Kaieteur News

Guyana surpasses 400,000 barrel per day production mark for two oil ships

The Liza Unity

Guyana’s two oil aroundtwomillionbarrels. Gravesande said the Operability Study (HAZOP) applications.

willalsousetheCrow’sNest producing vessels, the Liza While there have been Environmental Impact w a s a l s o d o n e f o r The Environmental Multi-Sensor Oil Detection Destiny and Liza Unity, concerns raised in the public Assessments (EIA) makes government. This document Protection Agency will Service to identify potential continue to exceed their d o m a i n a b o u t t h e two important points on outlines that the vessels utilize Maxar’s Crow’s Nest spills. The agreement with combined nameplate implications of increasing production. “Both vessels could function at a higher Maritime Monitoring and Guyana marks Maxar’s first capacity, with over 400,000 the production, Head of the which are floating, production level. He added, Security products to support Crow’s Nest contract in barrels produced on Environmental Production production, storage and “When the EIA was done, a o ff s h o r e p e t r o l e u m Latin America and the February24,2023. Agency (EPA), Kemraj offloading (FPSO) facilities, lot of the data used were monitoring. It will also use C a r i b b e a n M a x a r

According to statistics Parsram has stressed that no can operate beyond design hypotheticaldatasowhatwe the Crow’s Nest Maritime Technologies Inc.’s threeproduced by the Ministry of increase in production parameters There is an ordered as well was an Tipping and Cueing Service, year contract with Guyana Natural Resources, the Liza occurs without thorough operating parameter and a analysis of the effects based which leverages Maxar’s costs US$ 1,160,714.0. It Destiny produced 156,080 reviewbytheregulators. design parameter The on real data which we have very-high resolution optical will be taken from a barrels while Liza Unity Parsram said, “In all of design for Destiny for been gathering over the last satellites, to monitor drilling US$20M World Bank loan produced 246,000 barrels, the environmental permits, example is about 150,000 two years for the Liza vessels for regulatory which the country received bringing the total production one of the key requirements barrelsbutitwasoperatingat Destiny and over the last compliance and safety It backin2019. level to 402, 080. On the last is that if there is any change 120,000 barrels of oil per year for the Liza Unity So day of February, production to what was approved they day…,” the official said. we redid the water and air hovered around 384,000 (Exxon and partners) must Gravesande said the quality modeling and it was barrelsofoilperday seek approval from the EPA consideration of impacts inkeepingwiththeEIA.” Production figures for and in so doing, we will fromaworstcasescenarioof Gravesande said the March were not available up require information that will an unmitigated oil spill is foregoing is a testimony to to the time of publication. help assess if it will cause also considered in the EIA the EPA’s commitment to G i v e n t h e c u r r e n t significant impacts before for the Liza Destiny at ensure all boxes are checked performance of the two approvingsame.”

200,000 to 300,000 barrels when monitoring offshore ships, when the third vessel, Head of the Oil and Gas ofoilperday oil and gas operations. The Prosperity, comes on stream D e p a r t m e n t , J o e l

“So even the impacts are capacity of the EPA will be this year, the country’s Gravesande also confirmed considered beyond the furtherheightenedfollowing overall production could t h i s , n o t i n g t h a t operatinglevelandnowthey an agreement that was easily reach the 600,000 ExxonMobil’s subsidiary; are at 150,000 barrels of oil signed between the Ministry barrel per day mark. The Esso Exploration and per day The emissions and of Natural Resources and Prosperity, as previously Production Guyana Limited impacts on water are all Maxar Technologies, a reported, will have an initial ( E E P G L ) d i d s e e k considered When they world renowned provider of production target of 220,000 permission before pumping requested to go to 150,000 comprehensive space barrels of oil per day and an more oil at its Stabroek we still required that a solutions and precise, overall storage volume of B l o c k o p e r a t i o n s technical analysis done on geospatial intelligence. The the equipment to ensure two organizations inked a there are no mishaps,” the three-year contractual Head of the Oil and Gas agreement for Maxar to Departmentsaid. provide environmental Gravesande shared too monitoring services for both that a Hazardous and offshore and terrestrial

Teen charged with murder of pork knocker

- remanded to Juvenile Centre

The rock with reddish substance, the police had found in the area where Shimron Benjamin’s body was discovered.

A 16-year-old of Port Kaituma, North West District, Region One was on Friday last remanded to the Juvenile HoldingCentreforthemurderofShimronBenjamin,aporkknocker who was found dead on March 28 with his face bashedin.

According to information reaching this publication, the teen who is a school dropout appeared via Zoom on Friday before Magistrate Dylon Bess at the Port Kaituma Police Station where the charge of murder was read to him. The defendant was not required to plead to charge which states that he murdered 21-year-old Benjamin of Quarry Top, Port Kaituma. The teen was remanded to the Juvenile Holding Centreandisexpectedtomakehisnextcourtappearanceon May4,2023.

KaieteurNewshadreportedthataround00:30hrson (Continued on page 3)

Govt. passes order giving UAE Double Taxation Relief

The Government of race with anyone, and this is resources that we will gain investinGuyana. Reference Guyana has passed an order our global position. We just from oil revenues to build an w a s m a d e t o t h e affording the United Arab want to use the best economythatisresilient,one developmentofaDeepwater Emirates (UAE), relief from examples, best practices to that is broad, well- Harbour Port with Abu double taxation in relation to do the best we can do for the diversified.”

Dhabi Ports in collaboration income tax and any tax of a peopleofourcountryandthe President Ali had also with Brazil that will give similarcharacterimposedby peopleoftheregion—giving highlighted that Guyana is access to theAtlantic, a visathe laws of the United Arab them a better shot at life, a working closely with the free waiver programme and Emirates The agreement better shot at prosperity and UAE in a number of areas, adoubletaxationagreement. alsocatersfortheprevention ensuring that revenues help including infrastructure “So, these are important offiscalevasion. to build an economy that development, improving agreements that will build a

Intheagreementthatwas reduces inequality and efficiency in governance platform and create a signed by Senior Finance disparity.” systems and technology conducive environment Minister, Dr Ashni Singh

The Head of State transfer through which investors will and published in the official emphasised that the UAE T h e P r e s i d e n t feelcomfortablecoming,but gazette, it states that the has taught the world how to underscored that technology more importantly, in which terms and conditions shall utilise oil revenues to advancement and improved we will have government to apply to persons who are diversify its economy and efficiency in transparency government and people to residents of one or both of ensure that there is a system and accountability in people collaboration and thecontractingstates. of equality, improved governance are key to cooperation.”

K a i e t e u r N e w s governance services and success.

It was also reported in other of any substantial from the Department of understands that the s t a t e - o f - t h e - a r t He said that the two November last that Guyana changes, which have been Public Information (DPI), agreement shall apply to infrastructure. States are collaborating on and the UAE had formally made in their respective Ali had said, “We are not in taxes on income imposed on “Andthatisexactlywhat an investment agreement signed an agreement for taxationlaws. competition with anyone, behalf of a contracting state we want to achieve in that would make it easier for cooperation on cyber Notwithstanding any and we don’t want to be in a o r o f i t s p o l i t i c a l Guyana. We want to use the investors from the UAE to securitymatters. other provision of this subdivisions or local convention, the agreement authorities, irrespective of categorically states that themannerinwhichtheyare nothing shall affect the right levied. of either one of the

The existing taxes to Contracting States, or of any which this agreement shall of their local Governments apply in the case of the UAE orlocalauthoritiesthereofto areincometaxandcorporate apply their domestic laws tax. In the case of Guyana, it andregulationsrelatedtothe shall apply to income tax taxation of income, and (For avoidance of doubt, profits derived from

income tax includes hydrocarbons. withholding tax); and Guyana and the UAE corporationtax,capitalgains h a v e h a d s e v e r a l tax,and,propertytax. engagements since the Furthermore, the installment of the Irfaan-Ali agreementshallapplyalsoto administration with the aim anyidenticalorsubstantially of deepening cooperation on similar taxes, which are energy and a host of other imposed under the laws of a issues. Contracting State after the Last year March, the date of signature of this Head of State said publically Agreement (March 29, that his government is eager 2023) in addition to, or in to learn the best practices place of, the existing taxes. that have been followed for Thecompetentauthoritiesof decadesbytheUAE. the contracting states are

According to a report also required to notify each

Teen charged with murder...

From page 2 Four-Mile Village, who March 28, Benjamin was arrived with his ATV and last seen alive drinking took the victim to Port High Wine along with the Kaituma District Hospital. teen suspect at a location in There, Benjamin was the Four-Mile Village. Both examined by a doctor who men appeared to be pronounced him dead on intoxicated, Kaieteur News arrival According to wastold.Apolicereporthad investigators, during an stated that around 01:00 hrs examination of the victim’s that day, a 64-year-old body it was observed that Farmer of S1A Junction, his face was bashed in. Four-Mile Village, saw Meanwhile,policesaidthey Benjamin lying motionless found a rock with a reddish in the grass with blood on substance suspected to be his head about 30 feet from blood at the location where hishome. Benjamin’s body was

The farmer upon seeing found.Aninvestigationwas Benjamin immediately launched and that same day i n f o r m e d R o y s t o n t h e s u s p e c t w a s Bumbury, the Toshao of apprehended.

Opposition MP, Region Two Regional Health Officer in row over dumped drugs

Op p o s i t i o n

M e m b e r o f

Parliament (MP)

S h u r w a y n e Holder has written to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and office of the Auditor General calling for an investigation into the dumping of millions of dollars worth of medical supplies by the Suddie Regional Hospital in Region Two.

In his letter, Mr Holder called on Chairman of the PAC, Jermaine Figuiera as well as Auditor General, Deodat Sharma to launch a probe into the quantity of drugs and medical supplies that the items were not still in boxes. Based on my expired. which were improperly expired. examination, there is no “Theitemswerestoredin disposedof. Added to this, Holder expiry date There are the living quarters of the

A large quantity of medical supplies by Suddie Regional Hospital at a location in the Zorg-En-Vlygt backlands, Region Two.

According to Holder, the said that the explanation syringes brand new, and Suddie Hospital and most of drugs were dumped by the proffered by the Regional other insulin medication the items have expired or Suddie Regional Hospital at Health Officer (RHO) for which is quite scarce I were stored in an untidy a location in the Zorg-En- Region two, Dr Ranjeev believe the Ministry of room that was infested by Vlygt backlands, Region Singh with regards to this Health needs to provide an bats. I want to state clearly Two, between March 20 and matter gives rise to more explanation,”hestated. that these items were not March 24, 2023, without questionsthananswers. In response to Holder’s itemsthatwerepurchasedby regards for the public health “This issue is of video that made several the Ministry of Health or the andsafetyimplications. significant importance to the rounds via social media, the Region.”

It was observed that public In the public’s RHO sought to debunk the In response to Kaieteur much of the supplies were interest, I therefore ask that claims. He explained that News, Dr Singh said further unused and there were no the Public Accounts the medical supplies were that the items had to be indications that they would CommitteeoftheParliament donated by a Non- discarded to make way for haveexpired. launch an investigation into Governmental Organization the room to be repaired.

Inavideothatwasposted thisincident.” (NGO) between 2018 and “ C u r r e n t l y s o m e on social media, Holder “These are new pampers 2019. c o n s t r u c t i o n w o r k noted that reports from the and other medical supplies, According to Dr Singh, happening in that area of the Regional Democratic small ones and large ones, the items were not properly hospital,” Dr Singh further Council (RDC) indicated lots of diapers, cotton balls stored and some of them had said.

Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh

...calls made for probe into dumping of large quantity of medical supplies by Suddie Hospital

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

Editor-In-Chief: NIGEL WILLIAMS

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

EDITORIAL

DEATH AND DEVASTATION

Itissaidthatpowercorruptsandthatabsolutepower

corruptsabsolutely Historyislitteredwithrepeated examples of both. The human experience has emphasised that the lust for power drives some men to madness. This is what currently grips America, with its citizens perched on the edges of tension, paranoia, and distressoverhowmatterserupt,andhowtheyaremanaged. As many Americans fear, at stake is the state of their Republic.

Itisincrediblethatallofthesefearsareenergizedbyno lessafigurethanthatofaformerPresident. Itisunbelievable thatamanapproaching80yearsofage,oncealeaderofthe free world, could be the source of what he verbalized as “deathanddestruction”ifheldtoaccount.

TheJanuary6insurrectionoftwoyearsagoinAmerica’s capitalhasnowtakenonnewdimensions,electrifiedbynew energies. It could be the worst energies expressed through heavingpassions,withmayhemandchaosresulting. Itisin circumstanceslikethesethatsoberheadsaremostneeded.

The trouble is that there have been few objecting voices from among the former President’s side of the political crowd.

Itisonethathowlsforblood,ontheprowlwithambitions atcrushingwhateverstandsintheway

This is anAmerica no longer content with its ideals and thedisciplinethattheyfoster Amongthemaretoyieldtothe expressed will of the people. Another is that there comes a timewhenobviouscontradictionsoffactsandcircumstances on the ground must be given the true value of what they embody Hence,theycannotbeupheld,norsupportedinany formorfashion.

Electionsaretheplatformandpathwaytopower Ineven the most advanced societies, with the most sophisticated technologies, elections have come to represent what are the essencesoflifeanddeathstruggles.

Thecallfor“deathanddestruction”isanoffshootofwhat was thwarted by a few holding the line against chaos, and standingforthingsastheyactuallyare,andnotassomewish theywouldbe. IfthiscouldbethestatetowhichAmericahas deteriorated to, then what leadership role can it project in a worldtornbyexistentialbattlesforpower,andbyanymeans, andatanycost? Ifthisbattletothedeathforpowercouldbe inAmerica,thenwhataretheprospectsforGuyana,possibly evenmoredividedandangryandcompelledtodealwithits ownranklingwounds?

InGuyana,wehaveleaderswholovetotellushowmuch theyareaboutdemocracyanditsstandards,onlyforthemto functioninsecrecy Whentheyarechallengedandexposed fortheirdeceptions,failures,andfantasies,theysensethreats totheirholdonpower

These same leaders have become so consumed with the trappings of power that they lash and bash any citizen, any entity,anytruththatspeakstohowtheymisusepower The thinking of some Guyanese was that after a bruising, traumatizingnationalelectionsseasonthatleadershiplessons would have been learned about frankness and genuineness withGuyanese. AriveroflieshasbeentheGuyanesereality, andlikeDonaldTrump,thereisthisdelusionalinsistencethat the local truths presented by local leaders are the only ones that have substance, and which, therefore, should prevail here.

In Guyana, there is America’s ExxonMobil given free rein to trample all over Guyanese interests, and our leaders’ postures are so twisted that they cooperate with the equivalentofwhatmeansnothingbut‘deathanddevastation’ toGuyanese. Deathtotheiraspirationstobeaself-sufficient people proudly standing on their feet because they are prospering.

Devastation to what they could and should be, but for men’snakedlustforpower,evenifthatmeanssellingevery citizenofthiscountryout.Leadersrouseandrallysome,and theyalsodemonizeandostracizesome,fromcoasttocoast.

