Kaieteur News

colleges as students stress:

Guyana’s

- first quarter report reveals

Response to ExxonMobil’s will go to technical

Opposition’sconcerns overGovt.absence fromPACmeetings lackmerit-Teixeira

Mechanic remanded for stashing cocaine in lawyer’s car -VPBharrat Jagdeo agencies, not Govt. questionable expenses

Life sentence for man who raped sleeping child

Man lands in court for tormenting pensioner

Guyana’s oil rescues ExxonM from selling off more assets worldwide

Strong advantaged volume growth primarily from Guyana and the B e a u m o n t r e f i n e r y expansion, and structural cost savings helped to offset lower base volumes from divestments, unfavourable

e n t i t l e m e n t s a n d

government-mandated curtailments, and higher expenses from scheduled maintenance, ExxonMobil CorporationsaidonFridayin its first-quarter report on its financialreturns.

Exxon, unlike its Stabroek Block consortium

- first quarter report reveals

partners, reported lower than expectedearningsglobally In declaring revenues earned in its financial report yesterday, the corporation said its “first-quarter earningswereUS$8.2billion versus US$11.4 billion in the firstquarterof2023.”

To this end, it was explained that its upstream first-quarter earnings were US$5.7 billion, a decrease of US$797 million compared to

Mechanic remanded for stashing cocaine in lawyer’s car

Dennis Emmanuel, a mechanic from South Ruimveldt Georgetown, was onFridayremandedtoprison after he was charged with possession of cocaine with thepurposeoftrafficking.

Emmanuel was allegedly caught with 810 grams of cocaine on April 23, 2024 at H a d f i e l d S t r e e t , Georgetown.

He appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates'Court,toanswer the charge Emmanuel pleaded not guilty to the charge that alleged that on April23between22:00hand 23:00hhewasfoundwiththe cocaine.Reports are that the man was caught during a mobile patrol by police on Hadfield Street. Acting on information regarding suspected drugs and a m m u n i t i o n , l a w enforcement officers proceededtoHadfieldStreet, where they encountered Emmanuel, also known as "Natty,"seatedatajunction.

Upon approaching Emmanuel, the police conducted a search, during which they observed two motor vehicles, registered as PLL7613 and PTT682, parked nearby Emmanuel claimed that the PTT682 BMW belonged toAttorneyat-law Gordon Gilhuys and was in his possession for m e c h a n i c a l w o r k Subsequent searches led to the discovery of the cocaine concealed in a black plastic bag within vehicle PTT682, alongside $389,760 also foundinvehiclePLL7613.

Emmanuel reportedly

the same quarter last yea r while the prior-year per iod was also negatively impacted by tax-related identifieditems.”

A c c o r d i n g t o ExxonMobil, “excluding identified items, earnings decreased US$955 million driven by a 32 percent decrease in natural gas realisations and other primarily non-cash impacts from tax and inventory adjustments as well as divestments.”

Jailed: Dennis Emmanuel

admitted ownership of the cocaine, stating, "Offica, the cocaine is my own, I do hustleontheroad."

Further investigations revealed that this was not Emmanuel's first brush with the law regarding narcotics; he was previously charged with offences related to possession of firearms, ammunition, and narcotics forthepurposeoftrafficking.

Emmanuel and the two vehicles were taken to the Brickdam Police Station where the cars were lodged and Emmanuel placed in custody

Meanwhile, on Friday, the Prosecutor objected to bail based on Emmanuel's record of committing crimes ofasimilarnature.

C o n s e q u e n t l y , Emmanuel was remanded to prison. He is scheduled to return to court on May 17, 2024.

developmentinGuyana.

“ P a y a r a r e a c h e d nameplate capacity of 220,000 barrels per day in mid-January, ahead of schedule, demonstrating excellence in project execution and operations,” thereportsaid.

Additionally, the company reported that “advantaged asset volume

To this end, it was observed that net production was 47,000 oil-equivalent barrelsperdaylowerthanthe same quarter last year “with the growth in advantaged Guyana volumes more than offsetting the earnings impact from lower base volumes due to divestments,

overnment-mandated

u r t a i l m e n t s a n d unfavourable entitlement effects.”

A c c o r d i n g t o ExxonMobil, excluding the impacts from divestments,

e n t i t l e m e n t s , a n d

government-mandated curtailments, net production grew 77,000 oil-equivalent barrels per day driven by the start-up of the Payara

growth from Guyana provided a partial offset to lowernaturalgasrealisations and lower base volumes due to unfavourable sales timing andentitlementimpacts.”

A c c o r d i n g t o ExxonMobil, net production in the first quarter was 3.8 millionoil-equivalentbarrels per day, a decrease of 40,000 oil-equivalentbarrelsperday compared to the fourth

q u a r t e r I n G u y a n a specifically, the company reported achieving quarterly gross production of more than 600,000 oil-equivalent barrelsperday

A s i t r e l a t e s t o ExxonMobil fourth and fifth developments in the Stabroek Block, the company in providing an update said construction is underway on the Floating Production Storage and

Offloading (FPSO) vessels for the Yellowtail and Uaru projects, with Yellowtail

anticipated to start production in 2025 and Uaru targetedfor2026.

O n F r i d a y, t h i s publication indicated that the ExxonMobil Stabroek Block

Consortium partners reportedbetterthanprojected returns on their first-quarter returns.

Hess Corporation 30 percent stakeholder in the Stabroek Block reported net income, the company said, was US$972M in the three months ended 31 March, compared to $346 million in the first quarter of 2023, according to the company's latest earnings report.As such, this would mean that Hess's profits have almost tripled over the previous reporting period.

AccordingtoHess,itsoverall net production of oil and gas was 476,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, up 27 percent from 374,000 barrels ofoilperday(bpd)in2023.

The Bakken production surged by 27,000 (bpd), according to Hess, “while Guyana offered up an additional 78,000 (bpd) this quarter.”

The first quarter results

“ s u b s t a n t i a l l y outperformed” expectations, according to a report from

analyst firm TD Cowen Overall production beat projections by 9 percent, while Hess Guyana's output beatconsensusby28percent, Cowennoted.

M e a n w h i l e , o n Wednesday China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC), reported that its first-quarter net profit surged 24 percentto a record, driven by higher realised oil prices andoutputgrowth.

Net income for JanuaryMarch, according to CNOOC, rose to 39.7 billion yuan (US$5.48 billion) from 32.1 billionYuan in the same periodlastyear

Thismuchisdocumented in the company's filing with the Hong Kong Stock ExchangeonThursday

“CNOOC's total net production during the period was 180.1 million barrels of oil equivalent (bpd), up 9.9 percent,creditedtoincreased output from the company's international operations which increased by 16 9 percent, “lifted by higher production in Guyana and Canada.”

As such, the company in January revised its 2024 production target by about 8 percent to a record 700 million to 720 million bpd, while raising the annual capital spending target to newhighs.

Opposition'sconcernsoverGovt.absence fromPACmeetingslackmerit-Teixeira

Intheongoingsagasurroundingthe absence of government members from Public Accounts Committee's (PAC) meetings, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, has issued a response to accusations leveledagainstherandhercolleagues.

In a statement addressing concerns raised by PAC Chairman Jermaine Figueira,Teixeira highlighted what she sees as a lack of merit in the Opposition's claims She criticised even some media outlets for perpetuating these accusations without verifyingtheirvalidity

Teixeira pointed out that the functioning of the PAC in the 12th Parliament has not been diminished compared to previous terms, despite quorum issues. She cited data from the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance's “2023 in Review” press conference, which she claims was ignoredbycritics.

According to Teixeira, the PAC in the 12th Parliament has had 61 meetings over 30 months, surpassing the number of meetings held during the 10th and 11th Parliaments She emphasised that the focus of these

meetings has been on reviewing government agencies' activities during the previous administration, particularly concerning alleged violationsofprocurementregulations.

Teixeira accused the Opposition members of attempting to rush through these reviews to divert attention from pastshortcomings.Sheurgedthemedia to prioritise reporting on the substantive issues uncovered by the PAC,suchasmismanagementofpublic funds and denial of services to vulnerablecommunities.

Responding to concerns about government ministers sitting on the PAC, Teixeira dismissed these. She argued that such participation is e s s e n t i a l f o r p r o v i d i n g a comprehensive analysis of public e x p e n d i t u r e a n d e n s u r i n g accountability

She said, “The Opposition members in the PAC may want the publictoforgettheseharshrealitiesthat directly hurt the people of Guyana, and instead occupy the public's attention with vacuous questions of whether the Government members and Ministers should sit on the PAC, or whether the

members are attending the PAC meetings, and if the committee is meeting enough times. These are mere distractions from the real issues being uncoveredbythePAC.”

The minister said too, “ the insinuations made by the APNU/AFC that Ministers of Government should not sit on the PAC is hypocritical and preposterous as during the APNU+AFC's tenure in Government during the 11th parliament, two of their members on the PAC were sitting Ministers of Government. Those were Mrs. Volda Lawrence and Mrs. Valerie Patterson.”

Teixeira vehemently denied any intention of resigning from the PAC, asserting her commitment to thorough reviews of government spending from 2015 onwards. She criticised what she perceives as Opposition members' efforts to conceal alleged corruption duringthepreviousadministration.

She reaffirmed the government members' dedication to fulfilling their duties on the PAC and vowed to

expenditure for the benefit of all Guyanesecitizens.

24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.

