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BIG MAN CRICKET- GY O50s cricket continues this weekend Oct 04, 2024 Sports Kaieteur Sports – Sponsored by Permaul Trading and Peter Lewis Construction and Asphalt Services, BMC-GY cricket continues this weekend with a solitary fixture on Sunday. North Soesdyke will clash with bottom of the table Ex Berbice Police Masters at the Farm Cricket ground to improve their standings. On Sunday, there will be a bottom of the table clash between the 2 Berbice teams at the Jai Hind ground between Jai Hind Jaguars and Ex Berbice Police Masters. Both teams will be looking to get off the mark and win all their remaining matches for a chance in the semifinals. Table toppers Everest Masters take on the Essequibo Invaders who are now placed in the #4 spot at the Parika/Salem ground.  All matches commence at 12 noon. Hereunder are the points standing after last weekend matches. Related Similar Articles

Madhoo, Fitzgerald to open CDLC 3rd & 4th qualifier campaign today Oct 04, 2024 Sports Kaieteur Sports – Guyanese darts heroes Norman Madhoo and Sudesh Fitzgerald are poised to begin their campaign at the third and fourth qualifiers of the 2024 Championship Darts Latin America and Caribbean (CDLC) in Santiago, Chile. The competition, held at The Hotel Torremayor from October 4-6, will be a crucial step for both players as they aim to secure spots at the 2025 PDC World Championship. Sudesh Fitzgerald and Norman Madhoo to be in action today in Chile. Madhoo, a veteran of the sport and member of the Foreign Link Dart Club (FLDC), enters the qualifiers in top form, having won 36 of his 49 matches to clinch the top spot in the second card of this year’s qualifiers. His success has propelled him to the number one spot in the CDLC Two-Year Merit of Order rankings, and he will be eager to maintain that momentum. Darts fans will be watching closely to see how Madhoo approaches this key event, as his technique and mental fortitude have been hallmarks of his career. Joining him is fellow Guyanese and FLDC club mate Sudesh Fitzgerald, currently ranked second in the CDLC rankings. Fitzgerald is no stranger to high-pressure environments, and he’ll be looking to elevate his game in Santiago to challenge Madhoo for the top spot. Both Madhoo and Fitzgerald ultimate aim to secure another PDC World Championship berth. The stakes could not be higher, with the player leading the CDLC points table at the end of the year earning a coveted spot in the World Championship. Currently, Madhoo has amassed 66 points this year with an impressive record of 155 wins and 61 losses, while Fitzgerald is right behind with 58 points and 156 wins to his name. The Guyana Darts Association and FLDC are rallying behind these two “sons of the soil,” hoping they can continue their form on the international stage. Madhoo and Fitzgerald are aiming not only to represent Guyana with pride but also to carve their place in the upper echelons of global darts. As Qualifier Three and Four unfold, the spotlight will be on these two talented players as they battle for a shot at the biggest darts tournament in the world—the PDC World Championship, set to begin in December 2024.   Related Similar Articles

Gandhi’s teachings can help address global food insecurity – President Ali Oct 04, 2024 News Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali during his remarks Kaieteur News – Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings offer valuable solutions that can be used to address the current crisis over global food insecurity. President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali made this remark during the birth anniversary ceremony of Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri, India’s second Prime Minister. The ceremony took place at the Gandhi Statue in the Promenade Gardens in Georgetown. President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali attends birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri, India’s second Prime Minister, at the Gandhi Statue in the Promenade Gardens, Georgetown on Wednesday People around the world commemorate Gandhi’s legacy of non-violence, truth, and social justice every year on October 2. This year marks the 155th anniversary of Gandhi’s birth and the 120th anniversary of Shastri’s. Gandhi and Shastri recognised the importance of food security in India during their lifetime. President Ali said that while agroforestry, sustainable agriculture, and soil preservation may seem like modern concepts, these historical figures were already advocating and practising them. The issue of food security persists as both an economic and ethical challenge. The president pointed out that 800 million people go to bed hungry every night, while the United Nations estimates that 1.3 billion tonnes of food go to waste every year. “We all part of the problem and we are all contributing to this injustice. We must first acknowledge that we are part of the problem and then dedicate ourselves to be part of the solution,” President Ali said. The head of state said that Gandhi foresaw many of the systemic issues the world grapples with today, noting that it was no accident Gandhi’s famous protest against British colonial rule in India was called the ‘Salt March.’ “He understood long before any of us did that food security is not simply about production. He saw that food prices were linked to ethical choices, justice, self-reliance and how we care for each other and the earth.” Gandhi argued for decentralised food production systems, advocating that towns and villages should cultivate their own food. He believed that the strength of a community or nation lies in its ability to feed itself. The PPP/C administration has been working diligently to transform Guyana’s agricultural sector into a major food ecosystem, encouraging youth involvement as part of the solution. Highlighting these efforts, President Ali said that “if we are saying that we want to be more self-reliant, the 25 by 2025 goal shows you the relevance of Gandhi’s philosophy in today’s world. He pushed us to consider the ethics of food, the morality of how we eat and how we treat those who grow our food.”  Gandhi, known as a ‘great soul,’ sought peace through walking, sharing ideas, and demonstrating through his lifestyle what peace is and what its virtues ought to be. (DPI) Related Similar Articles