Theresultisthat,likeAmerica,thereisaGuyanathatis bewildered and shell shocked. Lust for power is the source, leaders knotting themselves into the unrecognizable to get whattheywant,howevertheygetit:power

The jury of non-partisan public opinion

DEAREDITOR,

Reference is made to the writings titled “The position I took in these two cases are neither different nor contradictory” and “ C l a r i f y i n g t h e misconception”(SNandKN respectively,April3).Imake rare exception due to the stalwart one involved, and penthefollowingthoughts.

First,ImustconfessthatI did not read beyond the captionsandreferencetome, but it is my belief that the Hon Attorney General, Mr Anil Nandlall staked out his position in scintillating terms worthy of a Senior Counsel and lawmaker, regarding where I stood in the Carvil Duncan and Paul Slowe(etal)matters.

There can be no greater homage from me than to stipulate to his media submissions.

Iamsurethattheerudite AG waxed impressively with a multi-thousandwordoration, replete with authoritative citations, profound quotations, and scholarly legal dissertations. Whatever he wrote, I thank him for his time, and courtesies I am certain that are incorporated in his epistolary extravaganza. I know the man, the practitioner, and the performer all too well;

perhaps,morethancomforts him. It is likely that what I identified, which he objects to as being neither different nor contradictory, eludes him in the essences of persistent local trauma, resultingintheAG’sflairfor melodrama. For there are these other ingredients for the perspicacious and sagacious AG to consider, and which undoubtedly ought to be most familiar to him.

Because whatever he advocated, I table these two tinycautionaryreminders.

For, second, the AG knows that many an illustrious presentation delivered with dazzling rhetorical skill, persuasive courtroom postures to match, and media representations to bolster, have turned out to come up short, and for the simple reason that a jury found against.

For some reasoning

known only to its deliberating members, what panelsofjurorsfromtimeto time have come up with results is the equivalent of: howcouldthatbe? Howon earth,andbywhatstretchof imagination, intellect, or reason, that after all those arguments presented, all those briefs filed, and all those precedents and

authorities paraded, that there is the desolation of failure and defeat? I don’t know what the AG wrote under those two media captions,butIaminclinedto thinkthathetrottedoutsome orallofwhatIjustidentified.

It is his wont to do so in certain circumstances Circumstances of before when he was for and circumstancesnow,whenhe isnot.

Third,forthoughnotofa routine criminal nature, whenajurysitsinjudgment, thereistheprobityofpeers.I use that jury illustration, so o f t e n a b o n e o f contentiousness, to extrapolate into the jury of publicconsideration.Inraw, oozing, partisan Guyana, somewillapplaudtheAGfor whatever he placed in the public domain; another segment-disbelieving, even unhearing, probably hostilemay be from the jeering section in the Guyanese community

They see and feel and smell and convince themselves that they think theyknowinconsistencyand contradiction(s) amid the social traumas and political quasilegaldramas.Theywill bethejudge.

Fourth,andfinally,asthe erstwhilemanofthelawalso knows,therearejudgeswho

are like jurors Just as whimsical and jawdropping, even mindreeling, in some of the wisdomthattheydeliver As issaidinAmerica,itdepends onwhichsideofthebedheor she rolled out into the day The startling sometimes emerges.

Now, I lay at the feet of AG Nandlall this little legal nugget, one made of brass, thatshouldstirsomethingin hismind,maybehispolitical character America had an Attorney General andWhite Housecounselwhomadethe sky their limit, when they had to deliver on touchy issues. I give Guyana’s AG Nandlall America’s John Ashcroft (AG) and Alberto Gonzales (counsel), who found justifications in their intellect, consciences, and soul for the unthinkable. It was torture. Neither found any inconsistency nor contradiction with the Geneva Convention; and, as I believe, the hallowed US Constitution.

Alberto Gonzales was laterrewardedwithelevation to Attorney General of America. I move on, and leave the AG to make whatever he wishes of these simple, yeoman positions of mine.

Sincerely,

GHKLall

Unfair treatment regarding Skills Certificates among CSME member states

DEAREDITOR,

With Guyana’s booming oil industry and rosy economic prospects many foreign investors have flockedtoourshoresandset upshop.Andevenbeforethe massive oil discoveries, big f o r e i g n owned/headquartered companies came and made their mark on the Guyanese market and psyche. These companiesrakeinbillionsin profit annually off the consumers, resources and/or opportunities present here. And there are many foreign professionals including CARICOM nationals working in various sectors/institutions in Guyanaincludingtheoiland gas industry While these foreign workers and conglomeratesdocontribute t o t h e e c o n o m i c development of Guyana is there reciprocal treatment whenGuyaneseseektowork or set up a business in those countries particularly the CARICOMregion?

For instance, under the

CSME arrangement there is the removal of many restrictions which results in benefits for member states, suchasthefreemovementof skills/labour

However, what is on paper and the reality on the ground can be vastly different especially for ordinary CARICOM nationals.Ihadadoseofthis while in Trinidad and TobagowhichIhavechosen to highlight because I don’t believe nationals of that country face the same hurdles when they come to Guyana.

Duringoneofmystaysin Trinidad, I decided to explore employment opportunities, so enquiries were made about working there from the relevant authority I was informed that I needed to apply for a CertificateofRecognitionof Caribbean Community Skills Qualification (Skills Certificate) from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Trinidad although I already possessed a Skills

Certificate issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Guyana)whichwasgranted undertheapprovedcategory ofuniversitygraduate.Atthe time, this requirement seemed strange because when I received my Skills Certificate in Guyana, I was toldthatithadnoexpirydate and it would allow me to work‘freely’inparticipating CSMEmemberstateswhich included Trinidad and Tobago.

W h i l e o v e r s e a s employment was not my mainreasonforapplyingfor the certificate it was touted as one of the benefits. I actually sought it because I thought it would lessen the hassle and ‘subpar’ treatment meted out by immigration officials while intransitingandvisitingthat country

Although a bit baffled, I forged ahead with the application process. I was told to get my university certificate from the UG v e r i f i e d b y T h e Accreditation Council

(T&T) and to present some documents such as my passport and a police clearancecertificatefromthe GPF The verification process by the ACTT was hassle-free but the interaction with the officials from the MOFA (TT) was p r o b l e m a t i c a n d discouraging After gathering all the required documents and presenting them to the MOFAofficial I wasinformedthatthePolice Clearance Certificate issued by the GPF looked ‘fake’ even though it was accepted then another condition was thrown at me; I had to produce a police clearance from Cuba where I briefly studied as a GOG scholarshipstudent.Ihadno idea how one goes about getting a police clearance from that country Fatigued and having lost interest in workingtemporarilyinT&T I abandoned the application process. Editor, I wonder if Guyanese equipped with CSMESkillsCertificatesare (Continuedonpage5)

Goverments are meant to be the servant of the People and not Masters of the People

DEAREDITOR,

The African Cultural & Development Association (ACDA) vehemently condemns the issuing of a wanted bulletin for Brother Tacuma Ogunseye for allegedly “inciting racial hostility.”

Basedonourassessment, nothing in Bro. Ogunseye’s statement comports with the claims being used to charge and issue a Wanted Bulletin for him.ACDAunderstands that Wanted Bulletins are issued for persons whose whereabouts are unknown. Based on reports Brother Ogunseye was visibly availableathisresidenceand at several public WPA meetings on the East Coast. Leavingonetospeculatethat some sinister mischief was being planned against the Brother

We call on the Guyana PoliceForcetobringtoswift justice the persons that assaulted Brother Elton McRae purportedly, for advocating against the usurping of African Ancestral Lands in BeterverwagtingontheEast CoastofDemerara.

ACDA views these events as serious indication of the deterioration of the fundamentalhumanrightsas enshrinedintheConstitution of Guyana as well as growing intolerance of advocacy against unjust practices and freedom of speech. ACDA reminds the Government of Guyana and the Guyana Police Force of Articles 40(1) and Articles 146(1)thatstates:

Every person in Guyana isentitledtothebasicrightto a happy, creative and

productive life which includes the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, namely freedom of conscience, of expression and of assembly and association. Except with his ownconsent,nopersonshall behinderedintheenjoyment ofhisfreedomofexpression, thatistosay,freedomtohold o p i n i o n s w i t h o u t interference, freedom to receive ideas and information without interference, freedom to communicate ideas and information without interference and freedom from interference with his correspondence.

ACDA restates it holds theconstitutionofGuyanain reverence and understands thateveryGuyanesehavethe right to free speech and assembly and that the

Unfair treatment regarding...

Government of Guyana has no greater or lesser rights under the Constitution than otherinstitutions.

In the crafting of the Constitution the people never intended that the Governmentshouldhavethe authoritytowantonlydecide tocurtailthefreedomofany Guyanese for exercising their constitutional rights. Goverments are meant to be theservantofthePeopleand notMastersofthePeople. Further we plead on behalf of the people of GuyanathattheGovernment of Guyana and the Guyana PoliceForcestepawayfrom a seemingly precipice of provocationasaresultofthe violationofthehumanrights ofitsCitizens.

Regards, A C D A S t e e r i n g Committee

Frompage4 still asked to obtain Skills Certificates from the MOFA (T&T) and if other CSME member states have laid out the same condition for Guyanese?Ifthisisthecase, it becomes pointless for eligible Guyanese to apply for a Skills Certificate here that is worthless outside of the country Also, if the treatment meted out to Guyanese on the ground is different to what is prescribedonpaper,thenthis situation further illustrates the disdain some member statesholdforGuyanese.

Not surprisingly, I was informed by the MOFA (Guyana) that Trinidadians who come to Guyana with Skills Certificates seeking work are not required to obtain a certificate from here. And it seems like the local authorities are also quite investor friendly given the number of foreign owned/headquartered businesses in Guyana

Regarding the CARICOM region’s presence, huge Trinidadian companies have

DEAREDITOR,

Is there a true Guyanese heartthatdidnotbeatintune with the tenor of Kit Nascimento’s ‘quo vadis’ letter? ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny’ (published in several newspapers in Guyana) is notanoptionforus.Itisour nationalmotto;itmustbethe credo of every Guyanese. Nor is this a response to current profanity In 1951 (26 October), as a student in London, I was moved to write to the Editor of The Times in the wake of the Report of the Waddingon Commission,asfollows:

“Responsibleelementsin allracialgroupsinGuianese society are devoting their energiestowardcrushingthe evil influence of racialism wherever it rears its ugly head; and throughout the country men and women of diverse races are working together in all the fields of social and political activity, sublimating, in the process, conflictingracialloyaltiesto a comprehensive and

overridingloyaltytoGuiana. It is only the irresponsible and the political opportunist who attempts to retard and reverse this process and to dividethecountryintorabid racialcamps. As the Commission points out, ‘race is a patent difference and a powerful slogan ready to the hand of unscrupulous men who can use it as a stepping stone to political power’. It is the avowed policy of such agencies to divide; surely it is not the office of the Constitutiontoassistintheir design. To propose a system of communal representation

is to grant to the cause of racial separatism the argument of constitutional validity and to concede to such elements of social disorganisation a victory which few Guianese would be prepared to accept as inevitable.Torefusetoassist the force of an evil is not necessarily to ignore its potential danger; very often it is the surest method of ensuring its defeat The Commission has faced the problem with courage and many generations of Guianese may well be gratefulforthe‘optimism’of theirdecision.”

The youthful instinct for a‘oneGuiana’,whichdrove that message 72 years ago, hasonlygrownstrongerand more compelling as Guyanese strive today to realise our national motto of ‘Oneness’.

Sincerely,

Sir Shridath “Sonny” Ramphal

long dominated Guyana’s business landscape although from observation only it seems like Guyanese businesses have no real impact/presence in Trinidad andTobago.

Editor, while foreign investments and labour in one’s country generally aid economic development by providing employment and employees in vital sectors these businesses and individuals are not charities; they come because they see economic opportunities and/or profit Given Guyana’s close involvement and history of cooperation with CARICOM member states why should some countries treat Guyanese citizens in such a discriminatory manner particularly when their nationals and businesses are not treated the same but in fact, are benefiting (significantly) from the opportunitieshereespecially thosecreatedthroughtheoil andgasindustry?

Yoursfaithfully, NarissaDeokarran

My youthful instinct for a ‘one Guiana’ has grown stronger and more compelling

Forhealingandnationalreconciliationtooccurandtoeradicateracism inGuyana,allsidesmustletgooftheirprejudiceconcerningthepast

DEAREDITOR,

The assertion by the PPP/CatBabuJaan,namely that Cheddi Jagan alone is the father of this nation, simply served to reinforce the perception that the PPP Government’s call for ‘One Guyana’ remains a hollow one.Aside from the divisive natureofthisfalsenarrative, it constitutes a puerile journey into historical absurdity

Anyone studying Guyana’s history through a lens untainted by the prejudice and vindictive titfor-tat mentality clung to by leadingpoliticiansfromboth major parties, would agree with OVP’s position that inarguably, both Forbes Burnham and Cheddi Jagan are ‘fathers’ of this nation. Having studied the writings and political lives of both men in-depth, and having been politically active during their tenures, I can safely say that they would have agreed with OVP’s position, and that neither would have wanted to exclude the other In fact, history tells us that rather than being at loggerheads, they respected each other and made significant efforts to unite and move toward sharedgovernance.

At a time when the PPP Governmentistalkingabout eradicating the scourge of racismfromthisland,itwas most unfortunate that in his speech at Babu Jaan, VicePresident Jagdeo did not miss an opportunity to denigrate Forbes Burnham, an African-Guyanese leader reveredandcherishedbythe African-Guyanese masses Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton, took to the airwavesfollowingtheBabu Jaan gathering to chastise what he called the VicePresident’s cheap political shot,whenhedrewattention to the fact that an alleged

relative of Norton’s was at theevent.

Ata press conference following the gathering, the VicePresidentchosetoonce again mock Mr Norton, pointing out that in his opinion,Mr.Nortonwasnot “cut from leadership cloth” illustratedbythefactthathis comments were limited to what Mr Jagdeo claimed was a “passing remark” regarding his relative, rather than offering an alternative tothepoliciesandeconomic agenda he outlined in his speech. I was lost. Why would Mr Norton speak about an alternative vision when both parties adhere to the same neo-liberal capitalist path of development that continues to widen the gap between richandpoorinGuyanaand wherever it is applied worldwide There are so many examples, too numerous to detail here, where the masses of people in resource rich nations, including oil rich nations, remain languished in poverty because of the application of this maldevelopmentmodel.

Oil could flow; however nothing will change for the poverty-stricken masses of Guyanese unless we have a government with the courage and foresight to move from this economic model. Unfortunately, both the PNCR and the PPP/C have chosen to fully submit to a neo-colonial arrangementthatdictatesthe political and economic arrangement that Guyana must implement An arrangement that has for decadesallowedtheplunder ofourresourcesandarrested ourdevelopment.

