Kaieteur News

Fisherfolk organisation awaiting outcome of Agri. Minister’s probe into low catch

April 10, 2022

Online readership yesterday, 59,742

ExxonMobil offers Guyana US$2B to cover oil spill costs not satisfied by subsidiary - EPA refuses to sign off until justification provided

Businessman charged for assaulting daughter, - police ranks under investigation guns seized for mishandling case Local Engineers capable of undertaking design for new DHB -- GAPE GAPE Maritime Dept. seeking new contractor ‘Taxi driver’ seen beating, forcing to fix vessel

woman into car on Cemetery Road

…after Auditor General flags payment - allegedly tried to run over eyewitness before driving away to previous contractor for same project

Govt. tax waiver to oil companies amounts to massive loss in revenue for Guyana ...decision to grant concessions should be overturned

- Glenn Lall tells High Court

Listen to The Glenn Lall Show @11am, 4&7pm on Kaieteur Radio 99.1/99.5FM

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Sunday April 10, 2022

“Child mother” allegedly sets ‘ex-husband’s’ house ablaze Georgetown detectives are currently questioning a woman in relation to the fiery destruction of her exreputed husband’s home

early Saturday morning.

The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) identified the now homeless man as 39-yearold Aaron Watson. Watson’s

Lot 25, Roxanne Burnham Gardens, Georgetown home, in which he resided with his family of four, went up in flames sometime after 07:00hrs.

The GFS reported that it received a call around 07:16hrs that a one-storey wooden and concrete house was on fire and responded immediately. Firefighters were able to extinguish the

Aaron Watson’s house after the fire.

blaze but the house was not saved.

Investigators soon found out that the fire had been maliciously set and identified a woman, said to b e t h e m a n ’s “ c h i l d mother”, as the prime suspect. They identified the

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woman as Anita Graham who has since been arrested.

Stopping short of providing details of how the woman was identified as the prime suspect, the Guyana Police Force revealed that detectives are questioning

the woman about her alleged wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, the GFS has since warned that there are harsh penalties attached to arson attacks and once a suspect is identified that individual will face the full brunt of the law.

Sunday April 10, 2022

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

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

Sunday April 10, 2022

Kaieteur M@ilbox Send your letters to Kaieteur News, 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com

Stealing medicines from poor GDP is great in what Guyanese should carry mandatory it reveals, greater jail time and repayment EDITORIAL

at what it masks

G

DP has long been bandied about worldwide as a good measurement of how a country is doing.

All things equal, GDP has earned a solid reputation for what it reports about a country.

On the other hand, GDP is also recognised for where it does not go, what it does it not touch and, hence, which remains largely out of big conversations about the big things that matter to the small people in a society.

As we prepare for a closer look at both sides of GDP, we present a little primer on what GDP represents, in its simplest form.

Gross Domestic Product is the spelt-out name of GDP. It represents the total goods and services produced by a country in a year.

It is the total (gross), of domestic (within a countrys borders) production (activities by its peoples and entities, public and private).

In Guyanas instance, GDP would be the measurement in dollars of what Guyanese produced in any given year, as converted into a percentage of how it grew or stood still.

Recently, the air has been filled with excited chatter over Guyanas GDP prospects.

The ongoing discovery of fabulous quantities of oil offshore has skyrocketed Guyana into becoming the GDP buzz of the world.

International experts and Wall Street analysts are in a foot race to outdo each other with sizzling forecasts of how Guyanas GDP is poised to outstrip that of most other countries this year.

When globally recognised institutions, such as the World Bank and the IMF, are glowing with reports of how spectacularly Guyana will do in 2022 (and beyond) with its GDP, it means something.

The good news is that those high double-digit percentage (47 percent) forecasts have some teeth behind them, as is confirmed by what is occurring here with breathtaking swiftness.

Guyanese who are awake and alert cannot help but notice the bustle and spiral of business activity here.

Many from foreign shores are coming here, with new entities from America and elsewhere setting up shop to reap the treasure trove that is Guyana.

Guyanese citizens are in the mix, either as workers, or as business partners, to assure a passable local content contribution by the foreign operators.

Wholly owned local businesses serve as subcontractors to the outsiders, and by any reckoning, they are doing well.

All of this translates to results of which makes its way to the local treasury, and from where they count as part of this nations economic performance (GDP).

We must emphasise that it is only some of the results, some Guyanese aspects of the flurry of activity that is handled by locals, which reaches official local books.

We look at this more closely.

Guyanese businesses (the small subset of alpha commercial tycoons), are the ones finding gold in Guyanas streets by the wheelbarrow full.

The mouthwatering GDP numbers and statistics predicted for Guyana are to a material degree limited to the enterprises of this tiny subgroup of Guyanese.

These are the Guyanese who own or control shore-based holdings.

They are the Guyanese who are well-positioned to feed off rich foreign business arrangements.

And they are the handful of Guyanese who are also wellconnected to a government (widely perceived to be corrupt) that doles out multimillion dollar awards of land, projects, and other state assets through which the wealth is confined to a profiteering cabal of insiders.

DEAR EDITOR, Following the Governments successful Day of Prayers and Fasting, our medicine and health supplies system need much prayer and large doses of accountability and proper management. Recent news, that some Ministry of Health employees have been allegedly involved in a scam to steal medicines, have stirred enormous anger across Guyana. The Ministry must be commended for its vigilance.

Guyanese are tired of going to clinics and hospitals to be handed prescriptions to go purchase essential and sometimes costly medicines

and supplies they need from private pharmacies, because the Government clinic or hospital does not have the drugs. The excuse they give is they ran out.

This is just as bad as my relative being told in March to go back in June for his test/scan. This is so unacceptable! People are quite ticked that there appears to be organised criminal efforts by inside employees to steal medicines and supplies from Government Health organisations. This is not only morally reprehensible; it is simply unforgivable and the Ministry must do everything to make sure this

GDP conveys their numbers mainly, and then only partially, as submitted. GDP is quantitative and bloodless, and on paper, the numbers look good.

The downside is that the bulk of Guyanese are neither touching nor tasting nor feeling the enriching effects of all those great GDP numbers. Their failing standard of living, their losing race with rising prices, their losing ground in lifes daily race to survive locally is

practice is stamped out forever all across Guyana.

The shortage of medicines dates back to the days of Burnham and the PNC when everything was in short supply. Subsequent governments have not been able to squelch such a recurring corruption. Under the Coalition, one of their earliest scams that was a poster child for APNU+AFC corruption was the “drug bond scandal” that led to the removal of the Minister of Health. In Guyana, corruption cannot happen unless there is collaboration among conniving scoundrels, and this can go high up in an agency. It is

“organised crime” similar to drug dealers running criminal enterprises.

In the case at the Ministry of Healths Diamond drug bond - a director, a bond attendant, a retired Guyana Defence Force (GDF) officer and a doctor - were arrested as part of the investigations.

One person was eventually remanded on five charges including the unlawful possession of guns and bribery. Police suspect that he, along with others, stole and sold a quantity of pharmaceutical products and other medical supplies from the bond. He was taken into custody after (Continued on page 5)

nowhere represented in thrilling GDP numbers cranked out by men in suits in high towers. On paper, and using these GDP forecasts, Guyanese are among the richest people, if not the richest per person, in the world. The sad fact is that, despite lovely GDP numbers, the Guyanese masses are poor and struggling, and those grand GDP numbers mean nothing to them, make little difference in their bruised and battered lives.

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Kaieteur News

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An ironic state of affairs

Public Works Ministry needs labourers from other countries

DEAR EDITOR, Yesterday, in this paper GHK Lall under the headline: ”Judge Jackson should have been spared the ordeal that overtook the U.S. Senate,” wrote that Judge Jackson was treated horribly

by Senate Republicans in her confirmation. In his haste to impugn the integrity of the Republican Party, Mr. Lall failed to mention the inherent fallacy of Judge Jackson’s nomination. It was perpetuated by the Democratic Party.

Blacks who have always

demanded equity, seem to have already achieved that in the U.S Supreme Court. At about 12% of the U.S population and already having one black member on the court, they have already secured t h e i r proportional representation.

Judge Jackson’s selection represented the most shameful episode of institutional racism in recent memory in the United States.

There are literally thousands of eminently qualified lawyers of Indian,

Chinese, Pilipino, Vietnamese etc descent.

Their selection would have been much more momentous and historical. Specifically, lawyers like Neal Katyal and Judge Sri Srinivasan were much more qualified than Judge Jackson. It always seems ironic that the people who are demanding fairness and justice are the ones who are usually guilty of violating these very sacred tenets themselves.

Respectfully submitted, Chitrakha Persaud

Stealing medicines from poor...

From page 4 the police, who were responding to a report of larceny at the bond, carried out a search on a car there, and found a duffel bag containing a 9mm pistol and two rounds of 9mm ammunition, a .380 pistol with a magazine containing seven matching rounds of ammunition, and a total of $4,580,000 in cash, including US currency.

There were 20 rounds of .380 ammunition in the side pocket of the bag, the police also said.

In 2020, a relative who was ailing with cancer got no medicines during the five months of rigging.

Last year, she was told there were no drugs. My wife called President Ali and “leading with the heart”, the President told her, they will get the medicine.

Both the President and Minister Anthony called our relative to say they will get

the medicine. That promise was kept, but the missing months of medicine had already done its damage.

When employees steal medicines, they are in effect robbing babies, old people, the sick and the maimed, people who are fighting to live, and the most vulnerable among us who struggle to make ends meet.

In their moment of need, they either have to go without medicine or divert limited moneys to pay for something that our health care system should be providing.

That is simply shameful.

We expect the Ministry of Health will have proper accounting and tracking systems at all clinics, hospitals, and storage bonds.

We should not find out about fraud long after much harm has been done.

Inventory management is not rocket science.

How about if we create a system whereby in cases of shortages, the Health agency issues a prescription voucher to the patient tenable at participating pharmacies, and paid for by the Government? That way, citizens are not paying for the medicines. How about if there is an online complaints system or phone number that you can call to report shortages of drugs at clinics.

This will alert the Government system of shortages so they can investigate and take emergency action?

We expect efficiency as we reinvent and reform Government.

We are tired of same old, same old. People should not have to go without medicine while oil companies ship away the bulk of our wealth.

Its our country and our wealth for all our people.

Sincerely, Dr. Jerry Jailall

DEAR EDITOR, It appears that there is only NOW a realisation that this country with its very small population will not have the adequate workers (labour force) to complete all the numerous buildings (private and public) and construction works that are slated to be built on time.

Many projects will be delayed.

An obvious fact from the beginning. So now, we are going to scramble to get workers into the country. We need to add to this list, workers needed for the Public works ministry, or whichever government unit is responsible for proper water drainage in this entire country.

Guyana’s definition of proper water drainage are open trenches (filled with vegetation), or inadequate open gutters.

It’s the same recipe for floods everywhere, over and over again, even in new rapidly developing housing areas.

Are we serious when it comes to solving this forever problem?

Kudos to the government for new housing schemes and construction development happening everywhere.

The opposition party would not have been able to do better, but what is still obvious, is the absence of proper water drainage systems everywhere to prevent water covered roads and side streets, even in front of our homes, in new developing areas.

Since when has it been the public’s responsibility anywhere in the world to ensure that there are the proper water drainage systems? May I suggest we bring in workers from Africa (the continent with the consistent highest

population, and the highest unemployment rate).

Men who are accustomed to back breaking work.

We seem to have developed a good relationship with the oil producing country of Ghana.

They don’t fuss. They will jump at the opportunity for work. Guyana (a.k.a - Little Dubai) needs to actually solve this drainage problem/gutters with standing water. Bring in labourers. It is a massive undertaking and not a complicated matter.

Chi Kansi

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Sunday April 10, 2022

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National Day of Prayer and Fasting DEAR EDITOR, I like the idea of a National Day of Prayer and Fasting, since I am a praying man for many things. Believe it or not, I pray for our leaders President, Vice President, Ministers, Opposition members, and others and for them to flourish in doing the things that are best for all the peoples of this society. Most times, I discern that my prayers havent touched a chord where they are directed, but I persist daily, as I think it necessary. As for fasting on a national scale, I am neither here nor there, since I have never been a devotee of that strain; my preference is for other forms of offering and self-sacrifice. Still, I would be less than myself if I do not articulate as part of todays public service that I see these national exercises relative to prayer (and whatever else) as more of pomp and pageantry, an occasion for a gathering, and not much beyond. I must

be clear: I will not profane any mans prayer, nor desecrate anything to do with prayer from any source. But as a doer and practitioner of what I pray for, I now make my own call to all, starting from His Excellency and spreading across, about, and down in this Guyana of ours. Prayers are useless if they are only about a moment, a show. If they lack genuineness and depth, if they lack conviction and truth, if they collide with our actions, then it might have been better if we all (myself included) engaged in the usual revelries and debaucheries, mostly individual, largely official, oftentimes in secrecy. We can pray for our country, but we must be resolved deep within to desire to do something good, however little, for the man who is hungry, thirsty naked and sick. To those I beg to be pardoned when I add those in jail, those self-destructive.

Editor, I would hate (no!

thats too strong a word for this writing, I substitute detest and disagree) if our grand national occasion of prayerful assembling does peter out into the circumstances where those ragged citizens, brothers and sisters all, are turned away from, ignored and scorned, even feared.

Where those who just finished praying look the other way when they observe a wretched apparition, a man no less, approaching with his hand outstretched and less than a few stitches to cover his oozing sores, his tortured spirit. Where after heartfelt prayer, there is distancing from those who look differently, who look like they are possessed by a different politics (get my drift, please), who quickly assume the proportions of the despised enemies that we have housed in our hearts. I have my doubts about the utility of prayer in such instances, less than broad national gatherings, be

such on a regular Sunday, or during a season (Lent), or a month (Ramadan), or an interlude (Navaratri). For if there is no authenticity of the soul, no bona fides of a sincere faith, and no determination at following the mantras and commandments, then we should cease the preaching and praying and concentrate on prioritising the doing, practising, living. Currently, we are pleased with ourselves to pontificate about One Guyana which resonates, if only for its sound, its possibilities.

But I sense that there is another Guyana that just doesnt wish to have anything to do with that kind of oneness, the source of its origins, the visions of its encircling grasp.

Is it code word/term? Is it nothing more than the jargon of a ringing marketing paean lacking in reach, but subtle in its silky limitations? What about those who have other ideas of what One (Continued on page 68)

Poll: President Grows in Popularity DEAR EDITOR, The latest opinion poll from the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) shows growing popularity for President Irfaan Ali’s administration (government) and himself. The Dr. Ali administration has had to grapple with several major issues including Covid, tested economy, occasional flooding, Ukraine, soaring inflation, uncooperative official opposition, disruptions in parliament, attempts at provoking instability, stoking of race relations, and other challenges.

But since becoming President in August 2020, the Ali administration has received highly favourable response for turning around the economy, ensuring political stability, implementing “a one united Guyana” policy, combating Covid as well as high

unemployment and inflation, mitigating incessant flooding, doling out stimulus and other financial grants, handing out farming subsidies, and tackling so many other challenges. And in so doing, the administration has been receiving widespread approval for its performance from the public.

According to the poll, the majority of respondents said the country has been on the move over the last 20 months and they are supportive of the President and his venture to build a better nation. They also express fondness for the President saying he comes across as a likeable person and a family man. Even nonsupporters and critics are impressed with how the President carries about himself and the government’s performance and the President’s handling of his responsibilities, a stark contrast from his predecessor. Even many public servants, members of security forces, and other traditional supporters of the opposition, gave a positive review of President Ali and his administration.

The latest poll finds that the President’s approval rating and that of his government and most Ministers are up from similar polls conducted late last year. His administration also scores high on the public rating of the budget although challenges remain with the public complaining about skyro (Continued on page 68)

Sunday April 10, 2022

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Sunday April 10, 2022

Maritime Dept. seeking new contractor to fix vessel …after Auditor General flags payment to previous contractor for same project

In 2019, a contractor was awarded a contract by the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) to

rehabilitate the M. L. David P vessel to the tune of $12.9 million. A year later, the Auditor General (AG),

Deodat Sharma in his 2020 report highlighted that the contractor was paid the full contract sum in advance for

the rehabilitation and docking of that vessel, while there was no proof of the status of the works.

After being flagged by the AG, MARAD recently issued an invitation for bids (IFB) seeking a contractor to rehabilitate that same vessel at an estimated cost of $19.5 million.

Also in its IFB, MARAD is looking to rehabilitate three other vessels, M. L. Thompson for an estimated cost of $24.9 million, Barge Seamang for $149.8 million and Split Barge for $49.6 million.

This year some $270 million was approved in the national budget to facilitate repairs to these vessels.

Kaieteur News had

reported that a contract was signed on November 27, 2019 to repair the M. L. David P vessel. The AG at the time of reporting, in September 2021, stated that no proper documentation was provided to them for the works on this project despite the contractor being paid the entire contract sum before the end of 2019.

With no name of the contractor provided by the AG, Kaieteur News had reported that during the opening of this project at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office in September 2019, two contractors had submitted bids to carry out the rehabilitation works on the

vessel. The firms that bid for the MARAD project were the Guyana National Industrial Company Inc. which submitted $14,486,128 and Courtney Benn Contracting Services Limited which submitted $12,949,060.

The AG report states that, “The bank guarantee expired since 15 January, 2020. As a result, the Department was not in a position to levy on the said bank guarantee, should the contractor default. In addition, documentation certifying the percentage completion of work was not seen.”

As a result, the AG noted that this is a clear breach of Continued on page 10

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‘Taxi driver’ seen beating, forcing Dem Boys Seh… woman into car on Cemetery Road How much we pay?

Traffic was held up along Cemetery Road, Georgetown, on Saturday as motorists witnessed a man believed to be a taxi driver – beating a Spanish-speaking woman and forcing her into his car.

The incident reportedly took place around 14:00hrs in the vicinity of the Cemetery Road Bridge that is currently under construction.

One of the eyewitnesses, a woman, had reportedly stepped out of her vehicle to intervene but when she tried, the man attempted to run her over with his car before driving away in the direction of ‘Back Road’.

Fearful that it could end deadly for the woman, some

- allegedly tried to run over eyewitness before driving away

The car that the Spanish-speaking woman was forced into. of the eyewitnesses visited Kaieteur News to relate the incident.

They had managed to take a photo of the car before Continued on page 10

De guvament pull off a coup. De biggest thing fuh happen in Guyana fuh de past few years is when de guvament was able to get de Caribbean Premier League (CPL) fuh host de finals of de tournament fuh de next three years here in Guyana.

De odda Caribbean countries must be vex. Dem boys remember when was Cricket World Cup, how Guyana nah get good matches. And one journalist come and write all kinda bad things about de country.

But we look fuh dat. Imagine we build a brand new stadium and still using a nonelectronic scoreboard. We spend hundreds of millions pon new traffic lights fuh de World Cup and we using wooden scoreboard. Was one big embarrassment!

We did hear how we hosting de World

Cup and all de billions wah we spend would help transform de country. We hear how tourism gan kick off. Nuttin like dat ever happen.

But some people get rich off de World Cup. One man buy properties with de money he mek off de World Cup. Now we hearing de same tune about de CPL. And dat laying de foundation fuh we taxpayers’ monies to be spent on de cricket.

But up to now, nobody nah sehing wah we had to agree to fuh get de rights fuh host de finals fuh de next three years.

De CPL wouldn’t agree to dat unless dem getting pay fuh de rights. Dat is wat dem boys want fuh know. Nah keep um a secret like de signing bonus.

Talk half. Leff half.

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Sunday April 10, 2022

Businessman charged for assaulting daughter, guns seized - POLICE RANKS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR MISHANDLING CASE A businessman, whose guns police recently seized, was on April 1, last, charged for causing grievous bodily

harm to his daughter and using threatening language towards her, at the same time, t h e P o l i c e F o r c e ’s

disciplinary body has launched a probe into the conduct of its ranks that dealt with the very matters.

The businessman was released on $300,000 and $100,000 bail on the respective assault charges.

The assault, this publication understands, took place on March 25, 2022, reportedly inside of the businessman’s store. He was captured on camera cuffing, slapping and stomping his daughter to the ground in the presence of his employees.

It was the girl’s brother who had intervened to save her from their angry father.

A video of the assault was shown during a Leroy Smith’s Big Smith News Wa t c h s h o w w i t h t h e assaulted young woman as the guest.

During Smith’s interview, the young woman spoke of years of abuse at the hands of her father, the businessman, even as she expressed dissatisfaction with how ranks had handled the matter when she finally got the chance to make a report.

The woman shared, during the interview, that after the beating, she was imprisoned in her home and after a few days, she unplugged the security cameras and waited until her parents left before escaping.

However, the young woman was able to escape on March 28, 2022, around 13:55 hrs (1:55pm) and she headed straight to the Kitty Police Station.

The woman accused the police at the Kitty Police Station of not taking her report seriously, saying that they were laughing at her

situation. In fact, she told Smith, “I was very surprised at the way the police handled my situation, even though they took my statement and assisted, I did not feel safe going to the police station as my father knows the police.”

The woman’s disclosures have since triggered an investigation by the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). The Force announced via press release that, “The OPR has launched an investigation with a view to determine whether all the SOPs were followed by the investigating ranks from the Kitty Police Station.”

Not only are the ranks being investigated for the unprofessional handling of the report but because the businessman’s guns were seized only after a video circulated on Facebook revealing that he had threatened to shoot the victim too.

Therefore, “in light of the video circulating on social media, the police went to the businessman’s home where he was questioned whether he was a licensed firearm holder, to which he said ‘yes’ and a 9mm pistol and a shotgun, as well as matching ammo, were subsequently seized and lodged at the Kitty Police Station with the Station Sergeant,” added the GPF in its release.

‘Taxi driver’ seen beating...

From page 9 it drove off and described it as a white Toyota Allion with licence plate HD 2435. Eyewitnesses also claimed that a taxi service (name provided) logo was seen on the car.

The matter has since been reported to police and ranks are on the lookout for the vehicle. Contact was made with the taxi service but a representative insisted that the car was not registered there.

It is believed that the suspect might have obtained the taxi service’s logo in order to steal customers. In the meantime, the relevant authorities are on the lookout for the car.

Maritime Dept. seeking new...

From page 8 the payment schedule of the contract.

Moreover, the Auditor General went on to explain that in August 2020, the Department stated that the works had not yet started, even though, one year had elapsed after the final payment was made. Up to the time of reporting in September 2021, the report said that evidence was not submitted to indicate the status of the works.

The Ministry of Public Infrastructure which the contract was signed under had explained that “The Head of Budget Agency stated that no maintenance records for the M. L. David P. vessel are available for the years 2019 and 2020.

However, maintenance records are now in place. In addition, MARAD had intended to have the vessel docked in 2019; however, exigent circumstances prevented the execution as planned. This was not done to breach any regulation, but was committed out of necessity.”

The Audit Office, therefore, recommended that the Head of Budget Agency submit the logs for audit.

Sunday April 10, 2022

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Sunday April 10, 2022

SOCU Head warns public of scams being perpetrated by Nigerians

Head of SOCU, Senior Superintendent Fazil Karimbaksh Head of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) of the Guyana Police Force, Senior Superintendent, Fazil Karimbaksh is urging the public to not fall prey to scams being perpetrated by a number of Nigerians in the country.

Senior Superintendent Karimbaksh noted on Friday that that there is a sharp rise in cases where suspected Nigerian nationals – some in the country illegally – and others out of Guyana, who collaborate with Guyanese in the commission of what is referred to as “Package Delivery Scams or Romance Scams” and “Pyramid Schemes”.

In a statement, the SOCU head said that the romance scammers have emerged more prominently during the COVID-19 pandemic. The scammers target primarily females via several social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp and other online dating sites.

“The modus operandi used by the scammers is to befriend unsuspecting females via the aforementioned digital platforms. The scammers create fake profiles of Caucasian men with luxury vehicles and large sums of cash to gain the attention of the victims. After communicating with the victim for some time to build trust with their ‘new friend’ or ‘love interest’, the scammer promises the intended victim, some form of assistance,” SOCU said in its statement.

The Unit added that this form of assistance is supposedly a package containing valuable gift items such as designer c l o t h i n g , j e w e l l e r y,

televisions, cell phones, money and other electronic devices. SOCU explained that the victim is usually contacted by a local associate of the scammer, confirming the arrival of the package and requesting their personal contact and other information.

The intended victim is subsequently contacted again and requested to deposit money to a specified local Bank Account or send via a Money Transfer Agency or the Guyana Post Office Corporation. They inform the victim that the payment is required to cover brokerage fees, customs duties, penalties and/or shipping charges for the package, which are supposedly found on inspection to contain high valued items.

Once the payment is made, the scammers discontinue all contact with the victims who are robbed of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Moreover, SOCU in its release advised that, “in the event anyone is approached via Email, Facebook, WhatsApp, SMS, Dating Sites, etc., and promised gifts or COVID-19 related financial or other assistance, DO NOT FALL PREY to these promises once it is not from a government or other legitimate source, since it may be a SCAM. DO NOT share any personal information, transfer or deposit money into the bank account of persons you meet online and do not know very well.”

If persons believe that they are a victim of the ‘Romance or Package Delivery Scam’, they are asked to report it immediately to the nearest police station.

Kaieteur News

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

SUNDAY Fact: The people of this country are blessed with enormous wealth.

Fact: Our leaders, who were chosen to govern responsibly, have been allowing foreigners to ship out our God-given wealth by the boat loads.

It is ludicrous that leaders would much rather negotiate deals in the best interest of foreigners rather than the people who they were elected to SERVE. Guyanese, your leaders are not keeping their end of the bargain, so we must fight for a Guyana that has Guyanese best interest at heart.

MONDAY 28 years of service to the nation!

It has been 28 long years that this newspaper- the Kaieteur News has been privileged to serve this nation. We vow to continue to be a voice for all Guyanese!

These have been long but fruitful years. We feel that we have shed light, facilitated some justice and empowered frankness across Guyana.

