Yearly Archives: 2024

27.7 % of Caribbean people can’t afford a healthy diet – New FAO report Aug 02, 2024 News Kaieteur News – Rome – More than a third of the world’s population could not afford a healthy diet in 2022, and some regions have yet fully to recover from the harms wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an innovative data set published in the 2024 edition of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, the flagship hunger report issued last week by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and four sister United Nations agencies. While food prices increased throughout 2022, pushing up the average cost of a healthy diet, this was largely offset by economic recovery and the ensuing positive income effects. As a result, some 35.4 percent of the global population, equal to 2.826 billion people, were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2022. That compares to 36.4 percent and 2.823 billion in 2019. However, this recovery to pre-pandemic levels in 2022 was achieved in an uneven manner across regions. “In 2022, the number of people unable to afford a healthy diet dropped below pre-pandemic levels in the group of upper-middle- and high-income countries. In contrast, low-income countries had the highest levels since 2017,” the first year for which FAO has published estimates, said Maximo Torero, Chief Economist of FAO.  The finding highlights “a major structural problem of our agrifood systems,” said David Laborde, Director of FAO’s Agrifood Economics and Policy Division. He noted this part of the SOFI 2024 report revealed significant variation across and within regions that in turn point to where national and international attention should be prioritized. Key findings The share of people in Africa unable to afford a healthy diet was 64.8 percent. In Asia, the figure is 35.1 percent; in Latin America and the Caribbean, 27.7 percent; in Oceania 20.1 percent; and in Northern America and Europe, 4.8 percent. In low-income and lower-middle-income countries, the number of people unable to afford healthy diets grew from 2019 to 2022, an outcome that reflects how post-pandemic economic recoveries were unevenly shared and how more advanced economies were better placed to cope with supply-chain shocks and worldwide inflationary pressure on food commodity prices. The SOFI 2024 report details the methodology used to calculate the affordability of a healthy diets, defined as comprising diversity, adequacy, moderation and balance. The main takeaway is that the prices, in purchasing power parity (PPP), rose significantly – a global average of 6 percent in 2020 and 11 percent in 2021 – but the impact was diluted where income growth was also robust and where food as a share of household budgets was lowest, as in higher-income countries with greater fiscal capacities. “The uneven progress in the economic access to healthy diets cast a shadow of achieving Zero Hunger in the world, six years away from the 2030 deadline,” the SOFI report says. “There is the need to accelerate the transformation of our agrifood systems to strengthen their resilience to the major drivers and address inequalities to ensure that healthy diets are affordable for and available to all. But there is also a need to assure people that can access and consume healthy diets,” said Torero. Mapping the details The global average cost of a healthy diet rose to 3.96 PPP dollars – a measure that compares purchasing power parity across economies – in 2022. Subregional variations were considerable, ranging from a high of 5.34 PPP dollars in Eastern Asia to a low of 2.96 PPP dollars in Northern America. For Africa, the average price was 3.74 PPP dollars; for Asia 4.20 PPP dollars; for Latin America and the Caribbean 4.56 PPP dollars; for Oceania 3.46 PPP dollars and for Northern America and Europe 3.75 PPP dollars, with a sizable difference between Southern Europe, at 4.15 PPP dollars and Western Europe at 3.01 PPP dollars. 1.677 billion people living in lower-middle-income countries cannot afford a healthy diet, and the same holds for 503 million people living in low-income countries. Combined, these account for 77 percent of people unable to afford healthy diets. People who cannot afford the least-cost healthy diet in their countries are likely facing at least some degree of food and nutritional insecurity and thus face the risk of swelling the ranks of the hungry as measured in SOFI’s traditional measures of chronic hunger as well as chronic conditions such as stunting and wasting. FAO’s ongoing foray into gauging and tracking the cost of affordable diets offers an early warning indicator of sorts. As the alarm is greatest where countries’ fiscal capacities are weakest, and where the cost burden perpetuate itself by dragging down economic growth, the data in SOFI 2024 highlight the need for greater and more innovative investments in agrifood systems, the topic of the second section of the flagship report. Related Similar Articles