I therefore cannot imagine why Mr Jagdeo would think that Mr Norton would haveanalternativeto put forward The only difference between the two parties is how they manage the neo-colonial and neoliberalarrangementinplace, how they tweak its mechanisms and operate

within its parameters. If Mr. Jagdeo wants a debate on alternatives to the present arrangement, then he should have that debate with the only political formation in Guyana offering an alternativeandthatisOVP I would welcome a public debate on alternatives whenever the politicians from the PNCR or PPP are ready,butIdoubtthatwillbe anytime soon, since the model they adhere to is so flawedanddefunctthatthey dare not debate its lack of merit.

The real “cheap shot” contained in VP Bharrat Jagdeo’s speech was in reference to Forbes Burnham, who he said was onthepayrolloftheCIAfor 4 years. Shame on you Mr Jagdeo.

Asleadersandelderswe have an obligation to the younger generations to ensurethatwe providethem withacontextualizedhistory that offers the whole story, the truth. If Mr Jagdeo and the PPP Government is indeed sincere about eradicating racism then they would want to promote inclusivenessandensurethat leaders of all races are honoured and their c o n t r i b u t i o n s acknowledged Since VP Jagdeochosetothrowinthis pieceofinformationwithout context,therebydemonising a great African-Guyanese leader, it is incumbent upon ustoprovidethatcontext.

At a press conference following the Babu Jaan gathering to address some criticisms of his speech, the VP made some further spuriousremarks,attributing the division and racism foisted on the people of Guyana to the PNC alone.

AccordingtoMr Jagdeothe PNC single-handedly “engineered the division”. He then went on to add that the PPPhas “a proud record of having at every single moment from its formation beenonthesideofthepeople and struggling in the cause for freedom and unity in

Guyana”. This he said “is substantiated in the written history of this country by facts.”Thistypeofhistorical revisionism is not only irresponsible, but it is also disrespectful of AfricanGuyanese and in fact of all Guyanese, since it assumes we are stupid enough to accept this worn-out narrative of PPP as angels and PNC as demons. Of course, such remarks cannot be taken seriously and simply serve to prove that any notion of ‘One Guyana’ remainselusive.Atthesame press conference, the VP exclaimed that “the PPPhas a history of confronting the most troublesome issues head on and we will do so now.”

Heshouldthereforehave no trouble with my commentshereandinfactif heisgenuineabouthisdesire to “eradicate racism” and “confrontissuesheadon”he shouldwelcomethem.Letus first revisit the period in which Burnham received fundsfromtheCIA.Itwasat the height of the Cold War and the US was firmly againstDr CheddiJaganand Mrs.JanetJaganwhowereat that time self-proclaimed communists and avid supporters of the Soviet Union.

Burnham’s politics and approach was different Lookingbackwecanseethat hewasamanbeforehistime, when he proclaimed, “we reject the orthodox communist dogma and system as being irrelevant and unsuited to our aspirationsandneeds.Onthe otherhand,wedonotseeour solutions in terms of unrestricted and uninhibited free enterprise…we are not imprisoned by rigid and unrealistic dogma. Our only dogma is that Guyanese must maintain independent controloftheirdestiniesand be masters in their own country.”

This position attracted theCIA,whoatthattimewas w a g i n g a w a r o n communism and for that reason alone favoured BurnhamoverJagan.

In fact, Burnham commented on more than oneoccasionthathethought it less than tactical for Dr. Jagan to continually make the point that he was a communist and a supporter ofSovietcommunism,given that the US was in the grips of anti-communist hysteria. Another important factor thattheVPomittedfromhis

speech, is that Burnham, along with Cheddi Jagan, Janet Jagan, Ashton Chase and others was a founding member of the PPP, which was launched in 1950. In fact, Burnham was elected the first Chairman of the PPP, and Cheddi Jagan was elected Leader of the LegislatureGroupandViceChairman.In1955Burnham splitwithJaganandtheparty he had helped to launch due to irreconcilable ideological and tactical differences, including the PPP’s rigid pro-Moscow line. Burnham favoured a non-aligned, independent approach, neither Moscow nor Washington, and it was for that reason that he established the PNC

It is recorded in the public domain that due to the Jagan’s championing of Soviet style communism they received large amounts of funding from the Soviet Union.Burnhamontheother hand, being non-aligned did not have support from any quarter and did not have the finance he needed to build thePNC.

The CIA offered him fundsinabidtoassisthimto political victory over Moscow-aligned Jagan and he took the funds and used them to build the party No honest historian can rob Burnham of his clear antiimperialist and socialist credentials A leading proponentofdecolonization, his government’s policies were clearly designed to ensurethatGuyanawastruly independent,self-reliantand apawnofnoforeignpower

Everywhereyoulooked, Forbes Burnham was dismantling the colonial structures, attitudes and ideas. It was an exhilarating time that propelled Guyana onto the world stage Burnham was seen as an important international statesman, part of that inspiring group of Global Southleaderswhoatthetime were at the forefront of the shift away from the Empire and neo-colonialism He supported liberation struggles in the region, in Africa and other parts of the GlobalSouth.

He was engaged in struggle on every front –internally and externallyandheneededfundstobuild thepartysoheshrewdlytook themoneyofferedhimbythe CIAwhileactuallychartinga non-aligned, antiimperialist, socialist course of development When

confrontedaboutthesefunds he famously exclaimed, “findtek”.Thereisnodoubt that without these funds he couldnothavebuiltthePNC into the mass party it became.

There can also be no doubt that both Forbes Burnham and Cheddi Jagan understood that racial reconciliation and national unity were vital if Guyana was to move forward. In 1984Burnhaminitiatedhigh level discussions with Cheddi Jagan and the opposition PPP The aim of thesetalkswastoestablisha power sharing arrangement. Both men understood that this was the only way to a c h i e v e n a t i o n a l reconciliation and unity among the two main contending ethnic groups, andbringpeace,stabilityand prosperity to Guyana In his book ‘Forbes B u r n h a m : N a t i o n a l Reconciliation and National Unity 1984-1985’, Halim Majeed recounts that on the evening before President Burnham was admitted to hospital for that fateful operationthatwouldendhis life, he met with Halim and another of his top aides, Elvin McDavid. As if he knewthathemaynotsurvive the operation, he instructed them to be patient and spare noeffortinensuringthatthe unity talks were successful, since he said the very future ofGuyanadependedontheir positive outcome Asusual,theVice-President, as so many other PPP stalwarts have in the past, managed to completely extricatehimselfandthePPP from any complicity in the racial animosity and entrenchedracialdividethat continues to tear this nation apart and arrest our development.

He should know better, since he himself stands accused of constructing an enthnocratic state during his presidency which was marredbyhundredsofextrajudicial killings of African Guyanese males and the politically motivated assassination of Ronald Waddell.

The emergence of a genuine ‘One Guyana’ would require politicians on both sides of the divide to acknowledge the great contribution of bothAfrican and Indian leaders and people to this country Furthermore, they would havetohonourthe (Continuedonpage23)

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US$7.3 billion is big money for Guyana.

US$7.3 billion is almost twice Guyana’s biggest national budget.

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But Guyanese have no right to know how their oil billions was spent.

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The PPPGovt., keeps Guyanese dangling on a string.

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Meanwhile, the same PPPGovt. gives Exxon the longest string.

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So that it can rob and rip-off Guyanese.

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GOD HELP GUYANA!

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EXXONMOBIL’S US$7.3B AUDIT REPORT - PART 2

NationalSTEAMFairisbackafterfiveyearhiatus

Following a five

Secondary Education,

year hiatus, the Minister Manickchand National Science identified the many schools

Te c h n o l o g y, that are currently under Engineering, Arts and construction and those that Mathematics (STEAM) fair will begin soon across resumed on Monday at the Guyana,notjustontheCoast Cyril Potter College of but also in the Hinterland E d u c a t i o n ( C P C E ) , regions to ensure access to Turkeyen. education Manickchand

Minister of Education,

Priya Manickchand interacting with students as they display their booth at the STEAM Fair.

(Photo courtesy, Ministry of Education)

The fair which was added that the ministry is on declared opened by the a mission to ensure every Minister of Education, Priya teacherinthesystemiseither Manickchand is being held trained or undergoing u n d e r t h e t h e m e , training so that there can be “Transforming Education 100% trained teachers in the through Innovation and educationsystem. STEAM.” She said, “So we’re not Ms Keisa Johnson- just building out the Richards, Curriculum infrastructure.We’remaking Subject Specialist – Science sure once we get children in at the National Centre for those classrooms, they will Educational Resource have high-quality education Development (NCERD) in in the classroom. Even as we an overview of the fair said do that we are providing thatthisyear177projectsare textbooks to all the children experiences and make oral in the classroom such as the of worksheets, and the build-out of what is going to being presented for judging of this country.” Lastly, the presentations at their booths. learning loss that children production of television and be the education system that by schools from across the minister said that by They will also demonstrate have not recovered from and radio instruction among is resilient to any type of 11 education districts. She September of this year, all the processes involved in the anti-social behaviour other initiatives to deliver unnatural or natural disaster added that this year’s fair is the learners from Nursery to preparation of their projects displayed by some students education in a way that had or pandemics. You’re going unique since it follows the Secondary will have all the and how STEAM was who suffered from the lack never been done. Minister to see a continuation and STEAM Fairs held in the textbooks they need; incorporated. of supervision during their Manickchand noted that the multiplication of students various Education Districts something that has never For her part, Minister formativeyears. period taught the ministry doing well across the world during March. She said that happened in Guyana. The Manickchandsaidthatevery She said that the that Guyana has all the and you going to see students at the nursery, NationalSTEAMFairwhich day the consequences of education system responded resources needed to have a statistics that we could only primary, secondary and began on Monday will end COVID-19 are experienced by delivering education first-classeducationsystem. have dreamt of before,” she tertiary level will share their on Wednesday, April 5, through distance means “Youaregoingtoseeand noted. 2023, and is open to the This resulted in the printing you have begun to see a Speaking on Universal public.

Venezuela’s

ICJ to rule on objections raised in border controversy case

The Judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the preliminary objection raised by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the case concerning the Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 (Guyana v Venezuela), will be readinopencourtonThursday6April2023,at3p.m.,atthe PeacePalace.

Venezuela had filed preliminary objections to the admissibility of Guyana’s Application to the Court to determine the validity of the 1899ArbitralAward on 7 June 2022. In the oral hearings which were conducted from 17 to 22 November 2022, Venezuela contended that the United Kingdom is an indispensable third party to the case, which should not be allowed to proceed in its absence. Guyana arguedthattheUnitedKingdomisnotindispensablebecause ithasnolegalintereststhatwouldbeaffectedbyajudgment on the validity of the Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899, which fixed the boundary between British Guiana and Venezuela, or any interests in the boundary itself, such interests having terminated in May of 1966, upon Guyana’s independence.

The reading of the Judgement will be broadcast live on the Court’s website and on UN Web TV Guyana will be represented at the reading of the Court’s decision by: Mr Carl Greenidge,Agent of Guyana in the case concerning the ArbitralAwardof3October1899,TheHonourableMohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, MP, Attorney General and Minister of LegalAffairs,Ambassador Elisabeth Harper, Co-Agent and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & InternationalCooperation;

Mr Paul S. Reichler, Lead Counsel, Attorney-at-Law, Foley Hoag LLP, member of the Bars of the United States Supreme Court and the District of Columbia; Professor Philippe Sands KC, Professor of International Law at UniversityCollegeLondon,11King’sBenchWalk,London, and Professor Pierre d’Argent, Professor ordinaire, UniversitéCatholiquedeLouvain,memberoftheInstitutde Droit International, Foley Hoag LLP, member of the Bar of Brussels.

Recommendations on new draft PSA will be addressed publicly

resident Irfaan Ali

Pand made transparently important step to correct has assured that available for all to see; and some of the damning comments and outline the mechanism that provisions of the 2016

concerns shared willbeusedtoreportonhow contract which slipped into with the Ministry of Natural public feedback was the new agreements. The Resources pertaining to the a d d r e s s e d i n t h e Minister however did not recently released draft development of the final respond to the newspaper’s Production Sharing modelagreement. query Agreements (PSAs) to

According to her, “The The Ministry of Natural govern future oil blocks will current 14-day notice and Resources in a statement be addressed before the comments period does not upon the release of the draft contractsarefinalized. meet requirements for an oil contracts said the

On the sidelines of an effective public consultation documents were compiled eventatLeonora,WestCoast process. The Government after rigorous research and Demerara (WCD) on Friday may wish to…identify the analysis by the ministry’s the Head of State was asked mechanism for receiving internal team, and external whether a press conference public feedback, making consultants on all topics will be held to discuss some c o m m e n t s p u b l i c l y relevant to a modern of the comments received to available, and reporting on petroleum agreement for which he responded, mechanisms in place for how these comments were Guyana. It added that the “Definitely When they concerns or comments to be addressed in arriving at the process involved a collate all the comments and publicly ventilated The finalmodelagreement.” comprehensive assessment so… definitely I’m sure that comments were required to T h e n e w d r a f t of the current petroleum you will be updated on some be addressed to the Minister agreementswerereleasedon a g r e e m e n t a n d t h e of the issues that were raised of Natural Resources, March 14, 2023 triggering identification of best and how we are addressing Vickram Bharrat. Given the the two-week public practices relevant to every it. Like we did in the LCDS critical nature of the consultation. Subsequent to contractual aspect of a (Low Carbon Development documents, environmental the period’s expiration this modernagreementgrounded Strategy), we addressed all advocate, Simone Mangal- publication reached out to intheGuyanacontext. the issues that were raised. Joly had told Minister the subject Minister for The Ministry said to Even if there are issues that Bharrat that there are certain clarity on whether a ensure new investments are we feel differently about we key elements that would statement will be issued or g o v e r n e d b y a say that.” The 14-day public render the 14-day process press conference hosted to comprehensive framework consultation period in which moreeffective. update the general public on of international best citizens were granted an F o r o n e , s h e the suggestions received and practices, the Model opportunity to offer their r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t how or if these would be Petroleum Agreements will comments on the Shallow government should outline a incorporated into the final be followed by an overhaul and Deepwater Model clear procedure for how PSAs. of the 1986 Petroleum Act

andRegulations.

President Irfaan Ali

THE MARRIOTT HOTEL SALE

Bharrat Jagdeo is being disingenuous about the Marriott Hotel which his governmentisputtingupfor sale. He argues that now is therighttimeforthehotelto be put on the auction block because it is presently showing a profit and will soon face competition from otherbrandedhotelsthatare nowunderconstruction.

Presumably, these branded hotels when completed will provide competition for the Marriott and possibly therefore reduce its profitability The argument therefore is that now is the right time for the hotel to be sold given the favorable conditions for recovering the significant public investment in this project.

In justifying why, in the first place, his government sought to build a hotel – a venture which in neo-liberal economiesisreservedforthe private sector – Jagdeo regurgitated the old and discredited rationale that at the time there was a need to catalyze the construction of such hotels. As such, the government took the lead in investing in the hotel J a g d e o i s b e i n g disingenuous. He seems to have conveniently overlooked the fact that initiallythiswassupposedto beaprivateventure,onethat the government was excited to subsidize for the private investors When the APNU+AFC came into office it launched an audit into the construction and operations of the hotel.That audit confirmed that the original plan was for the hotel to be private venture and not a public-private

partnership.

