Kaieteur News

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

Jagdeo defends uncapped interest rates on Exxon’s investments and refuses to tell nation what Guyana is charged

Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo defended a provision of the lopsided Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) on Thursday, in the government’s quest to preserveit.

ThePSAiscomingunder scrutiny yet again for allowing ExxonMobil and its co-venturers to recover uncapped accumulated interest on loans taken to meet Stabroek Block expenses, without the prior approvaloftheMinisterwith responsibilityforPetroleum. There are serious concerns about the potential abuse of thisprovision,ascompanies can take out loans with unreasonableinterestratesto laterrecoverthem.

Jagdeo said, during his lastpressconference,thatthe

issue is complex and reflectiveofthecostofraising capital Hearguedthatraising capital for the oil and gas industry is a difficult task, as many banks worldwide are moving away from supporting projects linked to fossil fuels He used the exampleoftheJoeBiden-led United States administration vetoing a loan that the Guyana Shore Base Inc (GYSBI), had tried to get from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) because it would support Guyana’s oil industry The loanwasforUS$180million for GYSBI’s shore base operations

To Jagdeo’s mind, this demonstrates the challenge of raising capital for this sector He said it is a complexmatterthatrequires

anuancedapproach.

The Guyanese public is concerned about this matter, whichcouldseeGuyanalose outonbillionsunreasonably ButJagdeoindicatedthatthe government wants to maintain momentum in the oil sector and attract investmenttothecountry

He said, “We don’t wanna kill the momentum. The moment you start a dispute to kill the momentum of the industry, everythingdriesupherefora while. And then you also can’t get the investment dollarsthataresoscarcenow for this industry to flow, which is what we want to flowheresoourlocalpeople canstartdoingbettertoo.”

Importantly, the Vice President has refused to disclose what the amount of

Days elapse with no official Govt. statement on oil site compromised by hackers

The website of the Petroleum Management Programme in Guyana was hacked sinceApril 7, and more than a week haselapsedwithoutanofficialstatementfrom the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) administrationonthismatter

The website, petroleum gov.gy is marketed by the government as the transparency avenue for information on the petroleum sector in Guyana. It provides updates on oil production, gas and produced water, and the developments of the price of oil,aswellasinformationonopportunitiesin the sector, in terms of employment and procurement.

Additionally, the website has been the access point for international oil companies interested in participating in the offshore licensing round, and they used the site to access the data room and the terms of the round.

Kaieteur News understands that the site was compromised by hackers loyal to Venezuela’s claim for Guyana’s Essequibo territory.The hackers placed graphics on the website that said “!El Esequibo es Venezuela!” meaning ‘The Essequibo is Venezuela’.

It is notable that the hacking was done shortlyaftertheInternationalCourtofJustice (ICJ) cast down Venezuela’s preliminary objections in the ongoing border case. The Court’s ruling effectively removed a hindrance to the proceedings. The ICJ has givenVenezuelauptoApril8,2024,tofileits countermemorialinthecase.

Itisconcerningforsomestakeholdersthat in the middle of the licensing round, companies seeking to declare interest, lost accesstothesiteandthosethathavealready usedthesiteinrelationtothisroundhavenot received any official public assurance from thegovernmentaboutwhethertheintegrityof sensitiveinformationhasbeencompromised.

Worseyet,isthefactthatthecompromiseof thesitewasexecutedbyaninterestgroupthat is working against Guyana’s freedom to developitsoilresources.

Last week, the Ministry of Natural Resources updated the schedule for the licensing round, extending the deadline for the submission of bids to July 15. Although there is no official statement from the Ministry about what occurred, Minister of NaturalResourcesVickramBharratisquoted by Demerara Waves as saying that the National Data Management Authority (NDMA) has been working to rectify the issue.

The website became accessible again on April 14, but critical information was unavailable. Information on oil production andthelicensingroundaregone.

Ifthegovernmentcannotassurethepublic thatGuyanahasnotbeensafeguardedagainst moreseriousharmbythesecybercrimes,and that the integrity of the licensing round has not been compromised, this could inhibit confidenceinthelicensinground.

Itiscriticalintheviewofsomeobservers that the government also addresses the concerns of citizens who rely on the website for information on the petroleum sector, including updates on oil production, flared andre-injectedgas,andproducedwaterbeing depositedintothesea.

Furthermore, the government would be wise to address the geopolitical implications ofthehacking.TheEssequiboregion,which covers two-thirds of Guyana’s territory, has been a source of disagreement between Guyana and Venezuela for more than a century

The case before the ICJ is of existential importance to Guyana, and any action by Venezuela to disrupt Guyana’s petroleum sectorwouldbeseenasadirectattackonthe country’ssovereignty.

interest Guyana is paying to theoilcompany

ThePSAfortheStabroek Blockisunique Eventhough Jagdeo defended the provision, he said the government plans to “address”itinthenewmodel contracts He said the new contracts, with improved provisionsrelatingtointerest andotherthings,willbeused fortheauctionblocksandthe other current blocks outside ofStabroek

It is rather peculiar that thoughJagdeohassaidmany times that the PPPC government agrees that the

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

Stabroek Block PSA is lopsided, he still fervently defended a provision that experts like former University of Houston Instructor, Tom Mitro says can open Guyana up to

seriousabuse. The public may never knowjusthowmuchGuyana is losing out from this interest provision as the interest rates remain hidden frompublicscrutiny

Kaieteur News

Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: DR. GLENN LALL - TEL: 624-6456

Editor-In-Chief: NIGEL WILLIAMS

Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

GRA BATTLING FOR GUYANESE

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), with

CommissionerGeneral,GodfreyStatiastanding tall and ferocious, is fighting tooth and nail for Guyanese, so that they can get every dollar that honestly belongstothem.

InanauditofUS$1.67billion,US$40millionmaylook small to some, but to poverty-stretched Guyanese, each dollarsavedisanotherdollargoingintotheirshareoftheir oil profits. It may have been a negligible amount to IHS Markit (IHSM) in its rather questionable audit of those ExxonMobil expenses, but to cheated Guyanese, that US$40millioncounts.

ThingsaresochallengingnowthatGuyanahastowatch its own handsomely paid foreign auditors. Their first priority should be to give value, on a professional and principledbasis,totheirGuyaneseclients.

Considering the conflict between the GRAand IHSM over that US$40 million, it is reasonable to inquire what else IHSM may have overlooked, passed by, or let go that givesExxonMobilanedge.

After all, when more tens of millions are given a discretionarypassundercostrecovery,thenthetotalcould soon be in the hundreds of millions of American dollars professionally spirited away under audit cover from Guyana’sprofit.

Letthisbesaidfranklyandsharply,Guyanawastricked in the deal it signed. It seems as though Guyana is being trickedagainintheexpensessubmitted,whichisourstrong belief.

Then, it appears that even the audit examination exerciseisso(perhaps)flawedattimes,soskimpyinaudit wisdom, that Guyana is being tricked yet again. We urge our fellow Guyanese to absorb if this is not what has seeminglybeengoingonineverystep,everyfeature,every development involving millions of dollars since the discoveryofoil. Onelocalauditorfoundthesuspiciousand unacceptableinprecontractcosts,nowthisforeignauditor would not have properly categorized US$40 million in spending for which evidence is limited, as the GRA insisted. There is another audit for US$7.3 billion that is suspended in space and subject to the cleverness of PPPC Governmentpoliticians.

Onecanonlywonderatwhatmysteriesareembeddedin that bigger audit, and the likely bigger millions that were possiblynotpartofanyrealexpenses,orthosethatbelong toGuyana.

WeshouldallbegratefultotheGRAanditsboss. For when he speaks publicly on issues like these, there is the sense that what is right for Guyana is what matters to him andhiscrucialStateagency HowwewishthatotherState agencies were made of the same sturdy substances, with Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency and EnvironmentalAssessmentBoardleading.

Though it looks like a wasted wish, it would also be inspiring to observe PresidentAli, Vice President Jagdeo, and Opposition Leader Norton projecting the same strong stuff,astheGRA,indealingwithforeignerswhocomehere to exploit our riches. The same wish is extended to the others who are part of our oversight businesses, including shakyandsurprisinglysoftauditors.

The GRA wants the evidence of what is behind the US$40 million, and about which there should never have beenadiscussion.

As ExxonMobil claimed it, so it had to provide the supportingbasis. Ininstancesofthisnature,transparencyis most vital, for it is what builds trust, how trustworthy partnersdealwitheachother,andwherethegroundworkis laid for what passes professional scrutiny, and what does not. Mr Statiacalleditprecedent:setaweakone,orabad one, today, and there will be contentiousness later about consistency

For if that was allowed before, then it must be cleared againwheneveritcomesup.

OGGNAND TIGI CONDEMN ATTACKS ON FEMALE JOURNALISTS

DEAREDITOR,

TheGuyanaOilandGas

Governance Network (OGGN) and Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. (TIGI) condemn the ad hominem attacksonfemalejournalists, most recently on Davina BagotandNazimaRaghubir, onsocialmediawebsites.

Theattacksarenotabout the substance of the news reports; rather they are

attacks on the reporters themselves. Chillingly, the attacks place a target on the backsofreporters. These attacks are being made in our country which, to its shame, has a high rate of intimate partner violence, including murders of women,andmale-on-female violenceingeneral.

In its 2022 Report showing the status of its

Press Freedom Index, the organization Reporters Without Borders (RWB) noted: “An increasingly toxicenvironmentinLatin America.

Across the continent, journalistscontinueworking in an increasingly deleterious and toxic environment Distrust of the press, fueled by antimedia rhetoric and the

trivialisation of politicians’ stigmatising discourse –especially in Brazil (ranked 110th in the Index), Cuba (173rd), Venezuela (159th), Nicaragua (160th), and El Salvador (112th) – has gained ground. Increasingly visible and virulent, these public attacks weaken the profession and encourage abusivelegalaction,smear (Continuedonpage5)

ExxonMobil does not miss a beat whenever money is involved,andthewilycompanywillseizeeveryopportunity to beat Guyana into the ground to snatch more and more millionsfromourshare.

Cost recovery is a big broad umbrella in ExxonMobil’s

hands, and it will shelter anything under its vast cover GuyaneseurgentlyneedmoreliketheflagshipGRAtowatch over our interests. In fact, Guyanese need political leaders with the courage, wisdom, and principle to get the best and fairestsharefromthiswealth.

Domestic Violence is here to stay

DEAREDITOR, My title will prove prophetic daily in Guyana. Hereinliemyreasonsforso saying.

First, I clearly recall in May 2021, Guyana’s Minister of Human Services and Social Security, in a justified angry outburst, spoke for all women (and right-thinking men too)

Whatdidshesay?That“The continuing horrific murder ofwomeninGuyanabytheir husbandsandpartnersneeds tostop.”

T h i s , ‘ a l m o s t

threatening’ reaction resulted from a brutal femicide, that was exacted on a Nicola Wilson, who in the presence of her 14-yearoldson,wasstabbedtodeath byherboyfriend.

The primitive killer, Lawrence Brummell, did drink a poisonous substance after the incident and later died at hospital. His reason forhisbrutalityresidedinhis statement that the woman wasbeingunfaithful.

Editor, the Guyana landscape, especially in the lastfewmonths,waslittered

with incidents such as this one, showing that the ‘perpetuation of a misogynisticculture’istruly entrenched In fact, like Brummel, a ‘beast’ right after ‘‘his chopping-up’ his partner, posted the reason behindhisact.Itwassimilar to the many stories we routinely read and hear about. This culture, of a woman ‘belonging to man’ mustberootedout,evenifit means castration in some form,physicalorchemical.I meanthiskindofpenalcode

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OGGNAND TIGI CONDEMNATTACKS...

Frompage4 and intimidation campaigns – especially against women – and online harassment of critical journalists” (https://rsf.org/en/classemen t/2022/americas).

In contrast, Guyana is rankedat34of176countries and had a global score of 76.41 in RWB’s Index for 2022. In the CARICOM region, only Jamaica (#12) and Trinidad and Tobago (#25) rank higher than Guyana in Press freedom. Guyana should celebrate, uphold and aim to improve its relatively high ranking, rather than expose journalists to a climate of fear

The attacks on journalistsshouldberoundly rejectedbythoseinauthority and by all Guyanese alike. Asanoil-producingcountry,

Guyana should aim to safeguard and expand its democratic freedoms and safeguards for all citizens and visitors within national territory

Our Press freedom is in Article 146(1) of our NationalConstitution–

“Except with his own consent, no person shall be hinderedintheenjoymentof his freedom of expression, thatistosay,freedomtohold o p i n i o n s w i t h o u t interference, freedom to receive ideas and information without interference, freedom to communicate ideas and

information without interference and freedom from interference with his correspondence.”

And we remember from the assassination in July 1979 of Father Bernard Darke,S.J.,whatcanhappen when an authoritarian government over-excites its supporters.

VincentAdams

AndreBrandli

JanetteBulkan

FrederickCollins

DarshKhusial

MikePersaud

GangaRamdas

JoePersaud www.oggn.org/about

SHAMEFUL

DEAREDITOR, When a government official visits anywhere in Guyana, they would inform their operatives who would then mobilize people and childrentogivethemawarm welcome. They then utilize the opportunity to take pictures to publicize and gloat.

Now, over the years many Guyanese leave GuyanatorepresentGuyana in various events, some successful or not, they are always neglected by whichever government governsGuyana.

When they become successful or are given public attention, the governmentwouldshrewdly injects itself with crocodile tears, claiming ignorance andmakingpromisesforthe next time, but the situation keepsrepeatingitself.

The way government operates towards everyone elsegivesmetheimpression that they alone deserve the best treatment and attention.

It’s only someone who caught the public’s eye conveniently they appear with their hypocritical attitudes.

Editor, sometimes it becomes unbearable would someone seeks public attention, and the recent fiasco with Terry Gajraj is only one of the thousands thatoccurtomanyGuyanese that are not appreciated by the government of Guyana.

C o n v e n i e n t l y o r mysteriouslysomewouldbe honored/awarded and most don’tevendeserveit,butno one can question their decision because they are under the impression that they are the best decisionmakers in Guyana and they arealwaysright.

ShivnarineChanderpaul, the Guyanese world-class cricketer had to voice his dismay at the shameful treatmentheusuallyreceives when entering/departing Guyana’s International Airport There are many other Guyanese that

catapults Guyana’s name all over the world and is not even being recognized by this government for their contribution.

Our very own, John DrePaul is one such person. He’swrittennumeroussongs about Guyana, and folks are bound to hear his songs during Christmas and Mashramani but fail to be recognized or honored

Many athletes have the potential skills to become great athletes that could make Guyana proud and are not being supported by the government of Guyana, especially if they show supportfortheopposition.

T h e y y o u h a v e victimization show you embracethem,andnodoubt, Chanderpaul will feel contended, but history has shown that this present government is very vindictive, and in time to come, they act. How long more would this shameful behaviorcontinue?

SahadriBates

There was a conspiracy to get rid of the Police Service Commission

DEAREDITOR,

Following the ruling of Justice Gino Persaud on March 24, 2023, that President Mohamed Irfaan AliviolatedtheConstitution of the Cooperative Republic ofGuyanawhenonJune16, 2021, he unlawfully suspended the members of the Police Service Commission, Attorney General, Mohabir Anil Nandalall, SC, MP, made a statement on the National Communications Network (NCN) where he sought to justify the unconstitutional actionofthePresident.

The Attorney General argued, among things, that thereasonwhythePresident unlawfully suspended the members of the Police Service Commission was because the Commission joined with Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul to challenge the amendment to the Fiscal M a n a g e m e n t a n d AccountabilityAct.

Editor, I feel compelled to explain, for the benefit of readers, some important events and the reason why the Police Service Commission joined in that challenge.

OnMay19,2021,Prime Minister Mark Anthony Phillips,MSS,sentlettersto Mr ClintonConwayandme. Thelettersreadasfollows“it has been brought to my attention that you have been charged with the offence of conspiracy to defraud

contrary to common law, whereof between1st March 2019and7thJuly,2020,you withotherpersonsconspired together, at the Guyana Police Force Headquarters, Eve Leary, Kingston, to defraud the Guyana Police Force of ten million and fifty-six thousand ($1, 056,000,00) sic, GYD and placed before the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court, where the matter remainspending.

In the exercise of the powers vested in me by virtue of Article 225 of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana,Iherebydirectthat youdoshowcauseinwriting why I ought not to advise, HisExcellencythePresident of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, that you be removedfromtheofficeofa member of the Police Service Commission as a resultthereof.

A written response must besubmittedtomeeitherby e m a i l a t pm@gov.opm gov.gy or hard copy, hand delivered at either of the following addresses, on or before 31st May,2021".

Our attorney, on our behalf, provided a comprehensive response by thegivendeadline.

It is import to draw attention to the date of the charge, May 19, 2021, and thedateoftheletterfromthe Prime Minister, May 19, 2021,theveryday Thatwas

even before the defendants appeared in court to answer thecharge,whichtheydidon May20,2021.

The fact that the letters from the Prime Minister were dated the same day the charge was filed provide strong circumstantial evidence that there was a conspiracy to remove Mr Conway and me from the Police Service Commission, and the trumped up charge was instituted as part of a diabolicalplantodoso.

Perhaps, belatedly rememberingthatinthecase involving the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, Mr Carvil Duncan,whowassuspended from that Commission following a criminal charge instituted against him, and that Mr Nandalall had argued that such a course of action was unlawful; the Prime Minister then sent a second letter to me dated June 1, 2021. That letter stated“ithasbeenbroughtto my attention that you have joined Opposition Member of Parliament, Mr Ganesh Mahipaul and retained Opposition Members of Parliament, Roysdale Forde SC, Khemraj Ramjattan, Raphael Trotman, Geeta Chandon-Edmond and Amanza Walton-Desir, to instituteproceedingsagainst the Government of Guyana and various other parties in HighCourtActionNo.2021HC-DEM-CIV-FDA-239, whichmatterispending.

The Commission and its members are named as Applicants in the proceedings and are expressly relying on the Affidavit evidence of Mr Mahipaulintheproceedings, and from all indications, the case has political overtones and has the appearance of a politicalcontestbetweenthe Government and the Opposition.

By the Commission’s posture, the public perception is that the Commission and its membershaveabandonedall appearances of impartiality and have joined forces with theOppositionpoliticiansto engage in an open, partisan, political contest with the Government.

The Constitution of Guyana, the supreme law, enjoinstheCommissionand its members to be free from actual,orperceivedpolitical bias, influence or interference and must at all times appear to be independent, impartial and

autonomous.

In the exercise of the powers vested in me by virtue of Article 225 of the Constitution of the Cooperative of Guyana, I hereby direct that you do showcause,inwriting,whyI ought not to advise, His ExcellencyThe President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, that your removal as Chairman of the Police Service Commission be investigated, as a result thereof.

A written response must besubmittedtomebyemail at pm@opm.gov.gy or hard copy, hand delivered, at the following address on or before8thJune,2021".

Similar letters were sent totheotherfourmembersof the Police Service Commission.

Replies were provided bythegivendeadline.

It is apposite to note that Member of Parliament Mahipaul’s Fixed Date Application was filed in February, 2021, months beforethetrumpedupcharge was filed against Mr Conwayandme.Thesecond letter from the Prime Minister in relation to the Mahipaul matter is dated June1,2021.

The timeline strongly supports my contention that therewasaconspiracytoget rid of the Police Service Commission by any means, including flagrantly violating the relevant Articles of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. That is why two sets of letters, providing different reasons, were sent bythePrimeMinister

Why did the Police ServiceCommissionjoinin theMahipaulApplication?

DuringNovember,2019, two female police trainees made allegations against Senior Superintendent Fazil Karimbaksh Those allegations were referred to the Police Service Commissionforactiontobe taken. The allegations were i n v e s t i g a t e d a n d K a r i m b a k s h w a s subsequently charged departmentally Before the commencement of the inquiry into the charges Karimbaksh file Fixed Date Application No. 2020-HCDEM-CIV-FDA-2065 in the High Court challenging the charges that were instituted a g a i n s t h i m T h e respondents were the CommissionerofPoliceand the Chairman of the Police ServiceCommission.

The Attorney General’s Chambersfiledadefenceon behalf of the Police Service Commission. A few days beforethemattercameupin the High Court the Police Service Commission was advised that the Attorney General’s Chambers had withdrawn the defence. It was later revealed that the reason for the withdrawal was the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruling in the Brent Griffith v Guyana RevenueAuthoritycase,that the Attorney General’s Chamber cannot represent the interest of entities, whether public or private, which are not part of the state.

T h e S e r v i c e Commissions in Guyana are not part of the state Therefore, according to the ruling of the CCJ the Attorney General’s Chambers could not have represented the Police ServiceCommission.

Whenthemattercameup in court the Police Service Commission made a request for time to re:file a defence. That request was granted. The Commission then sought to retain an attorney to assist with its defence. It was then discovered that funds were not available at the Commission to retain an attorney The Secretary of the Commission was instructed to make a request totheMinistryofFinancefor funds.Therequestwasmade to the Financial Secretary, Ministry of Finance. The Financial Secretary responded to the request saying“youwouldbeaware that no provision was made in the Commission’s 2021 budgetforlegalFees.Asyou correctly pointed out, C o n s t i t u t i o n a l Commissions, Government Ministries, and State Agencies’historicalpractice is to utilize the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Attorney General’s Chamber There has been no change to this practice.

As such, I recommend that you re-engage the MinistryofLegalAffairsand Attorney General’s Chambers for legal representation since it is the onlyviableoption”.

So we had a case where the Financial Secretary refused to provide funds to the Commission and d i r e c t e d t h a t t h e Commission “re-engage” theMinistryofLegalAffairs and the Attorney General’s Chamber, when the CCJ

ruled that those entities cannot represent the Commission.

Prior to the amendment of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act, the Police Service Commission, like other constitutional Commissions, were provided with lump sum funds,whichtheyusedasthe respective Commissions deemedappropriate.

T h e a m e n d m e n t therefore had the effect of denying the Commissions the flexibility to determine how allocated funds were to b e u t i l i z e d T h i s significantly impacted the independence of the Commissions, as they were now placed in the untenable position where the Ministry of Finance literally determined how and when a constitutional Commission should operate. So, when the Police Service Commission learnt of the FixedDateApplicationfiled by Member of Parliament GaneshMahipaul,thePolice Service Commission, like other Commissions, joined inthechallenge.

However, only the members of the Police Service Commission were singledoutforremovalfrom office.Whywasthatso?

Itismyview,andthatof the other members of the Commission that were unlawfully suspended, that the reason for this unconstitutional action had to do with the fact that the Commission refused to promote certain ineligible police officer (they had pending disciplinary matters), whom the Presidentwantedpromoted.

The Attorney General impliedthattheactionofthe PoliceServiceCommissions in joining the Mahipaul challenge amounted to misbehavior, one of the two conditions provided in the Constitution for removal of constitutional officers However, even if that were so,theConstitutionprovides a clear process for the removal of persons from constitutional office The Attorney General admitted that the President “missed a step”inthecarefullylaidout process of suspending the members of the Police Service Commission. What he deliberately failed to say wasthatthemissedstep,the failure by the President to establish a Tribunal to investigate any allegation againsttheCommission,isa

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BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

YOU CAN HIT US, BUT YOU CAN’T HURT US

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

The more you try to smear us, the higher we soar.

suppressed.

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Apeople blessed with so much, ever long oppressed.

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

We want better for all Guyanese, but it is a crime.

We press for truth, and that also is felony and treachery.

Ours is not the way to respond in like manner.

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

Truth and better we fight for, live for, and for a better Guyana.

Others take the gutter and sewer, we take the high road.

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

What do our brothers attacking KN wake up with?

Stronger we go forth for a richer Guyana.

May we all be better for doing so.

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

With what manner of malice in mind, spitefulness in heart?

And if this is all wrong, then we are still blessed.

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How can it be that even women journalists are targeted, scorned? What does it do for you, where does it leave you?

Blessed to be among the best of men and women for having tried.

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

Truths can never be forever

Fellow Guyanese, ours is the high ground, there can be no other.

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

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Attorney General urges persons to familiarise themselves with Hire Purchase Act to avoid unfair deals

The Attorney General's Chambers and Ministry of Legal Affairs on Saturday said that it has noted with great regret, the complaints of many with respect to alleged unfair and possibly unlawful conduct in hire purchasetransactions.

In a press statement, the AG'sChamberssaidthatitis because of the unfair and unlawful conduct of some entitiesthattheGovernment ofGuyanaenactedamodern Hire Purchase Act, which cameintoforcein2022.

Themainobjectiveofthe

Act is to bring greater balance and fairness in the relationship between the hirer and owner which was skewed heavily in favour of the former over the latter, priortotheenactmentofthe legislation.

Unfortunately, based upon the complaints received, many of which have been circulating on social media, it appears that provisions of the Hire Purchase Act are not properly implemented or complied with, or are being completelyignored.

Members of the public, morespecifically,thosewho intend to enter into hire purchase agreements are hereby urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Act or to securelegalcounseltodoso on their behalf in relation thereto.

Afewimportantsections of the Act are hereby summarizedwiththeviewof bringing greater awareness to the protection which they accordtothepartiesinahire purchasetransaction.

Section3(1)imposesthe

obligation on the owner, to disclose in writing the cash price before the hire purchase agreement is enteredinto.

Section 3(4) requires all hire purchase agreements to containclausesthatstatethe hire purchase price and the cash price of the goods; the amount of installments required to pay the hire purchaseprice; andthedate eachinstallmentispayable.

Section 5 gives the right to the hirer or buyer to terminatetheagreement.

Section6liststheclauses

in agreements which, if included, will be void and therefore unenforceable

These include, among other things: giving an owner or seller the authority to forcibly enter premises to possess goods, denying the hirer or buyer of the right to terminate/determine the agreement,subjectingahirer orbuyeronterminationofan agreement to a liability which is greater than the liability provided for under the Act; or clauses which relievetheownerorselleror any person acting on his

behalf from liability for any actsordefaults.

