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James Bond, Friday Edition NEWS others placed on bail in land case AIETEUR

April 02, 2021 -Vol. 23 No. 14

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- Heath-London out of country, charged in absentia

Brother of slain Henry

Online readership yesterday, 99,233

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teen allegedly confesses to murdering pensioner for revenge

Deochand's alleged killer, Mark Anthony Henry

- Had reportedly said “He kill me brother and now I feel pleased I kill he now” Citizens face After Sept, Three P.20 Greenlight ignorance ofP. remanded given for life threatening US$12.5M conditions in P.9 labour laws 24 unacceptable for Leopold Eccles-Mandela Police custody road P. 16 - US Dept. Report - Minister Hamilton St. murder

Govt. invites bids to audit ExxonMobil’s 2018 -2020 costs - Says locals can apply

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Two Colours Suspected Linden man Truck driver who wounded charged with co-accused masterminds in gas station women for gets 5 years for robbery phone password death of manslaughter arrested remanded motorcyclist P. 13

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ExxonMobil wants flexible Local Content Policy/Laws …says unrealistic demands can jeopardise operations - Consultant P. 3

Pres. Ali continues the culture of begging by Guyanese leaders and the new Ponzi Scheme in the making. Tune in to Kaieteur Radio (99.1/99.5FM) @11:00hrs to find out!

Next edition Sunday April 4th

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ExxonMobil wants flexible Local Content …says unrealistic demands can Policy/Laws jeopardise operations - Consultant E

xxonMobil Guyana is warning the Guyanese public to temper expectations with regards potential benefits to be had from tapping into the oil and gas industry, since these could have negative implications.

This position was reaffirmed following the company’s latest submission to the government on the draft local content policy, “reaffirming its commitment to implementing effective initiatives to help build a globally competitive workforce and supply base.”

The company in a public missive on Wednesday confirmed that it had submitted written submission to the government following engagement with officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources recently.

This is in addition to the quarterly reports that are compiled and submitted to the Ministry.

ExxonMobil Guyana President, Alistair Routledge, in making the announcement, underscored the company’s commitment “to growing local content that will generate broad and sustainable economic development, while supporting safe development of the nation’s oil and gas resources.”

He said, ExxonMobil is “pleased that the government continues to seek broad input and collaboration to develop an approach suited to Guyana’s unique situation and national development objectives.”

H e c a u t i o n e d nonetheless that “Local content policy or legislation should be informed and supported by appropriate economic, labour and industrial baseline studies.”

According to Routledge, “It is essential that when driving local content in one sector, actual and projected national capacity is taken into consideration to avoid negatively impacting other sectors of the economy.”

He said “prior experience around the globe demonstrates that overly aggressive local content regulations and mandates can have unintended, negative consequences on the development of projects, industry, and the broader economy.”

The company, earlier in the day, hosted a Local Content Backgrounder for journalists, where SocioEconomic Local Content Consultant, Traecy Roberts, spoke to the need for flexibility in any Local Content Policy and Laws that are promulgated.

She was adamant that changing the laws and contract terms intermittently could undermine investments and the operations of the industry generally.

Roberts further contended that with the oil and gas industry being a technical operation, the company would not want to jeopardise its operations by setting unrealistic standards.

She cited as example, the fact that Guyana does not even produce steel.

A c c o r d i n g t o ExxonMobil Guyana Local Content Advisor, Devon Seeram, the company works closely with its prime contractors to ensure that they are equally committed to developing local content and tracks that their local content plans are effectively implemented.

He too pointed to the need for better understanding of the needs

Socio-Economic Local Content Consultant, Traecy Roberts

ExxonMobil Guyana President, Alistair Routledge. of the industry and noted, for example, that while in 2020 some US$3M was spent by the company for transportation, only about US$1.8M was actually retained in country, since the remainder went towards imports which means that the money expended was not actually expended in country.

H e u s e d accommodations as another example and noted that last year while some US$17.6M w a s s p e n d o n accommodations, 80 percent of this spending was not actually retained in country, since that went into importing commodities and materials.

This scenario was repeated, across other sectors more glaringly in the form of insurance, where only one percent of what was spent was spent in country since local insurers did not have the capacity.

He did seek to point out that since “our first discovery in 2015, we have made significant progress creating jobs, growing the number of local suppliers we work with and increasing our

local spending.”He disclosed that at the end of 2020, the total Guyanese workforce supporting E x x o n M o b i l G u y a n a ’s overall activities was 2,338 persons and accounted for some 56 percent of the local workforce.

According to Seeram, since 2015, more than GY$77.6B or some US$338M has been spent directly with more than 800 Guyanese companies for goods and services ranging from food to engineering.

Roberts did use the occasion to also caution that because ExxonMobil is the operator in three different blocks that are in different stages of operations, the workforce demands can vary and cited as example periods where more technical expertise not available in country would have to be utilized.

The company officials also noted that in its development of its local content policy it was cognizant of the fact that experts could be pulled away from other critical sectors in the country.

The consultants used the

occasion also to speak of the need for domestic companies to reinvest into their operations in order to build capacity.

According to Seeram,

the company collaborates with its suppliers to ensure Guyanese are given preferential treatment “once they have the capacity and are competitive.”

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

Publisher: GLENN LALL Tel:624-6456 Editor: SHARMAIN GRAINGER Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Failure to launch Yesterday, the Ministry of Education launched the first “smart classroom” in Region Three, with the promise by Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, to continue to expand such facilities both across the primarily rural region and across the country in general. A release from the Ministry reads in part: “Minister Manickchand said that teachers would be trained to use the facility. She said that there have been many initiatives to incorporate Information Technology (IT) into the classroom, but not many of those projects were taken seriously enough to put the education sector in a position to deliver education online when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

However, she commended those teachers who stepped up to the challenge during the pandemic and managed to teach their students virtually. She said that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the Ministry of Education to regroup and ensure that systems are put in place to have as many children as possible engaged during this time.”

Implicit in the Minister’s statement, of course, is a bit of self-criticism in that this is her second stint in her current portfolio and therefore any failure, from 2011 to 2015, to put the education sector in a position to seriously deliver online education, was hers. That said, the preponderance of responsibility for failure lies firmly on the shoulders of the Granger administration ministers, who happen to be both her successors and her predecessors, considering the global revolution in communication technology, in the growth and expansion of big data and their role in education delivery reached the point of critical maturation during the past five years.

In essence, when it comes to integrating information technology into the education sector at a time of peak opportunity, what took place in the Granger administration were much pomp and ceremony launches, but a fundamental failure to launch. It is because of the theatrics, when there was a recent spat between Minister Manickchand and former Ministers Nicolette Henry (Education) and Cathy Hughes (Communications), when challenged by Manickchand to produce evidence of working smart classrooms, as were claimed to have been launched under the Coalition’s tenure, none could be produced, with both former Ministers relying on news reports of launches of such facilities and not the assessment reports of those facilities in action.

Access to the internet and availability of the basic equipment necessary for this new pedagogy is going to be the defining factor in bridging the increasingly massive socioeconomic and other developmental gaps between urban and rural communities.

To be clear, the challenges of both integrating technology into an analogue classroom and bridging the digital divide are not easy ones to overcome, not even for wealthy countries, and the COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the inadequacies of the technological, educational and economic infrastructure the world over.

For example, according to a report on US National Public Radio website: “Across the country as American schools struggle with whether to reopen or stay virtual, many rural districts are worried their students will fall even further behind than their city peers. This pandemic has shown a glaring light on many inequalities. The federal government estimates that more than a third of rural America has little or no Internet. In numerous recent interviews, educators have told NPR they’re concerned the rural-urban divide will only worsen if kids can’t get online to learn.”

What this shows is that even in the economic powerhouse, that is the United States, currently in global competition with China to create cutting edge 5G technology, large swathes of the American rural heartland exist essentially in a different, older era.

It therefore isn’t enough that the idea of information communication technology is integrated into the education system as a reactive response to the challenges to education delivery brought on by COVID. Other complex considerations have to be weighed, not the least of which is the availability and affordability of the broadband internet necessary to give life to the smart classroom equipment.

I am shocked, surprised and disgusted at private commercial development at Merriman’s Mall DEAR EDITOR, I learnt with shock, surprise and disgust that a private developer has been given permission to use a portion of Merriman’s Mall for commercial vehicular parking.

I understand further, that all Councillors supported this abomination.

This itself, I find unbelievable. Many of us who appreciate the importance of securing the integrity of our City, maintaining a certain ambience and beauty could not believe this dissent to share folly and selfdestruction.

Beyond that, I support the Mayor and Council as they face enormous challenges, both inherited and current.

However, this City is doomed, if those who purportedly manage the City have little or no appreciation and no knowledge of what a City should be.

Certain things are necessary if we are to achieve the objective of Georgetown, once again being described as the ‘Garden City’ of the Caribbean, where Guyanese at home and abroad can be proud of their capital city.

Successive City

Administrations, even before Independence, have done great harm and in some cases, irreparable damage to our Capital, including filling up of water-ways, which have over time seriously compromised our drainage in the City.

It appears that we now have a gathering of Councillors, who take not the time to ascertain the history and purpose of a City that they now superintend.

If they had the good sense and took the trouble to enquire, they will know that except for the blocks north of Bourda Market, the rest of Merriman’s Mall was intended to be open spaces and cultural activities, preserving the greenery.

In every part of the civilised world, efforts continue, sometimes with the support of UNESCO to ensure that t h e r e i s a d e q u a t e Public Open Spaces (POS) so that adults, but in particular, our young people can inhale fresh air and enjoy the beauty of nature.

The Georgetown Municipality arrested the Parking Meter Project intended to bring some order to the City, but now, we are desecrating and

destroying one of the few free areas, left in the City.

Where are those good citizens now who took to the streets and were vociferous at that time? A classic example of different ‘strokes’ for different ‘folks’. What is the matter with us? Sometime ago, in several public statements and decisions, both at the Central Housing and Planning Authority and the Municipality, it was agreed, I repeat agreed, that developers in the City who are establishing businesses that will require staff and customer parking should provide onsite parking, including as happened elsewhere, a floor dedicated for the parking of staff and customers’ vehicles.

There has always been a resistance by some uncaring, selfish developers but it is the duty of Administrators to insist that this reasonable and necessary requirement be complied with. Succeeding generations will curse us for allowing this assault on our City.

Perhaps, by some who have no appreciation for what a City should be or is it that our Capital is now up for sale?

And I understand with the wave of a wand, permission has been granted for 50 years.

In our context, that means eternity.

The absurdity if not tragedy is that we live in a City where the protocols related to Covid-19 to preserve our health and wellbeing are being flagrantly violated.

We live in a City where even our health and wellbeing are sacrificed. We live in a City, where indiscipline and being just nasty is becoming the norm. We live in a City where the brains of some of us have been eaten.

We live in a City where there can be a fine line between what is lawful and what is lawless. We live in a City where we care not to preserve our heritage sites. We live in a City where the price of basic food items are climbing but it is business as usual.

Is it that the City, which I was born in, grew up in and never left, is now UP FOR SALE? When would this debauchery stop or has this generation been encircled by cultural barbarians? I ask my friends to ponder the contents of this letter so that together we can put an end to this madness, which is taking place before our eyes and save this City.

Yours truly, Hamilton Green

Agriculture Ministry responds to Stabroek News’ operations have nothing to of its size, takes a very long new processing facility is editorial do with the issuance of the time to shell manually so local dedicated to aquaculture and DEAR EDITOR, After reviewing yet another editorial published in the Sunday, March 28th, 2021 edition of the Stabroek News, on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, I would like to make some things clear.

It is obvious that the editor is of the assumption that the Chinese Owned seafood processing plant’s operations will somehow negatively affect the overall seabob industry. That will not be the case and here’s why. · Grandeast Inc.’s

two new trawler licences. · Grandeast Inc. is currently only processing one specific species of shrimp - Nematopalaemon schmitti also known as the ‘white belly’ shrimp. The company is not involved in the processing of other types of seafood at this time. · Grandeats Inc. is providing a market for a product that is usually discarded or dried in somewhat unsanitary conditions in Guyana. The species in question, because

One bright note coming out of yesterday’s launch, is Minister Manickchand’s statement that one use of the smart classroom technology would be the remote sharing of specialist skills between teachers attached to various schools.

This indicates that, at least within the education sector leadership, we are moving beyond the visionless launches that sputter to nothing and only exist for the political theatre of progress and not progress itself.

That said, the conversation and the ensuing conceptual development has to be much wider as even America is discovering, with US President, Joe Biden, recently issuing a sweeping executive order geared largely towards improving and expanding the country’s ICT infrastructure in a more stable, more inclusive, more equitable manner. Unless ubiquitous, universal ICT is seen here in Guyana as fundamental to and inextricable from the overall national development process, we will continue down the path to what in the long term could very well be a fatal final failure to launch.

fisherfolk would usually discard them. · Grandeast Inc. has also increased the income of its suppliers by increasing the cost per bucket of ‘white belly’ shrimp from $500 and $800 per bucket to $1000 per bucket. · Grandeast Inc. has the capacity to process 40 tons of shrimp per day. This does not mean that they do, as the company is currently engaging other fisherfolk to supply the desired species of shrimp. · Grandeast Inc. was granted a licence to operate under the previous APNU+AFC Administration.

After reviewing the company’s file, it was discovered that it had been granted permission from the responsible agencies from as far back as August of 2019.