Spartans dominoes club competition set for August 11 Aug 02, 2024 Sports Kaieteur Sports – Spartans dominoes club will be hosting a fund raising dominoes competition on August 11 at YMCA, Thomas Lands. Entrance fee is $15,000 and the competition will be played on a two in, one out, six sitting basis. The winning team will pocket a trophy and $500,000, runner up a trophy and $250,000 and third place a trophy and $150,000. The most valuable player in the final will receive $30,000. Teams can contact Referee Harry on 697-7777 for registration. Double-six time is 14:00 hrs. Related Similar Articles

New addition Stormy Victory acclimatizing ahead of Guyana Cup Aug 02, 2024 Sports Kaieteur Sports – Seven new horses touched down in Guyana during this week and are in full preparation mode ahead of the 16th running of the Guyana Cup which is set for August 11 at Rising Sun Turf Club. Stormy Victory being attended to before a session here. One of the new additions, Stormy Victory of the Simply Royals Racing Stables, began training at Port Mourant on Tuesday, and has since been acclimatizing to new conditions. According to Winston Appadu, a veteran jockey who was working Stormy Victory, the horse looks comfortable. “He is comfortable on the track, on the first day in Guyana. He has a chance to win at Guyana Cup, a very good chance. I can’t rate this horse yet, based on jogging.” Stormy Victory was imported from Miami, and according to co-owner, Christopher Deroop, Stormy Victory entered Guyana in good condition. “The horses should be ready for Guyana Cup. We are expecting a lot come Guyana Cup, because the horses have been running and training in Florida,” young Deroop said. According to Equibase, Stormy Victory had seven starts this year, where he recorded one first, one second and one third place. Based on reports, Stormy Victory is expected to join stablemate Stolen Money in the Guyana Cup feature event. Stolen Money is one of Guyana’s top horses in 2024, and with the latest addition, Stormy Victory, the Simply Royals Racing Stables will fancy their chances of claiming the Guyana Cup. The 16th running of the Guyana Cup is organised by the Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing, with more than 40 million Guyana dollars in cash for prize money. Last year’s Guyana Cup saw a total purse of $24 million. The drawing for the 16th running of the Guyana Cup will be held on Sunday, August 4 and fans will be aware of all the top entries. This year’s Guyana Cup will certainly be the biggest horse race event in the history of the country, and the day will be packed with side attractions. The first-ever fun park is set to ignite the Rising Sun Turf Club, where kids will witness a parading bar on spot, and multiple stages will be set up across the venue. The biggest DJ competition will also ignite Rising Sun Turf Club, where top DJs will battle for supremacy from near and far. Ten races are listed on the provisional programme, and registration closes on Saturday August 3. No late entries will be accepted at this year’s Guyana Cup. Races for Guyana Cup starts at 12:00h local time at Rising Sun Turf Club on August 11. Related Similar Articles

