystals.

Make this a science project:

Try mixing different colours of water absorbing crystals in a clear bag and observe any changes in colour. Experiment with leaving the crystals out to dry. Try adding salt to the crystals. Try adding a squirt of hand sanitiser to the crystals. (sciencefun.org)

CONTINUED

Come, fix upon me that accusing eye. I thirst for accusation. All that was sung.

All that was said in Ireland is a lie Bred out of the c-ontagion of the throng, Saving the rhyme rats hear before they die.

Leave nothing but the nothingS that belong To this bare soul, let all men judge that can Whether it be an animal or a man.

The rest I pass, one sentence I unsay.

Had de Valera eaten parnell’s heart

No loose-lipped demagogue had won the day. No civil rancour torn the land apart.

Had Cosgrave eaten parnell’s heart, the land’s Imagination had been satisfied, Or lacking that, government in such hands. O’Higgins its sole statesman had not died. Had even O’Duffy -- but I name no more -Their school a crowd, his master solitude; Through Jonathan Swift’s clark grove he passed, and there plucked bitter wisdom that enriched his blood.

WORD SEARCH

PPP/C only party that can offer sustainable progress – GS

…warns parties looking to challenge PPP at 2025 polls to “come right”

Reminding that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) is the only party to deliver on its promises of sustainable progress to the people, its General Secretary , Bharrat Jagdeo also warned all the parties looking to take it on at next year’s elections to “come right”.

The Vice President addressed a crowd of supporters at Babu Jaan, Port Mourant in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) on Sunday, where the Party gathered to commemorate party founder and former President Dr Cheddi Jagan.

Noting the diversity in

the crowd, a diversity Jagdeo described as A Partnership for National Unity’s worst

nightmare, Jagdeo urged the crowd to look and compare the Party’s respective pro-

Soul of Guyana, though...

President Ali stated that those who believe themselves to be the intellectual crafters and architects of Guyana, and the voice and the conscience of the people would be recorded in the country’s history as aiding and abetting the rigging of elections and attempting to take away freedom from the Guyanese people. These, the Head of State noted, are the people who believe they can provide better leadership than the PPP/C Government.

“There are still forces out there that believe the People’s Progressive Party does not possess the finesse, we don’t have the sophistication to be in Government or to lead this country. Maybe we don’t wear the right type of suit, maybe we don’t speak the right type of English, but what we do is always, every single day, do what is right for the people of this country. That is our fight. Our fight is for the upliftment of the people of this country. Our fight is for the safety, honour, dignity, democracy, freedom of the people of this country.

“Our fight is to look at the children who came up here [on the stage] in their eyes and say never again should you have to fight for democracy, fight for the rule of law and fight to ensure that the Government you voted [for] got into office. That fight must be the fight we cement through institutional mechanism so that the soul of this nation, the soul of freedom, the soul of free and fair elections, the soul of human dignity must be safeguarded and that is the fight of every one of us here.”

President Ali went on to reflect on the gains of his and past PPP/C Administrations that have worked to transform Guyana socially and economically. He recalled the stagnant state of the country’s economy during the five-year rule under the APNU/AFC coalition – which the PPP immediately started to reverse when it returned to office in August 2020.

Today, he outlined, the PPP/C is one of the fastest growing political parties in the Latin American and Caribbean

FROM PAGE 3

region. As such, Ali welcomed all of those who have joined the PPP/C, especially the growing number of young people as the Party works on taking the soul of Guyana to even higher heights. In the same breath, he urged party activists – both old and new – to ensure they do not spread propaganda, but arm themselves with the truth –consistent with the fundamental principle that the PPP/C stands on.

“The political consciousness of our people is a critical part of the soul of our country and all of us together, we have a duty… [We have an increase in] the number of young people that are coming to us, because they see hope. They see an opportunity to be part of something good for Guyana. They see us as that national unified force that can do what is right for Guyana… This People’s Progressive Party/ Civic Government, we are committed to doing, every day, what is right for Guyana and what is best in the interest of the Guyanese people.” (G8)

grammes and track records, not the ethnicity of the leaders.

“Look at this crowd. If you look at our activities, if you look at our programmes. And that’s the worst nightmare for APNU, that all of our people right across Guyana, in spite of their race, they’re benefiting from the People’s Progressive Party. That’s a fundamental difference between us.

“So, some people may believe, oh APNU is fighting for us. They’re not fighting for you. They’re fighting for themselves. The only party that you can find a home in if you’re Afro-Guyanese or Amerindian or mixed or Indo-Guyanese or Portuguese that would ensure that you and your children see sustainable progress, is the People’s Progressive Party,” Jagdeo said.

Jagdeo also derided Opposition Leader and People’s National Congress (PNC) Head Aubrey Norton, who had called on the Government to implement a rent-to-own system in the housing sector. Jagdeo pointed out that under the PPP/C, thousands of persons are be-

ing aided to becoming outright home owners.

“Norton wants us, he said if (he) wins, they’ll support your rent. We don’t want people to rent, we want people to own. That’s why we have a housing programme. If you come to the PPP, we’re different. We’re different. We’re not going to rent; we want everybody to own a house in this country. Our own home.

“When we say we want to create wealth for people, we mean you must get a house, a car, you must have a vacation, all of this. People at the top, we want the businessmen to grow and create more jobs. People say we’re pro-Private Sector? Of course, we’re pro-Private Sector. because we want them to grow and create more jobs. They practically destroyed the Private Sector. The miners, as the President told you,” Jagdeo said.

Parties

With the 2025 General and Regional Elections just a year away, parties have been gearing up to campaign, with one – A New and United Guyana (ANUG) recently going so far

as to say that its objective was to bring about a minority government next year.

According to Jagdeo, however, any party looking to challenge the PPP/C next year can make any kind of promise – like the promises APNU/ AFC once made, and then broke, before and after 2015. Jagdeo urged the crowd, however, to remember the importance of looking at a party’s programme. And he had a message for these parties, not to mistake the PPP/C’s silence for weakness.

“What’s the currency of a political party? What’s the only thing that you can believe in a party? It’s not how they look. It is their programme. Not just how much they can promise. Because everybody can promise. Glenn Lall can promise the moon and the star.”

“There are some who are trying to challenge us. But they better be cautious. They gotta come right. It’s a free country politically. But they may have interpreted us being quiet as a sign of weakness. It is not so. At the right time, we’ll deal with them.” (G3)

6 murders reported in first 11 days of March

Six murders have been reported in the first 11 days of March.

The string of tragic events began on March 3 in Arimu Backdam, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), where businessman Mohamed Zaheer Sheriff and porter Donovan Washington fell victim to a daring robbery.

Police had said that two masked suspects, on a red All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV),

carted off 102 ounces of raw gold valued at $37 million and two licensed firearms (a .32 pistol and a 12-gauge shotgun), property of Sheriff, a father of three of Byderabo Road, Bartica.

Investigations so far revealed that Sheriff was the owner of a six-inch land dredge operation at Arimu Backdam and he had ‘washed down’ on the day in question. He then left the camp along with Washington, also a father of three, of Seventh Avenue, Bartica, on an ATV. The men were en route to Bartica.

According to the Police, the General Manager for Sheriff’s operation reported that about five minutes after his boss left camp, he heard several loud explosions which he suspected to be gunshots.

He said he went to investigate, and about 500 metres from the camp, found both Sheriff and Washington lying in the trail with gunshot injuries about their bodies.

He made a report to the Bartica Police Station.

Sheriff’s body was examined, and Police said he was shot in his right upper chest, upper right thigh,

upper right arm, and left upper back.

Washington’s body was also examined. He was shot to his lower abdomen, left chest, left shoulder, left hand, and left elbow, with four wounds to the right thigh, two to the left thigh, and one to his back.

The scene was processed and one .32 magazine with eight live matching rounds, seven 9mm spent shells, and three .32 spent shells were found.

Following the incident, several persons were arrested.

Housewife’s death

Tragically, on March 4, a 24-year-old housewife was brutally stabbed to death by her drunken husband during an argument at their Parika Backdam, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) home.

Dead is Nikesha Sutton. Police stated that on March 4, about 15:00h, the suspect arrived home under the influence of alcohol, and a heated argument erupted between him and his wife.

He then left home, but returned about 17:00h with two bottles of alcoholic beverages in his hands. Another argument broke out between the couple, which escalated into a scuffle.

At this time, the deceased’s sister intervened, but soon after, the drunken man instructed his wife to pack her things and move out of the house.

As such, the woman packed some clothes in a bucket and was making her way to her sister’s home when the suspect reportedly broke one of the bottles he was carry -

ing and stabbed her in the neck, after which he fled the scene.

The woman collapsed, but was picked up and taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Days later, the suspect was found by Police and arrested at Timehri, East Bank Demerara.

Body found with chop wounds March 5 brought with it grim discoveries when the decomposed body of a West Coast Berbice (WCB), Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) man was discovered in the backlands of Number 41 Village, WCB with chop wounds suggesting he was murdered.

Dead is 45-year-old Odit

Persaud

ed missing since March 2. Three days later, his body was discovered floating in a trench that separates the rice fields from the savannah.

Regional Commander, Assistant Commissioner Kurleigh Simon said in a release that Thom took care of cattle in the backdam for several persons and was staying at a camp located at Seafield Backdam.

A rice farmer, whose impounded cattle were under Thom’s care, told this newspaper that he had not seen the man for days.

IDB Invest approved US$173M...

The US$9 million includes a senior loan of US$5 million from IDB Invest and US$4 million from Republic Bank. Further, this project is the first Private Sector education project IDB Invest has funded in the Caribbean.

“The third agreement in the area of sustainable tourism and valued at US$22 million is slated to assist in the continued construction of the 172-room

Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, which is currently moving apace at Houston, East Bank Demerara, just off the new four-lane highway.”

“For this, IDB Invest partnered with Caribbean Green Building Inc for the

financing to develop a sustainable mixed-use tourism project. The hotel is one of several internationally-branded ones being constructed across the country to boost the tourism sector in keeping with the Government’s quest to develop the non-oil economy,” the Ministry said.

Regional leadership Dr Singh’s comments on the good work being done by the Bank were not limited to Guyana either, for the Finance Minister also welcomed the IDB Group’s contributions to the Region. He pointed out that the 2024-2030 Institutional Strategy being implemented by the Bank is aimed at

addressing the main issues affecting the Region – climate change, poverty and inequality, and sustainable growth.

“We welcome the Group’s leadership in supporting our countries and the Region as we innovate to address climate change through mitigation and adaptation. The seven operational areas of focus provide sufficient opportunity for targeted and enhanced engagement to improve well-being and expand opportunities in our Region.

“These areas not only enable the group to support countries in addressing our development challenges, but to leverage our comparative advantages

Ito improve lives and livelihoods,” Dr Singh added.