Publisher:GLENNLALL-Tel:624-6456

Editor-in-Chief:NigelWilliams

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

EDITORIAL

Material Omission

What else is ExxonMobil hiding from Guyana? How much more is the company’s concealments costing the people of this country? Where else in the world could there be found a partner with the dubious quality of ExxonMobil? In what other country would stand a leader like Vice President Jagdeo insisting that he is representing Guyanese, but drawing closer and closer to this skilled street hustler of anAmericanoilsupergiant? IfExxonMobilcouldgotosuch lengths to hide from, probably pull a fast one on, Guyanese, for US$40M, then what else could have already happened with countless other millions, and what more could be in storethatisgoingtocostGuyaneseheavily

We ask all Guyanese to takeoff theirAli and Jagdeo hat, andtheirNortonandRamjattanhat,foramoment. US$40M in materials that cannot be properly accounted for by ExxonMobilmustraisetheconcernthatifforUS$40M,then US$400Mdoesn’tlooktoodaunting.Anamountthatshould not be gone near to, even thought of, looks doable. It was ExxonMobil’s Guyana chief executive, Alistair Routledge, who spoke brightly of the company’s accounting systems, whichdrivesthequestionabouthemayhavebeenselling,or ifhewasinhalingsomethingotherthanGuyana’sclean,pure air Sloppy and conveniently so was the accounting for that US$40.4M in materials with no vendor details, bringing the auditors to a screeching halt. When an item of this magnitude cannot be traced because of a lack of mandatory details, then one must wonder if ExxonMobil paid itself that US$40.4MatGuyana’sexpenseandhopedforignorance. In a submission of US$7.3B in expenses, there is considerable roomtoplaythenumbersgameandkeepfingerscrossed. In other words, tens of millions here and other equivalent amounts (or greater) in different places, and the chances taken could result in a total payoff of a sweet billion or two. Even with the broadest scope and real probing, auditors could still miss big chunks of the suspicious and likely unscrupulous. Guyana’slossisExxonMobil’sgain.

ThisisthekindofauditdevelopmentthatGuyana’schief policymaker stands guard over Given the secrecy surrounding the US$214M audit report, Jagdeo looks like a leader whose chief policy is to protect ExxonMobil at all costs.

There can be little trust and less regard for a leader that fashions all manner of smokescreens to throw citizens off balance. He is hoping against hope that Guyanese buy his fairy stories and look favourably on his stewardship and ExxonMobil’s shenanigans with this oil and expenses. The bad news for Jagdeo is that Guyanese see him all the way to his bones, which grow increasingly curved with each new ExxonMobil development. In some respects, it is dawning upon Guyanese (including PPP/C stalwarts) that tricks like these from Guyana’s American oil partner is why Jagdeo hasn’t given the strongest and most unambiguous order that the US$214M audit report be released immediately All his characteristicpretensionsaboutthe“technicalpeople”and‘I don’t get involved in that’ give off a smell that reminds of rotteneggs. ThemoreherunsinterferenceforExxonMobil, the more he himself smears some of those decayed eggs all overhisface.

The challenge faced by Jagdeo should be a concern for Guyanese. Because he has wrapped himself in the arms of ExxonMobil,thereislittlethathecandotoextricatehimself now from the clutches of theAmericans. Such are the fruits of leadership gone astray, oil management that is all for the benefit of those who has him in a vise. The PPP/C Government, from PresidentAli to Vice President Jagdeo to the invisible and irrelevant Minister Bharrat, has had ample opportunity to walk a straight line and drag partner Routledgealongit.

Theoppositehashappened:Routledgemakestheoiland governance policies for Guyana, and the sitting government and its leaders are left with no choice but to go along with them. It is why Jagdeo concocted this charade about being thechiefpolicymaker,whenallheisreducedtodoingnowis toendorsewhatpleasesExxonMobil. Hidingauditandother reportsfromGuyaneseisonesuchpolicy

AMERICA’S REACH

DEAREDITOR, economic powerhouse, brings together most of the It is in the light of America’s reach to Guyana’s international world’s largest economies. prevailing circumstances countries inAsia,Africa, the standing buttressed by its Originally an economic globally, Russia, China, and Middle East, Latin America leadership on climate, food forum, it has grown Iran have emerged as the and the Caribbean is no and energy security, the increasingly involved in primary geopolitical secret. country’snationalandglobal internationalpolitics. challengers to the ‘US-led Guyanese are no interestsmovedmeteorically At that meeting, Brazil’s world order ’ While they strangerstoAmerica’sreach. to the top of the global Foreign Minister Mauro resent US dominance, Older folk would recall how agenda. Vieira lamented; “The nevertheless Russia and it manifested itself in the Moreover, with its multilateral institutions are China have permanent seats removal of the Jagan assumption to the UN notproperlyequippedtodeal at the UN Security Council. government in 1960’s. Years Security Council as a non- with the current challenges, At the same time, they are later, that same reach was permanent member Guyana as has been demonstrated by core members of the IMF, extended in defense of n o w h a s i m m e n s e the Security Council where WorldBank,andWTO. Guyana’s territorial integrity responsibilities. t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l The US and its allies and national sovereignty While Guyana was community’s deep divisions want to maintain the status More recently, it reached out moving ‘onwards and were on display with an quo, but Russia, China, and once more to repel an attack upwards’ America’s unacceptable paralysis on the Global South want on democracy following the traditional reach was theongoingconflicts.” movementfromaunipolarto March2020elections. becoming more and more Vieirawentontodeclare; a multipolar world order In Following the end of untenable Countries “The outlook is bleak for other words, to transform WW2, and after it had constituting the Global progress on the thorny and democratise the existing pushed out other colonial South, including Guyana, agenda of conflicts and worldorder powersfromwhatcametobe began to move increasingly crises gripping the planet. Itisagainstthisbackdrop described as its ‘Backyard,’ towards greater coordination The explosion of global that the US is seeking to the prevailing view that and integration, establishing conflicts shows how grapple with the dramatic emerged was that the US complex and mutually international institutions like changes unfolding in global would “hold unquestioned beneficial multilateral and the United Nations are not politics which it views as a power” in ‘the new world bilateral ties in an effort to working.” strategic threat to its order’ingeneral,andcontrol grapple with global

And as though this was traditional reach. According o v e r t h e W e s t e r n problems including not explicit enough,Antonio to the February 19, 2024 Hemisphere in particular underdevelopment and Guterres, Secretary-General edition of ‘Politico based on ‘a fundamental poverty. of the United Nations (UN) Magazine,’ Jake Sullivan, pillarofitsforeignpolicy…’

The challenge to the at the opening of the UN the US National Security

As part of the Western e x t a n t w o r l d o r d e r Human Rights Council in Adviser delivered a keynote Hemisphere, Guyana has characterised by America’s Geneva, lamented the address to a gathering at the always been considered reach was brought to light paralysis of the UN Security Brookings Institution, a pivotal geo-politically once again at a G20 foreign Council declaring it was Washington-based think within the meaning of the ministers meeting held in “unable to act on the most tank that serves as a forum Monroe Doctrine. However, February 2024 in Brazil. significant peace and fornewthinkingwithinthe with its emergence as an Founded in 1999, the G20 securityissuesofourtime.”

(Continued on page 5)

PPP/C using Land Allocation as a Political Gimmick

DEAREDITOR, whileneglectingthepressing that, a subtle strategy of the investors, who are being Within recent days, a issues of housing within the incumbent regime is to

he photograph of the President, country. Such actions not construct new roads to open government for land Irfaan Ali aiding in the only divert attention from up lands for its supporters acquisitioninGuyana. distribution of house lots genuine development while marginalising I believe that the while on a visit to the United initiatives but also deepen minorities. This underscores government must provide States of America appeared public disillusionment with t h e g o v e r n m e n t ’ s similar facility for those oncertainplatformsofsocial the political process. In fact, commitment to political Guyanesewhowishtoreturn media. there are thousands of expediency over inclusive home for business and Whilst on the surface Guyanese who have applied development. By favouring repatriations. Indeed, I urge nothing seemed to be wrong online and visited Guyana specific constituencies, the all Guyanese living in the with that action, from a for house lots and have not incumbent not only Caribbean, United States, governance perspective, it received replies from the exacerbates social divisions Europe and elsewhere in the does appear to be incredibly Central Housing and but also undermines the international community worrying that, the President PlanningAuthority principles of fairness and who wish to receive house would become so actively Guyana boasts vast justice. Such discriminatory lots to apply to central involved in the distribution expanses of land, yet the practices further alienate Housing and Planning of house lots, particularly, in equitable distribution of marginalised communities Authority circumstances where an these resources remains and breed resentment, Finally, I must point out entire Ministry (Central elusive for many ordinary destablising the very social that according to certain Housing and Planning Guyanese While certain fabricofthenation. reports, in 2034, new Authority) with a mammoth segments of the population F u r t h e r , t h e immigrants and their budget has full powers and benefit from land allocation government’s actions have Guyanese born children will responsibility to manage and schemes, many Guyanese far- reaching social outnumber the current 2024 administrate such matters. It are left without access to implications, exacerbating population of 800,000 isclear,tome,asIamsure,to adequate housing. Many are existing tensions and Guyanese citizens. A new all right-thinking Guyanese, still squatting on drainage widening the gap between projected population in 2034 thattheaidingofdistribution reserves, without the different segments of will be around 2 million ofhouselotsbythepresident rudimentary elements of society The marginalisation people of which half would overseas is a blatant political proper sanitation, in of certain groups from land be new immigrants and their manoeuvre aimed at different parts, The situation allocation and infrastructure Guyanese born families garneringsupportratherthan continues to exacerbate development perpetuates Therefore, we must not addressing the real housing negative environmental cycles of poverty and allowthePPP/Cgovernment needsofthepopulation. circumstances, perpetuating exclusion,fuelingdiscontent to be biased, unfair and By his action, the socio- economic inequalities and disenchantment among unjust with land distribution President, and by extension and hindering overall thepopulace. and allocation to our his government, seek to development. Moreover, there are citizens. create an illusion of progress It seems to be the case hundr

Why is Bharrat Jagdeo so close to Critic in spite of his foul mouth?

