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Guyana wins fourth consecutive CASA Senior Championship title Aug 27, 2024 Sports Kaieteur Sports – Guyana has once again demonstrated its dominance in the Caribbean squash arena by winning their fourth consecutive Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Senior Championship. The 24th edition of the CASA Senior Squash Championship, sponsored by E-Net, concluded last Saturday at the Georgetown Club and National Racquet Centre. Guyana emerged victorious with a total of 64 points, narrowly surpassing Barbados, who finished with 60 points. The Cayman Islands also had a commendable performance, finishing third with 54 points. Guyana performed exceptionally well in the team events. The Men’s Veterans Team finished in second place, while the Women’s Team clinched a well-deserved first place. Ashley Khalil, the 2022 Caribbean Singles Champion, was instrumental in the team’s success, securing a thrilling three-set victory over her Barbadian opponent. The men’s team also showcased their strength, achieving a dominant 4-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago. The team, consisting of Shomari Wilshire, Daniel Ince, Jason Ray Khalil, and Sam Ince Carvahal, contributed significantly to Guyana’s commanding performance. This recent victory solidifies Guyana’s reputation as a powerhouse in Caribbean squash, highlighting their exceptional skill and determination in a sport that requires strategic acumen and intense focus. Minister, Charles Ramson (center) shares exciting moment with the Guyana Squash players at GTC after winning their fourth consecutive CASA Senior championship (photo: newsroom) At the E-Net Caribbean Squash Championships XXIX 2024, Guyanese athletes earned several medals: Mary Fung-A-Fat won silver in the Women’s Individual category, and Alex Arjoon secured third place in the Men’s Individual category. In the Doubles events, the Guyanese Women’s team of Ashley DeGroot and Ashley Khalil took first place, while the Men’s team of Jason Ray Khalil and Samuel Ince-Carvahal finished third. In the Veterans category, Regan Pollard placed second in the Men’s 40-and-over, Ramon Chan-a-Sue finished second in the Men’s Over 50, and Lloyd Fung-a-Fat secured third in the Men’s Over 60. The Women Veterans also excelled, with Lydia Fraser earning second place in the Over-50 category and Indira Barker winning first place in the Over 60 category. Guyana’s continued success at the 24th CASA Senior Squash Championship underscores their exceptional talent and resilience, maintaining their stronghold on the regional squash landscape. Related Similar Articles

Guyana Amazon Warriors secure first victory in 2024 Massy WCPL with Burns’ blazing knock Aug 27, 2024 Sports Amazon Warriors picked up their first WCPL win thanks to Erin Burns Kaieteur Sports – The Guyana Amazon Warriors claimed their first victory in the 2024 Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) with a commanding eight-wicket win over the Trinbago Knight Riders at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad. A stunning 78 off 48 balls from Erin Burns was the cornerstone of their successful chase, helping the Warriors overcome a shaky start to secure the win with 16 balls to spare. Chasing a target of 131 in favourable batting conditions, the Warriors found themselves in early trouble at 15-2 after losing Natasha McLean and Stefanie Taylor within the first few overs. The pressure mounted as Jonassen and seamer Shikha Pandey applied the brakes, making run-scoring difficult in the powerplay. However, Burns, alongside captain Lauren Winfield-Hill, who scored a solid 46 off 47 balls, steadied the ship with an unbroken 119-run partnership, the highest ever in the competition. The duo expertly navigated the tricky period, combining aggressive stroke play with calculated risk-taking, which paid off handsomely. Burns, who was dropped twice during her innings, capitalized on those chances to anchor the chase. She reached her half-century off just 32 balls and continued to find the boundary with ease, particularly down the ground and through the leg side. Winfield-Hill played the perfect supporting role, rotating the strike and allowing Burns to dominate the innings. Earlier, the Knight Riders posted a total of 130-6, a score that seemed competitive at the halfway mark. The team’s captain, Deandra Dottin, and Harshitha Samarawickrama laid a strong foundation with a half-century opening partnership. Samarawickrama, replacing the injured Meg Lanning, was particularly impressive, displaying elegant strokes and punishing anything short as she guided the team to 37-0 after the powerplay. Despite the solid start, the Knight Riders’ momentum stalled once spinner Chloe Tryon was introduced into the attack. Tryon, who finished with figures of 4-21, struck with her very first delivery, dismissing Dottin with a brilliant catch by Ashmini Munisar at gully. She then bowled Samarawickrama, who