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Brandon King and Evin Lewis crashed 107 off 55 balls at the top of the order, to set West Indies beautifully on course to their target of 180, in the first T20I against Sri Lanka.

Although the hosts’ middle-overs bowlers slowed West Indies’ progress, they were never in serious trouble.

They had plenty of batting to see the chase through, and Sherfane Rutherford finished it off with a four off the first ball of the final over.

Shamar Joseph was the most economical of West Indies’ bowlers, conceding only 27 from his four overs.

Though King and Lewis later outshone them, Sri Lanka had two half-centurions too, in Kamindu Mendis and Charith Asalanka, whose 82-run stand was the most substantial of the innings.

Brandon King was aggressive in the Powerplay (Photo: AP)

King, Lewis blast the Powerplay

Lewis struck the first boundaries, launching Chamindu Wickramasinghe for a six and four at the end of the first over, but it was King who made the greatest impression while the fielding restrictions were in play.

King’s standard move was to run at the bowlers and blast them down the ground.

So good was his hand-eye coordination, that he did it twice against seamer Asitha Fernando in the second over, before taking aim at the spin of Maheesh Theekshana in the third over.

By the end of the Powerplay, King had eight fours (some of them edged, to be fair), and 39 runs off 20 balls.

Lewis, who had blasted boundaries off Wickramasinghe almost exclusively, had 31 off 16 balls. And West Indies had 74 off the first six.

They kept swinging, and by the end, Lewis made 50 off 28, and King 63 off 33. The requirement was fairly simple after their onslaught.

Romario Shepherd picked up the first wicket of the match (Photo: AP)

WI quicks strike early

By contrast, Sri Lanka’s top order had failed to prosper on a helpful surface, thanks in part to sharp bowling from West Indies’ quicks.

Romario Shepherd caught the edge of Pathum Nissanka’s bat three times, conceded fours behind the wicket and then had him caught by the keeper on the third occasion, to make West Indies’ first breakthrough.

Kusal Perera was then bowled by Shamar Joseph early in the following over.

When Kusal Mendis was also bowled by an excellent quicker delivery from Gudakesh Motie, leaving Sri Lanka at 58-3, it felt as if West Indies were about to carve open the game.

Kamindu may be good at cricket

But then perhaps it’s time to admit that Kamindu appears to know what he is doing on a cricket field.

Having recently become the fastest batter since 1950 to 1,000 Test runs, he produced 50 off 41 here in the shortest format, outdone in his team only by Asalanka who clubbed 59 off 35, Kamindu would also bowl two overs for 14, switching arms when necessary.

He took the wicket of the opposition’s top scorer, King, with his left-arm spin, and collected figures of 1-14. (ESPNcricinfo)

The post T20I: King, Lewis fire West Indies to victory over Sri Lanka appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Yuni Zamora Castro, 25, a Venezuelan national, was fatally stabbed on Saturday afternoon by her reputed husband, 60-year-old El Tio, at their home in Station Street, Kitty, Georgetown.

The incident occurred around 17:30 hrs at their residence, where the couple lived together in a two-storey concrete house alongside other Venezuelan nationals.

Initial investigations have revealed that the two were believed to be reputed husband and wife, though their relationship had reportedly been troubled by El Tio’s jealousy.

Anislaidy Diaz Leblanch, a 42-year-old cleaner and cook who was close to the victim, explained that Castro had recently informed El Tio she no longer wanted to continue their relationship due to his possessive behaviour.

On Saturday, after returning home from work together, the pair were sitting on the verandah when El Tio approached Castro, handing her $1000 to settle a small debt. Castro informed him that she did not have change but would repay him later.

The situation quickly escalated when, moments later, El Tio approached Castro in the lower flat of their home, armed with a knife.

He then launched a violent attack, stabbing her multiple times. Diaz, who witnessed the assault, fled in fear, escaping the house unharmed.

El Tio then took his own life.

The post UPDATE: Jealousy behind fatal stabbing of Venezuelan woman appeared first on News Room Guyana.