DEAREDITOR, newspaper What kind of two of them, ‘Critic’and the talkaboutsexwithamale? socialmediaprogramme.He association lowers the VP’s A short video containing mediapersonalitywillreveal VP, have a very close The relationship is too was and remains very status and the respect people obscene, foul, vulgar, sexual tothepublichisconversation relationship. close for comfort especially disrespectful to females and had or have for him. What remarks (April 23) from a about sex on social media? Whatkindofrelationship for supporters of the PPP toobjectiverealcriticsofthe kind of male leader will personality calling himself Critic claimed Jagdeo told is this? ‘Critic’ just pick up ‘Critic’is no real critic. If he government. engage in a conversation ‘Critic’wasforwardedtome. him ‘he does not perform the phone call Jagdeo and he wishes to know what real The VP is allowed to about sexual acts with The narration of sex remarks such an act on men”. The related the discussion on sex critique is, or how to be a have his own lifestyle. And anothermale. (b-word) was in reference to remark is subjected to acts. critic, then he should read he is free to choose male SupportersofthePPPare a conversation ‘Critic’ various interpretations I How many Guyanese GHK Lall or Randy Persaud friends. very embarrassed that their claimed he had with Vice leave it to readers to draw and PPP supporters have the or another erudite writer But does the VP really leader tolerates a character President Jagdeo querying theirownconclusions. VP number and can actually This was not the first time have to socialise with a like‘Critic’. Jagdeo about sexual acts in The narration of the have the VP answer their ‘Critic’ used such obscene, character like ‘Critic’ who Yours truly, regards to a male owner of a conversation suggested the calls for an emergency or to abusive comments on his

Edward Burrowes

AMERICA’S REACH

From page 4

In the midst of the DemocraticParty According competing domestic to ‘Politico,’ Sullivan interests in America, its ‘challenged long-held external interests are being beliefs in America’s body challenged by the Global politic,helaidoutaroadmap South including the BRICS for America’s ideological whoarepushingforachange future. He argued that, “The inthe‘US-ledworldorder.’ times were changing, and Brazil,China,India,Iran, America had to change with Russia, and South Africa them A shifting global within the meaning of economy left many working BRICS are now challenging Americans and their the current ‘rules-based communities behind ” order’ that they believe has Sullivan went on to suggest become ineffective if not that; “The main assumptions obsolete.Theirobjectiveisto undergirding America’s establish a new global foreign and economic policy democratic order that would had been wrong for usher in mutually beneficial decades.’’ international political,

Ironically,whileSullivan economic and monetary called for correcting the relationsbetweencountries. ‘wrongs’inAmerica’s reach, Is this global minefield other Americans, were that CARICOM Secretary calling for the ‘maintenance General Carla Barnett of the status quo; the referred to when she consolidation of America’s reminded CARICOM Heads global reach by way of ‘an of Government at the assertive and expansionist Opening Session of their foreign policy, undergirded 46th Regular Meeting of by military power ’ Conferencestating;“Thereis Accordingly, they have a heavy regional and global called for ‘increased defence agenda which demands our spending and an active U.S. undivided attention and military footprint around the active engagement, in spite globe.’ of the ever-present vagaries

Small wonder how both ofthegloballandscape?” Democrats and Republicans Yours faithfully, joined in supporting the Clement J. Rohee US$61 bln. aid package for Minister of Foreign Ukraine. Affairs (1992-2001)

President Ali’s visit to Brooklyn

DEAREDITOR, speak with the Guyanese position of calling for a invade places formerly

The President of Guyana there.MadameProprietrixof boycottofherbusiness. considered the stomping recently made a trip to The The Hill is known to Now, what transpired in ground of the PNC, those United States of America. A Guyanese all across the the North comes as nothing communities now welcome trip which gave him the USA, especially those in new, because if you are a the PPP/C with open arms as grand opportunity to visit government circles, notable follower of Guyanese dialogue and development is ‘The Hill Restaurant’ in mentionmustbemadeofher Politics, you would recall the order of the day Our Brooklyn. hosting parties for members that is exactly the behaviour people are now living the Certain areas of his visit of The Coalition. The Hill of The APNU, their gospel, dreamofcohesiveness. areworthyofnote;hence,we marks a regular watering theirbelief. But times have changed, can now look back and make h o l e f o r G u y a n e s e They are of the view that as more and more Black an evaluation of that visit. dignitaries.

no one in The Black Brethren are becoming Reports gathered from those What is interesting to C o m m u n i t y s h o u l d cognizant of the concept of who were at the scene, know, is that ‘The Hill’ is countenance, far less to OneGuyana. suggests that it was a traditionally a social support the PPP/C. It is an No longer are we going h e a r t w a r m i n g a n d meeting point for the age-old dogma taught to be divided by the walls of enlightening experience, as predominantly Black repetitiously in The Black tribalism and hate, as true Guyanese Brethren could Guyanese Community up CommunitybyBurnhamand Guyanese, we denounce meet together in unity, a true North, so when Madam practisedeversince. racist ideas and persons who exampleofsocialcohesion. Proprietrix invited President The APNU have for a promulgate those ideas, in Now, in the same vein, Ali, it was a somewhat long time promoted the the strongest possible terms; the same sentiments could radical move, or that noble narrative of areas that are anewdaydawns. not be said of others, it was ladyactingoutsidethebox considered “No fly zones,” So,letthePNCwallowin alsorevealedthattherewasa This naturally angered or places that the PPP/C theirself-pity,letthembayat small group of individuals those of the backward cannotgo. themoon. whose experience could be thinkingAPNUGrouping,as Well, all of that has Respectfully submitted, summarisedasdolesomeand they went about their usual changed as PPP/C officials NeilAdams embarrassing. So, let’s delve style of derogatory remarks, intothePresident’svisit. “A Black Soup drinker, “A On this North American houseslave.” visit, President Ali was She was called many invited to ‘The Hill other names that I cannot Restaurant’ by its owner, mention here. They even who wanted him to meet and went to the extreme lowlife

EPA downplays Tsunami risk in ExxonM’s EIA

One week after Kaieteur News reported, while quoting from ExxonMobil Guyana's Whiptail Development Project (the 6th oil project) Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), that the project poses a potential Tsunami risk to Guyana's coastline- the GovernmentofGuyanathroughthe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Friday evening, sought to downplaythewarning.

It is instructive that the EPA's statement was issued one day after Vice President (VP), Bharrat Jagdeo, was questioned about the findings at his weekly press conference and also downplayed theissue.

This publication reported that an earthquake is generally caused by the shifting of the earth's tectonic plates and with the ExxonMobilledconsortium'slatest US$12.7B project being located in the vicinity of the fault line close to the SouthAmerican and Caribbean Plates, the activity poses increased seismic activity that could

potentially see Guyana's coastline beingravagedbyatsunami.

TheEIAspeaksaboutatsunami that can be triggered in Exxon's 6th oilproject.Infact,itisdocumented inthecompany'srecentlyapproved EIAbytheEPA.

This newspaper reported that the document outlines that with regards to the Whiptail Development Area “deep-seated faults on the outer shelf, some of which appear to offset the seabed, may indicate a slightly higher risk of seismic activity than has previouslybeenconsidered.”

As such, it was reported that “Guyana could experience tsunamis generated from seismic activity outside Guyana if such activity propagated waves of sufficient magnitude and in the requireddirection.”

According to the document, “major earthquakes frequently occur along the Lesser Antilles subduction zone, where the South American Plate is subducting beneaththeCaribbeanPlate.”

Whereas, the EPA said the followinginitsstatement:

EIA Shows No Link between Whiptail Project Activities and Tsunamis

The EIA for the Whiptail Development Project does not indicate any link between the proposed project's activities and Tsunamis.

Tsunamis are natural events resulting from undersea earthquakes caused by movement of the Earth's tectonic plates. The WhiptailDevelopmentProjectEIA informs that the likelihood of natural events such as tsunamis impactingtheDevelopmentProject isminimal.

The EPA said it finds the information presented by the Kaieteur News on 21stApril, 2024, tobehighlymisleading.Thepublic EIA document referenced by the newspaper contextualises the activities in the Production Development Area (PDA) in relationtovariousnaturaldisasters, including Tsunamis, as part of a

comprehensive futuristic EIA assessmentofrisk.

To provide clarity for the public, the Agency presents a summaryof thefindingsof theEIA forWhiptailDevelopmentProjectpublished in August 2023 and updated in April 2024 - in order to address the misleading assertions in the Kaieteur News article of 21st April2024.

Firstly, the section of the EIA titled"NaturalHazardRiskRatings for Guyana" highlighted findings from the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) assessments in 2014 These assessments, conducted as part of a global initiative, identified floods, droughts, and landslides as the most significant risks to Guyana based on historical records Notably, historical data did not indicatetsunamirisktoGuyana.

Nevertheless, futuristic assessments by UNISDR took into account the potential impact of tsunamis on Guyana. According to

Veterinarians as essential health workers

The Guyana Veterinary Association would like to join its sister associations and colleagues around the world in celebrating World Veterinary Day on April 27, 2024 under the fitting theme “Veterinarians as Essential Health Workers” The Veterinary Association applauds and endorses this choice of theme which promotes the concept of veterinarians being an integral and essential component of the global teamofHealthWorkers.

This global One Health approach could not be better exemplified than by the Government of Guyana aptly recognising local veterinarians as essential health workers during the recent Covid-19 Pandemic.

A commendable and avantgarde decision Over the recent decades, veterinary medicine has been known for its emphasis on preventative/therapeutic/ c u r a t i v e m e d i c a l interventions – with great degreeofsuccess.

Moreover, the vocal and visible activities of Humane Societies, the world over have effectively promoted and enhanced veterinary interagency with their

almost militant brand of b e n e v o l e n c e a n d philanthropy There is undoubtedly much more focus today on the humane considerations of daily veterinary occupation –whether it deals with euthanasia, transportation of animals over long distances, exploitation of animals for entertainment/sport, or production methodologies on farmsteads or by large p r o f i t - o r i e n t e d conglomerates.

However, outside the sphere of what is perceived as the traditional practice of veterinary medicine, veterinarians are already contributing both directly and indirectly; and rightly so,tootheraspectsofhuman healthandwellbeing.

T h a n k f u l l y a n d rewardingly, more and more scientific veterinary studies are confronting human health issues which are emerginginourfastmoving, social media driven world.

We are not referring here to the emergence of zoonoses such as “Bird Flu” (Avian Influenza) and Rabies but rather, reference is hereby being made to ailments relating to anxiety disorders, recuperation from surgery, PTSDandotherserious,lifethreatening pathologies, w h e r e a n a n i m a l ' s therapeutic association with human patients is achieving

encouraging healing results. Veterinarians daily work hand in hand with their human medicine colleagues in research and practice in diverse areas such as surgery, organ transplant, e p i d e m i o l o g y a n d immunology

The knowledge and practice of a veterinarian dealing with household companion animals and horses is increasingly being used to combat mental disorders and behavioral abnormalities in prisons, mental health institutions andsubstanceabuseclinics. Particularly noteworthy is the use of animals in the therapy and rehabilitation of children with congenital mutisms and neurological disorders, resulting in their transmogrification (with veterinarian involvement) from reclusive children into gregariousindividuals.

