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Non-accredited Amerindians are only allowed to observe NTC “closed-doors meetings” from outside – Chairman says Aug 23, 2024 News NTC Chairman, Derrick John Kaieteur News – Non- Accredited Amerindians and other observers will have to observe the ongoing National Toshaos Council’s (NTC) “Closed Door” meetings from outside of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre’s  (ACCC) Dome, NTC’s Chairman, Derrick John said on Thursday. According to John, the Amerindian Act No. 6 of 2006, empowers the NTC to determine its own procedures and establish its own rules for consultation with a minister. “In strict adherence to this Act, the NTC determined that the meetings held in the dome of the ACCC following the opening ceremony of the NTC Conference would be closed-door consultations reserved exclusively for Toshaos, village leaders, and Ministers of Government”, John stated before adding. “Therefore, entry to the dome requires proper accreditation from the NTC”. For other Amerindians, and observers who wish to be part of the meetings, John said “… provisions were made to accommodate them on the ground floor of the ACCC (outside of the dome), where the proceedings of the closed-door meetings are being streamed live”. John made the statements following strong criticisms that an Indigenous Member of Parliament (MP); Vincent Henry was wrongly thrown out of the NTC meetings.  Henry, an opposition MP had said, that he was not allowed to sit in at the ongoing National Toshaos Council Conference (NTCC) despite being an indigenous man. “The presentation by the Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat was stopped because of my presence and then the police escorted me out of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre,” the opposition MP said in a Facebook post. According to Henry, those who accosted him said that he was an imposter and then later told him that the conference is only for Toshaos. The minister’s interactive session with the Toshaos ended around 16:30hrs following an announcement by one of the chairpersons that it was time to take a break. John in his statement said that Henry and another opposition member, Mervin Williams who too was reportedly denied entry, were not properly accredited to be part of the meetings. “In the case of Mr. Henry, he brazenly impersonated a delegate during an afternoon session, even going so far as to pose with an ill-gotten ‘officials’ badge,” John said while adding “Mr. Henry was instructed promptly to remove himself from the dome as he was not properly accredited, and both he and Mr. Williams, along with others who lacked accreditation, were invited to follow the proceedings on the ground floor of the ACCC”. John continued “The NTC stands resolutely by the actions taken to uphold the safety and order of the conference, for the rules and regulations regarding attendance are essential to protecting all participants and ensuring that the conference can fulfill its objectives without any form of disruption”. The NTC and the government had come under strong criticisms by the opposition for its actions. One of the executives of A New and United Guyana (ANUG), Mark DeFrance stated on Tuesday, “It pains me therefore to see such treatment meted out to a son of our soil, a man who has given to our great nation in various aspects of life, but more so a sitting Member of Parliament.” DeFrance pointed out that the Amerindian Act of 2006 gives Henry the right as an Indigenous person to attend the conference. “Chapter 43 (3) b of the Act, states clearly who can attend meetings of the National Toshaos’ Council. Any Amerindian”, DeFrance said. He added that a few years ago, he himself as Guyanese of Amerindian heritage, wanted to attend the NTC conference and had reached out to Lennox Shuman (a former Vice-Chairman of the NTC) regarding who can attend. DeFrance said that Shuman had directed him to the Amerindian Act and since then he has attended the last three NTC meetings. “Sometimes observing and even asking questions and giving suggestions, as is my right,” DeFrance related before adding: “I do hope that our former Deputy Speaker (Lennox Shuman) has not lost his voice and will call out those who have disenfranchised an Amerindian brother (Henry) of his right to attend and listen to the plight of our people”. DeFrance believes that the move to throw Henry out might be because of his political affiliation. “For us to fix our country, we must learn to look beyond the veil of political parties and work together for the greater good,” he advised.” “All must have a fair and equal say in