Guyana Times - Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Guyana earned $150B in oil revenues from January 2020 to March 2022

CIOG calls on Guyanese to change culture of ‘drinking and driving’ Guyanese pastor jailed for raping teenage girls in Turks and Caicos

– gazette of revenues to NRF laid in Parliament – as Govt continues transparency in managing oil funds

T&T PM arrives ahead of Agri Forum & Expo

Rural Constable among 3 injured during “brawl” over parking

Children among 6 injured after car turns turtle at Yarrowkabra

Shoemaker busted with 16.5lbs of ganja remanded

Ex-convict found dead weeks after release from prison 65

Ex-convict found dead weeks after release from prison

A23-year-old man who was recently released from prison after

serving time for simple larceny was on Tuesday found dead on a vacant plot of land at Number 55 Village, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

Dead is Akash Pechia, called “Logoo”, a labourer, of Number 50 Village, Corentyne. His body reportedly bore several marks of violence. Following the discovery, two persons were taken into custody, including one of Pechia’s cousins, a 23-year-old male.

Police are working on the theory that Pechia might have been killed and his body dumped in the village, a short distance from the Number 55 cemetery. Given the marks visible on Pechia’s

body, villagers believe that the man was tortured.

In August 2021, Pechia escaped from Police custo-

dy while at the Number 51 Police Station after he was arrested on a larceny charge. He was subsequently rear-

rested and charged with escape from lawful custody.

His cousin, Hemwattie Pechia explained that he was released from prison about three weeks ago on bail.

She believes that he

might have been killed by someone from whom he stole. She told Guyana Times that she learned of her cousin’s demise via a Facebook post.

“What I saw was like a chop behind the ears and a chop on his hand. That is what I saw on Facebook. When I was going in the street to go and see him –but he was already gone, a lady tell me that he had bad chops, that the back chop bad and one of his hand chop bad actually is the skin holding it, but I did not see that,” the cousin said.

She said the last time she saw her cousin alive was during last week when he visited her Number 47 Village home. On that occasion, he said that someone – an ex-convict – was after him.

“He come by me someday in last week, I can’t remember which day and Ah warn him that I don’t want to hear that he go back to jail and we were gaffing and making a joke and then he tell me that ‘Abel’, he does drive a private car and he give me the number, but I did not put that in my head (memorise) catch his friend and beat up his friend and ask him where “Logoo” and I ask him if he do the boy anything, why the boy looking for you? He tell me he know the boy from jail. I tell him he must not be on the road late, but he like to go to Skeldon to sport,” Hemwattie recalled.

The cousin noted that she frequently warned him to stay out of trouble. According to her, she has since provided that information to the Police.

“They take the information, but they did not take a statement; I did not sign, but they told me that they are investigating,” Hemwattie said.

She is urging the Police to question those persons so named.

She related that the Police have arrested one of her brothers and another man for questioning in relation to the murder.

“They detained my brother and one of his friends, because the three of them, three mostly, does go to Skeldon to sport night times. I don’t’ know if the two of them was last seen with him or what, but I did not get to talk with my brother or the friend, because they in custody.”

According to Hemwattie, she would mostly communicate with her brother via telephone. Police are continuing their investigations into the incident.

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, May 18 – 04:30h – 05:30h and Thursday, May 19 – 04:00h – 05:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Wednesday, May 18 – 05:35h – 07:05h and Thursday, May 19 – 06:25h – 07:55h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be sunshine during the day. Expect clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-Easterly to North North-Easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 18:21h reaching a maximum height of 2.61 metres. Low Tide: 11:32h reaching a minimum height of 0.38 metre.

Guyana earned $150B in oil revenues from January 2020 to March 2022

– gazette of revenues to NRF laid in Parliament – as Govt continues transparency in managing oil funds

n keeping with its public assurances of transparent management of the oil and gas sector, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government has laid a gazetted list of all revenues into the Natural Resource Fund (NRF), in the National Assembly.

According to the information tabled by Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, Guyana received a whopping $150 billion, or US$719.5 million, as payments for oil and royalty between the periods of January 1, 2020, and March 31, 2022.

This data, which the Natural Resource Fund Act 2021 mandates must be presented in the National Assembly, comes from the Official Gazette of Guyana and was compiled by the

mer bauxite industry official and former MP for the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR); and Ramesh Dookhoo, a longstanding executive of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), who was nominated by the body.

others are expected to take their Oaths of Office shortly.

Section 3 (1) of the NRF Act 2021, Act No 19 of 2021, which was assented to by President Ali on December 30, 2021, establishes the NRF to manage the nat-

Bank of Guyana.

According to the data, a huge portion of the money Guyana earned from the oil and gas sector came from the sale of oil. Some $133.1 billion (US$638.2 million) was received as profit oil, while the royalty received accounts for the remaining $16.8 billion or US$81 million.

The Gazette notification covers profit oil and royalty deposits from March 2020 to February 2022. While profit oil comes from Guyana’s crude entitlements, royalties are paid on a quarterly basis.

It was only in April that, in keeping with his powers under the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Act 2021, President Dr Irfaan Ali appointed five persons to the NRF Board, including Major General (retired) Joe Singh, who will chair the Board.

The others who were appointed were United Kingdom Member of Parliament (MP) with Guyanese roots, David Lammy, and Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, who currently serves as Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Also appointed were the National Assembly nominee Dunstan Barrow, a for-

It was explained that Major General Singh had been appointed the Chairman of the Board of Directors, and he and the

ural resource wealth of Guyana for the present and future benefit of the people, in an effective and efficient manner, and in accor-

dance with the principles of good governance, transparency, accountability, and international best practices, including the Santiago Principles.

Section 5 (1) of the Act provides for a Board of Directors of the Fund comprising not less than three and not more than five members, who shall be appointed by the President, inclusive of a chairperson. In accordance with Section 5 (2), these Directors are to be selected from persons who have wide experience in legal, financial, business, or administrative matters, one of whom shall be nominated by the National Assembly and one of whom shall be a representative of the Private Sector.

The Act also provides for the appointment of two committees, one of which is the Public Accountability and Oversight Committee, which will provide non-Government oversight of the Fund and comprises various civil society representatives who will have to present a report to the National Assembly annually.

The other committee is an Investment Committee, which will have seven members, including nominees by the Attorney General, the Opposition Leader, and the Private Sector. This body will be responsible for advising the Board of Directors on its investment mandate commensurate with current conditions, opportunities, and constraints in relevant financial markets. It will be reporting directly to the Board.

Editor: Tusika Martin

News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761

Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707

Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown

Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

Equitable opportunities

One of the best ways by which individuals can be empowered is by an appropriate education and creation of empowerment programmes to enable equitable opportunities for upward mobility for every citizen, yet disadvantaged women and youths proliferate, not only in Guyana, but the Caribbean and further afield as well.

Societies in general are veering away from male domination in work places, and Government and the Private Sector are determined to provide equal opportunities for employees –regardless of gender.

The issue of women and their role in development has always been a topic of interest, and debates have centred around the challenges women face in getting access to the same opportunities as men, and, in a general sense, programmes and policies that could be implemented to ensure their economic and social advancement.

Women, over the years, have made tremendous progress, not only in terms of their own advancement, but by playing key roles in the development of their own communities, and, by extension, allowing other women opportunities to develop themselves. However, many challenges remain, and these must be tackled to ensure that women have access to the opportunities and resources needed to allow them to lead more productive and fulfilling lives.

However, women – the child-bearers and primary childcarers – are disadvantaged by domestic responsibilities; and many men abdicate their responsibilities in parenting and being equal partners in the home.

There is a dire need for men to create behavioural change in their domestic and child-rearing engagements: the accrued benefits to the entire family would be manifold; and the satisfaction and happiness of family togetherness would redound to the wellbeing of everyone, not least the children. If they grow up in an environment of caring and sharing, most likely they would become rounded adults, and incidents of juvenile delinquency would be reduced.

Despite many attempts by successive Governments to empower/educate women and youths in diverse ways, there are still great numbers of women with leadership skills and business acumen who are constrained by diverse circumstances from optimising their potential for wealth and job creation.

Some years ago, under the administration of former President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, the Social Protection Ministry, in collaboration with the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), launched the “Women of Worth” (WOW) loan programme, which helped single parent women start and/or expand their businesses. This initiative was driven by then subject Minister Priya Manickchand.

Through initiatives like Women of Worth, Government, in partnership with institutions like GBTI, has proven that providing enabling mechanisms can make a tangible impact on the lives of vulnerable women and, consequently, their children. By removing financial obstacles, the partnership with GBTI helped women realise their true potential through building businesses. Through the WoW initiative, women used their acumen to grow local communities, build wealth, and ultimately contribute to making Guyana better as a whole.

Before their advent into politics in then British Guiana, local women were treated as less by the colonial overlords. Women could not work in the Public Service after marriage, and they certainly could not vote, among a multiplicity of human/women/s rights constraints.

Over the years, intrepid women fought for equality, and after much struggle and countless engagements at various fora, women were permitted greater freedoms in the socio-political dynamics of the nation. Today, women proliferate in leadership roles in every sphere of activity in the nation.

One of the most pressing needs for working mothers is the provision of safe childcare facilities in communities and workplaces. There are innumerable retired nurses and teachers who would certainly happily accept employment in such facilities. The current administration is off to a great start in addressing pressing social issues, and projects slated to empower women in the society.

Why does the Caribbean have two

candidates

for Commonwealth Secretary General? (Part

B y L L oyd G eor G e W a LL er

Thankfully, with the significant abatement of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is scheduled to be held in Kigali in the week of June 20, 2022, when a decision is to be made, inter alia, about the appointment of a Secretary General for 2022-2026.

So, who are the current candidates seeking office as Secretary General of the Commonwealth for the ensuing four-year term of office? And do we know how their bids are being perceived by member states?

Of course, there is the incumbent, Baroness Scotland, who has been nominated by the Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, for appointment for a second term of office, commencing in 2022.

Her narrative in recent weeks, however, suggests a misunderstanding of the fact that she was granted an extended tenure, which is not unusual during a transition period, albeit usually for a short period. By her own very recent account, the Baroness deems herself to be in the midst of a second term, and is intent, therefore, on completing an eight-year tenure (two terms) by virtue of tradition (not decision).

She has, in fact, advised that there is “no vacancy”.

Evidently, she does not see herself as a candidate per se, but as an incumbent entitled to remain in office. We can conclude, therefore, that she is asserting that there is no opening to create a challenge by another candidate. But there is a fundamental question: On what basis would she consider herself to be in a second term of office, which was never approved, and more so specifically rejected by Commonwealth heads?