After permission was granted and the facility was built, the Fisheries Department granted permission to operate to Grandeast Inc. on February 11th, 2020. Why didn’t the Ministry come under fire then?

Another important point that the editorial completely missed, or maybe willfully dismissed, is the fact that the

its development in Guyana as against wild-caught fish as was explained to the Minister and team on the visit.

The new plant was also designed to process fish species that are grown in cultured/controlled environments, and as such, the operators have signalled their interest to purchase fish species such as tilapia, amongst others.

One must wonder why the sudden interest in perpetuating corruption at the Ministry of Agriculture when the entire process was approved even before the 2020 National and Regional Elections which, after a sixmonth-long debacle, resulted in a change in Government.

The Ministry of Agriculture has put forward every effort to bring clarity to the issue surrounding the issuance of the trawler licences. It has now become irresponsible for the Editor in question to issue statements based on assumptions rather than facts.

Statements “such may be the case” and “one has to wonder” are assumptive and not factual. The editorial is (Continued on page 6)

Friday April 02, 2021

The welfare of Georgetowners must be the prime responsibility of the M&CC DEAR EDITOR, The decision to allocate space on the Merriman Mall for Sleep In Hotel and Casino’s customers to park should be seen as a practical and progressive move by the Mayor and City Council that addresses severe congestion issues that many residents of the area have complained about.

The fact is this hotel and casino was approved in a time when issues to do with parking and proper town planning were not being properly discussed.

It is hoped that similar projects will now be required to follow basic regulations used in many other cities worldwide before being approved. There is going to be tremendous development in and around the city on the back of the oil sector activity

and if it is the case that developers cannot meet such requirements then they need to look elsewhere.

Georgetown should ideally become like downtown Paramaribo or Old Panama City with an emphasis on preserving its green spaces and historic buildings. But the present reality is whether you like it or not, this hotel and casino is there and so finding a solution was the correct way forward The initiative will also see much needed revenues for the city administration that continues to struggle with businesses refusing to pay their rates.

I hope that the President and the private sector can talk out on this subject. If not then, the names of the chronic defaulters should be published.

Furthermore this move by the Mayor and City Council is another indication that it wishes to move beyond the stagnation of years past, and wherever possible to work along with the central government and businesses to make Georgetown a more comfortable place to live.

The joint work on a bridge at Hogg and Sussex Streets, Albouystown and the recent meeting between the Mayor and the President which saw a commitment of $100m in taxes from central government can only be seen as positive steps.

Political differences remain but in the end Georgetowners must come first and their welfare is the prime responsibility of the Mayor and City Council.

Yours sincerely, Lynn Nicholas

Filling Vacancies (A Tongue-in-Cheek Résumé) DEAR EDITOR, Vacancy Notices are becoming more and more colourful in the daily press, very likely because of the job market becoming increasingly more competitive, even though some invitations are to levels of applicants who may not be literate enough – for example, to interpret whether he/she is the ‘semiskilled person’ – comparable to the ‘Porter’ shown in the same NOTICE. Another does not cater for the much more literate applicant being more than a little puzzled by the unhyphenated descriptor ‘AFTER SALES SUPERVISOR’.

Then there will be others who have to decide which of the following operations attract the best pay, while being assured of safety: Corporate Driver Heavy Equipment Operator

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Senior Equipment/ Machinery Operator – HDTU Truck Driver Pump Operator Bobcat Operator Layout Operator; and for which of the above licence is needed.

Most troubling perhaps is the portrayal by one Public Sector Agency of an unusual number of missing HEADS, in addition to unnumbered ‘Statisticians’ - specialists who have always justified the name of that well established employer.

Indeed, the a f o r e m e n t i o n e d presentations would appear to demand greater capability than would be provided by a ‘Human Resources Clerk’ –a position also advertised amongst JOB OPPORTUNITIES offered in the same rush – to: Labourer HSE Engineer Site Chemist all providing pause for

reflection on the capacity of the respective Human Resources Management functionaries.

More sensitive job seekers may well hold reservations abo u t t h e extent of professionalism within the management e n vironment of the respective organisations.

And yet one continues to wonder whether applicants for ‘Experienced Hauler Driver’ and ‘Experienced Sales Clerks’ would have left their previous employment voluntarily.

Hopefully the same outdated ‘Personnel Department’ could be able to conduct the relevant tests to recommend for hire: Semi-skilled Joiners Welder Factory Workers at mutually satisfactory terms and conditions, and with the blessing of the Ministry of Labour.

E.B. John

The AG speaks, I blink DEAR EDITOR, I refer to the article titled, “Nandlall: Broad commitment to electoral reforms at stakeholders meet on EU observer mission report” (SN March 31). My reactions follow.

Congratulations to the Hon. Attorney General for venturing into transparency through “broad commitment to electoral reforms.” Surely, he jests! Mere mortals like me are consigned to question only the extent of that broadness, and depth of the commitment made so piously

by Mr. Nandlall. As a proud Kshatriya, I would hope that when Mr. Nandlall, SC and newest PPP emcee, took that fervent position, he had his hand on Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana. While I recognise the AG’s attempt at transparency, I dissociate myself from endorsing his spirit of sincerity. Stated differently, March felt long, with bad tidings of its Ides coming daily from his party and leaders. It was an uninterrupted and still incomplete period that saw crude assassinations of authenticity.

Editor, it is my immovable belief that when Mr. Nandlall sensed “broad commitment”, he either temporarily lost his head or his footing; and because I have his measure, I am inclined to settle for both.

Since Mr. Nandlall may be inclined to rail up in pretended protestations, I seek to hold him by the hand, drum some needed sense in his head, and lead him along the straight and narrow. Not

some primrose path conjured by him and his party and their parade of stakeholders. I make two donations to Mr. Nandlall, starting with stakeholders first.

How are some of them going to wash some of that dark money (financing) which brought a sharp grimace and a cold frown from the EU people? What are they going to use to recommend them?

To give them an audience with the people that matter? To justify their covers, their very existence? Surely, the AG knows better and is pulling the leg of democracy’s losers.

Those would be his own party supporters. I suggest he sticks to the law, and leave this truth telling business to me. Similarly, since his party (and the opposition) has feasted on hundreds of millions of such aromatic financings from willing donors, how is it going to manage if that disappears? I dare the adaptable Mr.

Nandlall to tell Guyana that he and his party will roll up sleeves and pants, walk the breadline, and actually operate on a shoestring budget; after all, everybody want their expensive moment in the rich television sun.

Then, in the area of ownership and control of the state media, is Mr. Nandlall actually committing his party to denationalisation and diversification? That will be the day; for that is where all the songs and dances in Kathak, bebop, Guyanese dancehall styles are given free rein to misinform, mesmerise, and mislead naïve Guyanese. It should be noticed I ignored SoPS, SoBs, GECOM, CARICOM, as well as timing, rearranging, and whining. That is because, there is enough wynin’ by Mr. Nandlall to last until the next elections. To Mr. Nandlall, I say: start over, sir.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

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A New Global Human Order is needed to cope with the effects of globalisation and liberalisation DEAR EDITOR, “War is nothing but a continuation of politics with the admixture of other means.” - Carl von Clausewitz.

Sanctions can be considered weapons of war by other means. They are ideologically motivated, but economically aimed at inflicting damage to a given regime. In reality, sanctions end up hurting the population of the targeted country.

The perennial question has always been, that with sanctions, who stands to gain, who stands to lose. We Guyanese don’t have to look far to find the answer. We know from our own experience the impact sanctions are having on Cuba and Venezuela.

It is in that context that we Guyanese need to acquaint ourselves with the big picture unfolding internationally and understand the impact it could have on our day to day lives.

Too often we hear grumblings to the effect that we ought not to be too focused on the outside world and that we must be more focused on bread and butter issues at home.

While the latter is true, at the same time, we must never forget that it was the outside world that stood by us in our struggle for free and fair elections and ultimately, the installation of a democratically elected

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government.

While we focus on our domestic challenges including mobilisation of COVID 19 vaccines, balancing public health issues with economic needs, developmental initiatives such as the resuscitation of the sugar industry, the gas to shore project, fish stock sustainability, the bridge across the Corentyne river and public and safety security, we should not lose sight of developments further afield and the impact they would have as we pursue our national goals.

The frantic search and appeals by government in both the industrialised and developing countries for COVID-19 vaccines is a good example that

illustrates ‘no man is an island entire of itself ’ in this globalised world and why countries today are interdependent as never before.

Guyana has turned to Northern Europe to procure 200,000 Sputnik vaccines.

This demonstrates how permanent interests take precedence over friendship in any shape or form.

While the war on the COVID-19 pandemic and the concomitant vaccine diplomacy rages, there is another rising tide we Guyanese ought to be aware of.

I refer to the looming USChina Cold War. Guyana from a geo-strategic perspective, must avoid any further (Continued on page 22)

Without a feasibility study we would be at the mercy of contractors DEAR EDITOR, Now that Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo (referred to by some as Jagdeo The Great) has decreed that the gas-toshore project is a “no brainer” implying that it is viable without a feasibility study, one is left to ponder how this could be the case when we do not know how much the project will cost. Without a feasibility study we would be at the mercy of contractors who would keep pushing up the construction cost to make more profits.

Let us learn from the

mistake of the past (ref: Skeldon Sugar Factory modernisation project and Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project whereby there was escalating costs even before any construction).

A feasibility study would prove the detractors wrong and would prevent runaway costs.When we are about to spend over US$500M on a project there is need for feasibility study and not this wishy-washy approach to development.

Yours Faithfully, Sean Ori

Finance Ministry Official killed, after vehicle topples on Mahdia trail - three others injured

Dead Finance Official, Pretipaul Jaigobin Pretipaul Jaigobin, 54, an Economic and Financial Analyst of the Finance Ministry, serving on the EU Task Force, was killed yesterday afternoon in an accident along the Mahdia Access Road, Region Eight.

According to police, the accident took place around 15:00 hrs. and injured three other ministry officials as well.

They have been identified as, Franky Wessel Trotz, 29; Ravie Gayadean, 25; and Nand Singh, the driver of the Toyota Tundra pickup, in which they were travelling.

Police were told that they were all seated in the cab, when Singh reportedly lost control of the vehicle some five kilometers before reaching the Mabura Police Outpost, and it toppled several times before coming to a halt.

The severely injured men were reportedly discovered by the Mayor of Mahdia, David Adams, who was passing some time later.

Adams reportedly picked up the injured men and took them to the Mabura Health Centre. The medic there referred Jaigobin, Gayadean and Singh to the Linden Hospital, after it was noted that their condition was

The mangled vehicle that overturned killing Jaigobin and injuring three other ministry officials critical. Upon arrival at the Linden Hospital, Jaigobin was pronounced dead, while the others were admitted.

Jaigobin and his colleagues were heading to Mahdia for the disbursement of the second round of COVID-19 Cash Grant.

President, Irfaan Ali, stated on his Facebook page last evening that he is saddened at Jaigobin’s tragic death. He added that Jaigobin was coordinating the second phase of the Covid-19 Cash Grant and was training staff on the verification of the pink form, the official document given primarily to tenants, who were not eligible for the first round of disbursements.

“Since the commencement of this programme, Jai worked beyond the call of duty to bring relief to every family. I ask all the families who benefitted from the work of this outstanding public servant, and all other Guyanese, to hold this family up in prayers in their moment

of grief,” the President stated.

He continued, “To the extended family at the Ministry of Finance, I share your grief and shock. I cherish the moments we worked together at the Ministry of Finance. I thank his family for sharing this incredible soul with us. Rest in Peace, Jai.” Jaigobin leaves to mourn his wife and two children.

...Agriculture Ministry From page 4 drawing a non-statistical conclusion and if we are going to continue along the lines of assumptions, it can be assumed that the Editor has a clear agenda. It can also be assumed that the Editor would like to see the fishermen who are now benefiting from this market lose out on these financial gains they are now receiving.

Would the Editor be able to make up for the loss in income that these fisherfolk would have to incur if this market is lost?

At the Ministry of Agriculture, one of our aims is to foster development of the fishing industry.

Government has made it clear that Guyana is opened to foreign direct investments and has been partners with many countries for decades, China included. These investments must benefit our citizens and this is a clear example of such.

We’d like to invite the Editor to engage in responsible journalism and try to contact Grandeast Inc.’s management team in Guyana to get the facts, rather than publish statements padded with assumptions.

Yours sincerely, Janell Cameron Public Relations Officer, Ministry of Agriculture

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We repeat the call for post-Cabinet press briefings under the Dr. Irfaan Ali administration.

Pres. Ali was not only duly elected, and hence owes an obligation to the people of Guyana to constantly apprise them of his Cabinet’s handling of their business, but was the key beneficiary of the international fight against a months-long process that threatened to completely undermine public faith in executive government.

The low bar set by his predecessor is not an excuse or opportunity to discard attention to accountability and transparency in the administration of government.

PAGE 07

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Friday April 02, 2021

GEA Head tells Govt. to consider compressing …points to imminent 39MW for grid Natural Gas for export using solar, investments in hydro

G

overnment is a c t i v e l y pursuing landing Natural Gas from the Liza I oilfield—126 miles offshore Guyana—to the former Wales Sugar Estate for electricity generation, even as the country’s Energy Agency is actively pursuing several energy generation projects using renewable sources such as solar, wind, hydro and biomass, among other sources.

In fact, the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) is on track to have installed in the near future, some 39 megawatts (MW) of electricity using solar farms.