Section 10 entitles the hirer or buyer to cancel the agreement within 7 days of signing.

Section13entitlesahirer or buyer who has cancelled under Section 10 to recover monies paid under the agreement, subject to a restockingfeechargedbyan owner or seller to a maximumof10percent.

Section 23 states that where the hirer or buyer has paidseventypercentormore

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS WILL SOLVE NOTHING

If the Opposition boycotts Local Government Elections – a remote and unrealistic possibility –scheduled for June 12th this year,thePPPCisgoingtobe in some serious ‘shaving cream’. The PPPC knows this all too well and is keeping its fingers crossed and hoping that tomorrow thePNCRorAPNUorsome incarnation of the two turn upforNominationDay

If per chance the Opposition does not c o m p e t e i n L o c a l Government Elections, the PPPC would be unable to muster the human resources to effectively administer the municipalities and neighborhood democratic councils (NDCs) controlled bythemainOpposition.The talentissimplynotthereand even at present the political parties have to scrape the barrel to find personnel to managethosebodies.

Whatever happens t o m o r r o w, L o c a l Government Elections will not change a thing. Nor would reforming the system – another distant possibility – have any effect. You can devolve, delegate or designate whatever powers you want to whatever levels you desire, it is not going to changeanythingunlessthere are the human and financial resourcestomakethesystem work.

Guyana is abysmally short of human resources.

Thepersonnelwiththeskills and most importantly with thetimeandcommitmentare simply not available in the numbersneeded.

Of all of the country’s leaders, David Granger demonstrated the greatest willingnessoftomakeLocal GovernmentElectionswork. He was prepared to have local government elections and to have them when scheduled–ashedidin2016 and 2018 And he was prepared to have these elections even though he probablyknewthathisparty wouldtakeahiding.

In the end, Local Government Elections got him and his government nowhere And that was because the talent pool was not there, the financial resources was not there and the people were not that smitten with local democracy

One of the reasons why local democracy does not work is because the scarcity of financial resources. This makesmostlocaldemocratic organs highly dependent on central government financing.

Central government loves nothing better than to control and dominate. Just recently, there was an announcement that the government was going to take over the rehabilitation ofcitymarkets.Butbywhat authoritydidthegovernment make such a decision. And

Dem Boys Seh...

whydiditfeelthatthecity’s municipalityissimplygoing to roll over and allow the government to assume c o n t r o l o v e r t h e rehabilitation of the markets?

The revenue base of the town councils and municipalities are too slender to allow for the provision of effective services Residential property owners who pay a pittanceinratesandtaxesto local organs are not supportive of paying market rates for the services they receive. And to add to this, there is high rate of delinquency, a factor contributed to by poor revenue collection and billingsystems.

Anyonewhohasgoneto City Hall in Georgetown to pay rates and taxes would recognize that it takes on average about 15 minutes to deal with every ratepayer This is too much time. But whenyoucompoundthisby at time only having one of two cashiers to deal with a municipality of tens of thousands of properties, its showswhyratecollectionis so poor People don’t look forward to having to go and sit and play musical chairs andwaitforafewhoursjust to pay a few thousands of dollarsinratesandtaxes.

The problem however goes much deeper Local government is incompatible with our central political

We look fuh wah we get!

Anoldmanwasdying.Hewantedbadly to take some of his money with him. He called his priest, his doctor, and his real estateagenttohisbedside.“Here’s$30,000 cashtobeheldbyeachofyou.Itrustyouto putthisinmycoffinwhenIdiesoIcantake allmymoneywithme.”

Atthefuneral,eachmanputanenvelope inthecoffin.Ridingawayinalimousine,the priest suddenly broke into tears and confessed, “I had only put $20,000 into the envelope because I needed $10,000 for a newbaptistery.”

“Well, since we’re confiding in each other,”saidthedoctor,“Ionlyput$10,000in the envelope because we needed a new machine at the hospital which cost $20,000.”

The real estate agent was aghast “I’m ashamedofbothofyou,Iwantitknownthat

whenIputmyenvelopeinthatcoffin,itheld mypersonalcheckforthefull$30,000.

Yuhcan’ttekyoumoneywithyuh.But atleastyuhcanensuredatsomethingleffuh yuhchildrenanddemchildren.

Well in Guyana we changing. We nah gan gat much fuh lef fuh we children and grandchildren. Imagine yuh gat a property wah woth $10M, and yuh ask a real estate agent fuh sell it and dey do so behind yuh backfuh$1m.Howyuhganfeelaboutdat?

Yuh gan vex. So how come Guyanese nahvexbecausewegovernmentssellingout weoilwealthcheap,cheap?

Yuh now understand why some people gat fuh call we low-life and hustlers. Dem doing so, because we sitting down and allowingwewealthfuhgetsnatchfromright underwenose.

Talkhalf.Leffhalf!

system. At the central level there is acute political and ethnic polarization. All that LocalGovernmentElections do is to transfer that polarization to the local level.And this is one of the mainreasonswhythesystem is so dysfunctional and why local government elections willnotsolveanything.

Whatthecountry’sneeds is stronger and effective centralgovernance.Thecore needs stronger leadership andmanagement.Guyanais small enough for there to be one central government that should be capable to

administering the various tiers of government –national,regionalandlocal.

One person has said that governmentshouldberunas

a business But if government was run as a business rather than like a cake-shop, things would be

much better Central government would have been able to do much of the workthatisnowdoneatthe local level. In fact, if you

examine closely the hundredsofroadswhichare being built across the country, this has been a centrally-directed exercise,

showing that in the end centralizedpowerisfarmore effective than local democracy… at least in so farasGuyanaisconcerned.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s affiliates.)

BYGHKLALL

H@RD TRUTHS

BY GHK LALL

FROM ONE AMERICAN TO ANOTHER

On this Sunday, the handshake I extend is gentle, but of unmistakable granite. ItisfromasimpleAmerican toanotherAmericanwiththe greatcallofcrucialduties,to theonenestledonpinnacles.

I write these words from a soul that is famished, a vision that is troubled. To my fellow American, Ambassador Sarah Ann

Lynch, I remind of the common bond, what separatesusfromtherestof the world, what makes us different,andwhywearethe faithfulflagcarriers,despite thehazeandterrorsofbattle, potency of enemy As a courtesy, this is also addressed to Mr Alistair Routledge, Exxon’s Guyana CountryHead.

Because I spent half of

theprimeyearsofmylifein America as a toiler and contributor, I think I have paid my dues, earned the righttospeakfrankly,andlet matters unravel, however they do. It is theAmerican Way America is extraordinary in that it believes in fairness, fair play, and a contest fairly fought. It has given the blood of its sons and

daughters in settlement of those most honorable of virtues.

Ithasbeenhesitantlyand tremulously, at times, but never less than heroically America is about what is right,andthisisnevermore shimmeringthanwhenithas taken the side of the weak, the underdog, the disadvantaged. It is the America that I cherish, and this is but a snapshot. Yes, thereisthedarkside,butthe bad is absorbed with the good; the good usually triumphs.

Ambassador, good should be interpreted as the principled, the honorable, which are attributes that the rest of the world does not identifywithasmuch.

The influential in this Guyanaofminestandsasan example. Indeed, I serve two masters, two mothers, anditcanbealinehonedto the point of inseparable distinction, but one always embraced, hewed to, in the most human manner possible.

Thereissoaring,thereis crumbling.

What we have here in Guyana today Ambassador Lynch (and Mr Routledge) is not fairness, but darkness of the grimmest lethalness. It is of that legal instrument now weaponized by its makerintoanuclearoption, one only held in check by thathair-triggerwordnamed sanctity It is a diabolical constructwoninthebloodof the ambushed, one now worshippedbytheweakand fearful. This American is neither

I am one Guyanese that will not prostrate myself beforetheshrineofwhathas been held as sacrosanct Callmeaninfidel,orpariah, or villainous, in this instance, and all three fit perfectly. Label with the worst, and the heart is as unchanging as the tides cycle. Itisattimeslikethese that American sits uneasily, disturbingly Excellency

Lynch, this is not t h e h a l l o w e d American Way And on this occasion, there isnoseparationofState and private commerce. Though different in priorities, the interests are one, ultimately American economics, American security

To Mr Routledge, I understand better than most thatbusinessisbusiness,and there is no place for a pact thatislessthanthebestthat the circumstances afford Looking at Guyana, and the war that was waged here with pens for guns, and ink forpoisonedgas,andalittle, vulnerable hamlet in Vietnam stains memory It ismyhard,unwelcomeduty to refresh Mr Routledge’s memory of history with the name My Lai, and another Captain Ernest Medina, and onemoreLt.WilliamCalley GuyanaisMyLai,andthose two fine young men soldiering for American ideals in the wretched jungles of Southeast Asia have come to represent Exxon, and its Guyana Country Heads of before, andthepresentone. General DarrenWoodsisthemanleft with the PR, the happy talking;puttingthebrightest face on what can’t be coveredup.

Ambassador Lynch and CountryHeadRoutledge:an American injustice of the rankest, most repugnant, kind was conceived and given birth to and is perpetuated through its monstrous lifeform and lifespan in Guyana. For c l a r i t y , M a d a m e Ambassador:anabominable andunimaginableAmerican injustice was wreaked on Guyana,andleftthedetritus of an annihilated and shatteredpeopleinitstrailof havoc. Yes, business is bloodless, godless, and can be the cruelest, at its worse. WhatGuyaneselivewithare all of those and then some more.

Guyanareceivedashield from America against Venezuela, but it also received something else: onedaggerinbotheyes,and a goring in the groin. It is why top Guyanese, notorious for their truculence, their volcanic vehemence, have been reduced to whimpering, piteous, frailness. Their castrated natures speak of men without masculinity, of a country laid out on the dissectingtable. Itisnotthe prettiest of American pictures.

I am thinking that for a few billions more, there can be rewarding, reciprocally respectful, Guyanese and American coexistence Everybodygainssomething; all parties win the facesaving,theuplifting. Doing whatisrightinthetoughest, most challenging and insurmountable of circumstances is part of the inspiring nobility of the American character, an inestimable aspect of the Americantradition.

ItiswhyIdistancefrom the Chinese, the Russian, even the storied British traditions. I have learned along the way about these glorious, providential American virtues. Where are these virtues in the immaculacy of their practicesinGuyana,Madam Ambassador?Howcanthey be, Mr Routledge, when there are all these corporate viceserectedbrickbybrick, andbyAmericanhands?

Ambassador Lynch: I have spoken; may there be wise, the fairest of actual hearings,please.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s affiliates.)

HARDTRUTHS

Draft Data Protection Bill open for public input

The Government of Guyana intends to lay in the National Assembly shortly, the Data ProtectionBill2023.

Aspartofitspolicytoengagein public consultations on important pieces of intended legislation, the Government hereby invites submissionsandrecommendations in relation to the draft Bill from national stakeholder organisations andmembersofthepublic.

Accordingtothememorandum explaining its purpose, the Bill is aimed at safeguarding person's right to protection with respect to the processing of personal data. Thisincludesdatapertainingtothe private life of a person, which includes professional activities, as

wellasinformationconcerningthe person'spubliclife.

This Bill also recognises a person's right to privacy which is universallyrecognisedasoneofthe inalienablehumanrights.

As noted in Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,'nooneshallbesubjectedto arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence'.

Similarly, Article 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights recognises the righttoprivacy

The right to respect a person's private life and the right to protection of personal data are interlinked. Both are essential for

the fulfillment of other rights such as the freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and freedom of religion.

Moreover, due to the developments in the field of information, communication and technology and the rise in cybercrimes, the need to protect personalinformationisallthemore important.

Importantly,therightscaptured inthisBillarenotabsolute,butmay be limited if necessary for protecting the rights and freedoms of others. In fact, the very act of processing of personal data is consideredlawfulinterferencewith rightsandfreedoms.

Forthisreason,theBillsetsout the legal parameters within which data can be processed in

a c c o r d a n c e w i t h l a w

Consequently, the objects of the Bill are to define the general principlesofdataprotectionandthe rights of data subjects; protect personal data collected, used or stored by both private and public

entities; and provide for

enforcement mechanisms, including penalties, for failure to process personal data in accordancewiththelaw

PartIoftheBill,whichincludes Clauses1to3,setsouttheshorttitle andcommencementoftheAct,the definition of key words and terms usedintheBillandthescopeofthe

Act.

Importantly,thatpartoftheBill statestheMinisterisempoweredto assign different days for different provisions of theAct to come into operation. As it relates to the application of theAct, Clause 3 of theBillindicatesthatthislawshall be applicable to the processing of personal data by data controllers and data processors- who are established in Guyana; or who, althoughnotestablishedinGuyana uses equipment located in Guyana for the processing of personal data (otherwise than for transit through Guyana); or processes personal dataofanindividualinGuyana.

PartIIoftheBill,which

(Continued on page 64)

Sunday –April 9, 2023

are fooling themselves and neighbours to say they must theyarefoolingtheoneswho stopGuyanafromproducing

ExxonMobil owns wanttobefooled.” its oil, due to the potential company providing

It was during the sod dangers of an oil spill. The limited insurance turning in Berbice for the President argued however coverage for Guyana - new Palymra Stadium that t h a t t h e s e s a m e Audit Report reveals the President addressed neighbouring states have members of civil society, developed their petroleum

An audit report produced who he is convinced have sectorfor100years. by IHS Markit of the United “ulteriormotives.” He therefore said, “They Kingdom has revealed that He said: “It’s not easy call themselves patriots and ExxonMobil Corporation’s dealing with those who want lovers of our country They subsidiary, Esso Exploration to sap our energy in are nothing short of being and Production Guyana negativity It is not easy hypocrites! Nothing short of Limited [EEPGL] was trying to deliver them from being hypocrites and let me allowed to start up the Liza their ignorance especially be very clear, there is no Phase One Project with when they are deliberately government in this region limited insurance coverage ignorant because they have who has the environmental in place Of equal an ulterior motive. If you c r e d e n t i a l s a s t h i s significance is the fact that have a political ambition, government.” ExxonMobil fully owns the announce it, and come in the The President said the company that provided the political arena. Don’t hide PPP came back to office in insurancefortheoperations. under different faces. You 2020 after leaving a Low

Extra Expense (OEE) and the People’s Progressive P r e s i d e n t o f t h e Kaieteur News, it notes that people what your true Strategy (LCDS) which was Third Party Liability (TPL) Party Civic (PPP/C) Transparency Institute of Article 20.2 of the 2016 intentionsare.” abandoned by the former insurance coverage through Government has been Guyana Inc (TIGI), Stabroek Block Production

In the report seen by must be honest to tell the carbon Development

The President said the administration. He was keen a wholly owned subsidiary successful in securing a Frederick Collins however Sharing Agreement [PSA] People’s Progressive Party to share with the Berbice of ExxonMobil, Ancon US$600M insurance believes that it is the states that the contractor (PPP) and his government crowd that this Programme Insurance. Although wholly c o v e r a g e f r o m t h e politicianswhoareexpertsat which consists of EEPGL, believe in this principle and is now earning the country owned, IHS said it is E x x o n M o b i l - l e d “hypocrisy” During a Hess Corporation CNOOC have outlined its intentions revenueforitsforests. satisfied that Ancon consortium. Specifically, the protest outside the Office of Petroleum Guyana Limited, clearly in its Manifesto. “We No insurance Insurance acts as a separate Environmental Protection the President on Wednesday, shall effect at all times stated how we are gonna But while Guyana has company at “sufficient” Agency [EPA] is on record head of the transparency during the term of the bring back agriculture, how earned its title as a carbon a r m ’s l e n g t h f r o m stating that the said sum is body told this publication, Agreement, insurance as we gonna save the farmers sink, meaning it takes out ExxonMobil. what the country would “Vice President Bharrat required by applicable laws, and every single one of our more carbon dioxide than it IHS also said that accessperoilspillevent. Jagdeo should know what is rules, and regulations and of commitments, we have produces, the oil sector has EEPGL provided evidence A d d i t i o n a l l y , hypocrisy He said when he suchtypeandinsuchamount stayed true to every single been moving at a rapid pace of Ancon Insurance discussions had started last was in Opposition that he as is customary in the one of our commitments we intheabsenceoffullliability consulting with an external y e a r f o r “ f u l l was going to renegotiate the international petroleum have delivered to you. We coverage, thereby exposing insurance consultant, indemnification” for the (Exxon)contractandthenhe industry in accordance with arenotconartists,”henoted. not only Guyana, but the Jardine Lloyd Thompson, to Stabroek Block. Central to switcheditaround.Ithinkhe good oil field practice He went on to tell Caribbean Region to grave set premium rates for t h i s a g r e e m e n t a r e should be an expert at appropriate for Petroleum thousands gathered at the risks. Guyana. negotiationsforaninsurance hypocrisy.” Operations. event, “Make no mistake, Presently, approximately While the amount of the policy in the vicinity of Collins explained that It goes on to state that 400,000 barrels per day is insurance was not provided US$2B. That matter is still he did not bother to delve such insurance should being produced offshore in the report, IHS said the ongoing. into the provisions of the provide coverage for third in the Stabroek Block at total amounts paid by In the meantime, calls new Deep Water and Party Liability loss/damage the Liza One and Two EEPGL falls within the have remained at heightened ShallowWaterProduction exposure from operations, fields. expectedindustrynorms. levelsforthecountrytohave Sharing Agreements coverage for drilling A third project,

It should be noted that every possible measure in (PSAs), however TIGI activitiesand operatorsextra Payara, will also startup initially, IHS did not place place to ensure the State is believes that the existing expense including exposure this year, adding another the insurance coverage not exposed to any financial a g r e e m e n t h a s associated with controlling 220,000barrelsperday under a microscope. It was riskfromamishap. “fundamental” wrongs the well, re-drilling, Esso Exploration and the Guyana Revenue which ought to be pollutionandclean-up. Production Guyana

Authority [GRA] that ‘Politicians are corrected.

It further notes that the Limited (EEPGL), the instructed it to do so, in an experts at hypocrisy’- “ G o v e r n m e n t ’s partners in the block are operator of the Stabroek efforttoensuretherewereno Transparency actions speak for expected to carry insurance Block has committed financial irregularities Guyana President themselves in terms of cover for their respective US$600 million in taking place between related ...as Head of State calls what is required Mr interest Though this is insurance for each project parties. citizens hypocrites for Jagdeo and all the people supposedtobeobtained,IHS it develops. This however The aforementioned demanding better who criticize civil society said copies of insurance hasbeendeemedameagre deficiency was as follows: management of oil sector should (know) that the certificates were not amount considering the

“It is important to note that people who have sense in provided by any partner, losses experienced by during discussions with the President Irfaan Ali this country can see this is not a government of contrary to the PSA other oil producing states operator [Exxon] on during an event last month throughalltheirantics.”

con artists but I know many requirement. whenaspilloccurred.

Wednesday April 1, 2020 at said “hypocrites” is the ideal The president of the of them out there who

To this end, the parent 10 a m concerning this term to describe those transparency institute said it disguise themselves in all evidence has been provided company, ExxonMobil is expense; it was revealed that attempting to poison and is now evident that the k i n d s o f w a y sthat either Hess or CNOOC required to supply a parent insurance payments were stopthebloomingpetroleum politiciansarenotinclinedto environmentalists, biologist, are maintaining insurance company guarantee in made to a related party of sectorinthecountry answer questions relating to propagandist, all forms they cover and are therefore accordancewiththePermitit EEPGL, called ANCON He was particularly themanagementofthesector come in Very important contravening the PSA r e c e i v e d f r o m t h e

The report said, “No

Therefore, there are possible referring to those citizens and has therefore developed point, imagine someone requirements Not having Environmental Protection transfer pricing implications who wrote to Regional a new posture to evade calling themselves a patriot this insurance could leave Agency (EPA). After more and verifications that would bodies to warn them of the questionsthroughinsults.As and going to a court to stop GoG exposed to risks and than three years, this be absolutely necessary to dangers associated with the such he said, “Those antics you from the revenue that costs that should be covered provisionisyettobeadhered ensure transactions were local activities as well as the can fool the idiots, they belongs to you the people of bytheCo-Venturepartners.” to. It is intended to subject done at arm’s length; citizens that have so far filed cannot fool the rest of us. Guyana in the oil and gas

The document states that the parent company to cover surprisingly,nomentionwas l e g a l p r o c e e d i n g s , There is a critical mass of sector.”

EEPGL has maintained its any expenses above the made by IHSM in their challenging ExxonMobil’s intelligence in Guyana, they President Ali said 45% share of Control of cappedinsurancepolicy reportofthisissue.” operations in the Stabroek cannot fool us; they think Guyanese have even gone as Wells (CoW), Operators (Continued on page 15) Since assuming office, Block. theyarefoolingus(but)they far to write the country’s

From page 14 Monday –April 10, 2023

“For the procurement and will be responsible for This newspaper has reported award of contracts providing all functions of that ExxonMobil had beat Audit report reveals... conducted on a competitive marketing, assessing down a US$5 billion Court Exxon single sourced basis, the procurement regional and global demand judgment for fishermen to hundreds of US-millions process provides adequate centres, selecting customers US$507 million following a in contracts transparency to meet the and making appropriate 50-million-barrel oil spill PSArequirements.” transportationarrangements, 1989 in Alaska, United An audit conducted by It noted, “Of the single providing support and States. IHS Markit, a British firm source procurement awards, guidance to the client in all

In February, members of hired by the former E E P G L h a s n o t operating and back-office acivilsocietygroupwroteto a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , t o d e m o n s t r a t e d t h e responsibilities of managing TrinidadandTobago’sPrime specifically review the competitiveness of the rates these crude sales. It will also Minister (PM), Dr Keith expenses of oil major, within the contract for be expected to facilitate Rowley, putting him on ExxonMobil between the contracts with a combined timely and cost efficient guard about the potential oil period 1999 and 2017, to the value of $28,476,876. This crude oil operations; and spill dangers of Guyana’s tune of US$1 6 billion, amount should be removed support the client in the offshore projects. The letter found that hundreds of US- fromtheCostBank.” continuedintroductionofthe which was signed by Alfred millions in contracts were

TheAudit firm was hired g r a d e t o m u l t i p l e Bhulai, Andre Brandli, single sourced by the to review of all exploration geographies and refinery Janette Bulkan, Darshanand company and development costs systems. Khusial, Mike Persaud, and According to the submitted for recovery by

In addition to the Charles Sugrim all of document which has been Exxon’s subsidiary, Esso foregoing, the Ministry of whom are members of the shared with this newspaper, Exploration and Production Natural Resources said BP Oil and Gas Governance “Vendorspendovertheaudit Guyana Limited (EEPGL), will also be required to Network (OGGN) was period amounts to a total of between 1999 to the end of p r o v i d e b e n c h m a r k issued on February 8, 2023

$1,067 million, of this, 2017 in the Stabroek Block. performance comparisons of tothePM’soffice. procurementdetailsfor$953 The total expenditure that prices paid for the client’s itmustadheretothe‘sanctity FrederickCollins.Inarecent

The OGGN members million or 89% relate to has been amounts to crude while working closely ofcontract’principle. interview with this were keen to note that they contractsandinvoicing.” $1,677,774,727. w i t h t h e c l i e n t i n

In the meantime, its publication, Collins said that are concerned citizens of A revision of the Following reports on the understanding the behaviour 50/50 partner has been the country’s leaders have Guyana and inhabitants of contracts conducted by the documentbyanothersection and yields of the Liza blend flagged for single sourcing been masquerading as the theCaribbean.Theystressed audit team found that of the media, the Guyana and how these affect pricing contracts worth US- epitome of transparency, but that Guyana’s oil reserves, US$613.5 million or 64 Revenue Authority (GRA) differentials. millions. thenationstilldoesnotknow totalling some 11 billion percent of the value of those issuedastatementindicating After pressure was Notably,Article18ofthe simple details such as the barrels of oil equivalent reviewed contracts were that the said report is not mounted by the Opposition agreementrequiresExxonto costitsoilisbeingsoldat. resources in the Stabroek awarded on a competitive final. for the contract to BP to be establish tender procedures “Transparency in pricesBlock, underpin grave oil basisandarealignedwiththe Be that as it may, the made public, the Natural in its conduct of petroleum what price are we getting for spill concerns for Caribbean provisions of the 2016 single sourcing of major Resources Ministry released operations, allowing what we sell our oil for? It is citizens. Production Sharing contracts by ExxonMobil an unsigned contract for the Guyanese to participate not as clear, you can go on Whatisalsotroublingfor A g r e e m e n t ( P S A ) goes against the Stabroek sale of the country’s oil in wherenecessary. the right websites on the them is that ExxonMobil However, 25 percent of the Block contract; the December Article 18.2 of the PSA Brazilian market and you Corporation, through its value- US$240 million were agreement which the The unsigned document states: “The Contractor shall canseethepriceeverysingle subsidiary, EEPGL, single sourced and 11 government maintains must states that the Service establish appropriate tender day so nobody can say (or) currently plans to drill 158 percent -US$99 5 million be adhered to. In refusing to Provider “shall not accept p r o c e d u r e s f o r t h e theorize that well they are wellsinsixoilfieldsby2030 were partial single source renegotiate the contract to for their own benefit any acquisition of goods, not getting all the price that in the southeast corner of the contracts. secure better fiscal terms for trade commission, discount, materialsandserviceswhich you are selling it for It is the Stabroektractalone. The audit report stated, thecountry,governmentsaid or similar payment in shall ensure that Guyanese public domain we are connection with activities suppliers and Sub- seeing a lot of antics and so pursuant to the performance Contractors are given onbutifweweretocompare of this Contract or to the adequate opportunity to with what obtains just next Services or in the discharge compete for the supply of door with Brazil we would oftheirobligationsunderthe goodsandservices.” realize that we are so far Contract, and the Service away,” the TIGI head Provider shall use their best

Four years later argued. efforts to ensure that the Guyanese yet to see oil The International S e r v i c e P r o v i d e r ’s sales contract- SecretariatfortheExtractive Personnel, any Sub- Transparency body Industries Transparency contractor, and agents of Initiative had called on either of them similarly shall S i n c e G u y a n a Guyana to make the not receive any such commenced oil production contracts public for the additionalremuneration.” in 2019, successive country’sshareofprofitoil.