Meanwhile, alluding to the One Caribbean Strategy recently launched by the IDB Group, Dr Singh was optimistic that this would help the Region better confront the challenges they face. Further, he welcomed the emphasis on regional integration, given Guyana’s strategic geographical position.

The IDB Annual Meetings take place every year in a designated member country. This year, as a prelude to the Annual Meetings, Guyana hosted the Twelfth Annual IDB consultation with Caribbean Governors in February.

Ashes…

…of Babu Jaan

t was quite heartening to see the turnout at Babu Jaan as the PPP celebrated the life of their founder – Dr Cheddi Jagan. Like a veritable sea of red poppies!! Frankly, your Eyewitness thinks that since the party doesn’t make the Babu Jaan trek on the day the Old Man passed – March 6 – but on the following Sunday, they ought to declare this day a Public Holiday!! So you might retort that Sunday’s already a holiday…sure, but it isn’t a Public Holiday, is it?? It’s a religious holiday – for Christians to go to Church –and since Cheddi didn’t have no truck with religion, it would be a fitting (sly) gesture!!

Anyhow, your Eyewitness has to submit his piece during the day, and since the event over in the far reaches of the Ancient Country didn’t start till 3 pm in the afternoon, he couldn’t get a report on what the two main speakers – Pres Ali and VP Jagdeo actually said. But since the announced theme was “Celebrating the life, work and legacy “ of the great man, maybe your Eyewitness can give his take on those aspects!!

So what kinda life did Cheddi live?? Well, for one, even though he came from a sugar plantation – Port Mourant, in the heart of Berbice – he wasn’t a fella who liked to hit the bottle!! Interestingly, he wrote that his father who worked in the cane fields did like a tup or two of the grog!! It woulda been something else if he hadn’t –- since as a “Driver” it would’ve been one of the skills he HAD to acquire to keep his men in line!! Heck…most of the women could belt down their tups!!

Then there was his work. First of all, we know he DIDN’T work in the cane fields!! His elder brother Oudit did and helped send him to Queen’s College in GT and then to the States. There, he picked up a degree in Dentistry and also a wife and returned to Guyana – where dentistry became his SECOND job. He preferred politics and plunged enthusiastically into that field with the VERY active support of his American wife -- who was dubbed “Blue Eye Bhowgee” by the folks in the cane fields who supported him even MORE enthusiastically!!

Then, of course, there’s his legacy. For his whole life he fought to improve the lot of the “working class”, but didn’t get to use the METHOD he felt was best to do the job – communism. Interestingly, even today there’s a fierce debate going on about his choice. But what we DO know is that while Prezzie and VP don’t use that method, they are working for the working class.

So Cheddi’s legacy lives!! No??

…to Asha

Just when your Eyewitness thought Guyanese politics couldn’t sink any lower on third force possibilities –after the betrayal of Ramjattan and Nagamootoo, we now have this young politician refusing to give up a seat her party acquired through 227 votes in 2020!! The AFC at least had gotten 35,000 votes and SEVEN seats!! Imagine getting a squeeze with those handful of votes on a “joinder” slate – proportionately splitting a single seat with two other parties that scraped up enough votes for that seat - and now not moving aside for the next party ANUG – with 2286 votes!!

But your Eyewitness suspects that some cynics gonna say politics is a dirty game and the young politician – who happens to be a medical doctor! –is proving she’s very well qualified, thank you!! But ANUG should’ve expected this. Have they forgotten the conflict of interest incident involving her just two months after the election – forcing SIX executives from their party to resign??

Maybe as a doctor she took the HYPOCRITIC oath?!!

…to Russia’s fears

With Sweden now joining NATO after Finland’s accession last year, looks like as Putin’s getting strategic depth in the west – by absorbing eastern Ukraine –he’s losing it in his northwest and getting encircled!!

30 Guyanese heading to India for special ITEC course

Agroup of 30 individuals from law enforcement agencies and various social service organisations in Guyana are visiting India for a special course under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme.

The course is being hosted by the National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar in the Indian State of Gujarat.

The Indian High Commission in Georgetown said this initiative reaffirmed the longstanding partnership that Guyana and India shared.

“This is a first-of-itskind initiative under the guidance of leadership from both countries that a special course on forensic examination and interview techniques is being organised … for our Guyanese friends,” the High Commission stated in a post on its Facebook page.

Prior to leaving the Guyanese delegation of officials/experts met with Indian High Commissioner, Dr Amit Telang, who emphasised the importance of the ITEC Programme in implementing such citi -

zen-centric capacity-building initiatives.

Dr Telang also underlined that ITEC scholars are India’s brand ambassadors who have consistently contributed to strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.

The ITEC Programme comprise short-term courses at prestigious institutions of India for nationals of selected partner countries across the world. In 2022, 19 officers of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) were selected to study in India and for 2023, the Government of Guyana was allocated a total of 46 slots.

In addition to the GDF, ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) have also benefited from this scholarship programme.

Back in May 2023, Commander of Regional Division Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), Senior Superintendent of Police, Shivpersaud Bacchus underwent training in India via the ITEC Programme on Introduction to Ethical Hacking at the premier Police institute of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad.

As part of the Police and military training courses being offered by

the Government of India under ITEC, Head of the GPF’s Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), Assistant Commissioner Fazil Karimbaksh, and three GDF ranks also benefited from a scholarship.

The three GDF officers were chosen to study a two-month General Intelligence and Security Course at the Military Intelligence Training School in Pune, Maharashtra while the SOCU Head studied a oneweek course on Economic Offences at the premier Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad.

Then, in November 2023, six junior ranks of the GPF and one logistics officer from the Ministry of Home Affairs were granted a one-week ITEC scholarship for Infrastructure for Electric Vehicle (EV) Deployment at the NTPC School of Business in Uttar Pradesh.

However, the ITEC Programme is available for all eligible Guyanese, not just officers of the Police and Defence Forces.

In March 2023, Ria Bisnauth, a Special Project Officer with the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), travelled to Indiranagar,

Bengaluru for a two-week course on Climate Change Policy Development and Financing at the Environment Protection Training and Research Institute.

Also on that trip was Kumar Kissoon, a Finance Manager at Teleperformance, who participated in a two-week course on dynamics of high performing team at the Jaipuria Institute of Management in Lucknow.

The ITEC Programme began in 1964 as part of the Government of India’s development experiences with fellow developing countries on the basis of partnership and cooper

ation for mutual benefit.

The Government of India covers all expenses related to the training under the ITEC Programme and provide the trainees with

a return air ticket, accommodation charges, tuition fee, living expenses, medical expenses, and external and internal tours as per the course curriculum.

Rice production target set at 710,000 tonnes for 2024

...farmers optimistic despite paddy bug, leaf worm affecting crop

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has related that the current infestation of paddy bugs on the Corentyne could harm the rice industry, but at the same time is optimistic that rice production for 2024 could increase.

A total of 653,000 tonnes of rice was harvested in 2023 and for 2024, the target is 710,000 tonnes which is an increase of 10 percent.

The effects of El Niño and the infestation of paddy bugs have severely affected the current crop. Despite these challenges, rice production is expected to increase in 2024 as measures are being put in place to address them.

However, two of the areas more affected by the infestation of the bugs are Crabwood Creek (CWC) and the Central Corentyne, with farmers claiming that the quantity and quality of rice would be severely affected.

As such, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha related that Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) is currently engaging farmers on the issue intending to eradicate the pest to avoid further destruction.

“Because it is important that we get maximum output this time. I hope the GRDB has been working with you all in this community so that we can tackle this problem. Last week Sunday I had a meeting

with all of the extension staff including your staff here in Black Bush and we came up with a number of measures that we will implement to try as much as possible to ease this problem,” Mustapha said while addressing farmers in the Black Bush Polder during a recent outreach.

Apart from the paddy bugs, rice farmers are facing another issue – larvae (worms) have been feeding on the budding rice grains.

Mustapha said systems have been put in place to prevent the spread of the larvae.

“I am hoping that some of the systems that we have put in place are working. We have to continue to pay attention to this important issue or else the quality of the production that we want will not be there.”

While expressing optimism, Mustapha not-

ed that it was not only the Corentyne which is being affected.

“We are getting problems not only in Berbice but across the country with the paddy bug and the ‘curl leaf worm’ but the GRDB is working with the farmers to eradicate it. I am very optimistic that we will be successful; it is only a matter of time. We have had this crisis before and we worked with the farmers to get it done.”

Good yield

Despite the paddy bug infestation currently affecting many Corentyne rice farmers, they are reporting an excellent yield thus far.

Currently, harvesting of the spring crop is taking place across Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); East Bank Berbice, Corentyne front lands, Crabwood Creek and Black Bush Polder (BBP).

As of Wednesday, 17,218 acres of rice have been harvested for the current crop with farmers reporting an average of 49 bags per acre. This is according to Region Six Chairman David Armogan.

Armogan noted that the Agriculture Ministry has engaged scientists and others with knowledge of paddy bugs to develop a strategy to control the current paddy bug infestation.

“It is not localised to

Berbice and Region Six but it is right across the country. The minister of agriculture has assured farmers that the Ministry is working full time to ensure that they can control the paddy bug situation.”

Speaking at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) stationary meeting on Thursday, he pointed out that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) did not utilize funds to repair access dams for farmers to get to bring their paddy out of the fields. This he said is so because of the current extremely dry conditions.

However, he noted that because of the weather conditions, there has been heavy siltation with canals in the cultivation areas.

“If you drive around you would see that virtually all of the canals and outfalls are blocked up and if the rains come down suddenly on us, we might find ourselves in some difficulty because then we might have hurriedly had to clean all of the outfalls so that we can have proper drainage.”

Armogan explained that this frequently takes place

during prolonged dry spells. He pointed out that they would have to wait on the rains before they could commence the clearing of outfalls.

“If you dig now, two weeks after you would get back the same siltation; you can’t be digging every two weeks,” he pointed out.

In delivering a regional agriculture report to the RDC, the Chairman said there continues to be the conflict between rice and cattle farmers where rice farmers have been accusing cattle farmers of allowing their animals to feed in rice fields.

He said there have also been large numbers of cattle on the region’s roadways.

“The cattle are suffering because grazing has become a big problem,” he said while noting the difficulty in animals finding grass to eat. The Ministry has been giving molasses to cattle farmers. From the Albion Estate, they are giving each farmer five gallons; which is inadequate, and they are also doing bailing of grass. So, once they bail the grass, they are also distributing it to the cattle farmers,” Armogan

pointed out.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture said that the Leaf Folder is an emerging insect pest of rice in Guyana.