Jagdeo needs to be remindedthatthedecisionto construct the hotel had nothing to do with the reasons he gave It was supposed to be a privatelyowned hotel by a NewYork based firm. It was only after the original developers experienced difficulties, four years after, that the government decided that theywouldproceedwiththe hotel’s construction as a public-privatepartnership.

From thence onwards, the hotel was mired in c o n t r o v e r s y T h e government put up the bulk of the funding and the remainder was provided via a syndicated loan The members of the syndicate werenevermadeknownand this gave rise to suspicions that members of the local oligarchic class may have beeninvolvedininvestingas syndicated investors. The syndicatedinvestorsenjoyed specialrights.

The fear among local observers was that should thehotelgobustthatnotonly would the syndicated investors have to be paid first, leaving taxpayers at a loss, but that the said still unknowninvestorswouldbe able to gobble up the hotel forahighlydiscountedprice, thus making a financial killing.

On top of this, the hotel had a highly flawed and dubious shareholdingmodel which at one time would have allowed a minority shareholder to exercise majorityinterestandwithout having to inject any equity until the completion of the hotel. Theauditofthehotel revealed a significant

Dem Boys Seh...

financial risk of default in the repayment of principal and interest on the syndicated loan should the hotel continue to ratchet up lossesduetopooroccupancy rates. It recommended that thegovernmenttakeoverthe syndicatedloan.

The APNU+AFC went ahead and did this. But it must have also had in mind the possibility of the financially-troubled hotel going belly-up. This would have opened the possibility of the syndicated investors walking away with most of the recoverable funds and mayhaveevenwalkedaway with the hotel The APNU+AFC was unable to ascertaintheidentitiesofthe persons behind the syndicated loan. By taking over the loan, the government assumed 100% government ownership of thehotel.Jagdeoseemstobe of the view that financial considerations – the ability of the hotel to service the loan–werenotthebasisfor the government taking over the loan. He should not delude himself into believing that the hotel was inapositiontorepaytheloan installmentswhendue.

Theonlyreasonwhythe hotel is now enjoying a stronger financial performance is because of the discovery of oil. Had oil not been discovered, the hotel may have long been thrown into bankruptcy But with workers from the oil company along with other investors flocking to the hotel, occupancy has skyrocketed and with it the financial fortunes of the hotel. Jagdeo’s government has thus decided that this is

Dem Boys gat Trump back!

DemBoysisnatahsupporterofDonald Trump.DemBoysthinkhebringAmerican democracy into disrepute by his antics during the elections when he tried to claim howhewondeelectiondathelose.

Butwhenitcomestodechargeswahhe facing,DemBoysgatTrumpback.Demfeel dewholethingisjustahcircus.

Trumpattorneyallegedlypaidawoman fuh keep quiet about some alleged relationship she had with Trump. Trump claim he never had nothing doing with de woman. Dem type of payments is legal in Americabecauseitinvolveanon-disclosure agreement(NDA)–ortoputitanotherway, is a payment for you not to reveal anything about de alleged relationship. Is like dem confidentialclausewahdoesdemindemoil agreement.

De problem come about because de lawyer record de payment to de woman as legal fees. New York prosecutors claiming howthatisfraud.Asfarasdemboysconcern

whether is legal fees or not, as long as de paymentislegalwhatisdefuss?

Deprosecutorssayingitillegalbecause itshouldnotberecordedaslegalfees.Sode problem is not about de payment but about how it is recorded in de books. Dat is how Americans like technicalities. And Dem Boys believe dat Trump gan get off pun a technicality ‘It mek Dem Boys remember destoryofdemaninBritishGuianawhoget accused of murdering he wife. He gave a statement of de police claiming “Me kill am!”

He lawyer was one of de best defence lawyersinthenBritishGuiana.Andwhende confessionappearindetrial,delawyersaid that de man was not saying that “Me kill am!” He was asking, “Me, kill am?” De lawyer turned a confession into a question andhegetdemanoffonatechnicality

Trump gan also get off pun a technicality

Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

the right time to sell the hotel. But why sell a now profitable and moneymakingenterprise?

The hotel is privately managed and is of no administrative burden to the state. So why sell it? By Jagdeo’s own admission, a numberofbrandedhotelsare under construction The private sector is now the engine of growth in the country Sothereisreallyno compulsion to sell the hotel to expand the role of the private sector in the economy The government has not sold the Guyana Oil Company which is making money It has not sold

Lithographic which no one appearstowanttobuy Ithas notsoldtheGuyanaNational Shipping Corporation and it certainly is not selling the loss-making Guyana Sugar Corporation.

In 1993, the PPPC government tabled its Privatization Policy

Framework Paper It proposed a number of models of privatization, including joint ventures and publicshareholding.Sowhy notsellsharesinthehotelto thepublic?Whynotgivethe workersashareinthehotel?

Or are ordinary Guyanese and workers no longer factored into government’s

privatization plans?

Taxpayers’ money floated this hotel Should the taxpayers not derive some benefit before the hotel is sold?

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

GTA improving service quality in hospitality and tourism sectors through training

Guyana’s tourism sector is set to benefit from improved quality of service following a number of training exercises undertaken by the Guyana TourismAuthorityrecently

The GTA in a oppress release on Sunday said the exercises spanned a number of areas related to tourism and hospitality practices locally. Training included First Aid and CPR, mixology,deliveringquality service as well as health, safety, security and environment(HSSE).

The First Aid & CPR training saw 23 persons from Paruima Village, Region Seven being taught practical and theoretical methods to ensure the community is sufficiently trainedtohandleemergency situations whenever they arise.

Aseconditerationofthe p r o g r a m m e w a s subsequently carried out in the Essequibo areas, and both sessions were carried out by Melisa Alstrom, an experienced first responder and trainer attached to the GuyanaTrainingCollegefor International Skills (GTCIS) The mixology training session, led by Chetnauth Persaud of the GTA and Anil Singh, an experienced bartender, was held in Linden, Region 10, in collaboration with that region’stourismcommittee. Critical areas of mixology includingthedifferenttypes of bartending, selecting

ingredients, garnishing drinks, measuring and pouring techniques as well ashowtoproperlypresenta drink,werecovered.

These areas were also complemented by customer service practices, time m a n a g e m e n t , communication, and how to remain calm under pressure courses.

Meanwhile, the delivering quality service session saw 14 participants being trained at the Aruwai Resort White H2O by Marlon George, a master trainer attached to the GTA.

The training aimed to improve the level of customer service provided within the region

Participants were guided through areas such as the importance of customer service, as well as proper etiquette and hospitality techniques,toensurethatall guests receive the highest quality of customer service consistent with both local andinternationalstandards. An additional session was held in Region Two, whichsaw26personsbeing trained in the same areas by Chetnauth Persaud, GTA’s

Training and Product Development Officer The HSSE training, held by the GTA, in collaboration with the Centre for Local Business Development (CLBD) benefitted representatives from hotel accommodations, interior lodgesandresortsaswellas tour operators and tour guides.

Participants also received education in the areas of hazard recognition and controls, risk a s s e s s m e n t , r i s k management and incident management. Additionally,

62 Community Service Officers (CSOs) from the ten (10) administrative regionsattendedaone-week introduction to tourism training by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs’ Youth Entrepreneurship and ApprenticeshipProgramme.

Participants were introduced to key areas of tourism development, including the importance of customer service, understanding visitor needs and expectations as well as developing tourism experiences. While the first group was guided through a

field visit to Surama Eco Lodge, the second group visited Rewa Eco Lodge. According to the GTA, beingabletoexperiencethe l o d g e s a n d t h e i r surroundings, interact with the staff, and learn more about their communitybased tourism development model was well received by all.

The training was executed in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Industry & Commerce, and Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and facilitatedbytheGTA.

Smallbusinessownersbenefitfromprocurementtraining

Several small business owners underwent a procurement training exercise organised by the Small Business Bureau (SBB) and Public Procurement Commission (PPC), at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) onMonday

The one day forum provided small business owners with the knowledge togrowtheirbusinesses,the Department of Public Information reported Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond stressed the importance of small and microbusinesses.

She underscored the efforts made by the government through the Small Business Act, which allowssmallentrepreneurial venturestothrive.

“We realised that the

big businesses were crowding out small businesses. So,wemadea carve-out in the Small Business Act for small businessestobeabletoget incentives to be afforded grants.Thereisevenaloan guarantee programme, all

of it to help and support and to bolster our small busines ses,” Minister Walronddisclosed.

The act recognises the significance of small businesses as a source of employment and a driver of theeconomy,particularlyin

t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e communities.

It also provides a legal and policy framework to support small businesses and ensure they have the necessarytoolstosucceed.

Meanwhile, Minister Walrond highlighted

anothersignificantinitiative

implemented by the government through the Public Procurement Law, whichensuresthatcontracts are awarded based on merit and not on any other considerations such as political affiliations or

personalconnections.

“Contracts are not handedouttopeoplebased onwhatyoulooklike[and] whoyouvotedfor Thereis a public procurement system that is open and transparent,andthereare a lot of laws that this governmenthasinstituted. Whatitdoes…itopensthe playing field for every single Guyanese business to have the opportunity to beabletoaccessallofthese opportunitiesregardlessof whereyouare,”shesaid.

Additionally, the governmenthasdevelopeda procurement portal where businesses can access opportunities and submit bids. Minister Walrond said the government is committed to strengthening smallbusinessesbycreating aconduciveenvironmentfor t h e i r g r o w t h a n d development.(DPI)

First Aid & CPR Training saw 23 persons from Paruima Village, Region Seven, benefitting from theoretical and practical training

Participants at the procurement training seminar at the ACCC on Monday

Guyana participated in the 2nd stage of the School Feeding Course for the Caribbean

Particpants of the programme

The regional school and assured Brazil’s of the Dominican Republic, feedingprojectoftheBrazil- commitment to school Victor Castro, stressed that FA O I n t e r n a t i o n a l feeding in the region: “The school feeding is a state Cooperation carried out an power of all this cooperation commitment.Hedetailedthe international technical work to transform people’s construction process of the mission in the Dominican lives was very clear,” she School Food Law and R e p u b l i c w i t h t h e commented “We have pointed out that this is “the participationof10countries, legitimately heard from the most important social fromMarch13to17. biggest players, the boys and programme in the country”, Theoretical contents girls, how much they love with an impact on more than were presented and field school feeding and the 712,000 Dominican families activities were developed on importance of good nutrition and benefiting 1.8 million the different levels of forthem.” students. He also added that implementation of the P a c o b a h y b a a l s o the mission helped to school feeding policy of that highlighted the role of the exchangeexperiencessothat country, a press release from Sustainable School Feeding local school feeding can be the FAO said. The mission Network(RAES),createdby c o n s o l i d a t e d a n d was made up of managers the Government of Brazil to strengthened. and technicians from school deepen the dialogue and Israel Ríos Castillo, FAO feeding programmes from exchange of knowledge on nutrition officer, pointed out the Ministries of Education, school feeding in Latin that the organization’s Agriculture and Health of America and the Caribbean. cooperation withABC/MRE Belize, Brazil, Bahamas, ABC/MRE project analyst and FNDE/MEC is one of Chile, Guyana, Jamaica, Paola Barbieri added that the most important for FAO. Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and school feeding is one of the “I ask you to embrace the Nevis, Saint Vincent and the agency’s priorities “We commitment to this school GrenadinesandTrinidadand believe that school feeding feeding programme in Latin Tobago.Ontheoccasion,the guarantees the Human Right America and the Caribbean. second stage of a course on to Adequate Food. It is very It is our programme, it was s c h o o l f e e d i n g f o r important for the Brazilian created on this continent and participants from the government to share the we must defend and protect Caribbean was also good practices of this it”. developed. programme that we have for Visits in schools

T h i s a c t i o n w a s morethan67years”. During the week, the developed within the RodrigoCastañeda,FAO delegation visited two framework of the Brazil- Representative in the schools with adequate FA O I n t e r n a t i o n a l Dominican Republic, infrastructure for school Cooperation Programme, thanked the support of the feeding. “It is important that executed through the Brazilian cooperation and boys and girls eat at school, Brazilian Cooperation highlighted the work of not only to feed themselves, Agency of the Ministry of different institutions and but also to acquire good F o r e i g n A f f a i r s local communities in the habits.Toexplaintothemthe (ABC/MRE), the National implementation of the importance of healthy Fund for Educational school feeding policy “The nutrition, of eating DevelopmentoftheMinistry school can be an articulator vegetables and of eating of Education (FNDE /MEC) of rural development. Our balanced food,” underscored andtheFoodandAgriculture commitment is that this Clara Josefina Henríques, Organization of the United becomes a public policy of director of the Hora de Dios Nations (FAO), through the the state, so that together we School in Santo Domingo. project Consolidation of can strengthen school “The students have changed SchoolFeedingProgrammes feeding in all our countries,” theirhabitsalot.” in Latin America and the hesaid. The other school was the Caribbean. SFPin the Dominican Mata Limón educational Cooperation: Republic: almost 2 million center, in Monte Plata, a transforming lives students Sustainable School part of The president of FNDE, The director of the the work of the Brazil-FAO Fernanda Pacobahyba, National Institute for InternationalCooperationin participated in the mission Student Welfare (INABIE) (Continued on page 23)

Govt. defends ‘intimidation’ of media at Pres. Ali presser

…K/News Publisher, GPA say lack of respect for journalists confirmed

The intimidation of Even though the ministerhasforthepress.” journalistsisincontradiction now his mandate to build media workers on Friday by President at no point during The Publisher was also to the Media Freedom better relations, should do supporters of the People’s his engagement with the keen to note that while Coalition’s mandate better,”thestatementsaid. Progressive Party (PPP) press sought to intervene in McCoy highlighted the “working together to Further, the GPAsaid the during President IrfaanAli’s the heckling by his newspaper’s “obsession” advocate for media freedom factthatPresidentAlisought press conference at the supporters, the Minister with oil and gas related and safety of journalists.” to pre-empt what he Leonora Track and Field argued that there were no matters, he also failed to Notably, the minister signed considered would have been Centre, West Coast acts of hostility towards the admit the deafening silence and committed to the questions by sections of the Demerara (WCD) has been media. from the government as it Coalitionin2021. privately-owned media in d e f e n d e d b y t h e Nevertheless, the

regards the management of “The GPA finds the his effort to stimulate cheers Government Minister statement noted, “the PPPC the country’s greatest source minister’s entire response from the audience by within the Office of the Administration does not ofrevenuegeneration. instructive. It is, sadly, a previously stated positions/ Prime Minister, Kwame encourage any such

He said, “If they are so fully opened window political statements that are McCoy in a statement on hostilities, and the track upset and want to avoid displaying how the no longer of news value is Monday sought to justify the record of the Irfaan Ali questions from this sector at government disregards the “equallydisturbing”. hostingofapressconference Government stands tested, their press conferences for media workers and its “Rather than lecture the amidst ardent supporters of proven and unrivalled with the world to see, they should concerns.” media about how to do its the party and dismissed the regards to extending respect, feed the media with the The Press Association job, the President would statements made by the empowering support and the information required reminded that in 2018 it havebeenbetteroffifhehad President of the Guyana building of an enabling been in this uncomfortable without them having to ask condemnedthe provided details of policies Press Association (GPA), environment for unfettered setting and that they were and respond to the queries heckling of media and programmes to address Nazima Raghubir; deeming freedom, access and going to be mocked they when they are sent to them workers byAPartnership for the likely impact of an oil her remarks as “wild advancement of the whole would have never sat in that personally.” National Unity (APNU) and spill on Caribbean islands. accusations”. mediafraternityinGuyana.” forum- but the fact that they Disappointing response its supporters “and this time Access to information can