The struggle has just begun. There are bigger challenges now that oil is ours. We are resolved, fully committed like never before to lead the way. We must fight the fight for a better oil deal. And we will.

TUESDAY Guyana is in dire need of dramatic and wide-reaching change in attitudes.

Yes, Guyana is in need of a revolution that will bring

an end to the outrageous actions of some leaders and the nonchalant disposition of far too many citizens who daily witness the despicable in motion.

It is a sad state of affairs when the majority chooses to keep quiet, as a few opt to wage war to ensure that our leaders do not relegate us to a bleak future.

With debt climbing daily and foreigners given the green light to plunder our wealth to the hilt, without measures in place to safeguard the people of this nation, it is clear that swift and drastic change in attitudes is a necessity.

Guyanese, indeed, it is as ‘One Guyana’ we must fight to protect our patrimony.

WEDNESDAY It is heartening to see that Guyanese are beginning to wake up to the harsh truths that have been staring them in the face when it comes to the management of the oil sector.

For years, this newspaper has been exposing the corrupt leaders and the decisions they continue to make that jeopardise the future of this country.

Some seem to believe that this newspaper was sitting on its hands, but the reality is that Kaieteur News has been at the forefront demanding change all along.

This newspaper is encouraged by the recent threats of other legal challenges to secure a better future for our future generations.

THURSDAY

Soesdyke man wanted for forgery The Guyana Police Force (GPF) on Saturday issued a wanted bulletin for Ekwensi Victor Langhorne of Lot130 Soesdyke/Linden Highway and Samsville, Kuru Kururu in relation to forgery allegations.

The GPF is asking anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Langhorne, to contact the police on telephone numbers: 216-0251, 2160254, 216-0251, 444-3429, 225-6978, 225-8196 or the nearest police station.

All information will be

Wanted, Ekwensi Victor Langhorne treated with the strictest confidence.

Guyana the free?

This year Guyana is celebrating 56 years of Independence after breaking colonial ties with the British, but amidst the frolic, our leaders have allowed foreign companies to dictate the management of the country’s new found oil wealth, as well as its other vast natural resources.

We must not sit back and allow these companies to dictate the way we manage the oil sector. Instead, we should ensure all steps are taken to break Guyana free

from such shackles of oppression.

We, as Guyanese, must do so by calling out our leaders when they fail to take the necessary steps and hold them accountable for keeping our resources in bondage.

FRIDAY Day of prayer and fasting President Irfaan Ali has declared today, April 8, 2022 a day for prayer and fasting.

We here at the Kaieteur News believe in the power of prayer and fasting.

We however hope, that the day will be dedicated not just for President Ali’s fanciful dream of “ONE Guyana,” but for genuine, deep, soul-searching and repentance by our leaders

for the wrongs they continue to commit on the poor and defenseless in this country.

We believe that prayer doesn’t change God, but prayer changes the one who petitions the throne of God. It is against this background we invite the entire Cabinet and the members of the opposition to go before God today with sincerity and not just pray but weep for theirs and the nation’s sins.

SATURDAY Guyana’s oil wealth has made it a financial hub for one of the world’s biggest oil producers—ExxonMobil.

Citizens’ voices are being raised for a better oil contract and despite leaders claiming to want the same,

none have displayed strength by boldly declaring the need to change, adjust, modify or renegotiate this agreement.

Renegotiating the oil contract has now become taboo.

It is never beneficial for a people or a country when its leaders are afraid to take firm stances. It is worst when these very people, elected to protect and represent its citizens, display weaknesses when strength is their most valued ticket.

Those seeking to reap the most from Guyana’s oil wealth are emboldened.

They see the lack of drive, the lack of unity and the lack of strength.

Brothers and Sisters, we must stand up and resist this before it is too late.

Kaieteur News

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Sunday April 10, 2022

Govt. proposes motion to alter quorum to stymie efforts of PAC - Figueira

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira The Chairman of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Jermaine Figueira has noted with great concern a motion submitted by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira to amend the Standing Orders which deals with the quorum for the PAC. According to a statement issued

by Figueira, who is also an A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change

(APNU+AFC) Member of Parliament (MP), the proposed amendment will make way for the PAC to mimic the standing order of the Parliamentary Management Committee, which provides for five members to be a quorum of which— two members represent government, two represent the opposition and in which the speaker or deputy speaker is the Chairman.

Figueira explained that the current quorum for a PAC meeting is three members, irrespective of party affiliation, which makes it vastly different from all other committees of the Parliament and provides for a more independent and apolitical environment.

According to the Chair, the proposed motion by the Minister, who is also member of the PAC (which in fact should not have government ministers), seeks to

change a quorum to five members to stymie the work of the committee.

“We in the APNU+AFC are confident that the effect of this motion will be that by their mere non-attendance, the PPP will stymie the functioning of the PAC rendering it impotent and nonfunctional,” he said.

The APNU+AFC MP noted that the change of the quorum will also impact negatively on the committees’ ability to ensure accountability and transparency in the expenditures.

He noted that since the 12th Parliament, the PAC has been carrying out its mandate and meeting on every statutory date, and our work has been executed in a very efficient manner.

He explained, “We see this as another attempt to slow down the work of the PAC by the PPP, to ensure that fewer meetings are held,

and on occasions if they do not want certain agencies examined, they can now prevent that by simply not attending PAC.” Further, Figueira noted that the other APNU+AFC MPs are alarmed that the matter has never been discussed at the level of the PAC, although the mover of the motion is a member of the said committee.

“We are concerned that this motion is being brought directly to the House and not via the Standing Orders Committee which is the long established and correct route…

It is noteworthy that none other than the Speaker of the National Assembly is the Chairman of the Standing Orders Committee, and he has never called a single meeting of the committee since the life of the 12th Parliament began in August 2020,” Figueira said.

As such, the party is convinced, more than ever, that the PPP/C

Chairman of the PAC, Jermaine Figueira administration is not concerned with good governance, transparency and accountability of the people’s resources of this country.

“We call on the Speaker to act and the people of Guyana to speak out against this deliberate act to prevent scrutiny, hinder the proper examination of national expenditures and to limit the PAC’s work to hold government and accounting officers accountable,” Figueira added.

Kaieteur News

Sunday April 10, 2022

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Guyana commits to aiding reduction of regional food bill by 2025 - as Agri-Investment Forum and Expo attracts over 100 regional, intentional companies Guyana will make every effort to support the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) vision of reducing its regional food import bill by 25 percent come 2025, a release from the Office of the President has stated. The move has become a necessity, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali said, given the high impact of global events on the region’s ability to feed itself during effects on the supply of food required by Caribbean nations.

The Head-of-State was at the time speaking at the launch of the upcoming Agri-Investment Forum and Expo held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown when he s t r e s s e d t h e “ u rg e n c y ” o f producing more food within the region as a means of shielding against foreign factors that affect supply.

Referencing the current war in Ukraine and its ramification on the global food supply, the President said that the consequences of the conflict are now beginning to take a toll globally. “We don’t know where the end is, but what we do know is that every single global citizen will be affected, and that is why this (large food import bill) must come to an end as fast as possible.”

President Ali alluded to the wheat production capacity of Ukraine and its aggressor Russia, stating that prior to the war, they exported more than a quarter of the world’s wheat. Since the war facilitated the drop in the production of wheat and other produce, affecting the global cost and availability, the President insisted that the time is right for the region to up its agricultural

President Dr. Irfaan Ali during his address at the launch of the CARICOM Agri-Investment Forum capacity.

As the Head on Agriculture, Agricultural Diversification and Food Security in CARICOM, the President noted that producing food for the region and reaching the

intended goal is not just complex but multifaceted. He listed several critical areas, including financing, technology, partnership, shared responsibilities and the inclusion of women and youths to not only bolster production but to make it globally competitive.

“It is about transport and logistics. It is about niche markets.

It is about job creation. It is about research and development. It is bringing all of these different areas together in unison that will allow us to achieve this target,” President Ali explained.

He went on to say that moves by the Caribbean are also getting global recognition. He expounded, “Sometimes we believe things go unnoticed, but our vision in CARICOM is already touching different corners of the globe to the extent that the Minister of Finance

(Ashni Singh) this week was able to get the full commitment of InterAmerican Development Bank to be part of the 25 by 2025 vision. Not only will they be part of the vision, but they will be part of the Expo,” the President announced.

He said that the Canadian High Commission and the European Union Ambassador have also pledged their support, as well as four of the largest buyers and distributors from the UAE who would also be attending the forum.

Additionally, 20 international companies, 33 regional companies, 53 local companies and at least four global institutions have all committed to the Expo to date.

“They will be coming here to be part of the Expo to look at the opportunities, but more than buying and distribution, they [will] Continued on page 67

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Kaieteur News

Govt. tax waiver to oil companies amounts to massive loss in revenue for Guyana

By Rehanna Ramsay Maintaining that he is within his legal right to file court action against the Government of Guyana (GOG) over its decision to grant Exxon Mobil and its affiliates extensive tax waivers, Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall has told the High Court that the concessions granted to oil companies amounts to a massive loss of revenue for Guyana.

As such, Lall is arguing fiercely to have the government’s decision to grant the concessions overturned by the court. The GOG has already filed a response through the office of the Attorney General defending its decision to grant the tax waivers.

Among other things, the government has said that Lall has no right to file the action since the agreement it has with the oil companies is a matter of private law.

In an affidavit filed in response to the GOG, however, Lall held to his position that the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) between the Government and oil companies contains discriminatory tax provisions.

The newspaper publisher is adamant too that the law allows him to challenge such actions by the

...decision to grant concessions should be overturned - Glenn Lall tells High Court

Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall government.

He noted that as a citizen, businessman, newspaper publisher and taxpayer of Guyana, the Constitution broadly provides him with the right to make the application for an interpretation by the Court of whether the concessions given to expatriate employees under Article 15.12(ii) of the Petroleum Agreement are discriminatory of the contractor, affiliated companies and nonresident sub-contractors.

Lall noted, too, based on the advice of his attorney, the issue falls in the category of administrative law, which is considered a branch of public law and not private law.

In the sworn document, the KN publisher noted that the issue deals with the decision-making of such administrative units of government that are part of the executive branch in such areas as international trade, manufacturing, the environment, taxation, etc.

“That I have been further advised by my Attorney-at-Law, and verily believe that …a person as acting in the capacity of a public authority where “the person is endowed under the law with functions, duties and powers of a public nature and for the purpose of the application of the law, he was clothed with coercive powers,” Lall said in his affidavit.

He continued that, “…The Petroleum Agreement clearly states that the Minister responsible for petroleum represents the Guyana Government and accordingly, his functions, duties and powers are of a public nature...”

Added to this, Lall noted that the Petroleum Agreement clearly envisions the possibility that its provisions can affect public law rights, obligations and expectations.

This, he said, is seen by the fact that “the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) is required in the exercise of its responsibilities under the Petroleum Agreement to ensure for the people of Guyana the maximum benefits...”

As such, the applicant (Lall) contends that the opinion of the Attorney General that the agreement is between the licensees and the GOG is made in private law is misconceived and erroneous.

As it regards, the actual granting of tax concessions to the oil companies, the newspaper publisher noted that the GOG, through the conduct and actions of the Minister of Natural Resources, violated the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act (PEPA), the Financial Administration (and Audit) FAA Act and Prevention of Discrimination Act under the Constitution of Guyana.

He stressed that the Minister not only exercised his power under Section 51 of the PEPA to make concessions or tax exemptions to the licensees of the said Petroleum Agreement, but he also improperly made concessions and tax exemptions for persons other than the licensees, namely subcontractors, affiliate companies and expatriates, which is contrary to the laws of Guyana.

While Lall admits that as far as the PEPA and the order empowers the Minister to provide that specified tax laws shall apply to or in relation to a licensee under the PSA, he argues that the same favour is not to be extended to subc o n t r a c t o r s , a ff i l i a t e s a n d expatriate employees of such persons.

Consequently, the newspaper publisher said that both waiver of taxes and remission of taxes by the GOG on behalf of licensees are both concessions that involve [massive] loss of revenue to Guyana.

To this end, he asked the High Court to grant the declarations Continued on page 67

Sunday April 10, 2022

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Sunday April 10, 2022

Local Engineers capable of undertaking design for new DHB T GAPE says...

By Davina Bagot

he cost for the new Demerara River Bridge could cost more than US$43 billion than the previous bridge, as government remains in talks with another Chinese contractor to Design Finance and Build (DFB) a four-lane structure, after terminating negotiations with the lowest bidder earlier this year.

But as several aspects of the bridge remain blanketed by c o n t r o v e r s y, t h e G u y a n a Association of Professional Engineers (GAPE) has made it clear that local engineers are capable of designing such a structure, which may reduce the price tag of the project.

In a recent interview with this newspaper, the President of the Association, Mr. Stuart Hughes explained that based on reports he has seen, there are several aspects of the bridge which must be considered.

He was keen to note that in the absence of the actual requirements from the government, he understands that the administration is seeking a hybrid bridge with box/T beam girder spans, while the main span is going to feature a cable stayed structure.

Hughes explained that a “cable stayed bridge is essentially where you have one or multiple towers and you have cables which then hold the deck of the bridge and you have to balance the stresses in those cables under various conditions so that you apply the minimum

the former Minister was keen to loading on that tower. It’s a note too that local engineers or pretty complex undertaking.” consultants would have to The engineer said that the review the design submitted by new bridge would require a the Chinese contractor before it geotechnical investigation, is granted approval for which local engineers have the construction, which capacity to undertake. demonstrates local capacity.

Another aspect of the On November 1, last year, design would entail the the Ministry of Finance foundation, and Hughes said announced that Cabinet had there is local capacity to granted its no-objection for the undertake this. “There is also Ministry of Public Works to the hydrologic modelling of the engage China State bridge, we also have that Construction Engineering capability. In terms of the piers, Corporation Ltd. to construct yes we do. In terms of the the new bridge. At that time, it girders, we probably do as was pointed out that the project well,” he related. would be done under the Design However, as it relates to the Finance and Build (DFB) model main component of the bridge, with construction expected to which is the cable stayed conclude within two years. structure, the engineer said that However, in February of Guyanese may not have the experience in this field. He said President of the Guyana Association this year, Vice President Bharrat of Professional Engineers (GAPE), Jagdeo, during an interview that while he knows of an Mr. Stuart Hughes with a foreign news outlet, engineer who had designed two explained that the such bridges before, neither of administration ended them were constructed for negotiations with the Chinese In an interview with this different reasons.

He, however, assured that while publication, just two weeks ago, the contractor as the financing option this component would perhaps be f o r m e r M i n i s t e r o f P u b l i c was too high. China State the most complicated, he is certain Infrastructure, David Patterson had C o n s t r u c t i o n E n g i n e e r i n g that Guyanese in the diaspora made a similar point, while Corporation Limited submitted a w o u l d h a v e d e s i g n a n d underscoring the need for the entire bid of US$256,638,289.

It was later revealed that construction experience with cable bridge contract to be retendered.

Patterson told Kaieteur News government was in talks with the stayed bridges.

One engineer, who spoke to this that he believes local engineers s e c o n d l o w e s t b i d d e r , a newspaper off the record, said that should be designing the structure, Consortium of Chinese companies if Guyanese design the structure so as to save the country some to construct the new bridge. The themselves, the cost for the project expenses. “The other route we can firms: China Railway Construction take is to hire an international Corporation International, China can be reduced significantly.

GAPE has been in existence for consultant to partner with local Railway Caribbean Company Limited, and China Railway 54 years, since 1968, and has about engineers who build bridges.”

In substantiating his argument, Engineering Bureau Group 90 members.

A 3D model of the new Demerara Harbour Bridge that was shared by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo.

Company Limited submitted three financial proposals of U S $ 2 6 0 , 8 5 2 , 4 6 4 , US$260,852,464 and US$300,000,000.

For this project, bidders were advised by the Ministry that they are required to bid on two options, a Design –Build and Finance option and a Design-Build-Operate, and Finance option. It is unclear as to which option the government had selected.

It must be noted, too, that even though government said that the contractors would be financing the project, in its 2022 Budget some $21.1B was allocated for the construction of the new bridge.

To this end, Patterson said that this “confusion” mixed with the government’s worrying silence on the project may brew corruption.

“You can’t go out to tender seeking a contractor to finance the project and later you place the project in the budget to be financed via the national coffers and will still be using the old tender process to award a contract. The tender price is inflated since the bid price includes the contractors’ financing and other related costs,” Patterson added.

Offering some advice, he urged that if the project is retendered and funded by the government, Guyana may be able to attract more reputable international firms, which may have steered clear from the initial Invitation For Bids, due to their inability to compete with Chinese financing arrangements.

Kaieteur News

Joylyn A. Conway

Sunday April 10, 2022

This week’s featured beauty is Miss Guyana World 2019, Joylyn A. Conway. In 2019, Miss Conway copped the coveted crown and title using her ‘STEM Girl Glo’ platform which was geared towards raising awareness of women and girls in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) field. With women and girls making strides in STEM, Joylyn has been advocating for them to be afforded the same opportunities as men in the field.

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Kaieteur News

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Sunday April 10, 2022

Guyanese businesses shine at BIZX 2022 conference and award ceremony in Las Vegas - LOCAL BUSINESS TEAM CAPTURES FOUR TOP PRIZES

Mrs. Camille Deokie-Gorakh of Camille‘s Academy Inc., winner of the 2021 BIZX awards poses with the founder of the ActionCOACH Franchise, Brad Sugars.

By Rehanna Ramsay It is not every day that local businesses get to challenge their teams to compete and showcase on an international stage but for 10 Guyanese business owners, this opportunity came in the form of the Business and Excellence (BIZX) forum and award ceremony 2022,

held in Las Vegas, USA, last week.

The International business leadership summit is known globally as a threeday event packed with business growth strategies from global leaders and experts in their field, designed to help businesses develop their teams and expand their businesses.

The event also offers businesses opportunities to connect and build a network with thousands of international business owners and entrepreneurs on a similar journey.

BiZX has celebrated the growth of many businesses over the past decade and this year was no different. This year, Guyana’s team copped four awards for excellence in service and business after competing with companies from across the Americas.

Guyanese business coaching expert and Founder of ActionCOACH Guyana, Dr. Vishnu Doerga was awarded the Best Business Influencer, Fazeena Saudia Khan of 401 Furniture Store captured the award for the Best Sales Team, Joshua Kissoon of Techlify won in the category of Best IT organisation and Midas BPO Limited as the Best New Business with over 10 employees.

Dr. Doerga led the local delegation of over 25 persons inclusive of business leaders and coaches to Las Vegas. Dr. Doerga, who is also the founder of ActionCoach (Guyana), the expert team training and offering advice to locals on how to expand their businesses in accordance with the nation’s widening economic scale, said that 10 of his clients made it as finalists in the awards, this year.

He noted that, that in itself is a proud moment for

the ActionCOACH Guyana team.

“BiZX in the Americas recognises businesses operating from Canada all the way to Argentina and this year, we had 10 companies that have been selected as finalists. They are being recognised as service companies, retail dealers, distributors, importers, producers.”

He noted that for the past seven years, businesses have been selected annually through his ActionCOACH (Guyana) franchise to participate in the business excellence award.

He said, “This year, the 10 finalists included: 401 Furniture, A. Ally’s and Son, Camille’s Academy Inc., Dada’s Grill, Techlify, Everything Makes Craft, Farfan and Mendes, Global Compliance Services, Gupta Distribution, and Midas BPO.” Dr. Doerga explained that the forum provides the perfect setting where many companies can gain global recognition.

He noted that participating in the award has challenged Guyanese businesses to take their service and products to the next level.

“Many businesses work to satisfy their clients and customers without recognition for their efforts, BIXZ provides an excellent forum for them to be recognised and awarded for the services they provide,

Fazeena Saudia Khan of 401 Furniture Store stands alongside ActionCoach Guyana’s Keion Smith after winning the Best Sales Team award at the BIZX Forum in Las Vegas.

and the employment they create. We believe that if you want to see businesses grow and employ more people, give them the motivation they deserve…,” the business coach asserted.

He noted that there were over 30 Guyanese companies that were nominated to participate in BIZX 2022.

“Of those 30 companies, 10 made it to the finals after being compared by an international judging panel to companies across the Americas in the various

categories,” Dr. Doerga revealed.

Speaking to this publication about his experience, Malcolm Sobers, Midas BPO limited explained how the coaching entity helped him navigate and grow his team during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have been with ActionCOACH for 10 months and we have seen the g r o w t h . We h a v e ActionCOACH training our team and we have been growing as a new company Continued on page 54

The Guyana delegation at the BIZX 2022 conference in Las Vegas was led by Founder of ActionCOACH Guyana, Dr. Vishnu Doerga (front row fifth from left.)

Kaieteur News

Sunday April 10, 2022

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The appointment process must be liberated from mechanisms for political inclusion G u y a n a ’s p o l i t i c a l leaders and parties agreed to a consensus formula for the appointment of the top judicial officers – the Chancellor and the Chief Justice. That formula requires that there be agreement between the country’s two top political figures – the President and the Leader of the Opposition.

When this formula was entrenched by the National Assembly, it did not appear to the country’s National Assembly that it was effectively subjecting the appointments of top judicial appointments to a political process. Our political representatives did not view this as constituting political involvement in the appointment process.

The raison d’être of the Judicial Service Commission is to insulate the judiciary from political influence, particularly when it comes to appointments and disciplinary action. If the principal function of the JSC

is to remove political meddling in judicial appointments, then how can there be a situation in which political agreement becomes necessary for the appointment of the Chancellor and Chief Justice?

The President is bound to act in accordance with the advice of the Judicial Service Commission in appointing judges. However, the JSC is totally emasculated when it comes to the substantive appointments to the post of Chancellor and Chief Justice. When it comes to these appointments, the Constitution of Guyana does not mandate consultation with the Judicial Service Commission. But there may be good reason for this, since both the Chancellor and Chief Justice are members of the JSC. For the past 20 years, Guyana has been without a substantive Chancellor or C h i e f J u s t i c e .

Knowledgeable persons

have blamed the appointments’ formula for this unacceptable state of affairs.

The main fault line however is subjecting the appointments to a process aimed at political inclusion.

This is at odds with the notion of seeking to insulate the judiciary from political influence, including in appointments.

The appointments should be delinked from the mechanisms established for political inclusion. This would entail instituting an independent mechanism for appointments of the Chief Justice and Chancellor.

The practice involved in the appointment of judges to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) may be helpful in deriving a new formula.

The agreement establishing the CCJ provides for judges to the Court to be appointed by the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission.

That Commission is constituted of the President of the Court who Chairs the

Commission, two persons nominated by the the Organisation of the Commonwealth Caribbean Bar Association (OCCBA) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Bar Association; a chairman of the Judicial Services Commission of a Contracting Party selected in rotation in the English alphabetical order for a period of three years; the Chairman of a Public Service Commission of a Contracting Party selected in rotation in the reverse English alphabetical order for a period of three years; two persons from civil society nominated jointly by the Secretary-General of the Community and the Director General of the OECS for a period of three years following consultations with regional non-governmental organisations; two distinguished jurists nominated jointly by the Dean of the Faculty of Law of the University of the West Indies, the Deans of the

Faculties of Law of any of the Contracting Parties and the Chairman of the Council of Legal Education; and (g) two persons nominated jointly by the Bar or Law Associations of the Contracting Parties.

This of course is quite a cumbersome arrangement but it shows the length to which the Caribbean Community went to ensure that appointments were free of political taint. Guyana should seek to have an independent mechanism for the appointment of the posts of Chancellor and Chief Justice. But it would not be advisable for any member of the CCJ to be so involved since the CCJ is Guyana’s apex court.

Former President David Granger had gone as far as suggesting that the posts be advertised. But this still does not address the concerns about who considers the applications and determines the appointments.

The archaic idea of national sovereignty is so

ingrained in the country’s political psyche that it may be difficult for our leaders to contemplate involving nonnational actors, including regional institutional actors, in any mechanism for the appointment of Chancellor of Chief Justice. We claim to be committed regionalists but are reluctant to surrender aspects of our national sovereignty to external parties.

That, however, may be the only recourse available if the 20 years old deadlock in the appointment of Chancellor and Chief Justice is to be overcome. An agreement to simply confirm those presently acting may be another option but this does not remove the possibility of future deadlocks when these offices become vacant.

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

Kaieteur News

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Sunday April 10, 2022

Those who damage legal int’l order must be held to account

By Sir Ronald Sanders Over the last few weeks since the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, the world has witnessed the greatest weakness in the machinery entrusted with maintaining international peace and security.

That machinery is the UN Security Council in

which five permanent members each have a power of veto over all decisions.

The weakness is the inability of the Council to function in the global interest when one of the five exercises a veto.

The five permanent members are: Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States of America.

During the last seven

decades, each of the five has exercised the veto with Russia casting than any of the other four. Altogether, Russia accounted for 49 percent of the vetoes; the US, 29 percent; Britain 10 percent; and China and France 6 percent each. In every case, the country that cast the veto did so to protect its own interest and not that

of the global community.

In most cases, the threat to use the veto is enough to paralyse the UN Security Council from taking any action, however grave may be the circumstances that demand such action.

Recently, Russia has used that threat in relation to its invasion of Ukraine and its violation of international law and the principles set forth in the UN Charter.

This immobilisation of the Security Council caused the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to ask its members at a meeting on April 5, “Where is the security that the Security Council must guarantee?”

In an emotional address in the aftermath of evidence of atrocities in Ukraine by the Russian military, including the slaughter of civilians who were shot in their heads while their hands were tied behind their backs; the rape and murder of women; and the cutting off of limbs and tongues, Zelenskyy told the members of the Council “to dissolve yourselves altogether” if they could not stop Russia from “blocking decisions about its own aggression”.

The Ukrainian P res ident’s anger and f r u s t r a t i o n i s understandable, especially by militarily powerless countries that could also be the victim of aggression and who depend on the Security Council to safeguard their sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Without action by the Security Council, no country is safe from a determined predator nation with the military power to enforce its ambitions.