A tragic workplace accident at Top Mix Cement has claimed the life of serviceman Patrick Picket, who was injured by the rear wheels of a 14-tonne ready-mix cement truck on Saturday.

The incident occurred at approximately 10:45 hrs at the company’s Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara site.

Picket was servicing the vehicle, checking the oil beneath it, when the truck, operated by Sham Singh, began moving towards the batching plant for loading.

It is believed the rear right wheels of the truck struck Picket as it passed, resulting in fatal injuries.

Colleagues, including Batch Supervisor Harry Mahase, quickly responded, finding Picket on the ground. He was promptly transported to the Diamond Regional Hospital, but was pronounced dead.

The Ministry of Labour’s Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Department has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.

OSH Officer Neza King has already conducted an initial site visit to gather information, though key witnesses were unavailable as they were providing statements to the police.

Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton expressed his sorrow at the incident, offering condolences to Picket’s family, friends, and colleagues.

He also stressed the need for strict adherence to workplace safety standards to prevent such tragedies from recurring.

 

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Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) announces the successful entry of the Savannah milk products into the Barbados market. Savannah milk products are produced by the TOPCO Plant.

The entry of Savannah milk to Barbados is a result of concerted efforts by DDL, the Guyana Office for Investment, and the Barbados Special Envoy to Guyana and Suriname, Althea Wiggins, and comes at a time when there is a shortage of milk in the Barbados Market.

Speaking in Guyana after the announcement at a Media Conference in Barbados, DDL Chairman, Komal Samaroo, said that “as DDL continues to diversify its portfolio of products, the company remains focused on the commitment of Heads of Government of CARICOM to work together towards food security in the region, and the ambitious but necessary reduction in the regional food importation bill by 25% by the year 2025. As such we are very satisfied that we are able to begin our supply of milk products to Barbados at this critical time.

The Chairman added that “the authorities in Barbados and the regimes that are in place made it as easy as it should be for a CARICOM company to enter and operate in that market. As we continue to seek to supply other CARICOM markets, we hope that Barbados would serve as a model.”

At the Media Conference in Barbados last week to launch the Savannah milk products, Wiggins, the Special Envoy said, “In terms of a separate bilateral arrangement that was signed with Guyana, we are now introducing Savannah milk, imported from Demerara Distillers to Barbados through local distributor Grady Marketing.”

A Barbadian customer sampling Savannah Milk at a local supermarket.

Speaking at the same Media Briefing, Managing Director of Grady Marketing, Roger Bannister, said that “the entire first shipment has been sold to supermarkets across the island, a testament to the demand for high-quality milk among Barbadians.”

Chief Investment Officer, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, commenting on the new market for Guyana’s milk said, “We are proud to be part of this partnership, which demonstrates the value of working together as a region to support each other’s economies.” Dr. Ramsaroop added, “This initiative not only brings a high-quality product to the Barbadian market but also strengthens ties between Guyana and Barbados, a relationship that has been significantly enhanced through the St. Barnabas Accord.”

The St. Barnabas Accord, signed by His Excellency Dr. Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana, and the Honourable Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, has been instrumental in deepening the trade relationship between Guyana and Barbados, fostering greater economic cooperation, and facilitating initiatives like this one that benefits both countries. This agreement has paved the way for increased trade of goods and services, ensuring that essential commodities such as milk can be readily available to the Barbadian market.

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UNICEF Guyana, in collaboration with the First Lady of Guyana, Arya Ali, the Ministry of Health, and the Pan American Health Organization/World Health organization (PAHO/WHO), on Thursday, October 10, 2024, launched the “Hear Me Out” mental health anti-stigma campaign. The campaign’s goal is to foster open discussions about mental health and highlight the importance of seeking treatment among young people. 

At the launch event held at the Port Mourant Community Centre Ground in Region 6, First Lady, Her Excellency Arya Ali  in her remarks at the opening said “This is an area of health which we continue to mobilise support around and one which is continually evolving, thus making it a more complex issue. In our fast-paced world, we often overlook Mental Health in favour of other goals and pursuits of life. But it is very important that we deploy stress management techniques. and find what works for us best.”