This, in addition to other mini grids set up and power generation using several small hydro projects.

The disclosures were had on Thursday during in a presentation by GEA head, Dr. Mahender Sharma, during a webinar hosted by the American Chambers of Commerce in Guyana (AmCham).

His disclosure comes on the heels of publicly announced plans by the

administration to land gasto-shore in Guyana for the purpose of electricity generation.

The GEA head was quick to suggest that the administration actively consider compressing the natural gas expected from the Liza Field in the Stabroek Block.

The installation of some 39MW of additional generation capacity is being complemented by other similar initiatives, Sharma said, adding that “we are right and ready for solar in Guyana.”

He noted that some 4.7MW of solar power has already been installed using photovoltaic solar panels installed on rooftops at more than 280 government buildings, which has already led to the reduction of some $500M in energy bills.

D r. S h a r m a i n h i s presentation to the webinar, urged government to consider compressing natural gas obtained from the country’s oil fields for export.

He told moderator,

Shyam Nokta, prior to the discovery of oil and natural gas in Guyana, the country had already embarked on an e n e r g y m i x s t r a t e g y, transitioning to more renewable sources of power generation.

Providing an update on the current activities in relation to the works being executed by GEA, Dr. Sharma noted that in the past seven years, the organisation has installed solar panel rooftops that are largely grid-connected systems.

This, he said, currently accounts for 4.7MW of capacity installed on some 287-government buildings, including schools and hospitals.

A c c o r d i n g t o D r.

Sharma, the cost of installation of solar panels have also seen a downward trend over the years and noted that back in 2012 it cost some US$3.88 per kilowatt-hour.

By 2019, according to Dr. Sharma, this had been brought down to US$0.92 cents.

“We are right and ready

GEA Head, Dr. Mahender Sharma for solar in Guyana, this system is actually in my home and I have reduced my monthly energy consumption by about 35 percent,” he cited, qualifying his position.

Speaking to efforts at a national scale, the GEA head disclosed that the entity has recently completed a 400 kilowatt per hour solar farm at Mabaruma.

A c c o r d i n g t o D r.

Sharma, “over the last seven years we have facilitated the installation of more than

5MW of new solar panels on a total of 291 Government entities.”

This, he said, has resulted in some $500M in national savings “simply by displacing energy from the grid.”

He spoke too, to the fact that the GEA is the executing agency for an InterAmerican Development Bank funded project “that looks at solar farms at Bartica, Mahdia and Lethem.”

Those for Bartica and Lethem have already been tendered for, according to Dr. Sharma, and are “likely to be completed by the end of this year.”

Dr Sharma noted that there are also plans for an additional farm on the island of Leguan and that tenders for that and the Mahdia farm will be issued before the end of the year, with Environmental Impact Assessment studies currently being conducted for the latter.

GEA, he said too, is the executing agency for a Japanese funded project

aimed at loss reduction and the installation of a 400kilowatt solar system at the Caribbean Community Secretariat.

Speaking to micro grid upgrades by the GEA, he pointed to a Moraikobai project with an installed capacity of 72kw, which has since allowed for 24 hours access to electricity for that hinterland community.

Addressing other solar technologies being explored by the GEA, he pointed to solar powered streetlights and electric cars. As such, GEA, he said is looking to install at least 39MW of electricity using some seven new solar farms and 10 solar mini grids in the next three years.

Speaking to hydropower initiatives by the Agency, Dr. Sharma pointed to one completed in Region One at Hosororo and the construction of another 150kw plant at Kato in Region Eight.

Additionally, he outlined that the GEA will soon be going out to tender for the (Continued on page 21)

Linden man who wounded “Grandpa” busted with ganja in his suitcase women for phone

password remanded A Linden man has been remanded to prison for burning and beating two sisters on Monday, one of whom is the mother of his three children. The 30-yearold Ragin Allen also known as Mutaaz Allen, appeared before Magistrate Wanda Fortune at the Linden Magistrate Court, where he answered to two counts of felonious wounding. He will return to court on April 19th 2021.

O n M o n d a y, A l l e n allegedly burnt his reputed wife’s sister 18-year-old Anita Sunita with a mug of boiling water before beating her with a piece of wood to her head and lashing his reputed wife 21-year-old Teekadai Singh of Lower Kara Kara, Mackenzie, to her foot, after he could not gain access to her phone. The two do not live together, but are parents to three children.

They both reside in the community of Lower Kara Kara, Mackenzie, Linden.

Enquiries disclosed that on the day in question, the two victims were at the perpetrator’s home when an argument erupted over the

woman’s cellphone. When he did not succeed in having her input the password to open the phone, he armed himself with a mug of hot boiling water and threw it on Sunita, who was defending her sister, causing her to receive second degree burns to her right side face. He then armed himself with a piece of wood and dealt her a blow to her head causing her to receive injuries. She is presently at the Linden Hospital Complex nursing burns to her face and lacerations to the head He then picked up a three-inch block and dealt the children’s mother, a lash to her lower right leg which caused her leg to be broken.

She received further lashes about her body and head before he made good his escape, leaving the two victims lying in the yard covered with blood about their bodies. Singh is nursing a broken leg and lacerations to the face and head.

The woman reportedly related that she left Allen after years of abuse and on the day in question she was on visitation, when Allen

Remanded for wounding sisters over phone password, Ragin Allen. launched the attack. The three children reside with their father and his parents.

The mother usually visits them periodically. On the day in question, she took them to purchase ice cream and upon her return, he launched the attack. Allen placed a knife at Singh’s waist and called her sister in the house when he doused her. In a live video recorded on Facebook, Allen further admitted to committing the act and gave reasons why he did so. He was at the time attempting to commit suicide, but then said, suicide is not the way.

He then posted on Facebook, “We in had no no problem, no argument nothing, yet I just violate, no hard talking nothing…. Who so ever disappointed in me, just know I disappointed in myself. Who feels it knows it.”

Grandpa busted with ganja, Clarence Wrights.

Passengers who saw a “Grandpa” travelling in a speed boat to the Stabroek Market Stelling on Wednesday with a suitcase thought he was carrying clothes. It shocked them, however, when they learnt that he was busted hours late with nine parcels of ganja neatly stacked in that same suitcase.The pensioner, Clarence Wrights, 64, of Lot 54 Bagotsville, West Bank Demerara was caught with the drugs by ranks of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU).

The confiscated “weed” According to CANU press release, he was intercepted in the late afternoon hours while pulling his suitcase along the roadside at Hadfield and Water Streets. Inside his suitcase they found over 4.5 kilograms of suspected cannabis in nine compressed parcels. They also found two

small Ziploc parcels with 12 grams of the same narcotic in his pants pocket.

The ranks also seized a sum of cash that was also found in his possession. He is currently in custody and is expected to appear in court soon to be charged with the alleged trafficking of narcotics.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Friday April 02, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

PNC will have to rig its own election to stop Volda Lawrence

F

ormidable chaos is tumbling over the PNC. It cannot hold its next congress due since last year for one glaring reason – it has to be r i g g e d b e c a u s e Vo l d a Lawrence is contesting the leadership and if the voting is free and fair without the shadows of Mingo, Lowenfield and Myers stalking Congress Place, then Lawrence will beat the incumbent, David Granger, and her challenger, Joseph Harmon.

The rigging is going to cause nightmares for Granger and Harmon. To be accused by the world of rigging the national election last year, then to do the same thing at your own party

congress, could put the PNC in irreversible decline.

Secondly, the Faith Harding syndrome could be invoked

by Lawrence, but with a huge difference.

At the February 2011 special congress to elect a leader, Dr. Faith Harding, a stalwart who ran against Granger, claimed that the delegates were chosen through fraud and that Granger ’s victory was helped by outgoing leader, Robert Corbin.

Harding’s exclamation had no effect because she was absent from Guyana a long time and lost her popularity years ago. She was not seen as a formidable contender.

In the case of Lawrence, it is the opposite scenario.

Lawrence is one of the most popular contestants and her accusation of being cheated in the forthcoming congress could break up the PNC. Her campaign manager, James

Bond, is going to engage in destructive agitation, if she loses the vote due to handpicked delegates.

If the PNC does hold its congress this year, Guyana will see the re-enactment of the Hoyte versus Green syndrome and the Corbin versus Alexander drama. I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that had there been a level playing field in the voting system to expel Hamilton Green from the PNC in March 1993, he would have won the vote and go on to defeat Hoyte for leadership.

It was the same theatrics, when Vincent Alexander challenged Robert Corbin in 2008. Alexander rightfully claimed that the system for establishing delegates was tampered with and indeed, it was. In Werk-en-Rust, the PNC office was a derelict building.

I doubt there was a Werken-Rust PNC group in 2008

when Alexander challenged Corbin. Yet at the congress, t h e We r k - e n - R u s t membership was listed as being in the hundreds.

From the time Burnham died, every leadership rivalry inside the PNC – Hoyte versus Green; Corbin versus Alexander; Granger versus Greenidge - was characterised by skullduggery in which the results were misleading. In 2010, Carl Greenidge, who was out of the country for 20 years, came back and ran against Granger and lost by a mere 12 votes. In a straightforward battle, Greenidge would have won.

We now have the pattern being maintained with Granger versus Lawrence.

When the congress convenes in 2022, Granger will not demit office.

This is his strategy for keeping Lawrence out.

Granger wants to leave but he feels if he goes the showdown between Harmon and Lawrence will end in defeat for the former, once the delegates are properly selected.

Granger has two options and both are cul-de-sacs. If

he stays on as leader, he does not have to rig the election. If he retires, then he, Granger, has to rig to safeguard Harmon. But there is a movement by the Lawrence campaign team.

Whether Granger rides away or stays as leader, Lawrence is putting her name on the ballot for leader.

Here is where the rigging becomes inevitable. Granger cannot beat Lawrence if both are vying for congressional votes. Granger is in the same boat as Hoyte was in 1993.

Green’s denunciation of Hoyte was penetrating.

He told African Guyanese that Hoyte has caused Burnham to turn in his grave in that he kowtowed to a White man (Jimmy Carter) and that caused the PNC to lose power. Green’s relentless use of the “Whiteman” thing had sunk in.

Lawrence did a Hamilton Green on Granger in the last days of July 2020. The consensus in the PNC was t h a t s a n c t i o n s notwithstanding, the PNC was not giving up power.

When Granger conceded to Secretary of State, Pompeo,

Frederick Kissoon Lawrence became a walking volcano. She was uncontrollable. He went back to 1992 and exclaimed that just as Hoyte killed the PNC government in 1992, Granger did the identical thing in 2020.

Hoyte was far more popular in 1993 after he lost power among PNC constituencies than Granger among PNC supporters at the moment.

No PNC leader since its formation has been so intensively badmouthed by PNC supporters as Granger is at the moment. They feel he was not the right leader for the PNC. Lawrence has become Granger’s nemesis.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

Friday April 02, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Friday April 02, 2021

Guyana without regulator for intended …as T&T expert points to need for gas industry beefed-up security for pipeline

L

anding a natural gas pipeline from G u y a n a ’s o i l fields more than 120 miles offshore to the former Wales Sugar Estate will require beefed up security and increased oversight by a regulatory body, still to be established in Guyana.

This is since the matter of Natural Gas could very well become a matter of national security for the country’s energy infrastructure stemming from government plans to set up a power generation plant to supply the national grid with electricity using natural gas, according to Former Energy Minister of neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago, Kevin Ramnarine. The oil sector expert was on Monday discussing ramifications of the proposed gas to shore

project in Guyana during an online webinar hosted by Oil NOW. Ramnarine told the moderator, Chris Chapwanya, that the matter of the security of the country’s energy infrastructure would become a matter of national security because “as the energy infrastructure grows, you will always have the risk of people who may want to interfere…That is a very big issue in Nigeria.”

Reflecting on his homeland’s experience, Ramnarine noted, “given that all electricity in Trinidad comes from natural gas, it means therefore, that the natural gas industry in Trinidad and Tobago is not only an economic priority, it’s also a national security priority.”

Suspected masterminds in gas station robbery arrested Tw o f e m a l e p u m p attendants are now in custody after police believe that they are affiliated with the Alpha Petroleum Gas Station robbery on Wednesday at Meten-MeerZorg, West Coast Demerara (WCD).

The two women were fulfilling their daily duties at the establishment, when at around 19:17 hrs. the building encountered a blackout. According to a police report that power outage lasted some five minutes.

The attendants reportedly told cops that, during the power outage, an unarmed male rode up and relieved the establishment of approximately $132,796.

Despite their claims, detectives suspect that the

robbery might have been a set-up and decided to detain them for questioning.

A representative of the police force told Kaieteur News that the two individuals did not report the incident to police in a timely manner. Instead, they waited an additional five minutes after the electricity was restored to the building to report the matter to a neighbour. They then waited a short while before deciding to notify the owner of the gas station, who in turn made an official report with police.

Investigators observed too that both attendants were not relieved of any valuables, including their phones, which were in the cash register at said time of the robbery. An investigation is ongoing.

He explained, “That is also one of the reasons why the Minster of Energy in Trinidad sits on the National Security Council; he is not there to give his opinion about bandits and criminals breaking in; he is there because of the strategic value of gas infrastructure and energy infrastructure.”

A c c o r d i n g t o Ramnarine, “in our country, the authorities, the army and so on patrol the oil and gas pipelines routes in order to ensure nobody is compromising it.”