It is important to note that Russia has not only severely damaged the international legal order, it has also undermined confidence in it.

Worryingly, it has also violated the established rules of war.

And, yes, even for war, there are internationally agreed rules that are set out in the Geneva Conventions of 1949, the First Additional Protocol to the Conventions and customary international law.

The laws of war prohibit willful killing, rape and other sexual violence, torture, and inhumane treatment of captured combatants and civilians in custody, pillage and looting. Yet, from the evidence gathered by authoritative international agencies, including the Office of United Nations

H i g h Commissioner for Human Rights, and revealed on global television images, all these laws have been broken by Russian forces in Ukraine.

Russia’s claim that the images from Ukraine are fake caused UN Human Rights Offices to explain that its investigators “followed painstaking forensic procedures to ensure the veracity of any video or photographing emerging from scenes of possible war crimes”.

Paralysis of the Security Council forced the UN General Assembly (UNGA) to act twice concerning the devastating situation in Ukraine. On March 1, the Assembly adopted a resolution deploring Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and demanding the withdrawal of its military forces. Russia ignored the G e n e r a l A s s e m b l y ’s resolution and escalated the violence, and its attendant atrocities. Then, on April 7, the UNGA, expressing “grave concern at the ongoing human rights and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and reports of human rights and violations of humanitarian law”, decided to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council – a huge step against a powerful nation.

The suspension of Russia s h o w e d a c l e a r determination by the majority of the world’s nations to rebuke the Russia government for its disregard of international humanitarian law and the rule of international law.

Ninety-three countries voted in favour of the decision and 58 abstained, even though the Russian government had publicly threatened that it would regard abstentions as “unfriendly”.

Russia’s response to the suspension was to announce that it was leaving the Human Rights Council altogether.

However, despite its disdainful public reaction, the Russian government can hardly be comfortable with its increasing isolation in the global community.

It is significant that, for the most part, the 23 countries that supported Russia in rejecting its suspension are ruled by likeminded tyrannical regimes.

These include North Korea, Iran, Syria, Belarus, and the Central African Republic.

For the rest of the world,

Sir Ronald Sanders particularly small developing states in the Caribbean, the words of UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, echo with significance. He says, “the full-fledged invasion of Ukraine is one of the greatest challenges ever to the international order and the global peace architecture”.

Small states need global peace in which to develop and grow. They also need secure global economic conditions.

In a policy document to be discussed in a month’s time, the IMF and World Bank have identified the adverse effects of the war in Ukraine on Caribbean economies. These effects include higher prices for oil and food; significantly increased costs for transportation by sea, air and road; a negative impact on tourism; and importation of inflation from trading partners where costs have rapidly risen.

These conditions will lead to demands for fiscal strategies that could include demands for increased government revenues by more taxes and for reduced expenditure at a time when more spending is required on infrastructural investment, rebuilding crucial productive industries, and education and health. To avoid this, the developing world needs global peace and stability.

For all that to be achieved, the war on Ukraine must end, respect for the international legal order must be restored and growth of the global economy must resume – and all who disregard the international legal order must be held to account.

(The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States of America and the Organization of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto) Responses and previous c o m m e n t a r i e s : www.sirronaldsanders.com

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THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Using the success of Eminem to explain racial consciousness in Guyana

T

he Recording Industry Association of America has released a list of best selling musicians of all time. White rapper, Eminem is number 19.

No Black rapper is even close to Eminem. How do you explain a White singer of a Black musical genre outselling Black artists?

The answer lies in understanding the difference between racism and racial consciousness. In comprehending the overt dissimilarity, it is easy then to explain why the Creole middle class and westernised Indians (CMCWI) took a supporting line in the five-month attempt to rig the election thus finally bringing to an end the influence of the CMCWI in Guyana.

T h e s t o r y o f E m i n e m ’s financial earnings goes back to how White people viewed Black musical genres. It was Black America that invented rock. But White folks did not saturate themselves with rock until Elvis Presley adopted rock music and globalised the genre.

Black artists dropped rock, leaving it to Presley and pioneered soul and rhythm and blues. It was a

Black woman that went back to Black roots and resurrected rock music among Black singers – Tina Turner. What happened then is that while White folks loved Turner for singing the genre they liked, Black folks applauded Turner for reclaiming rock. Thus Turner has massive Black and White support.

Rap music was a Black American thing that came out of Black neighbourhoods in the late 1970s. It has produced some famous Black American singers that have become global stars and rich men. So why has a White rapper – Eminem – eclipsed those iconic rappers in terms of sales?

The answer is simple for any first year sociology student in any part of the world. It is called racial consciousness.

People are comfortable with their own. A White person may like cook-up rice but prefer to dine at a restaurant that sells it where he is comfortable with being around White folks. Black Americans may like apple donuts but prefer not to buy it from a bakery exclusively patronised by White folks.

These are not two examples of racism but racial consciousness.

People like food, music and clothes

despite their ethnic origins but feel mentally comfortable when they are available in their own communities.

It has nothing to do with disliking the people who sell these things. A White man will buy cookup rice from a Black woman who is selling it in a White neighbourhood.

White folks abstained from embracing rap because they considered it a Black thing. When a White guy belts it out they do not feel uncomfortable because it is one of their own performing.

This is what racial consciousness is about. Eminem gets more money than Black rappers because he is patronised by a larger, richer audience. It does not mean that White folks hated Black people thus boycotted rap music from the seventies until Eminem came along.

Applying the concept of racial consciousness to Guyanese history, will reveal that is where we can trace the racial strife that now plagues the Guyanese mind. The CMCWI did not see Indians with racist lenses. The main preoccupation of CMCWI was the bulk of the Indians in British

Guiana were culturally and philosophically unfit to administer what the colonials left – the Christian, westernised state.

CMCWI had no racist venom against Indians for being rural petty bourgeois.

The CMCWI never envied the Indians for their wealth expansion.

They felt it was that area the Indians should confine themselves to.

It was when the non-Christian Indians began to live in Georgetown, became lawyers, doctors, trade unionists and politicians, the CMCWI took the decision to fight them because they feared the next step was politics.

Cheddi Jagan created nightmares for the CMCWI. The story of the support of the CMCWI for the rigging of the March 2020 election and the disgusting silence of many within the CMCWI will occupy large chapters of future history books. In the explanation, of why White Americans support Eminem, lies the answer of why CMCWI took that stance between March and July in 2020 – it was racial consciousness at work.

CMCWI had strong faith that

t

Frederick Kissoon he victory of the PNC, WPA and the AFC in 2015 will finally reshape the political landscape and their historical wishes had now finally been realised – they would govern Guyana while the Hindu and Muslim Indians will continue as the country’s petty bourgeoisie. March 2020 shattered that hope. March 2020 also marks the end of CMCWI in power.

The CMCWI will always exist.

Guyana’s top three private schools are their breeding grounds. In these three schools, the CMCWI are strongly dominant and they do not mix with dark skin African students and Hindu and Muslim Indians. I know this. My daughter for years was a student at two of those schools.

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

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Good gut health is paramount to good health

I

t is through our gut we ingest food to survive but foods can also lead to bad health if we are not careful. Our gut is one of the main barriers that shields our body from the dangers of the world.

If we do not take care of our gut, then it cannot take care of us and can lead to many disorders in our body.

Numerous studies in the past two decades have demonstrated links between gut health and the immune system, mood, mental health, autoimmune diseases, endocrine disorders, skin conditions, and cancer. Today, I will discuss signs that may alert you to an unhealthy gut and what you can do to improve your gut health.

What are signs that you may have an unhealthy gut?

High stress levels, too little sleep, eating processed and high-sugar foods, and taking antibiotics can all damage our gut microbiome.

This in turn may affect other aspects of our health, such as the brain, heart, immune system, skin, weight, hormone levels, ability to absorb nutrients, and even the development of cancer.

The following are signs that you may have an unhealthy gut: · Upset stomach: Stomach disturbances like gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and heartburn can all be signs of an unhealthy gut. · A high-sugar diet: A diet high in processed foods and added sugars can decrease the number of good bacteria in your gut. This imbalance can cause increased sugar cravings, which can damage your gut still further. High amounts of refined sugars, particularly high-fructose corn syrup, have been linked to increased inflammation in the body. Inflammation can be the precursor to a number of diseases and even cancers. · Sleep disturbances or constant fatigue: The majority of the body’s serotonin, a hormone that affects mood and sleep, is produced in the gut. An unhealthy gut will therefore

contribute to sleep disturbances such as insomnia or poor sleep, and therefore lead to chronic fatigue. · Skin conditions: Inflammation in the gut caused by a poor diet or food allergies may cause increased “leaking” of certain proteins out into the body, which can in turn irritate the skin and cause conditions such as eczema. · Autoimmune conditions: Medical researchers are continually finding new evidence of the impact of the gut on the i m m u n e s y s t e m . I t ’s thought that an unhealthy gut may increase systemic inflammation and alter the proper functioning of the immune system. This can lead to autoimmune diseases such as Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis and many others. · Food intolerances: Food intolerances are the result of difficulty digesting certain foods. It’s thought that food intolerances may be caused by poor quality of bacteria in the gut. This can lead to difficulty digesting the trigger foods and unpleasant symptoms such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and nausea.

How can you improve your gut health?

You can improve your gut health and subsequently, your overall health by doing the following: · Managing your stress levels: Chronic high levels of stress are hard on your whole body, including your gut. · Fasting: The best way to give your gut a chance to take care of itself and cleanse toxins, is to fast. When you fast, your gut gets a rest from processing foods and can focus on healing and cleansing the body of toxic build up. · Get enough sleep: Not getting enough or sufficient quality of sleep can have serious impacts on your gut health, which can in turn contribute to more sleep issues. · Eat slowly: Chewing your food thoroughly and eating your meals more slowly can help promote full

digestion and absorption of nutrients. This may help you reduce digestive discomfort and maintain a healthy gut. · Stay hydrated: Drinking plenty of water has been shown to have a beneficial effect on the mucosal lining of the intestines, as well as on the balance of good bacteria in the gut. Staying hydrated is a simple way to promote a healthy gut. · Taking a prebiotic or probiotic: Adding a prebiotic or probiotic supplement to your diet is often a good way to improve your gut health. Prebiotics

provide food meant to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, while probiotics are supplements with live good bacteria that help your gut with digestion and maintaining the right balance. · Check for food intolerances: If you have symptoms such as cramping, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, rashes, nausea, fatigue, and acid reflux, you may be suffering from a food intolerance. You can try eliminating common trigger foods to see if your

s y m p t o m s improve. · Change your diet: Reducing the amount of processed, highsugar, and highfat foods that you eat can contribute to better gut

By Dr. Zulfikar Bux h e a l t h .

Emergency A d d i t i o n a l l y, Medicine Specialist eating plenty of plant-based foods and lean protein can impact d isplay the symptoms discussed above. Listen to positively your gut.

An unhealthy gut will not your gut; it’s paramount that remain silent; it will indicate you do if you want to remain that something is wrong and healthy.

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SUNDAY GUYANAMAY NOT STEER CLEAR OF FAILURE WITH OILIF FATAL FLAWS IN OIL DEAL NOT CORRECTEDINT’LANALYSTS With the monetisation of its 10 billion barrels of oil equivalent resources, Guyana’s leaders hope to raise the standard of living of its people, cut the nation’s debt, and have significant deposits made into the Natural Resource Fund (NRF). But the unfortunate reality that confronts the new oil producing state is that it is in a weak position to accomplish these goals.

This is according to Tom Sanzillo and Gerard Kreeft, two financial and energy advisors attached to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA).

To cement their argument, Sanzillo, IEEFA’s Director of Financial Analysis and Kreeft, IEEFA’s Energy Transition Advisor, urged all Guyanese authorities to consider the case of Angola, which has hosted world oil developers for the last 25 years and is a cautionary tale for nations hoping to cash in on oil and gas development.

In providing some historical context, Sanzillo and Kreeft noted that oil was discovered in Angola in 1955.

They explained that in the 1990s, deepwater exploration took off and Angola became a global presence. They said that major oil companies including Total, ExxonMobil, BP, ENI, Chevron and Equinor have successfully drilled for oil in working through Sonangol, the nation’s state-owned oil and gas operator.

Both noted that the country produced approximately 1.4 million barrels per day last year, down from peaks of 1.9 million barrels per day. Given its vast resources, the advisors highlighted that Angola rank 15th in the world of top oil producers while adding that President Joao Lourenco is trying to increase production with a new round of offers to the international oil community.

Despite its resources, however, the two advisors said that “four decades of oil production have created neither prosperity nor fiscal stability for Angola.” At the end of 2020, for example, they pointed out that the national debt stood at approximately US$76 billion. They said, “With the assistance of the IMF, World Bank, African Development Bank and others, Angola has managed

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to juggle its year-to-year obligations with a combination of refinanced or forgiven debt. Angola recently entered the G-20’s Debt Service Suspension Initiative, designed to assist financially distressed countries.”

What is also shocking about the country that is so rich with oil, is the fact that one in three Angolans lives below the poverty level, and more than half live on less than U$1.90 per day. Sanzillo and his colleague noted that an unbalanced economy and corrupt government are cited as major factors driving the economic inequality.

Considering the foregoing, both analysts agreed that oil development surely led Angola into a series of traps that include budget deficits, foreign indebtedness, corruption, and oil exploration and development contracts that have benefited corporations at Angola’s expense. And despite the current struggle to introduce new reforms and combat corruption, Sanzillo and Kreeft noted that the lack of economic diversification leaves Angola poorly positioned to handle changes brought on by the energy transition.

Taking the case of Angola into account, the IEEFA advisors alluded that it may not be possible for Guyana to steer clear of a similar fate, especially when it continues to cling to a one-sided deal that favours the three companies (ExxonMobil, Hess, and CNOOC/NEXEN), creates obstacles to growth, and threatens to leave Guyana deeper in debt.

DON’T BE FOOLED

BY RISING GDP - OIL ALREADY WIDENING GAP BETWEEN RICH AND POOR – INT’L ECONOMIST The Government of Guyana has boasted that the oil sector which has experienced an increase in oil production from 120,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) to 340,000 bpd is poised to drive Guyana’s growth to historic levels.

In fact, Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh had disclosed during the reading of this year’s GY$552.9B national budget that Guyana’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is projected to grow by 47.5 percent. It is a level of performance no other country in the world is forecast to achieve in 2022.

While Guyanese should feel justifiably proud of the fact that their country’s GDP has been growing the fastest,

contrast, Yhip said Guyana can adopt best practices of relatively successful naturalresource rich countries, such as Chile and Botswana, and beat the odds.

MONDAY COURT CASE FILED OVER TAX EXEMPTION FOR OIL COMPANIES… EXXON SAYS GLENN LALLSHOULD HAVE APPROACHED COURT SOONER BUT “SAT ON HIS HANDS FOR FIVE YEARS”

and will continue to do so, Terrence Yhip, an economist, says citizens must not get carried away just by the sheer size of such figures as they, in isolation, are not an accurate reflection of the country’s wellbeing, and more importantly, the wellbeing of citizens. Indeed, “Income disparities persist across the land, and the problem is severest amongst Amerindians in the hinterland.”

Yhip explained in a note to this newspaper that GDP tends to spike for countries which are starting out with a low GDP base, blessed with high-valued natural resources, (e.g. copper, oil and gas) and choose to do rapid spending or investments with the earnings made. “For example, Nauru (a tiny island country in Micronesia, northeast of Australia) is a good example of a country where high income inequality exists but where a natural resource bonanza caused income per capita to surge from a few hundred US dollars to more than US$27,000 from the export of phosphates after 1982. Nauru had become the richest country in the world for a short while.

Unfortunately, however, not every Nauruan man, woman and child received that amount of spending power.”

The economist further noted that several other countries had embarked on ambitious investment projects between 1975 and 1978 after oil prices spiked in the early 1970s and created a windfall. “As you can see from the chart (attached to this article), in all cases, GDP growth per capita worsened after the big push (of oil money into the economy).

Growth per capita dropped

sharply in Trinidad and Tobago and Ecuador, whilst output per capita even dropped in Venezuela, Nigeria and Bolivia in the period following the investment booms,” the economist said.

He added, “Venezuela spent 40 percent of the windfall on public investment.

Nigeria stands out because it invested so heavily, saw paltry results during the boom but a big decline after that.

Bolivia’s investment drive was equally a disaster. The country suffered its first major economic crisis in 19781986 that started with external debt default in July 1978.

What were the causes of the failures, not only in the 1970s but also in every decade after?”

In answering this question, Yhip noted, in summary, that the scale and pace of public investments were simply beyond the ability of the country to properly absorb same in an effective and efficient way.

He said too that difficulties in managing the economy and controlling corruption also made matters worse.

Turing to Guyana, he noted that there are some critical facts readers ought to pay attention to. For most households across the country, Yhip articulated that it is still a struggle for families to make ends meet. In fact, he noted that income inequality continues to be a major area of concern while adding that it has worsened over the many years. He explained that one way of measuring the gap between the rich and poor is the Gini Index, a number that ranges from 0 percent to 100 percent. Higher values mean higher inequality. With this in mind, the economist pointed out that Guyana’s Gini Index

rose from 46 percent in 2006 to 52 percent in 2019 (World Bank data). In simpler terms, it means that the gap between rich and poor widened in 2019.

In concluding, Yhip said, indeed Guyanese should feel justifiably proud of the fact that their country’s GDP has been growing the fastest, and that Guyana is one of a few bright spots in the world. In fact, he highlighted that GDP per capita will reach an estimated US$14,000 in 2022 and US$20,000 in 2023 (at current exchange rates).

The economist warned, “But one must not get carried away by these large averages.

Every Guyanese man, woman and child of every household will not be getting these incomes. The oil money will not erase absolute poverty, nor will it reduce income inequality overnight.”

The industry expert continued, “Reducing income inequality will require increasing employment, wages and transferring income. Experience has shown that the most effective and enduring remedies are a vibrant economy that generates high paying jobs, facilitates workers’ mobility across jobs and sectors, with policies in place for improving labour skills.”

Yhip said transferring income does have a role but the programmes must be well designed and delivered or they can become a dependency and a heavy burden on government budgets.

In this day and age when information is at one’s fingertips, Yhip emphatically stated that it would be unforgivable if Guyana were to commit the very same errors that so many failed oilrich countries have made. By

After putting up strong arguments in Court that Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall has no right to file a court case challenging its terms of agreement with the Government of Guyana, Exxon Mobil’s subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) is in the same breath saying that Lall is guilty of undue delay in bringing the court action.

In fact, in the response to Lall‘s legal challenge to the Government of Guyana over the discriminatory tax provisions of the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), EEPGL contends that Lall should not be granted the reliefs he is seeking because “he sat on his hands for five years” and allowed Esso and its coventurers to expend huge sums of money [to the tune of billions of US dollars] which could now be wasted.

In January, the Kaieteur News Publisher filed an action to challenge the Petroleum Agreement, dated June 27, 2016 between the Guyana Government and the oil companies. According to Lall the agreement between the oil company and the government grants exemptions to persons other than licensees, which violate the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act, the Financial Administration (and Audit) Act, the Prevention of Discrimination Act, and the Constitution. EEPGL which was recently added as respondent in the matter is arguing to have Lall’s case thrown out on several grounds.

In an affidavit filed in its defence, the oil company has extensively contended inter alia that Lall in his capacity as a private citizen cannot file an action in court to challenge a legally binding agreement between the Government and an oil company but it is for the Attorney General of Guyana to take on that role in the interest of the public in a civil suit. But in the same (Continued on page 29)

Sunday April 10, 2022

From page 28 document, the oil subsidiary said that based on the advice of its Attorneys-at-Law, it is to be believed Lall is “guilty of gross and undue delay.” In explaining their contention EEPGL noted that “The Applicant [Lall] has been aware of the Petroleum Agreement and its contents since in or around the month of December, 2016, the Applicant did not see fit to challenge it or to seek the reliefs he is seeking until the 12th day of January, 2022...Nor has he explained anywhere in the Affidavit in support of the [Fixed Date Application] FDA as to any reason why it took him in excess of five years to institute these proceedings.”

The Added Respondent [EEGPL] therefore contended that “it would be unconscionable to allow the Applicant the reliefs that he is seeking when he has sat on his hands for five years and allowed Esso and its coventurers to expend these huge sums which could now be wasted,” The Exxon subsidiary had previously contended in the same document that the fact that Lall is a citizen of Guyana and the publisher of the National Media and Publishing Company Limited (Kaieteur News), does not entitle him to bring the present proceeding in his own name, in his private capacity for declaratory relief alleging breach of public rights. “…Nor has the applicant (Lall) shown any special loss or damage he would suffer over and above the public so as to entitle him to seek the reliefs that he does,” EEPGL added in its sworn statement.

The oil company had explained that based on the advice of its attorneys, Lall as a private person is not entitled to seek the declaratory reliefs in order to prevent what are alleged public wrongs or to assert a right on behalf of the public in proceedings, which are not for judicial review, and are brought in the regular jurisdiction of the court.

The Exxon subsidiary had argued further that it is a fundamental principle of Guyana law that public rights could only be asserted in a civil action by the AttorneyGeneral of Guyana representing the public. It explained that “Except where a statute otherwise provides, a private person could only bring a proceeding to challenge a breach of the law if his claim was based on an allegation that the breach constituted an infringement of his private rights or would inflict special damage on him.”

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“A private person was not entitled to bring an action in his own name for the purpose of preventing public wrongs, “the company stressed.

“Consequently,” the company held that, “the court has no jurisdiction to grant relief in such a proceeding as the present one and the proceeding brought by the applicant ought to be struck out forthwith.”

Through his application filed last January, Lall moved to challenge the government over the discriminatory tax provisions granted in the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) for the oil companies.

The PSA between the oil giant, its partners and the Government of Guyana essentially states, “…no tax, value-added tax, excise tax, duty, fee, charge or other impost shall be levied on the Contractor or Affiliated Companies, in respect of income derived from Petroleum Operations with the Stabroek Block.”

The Stabroek Block is currently being drilled by Exxon’s subsidiary EEPGL, Hess Corporation and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited.

The case outlined that the tax reliefs listed under Article 15.1 of the Petroleum Agreement, dated June 27, 2016, between the Guyana Government and the oil companies, violate the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act, the Financial Administration (and Audit) Act, the Prevention of Discrimination Act, and the Constitution.

Lall is therefore seeking declarations to have the provisions nullified and reversed.

US$900M GAS-TO-SHORE PROJECT… FEASIBILITY HINGES ON PRICE EXXON CHARGES ON GAS - IDB REPORT Back in 2018, the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) had partnered with the State to conduct a feasibility study of the planned US$900M offshore natural gas pipeline.

The primary objective of the study, which was executed by Energy Narrative for US$70,000—an

international entity that provides strategic market analyses and advice was to determine the overall feasibility of transporting natural gas from offshore Guyana, building an Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) separation plant and a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) production plant to market the liquids from the natural gas stream, as well as building a new electricity generation station to use the remaining dry natural gas. (See link for report: https://nre.gov.gy/ wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ Feasibility-Study-forGuyanas-Offshore-NaturalGas-Pipeline.pdf) According to the study, the project’s financial feasibility hinges on the price of natural gas that will be negotiated between the Government of Guyana and ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL). The consultant was keen to note that in this negotiation, EEPGL’s priority will be to secure a price for the natural gas and LPG that will provide the greatest return on investment. At the same time, the report said the Government of Guyana’s priority is to minimize the cost of electricity generated with the supplied natural gas. It therefore means that a careful balance needs to be struck to ensure Guyana is not saddled with paying for gas at a price that only provides the greatest return to Exxon’s affiliate.

It is important to note however that the discussion in this regard is still ongoing.

Yet, Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has categorically stated that the project is economically viable and a “no-brainer” at that.

During a press conference that was held last year February, Jagdeo had said once the proposed gas-toshore project comes on stream, Guyana’s electricity costs could be reduced from 30 US cents to six, or even three US cents per kilowatt hour (kWh). Jagdeo was keen to highlight the significant cost reduction as he noted that some critics have said that the project is not feasible

without even doing a feasibility study. The official said that when one considers the massive cutback in costs, the gas-to-shore project is “a no-brainer.”

While the numbers are still being worked out for other aspects of the project, the Vice President said that the pipeline could cost US$500M to US$800M while the power plant could be approximately US$300M. The latter would be financed by the government while ExxonMobil would stand the costs for the pipeline. As for cost to transport the gas via the pipeline from the Liza Phase 1 project, Jagdeo said he is hopeful to have this at zero but for the time being, the numbers stand at six to three US cents per kWh. It would be reduced once the repayment for the pipeline is made. This he said could take about four years.

As for the location of the landing of the pipeline, Jagdeo told members of the media that Wales was determined to be the most suitable location given the low population density and the fact that it is less costly than the previous sites proposed by the APNU+AFC regime. Those sites were proposed to be in the areas of Clonbrook, New Amsterdam and Sophia.

Jagdeo had said too that the government took the decision to not have the gas project on the East Coast since there are a number of chemical storage plants being established in the said area.

He had said that having the two in the same region could spell disaster.

Further to this, the Vice President had assured the nation that four studies on the project’s impact on the environment would be conducted and released in the interest of transparency.

He had said too that a master plan is being mapped out to determine where at Wales the pipeline would be landed and where the power plant would be situated. Depending on the type of plant used, the government would determine what industries would be developed in the area which would best make use of steam that may or may not be

produced by the plant.

TUESDAY WITHOUT RING-FENCING PROVISIONS, GUYANAWILLBE SHORTCHANGED ON EVERY OIL DISCOVERY -FINANCIAL ANALYST -SAYS EXXON DEALLEAVES CITIZENS IN A “DARK ABYSS OF WORRISOME FINANCIAL RISKS” The longer Guyana continues to drag its feet on putting ring-fencing provisions into the Stabroek Block deal, the more it continues to shortchange itself on every new discovery or oil project that comes into being. This is essentially the position of the Institute of Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA).

