Kaieteur News

CDBapprovesUS$29.8Mtoimprove Caribbeancountrieshealthcaresystems

T h e C a r i b b e a n Development Bank (CDB) has committed US$29.8 million to strengthen health systems in Grenada, Saint LuciaandSt.Vincentandthe Grenadines to better withstand future health crises.

In a statement the Bank notedthatalmostthreeyears ago, the COVID-19 pandemic first breached the shores of Caribbean countries, causing severe economic and social dislocation and putting immense strain on health systems throughout the Region.

Now, as the Region continues its recovery, the BankhasapprovedUS$29.8 million to help with several Caribbean countries health caresystems.

At a meeting on Thursday, March 30, the

Bank’s board of directors ratified approval of three loansinthesumsofUS$9.97 million, US$9 86 million and US$10 million to the Governments of Grenada, Saint Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines respectively The funding is allocated from resources provided by the European Investment Bank (EIB) to CDBundertheEIBClimate Action Line of Credit IICOVID-19Component.

CDB’sVice-Presidentof Operations, Isaac Solomon said the COVID-19 pandemic had revealed cracks in the health care systems, making the investmenttimely “The unrelenting demands of the pandemic unearthed and made more prominent and urgent, criticalfrailtiesinourhealth sector around the areas of

l i m i t e d h u m a n , infrastructure and institutional capacity,” said Solomon.

Headded,“Accordingly, there is an urgent need for upgrading to strategically position our countries to be able to respond to present and emerging challenges We are therefore pleased to be able to approve these resources to help strengthen resilience.”

Notably, it was stated that in Grenada, the funding w i l l a s s i s t w i t h infrastructural works and updates at various medical facilities including the St Georges General Hospital, the Westerhall Medical Station, the St Georges Medical Station, the Grand Bras Health Facility, the New Hampshire Health Facility, the River Sallee Medical Station, the

Hillsborough Health Centre and the Mt. Gay Psychiatric Hospital.

Itwillalsofundcapacity building and training for health care workers in key areas including the

Biomedical Equipment Technician Certification, rehabilitation and counselling, and risk communication The funding will also support increasedtrainingfornurses in a range of specialities including intensive care, nephrology, neonatology, emergency care, geriatric care, oncology and nursing administration.Theloanwill also cover support for purchasing of goods and equipment throughout the health sector as well as institutional strengthening initiatives such as a planned digitalisation of the health sector

In Saint Lucia, nearly US$2millionofthefunding will be utilised for purchasing critical medical

equipment such as ventilators, x-ray machines, ultrasound machines and dental,neonatalandeyecare equipment. The equipment will go to health facilities across the island, including the La Ressource Wellness Centre, Castries Urban Centre, Dennery Hospital,

Soufriere Hospital, Comfort Bay Home for Older Persons, St. Jude Hospital and two respiratory clinicsVieux-Fort Wellness Centre andGrosIsletPolyclinic.

It was stated that over US$3 million will be allocated for improvements at five health care facilities. Two facilities damaged by fire in recent years - the La RessourceWellnessCentre

Continuedonpage10

CDB photo

Four

S i n c e G u y a n a commenced oil production in 2019, successive governments have failed to publish the oil sales agreement, outlining the valueofeachbarrelofcrude oil.

While Guyanese are privytothemonthlyrevenue flow from the petroleum sector, the country does not knowhowmucheachbarrel ofoilisbeingsoldforonthe international market, even though this is a requirement of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).

Highlighting this recentlywasPresidentofthe Transparency Institute Guyana Inc (TIGI), FrederickCollins.Inarecent interview with this publication,Collinssaidthat the country’s leaders have been masquerading as the epitomeoftransparency,but thenationstilldoesnotknow simple details such as the costitsoilisbeingsoldat.

“Transparency in priceswhatpricearewegettingfor whatwesellouroilfor?Itis not as clear, you can go on

President of the Transparency Institute Guyana Inc., Frederick Collins

the right websites on the Brazilian market and you canseethepriceeverysingle day so nobody can say (or) theorize that well they are not getting all the price that youaresellingitfor Itisthe public domain we are seeing a lot of antics and so onbutifweweretocompare with what obtains just next door with Brazil we would realize that we are so far away,” the TIGI head argued.

The International SecretariatfortheExtractive Industries Transparency Initiative had called on Guyana to make the contracts public for the country’sshareofprofitoil.

In November 2022, the Government of Guyana (GoG) awarded a one year contract to BP International Limited, a subsidiary of BritishPetroleum,tomarket Guyana’s share of profit oil from the Liza Destiny and Liza Unity Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels. The firm beat 13 others duringthetenderingprocess to win the contract. BP and one other Chinese firm had submittedbidstomarketthe country’soilatnoexpenseto thegovernment.

As the successful candidate, BP International will be responsible for providing all functions of marketing, assessing regional and global demand centres, selecting customers and making appropriate t r a n s p o r t a t i o n arrangements, providing support and guidance to the

client in all operating and back-office responsibilities of managing these crude sales.Itwillalsobeexpected to facilitate timely and cost efficient crude oil operations; and support the client in the continued introduction of the grade to multiple geographies and refinerysystems.

In addition to the foregoing, the Ministry of Natural Resources said BP will also be required to provide benchmark performancecomparisonsof prices paid for the client’s crudewhileworkingclosely with the client in

understandingthebehaviour and yields of the Liza blend andhowtheseaffectpricing differentials.

After pressure was mounted by the Opposition for the contract to BP to be made public, the Natural ResourcesMinistryreleased an unsigned contract for the sale of the country’s oil in December

The unsigned document states that the Service Provider “shall not accept for their own benefit any trade commission, discount, or similar payment in connection with activities pursuant to the performance

of this Contract or to the Services or in the discharge oftheirobligationsunderthe Contract, and the Service Provider shall use their best efforts to ensure that the Service Provider’s Personnel, any Subcontractor, and agents of eitherofthemsimilarlyshall not receive any such additionalremuneration.”

Further to that, the document which has since been removed from the Minsitry’s website stated, “TheServiceProviderhasan obligation and shall ensure thatitsServiceProvider’s Continuedonpage8

Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS

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

High as a kite

InthetraditionoftheEasterSeason,allGuyaneseshould beflyinghigh,withtheworldraisingtheireyestomeasurethe longarcoftheirflight,therichfreedomsthattheirprosperity brings

Disastrously, only a few Guyanese are ‘highfliers’; mainly political top dogs, and their cronies of helpers, defenders,andenablers Theirnestsarewell-featheredwith richpickingsfromthenation’slavishpatrimony Astheyare flyinghigh,likekites,manyGuyanesecannotevengetoff the ground, so burdened they are with life’s draining demands,sofeebletheirpitifulexistence.

The kites of the network of Guyanese at the top of the localpyramidareshinyandfancy Theycangoanyplace,do anything, create quite a stir in their passage There are the expensive and prestigious mechanical chariots to show off newfound wealth, the castles in quiet communities that speaktoarrivalandascension,andtheopulentlifestyleof thosewhoareclosetotheGuyanagravytrain,itsprecious natural resource gifts. In conspicuous contrast, there are those Guyanese at this Easter Season, who cannot even affordakitefortheirlittleones.

TheycanonlyharborfleetingdreamsofMercedes,evena Mazda,whiletheypatientlywaitinrainandshineforthenext minibustoshowup,andwithaspaceinitscrowdedconfinesfor some of them This is what the incredible patrimony of a blessed country has reduced the bulk of its citizens to: the barrenness of squatting area ghettos, with hopes of upward movement to their own dignified homes and mortgages, whichcouldtietheirnosestothegrindstoneforthenext30 years

Oilbytheocean,andsomanyopenmouthedinhunger, thatgoesunsatisfied,inneedsthatgounaddressed,inanguish that no one cares about Their fellow citizens at the top of resource heaps, feast on salmon and scotch whiskey, while Guyaneseatthebottomcountthemselvesluckyiftheycould get a bite of sprinkles of leftover rice and whatever crumbs thattheycanscramble,locktheireyesupon.

This is Easter of 2023, seven years after the first great discoverieswereannounced. InsteadofallGuyaneseflying ashighaskites,manyofthemareflappingaroundlikebirds withawoundedwing. Itisoftheimbalancesandinjustices that infest this nation’s natural resource endowments. A small group is around the banquet table, while the big Guyanese crowd has no choice but to gather around the garbage bins. They hope for the pittances of scraps, the indignity of handouts, the charity of politicians and a national government that have both lost their ethical bearings,theirmoralcompass.

Eventhepeoplethatputthemintopower,thepoorones,are giventhebackofthehand Donotbeseen,anddonoteven think of making a sound so as to be heard That would be sacrilege,evenseditiousandtreasonous,ifthoseinchargewere to have their way All of this can be avoided, if only those samehaughtyandunhearingoneswiththeleversofpowerin theirhandscouldbeunselfish

If only they could summon the courage, the wisdom would follow on the positives that could be possible, all of which would be nationally enriching to the point of the unimaginable Buttheyshiverandshrinkbeforetheforeign schemers and oppressors, first from an absence of the strengths needed, but still more importantly, and meaningfully,fromthedeepeningperceptionsthattheyhave compromisedthemselves.

Itiswhatforcesthemostpowerfulpresencesandvoices inGuyanatospeakintremblingwhispers(whentheyspeakat all),andtorecoilfromconfrontingtheforeignexploiterswith any push towards the table of discussion and renegotiation Somuchcouldbehad,butsolittleisattempted,becauseso muchisfearedfromthehandsofforeignerswhopoundour Guyanesemastersintopatheticsubmission.

Whenourleadersgolimp,theydragGuyanesedownand dig a deeper hole for them It is Easter, and there is no leadershipwindtoliftthekitesofpoorGuyanese Sothey languish - so they punish in this season of revival and redemption

Our vigilance to prevent another electoral fiasco is an important modus operandi

DEAREDITOR,

Mainstream media recentlycarriedletterstothe editorheadlined: ‘GECOMhasonceagain contrivedtoappointaPPPC preferred candidate to a seniorposition’.

Another stated; ‘

Alexander accuses GECOM of contriving to appoint a PPPC preferred candidate to position of DCEO’

In both instances, the words ‘contrive’ and ‘preferred’ were repeatedly usedtoconveyanuntruthful messagethatthechairperson at GECOM is complicit to decisionsthatarepartialand prejudicial.Theauthorofthe letter is APNU+AFC GECOM Commissioner, VincentAlexander

In the course of recent interviews to determine the most suitable applicant for the post of Deputy Chief ElectionsOfficer(DCEO)at GECOM, one thing became certain,therewasnoneedto find an algorithmic way of working out who was the preferred candidate for the opposition commissioners, and in order to achieve that objective they sought to d i s p a r a g e t h e professionalismofMrAneal Giddings and at the same time ‘big up’the credentials of their preferred candidate.

T h e O p p o s i t i o n

DEAREDITOR,

With reference to the letter, ‘Superficial analysis ofethnicityinacountrylike Guyana is little more than propaganda’ published on 31st March in the Stabroek News, I believe the writer sought to trivialise the concerns of others about the underrepresentation of Indian Guyanese in state agencies and institutions by claiming that ethnic groups are not ‘pure’ and therefore thereisn’texclusion.

This assertion is rather groundless.Forinstance,can one defend racial homogeneity in a state institution in a multi-ethnic country,byclaimingthatthe individuals may have ancestors of another ethnic group, thereby making them bi or multi-racial although theythemselvesidentifyasa particular ethnicity? If this weretruethenallallegations of exclusion and racial discrimination whether it is

commissionersconveniently ignored the travesty they committedwhentheygavea free pass to Ms. Roxanne Meyers,whodidnotpossess the necessary years of experience at GECOM to perform the functions of a DCEO.

Inanefforttoplaydown their misdeed, Opposition commissioners now pontificate sanctimoniously, ‘two wrongs don’t make a right!’

