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In a bid to help with the issue of waste management, especially regarding the use of plastics and aluminum cans, Policy Forum Guyana recently hosted the ‘Waste to Win’ competition, rewarding 54 participants from 17 schools for their efforts to help curb the problem.

The competition started in August and ended in September, with the prize giving ceremony being held last week. The initiative, with 27 teams for plastic and 19 teams for aluminum cans, started with a partnership with Cevons Waste Management Inc.

Policy Forum Coordinator Benita Davis told the News Room on Wednesday at her office on Hadfield Street, that the participating students were drawn from schools in Regions 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10.

Wanting to help, Policy Forum decided to call up Cevons to find out if there was anything that the company did with plastics, and based on the feedback received, the idea of the competition came about.

“To our surprise, Cevons actually strips plastic and recycles them. So we thought maybe we can launch a competition with schools to see if there’s an interest with the separation of garbage so at least all of that garbage don’t go to the landfill and it can go directly to Cevons recycling plant,” Davis shared.

Thanks to the combined efforts of the participants, an astounding 28,321 plastic bottles and 7,736 aluminum cans were saved from entering Guyana’s landfills, marking a significant contribution to the fight against plastic pollution.

The winning participants were selected based on how many pieces of plastics they were able to pick up from their environment and the team with the highest score for plastic cans got 14,086 plastics.

“We were able to divert over 28,000 plastics from entering the landfills as well as over 7,000 cans….we were also able to educate students about the need for separation of garbage to understand that plastic is pervasive; it has a negative impact on the environment,” Davis said.

According to Davis, the competition helped the students to realise how much plastic they actually use in a two-month period. They were also reminded of the pollution issue at hand and what they can do to reduce their use of plastic.

As for the basic process of waste separation, she explained: “You just need a separate bin or garbage bag, and you just put all your plastic items. Contact Cevons and you actually get reimbursed for the amount of plastic that you take in.”

The competition’s top performers were recognized with 1st to 5th place plaques, creatively made from shredded plastic bottles collected during the competition, along with other prizes.

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Turbulent rains and strong winds swept through Kako Village, Upper Mazaruni, leaving unexpected destruction on Monday.

Toshao of Kako Village, Romario Hastings, told the News Room that the storm struck suddenly.

He said the weather changed drastically between 16:00 hrs and 16:30 hrs, and lasted for an hour.

This house was damaged in the storm (Photo: Kako Village Council/ Facebook)

“So we had like a sudden stormy weather, strangely because the weather has been dry for the past maybe week or so, we had a brief shower the day before but it wasn’t really much,” Hastings explained.

One house was hit particularly hard, losing the entire roof. The damage also extended to the kitchen, where food supplies were soaked.

“What they were telling me (is that) it came like a small version of a tornado, like a whirlwind and so that is what really pulled it right off,” he said.

This house was damaged in the storm (Photo: Kako Village Council/ Facebook)

Hastings explained that other houses were also damaged “but they were able to reinstall because these were makeshift houses.”

“We have had stormy weathers before but never to this extent where it would have affected a home in this manner.”

The affected family is receiving assistance from the Welfare Department of the church in the community. The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs have also extended support.

Meanwhile, the Village Council is open to receiving support for future emergencies, and those wishing to assist are encouraged to reach out.

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School-aged children and other juveniles can indeed be charged, prosecuted, and convicted for criminal activities.

During his “Issues in the News” commentary on Tuesday night, Attorney General Anil Nandlall addressed growing concerns regarding the rise of illegal and violent conduct among students in schools.

He firmly rejected misconceptions surrounding the legal status of juveniles, asserting that they can be investigated by the police and placed before the courts.

Nandlall said reports have emerged suggesting a misunderstanding of the Juvenile Justice Act, where some people believe that juveniles are immune to criminal charges.

Nandlall emphasized that this notion is “absolutely false,” clarifying that the Act provides a framework for handling cases involving minors but does not grant them immunity from the law.

“The Juvenile Justice Act outlines a different regime for juveniles when they come into conflict with the law,” Nandlall explained.