In an article carried by Raghubir was quoted in sat there showed that they The Guyana Press around we outright become an invaluable Kaieteur News on Sunday, it the article highlighting her never expected what they Association (GPA) in condemned any intimidation resourceifinvaluabledetails was reported that journalists dissatisfaction with the mere were met with. Let me be response to Minister Mc of media workers and called are provided,” the GPA said were intimated by the hour and a half notice given clear, being under the tent Coy’s statement described for better treatment of the while urging media workers h u n d r e d s o f p a r t y to media representatives, surrounded by supporters of the government’s posture as media.” in the State and privatelyrepresentatives at the venue, stationed in Georgetown to t h e P P P w h o w e r e “worrying and a most “This cannot be the owned media to note, “that who decided to join the tent attend the press conference, unwelcoming to their disappointingresponse”. yardstick any political party situations like these, point to under which the President across the Demerara River. questions is what I sincerely The GPA said that the in or out government wants the need for your body to opted to host his press She described it as a “slap in have an issue with and by minister’s response to its touseasanengagementwith remain free from the conference. The crowd was the face of the same attempting to justify this, it President’s concern and the press. The minister with clutches of politicians and heckling reporters as they t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d shows how little respect the those of Kaieteur News his “media” experience, and otherinterestgroups.” attempted to question the accountability they [the Guyanese Head of State on government] claim to be matters relating to the flyinghighon”. petroleumsector In justifying the short

The GPA President said notice given for the press to reporters could have been attend the event, McCoy possiblyharmedattheevent, stated that this is a standard but the government has global practice for the press defended the circumstances to be on stand-by for under which the media were continuous coverage at a engaged. “moment’s notice”

In response to the article, According to him this, Minister McCoy said, “They “appears to no longer apply are claiming that they to this particular media somehow felt intimidated by house and the GPA, thereby the fact that residents of rendering a one-and-a-halfRegion Three who had been hournoticeforaPresidential benefiting from direct Press Conference at the very government services and site, terribly insulative to presidential interventions to them.” solve age-old problems He therefore equated the across their communities GPA’s remarks to “wild duringthetwo-dayoutreach, accusations” in response to became voluntary observers the President’s deferral of to the open-tent press questions “related to their conference, with some [Kaieteur News] oil and gas intermittently choosing to obsession, and the tented express their disgust with settingbeinganaffronttothe some reporters disinterest in dignity and nobility of the the substantive matters media.” addressed during the KN Publisher responds outreachexercise.” Publisher of Kaieteur

Headded,“Andforsome News, Mr Glenn Lall was troubling reason, the anxious to respond to the peoples’ freedom to openly minister’s statement, which express dissatisfaction with he believes failed to accept some reporter’s persistent responsibilityforthe“unsafe disinterest in the issues other environment” in which the than oil and gas that are President subjected the germane to the lives of press.

Guyanese and their Lall said, “The minister communities, are mute, to is saying that the journalists the preeminence of the had a problem being under freedoms and special the tent, but this is not the interests of Kaieteur News case Had the reporters andtheGPAPresident.” known that they would have

Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy

UNgroupencouragesgovernmentsto investinzero-emissioninfrastructure

…reduce dependency on oil and gas

A United Nations (UN) “The alarm bells are fueldependency.” technologies with specific group is encouraging deafening, and the evidence Thereportoutlinedsome consideration for renewable governments to invest in is irrefutable: greenhouse expectations of policy energy,smartgrids,andgridzero-emission infrastructure gas emissions from fossil- makersandregulators.Itwas scale energy storage as well andtechnology f u e l b u r n i n g a n d noted that while many as the electrification of mass

Last week a report titled deforestation are choking governments have set net- t r a n s p o r t a t i o n a n d “Position on the Oil and Gas our planet and putting zero targets, “these are not commercial/passenger Sector”bytheUN-convened billions of people at yet reflected by credible vehicles. It was stated that, Net-Zero Asset Owner immediaterisk.” Nationally Determined this spending should include Alliance (the Alliance) was T h e m e m b e r s Contributions (NDCs) that commitments to procure published. It was stated that underscoredthattheysharea alignwitha1.5°Cscenario.” low- or zero-carbon energy while the global economy is commitment to transitioning “Governments must a n d m a t e r i a l s f o r currently dependent on oil theirinvestmentportfoliosto implement ambitious policy government buildings and and natural gas as fuels and net-zero greenhouse gas frameworks that provide the operations. feed stocks for a variety of emissions by 2050. They certainty and stability for It was further stated that, critical sectors – the use of said, “Together, we manage businesses to make capital “Policymakers should also these resources significantly over US$11 trillion in assets investmentdecisionsthatare consider opportunities for contributes to the climate on behalf of our clients and aligned with a 1 5°C research and development crisis. It was also noted that beneficiaries. As part of our transition. Policymakers and that are supportive of this crisis, in turn poses an fiduciary obligation to these regulatorscandeliverthisby electrifying and developing existential risk to a healthy, stakeholders, we seek to setting strong market signals alternative fuels in hard-tofunctioningeconomy. safeguard these assets and through the pricing of abate sectors.The same goes

“As such, we must achieve the best investment externalities—via taxation, for regulators. Fuel urgently reduce our returns possible. This levies, and/or cap-and-trade alternatives are of particular dependencyonoilandgasin includes using our influence programmes…,” it was necessity in process a manner consistent with to address the systemic risks stated. industries that depend on promote clean transport transit.” limiting global warming to of climate change and According to the report, high levels of heat that infrastructure in cities, On the local front, 1.5°C,”theAlliancestatedin identifying how the global Governments spending cannot be achieved including the expansion of Guyana’s leaders have long the report. The Alliance economy can swiftly and shouldincludedirectsupport e ff i c i e n t l y t h r o u g h dedicated bicycle lanes and arguedthatwhilethecountry quoted the UN Secretary- equitably transition its f o r z e r o - e m i s s i o n electrification. Furthermore, investment in clean public (Continued on page 22)

supply

fossil

Construction of $585M Abram Zuil Secondary School completed - Ed.Minister

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand

The construction of the $ 5 8 5 M A b r a m Z u i l Secondary School located in Region Two has been completed, Minister of E d u c a t i o n P r i y a Manickchand announced on Monday Theministerwasat the time delivering a speech spoke of the importance of we are looking to achieve to access education because looking to build schools in Vreed-en-Hoop, we are at the opening ceremony of childrenaccessingeducation universalaccesstoeducation wearebentandweinsistthat Region One at Hosororo, finishing off Good Hope in the National Science and disclosed that her in this country, universal we are going to build that Waramuri, Kwebanna, R e g i o n F o u r , a n d Technology, Engineering, Ministry intends to “achieve means all over Guyana,” she out.” rebuild the North West Yarrowkabra in Region Arts and Mathematics universal secondary said. According to the Secondary which was burnt Four, we will begin to build (STEAM) Fair being held at education”. The minister noted that minister,Guyanahasalready by arson, we just finish Prospect in Region Four the Cyril Potter College of “We are focused on regardless of one’s social achieved universal primary building the Abram Zuil shortly, in Georgetown we E d u c a t i o n ( C P C E ) , making sure every student circumstances or their education according to the Secondary, we are going to are finishing the St. Roses Turkeyen. has access across nursery, background, “wherever you UnitedNationsStandards. build a brand new secondary HighSchool,Queens Minister Manickchand primary and secondary So are, you are going to be able “So as we speak, we are schoolatTuschen,andoneat (Continued on page 22)

(Photo courtesy, Ministry of Education)

The front section of the newly built Abram Zuil Secondary School. (Photo courtesy, Regional Democratic Council of Region Two)

Some sections of the new school building. (Photo courtesy, Department of Education, Region 2)

Police probing attempted murder, armed robbery at Ruimveldt

Po l i c e a r e outside and saw a man missing. After an alarm was investigating the dressed in black with a black raised, neighbours came and

alleged attempted face mask and a gun in his assisted the victim to the murder and armed robbery right hand pointing at the G e o rg e t o w n P u b l i c committed on 33-year-old victim. The woman stated Hospital, where he is Damion Allicock, at River that she immediately ran out currently hospitalised in a V i e w R u i m v e l d t , of the shop, leaving the stablecondition. GeorgetownSundaynight. victim and the perpetrator at He is nursing two Allicock is a vendor The theshop. gunshot wounds to his incident occurred at about The woman further abdomenandonetohisright 22:30 hrs. According to the related to police ranks that side foot. Detectives who man’s 23-year-old wife, at shortly after she heard three processed the scene about 22:30 hrs Sunday, loud explosions, which recovered one 9mm spent Allicock was sleeping in sounded like gunshots. The shell. A suspect, fitting the front of his shop at River 23-year-old woman claimed description and who was View, and she was inside the she returned to the scene seen shortly after with a shop selling when she heard where she saw the victim suspectedguninhishandsin a male voice shouting, ‘do lyingonthegroundbleeding the Albouystown area was notmove’. from his abdomen, with his arrested and is in custody as The woman looked jewellery and money investigationscontinue.

Ogunseyereleasedon$100,000bail

Working People’s there is an ongoing whispering about the monopolisation of every Alliance (WPA) Executive investigationintothematter country’s descent into inch of political space, the Member, Mutope Tacuma According to Hughes, he autocracyandethnocracy government has ruled with Ogunseye, was on Monday made a bail application for “Wefeelthatifthedriftis anironfist. charged under the Racial his client citing that they are notarrested,ourcountrywill “ W PA f e e l s t h a t Hostility Act, and placed on other serious offences which enter a state of permanent approach to governance is $100,000bail. carry life imprisonment but instability and disorder unsustainable in any society, Seventy-one-year-old are also bailable offences at WPA has watched with particularly one with a Ogunseye of Section ‘C’ themagistrate’scourt. horrorasthegovernmenthas h i s t o r y o f e t h n i c T u r k e y e n , G r e a t e r Prosecutor Moore laid become drunk with the oil contestation and division. It Georgetown, appeared at the oversubmissionstothecourt revenues which have come is with that in mind that the Vigilance Magistrate’s and on the next court date, our way Instead of using WPA took to the streets to Court before Senior the defence is expected to those revenues to combat dramatize its concerns. We Magistrate Fabayo Azore. make their submissions poverty and ethnic division, want to alert the rulers and Ogunseye was accompanied Senior Magistrate Azore the government through its the country at large to the byhislawyer,NigelHughes. granted bail and the matter policies has used them as dangers ahead and to Ogunseye pleaded not was adjourned to April 6, tools of social and ethnic eventually cause a political guilty to the charge which 2023.Forhispart,Ogunseye inequality,” the WPA said. reset. Towards that end, the was read to him. He was told reporters outside of the The party said from routine party not only recounts the charged with attempting to court room that, “…I have d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n instancesofsocialandethnic excite hostility or ill will on walked this road many times distribution of resources to sufferings, but boldly calls the grounds of race, before the state really extrajudicial killings to the for mass resistance by the Contrary to Section 2(3) of don’t have any case against c r i m i n a l i z a t i o n o f sufferers in the spirit of the the Racial Hostility Act me,Ithinktheyareclutching opposition members to the Rodneyite principle of SelfChapter23:01. PoliceLegal atstraws…” r u l i n g p a r t y ’ s Activity,”thepartystated. Advisor Mandel Moore is Kaieteur News reported prosecuting the case. He that the WPAhad said that it made objection to bail being was convinced that it has grantedonthegroundsofthe touched a raw nerve in the seriousness of the offence, country’s political economy the penalty attached and that which others have been

Charged, WPA Executive Member Mutope Tacuma Ogunseye

UN group encourages...

ing to construct a US$2B Gas-to-Energy project with ExxonMobil Guyana.

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Elderly bus Driver wanted for route 32 and 31. Call: 6781610.

Skilled Carpenters, Masons and Labourers needed. Call: 602-9469, 660-6385 or 6257642.

One Female able-bodied Clerk required. Call: 2252313, 226-1497/ 658-8559.

Canter and Truck Drivers needed, must have atleast 3 yrs experience. Call: 6447088/ 624-7248.

Excavator Operators required, must have atleast 3 yrs experience. Call: 6447088/ 624-7248.

Office Clerk wanted, must have experience in Microsoft Excel and Words. Call: 6447088/ 624-7248.

Male factory workers needed to work in Georgetown, $3500 per day. 7am - 4pm, Mon-Fri, transportation provided. Call: 611-7839.

Urgent Truck Drivers needed at Platinum Investments. Call: 624-2234.

One Domestic Worker needed to work 2 times per week. Address: 192 Duncan Street Newtown kitty. Call: 649-3783.

Mechanist needed, must know to work on engine head. Call: 223-5273/ 223-5274.

1 Junior Accounts Clerk with NIS paye payroll knowledge, Night Guard and livein Handyman needed in Hill Foot, Soesdyke. $100,000 monthly. Call: 227-5222/ 6750587/ 219-2170.

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In house Sales Person and Office Assistant needed at East bank. Must be 21 years & older. Email: ighanny@ wheyupnutrition.com

3 Receptionist, ages 25-35 yrs & Security Guards 40 yrs & older. Experience working in the Interior will be an asset. Call: 688-9506.

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Experienced Mechanic/ Welder (must hold qualifications) and Servicemen wanted for mining operation. Call: 697-2533.

Experienced male Cooks and Medic/ Camp Attendant wanted for mining operation. Call: 697-2533.

Wanted: Experienced Cashier, Cooks, Counter Person, Supervisor and Labourer. Apply @ Shanta's, 225 Camp and New Market Sts. or WhatsApp: +592-6541361.

Vacancy exists for two experienced Dispatchers at Confidential Cabs. Call: 6951961 /231-5784.

Able-bodied live-in female Housekeeper to work in Virgina, U.S.A. Between the ages of 30-50 yrs. Call: 845325-8241/ 592-615-5476.

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1 general Domestic needed to cook & clean, Mon- Fri and preferably living within East Bank Area. Apply at Keyfood, Mc Doom Village next to the post office.

Delivery Clerk, Cleaners and Porters needed. Apply @ Lens Hardware, Call: 2271511/ 645-1613.

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Visa Application: Canada and U.S.A. Graphics design & advertisements. Wedding decorations & elderly grooming: hair, nail etc. Call: 626-7040.

Elevate your brand with our professional Graphic design services. Call: 619-0007, 629-5526.

From page 14 has now entered the oil and gas arena – it can remain a carbon sink while being an oil producing nation. The Government has implemented a Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) which outlines its commitment to preserving the forest which stores 19.5 gigaton of carbon – with a deforestation rate of less than 0.05%.