The conflicting information as to whether the Baroness is seeking a full term of four years or whether she is seeking a further extension for a period of approximately two additional years requires full clarification. In the interim, social media and Commonwealth Secretariat reports indicate that Baroness Scotland has been visiting several capitals in recent weeks. It is only reasonable to assume that she would be seeking support for retention of her leadership role. We are not privy at this time to how those overtures are resonating.

Secondly, we have the candidate from Tuvalu, Sir Iakoba Iateli, a former Governor General, who demitted office to run in that country’s general election, but was unsuccessful. To be fair, it would not be appropriate to say here much more about a candidate with whom we

are much less familiar, and in view of our focus on the Caribbean bids.

And finally, there is Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, who has been put forward by the Government of Jamaica.

Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, introduced her as being eminently qualified and experienced, expressing confidence in her capacity to lead the Commonwealth and to build bridges.

Notably, she is seeking only a single term of four years in office. Media as well as reports from several capitals indicate that the launch of her candidature in London in the presence of the Board of Governors, comprising the High Commissioners to the Commonwealth, was very well received, even as some questions were raised about the dual Caricom candidature. However, we established that raison d’être’ earlier.

Briefly said, Jamaica exercised its right to offer to serve in a capacity in which it believes it can add greater value to Commonwealth pursuits. In the words of the candidate at the launch, she is “fully dedicated to drive more purposeful and visionary action to promote and protect the principles and values of our Commonwealth family…and to lead and

2)

manage transparently and efficiently the responsibilities entrusted to the Commonwealth Secretariat, working within an effective results-based management framework”.

Commonwealth heads have not met in the four years since the Summit in London in 2018. Our citizens, including those in the Caribbean region, are looking on in expectation. The stakes therefore are high, and the next Secretary General would most certainly be held to account throughout the upcoming four-year term of office.

Undoubtedly, there is a great deal of work to be done in that period, and questions have been raised as to whether, against the background of an already tarnished record, the incumbent could achieve the desired outcomes in less than the two years that she seems to be seeking. The Tuvaluan candidate is not known, by his own admission, so it is difficult to have an indepth understanding of his Commonwealth agenda.

Can the Jamaican candidate honour her commitments in the four years that she is seeking? Let’s keenly watch the regional and wider Commonwealth space, as the final decision in Kigali would ultimately impact our personal space.

(Jamaica Observer)

Leaving the logies

By Guyanese of IndIan ancestry assocIatIon

When the Girmitiyas were originally brought, even though they were promised “housing” as part of their contract, they were dumped in the same squalid slave quarters in the “nigger yards” that were being abandoned. Throughout the 79 years of Indentureship, there were a series of commissions investigating the living conditions -- especially housing. Recommendations were made and implemented, but the “logies” remained the main type of accommodation until 1946.

The Moyne Commission, which was in British Guiana in 1939 when five sugar workers were shot and killed at Leonora Estate, made political and social recommendations that were to be implemented after WWII. A Sugar Industry Labour Welfare Fund (SILWF) was established in 1947 by applying a levy on exported sugar, to be used for rehousing sugar workers.

According to one report, there were 1247 logies at the various estates: Skeldon, 49; Port Mourant, 95; Albion, 67; Rose Hall (Canje), 132; Providence (EBB), 2; Blairmont, 39; Bath, 21; Enmore/Non Pareil, 70; Lusignan, 101; LBI, 71; Ogle, 35; Ruimveldt, 17; Houston, 23; Farm/ Diamond, 194; Wales, 54; Versailles, 52; Leonora, 80; Uitvlugt, 145.

Out of these, by 1971, there were only 17 logies standing at Port Mourant and 13 at Leonora. Eventually, between 1951 and 1964, some 10,785 lots were allocated, and the same number of houses built.

The loans in 1951 were typically for approximately BWI$1200 (US$480), and this sum was supposed to provide lumber, gutters, carpenters’ fees, paint and painters’ fees for a house approximately 24’x20’ with a 12’x10’ kitchen. The lots were leased, and the loans were to be repaid at a rate of $2 weekly, to be deducted from wages.

In each housing scheme, land for a Mandir, a Church and a Masjid were allocated for the communities to build their places of worship.

• Piped artesian water was also supplied by standpipes to each block in the schemes, from where drinking and water for household use was collected in buckets.

More bizarre than this?

Dear Editor, It is a matter of deep concern that officials in positions and who assumed office at the change of Government, when before the parliamentary oversight body on Government spending, are unable to answer questions and provide explanations and clarity to queries. Their standard response, it seems,

is reposed in the position that they were not in the position of the officer in charge at the time of the questionable transaction.

This is ludicrous and flawed, and cannot be allowed to be the acceptable norm of response from incumbents. Once the position has been offered and the appointment formalised, the responsibility to find out and know

all dimensions of previous transactions and which to account for is an expectation that becomes even more important and crucial.

From reports, it seems proper handover/takeover procedures are not in place, or observed, since the haste to get rid of previous holders precludes these basic administrative observations.

And so current incumbents are hauled before the committee ill-prepared, clumsily trying to give plausible explanations to what they do not know of, while those who know and can provide answers are long gone. Can it get any more bizarre than this?

Sincerely,

Shamshun Mohamed

I support Foreign Languages Institute

Dear Editor,

I am responding to the main thesis proposed by Dr Muniram Budhu, Professor Emeritus, in his letter regarding using windfall profits from the oil and gas boom to transform education in Guyana.

The Professor talks in forceful language of the need for a new focus in education that would lead to transformational experience in different areas of life in our country.

In supporting Dr Budhu, Dr Ganga Das refers to creativity, critical thinking and problem solving as generally missing elements in our overall education plan. And, over the past few days, other thinkers, like Dr Vishnu Bisram and Dr Tara Singh, have come forward in support of this new direction in education.

Reading all these ideas brings joy to my own mind, because we have been

boxed in for decades by the education policy and practices crafted by our colonial masters. Now with oil and gas spawning the potential for expanded trade, tourism, and diplomatic relations with countries of Latin America, Brazil, Suriname, the Middle East, the Caribbean, India and China, there is an urgent call on social and print media for the creation in Guyana of a Foreign Languages Institute (FLI) that can train young minds to communicate in Portuguese, French, Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, Arabic, Amerindian, Spanish and other like languages.

Such an institute (FLI), if properly managed, can impact the creation of a cadre of the skilled linguists we need in Guyana. Like the French parallel language institute called Alliance Française, the Guyana Language Institute should ideal -

ly have autonomy in deciding its curriculum. If, however, such autonomy is not feasible, it could be managed by a Board of Directors incorporated from both the Private and Public Sectors. To cater for increased student registration, classes can be either in-person or virtual. Students should be encouraged to apply, and be considered eligible for attendance, taking advantage of the GOAL scholarships offered by Government. This would allow them to become skilled in various language disciplines. Their subsequent placement in the country’s workforce would help to bring about the transformational experience that Dr Budhu et al have talked about.

In proposing a new vision for education, the Professor and others have pointed to the failures in the US education sys -

tem, wherein students, especially in inner-city high schools, pay little attention to Mathematics, Science and Foreign Language. Immigrant students coming from countries like Bangladesh, India, China etc. are the ones who excel in these subject areas when they come to the United States to live and study. I witnessed this fact firsthand while I was a foreign language teacher with the New York City Department of Education. Student outcomes in the United States tell a very sad tale. Let’s look at such student outcomes in the USA as a warning for us in Guyana.

Sincerely, Dr Satish Prakash Director of Studies Maharshi Dayananda Gurukula United States and Guyana

Page Foundation

“If you’re teaching today what you were teaching five years ago, either the field is dead or you are.” – Noam Chomsky

In this fun and easy science experiment, we’re going to explore and investigate weather by creating a reverse weather spout.

Water

Materials:

Drinking glass

Bowl

Paper towels

Instructions:

Twist two paper towels together.

Fill the glass with water.

Bend the twisted paper towel in the middle and place one end in the glass and the other in the bowl.

Observe as your paper towel wicks water from the glass, up and

CONTINUED FROM TUESDAY SCENE III. Another part of the island.

Thunder and lightning. Enter ARIEL, like a harpy; claps his wings upon the table; and, with a quaint device, the banquet vanishes

ARIEL

You are three men of sin, whom Destiny, That hath to instrument this lower world

And what is in’t, the never-surfeited sea Hath caused to belch up you; and on this island

Where man doth not inhabit; you ‘mongst men Being most unfit to live. I have made you mad; And even with such-like valour men hang and drown Their proper selves.

ALONSO, SEBASTIAN & c. draw their swords You fools! I and my fellows Are ministers of Fate: the elements,

Of whom your swords are temper’d, may as well Wound the loud winds, or with bemock’d-at stabs Kill the still-closing waters, as diminish One dowle that’s in my

over the rim, and into the bowl.

How it works:

In this fun and easy experiment, we used capillary action to move

plume: my fellow-ministers Are like invulnerable. If you could hurt, Your swords are now too massy for your strengths And will not be uplifted. But remember-For that’s my business to you--that you three From Milan did supplant good Prospero; Exposed unto the sea, which hath requit it, Him and his innocent child: for which foul deed The powers, delaying, not forgetting, have Incensed the seas and shores, yea, all the creatures, Against your peace. Thee of thy son, Alonso, They have bereft; and do pronounce by me: Lingering perdition, worse than any death Can be at once, shall step by step attend

You and your ways; whose wraths to guard you from--

Which here, in this most desolate isle, else falls Upon your heads--is nothing but heart-sorrow And a clear life ensuing. He vanishes in thunder; then, to soft music enter the Shapes again, and dance, with mocks and

water up and out of the glass and into the bowl. We call this experiment a reverse water spout because contrary to popular belief a water spout does not suck up water. The water that is observable in the main funnel cloud of a water spout is actually water droplets formed through condensation.

Make this a science project:

Line up several cups and see if the capillary action continues across multiple vessels. Add salt to the water and see if this slows or speeds up the capillary action. Try different temperatures of water. (sciencefun. org)

mows, and carrying out the table

PROSPERO

Bravely the figure of this harpy hast thou Perform’d, my Ariel; a grace it had, devouring: Of my instruction hast thou nothing bated In what thou hadst to say: so, with good life And observation strange, my meaner ministers

Their several kinds have done. My high charms work And these mine enemies are all knit up In their distractions; they now are in my power;

And in these fits I leave them, while I visit

Young Ferdinand, whom they suppose is drown’d, And his and mine loved darling.

Exit above

GONZALO

I’ the name of something holy, sir, why stand you

In this strange stare?

ALONSO

O, it is monstrous, monstrous:

Methought the billows spoke and told me of it;

The winds did sing it to me, and the thunder, That deep and dreadful organ-pipe, pronounced

The name of Prosper: it did bass my trespass. Therefore my son i’ the ooze is bedded, and I’ll seek him deeper than e’er plummet sounded And with him there lie mudded.