We also know that animalproteinisanessential component of a balanced human diet but also brings with it potential risks to human health; it is the veterinarian's role to ensure that all food of animal origin is wholesome and fit for humanconsumption.

E x a m p l e s o f t h e veterinarian being essential can be found the world over, with them not only making stellar contributions in Veterinary Medicine but in

areas ranging from Nobel Prize laureate to politics, fromtheartstosport.

RighthereinourRegion, we have had a West Indies cricketteamcaptainthatwas a veterinarian. In Guyana, we have seen veterinarians holdhighpublicofficessuch as Prime Minister, Minister ofGovernment,Chairmanof the Elections Commission andevenDeanoftheFaculty ofMedicalSciences.

But is this enough?

Notwithstanding our professional efforts to improve the lives of our patients and wards and our relationships with the animals' caregivers, there is much still to be achieved for veterinarians to be unequivocally recognised as Essential Health Workers and to be fully integrated with the undertakings of all the other actors involved in the solidification and perpetuation of the noble One Health ideal The Scientific American posits that humans have an innate interestinotherspecies. Itis therefore important that we continue to be Essential Health Workers for All our fellow travelers on this spaceshipcalledEarth.

The GVA would like to recognise the contributions of Dr Steve Surujbally and Dr Nicholas C. A. Waldron to the writing of this message.

UNISDR 2014, while floods pose the most significant risk, the risks from earthquakes and tsunamis were deemed not significant enough to be included in theeconomic analysis due to their predicted low recurrence interval. Secondly, the Production Development Area (PDA) is situated approximately 294 kilometers from the boundary between the Caribbean and South American plates and over 1,050 kilometersfromthenearestareaof

(Continued on page 11)

Life sentence for man who raped sleeping child

High Court Judge, Justice Sandil Kissoon on Thursday labeled a man he sentenced to life in prison for raping a sleeping nineyear-old girl, “vile” and “abominable”.

The middle-aged man will have to spend a maximum of 18 years in prison before he is eligible for parole He had reportedly pleaded guilty to therapeofthechildin2022.

The perpetrator is acquainted with the victim and her family While spending some time with them, he reportedly raped the child while she was asleep According to reports, he awoke the child during the ordeal. Her sister was awoken and witnessed theheinousact.

He had threatened to rape the sister too if she raised an alarm, but despite the threat, the girl screamed forhelp.

During the two-year trial, both the victim and her sistertestifiedagainsthimin court and the evidence lodged against him was convincing.

In February, the perpetrator reportedly changed his not guilty plea toguilty

On Thursday, during the sentencing proceedings Justice Kissoon did not mincehiswords.

H e c a l l e d t h e perpetrator's action “unforgivable” and labeled himapredator

T h e p e r p e t r a t o r requested of the court to be forgiven and pleaded for leniency in his sentencing, but this was not enough to convince the high court judge. Further, the court ordered too that he undergoes rehabilitation programmes for sex offenders and alcoholics duringhistimeinprison.

The perpetrator had reportedly blamed alcohol for the crime. He was later arrested and charged. After he was committed to stand trial in the high court, he repeatedly pleaded not guilty

Statement by the Guyana VeterinaryAssociation in observance of World Veterinary Day

EPA Head, Kemraj Parsram

No delay in Region 3 pump station

There is no delay in the completion of pump stations across Region Three, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) said in a letter published in Friday's edition of the Kaieteur News

T h e M i n i s t r y o f

Agriculture's Public

Relations Officer (PRO)

Janell Cameron said, “Officials from the NDIA have dismissed the recent

c o m m e n t s m a d e b y

Opposition Member of P a r l i a m e n t , G a n e s h Mahipaul, about the construction of several pump stationinRegionThree.”

Mahipaul, a resident of Region Three and also the APNUAFC's Member of Parliament for the region, raised concerns about the

slowprogressintheworkson the pump stations- one of w h i c h w a s h a n d e d c o n t r o v e r s i a l l y t o government propagandist, Mikhail 'Guyanese Critic' Rodrigues.

His comment was triggered by a Department of Public Information (DPI) press release which reported that the Minister of

Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha visited one of the pump stations under construction at Canal Number One, West Bank Demerara(WBD).

The DPI release stated that the $650 million pump station is slated for completion within three months while noting that the development is part of a broader initiative to enhance

D&I infrastructure in the region, which also includes projects at BelleVue,A-Line sluice, and Meten-MeerZorg.

According to DPI, Minister Mustapha inspected theCanalNumberOnepump station last Saturday where he announced the project's completion date, among otherinterventions.

A total of 19 pump

s t a t i o n s a r e u n d e r construction nationwide and Minister Mustapha said he is optimistic about the operationalisation of these pumpstationsbymid-2025.

Apart from the ongoing

c o n s t r u c t i o n a n d rehabilitation of existing drainage and irrigation i n f r a s t r u c t u r e , t h e government also plans to replicate the success of the Hope Canal at East Coast Demerara (ECD), across RegionsThree,Five,andSix.

“We also will be building a Hope-like canal in this area bytheB-Linestructure.Itisa mega project that will help to drain the system. This area is alargeagriculturalareaforus and we are trying to put systems in place to mitigate flooding in the future,” the agriculture minister

underscored.

Meanwhile, Chairman of t h e N D I A , L i o n e l Wordsworth, emphasised thattheseprojectsrepresenta nationwide comprehensive drainage improvement programme. He said works will also advance on pump stations at Charity, Cottage, Cozier, Jimbo Grove, and LetterKenny,withadditional investments planned for pump stations at Chesney, Farm, Grove South, and Little Diamond Further, several other drainage improvement projects in various communities are currently in the tendering stage.

Meanwhile, the NDIA

addressing Mahipaul's statements said, “Over the weekend, after attending several meetings with residents and farmers from Maria's Lodge, and other surrounding communities in Region Three, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, along with a team of senior officers from the NDIA, visitedthelocationwherethe pump station is being constructedinCanalNo.1.”

Similarly, Minister Mustapha rubbished Mahipaul's contention stating, “I was in the region for several meetings with farmers and residents and decidedtovisittheCanalNo. 1 pump station which was on

-NDIA

mywaybacktoGeorgetown. When I go to these places, I don'tjustruninandrunout.I speakwiththeteamthereand get as much information based on my observation and the guidance of my senior engineers. If something is off or seems behind schedule, I don't leave until the contractor can provide me with a sensible and reasonable explanation. The other pump stations – I've visited those areas on several other occasions, not only in Region Three but in other parts of the country So, this narrative that Mr Mahipaul is trying to push is ridiculous and it seems as though he wants some publicity As Minister, I've visited these areas on previous occasions and I've also met with the contractors to discuss the progressoftheseprojects.” Commenting on the pump station projects, MahipaulsaidastheMember of Parliament (MP) responsible for Region Three, “I cannot sit idly by while Minister Zulfikar Mustapha's mismanagement of vital pump station projects threatens the well-being of ourconstituents.Itismyduty

(Continued on page 11)

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha Opposition MP, Ganesh Mahipaul

It is an utter disgrace for Jagdeo to employ bluff and bluster in defending his economic record

BharratJagdeostudiedat politically-inspired crime political protests. He blamed crime wave do not account cost, which was $202 3 a university, the People’s wave for the decline in the weather which he said for the dismal performance billion in 2009 based on Friendship University, economicgrowthupto2004. affected the second sugar of the Guyanese economy 1988 prices, is now which is not considered a But this is not the andricecrops. during his tenure as increased to $359.5 billion first-rate university explanation which his Incidentally, gold President.

basedon2006prices. Thisis However, it is to the utter Minister of Finance gave to production increased in that As previously explained, now termed GDP at current 2009, rebasing also led to a discredit of that institution the nation in respect to the v e r y y e a r a s d i d had the economy not been basic prices in the new significant decline in from which he graduated for productive sectors during manufacturing. It is strange rebased to 2006 prices, the National Accounts data Guyana’sdebt-to-GDPratio. him to offer the sort of bluff thisperiod. that the political protests did growth rate which was This is an increase greater To put this into context, and bluster in defending his In1999,sugarreachedits not cause a decline in recorded during the latter thanthree-quarters.” this is what one of Guyana poor economic record as then highest level of manufacturinginthatyear part of his presidency would At his press conference foremost economists wrote PresidentofGuyana. production, growing by Nor, was the marginal not have materialized lastThursday,Jagdeosought on the effect of rebasing on

Readers will recall that 25.8%. No one complained growth in 2001 and 2002 Without rebasing, Jagdeo topeddlethisillusioncaused Guyana’s debt, “The in a previous column, I had then that the daily political attributed, in the Budget would have left the by the rebasing of the reported debt of Guyana at pointed to Jagdeo’s abysmal protests were affecting sugar speeches, to the outbreak of presidency with one of the economy He urged the the end of 2009 was record as President production. As it surely did thecrimewave. In2003,the poorest economic records in reporters present to google approximately US$1 37 Economic growth, for not affect rice production excuse was that sugar and thehemisphere. Guyana’s GDP for 1999 billion Of this US$933 example, between 1999, either in that year which gold production declined The rebasing created an whenhetookofficeandthen million was external debt when he assumed the grewbysome7.6%. Thecrimewavecouldhardly illusion of a growing check it for 2011 when he and US$435 million was Presidency, and 2005 U n d e r J a g d e o ’ s havebeenthecause. economy Professor Clive demitted the Presidency He internal debt. Based on the averagedamere0.7%. p r e s i d e n c y, g r o w t h Jagdeo therefore must Thomas explained the toldthentheywillfindthatit national accounts’ series Jagdeo, at his press plummetedtolessthan1%in f i n d n e w e x c u s e s effects of the rebasing on the increased ten-fold or more used in the 2010 National conference sought to blame 2000. But the then Minister Correlation is not causation country’sGDPasfollows: than1000%percentbetween Budget (1988 prices), this the PNCR protests and the of Finance did not blame and the political protests and “This rebasing has made 1992and2011. represents about 125 percent an enormous difference to Well, how is it that of the country’s GDP the values of various aggregated growth was not However, using the rebased components of the country’s 1000% during the period 2006 prices, this would be GDP it would be useful for 1992-2011, yet the GDP substantially reduced to me to indicate to readers the increased by more than about75percentofGDP!

Dem Boys Seh...