Like Kaieteur News and several other regional and international stakeholders have stressed since 2015, the IEEFA emphasised that ring fencing provisions in the PSA is key, as it would prevent ExxonMobil from deducting expenses associated with other projects against a producing field.

This is currently taking place with the Liza Phase One Project. In the absence of a ring-fencing provision, ExxonMobil and its partners are able to deduct costs associated with either developing a new oil project or drilling an exploratory well.

All of these expenses can be charged against any project that is in operation such as the Liza Phase One and Two Projects.

In a report titled: “Lack of Ring-Fencing Provision Means Guyana Won’t Realize Oil Gains Before 2030s, if at All” by IEEFA’s Director of Financial Analysis, Tom Sanzillo, the devastating

effects of failing to have this provision are highlighted.

In the 14-page document, Sanzillo notes that ExxonMobil has already received approval of the Payara field and even made discoveries at Yellowtail, Longtail, Uaru, Redtail, Mako, Tripletail and Whiptail in the Stabroek Block. Sanzillo noted, however, that all of the associated costs are being charged against the Liza Phase One Project thus reducing Guyana’s share of the profits.

By IEEFA’s estimates, Guyana should receive upward of US$6 billion annually by 2028 or sooner but because of all of these new costs, which neither ExxonMobil nor the government is disclosing, IEEFA’S Director of Financial Analysis posits, “Guyana will be shortchanged until the 2030s, if not longer.”

Sanzillo also stressed that the recent announcement of a discovery at the Whiptail site may help ExxonMobil’s stock price but said, one ought to be aware of the reality that it ultimately reduces Guyana’s profits.

He said, “The lack of contract protections means that every time Guyana announces it has received more revenue, it is actually being shortchanged.”

From a global perspective, Sanzillo said Guyana ought to pay attention to the fact that the oil and gas industry is facing stiff competition and lower growth expectations.

On this note, he said Guyana selling more oil in an overcrowded market would be “risky business” as it may never see the promised annual revenues in the billions of dollars.

When the foregoing issues are placed alongside the fact that the true costs of ExxonMobil’s projects, its (Continued on page 30)

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From page 29 new discoveries, and its dry holes remain unknown, Sanzillo said that the Stabroek Block deal essentially leaves the people of Guyana in a dark abyss of worrisome financial risks.

WEDNESDAY GUYANESE STILLIN THE DARK ON LEASING COSTS FOR OIL SHIPS - AS EXXON HANDS SBM ANOTHER CONTRACT TO BUILD 4TH FPSO Dutch manufacturer, SBM Offshore has been the preferred shipbuilder for Guyana’s floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel since 2015. To date, the company has built the Liza Destiny FPSO, the Liza Unity and the Payara FPSO, each costing approximately US$1B, US$1.2B and US$1.6B respectively. What remains unknown however, are the leasing arrangements in place for these vessels.

While Guyanese continue to remain in the dark on these leasing bills which are being paid for from its Stabroek Block oil resources, SBM Offshore was nonetheless pleased to announce on Tuesday that Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), an affiliate of Exxon Mobil Corporation, handed it another contract to build Guyana’s fourth FPSO. That FPSO called the ONE GUYANA will support the US$10B Yellowtail development project located in the Stabroek Block in Guyana. Under this latest contract, SBM Offshore said it will construct, install and then lease and operate the ONE GUYANA FPSO for a period of up to two years, after which the FPSO ownership and operation will transfer to EEPGL. The award it said follows completion of front-end engineering and design studies, receipt of requisite government approvals and the final investment decision on the project by ExxonMobil and block co-venturers.

Kaieteur News understands that the FPSO ONE GUYANA’s design is based on SBM Offshore’s industry leading Fast4Ward® programme that incorporates the Company’s new build, multi-purpose floater hull combined with several standardised topsides modules. SBM was keen to note that the FPSO will be designed to produce 250,000 barrels of oil per day, will have associated gas treatment capacity of 450 million cubic feet per day and water injection capacity of 300,000 barrels per day.

The FPSO will also be spread moored in water depth of about 1,800 metres and will be able to store around two million barrels of crude oil.

SBM Offshore said it is committed to work with Guyanese companies for work to be performed in Guyana and is preparing to further recruit and employ Guyanese engineers into the ONE GUYANA project team.

The Yellowtail development is the fourth development within the Stabroek Block, circa 200 kilometres

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offshore Guyana. EEPGL is the operator and holds a 45 percent interest in the Stabroek Block, Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds a 30 percent interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds a 25 percent interest.

OIL SPILL INSURANCE… EXXON MUST COMPLY WITH LIZA 2 PROVISIONS TO PROVE IT IS SERIOUS ABOUT 4TH PROJECT FORMER EPA BOSS The first step to rehabilitation is recognising one’s fault and moving to correct it.

This should be the posture of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to former head of the state body, Dr. Vincent Adams, especially since the matter of financial assurance, for subsidiary oil companies operating in Guyana, has been deemed critical to ensuring the country’s environmental integrity is protected.

In fact, Dr. Adams told Kaieteur News that given the provisions of the Liza Phase Two permit, the EPA must now seek in writing the commitment of ExxonMobil to cover possible oil spill expenses beyond what its subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited’s (EEPGL), is proposing to prove that they are serious about the regulations stated in the recently approved Yellowtail permit.

Dr. Adams is adamant that while the Yellowtail permit covers the matter of insurance and parental assurance, the government must go back to the Liza 2 well and immediately get Exxon to comply with the insurance requirements therein.

The former EPA boss told the newspaper that the provisions within the Yellowtail permit is just an admission that full coverage does exist in the form of insurance and

parent guarantee. However, this same language, he said, exists within the Liza 2 permit but it is not being adhered to despite operations ongoing at the offshore site.

The recently approved Yellowtail permit requires that a Parent Company/Affiliate Guarantee Agreement which covers and keeps indemnified the EPA and the Government of Guyana in the event EEPGL and its Co-Venturers fail to meet their environmental obligations under the Permit. It says that, “The Permit Holder shall provide and/or declare within reasonable time upon signing this permit a combination of the following forms of financial assurance to cover all its legitimate liabilities under this permit. These shall include: (a) Insurance in accordance with Condition 14.5 and shall cover well control and/or clean up and third party liability on terms that are market standard for the type of coverage; (b) A Parent Company/ Affiliate (of Operator and CoVenturers (CoVs) undertaking that provides indemnification for Liabilities under this Permit.” The liabilities, the permit stated, include costs associated with responding to an incident, clean-up and remediation and monitoring.

Among other things, Condition 14.5 speaks to the Permit Holder having effective environmental liability insurance customary in the international petroleum industry that will cover, “environmental damage caused in the course of the EEPGL will be, jointly and severally held responsible;…”

The Liza 2 permit under environmental coverage also speaks to insurance with international standards regarding petroleum and the support of parent company to step in, in the case of a spill that the minor company cannot handle beyond its insurance. It says, among other things, that the “Permit Holder shall have insurance of such type and in such amount as is customary in the international petroleum

industry in accordance with good oil field practices for Petroleum Operations in progress offshore Guyana in respect of ii. Pollution caused in the course of the Project for which EEPGL will be jointly and severally, held responsible.”

In terms of parent company obligations, the permit said that, “the permit holder must, as soon as reasonable practical, provide from the parent company or Affiliate Companies or Permit Holder and its Co-Venturers one or more legally binding agreements to the EPA undertaking to provide adequate financial resources for permit holder and its co-venturers to pay or satisfy the repective environmental obligations regarding the Stabroek Block if EEPGL or its co-venturers fail to do so…”

Adams, in comparing the two permits, said that there is basically nothing new in the Yellowtail permit as the two documents utilise identical language regarding insurance and the parental assurance.

“They must now follow the law,” the former EPA head posited. He said it is one thing to put something in place, “but they are not complying with it; they are ignoring the law.”

“So this is how you prove to the Guyanese people that you really mean what you are putting into the Yellowtail permit or else it’s just, again, telling us to trust you and you have not proven yourself to be trustworthy so far.”

The Liza 1 environmental permit only speaks to the Permit Holder being responsible for environmental damage and other negative occurrences. It does not cater for the parent company to step in if the minor is unable to fulfill its environmental obligations. As mentioned by Adams, Liza 2’s environmental permit captures that obligation of the parent company and what has to happen in respect of a spill.

The Payara permit, as well as the recent Yellowtail permit, also captures the language that indemnifies Guyana through the parent and the minor in the event of a spill.

However, the sums of insurance for the mentioned wells are unknown. There is a US$2B insurance sum that is pegged for the Yellowtail development but neither the government nor the EPA has made public the information relating to the other wells.

Current EPA boss, Kemraj Parsram said, just a day after the Yellowtail approval announcement, that the agency was still pressing ExxonMobil to provide parent guarantee for the entire Stabroek Block. The Chief said that selfinsurance, insurance policy and parent guarantee are three areas the agency wants to cover.

THURSDAY IN ABSENCE OF NATIONAL STANDARDS ON FLARING, EXXONMOBIL FOLLOWS OWN RULES Almost seven years after the

discovery of oil, Guyana has yet to put in place, standards that govern flaring, a process that entails the burning of natural gas and the subsequent release of toxic chemicals into the atmosphere. In light of this gap in the nation’s regulatory framework, ExxonMobil’s affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) follows its own rules. This was specifically noted in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the US$10B Yellowtail Project.

EEPGL was keen to note that it considered World Bank standards and internal ExxonMobil environmental standards as references on flaring. Expounding further, the company said the World Bank has established Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) guidelines for offshore oil and gas development which is a technical reference document with examples of good environmental practices. The offshore oil and gas development guideline states that new facilities should be designed, constructed, and operated so as to avoid routine flaring of associated gas. The guideline also states that methods for controlling and reducing fugitive emissions should be considered and implemented in the design, operation, and maintenance of offshore facilities. It also demands the implementation of leak detection and repair (LDAR) programmes.

As for ExxonMobil’s internal environmental standards, EEPGL said this establishes a design approach to reduce flaring emissions, which provides guidance that facilities should be designed to avoid routine flaring of associated gas and include an evaluation for the most advantageous use of alternatives for managing associated gas that would otherwise be flared.

Since December 2019 to now, EEPGL has been flaring aboard the Liza Destiny vessel in spite of the robust rules it claims to follow. To date, the company has flared over 15 billion standard cubic feet of gas.

Recent data on the extent and value of revenue Guyana has lost on this front has not been disclosed/ addressed by Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo or any other government official.

Extensive research conducted

by Kaieteur News shows that gas flaring contributes to climate change, which has serious implications for the human security and wellbeing globally. In fact, the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, outlined in one of its studies, that gas flaring is actually a major source of greenhouse gases, which accelerates global warming.

It was noted that flaring releases Carbon Dioxide and Methane, the two major greenhouse gases. Of these two, Methane is actually more harmful than Carbon Dioxide. It is also more prevalent in flares that burn at lower efficiency. Of the greenhouse gases researched so far, Kaieteur News understands that the (Continued on page 31)

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From page 30 global warming potential of a kilogramme of Methane is estimated to be 21 times that of a kilogramme of Carbon Dioxide when the effects are considered.

The University of Ibadan study also noted that flaring contributes to local and regional environmental problems, such as acid rain with attendant impact on agriculture, forests and other physical infrastructure. The acid rain results in environmental degradation, which includes soil and water contamination and roof erosion. Furthermore, there have been over 250 identified toxins released from flaring, including carcinogens such as benzopyrene, benzene, carbon disulphide (CS2), carbonyl sulphide (COS) and toluene; metals such as mercury, arsenic and chromium; sour gas with Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) and Sulfur Dioxide (SO2); Nitrogen oxides (NOx); Carbon dioxide (CO2); and methane (CH4) which contributes to the greenhouse gases.

Currently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) charges EEPGL US$45 per tonne of Carbon Dioxide equivalents.

Outside of this arrangement, EEPGL has faced no other consequence for its failure to achieve pilot flare which is the burning of one million standard cubic feet of gas or less.

‘EXXON HAS FREE REIN OVER GUYANA’ …OPPOSITION CALLS FOR INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT As Guyana continues to gain experience in managing the oil sector and with fresh recommendations from the recently concluded International Energy Conference and Expo, the Shadow Oil and Gas Minister, David Patterson is again highlighting the importance of the country independently verifying the operations of oil giant, ExxonMobil, rather than depending on the company for reports of its performance when it comes to compliance with environmental permits.

In an exclusive interview with Kaieteur News on Wednesday, the former Minister of Public Infrastructure, explained that Guyana is presently in a bad shape, as it is depending on the developer to report instances of flaring, oil spills, waste water treatment, and adherence to other aspects of the permit, including resolving complaints it received from the public, all without proper independent

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oversight.

Patterson said, “It is selfregulating. They have become their own judge, jury (and) executioner by just reporting to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) what is happening.

We have always said that the EPA or any of the other agencies should not be depending on Exxon to report issues, and this arose after Exxon’s representative said only a teaspoon of oil has been spilled but that should not be coming from Exxon.

We should be the one there, the EPA should be there monitoring all the systems independently to determine all these things.”

He went on to explain the detriment of Guyana’s reliance on the oil company when it comes to such matters. In fact, he urged that the sector’s independent monitoring be increased, while adding, that the operators must be held accountable.

To this end, he hinted that the Opposition will soon be filing a Motion in the National Assembly that seeks to ensure that the oil companies adhere to international best practices, when it comes to the treatment of waste water, prior to its dumping in the country’s waters.

“My next motion that I will be bringing is on waste water, I will be bringing that to Parliament and of course I didn’t want to bring all together because of how the Speaker operates, but the treatment of waste water has to be to international standards,” the former Minister related.

Patterson argued, “There

is no monitoring whatsoever, not only for Exxon but for the entire oil and gas industry. We have at least 40 boats going out there every single day. All of these boats have waste water, not only from drilling but from domestic sources such as sewage and things like that. They are all supposed to be treated as well and they have been saying, like they have been saying with the flaring, that the ocean is so big that what they are polluting is so small, that their pollution is insignificant but that is not what the world standard is. You have to treat it to a safe and drinkable level before you deposit it into the ocean.”

He pointed out that there have already been cries from fishermen across the country, who are suffering from decreased catches, which may or may not be related to the oil company’s disregard for the environment.

To this end, he stressed the need for safeguards to be put in place to ensure such impacts are avoided, which can trickle down to other parts of the Caribbean, which already seem to be facing similar challenges.

“We are speaking about climate change and global warming, the waste water that they are dumping in the sea is very hot and that can contribute but we don’t know to what level and what it can do in the long term so we have to address all of these issues now,” the former Minister encouraged.

In the new Environmental Permit, several additional features have been added to improve the structure, but

Patterson has pointed out the need for the EPA to play a greater role in monitoring the company’s offshore operations.

For instance, the Permit issued for Exxon’s fourth project, the Yellowtail development explains that the EPA will be keeping a watchful eye on the way in which ExxonMobil receives and responds to complaints from the public, regarding its operations impacts.

Section 1.4.1 of the Permit states “The Permit Holder shall maintain records of environmental grievances and report on the numbers, nature and how these were or will be addressed. This information must be provided in the Monthly Report as required by condition 13.11”.

Section 1.4.2 goes on to add, “The Annual Report required by Condition 13.10 of this Permit, must contain a summary of the environmental grievances and management, including actions taken, challenges and or constraints in addressing same.”

Previously, the oil company was permitted to resolve complaints received in a private manner, as there was no explicit condition of this nature in the three Permits issued prior.

However, Patterson believes that Exxon should not be receiving its own complaints and determines how to solve those. Rather, he is of the view that the regulator body should be the recipient of those complaints who would then direct Exxon and the other oil and gas companies how to resolve those matters, in keeping with the country’s laws and standard best practices.

He reasoned, “Complaints are not supposed to be received by Exxon. They should go to the EPA and forwarded to Exxon for a response. Right now, we are giving Exxon free rein on every single area, on every single area and the new

(regulation) they are just band aids. Exxon reporting how or what they have done to resolve it should not be the case. It should be the EPA writing to say these are the standards, these are our laws and this is what is required (and) this is how you should do it.”

FRIDAY MORE FOSSIL FUEL PROJECTS REPRESENT MORALAND ECONOMIC MADNESS - WORLD MUST TRIPLE SPEED OF SHIFT TO RENEWABLE ENERGY UN SECRETARYGENERAL United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres has issued another appeal this week for governments, particularly the world’s biggest carbon polluters such as China, India, Russia and the USA, to triple their speed in shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

His call this time around comes on the heels of the third Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report which provides an updated global assessment of climate change mitigation progress and pledges. It also examines the sources of global emissions and explains developments in emission reduction and mitigation efforts.

Additionally, it assesses the impact of national climate pledges in relation to longterm emissions goals.

Following his perusal of the document, Guterres said, “This report is a litany of broken climate promises. It is a file of shame, cataloguing the empty pledges that put us firmly on track towards an unliveable world. We are on a fast track to climate disaster: Major cities under water, unprecedented heat waves, terrifying storms, widespread water shortages, the extinction of a million species of plants and animals. This

is not fiction or exaggeration.

It is what science tells us will result from our current energy policies.”

The UN Secretary General categorically stated that the world is on a pathway to global warming of more than double the 1.5°C limit agreed in Paris by governments worldwide. ”Some Government and business leaders are saying one thing, but doing another. Simply put, they are lying. And the results will be catastrophic.

This is a climate emergency,” warned the official.

The official further stressed that the science confronting everyone is clear: to keep the 1.5°C limit agreed in Paris within reach, the world needs to cut global emissions by 45 percent this decade. He said however that the current pledges are clearly not enough. Guterres said, “Current climate pledges would mean a 14 percent increase in emissions. And most major emitters are not taking the steps needed to fulfill even these inadequate promises,” the official stated.

He further noted that investing in new fossil fuels infrastructure is equivalent to “moral and economic madness” since such investments will soon be stranded assets, essentially rendering them a blot on the landscape and a blight on investment portfolios. Bur Guterres said it doesn’t have to be this way. He noted that the latest IPCC report is focused on mitigation — cutting emissions. It sets out viable, financially sound options in every sector that can keep the possibility of limiting warming to 1.5°C alive. Guterres noted however that nations must triple the speed of the shift to renewable energy. ”That means moving investments and subsidies from fossil fuels to renewables — now.

In most cases, renewables are already far cheaper. It means Governments ending (Continued on page 32)

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From page 31 the funding of coal, not just abroad, but at home.”

Importantly, Guterres said it also means the emergence of climate coalitions, made up of developed countries, multilateral development banks, private financial institutions and corporations, supporting major emerging economies in making this shift. It means protecting forests and ecosystems as powerful climate solutions.

Guterres noted that the report comes at a time of great global turbulence. He said inequalities are at unprecedented levels, the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is scandalously uneven, inflation is rising, and the war in Ukraine is causing food and energy prices to skyrocket. He stressed however that the increase of fossil-fuel production by high emitters will only make matters worse.

“It is time to stop burning our planet and start investing in the abundant renewable energy all around us,” the UN Secretary General concluded.

ABOUT IPCC The IPCC was created in 1988 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to provide policymakers with regular scientific assessments on climate change, its implications and potential future risks, as well as to put forward adaptation and mitigation options. Through its assessments, the IPCC determines the state of knowledge on climate change. It identifies where there is agreement in the scientific community on topics related to climate change, and where further research is needed. The reports are drafted and reviewed in several stages, thus guaranteeing objectivity and transparency.

The IPCC is now in its sixth assessment cycle. Its three report released to date address the most up-to-date physical understanding of the climate system and climate change, bringing together the latest advances in climate science, and combining multiple lines of evidence from paleoclimate, observations, process understanding, and global and regional climate simulations. A total of 234 scientists from 66 countries are behind the first chapter of the IPCC’s sixth assessment report. Also, over 14,000 scientific papers are referenced in the report.

Some of the key findings of the report are as follows: • Keeping to 1.5 Degrees Celsius will require “immediate, rapid and

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large-scale reductions” in emissions while slower action leads to a temperature of 2 Degrees Celsius and more suffering for all life on Earth.

• Drought is increasing in more than 90 percent of regions across the world • The past five years have been the hottest on record since 1850 • The recent rate of sealevel rise has nearly tripled compared with 1901-1971 • Extreme sea-level events that occurred once a century are projected to occur at least annually.

• Under all the emissions scenarios considered, all targets for reductions will be broken this century unless huge cuts in carbon emissions take place.

• 2,400 billion tonnes of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) have been emitted by humanity since 1850. The world can afford to only leak another 400 billion tonnes to have a 66 percent chance of keeping to 1.5 Degrees Celsius.

• Many changes due to past and future greenhouse gas emissions are irreversible for centuries to millennia, especially changes in the ocean, ice sheets and global sea level.

• Under scenarios with increasing CO2 emissions, the ocean and land carbon sinks are projected to be less effective at slowing the accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere.

U.S EPA TAXES CRUDE TO PUT IN OIL SPILL TRUST FUND - GUYANAURGED TO FOLLOW SUIT In order to quickly mitigate the devastating impact of an oil spill, the United States of American (USA) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have a trust fund financed by a tax on oil that is available to clean up spills when the responsible party is incapable or unwilling to do so.

This is according to the U.S Oil Pollution Act (OPA) of 1990.

According to the OPA, the owner or operator [responsible party] of a facility from which oil is discharged is liable for the costs associated with the: containment, cleanup, and damages resulting from the spill. The OPA also requires oil storage facilities and vessels to submit to the Federal government plans detailing how they will respond to large discharges and requires the development of Area Contingency Plans to prepare and plan for oil spill response on a regional scale.

The US EPA’s first priority

is to ensure that responsible parties pay to clean up their own oil releases. However, when the responsible party is unknown or refuses to pay, funds from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF) can be used to cover the cost of removal or damages.

The OSLTF is a trust fund managed by the Federal government, primarily by the U.S. Coast Guard, and financed by a per-barrel tax on crude oil produced domestically in the U.S and on petroleum products imported to the U.S for consumption. The fund was created in 1986, but use of the fund was not authorized until the Oil Pollution Act’s passage in 1990. The funds may be used to cover the cost of federal, tribal, state, and claimant oil spill removal actions and damage assessments as well as unpaid liability and damages claims.

Notably, no more than US$1B may be withdrawn from the fund per spill incident, including up to US$500M for the initiation of natural resource damage assessments and claims in connection with any single incident.

While the US have their oil spill trust fund to cater for an oil disaster – Guyana on the other hand continues to allow American oil giant, ExxonMobil Guyana to operate offshore with only limited liability insurance, in the event of an inevitable oil spill.

In fact, the Head of Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), Alistair Routledge, had defend the size of the insurance policy provided by the ExxonMobil subsidiary which has been the Operator of the oil rich Stabroek Block since 1999. Despite the company milking multi-billion dollar profits from Guyana’s

oil wealth – Routledge defended the limited liability insurance of US$2B EEPGL is throwing at Guyana.

Three of the oil company’s operations, Liza One, Liza Two and Payara have been granted approval without proper insurance guarantees in place from the parent company. Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently granted approval to the company’s fourth project, Yellowtail development.

For that project, EEPGL is held liable for all costs associated with clean up, restoration and compensation for any pollution damage, which may occur as a consequence of the project. It also requires a Parent Company/Affiliate Guarantee Agreement, which indemnifies and keeps indemnified the EPA and the Government of Guyana in the event EEPGL and its CoVenturers fail to meet their environmental obligations under the Permit.

Notably, according to deal Guyana’s government signed onto, EEPGL pays no tax but the company’s taxes is being paid by Guyana. Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall, in an historic move, had filed a case in Guyana’s High Court, which challenges some of the most repressive tax provisions of the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with Exxon and its partners, Hess Corporation and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited.

SATURDAY GUYANESE MUSTHAVE ACCESS TO OIL PRODUCTION DATAFORMER TIGI EXEC “The farmer must know how much of which crops he reaps, and the shopkeeper how much of which items he

sells.”

So says former Executive Member of the Transparency Institute Guyana Inc (TIGI), Mr. Alfred Bhulai.

Bhulai in a letter to this publication on Friday explained that Guyanese are paying for the Liza Destiny and Liza Unity Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels operating in the Stabroek Block. He noted however, that citizens are completely unaware of what value they are getting for their dollars, as information pertaining to the levels of production among others, are not readily available for public scrutiny.

Presently, the public is free to view the revenue accumulated from oil production, through the Ministry of Finance’s website; however, there are no reports on how much of the resource is being removed from below the seafloors, as well as other technical data.

Bhulai has been vocal on several matters pertaining to the environment, but while serving on the watchdog organization, he detailed that a one hour meeting was held with the subsidiary company of ExxonMobil, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), on February 12, 2021, during which the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Alistair Routledge pointed out that the company wanted to be transparent.

However, when questions were put to the company, it said that the details would be shared with the government.

Unfortunately, after waiting for a full year for those details, Bhulai detailed that his hopes of accessing the same faded.

He said on March 26 last year, after waiting in vain for EEPGL to send the requested recording of the Zoom meeting, TIGI directed

questions in writing to the Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, which were copied to the EPA. One year later, the advocate said he is yet to receive an answer to his email.

Importantly, he shared that the body was seeking continuous data on production, storage, and offloading of oil and water, and on the reinjection of water and gas, which are the business of the FPSOs, being paid for by Guyana.

“Surely, the owners are entitled to know what is going on in the business. Our business managers, viz., our governments, are supposed to manage the business operators, Exxon, to give account of the business to us.

We asked for chemical analyses to know the nature of the oil, water, and gas coming from the wells, and for when what are stored, offloaded, reinjected, flared and vented,” Bhulai explained.

Additionally, TIGI was seeking production quantities, since oil, gas and associated substances can endanger the environment for Guyana and the Caribbean, he said, adding that as responsible business owners, we must not only assess the danger but also prepare for it.

Bhulai said that TIGI asked for the quantities on a daily basis to prevent the possibility of their subsequent alteration. He argued that “all production (data) must be known” and that “the people paying for it must know what they are paying for and be able to inspect production at any time”.

