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President Dr. Irfaan Ali is set to address the National Assembly this Thursday, October 10, at a sitting at 10:00hrs, marking his second address to Parliament since taking office.

The address, confirmed through the official Order Paper for the 86th Sitting of the 12th Parliament of Guyana, also confirms the return of the legislative body after a recess.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir, will temporarily suspend the sitting to receive President Ali, who is expected to arrive in full ceremonial style.

A variety of dignitaries are expected to attend, including members of the Joint Services, the Diplomatic Corps, Heads of Governmental Agencies, and representatives from civil society.

While the Parliament or Government have not disclosed specific details regarding the content of President Ali’s address, Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo hinted at a major focus on the rising cost of living in the country.

Speaking at a press conference in September, Dr. Jagdeo indicated that President Ali would outline new measures aimed at alleviating the financial burden on Guyanese citizens.

“We have a number of ideas, and the President will speak at the opening of Parliament,” Dr. Jagdeo said, responding to questions about the $7 billion allocated in the 2024 National Budget to address inflation and rising costs.

He said then that while the funds are available within the budget, they have not yet been fully utilised for specific cost-of-living interventions.

In 2022 and 2023, similar efforts saw $5 billion allocated annually to provide relief from the escalating cost of living.

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A state-of-the-art soil chemical services laboratory was commissioned on Monday at the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.

The $100 million rehabilitated facility consists of cutting-edge technological equipment to revitalise soil management and improve crop yield within the country.

The initiative was funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) through the Sustainable Agricultural Development Programme (SADP).

Farmers will be the key beneficiaries of the lab. It will help them to determine what type of crop to plant and accurately recommend the type of soil that would yield optimum growth.

Importantly, the laboratory provides the opportunity for Guyanese to adapt to modern and sustainable farming methods.

During the commissioning ceremony, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, stressed that the facility will contribute to a further reduction of the food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025 for Guyana and the Caribbean.

“The rehabilitation of the soil laboratory today is a prime example of how innovation and technology are at the heart of our agricultural transformation…We have allocated over $57 million to completely modernise this facility,” the minister stated.

To further support the laboratory, an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) was purchased earlier in the year for $26.2 million along with other technological equipment.

An AAS detects elements in either liquid or solid samples through the application of characteristic wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation from a light source.

Director General at the Ministry of Agriculture, Madanlall Ramraj noted that “The rehabilitative centre will provide accurate soil testing services, enabling farmers to make informed decisions about fertiliser application, crop selection, and soil management practices.”

He said Guyana is committed to finding innovative ways to transform agriculture while taking advantage of emerging technology to reduce the amount of manual work that farmers and agriculture officers are required to perform.

Meanwhile, the General Manager of the Country Department of the Caribbean of IDB, Anton Edmunds, said that these initiatives are key investment priorities for the organisation.

“A primary focus of our investments is to enhance Guyana’s agricultural research and extension system. This is crucial for supporting farmers and achieving the national and regional food security goal,”Edmunds sai (Republished from the Department of Public Information)

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The Agriculture Information System (AIS) was launched on Monday, marking a pivotal shift in improving the sector through technology.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, at the launch of the system at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, emphasised the need to embrace technology to improve services and develop a better data system.

The system offers several components including a farm register module, that will create a comprehensive database of farmers, including biodata and contact details. It also provides georeferencing of farms, a farm profile, and a survey module for creating and processing farm surveys. Other components include the core, extension module, and survey module.

Minister Mustapha further said that the AIS will revolutionise how the ministry collects, manages, and use agriculture data. The system will also address challenges with data collection and allow extension officers to operate more efficiently.

Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha at the launch of the new system (Photo: MoA/ October 7, 2024)

“We can know who are in the livestock industry, who are in cash crop, and fruits and vegetable or who are in the rice sector, the fishing sector. So, what this will do, this will help us first of all to know those persons who are in the various sectors, and it will help us to plan,” Mustapha said.

He revealed that the AIS is not a standalone project but will be complemented by AIS hubs located in 8 of the 10 administrative regions.

“These hubs will serve as collaborative spaces for extension officers fully equipped with modern office facilities, internet and computers, extension officers will also be equipped with tablets so that we can real-time data,” Mustapha said.

Developed by Intellect Storm, the AIS tracks the support or assistance received by farmers, including interactions with extension officers and records of which officers visited a farmer. CEO of Intellect Storm, Rowen Willabus said the system will allow for real-time data gathering.

“We have what we call behind the scenes stages of growth for every item so by knowing the stages and knowing when something is on the farm, the system will automatically tell you when it moves into harvest or when it is ready for reaping,” Willabus explained.