LGC newly elected president, Anasha Ally outlines busy season Oct 04, 2024 Sports – Growth and competitions high on the agenda Recent shot of the LGC, as President Ally outlined long-term vision. Kaieteur Sports – The Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) is gearing up for a dynamic stretch of tournaments and growth, teeing off with the Brava Guyana Open Golf Tournament set for November 2–3. This event stands out as one of the most important fixtures on the club’s calendar. LGC Head Anasha Ally pushes for growth and development with busy season. Newly elected president Anasha Ally has unveiled a slate of activities planned for the upcoming months. In a recent interview, she reflected on the challenges and rewards of her new role while highlighting the significance of the Brava Guyana Open Golf Tournament 2024. “This event is a continuation of the club’s strong golfing legacy,” Ally stated. Looking back on her first few months as president, Ally described the experience as both demanding and fulfilling. Though balancing the club’s leadership has been tough, she remains optimistic about the progress made and what’s ahead. “At times it’s been difficult, but with everyone’s support, it’s been encouraging and promising,” she said. In addition to the Brava Guyana Open, the club is preparing for the Trophy Stall tournament this Saturday, followed by the Citizens Bank Golf Tournament in November. Ally also shared her long-term vision for the club, revealing that a preliminary plan will be presented to a smaller committee in the coming weeks. She confirmed that preparations for the Brava Guyana Open are well underway and emphasized the need for early registration, with a deadline of October 19, 2024. The tournament is expected to attract 80 to 90 participants. After the Brava Guyana Open, MACORP will host their traditional event, and Ally hinted at another tournament is scheduled for the list of activities, this one sponsored by long-time club supporter Feroze Barakat. Meanwhile, as she looks ahead, Ally reassured club members that her efforts are focused on making this year’s tournament the best yet, building on recent momentum. She candidly acknowledged the challenges of meeting the diverse needs of the club’s members but stressed the importance of community and collaboration in making Lusignan a “home away from home” for everyone. With Ally’s leadership and vision, Lusignan Golf Club is poised for a successful season, grounded in preparation, member involvement, and long-term planning for a bright future.   Related Similar Articles

When will this madness, this wasteful spending spree come to an end? Oct 04, 2024 Letters Dear Editor, When will this madness, this wasteful spending spree come to an end? Instead we have the top brass of the PPP Government talking about democracy In their speeches to the local and international communities, reminding them through their well-oiled and funded propaganda outfit about the coalition’s misdeeds, with respect to the conduct of regional and general elections. Whatever may or may not be the justification for this constant and unrelenting assault against the coalition government, what is perhaps of equal importance, is the conduct by an administration between elections. Briefly, the Government had embarked upon the spending spree that constitutes a woeful waste of money in circumstances where democratic norms are ignored. You boast of building roads, schools, hospitals, bridges, dams etc. knowing fully well you lack the capacity to monitor these works –  the results, poor quality work. And there is not a single instance of any construction undertaken  since August 2020, that has been satisfactorily completed on time. I challenge the appropriate Ministries and Ministers to give one, only one example that satisfied this criteria of satisfactory work , being completed on time within the tendered price awarded. Note for example, the Bamia School Contract is yet to be completed, in spite of earlier completion dates announced earlier. I had at one time, the Ministerial responsibility for Agriculture, but I listened with amazement to the statement made by  the Minister of Agriculture as reported in the media which stated that at a recent Meeting hosted by him, and I quote a senior Guysuco official met with some five interested bidders. They had a discussion which lasted for about fifteen minutes.”. The Report noted that “ they had started to mechanise 5,000 hectares of land at the Skeldon Estate  with replanting of canes already started. “We are hoping that by the end of this year we can plant a substantial amount of canes in that 5,000 hectares and also the intention is to complete an additional 5,000 hectares from Skeldon that we will crush at Albion and Rosehall factories that have a capacity to crush more canes.”  Interestingly, several of his sentences began  with the words ‘it is hoped.’ I am not an expert, and I know that those with knowledge of the sugar industry and Guysuco will comment on the further mis-steps by this Government and the woeful waste of billions every month to keep the sugar industry, a failed enterprise limping along. The Minister’s statement talks about mechanisation of the industry. It is no secret that some of their friends are getting concessions to import equipment  for the industry, but instead much of the machinery is better suited to road construction. The irony for all of this is that when the PPP took office three decades ago, they had been talking about mechanisation and modernization of the sugar industry.  