Exit

SEBASTIAN

But one fiend at a time, I’ll fight their legions o’er.

ANTONIO I’ll be thy second.

Exeunt SEBASTIAN, and ANTONIO

GONZALO

All three of them are desperate: their great guilt, Like poison given to work a great time after, Now ‘gins to bite the spirits. I do beseech you That are of suppler joints, follow them swiftly And hinder them from what this ecstasy May now provoke them to.

ADRIAN

Follow, I pray you. Exeunt

Govt tables Hemp Bill:1-year jail, fines proposed for illegal cultivation

B y J arryl B ryan

The Hemp Bill has been laid in the National Assembly, which seeks to regularise the cultivation of hemp in Guyana, through the creation of an Industrial Hemp Regulatory Authority, while imposing heavy penalties for the illegal cultivation of hemp.

The Industrial Hemp Bill was laid in the National Assembly during Tuesday’s sitting, by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha. As Minister Mustapha explained it, the Bill will criminalise the illegal cultivation of hemp and regularise legal cultivation.

“I rise to present to the Assembly, the Industrial Hemp Bill 2022, Bill number 10 of 2022, a Bill intituled an Act to provide for the cultivation and manufacturing of industrial hemp and hemp-related products,” the Minister said.

The Bill, according to the Minister, will also “provide for the conducting of research on industrial hemp or any other activities concerning or relating to industrial hemp. To establish the Guyana Industrial Hemp Regulatory Authority and other related matters. And

I move that the Bill be read a first time.”

The Industrial Hemp Regulatory Authority, according to the Bill, will be empowered to issue, suspend and revoke hemp licenses, which will be valid for a period of 15 years and can be renewed. Additionally, it will be able to prescribe cultivation quotas, while also investigating applications for licenses.

The authority will be governed by a Board of Directors, who shall be appointed for a period of two years by the Minister of Agriculture based on nominations from the Ministries of Health and Home Affairs, the Guyana Forensic Laboratory, and the Private Sector

Commission.

Additionally, the Chief Executive Officer of the authority and two other persons chosen by the Minister will be appointed to the Board. Importantly, the Bill states that the Minister may reject any nomination and direct the respective Ministry or agency to nominate someone else.

When it comes to enforcement, Clause 28 (1) states that an authorised officer enforcing provisions in the Act may “and with a search warrant issued by a Magistrate from information oath, at any time (a) enter and search any premises if the authorised officer believes on reasonable grounds that industrial hemp or hemp-related products are being kept,

CIOG calls on Guyanese to change culture of ‘drinking and driving’

With the rise in fatal roadway accidents over the past months, the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) is calling for action to end the epidemic of road accidents caused by drunk drivers.

In a press release, the organisation said that “Too many lives are being wasted and shattered.” The organisation condemned the act of drinking and driving, saying that it can have a disastrous butterfly effect on families.

“Driving under the influence causes premature deaths, and it also has devastating effects on survivors and their families due to permanent disabilities, mental health issues, and loss of productivity leading to financial strain,” the statement read.

The organisation said that the “drunk driving plague must be addressed.”

The charitable organisation called on Guyanese authorities to put practical measures in place to combat the issue of drinking and driving.

“Our roads should not be killing grounds. Actively combat the problem by enforcing blood alcohol content laws, setting up sobriety checkpoints, and requiring mandatory alcohol abuse classes for offenders.

“Let them hear from the first responders who pick up the pieces and from the medical staff that tries to put the pieces back together and from the families whose lives have been ruined.”

The organisation recommended that the authorities should provide incentives for alcohol-serving establishments to ensure that patrons do not drive drunk from their premises.

In addition, it suggested regular distribution of pamphlets to educate the public so that they understand that alcohol diminishes and impairs judgement, depth perception, and vital motor skills required to drive safely.”

Meanwhile, CIOG charged the Guyanese society to adjust its mindset and change its culture. The organisation urged that awareness be spread of the nightmarish after -

cultivated, manufactured or supplied at those premises contrary to this Act.”

The authorised officer may also “intercept, search and seize any vehicle or equipment which an authorised officer reasonably believes is being used in relation to the possession, cultivation, manufacturing or supply of industrial hemp, seed or hemp-related products contrary to this Act.”

The Bill would also empower officers to seize any sample of the hemp for further examination while conducting their investigation, as well as remove any document, record book or any electronic device needed for their investigation. Obstructing or misleading these officers is an offence under the act.

Clause 36 provides for a general penalty for anyone committing an offence under the Act, for which a specific penalty has not already been prescribed. This general penalty is a fine of $200,000 - and one year’s

math of drinking and driving and to encourage persons to act responsibly.

“The decision begins with individuals. Choose not to drink and drive. Make the decision before you begin drinking and before you become impaired from the alcohol. Arrange to have a designated sober driver, either someone you know personally or a trusted taxi service. It’s a choice that could save innocent lives and avoid unimaginable suffering,” the statement further read.

“The goal is for everyone to get home safely and wake up to another day without regret.”

Only recently, the Police stated that road fatalities in some regions were down when compared to previous years. Nevertheless, one of the main causes of fatal accidents is speeding. Driving under the influence of alcohol was also listed as a reason.

imprisonment upon summary conviction.

The Bill also contains provisions to guard against persons planting marijuana, which is still very much illegal. These include requiring that all persons seeking to plant hemp, submit samples to ensure that the seeds and plant being cultivated do not exceed the THC concentration allowed by the Act.

There has been a lot of interest, both in and out of Guyana, on the establishment of systems for a viable hemp industry here. Hemp is a source of fibre and the oilseed is grown in more than 30 nations. It is also rich in protein, vitamins and minerals.

Industrial hemp is from the plant species Cannabis sativa and has been used worldwide to produce a variety of industrial and consumer products. Hemp is a source of fibre and the oilseed is grown in more than 30 nations.

Some uses for hemp include rope, textiles, cloth-

ing, shoes, food, paper, bioplastics, insulation, and biofuel. It is rich in protein, unsaturated fats, fibre, minerals and vitamins. Hemp protects the brain, boosts heart health, reduces inflammation, improves skin conditions and relieves rheumatoid arthritis.

Hemp seeds are known to be particularly rich in healthy fats, including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that are known for improving heart health by reducing cholesterol, blood pressure, and triglycerides. Additionally, the results of the 2021 Hemp Acreage and Production Survey in its National Hemp Report which shows data of hemp grown in the open and under protection in the United States (US), stated that the value of US hemp production in the open totalled $712 million. The value of production for hemp that was grown under protection in the US totalled $112 million.

Guyanese pastor jailed for raping teenage girls in Turks and Caicos

Forty-eight-year-old Derrick Miller, a Salvation Army pastor, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to raping two teenage girls.

On March 4, 2022, Miller pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted rape and one count of raping “Girl A”, a child under the age of 16 years; and five counts of raping “Girl B”, a child under the age of 13 years.

The victims met Miller sometime in 2014 at the Salvation Army Church in Providenciales, where he was a pastor up to the time of his arrest for the offences and placed before the Court. The sexual acts took place at his home in Blue Hills, or at the Salvation Army Church building in Plantation Hills.

Madame Justice Tanya Lobban Jackson, said: “Religious and community leaders are entrusted with children and the vulnerable for their care and protection, not for that trust or for the children to be used and abused. Persons in the community have come to admire, look up to and respect religious leaders, and when those in positions of trust abuse that trust, it damages not only victims, but also has a negative impact on the community.”

the complaint arose on Friday, May 21, 2021, when “Girl A’s older brother received a call from her school to report that a phone she was using in the class had been confiscated. Girl A’s brother received the iPhone 11, examined it, and discovered a conversation of a sexual nature on WhatsApp between his sister and Miller. He confronted her about the messages, reported the matter to the Police, and handed over the said phone to them.

On the Blackfoot...

…for the PNC

TAt the time he met the victims, “Girl A” was six years old and “Girl B” was 8 years old. However, at the time of the offences, “Girl A” was 11 years old (first offence) and “Girl B” was 14 years old. The girls were best friends.

She sentenced Miller to nine years’ imprisonment on each count of attempted rape, and 11 years’ imprisonment on each count of rape. The sentences are to run concurrently, and time spent on remand is to be taken into account.

In sentencing Miller, Supreme Court judge,

According to the facts outlined in the judgment,

On the same day of the report, she was taken to the Safeguarding and Public Protection Unit, where a video-recorded interview was done with her. The interview revealed that Miller had been having sexual encounters with “Girl A” for a period of time, commencing sometime after March 25th, 2020.

o the PNC, President Ali’s gotta be seen like a juggernaut - a humungous, unstoppable force that crushes everything in its path. And since they’ve placed themselves in his path, they’d better come up with a plan before they’re flattened into pancakes, or crushed into foo-foo!! Just this morning, your Eyewitness woke up to a new initiative by the President. Reacting to ground realities, the Government’s gonna be purchasing $1billion worth of fertilisers and distributing them to farmers.

The funding? Well, remember that $5 billion in the budget set aside to bring down the cost of living?? Fertilizer prices have more than tripled due to a host of conflating factors - the hike in natural gas prices (the feedstock for urea) being one - and pushed up farm prices. So, the theory is that the farmers’ input costs will be reduced, and they’ll be lowering the prices of their vegetables etc. to us, consumers.

It’s analogous to Pres Ali earlier removing shipping costs being included in the computation of duties on imported goods, and commensurately stabilising the prices of those goods from that source. You mumbled that you didn’t see that at your supermarket’s checkout counter, dear reader? Well, imagine what it would’ve been without those interventions. But from a purely political standpoint - which is where the PNC come in - for sure, one of the biggest voting blocs - farmers - gonna be tickled pink!! It’s all about the votes, baby!!

Then there’s the $25,000 cash grant to EVERY household in the riverine and hinterland populace. Wow!! In every survey done in the last half a century, those folks have remained the poorest of the poor. And that $25,000 will go a long way to alleviate their present straits. From that political angle, that’s the prime swing vote - and many will remember who stretched out their hand when they enter those voting booths in 2025!

Then there was the “Home Construction Assistance Facility”, which follows up on the massive house-lot distribution that has far exceeded its targets. In the past, there’d been complaints that many house lot owners couldn’t fund homes. Well, this programme targets those same house lot holders who’re unable to build, and who face challenges. It’ll coordinate lending by the banks using the land and the house as collateral! The icing on the cake was the removal of VAT on sheetrock and concrete board for all those hipsters who want that new-style look!!

So, exactly what can the PNC and their camp followers do to get their message through? Up to now, they’ve just been jumping up and down and yelling “DISCRIMINATION”!!

But like the boy who cried “wolf!!” one time too many, that’s not getting any traction!!