attempted a reverse sweep, and stifled the Knight Riders in the middle overs. Jemimah Rodrigues and Jess Jonassen provided a late surge with a quick 44-run partnership, but Tryon once again swung the momentum in the Warriors’ favour by removing Jonassen for 28 and then dismissing Kycia Knight in the penultimate over. The Knight Riders’ final total ultimately fell short, and the Warriors, despite the early hiccups in their chase, displayed their depth and resilience to record their first points of the tournament. This victory will serve as a significant confidence boost for the Warriors as they look to build momentum in the competition. Both teams had entered this match desperate for a win after losing to the Barbados Royals in their opening fixtures, but it was the Warriors who emerged triumphant, thanks to Burns’ heroics and Tryon’s pivotal bowling performance. Related Similar Articles

Igloo Hockey Festival set to return August 30 Aug 27, 2024 Sports Flashback! GCC’s Meshach Sargeant being chased by a band-of-Saints defenders during 2016 tournament Kaieteur Sports – After a brief hiatus caused by the global pandemic, the GCC Hockey Turf is thrilled to announce the return of its annual GCC Igloo Hockey Festival. Set to take place from August 30 to September 1, this year marks the festival’s much-anticipated third edition, promising to bring back exhilarating hockey action to the community. Originally launched in 2016, the GCC Igloo Hockey Festival quickly established itself as a premier event on the hockey calendar, renowned for its vibrant atmosphere and competitive spirit. The 2024 edition aims to build on that legacy, offering a diverse range of talent across multiple age categories, including Under 14 Mixed, Under 17 Boys and Girls, Under 21 Boys and Girls, and Open Men and Women. This inclusive range of divisions ensures that players of all skill levels have the opportunity to shine, creating a competitive yet welcoming environment for all participants. The festival is more than just a series of matches; it’s a celebration of the sport and a testament to the resilience and passion of the hockey community. Attendees can look forward to an action-packed weekend filled with thrilling games, fan-friendly activities, and a variety of interactive experiences designed to engage and entertain spectators of all ages. “We are excited to bring back the GCC Igloo Hockey Festival and continue our tradition of fostering community spirit through sport,” said a club spokesperson. “This festival is a unique opportunity for players and fans alike to come together and celebrate their love for hockey.” A key feature of the festival is its partnership with Igloo, the primary sponsor of the event. Igloo’s ongoing support has been instrumental in the festival’s success and their commitment to promoting sports and community engagement aligns perfectly with the festival’s goals. As a token of appreciation, Igloo will enjoy prominent visibility throughout the event, including on-site branding, digital promotions, and interactive features that highlight their innovative products to a dedicated audience. In a recent press release, the Club expressed its gratitude to Igloo and other sponsors for their unwavering support. “As our title sponsor, Igloo plays a crucial role in the success of the festival. Their involvement not only enhances the event experience but also strengthens the bonds within our community,” the release stated. The GCC Igloo Hockey Festival is a testament to the enduring spirit of hockey and the community that supports it. With its exciting lineup and inclusive atmosphere, this year’s event promises to be a memorable celebration of the sport and the community that cherishes it. Related Similar Articles

The management of the oil sector Aug 27, 2024 Editorial Kaieteur News – Put politicians near anything of substance and rank perversities become standard practice and way of life. This is the case of Guyana’s oil sector. When one thinks of the US$214M audit fiasco cum scandal involving ExxonMobil all of this registers with increasing certainty.  In Guyana, the wonderful development of a massive national patrimony now takes on the appearance of a national tragedy in motion. Chartered Accountant, Chris Ram, in one of his columns, had called the absence of a Petroleum Commission a recipe for a resource curse, which could be extended to mean a political curse. To insulate the activities and money of the national oil patrimony, the establishment of a Petroleum Commission made the rounds, and everybody agreed that it would be a good thing, with the right people onboard.  This was the position of the PPPC Government and that of its key figure, Vice President Jagdeo.  It was all lip service, and just for the show.  In this country, citizens have noticed that politicians have schooled themselves to say the right things and display the right postures, on crucial issues of governance and leadership, but with a major hidden qualifier. Citizens are told what they want to hear, but of which there is no intention to deliver. The Petroleum Commission is one such vital issue.  