It appears that because the three PPPC GECOM Commissioners disagreed with the three Opposition commissioners on how to weighandprioritisedifferent values in respect to democracy, transparency, accountability and good governance, they are accused along with the chairman of ‘contriving’ to frustrate the wishesdemands of the Opposition commissionersonkeyissues atGECOM.

T h e O p p o s i t i o n commissioners have failed to reconcile their understanding of how to conduct an unfair election with how a free and fair election ought to be conducted Small wonder why their preferred candidate for the post of DCEO could not explain whatoughtNOTtooccurata freeandfairelection.

Rather than trying to learn from new perspectives thrown up from past electoral experiences that may otherwise help them, Opposition commissioners prefer to pay attention to m i n u t i a e a n d u nimplementable practices which, if implemented, would cause great harm to a free and fair electoral process. Our mandate is to preventthatfromhappening.

Our vigilance to prevent anotherelectoralfiascoisan important modus operandi we must constantly exercise for our own survival as a proud democratic nation, unlike the fanciful endeavours of the political Oppositionwhoseattemptto steal the results of the 2020 election would have left Guyana a failed and pariah state with its populace unprotected from the vagariesofthisworld.From the antics performed by Opposition members at GECOMitisclearthatthere is no space to open their minds to a more transparent and democratic approach to elections The PPPC Commissioners prefer changeandinnovationtothe status quo ante but regrettably, this is seen by Messers VA, CB & DT as support for ‘contrived decisions’ and decisions basedon‘gymnastics.’

Mr Alexander and company’s rejection to find approaches that better allow our competing interests and values to be reconciled has proven untenable. The more contextual knowledge and supportive approaches both sides share on the ways and means of achieving a free andfairelection,themoreit willbeeasiertocometowise decisions that reinforces the democratic process in general and a free and fair electioninparticular

Since the Opposition commissionershaveoptedto jettison that approach, differences in perspective turn into standoffs resulting in impasse where each side employs different standards of good reasoning, and criticize each other for failing to meet standards viewed from each other’s perspective.

‘ M a l - i n t e n d e d ’ inferences made principally b y O p p o s i t i o n commissioners,onlyserveto translate simplistic thoughts to surreal ones void of enriching the exchange of views on important matters which the Guyanese people expect GECOM to address, with a sense of urgency and tolerance with the main objective being free and fair elections.

Yoursfaithfully,

ClementJ.Rohee

against Africans, Indians, Whites or Chinese would be without merit, and there wouldn’t be such things as unique cultures and traditions of distinct ethnic groups since they aren’t ‘distinct’. Is this a sound argument?

The fact remains that race and ethnicity have tremendously shaped Guyana’s history and society, as well as that of othercountries.

Mr Frederick Collins asked, ‘Who is an ethnic AfricanoranethnicIndian?’ I believe it’s whoever identifies as such. Who has the right to deny someone their identity, heritage, traditions and culture? Ethnicityisnotjustaboutthe way we look but our unique historyandwayoflife.

Can the writer dare tell someonewhoidentifiesasan African Guyanese that he/she is not or to an Indian Guyanese or Indigenous

Guyanese?

According to the 2012 Census approximately 39% of Guyanese identify as IndianGuyaneseand29%as AfricanGuyanese.

Most of the ethnic strife inGuyanahasbeenbetween these two groups. There are many legitimate stories of racism, discrimination and oppression.

There are many persons with tales of injustices and grievances and if these persons feel genuinely aggrieved and believe that they can prove that they’ve been wronged, who has the right to try to discredit their stories with the utterly ridiculous notion, that becausetheyaresupposedly not ‘ethnically pure’ their complaints are without merit? It is insulting to suggestsuchathing.

Also, just because someone has friends, family membersorancestorsfroma different ethnic group

doesn’tgivethemafreepass to spout racist remarks or condoneracism. History is filled with many stories of oppression andpersecutionofparticular ethnic groups by others simply on the basis of ethnicity, religion, caste etc, for instance Apartheid in SouthAfricaandpersecution of the Dalits, Jews, Yazidis andUighurs.

During several protests or so-called marches for justice, Indian Guyanese have predominately been attacked by persons of another ethnic group and therearenewspaperarticles, television reports, photographs and videos to support this. Why? During the protest in Berbice and looting at the Mon Repos Market where persons of East Indian descent were attacked did the attackers ever stop to ask those personsiftheyare‘pure

(Continuedonpage06)

Concernsaboutethnicunderrepresentation shouldn’tbedismissedwithmereconjectures

Status of Indian Guyanese

DEAREDITOR

,

Contrary to some recent comments,IndianGuyanese were shipped out from a British India that had been pillaged and looted (not coincidentallyaHindiword) with its native cottage industries, especially in textiles, destroyed to create millions of peasants as “surplus labour” that sought a “vent” Irrespective of particularorigins,theywere othered into “coolies”: persons at the bottom of the social ladder to provide labour on plantations. After theabolitionofslavery,inan era of supposed “progress”, they were subject to an “agreement” specifying the conditions of their labour It isthisagreement,whichthey pronounced “Girmit” that they defined themselves as “Girmitiyas - people of the agreement This act of namingwastheirseminalact of signaling their appropriationofagency

Theyknew itwas a onesided contract But they “bandedtheirbelly”tofulfill their side of it because it opened more opportunities than in British- ravaged India. To which most chose nottoreturn-confidentthat after they finished their indentureship, they had the ability “to produce two blades of grass where there wasbutone”.

They were labeled “docile” for “keeping their word”butwhentheplanters broke theirs, they rebelled. These are shown by the number of court cases filed against Girmitiyas and the number of strikes they stagedeveninthefaceofthe “leadenargument”.

Girmitiyas marked the transition from a world in which slave labour was abandoned but the world of “free labour” had not yet beenborn.

They were kept in that intermediate state of being neither slave but certainly notfreedmen.

The transition was not forhumanitarianreasons,as thecolonizerswouldhaveit, but for the more prosaic reason of greater profits for the empire. However, as

immigrantsescaping British generated landlessness, joblessness, famines and debt, they were determined toworktheirwayupandout even when other groups balked. Their motto, as one scholar put it, became “laboro ergo sum” – “I am becauseIwork”.

Girmitiyas became the inaugural “Indian” since in the colonies it didn’t matter which region or rank one originated: they were all “coolies”. When a group is ostracized it becomes more cohesive: solidity of the g r o u p i s d i r e c t l y proportional to the impressed pressures But they became also less bogged down by the deadweight of caste etc From the moment they stepped into the Depot in Calcutta and handed those new clothes they were liberated from the caste semioticsofclothesandhow theywereworn.

When Girmitiyas were shipped to the various Imperialcoloniestoworkon thesugarplantations,ineach case they encountered groupsalreadythere.

The constant were the ruling Europeans who exercised total control through their laws, coercive forces and hegemonic, discursivestructuresalready deployedinIndia.Itisnowa sociological truism that groups placed in proximity with each other will engage in a “social comparison process” While initially Girmitiyas were placed at the bottom of the social ladder, they inexorably elevatedthemselvesbecause of the same derided culture that conferred the value of hardwork.

But it exacted its price in suicides, alcoholism and domesticviolence.

However, as Girmitiyas became the progressive, upwardly mobile group it

created a negative sense of groupworththosedisplaced. In response, the latter claimed greater legitimacy to the national patrimony, t h r o u g h Christianity/westernization, earlier arrival, or “greater suffering” etc In the d e c o l o n i z a t i o n , “democratizing”wave,after WWII, these factors led to the present politics of entitlement” against the background of Girmitiya unprotectedness. While the British had ostentatiously arranged for a “Protector of Immigrants”, which, with some notable exceptions took over from the “Protector of Slaves in the Amelioration Period”, these operated more in the breach than not. It left a lasting legacy of Girmitiyas not expectingmuchjusticefrom “law and order”. But more insidiousweretheformation of armies and Police Forces staffed exclusively from non-Girmitiyas, that further exacerbated the tensions betweenthesegroups.

Thestate,however,isthe property of all citizens that includes Girmitiyas and must be manned by what Hegel called a “universal class”representingall.

In plural societies this demands that the groups be proportionally represented inthem.

If not, leaders from the dominant elements will always be tempted to seize power or demand partiality in political conflicts Girmitiyascannotacceptthe principle of opponents that “what we have is ours and what you have is negotiable”.

Sincerely.

RaviDev

origins and linkage

DEAREDITOR

I write in response to a letterbyMr KitNascimento published in the April 1 editionofyournewspaper In that missive, Mr Nascimento sought to characteriseRickfordBurke, Tacuma Ogunseye and myself as “dangerous” men whopreach“RaceHate.”He q u o t e d f r o m a n d paraphrased comments I made on my Social Media/TV program, Politics 101.Hencemyresponse.

According to Mr Nascimento, Ogunseye “propose that our security forcesturntheirgunsagainst adulyelectedgovernmentto support a mass uprising to overthrow the government.” This is not an actual quotation from Ogunseye, because he never uttered those words It is Mr. Nascimento’s interpretation ofwhathesaid.Thequestion here is what constitutes “ o v e r t h r o w i n g ” a government? For example, does the slogan “Oppose, Expose and Depose” made popular by the founder leader of Mr Nascimento’s party, the United Force, amount to advocacy of o v e r t h r o w i n g t h e government?

Mr Nascimento goes on to accuse us of Race Hate, purportedly against Indian Guyanese. His evidence is mycallonAfricanGuyanese to purchase items produced in their community as a first resort a call for selfreliance Mr Nascimento must be aware of the “buy local” concept, which is a major strand of economic thought. He, therefore, must explainhowmyadvocacyof

itamountstoRaceHate.Did Mr Burnham’s Buy Local callorthemorerecentcallon GuyanesetobuyBanksBeer instead of Trinidadian beer amounttoInsularity?Inany case, Mr Nascimento in his haste to brand me a racist omitted a crucial part of my advocacy I advised African Guyanese that when they buy outside of their community, they must patronize Indian Guyanese s m a l l b u s i n e s s e s Nascimento must say whetherthatisRacehate.

Mr Nascimento continuedinthesameveinof misrepresentation when he accusedbeofthreateningthe Stabroek News for “not covering the news from a WPA perspective and accusing the newspaper of kowtowing to the government.”Nothingcould be further from the truth. I accused the Stabroek News ofnotgivingcoveragetothe WPA—the newspaper does not report on the party’s pressreleases.Thatisafact. Further, Mr Nascimento considersmyannouncement thatwearedocumentingthe instancesof“condemnation” ofOgunseyeathreat.

Myreminderthatthereis life after the PPP is also considered Race Hate by Nascimento. Let me say the following.Iknowsomething about Race Hate and Racism. As an African, I experience it every day, I study and teach them—they are grounded in notions Racial Superiority and Inferiority and the use of Institutional Power to actualizethosenotions.

But,inGuyanathereisa twisted definition of Race

Hate and Racism which Mr. Nascimento evidently subscribesto.InGuyana,he or she who advocates for Racial pride, self-love, selfreliance,dignityandequality isbrandedaRacist,—acase of the victims of Racism being charged with Racism. There is logic behind that formulation It’s called Racial Denial and Racial Amnesia—a denial that our history, which is heavily influenced by the grim experience of slavery, has generated institutions and attitudes with particular assumptionsofBlackness.It is these assumptions which make it so easy to c o n s c i o u s l y a n d u n c o n s c i o u s l y mischaracterize Black rebuke of the State and Society as “dangerous”, “racist”and“seditious.”

Finally, Mr Nascimento endorses Mr Ali’s quest to “banish Racism.” I offer the followingadvice.

To banish racism, one must first comprehend its origins, linkages and human consequences. Second, one must become anAnti-Racist inahumanesense.

Third, one must be willing to banish the institutional and social privileges that are accrued from Racism. Fourth, one must be willing to banish obstacles to Non-Racism suchasRacialInequalityand Inequitability in the distributive institutions of State and Government and the Racial Value-Gap that renders some human lives more expendable than others.