In advising farmers, the Ministry said that to detect these pests, farmers should look for white leaves or leaf tips; one larva (worm) in the folded leaf; or frass (dung) left by the larva; leaves folded upwards, and margins stitched together.

According to the Ministry, plants would become stunted and the vegetative growth stage would be prolonged.

To control this pest, the Ministry is advising, “Only a systemic insecticide will be effective against the Leaf Folder, such as: Triazophos 50mls/blower, Fipronil SC @ 20mls/blower Medal 50g/blower Matador @ 50mls/blower, Undersiege (Thiamethoxam+ LambdaCyhalothrin) @ 50mls/ blower. Only spray on the leaves of the plant (do not drop these insecticides directly in the water in the rice fields). The larva will die 3 to 5 days after spraying. New leaves will be undamaged.” (G4)

Mechanised cane production imminent on 5000 hectares of Skeldon land

…new varieties of canes already sourced, to be planted – Pres Ali

With the Government having set aside 5000 hectares of land in Skeldon for reintegration into the sugar industry, the government is also eyeing the mechanization of sugar cane production on these lands and the cultivation of new varieties.

President Ali made these remarks during Saturday’s commissioning of Republic Bank’s new $1.2 Billion branch at Williamsburg on the Corentyn. In fact, President Ali noted that the arrangements to have the 5000 hectares of land return to cultivation were only recently concluded.

“As I speak to you now, we’ve just concluded arrangements to have another 5000 hectares of land in Skeldon, to be reintegrated into the sugar production equation. And we’re going to move to having those lands mechanized.”

“And we’ve already sourced new varieties of canes that will be planted on those lands. So that not only will we achieve or we’re working on achieving the target this year, but we’re also working on achieving higher levels of the target next year,” the President said.

President Ali pointed out what the government has been able to achieve in

the last three years when it comes to reopening the sugar industry. This is after the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) government closed down most of the estates.

Back in 2016, the former Government closed the Wales Estate, and the following year, shut down the Enmore, Rose Hall, and Skeldon Estates, putting over 7000 sugar workers on the breadline. The downsizing of the sugar industry resulted in the Uitvlugt, Blairmont, and Albion Estates to remain in operation.

“If you look at what we’ve been able to achieve in the last three years, its nothing short of being remarkable. We’ve been able to reopen the sugar industry. We are

reinvesting in the modernisation of our sugar lands, so it’ll be sustainable. We’ll be using the best-in-class technology. And that the productivity and competitiveness of the industry will improve in this transformation,” President Ali said.

Decline under APNU/AFC

The sugar industry is not the only agriculture sector that declined under the former government. According to the President, the rice and forestry sectors also experienced declines under the stewardship of the former government.

“We saw a decline of the rice industry. And more significantly than all that, we saw a complete decline of the forestry sector. Over the last three years, we have had to find resources, finan-

Fire destroys 3 buildings in Eteringbang

Eteringbang Landing, situated along the Upper Cuyuni River in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), fell victim to a destructive fire on Sunday morning, as confirmed by the Guyana Fire Service (GFS).

The blaze, whose origin remains unknown, ignited at about 03:00h, causing the complete destruction of three wooden structures.

Raimundo Lucio Dos Anjos Oliveira, a 52-yearold Brazilian national residing at Eteringbang Landing, told fire officers that he observed the fire erupting from the circuit board area of his two-storey, ten-room building.

Despite his efforts to douse the flames with water, his attempts proved futile. Consequently, the fire rapidly spread beyond control, engulfing his property and two neighbouring abandoned buildings.

The valiant endeavours by Oliveira and local residents, who swiftly mobilised water pumps, the fire was contained, resulting in additional structures being saved from destruction. No casualties were report-

ed, although the extent of the damages is yet to be assessed.

The GFS has since initiated an investigation into the cause of the fire. The fire service in a statement on Sunday emphasised the importance of remaining calm in such emergencies and offer the following guidelines: “stay calm and avoid panic, cut the power: safely deactivate the power supply to the affected area if feasible, use a fire extinguisher: employ a suitable fire ex-

cial and human, to reinvigorate investment into these traditional sectors.”

“To the extent that we not only bring them back into operation and create jobs, but to the extent of bringing them back into sustainable and resilient sectors. In doing this, we understand that the nature of the human resource pool must also change. To meet the transformation and modernization that we’re investing in the sugar industry.”

Accordingly, the president assured that the government remains committed not only to mechanization, but also retooling sugar workers to better fit into the new, technology and mechanical based jobs that will dominate the sector.

“That is why, with the modernization in the field, we’re discussing plans on how we’ll retrain and retool our sugar workers to better function in this newly organized sector. But more importantly, how we’re going to integrate them into the other aspects of expansion that will take place here in Berbice,” President Ali said.

The Ministry of Agriculture was allocated $97.6 billion in Budget 2024 for the advancement of the sugar industry. The largest portion of the agriculture budget, totalling $72.3 billion, is earmarked for drainage and irrigation works, acquisition of 40 mobile pumps, and $6 billion to bolster the sugar industry, specifically targeting im-

provements in GuySuCo’s production and operational efficiency.

Additionally, of the $97.6 billion budgeted for the agriculture sector, $1.3 billion would be expended by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) to support increased production and productivity in the rice industry.

In terms of other crops, cultivation of corn, soya bean, citrus fruits, spices, coconut, high-value crops such as broccoli, cauliflowers, bell peppers, romaine lettuce, carrots would be expanded.

In 2024, Government would continue to accelerate coconut production by investing in 39,000 high-yielding seed nuts as 500 additional farmers are targeted. (G3)

tinguisher from a safe distance; never use water on an electrical fire, evacuate: promptly evacuate if the fire is spreading beyond control, call for help: report the incident by dialling 912.”

The GFS further stated that it is crucial to refrain from using water on electrical fires and to await the arrival of professional firefighters before re-entering the area.

“Remember, safety is always the top priority”, the fire service said. (G9)

Scenes from the 27th death anniversary memorial

memorial of the late President, Dr Cheddi Jagan

Police Force gifted motorcycle, tactical gear

In a collaborative effort to bolster local law enforcement, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) recently received a boost from the private sector.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Panther Security Service, Bryan Ogle and proprietor of Montra Restaurant and Bar, Kumar Sarran donated four motorcycles, along with tactical equipment for the Tactical Services Unit (TSU. The donation was handed over to Senior Superintendent Ewart Wray on behalf of the GPF at the Tactical Services Unit Drill Square, Eve Leary, on Wednesday.

that part of the Mission Statement of the Guyana

Expressing gratitude for the support, Senior Superintendent Wray emphasised the critical role these assets play in enhancing the GPF's operational capabilities. He underscored the importance of collaboration between the Police Force and private entities in fostering safer communities, a principle deeply embedded in the GPF's mission.

“On behalf of the Commissioner and Administration of the Force, I say 'thank you' for donating these very valuable and critical assets to the Force which will be used to enhance the GPF's capabilities,” he said.

Wray alluded to the fact

Police Force speaks to the GPF "working in partnership with private bodies to enhance and support safer and secure" communities.

Ogle and Sarran reiterated their commitment to continuing their support for the law enforcement agency, underscoring their shared vision for a secure and prosperous nation.

The Police Force in a statement said that this recent donation adds to the ongoing support from the private sector towards the GPF's efforts in combating crime. Over a month ago, various Private Sector entities across Guyana united to provide the Police

Force with 13 motorcycles. Among the contributors were Innovations America, J’s Supermarket, Two Brothers Service Station/ Shi-oil, Jaigobin Hotel, and R. Kissoon Contracting Service.

Deputy Commissioner (Administration) Calvin Brutus, in accepting the motorcycles on behalf of the GPF, expressed gratitude for the much-needed boost

The motorcycles and gear

to the Force’s anti-crime capabilities and emphasised the significance of the donation in enhancing the Force’s ability to maintain safety in challenging-to-reach communities.

6 murders reported in...

This caused the 28-yearold farmer, whom Thom was also working for to go into the backdam in search of him at his camp. The man reported that he did not find Thom at the camp. The next day, together with other cattle farmers, he continued the search and eventually found Thom’s motionless body floating in a trench.

Commander Simon said the body was fished out by the Police and was in a state of decomposition. It was observed that the deceased sustained chop wounds to both arms and the head.

At the time of the discovery, he was carrying a haversack on his back which contained toiletries and his ID card.

Police canvassed the area and a pair of slippers and caps were found on the dam in the vicinity where the body was floating.

Mother, son

On March 8, a woman and her son were brutally chopped to death by a prison escapee at their home in Saxacalli village along the Essequibo River.

Dead are 75-year-old Elizabeth Gomes and 49-yearold David Gomes, of Saxacalli and of Durban Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown. This crime took place between 17:00h and 20:00h and was witnessed by David’s sixyear-old son.

Guyana Times understands that since the family moved to the city, they would return very often to clean their house and surroundings at Saxacalli. However, their routine visit took a sinister turn when an unexpected visitor arrived on their doorstep. The suspect, later identified as prison escapee Akeem Wong, who reportedly escaped from the Mazaruni Prison on February 15, 2024, approached the residence,

seeking food and directions.

Police have said that Gomes’s six-year-old son related that about 15:00h on the day in question, the suspect visited their home and requested something to eat, while asking for directions. He was given food, and also took a few drinks with the child’s father.

“The child also stated that he later saw the suspect (arm) himself with a cutlass and (dealt) his father several chops about his body. His grandmother (Nellie) went to (her son’s) rescue, and she was also dealt several chops about her body,” the Police release has stated.

The Police have said that after committing the act, the suspect attempted to wash down the blood, but in the process, he heard a boat approaching, so he ran into the nearby bushes and made good his escape.

The Police have also said the child told them that during the ordeal, the suspect was chopped by his father.

The child, the Police said, took his father’s cellular phone and sent a voice note to one of his father’s friends, who in turn contacted the Police.

Police investigations have thus far revealed that Wong was seen in the area at the location, and is allegedly the person who committed the murders. The scene was processed, and it was observed that both of the deceased were chopped multiple times to their heads and bodies. The child was removed from the scene, and the bodies were subsequently transported to the Bartica Hospital Mortuary.

Wong, called “Bin Laden”, a convict who was serving a 15-year sentence for rape, escaped from the Mazaruni Prison in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) in a brazen act on February 15. The Guyana Prison Service has said that Wong and another inmate, Gilbert Gill, were under the supervision of a prison officer, performing labour duties in a ‘wood bush’ when Wong requested permission to go defecate, and was granted same by the prison officer.

About five minutes later, a check was made for Wong, and it was discovered that he had gone missing. An alarm was raised, and law enforcement officials widened the search perimeter around the area.

Wong was 27 years old when he was convicted in 2020 for raping a 14-year-old girl. He pleaded guilty to the charge, which stated that on June 30, 2017, in the county of Demerara, he engaged in sexual penetration of the child.