Notably, Hess Corporation, one of ExxonMobil Guyana co-venturers in the Stabroek Block, has agreed to pay Guyana US$750M for saving the rainforest through a carbon credits scheme. Also, 15% of revenues earned from the carbon credit scheme go to the indigenous communities.

This facility will be located at Wales West Bank Demerara, and entails three components, the pipeline that will bring the gas from offshore Guyana to Wales, a gas-fired power plant and Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) plant. According to the Government, this project will slash the cost of energy in half in the next two years.

Construction of $585M Abram Zuil Secondary...

DRESSMAKING

Learn to cut & sew at Enid's Dressmaking certificate classes located 66 Sixth St. Albertown. All sewing done here! Call: 643-7966/ 223-9106.

Experienced Pump Attendants needed at Sunrise Marina Gas Station, preferably from Parika area. Send CV to sunrisemarinainc@yahoo.com or Call: 262-0404.

Vacancy exist for Carpenter/ Joiner. Apply at Regency Suites/ Hotel, 98 Hadfield Street, Werk-en-Rust G/ Town. Call: 226-0550/ 6093332.

VEHICLES FOR SALE

One CRV Honda, $3.3M negotiable and 1 Toyota Allion, $3.350 M, fully loaded immaculate condition, low mileage . Contact: 649-0956.

Experienced Waiter/ Waitress, Counter Server & roti/ puri Cook. Apply @ Hack's Restaurant 5 Commerce St.

Western Union CSRS, am/ pm Sales Clerks, Cashiers, Bond Clerks, Porters and Packers required @ Survival Shopping Complex, 173 Sheriff ST. Tel: 609-2995, Email: survival.humanresources@ gmail.com

Factory Worker needed. Must have a sound secondary education. For more information Call: 227-8041/2.

VACANCY

Experienced Hair Colorist, Hairstylist, Receptionist/ Massuese and Nail Tech needed. Call/ WhatsApp: 649-5005/ 226-6705.

Vacancy exists for sand truck

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Immediate vacancy exists for male Ice Handlers @ Crystal Ice house, Blairmont. Call: 618-3800 or visit office between 8am- 12 noon.

Driver needed. Must be able to assist in workshop at Eccles, ages 23-50 yrs, Car/ Van licence. Call 645-8443 or 642-9823.

Accounts Clerk needed. Must have a sound secondary education and 1-2 years Accounting experience. For more information Call: 2278041/2.

Operator for excavator/ bobcat, semi-skilled Workers, Office Assistant and time keeping/ tool issuing Clerk . Call: 621-6969/ 615-7784.

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One double Lot 80x160 on the east side of Friendship, Public Road, $12M GYD neg. Call: 626-4234/ 628-6212.

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Pure honey, wholesale and retail quantity. Call: 6214273.

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1 land 67x90 in Elaineville Housing Scheme, Providence, $ 35 Mil negotiable. Call: 701-4553.

One small Toyota Dyna Lorry, ideal for food truck. Diesel engine, needs body work and price negotiable. Call: 667-7602.

Notably, at the same time, the Government is also mov-

From page 16 College, Bishops’, rebuilding the North Ruimveldt which was destroyed by fire, rebuilding St. George’s which was destroyed by fire, building Christ Church which was destroyed by fire, building back St. Mary’s,” were just some of the schools she listed.

FOR RENT

Commercial property for rent at Regent & Wellington Streets. Call: 653-1501.

3 bedrooms furnished & unfurnished, 2 & 1 bedroom house and Apt in New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, Diamond & Providence. Call: 659-0277, 682-6238, 216-2299/ 604-6664.

One bedroom house for rent at 18th Av Diamond, E.B.D, $ 45,000. Call: 657-2951, 6129697.

Wash bay for rent at Mandela Avenue. Call: 675-3093.

Prime business property next to Vreed-en-hoop police station. Call 626-0718.

2 bedrooms in Campbellville, Albertown and Houston

E.B.D. 8000 sq ft office space in Brickdam. Call Ray's Realty: 627-9685.

The minister explained also that the aim is to ensure children in the hinterland regions complete their full secondary school education.

“While secondary education is accessible to you out here, what happens in those regions is that when kids reach Grade Nine they are then told bye, bye and that just means that their education is stopped abruptly.

That would be a thing of the past in about a year’s time that is the massive undertaking that we asked the country to join us in doing even as we are building out those schools we are aiming to have 100 percent of our teachers trained or in training by 2025,” Minister Manickchand said.

This publication had reported that the construction of the Abram Zuil school building was unable to reach its November deadline due to the delaying of building materials for the project.

The contractor was later given up to March month end to finish the school.

Work on the school began in 2021.

LAND FOR SALE

Carmichael Street, Better Hope, Friendship, Garden of Eden & Lethem Commercial area. Call Ray's Realty: 627-9685.

For low cost repairs for AC units, refridgerators, freezers, gas stoves, washing machine, dryers, etc. Call: 629-4946, 225-4822. TO

Studio apartment, $10,000 per week with 1 month down payment. Call: 6386120.

Bar in Breda Street, $40,000 per month. Call: 638-6120.

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Prashad Nagar, Ogle, Subryanville, Better Hope, Good Hope and West Ruimveldt. Call Ray's Realty: 627-9685.

The school which was constructed by Builders Hardware and General Supplies is a double-flat ‘E’ shaped building, with the capacity of housing some 750 students.

The state-of-the-art building consists of science laboratories, a cafeteria, a multi-purpose hall, drama room, art and home economics rooms, as well as several fully air-conditioned offices.

FOR SALE/ RENT

Three mining blocks in Kurupukari, Rupununi mining district to sell or rent. Call: 649-7371.

The school houses 23 classrooms.

The Ministry’s decision to rebuild the school was aimed at making the environment conducive to learning.

Carnegie, CPCE receive Certificates of Accreditation from Accreditation Council

The National Accreditation Council of GuyanaonMondaypresentedCertificatesof Accreditation to the Carnegie School of HomeEconomicandtheCyrilPotterCollege of Education (CPCE). The handing over

ceremony was done in the Ministry of Education’s boardroom by the Executive DirectoroftheCouncil,DrMarcelHutson In hisremarks,DrHutsonsaidthatitisimportant for local institutions to be accredited so they

canprovidethebestservicepossible

Also present during the handing over ceremony was the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand In brief remarks, MinisterManickchandstatedthatasGuyana

develops, the workforce also needs to develop She explained that accredited institutions have a responsibility to ensure persons are trained to produce the best possibleproduct.

Guyanaparticipatedinthe2ndstage... For healing and national reconciliation...

Frompage12 schoolfeedingintheregion. For student Keyla Jasmil, who is part of a school feeding committee at her school,itisveryimportantto learn about food and nutrition education and to spreadtheword:

“If someone in my familyisnoteatinghealthy,I can give them suggestions that can help to change. I have seen my friends much healthier,withmorestrength andenergy”,shesaid.

The school also has a garden where students learn about different subjects, suchasscience,Englishand math Family farming Dominican family farming, a key actor in the school feeding policy, was also a topic presented to the delegation The group visited the Constanza region, where a smallholder farmers cooperative was formed, which benefits 52 families. Training on good practices, technical assistance, and support for access to public and private markets were promoted to establish the Villa Poppy FarmersCooperative.

Local farmer Bernardo Díadía says that they have improved and perfected production techniques with the support of technical assistance.

Strawberries, lettuce, potatoes, radicchios, chili peppers, onions, carrots, among others, are grown, which are consumed in the communityandsoldtoother markets. “We started with courses, we created a cooperative,webegantosell without intermediaries to different supermarkets and

companies.Itisnoteasy,but wehaveshownthatitcanbe done”. This cooperative is thefirstentityofthistypein the country to obtain the StateProviderRegistry

For the director of the Supérate family farming programme, Arturo Bisonó, rural policy must take into account all the variabilities of realities. “Our task is to bring farmers in the most sustainable and fastest way sothattheycanselldirectly, ensuring quality, safety and consistency to the market that wants these products,” said Bisonó. Course The second stage of the School Feeding Programmes and Food and Nutrition Education course was also carried out at the mission, with participants from Belize, the Bahamas, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia,SaintKittsandNevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad. and Tobago. The activity generated a space for theoretical and experiential learning, promoting a meeting between the Caribbeancountriesthat are working on improving the quality of their school feedingprogrammes.

During the course, there was the conclusion stage of the ‘Joint Strategy for Strengthening Sustainable School Feeding Programs (PAES) in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)safeenvironmentduringand post pandemic’, a short courseonfoodhandlingand food safety topics. The strategy was promoted by the Brazil-FAO and BrazilUNDP Trilateral South-

programmes in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,andSaintLucia. The strategy was divided into two phases. The first dealt with the management a n d p r o v i s i o n o f approximately600kitsin11 LAC countries and the second was this training of national technicians in s a f e t y, h y g i e n e , infrastructure, handling and quality of food preparation.

“We were able to see the impact of school feeding in the field, in dialogue with students and family farmers,” said Mahendra

Phaghwah, breakfast programme’s coordinator of Guyana’s Ministry of Education. “School feeding does not discriminate and it is not a vulnerability programme, school feeding isforall”.Thecoordinatorof theschoolfeedingprojectof t h e B r a z i l - F A O International Cooperation, Najla Veloso, assessed that the mission promoted a space for dialogue and exchange among the Caribbeancountries.“Itwas an occasion to call on sister countries to think together how we can build a better continentandabetterworld, where all students eat, learn and improve their health conditions, moving the regional food chain with family farming It was possibletounderstandthatit is possible to do this better and better, how we do it in yourcountries,inBraziland how the Dominican Republicisdoing”.

Frompage6

Indigenous peoples, not simply seeing them as pawns in their political games, but as the Nation’s First People. Indeed, we are all living on stolen land and like the rest of the world, it is time for us to acknowledge the travesty committed against our indigenous brothersandsisters.Forhealingandnational reconciliation to occur and to eradicate racism in Guyana, all sides must let go of theirprejudiceconcerningthepast.Wemust agree to bury it and for the sake of all our childrenmoveforwardtoanewday

However, it can only be buried if politicians like Mr Jagdeo are willing to acknowledge and atone for the terrible mistakes made and atrocities and injustices committed. It requires us to understand and holdmultipleperspectivesinordertoreacha point of critical consciousness. It cannot be achieved with this endless tit-for-tat, disrespectforeachotherandpettybickering that consumes us as a nation. Critical consciousness cannot be achieved in an environment polluted with false narratives and historical revisionism. It can only be

achieved when people are willing to genuinely engage with, explore and challengeinjusticeandinequality

IfMr Jagdeomeanswhathesaid,thatthe PPPisnotafraidtoconfrontissues,including racism, head on, then let him be the first to confront these issues in a genuine manner The idea of critical consciousness emerged from the work of Paulo Freire (1968) and details a process that enablespeople to build their capacity to create change through reflectionandaction.

Critical consciousness entails three key aspects:(1)deepreflectiononexistingpower structures and dynamics, (2) a sense of agency to seek and enact change in inequitablesystems,and,(3)intensiveaction in working both individually and collaborativelytopursueemancipationfrom theseoppressivesystemsandstructures.

Thepeopleareready,thequestionis,are those in positions of leadership ready, able andwilling?

GeraldA.Perreira Organization for the Victory of the People(OVP)

Executive Director of the National Accreditation Council, Dr Marcel Hutson presents the certificate of accreditation to the Carnegie School of Home Economics in the presence of Education Minister, Priya Manickchand and other officials.

Executive Director of the National Accreditation Council, Dr Marcel Hutson presents the certificate of accreditation to the Cyril Potter College of Education in the presence of Education Minister, Priya Manickchand and other officials.

Bartica Easter Regatta 2023 Junior Cycling Championship

Sporting action for the 2023 Bartica Easter Regatta continued on Sunday with the successful staging of the inaugural Junior Cycling Championships. The sport has been gaining popularity rapidly ever since the staging of the first Bartica Cycling Classic (May-2019) and the 13th Junior Caribbean Cycling Championships, in August 2019. On Sunday, the focus was once again on the development of junior cyclists who all had a fun time at the event that was put on by the Bartica Easter Regatta Organising Committee, chaired by Regional Chairman, Kenneth

Williams. Following are the full results: Race Placings

Boys 13 – 16years 1st Aaron

Newton, 2nd Alexander Leung, 3rd Torell Noel Girls

1st Raziah Robertson, 2nd

Tuesday April 04, 2023

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)

Your usual lazy attitude is apt to receive a burst of energy tonight, Aries. It's in your nature not to want to lift a finger, but for some reason you may be compelled to get up and get moving.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

You may find your emotions difficult to deal with, Taurus, especially later in the day. Consider taking an intellectual instead of emotional approach.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

Communication with others could be extremely rewarding, Gemini, especially later in the day. Project more of your energy outward and join others in projects.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

Make sure you solidify your affairs early in the day, Cancer, because the sparks are going to fly after sunset. People might try to throw you off balance with fast talk and fancy ideas.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)

Things are looking up for you, Leo, especially later in the day. Pieces should be coming together and things flowing into place naturally. You will find that your outward-directed energy is better balanced now.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22)

The energy is apt to pick up in your life today, Virgo. You may be asked to report to duty. Don't make promises you can't keep. Your words will be taken seriously.

Tandy Noel, 3rd Alecia Chan

Boys Open 1st Aaron Newton, 2nd Alexander Leung, 3rd Sebastian Nathan Boys 17 – 1Z 1st Aaron Newton, 2nd AlexanderLeung, 3rd

Trophy Stall on Board

“GUYANA South America Undiscovered Martial Arts Championship”

Sebastian Nathan

Straight Sprints-Race #1

1st Adjani Cutting, 2nd Aaron Newton, 3rd AlexanderLeung

Straight Sprints-Race #2

1st Christian Dudley, 2nd Torell Noel, 3rd Sebastian Nathan Straight Sprints-Race #31st Zinedine

DosSantos, 2nd Marcus Lewis, Kocy Joseph

Straight Sprints-Race #4

“Trophy Stall, in keeping with its mandate to support and provide quality awards, is proud to be on board the GUYANA South America Undiscovered Martial Arts Championship. Every competitor deserves the best and the best Trophies are what will be provided,” stated Mr. Ramesh Sunich for his reason for coming on board.

competitor well. I also would like to congratulate Instructor Roland Eudoxie on his outstanding work he’s doing with the youth within Guyana and wish him continued success. I would like to encourage other companies to also support this venture by being a sponsor,” stated Mr Jonathan Sunich.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

There's extra aggression in your world today, Libra. Realize that this is probably due more to your reaction to a situation than to the situation itself. It could be that you're in conflict.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

There may be a bit of aggravation in a part of your life that's urging you to get up and do something, Capricorn. It could be that you're getting overly emotional about a certain issue.

.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

Things are going to get better and better for you as the day progresses, Sagittarius. Try to get your grounded, practical, and logical self collected during the day.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

There may be a bit of aggravation in a part of your life that's urging you to get up and do something, Capricorn. It could be that you're getting overly emotional about a certain issue,

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)

You may feel a bit stodgy today, Aquarius, but things are going to pick up tonight. There will be a great deal of air to fuel your fire, and you're ready to burn.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)

Get things taken care of in the morning so you can be carefree and laid back in the evening. It's important for you to square things away in your head.