Politicians Batting in the Wrong League

Dem boys been watching the cricket likethey’retheumpiresofourfate. symposium in Trinidad and Tobago, and Andnow,theyhavethegalltotalkabout lemme tell yuh, it’s a real comedy of errors! lop-sided contracts with the CPL! They Politicians trying to school cricket should take a look at de Production Sharing administratorsongovernance! Whatirony! Agreement between de government of

But before some of al’yuh get all riled Guyana and ExxonMobil. Then they would up, let’s set the field straight. Cricket, dear appreciate what is lop-sided, one-sided and friends,isthecrownjeweloftheCaribbean. off-sided contract. If dem can’t fix dat It’s our pride, our passion, our legacy contract what make them think they can fix Meanwhile, what have our politicians been WestIndiescricket. doing? Dropping catches left, right, and Politicians, please, stick to what you center when it comes to running their know best—playing politics! Leave the countries! cricket to those who can actually hit a

Instead of fixing roads, hospitals, and boundaryonceinawhile. schools, they’re running onto the cricket Sohere’sthedeal,dearpoliticians:ifyou pitch,liketheyknowathingortwoaboutthe reallywannadoWestIndiescricketafavour, game. But sorry, fellas, y’all are batting in take a long walk off a short pitch. Let the thewrongleague! folks who understand the game run it. And

Take Guyana for instance. Cricket here who knows, maybe then we’ll see some real would be on a whole different pitch if the governance in action, both on and off the politiciansjust kept their noses out of it. But field. nah, they gotta meddle, dem gotta control Talk half. Leff half.

magnitudes of these 1000%. This is the magic of In his quieter moments,

c h a n g e s , a s t h e rebasing It creates the Jagdeo needs to accept that government’s intention is to illusion that GDP grew from his economic stewardship use the new national US$373.6B in 1992 to 3.7B was a grand failure and accounts based on 2006 in2011. ButJagdeocanpull instead of trying to defend it, prices from this year To that stunt because the he should try to understand begin with, the largest sum, reporters may not have been what went wrong. As gross domestic expenditure, familiar with the rebasing of impossibleataskasthismay which for 2009 was theeconomy. appeartohim!

measured as $357.5 billion The rebasing also helped (The views expressed in based on 1988 prices Guyana’s debt- to-GDP this article are those of the increases to $514.8 billion ratio. According to the IMF, a u t h o r a n d d o n o t based on 2006 prices. The apart from increasing necessarily reflect the more familiar GDP at factor Guyana’s GDP by 65% in opinions of this newspaper.)

TRUTHS

BY GHK LALL

Garbage, results, great anxieties

Media reports are of the Haags Bosh dumpsite runningoutofroom. Imosey along the capital city and other less prominent places and there are dumpsites that have been made of many spots in and around them. Where there are people, there will be trash and refuse. It is what citizens refuse to do with both, how they trash the environment Illegal is regular Illegal dumping the automatic reflex of a culture gone haywire, and I think loving it to some extent. When the willful negligence and chronic indifference are combined, there are many mini Haags Bosh dumpsites in countless places, with the ones in Georgetown attracting the most attention andcommentary Thewrong kind. That goes as far as it goes and for as long as it has gas in the tank, until the next distressing situation steps intosight. Thetroubleforme is what is founded in the illegal and uncaring dumping of garbage wherever pleases us. If I may be allowed the presumptuousness, it should

also be for all Guyanese who still have some class and concern in them to think of things other than money and defendingcultleaders.

I launch the good news first. For a solid several months now, approaching close to a year, the City Counciltruckshavebeenlike clockwork. On schedule and emptying and hauling away the previous week's accumulated store of waste, the detritus of modern life andcivilization. Ishallspare citizens some of what have been observed, absorbed with stoic expression Difficultisamildword. But, a word of thanks is due to the Mayor, Sanitation Director, and those men on the trucks doing a thankless job: removing what we refuse, and which ranges from the rotted to the rank to the roiling to the repulsive. By way of exception, the long container truck of Guyanese politicians has been left behind, are still in the neighbourhood in their olfactory glory I digressed but had to do duty to the

people Now for the bad news. Prior to the news about the Haags Bosh dumpsite running out of legroom, there were some other news accompanied by pictures. Illegal dumping here, casual disposal over there Unthinking and unheeding depositing almost everywhere. The priority is to just get rid of the damn thing any damn place. Who cares? Why agitate one's spirit about what is a regular state of affairs, the norm? I slap myself on the side of the head because I care. I care about this capital city that is the prime oil destination of the world. This means that by default this capital city of ours is a tourist attraction. Alright, if that is too heavy, then try this: it is an accidental business stopover, flyover, crossover point. I don't think that we have commenced helicoptering foreigners from Timehri to town, yet. But there are all those illegal and insidious citizens declared dumpsites dotting the damn place everywhere that one turns.

Americana in Guyana's wasteland (KFC) Europe returning and taking over (Heineken), and China making inroads (tires and everything else). If it is not food,itisfilth;ifitisnotwhat is sick, it is what is and will getGuyanesesick. Itiswhat I meant by insidious citizens declared dumpsites The treacherous houses the dangerous. Georgetown, the once and future Garden City is threatening to mutate into Georgetown,thesickbayand charnelhouse.

Disease is the first word. Ever behold the rats running aroundtorummageforaslice of the illegal dumping action? Think of how many of them have been seen and the massive nature of their physique. Noticetheswarms of flies and mosquitoes and insects buzzing about and latching onto anything in sight with pestiferous persistence? Thedevastation of dengue and much more I rushtopointout. Readthose reports. Listen to the news. Watch the anguished parents' relatives. And when the

garbage is near to water andthepoolsform,thenI don't think that I need to say that the indifference of each one of us is gambling with fire. On another note, the wind has been erratic, as in present and absent, but when it does stir and get around to doing its business, there is the alarm of what it spreads. Oh Lord... Then, I collided with that article about Saharan dust heading here Blimey! What business does, can, the Sahara ever want with sleepy Guyana? Correction, rising Guyana. Allergies are all the rage and should anyone want to write a PhD dissertation about that, come to me for a free tutorial.To its credit, Central Government (PPP) has been busy spraying and defogging. The grass has been cleared fairly frequently,andIdon'tbelieve that is the handiwork of the PNC Government (Local). Now, and selfishness is admitted, I am going to push my luck. Please initiate clearing the drains Unclogging the flotsam and

jetsam that Guyanese discard willynilly, be they residents or the rogues of business. Jail reckless citizens. Politicians included. The unhealthy can be deadly The unseeming is unbecoming. Think of all those foreigners oohing and aahing in GT.Haags Bosh is out there and out of sight. Georgetown is right here and right in the sight (and under the noses) of those who dare to traverse its thoroughfares and boulevards and magical capital places. After all, it is the capital city, and the national standard must begin right here. It is the Garden City and germs don't belong hereoranywhereelse. One more, please stop dumping.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the o p i n i o n s o f t h i s newspaper.)

From page 8 to hold the Minister accountable for his neglect and incompetence.” The Opposition MP said Region Three was promised five pump stations under construction, yet the Minister's actions—or lack thereof speak volumes “While he made a show of visiting the Canal No. 1 pump station, conveniently ignoringitsneighbouringALinestationandPouderyoen Pump Stations, the truth is clear: projects across the region languish in a state of abandonmentanddisrepair

T h e A g r i c u l t u r e Minister said too that contrary to the claims made by the Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), progress is being made. He said, “At Belle Vue, the contractor has mobilised andalreadyinstalledacoffer dam.Thetestpileshavealso been driven and this project isscheduledtobecompleted 4th of August, 2025. At Meter-Meer-Zorg, the contractor has commenced mobilisationandthisproject is also scheduled to be completed on the 4th of A u g u s t , 2 0 2 5 A t Pouderoyen, the contractor has mobilised to the site and hascommencedworkonthe access road which is part of t h e c o n t r a c t T h e procurement of long lead items under the project is alsoinprogress.Thisproject isscheduledtobecompleted onthe29thJuly2025.”

The minister said that Mahipaul's conclusion about the projects in Region Threeisludicrous.

“Mr.Mahipaulcantryto discredit the work we are doing to improve the c o u n t r y ' s d r a i n a g e infrastructure all he wants. The fact of the matter is that under the watch of the former government, several pumps wereprocuredwhich were ineffective costing taxpayers over US $3 6 million.Theywerenotfitfor the purpose and had all sorts of mechanical issues ranging from parts

overheating, electrical problems with the control p a n e l , a l i g n m e n t difficulties, leaking gearboxes, broken drive shafts, engine back pressuring,brokengearsand gearboxes among others

The work we are doing now to improve drainage and irrigationacrossthecountry, theycouldn'tevenattemptto execute these projects. I want him (Mahipaul) to speakonthat.”

Among the projects referenced by the minister are the construction of a guest house at Lama; East Conservancy Water Dam in Region Four, estimated at $8 9 million, and the rehabilitation of Sukhram Cross Drainage Channel from Number 52 Dam to Number 66 Main Dam, Corentyne, Region Six, estimatedat$13.9million.

Works will also include the rehabilitation of a 30km a c c e s s r o a d i n Ebini/Kimbia, Region Ten, with an estimated cost of $394 million, and the construction of an access road at Canal Number Two Conservancy Dam, West Bank Demerara, costing approximately $145 7 million.

Residents along the Corentyne in Region Six will benefit from the rehabilitationoftheNumber Two drainage pump at Ankerville pump station, estimated at $38.4 million. Additionally,$167.5million is budgeted for the construction of a sluice and revetmentworkatBlenheim in Leguan, and $16.3 million is allocated for the upgradeofFlagstaffRoadat East Conservancy Water DaminRegionThree.

Furthermore, Somerset a n d B e r k s C o - o p Pastureland in Essequibo, Region Two, will be developed at an estimated cost of $27 million, and $22 4 million will be invested to rehabilitate HackneyCanalintheLower Pomeroon River in Region Two.

EPA downplays Tsunami risk in...