Further to that, the governments have failed to In November 2022, the document which has since publish the oil sales Government of Guyana been removed from the agreement, outlining the (GoG) awarded a one-year Ministry’s website stated, value of each barrel of crude contract to BP International “TheServiceProviderhasan oil. Limited, a subsidiary of obligation and shall ensure

While Guyanese are British Petroleum, to market that its Service Provider’s privytothemonthlyrevenue Guyana’s share of profit oil

Personnel and Sub- flow from the petroleum from the Liza Destiny and contractors shall have an sector, the country does not Liza Unity Floating, obligation to disclose any know how much each barrel Production, Storage and situation of actual or of oil is being sold for on the Offloading (FPSO) vessels. potential conflict that international market, even The firm beat 13 others impacts their capacity to though this is a requirement during the tendering process serve the best interest of the of the Extractive Industries to win the contract. BP and Client, or that may Transparency Initiative one other Chinese firm had reasonably be perceived as (EITI). submitted bids to market the having this effect. Failure to

disclose

ExxonMobil Guyana Country Manager, Alistair Routledge

From page 15 Standard The country furthernotedthatthevalidity the Consultant or the signed on to this pact on of these costs for recovery terminationofitsContract.” October25,2017. has not been demonstrated

K a i e t e u r N e w s by EEPGL and should previously reported that Tuesday –April 11, 2023 therefore be contested by Aramco Trading Limited Guyanese authorities (ATL), the London-based Two Stabroek Block Commissioner General of trading subsidiary for the partners charged Guyana the Guyana Revenue State controlled Saudi US$31M for expenses they Authority (GRA), Godfrey Aramco, had inked a one- racked up before signing Statia was keen to note last

year contract with the PSA- Report week that the audit of US$349,098

MinistrytomarketGuyana’s …auditors unable to ExxonMobil’s bills covering inventory adjustments has crude entitlement from the determine expenditure the period US$1.6B remain been recorded in the General LizaPhaseOneProject.That details an ongoing process, with the Ledger but no supporting contract came to an end in Guyana team taking every evidence has been provided October 2022 and was never Before Hess Corporation precaution to vet findings to show that the materials releasedforpublicscrutiny or CNOOC Petroleum revealedbyIHS. arrived at the shorebase or

According to the EITI GuyanaLimitedsignedonas Statia had also said that how much they cost. It said Standards of 2019, as it partnerswithExxonMobilto the government is now at the this too should be removed r e g a r d s c o n t r a c t s the 2016 Production Sharing stage of awaiting feedback fromthecostbank. “Implementing countries are Agreement (PSA) for the from Exxon’s subsidiary

It is now more than three required to disclose any Stabroek block, they regarding the findings. He by ExxonMobil and partners aforementioned matter years since the audit of contracts and licenses that apparently racked up also did not provide a in the Stabroek Block from strikes at the heart of US$1.6B in expenses for the are granted, entered into or US$31.4M in certain timeline on when this 1999to2017. transparency. The team said oil-rich Stabroek Block is amended from 1 January expenses which they claim processwouldbecompleted. That audit which that while “a cost can be yet to be completed 2021. Implementing Guyanamustpay. Statia further noted that the commenced in November valid,nonetheless,itcanstill Confirming the status of the countries are encouraged to Thiswasoneofthemajor government will make the 2019 is being undertaken by be disallowed premised on audit was Commissioner publicly disclose any findings in an ongoing audit report public at the UK firm, IHS Markit. In the t h e r e b e i n g n o General of the Guyana contracts and licenses that of US$1.6B in expenses appropriate time. The length almost 40-page long transparency.” Importantly, Revenue Authority, Godfrey providethetermsattachedto incurred between 1999 and of time the audit report is document seen by Kaieteur GRA highlighted that this S t e v e n S t a t i a H i s the exploitation of oil, gas 2017 by ExxonMobil’s taking to be completed has News, officials at GRA US$1 6B audit sets a clarification came on the andminerals.” subsidiary, Esso Exploration caused some degree of outlined a number of precedentforfutureauditsof heels of two articles It goes on to point out and Production Guyana concern among observers. deficiencies that ought to its kind, adding that Guyana published by the Stabroek that countries must also Limited (EEPGL) and its Some individuals have said, have been captured in “must highlight, as far as NewsonIHSMarkit’sreport provide: “An overview of abovementionedpartners.In for example, that authorities preliminary reports by IHS. practical, all deficiencies, that it provided to the PPPC which contracts and licenses the report prepared by UK should properly explain why One of the matters raised, irregularities and unsound regime. Stabroek News are publicly available firm, IHS Markit, it states it is taking so long to pointed to the failure of IHS practicesetc.toaverttherisk comprehensively, and Implementing countries that “a total of US$31.43 complete an audit for a to flag US$40.4M Exxon offutureoccurrences.” clearly, outlined that there should provide a list of all million was added to company when the Audit claimed to have spent on In a March 2021 report were some US$214M in activecontractsandlicenses, EEPGL’s 2017 Cost Office of Guyana takes materials for use in the produced by IHS and which costs that could be contested indicating which are Recovery Statement.” The approximately 12 months to Stabroek Block. GRA said remains under critical by State authorities. GRA’s publiclyavailableandwhich UKfirmalludedthatallcosts auditandproduceareporton this sum could not be review, the company boss did not denounce these thenation’saccounts. accounted for due to lack of highlighted upon GRA’s figures as inaccurate. He did

There are also concerns vendor details In the instruction that EEPGL note however that IHS’ about the accelerated pace at absence of transparency, recorded expenditure of report, as is being quoted, is which the government is GRA urged IHS to not approximately US$40 4 not the final document, approving oil projects and overlook this sum and to million on materials where adding that government is the difficulties that would ensureitispartofthepoolof the vendor details are not now at the stage of awaiting ensue for cost regulation and coststobedisallowed. recorded in the General feedback from Exxon’s monitoring since it is still In response to GRA’s Ledger for the Exxon subsidiary He also did not stuck at auditing costs contention, IHS stated in its subsidiary IHS said, “This provide a timeline on when associated with the 1999 to professional opinion that means that individual this process would be 2017 era. A second audit is ‘these material costs lie in a material entries in the completed. Statia also noted currently underway for costs category where they are General Ledger cannot be that the government will totalling US$7 3B which covered by the cost recovery traced back to specific make the report public at the were incurred from 2018 to mechanism, the costs did material purchase contracts. appropriate time. A second 2020 That contract was occur(orthewellswouldnot Thesecostsrelatetomaterial audit is currently underway awarded last year in May exist and no production issued from the shore base for costs totalling US$7.3B Thattooisstillongoing. wouldeverbeachieved),and for use in Petroleum which were incurred from the value of the material Operations Although 2018 to 2020. That contract Exxon’s US$1.6B costs are within industry general material purchase was awarded last year May cost recovery bills … n o r m s “ T h e I H S contracts for similar Thattooisstillongoing. GRAfought British recommendation is that materials were provided and are not. For all published recovered by Exxon and Auditor on failure to flag these costs should be reviewed, no evidence was Wednesday contracts and licenses, it partners must be traced back US$40M spent on allowableforinclusioninthe provided to justify the costs –April 12, 2023 shouldincludeareferenceor to a comprehensive General materials with no C o s t B a n k ( T h e of these materials This linktothelocationwherethe Ledger That Ledger would transparency G o v e r n m e n t o f t h e amount should be removed Exxon wiped electronic contract or license is show the details on how the - says Guyana “must Cooperative Republic of fromtheCostBank.” accounting system of published. If a contract or moneywasspent.Inthecase highlight, as far as Guyana) can decide if in its It was further noted that all data on Guyana license is not published, the of the US$31 4M, the practical, all deficiencies, view, these costs should be theGuyanaGovernmentwas expenses between legal or practical barriers auditors said Guyana was irregularities and unsound denied from inclusion in the not invited to witness 1999 and 2004 should be documented and billed for this but they could practices to avert the risk cost bank based on lack of material counts during the ...Only limited hard explained.” not find the details for this in of future occurrences.” transparency of the audit period, despite this copies provided to Guyana is among more theGeneralLedger expenditure even though the being a specific requirement auditors – Report than 50 countries that have IHS said this sum was A key report by the evidence points to the fact in the 2016 Stabroek Block committed to strengthening related to payments made by Guyana Revenue Authority thatthesecostswereactually Production Sharing E x x o n M o b i l ’ s t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d the Co-Venture partners, (GRA) has revealed the spent.”

Agreement (PSA) IHS subsidiary, Esso Exploration accountability of their “many of which were extent to which technical The Guyana auditing further noted that EEPGL and Production Guyana e x t r a c t i v e s e c t o r incurred prior to the Co- officers are going to protect team, which includes the does not charge for the Limited (EEPGL) has m a n a g e m e n t b y venture partners being theinterestoftheStateinthe revenue authority, fought inventory whilst it is held at informedateamofauditors implementing the EITI signatories to the PSA.” IHS audit of US$1.6B incurred back as it noted that the shore base facilities (Continued on page 65)

Godfrey Steven Statia, Commissioner General Guyana Revenue Authority

BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCY!

In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes in our country, our publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about on-going indecency in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation.

Anticipated oil refinery comes with serious environmental hazards - Studies

The newest petroleum business venture the government of Guyana is p r o m o t i n g i s t h e construction of an oil refineryatCrabIsland.

Such a facility could bring significant benefit when it comes to Guyana’s questforenergysecurity But

withtheopportunitiescomes environmental risks like nothing Guyana has ever e x p e r i e n c e d T h e environmentaldangersofoil refineries, especially poorly managed ones, are well documented.KaieteurNews will focus on key examples that demonstrate these

dangers.

Building an oil refinery in Guyana could have a significant impact on the environment, particularly in terms of air and water pollution. Refineries release a variety of air pollutants, including carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen

oxides, and particulate matter These pollutants can cause respiratory problems, heart disease, and other health issues, especially for vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing healthconditions. One study relating to a

Taiwan community near an oil refinery and coal power plant determined that elder and female residents living within10kilometres(km)of the complex had higher carcinogenic exposure and cancers than those living further from the complex after it had been operating

f o r a d e c a d e

(https://www.sciencedirect.c om/science/article/pii/S143 8463917302912)

In addition to air pollution, refineries also generate large amounts of wastewater, which can containtoxicchemicalssuch

Continuedonpage70

ExxonMobil’s Joliet Refinery

Guyana applies to US to borrow

GYD$134B for Gas-to-Energy project

Guyana has officially a p p l i e d t o T h e Export–Import Bank of the United States (US EXIM Bank) for a significant loan

to fund the Gas-to-Energy project. Budget documents indicate the government is seeking GYD$134 billion (US$646 million) for the

project, raising concerns about the country’s debt record.Themagnitudeofthe fundsrequestedfromtheUS Bank could significantly

affect Guyana’s financial stability

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo announced that the application for the loan has been submitted and is progressing towards a conclusion.

Hesaid,“TheMinisterof Finance [Dr Ashni Singh] hashadseveralengagements with EXIM Bank, and we from what he said, it’s making progress toward the conclusion of the loan. So, progress is being made in thatregard.”

The money is supposed togotowardthetremendous US$759 million cost of the naturalgas-firedpowerplant and natural gas liquids plant

to be constructed by contractor CH4-Lindsayca. The plants, to be set up at Wales, are part of a larger project that includes the upgrade of the transmission network and the cost of consultants. The project’s total cost, according to the budget 2023, is estimated to beUS$955.5million.

President Irfaan Ali signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) last year with the EXIM BankUS for potential funding of U S $ 2 b i l l i o n f o r development projects. The Presidentaimstoinvolvethe US government and private sector more in Guyana’s affairs.

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) most recent World Economic Review report, released in April 2023, labelled Guyana among five countries in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Region as heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC). The proposed loan from the US Bank, if approved, will add to the growinglevelsofdebtinthe country, making it more challengingtomanage.

ConstructionontheGasto-Energy project is set to begin this year, with CH4Lindsayca handling the naturalgas-firedpowerplant

Continuedonpage70

The Waterfalls Waterfalls

all your handmade body care products

Mr.

Mr. India Guyana 2023 hopeful, Daniel Roopchand

India Guyana hopeful wants to use platform to help persons with disabilities

Young Entrepreneur and Dental Surgeon, Rei-LaunyaAmsterdam

ThenewlycrownedMiss BarticaRegattaisthe stunningShanaeHeber,a fourthyearpetroleum engineeringstudentatThe UniversityofGuyana. Shanaeisalsopursuinga BachelorofBusiness Administration(BBA)at TexilaAmericanUniversity Sheispassionateabout WomenEmpowermentas wellasbeingattheforefront ofGuyana'snaturalresources development.Herfavourite quoteisbyAmerican comedianandactor,Jim Carrey:“Ifeelwe'reall lighthousesandmyjobisto shinemylightasbrightlyas Icantothedarkness”

Shanae Heber

Grey’s Anatomy Season 20: Cast, Release Date Window, and Everything Else to Know

Find out who’s scrubbing in again

(TV Guide) The doctors beingresurrectedbyaragtag ofGreySloanMemorialwill groupofinternsthatincludes bebackthisfall!That’sright: Shepherd legacy Lucas Grey’s Anatomy has been (NikoTerho),aswellasBlue renewed for a landmark (Harry Shum Jr ), Jules Season20. (Adelaide Kane), Mika

With a new batch of (Midori Francis), and interns causing all kinds of Simone (Alexis Floyd) new drama at the hospital, it Threeofthefivenewrecruits seems there are still more live together in Meredith’s stories to tell at the most old house, while the other traumatized hospital in TV two are secretly hooking up, history and it feels very much like

A lot has gone down in Season2overhere.

Season 19, with Meredith What will these new (Ellen Pompeo) leaving the interns face in Season 20, place that raised her into a andhowwilltheycausetheir legendary surgeon to try to mentors to grow gray hairs? cure Alzheimer’s Disease in That remains to be seen, but Boston. here’swhatweknowabout Theresidencyprogramis (Continued on page 47)

Grey’s Anatomy

Death at daycare, owner on remand

OnApril 6, 2023, the owner of Little Learnings Day Care, Denise Benn was remanded to prison for the death of 7-month-old Oriyah Gravesande.

Benn, of Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD), appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Alisha George in the company of her lawyer, DexterTodd.

The day care owner was charged with manslaughter and was not required to plead to the indictable charge, which stated that on March 21, 2023, she unlawfullykilledbabyOriyah.

Magistrate George remanded Benn to prison and the matter was adjournedtoMay10,2023.

By Renay Sambach

mothershared.

“How can a day care be so investigation conducted by the irresponsible, to allow my child to Guyana Police Force (GPF), the fall down and suffocate?” the Child Care and Protection youngmotherquestioned. Agency, and the Ministry of

Following a collaborative

“First thing, the day care lady Human Service and Social deprive me entrance to see how Protection – a file was sent to the and where my child really fell, Director of Public Prosecution telling me how child care does (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack, S C, come every day to inspect so there for advice However, the file was is no need for me to come in,” the s e n t b a c k f o r f u r t h e r mothersaid.

Remanded: Denise Benn

The grieving parents, Shavannie Gravesande and Odysseus Clement

According to the woman, her Kaieteur News had reported daughter had gone home with a that after reviewing the case file swollen head, prior to her death. for a second time, the DPP She recalled that an employee of recommended that the day care the day care had told her, “Your owner be charged with babyisinsafehands.”

investigation

manslaughter

A post-mortem examination

Baby Oriyah died after falling (PME) was conducted on baby off a bed at a day care and Oriyah, revealing that she died suffocating. She was pronounced f r o m h a e m o r r h a g e a n d dead at the Georgetown Public compressiontotheneck.ThePME Hospitalalmostthreeweeksago. was conducted by Government

Oriyah was the daughter of Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh, at Shavannie Gravesande and the Georgetown Public Hospital’s OdysseusClement. Mortuary

down,shehadarrivedattheHealth Moreover, officials had revealed that their child was alive.

The grieving parents had last time they saw their baby girl mydaughter.”

According to the woman, her Center unresponsive. By the time revealed that while the day care dropped off at the day care located During an emotional daughter fell into the corner of a they could have bring her to had been operating for the past 27 in Ogle, on Tuesday morning interview, Gravesande had said, “I bed in a sheet which reportedly Georgetown Hospital, she was years, the owner was not licensed (March 21) “in good health” not was made to understand they suffocated her “So, by the time pronounced dead on arrival due to to do so. The day care has since knowing that would have been the murder my daughter, they murder they could have called me to come suffocation,” the distraught beenclosed.

Dead: Baby Oriyah Gravesande

How Doja Cat Ripped Off Her Shell - And Why She’s Happier For It

(TIME) Doja Cat is a Doja rose to prominence She understood early that her forehead, random vulgar creature born, bred, raised, in 2019 after she went viral music is now a visual wordswithnocontext,apreand elevated by social with “Moo,” a playful, lo-fi medium almost as much as sneeze snapshot After a media. The internet is her music video of her dressed an auditory one, and her commenter told her she was playground, her teacher, her (more or less) as a cow constant reinvention of her setting a bad example by i n s p i r a t i o n , h e r singing and rapping with a look, and ever more having cosmetic surgery at disciplinarian, her delight, generoususe“moo”puns.In unorthodox use of makeup such a young age, she told and her punishment In the handful of years since, have been perhaps the most themtheycould“eatmylong person, Amala Ratna she has released two vital part of her artistic quiet and warm farts”—not Zandile Dlamini, 27, is platinum-selling albums; e x p r e s s i o n A t t h e usually the type of response polite and cautious, and won a slew of awards, Schiaparelli Haute Couture favored by those with tends to look off to the side including a Grammy and show in Paris in January, her professionals in charge of while formulating answers three VMAs; and become head and torso were covered their PR. Days after the to questions. But on social one of the 50 most streamed in red body paint and fashion show, she responded media, she’s Doja Cat—and artists on Spotify She has bedazzled with crystals, to critics disappointed that she has claws. “I feel like also become so avidly rendering her (almost) herall-redcrystallookdidn’t we’re all enjoying that watched that even her recent anonymous. include eyelashes by argument on Twitter, the breast-reduction-recovery

T h o u s a n d s o f donning an eyelash mess that comes with rude updates mostly provided performing artists have mustacheandgoatee. comments and stuff like via her social media social media streams to “I am very impulsive. that,” she says in an feeds—madeheadlines. interact with their fans, but And I see it as a form of interviewafterherTIME100 “I grew up on the few are as personally entertainment for the people how much I put out, and the [Instagram] Live and then cover shoot, which she internet,constantlyavailable involved with them as Doja that are reading it and way that I put those things seeing it the next day,” she conducts without cleaning to people, and I put myself Cat. “I enjoy it,” she says. watching it. And I’m also out ” And how is she says. “That’s kind of helped offthelipsticksmearsonher there,” says Doja. “I’ve kind “Actually, I deeper than entertained,” Doja says mastering it? “Messing up. me step back, which is nice. face from the final few of become addicted to it. I enjoy it.” She uploads things “Social media has been a Making a big mistake, like Itdoesn’tfeelgoodatfirst, frames. “I like to dive into it. think a lot of us are, but it’s others won’t: close-up shots really big part of what I do. just getting lit and going on

(Continued on page 36) It’spartofwhoIam.” become part of my career.” of the multiple pimples on I’m just learning to control

Doja Cat (Photograph by Paola Kudacki for TIME)

This Day in History - APR. 16

Hallucinogenic effects of LSD discovered

April16,1943 of colors. After some two hours

In Basel, Switzerland, Albert thisconditionfadedaway.” Hofmann, a Swiss chemist After intentionally taking the working at the Sandoz drug again to confirm that it had pharmaceutical research caused this strange physical and laboratory, accidentally mental state, Dr Hofmann consumes LSD-25, a synthetic published a report announcing drug he had created in 1938 as his discovery, and so LSD made part of his research into the its entry into the world as a medicinal value of l y s e r g i c a c i d compounds After taking the drug, formally known as l y s e r g i c a c i d diethylamide, Dr H o f m a n n w a s disturbedbyunusual sensations and hallucinations.Inhis notes, he related the experience:

“Last Friday, April16,1943,Iwas forced to interrupt my work in the laboratory in the middle of the afternoon and hallucinogenicdrug.Widespread proceed home, being affected by use of the so-called “minda remarkable restlessness, expanding” drug did not begin combinedwithaslightdizziness. until the 1960s, when AthomeIlaydownandsankinto counterculture figures such as anotunpleasant,intoxicated-like Albert M. Hubbard, Timothy condition characterized by an Leary and Ken Kesey publicly e x t r e m e l y s t i m u l a t e d expounded on the benefits of imagination.Inadreamlikestate, usingLSDasarecreationaldrug. with eyes closed (I found the The manufacture, sale, daylight to be unpleasantly possession and use of LSD, glaring), I perceived an known to cause negative uninterrupted stream of fantastic reactions in some of those who pictures, extraordinary shapes take it, were made illegal in the with intense, kaleidoscopic play UnitedStatesin1965.

Fertilizer explosion kills 581 in Texas

Grandcamp

April16,1947

A giant explosion occurs during the loading of fertilizer onto the freighter Grandcamp at a pier in Texas City, Texas, on April 16, 1947. Nearly 600 people lost their lives and thousands were injured when the shipwasliterallyblowntobits.

Inall,581peoplediedand3,500wereinjured.Theexplosioncaused $100millionindamages.Along-disputedcourtcaseoverthecauseofthe blast was resolved when Congress granted compensation to 1,394 victims.Theyreceivedatotalof$17millionin1955.Theportwasrebuilt tohandleoilproductsonly

Compiled by Richard Francois

Arthur Chevrolet dies by suicide

April16,1946

arguing for a low-cost

On April 16, 1946, Arthur vehicle to compete with Chevrolet, an auto racer and the Henry Ford’s Model T brother of Chevrolet auto namesake andChevroletpushingfor Louis Chevrolet, dies by suicide in something more highSlidell,Louisiana. end. In 1915, Chevrolet Louis Chevrolet was born in sold his interest in the Switzerland in 1878, whileArthur’s company to Durant and birth year has been listed as 1884 the following year the and 1886. By the early1900s, Louis C h e v r o l e t M o t o r andArthur,alongwiththeiryounger Company became part of brother Gaston, had left Europe and GeneralMotors. moved to America, where they Throughout this time, became involved in auto racing. In Louis Chevrolet’s Despite Louis and Arthur’s 1905, Louis defeated racing legend brothers continued racing and talent for racing and design (in Barney Oldfield at an event in New building cars Arthur Chevrolet addition to building cars, they also York Louis Chevrolet’s racing drove in the inaugural Indianapolis designed aircraft engines) they had prowess eventually caught the 500, held in 1911, although little gift for finance and often were attentionofWilliamC.Durant,who mechanical problems forced him pushedoutoftheirendeavorsbefore in 1908, founded General Motors outoftheraceandhefailedtofinish. they could reap the rewards due to (GM). Chevrolet began competing HemadeanotherattemptattheIndy them. By the 1930s, both men were and designing cars for GM’s Buick 500in1916,butonceagaindropped broke and their racing careers were racing team. In 1911, Chevrolet out due to mechanical issues over Louis returned to Detroit to teamed up with William Durant to Gaston Chevrolet won the Indy 500 work in GM’s Chevrolet division. produce the first Chevrolet car The in1920inaMonroecardesignedby HediedonJune6,1941.Hisbrother two men clashed about what type of his brothers; he died later that year Arthur died by suicide five years car they wanted, with Durant inaracingaccident. later

Virginia Tech shooting leaves 32 dead

April16,2007 photos of a gun-wielding

On April 16, 2007, 32 Cho, along with a people died after being rambling video diatribe in gunned down on the which he ranted about campus ofVirginiaTech by wealthy “brats,” among Seung-Hui Cho, a student othertopics. atthecollegewholaterdied

In the aftermath of the bysuicide. Virginia Tech shooting,

Virginia Tech

The Virginia Tech authorities found no shootingbeganaround7:15 evidence that Cho, who a.m., when Cho, a 23-year- was born in South Korea old senior and English and moved to America chained and locked several main major at Blacksburg-based with his family in 1992, had doors and went from room to room Virginia Polytechnic Institute and specifically targeted any of his shooting people. Approximately 10 State University, shot a female victims.Thepublicsoonlearnedthat minutes after the rampage began, he freshman and a male resident Cho,describedbystudentsasaloner died from a self-inflicted gunshot assistant in a campus dormitory who rarely spoke to anyone, had a wound. beforefleeingthebuilding. historyofmentalhealthproblems.

The attack left 32 people dead Police were soon on the scene; It was also revealed that angry, and more than a dozen wounded. In unaware of the gunman’s identity, violent writings Cho made for all, 27 students and five faculty they initially pursued the female certain class assignments had raised membersdiedinthemassacre. victim’s boyfriend as a suspect in concern among some of his

Twodayslater,onApril18,NBC what they believed to be an isolated professors and fellow students well News received a package of domestic-violenceincident. before the events of April 16. In materialsfromChowithatimestamp

However, at around 9:40 a.m., 2011,VirginiaTech was fined by the indicating he had mailed it from a Cho, armed with a 9-millimeter U.S. Department of Education for Virginia post office between the first handgun, a 22-caliber handgun and failing to issue a prompt campusand second shooting attacks hundreds of rounds of ammunition, wide warning after Cho shot his first Contained in the package were entered a classroom building, twovictims.