This activity, he said, is “part of the regulatory oversight of natural gas infrastructure too is security

of those assets, and increasingly, that is going to become an issue for Guyana.”

He was adamant “you can’t just leave the infrastructure unattended, because you never know that there is a risk of somebody who may want to do some mischief right? So part of the regulatory oversight, of energy infrastructure is national security” According to the T&T expert, “I would think for example that Guyana now, given that your economic livelihood is becoming more and more offshore, you would want greater and greater assets available to the

Former T&T Energy Minister, Kevin Ramnarine

coast guard so that they can monitor what is happening off shore and so on.”

He posited that this does not necessarily relate to

protection from nefarious activities since “sometimes there may be accidents and so on. We have had incidents (Continued on page 21)

Kaieteur News

Friday April 02, 2021

PAGE 13

Truck driver charged for causing death of motorcyclist

Two Colours co-accused gets 5 years for manslaughter

Three days after a motorcyclist was killed in an accident, the driver of the truck that was involved in the accident, was yesterday charged for causing death by dangerous driving.

The defendant, 43-yearold, Brentnal Richmond, of Bachelor’s Adventure, East Coast Demerara, appeared in the Cove and John Magistrate’s Court before Senior Magistrate, Fabayo Azore.

The charge was laid indictably and Richmond was not required to enter a plea after the charge was read to him. It is alleged that on March 29, 2021, at Melanie Public Road, East Coast Demerara, he drove canter truck, GSS 5634, in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of 31-year-old, Leon Singh, a motorcyclist, of Enmore, East Coast Demerara.

According to a police report, the accident occurred around 09:30 hrs. last Monday. It is alleged that Richmond was proceeding north on the western side of the Melanie Access Road, when he failed to stop at that

eeks after he p l e a d e d guilty to the lesser offence of m a n s l a u g h t e r, M e l r o y Doris, the taxi driver who drove the getaway car after 19-year-old Lusignan, East Coast Demerara (ECD), h a i r d r e s s e r, A s h m i n i Harriram, was shot dead, was yesterday sentenced to five years in prison.

The sentence was imposed by Justice, Brassington Reynolds.

In considering a sentence, Justice Reynolds noted the age of the former accused, nature and manner in which the offence was committed, as well as the fact that he had no previous brushes with the law.

He also considered that there was no evidence that Doris was involved in planning the young woman’s killing or that he was the actual shooter.

As such, Justice

W

Charged, Brentnal Richmond.

Dead, Leon Singh.

corner.

Kaieteur News had reported, that Richmond continued to proceed north onto the Melanie Public Road, into the path of the motorcyclist, who was proceeding on the western lane of Melanie Public Road.

According to the police, the front of the motorcycle collided with the right side of the canter. Because of the collision, Singh fell onto the

roadway, which caused him to receive injuries to his head and about his body.

Singh was picked up by public-spirited persons and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), but died while receiving treatment.

Richmond was arrested and subsequently charged.

He is expected to make his next court appearance on May 20, 2021.

Melroy Doris.

Reynolds started the sentence with a base of 12 ½ years. He made a deduction of seven years for the time Doris spent in pretrial custody and took off another half of a year for his early guilty plea. As a result, the sentence stands at five years in prison.

Doris, 34, was initially indicted for murder, along with Lennox Wayne called

Ashmini Harriram.

Two Colours, but recently opted to plead guilty to the lesser offence earlier this month.

The charge, stated that on July 10, 2014, he unlawfully killed Harriram, called Monisha Harriram.

According to the facts of the matter, on the day in question, Harriram was shot in the neck moments after (Continued on page 20)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Friday April 02, 2021

Govt. invites bids to audit ExxonMobil’s 2018-2020 costs - Says locals can apply

T

he Government of Guyana has i s s u e d a n invitation for Expression of Interest (EOI) from firms, which are interested in conducting an audit of the costs incurred by Stabroek Block Operator, ExxonMobil, for the period 2018 to 2020. The consultancy work will also include a validation of the Government’s share of profit oil from the Liza Phase One Project.

Kaieteur News understands that the expression of interest relates specifically to the consultancy for Cost Audit under Sub-Component B.1 of the Guyana Petroleum Resources Governance and Management Project that is funded by a US$20M World Bank loan.

The assignment for cost audit will also require the provision of on-the-job training to the staff of the Guyana Revenue Authority

(GRA), the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) and the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) and other agencies as directed by the Government of Guyana on the audit process.

Under the present Terms of Reference, Kaieteur News understands that the Consultant is invited to audit, examine and verify all available documentation and records necessary for charges and credits relating to the Contractor’s activities

for the period January 2018 to December 2020. This includes all books of accounts, accounting entries, material records and inventories, vouchers, payrolls, invoices and any other relevant documents.

More specifically, the consultant will be responsible for conducting a pre-audit analysis; devising an effective Audit Plan inclusive of an appropriate methodology; executing the Audit in adherence to the

provisions of the Production Agreement, applicable laws, regulations, and procedures, as well as International Good practices and Standards.

This is expected to be done to ensure that costs are legitimate and are in compliance with the terms of the Production Agreement.

The successful applicant will also be required to verify whether costs have been accurately assigned to the cost category and classified/categorised in compliance with the terms of the agreement; authenticate and substantiate costs, including a comprehensive evaluation of expenditure, expenditure processes and cost allocation, and determine if costs are eligible for cost recovery; provide valid basis and a complete written audit finding to justify the disqualification/disallowanc e of costs; determine whether transactions between related parties were done at arm’s length and prices were established in accordance with arm’s length principle; determine whether costs were competitive for transactions between unrelated parties; ensure that costs were aligned with industry norms,

including those related to cost control and optimization; and ascertain whether the Government of Guyana received value for money and assess risk to government revenue.

Furthermore, the company selected would be expected to assess the impact of the audit on future Profit Oil revenues. The duration of this assignment is expected to be four months, commencing June 2021. The C o n s u l t a n t ’s p h y s i c a l presence would be required, as agreed by the Client, for at least 30 days of the four months and as set out in the Implementation arrangements.

Importantly, local firms with the required skills, qualifications and experience are encouraged to apply for this consultancy.

Wherever necessary, the government said that the eligible partnership that exists between a local and international firm that can perform these tasks should be expressed in an application.

Kaieteur News understands that the Consultant is required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest arising out of other assignments.

$100,000 bail for ex-cop slapped with fraud charge

Charged, Paul Watson.

A former policeman, who allegedly obtained money under false pretense, yesterday made his first court appearance and was placed on $100,000 bail.

The defendant, Paul Watson, of Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, appeared in the Diamond/Grove Magistrate’s Court before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman.

It is alleged that during the month of February 2021, Watson collected $420, 000 under the pretense that he was in a position to obtain a firearm license for an

individual.

Attorney-at-law Bernard DaSilva is representing Watson. Principal Magistrate Latchman placed the defendant on $100,000 bail and the matter was adjourned to April 27, 2021, for disclosure of statements.

Kaieteur News had reported that Watson was previously charged for a matter of similar nature. The Guyana Police Force (GPF) is urging persons who may have been defrauded by Watson under similar circumstances to report the matter to the nearest police station.

Kaieteur News

Friday April 02, 2021

PAGE 15

Guyana's second EITI report reveals...

48 companies in gold, diamond, bauxite, timber, oil industries, etc. refuse to give out tax, financial data Country's export, production stats. in disarray Govt. agencies fail to submit requested details

By Kiana Wilburg

W

hen countries sign up to be members of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), they agree to follow a set of international standards which seek to ensure all financial transactions between governments and companies in the forestry, fisheries, mining, and oil and gas sectors are in the open.

This way, citizens have a clear idea of how much money should be in the national purse and can therefore question how it is being spent to improve their livelihoods.

When Guyana joined this good governance club in 2017, it was the hope of many that the foregoing would be achieved. But for the last three years, local authorities have started to understand just how difficult it is to remove the extractive sector from the cloak of darkness and into the light of transparency.

For the second time, Guyana has failed in its attempt at producing a report which accurately captures the transactions between State and companies.

According to the 2018 report, which is on the website of the local EITI chapter, the extractives industries pumped $27.6B into the economy in 2018.

But 39 percent of that could not be verified. The report, totalling 178 pages, notes that there are three reasons for this.

The first is that companies operating in the sector have refused to give up details on their payments to the State; the second is that government agencies such as the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) are prohibited by law from giving out tax data without written waivers. The third reason is that the country's export and production data is in total disarray.

According to the report,

Chart taken from the EITI 2018 Report shows a mismatch in export data held by Guyana Gold Board and the Guyana Revenue Authority. auditors were unable to reconcile discrepancies totalling close to $7B. The document said, “This unreconciled difference relates mainly to GRA that was unable to submit its reporting templates for forty-eight (48) extractive entities because of the lack of signed waivers.” In light of this, the report noted that GRA's total receipts from the mining, oil and gas sector could not be estimated.

It was highlighted as well that the National Insurance Scheme and the Ministry of Finance did not submit reporting templates for more than 40 companies.

Along with the fact that these government agencies were unable to provide the information requested by GY-EITI, it was noted that 41 extractive entities out of the 59 selected for review did not submit their reporting templates.

“Given the lack of reporting templates from both Government Agencies and extractive entities as set out in Section 1.4 of this report, it was not possible to e n s u r e t h e comprehensiveness of the revenues collected from the extractive entities retained in the reconciliation scope,” the document outlined.

In the longer term, the

2018 report said that a review of the mining regulations should be carried out to include provisions with regards to EITI

noted that Government Agencies' records were different from one another as well as from the companies' records.

reporting such as: reporting obligations for extractive entities while specifying the level of disaggregation of the data to be submitted; and sanctions which could be imposed against extractive entities in the event of noncompliance or false declarations. In the short term, the EITI report recommended that application and renewal forms for mining licences and permits explicitly include a declaration of consent to disclosure of information required for compliance with EITI reporting and that such information be made available in a disaggregated, project by project, format.

With respect to the export data for the fiscal year covered by the EITI Report, including total export volumes and the value of exports by commodity, and when relevant, by state/region of origin, it was

It was found for example that the Guyana Gold Board does not systematically crosscheck exports data against GRA's records to identify the potential discrepancies, hence they both carry different data.

(See Chart One attached to article which shows the difference in the export data held by GGB and GRA).

Going forward, it was recommended that GRA and GGB implement automated controls to ensure the comprehensiveness of export data reported by mining entities and to develop analysis tools to ensure consistency of exports data.

Kaieteur News understands that this may include: putting in place a computerised system allowing the update and oversee of this data; collecting data from mining companies on a common and accessible IT platform for

the relevant Government Agencies; and performing monthly control of exports data collected from Government Agencies to prevent discrepancies.

As for the disclosure of production data, including the volumes and the value by commodity, it was noted that the Guyana Gold Board and Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) are the Government Agencies responsible for collecting reliable data to assess the companies' liabilities in terms of royalties on production and the subsequent monitoring of their payments.

The report highlighted, however, that GGB and GGMC do not have their own procedures to collect and control production data reported by mining companies. As a result, the report stated that the minerals production data declared by GGB does not match production values and quantities declared by extractives companies.

Kaieteur News understands that the foregoing prevented auditors from achieving the a c c u r a c y a n d comprehensiveness that are expected in such a document. ABOUT GYEITI

EITI is an international body that was established in 2003 with the aim of making it harder for governments and companies to hide the truth about the proceeds garnered from the extractive industries.

The companies in the extractive sector report on what they are paying the government and the government reports separately on what it received from the companies in the sector.

A report is then prepared by a Multi-Stakeholder Group.

The document, among other things, highlights whether the data collected from the two add up or if there is an irregularity.

It was in August 2017 that Guyana submitted its application to the EITI International Secretariat and on October 25, 2017, it was officially accepted as an EITI-implementing country.

The country's first report was completed in April 2019. It was not submitted for review by the EITI given the number of issues it contained regarding the accuracy of data. It was agreed by the former coalition regime that Guyana would take the lessons learnt from the first exercise and use same to improve in the second report.

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News

Friday April 02, 2021

Greenlight given for US $12.5M Eccles-Mandela road

By Gary Eleazar

Substantive Minister of Housing and Water, Colin Croal (centre) along with Ministry staffers, contractors and representatives following the signing ceremony.

The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) under the remit of the Ministry of Housing and Water, on Thursday inked six contracts for the construction of the Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD) to Mandela Avenue road, to the tune of some of US $12.5M or $2.3B. The modest signing ceremony was held at the Ministry’s boardroom under the auspices of substantive Minister, Colin Croal and his Deputy Minister, Susan Rodrigues.

They were joined by CH&PA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sherwin Greaves along with representatives for the successful bidders.

Contractors Those awarded contracts for sections of the road project were identified as Guyamerica Construction Inc., which secured Lot 1 of the project at $555,058,718 million—the largest tranche of the six.

Aronco Services Inc., secured the second largest tranche of contracts inked for the road, to the tune of $471,033,838 million, followed by a foreign Joint Venture for the third largest component, to the tune of $364,474,818.

The Joint Venture partners were identified as MTSUL Contrucoes Ltda, M&P Investment Inc., and Constuira Cobra Eireli—based in Brazil.

JS Guyana Inc., was handed a contract for $352, 411, 136 million, while Puran

Bros Disposal Inc., secured Lot 3 of the project, at $360,232,635 million.