PAHO to intensify HIV response in Caribbean Aug 02, 2024 News Rio de Janeiro, 31 July 2024 (PAHO) – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and global health initiative Unitaid have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to intensify collaboration to advance HIV response in Latin America and the Caribbean. The US$ 5 million grant, which was signed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 30 July, aims to reduce HIV deaths in the region by addressing the prevention and management of advanced HIV disease. The project will focus on identifying gaps and barriers in national HIV programs, strengthening HIV surveillance, accelerating the introduction of new tests and treatment, and training healthcare workers. “To improve access to prevention and treatment, we must decentralize HIV care so that it is closer to patients,” PAHO Director, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa said during the signing of the agreement. “This grant will allow us to support countries to incorporate tools that will enable us to move even faster towards the elimination of HIV-related deaths.” An estimated 2.3 million people live with HIV in Latin America and 340,000 in the Caribbean. Thanks to modern treatment options, the number of HIV-related deaths has declined over the past 10 years in both Latin America and the Caribbean (by 28% and 57% respectively). However, in 2023, new infections increased by 9% in Latin America, despite reductions of 22% in the Caribbean and 51% globally, highlighting an urgent need for more targeted interventions. Advances in medicine and public health have enabled rapid diagnosis as well as the development of methods for combined prevention and effective treatment against the virus. A person with HIV who adheres to treatment no longer transmits the virus, and people who are at substantial risk can avoid HIV infection by taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) that ensures 99% protection. New antigen based rapid diagnostics can also identify if somebody with HIV has a severe infection (such as tuberculosis, histoplasmosis or cryptococosis), which helps to ensure earlier access to treatment.  New data supports the use of shorter prevention and treatment options for many of these opportunistic infections. “This new agreement is part of our effort to support countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to get the innovation they need to fight HIV and it will consolidate the work we are already doing,” Unitaid Executive Director, Philippe Duneton said. “As we move ahead in the fight against HIV, I am optimistic that bringing in new tools and new public health approaches will result in the impact we want on advanced HIV disease in the Americas.” Since 2020, PAHO and Unitaid have collaborated to support health innovations in the region of the Americas. Earlier this year, they signed a Memorandum of Understanding to intensify collaboration to end 30 preventable communicable diseases in the region by 2030, including cervical cancer, HIV and Chagas disease. HIV infection is one of the diseases addressed in PAHO’s Elimination Initiative, which aims to eliminate more than 30 communicable diseases and related conditions by 2030. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) works with the countries of the Americas to improve health and quality of life. Founded in 1902, the organization is the world’s oldest international public health agency and serves as a specialized health body of the Inter-American System and World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Americas. Unitaid saves lives by making new health products affordable and available in low- and middle-income countries. Collaborating with partners, Unitaid identifies innovative treatments, tackles market barriers, and quickly delivers solutions to those in need. Since 2006, Unitaid has unlocked over 100 health products, addressing HIV, TB, malaria, women’s and children’s health, and pandemic preparedness. Every year, these products benefit more than 170 million people. Unitaid is a hosted partnership of the World Health Organization. Related Similar Articles

Malteenoes bring down curtains on successful 2024 Cricket Summer Camp Aug 02, 2024 Sports Coaches Quasen Nedd and Clive Grimmond among those seated and flanked by this year’s Academy Graduates of the Malteenoes Cricket camp. Kaieteur Sports – The annual Malteenoes Cricket Camp concluded recently with a large number of graduates set to now continue their journey on their way to becoming future cricket stars, following a highly-successful 2024 programme, held at the Malteenoes Sports Club Ground. Operating under the motto “Our Youth, Our Future”, Roughly 90 attendees, both boys and girls completed a successful fundamental course on the pros and cons of being a professional cricketer, starting from the grassroots level. Key areas like batting, bowling, fielding alongside various drills and stamina/endurance related tests were conducted during the span of the camp. With senior facilitators like National youth coach Quasen Nedd, Women’s U19 T20 Regional winning coach Clive Grimmond along with a slew of former players, both club and national; helped make the camp a tremendous success. There to give the youngsters one final boost of encouragement before handing out well-deserved certificates of completion, former Guyana all-rounder and MSC Vice-president Steven Jacobs, who initially urged the youths to make the most of the camp; said he was overly happy at the final outcome of this year’s camp. Jacobs lauded the batch of young men and women who dedicated their time over the past few weeks to ensure that they finished the camp on a high note. He said the expectation for the players was to see them not stop here, but ramp up the hard work and dedication now that they have a solid understanding of the rudiments of the game. The former player turned businessman, further highlighted that he was impressed by the raw abilities of most of the kids, adding that now will be the ideal time to funnel those players into a structured cricketing system. Related Similar Articles