…in Ukraine

Way back, when the Ruskies invaded Ukraine in late February, your Eyewitness declared very clearly that Russia was looking for “strategic depth” - because of what it saw as an encirclement by NATO. The latter, of course, is a military alliance - and even American analysts have said it was no surprise that there was a military response. But just as it had annexed Crimea back in 2014, your Eyewitness really thought Russia was gonna be satisfied to hive off the regions adjoining its territory - which had long declared their affinity.

So how about the Russian attacks in the west - including Kyiv? In your Eyewitness’s humble opinion - then and now - that was just a feint to keep the West off balance. There’s no way the Russians would get bogged down in a war of attrition in Ukraine. Even if the West didn’t step in, Ukrainian nationalism - especially its right-wing manifestation - would’ve been their Achilles heel. So, with Mariupol fallen, the Ruskies will now pull out from the western theatre.

…against legal change

Your Eyewitness is pretty pleased that ex-AG Basil Williams, SC, surfaced to protest proposed changes to the law of evidence: that a person’s confession can be used against others involved in a crime.

He’s worried about the Rigging Four’s confessions?

T&T PM arrives ahead of Agri Forum & Expo

Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) Prime Minister

Dr Keith Rowley arrived in Guyana on Tuesday, ahead of the AgriInvestment Forum and Expo.

Upon arrival, President Dr Irfaan Ali met with the visiting Prime Minister and his delegation at State House, Main Street, Georgetown, after which they had discussions over lunch. Prime Minister Rowley and members of his Cabinet are in Guyana on a five-day visit to attend the Expo, which will be held from May 19-21 at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

The Guyana delegation was composed of Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh; Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharat, Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond; Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud and other officials.

Undertaking the mantle to lead the agri-food agenda for the Caribbean Region while cutting the colossal food import bill, Guyana will be the hub for potential investment talks this week at the inaugural Agri-Investment Expo and Forum.

Preparations are in the final stage for the hosting of the three-day event, organised at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on the East Coast of Demerara with key input from the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

Over 250 exhibitors have already booked their booth, with international stakeholders from countries such as Jamaica, the United States of America, Trinidad and Tobago, Ghana and Barbados.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha shared during Monday’s update of the event that 82 local agro-processors will be involved. Some 550 delegates – 400 of whom are overseas-based – will be in attendance.

During the event, potential investors and donors will discuss emerging opportunities for agriculture in Caricom. A matching of bankable agricultural projects with willing private and public financiers will also advance the food system agenda for the region.

Besides Dr Rowley, the attendance of four other Heads of Government from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, and Dominica have thus far been confirmed. The Deputy Prime Minister of the Bahamas, and the Premier of Montserrat will also be arriving. The Agriculture Ministers of the Bahamas, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Dominica and Barbados will be part of this event.

At the 32rd Inter-

lished and tasked with guiding the transformation of the regional agri-food system towards full commercialisation. A prime focus was to address the rising food import bill and to stimulate investment in agriculture and food production.

By the 33rd sessional conference, President Irfaan Ali had presented a detailed plan for commercialising the agri-food sector and at the same time, attaining the vision for reducing the food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025. Emphasis was placed on countries and their respective target areas. The Heads of States had also agreed on an agriculture fo-

rum and expo, cementing a platform for investment in the regional agriculture sector.

“The forum is therefore geared towards the promotion, engagement and informed dialogue among key stakeholders along the agri-food value chain of policymakers, development partners, foreign and local private investors, farmers, distributors, and on how investment could be encouraged,” the Agriculture Minister asserted.

Assistant Secretary General for Trade and Economic Integration at the Caricom Secretariat, Joseph Cox zeroed in on the US$6

billion food import bill for the region during the press conference, identifying the vast potential for investors to tap into.

“That’s US$6 billion of potential opportunities for the region that we have to seek to capitalise on. We’re extremely buoyed by the interest that has been shown from countries all over the world and indeed by participants who continue to bombard us at Caricom and Guyana in terms on how they can participate. There is an appetite for it and it is full time that we start to treat with, and confront the opportunities that exist.”

Ramsammy’s Ruminations

President Irfaan Ali’s PPP Government aggressively transforming Guyana in every way

While there are naysayers trying desperately to distract us, President Irfaan Ali’s PPP Government is aggressively transforming Guyana. Already, in less than two years since becoming President, Guyana is looking very different from August 2, 2020. There are plans that changed the infrastructure and physical appearance of the country, that created hundreds of new jobs, plans to change the educational and health capacities of the country, plans that have enormous implications for the economic development of Guyana, and plans to ease the cost-of-living of citizens in the hinterland and riverine areas of Guyana.

The naysayers have given up finding any real criticism; these days, they just throw up their hands in desperation, begging the Government to slow down a little bit, that the development pace is too dizzying for them.

Dr Leslie Ramsammy

On the economic front, two important announcements add to the President’s economic vision. First, four bidders have submitted proposals for the construction of a $1.5B sugar packaging plant at Albion. This will bring a number of new jobs to the area, and increase the visibility of the Albion Sugar Estate. This is the estate where the PPP Government before 2015 had initiated a prototype ethanol production plant that was closed during the APNU+AFC term in Government. The PPP has included ethanol production as part of the new sugar industry. For those who still question the PPP’s commitment to maintaining sugar as an important part of the economy, this development should cause them to pause for a moment.

The second announcement on the economic front that underlines President Ali’s PPP Government’s development path is that Guyana exported manganese for the first time in more than fifty years. Matthew’s Ridge was one of the few areas in the hinterland with a meaningful economic activity in the 1960s. The PNC under Forbes Burnham closed the then viable manganese industry. I was part of a team led by the then President Bharrat Jagdeo that visited Matthew’s Ridge with a team from Canada that was looking to restart the manganese industry. When it was announced in the media, the naysayers claimed this would never happen. APNU/AFC could have accelerated the plan to restart the industry. Like everything else, APNU/AFC did nothing to push the project. Less than two years after President Ali was sworn in, Guyana is again a manganese exporter.

These two above announcements together demonstrate that the President’s articulation of a diversified economy is not just talk, and clearly show the President is committed to the idea that Guyana will not allow itself to become a mainly oil-and-gas economy.

Even as this truth is becoming real for Guyanese, delegates, including several heads of states, will be in Guyana this week for an Agriculture Investment Conference, the first ever in Guyana and Caricom. Guyana wants to remain a champion for an agriculturebased economy.

This week, the Ministry of Education announced that it would henceforth require all untrained teachers to register with the CPCE, to complete their training in education and teaching. When the PPP was forced out of office in 1964, more than 20% of our teachers were trained in a teachers’ training college programme started by the Cheddi Jagan-led PPP Government. By 1992, the number of trained teachers in our schools had not meaningfully changed, more than thirty years after teachers’ training started in Guyana. Today, almost 80% of the teachers are trained, and now the PPP Government is making sure that before Irfaan Ali seeks a second term in Government, all teachers would be trained teachers. President Ali is ensuring that education in Guyana is a priority.

Together with other programmes, such as the GOAL programme which wants to ensure more than 20,000 Guyanese become trained through a scholarship programme, the announcement of an initiative to have only trained teachers in our school adds to the education DNA of the PPP Government.

Making people’s lives better has always been the core of the PPP’s governance. This week, President Ali, through the Attorney General, announced new legislation that would make causing death when driving under the influence of alcohol or other illicit drugs a crime punishable by at least ten years’ jail time. Road deaths are an epidemic in Guyana, and in countries around the world. One major cause of road accidents and fatalities is drunken driving. President Ali has had enough, and has taken a bold step. He wants to make our roads safer, and, in that regard, he is also pushing roadside cameras to capture those who speed on our roadways.

Such news these days come at a dizzying pace. As Guyanese were contemplating the announcements highlighted above, the President was adding more announcements. He announced that every family in hinterland and riverine areas would receive $25,000 support to ease cost-of-living. In addition, he announced the procurement of over $1B worth of fertilisers for free distribution to farmers around the country. In that same address, he announced the Government would remove VAT from certain building materials, such as sheetrock and concrete blocks. In a fourth announcement, President Ali announced support for those persons with house lots to build their homes with pre-designed homes at a cost of $7M, $9M and $12M. Loans would be arranged through the banks.

President Ali is working for the people of Guyana. This is what is meant by ONE GUYANA.

Police Youth Group formed at Micobie Village

As part of the Guyana Police Force’s strategy, a Police Youth group was on Monday launched at Micobie Village in Region Eight (Potaro–Siparuni). It is the first group of its kind, and it has a total of 60 youths, who are between the ages of 5 and 17 years old.

Micobie is a village that was established in the 19th century, and is located on the right back of the Potaro River, near the Village of Tumatumari. It is some 60 minutes’ travel away from the town of Mahdia using a motor vehicle.

The group was established by the Officer-inCharge of Sub-Region #8 (Mahdia), Assistant Superintendent Oswald Pitt, along with Community Relations Officer and Subordinate Officer-inCharge of Regional Police Division # 8 Headquarters,

Officer-in-Charge of Sub-Region #8 (Mahdia), Assistant Superintendent Oswald Pitt, and other officials of the Guyana Police Force with members of the newly formed youth group

Sergeant Asif Hakim, and the Village’s Deputy Toshao, Isaac Williams.

During the launch, several topics were covered by ASP Pitt, such as domestic

violence, sexual abuse, drug abuse, and teenage pregnancy, among others. Pitt, however, charged the youths to stay in school and do their best, while

assuring them that the Guyana Police Force would continue to support the community, so that the youths could remain occupied in a meaningful way.

The officer also underscored the need for the community to partner with the Force in an effort to curb and prevent criminal activities.

Meanwhile, Community Relations Officer Hakim spoke with the youths about the need for togetherness and working closely with each other, and also stressed the need for the community not to see the Force as an enemy, but as a friend.

Additionally, with the launch of the youth group, the village will now see active participation in various activities, such as pageants, educational competitions, sports competitions, educational classes, and site visits, among others.

Over 11,000 house lots distributed by PPP/C Govt – Min Croal

as Condominium Bill receives blessings of House ...paves way for construction of high-rise buildings

Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal on Tuesday told a sitting of the National Assembly that the People’s Progressive

Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has so far distributed over 11,000 house lots since taking office in August 2020.

During his presentation on the Condominium Bill, Croal was happy to report that the Ministry has already surpassed its house lot distribu-

tion targets for 2020 and 2021.

“And we will do the same for 2022. In fact, we have allocated over 11,000 house lots to date. Further, as we speak, more than 1100 houses are being built in eight housing areas across the country, 300 of which have already been handed over to the homeowners,” Croal stated.

According to him, the Government is cognisant of the demand for housing, which he noted remains high, and as such, assured that the Government is actively seeking to acquire new lands and develop current ones.