A J o i n t Ve n t u r e arrangement between Colin Talbot Contracting Services and Eron Lall Civil Engineering Works, snagged up the remainder of the works for a contract for lot 4, valued at $256,703,370 million.

The total contract valued at $2,359,914,515 billion was divided into six sub-lots and entails the construction of a four-lane road having a dual carriageway of two lanes each.

It was pointed out that the proposed roadway will be a jointed reinforced concrete pavement design – a first in the country, according to CEO Greaves.

He informed stakeholders that the design for the project were conducted in-house, with the scope of works including land clearing and drain cleaning, construction of 5.4 kilometres of earthen drains and 200 metres of reinforced concrete drains, in addition to culverts, pavement carriageways, heavy duty bridges and the installation of solar powered street lighting, among other specifications. The six successful contractors were selected from a pool of 27 that had submitted tenders for the projects.

Deliver on Time The procurement process, according to the Ministry, commenced at the end of January last with bids closing on February 25, which was followed by a Cabinet No Objection for the National (Continued on page 22)

Friday April 02, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 17

James Bond, others placed on - Heath-London out of bail in land case country, charged in absentia P

eople’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) member, James Bond, and others implicated in the prime state land giveaway at Plantation Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara, yesterday made their first court appearance and were placed on bail.

However, Former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Colvin Heath-London, is not in the country, so he was charged in absentia.

The other two defendants are Director of A-Z Pharmaceuticals Medical Supplies and Equipment Inc., Eddie Doolal, and a principal of ARKEN Group Inc., Jermaine Richmond.

Bond, Doolal and Richmond made their first court appearance in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan.

Bond and Heath-London were slapped with three joint charges, while Doolal is implicated in the second joint charge and Richmond is implicated in the third joint charge.

The first charge alleged, that Heath-London and Bond, between August 1,

Charged, James Bond.

Charged in absentia, Colvin Heath-London.

Charged, Jermaine Richmond.

2017, and November 30, 2 0 2 0 , at G eo rg eto w n , conspired together and with others to defraud NICIL and its sole shareholder, the Government of Guyana, of property interest in land, namely the grant of a lease of land known as Plot A17, A18, and A19 Plantation Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara, owned by the said NICIL, without the necessary Board and Cabinet approval to do same and for purposes other than that of NICIL. T h e s e c o n d c h a rg e stated, that Heath-London, Bond, and Doolal, between August 1, 2017, and November 30, 2020, at Georgetown, conspired

together and with others to defraud NICIL and its sole shareholder, the Government of Guyana, of property interest in land, namely the grant of a lease of land known as Plot A7, A8, and A20 Plantation Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara, owned by the said NICIL without the necessary Board and Cabinet approval to do same and for purposes other than that of NICIL. The final charge alleged, that Heath-London, Bond, and Richmond, between

August 1, 2017, and November 30, 2020, at Georgetown, conspired together and with others to defraud NICIL and its sole shareholder, the Government of Guyana, of property interest in land, namely the grant of a lease

Charged, Eddie Doolal.

of land known as plot A1, A2, A3, and A4 Plantation Peter’s Hall, East Bank, Demerara, owned by the said NICIL, without the necessary Board and Cabinet approval to do same and for purposes other than that of NICIL.

The charges were laid indictably and as such, the defendants were not required to enter a plea after the charges were read to them.

Chief Magistrate, McLennan, granted Bond bail in the total sum of (Continued on page 21)

PAGE 18

Kaieteur News

Friday April 02, 2021

Kaieteur News

Friday April 02, 2021

PAGE 19

Brother of slain Henry teen allegedly confesses to murdering pensioner for revenge - Had reportedly said “He kill me brother and now I feel pleased I kill he now"

C

rime Chief, W e n d e l l Blanhum, has confirmed reports that Mark Anthony Henry, brother of one of the slain Henry teens, has allegedly confessed to murdering the Berbice pensioner, Surojdeo Deochand, for revenge.

Mark had reportedly made that confession to his relatives on Tuesday, the same day Deochand’s body was found butchered at his home located in Number Three Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB).

The discovery was made some time around 17:30Hrs. Detectives learnt that Mark and Deochand lived next door to each other.

Kaieteur News had reported too, that the murdered Deochand was a former suspect in the Henry boys’ killing but he was cleared by police of involvement.

Investigations into Deochand’s murder later revealed that earlier that day Mark was armed with a cutlass and was reportedly behaving disorderly by “pelting bricks at Deochand’s House” and his brother had to be called over to calm him down.

Detectives were told When Mark’s brother arrived and confronted him about his actions he yelled, “Dem kill we brother and we ain’t get justice”.

Mark then reportedly charged towards his brother with the cutlass but the brother dodged and pinned him to the ground.

He, however, reportedly freed himself and ran away to the Number Four Village.

Detectives said that Mark’s brother had headed over to Deochand’s house but retreated after he noticed blood stains on the ground.

Mark, according to what

police found out was spotted some time later drinking with some men at Number Four village.

After that drinking session ended, Mark returned to his home around 17:03 Hrs. It was there that he reportedly shouted out, “I just chop up that one Sarji; I chop out he neck, face.

He kill me brother and now I feel pleased I kill he now”.

He was seen wearing blue short pants with “blood spots on it” and carrying a jagged edge cutlass.

Not long after, D e o c h a n d ’s b o d y w a s discovered with chop wounds to his face, stomach and arms. Kaieteur News had reported that Deochand’s relatives had received a call

Murdered Pensioner, Surojdeo Deochand that afternoon informing them that he was chopped up in the home.

“Somebody call and seh how somebody chop up uncle and then we call the police and when they go, they see he chop up,” one of the relatives had said.

A nephew who wished to

Government extends COVID-19 measures to April The Government has extended the gazetted COVID-19 measures to the month of April, meaning that all gazetted measures for the month of March have been retained.

The 10:30 pm to 04:00 am curfew remains in effect.

Businesses, which include restaurants and other food establishments with indoor dining, outdoor dining and curbside pickup, are allowed to operate until 09:30 pm.

These establishments, along with bars, are allowed to function at a 40% capacity, with six feet spacing between all tables.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e restrictions on social gatherings, including private parties, receptions and wakes or vigils remain, as well as the restrictions on the use of public/hotel pools and recreational activities at river, lakes or any internal waterway.

remain anonymous had said that when he arrived, he saw his uncle’s body wrapped in a sheet on a stretcher.

He had recounted that he had unwrapped the sheet and saw that Deochand’s hand was severed off.

“His stomach had chop

wounds and his face was also brutally disfigured with chops,” he had related.

The Guyana Police Force had moved to issue a wanted bulletin for Mark Henry but he turned himself in to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at Eve

Leary with a lawyer the following day.

Police believe they have enough evidence to pin Mark to the pensioner’s murder and a file has been prepared and sent to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice.

Deochand’s alleged killer, Mark Anthony Henry.

Friday April 02, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 20

No large gatherings and no parties as COVID-19 - Regional cases surge to 56 in Region Six Chairman Region Six has been placed in the spotlight after the cases of COVID continue to rise throughout several areas in the ancient county. At yesterday’s monthly statutory meeting at the Regional Democratic Council Region Six, Regional Chairman David Armogan disclosed that there are currently 56 active

cases of COVID-19 in the region and it is expected that the cases may rise after the four-day Easter Holiday concludes. While mentioning that the operating sugar estates in the region have been beefing up their precautionary measures to ensure that workers are protected, he stated that amid the rise in

cases countrywide, Region Six is also following with a sharp spike.

In that regard, Armogan advised that “we all need to be careful and take this very seriously. If you notice there has been an increase in deaths nationally as well so this is not a simple thing and we all need to ensure that when we leave our homes we

wear our masks, sanitize regularly and make sure all the other practices that have been listed by the MOH is taken seriously. The curfew will remain from the 1st of April to the 30th.”

He further stressed that “parties and big gatherings should not happen... and what is likely to take place during the Easter holiday

always occurs when there is a holiday period there is a spike in COVID cases. So we are appealing to people, please be careful.” Armogan added, that Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo, Director General for the Ministry of Health, informed him Wednesday night that the Liliandal location where COVID patients are being kept and treated, is currently overwhelmed with patients and as such, it is pivotal that Berbicians exercise responsible behaviour so that the systems won’t be overwhelmed. Usually every year, thousands of Guyanese from different parts of the country flock the Number 63 Beach for the annual kiteflying activities, however, because of the pandemic the beach has been closed and persons are advised to celebrate the Easter home.

“I suspect the 63 beach will not be opened for regular partying on Easter Monday because that should not happen. I am appealing to councillors. You have a responsibility to your constituency too to make sure they are safe and there is

Regional Health Officer, Dr. Vishalya Sharma. one way to do this, is by educating them on how to stay safe,” Armogan said.

The Chairman is also urging persons to get vaccinated.

Meanwhile, Regional Health Officer for Region Six Dr. Vishalya Sharma has since stated that there is currently no epicentre identified but that the cases confirmed have been spread throughout various areas in Region Six. She added that the 13 sites remain operational and that the NDC’s have been assisting in terms of mobilizing. “We have also started the shut-ins so we have been to several communities. The private sector is on board and is assisting us,” she said.

Three remanded for Leopold Street murder Two men and a woman were yesterday remanded to prison for allegedly killing a 26-year-old resident of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

Those charged are Osafi Johnson, 28, a mason of Lot 707 East Ruimveldt Georgetown; Randy Tafari called “Randy Robertson”, 2 0 , o f L o t 2 6 4 We s t Ruimveldt, Georgetown; and Natasha Taitt, 32, a vendor of 707 East Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

Johnson, Tafari and Taitt appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly. They were not required to plead to the indictable charge which alleges that on March 28, 2021, at Leopold and High Streets, Georgetown, they murdered Nico Layne. Kaieteur News understands that Layne was repeatedly stabbed by the trio. He was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown

Dead, Nico Layne.

Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), but was pronounced dead upon arrival. Senior Magistrate Daly remanded the defendants to prison and the matter was adjourned to May 11, 2021.

Lusignan hairdresser’s...

From page 13 she disembarked a minibus along the Lusignan Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara.

The shooter purportedly emerged from a burgundy motorcar, PRR 8370, parked along the said road. Doris

was later identified as taxi driver of the car in the situation. During the proceedings yesterday, State Counsel, Tyra Bakker, appeared on behalf of the Prosecution, while Doris was represented by lawyer, Stanley Moore, S.C.

Friday April 02, 2021

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

Contractor gets $7.4M contract Manickchand commissions first Smart Classroom at the to build 1,100 ft. of concrete drains, walkways in Goed Fortuin Leonora Secondary School

The Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, cutting the ceremonial ribbon.

Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, (right) handing over the contract to NDC Chairman, Tennessee Vickerie (left).

The Government has awarded a $7.4M contract to Ivor Allen Contracting Services to build concrete walkways and drains in Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, officially presented the contract on Wednesday to the project manager of the company, Marcia Allen, and

the Chairman of the Malgre Tout/Meer Zorgen NDC, Mr. Tennessee Vickerie.

The presentation was made during an engagement with residents of Goed Fortuin. According to a press statement, the ministry sent out on Wednesday, the contracting company will be tasked with the construction of eight reinforced concrete walkways and drains spanning some 1,100 ft. (350

meters). Work on the walkways and drains are scheduled to begin on April 6, 2021.

The ministry stated that the initiative was undertaken following a visit to the community by Rodrigues in December 2020. Residents had reportedly complained to the Minister that they were facing problems with poor drainage and muddy walkways.

The Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, yesterday commissioned a Smart Classroom at the Leonora Secondary School in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), the first such facility in the region.

In a press statement released by the Ministry of Education, it stated that soon additional smart classrooms would be installed at other identified schools in the region, such as the West Demerara Secondary School, the Parika-Salem Secondary School and Leguan

Secondary School.

Manickchand said that with the advent of smart classrooms, in instances where some schools lack specialist teachers in particular subject areas, a teacher from the Leonora Secondary School can assist those students by conducting virtual lessons without having to travel to the school in need. Further, it was stated that teachers would be trained to use the facility.

Regional Chairman of Region Three, Ishan Ayube, on behalf of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC),

...James Bond, others placed on bail in From page 17 $150,000 for the three joint charges, while Richmond and Doolal were both placed on $100,000 bail each.

Bond, Doolal and Richmond are expected to make their next court appearance on April 19, 2021.

According to reports, Doolal and Life 1 Pharms Inc.’s Director, Avalon Jagnanadan, both leased acres of prime state land from NICIL, but transferred the state land at a price to Chinese National, Jianfen Yu. However, Jagnanadan has not been charged.

It is further alleged that in another land deal, Richmond, on behalf of a company, also leased acres of land from NICIL. It is alleged that Bond received a pay-

ment from Trinidad logistics company, Lennox Petroleum, for the sale of several acres of the land that was leased to Richmond on behalf of the company.

The same company also sold the remaining acres of land to local logistics company, GLASS Holdings Inc. Kaieteur News had reported that the government of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic, which came to office last August after a fivemonth impasse following the March 2, 2020, elections, had insisted that it found a significant number of irregular land transactions involving state properties, including former sugar lands worth billions of dollars.

A number of companies have already returned lands,

which were supposed to be developed.

In these instances, investigators found that NICIL, as the representative of the people of Guyana for the transactions, did not even collect all the money when it transferred lands into the recipients’ names.

The police and its Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) are involved in the investigations. SOCU’s role may involve investigating whether crimes relating to money laundering were committed. The land transactions, which spans from Wales, Peter’s Hall and Ogle, have seen attention coming down on a number of former ministers within the Coalition Government of David Granger, now in Opposition.