“However, they are still answerable to the criminal justice system. There is no exemption from investigation, charge, prosecution, or conviction for juvenile offenders,” he added.

The Attorney General also addressed concerns regarding the police’s role in investigating juvenile crimes, stating that some members of law enforcement have the mistaken view that they cannot pursue cases involving delinquent minors.

“This is a complete misunderstanding,” he noted.

Nandlall stated that all individuals, regardless of age, must face the consequences of their actions.

“Juveniles are defined within the law and are subject to its provisions,” he said.

“While we recognize their young age and the need for a different approach, they do not enjoy any form of impunity,” he added.

 

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Records indicate that Assistant Police Commissioner (ag) Calvin Brutus had not withdrawn his salary for several years, resulting in his salary account accumulating “dozens of millions of dollars.”

While all other accounts linked to Brutus—including those belonging to his companies and his wife—were frozen, this particular account remains unfrozen, giving Brutus access to substantial funds amid the ongoing investigation.

Brutus has claimed in court documents, where he alleges victimisation, that he was left without access to funds.

During his “Issues in the News” commentary on Tuesday night, Attorney General Anil Nandlall spoke on the ongoing investigation and made new revelations.

Brutus is facing 240 charges related to significant financial misconduct and Nandlall believes he will go down as the highest-ranking officer in the Guyana Police Force to be implicated in such extensive fraud.

An affidavit filed by the head of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), Fazil Karimbaksh, revealed that in February 2024, Brutus purchased an $85 million property in Alberttown, Georgetown.

Brutus, who receives a monthly salary of $491,487, reportedly withdrew $63 million from his salary account to pay off the balance on the property, while an initial $21 million was paid months before.

Nandlall announced that charges against Brutus were imminent.

“Once the charges are instituted, we will take necessary legal steps to remove him from office in compliance with the law,” he stated, highlighting this case’s unprecedented nature.

The Attorney General also noted Brutus’s confrontational approach throughout the investigation.

Brutus has filed legal actions against several entities, including the Attorney General’s office and the Police Service Commission, the Police Commissioner, the Minister of Home Affairs and the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU).

“He chose a confrontational path long before the investigation concluded,” Nandlall said.

In a recent court hearing, a High Court judge denied Brutus’ request to leave the country for medical care for his pregnant wife, Adonika Aulder.

The Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) is investigating financial crimes linked to Brutus amounting to approximately $800 million. Of this total, $300 million is said to be in assets and properties, while $500 million is currently held in frozen bank accounts.

Amidst skepticism from the opposition and sections of the media who had suggested that no significant action would come from the investigation, Nandlall reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

The Attorney General reminded that the rule of law will always prevail, as the government is determined to ensure that justice is served in this high-profile case.

 

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Students of Queen’s College will benefit from the newly- commissioned state-of-the-art Industrial Technology and Home Economics building.

The building includes six new labs: three for Industrial Arts subjects and three for Home Economics. With this facility, students of the college will be better- -equipped to learn technical skills.

During remarks, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand acknowledged that while the country needs doctors, lawyers, and parliamentarians, the need for vocational training is becoming increasingly vital, as there is a growing demand for skilled labour in Guyana.

The building was commissioned on Tuesday by Education Minister Priya Manickchand (Photo: Ministry of Education/ October 22, 2024)

“We need a labour force that can look after the needs of Guyana and the conversation right now in the world is an interesting one, whether or not the academic degrees are worth as much as the skills training certificates,” Manickchand said.

With that consideration in mind, Minister Manickchand said students now have the opportunity to complete the Caribbean Vocational Qualifications (CVQs) during high school or the traditional Caribbean Secondary Education Certificates (CSEC) subjects.

Inside the newly- commissioned building (Photo: Ministry of Education/ October 22, 2024)

“We are trying to give a wider range of opportunities to all of our students to all, all our children, to all our young people,” the minister stated.

Meanwhile, Minister Manickchand also highlighted the importance of practical education and added that students must be able to make their own breakfast, prepare dinner, make their beds, and sew on buttons by third form.