An industry where many of our ancestors, before and after 1838 gave their sweat, blood and tears. The time has come when the Government  should stop making sugar a political football. Looking at this absurdity, the Minister postulated the moving of canes from Skeldon (the showpiece, now white elephant of the PPP Administration) to Albion for crushing.  Those of us who know the Corentyne would realise we are talking of moving cane from one location to a next over a distance of thirty six (36) miles on the public road, and you have to pass through markets and busy communities between Skeldon and Albion. Only someone who is idiotic, these days will embark on such steps of sheer stupidity. In all this, we hear our top brass talk about transparency, using gleefully that chameleon word, democracy, even as the Government continues to miniaturise those local government’s organs – Georgetown, Linden and New Amsterdam, where they do not command a political majority. So using massive funds available, to set out to emasculate those local authorities by using state funds and state power to do things, which are the responsibility of the local authorities. Three cheers for democracy. Facing us today is a replay with the Minister of Local Government controlling who is employed in the absence of the Local Government Commission.  The Commission expired this year, and it seems there is no anxiety by the Government to have it reconstituted which ought to be a standard operational procedure. It would be unnecessary to burden this letter of the rape of our democracy taking place before our very eyes on a daily basis. You have the gas-shore project, everything clouded in secrecy. You have a tender for additional electricity for the Grid, forgetting that earlier this year, the powers that be boasted that with the Turkish Ship and acquisition of several generators, cost not known to the public, black-outs would end. Today while preparing this letter, there was a black-out at about 2:45 pm  in my area followed by two outages yesterday. Speaking to a friend on the East Bank of Demerara, he said that this has been a pattern, since this Turkish Ship et al is in operation. Yet another secret transaction. We pleaded before, that our democracy as defined by the Government  has massive monies available to it but for reasons which are not obscured, they fail with a few exceptions to put in place, persons who are patriots and competent to manage the various sectors and therefore would continue this spending spree and the ordinary people, regardless of political affiliation or belief, except for the few who are getting the big bucks, the people are the victims.  One man said to me, two weeks ago, a failed State, all because our Government failed to understand the unhappy consequences of  Peter principle. So you take people who may be excellent canecutters or excellent policemen and because of their loyalty, you put them in higher positions where they become a dismal failure. With this fastest growing economy in the world, Editor, I ask you and all Believers to pray and pray unceasingly, so that the benefit from the billions and billions we now harvest in the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, will benefit this and succeeding generations. Hamilton GreenElder Related Similar Articles

Ambassador Hinds should withdraw his letter Oct 04, 2024 Letters Dear Editor, I refer to a letter captioned, ‘Let’s feel good about what we are getting from our oil’ written by His Excellency Samuel Hinds, Ambassador, Former Prime Minister, and Former Acting President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. In that letter, it is stated… ‘If we have troubles absorbing the US $4.4 billion according to some reports, what more troubles we would have had in absorbing U.S. $10 billion! Sometimes there could be too much of a good thing.’. This comment is highly disturbing and a troubling concept, for the US$10 billion collected can be placed in a bank account, earn interest and be available for current and future generations. The Natural Resource Fund (NRF) is one example of this opportunity. I contend that this generation cannot leave a hole in the ground, an empty bank account, and sky-rocketing national debt. Moreover, we have poor people who are currently struggling: teachers, nurses, farmers, other workers. Editor, a withdrawal of this appeasement from Ambassador Hinds would be in order, if he wishes to continue protecting the interest of Guyana; for the role of an Ambassador is to represent their home country’s government and promote their nation’s interests, policies, and viewpoints. Sincerely,Dr. C. Kenrick HunteProfessor and Former Ambassador Related Similar Articles