The project was funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). IDB’s General Manager for the Caribbean Anton Edmunds during brief remarks reiterated that the launch of the system also supports economic prospects.

“This initiative highlights the promising trajectory of Guyana’s agricultural sector towards modernisation, increased productivity and sustainable development. The AIS is a testament to what can be achieved through collaboration and shared vision,” Edmunds said highlighting the importance of food security in the region.

The launch of the AIS aims to drive efficiency, boost productivity, and streamline the Ministry’s internal processes. Training has already begun for extension officers.

The AIS will only be used internally at the ministry but in the future, it will be made available to farmers.

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Five men accused of the abduction of Joshua David will be detained in custody for a further 72 hours after investigators successfully managed to obtain extensions for their detention on Monday.

The five men surrendered to the Brickdam Police Station, Georgetown on Friday.

They are: Aaron Alleyne called ‘Cats’, Wayne Barker, Damion Barlow, Dwayne Griffith and Daventai Mars.

On Monday, the standard 72-hour Police detention period for these men would have expired.

Two charged, five others surrender in abduction of Joshua David

As Police keep the men in custody and hope to get more information on the abduction of David, the file for the investigation was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.

On Friday last, two other suspects – Alpha Poole, 35 of Stanley Place, Kitty, Georgetown and Osafo Peters, 28 of William Street, Kitty, Georgetown were remanded to prison.

It is alleged that on September 26, 2024, at Main Street, Georgetown, while in the company of others, Poole and Peters abducted David, with the intent of secretly and wrongfully confining him.

The men were not required to plead to the charge and were remanded to prison. The case was adjourned to October 11, 2024.

Before the men were taken to court on Friday, a legal dispute unfolded when attorney Everton Lammy-Singh informed the court of an order that was issued for both men to be immediately released from custody as they were kept in custody beyond their 72-hour detention period.

The order was handed down by High Court Judge Nichole Pierre. She ruled in favour of their release, citing the breach of legal protocol.
Singh-Lammy had told the News Room that he would be returning to the High Court to seek contempt charges.

Known fondly ‘Bricks’ among his peers, David was abducted outside a Main Street, Georgetown restaurant where he had gone to purchase food on the evening of September 26.

Acting on information, the Police began their search for David days after his abduction in the Buxton and Annandale backlands. However, three days of searches ended in futility as nothing of evidential value was found.

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The armed bandit who robbed a New Amsterdam, Berbice jewellery and pawnshop on Monday died from a gunshot wound to his chest.

Police Headquarters reported that two men wearing hoodies and armed with handguns went to a jewellery store and pawnshop at Trinity Street and Main Road, New Amsterdam at about 10:20 hrs.

At the premises, they reportedly robbed a customer; that customer was shot to the right leg.

Bandit shot dead during robbery at New Amsterdam 

Police reported that the business owner, a licensed firearm holder, returned fire. As such, the two bandits fled the scene with the stolen items.

The men reportedly ran along Trinity Street, into the New Amsterdam Primary School compound. One of the men was later found lying face up with a single gunshot wound to the chest.

A Taurus 9MM handgun and a magazine containing live rounds along with some of the items that were stolen from the business were found in the dead man’s pockets and on the ground.

Investigations are continuing.

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After having had to wait 11 years for a maiden CPL trophy, Guyana Amazon Warriors are now just one step away from winning back-to-back titles.

Imran Tahir was targeted when he was appointed Amazon Warriors’ captain last season at 44 – Tahir said “everyone was sending jokes” about it – and having been retained as captain this year, he will be looking to lead Amazon Warriors to glory once again, in front of their home fans, in Providence.

At 45, Tahir became the first overseas bowler to 100 wickets in the CPL and continues to rock the league with his variations and celebrations.

He had joined Amazon Warriors in 2018 and has remained with the side for seven seasons, which is quite rare in the cutthroat world of franchise T20 cricket.

Midway through this season, Tahir suffered an injury, but he recovered to forge a potent partnership with Gudakesh Motie, the local left-arm finger-spinner, and Moeen Ali, the English off-spinner.

The trio has been hard to get away, especially on the spin-friendly surfaces in Providence.

Amazon Warriors have also loaded their side with spin-hitters like Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope and Moeen.

After not playing a single game in the 2024 T20 World Cup, Hetmyer has reminded the world of his T20 pedigree, hitting 391 runs in 12 innings at an average of 43.44 and strike rate of 187.98 in this CPL heading into the final.

Since the start of CPL 2023, Amazon Warriors have lost just four games at home, with two of those losses coming at the hands of St Lucia Kings, including the Qualifier 1 earlier this week.

Despite losing tosses and losing key personnel – like Heinrich Klaasen even before the start of the tournament – Kings have remained a formidable force under Faf du Plessis, who, like Tahir, is a familiar face at the CPL.

