Black Immigrant Daily News

The A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition Opposition would be willing to support the Government if it brings legislative and constitutional changes to the National Assembly to include biometrics as a requirement for voting.

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton made the coalition’s position known during a press conference on Tuesday. During the press conference, Norton reiterated that his party wants biometrics, which generally includes biological data such as fingerprints, to be made a condition for persons to vote.

The only requirements for someone to vote, as set out in Articles 59 and 159 of the Constitution, are that that person must be 18 years or older, and must be a Guyanese citizen or a Commonwealth citizen resident and domiciled in Guyana.

It was pointed out to Norton that any deviation from this could set the stage for the elections to be overturned, as occurred in 2001 in the Esther Perreira petition that sought to overturn the results of the 1997 General and Regional Elections due to the use of ID cards. According to Norton, however, the law can be changed with support of the APNU/AFC.

“We can go to Parliament and change the law, and all the issues they would have (been) raised (can) become passe… If the Government comes with a proposal to give credible list so we can get credible elections, the Opposition will work with them on the issue.”

Norton was also reminded that the Opposition has a history of not cooperating with the Government on various issues, such as the composition of the Natural Resource Fund committees.

Despite the investment and oversight committees being appointed months ago, the Opposition are yet to submit their nominees, as the law provides for. However, Norton said the changes to the Constitution that his party is calling for could open the door for them to cooperate on other issues.

“It might very well pave the way for us to cooperate on other issues. But you’re not going to seek to dominate and control and want us to cooperate. So, you can say to the Government, ‘This is a good opportunity for you to engage the Opposition’, and once we can get over that hurdle, you would have created conditions propitious to getting over the other hurdles,” Norton said.

This comes even as the Government is preparing to embark on constitutional reform consultations early next year. The constitutional reform process would be spearheaded by the Constitutional Reform Commission once it is set up, and it will allow stakeholders to make suggestions on much-needed areas of reform in the Constitution.

Back in August of this year, the Government presented the Constitution Reform Commission Bill 2022 in the National Assembly. It seeks the establishment of a Constitution Reform Commission to review the country’s supreme laws.

According to the provisions of the Bill, the commission will review the Constitution to provide for the current and future rights, duties, liabilities, and obligations of the Guyanese people. It is mandated for that purpose to receive, consider, and evaluate submissions for the alteration of the Constitution, and report its recommendations to the Standing Committee for transmission to the National Assembly.

In conducting the review, the Commission will also consider the full protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms of the Guyanese people under law; the rights of Indigenous people of Guyana; the rights of children; eliminating discrimination in all forms; and improving ethnic relations, while promoting ethnic security and equal opportunity.

According to the explanatory memorandum of the Bill, the proposed Constitutional Reform Commission would consist of 20 members who would be drawn from the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), the Opposition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), and one member from political party A New and United Guyana (ANUG).

One member each would also be drawn from the Guyana Bar Association, the Labour Movement, the National Toshaos Council, the Private Sector, representatives of women’s organisations, youth organisations, Christian, Hindu and Muslim organisations, as well as a nominee representing farmers.

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India moved in sight of the T20 World Cup semifinals by beating Bangladesh by five runs in a rain-affected thriller on Wednesday thanks to another impressive knock by Virat Kohli and an unfortunate run-out of Litton Das in the chase.

Kohli continued his strong form at the tournament by scoring 64 not out off 44 balls to help India to 184-6 off its 20 overs. Lokesh Rahul also weighed in with a 32-ball 50.

Bangladesh started its reply brilliantly and was 66-0 after seven overs — with Das on 59 off 26 balls — when the teams were forced off for nearly an hour because of rain. The revised target was set at 151 in 16 overs, according to the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.

Off the first ball after the delay, Das slipped as he turned for a second run and appeared to hurt his arm. Then, off the next ball, he again slipped as Bangladesh sought a second run and was run out for 60 at the non-striker’s end from a direct throw by Rahul.

It proved the turning point as Bangladesh was restricted to 145-6, with Arshdeep Singh taking 2-38.

“It was a closer game than we would have liked,” said Kohli, who was named man of the match.

“It was another good day with the bat. I am happy the World Cup is in Australia because I can play my shots here. I love playing in Adelaide. I feel at home and want to keep batting.”

India climbed above South Africa to the top of Group 2 in the Super 12s with six points from four games. Second-place South Africa plays fifth-place Pakistan in Sydney on Thursday in a match that will have major implications for the group.

Bangladesh, which is third on four points, will play Pakistan in its final game.

Before the rain break, Das was putting India’s pace attack to the sword. He hit three sixes and seven fours, reaching his half-century off 21 balls. It was the second quickest half-century of the tournament.

He put on 50 runs off 32 balls, with Najmul Shanto only contributing three runs to the initial partnership. Overall, they put on 68 runs off 44 balls either side of the weather interruption.

When the rain intervened, Bangladesh was ahead on DLS, having needed a par score of 49-0 at that point.Afterward, however, Bangladesh plunged to 99-3 after Suryakumar Yadav held two sharp catches to send back Shanto (21) and Afif Hossain (3) in quick succession.

Shakib al Hasan was out for 13, while Nurul Hasan kept Bangladesh going with 25 not out off 14 balls.

With 20 needed off the last six balls, Singh helped to seal the win for India.