It was hot, then became cold, and nowhere in consideration of the PPPC Government.  From all indications, Vice President Jagdeo is all words and no action.  A Petroleum Commission would mean having to relinquish some closeness to the action and, more importantly, that irresistible element, which is power and control.  A Petroleum Commission that is fully functioning and very capable would serve as that independent, professional, and credible agency that stands in clean and convincing stewardship over the tempting oil patrimony.  To reiterate, a Petroleum Commission gives Guyanese a better chance of getting fairness and justice from their wealth; it would be the opposite of what politicians can ever come to represent, ever deliver. Local history stands as the best testimonial, for the long trail of evidence is there. We at this publication believe that this applies to all political groups in this country.  A Petroleum Commission worth its salt would have done better. It couldn’t have done worse, and definitely would not have made such a fool of itself, as all Guyana learned about the still-to-be-resolved US$214M fiasco. The Ministry of Natural Resources fell on its face, with a small team of its workers supposedly making decisions that were never, should never have been, part of their marching orders.  Or, at least, this is the official version that does not stand firmly rooted, and which comes across as suspicious the longer this shaky story stays in the public eye. When powerful politicians cast caution to the winds, and do not listen to anyone but themselves, then this is the straw that they are forced to eat.  The hard experiences from other poor parts of the world where oil was discovered confirm that allowing politicians to put themselves in charge of national oil wealth is a recipe for catastrophe.  There is a proven need for an unfettered Petroleum Commission that boasts a significant presence from civil society working alongside competent technical people to represent a vital check and balance. Before the gush of oil money, many politicians in both of the major parties have done inexplicably well, and without any consequences.  Now that oil money comes in many different forms, politicians position themselves to be the gatekeepers, so that they can possibly collect multimillion-dollar tolls.  It is why there is so much secrecy, and it also explains the degree of hostility unleashed by politicians when pressed for straight answers on this oil.  Though a Petroleum Commission may have its gaps, it would be far better than what any local politician can embody.  The resource curse is already at work in Guyana, with the first ones tarnished being dirty politicians. Related Similar Articles

The Government’s stranglehold on the National Toshaos Council Conference Aug 27, 2024 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom Kaieteur News – Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo’s recent comments at the People’s Progressive Party Civic’s (PPPC) press conference last Thursday are objectionable. They serve as a stark reminder of how easy it is to distort the purpose and autonomy of institutions meant to represent the people. The Vice President proclaimed, “If any media house were to be truthful, they would say that the conference [National Toshaos Council Conference (NTCC)] is a great success and that it’s a model of good governance; that it is an unprecedented level of engagement and consultation by a government with a section of its population that cannot be found anywhere in the world where Indigenous people are concerned and we stand strongly on these comments.” These words, soaked in the self-congratulatory rhetoric typical of those perched high on the echelons of government, are not merely a matter of public relations puffery. They represent a profound misunderstanding—or, more likely, a deliberate mischaracterization—of the NTCC’s very nature. By branding the NTCC as an exemplary act of government “engagement and consultation by a government with a section of its population”, Jagdeo has, in effect, annexed what should be an independent platform for the Indigenous peoples into a spectacle of government control. His assertion that the conference is a hallmark of good governance is, at best, a misrepresentation; at worst, it is an attempt to co-opt and commandeer the autonomy of the National Toshaos Council Conference. To truly grasp the depth of this misrepresentation, one must understand the origins and purpose of the NTCC. The NTCC is not, and was never intended to be, a platform for government consultation. It is, by its very conception, a meeting of the Indigenous leaders, a conclave of Toshaos, where they can convene, deliberate, and address issues pertinent to their communities free from external influence. It is