Regards

DavidHinds

To banish racism, one must first comprehend its

Wedon’tbelieveinrushingthisprocess

DEAREDITOR

, Second Vice President Jagdeo’srecentremarks,that attempts to paint the Opposition as having no commentsonthenewmodel PSA, are a perfect example ofthedifferencebetweenthe current PPP and Coalition leadership.WhereasthePPP intends to rush every meaningful piece of legislation or important agreement through, we believethatGuyanesehavea right to be consulted with andgivenduetimetoassess important documents. We believe that a rushed

documentisjustthesameas abadone,andgiventhehuge sumsinquestion(perhapsas muchasa$100billionUSD in revenue will be governed bythenewPSA),ampletime is needed to assess. It seems to us that this is obvious. When we have completed this assessment, we will make our comments to the press.

Further, we have called not only for this PSA to be laid in the National Assembly, but for a law which governs the length of time provided for consultations, so that this is

Good job on the TB Campaign

not at the discretion of any government, much less the PPP with its “two weeks” mantra We reiterate: Guyana is not Georgetown, andallGuyanesedeservethe opportunity to speak. This, again,weholdtobeobvious. Only political parties that serve their own corrupt interests would play games when$100billionUSDison the line. Unfortunately, that perfectlydescribesthePPP

YoursSincerely

ElsonLow, Economic and Youth PolicyAdvisortotheLeader oftheOpposition

Concernsaboutethnicunderrepresentation...

Frompage04

Indians’ or have a parent, relative or ancestor of a different ethnic group? There is a documented history of attacks, oppression and exclusion against Indian Guyanese especially during protests, 1960sriots,generalelections and during the Burnham era which resulted in increased emigration of Indian Guyanese from Guyana. In addition, African Guyanese have their own legitimate grievances which they can substantiate.

The writer mentioned that an African woman ‘made herself appear more Indian’ when she went to apply for a house lot, how does one do that? Can an African Guyanese make himself or herself appear Chinese,White,Amerindian orIndianandviceversa?The fact is that the vast majority of employees in state agencies including the Ministry of Housing are AfricanGuyanese.

Are these employees biased to persons of their own ethnic group, and if allocation is unfair then it should be proven with statistical information. The writer also mentions that duringthecrimewaveIndian bandits were cutting their hair low to appear African. Why would they do this and what was the ethnic composition of bandits arrested during the crime wave and the ethnic composition of victims? Does the statistics from the policesupportthisassertion?

A story about ‘Africans’ dressed in Indian wear during Diwali celebration in a workplace which was called out for having few Indian employees was also highlightedbythewriter He asserted that the ‘Africans’ had Indian blood therefore the workplace was not manned by mainly African

Guyanese.

This could be fiction or non-fiction but again the w r i t e r s h o w s h i s insensitivity and lack of consideration for the real concernsofothersandthose employeesbytryingtoerase orobscuretheidentityofthe ‘African’ employees, did they identify as Indian, African or Mixed race (another ethnic group in Guyana)? Can one say that the people who normally attendmandirsinGuyanaare ethnically diverse because they may have African ancestors although they appearIndianandidentityas such? Also, Guyana isn’t caught up in the cultural appropriation gimmick and there is the tendency in schools and workplaces for children and adults to dress up in the cultural attire of other ethnic groups on ‘Culture Day’ and holidays, this is mainly done out of respectandsolidarity

If I dress up in Chinese wear one shouldn’t automaticallyassumeIhave Chineseheritage.

Editor, I don’t believe that the concerns and opinions of others on contentious topics such as r a c e , e t h n i c i t y , discriminationandexclusion regarding specific persons, institutions and situations should be discredited with vague assertions, lack of statistical information or evidence especially when one is not a concerned party or representative For instance, has UG responded to allegations in the press about not hiring ‘enough’ Indian Guyanese teaching personnel?

Afairexaminationofthe issues of ethnic conflicts, m a r g i n a l i s a t i o n , discrimination, racism and ethnic composition in the private and public sectors should encompass what is documented and not just

DEAREDITOR, I am glad to read that “Guyana is on track to end TB by 2030.” This is ‘big’ news.Tuberculosis,oraswe say, TB, worldwide, was pushed aside, because of the COVID crisis, which is still not fully over The statistics show that COVID-19 has in fact reversed progress made in the fight against TB by over a decade. This was the natural result that defaulted fromthenecessaryinputand emphasis on the COVID pandemic, and thus, access to essential TB prevention and care services in 2020 was severely affected

gettingthefulldailyDOTS.” Henotedthatthisledtosome 396 new cases being detectedoranincidencerate of 53 per 100,000 at the end of2022.Thethingisthatthe Ministry of Health is ever vigilant and aggressive, as the country actually “ made great strides over the yearstoreducetheincidence of TB (as) If we reflect back to 2012 when we actually rolled out all TB servicesinthe10regionsfor detection and treatment, we had92per100,000.Overthe years,wewereabletoreduce it.”

(rifampicin and isoniazid) aretakeneverydayforthree months Sometimes, the treatment period is six months, with only one type of medication (isoniazid). So, we can be confident in the Director’s words which elaborated that “To treat latentTBinfectioncurrently, we’re using isoniazid daily for six months and with this combination that we will be launching soon, we will be giving the patients once a week for 12 weeks. That’s halfthetimeandonlyoncea week.”

conjectures, our history especially during and after colonialism; attacks against Indian Guyanese and African Guyanese, the frequency, causes and perpetrators; documented instances of discrimination against these particular ethnic groups during the PPPC and PNC or APNU era; and the reasons for present day ethnic conflicts. Why are employees in state agencies and public instructions mostly African Guyanese, how did this happen?WhyistheGPFand GDF mostly composed of African Guyanese and were they ever different? Why is the business class, private sector mostly composed of Indian, Chinese and Portuguese Guyanese? Is there discrimination against Indian Guyanese in the public sector or when they apply for jobs? Are there barriers preventing African Guyanese from opening businesses and can this be proven? Do Indian G u y a n e s e r e c e i v e incentives/preferential treatment simply because of their ethnicity when they decide to open businesses, andcanthisbeproven?What about the preference for certain professions and the fact that children tend to follow in the footsteps of theirparents?Isitwrongfor parents to pass down their businesses to their children or a child choosing to become a nurse because her mother whom she greatly admiresisanurse?Thereare so many factors to consider and questions to ask when dealing with the ethnic problemasawholebutwhat is not complicated or cumbersometodealwithare the concerns of individuals who should be allowed a voice and not simply dismissedwithconjectures.

Yoursfaithfully, NarissaDeokarran

Overall,globally,in2020,an estimated9.9millionpeople were ill with TB, and an estimated1.5millionpeople died from TB, including 214,000 among persons living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

Here in Guyana, we are ontheTBtrailandnottaking it lightly I read from Director of the Tuberculosis Programme, under the Health Ministry, Dr Jeetendra Mohanlall, that there is an actual decline in the incidence rate since efforts were made to tackle TB. As I did mention, COVID derailed smooth runnings that led to the lack of the daily DOTS (Directly Observed Therapy) for patients. This means that trained health care workers or other designated individuals (excluding a familymember)werenoton hand to provide the prescribed TB drugs and watch the patient swallow every dose. Dr Jeetendra Mohanlall explained that “(Although) We’re on track to end TB by 2030, we still have some challenges We still have some struggles in RegionFourwherewe’renot

Another noteworthy observation, and as intimated earlier, is where c0-morbidityisafactor This isalwaysgoingtotakealot, but the country has reasons to be proud. The record shows that “Instances of Tuberculosis and HIV coinfection also existed, but this has been on the decline. (As) In 2012, the coinfectionratewas32percent when compared to 16 in 2022.

Editor, in being realistic, Dr Jeetendra Mohanlall explained that as “We continue to work together withourcolleaguesfromthe HIV programme. There is a lotofworktodo,butoverthe years, we have managed to drop the burden of TB coinfection with a lot of prevention. On the note of prevention, we have new medications to introduce in the country for latent TB infection.” The Head was referring here to “A combination pill of rifapentine and isoniazid (that)willberolledoutsoon todecreasethepillburden.”

Letmestitchinherethat globalbestpracticesspeakof what Guyana is doing Worldwide, usually, two types of medications

In terms of geographic progress and modern technology, the news is that “Guyana has moved from oneTB site in the year 2000 tonowhavingsome21sites across the country and five establishedTB clinics in the prisons.” It gets better as “Anothersitewillbecreated at Soesdyke next for which staffers are being trained. The ministry had also rolled out regional testing for TB using the Gene X-pert technology that is the international method (GeneXpert is a rapid moleculartestthatallowsthe detection of M. tuberculosis and simultaneously detects resistance to the antibiotic rifampicin, all in less than twohours.)”

I remind my readers that Tuberculosis is a disease caused by germs spread betweenpersonsthroughthe air Whileittypicallyaffects the lungs, it can also affect other parts of the body includingthebrain,kidneys, or spine Despite being preventable and curable, TB remainsachallenge,causing 1.5 million deaths globally everyyear (G12).

Thewordthenis‘takeno chance.’

Yourstruly,

H.Singh

Elson Low responds to Jagdeo

DEAREDITOR, Iamunfortunatelycalled to correct blatant inaccuracies Vice President Jagdeohasrelayedregarding my recent statements In addition, the government, panicked about the recent revelations of wanton secrecyinauditingStabroek Block expenses, has sought to attack my competence, rather than address the elephant in the room, which isthatGuyanesedonottrust them to audit Exxon’s expenses. I would like to takethisopportunitytomake the Guyanese public aware that I hold a certificate from the International Law

Institute in Anti-money laundering and Anticorruption, with specific reference to oil and gas corruption issues My comments regarding audit issues often stem directly from the audit-specific lessons learned there or academicresearch.

Itmayalsointerestsome GuyanesetoknowthatIama former Queen’s College Head Prefect, hold a Bachelor’s degree in both Economics and Political Science from Amherst College and previously worked at Goldman Sachs and Co. Keen-eyed readers will observe that, before

turning 30, I had already advised more than one Leader of the Opposition on economic matters, having had the pleasure of serving under the previous leader of the opposition as well. It continuestobeagreathonor toserve.

I apologize for boring you with my qualifications, soletmenowmoveontothe critical issue, which are the VP’sendlessinaccuracies.

Recently, he said he believes I am not aware that the Coalition commissioned the first audit of Stabroek Block expenses. He based theseremarksonthe

(Continuedonpage16)

Exxon single sourced hundreds of US-millions in contracts -Auditreportreveals

administration, to specifically review the expenses of oil major,

ExxonMobil between the period1999and2017,tothe tune of US$1 6 billion,

found that hundreds of USmillions in contracts were single sourced by the company

According to the document which has been shared with this newspaper, “Vendorspendovertheaudit period amounts to a total of $1,067 million, of this, procurementdetailsfor$953 million or 89% relate to contractsandinvoicing.”

A revision of the contracts conducted by the audit team found that US$613 5 million or 64 percentofthevalueofthose reviewed contracts were awarded on a competitive basis and are aligned with the provisions of the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) However, 25 percent of the value-US$240millionwere single sourced and 11 percent -US$99 5 million were partial single source contracts.

The audit report stated, “For the procurement and award of contracts conducted on a competitive basis, the procurement process provides adequate transparency to meet the PSArequirements.”

It noted, “Of the single source procurement awards, E E P G L h a s n o t d e m o n s t r a t e d t h e competitiveness of the rates within the contract for contracts with a combined value of $28,476,876. This amount should be removed fromtheCostBank.”

TheAuditfirmwashired to review of all exploration and development costs submitted for recovery by

ExxonMobil Guyana Country Manager, Alistair Routledge

Exxon’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), between 1999 to the end of 2017 in the Stabroek Block. The total expenditure that has been amounts to $1,677,774,727.

Following reports on the documentbyanothersection of the media, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) issuedastatementindicating that the said report is not final.