Earlier, put in to bat, India had Rohit Sharma dismissed for 2, despite surviving a dropped catch.

Kohli and Rahul then added 67 runs off 36 balls for the second wicket.

Rahul was the aggressor in the partnership as he struck four sixes and three fours. He brought up his first half-century of the tournament off 31 balls.

Shakib (2-33) got rid of Rahul immediately after his milestone. Kohli then added another 38 runs with Yadav, who hit 30 off 16.

Shakib bowled Yadav as well, leaving India at 116-3 in 13.3 overs. India lost a flurry of wickets toward the end, falling to 150-5 in 17 overs.

Kohli hit eight fours and one six, and reached his third half-century of the tournament off 37 balls.

India scored 54 off the last five overs, despite losing Hardik Pandya (5) and Dinesh Karthik (7) cheaply.

Ravichandran Ashwin scored a handy 13 not out off six balls.

In the first game of the day, also in Adelaide, fast bowler Paul van Meekeren took three wickets to lead the Netherlands to a five-wicket win over Zimbabwe, ending the African side’s chances of making the semifinals.

It was the Dutch side’s first win in the Super 12 tournament after three losses.

Van Meekeren (3-29) and his pace partners Brandon Glover (2-29) and Bas de Leede (2-14) were influential in curtailing the Zimbabweans, who were dismissed in 19.2 overs for 117 after winning the toss and deciding to bat.

In reply, the Netherlands scored 120-5 with 12 balls remaining. Max O’Dowd top-scored with 52 runs.

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Family of Late Sir Rupert ‘King Swallow’ Philo Make Timely Donation

WILLIKIES – The family of the late Sir Rupert ‘King Swallow’ Philo, recently made a timely donation of a full set of steel pans, complete with a brand new drum set to the Nelvie N. Gore Primary School.

The donation was the fulfillment of a life-long dream of the late King Swallow, who wanted to see the establishment of a Music Department at his alma mater.

He believed that this was a great way for the students to learn discipline, as well as a talent that they could use later on in life.

Brief remarks were heard from the Member of Parliament for the area, Sir Robin Yearwood, Senator Shawn Nicholas (past student), Khan Cordice, Director of Culture, Vernon ‘Dr. Solo’ Benjamin, a representative from the Ministry of Education among other specially invited guests.

During his remarks, Dr. Solo called for the naming of the Music Room at the school, in honour of the late Sir Rupert Philo.

All of the speakers encouraged the students to take pride in their school, and learn music as it could be a vehicle for their future.

Shennette Philo, daughter of the late Sir Rupert, reminded the students to take good care of the instruments during her address.

The assembled audience was treated to a performance by the students, as well as an impromptu performance by Dr. Solo, who did a rendition of “Man to Man”, a tune made famous by King Swallow.

The event was held on Thursday, 20th October, 2022.

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President Dr Irfaan Ali on Tuesday led an outreach to the West Coast of Demerara (WCD), where a number of current issues faced by residents and farmers were heard and plans for intervention were communicated.

The Head of State was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd; Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar.

It was communicated that there were hundreds of acres of arable farmland within the Den Amstel community but there was a significant downturn in production. Further, farmers stated that prevailing weather conditions have been a bugbear, while some of them also called for additional equipment since they have been challenged in producing crops.

The President, while calling for a collective engagement with farmers, urged that all arable land be put to work.

“We are working for the upliftment of the community. We want to see all the communities prosper. This is why I am asking them now to either come in and see that the lands that are not in production, we can get them into production. That is important. That is revenue sitting down. So, we have to sit with the owners and come up with a mechanism through which they can go back to the land or they can either rent it legally,” the President explained.

Additionally, roads will be developed to ensure that farmers can access these lands. Road works on the Den Amstel sideline dam are almost completed. Another project is being carried out aback the community to the tune of $38 million.

“We’re spending a lot of money to upgrade the roads on the other side of Den Amstel, but what we want to do is involve the community, to have more concrete-type roads. It will involve more labour,” Ali noted.

The President and officials also took a look at the Den Amstel Community Centre Ground, which has been in a deplorable condition. He informed that a project was awarded for upgrades to the ground, the pavilion, and a bridge along with the installation of a basketball court.

“There needs some work on the bridge so I let them also work on doing some work. We have to work on ensuring that this thing is done very quickly now that we have the weather. And we have to monitor it too,” Ali told stakeholders.

At the Den Amstel Primary School, calls were made for the structure to be repainted and for certain facilities to be installed.

Chairman of the Den Amstel Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Kenton Hilliman lauded the work of the Ali-led Administration for the initiatives taken in the community.“I need to extend a firm gratitude to you for the amount of intervention in this community…We are going to profit from it,” the Chairman said.

Region Three (Essequibo Islands- West Demerara) is fast becoming a hub for investment opportunities in Guyana, especially with the establishment of the gas-to-energy project, a US$300 million Vreed-en-Hoop shore base facility, new private and public hospitals, and two four-lane highways.

Only recently, Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal had announced that some 2000 families in Region Three will benefit from affordable homes, as Government accelerates its turn-key housing project to meet the demand in the region.

In fact, 7000 house lots are being developed in Region Three, as part of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government’s drive to provide 50,000 house lots to Guyanese by the year 2025.

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