From page 7

active seismic activity (near Puerto Rico). Moreover, Guyana lies within the stable interior portion (craton) of the South American tectonic plate, indicating minimal seismic riskstothecountry Lastly,aseismichazardmapdeveloped by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Hazard Mapping Program illustrates that there is only a 2 percent chance within 50 years of a very minor seismic event occurring in thePDA.Suchaneventwouldlikelynotevenbeperceptible to individuals at the exact location. In conclusion, the EPA emphasisesthattheinformationprovidedby Kaieteur News wasdeliberatelypresentedinamannertomisleadthepublic and did not accurately reflect the findings of the EIA regarding the risks associated with the Whiptail Production Development Area. It must be emphatically stated that the Whiptail EIA does not indicate any link between the Project'sactivitiesandTsunamis,EPAsaid.

Man lands in court for tormenting pensioner ...Gets $50,000 bail

A42-year-old man who is accused of breaching a Protection Order was on Friday granted $50,000 bail when he appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly a t t h e G e o r g e t o w n Magistrates'Court.

The accused, Christopher Drakes, made his first court appearance on Friday to answer the breach of ProtectionOrdercharge.

Drakes is accused of breaching a Protection Order against his aunt, 67-year-old Deborah Williams He pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that Tuesday, at Lot 57 Russel Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, he breached the Protection Order issued in his presenceonJune11,2020.

Thecourtheardthatonthe day of Drakes' arrest, he and

Williams reportedly got into an argument, in which he allegedly used abusive language towards her (Williams).

The prosecutor did not object to bail being granted but noted that Tuesday's incident was not the first time Drakes breached the ProtectionOrder

Meanwhile, a frustrated Williams alleged in court that Drakes on multiple occasions tookphotosofherwithouther permission and posted them onFacebookclaimingthatshe hada“sweetman.”

“He keeps tormenting me, I don't know what to do a n y m o r e , ” Wi l l i a m s exclaimed.

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Daly suggested counselling and additional supportforWilliams.

Additionally, Magistrate Daly said that Drakes appears tohavenorespectforthecourt order As such, a probation officer is required to monitor Drakes until his next court appearanceonMay13,2024. The magistrate granted bailonthegroundthatDrakes complies with the Protection Order, failing which he will sentenced to one week imprisonment.

DEMTOCO records $2.27B after-tax profits for 2023

Despite a significant increase in the smuggling of cigarettes, the Demerara Tobacco Company Limited (DEMTOCO) has announced that it has received an aftertaxprofitof$2.27billion.

This was revealed at the company's 90th Annual General Meeting held at the Marriott Hotel, Kingston, Georgetown.

DEMTOCO, a leader in the tobacco industry, shared its 2023 results and strategic achievements under the leadership of Managing Director,VijaySingh.

Apress release stated that the company reported a 9.7 percentincreaseinprofitafter tax, climbing from $2 07 billion in 2022 to $2 27 billion in 2023. “This growth has been supported by a 4.4 percent increase in revenue driven by enhanced operating efficiencies,” the report related.

The tobacco company said that the results were a c h i e v e d a m i d s t a c h a l l e n g i n g g l o b a l environment characterised by logistical disruptions, inflationary pressures, and international political tensions, which DEMTOCO successfully navigated in order to deliver significant valuetoitsshareholders.

In his address, the M a n a g i n g D i r e c t o r highlighted the company's s t r a t e g i c f o c u s o n strengthening its portfolio of internationalbrands.

Demtoco's Managing Director, Vijay Singh

"Our premium brand Dunhillhasonceagainshown outstanding performance, with a growth of 9.5 percent for the third consecutive year This is a testament to our commitment to innovation and providing a premium e x p e r i e n c e t o o u r consumers,"saidSingh.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e migration of the Bristol brand to the globally recognised Lucky Strike has positioned DEMTOCO to leverage brand strength and drive futuregrowth.

During the AGM, he reportedly addressed the challenges posed by the illicit trade of tobacco products, which has significantly impacted the industry The market share of illicit cigarettesinGuyanahasrisen alarmingly to an estimated 29 percent, representing a 100 percent increase in just one year

“If this trend continues,

wecouldseeanestimatedloss of G$1 billion in government revenue by the end of 2024," S i n g h s a i d , w h i l s t emphasising the urgent need forintervention.

“DEMTOCO has been proactive in advocating for stronger enforcement to combat the issue of illicit trade, which undermines legitimate businesses and poses risks to the economy The company appreciates the effortsofthelawenforcement agencies such as the Guyana Revenue Authority and the Guyana National Bureau of Standards in seizing illegal products and calls for increased collaboration to tackle this pressing issue,” DEMTOCOadded.

Despite these challenges, DEMTOCO's resilience and strategic initiatives have ensured sustained growth and shareholdervalue.

Meanwhile, Singh thanked all stakeholders, including the dedicated DEMTOCO team and the leadership provided by the Board of Directors, which have been instrumental in achieving the company's goals.

"As we continue to navigate through these challenging times, our focus remains on innovation, strategic growth, and combating illicit trade to ensure the prosperity of DEMTOCO and contribute positively to Guyana's economy,"concludedSingh.

Christopher Drakes

Powerful tornadoes tear across Nebraska and Iowa as weather service warns of ‘catastrophic’damage

CNN Devastating tornadoes are tearing across parts of eastern Nebraska and Iowa on Friday as a m u l t i d a y s e v e r e thunderstorm event ramped up in the central United States, injuring at least three people.

Storms began in parts of the Plains and South early Friday afternoon The National Weather Service had received at least 60 reports of tornadoes in at least five states as of 9:30 p.m. ET, making today the

busiest day for tornadoes in theUSinmorethanayear

In addition to tornado warnings,therehavebeen19 damaging wind reports and 45 hail reports from Friday's severe weather outbreak Three of those hail reports were at least 2 inches in diameter, approximately lime-sized Serious storms are expected to continue through Sunday, but Saturday might be the most dangerous day, when the threat will extend from Michigan to Texas,

including Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Dallas, Milwaukee, Chicago and Austin The storms may bring damaging wind gusts, hail up to the size of baseballs and strong tornadoes.

Some of the same areas hitbystormsFridaycouldbe back in the path of storms Saturday, including southeastern Nebraska, southern Iowa, eastern Kansas, and northeastern Texas. In total, more than 50 million people are under the

threat of severe weather Saturday It's all part of classic springtime setup for severe weather Moist air from the Gulf of Mexico is flowing into the central US as heat builds in the region, priming the atmosphere for robust storms Some locations are facing a severe thunderstorm threat spanning two or three consecutivedays.

Dallas; Kansas City, Missouri; Des Moines, Iowa;andOmaha,Nebraska, are just a few cities that

A destroyed home is seen northwest of Omaha, Nebraska, after a storm tore through the area. Margery

could be hit by multiple r o u n d s o f s e v e r e thunderstorms through Sunday

F r i d a y : P l a i n s , MississippiValley,Midwest Destructive storms lit up radars and brought parts of eastern Nebraska to a standstill Friday afternoon. Tornado sirens blared as a l i n e o f s u p e r c e l l thunderstorms raked through the Lincoln and Omahaareas,someofwhich produced what appeared to be massive, damaging tornadoes Tornadoes continue to spawn Friday evening as storms track east into Iowa and northern Missouri The National Weather Service issued a tornado emergency for a large tornado that was confirmed near Harlan, Iowa. Meteorologists noted it was a “particularly dangerous situation” in which “catastrophic damage”waslikely.

A Level 3 of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms extends from parts of Iowa and Nebraska south into northeast Texas. Storm will track east into Iowa and Missouri through the evening and into the overnight Damaging wind gusts, hail up to the size of baseballs and strong tornadoes – at least EF2strength – are possible with any storm in the Level 3 of 5 risk area “Several factors appear to be supportive of a significant tornado event today,” the prediction center warned Friday morning.The tornado risk will continue to increase into the evening hours.Heavy rainfall with rates up to 2 inches per hour couldcausefloodinginparts of Texas, Oklahoma, ArkansasandMissouri.Parts of Missouri were deluged with rain on Thursday, prompting flash flood warnings in the Springfield area, where more than half a month's worth of rain fell. Additional heavy rainfall Friday could allow floodwaterstorisefasterand poseanevengreaterhazard. Saturday: Potential to be themostdangerousday Saturday could be the most dangerous day of the

A. Beck/AP

four if certain atmospheric conditions align The potential strength of storms hingesonhowFridaynight's stormsevolveandlingerinto Saturdaymorning.

“ A c o m p l e x b u t potentially significant severe weather episode is expected on Saturday,” the prediction center cautioned Friday.Ifstormshangaround in the morning hours, the atmosphere will not be able to fully recharge to unload widespread, dangerous storms. Damaging storms are still likely in this scenario, they could just fail to reach their peak potential strength.

But if storms quickly clear out Saturday morning, there won't be much of a limit on how strong storms could become The most significant storms are possible starting in the afternoon in parts of the southern and central Plains, where a Level 3 of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms is in place.Widespreaddamaging windgusts,hailuptothesize of baseballs and strong tornadoes are the storms' mainhazards.

The tornado threat could ramp up considerably through the late afternoon and evening hours with “multiple strong tornadoes” possible, according to the predictioncenter Damaging storms are possible outside of the greatest risk area in a huge area of the country from the Great Lakes to southern Texas.A “significant rainfall event” could unfold Saturday, the Weather Prediction Center warned. Some locations could record close to 5 inches of rain in a short period and dangerous flashfloodingcouldresult.A handful of locations caught under multiple rounds of gushing rainfall could have totals approach the 8-inch mark.A Level 3 of 4 risk of excessive rainfall is in place for a large portion of Oklahoma – including Oklahoma City and Tulsa –and smaller parts of Kansas and Texas. Intense rainfall could force streams to overflow their banks and floodroadways.

Pro-Gaza protests rock U.S colleges as students stress:

‘Gaza is why we’re here’

Aljazeera- Global attention has turned to universities across the United States, where students have erected encampments to demand action to end Israel's war on theGazaStrip.

The growing protests have taken root on the campuses of some of the country's top academic institutions, including ColumbiaandHarvard.

And over the past weeks, they have spurred heated debates around freedom of speech, Palestinian solidarityactivismintheUS, and the use of force to disperse student protesters, amongotherissues.

But the students at the heart of the movement say the reason they began their demonstrations – the pressing need to end Israel's deadly bombardment of Gaza – risks being lost amid a cacophony of voices and distractions.

“Gaza is why we're here. Gaza is why we're doing this,” said Rue, a student at The New School in New York City who asked to only be identified by her first name due to a fear of reprisals.“The New School encampment is happening because we want to make sure that we are doing what wecantoendthisgenocide,” RuetoldAlJazeera.