Be that as it may, the single sourcing of major contracts by ExxonMobil goes against the Stabroek Block contract; the agreement which the government maintains must be adhered to. In refusing to renegotiate the contract to securebetterfiscaltermsfor thecountry,governmentsaid it must adhere to the

‘sanctity of contract’ principle.

In the meantime, its 50/50 partner has been flagged for single sourcing contracts worth USmillions.

Notably, Article 18 of the agreement requires Exxon to establish tender proceduresinitsconductof petroleum operations, allowing Guyanese to p a r t i c i p a t e w h e r e necessary

Article 18.2 of the PSA states:“TheContractorshall establish appropriate tender procedures for the acquisition of goods, materialsandserviceswhich shall ensure that Guyanese suppliers and SubContractors are given adequate opportunity to compete for the supply of goodsandservices.”

Guyanese yet to see oil...

Frompage3

Personnel and Subcontractors shall have an obligation to disclose any situation of actual or potential conflict that impacts their capacity to serve the best interest of the Client, or that may reasonably be perceived as having this effect. Failure to disclose said situations may leadtothedisqualificationof the Consultant or the terminationofitsContract.”

K a i e t e u r N e w s previously reported that Aramco Trading Limited (ATL), the London-based trading subsidiary for the State controlled Saudi Aramco, had inked a one year contract with the MinistrytomarketGuyana’s crude entitlement from the

LizaPhaseOneProject.That contract came to an end in October2022andwasnever releasedforpublicscrutiny

According to the EITI Standards of 2019, as it r e g a r d s c o n t r a c t s

“Implementingcountriesare required to disclose any contracts and licenses that are granted, entered into or amended from 1 January 2021 Implementing countries are encouraged to publicly disclose any contracts and licenses that providethetermsattachedto the exploitation of oil, gas andminerals.”

It goes on to point out that countries must also provide: “An overview of whichcontractsandlicenses are publicly available Implementing countries

should provide a list of all activecontractsandlicenses, indicating which are publiclyavailableandwhich are not. For all published contracts and licenses, it shouldincludeareferenceor linktothelocationwherethe contract or license is published. If a contract or license is not published, the legal or practical barriers should be documented and explained.”

Guyana is among more than 50 countries that have committed to strengthening t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d accountability of their e x t r a c t i v e s e c t o r m a n a g e m e n t b y implementing the EITI Standard The country signed on to this pact on October25,2017.

An audit conducted by IHS Markit, a British firm

The audit process needs auditing

ThePresidentofGuyana shouldbepetitionedtoorder an immediate inquiry into his government’s response (or lack of) into the audit of theoilexpensesincurredand claimedbytheoilcompanies for the period 1999 to 2017.

The government has a politicalresponsibilitytothe parliament to ensure the proper management of the oil sector and parliament shouldatleastpassamotion urgingsuchaninquiry

It was Stabroek News which landed the scoop of the year when it reported on details of that audit, details which the government did notseefittomakeknownto thepublicortoactupon.The excuses which have since been made by the government, including tryingtoinvolvetheGuyana Revenue Authority, are grounds enough to justify a commissionofinquiry

Since2021,itwasbeing reported that the report into theauditfortheperiod1999 to 2017 had been submitted to the government

Questions were asked as to whythegovernmentwasnot reporting on the findings of the audit. The public was provided with reassurances thatareportwouldhavebeen forthcoming. But up until a fewdaysago,therewaslittle responseonthematter

Then there emerged the bombshell report by the Stabroek News indicating that the audit report, in the possession of the government, had raised red

flags about some 12.8% or some US$214.4M of the US$1 67 B in expenses claimedbyExxonMobiland its affiliates. It was this release which prompted a response from the government.

It sought to involve the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). But the GRA has limited locus standi on this issue The GRA is and cannot be held responsible for the audit of the oil expenses. The government, andparticularlytheMinistry of Natural Resources, is responsible for ensuring the audit and for the follow-up actionifnecessary

The Guyana Revenue Authority is a tax collection agency It may undertake its own audit in order to assess taxesowed.Butitcannotand shouldnotberesponsiblefor anyauditbythegovernment of oil expenses. Whatever the GRA does is of mere academic value since the company is not subject to muchtaxationanyway

Yetdespiteknowingthis, the Vice President indicated that the GRAwould address theissue.Itdid.ButtheGRA should extricate itself from this issue, lest it finds itself h a v i n g t o a s s u m e responsibility for any negligenceonthepartofthe Ministry of Natural Resources. As things now stand,thepublicisbeingtold that the audit report which was submitted to the governmenttwoyearsagoisa preliminary report The

Dem boys seh...

government it is said is awaitingthefinalreportfrom the audit company before taking action to recover nay amountswrongfullyclaimed

Presumably, the audit company is required to submit the findings to the oil companies who will then provide the relevant explanations It is doubtful that this process should take two years The final audit report should have already beenready Assuchquestions need to be asked as to what action the government has taken to ensure that the final reportissubmittedsothatthe necessary claims and objectionscanbemadebythe government, thereby recovering more money for profitoil.

So far, the government has been mum on what action it took to ensure the submission of the final report. But other questions also need to be asked in termsofthestatutoryperiod for completing the final report and for submitting objectionstotheexpenses.

Even though the audit covered the period prior to thesigningoftheProduction SharingAgreement(PSA),it is possible that the same audit terms of the PSA covers that earlier period. After all, did the Coalition governmentnotindicatethat thepre-PSAcontractandthe PSA were not much materially different? The existing PSA provides that thegovernment,nottheaudit company, has to submit a

If yuh good enough, yuh gan get spot

Back in de old days, de country did short of good athletes and so somebody hadanideadatdemshould look in de prison fuh good athletes.

Dem send out a talent scouttoaprisonwhichwas surrounded by a high wall.

De scout tell de prisoners dem looking fuh people who could represent de countryinhighjumping.

Defussprisonertellde scout how he can jump 3 feet high. De scout tell de wardenfuhincreasedeman rationsthreetimesandkeep him healthy De second prisoner tell de scout how he can jump four feet high.

Descouttelldewardenfuh increase de man rations four times and keep him healthy De third prisoner tell de scout how he can

jump eight feet high. De scout tell de warden fuh lock up de third prisoner because he can jump over deprisonwalls.

Dem Guyana athletes

nah jumping off nothing as yet, but de Golden

Arrowhead flying high in deBahamas.

Nuff people happy dat Guyana copping medals at the CARIFTA Games. But nuff people asking what plans are in store to ensure dattheseyoungathletescan transition to de Big League?Itisonethingtodo well at the de junior level a n d a t r e g i o n a l championships But is another thing to use that talent and ability to reach world class standards

Making that leap requires carefulplanning,andsound

report to the oil companies within sixty days of the completionoftheaudit.The oil companies then have anothersixtydaystorespond totheauditqueries. The key question that arises therefore is whether theseprovisionsapplytothe pre-PSA contract and specifically to the period 1999-2017. And if it does then what action did the government take to ensure compliance with the sixty days period for submission of queries and for receipt of the oil companies’ explanation. These are the issues which require an explanation from the government. But given its historic secrecy and reversion to confidentiality clauses, real or imagined, it

is not likely that the PPPC government will answer those questions unless it is mandated to do so by a commissionofinquiry

Therehavebeencallsfor the government to release the audit report. But these calls are misplaced because you cannot make public a preliminary report That would be just as reckless as not taking sufficient and sustained action to have the finalreportsubmitted.

But the demand for the report to be made public must be understood in context of the government’s previous failure to have some US$9.5B in expenses audited within the statutory period At the time, the explanation was that it was difficulttofindpersonstodo

theauditing.

The key question this time is what prevented or is preventingthecompletionof thefinalauditreportintothe period 1999-2017 And, more importantly, what action the government took to ensure that this report is completed.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author They do not purport to reflect the opinions or viewsofKaieteurNews.

management of our athletes. And some people already asking how dese young people gan develop if dem stay in Guyana. Dem pointing to Jamaica wah does produce world and olympic champions by de quarter dozens every four years. Many of dem does go and train on the collegiate and university circuitsindeUnitedStates.

But Guyana nah gat to worry.Ifyuhgoodenough, yuhganmekit.Ifyuhgood enough, dem talent scouts fuh dem universities gan spot yuh So what is importantisdatwedevelop we local athletes locally and den hope dat dem get spot by dem foreign countrieswheretheycanbe exposedtobettertraining. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

Afearsomeprogressionofsuppression

There was a case before the US Supreme Court over three decades ago where a remarkable statement was coinedbyoneofthejustices

It concerned the incendiary issue of the extent of free speechinthematterofTexas v Johnson Justice William Brennan had this to say: “If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the governmentmaynotprohibit

the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable.” What could be more controversial, more inflammatory, than burning oftheAmericanFlag,amost sacred symbol by Mr Johnson?

In the local realm, Guyana’s Constitution protects freedom of expression in letter and in spirit Now,Ipointtowhere

it has been taken by the PPP Government, though its willing appointed agencies, anditsvolunteer(perhaps ) groupofloyalistsincensedto intolerance for what is construedtobe“offensiveor disagreeable”

Or, even beyond that, becauseitisfearedtoleadto the revealing, the inconvenient, and the alarming Thus,thestandard has become that such

expression,despitelegitimate purposes, must not to be given any space for foundation and ventilation

The great anxiety is that the resulting sunlight could be hellish

Five instances, four of morerecentvintage,furnisha trailofevidencethatconfirms with concrete solidity what I term the frightening progressionofsuppressionof expression in Guyana Expressionbeitathought,an idea,apublicposture,orfullblown conviction-has come under increasingly withering fire, has incited hemming in, cornering, and coercing into tinierandtinierspaces

This is to the point that only favorable voices, solely cooperative stances, exclusively prostrated c o n s c i e n c e s , f i n d acceptability and traction in high government elevations, and in the low pastures of everyday commerce of interactions

First, and with no sequenceobserved,therewas the Black Guyanese entity, IDPADA-G Its work worries the government; its constituencies found wanting;anditssenioragents recognized as objects of resistance, human platforms for difference The suppressiontakestheformof effectively shutting down by the powerful expediency of starving of funds fueled by the most questionable premises Whether it was to neutralize the expressive stances of an election’s commissioner found “disagreeable”, or to divide anddiminishthestandingof thisentityanditsexpressive actions, the fact is that the force of the State was arrayedagainstit,tobringit toboot. Speaknot,donotgo against, and nothing will be

found that would be

c o n s i d e r e d “offensive ” Except

that the opposite o c c u r r e d , a n d retaliatory suppressive actionwasunleashed.

Second, some civic activistshavebeenveryvocal onarangeofissues,thesafety oftheenvironmentbeingone among several, only for them tobeexcoriatedbythehighest lips,andtheirrightstohonest expression be trampled upon, howeverunfoundeditmaybe Itwasnot;notinanyinstance, beitrelativetotheGY-EITI,or Houston,orinsurance What goes on here, when citizens utilizing Constitutional protections on issues of principle and concern are pilloriedandpummeled? But pulverizedtheRadzikswere, andtheRedThreadare

For, third, there is the instance of the Guyana Human Rights Association, and its head, Mr McCormack Like IDPADA-G, from the PPP Government’sside,therewas talk about money and deficiencies,thoughacareful linewaswalkedaroundfraud in the GHRA’s case To identify the unusual in the GY-EITI leads to these bombastic and scurrilous charges,intendedtodenigrate reputations first, then to devastate to a state of impotence Interestingly,the USAmbassador saw it fit to givetheGHRAanaudience, which by itself conveys growingAmericanuneaseat the creep towards a totalitarian State in this oil richnation.