...GEA Head tells Govt. to consider compressing From page 8 construction of hydropower plants in Region Nine at Moco Moco at 0.7MW and in Kumu, a 1.5MW facility.

According to Dr. Sharma, government is currently awaiting finalising of financing for the projects from the Islamic Development Bank, while another private developer is looking to construct a 2.2MW hydropower plant at

Tumatumari.

This, he said, is in addition to the GEA currently conducting countrywide studies and surveys in relation to the country’s hydropower potential.

Additionally, the GEA noted that there have been some progress made on the development of wind technology for the generation of electricity and pointed to an ex-

ample of a wind powered lighting system 1823 Monument at the Georgetown Seawall.

The GEA head, in light of his presentation on the potential for renewable energy generation in Guyana, said “when gas gets landed many opportunities gets opened; compressed natural gas for transport might be an opportunity.”

Systems Development Coordinator, Mr. Godfrey, conducting a demonstration of how the smart classroom can be used by both teachers and students.

thanked the Education Ministry for delivering the smart classroom. Ayube also said that the teachers and students need to grasp the opportunity and utilise the facility to its fullest, and the RDC will work a s s i d u o usly to ensure programs and policies are being executed in the region with accountability.

The Regional Education Officer of Region Three, Devindra Persaud, said that the smart classroom comes at a time when the region needs such a facility and gave assurance to those attending the ceremonial commissioning that it will be taken care of and used for its intended purpose. Persaud also posited that the smart classroom would not only enhance the way teachers instruct but also how students learn.

Following the ceremonial commissioning, attendees were given a demonstration as to how the smart classroom operates.

Additionally, the Ministry’s statement noted that just last week, it commissioned smart classrooms at the Brickdam Secondary School and the East Ruimveldt Secondary School.

Health Ministry records four new COVID-19 deaths, whopping 126 new cases The Ministry of Health (MOH) yesterday reported four new COVID-19 fatalities, increasing the country’s death toll to 235 deaths.

In a press statement, it first reported the deaths of two women; a 91-year-old from Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) and an 84-year-old from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), who died on Wednesday.

Subsequently, another

statement was released, stating that two more persons succumbed yesterday and they were listed as two males; a 62-year-old from Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) and a 45year-old from Region Four.

It also stated that they all died while receiving treatment at the Ministry’s medical facility. Two of the deaths were not reflected in the dashboard.

The MOH also reported a

whopping 126 new infections via its daily dashboard update yesterday increasing the case toll to 10,375.

The dashboard shows that 12 patients are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit, another 21 in institutional quarantine, 64 in institutional isolation and 907 in home isolation.

Additionally, a total of 9,159 persons have recovered to date with 61 new recoveries recorded yesterday.

PAGE 22

Friday April 02, 2021

Kaieteur News

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From page 12 were rogue barges, I mean there are barges in the sea that float around the world.

I didn’t know that.”

He suggested that in some cases the Guyana Coast Guard could very likely have to be called in to address such matters.

“So in terms of regulatory oversight, the security, the security aspect, is important.”

This, he said, is in addition to the management of the industry through the granting of licences for pipelines and so on “that is done

with the Eccles to Diamond EBD bypass road—when completed—will directly benefit some 18,800 households that reside along the corridor.

Reinforcing the importance of completing the project to specification, CH&PA CEO Greaves, told those in attendance, specifically contractors and their representatives “to put your best foot forward.”

Addressing the contractors, Greaves reiterated “members from this ministry and this agency and other institutions will be looking on closely at your performance, so we expect you to perform at a very high standard.”

Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, in her remarks to the gathering sought to underscore

that the occasion reflects the pace with which the Ministry is embarking on fulfilling its mandate.

She noted that while the activity may appear to be a simple contract signing, “…it will have a significant impact on the lives of Guyanese; it will not just change the physical infrastructure of our country but it will transform lives.”

Minister Rodrigues also used the occasion to underscore the importance “of sticking to timelines” and implored on contractors, “that as long as we can stick to our timelines, there is much more scope and much more room for us to conceptualize and execute similar projects like this.”

Under the provisions of the contracts inked, works are scheduled to commence on April 14, with a completion date set for December 10.

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in tandem with your planning division and your state lands division and so on…

So, it’s quite a huge task which will be presented to the regulator which I assume, eventually would be the Petroleum Commission.”

Speaking to additional measures that would need to be put in place by the Guyanese authorities in order to land the gas to shore, would be how the industry is accounted for from a regulatory point of view in that law. This, he speculated would fall under the still to be established Petroleum

Commission “which is going to be set up in Guyana” According to Ramnarine, once the Bill would have to be laid in Parliament, debated and passed and so on, “the petroleum commission would have the responsibility of regulatory oversight of natural gas.”

He observed that “with regard to gas, the oversight, the regulatory oversight is pretty much the same as oil” and pointed to activities such as “metering (which) would be something that would be under the control of the Petroleum Commis-

sion.”

He alluded also to “things like measuring the quantity of natural gas transmitted and the quality of natural gas.”

Ramnarine explained that there needs to be a determination of the calorific value of the gas, which is landed on shore and deals with the energy that can be generated from proportional units of natural gas and its inherent value.

“So all those things would have to be determined by the regulator,” observed Ramnarine.

...A New Global Human Order is needed to cope From page 6 diplomatic missteps that would result in it becoming embroiled in a war we had no role in stirring.

Sections of the media are peddling a particular line to inculcate in the minds of Guyanese a hostile attitude towards China.

A tour de horizon of global developments would show that moves are afoot to encircle and contain China, the second largest economy in the world.

Guyana had its fingers slightly burnt when it sought to establish a Taiwanese Trade Office in Georgetown.

The US and China were not silent on the matter. But the contretemps on the matter VACANCY

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completed, the nation awaits you and a lot of eyes are on you.”

Speaking to the composition of the successful contractors, Minister Croal remarked, “we are happy to see a mix, because of the magnitude of the contract, we have both local and international companies, so we have a mix; it speaks well about our capacity locally that we can have persons who can compete.”

He reminded of the latest round of road contracts to be inked by CH&PA and by extension the Ministry under his purview, comes on the heels of a recent similar occasion where some $14B were inked for varying contracts related to the construction of new housing schemes.

High Standard According to Croal, the new road, complemented

...Guyana without regulator for intended gas industry

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From page 16 Procurement and Tender Board, to green-light the scheduled eight months duration of works.

Witnessing the signing ceremony, substantive Minister Croal used the occasion to issue a stern warning to contractors with regards the road being constructed within its stipulated timeline and specifications.

Addressing the gathering, Croal noted that the initiative sees the injection of some $2.3B for this four lane concrete road, and “we are therefore charging you to ensure that you deliver not only on quality but in a timely manner” Minister Croal was adamant, “…we will be monitoring for quality, supervision is important, but equally important, we would like for you, to as quickly as possible, to have these jobs

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was much deeper and wider.

Small wonder why President Xi found it necessary to engage his Guyanese counterpart in a teleconference.

And in the meanwhile, President Biden has pencilled Taiwan as one of his agenda items.

From all indications, the Guyana-Taiwan fiasco, though not of global significance, may have been part and parcel of the looming Cold War characterised by sanctions and counter sanctions and tit for tat diplomacy that has become hallmarks of US-China relations.

The ensuing relationship between the two world powers is likely to have a negative impact on international relations, but more specifically, for countries like Guyana.

In this regard, Guyana must try walking between the rain drops in this competitive age.

Fomenting national

disdain for Chinese investments in Guyana and the Belt and Road Initiative is objectively contributing to fostering anti-China sentiments in Guyana. From a geo-strategic perspective that posture puts us exactly where we do not want to be as a nation.

The call for the US and the UK to catch up with China’s ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ will depend on comparative costs and additional conditionalities the beneficiary countries will be called upon to bear.

What is required now is vision for vigorous but healthy competition not containment nor encirclement.

President Biden is on record stating that he knows President Xi “pretty well and that he’s very bright”.

President Xi on the other hand once described Biden as “My old friend.” Personal diplomacy therefore can play a positive role in easing tensions and promoting

mutual understanding and cooperation in a world where both are badly needed.

The US and China have shared challenges in areas such as global health security, climate change and preventing weapons of proliferation.

What we need is a New Global Human Order based on partnerships for constructive and innovative ways to cope with the effects of globalisation and liberalisation which are marginalising millions of people and even nations.

As far as our interests are concerned President Ali’s recent call for narrowing ‘the gap between rich and poor countries and to revisit and reform the international debt framework to make it more responsive for developing country’s needs’ is consistent with the needs of developing countries given the current international situation.

Yours faithfully, Clement J. Rohee

Friday April 02, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 23

PAGE 24

Friday April 02, 2021

Kaieteur News

After September, ignorance of Labour Laws unacceptable - Minister Hamilton Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, has affirmed that companies using ignorance of Guyana’s labour legislation as an excuse when found non-compliant will be unacceptable after September, as he urged them to familiarise themselves with the legislation by then.

Hamilton made this pronouncement during the launch of Occupational Safety and Health Month (OSH), which was held at the Ministry of Labour yesterday.

Hamilton noted that the Ministry of Labour was removed under the previous administration and in order to re-establish the Ministry, three pillars have been created: capacity building, human development, and the protection of the rights of workers.

As he expounded on the protection of workers’ rights,

he stated that at the end of the third quarter, September, “carrots are over” and “stick time starts in October,” to deal with OSH and labour regulations. After that time has passed, “ignorance is not bliss anymore,” according to the Minister.

As he spoke about the human development aspect, Hamilton highlighted the importance of the welfare of workers, stressing that it is not just protection at the worksite, but also the issue of adequate housing, proper health care facilities for the workers and educational development for themselves and their children. Minister Hamilton also revealed that he is pushing to have draft legislation established by the second quarter of this year, which will see new and amended OSH and labour laws included.

During an interview with Kaieteur News last week, Hamilton had disclosed that all laws within every department of the Labour Ministry have been reviewed and in the process of creating the draft, the Ministry will be advised by the Attorney General’s Chambers. “Then we will have the draft that we will discuss with stakeholders.

That is it, that is the plan,” Hamilton had said.

During his speech yesterday, Hamilton noted that the current fines for breaching labour legislation are “useless.” Moreover, this publication recently reported that the fines are not costly enough to deter companies from further breaches, as they do not surpass $46,875, however; this is something that Hamilton is adamant to remedy. Yesterday, he reiterated that the fines for the

Hilton Lewis also known as ‘Champ’ is 102 not out On Wednesday the St. Thomas Moore Men’s Home celebrated the birth anniversary of its oldest member, Mr. Hilton Lewis also called ‘Champ’ by many, who is now 102 years old. Relaxed and thanking God for his life, the father of three said that his long life comes from eating healthy, mostly fruits and a lot of laughter.

Mr. Lewis who is described as a jovial person, hails from Carmichael Street, Georgetown and was born on March 31, 1919. At the young age of 19, Mr. Lewis landed his first job, teaching at the St. George’s Primary School, where his love for the profession had grew. After serving years as a teacher at four other schools, it was his

breaches of the laws will be substantial and he had told Kaieteur News that he has decided to have the advice of lawyers, as to how feasible the fines will be in a “legal sense.”

He also highlighted that in the case of persons being taken to court for a breach and who are given an order by a judge, which they fail to

adhere to, he is currently seeking guidance on whether they can be returned to the court and have an order of contempt filed against them.

That will be custodial sentencing for flouting the court order, Hamilton had said.

“I am exploring and I have to be guided whether the labour officers, or the chief

GDF Coast Guards murder of Bartica gold miner - AG files motion to intervene in appeal over death penalty

A happy Hilton Lewis at his 102 birthday celebration. passion for educating the young minds that landed him the position of Head master at the Mocha Arcadia Primary School then off to the West Ruimveldt Primary School where he retired at the age of 55. Throughout those years, Mr. Lewis recounted being

very active in sports activities especially where football, cricket and Track were concerned. He recalled representing the country in a master ’s high jump competition and since then, he was given the name ‘Champ’.

Body of woman, 97, found floating in creek The decomposing body of an elderly woman, 97, was yesterday found floating in a creek at Kariko Village, North West District (NWD), Region One. The remains were identified to be that of Inda Matthews.

According to police

Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton delivering his speech at the launch yesterday.

labour officer here or the council I have here, the legal counsel....the law can allow for them to do that,” the Minister had also added.

This publication understands that custodial sentencing is a judicial sentence that imposes punishments, including mandatory custody of the convicted person; meanwhile, non-custodial sentencing sees discharges, fines and community orders.

Furthermore, Hamilton lamented that he has said on multiple occasions, “If I have to make some popular people wards of the state, I have no qualms in doing it; I have no apologies to make, because people who have a lot of money sometimes, the fine means nothing to them.” He added that custodial sentences send the message to those who are noncompliant, and lets them know that “times are changing” and they have to change.

reports her corpse was found by the village Toshao around 16:30 hrs.

Police said that an official missing person’s report was filed just hours before her body was found. Kaieteur News understands that she had been missing for a while.

Due to the state of Matthew’s corpse, cops instructed relatives to bury it.

They assured that an exhumation would be done to facilitate a post mortem examination later.

Investigations are ongoing.

Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall, S.C., has filed a notice of motion to intervene in the criminal appeal by three former Guyana Defence Force Coast Guards, who were convicted and sentenced to death, for the murder of Bartica gold miner, Dwieve Kant Ramdass.