She continued, “But beyond ourselves, we also have a responsibility around us, our family and friends. Their mental health also matters. We must begin by destigmatizing mental health. In a society like ours, that can be challenging, but an allyship like ours will ensure we overcome this challenge, we have the power to stabilize, and we must never forget. That is why today’s activity is so important.”

UNICEF Country Representative Nicolas Pron underlined the importance of mental health in overall well-being. “Mental health is as important as our physical health,” he continued, “By encouraging conversations and practices to protect mental health among young people, we can create a society where no one feels ashamed to ask for help.”

Director of the Ministry of Health – Mental Health Unit, Dr. Timothy Morgan in his remarks stated “The Ministry of Health, through the Mental Health Unit, has been actively collaborating with our partners to improve the mental health of our Guyanese children and adolescents. We will continue to partner with PAHO/WHO, UNICEF and other like-minded organisations and government agencies to holistically improve the mental health of our Guyanese children and adolescents and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues.”

The “Hear Me Out” campaign will include a variety of activities, such as school-based programs, television and radio broadcasts, and social media initiatives. UNICEF encourages everyone, from students and parents to teachers and community members, to take part and contribute to the campaign. According to WHO’s global statistics on suicide rates, Guyana is among the countries in the world with significantly high suicide rates.

Globally, one in four people are affected by poor mental health with approximately 280 million people in the world living with depression. Reports have revealed that more than 700,000 people die due to suicide every year, with suicide being the fourth leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds.

UNICEF remains committed to ensuring good mental health and well-being for every child, everywhere. Through the “Hear Me Out” campaign, UNICEF aims to empower young people to prioritize their mental health and seek the support they need.

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Farmers and residents from areas within the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary Agriculture Development Authority (MMA-ADA) Scheme, West Coast Berbice as well as those residing in Black Bush Polder, Talorgie, and other surrounding communities on the Corentyne Coast will now benefit from further improvements to their drainage systems following the addition of approximately $127 million worth of heavy-duty machinery.

Through the Ministry of Agriculture’s Agriculture Sector Development Unit’s (ASDU) Flood Risk Management Project (FRMP), seven excavators; six mini excavators, and one long boom excavator; were procured through funding from the World Bank and added to the MMA’s and Region Six’s fleet of machinery.

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha while offering remarks at the handing over exercise at the MMA’s Onverwagt office said the two additional excavators being added to MMA’s fleet will be used to carry out the desilting of internal drainage systems in the MMA scheme.

“Today, we’ll be handing over two brand new mini excavators to the MMA to further assist with improving drainage in the scheme. These machines will be used to desilt internal and interlocking drains within the housing areas,” the minister explained.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha while handing over the keys to the two mini excavators to the Black Bush Polder Chairperson

Furthermore, Minister Mustapha disclosed that two young females who benefited from skills training offered by the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) were hired by the MMA to operate the excavators.

“Here we have two young women who benefited from the BIT training and are now operators. They were hired and will be the ones operating these machines. As a government, we believe in empowering young people. These young women took the opportunity and are now certified excavator operators. More young people should take up these opportunities. Get enrolled in these courses being offered by the Board of Industrial Training so that you too can be gainfully employed,” Minister Mustapha added.

Venita Chatergoon, 27, who resides at Number Five Village, West Boast Berbice said she was previously employed as a security officer. She said when she heard about the BIT programme, she enrolled and was able to benefit from the much-needed skills training. Meanwhile, Divya Ragbir, 22 said she was elated to be gainfully employed after recently becoming a certified excavator operator and thanked the government for creating avenues for young people to receive critical skills training.

Two of the mini excavators that were handed over on Saturday

As is the case with the Agriculture Innovative Entrepreneurial Programme (AIEP), the BIT is a government initiative offering specialized courses to empower young people through skills training thus enabling them to be gainfully employed while also promoting entrepreneurship.