Fourth, the independent media posits ideas, raises questions,andfieldsconcerns, about that same oil richness and the nature of its management, and PPP Governmentagentsgoonthe

warpath They paint mere inquirers in the worst of demonic colors, as guilty of unpatriotic vices I give the President in Bartica and his people in Leonora; I point to theHon VicePresidentandhis intensifying tendency to stridency and caustic indecency If the free expression of ideas and visions of oil are found “offensiveanddisagreeable”, then only speech about garbage collection and the sewage system are cherished asacceptable

Finally,thoughnotinthe c a t e g o r y o f t h e aforementioned luminaries, thePPPGovernmentusedthe resourcesoftheOfficesofthe President and the Prime Minister to smear via social media. The purpose was to intimidate,andtosilence,like has followed since, with claims about fraud, debt, missteps with others identifiedabove

Ineveryinstance,despite the powerful weaponry of men engaged in the monstrous, abject failure has resulted In this fearsome progressionofsuppressionof principled expression, of patriotic consciences, two questions rise above all others: Where to and who next; By what new formidable concoction; And, withwhatultimateobjectives in mind? A ‘One Guyana’ speaking with one voice abouttheoneandonlytruth; the PPP Government’s truth alone?

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

CDBapprovesUS$29.8Mto...

Frompage2 andtheSoufriereHospital,willberefurbished andrehabilitatedwhiletheComfortBayHome for Older Persons, will be expanded and retrofitted TheCastriesUrbanCentrewillbe relocatedandexpandedandanewannexwill beaddedtotheDenneryHospital

Other funding will go towards procuring supplies and pharmaceuticals as well as providing a range of training and capacity buildingsolutionsforhealthcareworkers.

Strengthening the medical supply chain willgetneededinvestmentinStVincentand the Grenadines, with US$3.3 million of the funding to support works to establish a Central Medical Warehouse. Nearly US$2.3 millionwillbeputtowardsmedicalandother equipment at the Milton Cato Memorial

Hospital, such as a new distillery system for the pharmacy, equipment for the operating theatre, maternity ward and NICU, for the wards and other departments, and a CT Scanner, X-ray Machine and Hyperbaric chamber

Moreover, it was underscored that buildinguptheskillsofhealthcareworkersis alsoaprioritywithaspecificfocusonfilling skills gaps. Specialised training will be provided for operating theatre nurses, radiology staff, lab technicians, risk communication staff and others.Also, other fundingwillgotowardsengagingadditional health care staff in key areas, the establishment of a dedicated secretariat for the Health Security Unit and the supply and installationofamedicaloxygenplant.

Huge hole on $6B Sheriff/Mandela Road damaging vehicles

Multiple vehicles are reportedly being damaged byahugeholelocatedafew metres away from Duncan Street along the newly built US$31M ($6.5B) Sheriff/ Mandelaroad.

On Sunday, motorists wereforcedtoplaceatyrein

front of the hole to warn driversafterapitbullbusfell intothehole,duringtheearly morninghours.

The bus was reportedly badly damaged and could not continue its journey It had to be pulled out and pushed to the side of the

road. In fact, the driver was forced to leave it there and call another vehicle to transport his passengers and some equipment he had on board.

Residents living close to the damaged section of the roadsaidthatthepitbullbus

is just one of many vehicles that frequently fall into the holeonadailybasis.

“The noise it makes when vehicles fall in, especially at nights when there is not much traffic, jumps you out of your sleep”,onewomansaid. The residents added too that mere hours before the bus fell in, two other vehicles, one of them a police vehicle, were also damagedbythehole.

“It has also caused few accidents that could have ended fatally as well” another resident related During a visit to the area

Kaieteur News was shown markings of accidents that havetakenplacecloseatthe damaged section and according to the residents, mostofthemwerecausedby drivers suddenly swerving away from the hole, in a bid to avoid damaging their vehicles.

K a i e t e u r N e w s understandsthattheholehas been there for over a year Repairs were done but somehow that section of the road would always get damagedagain.

The Sheriff/Mandela road was built by Chinese Contractor, Sinohydro

Corporation Limited with a US$31M IDB loan Constructionbeganin2018, but the project was plagued withmanysetbackswithone ofthembeingthecompany’s non-compliancewithhealth, safety, and traffic managementstandards.

As result of its noncompliance, the IDB had ceased funding until the Chinesecontractorstartedto comply with the required standards.

The road was finally completed late last year but not before several defects had to be corrected by the Sinohydro.

Damaged section of the Sheriff/Mandela Road

A tyre placed on the road to warn drivers of the hole on Sherriff Street

The damaged pitbull bus left at side of the road after falling into a hole on Sheriff Street

Manhospitalized afterchopstohead

Chaotic scenes at Unity after the chopping

AUnityEastCoastDemerara(ECD)man is now hospitalized after he was chopped to hisheadonSaturdaynightbyanotherman.

The victim was attacked while he and a friend were riding along a road at Mosquito Hall,Unity,ECDonanelectricscooter

Kaieteur News understands that the attacker apparently went beserk with a cutlass in his hand. The suspect allegedly

pushed the men off the scooter and began beatingthem.Beforechoppingthevictimto thehead,healsobithisfriendmultipletimes aboutthebody

The police were called in and the victim andhisfriendwererushedtothecityhospital.

Itisunclearwhatledtothechoppingbut police suspect that it might have stemmed fromadrunkenbrawlbetweenneighbours.

ChildrapistapproachesAppeal Courttorepeallifesentences

Three years after he was handed life sentences for raping two girls on three different occasions, rape convict, Sheldon Lynch has approached the Court of Appeal seeking to have his conviction and sentence overturned. The Appeal Court is scheduled to determine the appeal this week.

Lynch in his notice of Appeal said among other thingsthatthejudgeswho conducted his trials erred and misdirected the jury onthelawandelementsof sexualconduct.

He is arguing, among other things, that the trial Judge misdirected the jury, and that the imposed jailtermsareexcessive.

His contention is that the judges failed to adequately direct the jury o n t h e l a w a n d requirement of the danger of relying on the unsworn testimony of a child Lynch was convicted of engaging in sexual penetration of two underage girlsin2018.

The man whose last known address was given as Plaisance, East Coast Demerara,wasconvictedby a 12-member jury of engaging in sexual penetrationofan11-year-old girlonAugust22,2015,and was imprisoned for life,

without the possibility of parole.

It was reported that on the day in question, Lynch, known to the child, had forced himself on the then 11-year-old.

Following the incident, thegirltoldhermotherwhat

Hewassentencedtotwo consecutive life terms, and mustspendaminimumof35 yearsinprisononeachofthe two convictions, before beingparoled.

In handing down the sentences following the trial forthe10yearoldvictim,the trialjudgeSimoneRamlall tookintoconsiderationthe nature of the offences and the circumstances under which they were committed.

From the victim’s evidence, the judge told Lynch that the young girl trusted him and was also very fond of him. However,thejudgesaidto Lynch that he treated the underage girl like his “woman”.

Rape Convict, Sheldon Lynch

had transpired, and the mother reported the matter to the Police. Thus, Lynch was arrested and later charged In a separate matter in 2018, Lynch was found guilty of raping a 10-yearold girl on two different occ

“You violated her trust and took her innocence. You have scarred her for life,” Justice Ramlall said to Lynch, adding that, he showed no remorse for his actions.

The judge continued, “You (Lynch) have not acknowledgedthatyouwere foundguiltybythejury You demonstrated no regard for theverdict.”

Lynch has however maintained he is innocent of both crimes and hopes that the court will grant his appealtohavetheconviction and life sentences overturned.

WANTED

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mechanist needed, must know to work on engine head. Call: 223-5273/ 2235274.

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

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

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

Urgently need one female Bartender to work in the Interior. Ages 21-30 yrs. Call/ WhatsApp Ms. Johnson: 698-5526.

Experienced Land Dredge workers needed. Call: 6841030 between 8am-4pm.

One live-in Domestic partner, light house work. Salary $ 80,000 monthly. Call: 603-9085.

Canter/ pick up Drivers needed. Call: 223-5273/ 223-5274.

One Housekeeper and Gardener/ Handyman needed for Durban Backlands. Call: 225-3557.

One Cashier needed in general store for cashing and Lotto machine at Annadale, E.C.D. Call/ WhatsApp: 642-1141/ 917-517-9503.

FOR RENT

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

Land for rent/ lease at Coverden, river front, E.B.D. Land size: 4 acres. Call: 6231615.

Two1 bedroom apartment for rent in Diamond Housing Scheme. Call: 645-7933.

Govt., PAHO/WHO working on initiative to eradicate five key diseases

VACANCY

A able-bodied live-in female Housekeeper to work in Virgina U.S.A. Between the ages of 30-50. Call: 845-3258241/ 592-615-5476.

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

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

The Ministry of Health in partnership with the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) are working on an initiative to eradicate five key infectious diseases from Guyana.

Filaria [big foot], leprosy, chagas, leishmaniasis or bush yaws, have been identified by the government to be eradicated in a few years.

Government remains confident that these diseases will be eliminated with the technical support from PAHO.

This was disclosed by Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony during remarks on Saturday at the commissioning of the Paramakatoi Smart Hospital, Region Eight.

is still endemic in Region One and the ministry is working assiduously to reduce in its first instance, and to work towards eradication by 2030 in the regions that are affected.

Shortly, government will be launching an interesting immunisation programme, Dr Anthony noted, “We also know that with the immunisation programme, you have to give people injections and a lot of people do not like injections.

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“We have been working with them [PAHO/WHO] on a number of projects…Right now, we are working to eliminate Filaria from Guyana.

We are hoping that in a couple years from now, we can declare Guyana to be filaria-free.

So, that is one of the projects that we have with PAHO. Right now, at the national level, we have considered that it has been eliminated nationally.

But there are still some pockets where we need to

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony (DPI

Photo)

work to eliminate it in those particular areas.

That is the kind of targeted work that we are doing with PAHO,” Dr Anthony stated.

The health minister said government remains optimistic that Leishmaniasis, which is caused by infection with Leishmania parasites, which are spread by the bite of phlebotomine sand flies, along with the Chagas disease which is caused by a bug, will be eradicated from Guyana.

Government continues to provide the necessary resources to eliminate or control the five diseases. Malaria

We will give the vaccine but not in the form of an injection.

That one, we will be launching very soon which will become more comfortable for the child that is receiving the vaccine. It is not vaccine in the traditional sense. It is going to be a different way in delivering that vaccine.”

Dr Anthony said this will have a huge impact on vaccine uptake and to prevent the fear children might have in using such a vaccine.

The UK continues to partner with Guyana on numerous initiatives to improve the delivery of healthcare in the country, which include procuring vaccines for COVID-19, the smart hospital initiative, among other areas. (DPI)

Elson Low responds to Jagdeo...

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From page 06 contents of the Opposition’s most recent press statement. Sadly, in that very statement I specifically said that the Coalition commissioned the first audit. Further, in the very line he quotes from the press release, it is also indicated that I was referring to the country’s second audit, spanning the years 2018-2020. This obvious blunder was made during an attempt to deny that it was Opposition pressure that forced the government to even audit the 2018-2020 expenses.

Some readers may remember that the government had even disgracefully let the deadline for the 2018-2020 audit lapse. Some readers may remember me saying at the time that it should be a criminal offense to not audit oil and gas expenses, given the tens of billions of USD that could be lost. I doubled down on these comments when the government refused to comment on the release of the 2018-2020 audit, saying it should also be a criminal offense to conceal such audits.

Now that we have seen the government hide US $214 million dollars from the public in the first audit, those comments perhaps seem prescient. Readers, the real reason that the PPP has chosen to level personal attacks against me is because they want to distract from the pressing danger that, under PPP stewardship of our oil and gas industry, Guyana will not collect one cent from these audits.

come from the audit. I sincerely wish I were done, but the second Vice President even went so far as to say that we in the Opposition only echo news articles that are topical, not presenting new thoughts.

In the same press statement he is quoting we outlined a strategy to work with Exxon to delay approvals of new developments in order to increase the percentage of profit oil the country receives early on in oil production.