Ramkarran’s suggestions that the PPC was not established due to a tolerance for corruption is way off mark Oct 04, 2024 Letters Dear Editor Mr. Ralph Ramkarran’s article of September 22, 2024 generated much interest. That article spawned another piece in the said newspaper two days later. The topic which is pretty controversial today dealt with corruption in procurement. The article created the impression that the PPC came about due to corruption in the system and created the impression that successive PPP/C government did not establish the Commission because it was protecting corruption. Those impressions are incorrect. It appears that the author of the article was more influenced by later events which he transferred to the period when the issue was dealt with in the early part of the century. I must point out that the time this matter surfaced corruption was not a big problem. In fact, during the 1997 elections campaign, it was not an issue. At this period the PPP/C was doing its best to take on board as many suggestions from the opposition so that we could have gotten on with the issue of developing the country.  In passing, it was in this period that we even agreed that the Chancellor and Chief Justice would be appointed with the agreement of the opposition. That concession of the PPP/C was not made because it thought that the officers were biased but the feeling was it would have created a much better atmosphere for the PPP/C and the PNC-R to improve their relations. It was a mechanism which was designed to be inclusive. The result of that decision is that for years those two positions cannot be substantively filled to the whole nation’s embarrassment.  It was the same reasoning that influenced the PPP’s attitude to the establishment of the PPC. I cannot recall who first made the suggestion to set up the body. What I do recall is the discussions in the PPP’s Executive committee when it was raised there. It was welcomed by the Party’s Exco for the reason stated above and the fact that the Party was opposed to corrupt practices and was eager to stamp it out. It was in that period as well that the PPP/C took a bill to the National Assembly to allow the media to be present at meetings of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and into all other committees of the National Assembly, Standing Committees as well as select committees. All measures to promote transparency. The problem with the PPC began when the Executive sent the Bill to the National Assembly. In the original bill that the Executive sent to the Assembly it had retained that cabinet would have a “No objection” to the awards. It was on the floor of the assembly that the then Attorney General, Mr. Doodnauth Singh, on the suggestion of the opposition removed that clause. The Executive was annoyed since it had given up its right to award contracts. The Executive was not consulted in that move and sought to have it restored. Despite the Executive’s dissatisfaction attempts were made to establish the PPC. It was taken up by the Public Accounts Committee. Mr. Lance Carberry and Donald Ramotar met to agree on the Commission. That process collapsed after Mr. Carberry sought to get the majority on the Committee’s membership, RAMOTAR disagreed, and things remained unresolved.  Later in the 2006-2011 period Mr. Winston Murray replaced Carberry and pushed for the PNCR to have the Chairmanship of the Commission. Ramotar’s position was that the Executive had already given up quite a lot and it was only reasonable for the PPP/C to appoint the Chairperson. Again, it was not resolved. Mr. Murray passed away and no one replaced him from the PNCR.  After the elections in 2011 which saw the PNC/APNU/AFC controlling the National Assembly it was not possible for the PPP/C to establish this body. Recall that the opposition was doing everything to destabilize this country. They opposed the Budgets, cutting out many important capital programmes. The PPP/C administration had to take the matter to the court to restore its budgets. Moreover, the opposition refused to vote for the Anti-Money Laundering Bill. It should be pointed out that previously they voted in favor of the same bills when they did not have the majority in parliament. However, because they wanted to damage our financial sector, they withheld their support. They were in the mood to disrupt and obstruct any program that would have benefitted the masses.  This was happening from the very out-set. Recall that they were the ones who disregarded an old practice of the Parliament where the Governing Party Candidate for Speaker is normally supported for that position and the candidate from opposition as the part of the Deputy Speaker. The PNC/AFC/APNU took both positions. In those circumstances for the government to set-up that body where the opposition would have taken the majority, and the chair would have only served to give the opposition another lever to sabotage the work of the administration. Mr. Ramkarran wrote that “…The resistance to the Procurement Commission was so deeply entrenched that the 2011 PPP/C Government sacrificed itself instead of appointing it. The AFC undertook to withdraw the motion of no confidence in 2014 if the Procurement Commission was appointed…” Someone has obviously misled Mr. Ramkarran for that never occurred. Discussions were held with the Leader of the Opposition and the President. At that meeting Ramotar asked the Leader of the Opposition if there was anything he wanted that the Government can do to avoid the motion. Mr. Granger said he wanted Local Government Elections.  Ramotar said that he too wanted it and the only reason he did not call it was the uncertainty that existed due to the one seat majority which the opposition had. He went on to tell Mr. Granger that the APNU should speak to the AFC to have them withdraw the motion or the PNC should abstain from voting on it when the bill was put to the vote. The approach was made to the PNC/APNU because it was not that Party that had moved nor seconded the Motion. It was a totally AFC affair. Mr. Granger then replied that he had given his word to the AFC that he would support their motion. He was not willing to go back on it. Therefore, it was impossible to call a Local Government election if the motion could not be stopped. As a result, when the date for the Prorogation of the National Assembly expired, the President called the elections! Those are the facts. Mr. Ramkarran’s suggestions that the PPC was not established due to a tolerance for corruption is way off mark. Donald RamotarFormer President Related Similar Articles