While pointing to the importance of being aware of such variables, the environmentalist highlighted that the process flow and (Continued on page 33)

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From page 32 rates must be known. “If there is a spill, we will also be able to estimate it from the rate at the source. When gas is flared or vented, as responsible stewards of the Earth, we have to know how much of what is damaging the environment.”

“Pressure is a primary operating parameter, from well to surface to storage and offloading, and the immediate source of danger. If pressures cannot be controlled then big bad things happen.

Compressors fail and may lead to venting if not shutdown. We must know pressures. Temperatures are primary indicators of the health of the machines and are an important operating parameter. The temperatures of coolants discharged into the ocean should also be known for its effect on the ocean vicinity,” the former TIGI executive reasoned.

He was keen to note in his letter to the editor that the regulator body, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seems to be trying its best, pointing to the improved measures for monitoring offshore operations. Bhulai related, “I

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was pleased to read in February this year that the EPA can monitor, but what they monitored was not shared with me, despite my asking…there are some who will ask why it is my business to know the travails of the EPA and other similar public bodies. The answer is that, I have deliberately devoted my life to education in Guyana, more specifically, technical education. There were times when I had no answer to convince graduates to remain or return to Guyana. I had thought that the politicization of technical jobs ended in

1992, but it restarted shortly thereafter, and by the 2000s, even free advice was routinely ignored. There were exceptions, but in general, technical people had to take orders from bad taskmasters, so the exodus continues, because the ambitious young scientist or engineer did not want a CV populated with incomplete or bad projects.”

In a brief interview with this newspaper on Friday, the head of the EPA, Mr. Kemraj Parsram explained that the

agency is not required by law to publish such data, but it has been verifying each drop of oil pumped by the oil companies.

He assured, “We have remote real time data from Liza Destiny minute by minute and data on flaring is also

accessible.” The new programme he said has been in effect since the end of January but remains in testing.

Mr. Parsram noted that in addition to remote monitoring of the operations, the EPA would also conduct in person

audits on a regular basis.

As it relates to the public accessing such information, the EPA boss said that while the law governing the agency does not make the publication of such information mandatory, the data can be shared upon request.

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>>> ENCOURAGING EVENTS, DISTURBING DEVELOPMENTS <<<

Prayer and Fasting, Palm Sunday, disappearing vehicles and freedom

T

he call from President Ali, was for a National Day of Prayer and Fasting. I like that, and agree with it; that’s the encouraging part. What would encourage more is a leadership call and commitment to a Season of National Healing and Reconciling.

It should be noticed that what I urge goes beyond a 24-hour day, in that a whole, undefined, season is what I recommend.

Prayer and Fasting at the national level is a wonderful thought, grand exercise.

Given our individual, communal, and collective hurts, I think that we are overdue a lengthy interval of internal reflection and examination, then making a start at ironing out a beginning towards national healing.

There is too much anger in this country, too much pent-up resentments in this society, and we need to find a way beyond postures, banners, and gimmicks that assist us in seeing how we are, and who we are, and that something must be done about where we are, if only for our national survival. It is more than a day, a time; it must become our way of life.

Today, April 10, is Palm Sunday. In the Christian belief system, a man named Jesus, a poor carpenter’s son from Nazareth, went forward to face his fate. It was and is of a man who made the supreme sacrifice so that those who believe (and live the life) could have a chance at redemption and salvation. What I wish to focus on is of this man, whether one is a believer and follower or not, laying down his life for others.

It disturbs no end that in this country, we have those who have more than enough already, and by countless multiples, who seek not to give of themselves in cleanliness, but to squeeze the life out of others, mostly the less fortunate.

There are those who have so much, and it is as if they have nothing, so covetous they are, so insatiably greedy they have become.

They don’t lay down or layout anything; they layout others, who depend on them, trust in them. It is why, despite all the riches we have, we remain poor in material things, and in the spirit.

Then came that news article in KN earlier in the week, about vehicles coming

across our borders, and then vanishing without a trace.

They can’t be found, there is no accounting for them, no reconciling the detailed records of their entry, with what is on the roadways.

I use the instance of disappearing vehicles, a physically bulky piece of machinery that has fallen off the local map, and by the hundreds, to go into more sinister places.

If these hundreds of vehicles can be gone so easily, I wonder about the number of guns that flows across our borders, and remain out of sight. Unlike vehicles, small arms can be concealed, and elude detection, without any official eyes knowing any better.

The question is how many, with an eye cast on our lengthy and almost wide-open borders. The second thought is what kind of weaponry makes their way here. And the last is what does this mean for security and peace in this crime-ridden and harshly divided land.

As should be obvious, this is disturbing to the extreme. If items like vehicles could be ‘lost’ and not found, what about guns that lose themselves in plain everyday sight?

I have great difficulty even thinking about this.

Last, there was a Blunt page (pg. 7 daily in KN) that spoke of freedom in Guyana; indeed, lamented the quality and depth of the freedom that Guyanese have experienced in their three score minus four years of

By GHK Lall Independence.

It seems that, 1966 Independence accounted for, we have exchanged ancient colonial masters for modern local ones.

Then to add to our freedom woes, we attached to those political wastrels the yoke of foreign corporate masters, under which we live.

In terms of true freedom, it appears that all Guyanese have succeeded in doing, endured along the way since 1966, is to live with layer upon layer of leprous tyrannies, some local, some foreign. Disturbing is not the word; try totally enraging.

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

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Lessons from a lashpreneur !!!

The Real Difference Between Henna Brows And Brow Tint

By Latoya Zephyr You have probably noticed that eyebrow trends come and go depending on styles currently in favor over the years. The early 2000s brought super skinny brows, which led to over plucking. If you joined in the trend, your brows might be sparse and patchy now, leaving you to constantly filling them in, as big brows are in now. In fact, you might find yourself wanting to highlight every hair you have, which could lead to thoughts of tinting or using henna on them. It might be challenging to choose which color technique is the right one for you, though as Both processes are semi-permanent and can help darken your hairs while giving the illusion of more fullness in areas where your brows might be patchy or over-plucked.

These two brow coloring techniques are not created equal, though. One process makes a more subtle change and lasts less time, while the other creates a longer-lasting, significant change. If your brows need a lot of filling in, then henna might be the choice for you,Many eyebrow studios offer both henna and brow tinting. The difference between the two is that henna stains the skin under the hairs for longer, giving you a fuller look for longer,If a brow tint leaves staining on your skin at all, it fades within two to three days.

However, the staining effect achieved by using henna to darken your hairs stays on your skin for about a week or two. The amount of time the hairs of your eyebrows stay

pigmented is also different.

Your color begins to fade with an eyebrow tint around four to six weeks. The plant-based henna color has more extended staying power, lasting about six to eight weeks. The henna formulation also helps strengthen eyebrows and

could even restore growth. eyebrow tint offers a subtle natural look, while henna tinting creates a darker, more defined eyebrow. If you are unsure what would work best for you, be sure to discuss it with an eyebrow specialist at your salon.

E-Networks to air new shows and movies for April New shows, new seasons, movies and documentaries are showing this April with ENetworks! They are home to over 100 channels and non-stop entertainment from a range of genres. Follow them on Tik Tok, Facebookand Instagram @enetworksgy.

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Become the Best you can be by developing your Human Qualities to the fullest

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Guyanese businesses shine at BIZX 2022 conference...

From page 22 i n G u y a n a . We f e e l extremely blessed to be selected as a finalist for the BIXZ awards since it is our first real award here. It is also an indicator of all the hard work we have been able to do during the pandemic have paid off. The fact that

we have been able to move from employing 20 agents all the way up to 300 persons is noteworthy.”

Mrs. Camille DeokieGorakh of Camille‘s Academy Inc., is the 2021 winner of the BIZX Award for the ‘Best Service based company with over 10 employees.

This year, Deokie-Gorakh was named a finalist in the award competition The businesswoman has a similar success story with A ctio n C O A C H h av in g expanded her business despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic from

three to four locations with the addition of the first Smart (technology-driven) school at Crane on the West Coast of Demerara.

Deokie-Gorakh noted that “As a businesswoman, you work 365 days a year and to have done so much for your organisation, sometimes you want that personal gratification. That feeling that yes, you have accomplished something and your work is being valued not just locally but on an international scale.”

“So having a BIZX award represents our growth and potential to operate

internationally because our vision has now moved from just being a premier provider for education in Guyana to being recognised internationally as a premier provider for education,” she said.

Ken Rampersaud of Dada’s Grill who is also a client of ActionCOACH explained that his involvement with ActionCOACH has been beneficial to his growing business.

“I am a farmer’s son so being able to gain an understanding of the disciplines of business, the

finances and intellectual knowledge, something I didn’t get to learn in school, and being exposed to the business on an international s c a l e t h r o u g h ActionCOACH. It’s about finding a home for your business because it’s about persons moving in one direction with a common goal.”

Mr. Faizal Ally from A. Ally, who was another finalist in this year’s BIZX awards, told Kaieteur News that being able to compete with other businesses from about 80 countries is an indicator that his business is

developing to international standards.

“ActionCOACH tailors the way of doing business to every company as they see the need. And I am very happy to be part of them.

They made me grow tremendously although I am so many years in business, I saw a great difference being a part of the business coaching family,” he added.

Meanwhile, even as the team celebrates their wins for this year, ActionCOACH Guyana is already planning for the BIXZ 2023 Award ceremony which is slated for Nashville, Tennessee USA.

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Improving Childcare high on Human Services Ministry’s agenda

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e s o l v i n g challenges that are peculiar to the administrative regions when it comes to improving childcare is high on the agenda of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security.

In fact, according to information coming out of the Ministry, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, the subject Minister, hosted an informal engagement with officers of the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA), during the past week, in this regard.

The discussions did not only address the challenges but also the way forward for the Ministry and the CPA, both structurally and policy-wise, to make the system more efficient and effective.

Minister Persaud reiterated that it was a good time and the perfect opportunity to have these discussions on how the services can be better while committing to supporting and facilitating the development of this sector and stated, “we are working on avenues on how we can improve the system…”

“I believe one thing that should propel us forward and that should continue to motivate us and energise us is our passion and love for children. Love for children can never be manufactured, love for children has to come from deep within,” Minister said.

Minister Vindhya Persaud engages the officers of the Childcare and Protection Agency.

According to the Minister too, her Ministry is working on increasing shelters for children in the Hinterland Region as well as the amplified approach to partnering with the community through the ‘Every child safe’ campaign.

Meanwhile, the subject Minister praised the efforts of CPA Director, Ann Greene for her stewardship and dedication, not only with leadership but her passion and drive.

Recognising that mental health is a challenge,

Minister Persaud revealed that there will be an agreement inked to provide free counselling to the officers.

“If you feel challenged and pressured to the extent that your mental health is affected, do not be afraid to reach out and ask for this service, in the world we live in, if we do not take care of ourselves, no one will but in this ministry, we will, we want to ensure that this is offered to you for you.”

Minister Persaud indicated that discussions

Minister Vindhya Persaud (seated centre), Permanent Secretary Shannielle HooseinOutar (left) and Director of Childcare and Protection Agency Ann Greene (right) are surrounded by the officers of the Childcare and Protection Agency

are already in place between P e r m a n e n t S e c r e t a r y, Shannielle Hoosein-Outar and Principal Personnel Officer, Rafael Boodhoo to address staffing issues.

With nine Masters of Social Work graduates, the Minister expressed her delight in hearing about their upward mobility in academia, with a pledge to see as much as possible they can be best utilised and contribute more towards childcare development.

Greene highlighted that while the entity moved from

its establishment in 2009 with a director and four borrowed social work officers to now having 180 staff and seven units, it is still evolving.

The Director reckoned with much certainty that the childcare officers were the hardest social workers and was met with an arousing round of applause.

Greene, who has over 50 years in the public service pointed out that having certificates does not make you qualified but rather the experience and passion. She

admitted that improvements are always needed and officers should be cognisant of their responsibilities to the child.

She urged them to be solutions-based and results oriented with planning and time management being key pillars of their modus operandi.

Presentations, strategies and data came from each region, the Family Court Unit, Early Childhood Development Unit, Adoption, Foster Care and Family Support Services Units.

Also, Manager of Childhood Development, Comcheeta Gray stated that her issues were addressed by the Minister. Gray said, “I think the Minister is very much into early childhood and yes I think our issues and concerns were resolved.”

Kaycina Jadrine, Manager of Adoption Services said, “the interaction with the honourable Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud was an excellent one. We believe that is a forum where officers can contact the Minister directly and properly engage her and she is clearer on some of the issues we have at the Child Care and Protection Agency and we have already started to come up with ideas and initiatives on how we can better improve our services so I believe this is a great one.”

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== GNBS IN FOCUS ==

TYRES OFFERED FOR SALE SHOULD MEET REQUIREMENTS OF NATIONAL STANDARD Damaged or defective tyres along with those which are exposed to harsh c h e m i c a l s a n d environmental conditions, should not be offered for sale by dealers. This is important to promote safety on the roadways since the best tyres provide grip for braking and acceleration, maintain steering and directional control and act as shock absorbers for vibrations from the road.

The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) is responsible for the monitoring of new and used tyres upon importation or at sale outlets, based on the requirements of two National Standards. These standards are the Guyana Standard Requirements for Pneumatic passenger car tyres, GYS 67:2017, and the

Guyana Standard Specification for Pneumatic tyres for highway Commercial vehicles, GYS 194:2001.

The GYS 67:2017 standard, as its name suggests, specifies the requirements for passenger car tyres along with their storage conditions.

Meanwhile, the GYS 194:2001 standard specifies physical dimensions, performance and marking requirements for new and used tyres for highway commercial vehicles. Such tyres are classified as those which are attached on vehicles carrying 10 or more persons and/or weighs more than 3,000kg, as well as light trucks which are designed to transport property or special purpose equipment and weighs 3,000kg or less.

According to both documents, tyres must be properly labelled to include size, brand, the maximum permissible inflation pressure, manufacture date and other information.

The GNBS monitors this commodity under its Product Compliance Programme, in accordance with the standard to ensure quality, road-worthy tyres are available to consumers.

Importers and dealers of both new and used tyres are required to register with the GNBS annually to import and sell on the local market.

To ensure that these business persons comply, Inspectors of the Bureau conduct examinations at ports of entry, bonds and outlets where tyres are also checked for quality and storage requirements.

Inspectors look for tyre damages including exposed cords, thread separation, evidence of belt damage, ply separation, flex break or casing break-up, loose cords on inner ply and damaged bead area and/or tyres showing studs were used.

As it relates to storage requirements, tyres must be s t o r e d v e r t i c a l l y, horizontally or plaited to avoid deformation. During inspections, retailers are educated on the requirements for passenger tyres to be stored in rows of 10 if packed vertically while commercial tyres can be stored in rows of eight. In addition, they must be kept in a building to protect them f r o m h u m i d i t y, d i r e c t sunlight, or extreme temperatures. Tyres must also be stored away from oils

and other chemicals, which can speed up deterioration.

The GYS 67:2017 states that new tyres should not be more than two years old from the date of manufacture at the time of importation into Guyana, while tyres six years or older should not be offered for sale. These requirements do not currently apply to commercial tyres.

The thread depth of tyres offers visual guidance as to the extent of usage of a tyre.

For used tyres, the required thread depth must be at least four millimetres (4 mm) and must not exceed six years from the date of manufacture.

GNBS’ Inspectors, upon encountering tyres which do not comply with the requirements of the standards, engages the

retailer, and proceed to destroy the commodity. To minimise the rejection of new and used tyres imported into Guyana for resale, the GNBS strongly encourages stakeholders to acquire a copy of the National Standards so they can appropriately advise their suppliers.

Consumers are also advised to look for the GNBS permits issued to tyre dealers at their sale outlets. The permits to sell indicate that the retailer is not only registered to sell the commodity, but the tyres are also monitored by the GNBS. F o r f u r t h e r information, kindly contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0064/65/66 or send us a message on WhatsApp 692-4627 (GNBS).

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Man caught while trying to sell stolen laptop

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man who was reportedly looking for a buyer for a stolen laptop was reportedly caught on Thursday last.

He has since confessed to breaking into a shop on the same day and stealing the laptop along with four cartons of cigarettes and 18 tins of sausages.

The shop from, which he stole the items, is located at the Kumaka Water Front, Moruca, Region One and reportedly owned by a 49-yearold-man identified as Douglas Robiero.

Robiero told police that he had The stolen items that were recovered by police from the suspect. closed up his shop around 00:10hrs on Thursday. When he returned later that morning to resume business, he noticed that the hasp

and staple along with the padlock had been ripped off from the shop’s door.

After reportedly making some checks in the shop, Robiero discovered that his laptop and the other items were missing. He made a report to police and an investigation was launched.

A suspect was identified and a few hours later, police reported that he was spotted walking along the Moruca Access Road with a haversack on his back.

When the suspect saw the policemen, according to reports, he started to act in a suspicious manner. This, this publication was told, caused the ranks to search him. In his haversack, they reportedly found the stolen laptop

and arrested him immediately.

Kaieteur News understands that at the time of his arrest the suspect was looking for a buyer for the laptop.

While in custody, he confessed to the crime and led ranks to the other items (cigarettes and sausages) he had stolen.

Commander of the Region One Police District, Himnauth Sawh, said that the man told investigators that he needed some cash thus his intention was to sell the stolen items.

The total value of the stolen items was given as $134,000.

Kaieteur News understands that the man has since been charged for the offence and is presently behind bars.

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g tin s... s re re te atu n I re C

Electric Ant

The electric ant (Wasmannia auropunctata), also known as the little fire ant, is a small (approx 1.5 mm (1D16 in) long), light to golden brown (ginger) social ant native to Central and South America, now spread to parts of Africa (including Gabon and Cameroon), Taiwan, North America, Puerto Rico, Israel, Cuba, and six Pacific Island groups (including the Galápagos Islands, Hawaii, New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands) plus north-eastern Australia (Cairns).

The name, electric ant (or little fire ant), derives from the ant’s painful sting relative to its size. This ant’s impact in those environments and countries outside of its place of origin has been described as follows: W a s m a n n i a auropunctata ... is blamed for reducing species diversity, reducing overall abundance of flying and tree-dwelling insects, and eliminating arachnid populations. It is also known for its painful stings. On the Galápagos, it eats the hatchlings of tortoises and attacks the eyes and cloacae of the adult tortoises. It is considered to be perhaps the greatest ant species threat in the Pacific region.

Description The ant is described as follows: W a s m a n n i a auropunctata workers are monomorphic, which means they display no physical differentiation... The ants are typically small to mediumsized, with the workers ranging from 1-2mm ... [It] is light to golden brown in colour. The gaster is often darker. The pedicel, between the thorax and gaster, has two segments; the petiole and postpetiole. The petiole is “hatchet-like”, with a node that is almost rectangular in profile and higher than the postpetiole. The antennae have 11 segments, with the last two segments greatly enlarged into a distinct club.

The antennal scape (the first segment) is received into a distinct groove (scrobe) that extends almost to the posterior border of the head.

The thorax has long and sharp epinotal spines. The body is sparsely covered with long, erect hairs. This species is well-known for a painful sting, seemingly out of proportion to its size.

Reproduction I n Wa s m a n n i a a u ro p u n c t a t a , q u e e n s

produce more queens through parthenogenesis.

Sterile workers usually are produced from eggs fertilised by males. In some of the eggs fertilised by m a l e s , h o w e v e r, t h e fertilisation can cause the female genetic material to be ablated from the zygote. In this way, males pass on only their genes to become fertile male offspring. This is the first recognised example of an animal species where both females and males can reproduce clonally resulting in a complete separation of male and female gene pools.

These ants get the benefits of both asexual and sexual reproduction - the daughters who can reproduce (the queens) have all of the mother’s genes, while the sterile workers whose physical strength and disease resistance are important are produced sexually.

Invasive species The little fire ant has been unintentionally transported from its native range to Africa, North America, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Israel, Taiwan, and multiple Pacific Island groups.

Invading ants cannot survive in global regions that have cold environments. But, little fire ants are found in Canada and England where they find refuge in large human infrastructure and greenhouses. Human disturbed landscapes – such as the practice of monocultures, and the deforestation of land – have caused an explosion in the little fire ant population in regions of Brazil and Colombia which have a prevalence of cocoa farms a n d s u g a r c a n e monocultures. In Colombia, research shows that high abundance little fire ant populations reduce other ant diversity in heavily deforested regions.

The little fire ant preys on native insects, causing a decline in population densities, and they can also attack small to mediumsized vertebrates if the ant colonies are disturbed.

Throughout their invasive and native range, the little fire ant reduces native ant diversity when successfully colonised. These ants successfully outcompete the other ants because they exploit a multitude of resources other species need to survive, including honeydew residues, nectar and refuges in vegetation.

Pets and large domestic

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(WASMANNIA AUROPUNCTATA)

animals (such as cats and dogs) stung around the eyes by this ant are known to develop blindness. In the Galapagos Islands, the little fire ant is regarded as one of the most aggressive species introduced to this region. The ant has contributed to the decline in tortoise populations, as these ants eat the tortoise hatchlings and attacks the eyes of adult tortoises.

Furthermore, large population declines of scorpions, spiders, and

native ants can be directly attributed to the invasive ant.

When humans are encountered, these ants have

a powerful sting in proportion to its size. The sting causes inch long welts that are itchy and painful.

Some workers and farmers may have issues properly harvesting crops in high Continued on page 65

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Guyanese social media influencer and entrepreneur, Melissa Atwell aka ‘Melly Mel’.

THE GIRLFRIEND EXPO: A section of the gathering at the Inaugural Girlfriend Expo held in February.

The new empowerment platform helping women overcome everyday challenges

Melly Mel interacts with a member of the audience at the Girlfriend Expo.

Without a doubt, the impact of the COVID -19 pandemic has economically, mentally, and socially disrupted the lives of many people. For women, the impact has been even more severe.

According to global figures, since the pandemic, the unemployment rate among women rose to an alltime high – some women lost their businesses – while reports of domestic abuse increased drastically oftentimes with women at the receiving end of the spectrum.

Coupled with the everyday pressures of life, many women found themselves needing a safe space to vent; many were just, if one would daresay, “waiting to exhale.”

That opportunity presented itself in January when Guyanese social media influencer Melissa Atwell, known to her almost 60,000 social media followers as “Melly Mel,” extended an invitation for the women on her Facebook page to join her at a local restaurant for conversation. Atwell said she had no idea, the response she would receive.

It totally blew her mind

that within an hour, she had over 50 women reserving time, and within one day, she had over 100 women on the list.

T h e e n t r e p r e n e u r, influencer, and President of the You Are Not Alone (YANA) Foundation—a local non-profit, and committed social activist whose work is focused on bringing awareness to injustices and providing assistance to those in need exclaimed, “I was blown away by the many women and girls who reached out to me.”

She continued, “And when I heard of the social issues that they wanted to speak on, I knew that YANA needed to act. And act we did!”

As a result of those conversations, she said that her next big project was borne; Girlfriend Expo: The Empowerment Workshop.

The event was held over a two-day period on February 26-27, 2022 at the Parc Rayne Event Centre, Georgetown, Guyana. Ms. Atwell and her team hosted over 300 women and provided healing and empowerment opportunities Continued on page 65

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Fisherfolk organisation awaiting outcome of Agri. Minister’s probe into low catch

Upper Corentyne Fishermen’s Co-op during a ‘scoping’ meeting with ExxonMobil and the EPA regarding the Yellowtail development last year.

By Zena Henry The Guyana National Fisher Folk Organisation (GNFO) believes that the local fishing and oil and gas industries can co-exist. The organisation believes that the country can safely develop its oil and gas sector, while at the same time, ensuring the protection of the environment and locals who may become affected by the activities of oil companies’ operating offshore Guyana. To do this, h o w e v e r, t h e f i s h i n g industry group insists that only necessary studies, data and the enforcement of environmental laws will allow for the co-habitation of the two sectors.

Chairman of the GNFO, Pamashwar Jainarine said that the organisation continues to await important fish studies promised by the Ministry of Agriculture to determine the decline in fish numbers. Several fishing coopts are represented under the GNFO. They include fisherfolk leaders from the Upper Corentyne Fishermen’s Co-op Society, Albion Landing Site, 3-Door DeEdward Fishermen Co-op S o c i e t y, R o s i g n o l F i s h e r m e n ’s C o - o p , Meadow Bank, and Essequibo co-opts, which also make up the groups executive body.

The GNFO chairman, who is also chairman of the Upper Corentyne Fishermen’s Co-op Society, told Kaieteur News that currently, fishermen in Guyana are concerned about various changes in the industry. One main issue is the low fish catch that some of the co-ops are reporting.

He explained that currently, numbers are so low that operators from Georgetown are now venturing to the Berbice region to not only fish, but to buy the stock for wholesale and retail.

“So that is one good thing for us down here,

because vendors from Georgetown now coming to we landing site to buy fish,” said Jainarine as he explained that because of the increased purchases, the cost of fish in his region has also increased, and operators there are enjoying those high prices. He explained that the fish sold there include mainly trout and red snapper, which costs $400 per pound from a $220 per pound and $700 per pound from $400 per pound respectively.

Jainarine explained that some operates are complaining that they are no longer seeing fish numbers as before. “And that is why we need the fish study,” he t o l d t h e n e w s p a p e r, “because oil and fish can coexist, but they just need to put the measures in place and regulate what is happening.”

The GNFO Chairman said that representatives of the Stabroek Block oil o p e r a t o r s , t h e Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) and other agencies had visited in the past to hold discussions with fisherfolk and it has been made clear to those organisations that the fishing industry is not only worried about the low fish numbers.

“We raised concerns about flaring, dumping of waste water and other issues,” the Chairman pointed out. He said that fishermen are also doing their own research so they are becoming more aware of the effects of the oil and gas development impact on the environment and their livelihoods.