“The acquisition of new lands and the execution of critical infrastructure development works will clear the way for the allocation of more. And more lots will be allocated, being cognisant of the challenges that allottees encounter when financing the construction of their homes, we have sought to make access to credit easier,” the Housing Minister related.

As a result, the low-income mortgage loan ceiling has increased from $8 million to $15 million for the period August 2020 to February of this year. This, of course, has made homeownership more attainable as banks can now approve a higher number of mortgages annually, coupled with the reinstatement of the $30 million ceiling for mort-

gage relief.

The Condominium Bill, which was first tabled in April, seeks to regularise the purchase of duplexes and condominiums. It provides for the horizontal and vertical subdivision of buildings, for individual ownership and management of units.

Among other things, the Bill paves the way for commercial banks to accept titles for the properties, and insurance companies to issue policies to owners of condominiums. Clause 19 of the Bill states that units in a condominium constitute immovable property, while Clause 20 provides for the title of ownership of a condominium unit.

Clause 44 empowers unit owners to insure their respective units. The Bill also requires that proposed declarations and descriptions of units be approved by the Minister before a condominium is constructed, or before an existing building is converted into a condominium. It also empowers the Minister to approve, reject, or direct the amend-

ment of a proposed declaration and description.

The crafting and tabling of such a Bill fulfil the promise of the PPP/C Government, which was made after it was discovered that the former coalition Administration had constructed duplexes (a home with two individually-owned units in one building) without amending the relevant legislation that guides the regulation of such properties.

The Bill was crafted by the Ministry of Housing and Water and the Attorney General’s Chambers. It forms part of the Government’s legislative agenda which is directed towards a revamp of many of the archaic and outmoded laws of the country, as well as to lay the foundation for the economic development anticipated to take place in the very near future.

At present and with the oil and gas sector bringing not only foreigners but also members of the Guyanese diaspora to these shores, there is a demand for condominiums that are of a world-class quality.

Children among 6 injured after car turns turtle at Yarrowkabra

Two children - a oneyear-old and a fouryear-old were among six people who were injured in an accident at Yarrowkabra, SoesdykeLinden Highway, on Tuesday morning.

The accident reportedly occurred around 11:40h and involved motor car bearing registration number PAB 2411 driven by a 33-year-old man of Half Mile Wismar, Linden.

Those injured are Ayanna Liddell, 19; Amaica Liddell, 4; David Warde, 24; 1-year-old Nitchell Warde; Mitchell Petters, 36; and the driver, Paul Archer.

Police stated that on the day in question, the motor car was proceeding along Yarrowkabra at a fast rate of speed when the driver lost control of the vehicle thus causing it to topple several times before coming to a halt on the grass parapet.

As a result, the driver and occupants received injuries and were pulled from the wreckage by public-spirited citizens and taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre

where they were treated. Archer, David Warde, and Nitchell Warde were treated and sent away; while Petters, Amaica Liddell, and

Ayanna Liddell were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital for further medical treatment.

Single mother who witnessed son’s murder struggles to survive

After witnessing the murder of her son about a year ago, a 52-year-old single mother of three has been struggling to survive, and is now being faced with an eviction notice after she failed to pay rent for the past six months.

Nicole Daniels of Belle West, Canal Number Two, West Bank Demerara (WBD) gave birth to four children, but her eldest was killed on February 5, 2021. Emanuel Samuel Solomon, called “Manny”, was allegedly stabbed to death; the matter is currently engaging the attention of the court.

Media reports indicate that Solomon and the suspects had an argument over a football game, which resulted in him being stabbed to death at his home.

Solomon worked as a labourer, and used to help support the family. Since his demise, his grief-stricken mother has fallen ill, and now she, too, is unable to provide to the best of her ability.

The single mother, who previously worked at a canteen, says that for the past year, her family has been depending on help from persons.

Guyanese pastor jailed for raping...

The sexual acts took place at his home in Blue Hills, or at the Salvation Army Church building in Plantation Hills.

On two occasions, Miller took the two girls to his home, and had sexual intercourse with Girl A in the presence of Girl B, and on a separate occasion, he asked Girl A to perform oral sex on him. On yet another occasion, Miller had anal intercourse with her.

On May 25, 2021, the Police interviewed Girl B at the Safeguarding and Public Protection Unit, and she disclosed that, in 2020 and 2021, there were occasions when Miller would take her to school and sometimes buy her toiletries.

Then, one day in January of 2021, after church, he informed her that he had been having sex with S.P, and invited her to join them. Miller then took her to his home, and attempted to have sex with her, but was unsuccessful. He then forced her to have oral sex with him.

On another occasion, Miller took both girls to his house, and attempted to have intercourse with Girl B again. However, she refused to continue, and the pastor then proceeded to have intercourse with Girl A in the presence of Girl B. According to the judgment, as a result of being one of the victims in this case, Girl A has been separated from her family and placed in a safer environment.

“This aspect has apparently had the most devastating effect on her. She blames “Captain Miller”, who was her godfather, an indication of the high regard in which he was held by her family.

Girl A says that she feels

bad about what happened, and “wants Captain Miller to know that he is a bad person and needs to stay in prison for the rest of his life, because I do not want this to ever happen to any other child.”

Girl A, who has been receiving counselling, says she is often sad, and has trust issues, especially around men. However, she feels safer knowing that (Miller) is in prison.

In summary and in her own words, Girl A said: “I want Captain Miller to stay in jail forever. I believe Captain Miller is a danger, he should remain in prison for a long time, because of the things he has taken away from me.”

The other victim opted not to write a victim impact statement, but shared that she feels terrible about what transpired.

The judgment noted that the pre-sentence report disclosed that Miller is 48 years old, was raised in a good home, his father was an Assistant Commissioner of Police and his mother was a school principal.

He spent the majority of his formative years attending church, and categorised his childhood in positive terms.

Miller, who is married, received a high school diploma at North Georgetown High (Secondary) School in Guyana; he attended the Salvation Army Training College in Jamaica, where he completed several training courses, including “Safe & Sound,” a programme designed for the protection of children and vulnerable adults. He also enrolled in the Jamaican Theological College, where he pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology.

The judgment said Miller’s family members and colleagues expressed shock at his involvement in the current offences. The Salvation Army Divisional Commander described his actions as “totally out of character”, and noted that “grown adults interfering with children cannot be taken lightly”.

Miller was assessed as being “articulate, manipulative and charismatic; all traits he used for his benefit

to achieve his desired goals. …given his charming personality and the help he provided to the victims and their families, it was easy for an attachment to form. Mr. Miller is well knowledgeable about the various psychosocial aspects of vulnerable children and families. He performed many functions which made it easy to cross boundaries and have sexual interactions with the victims”.

In arriving at the sentenc-

“I cannot work at all, because of the shock of my son’s death in which I witnessed; me and my children,” the woman expressed. Those children are aged 19, 15 and 8.

According to the woman, the entire family is traumatised, and they cannot afford counselling.

To make matters worse, the woman’s 15-year-old son is epileptic, and would need medical attention from time to time.

Her 19-year-old daughter is unemployed. The two children who remain in school may soon have to drop out, the mother laments. She says

FROM PAGE 8

es, Judge Lobban Jackson said she considered a victim impact statement, a pre-sentence report, and took the principles of sentencing, including the totality principle, into account.

“The court bore in mind that it had to balance a number of competing interests and objectives; and therefore (had) to tailor the sentence to suit the offence(s) and the offender, while maintaining a level of transparency,” she

she cannot afford to keep them in school, due to transportation and other expenses associated with getting an education.

“I can’t even buy anything for my children. People would call us and give us one or two things that cannot fit them…from last year to this year, many of days me and my daughter would go around begging for something to cook, because of nothing in the house: no sugar, no rice, flour, not even a drop of cooking oil…some days we go to bed with just water. My two children that is in school could not go out to even do their school work,” she explained.

Asked why she does not try to find a job, the woman explained that since the murder of her son, she would get panic attacks, which sometimes result in her “blacking out”.

“Because of what I am going through, I am unable to pay my rent, and I was asked to be removed from the house that I am living in,” the woman said.

Anyone who is willing to assist the family can contact them on 688-0009.

said. “The court considered the vulnerability of the victims, as a result of extreme youth and personal circumstances; and culpability, due to (Miller’s) abuse of the trust reposed in him as the pastor of the church which the victims attended. As well as evidence of grooming behaviour towards the victims, and also places of the offending.” (Turks and Caicos SUN Newspaper)

65 new COVID cases recorded in 24h

– active cases now 377

COVID-19 cases continue to surge with another 65 new infections detected during a 24-hour period, the Health Ministry reported on Tuesday.

The positive cases reported to date totalled 63,926. New statistics released by the Ministry show that there are 360 persons in isolation, three in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 13 in institutional isolation, and one in institutional quarantine.

Of the 65 cases that were detected, three are from Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam); 12 in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara); 37 in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), 11 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), and two in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

There have been no reported cases of deaths thus the death toll remains at 1228. Nineteen new persons have recovered from the virus in the last 24 hours, taking

the number of recovered cases to 62,334.

The recovery rate is approximately 98 per cent in Guyana, from the 29,416 males and 34,510 females that have tested positive.

Vaccination figures remain the same, indicating that 441,071 first doses and 340,572 second doses were distributed to adults. This is approximately 86 per cent and 66.4 per cent, respectively. For children aged 12 to 17, 25,355 or 34.7 per cent are completely vaccinated. Booster shot administration also remains the same, with 63,574 jabs having already been administered.

Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 have been detected in more than a dozen countries, said the World Health Organisation. The two appear to be more contagious, officials have confirmed.

Another Omicron subvariant called BA.2.12.1 has been detected in 23 countries. With the suspicion that

the Omicron subvariant BA.2 might be in circulation locally, Guyanese authorities had signalled plans to send samples for gene sequencing.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony identified this as a likely reason for the recent rise in positives during a briefing last week. Currently, the country does not possess the resources to conduct its own sequencing but relies on agencies such as the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).

Global figures show that almost 517.6 million people have tested positive for the virus and 6.2 million have died.

In the Americas, more than 154.2 million confirmed cases have been reported with over 2.7 million deaths.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 or needs any additional information, they are asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately.

Shoemaker busted with 16.5lbs of ganja remanded

Ashoemaker who was busted by Police at the Mackenzie Market, Linden with 16.5lbs of marijuana was charged and remanded to prison on Tuesday.

Carlos McPherson, 29, of Canvas City, Wismar, Linden, appeared at the Linden Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Wanda Fortune, on a ‘possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking’ charge.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge and was remanded to prison until June 2, 2022.

Just recently, three persons from East Berbice who were busted with more than $1 million worth of ganja at Rose Hall Town had each been arraigned before New Amsterdam Magistrate Robindranauth Singh on a charge of pos-

Charged: Carlos McPherson

session of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

At the arraignment, 54-year-old Veronica Walker initially pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to her, but soon after changed her plea. As such, she was re-

manded to prison. Thirtyyear-old Simeon Lawson and 34-year-old Neshella Walker pleaded not guilty and were released on $250,000 bail each.