determining what is best for all Guyanese, through healthy and respectful dialogue and interactions.” He said too “as people of the first nation, it is our duty to lead. No one will put our interests first. We must represent us. The time for petty politics is long past. Today is the time for collective nation building.” DeFrance is not the only one who weighed in on the eviction of Henry. A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in a statement said that his eviction from the conference is a “vile and illegal act” and blamed the PPP led administration. “APNU rejects the purported excuse that the conference is only for Toshaos.” APNU stated too that the Amerindian Act dictates that the NTC shall “allow Amerindians to attend its meetings.” “Guyanese should denounce the PPP’s action for what it is a blatant violation of the rights of Mr. Vincent Henry and another act of PPP bad mindedness and control freakism”, APNU said. The government and the NTC are yet to respond to the allegations made that they broke the law by throwing out an Indigenous Member of Parliament out of the NTYC conference. Related Similar Articles

Dem children nowadays turning school into a marathon race! Aug 23, 2024 Dem Boys Seh, Features / Columnists, News Kaieteur Sports – Imagine, one student decides to write 29 subjects for the CSEC exams. Yes, you read that right, 29! In dem boys’ day, if you could manage to pass 6 subjects, yuh mother woulda bake a cake and send out invitation for a party. But today, children gone mad. They signing up for more subjects than the whole school offering. Einstein himself mighta scratch he head trying to figure out why anybody need to study so many subjects. But then again, Einstein wasn’t exactly a bright spark in school. Now, let’s be real. How many secondary schools in Guyana actually teaching 29 subjects? Yuh got to wonder if these children making up subjects as they go along. But while some of dem children claiming victory with nuff subjects, the truth is, the results hiding some serious problems. Math, for example, proving to be a real headache. Less than one in every three children fail to pass Math.  In a country with an economy that counting oil barrels and US dollars, this high failure rate in Math should be a designated national emergency. If we continue down this road, we gon need to hire mathematicians from overseas just to count our own money. On the flip side, we not doing too bad in English. But let’s face it, with a high literacy rate like we own, we could do better. After all, if we can’t express ourselves properly, how we gon tell the world about all the oil we pumping out the ground? But here’s the kicker: how many of these students actually pass with five or more subjects including Math and English? The big question hanging over the results is this: how many students really matriculate? From the looks of the Math results, the answer might not be too pretty. The number of students that actually make the cut could be as low as the price of a patty in 1980. And while the Education Ministry busy celebrating top performers, they might want to take a good hard look at the bottom of the barrel. As one of dem children who didn’t pass Math said, if he was given ten dollars for every Math exam he fail, today he would have $6.13. Now, if that’s not a wake-up call, I don’t know what is. But don’t worry, dem boys have a solution: maybe the Ministry of Education should start paying children to pass Math. That way, we might finally start seeing some real progress. Talk half. Leff half! Related Similar Articles

Historic Gold for Guyanese duo Khalil and DeGroot Aug 23, 2024 Sports 2024 CASA Senior Women’s Doubles’ champion, Ashley Khalil and Ashley DeGroot after Wednesday’s final (Photo: Newsroom) ENet Senior Caribbean Squash Championships… Kaieteur Sports – In front of a decent home crowd, Guyanese squash stars Ashley Khalil and Ashley DeGroot clinched the 2024 Women’s Doubles title at the ENet Senior Caribbean Championship, held at the newly inaugurated National Racquet Centre (NRC) Doubles’ Courts. Playing before a vibrant and supportive crowd, Khalil and DeGroot delivered a spectacular performance, defeating Barbadian opponents Amanda Haywood and Sumairaa Suleman with scores of 11-3 and 11-9. The electrifying final saw Khalil and DeGroot maintain their dominance on home turf, securing the gold medal for the third consecutive year. Their previous victories came in Jamaica in 2022 and the Cayman Islands in 2023. The win was celebrated not only by the local crowd but also by notable figures including Assistant Director of Sport Franklin Wilson, Guyana Olympic Association