1st JeroneGhanie, 2nd Anthony King, 3rd Joshua Farrell Champion of Champion Sprint Race

1st Adjani Cutting, 2nd Zinedine DosSantos, 3rd Christian Dudley

BMX Boys 10-12 years

1st Jaden John, 2nd Aaron Sheriff, 3rd Sammy Harrison

Girls BMX 6-9 years

1st Ellie Grant, 2nd Halli Martindale

Barker and Sampson...

From page 33

Joshua Bynoe (Pace and Power boxing gym) and Shemroy Wintz (Rose Hall Jammers) went to battle with Jeremiah MaGarrel out of the Vergenoegen Boxing gym. MaGarell proved to be the better fighter of the two by landing more punches. MaGarell eventually won the contest by way of judge’s scorecard.

President of the GBA, Steve Ninvalle, presented medals and trophies to both boxers and coaches at the closing ceremony of the tournament.s

Roland Eudoxie, Chief Instructor of Korean International Martial Arts Guyana (KIMAG) met with Mr. Jonathan Sunich (Director of Trophy Stall) on Wednesday 29thApril, 2023 at their Bourda Market Location who presented the trophies on behalf of the company. Mr. Sunich, son of Mr. Ramesh Sunich is also a professional overseas based Guyanese MMA and Muay Thai Fighter with numerous wins under his name.

“I’m excited about this event and happy that Trophy Stall is on board. I wish every

Competitors from Suriname and Host country Guyana will be battling for their bragging rights and champions’ trophy as they prepare to take the floor on Sunday April 9th, 2023 at the Guyana National Gymnasium Mandela Avenue, Georgetown starting at 9:00am.

Instructor Eudoxie stated that, at this championship a category will be dedicated in Memory of the late Sensei Garfield Newton. “We have lots a great martial artist and his legacy must continue within us.”

Regional Chairman Kenneth Williams (standing right, back), with the recipients of prizes following the presentation on Sunday.

Georgetown claim title in the Ariel Ent., Trophy Stall,Ramchand’s, Cricket Equip inc. event

In the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) Under-19

I n t e r- A s s o c i a t i o n Tournament sponsored by Ariel Enterprise, Trophy Stall, Ramchand’s Auto Spares and Cricket Equipment Inc., concluded as Shamar Yearwood hit a century, and Nehemaih

Hohenkirk and Ravaldo Phillipsclaimedfivewickets haulstosteerGeorgetownto victory over East Coast Demeraratosecurethetitle.

At the Georgetown Cricket Club Ground, East CoastDemerarawonthetoss and elected to bowl Georgetown took the

opportunity and scored a well-constructed 255 for 8 from their allotted 50 overs. National wicket-keeper Shamar Yearwood scored a brilliant 117, hitting 6 sixes and 10 fours. West Indies opener Mavindra Dindyal scored a well-composed 62.

Sasenarine Harricharran

Massive turnout at the commencement of 2023 Learn to Swim programme

Hundreds gathered yesterday the National AquaticCentre,Lilliendaal, to witness the opening ceremonyoftheMinistryof Culture, Youth and Sports 2023 Easter Vacation SwimmingProgramme.

The 2023 Easter Vocation ‘Learn to Swim’ programmeisdeemedtobe oneofthelargest,ifnotthe largestprogrammethusfar; the last time this programme was held they had approximately six hundred participants. This yearwehaveexceededthat number with at least two thousandparticipantsatthe commencementofthe2023 programme.

Meanwhile, sitting at theopeningceremonywere Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle,DeputyChairman of National Sports Commission(NSC)Christy C a m p b e l l , N S C Commissioner Cheteram Ramdial, President of the G u y a n a A m a t e u r Swimming Association (GASA)DwayneScottand Assistant Director of Sport MelissaDowRichardson. However, this year’s

turnout indicates the level ofinterestinthesportfrom across the different section of the country The 2023 programme will be unfolding in Georgetown at; the National Aquatic Centre and Colgrain Pool, Camp Street; at the Watooka Swimming Pool (Linden)andalsoatAlbion Estate Pool (East Berbice) fromApril 3-15. With such alargeturnoutatthisyear’s programme, coaches are tasked with more robust responsibilities; this also shows the quality of work that the Government of Guyana by extension the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports have been puttinginovertheyearsthat transcend interest into reality

Speakingattheopening ceremony Director of Sports Ninvalle stated that safety will be of utmost priority He went on to say, “Your numbers here tells a very big story, it tells me that with such large numbers comes large responsibility The responsibility of the N a t i o n a l S p o r t s

Commissionistomakesure that although you will have an enjoyable time learning this important life skill. Safety will be our first, second and third word movingforward.”

Inclosing,thePresident ofGASA,Scott,chargedall coaches as well as national swimmers to assist in the processhelpingeverychild understand the basic fundamentals that is required to be able to becomesuccessfulstudents at the end of the programme.

H e e x p r e s s e d appreciationtotheNSCfor its continuous efforts regarding the development of the sport He also commended both parents and child/children for showing their support to this wonderful initiative Scott stressed, “On behalf of GASA, I would like to share our appreciation with you for sharing your kids with us for the next seven days. I will assure you that they will develop added skills to deal with some of the life’s challenges that involvewater.”

took 5 for 39 and was supported by Hemraj Haripersaud who took 2 for 35,andAjayGaindaclaimed 1for21.

In reply, East Coast Demerara struggled to reach theirtargetastheyfellfor46 from 12 overs Romel Datterdeen was the lone

battertoreachdoublefigures of 11. Nehemiah Hohenkirk and Ravaldo Phillips ripped through the batting line up, claiming 5 for 22 and 5 for 24,respectively Shamar Yearwood was namedtheplayerofthefinal, while Mavindra Dindyal receivedthemostrunsinthe

preliminary games, and Zahid Mohamed collected themostwickets. This tournament saw three centurions, namely Mavindra Dindyal 101, Alvin Mohabir 113 not out and Shamar Yearwood 117 and one six wicket haul by KrsnaSingh.

Demerara Cricket Board Under-19 Inter-Association Tournament 2023...

Player of the final Shamar Yearwood

East Coast runner up

Skipper Johnson “proud” of Guyana’s champion of team as he exit’s the big stage

As Guyana Harpy

Eagles bask in the glory of beingcrownedchampionsof regional first-class cricket, theircaptainLeonJohnsonis feeling mighty proud of his team’s performance throughout the actionpackedseason.

The ebullient Johnson hadthehonourofraisingthe Headley-Weekes Trophy, capping off the final day of his professional career on Saturday at the Guyana National Stadium This camemomentsafterhisteam performedamiraclewiththe ball to bowl out Leeward Islands Hurricanes on an eventful final morning.This kept them at the top of the table in the West Indies Championship.

Chasing 143 to win, the Hurricanesstartedthedayon 81-1, and at 91-1, they looked set for a comfortable victory However, offspinner Kevin Sinclair with an incredible spell of bowling removed key

Leewards batsmen and caused a collapse. Guyana ended the tournament with 84 0 points, Windward Islands Volcanoes were secondon74.2points,while last year’s champions Barbados Pride ended third on55.6points.

Johnson was overcome with emotion shortly after his team achieved the remarkable comeback and he received the HeadleyWeekes trophy from Enoch Lewis, Cricket West Indies Director He was full of praiseforhisteam.

“This was a great performance…agreatteam performance and I’m massivelyproudofeveryone who contributed towards us winning. We worked hard before the season, and we workedhardthroughoutthis season We were really testedinthisfinalmatch,and we responded to the challengewithamagnificent win,”Johnsonsaid.

“One of the great things about the season was the

progress made by the young players in the team As various time they stood up with major performances andthatwasgreattosee.We made progress.Also, tribute to the senior players who also led from the front, offered invaluable advice and made my job as captain easieronandoffthefield.”

“Thanks to the fans and allthosepersonswhobacked us from start to finish. As a proudGuyaneseIretirefrom the game lifting this prestigious trophy and also happythatIcanbringsmiles to the faces of the supporters.”

Guyanaplayedunbeaten and had to overcome a few challenges. They started with a hard-fought win againstBarbadosPrideatthe SirVivianRichardsStadium in Antigua – thanks to a debutcenturyfromMatthew Nandu and a five-wicket burst from Nial Smith. Next match they traveled to Grenadaandhadtodigdeep to earn a draw against the

Windwards in Grenada, which required a rearguard fromthelowerorder

When the tournament restarted they painted the town red and had a solid allround match to record a comfortable victory win overTrinidad&TobagoRed Force at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy This was marked by a breakthrough century from Kemol Savory and a memorable landmark

by Veerasammy Permaul who took his 512th wicket for Guyana to become the leading wicket-taker in regionalfirst-classhistory They returned home to the fortress at the Guyana National Stadium, where they had a massive win by 228 runs over Jamaica Scorpions The highlight wasJohnson’s150notoutin the first innings and 138 not out and by Tevin Imlach in

the second as they took the stingoutoftheScorpions.

The final match of the season against the Leeward IslandsHurricanesprovedto beablockbuster

The visitors put up a determined fight and it wasn’t until the epic final morning when Sinclair weavedhismagictoearnhis team the right to bask in the glory of being crowned champions.(CWI)

GCB/GOG/MCYS Under-19 Boys Inter-Club Super-50 Tournament...

East Bank Essequibo crowned Essequibo County champs, In Berbice, wins for Achievers-B and Port Mourant

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Government of Guyana (GOG) Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS), Under-19 Boys Inter-Club Super-50 Tournament 2023, continued on Sunday, April 2, 2023, with registeredwinsforAchieversBand PortMourantformatchesplayedin Berbice. In Essequibo, the East Bank Essequibo team were crowned Essequibo County Champions after an enthralling displayofcricket.

Summary Scores:

East Bank Essequibo beat Pomeroon in the Finals by 7 wickets

Pomeroon fell to a rampant East Bank Essequibo (EBE) at the Imam Bacchus Ground, thanks to some exceptional batting from In-formbatsman,ThaddeusLovell, who struck 33 not out with 3 fours and2sixes.

His innings was supported by opener Shahid Veira who chippedinwith11,whichtookEBE to65-3injust9.1overs,asJermino Rodrigues finished with 2 wickets forPomeroon.

Batting first, Pomeroon blew their shot at the win after

they failed to post a good total and were skittled out for 63 in 16.5 overs. Devon Roberts was the only batsman to reach double figures (13), as the pair of Joash Charles’s (5-wicket haul) and 3 wickets from Mohesh Sookdeo, was enough to hand their team the winfromtheverystart.

Achievers B defeat

Rainbow Generation by 9 wickets

Another reduced-overs game saw Rainbow Generation only managing 60-7 with only opener Joel Basdeo showing some resistancewith11.

Shaquan Monah was the star with the ball, snaring 5-16 from 4 3 overs and bowling for Achievers B team, who made lightworkofthechase.

An unbeaten 43 from opening batsman Neville David who is

sixand4foursinhis43,tookhis team to 61-1, sealing a comprehensivewin.

Port Mourantdefeat Albion CricketClubby128runs

Port Mourant racked up an imposing 212 in 27 overs after a blistering knock of 79 from middle-order batsman

Hemendra Gurdyal, with support from national youth opener RampertabRamnauth(34).

Spinner Kumar Deoprashad grabbed 3-21 with 2 wickets each from Afraz Budhoo and Tameshwar Narvgal, sealing off a s u c c e s s f u l bowling performance.

Ari Nadir then stroked 33 opening the batting, but it was insufficient as Albion still came upshortastheywerebowledout for84runs.

A collective effort from Devendra Samaroo (2-17), Romel Boodwain (2-25), and Salim Khan (2-24)wasenoughtoseetheirteam tovictorywithease.

Skeldon defeat No. 69 Cricket Clubby7wickets

Batting first No. 69 Cricket Club made 80 all out in overs with AeronYacoobhitting19andPolesh Karamchanadding11.

Bowling for Skeldon Cricket Club was led by Okazi Boyce who ended with figures of 4-4, while JameelClarkreturnedfiguresof217.

Skeldonthencruisedto81-3in 21overs,ledbyNieanSingh(*30) andAbbasKhan(29).Yacoobthen tookchargewiththeballtopickup just1wicketbutfor7runs,asthree otherbowlersgrabbedascalpeach.

Hemendra Gurdyal

Joash Charles

Thaddeus Lovell

Guyana recorded four wins and a draw in the five-round tournament. (CWI)

Formula 1: Australian GP chief to investigate post-race fan invasion

BBC Sport - Australian Grand Prix organisershavepromisedtoinvestigateafter fans invaded the track before Sunday’s race hadofficiallyfinished.

Footage showed a “large group” of the 131,000-strong crowd squeezing through barriersandclimbingfencesjustmetresfrom speedingcars.

SomereachedthestrandedHaasofNico Hulkenbergontheexitofturntwo.

The sport’s governing body, the FIA, saidtheincidentwasaseriousbreachofthe sportingcode.

AustralianGrandPrixCorporationchief executive Andrew Westacott said the outcome at Melbourne’sAlbert Park “could havebeenhorrific”.

TheFIAsaid“securitymeasuresandthe protocols which were expected to be in place for the event were not enforced resulting in an unsafe environment for the spectators,driversandraceofficials”.

It has demanded that organisers “urgently present a formal remediation plan”

Westacott said officials would trawl security cameras to try and find out how the breach occurred at the end of an incidentpacked race which was won by Red Bull’s MaxVerstappenandendedunderasafetycar afteracrash-affectedrestart.

“There’sacontrolledallowanceofpeople to come on to the track after the race has concludedandafterthesafetycarpasses,”he toldABC.

“Spectators had broken one of the lines, wedon’tknowhowthat’soccurredjustyet.

“We’ve got a lot of CCTV and we’ve got a huge amount of footage we’re going to have to pour through over the nextcoupleofweeks.

“Motorsport is dangerous - it could havebeenhorrific

“Nobody does anything malicious at motorsport, it’s an unbelievably wellbehaved crowd but they, I think, had a degree of confusion. We don’t know how theygotintotheareawithouttherightlevelof authority.”

Meanwhile, race organisers have

also been criticised by a spectator who suffered a cut to his arm when he was struck by apieceofdebrisfromHaasdriver KevinMagnussen’scar

Will Sweet told Australian radio station 3AW he was standing with his fiancee on a packed hill just off turn two when the Dane’s car hit the track-side barrier,sendinghistyreanddebrisflyinginto theair

“It slapped me in the arm and I was juststandingtherebleeding,”hesaid “My arm was covering where my

neck would’ve been, but if that had hit my fiancee, it would’ve got her right in thehead

“Irealisedhowbigitwasandhowheavy it was. Part of it was shredded and really sharp.

Ifithitmeinadifferentangle,itcould’ve beenhorrendous.”

Australian media published a picture of Sweet holding a large piece of debris with bloodtricklingdownhisforearmandanother showing him having treatment from a medicalofficialatthetrack.