Kendrick Lamar becomes the first rapper to win Pulitzer Prize

April16,2018

American cultural elite’s

On April 16, 2018, the Pulitzer recognition of hip-hop as a Prize Board awards the Pulitzer legitimateartisticmedium. Prize for Music to rapper Kendrick The Pulitzer committee called Lamar for his 2017 album, DAMN. DAMN.“avirtuosicsongcollection It was the first time the award had unified by its vernacular gone to a musical work outside the authenticity and rhythmic genresofclassicalmusicandjazz,a dynamism that offers affecting watershed moment for the Pulitzers vignettescapturingthecomplexity and Lamar and a sign of the (Continued on page 33)

Dr Albert Hofmann

Chevrolet Brothers

Health Facts

Cleansing or Detox regimens to help boost your vitality

disease, cancer, and Berri indulging, now seems like diabetes. es, fruits, theidealtimetohitresetona

After all that holiday

Excess junk food n u t s , lot of things in your life, consumption is linked to c o c o a , especially your health. The chronic diseases like obesity vegetables, bestwaytodothisisthrough and diabetes These spices, and a “detox” or “cleansing” conditionscancauseharmto beverages like regimen. organs important to coffee and green tea and increase your risk of

By Rehanna Ramsay

Cleansing or detox is detoxifying, such as your have some of the highest diseaseandinflammation. popular in many Caribbean liverandkidneys. amountsofantioxidants.

Eating a diet rich in and North American

You can keep your

6. Eat foods high in prebiotics keeps your households “The term body’sdetoxificationsystem prebiotics digestive system healthy, ‘detox’ is chicer than ‘diet’ healthy by consuming less Gut health is important which is important for right now,” says Brigitte junkfood. f o r k e e p i n g y o u r proper detoxification and Zeitlin, RD, owner of BZ

5. Eat antioxidant-rich detoxification system immunehealth. Nutrition in New York City foods healthy Your intestinal cells

7. Decrease your salt “It kind of implies a shorter- Antioxidants protect have a detoxification and intake term solution, and quick your cells against damage excretion system that For some people, results.” caused by molecules called protects your gut and body detoxing is a means of

Most detox methods are free radicals Oxidative from harmful toxins, such as eliminatingexcesswater grounded in the idea that stress is a condition that chemicals.

Consuming too much flushing toxins out of your results from the excessive Good gut health starts salt can cause your body to system, often through a productionoffreeradicals. with prebiotics, a type of retain excess fluid, liquid-only diet with plenty

Your body naturally fiber that feeds the good especially if you have a of water, and giving your producesthesemoleculesfor bacteria in your gut called health, excessive drinking Water does so much condition that affects your digestive system a break cellular processes, such as probiotics. With prebiotics, can cause many health more than quench your kidneys or liver — or if you from its regular role, can digestion.However,alcohol, your good bacteria can problems. thirst. It regulates your body don’tdrinkenoughwater bring about miraculous tobacco smoke, a low produce nutrients called Excessive drinking can temperature, lubricates

8. Stay active results; from weight loss to nutrient diets, and exposure short-chain fatty acids that severely damage your liver joints, aids digestion and Regular exercise more energy, to glowing to pollutants can produce arebeneficialforhealth. function by causing fat nutrient absorption, and regardlessofbodyweight— skin. excessive free radicals Antibiotic use, poor buildup, inflammation, and detoxifies your body by is associated with a longer

In most Caribbean (33TrustedSource). dental hygiene, and diet scarring So limit your removingwasteproducts. life and a reduced risk of householdsdetoxiscommon Eating a diet rich in quality can all alter the alcoholintake. Your body’s cells must many conditions and and there are traditional antioxidants can help your bacterialbalanceinyourgut.

2. Focus on sleep continuously repair diseases, including type 2 herbs such as senna pods, body counter oxidative Consequently, this Ensuring adequate themselves to function diabetes, heart disease, high aloe vera, prune juice, kiwi, stress caused by excess free unhealthy shift in bacteria quality sleep each night is a optimally and break down blood pressure, and certain pineapple, bitters that are radicals and other toxins that can weaken your immune must to support your body’s nutrientsforyourbodytouse cancers. used to help cleanse the increaseyourdiseaserisk. and detoxification systems h e a l t h a n d n a t u r a l asenergy.

body In addition to these detoxificationsystem. H o w e v e r , t h e s e traditional methods Sleeping allows your processes release wastes in eliminating unhealthy brain to reorganize and the form of urea and carbon componentsofyourdiet,like recharge itself, as well as dioxide, which can cause sugar or alcohol, they can remove toxic waste harm if they build up in your also help you achieve a good byproducts that accumulate blood. detox Here is some throughouttheday

Water transports these information on how you can One of those waste waste products, efficiently addtodetoxmethodtomake products is a protein called removing them through itworthwhile. beta-amyloid, which urination, breathing, or

1. Limit alcohol c o n t r i b u t e s t o t h e sweating So staying

Your liver metabolizes development ofAlzheimer’s properly hydrated is morethan90%ofthealcohol disease With sleep importantfordetoxification. youconsume deprivation, your body does Theadequatedailywater

L i v e r e n z y m e s not have time to perform intake is 125 ounces (3.7 metabolize alcohol to those functions, so toxins liters)formenand91ounces acetaldehyde, a known can build up and affect (2.7liters)forwomen. cancer-causingchemical severalaspectsofhealth.

4. Reduce your intake of

R e c o g n i z i n g Poor sleep has links to sugar and processed foods acetaldehydeasatoxin,your short- and long-term health People often attribute liverconvertsittoaharmless consequences,suchasstress, sugar and processed foods to substance called acetate, anxiety,highbloodpressure, many of today’s public which it eliminates from heartdisease,type2diabetes healthcrises. yourbody and obesity You should Research links high

While observational regularly sleep 7 to 9 hours consumption of sugary and studies have shown that low per night to help promote highly processed foods to to moderate alcohol goodhealth. obesity and other chronic consumption benefits heart

3. Drink more water diseases, such as heart

Kendrick Lamar becomes the...

From page 31 acknowledgement of hip-hop’s of modern African American life ” contributionstoAmericanculture. Administrator Dana Canedy said that the Although some in the classical music decision to give the award to Lamar was community criticized the selection, former unanimous, adding that it was “a big winners and nominees praised it. Ted moment for hip-hop music and a big Hearne, a composer who was nominated momentforthePulitzers.”Lamar’swinwas alongside Lamar, called him “one of the widely seen as a deserved recognition of his greatest living American composers, for talent as well as an overdue sure.”

UG student prevented robbery with his death

- Parents fear murder case could turn cold

Detective The

By Shervin Belgrave

Abrave but fatal decision made onApril2lastby a brave University of Guyana (UG) student, to take on two gunmen by himself, cost him his life, saved an East Coast Demerara (ECD) bar and its patronsfrombeingrobbed.

The UG Student Anil Jerry,age18,wasreportedly beaten and stabbed by the gunmen after they tried to takeawayhisfemalefriend’s cellular phone. The gunmen even fired shots in the process and were forced to abort their robbery plan and escapeafterableedingJerry fell to the ground. He was rushed to city hospital, but died one week later while receiving treatment at the infectious disease hospital, Liliendaal,Georgetown.

To date, however, investigators have no strong leads in the case and his

parents fear that it will turn cold.

“My parents are not takingit(theloss)well,they aregettingfrustratedthatthe case might not be solved”, Jerry’s Sister, Alexandra Jerry, told the Waterfalls on Saturday

She related that her parents have been checking withthepoliceeveryday,but sofartheyhavenotreceived any positive response. Jerry’s killers wore face masks and unfortunately security cameras at the bar werenotworkingontheday oftheattack.

Detectives have tried to review footage from other security cameras in the area but none captured the criminals’ movements after their escaped and all other information gathered so far hasledtodeadends.

Jerry’s parents, according to his sister, are

grieving his loss but the thought of not receiving justice is making their pain evenworseforespeciallyhis mother.

Jerry was their only son who had dreams of one day becoming a qualified geologist.

“Hewasnottalkativebut very smart”, his sister said. He grew with four sisters in the Region Seven village of Jawalla and excelled at almostanything. Apartfrom sports, and Mashramani competitions,Jerry,excelled academically too and was a

straightAstudent. Hisbrilliancelandedhim a hinterland scholarship to study at a high school in the city and continued his excellence.

One of his high school teachers said, “I knew since the day he entered the school, he would be the top student His parents, villagers, teachers and friends were all proud of him I can’t forget the happinessonhismom’sface when he was announced as thetopperformer”.

After doing well at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate

(CSEC), he applied to the University of Guyana and was accepted to pursue a degree in natural sciences. His parents could not be more proud when he began his first semester at UG, September last year They did expect that his path to greatness would have been cut short so quickly and

brutally.

OnSundayApril2,2023 hevisitedhissisteratBetter Hope East coast Demerara (ECD) and spent some time with her After completing an errand for her he decided to return to his home in CummingsLodge.

“Hesaidhewasgoing

Continuedonpage70

Jerry’s grieving parents

Aphoto collage of Jerry’s journey made by his sisters

Jerry posing for a photo with his family and the awards he received as the top CSEC performer of his school.

The Fascinating Origins Behind 9 Sodas You Love to Drink

(Reader’s Digest) ns cocaine, Pepsi no longer a mouthful: “Bib-Label Orange Crush soda plant Which drink used to includes pepsin. In 1898, Lithiated Lemon-Lime bottling in Georgia before contain cocaine? Which Bradham wisely bought the Soda.” Grigg changed the the Great Depression, was inspired by the rights to the trade name name of the soda pop according to Mental Floss. inventor’s honeymoon? “PepCola”fromabankrupt shortly thereafter, and then After the business went Read on for mind-blowing c o m p e t i t o r H e changed the name of his bankrupt, the Hartmans’ trivia on your favorite trademarked the new name business from the Howdy discovered a lemon-lime sodas. in1903. Corporation to the Seven- soda that mixed perfectly

Coca-Cola: Used to be a Dr Pepper:Astrange Up Company in 1936 with their favorite cocktail name Anothergoodcall. drink—bourbon. The duo

It’s a well-known fact Was there a doctor Vernor’s: The oldest pop began bottling it for their thattheoriginalformulafor involved in the creation of still around own use as a chaser in the world’s most popular Dr Pepper? No, but there Vernor’s Ginger Ale is Knoxville, Tennessee soft drink featured cocaine, was yet another pharmacist generally accepted as the during Prohibition but did you know that the who, while not actually oldest American soda pop Smithsonian Magazine original also contained named Pepper (his name brand still in existence. It reports the phrase alcohol? The carefully was Charles Alderton), got its start just after the “mountain dew” was slang guarded secret formula for invented the drink inWaco, Civil War when Detroit’s for mountain-brewed Coca-Cola is derived from Texas, in 1885. And if J a m e s Ve r n o r a moonshine.

“Pemberton’s French Wine you’re guessing that “Dr p h a r m a c i s t , o f Canada Dry: Not related Coca,”aconcoctionofcoca Pepper’s Phos-Ferrates” course—discovered that a to Prohibition leaf, kola nut, and damiana, was originally touted as a ginger-alesyruphe’dleftto One popular and false afragrantfloweroftenused health tonic, just like Coke ageinanoakcaskendedup claim is that the Canada to make a stimulating tea. and Pepsi, you’d be correct withadistinctflavorthanks Dry beverage company got Its creator was Atlanta in that as well One to the wood. The company its name because it pharmacist Dr John ingredient in Dr Pepper’s legend is that the syrup had produced alcohol-free Pemberton, who touted the early formulas was pepsin, aged from 1862, when b e v e r a g e s d u r i n g wine coca’s medicinal the same digestive enzyme Vernor left Detroit to fight prohibition. That’s not the qualities for anyone who that gave Pepsi its name. intheCivilWar,until1865, case according to Snopes. was “devoted to extreme (However, prune juice, when he returned. Vernor The company was actually mentalexertion.” commonly rumored to be originallysoldthesodapop started by Canadian

However, in 1886, an ingredient, is not and in his drugstore, but by pharmacist John J when temperance laws never was part of the 1896, the drink was so McLaughlin, before the went into effect in Atlanta formula.) popular that he was able to Texas-based Dr Pepper and Fulton County, Interestingly, no one, close the drugstore and Snapple Group bought by Pemberton had to change including the folks at Dr focus purely on selling the the company The “dry” thetonic’sformulasoitwas Pepper or the Dr Pepper soda. part of the name could be a alcohol-free, although it Museum in Waco, knows Hires: Inspired by a nod to dry wine or a dry still contained cocaine and exactly how the soda pop honeymoon martini. There’s also the would until 1905 The got its name; theories range Another soda pop, fact that Canada Dry is result: Coca-Cola was from a nod to pepsin to the another pharmacist lighter and less sweet than marketedasanervetonicas soda being named in honor inventor In this case, it was othergingerale. wellasatemperancedrink. of the former owner of the Philadelphia’s Charles E. Fanta: Is rooted in Pepsi-Cola: Known for drugstore where the drink Hires While on his history medicinal properties was invented None of honeymoon in 1875, Hires This soft drink wasn’t Beyond its carbonation these theories is verified. was served a “root tea” he an accident. Max Keith ran and cola flavor, Pepsi (And for you editorial liked so much that when he the German Coca-Cola shares something in types, there is no period got back home, he set to operation in 1938 after the common with its main after the “Dr” in “Dr work replicating the taste untimely death of an competitor, Coca-Cola Pepper”; it was removed experience. By the next American-born man who Pepsi also was originally sometimeinthe1950s.) year, he was selling root tea passed after a car accident. f o r m u l a t e d b y a 7-Up:Amood stabilizer packets, which people During WWII, Keith ran p h a r m a c i s t : N o r t h This classic lemon-lime could take home to brew the plant even though he Carolina’s Caleb Bradham, beverage is the first and their own drinks. By 1884, didn’t have the necessary who in the 1890s began only soda on our list that Hiresdecidedpeoplewould Coca-Colasyrupingredient selling the concoction as wasn’t invented by a buymoreofthestuffifthey due to the war, per Snopes. “Brad’s Drink.” He touted pharmacist—it was created didn’t have to make it He formulated a new soft the drink’s medicinal by businessman Charles themselves He’d also drink—Fanta—to keep the properties Indeed, the Leiper Grigg in 1929 decided to take the plantoperating. n a m e P e p s i - C o l a , However, like our previous suggestion of a friend who introduced in 1898, implies pops, it was originally said the working class its origin as a health tonic: marketed for its health would like it more if he “Pepsi” is taken from benefits; its original called his root concoction a pepsin, a digestive enzyme formula featured lithium beerratherthanatea.Smart used in Bradham’s original citrate,achemicalstillused friend. formula.JustasCoca- today as a mood stabilizer. Mountain Dew: Made for Colanolonger And while 7-Up is one of mixing contai the shortest soda brand Ally and Barney names today, the drink’s Hartman initially original name was more of worked for the

Lessons from a Lashpreneur !!!

TRAVEL BEAUTY TIPS: WEARING LASH EXTENSIONS ON VACATION

No matter where you're going, lash extensions are the best companion!

Worrylessaboutfindingthe perfect long-lasting and photo-ready mascara, and instead focus on enjoying yourtrip.

Use our favorite lash extension travel tips to keep your extensions looking great no matter if you're on the beach, in the mountains, oroutonthetown.

SHOULDIGETLASH EXTENSIONSFOR VACATION?

Shortanswer:YES

Lash extensions are the perfect adventure companion: They save you time on your daily makeup routineandkeepyourlashes looking flawless day and night.

TIPSFORFABULOUS LASHEXTENSIONS ONVACATION

With the right care,

keepingyourlashextensions looking their best is easy

Grab your oil-free sunscreen, eyelash-safe makeup remover, a bottle of water and tissues and you're readytogo!

To get the most out of your extensions remember thesethreetips:

1.PROTECTAND KEEPYOURLASH EXTENSIONSCLEAN

If you're going to be spending more time at the beach once you're done swimming,pouralittlefresh wateronyourlashes.

After leaving the beach be sure to rinse your eyelids

and lashes with clean water and a facial cleanser that's free from oils, or use a makeup remover that's safe forlashextensions.

Pack a soft cotton and lint-free towel when doing physical activities We know that when you're on vacation you're often gone for the day once you leave your room. Having a towel ortissuetokeepsweataway while on the go is an easy waytoprotectyourlashes.

Whether you're headed on a hike or a walk through thecityonamuggyday,pack a small towel or tissue to keep sweat and oils from

yourlashes.

Bodyoilscannegatively impact your lash adhesive andreduceretention.

Wear a contoured eye mask—It can be tricky to avoid sleeping on your lashes, especially when travelingandsleepingincars orairplanes.

To avoid accidentally rubbing your eyes or rolling onto your lashes, choose a sleep mask with contoured eyespaces.Thisleavesroom to keep your eyelashes protectedunderneath.

2.KEEPHARMFUL CHEMICALSAND EXTREMEHEAT AWAYFROMLASH EXTENSIONS

Keep sunscreen away from your lashes You neverwantsunscreeninyour eyes, but it's especially important to apply with care

ByLatoyaZephyr

when wearing eyelash extensions.

Oilysunscreencanharm lashextensionadhesive.Use oil-free sunscreen for extra precaution.

Av o i d e x t r e m e heat—Keep a safe distance from any hot grills and campfires and avoid staying near smoke for too long to keep your lashes safe and avoidanyburning. If lash extensions aren't right for your next adventure, consider a lash lift to contour your lashes. Pairalashliftwithalashtint todefineyourlashlineandto help your eyes pop. Together, these will leave you with maintenance-free natural lashes that last up to fourtosixweeks.

InterestingCreatures...The Suriname Horned Frog

The first thing that stands out about the Suriname Horned Frog is its size.These rotund amphibians can grow to 8 inches inlengthandwouldcompletelycoverateasaucer

They are found in freshwater marshes and pools throughouttheAmazonBasin,fromColombiatoBrazil.

The Suriname Horned Frogs achieve their enormous girth by being generally indiscriminate about what they eat. Typicallyambushpredators,theysqueezetheirbodiesintothe forest substrate or leaf litter, so only their heads protrude. When anything smaller than their own bodies passes by, they spring from the mud and swallow their prey whole, locking it intheirjawswiththeirsharpteeth.

They are aggressively territorial and voracious to a fault. Some have been found dead in the wild with the remains of an impossible-to-ingestvictimstillprotrudingfromtheirmouths. Their ravenous appetite and huge mouths have earned them and other horned frogs the pet-trade nickname “Pac Man frogs.”

Coloring and Camouflage

Females are generally larger than males, but males are more ornately colored, ranging from dark green to limecolored.Femalesareusuallytanned.Scientistsareunsurewhat purpose their name sake horns serve, but it is likely they aid in camouflage,resemblingleafstemsinthewild.

The Suriname Horned Frog

HOW TO CONTROL ASTHMA

happen when you are exposed to “asthma triggers.” Your asthma triggerscanbeverydifferent from someone else’s asthma triggers.

Know your triggers and learn how to avoid them. Watchoutforanattackwhen you can’t avoid your triggers. Some of the most commontriggersaretobacco smoke, dust mites, outdoor air pollution, cockroach

allergen, pets, mold, smoke fromburningwoodorgrass, andinfectionslikeflu.

HOWISASTHMA TREATED?

Take your medicine exactly as your doctor tells you and stay away from things that can trigger an attack to control your asthma.

Everyone with asthma does not take the same medicine.

You can breathe in some medicines and take other medicines as a pill. Asthma medicines come in two types quick-relief and long-term control. Quickrelief medicines control the symptoms of an asthma attack.

If you need to use your quick-relief medicines more and more, visit your doctor toseeifyouneedadifferent medicine.

How to treat dandruff yourself

Dandruff occurs, essentially, when small bits ofdryskinareshedfromthe scalp. You might spy these flakesinyourhairoronyour shoulders.

WHATISASTHMA?

Asthma is a disease that affectsyourlungs.Itisoneof themostcommonlong-term diseases of children, but adults can have asthma, too. Asthma causes wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing at nightorearlyinthemorning. Ifyouhaveasthma,youhave it all the time, but you will have asthma attacks only when something bothers yourlungs.

We don’t know all the thingsthatcancauseasthma, butwedoknowthatgenetic, environmental, and occupational factors have been linked to developing asthma.

If someone in your immediate family has asthma, you are more likely to have it “Atopy,” the genetic tendency to develop anallergicdisease,canplaya big part in developing allergic asthma. However, not all asthma is allergic asthma.

Being exposed to things in the environment, like mold or dampness, some allergenssuchasdustmites, and secondhand tobacco smoke have been linked to developing asthma Air pollution and viral lung infection may also lead to asthma.

Occupational asthma

occurs when someone who neverhadasthmadevelopsit becauseheorsheisexposed

to something at work. This canhappenifyoudevelopan allergytosomethingatwork such as mold or if you are exposed to irritants such as wood dust or chemicals at work over and over at lower levelsorallatonceathigher levels.

HOWCANYOU TELLIFYOUHAVE ASTHMA?

It can be hard to tell if someone has asthma, especially in children under age5.Havingadoctorcheck how well your lungs work and check for allergies can helpyoufindoutifyouhave asthma.

During a checkup, a doctorwillaskifyoucougha lot,especiallyatnight.Heor she will also ask whether your breathing problems are worse after physical activity or at certain times of year

The doctor will then ask about chest tightness, wheezing, and colds lasting morethan10days.

He or she will ask whether anyone in your family has or has had asthma, allergies, or other breathing problems. Finally, thedoctorwillaskquestions about your home and whether you have missed school or work or have troubledoingcertainthings.

Thedoctormayalsodoa breathing test, called spirometry, to find out how well your lungs are working bytestinghowmuchairyou

canbreatheoutaftertakinga very deep breath before and after you use asthma medicine.

WHATISAN ASTHMAATTACK?

An asthma attack may include coughing, chest tightness, wheezing, and troublebreathing.Theattack happens in your body’s airways,whicharethepaths that carry air to your lungs. As the air moves through your lungs, the airways become smaller, like the branchesofatreearesmaller thanthetreetrunk.Duringan asthma attack, the sides of the airways in your lungs swellandtheairwaysshrink. Less air gets in and out of your lungs, and mucous that your body makes clogs up theairways.

You can control your asthma by knowing the warning signs of an asthma attack, staying away from things that cause an attack, and following your doctor’s advice. When you control yourasthma:

you won’t have symptomssuchaswheezing orcoughing, you’llsleepbetter, you won’t miss work or school, you can take part in all physicalactivities,and you won’t have to go to thehospital.

What Causes anAsthma Attack?

An asthma attack can

Dandruffmaymakeyour scalp itchy, too It’s a commonproblem,butitisn’t as simple as it seems Dandruff is actually quite tricky to define because it overlaps with seborrheic dermatitis(achronicformof eczema) and other skin conditions that lead to a scalyscalp.

Here’s what you need to know Signs and Symptoms ofDandruff

The big tip-off that an individual may have dandruff are the telltale patches of white flakes on the scalp, made up of dead skin,thatcomelooseinyour hair

According to the Merck Manual,othersignsinclude:

Attimes,thescalpcanbe itchy

GREASYORDRY SCALESONTHE SCALP

Yellowish to reddish scalyraisedbumpsalongthe hairline(inseverecases)

CAUSESANDRISK FACTORSOF DANDRUFF

Dandruff can happen for anumberofreasons.

Seborrheic dermatitis If you have a particularly bad caseofdandruff,it’slikelya mild case of seborrheic dermatitis (SD), according totheAmericanOsteopathic CollegeofDermatology

SD is a chronic form of eczema that affects areas of the body that secrete the mostsebum,oroil,notesthe N a t i o n a l E c z e m a Association.

Peoplewithoilyskinare often more prone to

dandruff The reason: A yeast called Malassezia globosa feeds on oils on the scalp.

Some people’s bodies perceive this breakdown of oilasanirritant,sothescalp reactsbyuppingthespeedat which skin cells renew, causingdandruff,notesAmy McMichael,MD,aprofessor ofdermatologyandthechair of the department of dermatology at Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

For those without dandruff, it takes a whole month for new skin cells on the scalp to mature, die, and shed.

But for those with dandruff,thisprocessoccurs inameretwotosevendays, according to a report in the Journal of Medical

Chemistry

Still, it’s important to note that while M. globosa has long been thought to be the main risk factor for dandruff, a causal relationship has yet to be firmly established, noted a July 2019 report in the journal Experimental

Dermatology

Contact dermatitis

Contact dermatitis is skin irritationcausedbyeitheran allergen or an irritant, resultinginanitchy,possibly painfulrash.Andinthecase of dandruff, that reaction is on the scalp. This generally occurs because of hair-care products or dyes, according totheAmericanAcademyof DermatologyAssociation.

Dry skin If cold winter air dries out your skin all over, including your scalp, then dry skin may be the cause of your dandruff When dry skin causes dandruff, the flakes are usuallysmallerandlessoily thantheflakescausedbySD. (In addition, cold and dry climates can worsen SD, according to the Cleveland Clinic.)

Almost anyone can have dandruff, but the following factors can make you more susceptible.

Shampooing habits “For thosewhoarealreadyatrisk for dandruff, washing infrequently can worsen the condition, ” says Dr McMichael Taking extendedbreakscanleadtoa buildupofoilthatcanleadto dandruff.

Dry scalp caused by a lack of moisture can cause itching and flaking skin.