A probation report had stated that Wong, a resident of Half Mile, Wismar in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), had been associated with persons of unsavoury character, and had been involved in many delinquent activities.

According to the probation officer, Police records showed that Wong was wanted for a murder that occurred in Mabaruma, Region One (BarimaWaini), and he was arrested only in 2018 after a wanted bulletin had been issued for him.

The probation officer had informed the court that Wong had told her he had also previously been charged with break-andenter and robbery, but he claimed those charges had been dismissed. Up until press time on Sunday, he had not been arrested. (G9)

Embrace integrity, professional conduct and responsibility – Prison Director to ranks

In a bid to uphold standards and ensure accountability within Guyana's correctional facilities, Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliot, embarked on the quarterly muster and inspection at Timehri Prison on Friday morning. This routine evaluation aims to assess the performance of staff members and the overall condition of the facility.

During the gathering, Director Elliot emphasised the critical role of Prison Officers in fostering a culture of responsibility and respect within the institution. He highlighted the importance of officers feeling valued, trusted, and respected, as these sentiments directly influence their interactions with inmates.

Elliot stressed that officers, as frontline representatives, serve as influential role models for prisoners, shaping their attitudes and behaviours.

Moreover, Elliot underscored the necessity for prison officers to uphold a high standard of both professional conduct and personal in-

The prison officers during the muster

tegrity. He emphasized that adherence to these principles are paramount in realizing the vision of the Prison Service. In no uncertain terms, he warned against misconduct, stating unequivocally that such behaviour will not be tolerated.

The director's address served as a stern reminder to all staff members of their duty to maintain decorum and uphold the values of the institution. He cautioned that failure to comply

with these standards could result in disciplinary action, including dismissal from the service.

As the inspection concluded, Elliot's message resonated throughout the prison, emphasizing the importance of responsibility, accountability, and professionalism among all staff members.

Recently, Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn reminded prison officers stationed at the Prison

Saint Lucia inviting Guyanese to Jazz and Arts Festival

Saint Lucia is inviting Guyanese travellers to experience its vibrant Jazz & Arts Festival with exclusive travel packages, featuring renowned performers and diverse musical genres, alongside island tours and cultural immersion opportunities, all curated by GlobalTT.

Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA) has stated that it offers Guyanese travellers exclusive travel packages for this year’s festival. Packages are provided with airfare, hotel accommodations, ground transportation, guided island tours, and various other tourism activities, and

tickets to attend the festival, all at discounted rates, lined up with spectacular performers such as Air Supply, Afrobeat sensations Joeboy and Davido, Machel Montano, Minister Donnie McClurkin, Voice and much more. According to the Senior Travel Consultant, the Saint Lucia Jazz Arts Festival will return this year with renewed excitement from April 30 to May 12, 2024.

Senior Travel Consultant at Global Tours and Travel (GlobalTT), Mahindra Etwaroo, has said that the company which specialises in festival tourism has formed alliances and part-

nerships with the major airlines plying the Guyana to Saint Lucia route, with the major hotels and resorts on that island, with the ground transportation service providers and auto rental companies with the tour guides and tourism activity companies. This will allow for the arranging of very seamless and enjoyable tours to Saint Lucia at discounted prices resulting in substantial savings. GlobalTT in a release said that it has found that festivals and events add a unique twist of fun to any holiday and provide the perfect opportunity to really delve in to a country’s culture, and nature.

Headquarters of the important role they play in maintaining law and order.

Benn called on them to balance security and control with humanity and justice in the execution of their duties.

“We must remind ourselves of the mission of the Guyana Prison Service which is to ensure that the prisoners you keep remain

in custody and that there are no break outs and things of that nature, maintaining order, control, discipline and a safe environment for yourself and prisoners is important because when you do that, you are maintaining a safer environment for the entire country, and when you do that, there are benefits … it has very far-reach-

ing effects,” the minister said.

Acknowledging the number of resources available, he further encouraged the Prison Officers to play a meaningful role in helping to reform prisoners and preparing them for return to their communities as positive contributors to the development of society.

Executives vow to leave ANUG if it teams up with major political parties

ANew and United Guyana (ANUG) is intent on contesting the 2025 elections independently, with the party executives vowing to leave the party if it ever joins forces with any of the major parties.

ANUG, one of the new parties to emerge out of the 2020 election season, is gearing up to contest the 2025 elections. During a press conference last week, the party gave a glimpse into its plans for the upcoming elections.

Those plans include the party’s continued independence, with ANUG General Secretary, Senior Counsel Timothy Jonas, making it clear he will leave the party if it ever joins up with one of the major parties.

“We will not align with APNU or PPP…we saw that with AFC. As long as we have a two-party race in Guyana, our problems will keep perpetuating. So, we’re not aligning with either one. Or if we do, it won’t be with me as part of ANUG. I’ll leave,” Jonas said.

Similar sentiments were expressed by ANUG Chairman Kian Jabour, who also promised to leave the party if it ever joins forces with the main parties.

Last week, ANUG called on the Leader of The New Movement (TNM), Dr Asha Kissoon to vacate her seat in the National Assembly, which was supposed to have been done since last

November, calling her action undemocratic and a breach of trust.

According to the Joinder List Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), given the 244 votes garnered during the 2020 General and Regional Elections by TNM, it was entitled to occupy the seat for 91 days.

Jabour had indicated during a recent press conference that his party gave Dr Kissoon an opportunity to represent her constituents, but this has been met with mistrust.

Meanwhile, it was reported in another section of the media, that a letter was sent to Guyana Elections Commission by the representative of the list of The New Movement (TNM) to have Kissoon removed from

Parliament.

ANUG joined its 2313 votes with the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) and The New Movement (TNM) obtaining 2657 and 244 votes respectively, following the 2020 general and regional elections, in order to rotate one parliamentary seat among themselves.

Based on the joinder agreement, each party would occupy the shared seat for a specific period. The stipulated duration of the terms by each party are two years, six months, and 20 days for the LJP; while ANUG would serve for two years five months, and TNM for 80 days. The three parties had previously committed to acting as a broker between the Government and the main Opposition.

Edghill assures Canal residents of uninterrupted works to bridges

In an effort to speedily upgrade Canal Number

One and Canal Number

Two Polder bridges at Belle Vue West Bank Demerara (WBD), Public Works Minister Juan Edghill recently assured the public that the ongoing works will not be stalled and is set to be completed in six weeks’ time.

After objections were raised by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), to the MOPW as it relates to the water flow and how cleaning of the canals will be

Following changes made in design and operations,

gressing.

“We don’t want to have

affected, the ministry is committed to creating new designs, so that the projects would progress smoothly.

Edghill went on site to inspect and inquire information from contractors as to how the works are pro-

these projects stalled again, because they are too important to give access to people. So, in anoth-

er 6 weeks, all 3 bridges in Canal Number One, Canal Number Two and Belle Vue should be completed.”

Further unveiling the plans of a major programme that the ministry is set to roll out, Edghill stated that the small issues commonly faced pertaining to administrative and communicational issues cannot go on longer.

“I have said it in the memorandum of understanding (MOU) we’ve

signed, if within two weeks a matter is not resolved, then it needs to be escalated to the level of the Minister, so the Ministers have to get out there and give the policy directions to get these projects completed,” he explained whilst delivering that they are moving to a phase where contractors wouldn’t be able to delay without consequences faced. According to him this ongoing excuse is one that they cannot be

hearing anymore.

It was expressed that engineers at the ministry are being urged to complete the works and citizens are not aware of the volumes of work that they are doing but would rather highlight issues that people are complaining about.

“When we do not receive the support of other partners, we have to get on the ground and make decisions and that’s what we are doing,” he stated.

Good oral hygiene is necessary to keep teeth and gums healthy. It involves habits such as brushing twice a day and having regular dental checkups. However, oral health is about more than cavities and gum disease. Research has shown that there is an association between the health of a person’s mouth and their overall health.

aware that brushing their teeth twice a day is one of the most important practices for removing plaque and bacteria and keeping teeth clean.

However, brushing may be effective only if people use the correct technique.

People should brush using small circular motions, taking care to brush the front, back, and top of every tooth. This process takes between 2 and 3 minutes.

People should avoid sawing back-and-forth motions.

Brushing too hard, or using a hard-bristled toothbrush can damage tooth enamel and gums. The effects of this may include tooth sensitivity, permanent damage to the protective enamel on the teeth, and gum erosion.

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends using a toothbrush that has soft bristles. It also states that people should change their toothbrush every 3 months, or when the ends start to look frayed,

HEALTH TIPS

GOOD ORAL HYGIENE

People can find out whether the water in their area contains fluoride by contacting their local government. Reverse osmosis water filters remove fluoride, and people who use well water would need to check the fluoride levels in this water to find out how much is present. Many bottled water brands do not

Experts consider oral health problems to be a global health burden. Without treatment, tooth decay or gum problems can lead to pain, problems with self-confidence, and tooth loss. These issues may lead to malnutrition, speech problems, and other challenges in a person’s work, school, or personal life. People can prevent these problems with proper dental care, both at home and in the dentist’s office.

1) Brush regularly, but not aggressively

Brushing twice a day and using dental floss can help keep teeth and gums healthy. Most people are

whichever comes first.

2) Use fluoride

Fluoride comes from an element in the earth’s soil called fluorine. Many experts believe that fluoride helps prevent cavities, and it is a common ingredient in toothpaste and mouthwash.

However, some dental products do not contain fluoride, and some people do not use it at all.

Evidence suggests that a lack of fluoride can lead to tooth decay, even if a person takes care of their teeth otherwise. A recent review found that brushing and flossing do not prevent a person from getting cavities if they do not use fluoride.

contain fluoride.

3) Floss once a day

Flossing can remove plaque and bacteria from between the teeth, in places where a toothbrush is unable to reach. It can also help prevent bad breath by removing debris and food particles that have become trapped between the teeth.

Most dental health professionals recommend gently pushing the floss all the way down to the gumline before hugging the side of the tooth with up-anddown motions. It is important to avoid snapping the floss up and down between the teeth, which can cause pain, and would not remove

plaque as effectively.

4) See a dentist regularly

A dentist can diagnose and treat oral health issues before they become severe. Experts recommend that people see a dentist every 6 months for a checkup. During a routine dental examination, a hygienist would clean the teeth and remove plaque and hardened tartar.

5) Do not smoke

Smoking harms the body’s immune system, which makes it difficult for the body to heal tissues, including those in the mouth. The CDC names smoking as a risk factor for gum disease, while the ADA warns that people who smoke may experience slow healing after a dental procedure.

Smoking also affects the appearance of the mouth, leading to yellowing of the teeth and tongue, and it can give breath a bad odour.