Merckx hails ‘extraordinary’ Pogacar after Flanders feat

AFP - Cycling great Eddy Merckx said Tadej Pogacarhadalreadywritten himself into the history books at just 24 after the Slovenian equalled the Belgian’sachievementwith hiswininthegruellingTour ofFlanders.

Pogacar on Sunday became the first Tour de Francewinnerinalmosthalf a century to also win the world’s toughest one-day race contested over 19 cobbled hills and an epic 274km.

Merckx, who won both the Tour de France and the Girod’Italiafivetimes,told French sports daily L’Equipe he had greatly enjoyed watching Sunday’s action-packedclimax.

“That was an amazing

race, the struggle between Pogacar and (outgoing champion) Mathieu van der PoelVPmadeitincredible,” said Merckx, who won the Tour of Flanders in 1969 and1975.

“The winner is quite simply out of the ordinary,” said77-year-oldMerckx.

“What a rider this Pogacaris.Icanneversayit enough, he’s so much more than just a champion. You have to consider the meaning of what he has achieved, this is no small thing.”

Only two other riders hadachievedtheraredouble before Sunday, Merckx and Louison Bobet, in the 1950s, which Merckx said “places his achievement in context”.

Merckx pointed to the savvy shown by Pogacar to getthebetterofhisrivals.

“The panache and audacity needed to achieve such an exploit has carved himaplaceinhistory Heis displaying a level of form rarelyseenincyclingbefore him.”

Merckx also said he likedPogacarasaperson.

“I met him once in Italy when the pair of us were invitedbythesamesponsor He’s a great guy, so easygoing, I was won over straightaway.”

Pogacar has taken the cycling world by storm sincefirstemergingasa20year-oldattheTourofSpain wherehewonthreestagesin 2019.

The following summer

he produced a dark horse run for the ages to take the Tour de France overall lead on the final day of racing agedjust21.

The UAE team rider then towered over a Covidhit Tour de France in 2021, winningbyawidemargin.

However, the risktaking rider then persuaded his team to allow him to tackle the leading one-day races — and the balancing act has produced mixed results.

While he won major races such as the Tour of Lombardy and LiegeBastogne-Liege, his exploitsperhapsrobbedhim of an edge in the 21-day Tour de France, where he slipped to second place in 2022.

Tadej Pogacar

Arecord crowd of 444,631 attended race weekend at Albert Park in Melbourne. (Getty Images)

Gaikwad, Moeen lift Chennai to first season win

AFP - An opening century partnership between RuturajGaikwadandDevon Conway helped Chennai SuperKingstoa12-runwin over Lucknow Super Giants attheIndianPremierLeague yesterday.

The match began five minutes late after a dog invasion but Gaikwad (57) and Conway (47) soon turned the spotlight to cricket with their blazing stand of 110 in Chennai Four-time winners Chennai, led by M.S. Dhoni, reached 217-7, a total their bowlers defended by restricting Lucknow to 205-7 and registertheirfirstwinofthis season. England’MoeenAli took four key wickets and was ably supported by fellow spinner Mitchell Santner, who returned impressivefiguresof1-21.

But Gaikwad set up victory as he smashed his way to his second succesive half-century this season to entertain a raucous home crowd, which witnessed its team in action live after a longbreakduetoCovid.

The 16th edition of the

money-spinning T20 tournament has returned to its home-and-away format afterafewyearsofpandemic forced closed-door and limited-venueseasons.

Gaikwad tore into the Lucknowattackwithastring of sixes including one off England’s Mark Wood after the-left handed Conway hit the express bowler for three boundariesinthatover Lucknow hit back to removetheopenersafterlegspinner Ravi Bishnoi sent backGaikwadandWoodhad hisrevengeonConwaywith Krunal Pandya taking a stunning low and diving catch in the deep. Lucknow kept chipping away with wickets including Ben Stokes out for eight before Ambati Rayudu, who hit an unbeaten 27, took the total past 200 Dhoni hit two straightsixesoffWoodinthe finalovertogopast5000IPL runsbeforehedeparted.

In reply, Kyle Mayers smashed 53 off 22 balls to start the chase strongly but Lucknowsoonlosttheirway to Moeen’s off-spin. Moeen got Mayers, skipper KL

T&T jumper Tyra Gittens accepts retroactive six-month ban for a prohibited substance found in ADHD medication

SportsMax-Anexpired Therapeutic Use Exemption certificate has caused Trinidad and Tobago long jumper Tyra Gittens to accept a six-month ban for the unintentional use of a prohibited substance The ban took effect from September26,2022andany results in competition since June 26, 2022, have been wiped from her record, which means she loses her results from the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon and Commonwealth Games in Birmingham England.

The ban has since expired which means she is now free to train and compete World Athletics’ Athletics Integrity United (AIU)ruledonMondaythat theathletewasineligiblefor apersonofsixmonthsaftera samplesheprovidedinJune 2022 was found to contain methylphenidate/ritalinic acid, a prohibited substance that is an ingredient of the medication she takes for ADHD.However,atthetime the sample was taken, Gittens’ Therapeutic Use

Exemption (TUE) had expired The AIU said it accepts that the athlete had notrealizedthatherprevious TUEhadexpiredbythetime that the first sample was takenatthenationalTrinidad and Tobago championships onJune26,2022.

“She was not advised that the TTO Sample was p o s i t i v e f o r methylphenidate, or that her TUE had expired for this purpose, until November

2022, after the sample collected from her at the World Championships on July23,2022,”theAIUsaid adding that they also accept that Gittens had no informationatthetimeofher second World Athletics sample that her TUE applicationwasincomplete.

“The AIU also accepts thatthemedicationwasused for legitimate medical reasons and the athlete did not intend to cheat

Accordingly, the AIU accepts that the violation wasnot‘intentional’.”

Gittens, who turned pro justlastweek,addressedthe development on her Instagram on Monday s t a t i n g t h a t , “ M y Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) for taking ADHD medication was not approved in time for the World Championships last summer,whichcausedmeto t e s t p o s i t i v e f o r

methylphenidate.

“Even though I have taken the same medication for years and had the same TUE for the Tokyo Olympics,Ididnotcomplete the application correctly To putthisbehindme,myteam and I accepted a six-month suspension backdated to Sept(ember) 25, which means the period of ineligibility is already served, and I can proceed withmyseason.

During that time, I learnedsomuchmoreabout myself, my priorities, and mygoals.”Shealsorevealed that this was not the only challenge she had to face in thelastyear

“The last year and a half was one of the most challengingtimesofmylife.

First my transfer, it was a huge leap of faith and it extremelylastminute.Itwas complicated learning a new event, having a new coach, new training schedules, new programs, living in a new city, and being in a new environment,”shesaid.

“It was an extremely c o n f u s i n g a n d

overwhelming time and it ledmetonottrustmyselfand itshowedinmyperformance last year “Secondly, earlier that year I lost my grandmother to diabetes. In August my aunt lost her battlewithbreastcancer,two weeks later my last grandmother passed away Losing those amazing women was extremely heartbreaking.

They were fighters and even though it was tough moving on, their stories motivatedmetocontinuemy fightaswell.”

She revealed that these trialshavemadeherstronger and better prepared for anything that life will throw at her “I am a different womanbecauseoflastyear’s trials and tribulations. It has made me stronger, more trusting of myself, happier, and more at peace with my reality,” she said “I’m so thankful for the people who were behind me during this extremelylonelytimeofmy life.Nowit’stimetogetback to work and continue my journey of turning my dreamsintoreality.”

12runs.

Trinidad and Tobago long jumper Tyra Gittens

Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad punch gloves. (BCCI)

Moeen Ali derailed Super Giants after they got away to a blazing start. (BCCI)

Pele FC Alumni Educational Programme 2023 set for huge return

Celebration of Youth,Education,Matches this ThursdayatGFC

The empowering of male and female young people in Guyanatoovercomepoverty by building their confidence, selfesteem, and ambition, through the power of sports and education, hosted bytheUSAbased,PeleFCAlumniisset tocontinuewhentheprogrammemakes agrandreturn,thisandnextweek.

Halted by the covid-19 world pandemic for two years, Alumni Chairman Denis Carrington, Treasurer Patrick ‘Labba’Barton, and Executive Committee Member, Eric ‘Riggy’ Smith made a visit to Guyana last year toputthegroundworkbackinplacefor this year’s activity which will commence with a series of Youth Matches,underthetheme,‘Celebrating YouthEducation.

Coordinated by the local chapter, Pele Football Club led by Dirk Exeter and Coach Gordon Brathwaite along with the Alumni’s Local Coordinator

David Gomes, many footballers, and over130youthswillagainbenefitfrom theAlumni’slargesse.

Also forming part of Thursday’s action at the GFC Ground would be a tributetothelateKingPele,afterwhom theclubwasnamedover50yearsago.

Kicking off Thursday’s action at 15:00hrs would be a match between the respective Under-18 teams of the hostclubandBuxtonStars Thiswould befollowedbyaFemaleclashbetween the Guyana Defence Force and St. Cuthbert’sMission.

The Masters will then take center stage with a clash between old rivals, Pele and Santos as the seasoned gladiators, attempt to roll back the years

This would be followed by the tribute to King Pele after which the main attraction of the night will see Pele’s senior team taking on Black Pearl

Allmatcheswouldbeplayedfor60 minutes.

The much-anticipated Youth Seminar which sees youths being exposed to empowering sessions on life skills and other pertinent topics would be held next week Tuesday, Wednesday,andThursdayatthePolice SportsClub,EveLeary

The attendees, which, would number well over one hundred, would alsobebeneficiariesoffieldtripstoat least two places of interest, all funded bythePeleFCAlumni

The participants would also be receiving a number of school supplies as has been the custom over the years oftheEducationalProgramme

Asocialeventissettotakeplaceon Friday, April 14th that would involve dozens of past and current players, many of whom are based in the Diaspora and are expected home for theprogramme

One-day 4-team competition at Reliance Sports Ground set for April 8

Excitement galore is highly anticipated on Sunday, April 8 at Reliance Sports Ground, Essequibo Coast, Region Two, where four teams willbecompetingfortrophiesandcash incentives.

The competitors are: Reliance Hustlers Sports Club, Affiance, Invaders Masters and Charity Sports Club.

A large number of reputable cricketers will be on show to represent theirrespectiveteam.

Theone-dayeventwillbehostedby Reliance Hustlers Sports Club and skipper Trevis Simon stated that it promised to be a fascinating 10-over knockouthard-ballcompetition.

He informed that the winning team will receive $40,000 and trophy while the runners-up side is set to take home $20,000andatrophy

The Most Valuable Player will pocket$10,000andatrophyaswell.

AccordingtoSimon,thecashprizes aresponsoredbyRCMedicalCentreof HenriettaalsoinRegionTwowhilethe trophiesdonatedbyGuyanaBeverages Inc.underthe592brand.

Someofthebig-namedplayerstobe onshoware:RameshNarine,Beesham Seepersaud, Ricardo Adams, Ganesh Mangal, Yogeshwar Lall, Rocky Parsotam, Rovindra Parsram, Narindra Madholall,MarkAustin,HasanRahim, Dinesh Chattergoon, Mukesh Singh

amongothers.

Meanwhile, a 10-overs exhibition fixture is also billed for the day The game will be played between Reliance Sports Club and Reliance Hustlers SportsClubAteam.

This game is scheduled to be just beforethefinal.

Representatives from the sponsors are expected to grace the occasion and willandbehandingoversprizesaswell.

Simon mentioned that musical entertainment will be part of the day’s proceedingswithcommentary

He further related that there will be BBQonsale.Fundsraisedwillbeused for the construction of a practice nets facility

Ramesh Narine

Flashback! Participants of the 2019 Pele FC Alumni Educational Programme.

One of the participants in 2019 receives a Laptop computer

GFF President Wayne Forde pays courtesy call on Guyana Consul General Geneva Ross-Tyndall in Barbados

President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF)

WayneFordepaidacourtesy call on Guyana’s ConsulGeneral(acting)inBarbados GenevaRoss-Tyndall.

The visit took place hours before the senior men’s national team played Montserratinthe League B 2022/2023

ConcacafNationsLeagueat the Wildey Turf Stadium, Wildey, Barbados.

“It was a most pleasant and delightful experience to be granted an audience with theHon.

Consul General Mrs Ross-Tyndall. I was able to

share with her the importanceoftoday’s game and our current standing in the Concacaf Gold Cup qualification process.

She expressed her support and best wishes for the Golden Jaguars and was in attendance to cheer them on to victory,” GFF PresidentFordeshared.

Guyana is in Group B with Bermuda, Montserrat and Haiti. On March 25, the Golden Jaguars defeated Bermuda 2-0 with two amazing goals by Liam GordonandJeremyGarett.

Haiti topped the group

andwonanautomaticticket totheConcacafGoldCupin June.

The Golden Jaguars’ victory against Bermuda securedGuyanaaspotinthe GoldCupPrelims.

The second-place teams from the League B groups and the third-place teams from League A will join the winners of each League C group in the Gold Cup Prelims.

Guyana has a good record against Montserrat having beaten them 2-1 in the earlier rounds of the ConcacafNationsLeaguein 2022.

Barker and Sampson shine at Michael Parris Junior boxing championship

T h e N a t i o n a l Gymnasium was lit on Sunday evening with some fine Under-16 boxing as the Guyana BoxingAssociation (GBA) hosted the Michael Parris U16 Junior Boxing championship. Boxing fans were thrilled to witness another classical schoolboys tournament, with eleven bouts carded for the night; 10 official bouts and one exhibition match including two international bouts,thingsgotontheway inemphaticstyle.

Guyana’sTiffanyBarker and Tiquan Sampson returnedtothesquaredcircle to deliver triumphant victories over their overseas counterparts Vergenoegen boxing gym finished with four wins at the end of the competition However, Tiffany Barker, went up against Trinidad and

Tobago’sShaniaNunez,and came out victorious in the match as she (Barker) rapped up another excellent performance; filled with some fine displays of boxing.

P r i n c e C h a r l e s representing Trinidad and Tobago went down to Guyana’s Tiquan Sampson as our local U16 boxers fought their way to championshipglory

Earlier on, Nickel Ramsaroop (Rose Hall

Jammers) met with Rupesh Balgobin in the first bout of the evening Balgobin eventually went on to win the fight at the end of the contest. Next up were Keon Britton out of the Vergenoegen Boxing Gym going up against Isaiah Joyce but in the end Britton proved to be too good for Joyce, as Britton walked awaywithaconvincingwin. AfterthatwehadJadenKing (Rose Hall Jammers) going up against StephanAllicock

(Pace and Power gym) of which King came out victorious at the end of the battle. Later, Ryan Rogers defeated his gym mate KamoondaAlexanderoutof the Pace and Power gym, while Kayon Hamilton (VergenoegenBoxingGym) defeated Oshawn Edwards, Shaquain James (Forgotten Youth Foundation) defeated Johnson Aisles, Garfield Highman (Vergenoegen Boxinggym)defeated (Continuedonpage27)

Tiquan Sampson poses with gold medal and Best boxer trophy

Wayne Forde presents a branded team jersey during his courtesy call on Guyana’s Consul-General (acting) in Barbados Mrs. Geneva Ross – Tyndall.