Inside the newly- commissioned building (Photo: Ministry of Education/ October 22, 2024)

Deputy Chief Education Officer, with responsibility for technical education, Dr. Ritesh Tularam, encouraged students to consider careers in technical and vocational fields.

“This is what will make you employable, and the lifelong learning skills we talked about, technical and vocation education and training will gravitate you towards, it will help you to realise what are your fullest potentialities,” Dr. Tularam said.

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The Petra Organisation has announced a change to the semifinal fixtures for the Courts Optical Under-11 Pee-Wee Schools’ football tournament set for Saturday at the Ministry of Education Ground, Carfesta Avenue.

Due to fielding ineligible players in the quarterfinals, Rosignol Primary has been disqualified.

As a result, the defending champions, St. Pius Primary, will now face Marian Academy in Semifinal One from 16:00h.

Semifinal Two will remain unchanged, with Santa Rosa Primary facing Belladrum Primary from 17:00h.

The quarterfinals saw victories for Marian Academy, Belladrum, and Santa Rosa.

Marian Academy defeated Enterprise 2-1, while Santa Rosa edged West Ruimveldt 1-0. Belladrum squeaked past St. John the Baptist 1-0.

Rosignol had won 4-0 against St. Pius Primary.

The losing quarterfinalists will compete in the plate section for positions 5-8.

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Scores of students graduated from the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) on Tuesday and the school’s principal, Gavindra Ramnarain highlighted innovative new food products developed during their studies.

Among these creations were rice milk, coconut jelly ice-cream, coconut tortillas and chunky pineapple popsicles.

“Students developed and displayed a number of products that include…protein bars and powders, beef jerky, assorted fruit leathers [and] cheese-filled sweet potatoes and cassava bread,” Ramnarain revealed.

Students also introduced a bread-making project aimed at reducing the import of wheat flour. Three different types of breads were created using three non-traditional flours: – rice, cassava, and sweet potato breads.

Ramnarain also spoke about how the school’s livestock and crops farm, play key roles in supporting the school’s economy.

“The schools production farms forms part of skills training activities that supplement the classroom. The livestock farm continues to generate a significant portion of the income generated by the school, milk produced by the diary adequately supply the need of the school’s cafeteria [and] the swine unit continues to play a critical role in revitalizing the local swine industry,” the principal stated.

Principal of GSA Gavindra Ramnarain

The layers and broilers farm also satisfied all of the school’s internal needs of eggs and sustain external markets. Additionally, the crop farm supplies a wide variety of fruits and vegetables for the school’s cafeteria and agro processing unit

The school has also been growing a number of fruits and vegetables not commonly grown in Guyana such as cauliflower and broccoli.

Students have also benefited from training in hydroponics and aquaponics.

Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha applauded the graduates for embarking on careers in agriculture, emphasising the government’s goal for a resilient, technologically advanced sector that reduces the nation’s food import bill.

“Agriculture is changing and changing rapidly, we are embracing new technologies, we are going into new areas of production and over the last few years, that you were at the GSA we have tailored the curriculum so that you can be trained in the new way that we want agriculture to be done in our country,” Mustapha said.

Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha

Aspiring food scientist, Akeem Williams, graduated with a diploma in Agriculture with higher credit from the Guyana School of Agriculture on Tuesday. He is also the recipient of the Outstanding Farm Performance award. Akeem told the News Room that his passion for agriculture stems from his upbringing in a food-centric family.

“We are living in a day and age where artificial intelligence is seeming to take over but I must computers cannot replace agriculturists, we must grow food, we must eat so that is why I am encouraging this new generation to listen, focus on agriculture because computers cannot feed the nation,” Akeem said.

Aspiring food scientist, Akeem Williams, graduated with a diploma in Agriculture with higher credit (Photo: DPI/October 2024)

He is a first-year student at the University of Guyana pursuing a degree in agriculture.

“I will never give up on agriculture my future aspiration is to become a food scientist.