Listofdemands

Encampments have poppedupatuniversitiesand colleges across the US this month, as the Palestinian death toll in Gaza surpassed the 34,300 mark, amid reports that mass graves were uncovered in the

The students issued a list of demands to their respective universities, includingdivestingfromany companies that may be profiting from the Gaza war or providing the Israeli military with weapons and othersupport.

They have also urged an end to reprisals against students who have spoken outinsupportofPalestinians and for administrators to pledge not to send police or other law enforcement agencies onto the campuses tobreakuptheirprotests.

Images of throngs of N e w Yo r k P o l i c e Department (NYPD) officers marching onto the Columbia University campus to disperse a Gaza protest encampment earlier this week galvanised students in other parts of the UStosetuptheirownprotest sites, too.Hundreds of students have been arrested across the country since the encampmentsbegan.

A first-year PhD student at New York University (NYU), who spoke to Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity due to a fear of reprisals, said students are acting “on the ideals and the histories that [they're] being taught”.“As students who are being taught in class about colonialism, about Indigenous rights, about the effect of non-violent protest across history, it would be extremely hypocritical — or it would totally undermine the point of our education — ifwedidn'tact,”the25-yearoldsaid.“Attheveryleastwe can show that there was

resistance” to what is happening in the Gaza Strip, thestudentadded.

“The horrors in Gaza are really beyond imagining These small acts of resistance, these are small sacrifices [they] are nothing compared to what is happening on the ground in Palestine.”

'Scholasticide'inGaza

Like other protesters across the US, many American students have said they felt an impetus to act given the US government's long-standing support for Israel.

The US gives Israel $3.8bn in military assistance annually, and President Joe Biden has continued to provide staunch support to the country amid the Gaza war On Wednesday, Biden signed into law a massive funding package that will provide an additional $17bn toIsrael.

The Israeli military's attacks on Palestinian students, teachers and academic institutions across Gaza during the war also have acted as a catalyst for the university protests, the studentssaid.

Last week, a group of United Nations experts noted that 80 percent of schools in the Palestinian enclave have been damaged or destroyed since the war began in early October. Nearly 5,500 students have been killed, alongside 261 teachers and 95 university professors.“It may be reasonable to ask if there is an intentional effort to comprehensivelydestroythe Palestinian education system, an action known as 'scholasticide',” the experts said in a statement on April 18.“These attacks are not isolated incidents They present a systematic pattern of violence aimed at

dismantling the very foundation of Palestinian society.”

Etta, a senior at NYU who also asked to only be identified by her first name duetoafearofreprisals,told Al Jazeera that it was “appalling” to see her u n i v e r s i t y f a i l t o acknowledge the destruction of Palestinian academic institutions.

“As an institution that should have a function of education,ofshapingminds, of academic freedom, they can't even take the time to acknowledge, to mourn, to discuss the destruction of those institutions in Palestine,”Ettasaid.

“There'sarefusaltoeven acknowledge that this is going on when we're all bearingwitness[toit].”

'Biggerthanus'

As uncertainty swirls around the future of the US university encampments

amid threats they will be dismantled, the students say they remain committed to continuing their protests — and to keeping the focus on what'shappeninginGaza.

“Palestine is the centre, liberationisthecentreofthis conversation,”saidEtta.

That was echoed by Rue, the student at The New School.“I feel like there's a moral imperative that everyone does everything that they can to the best of their abilities to protest and fight against and end this genocide,” Rue told Al Jazeera.“We're a part of somethingthatisbiggerthan us,”sheadded.

“We are part of a global movement right now and we're really inspired and strengthened by the incredible solidarity [we're] seeing across the United States, across different collegecampuses,acrossthe world.”

Gaza protest in Paris sees tense standoff with Israel supporters

PARIS,April26(Reuters)-Tensionsflaredin front of Paris' prestigious Sciences Po university over the war in Gaza on Friday as pro-Israeli protesters came to challenge pro-Palestinian studentsoccupyingthebuilding.

Policemovedintokeepthetwogroupsapart. Chanting their support for the Palestinians, some students had been occupying a Sciences Po building since the night, displaying Palestinian flagsatwindowsandovertheentrance.

Several wore the black-and-white keffiyeh headscarfthathasbecomeanemblemofsolidarity with Gaza They demanded the institution condemn Israel's actions, in a protest that echoed similardemonstrationsonU.S.campuses.

"When we see what is happening in the United States, and now inAustralia, we're really hoping it will catch on here in France, the academic world has a role to play," said 22-year-old Hicham, a

Master'sstudentinhumanrightsandhumanitarian studiesatSciencesPo."Wehopethatwillspreadto alluniversitiesandbeyond wewon'tgiveinuntil thegenocideinGazaends,"said20-year-oldZoe,a masters student in public administration at Sciences Po.Later in the day, pro-Israel protesters, some wrapped in Israeli or French flags, walked to the building in protest.Renewed clashes between policeandstudentsopposedtoIsrael'swarinGaza broke out on U.S campuses Thursday, raising questions about forceful methods being used to shutdownproteststhathaveintensifiedsincemass arrestsatColumbiaUniversitylastweek.

Israel has killed at least 34,305 Palestinians in itsassaultonGaza,healthauthoritiesintheenclave said on Thursday Israel is retaliating against an Oct. 7 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people and led to 253 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

Po

France,

coastalenclave.

Student demonstrators gather in a tent camp on the campus of Columbia University in New York City on April 24 [Ted Shaffrey/AP Photo]

A masked youth takes part in the occupation of a building of the Sciences

University and blocks the entry in support of Palestinians in Gaza, during the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Paris, France,

April 26, 2024. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

WANTED VACANCY

One night Watchman needed. For more information Call: 612-2125.

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One male able- bodied Staff. Call: 231-2029, 616-5954.

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Caricom Insurance is now hiring Sales Agents/Representatives. Attractive Commission and Training provided. Call (592) 610-6650.

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Masons, carpenters, & skilled men labourers wages $8,000-$10,000 per day & Labourer 5-7K per day. Call: 650-1394, 692-7110.

LEGAL NOTICE 1

Applicant in person: Elvon Archer

Address: Lot 113 North Haslington, East Coast Demerara.

Tel#: 592-680-4489/ 6426369.

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1 fully furnished Luxurious, 4 bedroom apartment, Hot and Cold water, remote gate etc in Campbellville. G/ town. Price US$2000. Call: 621-5140.

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2024-HC-DEM-CIV-FD528 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION

Petition No. FD-2024-528

Between:(ARCHER) ELVON ANDRE Petitioner/ Applicant -v-

(ARCHER) TISHA LUSHANA nee DUKE Respondent

TO: TISHA LUSHANA ARCHER nee DUKE

Formerly of Lot 113 Haslington East Coast Demerara

TAKE NOTICE that on Wednesday the 10th day of April, 2024 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by ELVON ANDRE ARCHER the Petitioner/ Applicant in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 11th day of April, 2024 the Petitioner/ Applicant was directed to effect service of her Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of the KAIETEUR NEWS, a daily newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around the Republic of Guyana and on the worldwide web (online).

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), Answer and/or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 35 (thirty- five) days

LEGAL NOTICE 1

from the date of the final publication of this Notice. TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Wednesday the 12th day of June, 2024 at 10:45am before the Honourable Madam Justice Damone Younge via Zoom Meeting

ID: 845 1426 6584 and

Password: 786 445. IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention to Defend, Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce.

The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara]. The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.

Dated the 15th day of April,2024.

LEGAL NOTICE 2

2023-HC-DEM-CIV-FD1775

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE

FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY

DIVISION

Petition No. FD-1775

Between:(AULT) OLIVE

SAMANTA nee

DALGETTY Petitioner/ Applicant -v-

(AULT) ANTHONY BASIL Respondent

TO: ANTHONY BASIL AULT

Formerly of ByderaboRoad

Bartica

TAKE NOTICE that on the 8th day of December, 2023 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by OLIVE

SAMANTAAULT nee

DALGETTY the

Petitioner/ Applicant in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 10th day of April, 2024 the Petitioner/ Applicant was directed to effect service of her Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of the KAIETEUR NEWS, a daily newspaper printed, published and circulated in Guyana. AND

FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents. AND

FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), Answer and/or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 35 (thirty- five) days from the date of the final publication of this Notice.

TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Wednesday the 12th day of June, 2024 at 9:00am before the Honourable Madam Justice Damone Younge via Zoom Meeting ID: 845 1426 6584 and Password: 786 445. IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention to Defend, Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce.

The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara]. The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.

River side land for sale in Timehri & Parika, Plantation Berg. Call: 653-2477.

Joshi wins Diamond Insurance Women’s Chess Qualifier tournament

Thirteen-year-old Aditi outstanding performance with a final score of 4.5, Jessica Callender, Joshi clinched victory in the throughout the tournament, trailedbyParnitaKishunand anticipatingthecompetition, Women’s Chess Qualifier accumulating6.5points.Her ten-year-old Chelsea expressed confidence in her tournament held at the only draw came against her Harrison, both with 4 points. abilities, acknowledging the National Racquet Centre on fellowQueen’sCollegepeer, Sasha Shariff, Nellisha talent and dedication of her Wo o l f o r d Av e n u e , Ciel Clement, in round 5. Johnson, and Emma John competitors. Georgetown The seven- Notably, she outplayed more finished with 3 5 points The Guyana Chess round event, which experienced opponents like each. F e d e r a t i o n ( G C F ) concluded last Sunday, Sasha Shariff and Shazeeda T h e s e n i n e t o p commends the top nine attracted over 20 female Rahim. performers will challenge contenders for their chess players, with the Leading the pack with the current National exceptional performance youngest participant being Joshi is Shazeeda Rahim Women’sChampion,Jessica and advancement to the onlynineyearsold. with 6 points, followed by Callender, for the title in the championship title round. Joshi, the reigning Ciel Clement with 5.5 u p c o m i n g Wo m e n ’s T h e y a l s o e x t e n d National Under-14 female points. Treskole Archibald Championship rounds appreciation to Diamond champion, displayed secured the fourth position startingtodayApril27th. Fire and General Insurance Inc. for sponsoring both the 2024 Women’s Qualifiers a n d t h e W o m e n ’ s Championshiptournaments.