At 40, du Plessis is still going strong.

This is his most prolific CPL in terms of runs – 384 runs in 11 innings at an average of 38.40 and strike rate of 148.83 – and if it culminates in a title, it could potentially raise his stocks ahead of the IPL retention deadline and player auction.

Du Plessis’ stint in CPL 2023 was cut short by a tennis-elbow injury, but he has worked his way around that this season, dovetailing well with Johnson Charles, who has reinvented himself as a 360-degree batter.

While this is the St Lucia franchise’s third CPL final, this will be du Plessis’ first – he had suffered an injury before the title clash in 2021, when they lost to St Kitts & Nevis Patriots.

However, he is used to the pressure that a final brings, having been part of Chennai Super Kings for a number of years in the IPL.

Kings’ coach Daren Sammy also has some unfinished business: in his last match as CPL captain, he lost to Trinbago Knight Riders in the 2020 final.

Can he and du Plessis upstage Amazon Warriors at their home ground and lead Kings to their first CPL title?

In the spotlight: Moeen Ali and Alzarri Joseph

Just over three months after not bowling in England’s T20 World Cup semi-final defeat to India in Providence, Moeen Ali is now on the verge of winning a title, in his first CPL stint, at the venue.

He has bagged 14 wickets in nine innings at an average of 11.35 and an economy rate of less than five.

With the bat, he has floated up and down the order and in the qualifier 2, he scored an unbeaten 44 to put Amazon Warriors in the final.

In another spin-dominated CPL, Alzarri Joseph is the most successful fast bowler with 15 wickets in 11 innings.

His ability to hit hard lengths and generate extra bounce have served him well, and on potentially slow surfaces in Guyana, he could take the conditions out of the equation and provide a point of difference to Kings’ attack.

Du Plessis, too, trusts Alzarri to bowl the tough overs, having also worked with him at the SA20 (Joburg Super Kings) and IPL (Royal Challengers Bengaluru).

Team news: Who will open the batting for GAW?

Since the start of CPL 2023, Amazon Warriors have used 14 openers with only Rahmanullah Guraz and Saim Ayub, who has missed this season for national duty, getting more than five innings each at the top.

It remains to be seen if Moeen will open alongside Gurbaz again in the final on Sunday. Amazon Warriors will also have to make a choice between the fingerspin of Kevin Sinclair and the pace of Shamar Joseph.

Guyana Amazon Warriors (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 2 Moeen Ali, 3 Shai Hope (wk), 4 Shimron Hetmyer, 5 Romario Shepherd, 6 Keemo Paul, 7 Dwaine Pretorius, 8 Raymon Reiffer, 9 Kevin Sinclair/Shamar Joseph, 10 Gudakesh Motie, 11 Imran Tahir (capt)

Will Kings stick with Johann Jeremiah, who had made his CPL debut in Qualifier 1, or will they go back to Shadrack Descarte?

St Lucia Kings (probable): 1 Faf du Plessis (capt), 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Roston Chase, 4 Ackeem Auguste, 5 Tim Seifert (wk), 6 David Wiese, 7 Johann Jeremiah/Shadrack Descarte, 8 Matthew Forde, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Khary Pierre, 11 Noor Ahmad (ESPNcricinfo)

 

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Some 200 children living with disabilities now have the opportunity to learn an important skill – swimming.

The Edward Mohamed Swimming Pool opening at the Regional Special Education Needs and Disability Diagnostic and Treatment Centre located at the Cyril Potter College of Education, at Turkeyen on the East Coast of Demerara.

The pool which was commissioned on Saturday was made possible through a generous donation from Trinidadian businessman and philanthropist, Teddy Mohamed. Mohamed is the owner of Mohamed Bookstores Associates Ltd. in Trinidad.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, highlighted the importance of the initiative which she said is essential for the holistic development of differently-abled children.

The minister noted that even if the children do not become proficient swimmers, engaging in extracurricular activities can significantly boost their confidence and calm them.

Minister Manickchand announced that the government will be replicating the initiative in Regions Three, Five, and Ten.

She emphasised the need for trained personnel such as lifeguards, to ensure the safety of the children.

“We are currently looking at building a pool for the Allied arts, where they can train lifeguards and other necessary personnel, not only for the pools we plan to construct for the disabled community, but also for the hotels and other establishments that will require these resources,” the minister stated.

Over the past three years, the government has placed a strong focus on special education learners. Keon Cheong was appointed as the Assistant Chief Education Officer with responsibility for Special Education Needs, supported by a Special Education Officer.

An Associate Degree programme in Special Education was also developed at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), with 49 students currently enrolled.

Additionally, through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), 150 individuals graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education Needs.