New ‘Big Bang Theory’ Spinoff in Development at HBO Max

(Yahoo Entertainment)

believed to be an hour-long series, with Parsons making

Another addition to the “Big seriesfeaturingamostlynew appearances in retrospective Bang Theory” universe is on castwithpotentialforknown voice-over, is consistently itsway “BigBang”starstoappearin the most viewed comedy on

Chuck Lorre, who co- guestspots. theair. created “The Big Bang

“The Big Bang Theory” The new “Big Bang” Theory”aswellasitsspinoff aired on CBS for 12 seasons series, which Lorre would “Young Sheldon,” is in the from 2007 to 2019 and executiveproduceviaChuck early stages of developing brought the network major Lorre Productions banner, another comedy series ratings successes by the end would mark Lorre’s second derived from that IP via his of its run, garnering just projectatMax. overall deal at Warner Bros. under 18 million viewers for Warner Bros. TV is Television. its series finale. “Young currently in production on

The news came out of Sheldon” premiered in 2017 ”How to Be a Bookie,” a Warner Bros. Discovery’s and is currently on its sixth Max comedy series starring pressdayannouncingitsnew season, with a seventh Sebastian Maniscalco, Omar streaming service. If ordered seasonalreadygreenlit. J. Dorsey, Andrea Anders, toseries,thenew“BigBang” The spinoff, starring Iain Vanessa Ferlito and Jorge project would stream on Armitage as the nine-year- Garcia. Lorre, Maniscalco Max, the company’s old version of Jim Parsons’ and Nick Bakay executive

original produce.

combining HBO Max and No plot details were presentation. And though

character from the

Discovery+. revealed during the WBD nothing is set in stone, it is

INDUSTRIAL SAFETY HELMETS MANUFACTURED ACCORDING TO NATIONAL STANDARD GUARANTEE PROTECTION

Industrial safety helmets are intended to protect an individual’s head against falling objects which can lead to injuries including skull fractures, or even death.

With the construction sector in Guyana rapidly expanding and providing employmentformanyyoung skilled workers, the importance of using safety helmets and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) must be a priority It is also important to ensure that these protective gears reach quality requirements for optimum safety in the workplace.

Guyana is currently observing Occupational Safety and Health Month underthetheme:“ASafeand H e a l t h y W o r k i n g E n v i r o n m e n t i s a Fundamental Principle and aRightatWork.”

The theme promotes the need for employers to implement measures to ensuretheirworkersaresafe,

and one way to do so is by ensuring the proper protective equipment are provided The Guyana

National Bureau of

Standards (GNBS) has developed a National Standard GYS 563:2020 –RequirementsforIndustrial safety helmets, which addresses the physical and performance requirements oftheproductanditsgeneral use. The voluntary standard c a n b e u s e d b y manufacturersandbuyersof the product as a guide to guaranteequality

It specifies methods of testing and marking requirements for industrial safety helmets The document also outlines the requirements that apply to helmets for general use in industry and includes optional performance requirements. According to the document, the helmet shall include at least a general harness and a shell whichhasuniformstrength.

Further,theoutersurface shall be smoothly finished,

andalledgesshallbesmooth and rounded, while the profile at the front edge of theshellshallnotpreventthe wearing of spectacles or g o g g l e s H e l m e t s manufactured in accordance with the national standard should have an adjustable wearingheight.

Itisnotedthatthelength of the headband or the nape strap shall be adjustable in increments of no more than 5mm Further, either the helmet shell or headband requiresachinstrap,orsome means of attaching one These measures ensure the helmetsarefittedandremain stable as workers conduct their tasks Mandatory requirements for industrial safetyhelmetsincludeshock absorption, resistance to penetration,flameresistance andproperlabelling.

The document provides test methods to ensure that the safety equipment is manufactured in accordance with what is required. In addition, when tested, the leakage of current shall not

exceed 1.2 milliampere, in order to protect the wearer against short term, accidental contact with live electrical conductors at voltages up to 2200V for general and 20000V for electricalcategoryhelmets.

The twenty-two (22) page national standard completewithdiagrams,can be purchased from the Guyana National Bureau of Standards head office located at the Sophia E x h i b i t i o n S i t e ,

Georgetown. Reach out to the GNBS today on telephone numbers: 2190064or219-0065orvisitthe G N B S w e b s i t e : www.gnbsgyorg. You can also WhatsApp us on +592 6924627.

PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

BYPAT

DIAL

There are a number of organizations or societies that have come over to Independent Guyana as part of its inheritance from colonial times and all of these tend to have an international pitch. Among these organizations are the Red Cross Society, Free masonry and the Royal SocietyforthePreventionof Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). In Independent Guyana, the “Royal” in the name was replaced with

“Guyana” so the Society is nowknownastheGSPCAor the Guyana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Such animal protection programmes are still spreading or being strengthenedinvariousparts of the world. For example, recently an RSPCA was establishedinBhutan,atiny Himalayan kingdom and PresidentTrumpoftheUSA, beforeheleftoffice,passeda fairly strong animal protection Bill into Federal Law

Animals seem to have a particular attraction for children who also seem to have a natural empathy for themaswell.Animalsitmay seem at times are able to easily communicate with children rather than with adults. Therefore, when Zayd, the son of His Excellency President Ifraan Ali and Madame Arya Ali, hosted a lemonade sale at StateHouseinthefirstweek of March to raise funds for the GSPCA, the occasion seemedquitenormalthough

this was the first time in the history of State House that suchanoccasiontookplace. Zayd and the other children who attended and who were all interested in animals happily fraternized. The sale raised nearly GUY$2 million.

The GSPCA does not ventureintotheprotectionof animals in the wild as a few similar organizations in other parts of the world do. It focuses on domestic animals and particularly pets.

Until about the 1950’s, the main means of transporting goods in Guyana was by means of carts drawn by donkeys, mules and horses Sometimes the cartmen would cruelly beat their animals with the thick ropes theycarriedintheircarts. In those years, the RSPCA employedarovinginspector whowentaboutthecityand even countryside on his bicycleandwasabletobring prosecutions before the Courts of these cruel cartmen or even persons mistreating their dogs, cats and even livestock. The roving inspector was an effective deterrent, especiallytothecartmen.

Today, the GSPCA almost never bring prosecutions-itconcentrates on rescuing animals, mainly dogs and cats, which have beenabandonedorarebeing

mistreated, conducting a clinic which offers services such vaccinations, deworming, spay and neutering and another veterinary services, providing food and shelter, and finding new homes for animals. Any afternoon at the GSPCA clinic, one may see owners taking their cats, dogs, rabbits, parrots and other birds and even turtles forveterinaryinspectionand treatment.

GSPCA is basically a volunteer organization and the doctors and attendants are volunteers. A nominal fee is charged for consultations and medicines but it is volunteerism and donations which keep the organization afloat. The longservingPresidentofthe GSPCA is Mr Oliver Insanally who has been performing this labour of loveformanyyears.

Protecting animals and caring for them have been civilizing forces in all societies, even from very ancienttimes,asforexample when Buddhist rulers established animal hospitals in accordance with Lord Buddha’s teachings Familieswhorearpetsrarely commit crimes of violence against each other It has also been observed that the men who indulge in domestic violence against women and children have neverhadpets.

Animals, on their part, provide many valuable and essential services to man as for example, the Eskimos of the Arctic cannot survive without their dogs In Guyana, dogs help in crime fighting by tracking down criminals and assist in discovering narcotic shipments at airports. A good proportion of the homesdependonguarddogs todetercriminalsortowarn residents of unwelcome or suspiciousvisitors.Dogsare onduty24hoursperdayand there are examples of dogs defending owners against armed criminals and being injuredorkilled. Dogsalso help to guide the visually impaired. Catsinanyhome ensurethatratsandmiceare keptaway Butprobably,the greatestserviceofpetsisthe companionship and love theygivetotheirownersand in particular children Owners by means of their psychologicalrelationshipto their pets often grasp the great philosophic truth that allLifeisOneirrespectiveof the physical forms in which Lifeismanifested.

GSPCA is providing a very valuable service to society and enriches the qualityoflifeandwewould wish to persuade volunteers tooffertheirservicesandthe public to make financial donations to the Society whenever they can, no matterhowsmall.

Clarks Desert Boots

The Origin Story of the Ever-Enduring Clarks Desert Boot

It all started at a market stall in Cairo

(Esquire) As the great- came to Burma, and this is hot British governmentgrandson of James Clark, where I saw them,” Clark issuearmyboots.“Clarkhad founder of C & J Clark later recalled, but the boots been looking for a (better known by its trading had their origin in South comfortable, casual shoe,” name Clarks), Nathan Clark Africa. Officers in the South said Berendt, “and this close was asked to keep an eye out African division stationed in cousin of the chukka—a bit for useful shoes designs the Sahara wore the boots, more slipperlike because of while serving on the staff of which is how the 8th army the stitching—seemed just the West African Brigade in encountered them. Worn by theticket.”

Burma and India during boar farmers and called Not so fast. The road to WWII. The request came veldtschoen, they were success for Nathan was from his older brother s i m i l a r t o c h u k k a littered with obstacles Bancroft, who’d become boots made of reversed “Although I sent sketches chairman of the venerable leather,ankle-high,with2or and rough patterns to family shoe company in 3eyelets. Bancroft,” said Clark, “no 1942. “The main difference,” trial samples were made

Ever dutiful, Nathan, explained John Berendt, until after I returned.” This who had a keen appreciation former Esquire editor and wasin1946.“BillTuxillwas of the family business, author of Midnight in the the pattern cutter at the them next thing.’In the end I Schoefler shoes, the crepe-sole boots returned with a pair of ideas: Garden of Good and Evil, time—a very talented and cutthepatternsmyself.” Based in Chicago, weredressed-down,no-frills the “Chupplee” men’s “was that the uppers, instead hard-working man. He was But when the trial Esquire was 16 years old at footwear that retained not sandal, based on sandals of being turned in under the very overloaded with his samples were presented to the time, and the reigning just a British but an worn in the north western foot, were turned outward regular sampling work the Stock Committee, who authority on men’s popular international appeal. It was part of India; and the Desert like a flange and sewn EverytimeIwenttoseehow decided on such matters as fashion. What began in the kismet and Schoefler, Boot, a crepe-soled, rough- directlytothesole.” my two shoes were getting whichshoestoincludeinthe heart of the Depression as an remembers Clark, “was suede boot made-to-order at These boots were on, I would see the sketches new lines, the Desert Boot experiment—the first real extremely interested in them the bazaar in Cairo for 8th designed for the desert etc. on his back shelf, and he got no love, the consensus m e n ’ s f a s h i o n as a new and widely Army officers during the terrain as comfortable and would say with some being “they would never magazine—had become a applicable type of casual NorthAfricancampaign. functional alternatives to the embarrassment: ‘Yes, Mr sell.” recognized brand which far footwear.”

“Some of these officers clunky, painful and Nathan, I will get on with I f N a t h a n w a s e x c e e d e d o r i g i n a l Schoefler published a discouraged, he was expectations.Theformulaof generous write-up on the nevertheless undeterred. If literary muscle (Ernest DesertBootsinearly1950in he couldn’t drum up interest Hemingway and F. Scott Esquire’s more fashionin the UK for the boots, he at Fitzgerald appeared in the forward cousin publication, least had the freedom to debut issue) plus fashion Apparel Arts. And it’s this explore other options. Put in proveddurable. piece that Nathan credits charge of overseas

Still, in the aftermath of with attracting the interest of development, Nathan WWII,Esquireaimedtostay B r o n s o n D a v i s , a n created ClarksAustralia relevant to a new, younger experienced salesman who in ’48 and began generation. By the end of ended up representing selling the Desert the ’50s, it published ClarksintheU.S.andplayed amajorpartinthesuccessof the Desert Boot in America. Esquire has continued their admiration of the Desert Boots through the years, in editorials and fashion shoots, as an essential p a r t o f contempora ryfashion. Ofcourse,the boots eventually made their way to the UKandtherestoftheworld, where they became a staple of lo-fi cool for generations. As Berendt put it, “Partisans of Desert Boots swear there Boots down isn’t a more comfortable under They also shoe anywhere,” which began to appear in the continues through every West Indies, where the boots iteration that boot has would become massively avant garde writers like undergone over the last 70 popular and an integral part Albert Camus and Jack years, including this of Jamaican music and Kerouac, whose beatnik season’s Desert Boot 2, a culture. audience made the Desert modern take on the iconic

And then there was the Boots a regular part of their silhouette that boasts motherlode of the American wardrobe. increased volume and market. The appeal of the So, it’s not hard to e n h a n c e d c o m f o r t States, then basking in post- imagine what Schoefler saw technologies.

war prosperity, was in the Desert Boots that

But even amidst massive undeniable and it’s what Nathan showed him at shiftsintasteandculture,we brought Nathan to the Esquire’s booth at the 1949 can safely report: the Chicago Shoe Fair in 1949, ShoeFair timelessness of the Desert where he met Esquire’s In an era before sneakers Bootissameasiteverwas. fashion editor Oskar were acceptable as casual

The Lion and the Poor Slave

Junior page

HOW TO MAKE THE SEA SHELL

FISH IN AN AQUARIUM CRAFT:

·LISTOFSUPPLIES:

Whitepaperplate

·Largesmoothsea shells

·Tinyseashellsof assortedshapes

·Craftfoamin differentcolors–plainandglitter

·Googlyeyes

·TackIts ·Paintsandbrush HOWTOMAKE THESEASHELL FISHINAN AQUARIUM CRAFT:

There was once a slave who was treated cruelly by his master One day, he couldn't takeitanymoreandranawaytotheforestto escape. There he chanced upon a lion who couldn'twalkbecauseofthethorninitspaw Althoughhe'sscared,theslavemusteredhis courage and took out the thorn in the lion's paw When the lion was finally free of the thorn, he ran into the forest and didn't harm the slave. Sometime later, the slave was caught by his master along with some

animals in the forest The master then orderedtheslavetobethrownintothelion's den When the slave saw the lion, he recognizeditasthesamelionhehelpedinthe forest.The slave was able to escape the den unharmedandhefreedalltheotheranimals.

Moralofthestory:

Thegoodyoudidwillalwayshaveaway ofcomingbacktoyou.Sodogooddeedsand bekindtoothersandtheworldwillbekindto you.

1 Let's get the background ready first Paint the bottom part of the paper plate yellow to resemble sand Cover almost half theplate.

2 Paint the remainingpartoftheplateblueforthewater Letthepaintdrywhilewemakethefish.

3. Paint the large sea shells in colors of your choice. You can either go for one solid colorormakeittwo-tone.

Then stickonagooglyeye.

6.Makemorefishinasmanycolorsasyou like.

Findyourwaythroughthebunny maze. Thenhopontothenextpuzzleandtry tocompletethetask.Therearedifferent

picturesplacedonthepaper,findand writedownhowmanyofthesepictures youcanspyonthepaperandincludethe totalintheboxes

4.Whiletheshellsaredrying,cutoutthe fish tail and fins from glitter foam. Choose colors to match or complement the shell colors.

5. To assemble the fish, stick the tail and fin to the appropriate places using tack its.

FUNWITHPOETRY

Whenweareawayfromthosewetrust, Whereverwemaybe, Weshouldalwaystrytoensure Weareassafeascanbe.

Walkinthelightwhenitisdark, Youshouldnotgooutalone; Donotidlearoundstrangeplaces, Andnevermovefarfromhome.

Alwaysobeytrafficsignsandrules, Keeptothesidewalkonyourway, Onlycrossastreetwhenitissafe, Andlookandlistenalltheway

7. Cut out sea weed shapes from plain green craft foam. Once the paper plate is completelydry,sticktheseshapesontheplate usingtackitsorglue.

8.Arrangethesmallshellsandthefishin theirrightplacesandattachthemwithtackits. Youraquariumiscomplete!

COLOR ME!

UNCLEROY Tellitto

Hello,readers, UncleRoyisagainaskingallofyoutotryinsomeway tomakeacontributiontothispage,andthustothewelfareof youandyourfellowreaders.Thiscontributioncantakeany formthatyoufeelwouldbevaluable–anaccountofwhatis going on in your community and country, any advice you would like to pass on to your fellow teen readers and, on a broaderlevel,anycommentorrecommendationyouwould liketomaketoyourfellowGuyanese.

Please remit same to my email –roypaul2002@yahoo com, and be assured that your worthwhilecontributionwillhaveaprominentplaceonour page.

Solutions to last week’s

1. Set clear rules and provide a structure for the way in which the home, school, work-place or communityfunctions.

When people are b r o u g h t u p i n a n environment where they are well aware of the limits and behave under these terms, they feel better about themselves. Stress is also reduced when their rights and responsibilities are made clear We must also remember that people are more likely to follow rules when they have a say in makingthem.

2. Enforce rules fairly andconsistently

Whenthereisnobias or wrong judgement in enforcing the rules, then thereisorder

3. Preserve self-respect and build personal responsibility

Themannerinwhich rules are enforced also affects people's sense of security They should be treated as responsible persons, and they will react

in like manner Correction must be effected in such a waythatpeoplearenotputto shame,andwillberespected justthesame.

4.Actinwaysthatfoster trustinthoseinauthority

Try to maintain a senseoftrustinyourparents, teachers, and others on whom you depend. This feeling enables you to behave without fear or anxiety Relyonthemtoact in a consistent manner, and

tobasetheiractionsonwhat isrightandfair

5. Persons must accept social responsibility in playing their part in organising a productive and orderlycommunity

It would be useful if youwouldtakesometimeto think of the ways in which you could contribute to the welfare of those in your community, by yourself and together with parents, teachers and community

leaders.

6. Try to get rid of the fears which you may be secretly harbouring, and whichtendtokeepyoufrom acting in a socially responsiblemanner. Some of these fears would be real, but many timespeopledevelopfearof things which may not exist, o r w h i c h m a y b e exaggerated. You will need to search your mind and examine these fears and make efforts to get rid of them The things that frighten us may exist at school, at home, with other people,involvingplacesand tasks, and even some events in which you have to play a part.Thewaytodealwithall fears is to consciously examinethemwithaviewto dealing with them either by yourself, if you feel confident to do so, or by invoking the help of qualified persons to help in thisprocess.

Checkinthenextfew weekstofollowthemeansto buildyourSelfEsteem.

Follow these steps which would enable you to foster this all-important Sense of Security Bridges

Connect these islands with bridges until each island can be reached from any other island, and each island has as many outgoing bridges as its numbers

You may only connect islands v e r t i c a l l y o r horizontally and bridges may not cross.

Theremaybeone or two bridges connecting pairs of islands, but no more than two Each puzzle has a unique solution that car be tound winour makingguesses

Your sense of Security will enable you to move forward in your life with full confidence

Beauty and Personal Care

Key Trends To Watch in 2023

Mr. India Guyana hopeful wants to use platform to help persons with disabilities

Mr I n d i a Guyana 2023

h o p e f u l , Daniel Roopchand wants to use his platform to raise awareness to help persons withdisabilities.

Roopchand who entered the Mr India Guyana pageantafterencouragement from his peers and cousin said, “I want to spread disability awareness to the citizensofGuyana.Thusmy platform is "Disability AwarenessinGuyana.”

The former CSEC and Cape top performer explained that he hopes to usethisplatformtoenlighten the populace on the many

challenges faced by specialneedsGuyaneseandhowwe canworktowardsimproving theirlivesforthebetter

Hesaidthathechosethis platform because disability is a matter that hits close to home.

He explained, “My younger brother, Aaron was born with Spina bifida, rendering his entire lower bodyparalyzed.

As many places in Guyana are wheelchair inaccessible such as the beach, upper floor of the Museum, restaurants and many schools, my brother cannot travel to most places without help from me or my

father “Itakeprideinbeing my brother's legs when the situation arises as I believe helpingyourfamilyisoneof thehighesthonors,”saidthe Mr India Guyana hopeful andheisalsooptimisticthat once given the opportunity, his ideal will truly revolutionizeGuyana.

He told Kaieteur News that the pageant will be held onthe5thofMay,2023atthe Roraima Ballroom of the

R a m a d a H o t e l i n Providence.

He is encouraging everyone who is desirous of attending to reserve their ticketsearlyasnoticketswill be sold at the door Meanwhile, in his capacity as an electrical and electronics engineer, Roopchandhopestodevelop the country as a large contenderinchipdesignand conduction research in

prostheticsandotherspecial needsdevices.

As part of pursuing his dream, the top performer applied and was admitted to oversevenuniversitiesinthe USA.

He was granted a partial scholarship at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) which he will be attendinginAugust.

He told this newspaper, “Iaminthetop100ofRIT's

2023 class and was given early acceptance into the accelerated bachelorsmasters degree programme for Electrical and Electronics Engineering due to my high academic achievement.”

The programme will see Roopchand graduating with a bachelors and masters degree in electrical and electronics engineering in justfiveyears.

Mr. India Guyana 2023 hopeful, Daniel Roopchand

A fusion of International and Guyanese CuisineZENBOOKA’S Café:

ByRenaySambach

Zenbooka Cafe offers authentic international cuisine coupled with a variety of Guyanese dishes in a greatambience.

Zenbooka is a restaurant, bar and café that recently opened its door to customers.The business is located on Saffon Street, Charlestown,nextdoortoKaieteur News.

Therestauranthastailoredtheir menu to reach the expectations of potential customers looking for a wholesome gastronomic experience. On the Café’s menu there’s, Chocolate Cake, Cheese

Cakes, Cinnamon Rolls, Bagels

And Cream Cheese, Bagels

Loxs, Bagels Avocado And

Sandwich, Flat/Pita Bread With Roasted Garlic Oil Drizzle, Mozzarella And Pesto Flat/Pita BreadPastries(Variety)andGarlic Bun/GarlicSticks.

Also available are Tortilla VegetableandEggWraps,Oatmeal

Bowls Topped with Granola/Fruit, Bake and Salted Fish, Pepperpot (Beef, or, Beef and Pork) and Bread, Boil and Fried Ground Provisions, Sandwiches, Omelettes, Pancakes and a wide selectionofGuyanesepastries.

For lunch, there are Asian

Crunchy Wonton Salad (Romaine lettuce, wonton skins, red onions, feta cheese, sesame vinegrette),

Guacamole and Tomato Salsatopped Beef Burger severed with Fries, Mushroom and Sundried

Tomatoes Creamy Linguine Pasta withGarlicBreadBun,CajunHerb Salmon, Pineapple Barbecue

Glazed Pork Chops, Jerk Chicken

Leg Quarters topped with Cucumber Relish, Tamarind Sauce-topped Grilled Snapper, Cowboy Butter Steak Fillet or Ribeye coupled with sides like Corn and Bell Pepper Sautee Vegetables,BlackBeanandSweet Pepper Rice, Creamy Mashed PotatoesandGardenSalad.

Other items on the menu are Wings, Teriyaki Sesame Steak Nuggets, Crispy Tangy Fish enders, Crunchy Herb Spiced Chicken Tenders, Lemon Butter lic Prawns, Crusted Fri

Prawns,MintYogurtToppedLamb Sliders, Pork Nuggets, Fries, Seasoned Plantain Fries, Mozzarella Sticks, Onion Rings andSweetPotatoesFries.

Zenbookacafeisthebrainchild ofChiefExecutiveOfficer(CEO), Gary Alleyne and his brother the ManagingDirector,GavinAlleyne.

During an interview with The Waterfalls,Garyhadsharedthatthe name represents a combination of

calm and celebration. The CEO envisionsZenbookaasabrandthat will occupy various parts of Guyana, not just a one-stop-shop. The establishment plans to franchise and provide quality food andservicetoitscustomers.

The business is opened seven daysaweek,withthecaféopening from 6am to 10am and the pub from 7am to 11pm. Walk-ins are welcome, but guests are encouraged to make reservations advance by calling +592-679for the bar and +592-5046603forthecafé.

FOR ALL YOUR HANDMADE BODY CARE PRODUCTS

Wh e n t h e pandemic hit back in 2020, it brought on a lot of challenges for some people, while for others it opened doors for new adventures.

One such person whose life wasimpactedbythepandemicin apositivewayis31-year-oldReiLaunya Amsterdam, a Dental Surgeon attached to the Ministry of Health and a lecturer at the UniversityofGuyana’sSchoolof Dentistry

Amsterdam is the sole owner of a skincare product business called ‘Eden Clay’, which was first registered in August 2020 and officially launched in February2021.

Theyoungwomaninarecent interviewwiththismagazinesaid that what led her start this business was being inspired in 2017, when she attended a “WomeninBusiness”expo.

She said, “At that time I witnessed loads of women-led businesses that were able to monetize their hobbies and I was encouragedbylovedonesaround to do the with personal

care products I would make fromtimetotime.”

After being inspired to open her own business venture, Amsterdam shared that when the pandemichitin2020shedecided to take her passion for DIY skincare and learn sophisticated formulationspreparingherselffor herbiglaunchin2021.

According to the young entrepreneur, the pandemic prompted her to push “to pursue my passion and begin plans for EDENCLAY.”

Having been in business for over two years, Amsterdam mentionedthatsinceshelaunched the support for her business has been tremendous She added

“Many by the marketing poured i

nto my products andIthinkitshows.” Shestated toothatherclientsareresponsible for the referral system she has going and usually they become repeatcustomers.

G r a t e f u l f o r t h e overwhelmingsupport,theyoung entrepreneurrelatedthatsofarin this journey, the main challenge the business faced has been the sourcing of raw materials Accordingtomanyofthebutters, waxes and oils used in for her productsneedtobeimportedand thisincreasesoverheadcosts.She added that because of the pandemic, shipping times were extremelyaffectedanditrequires lots of planning to enter procurement.

Continued on page 71

“Creating a space where many young Guyanese can pursue their dreams is important. I have seen countless initiatives by private and public entities. For instance, this weekend the ministry is hosting a “We Lift” activity to amplify the voices of female entrepreneurs and I think initiatives like these keep business owners hopeful and motivated.”

Some of the products Eden Clay has to offer

Young Entrepreneur and Dental Surgeon, Rei-LaunyaAmsterdam

ByAllyiahAllicock

Aspire Media Productions,

iscelebrating10yearsinbusiness

ByFeliciaHallim

Celebrating his birth anniversary on April 21, young entrepreneur and owner of Aspire Media Productions, NoelWilliams, is ecstatic to also be celebrating his 10th year in business.