Saturday April 27, 2024

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Somenewideasforexpanding your horizons on some level could come to you today throughanunexpectedsource, Aries, possibly even dreams orvisions.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Ideas for a new enterprise, which could be anything from a party to a vacation to a new business, could have you spending a lot of time on the phonetoday,Taurus.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

Haveyoubeenthinkingabout gettingfitbyinvestinginsome exerciseequipment?Ifso, this might be the day to actually go out and get it. Don't be surprised if friends, relatives, and neighbors all want to comeoverandtryitout.

CANCER(June21–July22)

Your curiosity and creative energy may be stimulated today by information you receive from books, or conversations with people familiar with the field you're exploring.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Afemalevisitorcouldcometo your door today with some i n t e r e s t i n g , u s e f u l information. It might involve anything from stock market trends to a forthcoming wedding to occult and metaphysicalmatters.

VIRGO(Aug 23–Sept 22)

Today your relationships with just about everyone - friends, relatives,andromanticpartners - should be going very well Your communication is good, andyourabilitytoseetheother person's point of view is clearerthanusual.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Relations with colleagues on the job could be very cooperative today, Libra, probably because you're about to complete a project of some kind that could result in higher incomeforeveryone.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

Friendships and romantic bonds should provide a rich source of support and good companionshiptoday,Scorpio. Conversation is likely to be light, covering general matters like current events and the weather

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

Today you might find yourself hosting an impromptu social event, Sagittarius, and more people could show up than you initially counted on Don't worryaboutit,however

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

A festival, rally, or other mass eventcouldoccurtodayinyour community Itcouldcenterona social, ecological, or political issue.You could well decide to attend in the company of a romanticpartner,andperhapsa groupoffriends,too.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

Careermattersshouldbegoing very well for you today A sudden change regarding your work could catapult you into a position you've been hoping to reachforalongtime.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Asuddendesiretoexpandyour horizons could have you and possibly a romantic partner considering returning to school, perhaps for an advanced degree. The school you're considering might be locatedinanotherstate.

The GCF recognizes the promising talents of up-andcomingplayerssuchasKaija ClementandAngelinaYhap, whonarrowlymissedthetop nine due to tie-break rules. Other notable performers include Ann Doodnauth, Saura Ruplall, Amaya S h a r m a , G a b r i e l l a Rodrigues, Olivia Caesar, andLusiannaFarlot.

Scheduled forApril 27th and 28th, as well as May 1st, 4th, and 5th, 2024, the Women’s Championship matches serve as part of the qualifying process for the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, later in the year Grand Prix points e a r n e d f r o m t h e s e tournaments, along with the 2024 Grand Prix Tourneys, will determine the top five contenders for the Guyana femaleteam.

‘One Guyana’ Kings and...

From page 39 minute, booking their spot in thesemi-finals.

Hururu Men faced a 3-0 defeat against Young Gunners, with Omarion Ramsammy,RodensoTudor, and Omar McLean each netting a goal. MS Ballers narrowly edged out Pro Ballers with Jude Bouyea scoring the sole goal, a beautiful kick from the spot, sealing a 1-0 victory In another thrilling match, Tyrese Lewis stole the show forPlatinumBallers,scoring twice in a 2-0 triumph over UniversalFootballTeam.

More than 40 entries confirmed for Jumbo Jet Race of champions

ThetophorsesinGuyana The feature event which EasyTimearethefivehorses Tizway),TopGunandShake Princess Samaya and Royal the seven-card programme will assemble at the Rising will be the Banks DIH confirmed for the feature theBankthehorsesentered. Flightarethehorsesentered. will be the Three-year-old Sun Turf Club tomorrow, champion of champion race event. Race two will be the Race four will be the F Guyana bred horses. That Sunday April 28th for the and is open to all imported Race one will be the N&M Trucking & Auto ClassandLowerandEClass race is sponsored by Knight Jumbo Jet Race of and locally bred horses, will Jumbo Jet Group of Sales I Class, J Class and who have not raced in 2024, Industries Inc Auto Sales, champions.MorethanG$10 have a total purse of companies K Class & Lower West Indian-bred three-year and horses who placed no Spares, Excavating and million in cash and prizes G$3,750,000 The 1600- race, which will run at 1100 old maidens. That race will higher than third in their last Trucking. She’s a Monica, will be up for grabs, and meter race will see the top meters. Money Time, Get span 1100 meters; and the race Nice Company, Country Rock, Bin Laden more than 40 horses horse bag G$2 million Them Bobby (formerly likes of Royal Ink, Sex American Traveler, Looking and Easy Jet are the four confirmed entry for the big Stolen Money, Spankhurst, Hurricane Lane), Plus Appeal, Hayley and Danstar to Heaven, Creemore and horsesconfirmed. showdown. John Bull, Bossalina and Return, Rescue (formerly willbattle. Converter are the horses The major sponsors for Thethirdraceonthecard entered.Racefivewillbethe the Race of champions are will be the SHI Oil Fuel Forrester’s Concrete H1 & BanksDIH,AJMEnterprise, Distributor and Importer L H2 horses who did not finish Jumbo Jet, Sino Truck and Class and Open to J3 first higher than third in their last XCMG. time starters. A total of 11 outing Amicable Kate, All races will run under horses haveconfirmedentry Smooth Sailing, Zelda, the guidance of the Guyana Chocolate Girl, Perfect T h e o r y o f C o l o r s , Horse Racing Authority’s Dream, Get Them Reggie, Supremacy and Blinding rules.The race of champions Top Ranking, Rags to Light are the confirmed will get going at 12:45hrs at Riches, Bolt n Nut, Three D horses. Rising Sun, and admission is Movie, Wow Wow, Kiss, The penultimate race of G$2,000.

Guyana Media Games set for May 6

On May 6, the nation’s journalists will gather in action, engaging in a series of events at the Police Sports Club Ground as the DepartmentofPublicAffairs at the Office of the Prime Minister hosts inaugural GuyanaMediaGames.

The games form part of several events planned for World Press Freedom Day, which will be celebrated on May3.

Six teams, named after trees of Guyana to promote biodiversity, will compete in the disciplines of cricket, football, athletics, and other noveltyevents.

Captains were selected from various media houses, with Kaieteur News’ Rawle Toney,leadingTeamJatoba.

K e r w i n B o l l e r s , Managing Director of Hits andJamsEntertainment,will spearhead the Kirikua Titans, while Devon Roberts o f t h e N a t i o n a l Communications Network (NCN) will lead the Bulletwoodteam.

Jamima Holmes of the EnvironmentalCrisis.” to the natural world, Guyana Times will captain The Guyana Media promotes sustainable the Purple Heart Posse; Gamesaimtounderscorethe practices, and engages Abina Rockliff and her critical importance of press communitiesinconservation Wallaba Knights will also freedom while fostering a efforts. participate, along with Team deeper understanding of The Media Games Greenheart, led by Zaheer environmental issues promote health and wellness Mohammed. among journalists and the by encouraging physical

This year’s World Press public. activity and mental wellFreedom Day will be Therelationshipbetween being among media celebrated under the theme sports, good health, and professionals through “A Press for the Planet: biodiversity is multifaceted. friendlycompetition. (Rawle Journalism in the Face of the Itfostersadeeperconnection Toney)

‘One Guyana’ Kings and Queens Beach Football semis billed for April 30

The semi-finals of the ‘One Guyana’ King and Queen of the Sand Football Championship promise an electrifying showdown scheduled for Tuesday, April 30th, at the PPP/C Complex compound in Linden.

Kicking off the action at 18:30 hours, Aroaima Girls will go head-to-head with Hururu in the first semi-final clash, while Speightland Women will lock horns with Rockstone Women in the other semi-final encounter

Inthemen’sdivision,thesemi-finalswill commence at 20:10hrs, with MS Ballers facingoffagainstHiFlyersforacovetedspot in the final. Similarly, Platinum Football

Speightland’s goal scores Shenessa Corneilius and Nickita Wayne.

Team will battle it out against Young Gunnersinabidtosecuretheotherspot.

The quarterfinals, held on Friday, witnessed intense competition Speightland Ladies secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Hururu Women, with Shenessa Cornelius shining bright with two exceptional goals in the 18th and 22nd minutes, followed by Nickita Wayne sealing the dealwithanothergoalinthe28th

(Continued on page 39)

GCB T10 Blast tournament...

Anacondas, Pitbulls secure wins as T10 action heats up

T10 action continued yesterday at Malteenoes Ground with huge wins for Essequibo Anacondas and the Demerara Pitbulls.

Anacondas beat Jaguars by 1-run

In a battle of the two Cinderella County franchises, the Anacondas snuck past their county-menbyarun,inanail-bitingthriller

A late innings comeback from Abdul Ramsammywhospanked35off15withthree sixes and a four helped the Anacondas post 73-7.

A wicket apiece from Ashmead Nedd, Nial Smith and Joemal LaFleur coupled with star 2-2 from Dwain Dick, headlined the bowlingeffortoftheJaguars.

Veteran all-rounder Chris Barnwell carried his team during yesterday’s win for Demerara.

However, some disciplined bowling from Ramsammy who returned to grab 2-9 along pacer Qumar Torrington (1-10), Kwesi Former national youth spinner Sagar Mickle (1-19) and Bruce Vincent (1-26) did Hetheramani snapping up 2-18 Match welltodefendtheruns. winners from the last round, Veerasammy

Opener Chandrapaul Hemraj struck four Permaul (1-28), Quentin Sampson (1-2) and sixes and three fours in his 39, which proved Rajiv Ivan (1-6), were among five bowlers to tobefutileastheJagscouldonlymuster72-7. grabawicketeach.

Demerara Pitbulls beat OnlyIvan(25)andopenerRickeySargent Berbice Piranhas by 14-runs (20) managed double figures as the Piranhas Batting first the Pitbulls racked up 93-7 couldonlymuster79-9. from10overs.OpenerSachinSinghslammed MVP and captain Barnwell picked up 234 (3x4 2x6) with Leon Swamy (12), 17 along with Keon Sinclair (2-21) and Johnathan Rampersaud 13* and Damian Swamy (2-10) who kept their side in the Vantull(13)addingsomesupport. game.

Young Gunners match winners Omarion Ramsammy, Rodenso Tudor and Omar McLean.