6) Consider using mouthwash

Some studies indicate that certain mouthwashes can benefit oral health. For example, one review found that mouthwash containing chlorhexidine, an antibacterial ingredient, helps control plaque and gingivitis. Mouthwashes with certain essential oils are also effective, according to a meta-analysis.

People may ask their dentist which is the best mouthwash for their individual needs. A mouthwash cannot substitute for brushing and flossing, but it can complement those practices.

Mouthwashes that may help with bad breath and

dental problems are available online.

7) Limit the intake of sugary foods and starches

Consuming sugar can lead to cavities. Studies continue to highlight the significant role that sugar plays in adverse dental health outcomes. Common culprits include candy and desserts, but many processed foods also contain added sugar.

The WHO recommends that people limit their intake of sugar to below 10 percent of their daily calories. The authors of a systematic review concluded that lowering this to 5 percent would further reduce the risk of cavities and other dental problems.

Instead of starchy foods, the ADA recommends eating plenty of fibre-rich fruits and vegetables, as well as dairy products without added sugar.

8) Drink water, instead of sugary drinks

Sugar-sweetened beverages are the number one source of added sugars in the typical diet of those in the U.S. Sipping on soda, juice, or other sugary drinks can lead to a higher risk of cavities.

The ADA recommends drinking water or unsweetened tea throughout the day, and only drinking sugar-sweetened drinks at mealtimes and in small volumes.

TIPS FOR KIDS

Teaching good dental hygiene can help ensure a child’s teeth and gums remain healthy as they grow up. A child’s primary teeth,

which people sometimes call baby teeth, are just as important as their permanent teeth.

Baby teeth help a child chew and speak. They are placeholders for the future permanent teeth. If a child loses a baby tooth to decay, this can disrupt the space in the mouth, and make it difficult for the adult tooth to develop correctly.

It is best to introduce good dental care for children during infancy. The following practices would help keep a child’s teeth and gums healthy:

* Wipe a baby’s gums with a warm, wet washcloth every day, even before they have any teeth. Doing this removes sugars from the gums, and can help a baby become familiar with the feeling of cleaning their teeth.

* Babies and toddlers should not go to bed with bottles or sippy cups. Milk and juice contain sugars that can cause tooth decay if they remain on the teeth for extended periods.

* As a baby approaches one year of age, let them start getting used to a sippy cup. Aim to stop using bottles by their first birthday.

* Allow toddlers to sip water from sippy cups between meals, but save juice or milk for mealtimes only.

* Once a baby has teeth, brush them twice a day with a soft baby toothbrush. Use a tiny amount of fluoride toothpaste, no bigger than a grain of rice. Children who are 3 to 6 years of age may use a peasized amount of toothpaste.

* Parents or caregivers should brush the child’s teeth for them until they can clean all of their teeth thoroughly without help. Monitor them to make sure that they spit out the toothpaste.

* Keep the toothpaste out of children’s reach when it is not in use.

* The ADA recommends that children see a dentist within 6 months of their first tooth appearing, or at one year of age, whichever comes first.

* Parents and caregivers should not share eating utensils with a child, or clean pacifiers by putting them in their mouth. Both actions can pass the adult’s cavity-causing bacteria to the child.

Regional Boris Johnson tells Maduro: Respect territorial integrity of neighbours

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson flew to Venezuela in February to meet President Nicolás Maduro.

The Sunday Times first reported Johnson travelled to Venezuela for the meeting by private jet while on holiday in the Caribbean.

A spokesman for Johnson told the BBC that the visit's purpose was to “emphasise the need for Venezuela to embrace a proper democratic process”.

Maduro was re-elected in 2018 after Judges banned his primary opponents from competing, plunging the country into a severe politi-

cal and economic crisis.

Most opposition parties refused to recognise the election results and challenged Maduro's rule by creating an interim government, a push for change that fizzled out over the past few years.

There has since been strong international pressure for Venezuela to hold a free and fair election.

Venezuela also approved a referendum last year to claim sovereignty over an oil- and mineral-rich area of neighbouring Guyana, which Guyana disputes.

British Minister for the Americas and Caribbean, David Rutley, met with Guyanese President Irfaan

Ali in December to stress the United Kingdom Government's backing for Guyana.

Johnson's spokesman told the BBC that he “repeatedly made clear there can be no hope of normalisation in relations until Venezuela fully embraces democracy and respects the territorial integrity of its neighbours”..

“He also set out the case for the cause of Ukrainian victory to the Government of Venezuela.”

The spokesman also told the broadcaster the trip came at “no cost to the UK taxpayer nor the Venezuelan Government”. (Daily Maily)

T&T cops bitten, assaulted by woman in Fyzabad

Three Police Officers were attacked by a woman at John Jules Trace, Fyzabad, on March 9.

The 19-year-old woman also bit one of the Police as they tried to seize a knife from her.

The woman and a male relative were arrested and charged for multiple offences and are expected to appear before a Siparia magistrate today.

The attack took place on Saturday as Police carried out a four-hour anti-crime exercise dubbed Operation Safe Streets in the district.

A search warrant for firearm and ammunition was executed at a home at John

Jules Trace, Fyzabad, but nothing mentioned in the warrant was found.

The same house was searched for a male suspect wanted in connection with a common assault, but he was not found.

During the search, an occupant of the house, a 41-year-old man, started running when he saw the Police.

They chased and held him a short distance away. As a rank enquired about his relative, the man began using obscene language and then violently pulled away. He was arrested.

A female occupant of the house then approached the

Police with a knife and tried to intervene.

She reportedly bit an officer on his left hand. She, too, was arrested. They were later charged.

The man, who is unemployed, was charged with obscene language, resisting arrest and assault.

The woman was charged with possession of a weapon, obstructing a police officer in the execution of his duty, resisting arrest, and assaulting three officers.

The officers were treated at the Siparia health facility for soft-tissue injury and discharged.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

El Salvador’s Bukele offers to “fix” chaos-torn Haiti

El Salvador’s gang-busting

President Nayib Bukele said Sunday he can “fix” the spiralling crisis in Haiti, where criminal groups have unleashed havoc in recent days. Bukele, 42, is wildly popular at home and across Latin America for his crackdown on gangsters, even as

rights activists raise alarm over arbitrary arrests and inhumane prison conditions.

“We can fix it,” Bukele wrote in English on X Sunday, sharing a post about the collapse of Haiti.

“But we’ll need a UNSC (United Nations Security Council) resolution, the consent of the host country, and

all the mission expenses to be covered.”

The presidential press office later wrote that Bukele was “referring to the political and social situation that Haiti is going through.”

However, no further details were given on how Bukele proposes to aid the desperately poor Caribbean nation. (Excerpt from AFP)

Haiti: US evacuates Embassy staff amid gang violence

The United States says it has airlifted non-essential Embassy staff from Haiti, as the country spirals further into gang violence.

The Americans have also boosted security at their mission in the capital, Port-au-Prince.

It follows attacks by gangs on the airport, Police Stations and prisons last week. They are pushing for Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry's removal.

A three-day state of emergency has been extended by a month.

"Heightened gang violence in the neighbourhood near US Embassy compounds and near the airport led to the State Department's decision to arrange for the departure of additional Embassy personnel," the Embassy posted on social media.

It added that the Embassy would remain open.

The pre-dawn operation appeared to be conducted by helicopter, the AFP news agency reports, citing nearby residents who described hearing the sounds of aircraft blades overhead.

On Sunday, Germany's Ambassador to Haiti also left, travelling to the Dominican Republic, along with other European Union (EU) representatives, the German Foreign Ministry told AFP.

It comes as the situation in Haiti has deteriorated.

The country's main port said it was suspending operations on Thursday due to sabotage and vandalism.

Gangs in the violence-wracked city stepped up their attacks when Henry left for a regional summit the week before last.

Henry attempted to fly back to Port-au-Prince on

Tuesday, but ended up in the US territory of Puerto Rico instead.

He could not land in the Haitian capital, because its international airport was closed as soldiers repelled attempts by gunmen to seize it.

Civil aviation authorities in the neighbouring Dominican Republic also turned the Prime Minister's plane away, saying that they had not been provided with the necessary flight plan.

Henry has not given any public statements since he visited Kenya, where he met President William Ruto to salvage a deal for the east African country to lead a multinational force to help restore order in Haiti.

The two leaders signed a reciprocal agreement which paves the way for 2000 Kenyan Police Officers to be sent to Haiti, but a Kenyan Opposition politician says he will challenge the deal in court.

On Saturday, the US State Department said Secretary of State, Antony Blinken spoke with the Kenyan President about the Haiti crisis, and the two men underscored their commitment to a multinational security mission to restore order.

Gangs in Port-au-Prince have taken advantage of the Prime Minister's absence to unleash a series of co-ordinated attacks.

Among their targets was the airport – which they want to control to prevent Henry from flying back in – and two prisons, from which they freed thousands of inmates.

At least six Police Officers have been killed while the National Police Academy has been destroyed.

The bodies of several prisoners were also left lying on the streets after the storming of the national

penitentiary.

The violence has caused Haiti's humanitarian crisis to deteriorate even further.

Gang leader Jimmy "Barbecue" Chérizier has been holding news conferences as his G9 gang alliance has attacked key buildings.

The gangs have not said what their aim is beyond the ouster of Henry.

Chérizier, a former Police Officer who leads an alliance of gangs called G9, has threatened that if Henry does not step down there will be a "civil war" which he said could end in "genocide".

The unrest has seen 362,000 Haitians internally displaced – more than half of them children, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) says.

"Haitians are unable to lead a decent life. They are living in fear, and every day, every hour this situation carries on, the trauma gets worse," Philippe Branchat, IOM's chief in Haiti, said in a statement.

"People living in the capital are locked in, they have nowhere to go," he said. "The capital is surrounded by armed groups and danger. It is a city under siege."

Aid group Medecins

Sans Frontieres estimates that at least 2300 persons were killed in the violence in 2023 in the Port-auPrince neighbourhood of Cite Soleil alone, home to nine of the capital's population.

In other news, five persons who were kidnapped in Haiti last month, including four missionaries, have been freed from captivity, their Catholic congregation said Sunday.

The missionaries were abducted in Port-auPrince, where kidnappings for ransom are commonplace. (BBC News)

UOIL NEWS

Oil industry consolidation in the legislative spotlight

S oil and gas companies spent a combined US$250 billion in mergers and acquisitions last year. More than half of that came from just two megadeals: Exxon's acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources and Chevron's takeover of Hess Corp.

The buying spree, according to analysts, was mostly motivated by a drive to secure future production at a relatively low cost while there's cash in the bank after the record-breaking 2022. Analysts have commended the attitude to energy supply security. Congress Democrats, however, have not.