Furthermore, 11 new spaces were created in classrooms across the country geared to children with special needs.

According to minister Manickchand, the disability centre was initially constructed 2016 as a Caribbean diagnostic and treatment facility with assistance from Cuban counterparts.  At that time, it was intended to serve as a centre where children from across the Caribbean could be diagnosed and treated.

However, the programme was not advanced by the previous government. As a result, the current PPP/C administration is now working to ensure the facility is equipped with the necessary resources, including speech therapists, psychologists, and physiotherapists.

Minister Manickchand reiterated the government’s commitment to putting Guyanese at the centre of the country’s development, especially those living with permanent disabilities.

“We are very sure as a government that with this new buildout of Guyana, people will be at the forefront of our priority list. And so, our children will enjoy priority status, our women, our Amerindian and hinterland residents, everybody is going to get attention,” she affirmed.

Teddy Mohamed explained what inspired him to donate the funds to build the pool. He said that his child was born with a damaged retina and the lack of physical facilities in Trinidad meant that he had to personally teach his son how to swim.

The Trinidadian businessman said the experience inspired him to assist children with disabilities in Guyana. [Extracted and modified from the Department of Public Information] 

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The Executive Committee of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) recently appointed and ratified the Women in Sport Commission, which will serve from September 2024 to September 2026.

This was done pursuant to a nomination process.

The newly appointed members of the Women in Sport Commission are:

Chair: Nicolette Fernandes

Vice-Chair: Denise Jeffrey

General Secretary: Dacia Cummings

Members: Sileena Arjune, Ashley Khalil and Ayanna Wickham-Watson

From left: Denise Jeffrey, Dacia Cummings, Sileena Arjune, Ashley Khalil and Ayanna Wickham-Watson

The GOA, in a press release, highlighted that in order to create a system which facilitates and enables the efficient functioning, support and communication of the work of this key Commission, the Executive Committee would be grateful for the nomination of one person from each Federation to serve, support and sit on the council of this important Commission.

Submission must be made on or before Friday October 11, 2024.

The appointed commission members in collaboration and under guidance and support of the Executive Committee of the GOA will guide, direct and support the work of this commission.

The Women in Sport Commission is a key body within the GOA, mandated by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to promote and enhance girls’ and women’s access to sports across all levels.

The Commission will focus on increasing female participation as athletes, coaches, leaders and volunteers, while ensuring gender parity and empowerment throughout Guyana’s sporting landscape.

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The National Sports Commission (NSC), following an extensive and consultative process, has finalised a 140-member contingent that will participate in the 2025 edition of the Inter-Guiana Games (IGG), which is slated for Cayenne, French Guiana, from October 24-26.

The selection process for the annual event, which lasted for several weeks and was aided by the IGG Management Committee, was staged in collaboration with stakeholders.

The final roster, which will make the trek to the French department, comprises athletes, officials, and auxiliary personnel.

Presently, the list has been submitted to the French authorities for the acquisition of visas and any other relevant or requisite travel documents.

The IGG Management Committee contains Chef-de-Mission Dr. Karen Pilgrim and veteran sports administrator Gervy Harry, Vice-Chairperson of the NSC Cristy Campbell, Assistant Directors of Sport Melissa Dow-Richardson and Frankie Wilson among other individuals.

The entity meets twice a week to finalise the logistical arrangements for the team.

They will meet on an increased basis as the date for the team’s departure draws closer.

The seven disciplines that will be contested are: athletics, basketball, beach volleyball, chess, futsal, swimming, and table tennis.

Owing to the distance that must be travelled, Guyana is slated to arrive in the French territory on October 22, while their return date is pencilled for October 27.

Suriname is slated to arrive on October 23.

Meanwhile, Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle said, “Given the cultural importance of the tournament, an extensive process was conducted and aided by the IGG Management Committee in conjunction with the local associations to select the best possible and available athletes and personnel for this prestigious regional championship.”

“This annual undertaking is a covenant amongst culturally and historically linked people and community and will continue to survive the test of time given our shared values and, more importantly, our ambition to forge closer and deeper bonds.”

He further said, “Guyana is expected to host the 2025 edition, and given its unquestionable importance, a world-class experience will certainly be realised owing to the ongoing development and refurbishment of faculties and venues by the Government of Guyana as it strives to usher in a sporting cultural revolution.”

“That is the vision of His Excellency President Dr. Irfaan Ali, whose commitment to achieving this objective is evident by the annual increasing largesse, which is of historic proportions, that is afforded to the sector.”

Originally held in 1967, the IGG is traditionally an annual competition among the territories of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.

The previous edition was staged in Suriname, with Guyana hosting the 2022 edition following a five-year hiatus owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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