Upon interviewing Mr. Williams, he shared about how he started, his products and services offered, and his vision for hisbusiness:

“Well Aspire Media started from my passion for viewing the world through lenses. In 2006, I started out as the studio technician and co-producer at WWMP Studios and Willbro Music, a local record label my brothers and I started. I began to produce music for some of Guyana’s well renowned gospel musicians such as Samuel Medas, Mariam Corlette-Williams, etc. After many years of dabbling in different media forms,IstartedAspireMedia Productions in 2013, because I wanted to help both small and large companies promote their brands, products and services to the highest capacity With photography, I want to capture intimate moments in people’s lives and to empower my audience. If you ever see the w a t e r m a r k ` D r e a m Photography’on any photos around Guyana, just know that this is my photography business.

“Aspire Media Pro p r o v i d e s q u a l i t y videography, photography, s o u n d q u a l i t y a n d production for events, sound rentals, social media management, content creation, digital media services, live streaming, and

advertising.”

“My business slogan is “Dare to Dream” so with that, my aim is to grow into an enterprise and utilize my skills to help other young

to resume photography and videography classes for interested persons and enterprises. My overall plan is to also help existing businesses develop their

endure since he first registered his business, he said, “Being certified in business and project management practices, I have been able to s t r a t e g i c a l l y c o m m u n i c a t e , negotiate, and plan for

challenges.”

Finally, when asked about his hobbies, he replied:

entrepreneurs interested in digital media and marketing evolve in the field. I am hoping within the next year,

digital and social media marketingprospects.”

When asked about challenges he had to

the maximum benefit of clients. Also with good support and feedback from friends and family, it was easier to navigate these

“I appreciate learning a b o u t t h e l a t e s t technological advances tutorials, or best practices in my fields of interest. I also enjoy socializing with friends where we speak aboutbusinessopportunities and plans. Teaching music and other topics is also a passionofmine.”

Mr Williams ends the conversation by stating “I want to thank all those that have inspired me and supported me on this 10 year journey as an entrepreneur”

If you’re looking to take your small business to the nextlevel,AspireMediacan

help. Contact Aspire Media PRO on telephone number: 592-645-3972oremailthem a t : aspiremedia.gy@gmail.com

“With photography, I want to capture intimate moments in people’s lives and to empower my audience.”

Noel Williams

From page 16 the audit team focused on makeprovisionsforfinalisationfor representingtheinterestoftheState reviewing the details of individual disagreement, by allowing for such that it would not be able to present transactions and mapping each individual areas of disagreement to all of its financial data/statements active account within the IDEAS be set aside, until they are later covering the period 1999 to 2004. and IPES system to the appropriate resolved. In the meanwhile, those The affiliate explained that the provision within the PSA’s areas that are agreed upon are mainreasonforthisdilemmaisthat accounting procedure,” the report dispensed with Good contract its accounting system was purged stated. management and oversight should during that time, in an effort to If after review of the account require clear terms for determining accommodate a switch to its parent description and specific what is and isn’t recoverable, the company’saccountingsystem. transactions, uncertainty remains mechanisms by which such

The foregoing was outlined in a regardingthenatureoftransactions expenditure is determined, March, 2021 report that was being claimed for recovery and approved and committed, evidence produced by British firm, IHS their PSA classification, IHS said that such expenditure was in fact Markit. justifications were sought from made and that the good or service

According to the report seen by EEPGL Where satisfactory procured was delivered in a Kaieteur News, IHS said the evidencewasorcannotbeprovided satisfactorymanner accounting / finance systems to support the recovery of the This is what partners in the deployed by EEPGL have evolved transactions and accounts in operations, such as Hess and over the years as the complexity of question, IHS said such amounts CNOOC in the Stabroek Block, the operations has grown. It said, have been flagged are considered demand of the operator and which between 1999 and 2016 EEPGL non-recoverable until satisfactory process is documented in utilized a standalone version of P2 evidenceisfurnished. agreements between the partners, Energy Solution’s IDEAS Oil and The foregoing audit entails the such as the Joint Operating Gas accounting software – a scrutiny of US$1.6B in expenses Agreement and Accounting common tool used for new rackedupduringtheperiod1999to Procedures. exploration areas, thereby offering 2017 by Exxon’s subsidiary and its

As the Client who pays all the rapiddeployment. joint venture partners, Hess bills, Paul said the Government has

As of 2017, the auditor said Corporation and CNOOC therighttoaccesstheseandtoaudit EEPGL migrated over to the Petroleum Guyana Limited. The the procedures as well as the ExxonMobil worldwide corporate report suggests that there are some expenditure of the operator, which which runs on IPES an SAP based US$214M in questionable costs isitscontractor. accounting and financial that could be reasonably contested GeneralLedger. figuresasinaccurate. He told Kaieteur News, “It management platform. IHS by the Guyana Government. The first request for this to be He did note however that IHS’ appears that there is a concern in explained that this platform is used Authorities are now at the stage of done was communicated to IHS in report, as is being quoted, is not the Guyana of particularly odious worldwide for all ExxonMobil awaiting feedback from May 2020. The British company final document, adding that clausesintheagreementthatputthe operated assets and offers ExxonMobil regarding the rejected the request as well as the government is now at the stage of onus of payment for any deviation additional sophistication as contestedclaims. argumentsprofferedbytherevenue awaiting feedback from Exxon’s from the contract on the people of required for development and authority on this matter The subsidiary Guyana.Although I am of the view productionassets. OilAuditors block GRA’s company essentially told GRAthat He also did not provide a these conditions can be The auditor’s report said, attempts to verify US$28M the documents are simply not timeline on when this process successfullychallengedorsetaside “Therefore,duringtheperiodbeing claims by Exxon partners relevant. would be completed. Statia also without broaching the current audited, the costs have been spread GRA insisted however that noted that the government will contracts, the government, as is its across two different systems TheGuyanaRevenueAuthority reviewingtheagreementswouldbe make the report public at the right, seems to have made a EEPGLconfirmedthatdatapriorto (GRA) has been fighting tooth and a critical component to the analysis appropriatetime. determination that it will live with nail to understand how two ofhowcertaincostsendedupinthe A second audit is currently Stabroek Block partners costbank. underway for costs totalling charged Guyana some

In another IHS Report dated US$7 3B which were incurred US$28.8M in expenses they November 2020, IHS maintained from 2018 to 2020. That contract incurred before signing onto a its position, stating that “Cost was awarded last year May That ProductionSharingAgreement Recovery Audits do not require a tooisstillongoing. with ExxonMobil’s affiliate, review of the JOA as this is Esso Exploration and considered a confidential Thursday –April 13, 2023

Production Guyana Limited agreement between parties with no (EEPGL). material implications on cost Cost recovery provisions show

In a report seen by this recovery.” biased nature of Exxon contract newspaper, GRA said on two In its third report dated March ...Guyana needs to vigorously occasions, it pushed British 11, 2021, the British firm pursue available options to maintained its unchanged position restore parity and reclaim on access to the JOA. GRA in its sovereignty- T&T expert report stressed that this ought to be done.Itisnotcleariftheywereable Trinidadian Energy Strategist, 2004isnotavailableinIDEASasit toreachanagreement.

Anthony Paul

believes the has been purged in accordance to

It is now more than three years provisions in the 2016 Production their internal data retention since the audit of US$1.6B in Sharing Agreement (PSA) Guyana policies, and data they held expenses for the oil-rich Stabroek signed with ExxonMobil as it manually was requested and Block and it is yet to be completed. regards the recovery of costs in theseclauses.” limiteddatareceived).” Confirming the status of the audit disputeareinkeepingwiththeone- He said on the other hand, the

During the audit review, IHS was Commissioner General of the sidednatureofthecontract. government has decided to pursue said 142 active accounts were Auditor,IHSMarkittoexaminethe Guyana Revenue Authority, The PSA, as was reported in a additional value through local identifiedintheIDEASsystemand Joint Operating Agreements Godfrey Steven Statia His previous article, allows Exxon to content.“Theyaretobecreditedfor 140 accounts within the IPES between ExxonMobil and its clarification came on the heels of recover sums flagged by an audit installing the legislative and system.As of the second quarter of partners, Hess Corporation and two articles published by the that are deemed unacceptable, until administrative mechanisms to 2 0 1 7 , t h e a u d i t o r s a i d CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Stabroek News on IHS Markit’s the dispute is resolved between the address this. In my mind local approximately90%ofthetotalcost Limited. report that it provided to the PPPC parties. Upon the resolution of the content,ascurrentlybeingpursued, being claimed for recovery are Guyana’s auditing team which regime Stabroek News dispute through arbitration by an while being an excellent start, only recorded within the 30 largest includes GRA, had urged for the comprehensively, and clearly, international body, Guyana can be scratches the surface of the inaccounts. Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) outlined that there were some repaid with interest, according to country value addition that is “Therefore, in order to validate among the partners to be US$214M in costs that could be theagreement. available to the government and costs have been kept in accordance scrutinized since the US$28.8M contested by State authorities Inaninvitedcomment,theT&T peopleofGuyanawithinthe with the terms of the 2016 PSA – could not be traced to EEPGL’s GRA’s boss did not denounce these expert said that contracts generally (Continued on page 66)

Trinidadian Energy Strategist, Anthony Paul

From page 65 sale of $20M property to BK released on bail for a series of current legal and contractual MarinesLtd.deferred allegations relating to transactions frameworks More fully

The fraud trial for former ofpublicfundsandstateproperties, implemented, the local content law Finance Minister, Winston Jordan estimated to value billions of will go a long way to reducing cost who was charged for allegedly Guyanadollars. r e c o v e r y d i s p u t e s a n d

selling a state property to BK According to the police, the manipulationandtaxevasion.” Marines Limited at a price that was first transaction that he was

The T&T Energy Strategist grosslyundervalued–wasdeferred interviewed about is in relation to advisedthatthesearejusttwoofthe toApril24,2023. the alleged sale and vesting of the mechanisms the government has The trial was scheduled to state’s largest wharf facilities available to it to reduce such commence on April 11, before located at Kingston, Georgetown, disputes and claw back value from SeniorMagistrateLeronDalyatthe v a l u e d a p p r o x i m a t e l y thesaleoftheGuyana’soilandgas. Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. US$40,000,000 but was reportedly

In a report commissioned by the However, on that date the trial was soldforUS$500,000. United Nations Development setforApril24. It is alleged that the purchaser Programme (UNDP) in 2016, Paul The former minister of South BK Marines Inc , only paid m a d e s e v e r a l o t h e r Ruimveldt, Georgetown, made his US$100,000, which is 10 percent recommendations to address the first court appearance since of the purchase price, and Jordan mechanisms for governing the December 2021, for the offence issuedaVestingOrderpassingTitle sector, with a view to recovering before Chief Magistrate Ann to the purchaser, without the from some of the issues that would McLennan and was placed on $3M payment of any further sum of havearisenoutoftheweakcontract bail. monies. existingatthetime.

Jordan was not required to It was further stated that the

Paul pointed out that Trinidad plead to the indictable charge. He Vesting Order stated that the andTobagoasserteditssovereignty was slapped with a charge which property is being sold free from in cost recovery by assigning the alleges that while being and encumbrance and liabilities and no Minister responsible for Finance as performing duties of Minister of further sum of money is owed by the final arbiter in all matters Finance and being the concerned the purchaser Also, subsequently related to taxation, including cost Minister for the National Industrial the transport was reportedly issued recovery and Commercial Investments forthepropertyandthevaluestated

As such, he noted, “The notion Limited (NICIL), a company o n t h e t r a n s p o r t w a s of having foreign courts of owned by the Government of US$2,000,000 It was noted jurisdiction and arbitration is a slap Guyana, between February 26, however,thattheagreementofsale in the face for sovereign nations, 2020 and July 31, 2020 at Main stated that the title must only be indicating that we are not to be Street, Georgetown, he willfully passed upon full payment of trusted in making such decisions, misconductedhimself. purchaseprice. even though they involve our own

It is alleged that the former The police also reported that property.Thisisconsistentwiththe minister acted recklessly when he investigators have evidence to way our people and resources have signed NICIL Order, No. 50 of establish that a facility which is a been seen and treated for 2020, transferring to and vesting in merefractionofthesizeofthestate centuries.” BK Marines Inc., Mud lots situated propertythatisunderinvestigation,

To further strengthen the at North Cummingsburg, and located seven miles upriver, activities. the oil company recoverable- this process, the expert noted that there Georgetown, being over 2 553 was sold by a private company for

This is so as the 2016 therefore means that the costs for are clear rules that guide the acres, by paying $20,260,276, for a US$17million. Production Sharing Agreement theprocesswillultimatelybeborne Ministers decision. He said, “The propertyvaluedover$5Bandbeing (PSA) states that while the byGuyana. point I am making here is that there sold at a price that was grossly Friday –April 14, 2023 Contractor will be allowed to The decision of a majority of needs to be a series of things to undervalued to such a degree as to recover costs in dispute, the matter the arbitrators shall be final and complete the governance system, amount to an abuse of the public EPAwrapping up discussions will only be resolved through binding on all parties according to beyond laws, regulations and trustandwithoutreasonableexcuse on parent company guarantee arbitration, if the two sides fail to the contract It also states contracts, to include guideline, orjustification. for Stabroek Block – VPJagdeo reach an agreement within 60 days “…judgment on the award may be rules, procedures and so on Thechargewasbroughtagainst afterthedisagreementisflagged. entered by any court of competent Trinidad has some but not all. The him by the Special Organised Vice President, Dr Bharrat This process can go on for over jurisdiction.” most significant gap in T&T is the Crime Unit (SOCU), an arm of the Jagdeo confirmed yesterday that one year, after the tribunal is fully This is clearly outlined in the lack of mechanisms for holding the GuyanaPoliceForce(GPF). the Environmental Protection constituted. 2016 agreement the country signed regulatorstoaccount.” Kaieteur News had reported Agency (EPA) is in the process of

Notably, Guyana has agreed to with ExxonMobil and its partners, To this end, Paul said where that Jordan was first arrested on wrappingupdiscussionsona submit its dispute to the Hess and CNOOC. Annex ‘C’ of contracts leave room for

December 2, 2021 and later (Continued on page 67) International Centre for the the PSA at Section 1.5 (b) outlines ambiguity; clear regulations will Settlement of Investment Disputes the procedures of an audit and close those gaps. He therefore (ICSID)forarbitrationbeforethree rights of the government; it is urged, “So what should happen is arbitrators- pursuant to the explained: “…In the event that an that the Minister is the final Convention on the Settlement of audit claim by the Minister is not arbitrator but there must be clear Investment Disputes between settledtotheMinister’ssatisfaction rules guiding him in making his States and Nationals of Other by the Contractor’s reply as decision and in how he reports to States. Research by this newspaper provided for above, the Contractor the people, who are owners of the found that the institution was shall be entitled to recover any resource he manages on their established in 1966 for legal disputed amounts pending final behalf.” dispute resolution and conciliation resolutionoftheclaim…”

Thespecialistexplainedthatoil betweeninternationalinvestorsand It must be noted that the PSA companies very frequently attempt States. It is parented by the World makes it clear at Section 1.5 (b) to force countries into international BankGroup. that:“…Ifwithinsixty(60)daysof arbitration, fully cognizant of the

As it relates to payment for the theMinister’sfurtherinvestigation, fact that governments- like those in arbitral services,Article 26.8 of the thePartiesareunabletoagreetothe the Caribbean- cannot afford the contract explains that the disposition of the Minister’s audit process,soavoidit,evenataloss.

arbitratorsshallassesstheexpenses claim, the claim shall be submitted

On Wednesday, Kaieteur News and any other costs related to the to the sole expert in accordance reported that the findings and arbitration and shall decide by withArticle26oftheAgreement.” recommendations of an audit may whom such costs shall be paid in Article 26 of the contract sets not be enough to ensure Guyana is theiraward. out the conditions as it relates to not cheated by the Stabroek Block

It must be noted that the same arbitration. partners- ExxonMobil, Hess and PSA makes all legal expenses for Winston Jordan fraud trial over

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

From page 66 parentguaranteefromExxonMobil Corporation for the Stabroek Block.

Duringapressconferenceatthe Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC) yesterday, the chief policymaker for the oil industry said he spoke with officials at the EPA before attending the briefing and they confirmed that those discussions are in the final stages. He predicted that it should reach finalityinamatterofweeks.

The vice president was keen to note that he does not want to impose,whetherunwittinglyornot, any artificial deadlines on the EPA team which could affect its ability to be thorough at the technical level. He did note however that the matter of a parent guarantee, which could be in the vicinity of US$2B, remainsapriorityforregulators.

Last year, Alistair Routledge who heads ExxonMobil Guyana, hadsaidthathiscompanywouldbe sure to handle what it deems to be eligible costs pertaining to environmental mishaps resulting from its operations On this premise, Kaieteur News asked the vice president to say how government will treat which such anapproach.Theofficialsaidthisis a critical matter that is being addressedbytheEPA,addingthatit is one of the resolutions that would be handled in the documents pertainingtotheparentguarantee.

The vice president said, “We don’t believe Exxon should decide on eligibility” while noting that Exxon is also keen on ensuring that Guyana’sdemandsforthecoverage of costs are not unreasonable. He proffered that government will probably have to find an intermediate step to ensure both sides are comfortable with what wouldbedeemedeligible.

Asdiscussionspertainingtothe parent guarantee continue, Dr. JagdeosaidthereisaUS$600Mper occurrence coverage from the Stabroek Block consortium which consists of Exxon’s subsidiary, globe that self-insurance is isagiven,andanypublicdocument personnelandequipment. event and we are committed to Esso Exploration and Production accepted as a form of financial that is available, you can check on Exxon Guyana officials had paying all legitimate costs in the Guyana Limited, Hess Corporation assurance. Parsram said regulators t h e E E P G L a s w e l l a s said this system remains aligned unlikely event of an oil spill,” and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana can also require insurance similar ExxonMobil’s financial rating and with the principles of the President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Limited.Shouldanyenvironmental to an insurance policy which was you can get a sense of their self- International Convention on Oil AlistairRoutledgehadsaid. accident require more than the taken out by EEPGL, the operator insurance and their liquidity and Pollution Preparedness, Response US$600M available, the vice oftheStabroekBlock. value.” and Cooperation (OPRC), the Oil-rich Guyana among five president assured that government

“…then this third aspect which TheEPAHeadwaskeentonote Caribbean Island Oil Pollution countries in the Region listed as hasaccesstoEEPGL’sassetswhich we are now trying to finalize is the that insurance is already in the Preparedness Response and “heavily indebted poor are in the vicinity of US$8B to parent guarantee or what you can permits for the Stabroek Block Cooperation (OPRC), and the countries” – New IMF report US$9B. also call parent company/affiliate projects, but talks are ongoing for NationalOilSpillResponsePlanof

Inapreviousinterviewwiththis guarantee. So these are three forms what is termed “parent guarantee”. Guyana to provide an efficient Oil-rich Guyana is among five newspaper, EPA Head, Kemraj typically used globally that cover He said progress is being made in framework to build preparedness countries in the Latin America and Parsram assured that the regulatory financial assurances There are thisregard. and response capabilities matching Caribbean (LAC) Region that were bodyisstillworkingtosecureamix other forms such as bonds and ExxonMobilGuyanahadhelda the oil spill risks from all types of listed as heavily indebted poor of financial assurance to cover the letters of credit; they are all in the briefing with reporters in 2022 operations. countries (HIPC) in an April 2023 entireoilrichStabroekBlock. same bracket but these are the whereitsofficialsassuredthatithas “Thevalueofinsurancewillnot report by the International

In terms of the oil and gas major ones and we are looking at a the technical and financial limit the company’s ability to MonetaryFund(IMF). sector, Parsram had explained that combination of these three, not one resources to address a spill, though respond to an event, and response In the report titled, “World there are various forms of financial or the other,” expressed the EPA it is very unlikely to occur The activities would certainly not be Economic Outlook: A Rocky assurance. He said the first form, Head. company said too that it adheres to delayed by discussions with Recovery,” several tables were self insurance, is already in the

He added, “So within the an internationally accepted, tiered insurers. We have the financial published showing emerging proverbial bag. He said based on current permits, well you don’t response system used to determine c a p a c i t y t o m e e t o u r marketanddevelopingeconomies EEPGL’s financial rating and its havetostatetheself-insurance,that the requirements of response responsibilities for an adverse (Continued on page 68) liquidity, it is typical across the

A screen grab of the IMF’s report

From page 67 by Region, net external position, heavily indebted poor countries, a n d p e r c a p i t a i n c o m e classification.

Under the LAC table, Guyana alongwithBolivia,Haiti,Honduras and Nicaragua were listed as HIPC countries. Indicatedinthetableare stars and dots. Under HIPC all five of the LAC countries were placed in the dot category According to the report, a dot instead of star indicates that the country has reached the completion point, which allows it to receive the full debt relief committed to at the decisionpoint.

According to the report, the HIPCgroupcomprisesofcountries that are or have been considered by

in cost overruns across 2009, 2010, a recent attack on Kaieteur News’s the IMF and the World Bank for slightly less fragile situation,” Dr Saturday –April 15, 2023 2014, 2015, 2017. The report also SeniorJournalist,DavinaBagot. participation in their debt initiative Singh said adding that it took notedthatEEPGLhasnotprovided On Thursday evening, handlers known as the HIPC Initiative, technical work and advocacy to Loophole in Stabroek Block justification to changes and cost for the Facebook page, “Live in which aims to reduce the external convince the international contract allows ExxonM overruns against the submitted Guyana,” attacked Bagot’s debt burdens of all the eligible community that something called to rack up millions in cost workprogrammeandbudget. professional integrity with wicked HIPCs to a “sustainable” level in a the fiscal window under the HIPC overruns without approval

T h i s n e w s p a p e r a l s o insinuations not worth repeating, reasonablyshortperiodoftime. debt relief initiative should be from Govt.–Audit Report understands that the annual work all while demeaning her for the It was noted in the report that introducedinordertomeasuredebt programme and budget submitted critical reportage she has done on many HIPC countries have sustainability or unsustainability The ongoing audit of US$1.6B by EEPGL to regulators does not the oil industry and other matters. already benefited from debt relief not only from the external in expenses racked up for the even conform to international best GPA said this is not the first time and have graduated from the perspective but also from the fiscal Stabroek Block from 1999 to 2017 practices. Furthermore, the plans thisFacebookmediumhasattacked initiative perspective and Guyana has found a number of areas for and budgets do not provide the journalists and placed their safety

Notably, on February 10, 2023, subsequently qualified for HIPC possible exploitation by oil Government of Guyana with the in jeopardy. It said, “This page is during his remarks at a Regional debtreliefunderthatfiscalwindow companies. ability to understand the planned believed to be operated by political Panel Discussion forum facilitated Moreover,Dr Singh,duringhis The audit exercise which is activitiesorprovideanyoversight. operatives associated with the by the World Bank, alluding to 2023 budget speech had disclosed being led by British firm, IHS

Auditors insisted that the work governing People’s Progressive Guyana’s economic history, that the country’s total public debt Markit, has found that there are no programme and budget should Party and its content follows Guyana Senior Finance Minister, stoodatUS$3.6billion,anincrease safeguards in place in the Stabroek provide details of the activities closely on the heels of questions Dr. Ashni Singh had reminded that by16.9percentfromlastyear. Block Production Sharing planned to be undertaken and the thatseniorleadersoftheincumbent three decades ago the country This publication had pointed Agreement (PSA) which would resulting cost outlay, ensuring administrationfindobjectionable.” underwent economic hardship and out that almost all of its recently preventexorbitantcostoverrunsby responsible and sustainable The GPA said it remains in was a HIPC country with debt to announced public infrastructural ExxonMobilanditspartners. development of resources and contact with several regional and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) projects government has been

In a March 2021 report, the procurement alignment with in- international organisations and has ratio at one time exceeding 600 borrowing money to finance them British auditor highlighted that country value opportunities placed its concerns for the safety of percent. despite earning over US$1 billion ExxonMobil Corporation’s KaieteurNewsunderstandsthatthe journalists in Guyana as a major

“We were spending more than intheoilaccountforlastyear subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Guyana team which consists of the concern. The association further 100 percent of our revenue to Additionally, this publication Production Guyana Limited Guyana RevenueAuthority and the urgedforinternationalassistanceto service debt. We set about a task of had reported that in January, the (EEPGL) which also operates the Ministry of Natural Resources is “fight this harassment of media restructuringtheeconomy,opening Inter-AmericanDevelopmentBank block, does not furnish local going through the foregoing operatives in Guyana ” The and liberalizing the economy, (IDB) had released a report authorities with detailed budgets meticulously with the aim of association also stated that it will diversifying the productive sector cautioning LAC countries against for their offshore operations. As a understandinghowsuchaloophole endorse any effort by media and in particular, implementing a ‘excessive’ borrowing and urged result of this, the auditors said, canbeclosed. operatives to have the Guyana series of fiscal reforms aimed at governments to bring their debts “There is limited transparency and It is now more than three years Police Force investigate the restoring fiscal solvency to the downtomoreprudentlevels. theministry(ofnaturalresources)’s since the audit of US$1.6B in violationoftheCyberCrimeAct,as countryandrestoringourstatusasa Initsreporttitled,‘Dealingwith ability to monitor and review expenses for the oil-rich Stabroek well as the violation of the rights of credit worthy country We went Debt – Less Risk for More Growth annual budgets and variances with Block is yet to be completed. women by the Women and Gender through the whole HIPC process. in the Latin America and the actual expenditure incurred is Commissioner General of the EqualityCommission. This was not at all easy by no Caribbean’ the IDB disclosed that reduced.” Guyana Revenue Authority, The GPA also publicly sought stretch of the imagination,” the debt has risen and stands at some Asanexample,IHSMarkitsaid Godfrey Statia said recently that the solidarity of women’s financeministerrecalled. US$5 8 trillion which is 117 certain PSAs contain provisions government is now at the stage of He noted that in many cases it percent of the Gross Domestic that state overruns in actual awaiting feedback from Exxon’s took mobilizing of international Product (GDP) in the region expenditures are limited to 10% of subsidiary Statia did not provide a advocacytohelpGuyana’scase. “Given the dangers of excessive the budget. Some provisions also timeline for when this process

“When we started the HIPC debt, the current situation in Latin state that operators are prohibited would be completed, but assured process, a fiscal window for HIPC America and the Caribbean is from spending more than a that the document will be made eligibility didn’t exist and if you worrisome,”theIDBsaid. percentage above the work publicattheappropriatetime. look at our debt vulnerability IDB said public debt serves a programme and budget without A second audit is currently indicators….the debt vulnerability critical role for countries to pursue further approval. Some even go a underway for costs totalling indicators in those days were public investment projects, stepfurthertoexplicitlyoutlinethat US$7 3B which were incurred defined based on external implement counter cyclical expenditure incurred without from 2018 to 2020. That contract sustainability or balance of policies, and provide support to approval or proper justification is wasawardedlastyearMay payments and our balance of economies in the face of negative not recoverable. The auditors said payments did not meet the shocks. such provisions allow the host GPA, KN Publisher thresholdsthatwerespecified. However, the IDB warned that government to maintain project condemn vile smear They didn’t indicate that we if public debt becomes too large or oversight. The British team noted campaign against journalist would have qualified for HIPC but is not managed with sufficient howeverthatthe2016PSAGuyana our fiscal position was so bad that caution, interest costs may balloon, signed with Exxon and partners,

The Guyana Press Association we simply were not in a position to growthprospectsmaysuffer,andin doesnotrequiresuchapprovals.As (GPA) yesterday issued a strong service these debts even if the thelimit,acostlydebtcrisismaybe a result of this, IHS said EEPGL statement of condemnation against (Continued on page 69) external accounts indicated a provoked. wasabletoincurUS$330.3million

organizations in condemning this mostrecentdastardlyattackagainst a female member of the media corps. The GPA said too that it regards such acts as not only an attempt to harass the media from asking searching questions, but also a form of intimidation that ultimately endangers the lives of mediaoperativesbythosewhomay feel emboldened by such posts. With a significant majority of media workers being women, the GPA urged all media workers to ensure that the leadership of their bodies is always in a position to defend their collective rights l o c a l l y, r e g i o n a l l y a n d internationally “Itisimperative

GPA President, Nazima Rhagubir

Glenn Lall, KN Publisher

$25M estimated to empolder farmlands at Bethany Creek

The National Drainage and IrrigationAuthority (NDIA) an agency of the Ministry ofAgriculture is looking to spend approximately $25 million to have farmlands at Bethany Creek located in Region Two, empoldered for agricultural purposes.