“So when we have discussions, we tell them our concerns, we raise these issues and it’s almost as if the EPA is shielding them from criticisms because we ask about these things (regulations and oversight) and we get brush off. They say yes we fixing it, that them putting things in place but nothing really.”

Continued on page 67

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ExxonMobil offers Guyana US$2B to cover oil spill costs not satisfied by subsidiary - EPA refuses to sign off until justification provided

EPA Head, Kemraj Parsram

By Kiana Wilburg American oil giant, ExxonMobil Corporation has presented the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with a proposal for a US$2B guarantee which would cover any oil spill costs not satisfied by its subsidiary and Operator of the Stabroek Block, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL).

But the EPA has chosen not to accept this offer as yet until ExxonMobil can justify how it arrived at the US$2B guarantee for a worst case scenario offshore Guyana.

This was revealed by EPA Head, Kemraj Parsram during his recent appearance on Kaieteur Radio programme, Guyana’s Oil a n d Yo u . H e w a s accompanied by Head of the E P A’ s O i l a n d G a s Department, Joel Gravesande and the EPA’s Legal Officer, Frances

EPA’s Legal Officer, Frances Carryl Carryl.

During the discussion which focused on key provisions in the Environmental Permit for the US$10B project, the insurance arrangements in place for an unmitigated oil spill in the Stabroek Block were examined. Also given due attention were other mechanics in place to ensure Guyana is well protected in the event of pollution by EEPGL. In terms of the liability for environmental damage as a consequence of the activities that are ongoing offshore, Carryl said the Environmental Protection Act has the benefit of being general enough to ensure liabilities are covered. The Legal Officer explained that one key provision in this regard can be found in Section 13 of the Act which makes it clear that permit holders have a responsibility to restore and rehabilitate the environment; in other words,

Head of EPA’s Oil and Gas Dept., Joel Gravesande regardless of what occurs, EEPGL would be held responsible for the restoration and rehabilitation of the environment.

EPA Head, Mr. Parsram was also keen to note that there is a strict liability principle to which EEPGL is bound; that means, “We don’t have to go to court to prove anything, we can start to take action against you.”

Expounding further, the Legal Officer said, “Section Four of the Act lists a number of principles which the EPA must utilise in fulfilling its obligations and one of those is the Strict Liability Principle which speaks to the fact that the requirement to prove fault is eradicated so it does not really matter whose fault it is; there is no blame game, the person at whose instance it occurs, being EEPGL in this example, would be held strictly liable.

It would be quite difficult for the company to escape liability given the provisions of the permit and the Act.” In addition to what the law provides, the EPA Head said one must bear in mind that the Permit itself demands that certain safety mechanisms are in place to prevent the incident of an unmitigated oil spill. He said these mechanisms include the blowout preventer and the capping stack, which is a new requirement.

A blowout preventer, or BOP, is a large specialised unit weighing up to 400 tonnes that is used to prevent an oil spill from occurring. It works like a valve to close an oil well, similar to a plumber closing a valve in a pipe, and are proven to be highly effective in ensuring well safety. The BOP can shut in the well in minutes. If activated, the blowout Continued on page 67

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>>>Young Entrepreneur on the Move<<<

Lynae’s Fashion …FOR ALL THINGS CROCHET

By Allyiah Allicock

H

oping to one day h a v e h e r business be a part of the international market, is Damali Lyca Cox, owner of ‘Lynae’s Fashion’.

Lynae’s Fashion, a crochet enterprise, was launched during the first year of the pandemic here, in October 2020. Since then, it has been making a name for itself by meeting the needs of a wide range of customers.

Twenty-six-year-old Cox, in a recent interview with Kaieteur News, said that the decision to open a business was not based on one thing but rather the inspiration “came from many places.”

“I was working a job I didn’t truly want just to make ends meet and it was a struggle to meet the rising cost of living. I needed a second job but decided to create that

job for myself as I could determine my own hours and pay, without sacrificing the time I had available to spend with my daughter,” she explained.

So, in order to support herself, she decided on opening a business that was just the right fit. Since taking this decision, Cox related that support has been nothing but overwhelming from family and friends.

According to her, they motivate her to take her craft to the next level. “I have friends and family that push me daily to better my craft. I started off with just persons close to me as customers.

H o w e v e r, d u e t o t h e exposure I’ve received from participating in several mini expos, I have since gained customers who were complete strangers. I really can’t complain…” she stated.

The mother of one recalled that during the early

days of her business, which entails creating unique pieces of crochet that truly stand out from other businesses in the industry, it was a challenge. This, she noted, meant that she had to produce items that were unique yet intriguing.

“Before launching as a business, I had no idea there were so many crochet businesses here. Added to that is the fact that we all would have the same types of yarn since they are not sold in many stores. I have had to become very creative in what I produce and offer,” she said.

And besides that, she noticed that crochet is not seen as s o m e t h i n g “necessary” here, so sales would fluctuate from time to time.

Understanding that there are obstacles in business, Cox said that she still held her faith through those times and eventually she managed to overcome most of her challenges.

Challenges, she assured, will not stop her from achieving the long-term goals she has for her business. “My long term goal is to go international. I would like to become a full

time entrepreneur and have people go ‘Lynae’s? Yes, I’ve shopped from there’.”

Besides that, she also wants her business to have an impact on generations to come.

According to Cox too, “I think young entrepreneurs have quite a positive impact on society. We show people younger than us that they too can be businessmen or businesswomen if they want, they just have to work hard.”

She is convinced, too, that young entrepreneurs are daily proving to their older

ant job I didn’t truly w “I was working a meet and it was a ds en e ak m to st ju ng. e rising cost of livi th t ee m to le gg ru st job but decided to I needed a second myself as I could r fo b jo at th te ea cr hours and pay, determine my own e time I had g th without sacrificin my daughter.” with available to spend co unterparts that they are not only paving a way for themselves but creating a number of opportunities for others.

This can be fast-tracked, she believes, if there are more entrepreneurial

programmes for young people that would guide them on how to operate a business.

Persons interested in ordering crochet pieces

Some of crochet pieces created by our featured Young Entrepreneur.

Young Entrepreneur, Damali Lyca Cox, the owner of ‘Lynae’s Fashion’ from Lynae’s Fashion can do so via Facebook at Ly n a e ’s F a s h i o n , WhatsApp on telephone number (592) 648-6055, I n s t a g r a m o r

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Sunday April 10, 2022

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The new empowerment platform helping women overcome...

From page 60 for women through storytelling, traumainformed healing, one-onone sessions, legal guidance and more.

The participants were engaged in discussions with local and international professionals, all of whom focused on empowering women by promoting creativity, building empathy and expressiveness, and building on the set aims of the expo to enable crosscultural relationship building and advance inner development among participants.

“You had to be there!

You had to see these women smiling and benefiting.

This is what it is all about,” she said, adding, “I am looking forward to taking the expo across Guyana.”

Supported by YANA volunteers and coordinated by event planner, The NICO Consulting Inc., the Girlfriend Expo sponsors and speakers from across Guyana and the diaspora include Team Mohammed, McGregor’s Real Estate Development, Synergistic Co. Inc, ANSA McAL, Sister’s Secret, Anastasia

Sandford, ChildLinks, Shane Mark Tull, Keoma Pearson, Valini Leitch, and SAFE Guyana.

The next Girlfriend Expo, scheduled to start today Sunday, April 10 in New Amsterdam, Berbice, was fully booked a mere three days after the registration was launched.

According to Atwell, the Girlfriend Expo: The Empowerment Workshop Part 2, is being held at Fordy’s Catering and Bar, New Amsterdam and will conclude on April 11, 2022.

She explained that this will be a vaccinated-only event focused on providing facilitated conversations for women and girls in Guyana.

Atwell expounded, “This Girlfriend Expo in Berbice, our second in our series, will provide healing and empowerment opportunities for women through storytelling, trauma-informed healing, one-to-one sessions, legal guidance, and more. It will focus on promoting creativity, building empathy, and expressiveness.

The expo will enable cross-cultural relationship

Electric Ant From page 59 density little fire ant agricultural areas.

Research shows that the ant can strip nutrients from agricultural plants, which increases crop susceptibility to disease and other herbivorous insect pests.

As a result of the ant’s presence in agricultural fields, crop yields diminish, and have a negative economic effect on any particular agricultural industry affected by the ant.

Control strategies There are several proposed control and prevention strategies that have been taken to help minimise or eradicate the little fire ant.

The Pacific Ant Prevention Program is a proposal that illustrates prevention methods within the islands located throughout the Pacific region in Polynesia (such as Hawaii and Futuna) for invasive ant species including the little fire ant.

The programme was initiated to provide improved quarantine protocols for the Polynesian area, in addition to raising awareness of the possible impact of the little fire ant. In 1999, the Hawaiian State Department

of Agriculture proposed a 100 percent inspection policy on all plant material exported from the state to check for the ant so that it cannot spread to other regions.

G e n e r a l l y, b e t t e r agricultural land management - including the reduction of monocultures and lower crop production can reduce little fire ant populations.

In addition, proper land management plans can alleviate ant population spikes that occur in highly degraded areas.

When first constructing an agricultural field, minimising landscape changes -such a deforestation- can prevent or reduce the population density of the little fire ant.

Chemicals and pesticides have been employed in smaller density ant populations in the Galapagos Islands. These little fire ant populations were no bigger than approximately 24 hectares.

Other control methods such as non-selective ant poisons, fire and vegetation clearing have been successful on small ant populations and small islands. (Source: Wikipedia)

building and advance inner development among participants. Speakers of the event include will Ms. Atwell, Raywattie Persaud dealing with the topic of challenges and strengths, Valini Leitch – dealing with Gender-Based Violence, Attorney Anastasia Sanford on the topic of Your Rights in the Eyes of the Law, Attorney Ryan Crawford on Men and the Law; Melissa Vieira on Knowing How to P r e s e n t Yo u r s e l f a n d Shamira Ramsuchit-David on Taking Control of Your Business!

Other topics include –

Sister’s Secrets Women’s Health and Breakout Sessions on Women’s H e a l t h , T o x i c Relationships, Your Rights, Business Ideas, Getting Yourself Ready and Your Mental Health.

According to Atwell, the Girlfriend Expo is founded with the commitment of helping women and children across Guyana. Through the YANA Foundation, Atwell and her team have dedicated their efforts to identifying and assisting the most v u l n e r a b l e a n d impoverished persons in our

society.

Since the work started i n 2 0 1 8 , YA N A h a s provided assistance to over 500 clients and mobilised hundreds of volunteers to impact change.

Ms. Atwell uses her powerful social presence to provide assistance to vulnerable women and children throughout Guyana. Utilising her life experiences, she mobilises resources for building healthy relationships and lives by working with communities, local and international not-for-profit organisations, and

businesses.

In addition to her work with YANA, Atwell is the CEO of FAB KIDS 592 and MK Marketing and Konsulting and has been r ecognised by the 25 Influential Women Leaders Award and Heart-to-Heart Foundation for her impactful work. She was also recently named in New York as a Caribbean Impact Award honoree.

For more information on the work of Atwell’s organisation, contact can be made with her via yanaguyana592@gmail.co m.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 66

THE

Court Journal

Sunday April 10, 2022

6 on remand for murder, 1 for manslaughter

For many Guyanese, and even people across the world, life is becoming increasingly difficult. In fact, for many, their level of tolerance has decreased, a state of affairs, some commentators believe, is causing our society to become especially violent –

capital offence of murder and was remanded to prison.

The defendant, Lenny Fraser, was not required to plead to the indictable charge which states that on April 4, 2022, at Hogg Street and Independence Boulevard, Georgetown, he murdered Isaiah Smith.

Fraser had appeared

abdomen. Smith then reportedly turned and ran but collapsed a short a distance away.

On Wednesday, April 6, last, Michael Sooklall, 49, a manager with BK Quarries located along the Mazaruni River, Region Seven, was remanded for allegedly killing his colleague, a 69-

reportedly told investigators that Sharma had threatened to complain to their superiors that he (the manager) was not doing his job properly.

Sooklall, in his confession, said that he was afraid that if Sharma complained, then most likely he would be replaced by him (Sharma).

Soto was reportedly killed for offering Williams’ girlfriend a drop on his ATV. Soto and his alleged killer had reportedly started drinking at a bar earlier on the evening of February 10 and had stopped drinking during the wee hours of the following day. The suspect reportedly decided to leave

to a murder charge.

Eon Gonsalves called “Belly” of Grant 1802, Crabwood Creek, Upper Corentyne, Berbice appeared before Magistrate Alex Moore where the charge was read to him.

The charge states that Gonsalves murdered 21-yearold Lakhan Chaterpal on

Dead, Chavez Mangal

Charged, Eon Gonsalves

Dead, Isaiah Smith

Charged, Keron Williams

Dead, Lakhan Chaterpal

Charged, Lenny Fraser

in essence, amicable resolution to a matter is often disregarded.

On January 16, last, I wrote that six men were charged with the capital offence of murder while one was charged with manslaughter.

Today, I will share with you the details of these cases that were brought before the courts. The persons who were killed are: 16-year-old Isaiah

before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. He was remanded to prison and is expected to return to court on the April 28, 2022.

According to reports, Fraser is accused of stabbing Isaiah Smith, a 16-year-old boy to death for refusing to move from his premises.

S m i t h ’s f r i e n d s , w h o witnessed him being killed,

year-old truck driver at their worksite.

Sooklall made his court appearance at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Crystal Lambert.

He was charged with the murder of Pitamber Sharma of Independence Street, La Grange, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

He was not required to plead to the indictable charge and is expected to make his

Angered at the fact that he might lose his position, the manager admitted that he attacked Sharma and choked him to death. After Sharma died, he then dragged his body and dumped it into the river.

In another matter, a 20year-old man was remanded to prison for allegedly killing a Venezuelan national on February 11, 2022 during a drunken brawl over a woman.

with a female, however, there was reportedly an issue between the two.

At some point, the Ve n e z u e l a n n a t i o n a l reportedly decided to intervene and offered the young lady a drop on his bike.

Police had told Kaieteur News that the request he made for the “girl” to travel with him infuriated the suspect.

There was an exchange of words between them and the

Wednesday, March 9, 2022 at Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Berbice.

Gonsalves, who was unrepresented, was not required to plead to the indictable charge and bail was denied.

He was remanded to prison until May 31, 2022 when he is expected to appear at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court.

Reports from the police

Dead, Leon Gittens

Dead, Moses Anthony

Charged, Michael Sooklall

Charged, Nizam Persaud

Dead, Pitamber Sharma

Charged, Shurwayne Brandt

Smith, 69-year-old Pitamber Sharma, 43-year-old Rafael Antonio Aquino Soto, 21year-old Lakhan Chaterpal, 25-year-old Leon Gittens, 30-year-old Chavez Mangal and Moses Anthony.

recalled that it took place around 14:55hrs. They had been sitting together with him on a bench situated on the eastern side of the suspect’s home.

Fraser allegedly came out and ordered them to move but Smith refused and was allegedly slapped by the suspect. A scuffle reportedly ensued between the two during which the suspect allegedly pulled out a knife from his pants waist and stabbed Smith to his

next court appearance on April 27, 2022.

According to reports, Sooklall was one of two persons detained by police after an autopsy had revealed that Sharma was strangled.

Sharma was reportedly killed after 18:00hrs on Wednesday last and his body dumped into the Mazaruni River. His remains were found around 07:20hrs, the following day.

Sooklall while in police custody reportedly confessed to killing Sharma. He

The defendant was identified as Keron Williams, 20, also known as Virgil of Baramita, North West District, Region One. He is accused of murdering Rafael Antonio Aquino Soto, 43, along a trail at Baramita.

Williams was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge that was read to him.

According to reports,

suspect pulled out a knife and stabbed Soto to the left side of his chest before escaping. Soto fell and reportedly bled to death right next to his ATV. The suspect had been on the run and was finally captured on March 8, 2022, after hiding out in the Big Creek Backdam located miles away from Baramita.

Also in March, a 26-yearold man made his first court appearance in the No.51 Magistrate Court in relation

detailed that Lakhan had returned to Guyana from the USA to attend his brother’s wedding which was held on March 6, 2022.

However, two days later, there was a family event at which three men, who are not related to them, entered the yard where the wedding was being held (Grant 1802 CWC). They were asked to leave by relatives after they reportedly began using an illegal substance. The men Continued on page 70

By Renay Sambach

MURDER The first matter is the recent stabbing of a 16-yearold boy who was killed reportedly over sitting on a man’s bench. As such, on April 7, last, a 45-year-old labourer was charged for the

Kaieteur News

Sunday April 10, 2022

Body found on Lethem trail Police have revealed that a man, whose body was found on Friday lying along the Massara Access Road, North Rupununi, Region Nine, was killed after losing control of his motorcycle.

The dead man was identified as 44-yearold Valdimer Bezzera of Massara Village.

According to police, Bezzera was found sometime after 20:00hrs lying motionless along the road not too far from his motorcycle, by other motorists who were

passing. He was picked up and rushed to the Massara Health Centre where the medex stationed there officially pronounced him dead on arrival.

Investigations conducted by police revealed that Bezzera was riding home and while negotiating a turn, he lost control of his motorcycle and fell on the roadway.

He sustained multiple injuries to his body and it is believed that he might have died on the spot.

Govt. tax waiver to oil companies...

From page 18 requested in his Fixed Date Application (FDA) and to strike down the GOG’s affidavit of defence immediately.

Last January, Lall through his attorney, Mohamed Ali filed an FDA in the High Court to challenge the tax waivers.

In the application, the newspaper boss noted the broad and extensive concessions granted to Exxon and its affiliates.

According to the FDA, Article 15.11 of the Petroleum Agreement states: “There shall be no tax, duty, fee, withholding, charge or other impost applicable on interest payment, dividends, deemed dividends, transfer of profit or deemed remittance of profits for

Contractors’, Affiliated Companies’ or NonResident Sub-Contractors’ branch in Guyana to its foreign or head office or to Affiliated Companies.”

This, Lall said, is in violation of the petroleum law.

Further, the section of the agreement, which outlines “the oil affiliates shall not be liable for personal income tax in Guyana on income earned in Guyana for any given tax year if the expatriate is physically present in Guyana for one hundred eighty-three (183) days or less on a cumulative basis in the tax year of assessment,” Lall said for all intents and purposes, this section is also in violation of the petroleum law.

Guyana commits to aiding reduction...

From page 15 invest in the agricultural potential of countries.” The President said, too, that these investors will put in the capital and develop the product output, targeting produce such as coffee, cocoa, spices and sugarcane, among other confirmed crops.

The President went on to state that packaging is also an important area for attracting investment, “…and that is what the CARICOM Secretariat and the technical team would be doing. Working with every single country to package what we want…we can’t package something, and when investors come, they take 10 months to facilitate the process of getting it off the ground. That is not what

we want to achieve,” the President said.

He posited, however, that the inaugural Investment Forum and Expo is critical in bringing together leaders, practitioners, farmers and others along the value chain.

He said, “We as leaders in CARICOM have tied ourselves to a timeframe.

That should tell you how serious we are about this. We didn’t leave this as an openended discussion. We have tied ourselves to that timeframe. We now look forward to the support of all of you in the region, in the private sector, in the field of food production and distribution to work with us.”

As for Guyana, “I want to say to you, you not only

have our commitment from Guyana; as far as our resources would allow us, we are going to provide the financing that is required to help to support the implementation of this strategy because it is key for all of us.”

The inaugural AgriInvestment Forum & Expo will be held on May 19-21, 2022, under the theme: ‘Investing in Vision 25 by 2025’. Dr. Carla Natalie B a r n e t t , C A R I C O M ’s General Secretary, was among the regional leaders who joined the launch virtually. They included Prime Minister of the Republic of Barbados, Mia Mottley and Prime Minister, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves .

Fisherfolk organisation awaiting...

From page 61 Jainarine said that while the Upper Corentyne fishermen may not be feeling the squeeze like other co-ops, they understand the seriousness of the situation. He said that he has been paying attention to the need for research, which would require upfront baseline data that would show a pattern of change in the physical environment and the effects of that change overtime.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha had told fish stakeholders last November that the government would not allow the fishing industry to die. He had told them that the government was engaging the EPA and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to conduct a study relating to the fish environment. In fact, he told Kaieteur News last Thursday that there was no update on the study so far but that it was ongoing. He said

that the information would be made public on conclusion.

On Kaieteur Radio’s Guyana Oil and You which was also held last Thursday, Head of the EPA, Kemraj Parsram, said that the EPA is aware of the concerns relating to the fishing industry and that the EPA and the FAO were currently working to bring to stakeholders the status of the industry. Senior Environmental Officer and Head of EPA’s Oil and Gas Department, Joel Gravesande also noted, during the same radio show, that there are already studies relating to the fish environment, which Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), the Stabroek Block operator, had conducted over the years. The EPA representative said that the studies are not new and that what is required from the oil companies now is just updated versions of what already existed.

PAGE 67

ExxonMobil offers Guyana US$2B to cover oil spill costs...

From page 62 preventer will automatically close hydraulic rams and activate specialised seals against the drill string to seal the bore. If this does not work properly, there are other rams, which can completely cut through the drill string to seal the hole. In all, the BOP has six independent shut-in mechanisms.

As for a capping stack, this is a large well closure device that connects to the top of the blowout preventer and is capable of sealing off a well. It is only used in the highly unlikely situation where a loss of well control includes both a surface blowout and failure of the blowout preventer.

Carryl was keen to note that the inclusion of the capping stack provision is actually one of the superior clauses of the Yellowtail Permit. She said too that EEPGL has to procure and maintain that equipment in Guyana while adding that it, therefore, fortifies the emergency response that would be needed in the event of an uncontrolled well event. She said too that EEPGL also has to maintain a subscription service with a provider for another capping stack so that they would have easy access to another.

Now, if both of these shut in mechanisms fail, and an unmitigated oil spill occurs, Head of the EPA, Mr. Kemraj Parsram has assured that there is a robust provision in place for financial assurance.

Parsram explained that the permit provides for a declaration from EEPGL to give Guyana what is termed self insurance.

He said, “In a recent media release, the company noted that its 2020 financial standing was US$5B to US$7B in assets and its coventure partners, Hess Corporation and CNOOC would have similar standing too. Another layer to this is the actual insurance. Let me say this, for every exploration activity EEPGL has to provide an insurance policy and this totals US$600M. So each project such as those 12 wells being pursued for Kaieteur and Canje, each programme is covered by a US$600M insurance policy.”

Parsram continued, “In the case of Yellowtail, they have provided to us, a policy that I think is a maximum of an aggregate totalling US$4B. Let me explain what means, in the construction phase there is something called, Construction All

Risks Insurance (CAR) and a Per Occurrence valued at US$750M. So anytime there is an incident and there is loss or damage to equipment they can claim this.”

The EPA Head added, “…Then there is a key thing in insurance that deals with the oil spill aspect and this is referred to as third party liability and operator extra expenses. Third party liability is at US$100M and this covers compensation for any affected parties, any legal fees and what not.

Operator extra expenses come into play with having well control and that is at the tune of US$500M. So it is a total of US$600M and this is what is in the Yellowtail Permit and it is similar to Liza One, and Liza Two.” If for any reason EEPGL or its co-venturers default or are unable to satisfy the full pollution cost, the EPA wants Exxon to step up and provide coverage hence it is seeking a guarantee from the parent company ExxonMobil, that fully indemnifies the Government of Guyana.

Kaieteur News was told that the parent company has proposed US$2B to cover what cannot be handled by EEPGL in the event of an oil spill. But the EPA is questioning if this is enough.

Parsram said Exxon has been asked to explain how it arrived at the proposed sum.

“We are asking them for the reasonably credible cost of a worst case scenario spill in terms of clean up, remediation and monitoring and that will inform us on what is really a reasonable figure on what is to be accepted as a guarantee. So we want them to do that and then get back to us,” the EPA boss stated.

He added, “So we have a draft document on this from them. We, as the regulator, are working on them and questioning what makes sense and what doesn’t and laying out what we expect.

So to address rumours or speculations that they are in breach of their permit, no they are not, they have provided it but we have to sign off accepting it. But we are holding off until we are comfortable and have certain measures in place…I am not saying the US$2B would not be accepted but you cannot come up with a figure out of the air, you have to show me how you arrived at that figure…”

In conclusion on this matter, EPA’s Legal Officer said unlike the other permits, Yellowtail requires full indemnification. “So irrespective of what occurs, EEPGL must meet the environmental obligations and Guyana would not be left with the bills in its hands.”

PAGE 68

Sunday April 10, 2022

Kaieteur News

4 patients still in COVID-19 ICU, 5 new cases

VEHICLE FOR SALE One Honda CRV,fully loaded immaculate condition, low mileage 3.3M negotiable.

Contact:649-0956.

2001 RAV 4,in good condition not working.Price $800,000.

Call:648-9248.

1-Model M Truck,TM Truck, 428 Caterpillar Backhoe,416 Caterpillar Back hoe,Front end loader, Cement mixer truck,Mini Excavator.6500402/652-0251.

Toyota Verossa PLL Series $1.6M.Tel:660-2661/Whatsa pp 608-6948.

PROPERTY FOR SALE PFS on the main road MC Doom E.B.D 120x50.Call:6130007.

5 bedroom house.Better hope E.C.D,price 29.5M neg. Tel: 660-7935.

ENTERTAINMENT TOURS!Easter weekend trip to Suriname:Apr 14-17th, 2022.Tel:639-2663/673-2348.

On Saturday, the Ministry of Health in its daily reporting revealed that four persons are still in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), while five new infections have been recorded in the country.

The new infections, the Ministry’s dashboard shows were recorded in Region Four which now brings the total number of confirmed cases to 63,315.

The dashboard data states also that 10 persons are in institutional isolation, 84 are in home isolation and 16 are quarantined institutionally.

Within the last 24-hour period, five persons have recovered from the virus, taking the total number of recoveries to 61,991.

TOURS!Independence weekend trio to Suriname: May 26th-29th, 2022. Tel: 639-2663/ 673-2348.