supposed to be an autonomous forum, one that exists outside the governmental machinery. Jagdeo’s comments, however, distort this reality. By framing the NTCC as a government-organized event focused on engagement and consultation, he suggests that the indigenous peoples’ participation is not self-determined but orchestrated by the state. This is more than a mere semantic sleight of hand; it is a deliberate reframing of the relationship between the government and the indigenous communities. It transforms the NTCC from a platform for Indigenous self-determination into an instrument of government policy, reducing the Toshaos to mere attendees in a pageant of governance. By claiming that the NTCC is a model of good governance, is a paternalistic and patronizing narrative, casting the Toashoas as mere participants in a governmental exercise rather than as leaders of their people. The Vice President’s statements also betray a troubling implication: that the government’s involvement in the NTCC is not just a matter of support, but of ownership. By framing the conference as a part of the government’s governance efforts, he effectively lays claim to its successes, co-opts its outcomes, and frames any dissenting voices as marginal and unrepresentative of the outcome of the deliberations. This is a classic tactic of control, one that seeks to delegitimize any narrative that does not align with the government’s version of events. The indigenous leaders of the National Toshaos Council must, therefore, take umbrage with Jagdeo’s comments. To accept his framing of the NTCC is to accept a diminished role for themselves, one that is subservient to the government’s agenda. It is to allow the NTCC to be transformed from an autonomous gathering into a government spectacle, a carefully managed show of “engagement and consultation” designed to showcase the government’s supposed benevolence. To preserve the integrity and purpose of the NTCC, the National Toshaos Council must reclaim its autonomy. It must assert its right to organise, fund, and manage its own conference, free from government intervention. As long as the NTCC relies on government funding, it remains vulnerable to the wiles and control of those in power. Autonomy is not merely a matter of principle; it is a practical necessity. Without financial independence, the NTCC cannot hope to escape the government’s influence. It cannot hope to speak with an untainted voice, to challenge the government when necessary, and to advocate for the true needs of the indigenous communities. The National Toshaos Council must, therefore, begin the difficult but essential task of raising its own funds. It must seek support not from the state, but from its people, and from allies who believe in the cause of indigenous self-determination. It must establish a financial base that allows it to operate independently, to host its annual conference without the spectre of government control hanging over it. The government, for its part, must recognize the limits of its role. It must respect the autonomy of the National Toshaos Council, engaging with it not through the conference but through proper, structured consultations with the Council itself. The NTCC should not be an occasion for the government to claim the mantle of good governance. It should be a time for the Toshaos to lead, to speak, and to be heard—free from the guiding hand of the state. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.) Related Similar Articles

The duplicity of the House Slaves crushed the 1823 Demerara Rebellion Aug 27, 2024 Letters Dear Editor, August remains a month of great significance to all of the people of Guyana. On the 1st of August, the horrible and inhumane activity of slavery was brought to an end through an Act of the British Parliament. This was the culmination of many uprisings, and protests, and the result of Africans who were tricked, captured, and enslaved on their arrival in Guyana.  The 1823 Demerara Rebellion helped break the back of colonial slavery. Slaves along the East Coast of Demerara, using available means of communication, took action to relieve this burdensome process conducted by the plantocracy. Thanks to the duplicity of the House Slaves, the uprising was crushed.  The bleeding heads of some of our ancestors were cut off and placed on staves around that area off Middle Street, known as the Parade Ground. This brutality was intended to tell the slaves to behave themselves and most of all, to understand their place in the scheme of things. As far as the imperial government was concerned, its place was to provide free labour, so that the Master could accumulate enormous wealth. It was an attitude that exists to this day, and on this day, I ask every Guyanese, but especially the descendants of those African slaves who civilised the entire Coastal Belt, to honour them and to ensure that their martyrdom is not in vain. The booklet written by Bro. Noah Yahshnarun, titled ‘The Ancestors of the Manumitted Africans of Guyana,’ is necessary reading, for political and social activists and students, so that we can all be knowledgeable and so strive for total liberation. A liberation we are yet to achieve. By a happy coincidence, perhaps a better-known event, that is the 1763 Revolution is captured in the exceedingly well-researched and powerfully presented book, written by  Professor Elisa Carbone, titled ‘Blood on the River.’  