According to the motion filed, the AG has requested an order that he be granted leave to intervene in the matter, as a party of interest.

In this capacity, the AG then wants to file and serve written submissions in relation to the additional grounds of appeal by the convicted trio challenging the death penalty as being unconstitutional.

Among the contentions raised in the motion, is the fact that the appeal raises novel and important constitutional issues, which go to the core of Guyana’s Constitutional ethos and addresses the vexed question of the legality of the death penalty.

As such, the Attorney General, as the principal legal advisor of the State with the public duty to protect the interest of the public conscience, wants to be granted orders to assist the court with written and oral submissions with a view of aiding the court in putting all cases and relevant authorities before it as it relates to the death penalty.

The document emphasised inter alia that to include the AG in the matter will not significantly delay the appeal or prejudice the appellants, but would certainly assist the court and

Dwieve Kant Ramdass.

Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall, S.C.

the development of the law and jurisprudence relating to the death penalty.

Given the filing of the motion, the hearing of arguments in an appeal, which was scheduled to commence on Tuesday April 6, 2021, at the Guyana Court of Appeal was deferred to April 30, 2021.

At present the murder convicts - Sherwin Hart, Devon Gordon and Deon Greenidge - remain on death row - they were, in 2013, found guilty of the August 20, 2009 murder of Ramdass and subsequently condemned to death by hanging by High Court Judge, Franklin Holder.

According to reports, the trio had met Ramdass at Caiman Hole in the Essequibo River, forced him into their boat and robbed him of $17M, which he was carrying in a box for his employer. They then dumped Ramdass overboard.

During their trial in the High Court, the prosecution called 16 witnesses. The court also admitted caution statements, given by the former GDF Coast Guards.

Based on a previous

report, Gordon in his statement said that he had only been a soldier for about a year and a half. He said that he was stationed at the Coast Guard section and was doing patrol work, which was mainly to “stop and search of vessels.”

It was between 13:00 hrs. and 14:00 hrs. on August 20, 2009, that Gordon, Hart, and Greenidge were on patrol.

Gordon said that they were doing searches with the Coast Guard boat. He had stated that Hart drove the boat to Parika. He said he observed Hart speaking to an East Indian man while at Parika.

The man later joined them on the Coast Guard boat and they moved off from Parika.

It was noted in Gordon’s statement that the man was carrying a “brown box.”

Gordon further stated that when they were in the middle of the river; Hart stopped the boat and told them the man had “nuff money” in the box.

Gordon in his statement said that all three of them decided to “kill the man” and “tek de money.”

Friday April 02, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Friday April 02, 2021

Friday April 02, 2021

Sanasie and Hope withdraw from Cricket West Indies elections Given the unfortunate circumstances leading up to and recent events in Guyana regarding the Guyana Cricket Board, one of the six (6) Full Members of CWI, together with the refusal by the leadership of CWI to uphold the highest standards, longstanding traditions and rules for governing the administration of West indies cricket, we, Anand Sanasie and Calvin Hope, having distanced ourselves from such action of CWI, have decided to withdraw our respective candidacies for President and Vice President in the CWI election scheduled to take place at CWI 22nd Annual General Meeting on

PAGE 27

Kaieteur News

11 th April, 2021.

We however wish to express gratitude to the Guyana Cricket Board and the Barbados Cricket Association for nominating and supporting us to run for the respective positions in CWI. Our gratitude is also extended to our advisors, supporters and the various news Media and the CWI Full Member Territorial Boards for the time and interest given to us during the past weeks and for the positive reviews of our Future-Proof – Inclusive Transformative – Fit Manifesto - “Operation Rescue” of West Indies cricket.

We remain firmly

Calvin Hope committed to, and passionate about, cricket and to focusing on what is in the best interest of the administration of West Indies cricket.We extend our

Friday April 02, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) If you've been thinking about going back to school for a degree of some kind, Aries, this is the time to start the process.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) If you've been thinking of buying a new home, Taurus, this is an excellent time to do it.

Surprising developments might clear the way for you.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You may feel a little out of sorts today, Gemini. Perhaps you indulged a bit too much last night. However, some exciting phone calls at midday might perk you up, perhaps good news from a friend or colleague.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Your hard work is finally paying off, Cancer. A phone call bring good news to you.

You should be filled with a new sense of optimism, enthusiasm, and hope.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You're a hard worker, Leo, with a good business head and strong practical sense.

However, success in the past few weeks might have you thinking about doing something more innovative to earn your money.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You're a hard worker, Leo, with a good business head and strong practical sense.

However, success in the past few weeks might have you thinking about doing something more innovative to earn your money

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) A long-awaited and very welcome call from an older friend might finally come your way today. News that a goal you've been working toward has finally been reached could come as well.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) The near future looks great for you, with auspicious omens for success and good fortune regarding career and money. All the hard work that you've done in the past may finally be paying off.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Today's celestial energy could find you making plans to travel for pleasure or possibly business. A young friend or relative might accompany you.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Financial benefits may come your way through channels you've never dreamed of.

This could have to do with investments, settlements, or insurance benefits.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You can look forward to a new sense of purpose and higher morale. Ambition, diligence, and a lot of hard work could pay off now. You could soon be raking in the benefits.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Some strange dreams could stimulate your imagination and start you on new avenues of exploration. You might at some point play detective. What you seek is likely to be within your psyche.

sincere gratitude to the Guyana Cricket Board and the Barbados Cricket Association for nominating and supporting our intentions to run for the respective positions within CWI. We also thank our advisors, supporters, members of the media, and the CWI Full Member Territorial Boards for their time and positive interest given to us over the past weeks. We retain our pioneering spirit and look forward to a bright future for cricket in the West Indies.

...Premiere and Super League From page 28 H.Durga scored 51 and Z. Rasheed 28. R. Chaturia, S. Gangaram, C. Ramlall and A. Mahase picked up two wickets apiece. ECCCC (B) made 124 all out in 33 overs, in reply. S.Jainarine got 21as D.Singh took 4 for 31 for Young Rivals (Unity).

At Ogle: Golden Achievers CC defeated Ogle CC Red by 39 runs. Golden Achievers CC made 197 all out (36.4 overs). Mortimer King scored 41 not out, Lawrence Pellew and Claudius Fraser contributed 33 and 31 respectively.

K.Dindyal had 2 for 22. Ogle CC Red made 158 for 9. Omari Lallbachan got 26.

At Enmore: Golden Achiever CC defeated Young Rivals SC (Unity) by six runs.

Golden Achievers CC scored 97 all out (29 overs). Travayne Sheoprashad captured 4 for 19 and K. Lachman 4 for 24.

Young Rivals SC (Unity) chasing a revised target of 82 from 29 overs, were dismissed for 75 in 19.2 overs. Quancy Cummings claimed 4 for 38.

At Enmore: Mahaica SC defeated Mon Repos SC by four wickets. Mon Repos SC managed 117 all out.

R.Mohamed made 32.

Mahaica SC responded with 118 for 6. C.Suresh scored 29 and Y. Salickram 23. Cricket action continues this weekend. No spectators are permitted at the venues.

...Brathwaite, Mayers, Holder From page 26 Nissanka was out mis-timing a hook, which settled in the hands of substitute Hayden Walsh Jr. at deep square leg; Vishwa edged a ball behind two deliveries later.

Sri Lanka giving up a 96run lead was their biggest mistake in this Test, but there were also dropped catches on day four that were dispiriting. Jermaine Blackwood who had moved up to No. 3 in the place of the injured Nkrumah Bonner - was dropped in the slips off the bowling of Vishwa, though it ended up not costing too many runs.

Oshada Fernando made

a far costlier mistake, when he couldn’t grasp a ball that was whizzing above his head at short leg. Brathwaite had been on 34 at the time.

All told, it means Sri Lanka still need 347 runs on the final day, an unlikely but not insurmountable task to achieve their first ever Test series win in the West Indies.

Stumps Day 4 Sri Lanka 29 for 0 (Thirimanne 17*, Karunaratne 11*) and 258 (Thirimanne 55, Nissanka 51, Roach 3-58) trail West Indies 280 for 4 (Brathwaite 85, Holder 71*, Mayers 55, Lakmal 2-62) and 354 (Brathwaite 126, Cornwall 73, Lakmal 4-94) by 347 runs.

...Sanasie withdraws from From page 30 undermine my candidacy.

Therefore, after deep reflection and consultations with my advisors I have decided to withdraw my candidacy for Presidency of CWI. I will shortly write to the Corporate Secretary to advise her accordingly.

Consequently, I take this opportunity to extend congratulations and best wishes to Mr. Ricky Skerritt since he will be uncontested. I urge that more deliberate efforts be made to strengthen the finances of CWI and to improve in the areas of prudent fiscal management, accountability and transparency.

I also urge that greater respect be accorded to Territorial Boards and that there is considerably more inclusivity in ex-

ecutive decision making and corporate governance. I also extend a special thank you to Mr. Hope for his work and dedication to this campaign and certainly for answering the call to serve. Finally, I personally extend heartfelt thanks to the many persons in Government, across Guyana, throughout the Caribbean and further afield who supported my candidacy and the team of persons who worked tirelessly behind the scenes on my campaign.

I thank the GCB and BCA for reposing confidence in my leadership and nominating me and all the Directors and friends of CWI who encouraged me to contest. I remain in service to cricket as has been a lifelong dedication and I will continue to fight against any political control of the GCB.

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Kaieteur News

Friday April 02, 2021

Brathwaite, Mayers, Holder fifties help West Indies set Sri Lanka 377 to win ESPNcricinfo - West Indies surged into command on day four as half centuries from Kraigg Brathwaite, Kyle Mayers and Jason Holder helped set up a 377run target for Sri Lanka. West Indies batted quickly in the absence of a frontline spinner - Lasith Embuldeniya did not bowl in the innings after being stretchered off early on day four with a leg injury sustained in the field - to rack up 280 for 4 in their second innings.

Although at the start of the day it had taken West Indies less than five overs to take the two remaining Sri Lanka first-innings wickets, Sri Lanka’s openers held firm in the nine overs they had to face before stumps in their second dig.

As the surface is yet to seriously misbehave, Sri Lanka may have some hope that they can replicate West Indies’ batting effort from the last day of the first Test and play out an entire day.

Nevertheless, this is a daunting prospect, partly because this surface is drier than the pitch from the first match had been, at a similar stage. Rahkeem Cornwall’s offspin in particular, could become definitive on day five.

Of West Indies’ three half-centuries, Brathwaite’s was the one that gave the innings its backbone. Having already made 126 in the first innings, one might have excused a brasher approach in he second dig with his team sitting on a 96-run cushion.

Yet, he put his head down and ground out 85 off 196 balls while more aggressively-minded

batsmen sent West Indies’ lead skipping forward around him. Brathwaite left the ball a lot, blocked even more, and focused on picking runs into the outfield to almost a total exclusion of hitting boundaries for large parts of his innings.

His first four was off a shortish Dhananjaya de Silva delivery, which he slapped through the covers.

Then he spent a whopping 134 deliveries without a boundary at all. Only when West Indies were batting quickly to set up a declaration did Brathwaite move into a more positive frame of mind, hitting three boundaries in the space of 15 balls.

Both Mayers and Holder produced much more lively innings. Mayers’ 55 off 76 was quiet to begin with, but typically fun once he got his bearings. He hit eight fours in his innings, including six through the legside as he rocked back to drag balls across the line, particularly through midwicket, on a sluggish surface.

He survived a close lbw appeal against the bowling of de Silva - DRS showed the ball to be clipping the bails, umpire’s call - but was otherwise largely untroubled until his eventual dismissal when he was given lbw to Suranga Lakmal. Again, the ball was clipping the bails, but this umpire’s call went in favour of the bowling team.

Holder’s 71 not out off 88 balls then powered West Indies through the latter half of the afternoon session until his team’s declaration 48 minutes before stumps.

Holder was busy rather than brutal, venturing frequent singles and twos, striking

just eight boundaries. His 87-run stand with Brathwaite was the most productive West Indies partnership while Brathwaite also shared an 82-run stand with Mayers.

That West Indies were able to score so freely after lunch and tea, however, was because Sri Lanka lost a key bowler early in the day.

Embuldeniya is the only specialist spinner in the XI, but he appeared to sustain a serious groin injury in the first few overs of West Indies’ second innings when he made a sliding save in the outfield.

Having writhed on the ground for several minutes clutching the inside of his left thigh, he was finally taken away in an ambulance to a local hospital for an MRI scan. Although hamstrung, Sri Lanka’s bowlers were nevertheless largely disciplined. Lakmal and Dushmantha Chameera shared the four wickets to fall, taking two apiece, despite both going at a touch more than four runs an over.

De Silva had to step up with his part-time offspin to compensate for Embuldeniya’s absence. He bowled 28 overs in this innings - the majority of those in one unbroken spell and gave away only 81 runs.

Early in the day, at the tail end of Sri Lanka’s first innings, Pathum Nissanka completed his half-century, taking the single he required to reach the milestone three balls into the morning. But Sri Lanka could only add eight to their overnight score, as Nissanka and No. 11 Vishwa Fernando fell in the same Kemar Roach over.

(Continued on page 25)

Kaieteur News

Friday April 02, 2021

ICC cricket committee makes key change to lbw reviews in DRS ESPNcricinfo - The ICC cricket committee has made changes to the way lbws will be adjudged under the Decision Review System, effectively increasing the area of the stumps a ball must be shown as hitting for a not out decision to be overturned.