President Godfrey Munroe and Guyana Squash Association President, David Fernandes, among others. Ashley DeGroot (in motion) firing back a power return off of the side wall against Bajan duo Amanda Haywood and Sumairaa Suleman as Khalil locks -in on the play The intense final showcased the depth of local talent as Khalil and DeGroot demonstrated their exceptional teamwork and tactical prowess. The duo’s victory was particularly poignant as it was achieved on their home soil, adding a special layer of significance to their accomplishment. Khalil expressed her elation, stating, “I think it’s unbelievable, because the pressure was on us,” while DeGroot reflected on the support of the home crowd, saying, “It was nice to do this with the home crowd behind us, so we’re happy to keep it home.” Earlier in the day, Khalil and DeGroot secured their place in the final with a decisive straight-sets victory over Jamaican competitors Mia Todd and Mehar Trehan, showcasing their readiness and resilience. Khalil and DeGroot’s triumph not only reaffirms their position as dominant forces in Caribbean squash but also highlights the growing popularity and competitive spirit of doubles squash in Guyana as well as in the Caribbean. “We only started doing Doubles in the Caribbean in the last four years, so I think we’ve started a nice trend here,” DeGroot concluded. Their victory at the NRC marks a new chapter in the CASA Women’s Doubles history, solidifying their legacy and inspiring future generations of squash players. Related Similar Articles

Fernandes wins World Masters Squash 40+ title Aug 23, 2024 Sports Back-to-Back! Nicolette Fernandes showing off her World Masters Squash Championship gold medal in Amsterdam. By Rawle Toney Kaieteur Sports – Another international title for Guyana’s racquet queen, Nicolette Fernandes, this time winning the Women’s +40 title at the World Masters Squash Championship in Amsterdam. Undefeated throughout the tournament, Fernandes faced Samantha Teran in the finals, where the former World top-ranked squash player dominated her Mexican opponent in straight sets: 11-6, 11-4, 11-10. The former World #19 player has not lost a single set/match at this year’s championships. In her opening match against Siobhan Parker, Fernandes, who entered the tournament as the top seed, secured a dominant 11-4, 11-2, 11-2 victory. Facing the fifth seed, Milja Dorenbos of the Netherlands, the Guyanese star cruised to another straight-sets win: 11-3, 11-4, 11-2. In the semi-finals, South Africa’s Karen Blom posed a challenge, but Fernandes proved why she was the top seed, winning comfortably 11-2, 11-5, 11-3. Fernandes also won the Women’s +35 title in 2022 when the tournament was held in Poland. Nicolette Fernandes won gold at the 2022 tournament. The former national basketball and hockey player is the only Guyanese to win not just one, but two World Masters Squash Championship titles. Fernandes, during the tournament, the championship made her fell in love with squash all over again, adding, “I have to admit, when I saw the player list it did drive a little bit of dread and fear into me!” “I was like, ‘Oh no, we’re gonna do this again!’ But they are two of the ladies I considered my friends when I was on tour, so to play them again is just a treat for me,” Fernandes said. Fernandes added she “had to have her arm twisted” to play at the 2022 World Masters in Wroclaw, but after winning the 35+ title there she “fell back in love” with squash after a period where she barely stepped on to a court following her retirement from the Tour and then the pandemic. “I thought I wasn’t going to enjoy it, but I fell in love with the whole atmosphere, and here in Amsterdam it’s no different,” she said. “I played at this venue when I was growing up, so to come back and play with less pressure and more enjoyment, amongst friends that I haven’t seen in decades, has been a real treat. I’m just loving it.” Related Similar Articles