SERVICES Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design,Advertisements, Wedding decorations & Elderly grooming: Hair,Nail etc.Tel:626-7040.

Specialized repairs/service refrigerator, washing machine, pressure pump, stove, treadmill,dryer, filteration system, deep fryer.Call:6949733.

Autobody work,equipment spray paint.Tel:663-2026.

Mo's Bobcat Rental & Towing Service.Now hiring Bobcat Drivers. Call:643-8727/ whatsapp 685-9744.

Installation, Repairs and parts for AC,Fridge, Washing machine, Stove etc.Call Nick#656-0110/630-1600.

FOR RENT WANTED One female to work in Interior,must be 18yrs & over.

Tel:674-9999.

1 live in to work in George town.Must be 18yrs & over.

Tel:674-9999.

Male to work in Interior.Must be 18 & over.Tel:686-2201.

1 Headcook,1 Assistant Cook,1 Cleaner for Restaurant. Call:602-8067/677-7011.

Servers needed at Emmanuel's Delight. Located at Diamond,tel:651-6342.

General domestic covid 19 vaccinated for Tuesday & Saturday between Cove & John & Unity E.C.D.Tel:2590953/623-3231.

Water truck driver on West Bank Demerara.Tel:686-9296.

FOR SALE One (1) RZ Minibus – BJJ Series. Contact: (+592) 646-5608 Price: $Negotiable$ 2-1 acres land@ blankenbu rg W.C.D. Contact:650-0402/ 652-0251.

1-40 acres land@Linden Highway.Contact:650-0402/ 652-0251.

Dried carilla bush,soursop leaves,lemongrass,mango leaves (anyquantity). Call: 609-8281/693-3003.

Female to take care of an elderly male between the ages of 25 to 40. Accommodations provided.Call or WhatsApp 1-868-683-1528.

6-4 & 5 bedroom house at Schoonord,1-3 story building at Zeelugt,1-3 bedroom at Blankenburg.Contact:6500402/652-0251.

VACANCY

Prime business spot(1/2 acre land) @Parika, house lots at Blanken burg,double lot at Tushen. Contact:650-0402/ 652-0251.

One salesman,able bodied porters.Experience in writing bills,stocktaking & cashing.

Keyfood Trading,Mc Doom village.

Kaieteur M@ilbox National Day of Prayer...

From page 6 Guyana means, or should? I like the thinking of praying for these things, under these umbrellas, but I would like it more VACANCY to observe the deeds that go Billing clerk & Porters, loca- hand in hand with the sweet tion Stabroek Market. Experi- words and sweeter promise. ences is an asset. Contact: It is where adversaries are not target for vilification and 661-1000,226-9800. demonisation; where Maintenance man & room attendants,30-50 yrs old.233 South Road Lacytown or 2252304.

One bulldozer operator to From page 6 work in Great Diamond. Con- cketing inflation. Almost every respondent is worried tact:632-1118/647-4161. about crime with a large maMaid to cook and clean for jority also saying inflation has East Bank area.Call:615-9132. been a major problem affectOne clerk for TSI Eccles of- ing their standard of living fice English & Math, grade 1 over the last several months.

The poll was conducted or 2.Call:615-9132 or email application to techserigy in late February and March by this writer who has been @yahoo.com. conducting political surveys Sales girl with 3yrs working in Guyana and the Caribbean experience.Apply in person region since 1990. The at Alabama Trading,65 Robb sample of 750 adults was St Bourda. stratified to reflect the demographics of the population.

Pitmen,Serviceman,Hauler Based on the findings of Operator for interior location. the March poll, President Applicants must be experiAli’s approval rating stood at enced. Call:231-2250.

72% up by 8% from late last One female cleaner.Apply year with a disapproval of at:Lens 136 Sheriff St C/Ville 21%; 7% offered no opinion.

Georgetown.Contact:227- The government’s overall performance rating was 62% 2486 or 227-1511. with a disapproval of 32%.

Qualified individuals,22 years Prime Minister Mark Phillips’ and above to work with a performance approval rating reputable organization. At- was 63% with a disapproval tractive benefits.Call 679- of 29%. Vice President 2497.

Jagdeo’s approval rating was

neighbourly friendship aces unforgiving partisanship; where authenticity replaces hypocrisy.

Be such from me or His Excellency. These aspects of life in Guyana are not going to evolve from a day, a speech, a fleeting moment of orchestrated humility. We have to do the work, give of our-

selves, and constantly, as well as quietly, outside of the cameras and the thrilling selfcongratulations that we attach to our handiworks. We must work tirelessly, constantly, and then we may see our way some place else. Perhaps.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

Poll: President Grows...

70% with a disapproval of 20%; 10% offered no opinion.

The administration’s approval rating has seen on an uptick because of its handling of the many challenges facing the country and grounding with the people. The President, Prime Minister, Vice President and Ministers have been on outreaches engaging the public to find out their problems and addressing same. Many said the President, VP, the PM, and the Ministers have been working very hard. The Vice President in association with Dr. Ashni Singh has been credited for his management of the economy. Respondents gave the President a thumbs up for going out meeting people routinely, for having a common touch with ordinary folks, and for hosting celebrations of festivals like Phagwah at the lawns of State House. Asked about the recent budget, some 76% of the respondents gave a thumbs up with only

19% expressing dissatisfaction. Almost every respondent said they are pleased with government’s efforts to cushion the blow from sudden inflation attributed to Covid, global fuel price hike, rising shipping costs, and other factors. But they feel more needs to be done to lower costs of basic goods.

They say, prices keep rising every time they go to the market or grocery stores.

The poll asked respondents who they would describe as the leading Ministers based on performance and who have reached out to the public. All the Minister received majority positive rating. Respondents say several Ministers touched their hearts including Zulfikar Mustapha, Vindhya Persaud, Collin Croal, Anil Nandlall, Deodat Indar, Bishop Edghill, Kwame McCoy, Susan Rodrigues, among others.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram (PhD)

Sunday April 10, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 69

PAGE 70

Kaieteur News

Sunday April 10, 2022

The AP Interview: Zelenskyy 6 on remand for murder, 1... seeks peace despite atrocities KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that he is committed to pressing for peace despite Russian attacks on civilians that have stunned the world, and he renewed his plea for countries to send more weapons ahead of an expected surge in fighting in the countrys east.

He made the comments in an interview with The Associated Press a day after at least 52 people were killed in a strike on a train station in the eastern city of Kramatorsk, and as evidence of civilian killings came to light after Russian troops failed to seize the capital where he has hunkered down, Kyiv.

“No one wants to

negotiate with a person or people who tortured this nation.

Its all understandable. And as a m a n , a s a f a t h e r, I understand this very well,” Zelenskyy said.

But “we dont want to lose opportunities, if we have them, for a diplomatic solution.”

“We have to fight, but fight for life. You cant fight for dust when there is nothing and no people. Thats why it is important to stop this war,” he said.

Russian troops that withdrew from northern Ukraine are now regrouping for what is expected to be an intensified push to retake the eastern Donbas region, including the besieged port city of Mariupol that Ukrainian fighters are striving

to defend.

Zelenskyy said he is confident Ukrainians would accept peace despite the horrors they have witnessed in the more than six-week-long war.

Those included gruesome images of bodies of civilians found in yards, parks and city squares and buried in mass graves in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha after Russian troops withdrew. Ukrainian and Western leaders have accused Moscow of war crimes. Russia has falsely claimed that the scenes in Bucha were staged.

It also put the blame on Ukraine for the attack on the train station as thousands of people rushed to flee ahead of an expected Russian offensive.

From page 66 reportedly became annoyed and decided to damage the vehicles that were parked a short distance away.

This caused Lakhan and other relatives to venture out and confront the men and an argument ensued. At some point, there was a scuffle and Lakhan was stabbed to the lower abdomen.

The men escaped and he was rushed to the Skeldon Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police had arrested two persons including Gonsalves but the prime suspect has not been located to date.

Also in March, a 28-yearold man who was arrested for the murder of a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) medex, who was stabbed to death during a brawl at his sister’s wedding, was remanded to prison for the offence.

The defendant, Nizam Persaud, a mason of Good Hope Squatting area, East Coast Demerara (ECD), made his first court appearance at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore where the capital charge of murder was read to him.

Persaud was not required to plead to the charge, which alleges that on March 13, last, at Lot 143 Phase Two, Good Hope, ECD he murdered 30year-old Chavez Mangal.

Magistrate Azore remanded the young man to prison and the matter was adjourned to May 13, 2022 for statements.

It was reported that on the night of March 13, 2022, the fatal stabbing was perpetrated by a group of uninvited guests.

According to reports, Mangal’s younger sister had gotten married that day and it was at the groom’s residence that Mangal was allegedly stabbed.

One of the dead man’s sisters told Kaieteur News that while everyone was enjoying themselves, there was a group of young men who were picking trouble with some girls on the dance floor.

She related that the young men are from the Good Hope area but they were not invited to the wedding.

“There were these young guys, there by the music set drinking and touching girls as they dance,” the woman related. According to her, it was one of her cousins and the

young men who had an altercation after that.

The woman said when the fight broke out, the men started to pelt beer bottles at each other, causing the guests at the wedding to run and hide. Kaieteur News was told that Mangal was stabbed while trying to be a peacemaker between his cousin and the group of young men.

After he got stabbed, he reportedly ran into the kitchen where he collapsed, and it was one of his sisters that discovered that he was injured and rushed him to the hospital.

A police report stated that it was a suspect, who was at the DJ booth at the time that pulled a knife from his waist and stabbed the GDF rank to his right upper chest.

Similar to what Mangal’s sister told this newspaper, the police reported that the four young men had armed themselves with glass bottles and had thrown the bottles at the building, after which they ran away.

The report also states that the 24-year-old DJ, who had exited the yard during the commotion, was confronted by one of the suspects who chopped him to his left hand and robbed him of a Mac Pro Book laptop computer valued some $130,000. The injured DJ was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was examined and admitted.

According to police, Mangal, who was rushed to the Dr. Balwant Singh Hospital, succumbed to his injuries around 01:00hrs on Monday, March 14, last.

It was reported that Persaud was arrested about five houses away from where the incident occurred. According to reports, he was searched and ranks found two knives and a scissors in his pants waist. The suspect had visible injuries to his forehead, left hand and body. He was questioned about his injuries and reportedly told police that he was at the wedding house and was attacked.

The three other suspects involved in the brawl are still in hiding and investigations are ongoing.

It was in February of this year, Shurwayne Brandt, the suspect who allegedly disguised as a woman to kill his son-in-law was on remanded to prison for the offence.

Brandt is accused of mur-

dering Leon Gittens, 25, on Friday, February 18, at a house located in East La Penitence, Georgetown.

He appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan.

Brandt was not required to plead to the indictable charge after it was read to him.

According to reports, Brandt was captured at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport, Ogle, East Coast of Demerara (ECD), two days after his son-in-law was killed. He was at the time waiting to board a plane to Barbados.

It is alleged that around midnight on the day in question, a man dressed in a wig and dress was an intruder in his daughter’s house located at East La Penitence, Georgetown, and shot Gittens three times.

MANSLAUGHTER In March, a man was slapped with a manslaughter charge for allegedly killing his brother, Moses Anthony, with a piece of broken tile during a brawl at their home, which is located at Third Street, Alberttown, Georgetown.

The defendant, Richard Anthony, was not required to plead to the indictable charge after he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

According to reports, Richard reportedly killed his younger brother, Moses, a baker around 21:00hrs on the day in question.

It was reported that when cops arrived at the scene, Moses’ bloodied remains were found lying in an alleyway leading to their home.

Before tragedy struck, Moses had been drinking and had arrived home “high”.

It was reported that this caused him to start an argument with his brother over an old grievance, which they had. They subsequently began fighting in the house. It was described as a “cuff out”.

During the fight, Richard found a piece of broken tile and stabbed Moses to his neck.

The fight continued and they reportedly moved to the yard. They stopped for a few seconds and Moses reportedly walked out to the alleyway where he collapsed and died.

Sunday April 10, 2022

Hyderabad beat Chennai by 8 wickets for 1st win in IPL MUMBAI, India (AP) — Abhishek Sharma hit his maiden Indian Premier League half-century as Sunrisers Hyderabad kept Chennai Super Kings winless with an eight-wicket victory yesterday.

Sharma’s brilliant 75 took Hyderabad to 155-2 with more than two overs to spare, while Rahul Tripathi smashed an unbeaten 39 off 15 balls against a star-studded Chennai side.

Sharma and captain Kane Williamson (32) provided Hyderabad with a solid opening stand of 89 after Chennai had struggled to

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Kaieteur News

reach 154-7 earlier.

Williamson said. “The ball held on the surface (but) we were able to build partnerships and Abhishek was terrific. The game always challenges you, everybody is trying to make contributions to the team.”

Williamson fell in the 13th over when he gave a simple catch in the covers before Tripathi upped the scoring rate in a rapid 56-run secondwicket stand.

Chris Jordan went for 34 in his three overs and Moeen Ali was taken out of the attack after only one over which went for 10 runs.

Abhishek Sharma launches the ball to the square-leg boundary. (BCCI) Sharma holed out in the deep off Dwayne Bravo with 10 required for victory and Tripathi earned Hyderabad its first points from three games with a boundary, leaving

Sunday April 10, 2022 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Are you considering moving to a new residence, redecorating, or making some home improvements,? If so, this is a good time to do it.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) You might need to make a lot of phone calls and get through some lingering paperwork today. A business partner or friend could be instrumental in helping clear up some loose ends that have been left hanging.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) If you've been worrying about having spent too much recently, the astral configuration indicates you should be able to put those worries behind you.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Communication takes a prominent place in your life today. Your practical, direct, and down-to-Earth manner can be very impressive.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Communication of all sorts could be vital to you today, Libra. You might spend much of the day on the phone organizing an important event or perhaps clearing up a misunderstanding.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Your outlook is apt to be optimistic, enthusiastic, and practical, Scorpio! You have both creative and workable ideas. They're likely to lead to success, although it could take considerable time and effort to make it happen.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Tending to paperwork could take up much of your time today. A lot could be riding on your careful planning and projections, so you're probably taking it very seriously.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Communication between you and either a business or romantic partner should get a fresh start today.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You could be surrounded by secrets. A number of colleagues might be leaving to pursue new opportunities, and you could wonder if there's a reason for it that escapes you. It might even have you reevaluating whether or not you should stay put!

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You've been juggling career, romance, and creative interests for the past year, Aquarius. This is apt to continue. However, you could find yourself building a new career involving writing or speaking, perhaps in addition to your current career.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) A phone call or email from a friend could open up new career possibilities for you, Virgo, perhaps involving the communications industry. Tales of people who have hit it big in this field could be circulating widely.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Ingenuity blossoms when you make the effort to do a little writing, perhaps technical manuals or other professionally oriented projects. This could represent a new stage in your professional life.

Chennai bottom of the table with zero points from four matches.

Earlier, Moeen top-scored with 48 off 35 balls as Chennai’s struggles with the bat continued. Spinner Washington Sundar produced impressive figures of 2-21.

“It’s with the ball that we are disappointed but we were 20-25 runs short,” Chennai skipper Ravindra Jadeja said.

“We’ll talk about where we are lacking. We are professionals and need to work hard, stick together and come back stronger.”

Scores: Sunrisers Hyderabad 155 for 2 (Abhishek 75, Tripathi 39*) beat Chennai Super Kings 154 for 7 (Moeen 48, Washington 2-21, Natarajan 2-30) by eight wickets.

Hershy Niles and Romario...

From page 79 $100,000 along with trophies and medals.

In addition there are individual awards for Player of the Match and two bats are also at stake in the competition which saw competing teams drawn from across Linden and Region 10 (Upper Demerara / Upper Berbice).

In the men’s tournament are Redhill, South Stars, Kairuni, Speightland All Stars, Hill Foot Vipers, Adventure, Circuit All Stars, and Modern Construction. The women’s competition will see Kairuni All Stars, Young Warriors, Roraima Warriors, Sunrise, Blazing fire, Kong Creek, Dave and Celena All Stars and Rising Stars contesting.

The fixtures in the male championship: Modern Construction will face Circuit All Stars, Adventure tackle Hill Foot Vipers, Speightland All Stars challenge Kairuni and South Stars take on Redhill.

In the women’s championship: the first round matches are Rising Stars oppose Dave and Celena All Stars, Long Creek meet Blazing Fire, Sunrise come up against Roraima Warriors and Young Warriors will clash with Kairuni Defenders.

B’ce U-17 beat visitors...

From page 78 the start of the game, resulted in the contest being reduced to 45overs per side and the host reached 155-8 off of their allotted overs.

The visitors were bowled out for 121 with 18 balls remaining when the game, watched by a small but vocal gathering which included BCB President Hilbert Foster and senior selector Albert Smith, concluded yesterday.

Asked to bat on a good track with a bit of carry on the large lush green outfield, Berbice U-17 got starts from West Indies U-19 Standby Rampertab Ramnauth (19),

Romesh Bharrat (23), Salim Cecil (26) and Raj Tikka (26).

Tikka and Cecil shared in the 31-run last wicket stand.

Fast bowler Anirudh Bolisetty produced a lively seven over spell to claim 231 for NY Tri State who never got going as the Americans struggled to score and never changed gear. Ruhan Swar top scored with a pedestrian paced 32 from 72 balls with three boundaries but nobody else reached 20.

Kumar Deopersaud, Afrasz Budhoo and Rashad Gaffoor took two wickets each for the home team.

(Sean Devers)

Kaieteur News

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Sunday April 10, 2022

NBA roundup Suns rally in fourth to stun Jazz Reuters - Devin Booker scored 33, and Chris Paul added 16 points and 16 assists as the Phoenix Suns rallied from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter to stun the Utah Jazz 111-105 Friday night in Salt Lake City.

The result added another W to the best ever record for Phoenix and boosted the NBA-leading Suns to a franchise-record 32nd win on the road.

Deandre Ayton (19 points, 10 rebounds) and Mikal Bridges (18 points) stood out on both ends of the court in the final quarter as the Suns outscored the Jazz

36-13. This rally came two days after Phoenix reserves nearly overcame a 39-point deficit against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Bojan Bogdanovic led the Jazz with 21 points and Rudy Gobert compiled his 52nd double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Utah had a chance to clinch the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference playoffs — the Suns are locked in at the top — but the Jazz are now tied with the Denver Nuggets.

The Jazz wrap up their regular season Sunday night in Portland at the same time Denver hosts the LeBron James-less Los Angeles

Lakers. Utah will earn the fifth seed with a win, and will fall to No. 6 with a loss and a Denver victory.

Bucks 131, Pistons 101 Giannis Antetokounmpo went for 30 points as visiting Milwaukee defeated Detroit to clinch at least the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Antetokounmpo also had 13 rebounds and eight assists while shooting 9 of 16 from the field to lead Milwaukee over Detroit for the third time this season. Brook Lopez chipped in 17 points, Khris Middleton contributed 15 and Jrue Holiday posted 10 to go along with nine

assists.

Reserve Rodney McGruder paced the Pistons with a career-high 26 points on 9-of-11 shooting. Saddiq Bey contributed 20 points and Cade Cunningham finished with 14, seven assists and six rebounds.

Nets 118, Cavaliers 107 Kevin Durant scored 36 points as host Brooklyn used a big fourth quarter to survive blowing an early 17point lead in a victory over Cleveland in New York.

Durant made 11 of 20 shots, including the goahead 3-pointer that put Brooklyn up 95-93 with 8:52 left. Kyrie Irving added 18

points and eight assists for Brooklyn, which shot 46.7 percent. Bruce Brown nearly posted a triple-double with 18 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Andre Drummond contributed 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Darius Garland scored 31 points for the Cavs but took a hard fall with 3:54 remaining when he collided with Irving. Lauri Markkanen added 17 and Evan Mobley also finished with 17 in his return from an ankle injury.

Knicks 114, Wizards 92 Obi Toppin scored a career-high 35 points as visiting New York overcame the loss of star forward RJ Barrett to cruise past Washington.

The Knicks also overcame an early doubledigit deficit in the penultimate game of the season for both teams.

To p p i n s h a t t e r e d h i s previous career-high of 20 points, set Saturday and Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic. Toppin, who hadn’t hit more than four 3pointers in a game entering Friday, was 6-of-9 from beyond the arc against the Wizards.

Rui Hachimura scored 21 points for the Wizards, while Deni Avdija had 11 points. Raul Neto added 14 points off the bench while fellow reserve Thomas Bryant recorded 10 rebounds.

Heat 113, Hawks 109 Tyler Herro’s 3-pointer

and Bam Adebayo’s dunk in the final two minutes helped Miami complete a fourthquarter rally and beat visiting Atlanta.

Miami came into the matchup having already clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, but held nothing back in a competitive game that could be a first-round playoff preview.

Tyler Herro scored five of his 15 points down the stretch, including a key pullup 3-pointer to give Miami the lead with 1:44 to go.

Jimmy Butler scored 20 points, and Gabe Vincent added 11 points for the Heat.

Atlanta’s Trae Young led all scorers with 35 points, Hornets 133, Bulls 117 LaMelo Ball scored all 24 of his points in the first half and four reserves reached double figures as visiting Charlotte posted a victory against struggling Chicago.

The Hornets led by more than 30 points in the first half in the second-to-last game of the regular season for both teams. Both squads will be in the postseason. The Bulls have lost four games in a row.

Miles Bridges finished with 20 points and Terry Rozier had 15 for Charlotte.

Zach LaVine’s 23 points led the Bulls.

In other results: Raptors 117, Rockets 115 Mavericks 128, Trail Blazers 78 Lakers 120, Thunder 101 (Field Level Media)

Following changes to the fixtures...

From page 76 Exports and CIDI. The rules governing the tournament includes the no offside rule and teams are allowed five substitutions. The games are of two 20-minute halves for a 40-minute duration. The tournament is a straight knockout one with no extra time being played. A tie at the end of regulation would result in the teams dueling in the dreaded sudden death penalty shootout.

All other FIFA rules apply and the Referee is the sole authority of these games. Teams showing up late beyond a reasonable time determined by the organisers will be disqualified and their game forfeited via the walkover route.

Bank

Kaieteur News

Sunday April 10, 2022

Man United and Arsenal slip up, Chelsea hit Southampton for 6

M

ANCHESTE R, England, (Reuters) Manchester United and Arsenal’s Premier League top-four hopes were hit by defeats yesterday as Chelsea bounced back from their Champions League loss by scoring six goals at Southampton.

Leaders Manchester City host second-placed Liverpool today, leaving the focus of yesterday’s games on the battle for the fourth Champions League spot.

United suffered a 1-0 loss to struggling Everton at Goodison Park while Arsenal were handed a surprise 2-1 home defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion.

The results were a major boost for Tottenham Hotspur who were fourth on 54 points ahead of their trip to Aston Villa later yesterday.

Arsenal are also on 54 points with West Ham United and Manchester United both on 51 points.

Out of all cup competitions, United needed a victory at Frank Lampard’s struggling Everton to kickstart their bid to return to the Champions League.

But after a promising start from the visitors it was Everton who grabbed the lead through Anthony G o r d o n ’s s h o t w h i c h deflected off Harry Maguire and beat the wrong-footed David De Gea in the United goal.

Everton, whose defeat at Burnley in midweek had left them a point and a place above the relegation zone, showed real grit and determination to hang on to their lead while United looked totally lacking in a coherent game plan.

A late Cristiano Ronaldo effort was as close as United came to an equaliser as they slipped to a loss that left English football’s most successful club languishing seventh in the table.

Everton moved four points clear of 18th-placed Burnley, who travel to Norwich City on Sunday.

A r s e n a l s u ff e r e d a second straight loss as Brighton ended their sevenmatch winless run with Zambian midfielder Enock Mwepu scoring one goal and creating another.

Brighton opened the

scoring when a long ball found Mwepu on the flank and he picked out Leandro Trossard who curled past Aaron Ramsdale.

DECISIVE BLOW Arsenal made tactical shifts that showed signs of turning the game around but they were dealt a decisive blow when Mwepu drilled home a half-volley from the edge of the box.

Martin Odegaard provided a late slither of hope in the 89th minute with a long-range shot that took a wicked deflection and looped over goalkeeper Robert Sanchez to give Arsenal a lifeline, but Brighton held on.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel was furious with his team’s performance in their 3-1 loss at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League but get the desired reaction from his players.

Two goals each by Timo Werner and Mason Mount and first- half strikes by Marcos Alonso and Kai Havertz sealed a 6-0 demolition job at St Mary’s Stadium.

Chelsea went up 1-0 in the eighth minute as Alonso ran on to a deft flick by Mount and blasted in his first league goal since the opening day of the campaign.

M o u n t , C h e l s e a ’s leading scorer in the league this season, equalled his tally of nine goals from the previous campaign with a superb shot from outside the box after Southampton’s shaky defence failed to deal with Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s cross.

Werner made up for earlier misses by beating Jan Bednarek for pace before rounding Fraser Forster and finishing into an empty net and Havertz swept in Chelsea’s fourth.

A relentless Chelsea were rewarded again after the break as Werner tapped in a rebound from N’Golo Kante’s effort which was saved by Forster and Mount completed the rout.

American manager Jesse Marsch saw his Leeds United take a big step towards Premier League survival with a 3-0 victory over Watford at Vicarage Road.

Chelsea’s Mason Mount scores their sixth goal. (REUTERS/Peter Nicholls)

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Brianna Lyston destroyed Simone Facey’s 18-year-old the Class I Girls 200m record to take Gold.

Kaieteur News

Sunday April 10, 2022

Brianna Lyston smashes 18-year-old 200m record to win gold at Champs 2022 SportsMax - Hydel’s Brianna Lyston destroyed Simone Facey’s 18-year-old the Class I Girls 200m record (22.71) with a phenomenal 22.53 into a -2.2 m/s headwind to win gold on Day five of the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday.