Empoldering means to make land that is underwater or periodically flooded, cultivable by the erection of banks of levees to prevent or control inundation by adequate drainage.

The project which opened at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office has attracted16contractors.

Below are the companies and their bids:

Ministry ofAgriculture- National Drainage and IrrigationAuthority (NDIA)

Empoldering of farmlands at Bethany Creek, Region Two.

Ministry of Human Services and Social Security Construction of physiotherapy room at the Palms.

Supply of irrigation pipes for Uruberu Road, Paramakatoi.

Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport Design and build-ground preparation for the Uitvlugt Community Centre Ground.

Recruitment of 10 Survivor'sAdvocates.

Rehabilitation of medical centre and equipment at Base Camp

Construction of TroopAccommodationArea Lot 1: Supply and delivery of materials for the building and trestle, Lot2: supply and delivery of materials for building.

Procurement and installation of flood lights for Bayroc Ground.

Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) Supply and installation of sash windows.

Procurement of trainers for Women's Innovation Investment Network (WIIN) for 2023.

From page 68

thattheassociationremainsfreefromthetentaclesofcontrol, dominationandmanipulationbypoliticiansandotherinterest groupswithnarrowintereststoserve.Letuslookatthelarger picture, not for a few pennies, so-called trips and propaganda orientation rather than journalism training,” the association saidwhileconcluding,“Wecannotselloursoulstothosewho violateourcollectiverights.”

Supply and delivery of one automotive power system for Hugo Chavez Centre for Rehabilitation and Reintegration.

In a separate statement of condemnation, Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall said the attack on Bagot represents an all-time low he never expected certain government affiliates would reach. Lall said Bagot is a woman of class, someone whoearnedhisrespect,whilenotingthatheisrepulsedbythe smearcampaignlaunchedagainsther Thepublishersaidtoo that Bagot has been a tireless contributor and dedicated to the struggle in securing a better Guyana for all through the pages of Kaieteur News and the Kaieteur Radio. Lall said, “This courageous young lady has been at the forefront of the fight against this injustice being done to the Guyanese people with that ExxonMobil 2016 Contract that the PPP Government does not want to hear or talk about. Her devotion to truth has now resulted in her being ridiculed in the vilest way imaginable.”

Office of the Prime Minister Supply of line hardware and upgrade of network in Linden.

Hecontinued,“ShehasbeenabusedbyPPPagentsjustfor doing the right things, asking questions and writing articles about this wholesale robbery going on in this land today This iswhatourcountryhascometo,thisiswhatourgovernmentis about; this is the kind of people the leadership of this country surroundsthemselveswith,hooliganismandgoons.”

Lall reiterated that he condemns the attack and those who orchestratedit.

Guyana Defence Force

Rehabilitation of main bond headquarters at Coast Guard.

Ayanganna.

Guyana applies to US to borrow G$134B...

From page 20 and natural gas liquids plant, and the ExxonMobil subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), handling the pipeline. The pipeline alone is expected to cost more than US$1 billion. Guyana will also have to find money to pay Exxon back for this investment.

However, the Environmental Assessment Board will have to make a decision on the appeals against the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision not to require a separate environmental impact assessment for the power plant. So major construction cannot begin until this is settled.

Jagdeo said he did not

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want to comment on the matter until the decision is handed down. A meeting was hosted at the Cara Lodge in Georgetown in March. However, there are concerns about whether it was fair, due to a triple conflict of interest involving three senior government officials appointed to the board.

The government also has to finalise several permitting documents, including the Liza Phase One field development plan.

Jagdeo said the Liza project is built with a 20-year lifespan, and insinuated that the government will have to grant an extension to accommodate the Gas-to-Energy project.

Anticipated oil refinery comes with serious...

From page 19 as benzene and heavy metals. These chemicals can contaminate nearby water sources, posing a risk to human health and wildlife. Moreover, if not properly treated, wastewater can also contribute to eutrophication, a process whereby excess nutrients in water bodies lead to harmful algal blooms and the death of marine life.

In January last, an environmental watchdog called Environmental Integrity Project released a report on water pollution from refineries in the United States.

(https:// environmentalintegrity.org/ wp-content/uploads/2023/ 01/Oils-Unchecked-Outfalls-

03.06.2023.pdf)

It said there is compelling evidence that refinery discharges pose real threats to public health and aquatic ecosystems. For example, the watchdog pointed out that, near the BP Whiting Refinery’s outfall into Lake Michigan in Northern Indiana, surfers and swimmers at a nearby beach report rashes, hives and infections. It also said that the thousands of pounds of a heavy metal (selenium) discharged by refineries into waterways every year is likely the cause of a spinal deformity observed in some fish. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, selenium can cause reproductive impairments in aquatic life.

Another concern is the potential for oil spills during the transportation and storage of crude oil and refined products. Even with the most rigorous safety measures in

place, accidents can happen, and oil spills can cause lasting damage to the environment. A spill could contaminate local water sources, devastate marine ecosystems, and harm the livelihoods of fishermen and other coastal communities.

For example, in January 2022, nearly 12,000 barrels of crude oil spilled into the sea offshore Peru. The spill came from an oil tanker that was unloading crude at La PamPilla Refinery, owned by Repsol. Euro Green News reported that the slick affected more than 174 hectares of beach, killing birds, sea lions and penguins. But even worse was its impact on people. The publication said more than 700,000 people are thought to have been affected and dozens of businesses forced to close. Thousands lost their livelihoods. (https:/ /www.euronews.com/green/ 2023/01/05/ecological-disas-

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While being cognizant of the economic benefits to Guyana, it will be critical for Guyana and the operator of the refinery to carefully manage these potential environmental risks.

Several companies have thrown in bids to build the refinery, which government intends to be modular, and able to process 30,000 barrels of crude per day.

Government intends for the facility to be owned and operated by the private sector, with no investment or ownership role for the government.

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo said the decision to encourage the project is motivated by a desire for Guyana to become energy secure. No decision has been taken yet on the way forward with this venture.

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UG student prevented robbery...

From page 37 home and sleep”, Alexandra recalled.

It is unclear if Jerry had made it home but the waterfalls learnt that he went for a lime at the Kitty seawalls with a male friend.

Later that evening while he was still at the seawall a female friend called him and invited him for a drink at the ECD bar. Clueless about what was about to happen, Jerry and his male left and went to meet her. The waterfalls understand that they arrived around 22:00hrs, chose a table outside and chatted for about ten minutes before tragedy struck. Two masked men armed with guns rushed into the bar and stopped at their table first to begin their loot. One of them attacked Jerry’s female friend and tried to take away her cell phone.

Reportedly seeing them

“ruffing her up”, Jerry decided to intervene and protect her from further assault, but in doing so he put his own life on the line. His fought back with the bandits also allowed other patrons to secure themselves inside the bar behind a locked gate. Jerry and his friends were left alone outside with the gunmen. They recalled that the men beat him with their guns and fired off some shots. Jerry fell to the ground and the men ran away. They noted that he was bleeding from the neck. At first they thought he was shot but when they arrived at the city hospital, doctors there said it was a stab wound.

Jerry’s sister was notified and immediately rushed down to hospital just in time to have one last conservation with her brother before he went into surgery.

Jerry reportedly told his

sister “we get beat up” but could not recall being stabbed.

“He seh that dem lash he in he head with a gun and he get blackout but no more details”, Alexandra recounted before remembering her brother’s last words, “Ah thirsty… I want to go home”.

Alexandra said that they took him into surgery immediately but he came out brain dead. Doctors explained to his loved ones that the stab wound had severed a main artery in his neck and prevented enough blood from reaching his brain. Jerry died a week later.

When asked why Jerry would make a fatal decision to fight off two gunmen, his sister said that he had one weakness and that was to protect and defend females because he grew with four sisters.

Gunmen hijack car at Plum Park....

From page 12 jurisdiction and he was sent to Turkeyen Police Station.

Reid was then forced to walk the long journey without any money and any form of communication back to the Sophia area.

Luckily, a friend was pass-

ing and offered to take him to the police station. “He ask me how I walking and I tell me wa happen and he drop me to the station”, Reid said. After taking the report ranks, visited the area where Reid’s car was hijacked but found nothing of evidential value except for a

few papers and envelopes that were tossed out of the car by the hijackers.

Anyone with information about Reid’s stolen car can contact the nearest police station or make contact with Reid on cell mobile number: 661 3303.

apartment for rent at 13 Stewartville Pasture, opposite the secondary school. Call: 649-2179.

‘EdenClay’forallyourhandmadebody...

Frompage62 noted that she has managed to overcome these hurdles and move forward with her operations.

Whenaskedaboutthelong-termgoalfor herbusiness,Amsterdammentionedthatshe wants to see EDENCLAY becoming a household name for luxury personal care products

Sheexpressedthatitshouldbethegoto choicewhenthinkingofcreatingorbuilding an indulgent self-care routine for oneself or someonespecial.

Amsterdam who is of the belief that young entrepreneurs are very crucial in our society, mentioned that providing a space where young people can go and showcase their talent and skills can help boost small

Therewasaconspiracytoget...

businessesinGuyana

Accordingtoher“Creatingaspacewhere many young Guyanese can pursue their dreamsisimportant.

Ihaveseencountlessinitiativesbyprivate andpublicentities.

For instance, this weekend the ministry is hosting a “We Lift” activity to amplify the voices of female entrepreneurs and I think initiatives like these keep business owners hopeful and motivated.”

Persons desirous of purchasing any of Amsterdam’s products can find her at DATYOGASHOP located at 39 Anira Street Queenstown

Alsoyoucanmakecontactwithhervia telephonenumber(592)625-2510

DomesticViolenceisheretostay...

Frompage5 is operable in many places: South Korea; United States (California, Florida, Guam, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana and Wisconsin-legalised the chemical castration of rapists and molesters as a conditionofsentencingoras a means of early release); The Czech Republic; Ukraine;Nigeria.

I am still ‘bamboozled’ by human rights activists whoareagainstthisoptionto deal with ‘feral’ men in societies.

So going back two years ago,theMinisterdidexplain to the country that “She (Nicola Wilson) is not your (Brummel’s) property to be usedandabused.

Her life matters to all of usinthiscountry.”

So, I ask the Minister if anythinghaschanged?

I say ‘yes ’ They have gottenfarworse!

At that time, she lamented that “If there is a disagreement and she wants toleavetolbecauseofyears ofabuse,lether

If there is an argument, do not use your fists or weaponsorwordstoharmor kill ”

She urged, in a forlorn wayalmost,that“…people, whohavefriendsorrelatives in an abusive situation, to call 914 before the situation turnsdeadly.”

Back then, this was a hugeLOL.

Now ‘chop-up,’ men on women, and men on men is well and truly the ‘thing of theday.’

Letmebackupagain.

I often read in letter columns that Minsters Robeson Benn and Juan Edghillarevirtualstand-up comedians.

They, like Vindhya, do not function in a ‘real Guyana.’Letmeexplain.

I go back to October 2021, when the Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, ‘proclaimed’that roadside vendors along the main roadways of Georgetown

“…will have to relocate or seekalternativejobs.”

This norm has gathered momentum Edghill is a ‘talker.’

This is the man who repeatedly keeps saying that ‘road side hustle’ trend will sooncometoanend.

Then as for Robeson Benn, just last month he tickled the populace, saying that “Anew app, currently in its final stages of development, is set to change the way citizens can file reports on crimes occurring in the public transportsector.”

Hedetailedthat“Theapp will allow passengers to record misdemeanors and incidents on public transportation, giving the PoliceForceaforumtodeal w i t h t h e s e i s s u e s immediately “OBenn.”“Howwarped canyoube?”

This Minister said that “the app’s importance in improving public safety andreducingcrimeonpublic transport” resides in the police, who will take those reports and treat them with all seriousness and do not dismiss, ignore or be unjust to persons who report abuse.”

He promised that “We will continue to provide trainingforthepolice(aswe havebeendoing) ”

I repeat, like Benn and Edghill,theHumanServices and Social Security Minister, has joined the podium of stand-up comedians.

I mean do 911, 914 and whatever you want to add, reallyexistinGuyana?

So,this“drafting(of)the new domestic violence legislation, that supposedly will cater to newer forms of violence and further protect and respond to the societal ill of domestic violenceaffectingGuyanese families,’ will be another wastedventure.

I guess it keeps

Guyaneseculture,itpresents aniceveneer

Let me ask the ‘good’ Ministerafewquestions.

Whocanenforcelawsin Guyana?

Ianswer:“Notthepolice force on behalf of ordinary citizens. Who can see to it that Orders of Restraint be a reality?

Who can ensure ‘child support?Wherewill‘fleeing womengo?

You have a haven for them?Isthereafinancialand mentalsupportsystem?

Guyanacannotevenfixa simple garbage-collecting system, stop the noise nuisance or the traffic madness, and leaders are talking about protecting victims of violence, namely women.GetRealJokers!

So, like noise and traffic woes, nothing whatsoever willchange.

The caravan show continues, and since Ministers of Government, affluent citizens, and those with the right connections aresafeintheirphysicaland financials citadels, ‘to hell’ with everyone and everything.

In writing and talking, we all know that the Government of Guyana is (supposed to be) committed tobuildinganationdevoidof gender discrimination, guaranteeingequalaccessto political, social and economic wealth creation opportunitiesforwomenand men; and developing a culture that places premium on the protection of all includingchildren.

Andforsure, thiswillbe duplicated in the “Drafting of new domestic violence legislation, (that is) in the finalstage.”

And that is where it will remain.

Iadviseourwomen.

If you have to find a refuge,donotcallthepolice station, or 911 and 914. Run outofthecountry.

Yourstruly, GaylordRiley.

Frompage6 critical step in the process. Missing that step proved fataltothesuspensionofthe members of the Police

Service Commission

According to Justice Persaud, by missing that c r i t i c a l s t e p t h e suspensionwas “unlawful, ultraviresArticle225ofthe Constitution, arbitrary, unreasonable, unfair, in violation of the suspended C h a i r m a n ’ s a n d C o m m i s s i o n e r s ’ constitutional rights to the protectionofthelawanddue processofthelaw,null,void andofnolegaleffect”.

Article 225 of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana sets out the process for removing members of a constitutional Commission. That process includes the President establishing a Tribunal to investigate any allegationofmisbehavior

The Tribunal is established by the President on recommendations from the Judicial Service Commission.Therehasbeen no Judicial Service Commission since September2017.

The Attorney General argues that in the Aubrey Norton v The Attorney General case, the Chief

Justice ruled that the appointment of the Acting CommissionerofPolicewas lawfulbecausetherewasno Leader of the Opposition, at thattime,forthePresidentto consult as stipulated in the Constitution.

The major difference in the two cases is that the President is not responsible for the appointment of the Leader of the Opposition; whereas, he is solely responsible for the appointmentofthemembers of the Judicial Service Commission. It is therefore disingenuous for the Attorney General to argue thatthetwocasesaresimilar Theyarenot!Aspointedout by Justice Persaud “it is my considered view that the failure to constitute the J u d i c i a l S e r v i c e Commission cannot be relied upon to excuse the unconstitutional act of s u s p e n d i n g t h e s e constitutionalofficeholders. The failure to constitute the

J u d i c i a l S e r v i c e

Commission is the

President’s burden to bear

All members of the Judicial Service Commission are appointed by the President, after he has meaningfully consulted with the relevant constitutionally prescribed functionaries In these

proceedings, no evidence has even been adduced which would indicate that the President took steps to constitute the Judicial ServiceCommission”.

The President and the Attorney General must explain to the Guyanese public why the relevant provisions of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana were ignored, and why the President moved with break-neck speed to unlawfully suspend the Police Service Commission on June 16, 2021, a mere fifty-two(52)daysbeforeits lifewasduetoautomatically end. Was it because of the anticipated unfavorable ruling which was scheduled to be delivered on June 18, 2021, in the Fixed Date Application brought by Senior Superintendent Calvin Brutus, et al, on December 30, 2020, to stop thepromotions?

Since the Attorney General has shown a propensity to be loquacious, I hope he provides answers totheabove.

Sincerelyyours, Paul Slowe CCH, DSM, Assistant Commissioner of Police(Retired) Former Chairman of the PoliceServiceCommission

TIGI,OGGNandPNCWomen'sarmcondemn...

Frompage13 content follows closely on the heels of questions that senior leaders of the incumbent administration find objectionable.”

The GPAsaid it remains in contact with several regional and international organisationsandhasplaceditsconcernsfor thesafetyofjournalistsinGuyanaasamajor concern.

The Association further urged for international assistance to “fight this harassmentofmediaoperativesinGuyana.”

The Association also stated that it will endorse any effort by media operatives to havetheGuyanaPoliceForceinvestigatethe violationof theCyber CrimeAct, as wellas the violation of the rights of women by the WomenandGenderEqualityCommission.

TheGPAsaidtoothatitregardssuchacts as not only an attempt to harass the media from asking searching questions, but also a form of intimidation that ultimately endangers the lives of media operatives by those who may feel emboldened by such posts. With a significant majority of media workers being women, the GPA urged all media workers to ensure that the leadership of their bodies is always in a position to defend their collective rights locally, regionallyandinternationally

In a separate statement of condemnation

onThursdayKaieteurNewsPublisher,Glenn Lall said the attack on Bagot represents an all-time low he never expected certain governmentaffiliateswouldreach.

Lall said Bagot is a woman of class, someone who earned his respect, while noting that he is repulsed by the smear campaign launched against her The publisher said too that Bagot has been a tireless contributor and dedicated to the struggle in securing a better Guyana for all through the pages of Kaieteur News and the KaieteurRadio.

Lall said, “This courageous young lady has been at the forefront of the fight against this injustice being done to the Guyanese peoplewiththatExxonMobil2016Contract that the PPP Government does not want to hearortalkabout.

Herdevotiontotruthhasnowresultedin her being ridiculed in the vilest way imaginable ”

He continued, “She has been abused by PPP agents just for doing the right things, asking questions and writing articles about this wholesale robbery going on in this land today. This is what our country has come to, this is what our government is about; this is the kind of people the leadership of this country surrounds themselves with, hooliganism and goons ”

Young Reggae Girlz crush Anguilla 6-0 to take early Group E lead in Concacaf Women’s Under-20

Championship qualifying

SportsMax - Jamaica’s Under-20 Reggae Girlz took an early lead in Group E of the Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship qualifying thanks to a dominant 6-0 win over Anguilla at the Estadio Nacional De Futbol in Nicaragua on Friday.

Jamaica were up 5-0 at halftime though goals from Davia Richards (1’), Dannique Wilson (15’), Destiny Powell (27’), Natoya Atkinson (29’) and Tiny Seaton (43’). They added one in the second half to complete the scoring. Elsewhere in Group E, Honduras secured a

Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz crushed Anguilla 6-0 in their opener.

comfortable 6-1 win over Bermuda at the same venue.

Group A leaders Canada were the biggest winners of the day with a mammoth 15-0 win over Martinique at Estadio Panamericano. El Sal-

Sunday April 16, 2023

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)

Today your brain is supercharged, Aries. If you've been thinking about doing some writing or have put off analyzing a particularly tricky problem, this would be the perfect day to get started.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

With today's planetary energy, you'll find yourself a little more extraverted than usual, Taurus. You'll finally be able to say what you really think about things.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

Today you're unstoppable! You're a very hard worker by nature, and with the current planetary alignment you'll be able to accomplish even more than usual.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

Discard those items from the past for which you really no longer have use. As much as you like to surround yourself with objects of sentimental value.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)

Intimacy will be in the air over the next few days. Loved ones suddenly want to spend more time with you, and you'll want to invite friends over every night! By all means, do.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22)

Feeling unusually adventurous, Virgo? You're often motivated by your idealistic expectations, and the planetary configurations today .

vador beat Cuba 2-1 in the day’s other Group A game. All group winners will advance to the Concacaf Under20 Women’s Championship in The Dominican Republic from May 24-June 3.

Bagnaia smashes lap record to take Americas GP pole

(Reuters) - Ducati’s reigning MotoGP world champion Francesco Bagnaia smashed the circuit lap record to take pole position for the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, Texas, yesterday.

The pole was the Italian’s first of the season, and 12th of his career, after starting the previous two races in Portugal and Argentina on the front row and taking a double victory in the opening round.

The factory team rider’s best lap of two minutes 01.892 seconds, at an average speed of 162.8 kph, secured pole for yesterday’s later sprint and today’s race at the Circuit of the Americas.

It was the first time a rider had lapped the circuit inside two minutes and two seconds.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

The celestial energy signals a pleasant change for you today, Libra. Finally, the overpowering emotions that have been surging from your relationships will subside. You are now beginning a more contemplative phase.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

This is a good day to devote time and thought to spiritual pursuits, Scorpio. Do something inspirational that instills a sense of wonder deep in your soul.

SAGIT (Nov.22–Dec.21)

A new phase in your life is beginning, Sagittarius. The previous phase could be interpreted as having taught you to be serious and devoted to professional responsibilities.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

Today's aspects might clear up some rather sketchy ideas about your professional future, Capricorn. If you long for a change, such as daring to undertake a more artistic pursuit.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

You have acquired some sound confidence in yourself, Aquarius. Now it is time for you to show everyone else by actually putting it to use in your life.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)

Today's planetary energy should compel you to commit certain acts of self-affirmation that are needed to define your territory and protect your rights.

LCR Honda’s Alex Rins, second but 0.161 off the pole pace, and VR46 Ducati’s Luca Marini completed the front row.

Gresini Ducati rider Alex Marquez, VR46 Ducati’s championship leader Marco Bezzecchi and Aprilia’s Alex Espergaro filled the second row.

Marquez’s brother Marc, a six-times world champion in the top category, is not racing in Texas this weekend after being injured in the opening race in Portimao.

Francesco Bagnaia (1) of Italy and Ducati Lenovo Team rounds turn 11 during the MotoGP second free practice at Circuit of the Americas. (Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY Sports)

NBA fine Dallas Mavericks $750,000 for resting key players

BBC Sport -TheDallas Mavericks have been fined $750,000 by the NBA for resting key players against the Chicago Bulls despite beinginplay-offcontention.

In a statement, the NBA

said they had shown “a desire” to lose in order to improve their chances of getting a top-10 pick in this summer’sdraft.

NBA executive vice president Joe Dumars said

the Mavericks’ actions had “failed our fans and our league”.

Mavericksweredefeated 115-112 by the Bulls on 7 April.

Dallas said Kyle Irving,

Tim Hardaway Jr and Maxi Kleber were all nursing injuries while Josh Green and Christian Wood were beingrested.

All five players - plus Luka Doncic, who played only12minutes-featuredin their previous win over the Sacramento Kings, which led to the accusations of ‘tanking’ - fielding a weakened side in order to lose and improve their draft chances.

A lower finish in the overall standings would have boosted Dallas’ hopes of signing highly-rated French teenager Victor Wembanyama.

“TheMavericksviolated the league’s player resting policy and demonstrated through actions and public s t a t e m e n t s t h e organization’s desire to lose thegameinordertoimprove the chances of keeping its first-round pick in the 2023

the Chicago Bulls.