I highlighted at the press conference the benefits of investing this added revenue earlier in Guyana’s future, because the returns to investment are high given Guyana’s stage of development. Education, healthcare and infrastructure are obvious candidates for investment. If he had merely taken the time to read the press release, he would have seen this new policy position.

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There are tens of billions of USD at stake, money which could radically transform the lives of Guyanese in every region. We cannot allow the PPP to refuse to audit, hide audit results or not enforce claims that

That means the second VP made three obvious, easily avoidable blunders, in the space of only a few sentences. He has my sympathies. Lastly, the PPP seems to be relying on a tired narrative that I dodged a debate with Joel Bhagwandin. It appears they missed my letter to the press, in which I stated my openness to debate. I signal that willingness again today. In fact, a moderator recently indicated his willingness to serve so I am available any time for this debate. Perhaps readers would be interested in a debate about the recent comments, by a Jamaican academic, that Guyana is going nowhere. I want to thank the second Vice President for paying attention to my comments and advise he read more slowly on the next occasion. It may serve him well.

Yours,

Elson Low, Economic and Youth Policy Advisor to the Leader of the Opposition

Rupununi Livestock Association gets $1M for agriculture support

Minister of Amerindian A f f a i r s , Pauline Sukhai, on Saturday presented the Rupununi LivestockAssociationwitha cheque valued at $1 million to support the ongoing developmentofagriculture.

The minister was at the time witnessing the opening of Rodeo 2023, dubbed ‘DusttillDawn.’

Recognising the crucial role that agriculture plays in the country’s economy, the Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali-led Administration has put forward plans to expand agriculturecountrywide.

To promote sustainable

and inclusive growth in the sector, the administration hasincreasedtheavailability of agriculture inputs and servicesinthehinterland.

Works are underway to improve infrastructure including roads and bridges to facilitate access to markets, while technical support is being provided to farmers to increase their productivityandefficiency

F u r t h e r , t h e government’s plan will provide viable economic opportunities in the hinterland regions, thus improving the living standardsofresidents.

Meanwhile, Minister

Sukhai said the Rodeo adds to the unique tourism brand foundonlyintheRupununi.

“ItisRegionNinethatis thefastestgrowingregionin ourcountry TheRupununiis the pioneer in eco-tourism and sport tourism,” she noted.

The minister urged persons there to continue advancing the sector, u n d e r s c o r i n g i t s sustainability She also a s s u r e d t h e m o f government’s support in buildingresilientsectors.

“Tourismisgoingtobea keyandleadingsectorinthe country long after oil and gas.Itwillrivalagriculture.

Cubans seek solutions and solace in Santería amid crises

(AP) From a tworoom concrete home on the fringesofCuba’scapital,the rumble of wooden drums spillsoutontothestreets.

Neighbors gather at the door and kids climb a fence topeerinside.

Theywatchasdozensof Cubans wearing white and African beads make offerings at a bright blue altarconsuminghalfaroom, asking for luck, protection andgoodhealth.

While nearly 70% of LatinAmerica’s670million people consider themselves Catholic, in Cuba, Santería isthenameofthegame

A fusion of African religions and Catholicism, Santería was one of the few religious practices to quietly endure through

decades of prohibitions and stigma by the communist government.

Now, as that stigma gradually fades and the country enters a moment of compounding economic, political and migratory crises, the religion is growing in popularity and expanding to new demographics.

“Every day the religion growsalittlemore,”Mandy Arrazcaeta, 30, said among the throngs of people in his home dancing and making offerings at the altar to a plastic doll depicting the Yoruba deity Yemayá “Right now, Santería in the countryisasortofbastion.”

Santería was born as a form of quiet resistance among the island’s black

communities The religion dates back centuries to when Spanish colonists brought in hundreds of thousandsofAfricanslaves

While the Spanish tried to force Catholicism on the slaves,theAfricansbrought their own religions, mostly from West Africa, which they would camouflage by attaching their deities — orishas—toCatholicsaints.

Cuba’s patron saint, Our Lady of Charity, for example, blended with the goldendeity,Oshun.

“Itwouldmixandmix through this Catholic virgin, they would speak to their African saints,” explained Roberto Zurbano, a Cuban cultural critic. “That’s how the religion was able to survive.”

“More innovation and initiative are being taken to make this activity more excitingforthevisitors,”the ministeradded.

Hundreds of persons were thrilled in the wee hours Sunday, by horseback riders, who were nothing shortofentertainers.

Membersoftheaudience were at the edge of their seats,whenthecowboysand cowgirls performed some fearsomebull-riding.(DPI)

One killed after motorcycle collides with bicycle

A29-year-old man is now dead after a motorcycle collided with a bicycle around 02:00hrs on Sunday morning, along the EnmoreAccessRoad,EastCoastDemerara (ECD).

Dead,isParishramSancharrieofHope, West Enmore, ECD. According to police, Sancharrie was the pillion rider on the motorcycle.

Trafficinvestigatorssaidthatthepedal cyclistidentifiedasImranBacchus,30,was riding his bicycle north along the western side of the road, when the motorcycle

crashedintohim.

The driver of the motorbike, Deochan Dass, 28, Sancharrie, and the pedal cyclist all fell onto the road as a result of the impact.

An ambulance was summoned and the injuredvictimswererushedtoGeorgetown PublicHospitalformedicalattention. Sancharrie,however,succumbedtohis injuries around 7:35 hrs while receiving treatment. Dass and the pedal cyclist remaininaseriouscondition.

Investigationsareongoing.

‘FloorItGuyana’copsprestigious2023BIZXAmericaAwards

‘Floor It Guyana’ has been named the winner of the 2023 BIZX America

Aw a r d s f o r B e s t Import/Export Company

The award ceremony was held in Nashville, Tennessee,andwasattended by some of the top business leaders from around the world.

Accepting the award on behalf of ‘Floor It Guyana’ was CEO, Mr Andre Cummings In his acceptance speech, Cummings thanked the judges for recognizing the company’s hard work and dedication to providing topquality import/export servicestoitsclients.

“We are thrilled to receive this award,” said Cummings.“Itisatestament to the tireless efforts of our teamandourcommitmentto excellence We strive to provide our clients with the best possible service, and this award is a validation of ourefforts.”

‘Floor It Guyana’s’ success can be attributed in part to its partnership with business coach, Dr Vishnu Doerga.Dr Doergahasbeen working with the company for several years and has

helped them to streamline their operations, improve customer service, and increaseprofits.

“Working with Dr D o e r g a h a s b e e n instrumentalinoursuccess,” said Cummings. “He has provided us with invaluable

insights and guidance, and we are grateful for his ongoingsupport.”

‘Floor It Guyana’ has also been a client of ‘ActionCOACH’ Guyana f o r s e v e n y e a r s ‘ActionCOACH’ has been providing the company with

business coaching, training, andsupport,helpingthemto achievetheirgoalsandgrow theirbusiness.

“We are thrilled to see ‘FloorItGuyana’recognized fortheirachievements,”said theteamat‘ActionCOACH’ Guyana. “They are a true

example of what can be accomplished when you have a strong vision, a dedicatedteam,andtheright support.”

The BIZX America Awards are one of the most prestigious business awards in the world, recognizing

companies and individuals who have made significant contributions to their respectiveindustries.

‘Floor It Guyana’ is honored to have been selectedasthewinnerinthe Best Import/Export Companycategory

From left: CEO of ‘Floor It Guyana’Andre Cummings, CEO and Founder of ActionCoach Brad Sugars and Marketing Manager of ‘Floor It Guyana’, Shaunell Cummings

From left: Shaunell Cummings - Marketing Manager of ‘Floor It Guyana’, Vishnu Doerga - CEO ActionCOACH Guyana, Andre Cummings - CEO and Founder of ‘Floor It Guyana’, Vijay Mangal - Interior Architect ‘Floor It Guyana’, Niande McKenzie - Talent Acquisition Manager ‘Floor It Guyana’

Arsenal denied huge win as Liverpool hit back to draw

LIVERPOOL, England, (Reuters) - Arsenal’s grip on the Premier League title race was loosened as Liverpool produced a storming comeback to snatch a 2-2 draw in super-charged clash at a raucous Anfield yesterday.

The north Londoners were heading for a first league win at Liverpool since 2012, an eighth successive league win and a massive three points in their quest to win the league as they powered into a 2-0 lead.

But Liverpool woke from their slumber and with the crowd cranking up the vol-

Monday April 10, 2023

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)

Your immediate goals and wishes might suddenly appear to come together today, seemingly of their own accord. This might be strange, Aries, and perhaps a bit frightening.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

If you've been working toward manifesting extra money in your life, Taurus, you will probably see it happen today. Copious physical and emotional energy.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

Obstacles that you encountered in attaining your cherished goals could suddenly seem to melt away, clearing the way to make your dreams come true, Gemini.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

A lot of activity could occur at home today, Cancer. Perhaps you will have visitors or do some work on the house.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)

Whatever goals you've been trying to reach may finally become reality today, Leo. Finalizing everything could involve a lot of running around in the car and meeting with other people.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22)

Events over which you seem to have no control seem to be coming together to make things happen for you, Virgo. You might find this a bit frightening, but don't let it get to you.

Balgobin steers Mc Gill to victory over Bath

Sachin Balgobin struck a fine half century to guide Mc Gill of West Demerara to a four-wicket win over host Bath when the teams collided in a 40-over fixture recently.

Batting first, Bath made 184 all out in 34.3

overs. M. Singh scored 43, G. Gossai 29 and N. Gossai 22. A. Razack bagged five wickets and G. Puran had four. Mc Gill responded with 18 8-6 in 23.1 overs. Sachin Balgobin made 70 and S. Persaud 49. C. Baldeo took three wickets.

87th-minute equaliser that

and would have been heartily cheered by fans of Manchester City too.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

Your energy is probably high today, almost to the point where you feel you might be able to run a marathon! Seriously, Libra, you're probably thinking in terms of getting out of town for a while.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

Your inner power is probably at an all-time high, Scorpio. You should be feeling especially confident. You're likely to have a stronger influence on others than usual.

SAGIT (Nov.22–Dec.21)

Some fascinating conversations with friends, relatives, and others close to you could take place today, bringing new ideas your way, Sagittarius.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The

Your career and financial goals should be within your grasp, Capricorn. Both your physical energy and inner power are operating at their peak, making this an ideal day to make clear plans.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

Today you're likely to feel like the powerful creature you are, Aquarius. Your physical energy is high, and you look and feel great. Your intellect is sharp.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)

Your intuition should be very high right now, Pisces, as is your power of manifestation. Today you need to try to curb your thoughts and only think beautiful things.

It could have got even worse for Mikel Arteta’s side too as Mo Salah, who scored Liverpool’s first goal and then missed a second-half penalty, blazed a late chance over and was then denied brilliantly by Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

Ramsdale then made an even more miraculous save from Ibrahima Konate in a breathless period of stoppage time. When the dust settled on a rambunctious contest that had everything, Arsenal, bidding for a first title since 2004, lead Manchester City by six points but the reigning champions have a game in hand and also face Arsenal at home later this month.

Arsenal have 73 points from 30 games, while Liverpool are eighth with 44 points. A game which began in sombre mood as the 34th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster was marked by a moment of silence, exploded into life and even included an alleged elbow by an assistant referee on Liverpool’s Andy Robertson.

“Wow! Very intense game. The game was under control but after that we concede a really sloppy goal and the game shifted momentum,” Arsenal manager Arteta said. “It became a very transitional game, very chaotic. Liverpool could score three or four. It is true we could have scored two or three so maybe at the end the score is fair.”

Arsenal had taken an early lead when forward Gabriel Martinelli wriggled through in the eighth minute after a flowing move involving Bukayo Saka and managed to squeeze in a shot under pressure past Liverpool keeper Alisson.