This “wicket zone” will now be extended all the way to the top of the bails, having previously gone only to the bottom of the bails, which is why deliveries just clipping the bails ended up staying with the umpire’s call on the field. By DRS protocol, If more than half the ball is predicted to hit this region, an on-field call of not-out is reversed.

Lbw decisions have been at the very centre of most debates around the DRS, whether it is on the efficacy of ball-tracking technologies or - as the focus is these days - around the umpire’s call element. Virat Kohli said during the recent ODI series with England that it caused a lot of confusion. But the ICC cricket committee, as reported earlier by ESPNcricinfo, has decided to retain umpire’s call.

“The principle underpinning DRS was to correct clear errors in the

game whilst ensuring the role of the umpire as the decision maker on the field of play was preserved, bearing in mind the element of prediction involved with t h e t e c h n o l o g y, ” A n i l Kumble, former India captain and current head of the committee, said.

“Umpire’s Call allows that to happen, which is why it is important it remains.”

This is the second time the ICC has adjusted its definition of the “wicket zone” for lbws. In 2016, they had increased the wicket zone by expanding its width, so that half the ball had to hit any part of the off- or legstumps, rather than having to hit at least half of each stump previously.

Another significant change will now allow teams to ask on-field officials if they think the batsman was playing a shot before they decide to review. And shortrun calls, like no-ball calls, will now be the third umpire’s responsibility.

Covid-19 regulations to stay - In the age of a pandemic, the ICC had to make some leeway to ensure matches can be played while also keeping people safe. As a result, they allowed for the use of home umpires - when

previously all matches had to be adjudicated by neutrals.

Coupled with that, all teams were given an additional DRS review per innings to account for the possibility of unconscious bias.

There were also provisions made for Covid19 substitutes in case a player in the XI is found to be sick. And the use of saliva to shine the ball was outlawed.

These rules had originally been added as a temporary measure and the cricket committee has decided that they will continue to stay in p l a y, a s r e p o r t e d b y ESPNcricinfo.

Expanding the use of substitutes - The ICC currently allows players to be substituted for two reasons: concussion and Covid-19. But having opened the doors for it, the cricket committee now appears to be in favour of expanding the remit.

Previously, any time a team ends up fielding more than 11 players, the game’s official status would be stripped and it would be considered just a friendly.

That will no longer be the case now as the law makers try to assess a more general use of replacement players, starting at first-class level.

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Bowlers might enjoy the changes made by the ICC cricket committee to the way an lbw decision will now be reviewed © Getty Images

Kaieteur News

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Friday April 02, 2021

Premiere and Super League matches continue on the ECD Cricket competitions on the East Coast Demerara continued with games in the H a n s o F i s h i n g Establishments and Navin Construction 50-Overs and Nauth & Sons 40-Overs competitions.

Notable performances were recorded by Ramnarine

Chatura (107 & 60), Rene Grasnwall (76), Ryan Singh (98) and Ayodha Joseph (5wickets).

The following are the summarised scores: Premiere League: At LBI ground: Industry SC defeated LBI CCCC by four wickets. LBI

CC 217 all out (46overs), M.Verasammy made 56 and R.Ramjit 28. Keon Franklin had 3 for 31. Industry SC, 221 for 6 in reply. Ryan Singh struck 98 not out and Rene Granswalt 76.

At Ogle: Fairfield SC defeated Ogle CC Blue by two runs. Fairfield SC, 233

for 6 (45Overs), Ramnarine Chatura slammed 107 and Wasim Mustapher 82.

Ayodha Joseph bagged 5 for 27. Ogle CC Blue replied with 231 all out in 43.4 overs. Andrew Samaroo made 47 and Khemraj Jaikarran 36. S. Ramotar and R.Chautura took two wickets apiece.

At Lusignan: Fairfield SC defeated Lusignan SC (B) by 109 runs; Fairfield SC posted 233 allout (50 overs).

Ramnarine Chatura made 60 and H. Garbarran 43. Ferron Kadir and Emran Khantook 4 for 47 and 28 runs respectively. Lusignan SC (B), were bowled out for 129 in 34 overs. Emran Khan got

43. K.Francis grabbed 4 for 15 and Trevon Charles 3 for 27.

At Ogle: Ogle CC Blue defeated Lusignan East by six wickets. Lusignan East scored 83 all out in 24 overs.

Damuka Ngqondo claimed 4 for 26, Sohan Ragunanshan and Davindra Ramtahal had 3 for 27 and 2 for 4 respectively.

Ogle CC Blue responded with 84 for 4 in 14.2 overs.

Michael Deonarine made 20 not out. Bashkar Yadram had 2 for 27.

At Fairfield: Fairfield SC took on ECCCC (A).

Fairfield SC batted first and were dismissed for 115 in 38.4 overs. Ramnarine

Chatura made 33 and Trevon Charles 29. Ranjeet Hiralall captured 4 for 22 and Amir Khan 2 for 16. In reply, ECCCC (A) were 65 for 5 when rain intervened. Amir Khan 40 made not out.

R.Chatura had 3 for 28 and T.Charles 2 for 32. This game failed to restart after the Fairfield SC players refused to cover the pitch. A Committee decision is pending as it relates to a filed complaint by ECCCC (A).

Super League Games At Enmore: Young Rivals SC (Unity) defeated ECCCC (B) by 49 runs.

Young Rivals SC(Unity) made 173 for 9 (40 overs), (Continued on page 27)

Kaieteur News

Friday April 02, 2021

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FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Strong second half display pleasing as aim to qualify stays intact - Máximo

By Franklin Wilson Head Coach of the ‘Golden Jaguars’, Guyana’s flagship football team, Márcio Máximo has disclosed that he was pleased with the second half application from his charges in their 4-0 win over the B a h a m a s o n Tu e s d a y afternoon last at the Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez, Santo Domingo.

The Group F clash was Guyana’s home match which was played in the Spanish speaking nation owing to the continued challenges being presented by the covid-19 pandemic. The Guyana Football Federation (GFF), like many other of its sister associations/federations opted to use the Dominican Republic for matches in this first round of Concacaf qualifying.

Guyana’s first match on March 25th was against Trinidad and Tobago which they lost 0-3 making the Bahamas game a must win.

The Guyanese team, a mixture of experienced and young players, rebounded in style, roaring to victory behind goals from Terrence Vancooten, Kadell Daniel, 18 year-old Omari Glasgow in only his second game with Emery Welshman putting the icing on the cake with the fourth goal on an assist from Glasgow.

While the win was good for Guyana as it brought their quest for second round qualification back on track, Máximo disclosed that he was not pleased at all with the first half performance of his charges and made that clear in no uncertain terms in the dressing room during the break.

“I think the first half the team created a lot of chances

but did not finish well. I went to the changing room at half time and shake them up because they were supposed to make their chances count.”

He alluded to the fact that he would have seen many matches where teams were very dominant and ended up losing for lack of making their opportunities count.

“But they rebounded and kept their concentration for the second half, came back strong and made uses of the chances they created yet again. We could have easily scored six but we were happy with the four. I think that the morale of the guys came back and as I have always said, the Guyana team is a strong team.”

He reminded that Guyana has qualified for the preliminary rounds of the Concacaf Gold Cup and the nation’s chances are very alive to make it to the second r o u n d o f Wo r l d C u p qualifying.

Máximo posited that he was happy to see the debuts of so many players which means that the progarmme is alive and they are building a solid foundation for the future.

“I think we are in the correct process, this process is not easy to rebuild from the level at that you were at to change and put a lot of young players, local players to play. So I am very happy for the guys, they showed the desire and hunger for the win.”

The Brazilian tactician notes that going forward; they’ll keep their concentration for the second round of matches which is slated for June when Guyana would be away to Saint Kitts and Nevis on Friday June 4th

and returns home to welcome Puerto Rico on June 8th.

“The last round would be two finals that we will have, if we win the two finals then we probably qualify and we’ll work for it.”

‘Golden Jaguar’ Miguel Scarlett (right) congratulates Omari Glasgow following Guyana’s 4-0 win over Bahamas on Tuesday last. At left is Jobe Caesar.

Franklin Wilson photo

Kaieteur News

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Friday April 02, 2021

Sanasie withdraws from LGC to host Bruster’s Ice Cream CWI Presidential candidacy Challenge Congratulates Skerritt whilst calling for prudent tomorrow fiscal management, accountability, transparency Further to a joint statement issued by myself and Mr. Calvin Hope and because of a barrage of messages and phone calls, I issue the following statement. Following recent developments I have reassessed my candidacy for the position of the President of Cricket West Indies (CWI).

I remain deeply concerned at the manner in which events unfolded recently both at the Cricket West Indies level and at the level of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) . At CWI, there was an attempt to hold an Annual General Meeting and P r e s i d e n t i a l a n d Vi c e Presidential Elections without critical requirements outlined by the Articles of Association being complied with.

This attempt, until it was thwarted at the last minute, remains cause for serious

concern by those who have an interest in good governance of CWI. A major scandal was averted by the judicious and prudent actions of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) and the Guyana Cricket Board to save CWI global embarrassment and ridicule.

Even though I was personally aware of the likely consequences at my home base doing the right thing was never a question for me or the GCB. Unjust, irregular, imprudent and hasty actions taken by the partisan and compromised Minister of Sport in Guyana, Mr. Charles Ramson Jr., have led to dubious GCB elections being held and a new group purporting to be the new executive installed.

I am advised by my legal team that these elections cannot withstand judicial scrutiny which may arise and which have every possibility

of prevailing. It should also be noted that the court ordered Demerara Cricket Board election is very likely to be set aside.

Prior to the GCB elections Minister Ramson held Three (3) meetings with the CWI President and a select group of Directors, from which the GCB nominated Directors were excluded despite their objection on the one occasion when they were aware of the meeting.

The actions of Minister Ramson, at all material times, were deeply partisan and prejudicial, in favour of those who seek control of the GCB for political and personal purposes, and clearly intended to give my opponent an advantage in the CWI Elections.

The Minister ’s unpatriotic action supported and enabled my opponent to (Continued on page 25)

The Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) will be hosting the Bruster’s Ice Cream golf challenge tomorrow. Chet Bowling, Secretary of the LGC told the media at the launch of the tournament at Movie Towne yesterday that an exciting contest is expected. He said that prizes will be given to golfers who have the best net and gross score, the best net score on the front and back nine and three prizes for best net and gross overall.

The Secretary also indicated due to Covid-19 rules, this year they will not open the facility to the public for kite flying. Proprietor, of Bruster’s, Paton George, who is also the vicepresident of the LGC said the initial intention of the tournament was to be extremely inclusive for players, children and spectators but due to the Covid-19 rules, they will limit it only to players.

Paton George, Proprietor of Bruster’s Ice Cream hands over the sponsorship cheque to LGC’s Chet Bowling.

In future years they plan to have a drive, chip and putting competition for children which will be opened to anyone free of c o s t . F o r S a t u r d a y ’s tournament, winners will also be awarded vouchers

compliments of Bruster’s.

In addition to their $100,000 cheque to the LGC, Bruster’s Ice Cream also donated $50,000 towards the Colaaco Centre of Learning. Tee-off time is noon.

Kaieteur News

Friday April 02, 2021

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West Indies player Kevin Sinclair presents man-of-the-match Anil Mohabir with his award yesterday at Bourda on behalf of the Trophy Stall.

Mohabir leads TSC to victory over NY Tri State

T

ransport Sports Club (TSC) U15s led by a Manof-the-Match performance from Anil Mohabir beat the touring New York Tri State U-15 by 76 runs yesterday at Bourda as the visitors continue their tour of Guyana with their second loss in four matches.

TSC elected to bat and made 155 all out in 42.3 overs as Myhiem Khan top scored with a patient 33 from 68 balls with a solitary boundary but only 11-year-

old Riyad Latif (21), Corwin Smith (16) and Alvin Mohabir (14) of the other batsmen reached double figures.

Pacer Arya Gorg had 212, left arm seamer Ali Virk 2-22 and Utkarsh Srivastava 2-25 the leading bowlers for the New York Tri State U15s who were dismantled for 79 despite 24 (54 balls) from Skipper Nayan Elamurugn with one four and Tanish Dongre who made 20 from 67 balls, offering any fight.

Alvin Mohabir captured 3-

17 while Latif supported with 2-16.

Earlier, at a venue where West Indies won their first ever Test match by beating England in 1930, Transport, in sweltering heat and batted first on a good track and lush green outfield.

They were aided by 45 Extras while Khan and Smith steadied the ship with a little partnership but once Khan, who batted at number six, was removed by Srivastava, extras from untidy work by the tourists

and small contributions from the tail rallied the host to their eventual total.

NY Tri State began their chase inauspiciously when Openers Mukund Rao and Nikhil Mudaliar were sent packing for ducks while Mihir Patwardhan was run out, also without scoring to

leave the American lads on 24-3.

The Skipper and Dongre joined forces and revived the position before Dongre was caught and bowled by Latif and while Elamurugn again looked good wickets kept falling around him. When Mohabir trapped Elamurugn

LBW at 74-7 the last four wickets tumbled for just five runs as Mohabir and Aryan Singh mopped up tail to send the visitors crashing the second loss in four games.

The New York Tri State team will play DCC in a day night game tomorrow at DCC. (Sean Devers)