Reports are the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) had swooped down on a house at Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, Berbice, and unearthed a quantity of ganja worth $1,160,000. CANU agents had received information that led to a ‘narcotics exercise’ being conducted at St Paul’s Street in Rose Hall Town, during which a salt bag containing several parcels of ganja was discovered. The narcotic was taken to CANU Headquarters, where it was weighed, amounting to 3.868kg, which has a street value of $1,160,400.

Rural Constable among 3 injured during “brawl” over parking

Three men are now nursing stab wounds about their bodies following a brawl over parking at D’Andrade, Kitty, Georgetown. Those injured are 36-yearold Rural Constable Kinray Joseph; 34-year-old Kennedy Barky, a taxi driver; and Gordon Branch, 51, also a taxi driver.

Police stated that Joseph resides with his mother in D’Andrade Street, and his mother normally holds “box hands”. Police said Barky, along with his two children and his reputed wife also live in a rented apartment in the same yard.

However, on Monday, at about 08:15h, Branch, who throws box with Joseph’s mother, went to drop off his money and in doing so, he parked his car and blocked the entrance to the said yard.

Using a series of explicit language, Barky asked Branch “how he is going to park his car and block the entrance”. This led to an argument between the two men.

Joseph, who was in his house at the time, heard the argument and went out to make peace, during which Barky pulled a knife from his pants pocket and dealt him several stabs about his body,

including his neck. Upon seeing this, Branch attempted to separate them, during which he was stabbed in his right hand. In retaliation, Branch went to his car, took out a cutlass, and dealt Barky a chop to his left hand. The matter was reported to Kitty Police Station, and they were all taken by ambulance to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where Barky was admitted as a patient.

Joseph is being observed in the accident and emergency ward and Branch was treated and sent away. An investigation is underway.

APNU/AFC Opposition to formally request national consultations on electoral reforms

The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) on Tuesday stated that the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Opposition will formally request from President Dr Irfaan Ali, a national consultation on electoral reforms.

“We have indicated that what we will do is present a formal position on this issue, we have listened to civil society, we have had internally our preparation of a document that will be discussed when we engage GECOM (Guyana

Elections Commission) and the wider society,” Leader of the Opposition Aubrey Norton explained at the conference.

When questioned about the Opposition’s late approach which has taken about six months since the Government first circulated the proposed draft amendments to the Representation of the People Act, Norton stated that they were avoiding being politicised by the current Administration.

“Well, it hasn’t taken six months we have always formulated our position. But we understand politics in Guyana if we had run out and been in the forefront of proposing what the PPP was doing it would have been seen as political.”

“What we have allowed is for civil society and others to comment, we have supported and we believed at the right time we will engage and ensure the objectives we set out, I believe there’s a place for civil society and if political space can be created for civil society to act, then one stands a better chance of finding consensus and moving forward,” he stated.

The APNU/AFC stated that local, regional and national elections must meet three objectives – only who are eligible must be registered; results must accurately reflect the will of those who have voted and, every step of the election process that is registration, production of voters’ list, voting and counting and tabulation and the declaration of results must win the trust and confidence of the public.

The Opposition stated that they maintain that comprehensive electoral reforms must rest on four pillars, the first being “A thorough review by GECOM of its performance in managing recent elections - the plethora of faults and irregularities intended and unintended in the 2020 elections alone must not be brushed under the carpet to resurface again they must be swept out for good,” the party said.

To achieve this, they noted that a thorough and honest review must be conducted as necessary, agreeing with GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander that GECOM itself must not conduct such a review but should be the one to commission it.

Secondly, the Opposition highlighted that national consultation for electoral reforms must involve the public civil society and the parliamentary political parties which must be modelled after the 1999/2000 constitution reform commission process and must include key elements like a multi-stakeholder expert committee, a consensus chairperson, a public call for oral and written submissions and several national conversations - all being open forums.

Thirdly, they contended that the electoral reforms must include the in-depth involvement of experts on electoral laws, electoral systems, elections technologies, and elections management, anticipating that no difficulty in recruiting such expertise will be encountered given the international support for electoral reform in Guyana.

“Fourthly, wholistic constitutional and legislative amendments or enactments.

The Opposition anticipates that electoral reform will require both constitutional and statutory requirements to the statutory amendments. We stand ready to lend parliamentary support to all agreed to changes.

Time is of the essence in initiating and completing these reforms to prevent the extended postponement of Local Government Elections,” APNU/AFC explained.

Meanwhile, only recently, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall stated that with consultations currently on-

going on the proposed changes to the Representation of the People Act (RoPA), the Guyana Government is finalising a second set of amendments that would be released to the public soon.

“The second set of reforms, or proposed reforms relating to the Registration Act, shall be made public within a matter of days, as the work have been essentially completed in draft form. That will also be sent out, using a similar mechanism, inviting public consultations and recommendations and views,” Nandlall had disclosed.

This came on the heels of the Attorney General’s meeting with stakeholders who have made submissions on the proposed amendments to the RoPA, which were released to the public last November, and persons were invited to give feedback.

Submissions were received from several persons, groups and organisations, including at least one political party and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). Those who made submissions were invited to an engagement with the Legal Affairs Minister on Monday, but only representatives from two of those entities – the Private Sector Commission (PSC) and the Electoral Reform Group –showed up.

According to Nandlall, he pointed out to the stakeholders that these proposed amendments are specific to statutory reforms, while other issues, such as changing the country’s political system and restructuring GECOM, which were among the recommendations made by the stakeholders, will have to be done through the constitutional reform process that is slated to commence shortly.

“I also detailed the limitations of the engagement by highlighting the fact that this aspect of the reforms will not address constitutional matters, because those matters will require a twothirds majority and this is a Government-driven process. We don’t have a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly. So, what we are concerned about here is reforms to the statutory provisions touching and concerning the elections – the Registration Act and the Representation of the People Act, in particular,” he asserted.

He went on to note, however, that Government will have a separate engagement with GECOM on the recommendations they submitted. In the meantime, Government would continue with the consultative process on the host of proposed changes to RoPA, and will hold another engagement session with other stakeholders who made submissions.

To prevent a recurrence of the historic March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections, which resulted in a five-month political impasse caused by blatant rigging attempts, the RoPA amendments were released for public consultation before the document is finalised and taken to the National Assembly.

Woman stabbed by ex-lover after allowing him to sleep over

A39-year-old woman was in the wee hours of Tuesday stabbed by her ex-boyfriend while sleeping over at her Hadfield Street home. Injured is Sharon Hoppie of Hadfield Street, Lodge, Georgetown.

Police stated that Hoppie and the 36-year-old suspect shared a relationship that ended about two months ago, but the man would still visit her from time to time even though the woman was in another relationship.

However, on the day in question at about 00:30h, the accused visited the victim’s home and met the man with whom she was sharing a relationship.

The man, upon seeing the ex-boyfriend, left the house. Hoppie and the suspect were embroiled in a misunderstanding about their re-

lationship and more so, she raised concerns about the time of the night he showed up at her house. She nevertheless allowed him to spend the night.

According to Police, the victim went to bed at about 02:00h. At 03:30h, the woman’s ex-lover went into her room and stood over her with a knife in his right hand.

Upon seeing this, she attempted to fight him off but instead, he dealt her one

An alarm was

and the

Georgetown Public Hospital where

treated by a doctor on duty and admitted as a patient. Her condition is regarded as stable.

The matter was subsequently reported to the Police. Checks for the suspects proved futile.

IPL 2022: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians…

Tim David's late assault wasn't enough to prevent a tenth loss for the Mumbai Indians, who went down by three runs against the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

The win means that SRH just about keep their hopes alive, but need other results to go their way for a dramatic entry into the top four.

It was Rahul Tripathi who, with a half-century, set up the win for SRH after five consecutive losses, while Umran Malik once again came up with a fiery performance.

Tripathi, Garg trouble MI SRH wanted to bat first in the contest, and got their wish when MI opted to field. Kane Williamson, who is woefully out of form, was dropped down to the middle order, while Abhishek Sharma walked out with his new opening partner, Priyam Garg.

Abhishek was dismissed in the third over by Daniel Sams, but MI were in for some punishment. At the end of four overs, SRH were 31 for 1, but finished the powerplay with 57, with Jasprit Bumrah leaking 15 and Sams going for 11. In the final over of the powerplay, Garg was dropped, and the left-hander went on to make 42 off 26.

Tripathi and Garg made 78 off 43, to ensure SRH had a platform from which to launch, and were 97 for 2 at the halfway mark.

Tripathi goes big Nicholas Pooran struck his second ball for a boundary, but it was the Tripathi Show, despite his partner scoring at an impressive strike rate of 172.73. Pooran took on Riley Meredith (17) in the 13th, and then Markande (14) in the 14th, to give the innings some much-needed impetus heading into the final five overs. By then

SCOREBOARD

SUNRISERS HYDERABAD INNINGS (20 overs maximum)

Abhishek Sharma c Markande b Sams 9 Priyam Garg c & b Ramandeep Singh 42

Rahul Tripathi c Tilak Varma

b Ramandeep Singh 76 Nicholas Pooran †c Markande b Meredith 38

Aiden Markram c David

b Ramandeep Singh 2

Kane Williamson (c) not out 8 Washington Sundar b Bumrah 9

Extras (lb 4, w 5) 9

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 9.65) 193/6

Did not bat: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik, T Natarajan, Fazalhaq Farooqi Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Abhishek Sharma, 2.4 ov), 2-96 (Priyam Garg, 9.5 ov), 3-172 (Nicholas Pooran, 16.5 ov), 4-174 (Rahul Tripathi, 17.2 ov), 5-175 (Aiden Markram, 17.6 ov), 6-193 (Washington Sundar, 19.6 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Daniel Sams 4-0-39-1

Riley Meredith 4-0-44-1 Sanjay Yadav 2-0-23-0 Jasprit Bumrah 4-0-32-1

Mayank Markande 3-0-31-0 Ramandeep Singh 3-0-20-3

MUMBAI INDIANS INNINGS (Target: 194 runs from 20 overs) Rohit Sharma (c) c sub (J Suchith) b Washington Sundar 48 Ishan Kishan †c Garg b Umran Malik 43 Daniel Sams c Garg b Umran Malik 15 Tilak Varma c Williamson b Umran Malik 8 Tim David run out (Natarajan) 46 Tristan Stubbs run out (Kumar) 2 Ramandeep Singh not out 14 Sanjay Yadav c sub (J Suchith) b Kumar 0 Jasprit Bumrah not out 0 Extras (b 1, lb 3, nb 2, w 8) 14

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 9.50) 190/7 Yet to bat: Mayank Markande, Riley Meredith Fall of wickets: 1-95 (Rohit Sharma, 10.4 ov), 2-101 (Ishan Kishan, 11.3 ov), 3-123 (Tilak Varma, 14.1 ov), 4-127 (Daniel Sams, 14.6 ov), 5-144 (Tristan Stubbs, 16.4 ov), 6-175 (Tim David, 17.6 ov), 7-175 (Sanjay Yadav, 18.2 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Fazalhaq Farooqi 4-0-31-0

Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4-1-26-1 Washington Sundar 4-0-36-1 T Natarajan 4-0-60-0 Umran Malik 3-0-23-3 Abhishek Sharma 1-0-10-0

Tripathi had registered a 32-ball half-century, and looked set for more.