It was only a matter of time before the megadeals – and the smaller deals – of 2023 drew the attention of the wrong people. In this case, the wrong people were a group of 50 Democrats from Congress who this week called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate the deals.

Led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the group claimed in its letter to the FTC that "Fossil fuel companies have overwhelmingly identified investor pressure as the reason to keep prices high so they can continue to benefit from record profits," continuing with "Americans are paying the price for Big Oil's greed and are still struggling to keep up with gas prices higher than prepandemic levels."

To counter this alleged greed grab, the legislators called on the FTC to deepen already existing investigations into some of these deals and launch more, into other deals in the oil and gas space. There was no mention of federal policy aimed at shrinking the industry's growth avenues, such as through lease sales that the current administration –with the blessing of Congress Democrats – significantly curbed.

Yet federal energy policies were a big reason for the consolidation drive in oil and gas. Those policies increased the financial burden on energy companies with new requirements for emission control and reduction, and they also limited their exploration options by making new exploration too much of a hassle.

Consolidation in a proven producing region, such as the Permian, was a no-brainer, really. So was Chevron's acquisition of Hess that gave it an entry into Guyana's oil boom – unless Exxon prevents the deal from happening by snatching Hess's stake in the Stabroek Block itself.

What's more, some have noted that this consolidation has been positive for the industry's emission footprint. According to Wood Mackenzie, the two deals "add high-margin, low-emissions oil with a long runway, boosting sustainability".

Yet, according to the Democrat group of critics calling on the FTC to investigate deals, "It is now even clearer that there is an anticompetitive pattern developing as Big Oil corporations race to consolidate the Permian Basin and other key American oil fields, and the FTC must take this pattern into account as it assesses each individual transaction."

Consolidation could indeed lead to questionable outcomes for consumers if it results in a very small minority of companies operating in one field. Amazon, for instance, hardly has any meaningful competition after it bought all potential challengers. Google is an undisputable dominant force online and so are Facebook and Microsoft. Big Tech is a very small world, if you think about it. Yet Big Tech does not garner anywhere near the same level of concerned interest from Democratic legislators.

The oil industry, on the other hand, is a favourite target for the current crop of legislators in Congress. Given that this is an election year and the Democrats already have their key voter groups in their sights, chances are there will be more legislative attacks on oil and gas in the coming months, even if those FTC investigations uncover nothing more than one company buying another to improve its longterm chances of survival and profitability in the absence of any viable paths to that.

Then, there is the awkward aspect of emission reduction. While the letter-writing legislators made no mention of this in their letter, the Secretary of Energy did. Speaking to Axios, as quoted by Reuters, Jennifer Granholm noted that consolidation could help speed up the oil industry's decarbonisation efforts.

"Many of the majors, many of them, not all ... have been taking action on climate and clean energy and a lot of the folks who are smalllevel producers were not as interested, or didn't have the resources to address (those issues) so I'm encouraged that there seems to be a movement in this direction," Granholm said.

That the Democrats were going to have things to say about the wave of M&A activity in oil and gas was a given. That they would seek to interfere with the industry consolidation was also a given. A third given was that they would not acknowledge their own role in limiting the industry's growth options to consolidation and international expansion. None of what has happened so far has been a surprise.

What happens now would be more interesting, however. The FTC could be used as a tool to try and stop some of the deals, with the focus no doubt on the Exxon-Pioneer and Chevron-Hess tie-ups. Believing that such a development would result in lower gasoline prices for Americans is not simply naïve but dangerous. Because it would likely result in the opposite. Just because there are more companies in the field doesn't mean they can't act in concert. (Oilprice.com)

Around the World Palestinians prepare for Ramadan in the shadow of Gaza war

Palestinians prepared for Ramadan in sombre mood with heightened security measures by Israeli Police and the spectre of war and hunger in Gaza overshadowing the normally-festive Muslim holy month as talks to secure a ceasefire stalled.

Thousands of Police have been deployed around the narrow streets of the Old City in Jerusalem, where tens of thousands of worshippers are expected every day at the Al Aqsa mosque compound, one of the holiest sites in Islam.

The area, considered the most sacred place by Jews who know it as Temple Mount, has been a longstanding flashpoint for trouble and was one of the starting points of the last war in 2021 between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist move-

ment that controls Gaza.

That 10-day conflict has been dwarfed by the current war, which is now in its sixth month. It began on October 7 when thousands of Hamas fighters stormed into Israel, killing some 1200 persons, by Israeli tallies.

Israel's relentless campaign in Gaza has caused increasing alarm across the world as the growing risk of famine threatens to add to a death toll that has already passed 31,000.

After some confusion last month when hard-right Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said he wanted restrictions on worshippers at Al Aqsa, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the numbers admitted would be similar to last year.

"This is our mosque and we must take care of

it," said Azzam Al-Khatib, director general of the Jerusalem Waqf, the religious foundation that oversees Al Aqsa. "We must protect the presence of Muslims at this mosque, who should be able to enter in big num-

bers peacefully and safely."

The start of Ramadan depends on lunar observations – for Palestinians it will begin today, while it will start on Tuesday in some Arab and Muslim countries.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Ukraine rebuffs Pope Francis’s call for talks with Russia

Ukraine on Sunday rebuffed Pope Francis's call to negotiate an end to the war with Russia, with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy saying the pontiff was engaging in "virtual mediation" and his Foreign Minister saying Kyiv would never capitulate.

Francis said that when things were going badly for a party to a conflict, one had to show the "courage of the white flag" and negotiate. The Pope's inter -

view was believed to be the first time Francis has used terms like "white flag" or "defeated" in discussing the Ukraine war, though he has referred in the past to the need for talks.

Zelenskiy made no direct reference to Francis or his comments, but mentioned religious figures helping inside Ukraine.

"They support us with prayer, with their discussion and with deeds. This is indeed what a church with the people is," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video

Portugal election: Winner unclear, far right soars

The outcome of Portugal's parliamentary election was too close to call with counting almost completed on Sunday after a late surge by the incumbent Socialist Party (PS) put it neck and neck with the centre-right Democratic Alliance (AD).

The far-right party Chega came third with over 18 per cent of the vote, almost tripling its 2022 election result, likely giving the combined right a parliamentary majority, although the moderate AD has so far refused to negotiate with the populists.

By late Sunday, 99 per cent of the ballots had been counted, while the tally from voting abroad still awaited.

Pending the final count, which will take several days to complete, the AD led by just 438 votes with 28.7 per cent support.

A separate conservative outfit from the region of Madeira elected three law-

makers, which may help the AD's cause.

The Socialists' prospects of forming a government looked bleak, however, as the combined right will dominate the legislature.

Chega leader Andre Ventura told reporters Sunday's vote "clearly showed that the Portuguese want a Government of the AD with Chega".

It campaigned on an anti-establishment message, vowing to sweep away corruption and expressing hostility to what it sees as "excessive" immigration.

The PS and the Social Democratic Party (PSD), which helms the newly-created AD, have alternated in power since the end of a fascist dictatorship five decades ago.

At the AD election night party, supporter Paula Madeiro said there was "no doubt that instability will be constant". (Excerpt from Reuters)

address.

"Not 2500 km away, somewhere, virtual mediation between someone who wants to live and someone who wants to destroy you."

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, writing on the X messaging platform, said that the strong person in any dispute "stands on the side of good rather than attempting to put them on the same footing and call it 'negotiations'".

"Our flag is a yellow and blue one," Kuleba wrote in English, referring to the

Ukrainian national flag. "This is the flag by which we live, die, and prevail. We shall never raise any other flags."

Kuleba also pointed to allegations that Pope Pius XII failed to act against the Nazis in Germany in World War Two.

"I urge (the Vatican) to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past and to support Ukraine and its people in their just struggle for their lives," he wrote. (Excerpt from Reuters)

India says Europe trade group commits to US$100B 15-year deal

India will lift most import tariffs on industrial products from four European countries in return for investment of US$100 billion over 15 years, its Trade Minister said, after an economic pact signed on Sunday that concluded nearly 16 years of negotiations.

The deal follows trade pacts over the last two years with Australia and the United Arab Emirates, while officials say a another, with Britain, is in its final stages, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims for annual exports of US$1 trillion by 2030.

It envisages that the European Free Trade Association, comprising Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, will invest US$100 billion over 15 years in India's fast-growing market of 1.4 billion people, Trade

Minister Piyush Goyal said.

In turn, India will lift, or partially remove, very high customs duties on 95.3 per cent of industrial imports from Switzerland, excluding gold, either immediately or over time, the Swiss Government said in a statement.

"Norwegian companies exporting to India today meet high import taxes of up to 40 per cent on certain goods," Industry Minister Jan Christian Vestre said in a separate statement.

"With the new deal, we have secured nil import taxes on nearly every Norwegian good."

The pact covers some new elements such as intellectual rights and gender equity, Goyal added, telling a press conference, "It is a modern trade agreement, fair, equitable and winwin for all five countries." (Reuters)

PEANUTS

DAILY HOROSCOPES

(March 21-April 19)

(April 20-May 20)

(May 21-June 20)

(June 21-July 22)

(July 23-Aug. 22)

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

Reach out to someone who motivates you to see things uniquely. Discussions will prompt you to sign up for something that impacts your lifestyle and fills your heart with joy.

Don't let the changes around you slow you down. Take the initiative to work behind closed doors. The options available will determine whether you follow your heart or someone else's dream.

Distance yourself from those who don't share your concerns or beliefs. You owe it to yourself to put your thoughts and energy into something that matters. Build a strong base for success.

Don't let anger or anxiety set in. Initiate change and be open to suggestions and compromise. Take a unique approach to how you use your skills, and you'll achieve your goal.

Sit tight, observe and learn from experience. Revisit how you handle money and health issues, and devise a plan that favors saving money and keeping fit. Turn your routine into a fine-tuned machine.

Seek out educational activities. You will discover something that can help you fine-tune your routine. The experience you gain will help you recognize where you belong.

Make every penny, thought and adjustment count. Use your intellect and intuition to bring about necessary changes. A partnership will prove to be more helpful than anticipated.

Let your creative juices flow, and you'll devise a plan that will encourage positive changes at home and the desire to broaden your horizons. Changes you make will lead to personal growth.

Think before you act. The temptation to push through situations without considering the consequences will arise. Take a moment to follow your thoughts and see where they lead.

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Control your emotions. Choose self-improvement over trying to force your will on others. You'll gain ground if you keep up with trends and are open to learning and gaining experience.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Count your pennies. Don't let sales or deals tempt you. Channel your energy into becoming more eco-friendly. Take some time to enjoy nature and see what it can do for the soul.

Let your thoughts flow and your imagination wander. Your suggestions will spark interest in those who can help you. Opportunity is apparent; get out there and take part.