Kyle Karran scores 100 not out as Cool Runningz register ORSCA T20 win Aug 02, 2024 Sports Kaieteur Sports – Young, talented opening batsman Kyle Karran hit an attractive, unbeaten 100 to lead Cool Runningz to an exciting, 23-run triumph over 4040 WIBS in an Ontario Round-Arm Softball Cricket Association (ORSCA) Regular Season T20 competition fixture. Kyle Karran Playing last Sunday at the Hanover Public School ground in Brampton, the right-handed Karran helped his team total up a sufficient 199-6 from the allotted 20-overs. 4040 WIBS, in reply, threatened the target momentarily before they ended at 176-5 when proceedings came to a conclusion. Despite the loss of few wickets, Karran kept his composure to hit 11 sixes and three fours from 58 balls. He and his dad the Canada-based Guyanese Muniram Karran, a veteran player in the softball circuit in Ontario, collaborated in a match-defining 156-run, third-wicket stand. Muniram is also a right-hander and he struck 9 sixes and four fours during his 44-ball 83. Ravindra Sukhu churned out an impressive bowling performance for 4040 WIBS by bagging 3-27 from his allotted four overs while Aseeb Khan was expensive having conceded 39 runs in his two overs but ably took two wickets. For 4040 WIBS, the in-form former Canadian player and Berbice-born Aftab Shamshudeen knocked a top-score of 55 while Khan proved his all-round capability by making a steady 37. Ex-Guyana youth player Kevin George once again with a promising 28 and simultaneously displayed his consistency after several scores in the 40s this season so far. Mitch Bacchus, the experienced, left-arm bowler, grabbed 3-30 from his maximum four overs to play an instrumental role for the winning combination. Kyle, the 19-year-old, was selected as the Most Valuable Player for his excellent batting effort. Kyle has gained tremendous prominence in softball cricket in the last two consecutive seasons for his consistency with the bat along with his twin-brother Kristopher. Both of them do play hard-ball cricket also in the popular Toronto and District Cricket Association various tournaments. They represented Ontario at the youth level in Provincial cricket competition which firmly indicted their natural batting talent. Kyle has two centuries so far in ORSCA cricket and Kristopher registered two as well. Related Similar Articles

Guyana Police Force FC overwhelms Ann’s Grove United 7-0 Den Amstel FC and Western Tigers finish 1-1 Aug 02, 2024 Sports KFC Elite League Season Six… Action in Round Two of the KFC Elite League Season Six played on Tuesday last at the GFF NTC. Kaieteur Sports – Guyana Police Force Football Club cruised to a 7-0 victory over Ann’s Grove United Football Club on Tuesday, while Den Amstel Football Club battled to a 1-1 draw against Western Tigers in Round Two of the KFC Elite League Season Six. The double-header on July 30 took place at the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) National Training Centre in Providence, East Bank Demerara. Guyana Police Force FC’s Neron Barrow led the scoring with two goals, netting in the 6th and 47th minutes. Nicholas McArthur added another in the 20th minute, giving them a 2-0 lead at half-time. Ann’s Grove FC struggled to find a breakthrough, while the Police squad pressed on with goals from Adrian Arron in the 54th minute, Dorwin George in the 79th, Chai Williams in the 88th, and Keswin Fraser, who added a final strike in stoppage time at 90+1 minutes. In the evening’s final match, Den Amstel FC took an early lead with a goal from Gideon Payne in the 10th minute, but Western Tigers FC equalised through Michael Oie in the 41st minute. Guyana Defence Force FC maintains the top position with an impressive forty points, driven by a record of thirteen wins, one draw, and a remarkable sixty-one goals scored in just fourteen games, underscoring their dominance. Slingerz FC sits in second place with thirty-nine points from fifteen matches. Their record includes eleven wins, three draws, and seventy goals scored. Guyana Police Force FC holds steady in third with thirty-four points, achieved through eleven wins, one draw, and three losses. Santos FC occupies fourth place with twenty-seven points, thanks to nine wins, six losses, and thirty-one goals scored. Western Tigers FC remains in fifth with twenty five points, recording eight wins, one draw, and seven losses. Den Amstel FC is in sixth with nineteen points, reflecting five wins, five draws, and seven losses. Fruta Conquerors FC stays in seventh with sixteen points from five wins, one draw, and nine losses. Ann’s Grove United FC is in eighth place with fifteen points, accumulated through four wins, three draws, and ten losses. Monedderlust FC drops to ninth, now on nine points from three wins, three draws, and nine losses. Buxton United FC remains at the bottom with just one point from a single draw and seventeen losses. The August 3 action gets underway at 6:30 p.m. as Monedderlust FC faces off against Fruta Conquerors FC. The evening continues with Santos FC taking on Slingerz FC at 9:00 p.m. Related Similar Articles