Build-up to 2026 begins for WI, SA Aug 23, 2024 Sports …with some ghosts of 2024 still to bury (ESPN Cricinfo) – No points on the line. No imminently looming World Cup to prepare for. Sport for sport’s sake, who’d a thunk? The three-match T20I series between West Indies and South Africa is a contextual anomaly on the cricket calendar because there does not seem to be any reason for it – other than that it was scheduled to take place. While fans may see it as an opportunity to just be entertained, neither side’s coaching staff was willing to take that approach. Instead, they’ve already begun a narrative of using these matches as a first step on the road to the T20 World Cup in 2026, even as the memories from the 2024 event have barely receded. Nicholas Pooran is the highest run-getter in T20s so far this year (AFP/Getty Images) West Indies hope to lay foundation for future For West Indies, the failure to reach the semi-finals of their home tournament – after defeat against South Africa – confirmed to white-ball coach Daren Sammy that they need to work on their tournament-play. “I want to become a championship-winning team. Right now, we are a series-winning team,” Sammy said. “We beat one team over a three- or five-game period and we know what to do, but I want this team to become a championship-winning team – where you can find and play a different opposition in a tournament, and be able to come up with the goods every single game.” In the lead-up to this year’s T20 World Cup, West Indies came out on top in four out of five T20I series, including two against South Africa and one against England. At the tournament itself, they were unable to beat either side in the Super Eights, when it mattered most. Whether another series against South Africa can help West Indies overcome this issue is debatable, but it does allow Sammy to keep his core group of players together – 11 of the 15 who were part of the World Cup squad are in this one – and hope the younger ones like Alick Athanaze and Sherfane Rutherford can learn from the likes of Johnson Charles and Rovman Powell. “Those guys of 2016 [the T20 World Cup West Indies won] are now the senior players,” Sammy said. “It’s a combination of youth and experience. And by the time you look at the next 16 months, hopefully the game plan we put in place, the roles and personnel we have will tick all the boxes, and the championship mentality we are looking for can come to fruition.” South Africa look to develop depth in talent South Africa have taken the opposite approach, and brought only six of the 15-member squad that reached their first men’s World Cup final as they try to create depth around the big names and among players who don’t always feature in T20 leagues. Quinton de Kock, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi have all been given the series off, with recalls for experienced names like Rassie van der Dussen, and call-ups for promising youth like Under-19 World Cup’s breakout star Kwena Maphaka. “It’s 18 months away from the 2026 World Cup. We’ve got nine series from now until then, which leaves us with around 32 to 36 fixtures before that World Cup,” Rob Walter, South Africa’s white-ball coach, said. “In terms of giving guys international opportunities and playing against quality T20 sides – not every one of our players is a marquee player in the league – we have to use these opportunities to play against strong opposition. We need to grow the base of our players that are competing at this level.”For me, the importance of fixtures like these are massive. The leagues and the congestion is a challenge, but actually it can be a positive for us in that we’ve got a broader group of players that are playing competitive cricket.” Walter will also be looking for some level of consistency as he builds the squad. Before the 2024 T20 World Cup, South Africa had not won a T20I series in six attempts since beating Ireland in August 2022. They went into the tournament with only two wins from their previous 11 games, though it’s worth remembering that they pulled off a stunning run of eight successive victories to reach the final. Batters to watch: Nicholas Pooran and Reeza Hendricks The highest T20 run-getter so far this year is Nicholas Pooran, who has played 54 matches and scored 1628 runs, including 11 fifties. He was also West Indies’ highest run-scorer at the T20 World Cup, with 228 runs in seven matches. Pooran is known as one of the biggest hitters and best finishers in the game, and will be after a three-figure score to top off a stellar 2024. Just 181 runs behind him this calendar year is Reeza Hendricks, but the least profitable of South Africa’s top six at the T20 World Cup. Hendricks scored 113 runs from nine games in the competition and, after missing out on playing even a single game despite being a part of the squad at the 2022 tournament, may have a sense he did not fulfil his potential, especially as he just turned 35. But Walter is backing Hendricks to keep going, and Hendricks will know the expectation is that runs will come. West Indies will face South Africa in all three matches at the Brian Lara Academy (Getty Images) “In my opinion, 35 is not too old. There’s many guys who are playing at older than that, and they’re playing the best cricket of their life,” Walter said. “We are cognisant of age and