Meanwhile, at Black Bush Polder, while handing over two mini excavators to the Neighborhood Democratic Council (NDC), Minister Mustapha said that the new equipment will be permanently stationed in the polders to carry out drainage works in the residential areas. He also said that oftentimes machinery is sent to do work following commitments made by officials. Those works, he added, are sometimes incomplete, and the machines are sent to other areas to carry out other works. He also told those in attendance that each excavator would service two polders.

During a meeting at Talorgie, Minister Mustapha while handing over two mini excavators and a long boom excavator said that the two mini excavators will be used to carry out critical drainage works in the residential areas. In contrast, the long boom excavator will be used to clear canals and carry out other drainage works in the cultivation areas. He also said that a work programme will be developed to guide the works and that critical works will be prioritized.

Desilting and other drainage works are expected to commence in the coming week.

Minister Mustapha also encouraged the regional officials to engage the Ministry of Labour so that more young female operators who benefited from skills training offered by BIT could be hired.

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By Kurt Campbell

Kurt@newsroom.gy 

It’s been a quarter-century since 13-year-old Deniese Hariman went missing, but her family is still holding on to hope that they’ll find the answers they desperately need.

Last Sunday, October 06, family and friends gathered for a candlelight vigil in Queens, New York, to mark the 25th anniversary of the disappearance of Deniese and her close friend, Chauvian Sankar.

Both girls vanished within months of each other, their fates intertwined with the unsettling presence of a man, Rudolph Balgobin, who has long been a suspect:

Now, serving 25 years in a Florida state prison for another murder, Balgobin has been linked to the disappearances of both girls and their families are calling for the details of the truth to finally come to light.

The vigil marked not only the memory of two young lives lost but also a renewed plea for justice.

Deniese’s mother, Seeta Beran, covering her eyes heavy with sorrow but filled with hope, addressed the crowd.

“I got a letter from him. Two letters, in fact. Stating that I should send him $200 and he will tell me what he know,”she said, speaking of Balgobin, who, despite serving time for another crime, still holds the key to what happened to Deniese and Chauvian.

Hariman was only five years old when she immigrated from Albouystown, Guyana, to the United States, where she grew up in Richmond Hill, Queens. Her life, like so many others, was full of promise.

But on the afternoon of October 6th, 1999, Deniese went missing on her way home from school. It was the last time anyone saw her.

Sankar, Deniese’s neighbour and close friend, vanished nearly a year later. The two girls had been inseparable, often spending time together.

Sankar’s then-boyfriend, Balgobin, was known to have spent time with both girls, reportedly taking them out for ice creams and even walking them home from time to time.

He was in his 20s at the time, while Deniese and Chauvian were teenagers.

But what seemed innocent at first quickly turned into suspicion. The disappearance of Chauvian in 2000 led the Hariman family to question Balgobin’s involvement.

Natasha Beran, Deniese’s sister, shared her family’s anguish during the vigil.

“We are 99.99% sure he had something to do with it,” she said.

“We just need him to admit the truth, to give us the closure we deserve. He wouldn’t say anything when they asked him before, but now, he’s the only one who knows what really happened to my sister and Chauvian.”

Natasha described how the past 25 years have profoundly affected the family.

“It’s been tough,” she said. “We had to move forward, but we never stopped thinking about them. Our lives changed that day, and we didn’t even realise how much.”

For Seeta, the agony of not knowing what happened to her daughter has been nearly unbearable. “I try to be strong,” she says. “But the pain is always there. I keep hoping that one day someone will speak the truth.”

 

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Ajay Jha, the controversial figure who was the local representative of the India-based contracting firm Fedders Lloyd blacklisted by the World Bank, was also involved in the problematic drainage pump project inked in 2018.

On September 3, 2018, the APNU+ AFC government began procuring the engines by signing a deal of US$3.6 million with Apollo International for the supply and installation of the 12 drainage pumps to the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA).

Jha was the Apollo International representative who signed the pact for the new pumps alongside the then NDIA Chief Executive Officer, Frederick Flatts.