NBA draft,” the statement said.

“The league did not find that the players who participated in the game werenotplayingtowin.”

Dumars added Dallas had “undermined the integrityofoursport”.

If Dallas secure a top-10 pick for the 2023 draft they get to keep it, but if the pick is11thorlower,itgoestothe New York Knicks as final payment for the January 2019 trade to sign Latvian forwardKristapsPorzingis.

Alotterytodeterminethe final order for the draft in Junewillbeheldon16May Miami and Minnesota maketheplay-offs

During Friday’s play-in tournament, Jimmy Butler and Max Strus both scored 31 points as theMiamiHeat gained the final Eastern Conference play-off spot with a 102-91 victory over theChicagoBulls.

Miami will be the number eight seeds and will face the top-seeded MilwaukeeBucksinthefirst round, which starts in Milwaukeetoday

Strusscored23pointsin thefirsthalfandmadeseven six-pointers overall for the Heat, while Butler made 22 ofhis31pointsinthesecond half The Minnesota Timberwolves also advanced to the play-offs with a comfortable 120-95 victory against the OklahomaCityThunder

Karl-Anthony Towns had 28 points and 11 rebounds and Rudy Gobert had 21 points and 10 reboundsonhisreturnfroma one-game suspension as the Timberwolves claimed the eighth-seed spot in the WesternConference.

They will take on the DenverNuggets,whoarethe top seeds, in the opening roundonMonday

Alfred runs world-leading 21.91 200m at Tom Jones Memorial, Thompson-Herah finishes second in Olympic Development race

SportsMax - Julien

Alfred took her incredible indoor form outdoors on Friday, running a worldleading 21.91 to win the CollegeWomen200matthe Tom Jones Memorial Invitational in Gainesville, Florida.

Alfred, the Texas Longhorn senior who ran a NCAA record 22.01, the second fastest time ever indoors to win the NCAA IndoorNationalslastmonth, also established a new national record in the event that was contested over two heats.

Lenae Thomas also of Texas was second overall in a wind-aided 22 30 (+3 1m/s) that won the secondheat.

Alfred ran a world-leading 21.91 at the Tom Jones Memorial on Friday

MacKenzie Long of Ole Miss, second in Alfred’s heat, was third overall in 22.31.

Kevona Davis, who was third in Alfred’s heat ran 22.47forfifthoverall.

In the Women Olympic Development 200m, World Championship100mbronze

medallist ElaineThompsonHerah, running her first 200moftheseason,finished insecondplaceinherheatin 23.23, a time good enough forsecondoverall.

Melissa Jefferson of the USA, who won ThompsonHerah’sheat,wasthefastest withatimeof23.02.

Luka Doncic (centre, covering his face with his hand) was taken off during the first quarter against

Guyana Badminton Association Gumdac Tournament concludes

Priyanna Ramdhani and Akili Hayes copped two Gold medals each at the recently concluded Guyana Badminton Association’s Gumdac Tournament which culminated on Friday after four days of intense competition amongst the players. The tournament saw players from the Nursery Badminton Academy, The Yonex Badminton Club and the Berbiceteamcompeting.

Following the pattern of

thepreviousdays,theenergy in the National Gymnasium was electric as the players competed in the final matches.

The Boys’ Under-19 final was exhilarating as Berbice’s Xavio Alexander bested the number one ranked player in the Under19drawJoanathanDebidin.

The last match of the evening was nail biting and hadspectatorsontheedgeof theirseatsuntilthelastpoint was played. The Men’s

Doubles was thrilling as the seasoned players competed against the younger ones with the game going to best of three games. The crowd wasinaweasWenYuanChe showed off his jump smash skills as he and Marlon Chung competed against AkiliHaynes/TyreseJeffrey In the end,Akili and Tyrese werevictorious.

Below are the results fromthefinals: Mixed Doubles Finals: Akili Haynes/Priyanna

Ramdhani bt Tyrese

Jeffrey/AmbikaRamraj: 21-8,21-10

Under 19 Boy’s Finals: Joanathan Debidin lost to XavioAlexander:17-21,1921

Women’s Doubles F i n a l s : P r i y a n n a Ramdhani/Ambika Ramraj bt. Anna Perreira/Shivannie Persaud:21-8,21-6

Under 19 Girl’s Finals: Mishka Beharry bt. Malia Haley:21-7,21-4

Men’s Doubles Finals:

Akili Haynes/Tyrese Jeffrey

bt.MarlonChung/WenYuan

Chen: 19-21,21-17,21-16

The presentation was done immediately after the finals and the GDA VicePresident Ayanna Watson thanked the Sponsor Darrell Carpenay of GUMDAC for sponsoring this tournament for the last nine (9) years. She also thanked the N a t i o n a l S p o r t s Commission for sponsoring the bus that brought the Team to and from Berbice

every day, Ms. Chrisitina Kumar for providing the refreshments daily and the parentsfortheirsupport. Ramdhani and Haynes travelled out after the event toattendaBadmintonCamp hostedbyBadmintonPanam andPanamSportsthereafter they will attend the Panam Individual Championship in Kingston Jamaica, which started yesterday April 15, 2023. The camp and the tournament are a lead up to thePanamGames.

smashes lap record to take Americas GP pole

Bagnaia

(Reuters) - Ducati’s reigning MotoGP world champion Francesco

Bagnaia smashed the circuit lap record to take polepositionfortheGrand Prix of the Americas in Austin,Texas,yesterday

The pole was the Italian’sfirstoftheseason, and12thofhiscareer,after starting the previous two races in Portugal and Argentina on the front row andtakingadoublevictory intheopeninground.

The factory team rider’s best lap of two minutes01.892seconds,at an average speed of 162.8 kph, secured pole for yesterday’s latersprintand today’s race at the Circuit

of theAmericas. It was the firsttimeariderhadlapped the circuit inside two minutesandtwoseconds.

LCR Honda’s Alex Rins, second but 0.161 off the pole pace, and VR46 Ducati’s Luca Marini completedthefrontrow

Gresini Ducati rider Alex Marquez, VR46 Ducati’s championship leader Marco Bezzecchi and Aprilia’s Alex Espergarofilledthesecond row

Marquez’s brother Marc, a six-times world champion in the top category, is not racing in Texas this weekend after being injured in the openingraceinPortimao.

Akili Haynes and Tyrese Jeffrey.

Priyanna Ramdhani andAkili Haynes.

The overall prize winners take a photo after the presentation.

BarticaEasterRegatta-‘WeOutside’

Reinvesting in the product a priority; 2023 edition a a resounding financial success – Chairman Williams

Thisyear’seditionofthe Bartica Easter Regatta has turned out to be a huge success on every front, so says the Chairman of the Regatta Committee, Kenneth Williams who also holds the reigns as Regional Chairman.

The multi-faceted event, which has been around for decades, caters to sporting and other social events which have now become a stapleforGuyanesehereand hundredswhoreturntothese shores to absorb the many activities.

Apart from the marquee powerboat races that take place at the Golden Beach Circuit, grass track racing, cricket, cycling, river swimming, and football weretheothersportsevents. There was also the pageant, gospel extravaganza, children’s hat show, One Guyana concert, and a few other social events, all of

whichweresuccessful.

Williams expressed sincere gratitude to the athletes from all disciplines who made the necessary sacrifices to make the event efficacious.

”I would also like to express the gratitude of the organising committee to the fans who supported all the events, the government of Guyana and the various Ministries as well as corporate Guyana whose combined efforts really propelled the entire event to asuccessfulone.”

Williams shared that the preliminary financial analysis of the Easter Regatta has shown that they have racked in well above five-milliondollarsinprofits whichisveryrefreshing.

”I do believe in letting the public know of the positives, because when we sufferloses,wetellofit,soit isquitenecessaryforustolet

thepeopleknowthatwedid fairly well in this ‘We Outside’ edition of Regatta. And this is a result of combined efforts from all and sundry To all, we say a bigthankyou.”

There are a number of plansthatwouldbeactivated Williamspositedtomakethe event,evenmoresolid.

”It is the desired intention of the organising committee to ensure that we re-invest in this Regatta producttomakeitbetter We would also like to help empower our local small businesses to help them compete with those who cometoBarticatoalsoearn.

So, we’ll be working withsmallBarticavendorsto scale up their businesses so that they can compete with large vendors from GeorgetownWe’ll make soft loans available to them to purchasechicken,andtentsfor example, and promote local

World Renowned English Chess Grandmaster Nigel Short to Visit Guyana

Grandmaster Nigel Short MBE, one of thebestEnglishchessplayersinhistory,will embark on a four-day visit to Guyana in the coming week with plans to engage the Governmentandlocalchesscommunityasa catalystfortheadvancementofthesport.

GMShortwillarriveinGuyanaonApril 17thanddepartonApril20th.

During his visit, he will challenge 20 of the country’s top young and emerging chess championsinasimultaneousexhibition.

He will also host a meet and greet on WednesdayApril 19th atAmazonia Mall to engagethepublic.

Mr Short is the FIDE Director for Chess Development; a role he was appointed to since September 2022. He is also widely regarded as one of his generation’s greatest chess players and has made significant contributions to the development and promotion of chess both in the UK and internationally

MrShortearnedhisInternationalMaster titleattheageof14andhisGrandmasterTitle at19.Bothfeatshadmadehimtheyoungest in the world at the time he earned these honours Among his most notable achievements during his career as a chess player are his 1991 magnum opus against Dutchman Jan Timman and his 1993 world championship title showdown with Garry Kasparov

In the famous Timman match, known fondly to the global chess communityas the “King Walk” or “King’s March”, Grandmaster Short dominated the dark squares, then manoeuvred his king up the board to create a mating net. The 1993 title match, which drew an audience of one

Grandmaster Nigel Short

million across television broadcasts, was a lopsided victory for Kasparov GM Nigel Short was the first British player to reach the finaloftheWorldChessChampionshipsince 1935 The match started tragically for Short, who lost on time in a superior position The games were hard fought and thrilling with a finalscoreof12½to7½inKasparov’sfavour

Thethree-timeBritishChampionisalsoa columnist, coach and commentator/analyst who was ranked third in the world by FIDE fromJuly1988toJuly1989.

As someone who has been an influential figure in the development of chess, the Federation is thrilled to welcome him to Guyana to reap the tremendous value of his expertise and assistance in the advancement ofthesport.

ThelastGrandmastertovisitGuyanawas Viktor Bologan in 2018. He is a worldrenowned theoretician and also a prolific chessauthor,havingwrittenseveralbookson chessstrategyandtactics.

partnershiparrangements”

Chairman Williams also noted that the organising committeeisveryconsciousof thechallengesbeingfacedby boat owners and those desirous of racing and they have come up with an approach that would bring somereliefinthisregard

”We have discussed this at length with some other stakeholders also and have decided that some of the finances would be plugged into making more boats availableforraces

One of the other approaches is that we will be approaching the Government of Guyana for tax breaks in relation to high-powered acquisitions for the power boatracerssothatthelocals and enthusiasts can be encouraged to be part of the racing spectacle.This is in directresponsetothepaucity ofracersandthehighcostof participation.” Speaking

Kenneth Williams

about the hosting of the pageant, Williams said that there is always room for improving all the events but with regards to this segment oftheregatta,hesharedthat there will be benchmarks and safeguards in terms of monitoring the franchise holdersforalleventsthatare

franchisedoutsothatthey’ll beheldaccountable.

”More or less, we’ll be working hand in hand on a higher scale to ensure full accountability of all and sundry in making this product a truly huge one for Bartica and by extension Guyana.

Haaland continues to set records in win over Leicester City

MANCHESTER, England,(Reuters)-Erling Haaland continued his jawdropping assault on the PremierLeagueyesterdayas henettedafirst-halfbraceto equal Mo Salah’s singleseason goal-scoring record in Manchester City’s 3-1 victory over beleaguered LeicesterCity

Haaland increased his haulto32goalstotieSalah’s markfora38-gameseasonand the 22-year-old Norwegian scoring machine haseightgamesstilltoplay

Only four days earlier, Haalandhadbecomethefirst player in English football to score a record 45 goals in a season in all competitions during City’s 3-0 win over Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions Leaguequarter-final.

Yesterday, that record tallyincreasedto47goals.

PepGuardiolasatouthis star striker for the second half at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, giving him some restbeforethesecondlegof their Champions League showdownwithBayern.

Guardiola’s side, who

are unbeaten in 14 matches in all competitions, trail leaders Arsenal by three points in the race for the Premier League title that appears to be heading for a pulsating conclusion Arsenal play West Ham today

“I think we are very happy with three more points. Three more points closertoArsenalandweare chasing them,” Manchester midfielder Kalvin Phillips toldBBC.

“Our standards slipped a little towards the end there were a few mistakes and we hadacoupleofsubstitutions. Overall we are happy with thefirst60minutesorso.”

John Stones put City ahead in the in the fifth minute.

With the ball flying around the box like pinball, Stones got his left foot on it to beat keeper Daniel Iversen.

Haalandmadeit2-0with apenaltyinthe12thminute, awarded due to Wilfred Ndidi’s handball. He calmly slotted it into the bottom rightcorner

He scored his second in the 25th minute after Kevin De Bruyne steamrolled past Ndidi to feed Haaland, who finished with a chip past DanielIversen.

Trailing3-0,formerCity man Kelechi Iheanacho pulledonebackforLeicester in the 75th minute on otherwise nightmare afternoon for their interim managerDeanSmith,whose teamare19thwith25points from31gamesintheirbattle toavoidrelegation.

They are two points adriftofthesafetyzone.

“There’s lots we can take,”SmithtoldSkySports. “I’mobviouslydisappointed but a two-goal deficit to the best team in the world isn’t theendoftheworld.

“Our season won’t be defined here, we have a run of games where we have to winmatches.”

Leicester had a couple more late scoring chances. CitykeeperEdersonstopped James Maddison’s pointblank shot after a one-onone.Iheanacho’slongshotin injury time clanged off the post.

Battle on for the 2nd annual Mahaica Softball Cricket Cup today

Exciting softball cricket action is expected when defending Champions Rohan Auto Spares take on several other teams today (Sunday)asthebattleforthe 2nd Mahaica Softball Cricket Cup title takes is up for grabs at the Strathavon Sports Club Ground in Mahaica.

According to the organisers the competition willbeplayedonaone-game ten-overs aside knock-out formatwithlotsofprizesup forgrabs.

Battling for supremacy will be Strathavon All Stars A, Rohan Auto Spares, Strathavon All Stars B, Super Giants, Outlaws All Stars, Adventure’s, Hit Machines, Ministry of Natural Resources One Guyana Softball team, Cane Grove High Performance, Premier Insurance Softball TeamandSuccess.

Prizeswillbeawardedto the Winner, Runner-up, 3rd Place, MVP, Most Runs Scored in an Innings, Best BowlerinanInnings,Manof the Final, and all the games willhaveamanofthematch award.

Supporting the event are Viscom,KKServiceStation, MahaicaRiverTours,Motor Trend, High-Level Bar and Lounge, and N. Bhopaul Trucking and Construction Svs.

Patronswillalsohavethe opportunity in being part of the day’s excitement as several side attractions are also slated for males and females such asTug-A-War, Sack Race, 100m Sprint, Beer Drinking and Dancing Competitions along with well-stock bar, BBQ on sale and music will be provided byChampionSoundSystem. R e s i d e n t s a r e encouraged to support the event.

Guyana has its first ever IBA ranked female fighters

Hutson out!

…AAGGeneralCouncilmovesnoconfidence

Th e G e n e r a l Council of the A t h l e t i c s Association of Guyana (AAG) at a meeting yesterday at the National Racquet Centre, voted unanimously to remove Aubrey Hutson as the Association’sPresident.

First Vice President, Amanda Hermonstine will now act as the AAG’s President,becomingthefirst person other than Hutson to sit at the helm of track and fieldinGuyanain12years.

The move by theAAG’s General Council follows in the wake of the welldocumented CARIFTA games team debacle, along with a series of other events that saw many in the local sporting spectrum calling forHutson’sremoval.

transportation arrangements for Guyanese athletes who participated in the CARIFTA Games, held in Nassau,Bahamas.

reportedly had no time to rest before participating in theirrespectiveevents.

Guyana has recorded its first ever IBA ranked female fighters Sisters Abiola and Alesha Jackman both represented Guyana at the Women’s World Championship in New Delhi,Indialastmonth.

“Their subsequent world ranking is testimony to the fact that with greater exposure comes bigger successes,” stated GuyanaBoxingAssociationPresidentSteve Ninvalle.

“The Guyana Boxing Association will leave no stone unturned in its quest to providethebestforitsathletesandofficials. We congratulate the two sisters and urge them to remain focused as the road they are on is littered with opportunities,” Ninvalle encouraged.

Abiola has a rank of 27 in the Elite Women’s Division 81+KG Heavy division, whileAleshaisranked58intheEliteWomen 60-63KGLightWelterweightDivision.

Severalathletes,pastand present,hadpubliclyvoiced theirdisapprovalatHutson’s leadershipattheAAG.

Only recently Hutson said many in the Council were asking him to stay-on astheAAG’spresident.

Just last week, theAAG facedseverebacklashfornot properly handling the

Theteamwasreportedly left stranded in Cuba for some time, before last minute arrangements were made to transport them to Nassau

However, when they arrived, several of the athletes had already missed theireventsandwereforced to participate in a clock trial Some of the athletes

Mere days after, the AAG came under fire again after the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) revealed that the AAG had n o t f u l f i l l e d i t s requirements to submit the names of athletes and officials for the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games which will be held in El Salvador and Dominican Republic in June.

Abiola on the left andAlesha Jackman with GBAPresident Steve Ninvalle.

Amanda Hermonstine

Aubrey Hutson

Mr. Bhopaul owner of N. Bhopaul Trucking and Construction Svs handing over sponsorship to a rep of Strathavon Sports Club.

Ms. Nivana Mentore sale rep of RohanAuto Spares handing over sponsorship to Mr. Martinof StrathavonAll Stars sports Club.

2023 ‘Learn to Swim’ programme concludes

The Ministry of Culture

Yo u t h a n d S p o r t s (MCY&S), National Sports Commission (NSC) and GuyanaAmateurSwimming Association (GASA) 2023 Easter Vacation ‘Learn to Swim’ programme concluded yesterday across allfourlocations.

The 2023 ‘Learn to Swim’which unfolded over the past two weeks were deemed successful in every essence of the word, with over two thousand participants; the largest single programme of its kind.

OnSaturday,whileatthe NationalAquatic Centre for the closing ceremony, saw hundreds in attendance to witness the end of another successful swimming programme,manyindelight asanewbatchofswimmers w h o w o u l d h a v e successfully completed the 2023programme.

Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle observed that,

Interestingly, some may have attended this year’s programme with little or no idea of how to swim, some may have enhanced their own swimming ability and other may have finally gained the confidences to take part in future programmes after they wouldhaveseentheirfellow peers that would have taken partinthisyear’ssuccessful and incident free programme Kudos! To anyone who would have taken advantage of this chance to learn the requisite skills and overall “know how” of this incredible life talent.

A considerable amount of gratitude must go out to the MCY&S and the NSC for its initiatives in holding such a successful p r o g r a m m e I t i s programmes of this nature that stands as a buildingblock for many national athletesrighthereinGuyana and the world at large. I’m

surenoonewilldenythefact the sports has taken a different trajectory over the years With that, I am pleased to mention our gold medalist Raekwon Noel for h i s r e s o u n d i n g achievementsattherecently heldCariftaGames;copping five gold medals after he would have taken part in a m a j o r r e g i o n a l championship.

Meanwhile the Minister ofMCY&SCharlesRamson

GCF’s Independence Three-Stage Cycling race set for May 13-14

The National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) 2023 Independence

Three-Stage race event is scheduled to pedal off on Saturday 13th – 14th May

Cycling fans are dared to witness the 40th edition of the nation’s most prestige cycling meet which unfolds thisyear

The event has an estimated 12 million in cash andprizesupforgrabsatthis year’s race, which is shared between the four different categories Lastyear,sawthe crowning of Akil Campbell outofTrinidadandTobagoas hepedaledtosupremacy

The event encompasses of the Elite race, as well as a Junior’s category, Veteran andPrimecategoryrace First stagestartsatCorrivertonand proceedstoNewAmsterdam, Second Stage rolls off from RosignoltoCarifestaAvenue (Georgetown) and the final Stage will leave from Kara Kara, Linden to culminate at HomestretchAvenue

First prize of the Elite race stands at whooping $150,000, while second, third, fourth, fifth place finish will also be rewarded substantially Winnersofthe Vets race will be rewarded $70,000, $50,000 and

$30,000forfirst,secondand third place finish respectively, while Junior’s will be rewarded within the same margin. For the Prime raceasmallmonetaryaward is set aside for every participant involved. Stage prizeforthiseventwillrange from$30,000to$15,000.All winners will also be given trophiesforparticipation.

Meanwhile, President of

n Dowridge says, he is optimistic of a bright future forCyclingunderthepresent

Government.

According to Dowridge, “Over the past years, the Federation has fostered a good relationship with the NationalSportsCommission (NSC), and we are getting overwhelming support from Director of Sports Steve Ninvalleandhisteam.”

The 2023 Independence 3-Stage race is also sponsored by the National Sports Commission. Further details regarding this event will be published as soon as it is made available to KaieteurNews.

2023 participants demonstrate their Breaststroke technique at the

Jr speaking at the closing ceremony stated, “The successofthisprogrammeis the success of your partnership and the partnership that the government is leading; that you are collaboratively beingapartof.Thatistosay, the outcome is successful because we all share the same goal which is the overall development of the countryandourpeople.”

The Minister also

closing ceremony yesterday

expressed appreciation to theGuyanaPoliceForceand the Guyana Defence Force for assisting with coaching aspect of this programme. It was indeed a challenge finding fifty-eight coaches to be present across the four locations.

Minister Ramson in a brief comment also hinted that come June-July there will now have another swimming programme designed for the adult, so

they too can learn to swim. Healsomentionedthatvery soonattheNationalAquatic Centre (NAC), there will be having open-days for the general public, perhaps on the weekends where everyone will be given an equalopportunitytodevelop their swimming skills. He also made an official announcement that before theendofthisyear,theNAC willbecompletelylitsoasto facilitatenightswimming.

Deonarine lead performances in DCB U-17 Inter-Association Tourney

2023 partly sponsored by Team Mohamed

In round 2 of the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) Under-17 InterAssociation Tournament whichispartlysponsoredby Team Mohamed, Romeo Deonarine scored a brilliant unbeaten double century as Vikash Wilkinson smashed anunbeatenhalf-century

Over at the Enmore Community Center Ground, East Coast Demerara won the toss and elected to bat, scoring a well-composed 391 for 1 from their allotted 50 overs. Captain Romieo Deonarine led his side as he scored a brilliant unbeaten double-centuryof204,while Vice-Captain Nicholas Shiopersaud chipped in, scoring an unbeaten 80 and was supported by Vikash Wilkinson, who scored 69. Cory Charles collected the lonewicket.

In reply, Upper Demerarastruggledtoreach theirtargetscoring36allout from 12 5 overs Suresh Sugrim was the most instrumental bowler grabbing4for13,whileAlex Datterdeencollected3for6. EastCoastDemerarawonby 355runs.

Over at Farm Ground, Georgetown won the toss and elected to bat, scoring 162for9fromtheirreduced 25 overs which was due to early showers Shiloh Adams top scored with 29 while opener Kishna Silas chippedinwith32andlower order batter Stephon Sankar 20 Farhan Hussain and SayyadLakeramcollected2 for 28 and 2 for 57, respectively, while David Manohar, Deonarine Dindial, Jovind Ducan and Roupie Rajaram took 1

wicketapiece.

In reply, East Bank Demerara reached their target of 163 in a nail-biting finish after they lost 5 wickets in their allotted 25 overs David Manohar scored a constructed 52, Deonarine Dindial contributed 36, and Devin Roopnarine 26 Wavell Allen, Renaldo Grenville, Jonathon Van Lange, Riyad Latif and Stephon Sankar collectedonewicketapiece. EastBankwonby5wickets.

In the third round of the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB), Under-17 InterAssociation Tournament partly sponsored by Team Mohamed, West Demerara will battle Upper Demerara atZeeburg,whileEastCoast Demerara will face East Bank Demerara today Sunday,April16,2023.

Nicholas Shioprasad Romeo Deonarine Suresth Sugrim

Scenes from last year as Team Foundation riders -Akil Campbell (left) and Jamaul John celebrated after crossing the finish line.

2023 Kares Crossfit Championship Day 1… Guyanese maintain firm position heading into second day da

The opening day of the K a r e s C r o s s f i t Championship ended with the Guyanese athletes positioned nicely in the driver’s seat, holding top positions in both Male and Femalecategories.

Yeaterday’s opening round of events at the NationalAquaticCenterand the National Park featured theTriathlonand1-repback squat, which saw the Guyanese contingent finishinginthetop3forboth

categories.

Suriname’s Ava Zalman topped the Women’s RX categorywith192points.

However, closely trailing was Guyanese star Delcie Adonis who was a fewpointsbelowthenumber one placed Zalman, ending with180,whileAurelieTian Soi Po of French Guiana, roundedoffthe3rdspotwith 174 points Meanwhile, Local star strong-man, Dillon Mahadeo capped off his day as Male RX points

leader The Guyanese, who is competing on home soil withallintentionstoemerge champion, notched up 176 points.

Another Guyanese in Omissi Williams (158 points), did well on the opening day, coming in at second spot, as Trinidadian Bryant Snaggs finished 3rd fordayone,on152points.

Meanwhile, curtains come down today with the final events scheduled for 13:00hsattheNationalPark.

Opening day shots from the 2023 Kares Crossfit Championship Triathlon.

Group photo at the NAC as they brought the curtains down at the 2023 Learn to Swim programme.