“I wanted to become a food scientist whereby I would help Guyana to ensure that it provides food that is more safe and wholesome for consumption by the Guyanese populace. I think by eating food that is safe and wholesome it helps you to develop more when it comes to mentally, physically and emotionally.”

Shelby Williams, another graduate, achieved a distinction in her diploma in Animal Health and Veterinary Public Health. She received accolades for Best Performance in Surgery, Animal Nutrition, Pharmacology, and was named Best Overall Performer in the Animal Health course.

Her outstanding achievements also earned her the prestigious Gold Medal and Matron’s Prize. The Gold Medal is awarded for excellence in academics, practical skills, and community service.

Shelby shared her passion for agriculture with the News Room and encouraged young people to explore the field, noting its important role in food security.

Shelby Williams achieved a distinction in her diploma in Animal Health and Veterinary Public Health. (Photo: DPI/October 2024)

“I think that young people should definitely come into the agriculture field because one of the main things human needs is food to eat and agriculture provides that.

“In the veterinary field there is a lot of zoonotic diseases and the veterinary field people are there help to prevent not only animal diseases but diseases that affects animals that also transfers to humans,” Shelby said.

 

 

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The University of Guyana (UG) Chess Championship crowned Joshua Grant and Sherlyta Campayne as the new chess king and queen for 2024.

Grant finished the tournament with an undefeated record of six points, while Campayne secured the title with 3.5 points.

The tournament featured nine competitors, with each player facing every other player twice.

The women’s championship was particularly competitive, with Campayne narrowly defeating defending champion WCM Sasha Shariff in their first encounter.

Grant’s victory over Sandiford, the former UG Chess King and Chess Olympian, was a highlight of the tournament. Campayne also showcased impressive strategic prowess in her matches against Shariff and Melissa Kellman.

The tournament highlights the importance of fostering women’s participation in chess and encourages both seasoned players and newcomers to engage with the game.

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The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) recently hosted the October Rapid Chess Tournament, which was won by reigning Junior Chess Champion Ricardo Narine.

The tournament featured a mix of rated and unrated players, with 30 participants competing for top prizes.

Narine emerged as the overall winner, securing first place with six and a half points.

Kyle Couchman placed second with the same number of points, while Kishun Puran finished third with five points.

National Women’s Champion Jessica Callender claimed fourth place with five points, and veteran player Darshanand Ramlall from the Essequibo Coast finished fifth with four and a half points.

Narine expressed his confidence in his winning chances despite the presence of new faces in the tournament. He was impressed by the skill level of the participants and remained focused on his goal of securing a podium finish.

Callender, the only female in the top five, highlighted the challenges and opportunities presented by competing in Open Tournaments.

She emphasized the importance of preparing to play the best game possible and expressed her confidence in securing a prize.

The tournament was supervised by FM Anthony Drayton and assisted by Gilbert Williams, head of the Youth and Development Committee of the GCF.

The GCF thanked the David Rose Special School for their continued support for chess.

The GCF and the David Rose Special School partnered earlier this year to hold chess tournaments at the school, fostering a growing number of players in both the federation and the Special Education Needs sector.

The October Rapid Chess Tournament was a successful event that showcased the talent and dedication of chess players in Guyana.

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Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill said the government will be investing almost $100 million to develop the waterfront area in Linden, Region Ten (Upper Demerara- Berbice) this year.

“We are going to spend another $70 million or maybe close to $100 million on waterfront development in both Mackenzie and Wismar,” Edghill said.

He made this disclosure on Tuesday during his appearance on a radio programme.

According to him, the development is aimed at better accommodating boat operators and to facilitate a series of events that are usually held in these spaces, promoting a safer and cleaner environment.

“$13 million or so have already been sign and the people…will get a new landing at the Mackenzie waterfront.

“So when they come in they could tie up their boats, there will be toilet facilities for them to use and there will be sheds so while they waiting on their captions…they don’t be in the sun,” Edghill explained.

Altogether, Edghill said this along with the construction of new bridges and roads is aimed at developing the region.

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