With Liverpool in disarray, Martinelli then crossed for Gabriel Jesus to head home in the 28th minute.

ume, they surged back and Roberto Firmino headed an

sparked delirium in the stands

Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino scores their second goal. (REUTERS/Phil Noble)

Lakers beat Suns to keep hopes alive of avoiding play-in

LOSANGELES(AP)—

Darvin Ham gets briefed every morning on where his team could end up in the Western Conference playoff race While the various scenariosareenoughtowarp the mind of any fan, the Los Angeles Lakers’ coach knows the only thing he can do is make sure his team keepsonwinning.

The Lakers kept their hopes alive of avoiding a spot in the play-in tournament with a 121107 victory over the resting Phoenix Suns on Fridaynight

“However it falls, we need to take care of what we need to do,” Ham said after the Lakers improved to 42-39 with their eighth win in the last nine

games

Even with the win,

Lakers remained the seventh seed and in a

play-in spot in the

Western Conference after Golden State’s victory overSacramento

On a night when

LeBron James and

Anthony Davis were held to a combined 30 points,

it was two players acquired at the trade

deadline that helped

propel the Lakers

DeAngeloRussellledLos Angeles with 24 points andMalikBeasleyhad21.

Austin Reaves, who has emerged as Los Angeles’ most improved player this season, scored 22 “Nobody can key in on just AD and me When

The Golden Child!

Raekwon Noel bags five gold medals in Curaçao

you have Beasley shooting the way he was, Russell shooting at a high rate and Reaves playing exceptional it keeps the

defense always out there,” said James, who had 16 points on 6-for-19 shooting.

RussellandBeasleyalso

combined to make 10 of the Lakers’183-pointersasthey pulled away in the fourth quarter

“We’re not going to alwaysshoottheballtonight.

LeBron and I struggled tonight but we have a completeteam.Thedepthon our team is strong to where we had a very convincing win,” said Davis, who finished with 14 points and 21rebounds.

The Suns, who are lockedintothefourthspotin the West, rested starters Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton. It was the second game of a back-toback set after Phoenix beat DenveronThursday

TorreyCraigledPhoenix with18points,JockLandale

had 17 points and 10 rebounds and Josh Okogie scored16points.

Suns coach Monty Williams did not say if he would sit his core four starters again in Sunday’s regular-seasonfinaleagainst theLAClippers.

“We’ll evaluate tomorrowanddowhat’sbest forourguys.

Thankfully, we’re in a position where we’ll have time to play next week and get the conditioning level where it needs to be,” he said.

It was tied at 96 early in the fourth quarter before the Lakers scored 11 straight points as part of a 13-2 run. James had seven points during the spurt and Rui Hachimuraaddedfour

R a e k w o n N o e l performance at this year’s AquaticsChampionshipwill go down in the annals of Guyana’sswimminghistory and that of the event which startedin1985.

Afterwinningthe1500m Freestyle, 400m Individual Medley, 800 Freestyle, and 200m Butterfly in the 15-17 age group, Noel returned to win the 400m freestyle to takehistallytofivemedals–all gold! Noel won all the medalsforGuyanathisyear since the other swimmers, though making it to several finals, fell short of the

podium.

Apartfrombreakingfour ofhisNationalrecords,Noel now holds the CARIFTA 800 freestyle record and missed breaking the 200 butterfly by less than one hundredthofasecond.

Aleka Persaud made the finals of the 100m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 100m butterfly and 50m freestyle. Vladimir Woodroofe made the final of the 200 backstroke.

Persaud, Ariel Rodrigues, Zara Crane and MaiyaIfillmadethefinalof thegirls15-17relay

ByRawleToney

GoldforAnishaGibbons intheWomen’sU20Javelin andsilverforAttoyaHarvey intheWomen’s3000m.That was the story of Guyana’s seconddayattheCARIFTA GamesinNassau,Bahamas.

Itwasathirdgoldmedal in consecutive CARIFTA GamesforGibbons,whohas continued her reign as “Queen of Javelin” at the C a r i b b e a n ’s m o s t prestigious youth and junior t r a c k a n d f i e l d championship.

Gibbons won the U17 category in 2019, followed by the U20 event in 2022, andthistimearoundtheNew Mexico Junior College student-athlete launched her Javelin for a distance of 47.96metres,easilywinning theevent.

It was Gibbons’ first throw of the competition, and it was good enough and better than French Guiana’s Korann Colet (45.32m) and VanessaSawyer(43.37m)of theBahamas.

The19-year-oldGibbons holds Guyana’s National Record in the Javelin, along with the National Junior CollegeAthleticAssociation (NJCAA) record after throwingawinningdistance of 51.27m in March, which isalsoherPersonalBest.

It was the brightest moment for Guyana on Day

Two of the CARIFTA Games at the Thomas Robinson Stadium in The Bahamas as the country endedtheseconddaywitha top-of-the-podium finish and a silver, pushing its overalltallytofivemedals–two gold (Gibbons and Tianna Springer), two silver (Harvey and Javon Roberts) and one bronze (Seon Booker).

Harveyranaclinicalrace andwashopingtobetterher performancelastyear,where shehadalsofinishedsecond.

However, Jamaica’s Kaydeen Johnson had other plans and pulled away from Harvey with about 100 metrestothefinish,crossing thelineintenminutes41.11s (10:41 11), while the Guyanese settled for second place with 10:45.74. Third place went to Akaya LightbourneoftheBahamas (10:51.79).

Meanwhile, Tianna Springer,whowouldforever be remembered for her magicalperformancetoearn heragoldmedalintheGirl’s U17 400m on opening day, advanced to the finals of today’sgirls’U17200m.

Springer sprinted to a time of 24.27s in her Heat and returned in the semifinals to clock 24 37s, putting her in a position to contestforasprintdouble.

Ezekiel Newton, who

EzekielNewtonwill competeintheU20 200mfinalsatthe CARIFTAGames.

suffered a false start in the semi-finals of the U20 100m, returned yesterday to finish second in his 200m semi-finals after running 21.52s.

He will compete in today’s U20 Men’s 200m finals.

At the 2022 games in

Jamaica,Guyanaendedtheir participation with seven medals– two gold, three silver, and two bronze –while finishing fifth in the medal standings behind Trinidad and Tobago (23), British Virgin Islands (7), The Bahamas (17) and Jamaica(92).

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns Friday, April 7, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Javelin Gold for Anisha Gibbons, 3000m silver for Attoya Harvey -EzekielNewton,TiannaSpringerthroughtotoday’s200mfinals

Rinku hits five final-over sixes as KKR defy Rashid final-over and Titans in incredible finish

SportsMax-RinkuSingh hit five successive sixes in thefinaloverofaremarkable IndianPremierLeaguegame toliftKolkataKnightRiders to victory over Gujarat Titans.

The heroics came after a stunning hat-trick from Rashid Khan gave Gujarat command as they attempted todefend204-4.

Rashid’s dismissals of Andre Russell, Sunil Narine and Shardul Thakur seemingly left KKR’s innings in tatters, and they needed 29 from the last six balls.

UmeshYadavhitasingle off the first ball of the over, putting Rinku on strike and setting the stage for him to

lift the Knight Riders to an incredible three-wicket win by bludgeoning Yash Dayal in a sensational display of batting that will live long in thememory

A half-century from Sai Sudharsan (53) and Vijay Shankar’s unbeaten 63 saw Gujaratsetatestingtarget.

Venkatesh Iyer then playedtheleadroleformuch of the chase, with his 83 helpingKKRto154-3inthe 16thover

Buthewascaughtatlong on,offthebowlingofAlzarri Joseph, and Rashid ripped throughthemiddleorderina magnificent17thover

Rinku was the pillar of the middle order that remained,andhegaveKKR

a glimmer of hope with 10 runsfromthefinaltwoballs ofthepenultimateover

The target still looked likelytobebeyondKKR,but Rinkusnatchedvictoryfrom the jaws of defeat in a spectacular finale, completing an astonishing turnaround by pummelling Dayaloverlongon.

Rashidhat-trickinvain

Gujarat’s loss was their first in the opening three games of the season, but Rashid could hardly have donemoretoaidtheircause.

He had Russell caught behindfromagooglybefore Narine hit out to deep midwicket,withRashidthen returning to the googly to complete his hat-trick by

trappingThakurlbw.

Rinkutotherescue

Rinku was the hero for KKR, but he got a big assist from Dayal with some below-pardeathbowling. His full toss-laden final over got the treatment it deserved from Rinku, who hammered maximums over

long off, deep backward square leg, and his final two over long on as he finished offanhistoricrescueact.

Rinku’s 30 runs is the mostbyanybatterinthe20th overofanIPLgameinarun chase, while his five sixes over the ropes saw him tie RavindraJadejaforthemost

in the final over of any IPL innings.

Scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 207 for 7 (Venkatesh 83, Rinku 48*, Rana 45, Rashid 3-37, Joseph 2-28) beatGujaratTitans204for4 (Vijay 63*, Sai Sudharsan 53, Narine 3-33) by three wickets.

Van der Poel powers to Paris Roubaix victory

ROUBAIX, (Reuters) -

DutchgreatMathieuVander Poel powered his way to his first Paris Roubaix victory on Sunday as he left his rivals reeling with a 15km solo attack at the end of a typically eventful “Hell of theNorth”raceyesterday.

V a n d e r P o e l (Alpecin–Deceuninck) was part of a high-quality sevenrider leading group that hit the front with 50km of the 257kmraceremaining.

Alpecin-Deceuninck’s Mathieu Van Der Poelcelebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the race. (REUTERS/ Pascal Rossignol)

SportsMax - Jamaica’s

FormulaWomandriver,Sara Misir, looks forward to raising the roof today at the Dover Raceway as roofing company, Spectrum Systems, announced sponsorship for her 2023 motorsportsseason.

The significant sponsorship deal from Spectrum Systems will support Misir for the duration of the local racing calendar

Misir, the 2022 Jamaica Race Drivers Club (JRDC) ChampionintheMP3&TS1 classes,willopenherseason at the JRDC’s Carnival of SpeedattheDoverRaceway onEasterMonday Misirwill take on a new challenge as she moves up a class to the MP4 category to face the 2022 Champion, veteran Doug“Hollywood”Gore. Misir looks forward to

thechallenge.

“I dominated the MP3 classlastseason,soIwanted to take on a new challenge thisyear

The MP4 class has been dominated by “the beast”, Doug Gore, but look out for ‘thebeauty’thisyear!”joked Misir

Meanwhile, CEO of Spectrum Systems Limited, Andrew Stanigar is backing Misirtosucceed.

“Spectrum Systems, Jamaica’s number-one roofing company, is pleased to sponsor Jamaica’s number-one female race car driver,”hesaid.

“We see how much she has dedicated to the race track in 2022 for Formula Woman, the GT Cup Championships and in the JRDCseriesandwewishher allthebestasshetakesonthe MP4class.”

Head of Leep Marketing and manager to Sara Misir, Tanya Lee Perkins, said sponsorship support for athletes can be critical to theirsuccess.

“We are thankful to Spectrum Systems for joining her sponsor pool for 2023 Sponsorships encourage athletic performanceandsignalsthat corporate Jamaica is behind our sports women and men and believe in their talent and ability to inspire,” she said.

Misir is the RJR Sports Foundation Motosports Athlete of the Year in the femalecategory

In 2022 Spectrum System also sponsored Jamaica’s all-female shootingteam,theSuperSix shooters,thatplacedthirdat the Pan American Handgun Championships.

He then launched an attack on the Carrefour de l’Arbrecobbledsectionafter John Degenkolb (Team DSM) crashed heavily and appeared to collide with a spectator

His main rival Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) went with him and it looked like being a straight fight for the title between the pair of them, only for Van Aert to puncture.

ItleftVanderPoelonhis own and there was no stopping the 28-year-old as he put his head down and pedalledhiswaytowardsthe finish at the sun-drenched VelodromeAndre-Petrieux.

Onthesecondoftwolaps around the circuit Van der Poelcouldaffordtomilkthe cheers of the crowd as he crossedtheline.Inthebattle for second place his team mate Jasper Philipsen edged outfellowBelgianVanAert.