Professor Carbone had the advantage of going through many documents in Dutch and interviewing many Africans. Fortunately, the good lady will be in Guyana to speak to and with the Nation on this important period of our history, and the many lessons for contemporary Guyana on Saturday, August 31, 2024. She will make a presentation at the Theatre Guild at 6:00 p.m. I hope that, unlike the failed attempt by the Government bureaucracy and their acolytes on Emancipation Day, August 1, 2024, to suffocate the traditional Emancipation Day activities at the National Park, I hope no effort will be made by the same bureaucracy to keep people away from the educative and informative presentation. In life, we often experience labels on a jar that do not truly represent the contents of the jar. In Guyana, large groups of citizens, many operating in the high positions of the present administration, flaunt deceptive labels. One example is those, who like me, carry Anglo-Saxon-English names alien to those who endured that Trans-Atlantic journey. To those persons, I say be strong, be brave, be proud of who you are, and embrace the utility of ancestral piety. And so, no matter what position you hold in this Government, neither disgrace nor let down your courageous ancestors. Some of them, recognizing that their abode ships were taking them to an unknown destination, jumped overboard. Today, their bones are rattling on the seabed of the Atlantic Ocean, pleading with us to be proud, to be strong, and to resist all forms of evil and subtle re-enslavement. As such, we expect all Administrators, MPs, and indeed all Guyanese, not to allow anyone to instruct you to stay away from this event on Saturday afternoon at the Theatre Guild at 6:00 p.m. Hamilton Green Elder Related Similar Articles

I voted for the APNU/AFC in 2015, and like thousands of other Guyanese, I was deeply disappointed by their performance Aug 27, 2024 Letters Dear Editor, Who could forget the moment in 2015 when then Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo stood before a room full of Sugar Cane Farmers at their first-ever National Cane Farmers Conference and, with a straight face, declared, “The focus is to make sugar work. We have too many workers who stand to lose with the collapse of the industry. This new Government will not allow sugar to sink”? Well, guess what? It sank. I bring up this memorable piece of history because it perfectly illustrates the kind of leadership we’ve been dealing with. The APNU/AFC/PNC coalition has a track record of failing to deliver on its promises. So, I ask you—how can we trust the pledges they’re making now or the ones they’ll surely make in the lead-up to the 2025 General Elections? Nagamootoo’s words were nothing more than empty promises, and the deception didn’t stop there—it persisted throughout their entire time in office. Take Noel Holder, for instance, who served as Agriculture Minister back then. He too promised big things to Sugar Cane Farmers, talking about grand plans for aquaculture. But what came of it? Yet another flop to add to their list of failures. Contrast that with what we see today—a thriving sugar industry and a blossoming aquaculture sector, thanks to the visionary leadership of President Irfaan Ali and Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha. This government isn’t just paying lip service; they’re backing up their words with real action. Billions have been invested in these industries, breathing life back into them after the APNU/AFC nearly drove them into the ground. GUYSUCO, while still facing challenges, is making progress. People are back at work in the fields and factories, returning to the life they’ve known for generations. And let’s not forget how the PPP/C, even while in opposition, reached out to communities, sharing their vision for a better life. That vision has been steadily unfolding since they took office. Minister Mustapha has been relentless in his efforts to develop the agriculture sector, proving that this government has the strength and determination to make our nation both progressive and competitive. I voted for the APNU/AFC in 2015, and like thousands of other Guyanese, I was deeply disappointed by their performance as a government, especially when they allowed the agriculture industry to wither away. I won’t be making that mistake again. Come 2025, my support will stay with the PPP/C because I’ve seen the progress they’ve brought to every sector of this country. Sincerely, George Paddy Related Similar Articles