From passion to purpose!

Guyanese brand E4 gains ICC global recognition

Like in so many villages across Guyana, cricket is an age-old pastime in the sugarcane community of Enmore, East Coast Demerara.

Located approximately 16 miles east of the capital Georgetown, Enmore has produced many cricketers of repute, among them West Indies and global T20 star Sherfane Rutherford, West Indies youth player Amir Khan, former senior national wicketkeeper Sheik Mohamed, and national youth players Anil Jairam, Safraz Ally, Adrian Persaud, Kevin Bazil and Javed Mohamed.

For sport fanatic-turned-entrepreneur Ravi Etwaroo, who grew up with his three brothers a stone’s throw away from the Enmore Community Centre Ground, the passion for cricket was palpable.

The brothers not only played the different forms of the game, but they for decades also supported the development of the sport in various ways.

In 2006, after migrating to the USA, Etwaroo started his own retail business, Cricket Zone USA, selling cricket gear on a part-time basis for a year before going full-time.

Importantly, Etwaroo opted to supply gear from reputable and authentic cricket brands across the globe to the North American market.

The establishment grew incrementally over the years, attracting top cricketers through its doors at 1656 Castle Hill Ave, Bronx, New York, including no less than Chris Gayle in 2021.

Soon enough, Cricket Zone

became one of the leading retail outlets for cricket gear and apparel in the USA, not only catering for walk-in customers but also creating an online presence and shipping to various destinations.

In 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Etwaroo took the bold step of unveiling his indigenous brand E4, supplying his own line of cricket gear to the North American and Caribbean market.

Initially, coming up with a

name for the brand was a bit of struggle. After long and careful thinking, Etwaroo opted to settle for E4, a fitting tribute to his surname and his siblings.

“We’re four brothers and we all played cricket in different forms in Enmore, also in Canada and the US, and it was only fitting that I kept the legacy of the name Etwaroo, hence E4,” Etwaroo explained.

To grow the brand and make it reputable, Etwaroo engaged leading manufacturers in the industry to not only deliver

top-quality equipment and apparel to customers, but also create attracting branding.

That method has brought tremendous returns, with the E4 brand rapidly gaining popularity over the last five years.

“People are starting to start accepting the brand as their own now,” Etwaroo said.

“We carry about three to four models on a yearly basis.

E4 was successfully approved to be used in all formats of international cricket (Tests, ODIs and T20Is).

Effective immediately, the E4 logo can legally be displayed on clothing and equipment used in international cricket.

To gain this accreditation and approval, it was important the E4 brand catered to all levels of cricket – male, female, se-

Bags are built differently, completely different from the other suppliers. The products are outstanding and well accepted by the cricket community and more and more players are calling us to be aligned with the brand.”

ICC recognition

Determined to get his brand on the global stage, Etwaroo reached out to the International Cricket Council (ICC) three years ago and on March 5, 2024,

nior, junior and youth.

It is understood that E4 is the first-ever Guyanese affiliated brand to gain this recognition, an achievement Etwaroo is particularly proud of.

“This is a big thing for us,” the elated businessman declared.

“Because it’s built now as a brand worldwide, where we can now attract international players from all the cricket-playing nations that are affiliated to the ICC.”

This expansion would take E4 beyond the North American and Caribbean market, with the initial targets being Australia, England, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

“The family support is heavy behind this and everyone is happy at this new development. The Friends of Enmore group is also excited by this recognition that someone from their village was able to receive,” Etwaroo concluded.

Over the years, Cricket Zone USA, through E4, has sponsored several cricketers across the Region, among them Sherfane Rutherford, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Gajanand Singh, Kennar Lewis, Matthew Nandu, Kimani Melius, Navin Stewart, Oraine Williams, Tevin Imlach, Adrian Hetmyer, Akshaya Persaud and West Indies female cricketers Stafanie Taylor, Rashada Williams and Natasha McLean.

It is the hope of Etwaroo that list will grow significantly in the coming years, as the brand goes global.

According to him, West Indies all-rounder Raymon Reifer and regional cricketer Kadeem Alleyne are in line to use E4 soon.

What started out as a passion several decades ago has found its purpose, and Etwaroo is hoping his fellow Guyanese can achieve the same in their respective endeavours.

“It was a lot of work, but it was worth it in the end. I would advise my fellow Guyanese brothers and sisters to have a goal and work towards it. Nothing is impossible,” Etwaroo advised.

RHTYSC Pepsi teams assist historic Sharon Congregational Church

…honours Rose Hall Town postal workers

The Sharon Congregational Church is the oldest Christian church in the township of Rose Hall. The church was founded in 1842, and has survived over the last 182 years, but today is a shadow of its former glory. On Tuesday last, the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) teams came on board to support the efforts of the small congregation to restore the church to its former glory.

RHTY&SC Secretary Hilbert Foster stated that the cricket teams of the club are mandated to make a positive difference in the lives of youths, the elderly and less fortunate. The RHTY&SC, he stated, is committed to improving the skills of its cricketers not only on the field, but also in their personal self-development. Each of the different cricket teams – Poonai Pharmacy

Under 11 and 13, Farfan and Mendes Under 15, Bakewell Under 17 and Second Division, Pepsi Under 19 and Under 23, Metro Females, NAMILCO

Under 21 and First Division are mandated to organise at least 30 personal self-development programmes each year under a wide range of sub-headings including education, sports, culture, charity, medical, youth development, community development, anti-drugs, anti-crime and religious. As their 12th project for 2024, the management and members of the Pepsi

teams had agreed to sponsor a fundraising raffle in aid of repairing the church’s roof which is in dire need of works. The players handed over the first prize of an electric bike and also committed to donating two other prizes. The team also handed over an electric fan to assist the congregation during services and donated food hampers to the

16 families who are part of the church. Foster, the long-serving Secretary, stated that the RHTYSC is very proud to be associated with Guyana’s smallest township. The club, he stated, is quite aware of the historic role of the church in the township and is committed to assisting it as much as possible. Secretary of the Sharon Congregational Church, Keisha Marks expressed gratitude to the Pepsi teams for this support and

wished them continued success on and off the cricket field in the future. Marks stated that the church welcomes any assistance to restore its roof, and interested persons can contact her on 642-8014.

Meanwhile, the Pepsi teams also honoured all the workers of the Rose Hall Town Post Office under its annual tribute to heroes program. Each of the workers received two special gifts from Food For The Poor

(Guyana) and Mike’s Pharmacy. They also received a trophy and a medal from the teams. The postal workers were recognised for their service to the township and hard work. Foster hailed them as heroes of Rose Hall Town and urged them to continue their remarkable service to the community. Senior member of the teams, Matthew Pottaya stated that they have already honoured medical personnel, outstanding students and others in 2024 and would shortly do so for firemen, law enforcement officers, teachers and workers of the Rose Hall Town Council. Postmistress Sharon Kendall expressed gratitude to the club for its kind gesture and stated that the postal workers all felt humble to be honoured by the cricketers. Among the members of the teams are national player Kevlon Anderson, Junior Sinclair, Jonathan Rampersaud, Jeremy Sandia, Sohil Mohammed, Ramzan Koobir, Tameshwar Deonadan, Matthew Pottaya and Rafael Mckenzie.

Stephan, Huntley lead the Ravens to win National Finals opener

Game One of the One Guyana Basketball League National Finals on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at the National Gymnasium was the biggest upset of the tournament as Ryan Stephan and Shamaar Huntley gave the Ravens the lead heading into Game Two breaking Stabroek Eagles' unbeaten streak.

The first quarter of the game was perceived to be the Eagles’ as they dominated with passion and enthusiasm. National player and Captain Travis Belgrave led from the front as they dominated to lead the first quarter with the scoreline

reading 18-11. In the second quarter, the Ravens minimised the

Bartica Easter Regatta 2024…

Eagles' lead to five points as they showcased their style of play as fast and

BK Super Mix and BK Int’l Group of Companies rev up support

With expectations of the best-ever Easter Regatta continuing to build among Barticians and other Guyanese here and in the Diaspora, the same feelings are building up among the corporate community.

Joining hands with the Bartica Regatta Committee (BRC) are BK Super Mix and the BK International Group of Companies to ensure that patrons, sportsmen and women, and others enjoy a fabulous time at the many events carded for this year.

BK Super Mix’s Briony Tiwari recently cemented her company’s commitment when she handed over their

voiced the gratitude of the BRC and its Chairman, Kenneth Williams for BK Super Mix’s commitment towards the success of the

sponsorship cheque to the Treasurer of BRC, Shondel Gilkes. Tiwari stated that the family through her dad, Brian, has been supporting the Regatta for many years and will continue to keep that commitment intact.

“I’ve known and been at Regatta for many years and am quite aware of the positive impact this event has on the development of Bartica.

So, it’s no secret that we will continue to lend tangible support towards continuing this rich legacy that the community and people of Bartica are very proud of.”

Gilkes, in response,

2024 edition that is being held under the theme, “Is we Own”.

Similarly gratified to continue its long-standing history of support for the Bartica Easter Regatta was BK International’s Kyle Tiwarie, who handed over their sponsorship to BRC Chairman Williams.

He reminded Williams that this tradition of support had been ongoing for a very long time, well before Williams took over responsibility as Regional Chairman and Head of the BRC.

“As a company, we are more than elated to main-

feisty. The Ravens scored 18 points while the Eagles scored 16.

The Ravens continued to showcase their skills in the third quarter as they limited the Eagles in their attempt to convert baskets with their defensive style. The Ravens would go on to

Ongoing

score 25 points to push their score to 54 points while the Eagles were limited to 51 points.

The fourth quarter was enough for the two teams to be separated as the Eagles put the game into overtime with seconds on the clock, equalising the game by scoring 14 points and the Ravens scored 11 points with the game tied at 65 points each.

In the first minutes of overtime, both teams looked to play defensively, but it was the Ravens who penetrated the Eagles' defence on multiple occasions to secure the win and break Eagles’ unbeaten streak, as they scored 13 points ramping their total score to 78. The Eagles scored 11 points for a total score of 76, missing out on two points at the

IWD 2024…

end of the game. In an exclusive with Guyana Times Sport Captain of Ravens, Shamaar Huntley shared that it was a great feeling to secure a victory and he was ready to secure the national finals in Game Two.

“I want to feel excited, but I know that it’s not over, and is a good feeling to win Game One, but it’s not over. It is not over in my opinion, so there is no excited emotion and I'm just here ready for Game Two to close the game out and win it all,” Huntley said.

Game Two of the One Guyana Basketball League National Finals will run down at the same venue, as the Stabroek Eagles will look to dominate and add the trophy to their case.

investment spurs increase in girls and women on Guyana’s football pitches

tain our support of Regatta, which is a marquee event of Bartica. We have seen how it has impacted the lives of hundreds of people, and we have seen how the sportsmen and women of Region 7 come out in their numbers to participate and showcase their skills in the many events planned and we want to see this continue, thus our support.”