building for the future, but also of wrapping younger guys with experience. We want to get the balance right.” The venue: Brain Lara Academy, Tarouba The ground staff at the Brain Lara Academy are still smarting from news that the surface they prepared for the T20 World Cup semi-final between South Africa and Afghanistan was deemed unsatisfactory by the ICC, and will be keen to do better. As a reminder, South Africa bowled Afghanistan out for 56 and chased the score down inside nine overs, with the low scores being put down to uneven bounce and excessive seam movement. But happily, that’s not the norm here, and in 35 completed first innings in the CPL, the average first-innings score is 145, which, in the last two seasons, has increased to 158. On the weather front, there may be some nerves as well after rain washed out most of the first Test, which was held in nearby Port-of-Spain. But the news is better for the T20Is. There are morning showers forecast for Friday and Sunday – the days of the first and second match – which should clear by the afternoon. The third game, on Tuesday, might be in some danger of being affected, but downpours are not expected to be constant, and a three-hour playing window should be possible. All three matches will start at 3pm local time. Related Similar Articles

Guyana suffer defeat by an innings and 46-runs Aug 23, 2024 Sports 2024 CWI Men’s Rising Stars U17 2-Day C/ship… Kaieteur Sports – Barbados trounced a dismal Guyanese at Gilbert Park, California, by an innings and 46-runs to seal an emphatic victory yesterday as the U17 Rising Stars action continued. Barbados made 188 all out in the first innings with Kevion Newton (37), Gadson Bowens (27), Shaquan Belle (24), Damarko Wiggins (28) and Captain Joshua Dorne (22) leading. In-form left-arm spinner Golcharran Chulai returned 3-42 with help from Riyad Latiff (2-28) while four other bowlers grabbed a wicket apiece. Guyana then lost their way after Zachary Carter (6-24) kept them to 66 all out, with Rampersaud Ramnauth (21) the top-scorer. After enforcing the follow-on, Guyana were mowed down for 76 in the second innings with Ramnauth matching his first innings score of 21 to end as the premier scorer yet again. Carter grabbed 3-33 as he ended with 9 victims while Xaundre Baptiste (4-8), R’Jai Gittens (3-6) had brilliant spells for Barbados. Guyana will spring into action again on Sunday, August 25. Related Similar Articles

Windies speed sensation Joseph honoured by PNCR and NA Mayor and Town Council Aug 23, 2024 Sports Shamar Joseph (3rd L) and his newly acquired plaque takes a photo op with (L-R) PNCR Member of Parliament, Nima Flue Bess, Mayor Wainwright Mc Kenzie, Deputy Mayor Kirk Fraser, Councilor Polly Ann Schultz and Town Clerk Devon Galley. Kaieteur Sports – West Indies speedster Shamar Joseph was presented with tokens of appreciation from the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) and The New Amsterdam Mayor and Town Council (NAMTC). The simple but significant ceremony was held recently at the NAMTC Office. Shadow Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport of the PNCR, Nima Flue Bess, and the NAMTC presented separate tokens of appreciation to the fiery West Indies speedster. Joseph was presented with a gold wicket pendant and a canvas painting. The painting depicts the moment when he captured five wickets on his test debut in December last year against the Australians in Australia. Toasts were offered with words of encouragement to the cricketer, who brought international recognition and fame to his hometown in Baracara. Attending the ceremony were Mayor Wainwright Mc Intosh, Deputy Mayor Kirk Fraser, Councillor Polliann Shultz and Acting Town Clerk Devon Gallay among others. In his latest appearance for the West Indies against South Africa at the Providence National Stadium in Guyana, he captured a 5-fer to chalk up the third of his brief career. Joseph has been outstanding thus far gaining the spotlight with several achievements. Among them, the record of scoring the highest individual score by a West Indian number 11 batsman on test debut. Taking a wicket off the first delivery bowled in test cricket – becoming the second West Indies bowler to do so. He took a five-wicket haul on test debut becoming the 10th West Indian cricketer to do so.  He became the second bowler in test cricket history to complete the double of taking a wicket off the first delivery on Test debut and taking a 5-fer. Joseph also became the first West Indian player to achieve the unique distinction of scoring over 50 runs and taking five wickets on debut. (Samuel Whyte) Related Similar Articles