Bumrah bowled a sharp 15th over, but the pressure was eased from the other end, as Sams was taken for a six and two fours in the next over. Tripathi struck Meredith for a six before falling to Ramandeep Singh in the 18th for 76 - the highest score by an SRH batter in IPL 2022.

MI choke the runs Ramandeep also dismissed Aiden Markram three balls after Tripathi, and that left SRH with Williamson and Washington Sundar at the crease. The SRH captain managed just one boundary, while Sundar found none, as the pair finished their stand with 18 off 12.

The boundary-less last three overs also meant SRH were not able to cross the 200-run mark, which seemed an easy target when Tripathi was firing.

MI's bright start

Here's a fun fact: Rohit Sharma has not been involved in a single century opening partnership in the history of IPL in the 72 times he's opened in the tournament so far. On the night, he came close, but was dismissed with MI having 95 on the board in the 11th over. It was Washington who accounted for the MI captain, but SRH were already feeling the heat. MI made 51 in the powerplay, and then both Rohit and Ishan Kishan punished Umran Malik, who bowled two deliveries over 150 in a nine-ball over. The pacer, however, played a key role in tilting the game in SRH's favour with the wickets of Kishan, Sams and Tilak Varma.

The wobble Kishan followed Rohit, and that meant SRH were able to force their way back in the

Phoenix CC won the toss and sent MMZ to take first strike on a heavy outfield in Brooklyn. MMZ never got going, as Hemendra Ramdihal and Yutesh Avi Dhanpaul snared 8 wickets for 32 runs between them.

Former Trinidad player Ewart Nicholson made 11 and Keith Eddie made 10 as MMZ were bowled out for 71 in 24.2 overs. Ramdihal finished with figures of 4 for 11, and Dhanpaul with 4 for 21.

Replying, Phoenix made light work of the total, ending the match on 72 for 1. The top scorers were Dino Choowenaam and Arnil Ragdnath, who both scored 32; and Assad Fudadin, who scored 2 not out. The lone wicket to fall was that of Dino Choowenam.

The Rockaway Group and Sunita's Travel Agencysponsored East Coast Commander's Cup U17 Cricket Tournament continues on Saturday, May 21, 2022 with several potentially captivating affairs.

Over at the LBI Community Centre Ground, LBICC would be at home to Enmore Community Centre CC, while Ogle CC will also enjoy home advantage against Golden Grove CC. Buxton CHCC will be up against Fairfield Rivals at the Fairfield Community Centre Ground.

Meanwhile, in earlier matches, the Enmore Community Cricket Club (ECCCC) defeated Golden Grove SC by 328 runs after the latter team won the toss and elected to field. The match was further

affected by the umpire’s late arrival, which caused the game to be turned into a 35-overs-perside encounter. The ECCCC, led by a sterling knock of 102 from Vickash Wilkinson (11x4) and an unbeaten half-century from Hemraj Harripersaud (3x6, 3x4) amassed a total of 345-5 in their allotted overs.

Romel Persaud then returned with an incredible bowling spell of 6 wickets for 5 runs, while Suresh Sugrim supported with 3 wickets for a miserly 6 runs, to dismiss the Golden Grove SC for a paltry score of 21 in 14 overs, securing the victory by 328 runs.

Buxton U-17 won by 8 wickets in their match against LSC U-17 after calling correctly and electing to bat. They amassed 50 in 15 overs, which proved to be inadequate after

LSC U-17 knocked off the required total (52 for 2) in 9.2 overs. Right arm off-spinner Alex Datterdeen clinched a hat trick

Thirty clubs which are members of the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association (UCCA) last Sunday each received a box of red cricket balls from the Berbice Cricket Board under the BCB/ Shimron and Nirvani Hetmyer Cricket Development Trust Fund. Presentation was done at the No 72 Cut and Load Cricket Ground by BCB President Hilbert Foster and UCCA President Dennis D’Andrade, along with other executives of the BCB and UCCA.

The Hetmyers first invested in the fund in 2021, and earlier this year contacted Foster, with whom they enjoy a close friendship, to inform him that they would not only renew their support, but would increase sponsorship from $1m to $1.5m for this year.

Foster has indicated that he plans to step down from leadership of the BCB on July 31st this year, in order to concentrate on his duties at the RHTY&SC, but the Hetmyers have informed that their support to the fund would continue only as long as Foster remains as President, as they have full confidence in his leadership and vision for Berbice cricket.

This year, the fund would invest one million dollars in cricket balls for clubs, two hundred thousand dollars in educational grants, and three hundred thousand dollars in a one-day grassroots tournament and a female three-team tournament.

Foster has urged the clubs

to use the balls for the intended purpose, and also to support Hetmyer in his cricketing career. He said he has been very impressed with the current state of cricket in the Upper Corentyne area, and the dedication that all the clubs have been showing.

This year the BCB and UCCA have already completed the Vitality Inc 20/20 tournament, while the Vishu Superstore 40-overs round robin is currently being played and another 20/20 tournament would start later in the year. Under Foster’s leadership, clubs in the area have received balls for five successive years, and have also benefited from donations of cricket gear, scorebooks, bicycles, educational materials, stumps, catching cribs, cricket uniforms, water pitchers, trophies, medals, rain coats and a pitch cover among other things.

UCCA President Dennis D’Andrade has said that when Foster became President in 2018, cricket in the area was in total decline, and in just six months, he was able to spearhead a total restoration; and today, the game is at its highest level.

He said the BCB President has visited the area a total of 110 times since his election in 2018, and is always available to offer assistance or advice, or to resolve conflicts.

D‘Andrade has said that Foster has by far been the best leader that the county has ever had in cricket, and Berbice could not afford to lose his leadership at this crucial state. The veteran

cricket administrator noted that, like the executives of the BCB, the UCCA would also like to make it quite clear that it rejects the planned resignation of Foster, and would like to urge him to reconsider his plans for the future.

Representatives of the different clubs also shared the same view, with one even telling Foster that they would be very disappointed with him if he walks away from them. Another delegate stated that Foster was the only hope that youths have in cricket, and because of him, they believe they have the best shot at fulfilling their cricketing dreams.

All of the clubs at the fully attended meeting voted to support a motion moved by the UCCA President to reject the resignation and to express confidence in Foster.

The BCB President has listened to the pleas of the clubs, and while not making any announcement to them, has said he is happy that they have confidence in his administration’s leadership. He has also said that Berbice cricket would be in safe hands once everyone on board develops a culture of hard work, dedication, and looking after the interest of the youths and the game.

He warned that personal ambition must never get in the way of the game.

Distribution of the balls would continue this Sunday, when 14 clubs in the West Berbice area would each receive a box of balls.

towards eventual figures of 6 wickets off his 10 overs. He was supported by left-arm orthodox bowler Neeran Bani (2 for 2 off 2) and right-arm medium pacer Kapildev (2 for 12 from 2.2 overs.

The match between LBI U-17 and Enmore U-17 was also reduced to 30 overs, with the former team romping home to victory by 97 runs. LBI U-17 won the toss and batted first, scoring 151 all out in 28.1 overs. Sachin Balgobin (47) and Romeo Deonarine (43) were the principal scorers for the winners, while Gary Shuman (2 for 9 off 3 overs) topped the bowling averages. In reply, Enmore, playing with 8 players, were dismissed for 53 off 17 overs. Mickel Sharma was the best batsman, scoring an unbeaten 17. Gary Shuman took the bowling honours for LBI U-17 with 2 for 9 off his 3 overs, with Romeo Deonarain, Nathan Gill, Munesh Outar and Gopaul Ramchand each picking up one wicket.

Meanwhile, the U-17 match to have been contested between Lusignan and Ogle on Saturday March 23 had been aborted after it was discovered that some players from the Ogle lineup also comprised a part of the Demerara and President's Eleven teams slated to play in this year's Inter-County Cricket Tournament, and were therefore unavailable for the current tournament.

Canadian Softball Cricket League…

Cambridge Jaguars have begun the 2022 Canadian Premier Softball Cricket League’s (CPSCL’s) Regular Season 20-overs competition auspiciously, having trounced Amazon Sports by seven wickets on Sunday at the Williams G. Davis Public School ground in Cambridge, Ontario.

Amazon Sports won the toss and opted to take first strike, but the decision proved disastrous, as wickets fell frequently, leaving them tottering at 15-5 before they were predictably bowled out for 53 in the 12th over.

The Jaguars combination then made light work of the chase, surpassing the target in the 8th over. Their commanding victory was totally collective, starting with the ball. In the roundarm exhibition, all four bowlers displayed great effectiveness.

Former Guyana and West Indies-19 cricketer Hemnraine Chattergoon led the demolition job by snaring three wickets for only four runs from two overs, while Rishi Harricharan, who opened the bowling, delivered with precision to capture three wickets for 14 runs from his maximum four overs.

Skipper Shilender Singh accounted for two victims, having conceded five runs in his two overs’ outing, while experienced campaigner Teddy Nandkisore, who shared the new ball with

Harricharan, made an impression by picking up two wickets for 24 runs off four overs.

Only captain Zaheer Allard was able to reach double figures for the Amazon boys, scoring 12.

When Cambridge Jaguars batted, reputable hard-hitting batsman Rajkumar Budhram again displayed inclination for aggression, as he slammed two mighty sixes and tucked away a boundary in his 30.

Jaguars started off badly, losing opener Sunil Sankar with the second ball and without a run on the board, but Budhram ensured the target was quickly achievable. Young talented middle-order batsman Ajay Jhappan and Nankissore closed off proceedings with 10 and 2 not out respectively.

Singh has said that his team had wanted to play positive cricket from the commencement of the game, so he has not been surprised by the outstanding performances. He attributed the first-match success to team cohesion, and has expressed confidence and optimism the team would continue to play the same level of dynamic cricket in this year’s edition.