Engines for drainage pumps highlighted in Auditor General’s report were purchased by APNU/AFC

But two years before, in 2016, Jha was the local representative of Indian company, Fedders- Lloyd. That company had been blacklisted by the World Bank for four years for violating the financial institute’s procurement guidelines against fraud and corruption in the Africa region.

Jha subsequently said he cut ties with the company. Two years later, he emerged as an Apollo Representative.

Jha was also a client of the then Vice President, Khemraj Ramjattan who was part of the Alliance for Change (AFC) in the APNU+AFC coalition.

In 2018, the then agriculture minister Noel Holder told the nation that his coalition government had procured the right engines for the job. The engines were to be delivered within 12 months, but a recent release from the Ministry of Agriculture stated that never happened.

The wrong engines arrived in March 2020, during the election fiasco. The release further noted that over US$2.3 million had already been paid to Apollo.

In 2021, a second payment of US$501,000 was made, and the engines were installed on the pumps at various locations across the country.

The current PPP/C government withheld the balance payment after finding out that APNU+AFC had purchased the wrong engines. In 2022, the PPP/C government engaged the company and in turn, Apollo reportedly signaled its preparedness to send a team of engineers to resolve the matter.

It was also been issued with an ultimatum. The company was told that if it failed to meet the government’s demand the “NDIA will purchase and install the engines and deduct the cost for doing same from the balance of the contract price.”

The new government remains in negotiations with the Indian Company to have the matter settled.

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A couple was found dead at a Station Street, Kitty residence on Saturday night.

The News Room understands that the individuals are foreign nationals. Initial reports suggest that the man stabbed the woman and then took his life.

The man is said to have been in his 60s while the woman, in her 30s.

Police Officers are on the scene probing the matter.

This is a developing story. The News Room will provide additional details as it becomes available. 

The post Couple found dead in Station Street house; murder/ suicide suspected  appeared first on News Room Guyana.

See below press release issued by the Guyana Cricket Board

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) is pleased to announce the appointment of Sir Clive Hubert Lloyd as Special Technocrat to the Board with immediate effect.

Sir Clive’s appointment was successfully concluded after a high-level engagement with President of the GCB, Bissoondyal Singh.

The outstanding former Guyana and West Indies captain expressed his willingness to serve and to have the opportunity to contribute to cricket development in his native land.

Singh, on behalf of the GCB, conveyed his delight at this appointment and noted that Sir Clive would be value-added to the Board with his wealth of cricket experience garnered from over sixty (60) years association with the game as a player, official and administrator.

The GCB stands to benefit considerably from his immense knowledge of the game and will be paying close attention to his advice, guidance and recommendations.

With another former WI captain, Ramnaresh Sarwan, serving in the very important position of chairman of senior selectors, the GCB can justifiably boast that it has two (2) former WI captains and six (6) other former first-division cricketers, including Andre Percival, who captained the West Indies Youth Team, on it 13-member Executive Committee, a composition that has no parallel in regional cricket and also is indicative of the GCB’s commitment to develop the game by engaging the services of former cricketers.

Sir Clive’s illustrious career included induction into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2019, Knighthood by Duke of Cambridge Prince William in January 2022, recipient of the Order of the Caribbean Community in July 2024, appointment as an ICC Match Referee, serving as chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee and as captain winning the inaugural ICC One-Day Cricket World Cup in June 1975.

In his international playing days, Sir Clive Lloyd blazed a trail of outstanding achievements from 1966 to 1985, during which time he played 110 Test matches, was captain in 74 of the matches winning 36 of them thus making him the most successful captain in West Indies Cricket; this included a sequence of 26 Tests without a loss including 11 consecutive victories.

His highest score of 242 not out was among his 19 test centuries.

As a prominent batsman he played cricket across the world including at varies times for the Demerara Cricket Club, Demerara County, Guyana, West Indies, Lancashire, Australia State Cricket and a World XI.

The President, Executives and members of the GCB hereby congratulate Sir Clive Lloyd on his appointment and wish to record appreciation for his willingness to once again serve Guyana cricket.

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