Vere Technical’s Kaylia Kelly was second in 23.59 and St. Jago’s Shenese Walker was third in 23.89.

Bryan Levell completed the sprint double by running 20.77 to win the Class I Boys event ahead of JC’s Deandre

Watkin (20.84) and St. Jago’s 400m champion Gregory Prince (20.92).

100m silver medalist Alana Reid won gold in the Class II race in 23.59 ahead of Immaculate Conception’s Mickalia Haisely (23.87) and Mount Alvernia’s Carletta Bernard (24.02).

JC’s Mark Anthony Miller added to his 100m gold medal with 21.82 to win the Class II Boys event ahead of Omarion Barrett of Steer Town (21.97) Enrique Webster of STETHS (22.15).

T h e i a n n a - L e e Terrelonge completed her own sprint double in Class III with a personal best 23.91 to win ahead of Lacovia’s 400m champion Sabrina Dockery (24.30) and Holmwood Technical’s Abrina Wright (24.44).

Nickecoy Bramwell of Calabar finally got his gold medal in the Class III Boys event in 22.81 ahead of KC’s Shavaughn Brown (23.14) and Herbert Morrison’s

100m champion Tavaine Stewart (23.15).

Wolmer’s Girls’ Natrece East secured the Class IV sprint double with a time of 24.62 ahead of Janelia Williams of Excelsior (25.34) and Sashana Johnson of Hydel (25.43).

Jamaica College secured 16 points in the Boys Class I 800m as their captain J ’ Vo u g h n n B l a k e r a n 1:58.67 to equal former Edwin Allen standout Chevonne Hall’s 2021 Class I record ahead of teammate Handal Roban (1:48.72) and KC’s Giovouni Henry (1:50.79).

There was an upset in the Boys Class II final as favorite from Foga Road Franklyn Tayloe, after leading for about 770m, had to settle for bronze in 1:57.14 behind winner Ainsley Brown of Port Antonio (1:55.08) and silver medalist Rashid Green of STETHS (1:56.23).

JC’s Samuel Creary

added to his silver medal from the 400m to win gold in the Class III Boys 800m in 2:01.34 ahead of KC’s Nahashon Ruto (2:01.45) and Manchester’s 400m champion Troydian Flemmings (2:01.46).

Edwin Allen’s Rushana Dwyer rebounded from her disappointment in the 1500m to win gold in the Class I 800m in 2:08.36 ahead of her teammate Jessica McLean (2:09.23) and Holmwood Te c h n i c a l ’ s J o d y a n n Mitchell (2:10.33).

Edwin Allen’s Rickeisha Simms won gold in Class II in 2:08.52 ahead of St. Catherine’s Kitania Headley (2:08.98) and Holmwood Technical’s Cindy Rose (2:10.80).

Holmwood Technical’s Andrene Peart won the Class III Girls 800m in 2:12.97 ahead of Edwin Allen’s 1500m gold medalist Kora Barnett (2:13.67) and St. Jago’s Kededra Coombs (2:15.27).

Bangladesh 139-5 at stumps, trails South Africa by 314 runs

Wiaan Mulder picked up three wickets, all lbws, with incoming deliveries to left-handed batters. (AFP/Getty Images) GQEBERHA, South Africa (AP) — Tailender Keshav Maharaj hit 84 to help South Africa to 453 all out in its first innings on the second day of the second and final test against Bangladesh yesterday.

Bangladesh was 139-5 in reply at stumps, still 314 runs behind.

Maharaj played with attacking intent after the home team had been 278-5 overnight. He hit nine fours and three sixes in his fourth test half-century, pushing South Africa to a strong total at St. George’s Park.

Spinner Taijul Islam collected 6-135 for Bangladesh and seamer Khaled Ahmed picked up 3-100, but the tourists are behind in their quest to level the series.

Maharaj and Wiaan Mulder (33) added 80 runs for the seventh wicket and Maharaj’s spin-bowling partner Simon Harmer made 29

to contribute more runs from the South African tail.

Maharaj eventually fell for his highest test score when he was bowled by Taijul. His 84 came off just 95 balls.

Maharaj’s batting in Gqeberha followed up his figures of 7-32 in the first test in Durban, which helped South Africa bowl Bangladesh out for 53 to win by 220 runs.

Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal scored 47 before being trapped leg before wicket by Mulder, who finished the day with 3-15.

Mushfiqur Rahim (30 not out) and Yasir Ali (8 not out) were at the crease at stumps.

Stumps Bangladesh 139 for 5 (Tamim 47, Mulder 3-15, Olivier 2-17) trail South Africa 453 (Maharaj 84, Elgar 70, Bavuma 67, Petersen 64, Taijul 6-135, Khaled 3-100) by 314 runs.

Sunday April 10, 2022

Kaieteur News

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Golovkin beats Murata to become Lewis Hamilton improves as unified middleweight champ Charles Leclerc claims pole for Australian Grand Prix

Gennadiy Golovkin of Kazakhstan holds his champion belts after WBA/IBF middleweight unification boxing title match with Ryota Murata of Japan in Saitama, near Tokyo, Saturday, April 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama) SAITAMA, Japan (AP) — Gennady Golovkin became the unified world middleweight champion with a ninth-round stoppage of Japanese fighter Ryota Murata yesterday.

Kazakh boxer Golovkin, who turned 40 on Friday, sent his opponent to the canvas with a big right hand and Murata’s corner threw in a towel.

Golovkin added Murata’s WBA title to

his IBF and IBO belts after his first fight since December 2020.

A third bout against Canelo Alvarez could be next for Golovkin, whose only defeat in his 44-fight professional career came at the hands of the Mexican boxer.

Golovkin was shaken in the early rounds but a right hook, which saw Murata’s mouthguard fly across the ring, in the fifth changed the course of the fight.

IBA reveals details of the Olympic Qualification System for Paris 2024 The Olympic Qualification System (OQS) for the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, newly developed and recently approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), defines the categories for Paris 2024. There will be 124 places for seven events on the men’s side and 124 places for six women’s events. IBA has combined most of the IBA’s 13 men’s and 12 women’s weight categories into the respective Olympic categories.

The Olympic qualification period will run from 1 January 2023 to 31 May 2024.

Qualification will take place in four phases and will see the finalists of the IBA Men’s and Women’s World Championships in 2023, the top fighters in the IBA and Olympic world rankings, and the winners of the last-chance Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The OQS has been designed to be the fairest ever.

IBA President Umar Kremlev said, “As an International Association, we have had to take many viewpoints into consideration when formulating this system. I am sure, that after months of discussion and consultation, we have created a qualification system that provides a fair and equal chance to all wouldbe Olympic boxers. Importantly, it will be based on success at IBA events.”

While developing the OQS, IBA worked closely with the IOC Sports Department, IBA Committees, the continental confederations, athletes and the host country’s national federation.

IBA Secretary General Istvan Kovacs

The IBA has revealed the details of the Olympic Qualification System for the Paris 2024 Games.

stated, “We are very happy with the Olympic Qualification System that has been approved.

It was very important to us that the system provided the athletes with flexibility, as well as multiple opportunities to qualify for the competition. And we are determined to ensure fair fights at the qualifying events on the road to Paris.”

Go to this link for full details of the q u a l i f y i n g s y s t e m : https://www.iba.sport/events/olympicqualification-system-for-paris-2024/.

Lewis Hamilton qualified in an imporved fifth for Sunday’s race following his struggles this season. (Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/AP) PA M e d i a - L e w i s Hamilton will start the Australian Grand Prix from fifth as Charles Leclerc secured pole position for today’s race.

F o l l o w i n g a n entertaining qualifying session in Melbourne – redflagged on two occasions – Ferrari’s Leclerc took the spoils with Max Verstappen joining him on the front row.

Sergio Perez finished third in the other Red Bull, one place ahead of British driver Lando Norris in the McLaren. George Russell took sixth.

Hamilton’s bid for a record eighth crown has been derailed by his uncompetitive Mercedes machinery. The British driver is already 29 points behind championship leader Leclerc.

But after he qualified only 16th at the last round in Saudi Arabia before taking a sole point for finishing 10th, Hamilton will take some comfort from his improved grid slot here.

However, the Silver Arrows remain some way off rivals Red Bull and Ferrari, who have established themselves at the top of the class for 2022. Indeed Hamilton languished almost a second behind Leclerc.

The top 10 drivers were forced to change their visors

for Q3 with the sun setting at Albert Park.

“Mate, I can’t see s*** with the sun,” said world champion Verstappen. “I am completely blinded.”

The final action was then delayed with just six minutes and 58 seconds remaining after Fernando Alonso crashed out.

The double world champion lost control of his Alpine through Turn 11, running into the gravel and then the tyre wall.

“I lost the hydraulics and could not change gear,” he said over the radio.

Alonso had just set the fastest middle sector of all, but will start no higher than 10th. A delay of 13 minutes f o l l o w e d a s A l o n s o ’s wounded machine was cleared from danger.

Earlier, the opening period was stopped for a quarter of an hour following a clumsy collision between Nicholas Latifi and Lance Stroll.

With both men gearing up for a speedy lap, Stroll was caught unawares as Latifi made a move on his inside on the approach to Turn 6.

Contact was made, with Latifi sent spiralling into the wall. Aston Martin driver Stroll screamed: “**** Latifi, man. He’s just ****** hit me, man.”

Fellow Canadian Latifi said: “I don’t understand what he was doing. He wasn’t looking in his mirrors. The f****** car is destroyed.”

The stewards blamed Stroll and handed him a three-place grid penalty.

The suspension did allow the Aston Martin mechanics to complete their repair job o n S e b a s t i a n Ve t t e l ’s machine – damaged in final practice.

Vettel completed one flying lap and qualified 18th, bumped up one spot on the grid following Alexander Albon’s three-place penalty for his collision with Stroll at the last round in Saudi Arabia.

After claiming his second pole from the opening three rounds, Leclerc said: “It is a track where I have always struggled in the past but we worked hard and we got everything together. I am very happy to be on pole.

“The car is nice to drive.

We just need to do a good start and hopefully we can keep that position.”

Verstappen, the winner in Jeddah a fortnight ago, said: “I have not felt good in the car all weekend.

“There has not been a lap where I have been confident so it has been a bit of a struggle.”

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Sunday April 10, 2022

Annual Mayor’s Cup 9-a-side Inter Ward/Village KO Football

Following changes to the fixtures action now set for Easter Weekend at Den Amstel President of the UCCA Dennis D’Andrade (left) receives the sponsorship from Vishnu of Vishnu Super Store in the presence of UCCA officials including Sydney Jackman (left).

Upper Corentyne Cricket Association season starts today with 40-over competition Mayor Ubraj Narine Lennox Arthur

Following changes to the fixtures due to an unforeseen circumstance, football fans can look forward to a healthy serving of football action next weekend, which is the Easter Holiday weekend, at the Den Amstel ground on the Westside and Buxton ground on the East Coast of Demerara when play resumes in the Annual Mayor’s Cup 9-a-side Inter Ward/Village Knockout Football tournament.

According to organizer and former national footballer and coach, Lennox Arthur, a hiccup on the use of the Den Amstel ground this weekend has forced him to reschedule the action to the Easter weekend. He has promised fans will be entertained and one of the notable teams, Diamond, will be vying to book a last eight spot against Haslington and Sparta Boss.

Maggie’s has joined the list of sponsors of the annual tournament which is in honour of Mayor of Georgetown Ubraj Narine.

The tournament concludes on April 24 at the Buxton ground on the East Coast of Demerara with the quarters, semis and final.

The fixtures for the upcoming Easter weekend starting from 2:00pm at Den Amstel will see on Saturday April 16, Pouderoyen against Stewartville, Sara Lodge versus Back Street Kings, Den Amstel battle Uitvlugt and West Side Spartans tackle Bagotville.

The winners then advance to the playoff games after that to see who advances.

On Sunday across at the Buxton ground starting from

5:00pm, New Amsterdam oppose Turkeyen, Timehri tangle with Subryanville, Airy Hall play Wales, Tucville face Smyth Town, Ann’s Grove tangle with Mahaicony and another one of the big teams in the competition, Diamond, come up against City Strikers. These matches will be followed by the winners dueling it out for a quarterfinal place.

To n o t e , a f t e r t h e preceding matches, Friendship Front and Bourda All Stars clash and BV and Road Warriors collide with the winner claiming the coveted quarterfinal place and a chance at the action on April 24 at the same venue with the possibility of hands on one of the top four money prizes.

These teams are battling for attractive prize money and the respective trophies with a first prize of $600,000, second prize $300,000, third $200,000 and fourth $100,000 on offer. Mid Atlantic Oil and Gas Company is the sponsor for the winning purse of $600,000.

Organiser Lennox Arthur has expressed his gratitude at the support of the sponsors.

Among the other businesses that have offered support are: IPA, DDL, Digicel, Johil, John Fernandes, General Equipment, Busta, GTT, Namilco, Macorp, New Thriving, Sattar Gafoor, B. Megan, Pritipaul Singh, Ready Mix, Eddie Bobcat, S i l v i e ’s , C a r i b b e a n Containers, E Networks, Super Bet, Cummings Electrical, China Trading, Dave Lumber yard, Schlumberger, Maggie’s, Pure Diamond, Gold Target (Continued on page 72)

The Upper Corentyne Cricket Association (UCCA) 2022 cricket season is set to get cracking today with the start of the inaugural Vishnu Super Store 40 overs cricket competition.

The competition which is for teams in the Upper Corentyne area will see some 30 teams participating.

The teams are placed into four zones with two zones comprising eight teams and the other two being made up of seven teams.

The competition will be played on a round robin basis

with the top two teams in the respective zones advancing to the quarter finals, the semifinals and subsequently the final. No date has been set for the final as yet.

Matches are set to be played on subsequent Sundays except Easter Sunday. Play is set to begin at 11:00hrs.

Cash, trophies and other incentives will be awarded to the top teams and outstanding individual players.

The UCCA is being led by businessman Dennis

D’Andrade. The competition will be coordinated by the UCCA competitions committee which is being led Vice President Former National Wicketkeeper batsman Sydney Jackman.

A simple handing over ceremony was done at the store which is located at Springlands, Corriverton by the principals of the store to the President of the UCCA Mr. D’Andrade. Also in a t t e n d a n c e w e r e Vi c e President and Chairman of the UCCA Competitions Committee Sydney Jackman

and other representatives of the UCCA. The sponsors expressed their pleasure of being given the opportunity to team up with the UCCA in a positive way. They stated that it is a way in giving back to the community from where the garner most of their support.

The leaders of the UCCA expressed gratitude to the sponsor and gave the assurance that the competition will be organized in the most professional manner as possible. (Samuel Whyte)

GENEQUIP powers Bartica Easter Regatta

G

e n e r a l Equipment Guyana Limited (GENEQUIP) has made a sizable donation towards the successful hosting of the 2022 edition Bartica Easter Regatta being held under the theme, ‘Bounce Back’.

After a hiatus of some two years, the Bartica Community will be buzzing with action from today as

football kicks off the week of activities; Gospel Fest – promoted by the Chosen Generation Band, is slated for the Bartica Tarmac from 19:00hrs.

At a simple ceremony, Ms. Nikita Mohabir, Senior Sales Manager of GENEQUIP handed over her company’s cheque to Rep. of the Bartica Regatta Committee, Mr. Magiva

Gonsalves.

Ms. Mohabir shared the delight of her company to be a partner with the Easter Regatta Committee for this year’s event.

“We are more than happy to be giving back to this community, especially at a time when you are seeking to get back to normalcy following the challenges that would have

been presented by the covid-19 pandemic. As a company, we are also well aware of what Regatta means to the community and we are happy to see this marquee event back again and wish you the best for a successful event.”

Mr. Gonsalves extended thanks to GENEQUIP for their support on behalf of the Bartica Regatta Committee.

2022 Concacaf ‘W’ Championship Qualifiers…

Guyana pitted in must-win situation - T&T assumes lead of Group The April window for the Concacaf W Championship Qualifiers has officially opened with the resumption of matches that saw the Guyana Lady Jags pulling off a stalemate against the Nicaraguan females.

Guyana gained only one point from the draw at the Leonora Track and Field Facility on Friday evening which pushed them on to seven points in Group F

where they maintained the lead for under 24 hours.

That draw has immediately dampened their chances of advancing since T&T were pitted against a lower ranked team the following day. When the window opened, Guyana led the Group with six points that featured a superior goal difference to Trinidad and Tobago, who also had six points. Third was Nicaragua

who also gained a point from the draw and are currently on four points.

The other teams in the Group are the Dominican Republic side with three points and Turks and Caicos that ended the competition in the cellar without a point.

The Lady Warriors demolished the Turks and Caicos side to earn a well deserved three points.

T&T has now assumed

the lead of the Group with nine points and heightened their chances of progressing to the 2022 Concacaf W Championship. Only the leader of the six Groups advance.

Guyana now faces T&T in their final test on Tuesday April 12 at the Dwight Yorke Stadium with a loud Twin Island Republic presence From 18:30 hours.

The Lady Jags’ only option of advancing is a with a victory against the Group leader.

Kaieteur News

Sunday April 10, 2022

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Worldwide attention focuses on Boxing in Guyana As the ‘Road to Redemption’ card draws closer to April 23rd at the Guyana National Stadium, all eyes around the world are focused on Elton Dharry and Dexter Marques as they strive to bring the country one step closer to its 9th and 10th World Title.

Top judges and Referees from Guyana, Trinidad and Panama are set to officiate in the event which demonstrates the heightened awareness and status that this fight brings to Guyana and future of boxing in the country. The fight will also be recorded to become a part of a movie featuring Guyanese boxing legend Lennox Blackmore.

With the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport firmly in their corner, the promoters Jack Bharat, Elton Dharry and Nexgen Global Marketing are confident that this event will set the bar for all future boxing promotions in the country.

An action packed card features a confident Dharry (26-6) v. Penalba (11-0) fighting for the WBC

International super flyweight title and Dexter Marques (19-2) v. Pedroza (19-9) squaring off for the WBC International Silver Flyweight, supported by Comedian/Boxer Laured Stewart seeking to avenge his amateur loss to Romeo Norville.

Minster of Sport Charles Ramson has been vocal about his intentions to bring boxing back to the limelight, paying visits to local gyms and even working out with young boxers, “This is a sport that does a lot for young persons and we are pleased to support the event and extremely happy that 1,000 youngsters will be able to attend the match at no cost, compliments of the government of Guyana.”

The Culture section of the Ministry is developing plans for a halftime show that will showcase Guyanese music, dance and culture to the world. Entertainment giant HJ Entertainment, hosts of the Guyana Carnival is assisting with this portion of the planned activities.

President of the Guyana Boxing Board Peter Abdool

reminded the reporters that boxing has brought an Olympic medal to Guyana along with eight world titles, more per capita than any other nation, “We produce quality fighters and now with the strong interest and support from both the private sector and government, we feel that boxing will once again become the guiding light of Sports in Guyana.”

During his visit to Guyana a few weeks ago, Dharry paid courtesy calls on Vice President Bharat Jagdeo and Prime Minister Mark Phillips and several members of the diplomatic corps to promote the event that will bring the most attention to the country since discovery of oil by ExxonMobil.

Jack Bharat speaking from New York said, “Since last year we committed to making this fight a reality and launched at the Everest Cricket Club with dozens of local and overseas based supporters, including Speaker of the House M a n z u r N a d i r. O u r partnership with Nexgen Global Promotions, HJ

St. Cuthbert’s Mission/ Pakuri Warriors triumph

St. Cuthbert’s Mission Pakuri Warriors team.

S

t . C u t h b e r t ’s Mission/Pakuri Warriors defeated Young Guns and Bel Air in two T20 fixtures played recently at St. Cuthbert’s Mission.

The home team defeated Young Guns of Georgetown by eight wickets. Batting first, Young Guns made 1617.

Timothy Andrews claimed 3-22.

St. Cuthbert’s/Pakuri Warriors responded with 165-2. Stallone Simon struck three fours and three sixes in a top score of 55, Avenash Poonsammy scored 43 not out with one four and five sixes, while opener David Francis stroked one four and three sixes in a brisk 40.

In another fixture, host St. Cuthbert/Pakuri Warriors

beat Bel Air by 49 runs.

St. Cuthbert’s Mission made 147-7, taking first strike.

Timothy Andrews scored 44 with two fours and five sixes. Bel Air were bowled out for 98 in 17overs in reply.

K. Franklin made 22 and A. Khan 20. Andrews took 322. The games were sponsored by St. Cuthbert’s Village Council.

The banner highlighting the card.

Entertainment and Ministry of Sports is ensuring that this dream is fulfilled in the grandest of fashions and on behalf of our entire team, we want to say thank you to all our sponsors and supporters, especially those who are flying in to support Elton.”

Dozens of sponsors have embraced the return of boxing and the fight will be broadcast live on NCN locally and talks are in process with Claro TV for international broadcast.

Tickets are now on sale at Giftland, Movietowne,

Amazonia Malls, Assuria General Insurance offices, The Locals Restaurant in Vreed-en-hoop and Fagoos General Store in Parika.

For more information, please visit the Facebook/Instagram page Road to Redemption.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday April 10, 2022

Janet Jagan Memorial Schoolgirls Windball Cricket Tournament

Port Mourant Secondary take Corentyne zone

P

ort Mourant Secondary School defeated Central Corentyne Secondary School in the Corentyne zone final at the Albion Sports Complex Ground in the Janet Jagan Memorial Schoolgirls Windball cricket Tournament organised by NSC Sports Officer A. Munroe.

Central Corentyne bated first and scored 33-2, Odeissa George made 10.

Port Mourant replied with 34-2 off 3 overs with Tandica Leek scoring 13, while Nikita Nandsakh captured 2 wkts.

In 3rd place game, the Upper Corentyne school Tagore Memorial Secondary

Port Mourant Secondary with the Organizer A. Munroe & WPO Region 6 organiser Lucille Ayana Ruby.

2nd Place Team Central Corentyne Secondary

School made 35-3 with Amesa Ramsarop scoring 11.

Lower Corentyne Secondary School replied with 38-4, Davie Mahabir 12 and Diana Singh 10 led the victory charge. Bowling for Tagore Crystal Budhram grabbed 2wkts.

Munroe stated, “I would also like to thank the management and Staff of Albion Estate for their continued support in the use of the Albion Sports Complex, all in the development of the sport and young people. Also the Regional Education Office Reg 6, the students, teachers, Head teachers and all the officials.”

NY Tri State Guyana tour

B’ce U-17 beat visitors by 36 runs in tour opener Salim Cecil top scored with an unbeaten 26 for Berbice. (Sean Devers photo)

Winners Port Mourant and their supporters take a photo.

A game that began in overcast condition with a brief period of rain, climaxed in steaming heat at the historic Albion Community Centre ground in Corentyne

Berbice yesterday with tour New York Tri State losing by 36 runs their first game against a Berbice U-17 team.

The adverse weather, at (Continued on page 71) Raj Tikka made 23 not out.

(Sean Devers photo)

Kaieteur News

Sunday April 10, 2022

PAGE 79

Bartica Easter Regatta KO Football to kick off today with a triple-header - The winning team gets an ‘ounce of gold’; four female teams to contest tourney

T

he hype is set and on the field, action will kick off this evening from 17:00hrs at the Bartica Community Centre Ground when the 2022 edition of the Bartica Easter Regatta Football gets underway.

A total of nine (9) local clubs will be battling each other for the first prize of an ounce of gold or its equivalent in what is anticipated to be a fiercely contested competition as clubs are eager to get into competition mode ahead of a hectic Bartica Football Association (BFA) season.

The runner-up team will collect $200,000 with half that amount being rewarded to the winner of the thirdplace match; trophies and other incentives would be up for grabs. The nine male clubs doing battle are Rising Stars, Beacons, Rivers View, Wolves United, Lazio,

Potaro Strikers, Agatash United, AK Galaxy, and Mil Ballers.

Meanwhile, four female teams will also be competing amongst themselves for first and second-place prizes of $30,000 and $20,000 respectively, while all players will receive medals.

These teams would be managed by the following clubs, Rivers View, Lazio, Potaro Strikers, and AK Galaxy.

BFA President, Alden Marslowe said that they are looking forward to a hotly contested tournament among the males and an equally exciting completion when the females take to the field.

Chairman of the Bartica Regatta Committee, Regional Chairman Kenneth Williams noted that he is pleased with the response of the clubs and the Association in rising to the occasion in short order to ensure that the

Hershy Niles and Romario Shepherd Softball Championships on today at Mackenzie Sports Club ground Eight male and eight female teams are set to battle for cash and prizes amounting to over $400,000 today when the Hershy Niles and Romario Shepherd sponsored competitions will be played at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground starting at 9.00hrs.

At the end of the one day tournaments the winning male team will collect $150,000 while the female champions will receive (Continued on page 71)

Hershy Niles the organiser of the event.

BFA President Alden Marslowe (4th left), First Vice President Sherwin DaSilva (3rd right), and Treasurer Carmel Williams (3rd left) are seen with Club Reps following the competition draw on Friday at the Regional Chairman’s Office.

competition comes off.

Williams posited that given the fact that the covid19 pandemic would have curtailed all activities, he is positive that teams are eager to take on each other with an eye on the ultimate prize.

He also noted that he is very happy to see that four female teams would be participating nothing that female football is a vital component of the sport.

“We look forward to some entertaining days of football and we know that the public will come out in their numbers to support and cheer on their favourite team.”

Secretary to the Regional Chairman, Ms. Shondel Gilkes, facilitates the draw as Potaro Strikers FC President, Terrence Williams pulls his opponent.

rts Spo

Guyana’s Lady Jags will need to win their next encounter to advance.

2022 Concacaf ‘W’ Championship Qualifiers…

Guyana pitted in must-win situation - T&T assumes lead of Group Senior Sales Manager of GENEQUIP Ms. Nikita Mohabir and Bartica Regatta Committee Rep. Mr. Magiva Gonsalves display the sponsorship cheque.

GENEQUIP powers Bartica Easter Regatta Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.