In 2021, Cambridge Jaguars featured in the 20-over final against Sunshine in the Ontario Round-Arm Softball Cricket Association, but Singh revealed that they are anxious to win the

championship in 2022, albeit in this different League. Manager of the team, Canada-based Guyanese Mohamed Jinnah, has lauded the excellent effort of his team, relating that their preparations for the competition began greatly by paying off. Jinnah has said he is anticipating quality cricket from Cambridge Jaguars, and with several high-profile players on show, he is not surprised with this kind of phenomenal performance. Apart from Chattergoon and Budhram, former Guyana firstclass player Naresh Roopnarine is a member of the lineup.

The Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) has said it is proud to announce the establishment of the longawaited Athletes’ Commission.

This Commission will be comprised of athletes who have represented Guyana at multisport games, regional games, and/or have participated in national championships within the past eight (8) years.

As described in the Mission Statement, the Commission would ensure the viewpoints of athletes are placed at the heart of the Guyana Olympic Association’s decisions, serve as an effective link between athletes and the GOA, and maximise support and lobby for increased participation of athletes of Guyana through Olympic Solidarity and other programmes.

The Guyana Olympic Association thanks Ms. Tiffany Solomon, Mr. Rondel McArthur and Mr. Joshua Griffith (who were appointed to a steering committee in early 2020) for their diligent efforts in drafting the Constitution, which will form the framework of the Commission.

In April 2022, affiliated national federations were invited to nominate athletes to serve on the Commission. Six (6) federations responded, nominating a total of twelve (12) athletes in addition to the three (3) on the steering committee.

On May 16th a meeting was convened to select the Chairperson and ViceChairperson to lead this new

Commission. Nine (9) of the fifteen (15) nominees attended, and voted in Chelsea Edghill as Chairperson and Joshua Griffith as Vice-Chairperson.

The athletes have expressed joy at the formation of the Athletes’ Commission, stating that it is long overdue and can only augur well for Guyana’s athletes. They stated that the athletes go to Games and know what the challenges are; adding that this will be an opportunity for the voices of the athletes to be heard. They noted that if they work together, collectively, across all of the sports disciplines, changes can be made from the athletes’ perspective.

The executive members of the GOA welcomed the members of this Commission, and urged them to meet as soon as possible to start working. They were told that the resources of the GOA are at their disposal. They were also reminded that, while doing the work of the Commission, they represent all athletes.

Under the soon-to-beadopted updated Constitution of the GOA, a representative of the Athletes Commission sits on the Executive Committee, two (2) Representatives are included among the members of the Association, and attend Council

Meetings; and the Commission is entitled to one (1) vote for the election of Officers of the Association.

Aliann Pompey OLY, four time Olympian and President of the Panam Sports Athletes Commission, said, “I know

first-hand the effort and hard work that went into making this day happen. It’s a critical step for athletes in Guyana; the implications cannot be overstated.

“Thanks to the GOA for staying with this process to the

end. Congratulations to Chelsea, the Commission Chair.”

The establishment of the Athletes’ Commission is an exciting accomplishment, and the members of the executive look forward to working with them for the benefit of the athletes.

Mohamed’s Enterprise of Georgetown, which also has interests at Bartica, has joined a number of other entities to provide sponsorship to the Bartica Senior Men’s Football League.

Managing Director of the company, Azruddin Mohamed, recently committed to providing the first prize for the league.

Among the other contributors to the league are the Deputy Mayor of Bartica, Money Tree Pawn Shop, Pay-it-Forward Services, Regional Chairman Kenneth Williams, and Addie’s Freshener Shop.

BFA President Alden Marslowe has noted that there is still need for more sponsorship of prizes for the league, which will run until the end of July.

Earlier, Potaro Strikers put away Lazio with ease, finishing with 4 goals to 1, with a double being scored by Daniel Gardener

and one each being contributed by Don Lam and Troy Parris. Brian Brown scored the lone goal for Lazio.

In the league’s second match, defending champions Rivers View swamped newcomers AK Galaxy 10 goals to 1. The Rivers View boys produced the goods as follows: Andrew Simmons, 3; Kellon Richardson, 2; Godfrey Norton, 2; Antonio Jones, 2; Omareo Lake, 1. Valsenor DeFonsica scored for AK Galaxy. Action in the league will continue on Friday and Saturday with two matches each day from 6:00pm at the Bartica Community Centre Ground. Administrative costs for the league, which is one of nine running simultaneously across the country, is being borne by the Guyana Football Federation as part of its Members Financial Assistance Programme.

West Indies’ Regional 4-Day Tournament…

The Leon Johnson-led Guyana Harpy Eagles

team will play Barbados Pride -- defending champions in the Regional 4-Day Tournament and table leaders in the current points’ standing -- from 10:00h Eastern Caribbean time today at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad & Tobago. On the last two instances when these teams met, Pride defeated the Guyanese franchise by seven wickets and 235 runs respectively.

Of recent, the Harpy Eagles have been struggling, especially in the batting department. After an extended break, both teams would have to start afresh, and the team that plays well on the given four days would emerge victorious. However, according to five-time Regional Four-Day captain Leon Johnson, the team is ready to go.

"I think it is about getting our minds right. We know the conditions well. Similar conditions to Guyana, so we are ready to go," Johnson said in a pre-match press conference.

The Guyana Harpy Eagles are equipped with two

additional pacers in Ronsford Beaton and Demetri Cameron, and Johnson has expressed positive sentiments on both pacemen.

For Johnson, his form has been a concern. While not zooming in exactly on his form, the skipper has said the hunger is there for him to score runs, but the execution has been off for him.

"Every game is important for your country. Every game is important to perform," Johnson has said. "There is a lot of cricket to be played. Looking at the points’ table, the top teams have to play each other. It could still be a fight for the championship, but we need to take care of what we could, that is: playing good cricket; planning well and execute well, play session by session. Once you play good cricket, the results will follow," the experienced Guyana captain has said.

While not disclosing team selection, it has been known that Beaton and Adams are the two travelling reserves, and Kevin Sinclair and Cameron are the added players to the 13-man squad. Shimron Hetmyer, who

played the two earlier rounds, is unavailable, and there will be an opening for another batsman. Akshya Persaud and the in-form Tevin Imlach would want to grab that opportunity.

Meanwhile, captain of the Pride team, Kraigg Brathwaite, has said the rivalry between Guyana and Barbados is something his team is looking forward to.

"The guys are really looking forward to get out there and do well for the country," Brathwaite has said.

With Guyana stacked with quality left-arm spin in Veerasammy Permaul and Gudakesh Motie, Brathwaite has said, once his batsmen trust their defence, runs will come. "Guyana has a fair bit of spin in their team; we would know that. It is just about backing your plans and sticking with it. Trust your defence," he said.

With the West Indies set to play Test matches against Bangladesh in June/July, Brathwaite will be looking to see other players put up their hands for selection to the team. Despite being stacked with star-studded players, the Pride unit would be aiming to play

By timothy Jaikarran

The Guyana Ex-Athletes and Friends Inc, in collaboration with the Athletics Association of Guyana, will be hosting their 7th Annual 1 mile, 5k and 10k Road Race on Sunday, May 22, 2022.

The action commences from 7am at the Guyana Police Force Sports Club Ground in Barrack Street, Eve Leary, and ends there. this was announced yesterday at the tournament’s launching at the National Racquet Center. Speaking at the simple

collective cricket.

Barbados Pride: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Shamarh Brooks, Jonathan Carter, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Keon Harding, Chaim Holder, Shai Hope, Akeem Jordan, Shayne

Moseley, Raymon Reifer, Ramon Simmonds, Jomel Warrican, Camarie Boyce and Justin Greaves.

Guyana Harpy Eagles: Leon Johnson (captain), Keemo Paul, Chandrapaul Hemraj,

Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Tevin Imlach, Vishaul Singh, Akshaya Persaud, VeerasammyPermaul, Anthony Bramble, Gudakesh Motie, Nial Smith, Demetri Cameron, Antony Adams, Kevin Sinclair and Ronsford Beaton.

year. “This year is very special, because last year we went through so much, but regardless of what we went through, it was one of our best years; so, I must say to the association, also to the members and volunteers who work tremendously on the difficulties at that time to make the race a success: We back again this year! We have the one mile and we will be doing it in two different categories,” Williams-

launching ceremony was President of the Association, Burgette Williams-Forde, who declared 2022 a special year because 2021 was a tough

Forde posited.

She explained that both the under-9 and under-12 have each been made into a category, so the athletes below the age of nine do

not have to feel threatened of their much older counterparts.

She said there will be lots of lucrative prizes, as the main aim is to reach out to the junior athletes, whom she deemed as the future of tomorrow’s Guyana. As it pertains to the prizes, Williams-Forde said, “So, we're not just giving one to five, we’re giving from one to 12 male and female in all the categories for the junior athletes. The seniors, they've got to get their money.”

The Guyana Ex-Athletes and Friends Inc have also upped their game as they have provided tablets for the overall junior male and female prizes. Bicycles will also be up for grabs. For the senior athletes, the first overall prize for the male would be a 43inch flat screen TV. The female would get a 40-inch TV along with the $55,000.

“If a foreigner wins the race, and they're the overall winner, they will get the prize. But in order for us to give our athletes the opportunity to continue, we will have something special for the top male or female, whoever is the first to cross the finish line. They will get something special, regardless of whatever place

they came in. That way is for us as a country to let our athletes know they are important just like the foreigners. We have the people with special needs. We also have prizes for them; that will be cash prizes. For those who are special needs people, we will try to reach out as much as possible not to do the regular 1,2 and 3 positions, but to encourage them, because they are special just like everyone else,” WilliamsForde explained.

Sharing his sentiments was Athletics Association Guyana President Aubrey Hutson, who said, "I think, together, we were able to put together what we deemed to be a very great race coming Sunday. We know we have the experience. Please encourage the fans and athletes, somebody, to come out and witness a properly- organised and executed event."

Hutson also made mention that, come Sunday, they would be depending heavily on the Police Force to do what they can do in creating the right atmosphere for a great event.

He explained that fans can come to the Eve Leary ground and will be able to witness a

great part of the race. Hutson, further, urged drivers not to drive along the race route, so as not to create any obstruction to the athletes. The AAG boss closed by stating that fans and athletes can expect a well-organised, well-run event, and may the best athlete come out victorious without any hindrance.

Also speaking was Deborah Quamina, who shone some light on the humanitarian aspect of the tournament. Quamina noted that the purpose of the humanitarian section was to give back to members of the public who are in need, and thus she is hopeful it would go a long way for them.

Quamina explained that this year she will be dealing directly with the Guyana Veterans Association. Quamina related that the items set to be given are a plethora of items in the medical field, such as covers, ointments, disposable pampers, toiletries, urine bags, goggles, gloves, face masks, toothbrushes, toothpaste and many more items.