Philipsen and Van Aert finished 46 seconds in

arrears.

Former road world champion Mads Pedersen wasfourthwithStefanKung fifth and Italian Filippo Gannasixth.

Van der Poel’s win took his Monument tally to three having won this year’s Milan-San Remo in dominant fashion and also taking victory at last year’s TourofFlanders.

“I had one of my best days on the bike,” he told Eurosport “I felt really strong and tried to do a couple of attacks earlier but itwasreallyhardtodropthe guys. “On the last sector, DegenkolbhadacrashthenI had to close a gap to Wout

andIthinkhehadaflattyre.I found myself alone in front and just rode as hard as I could.”

Van der Poel has some sympathy for Van Aert with whom, along with Tadej Pogacar, he shares a rivalry that is arguably one of the mostexcitingformanyyears inmen’scycling.

“When I passed him, his pacewaslow Iknewhehad problem, but didn’t know it was a flat tyre It’s unfortunate, maybe we would have gone as two to thefinishline,”hesaid.

“It’s unfortunate but it’s part of the race. You need goodluckandgoodlegsand Ihadbothtoday.”

Jamaica’s Formula Woman driver Sara Misir inks sponsorship deal with Spectrum Systems for 2023 season

Sara Misir

Rinku Singh rushes into the arms of his team-mates after pulling off a miracle. (BCCI)

The 2nd Annual Mahaica Softball Cricket Cup is slated for April 16th

alive on Sunday

16th April as sporting fans will once again be treated to some exciting and

competitive softball cricket with Rohan Auto Spares Softball Team set to defend their title in the 2nd annual “Mahaica Softball Cricket Cup” According to the organisers this one-day tentensoftballknockoutcricket competitionwillbebiggeras eight teams have already indicated their interest in taking part and there will be moreprizesupforgrabs.

The organisers said that plans are underway as several prominent businesses in the area have already shown their interest in being part of the event once more and will be comingonboardinensuring that this year’s cup is more exciting, bigger and better, and a fun-filled day for the entirefamily Theorganisers indicated that softball teams fromoutoftheMahaicaarea are welcome to take part in thecompetitionanditwillbe played as round-arm bowling, and over $200,000 will be up for grabs in cash

andtrophies.

Prizeswillbeawardedto the Winner, Runner-up, 3rd Place, MVP, Most Runs Scored in an Innings, Best Bowler in an Innings, and ManoftheFinal,andallthe gameswillhaveamanofthe match prize. Already on board supporting the event are Rohan Auto Spares, Khaliludeen and Company, S&S Supermarket, Sookraj Industries and Anwar (Valdes) Trucking Service andMechanicalRepairs.

Theorganisersareurging interested teans to contact thecompetitioncoordinators Mr Fazalon670-8114orMr Martinon618-5383asearly aspossiblebecausealimited number of teams will be accepted and games get underway at 9 am According to the organisers therewillalsobeseveralside attractions for the patrons and a well-stock bar and BBQforsale. Residentsare encouraged to support the event.

UFC 287: ‘Revenge is sweet’ for Adesanya after second-round KO win over Pereira

Nityanand Mathura

starred with the ball while UshardevaBalgobinstrucka fine century as Everest Cricket Club encounter mixed results in the Georgetown Cricket Association/ GISE, Star Party Rentals and Trophy Stall first division two- day tournament,recently Host Everest CC and GNIC SC played to a draw Everest batted first and managed 212 with A Sanicharascoring68,Joseph Perry 48 and Javed Rasheed 24. Sookdeo (only named provided)grabbed6-81.

GNIC SC were bowled out for 172 in reply Jermain Grovensor made 51, J Benjamin 28 and J Collins 23 JavedRasheedbagged556 and teenager Mathura 365 Everest declared on 98-1 in their second innings V Mangala and A Sanichara made 32 and 30 respectively and Mathura 12 not out In pursuit of 139 to win, GNIC SCwere72-6atstumpsonthe finalday Mathura picked up 5-17. At Everest, the host beattheGeorgetownCricket Club by 31 runs. Everest

batted first and posted 248 with Ursherdeva Balgobin struck 117 while Junior Sinclair made 58 as Laurel Parks snared 4-61 and NavindraPersaud3-22.

GCC were bowled out for 157 in reply Ronaldo

Alimohamed stroked 81 and DevonLord23 Sinclairhad448, Mathura 3-44 and Keon

Joseph2-52 Everestmanaged 79, batting a second time

Balgobinmade25andPerry15

Lord claimed 5-16 and F

DuncanClark4-29 Set171to win, GCC were sent packing forfor139 Persaudmade31

as Channdrapaul Hemraj bagged5-22

At DCC, the home team beatEverestbyaninningsand 193 runs DCC posted 381-9 declared, batting first Christopher Barnwell struck 114 while Dexter George and NikosiBeatonmade47and45 respectively Mathura snared 5-126 Everestfoldedfor80 in reply Spinner Ashmead Nedd bagged 8-33. In their secondinningsEverestmade 108 all out with Balgobin scoring64asNeddpickedup 8-38 to finish the game with 16-71.

SportsMax -

Israel

Adesanya exacted some revengeonAlexPereirawith a brutal second-round knockout victory in Saturday’s UFC 287 main eventinMiami.

Adesanya floored the Brazilian at 4:21 in the second round in their middleweight fight, having come into the contest 0-3 against Pereira in their previous kickboxing and MMA bouts. Among those losseswasafifth-roundTKO atUFC281.

Pereira started well with Adesanya up against the cage, but the Nigerian responded emphatically,

countering with some massiveright-handhits.

The Brazilian was hurt but finally put down by Adesanya with a left hook, beforepummellinghimwith a hammer fist leading to referee Dan Miragliotta’s intervention with Pereira unconscious “They say revenge is sweet,” Adesanya said “IfyouknowmeI’vegot a sweet tooth you already know, this is f***ing sweet” Adesanya, who said he was “playingpossum”withPereira early,wasdelightedtore-claim themiddleweightbelt “Alexis a great champion no matter what,”Adesanyasaid “Helost the belt tonight, but he’ll

alwaysbethechampion Inhis storyI’mtheantagonist,inhis story I’m the bad guy but tonightit’smystory History “I toldyouthehunterisnowthe hunted Thankyouforbeating me Beating me made me a better fighter, a better person In this camp I didn’t f*** around I stayed in the grind andputmyselfthroughit”

In the co-main event, Gilbert Burns beat Jorge Masvidal by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 2928) in the welterweight division.Burns,whotrainsin Florida, was the clear winner, with Masvidal declaring after the bout that hewouldretire.

The Strathavon Sports ClubinCaneGroveMahaica will come

Mathura shines with ball, Balgobin hits century as Everest CC suffer mixed fortunes

Nityanand Mathura

Israel Adesanya exacted some revenge on Alex Pereira with a brutal second-round knockout.

Mr. Samdeo Singh owner of S&S Supermarket left hands over the sponsorship to Mr. Chandrika Singh.

Mr. Gurder Parsotam, assistant accountant of Khaliludeen and Company handing over sponsorship to competitions coordinator Mr. Fazal Khan.

Grimmond leads Berbice to 2023 Senior Women’s Inter County Super50 title

The final match of the 2023 Women’s Senior Inter County Super50 cricket tournament between the Berbice Women and Demerara Women at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, Bourda, yesterday was a one-sided affair Berbice Women continued their good form defeating the Demerara Women by nine wickets to lifttheSuper50title.

RealeanaGrimmondwas awardedPlayeroftheMatch forher2-11andunbeaten29 runs, as well as a supportive 3-5 from Omadevi Matadin and 2-11 from Sheneta Grimmondledtheirsidetoa convincing nine-wicket win overtheDemeraraWomen.

It was a wonderful day forcricket;sizzlingheatand a hard pitch. Demerara won the toss and decided to bat first. Demerara’s top order

Naomi Barkoye and Anita Hendricks found it hard to score at the top as Realeana Grimmond made early inroads into the Demerara innings Realeana

Grimmond had an exceptional start for the Berbiceside,pickingupboth of Demerara’s opening batterswithoutscoring,after eight overs Demerara were alreadyintroubleat19-2.

However, Tilleya Madramootoo and Sarah Aminremainedcalmasthey looked to stabilize the Demerara innings, together

they put on a brief partnershipof15runsbefore Amin was bowled by Plaffiana Millington for 13 runs They lost another wicket (Kaysia Schultz) as the Berbice bowlers took controlofthematchat35-4.

Lynda Slyvan and Madramootoo added ten runs to the total before Slyvan departed in the twenty-second over with Demerara 45-5. Demerara batting never recovered as Madramootoo got out LBW to Omadevi Matadin for a gritty 21 runs. Demerara plunged further into trouble losing both Rushell Roberts and Neema Singh within a spaceoffiveballs,Demerara

now 54-8. Matadin came back and struck again in the thirty-second over to claim her third scalp in the match, whileAshminiMunisartook adecentreturncatchshortly aftertocloseofftheinnings. Demerara dismissed for paltry58runsin32.3overs.

In reply, Realeana Grimmond and Marian Samaroo laid a good foundation for the Berbice side as they moved closer to the Super 50 title. Samaroo

Georgetown CC secures final spot with narrow win over Peter’s Hall

- TransportSCdemolishEveresttofortify play-offspotagainst Bel-AirRubis

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Government of Guyana (GOG) Ministry ofCulture,YouthandSports (MCYS), Under-19 InterClub Super-50 Tournament 2023, continued on Saturday,April8,2023,with wins for Transport SC and GeorgetownCC.

SummaryScores:

Transport record 8wicketwinoverEverest

Transport snatched an easy win against Everest at home after easing to 50-2 in pursuit of the 49 all-out Everestposted.

Shiloh Adams hit an unbeaten 29 to lead

Transportintheirbatting,as theEverestbowlerstoiled.

Earlier, Everest were reduced to rubbles after posting 49 after exceptional bowling from Nene (3-7), Riad Latiff (3-10), and Shaquan Walters (2-7), having good performances

Devin

with the leather GCC best QueensCollegeby8runs Batting first, GCC piled on 267 after Mavendra Dindyal stroked a classy 91 with 10 fours and 3 sixes.

ZacharyJodahhitagood62 insupport.

Queens College then made 245 with F Narine

scoring 38 and Z

Mohammedhitting32down the order The Bowling for GCC was shared between Dindyal (2-36), Rovaldo

Phillips (3-53), and Jodah (2-37), who ran through the battingoppositionforaclean win Yesterday at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground, BeL-Air RubisfacedTransportSCin thesolePlay-Offmatch.

The winner of the Playoff will clash with the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC), in the Demerara Final on Tuesday, April 11, 2023,from0930hoursatthe QueensCollegeground.

contributed 11 runs to the opening partnership before she was undone by Nyia Latchman. At this time, Berbice Women held their composure, 28 runs away from the small target Grimmondplayedananchor roleatthetopoftheorder At thefallofthewicketBerbice 31-1;KatanaMentorejoined

Grimmond at the crease in the ninth over to see their side over the line; reaching 60-1 in just 15 3 overs Latchmanfinishedwith1-13 fromfiveovers.

Guyana Cricket Board representatives held a brief presentation ceremony to ‘bring the curtains down’on the 2023 competition

Malteenoes U19 batter Tilleya Madramootoo received the Most Runs award, Berbice captain Ashmini Munisar won the MostWicketsawardandalso the championship trophy as they wrapped up superb run at 2023 Senior Women’s intercountySuper50cricket tournament.

Berbice Women’s team after winning the 2023 Super50 Inter County Championship.

Roopnarine Siloh Adams

Raekwon Noel with four of his five gold medals won at the CARFITAAquatics C/chip.

Anisha Gibbons during her gold medal performance at the CARIFTA Games.

(Newsroom photo)

Attoya Harvey won silver in the Women’s 3000m.