Williams complimented Kyle Tiwari and his family for their unflinching support throughout the years, making special mention of his father, Brian, who has always provided wonderful backing for the event.

Williams noted, “The tangible commitment of the BK International Group of Companies is well documented, as you alluded to, well before my time and I know that it will continue for many more years to come. As a company, you have played and continue to play your part in the continued transformation and development of this product we call Regatta. Let me assure you, on behalf of the people and organisers, we do appreciate you and all that you have done over the many years.”

Williams further informed that all systems will be in place for a very successful hosting of the Bartica Easter Regatta, 2024.

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF), in partnership with the Women's Football Association (WFA), with their strong commitment to fostering the progress of women in football, coupled with substantial ongoing investments, has seen a notable upswing in the presence of girls and women on the pitches throughout Guyana.

WFA President Andrea Johnson, in her March 8 International Women's Day message, stressed that the “advancement of women in football has been a notable and positive trend in recent years, with efforts made to promote inclusivity, gender equality and increased opportunities for female players, referees, coaches and administrators.”

“Today, there are thousands of young girls and women on pitches across Guyana, with dreams of proudly representing their communities, clubs and country,” Johnson shared, adding that “our ongoing goal aligns seamlessly with the United Nations International Women's Day theme for this year - "Investing in Women:

Accelerate Progress."

GFF President Wayne Forde emphasised that "at the heart of GFF's core policy is ensuring young girls and women have equal access to opportunities to participate in this beautiful game. We persist in making substantial investments in women's football, including in the Hinterland regions.

Under Forde's leadership, the status of women's football has elevated with the inclusion of a comprehensive grassroots initiative, featuring the establishment of the Academy Training Centre (ATC), the Blue Water Under-15 Girls’ Development League, the Women's Development League, Women’s Regional Senior League in the Rupununi, Women's Division One, and a national team programme encompassing both junior and senior teams.

“We continue to strengthen our foundation and to be a part of the collective movement of equal opportunities for women in sports worldwide,” Forde shared.

CONCACAF Referee Kenisha Prescott pointed out in her message that “wom-

en's football has grown tremendously, over the years, especially as it relates to women in the referee fraternity. We’ve seen the growth with women being included in the Men’s World Cup in Qatar which shows that the sport now has nothing to do with gender but it’s all about merit.”

Senior Women’s National Team midfielder Jalade Trim conveyed that “the rise of women’s football is unstoppable. “We are breaking barriers and leaving our mark and I am happy to be a part of it."

The GFF continues to invest in local, regional, and international workshops, channelling millions into leagues and training programmes for female players and officials. Moreover, through strategic partnerships, the Federation has successfully secured international scholarships for local footballers.

T&T champions of inaugural Caricom Chess tournament

…Guyana finish second

The conclusion of the Caricom Classic Chess Team tournament ended with the twin-island republic of Trinidad and Tobago taking the first prize after gaining 18 points in the team chess tournament. Guyana's Team One came in second place with 14 points. Barbados ended also with 14 points, but Guyana edged past on the tiebreaker.

Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago went head to head during the last round of the round-robin format, resulting in a win for the visiting team 3.5-0.5.

CM Taffin Khan drew his final encounter in the tournament. Khan, playing white, was paired with FM Joshua Johnson, the strongest in the Trinidadian team. Both players played cautiously, knowing it was the final battle for players of all Caricom teams.

Johnson and Khan carefully manoeuvred their pieces for advantage, but both players went all the way to the endgame. With equal material of Rook, Bishop, and pawns remaining on the board, the top Trinidadian and Guyanese players agreed to avoid further risk and emerged with half a point each from the truce.

FM Anthony Drayton, Jessica Callender, and Shazeeda Rahim lost to FM Quinn Cabralis, WCM Ysvett Hermoso Rodriguez, and Zara La Fleur, respectively.

Drayton went down to Trinidadian Cabralis in a fighting endgame, but the Guyanese had to contend with a weaker position from lost material. A confident Cabralis with a force of extra pawns and an active King forced his Guyanese counterpart to resign.

The winning teams were

presented with medals, trophies, and cash prizes by Davion Leslie, Programme Manager responsible for Sports Development within the Caricom Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana. The cash prizes, trophies, and medals were sponsored by the Caricom Secretariat.

Guyana's Taffin Khan

KFC Elite League… Fruta, Slingerz come out on top in thrillers

Swere

when Season 6 of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF)/ KFC Elite League moved into Round 3 on Saturday night.

Fruta Conquerors took on Den Amstel first in Saturday’s double- header at the GFF’s National

shot, equalising in the 48th.

Training Centre (NTC), Providence, East Bank Demerara, defeating the West Coast team 3-1.

Fruta and Den Amstel almost went the entire first half without breaking the ice, that is until Naron Jerrick approached the goal in the 45th+3, piercing the nets to hand Fruta a 1-0 advantage.

However, Fruta Conquerors’ lead was relinquished just after the second half began, when an infraction in the box handed Den Amstel a penalty opportunity. Anthony Benn made no mistake with the

Makhaya Jarvis turned out to be the hero for Fruta Conquerors, netting backto-back goals in the 60th and 64th minutes, to push their lead to 3-1.

The following contest between Slingerz FC and Santos FC began on an electrifying note.

Michael Oie, capitalising on a blunder from the Slingerz defence and goal keeper, registered what could be the fastest goal of the League, just seconds after the first whistle was sounded, to hand Santos the lead.

It was only until the dy-

ing minutes of the first half that Slingerz were able to muster a reply, when Darron Niles guided an assist from Bryan Wharton into the nets in the 45th minute.

In the 45th+3, Wharton kept the glory for himself, with a brilliant shot into the corner of the nets, from near the boundary lines.

The score remained steadfast at 2-1 well into the second segment, as Santos tirelessly sought the equalising goal. However, the next strike would go the way of Slingerz, as Marcus Tudor won a battle with the Santos goal keeper, to secure the final goal of the encounter in the 90th+2.

Slingerz have now propelled themselves to the top of the points table with a perfect 9 points from games. However, one will have to wait until Tuesday to determine whether or not they maintain the position when another double-header in Round 3 of the league goes down.

At 19:00h, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) FC will take on Buxton United FC while Western Tigers battle Monedderlust FC at 21:30h.

Arbiters Kim Shing Chong, Odit Rodrigues, and Ricardo Narine.

Trinidadian National Arbiter Sandy Razark was also present to assist. Lee was also the technical personnel behind the scenes with the live streaming of the games on guyanachess.gy for viewers at home.

gained 8.5 points, while Zara La Fleur from Trinidad and Tobago gained 9 points in the nine-round round-robin competition, making them the top scorers in the week-long event.

The Barbados team, comprising Emar Edwards, FM Phillip Corbin, WCM Katrina Blackman, and Hanna Wilson, took home the thirdplace prizes.

Guyana's Team Two scored a victory over Dominica 3-1 in round 9. Keron Sandiford and Kyle Couchman drew with Nigel Francis and Nicholas Goldberg, while Sasha Shariff and Aditi Joshi defeated Zahidu Henry and Ayani Casimir.

The tournament was supervised by International Arbiter Kelvin Daniel from Barbados, FIDE Arbiter John Lee, and National

The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) expresses its sincere gratitude to the Caricom Secretariat for their collaboration in making this historic tournament possible and to the participating member states for competing and visiting our shores.

The GCF says it is incredibly grateful to the sponsors for their generous support. Thanks were expressed to Texila American University, ENet, ExxonMobil, Topco, Republic Bank (Guyana) Ltd, KFC, Guyoil, Starbucks, Optique Vision Care, Rouge Salon and Spa, Platinum Investments, NEW GPC INC, Sterling Products Ltd, Semekiah Supercentre, Regency Mall, Marics & Co Ltd, GSK Inc, Guycan Inc, and Icon Investments who came

on board to support the event.

Thanks were also extended to the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel for their support and sponsorship.

The GCF also wishes to acknowledge the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and the Confederation of Chess for the Americas (CCA) for their kind support.

Furthermore, the Federation expressed immense gratitude to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for their sponsorship of the event.

The contributions of these sponsors were instrumental in making the event a success, and the GCF could not have done it without their support.

The Board of Directors and the membership are immensely proud of the Guyanese players who represented their country in this inaugural chess tournament.

Congratulations are extended to all of them. Thanks to the visiting teams for participating: The Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, and St Lucia.

New spectator pavilion for South Dakota

The Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) is delighted to announce the planned construction of a new spectator pavilion at the South Dakota Circuit, an initiative supported by the Government of Guyana. This announcement follows the Government's allocation of $4.6 billion for sports advancement within the historic 2024 national budget, underlining its commitment to sports development in the nation.

GMR&SC President Mahendra Boodhoo has expressed profound gratitude

for the Government's support, emphasising the significance of this development in the advancement of motorsport in Guyana. This comes on the heels of the recent extension of the South Dakota circuit to 1.6 miles, a change that has significantly contributed to the sport's growth. Motorsport in Guyana has seen substantial progress, with increased inclusivity, faster cars, and closer competition marking the success of these efforts.

The proposed pavilion will feature essential amenities, including washroom facilities and shaded areas, ca-

tering to valued spectators, particularly women and children, who have shown growing interest in the sport over the years. The GMR&SC executive team, responsible for laying the groundwork for this project, remains dedicated to pushing forward motorsport development with longterm plans and goals.

This pavilion represents more than just a structure; it symbolises the commitment to enhancing the spectator experience and ensuring the continued growth of motorsport as a cherished sport in Guyana and around the Caribbean.

The

John,

The initial breakaway featured John, Curtis Dey, Paul Choonam, Alex Mendes, Aron Newton, Mario Washington and veteran Paul Persaud. However, John used his experience aided by the wind despite early challenges to ride the second half of the race solo to cross the finish line five minutes ahead of Dey, Choonam, and Alexander Logan, who came in after him in that order.

The fifth spot went to Mendes, with Newton rounding out the top six finishers.

Thirty-nine cyclists rode off from the starting point outside Freedom House at the corner of Main and Cheddi Jagan Streets in New Amsterdam when Region Six Chairman David Armogan downed the flag, to proceed to Number 62 Village on the Corentyne and then back, stopping at Port Mourant where the race ended.

the

Niles and Newton, who have titles for the Berbice leg under their belts, have competed in all 27 editions of the event.

John copped two of the 10 sprint point prizes, with Persaud and Choonam also taking two each. The others went to Aron, Dey, Mendez, and Washington.

Meanwhile, the third leg of the event will be held on March 31, in Region Three. (G4)