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AIETEUR NEWS
Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly
April on track to becoming deadliest COVID-19 month
Friday Edition April 23, 2021 - Vol. 23 No. 17 Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $80 readership yesterday 95,631
US$800M for gas pipe line alone is money for the boys
...previous estimates peg entire project at US$200M less - Patterson
The late Police Director of Music and Culture, Charmaine Stuart
Police Finance Department multi-million dollar fraud…
New charges slapped on Superintendents Bartica massacre crew committed Triumph’s double murder Suspect confesses to killing former priest with “tawa and knife”
First Female Director of Guyana Police Force Band dies at age 55
Murder of Charlestown man…
Cops hunt gunman reportedly seen running away from scene
ExxonMobil, others slapped with fresh lawsuit for “systematically and intentionally deceiving” New Yorkers Every vendor makes a profit but Listen to Kaieteur Radio Govt. agencies runs at a loss. 99.1/99.5FM @11:00am
Kaieteur News
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Friday April 23, 2021
US$800M for gas pipe line alone is money for the boys ...previous estimates peg entire project at US$200M less - Patterson
T
he price tag of US$800M for a Natural gas pipeline alone, as part of the much vaunted gas-to-shore power project, is simply another scheme by the P e o p l e ’s P r o g r e s s i v e Party/Civic (PPP/C), or “money for the boys.” At least, this is according to Shadow Minister with responsibility for the oil and gas sector, David Patterson, w h o o n We d n e s d a y addressed the matter, since the ruling administration has now “changed its narrative from the cost of the project and the burden to our country, to, we will save US$160M per year with this project.” Patterson was keen to note that the current proposed pipeline costs of US$800M, is some
US$200M more than the conservative estimates that had been secured from the operator of the Stabroek Block — ExxonMobil Guyana. The shadow minister qualified his outlined positions by providing, ‘conservative’ figures for the project which were secured prior to the PPP/C administration taking office. According to Patterson, Energy Narrative, an international energy consultancy firm had estimated the cost of a 12" diameter pipeline, with 1" thick metal walls, inclusive of installation, to be US$165M. He said US$43.5M had been estimated for the onshore plant. According to Patterson, a 12" diameter pipeline was
selected, since it has the capacity to deliver approximately 140 million cubic feet of gas (MCFD) per day to shore. The government minister under the coalition
committed volume of gas of 30 MCFD that is available from the Liza development. He explained that it had been sized up to that capacity, “in the event
“…a project cost of US$800M is very high and should be challenged, if not the country shall end up with another white elephant.” administration noted that the maximum listed volume was almost five times the
that additional gas became economically available in the near future.”
Shadow Minister with responsibility for the oil and gas sector, David Patterson ExxonMobil, he said submitted a preliminary estimate for a 12" diameter pipeline landing on the East Coast, with a total project cost “as of 2018 was between US$500M and US$600M, and even these sums were preliminary and conservative and were expected to reduce with further detailed designs.” He detailed that modifications to the Liza Destiny—Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) Vessel—was estimated at some US$10M and that this
was completed before the ship came into operation. Additionally he noted that the requisite Risers, at a Front End Engineering Design (FEED) or Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) formats, would cost some US$10M. The pipeline under same arrangements would be had at some US$220M, together with the Owners Costs of US$46M giving a total of US$308M. This, he remarked “is significantly different from (Continued on page 8)
Kaieteur News
Friday April 23, 2021
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Opposition briefed on ExxonMobil’s
gas compressor problems ...wants issues resolved urgently to return to optimum production
A
t e a m o f Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs), led by Joseph Harmon, yesterday met with President of Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), Alistair Routledge, and others, for a scheduled briefing on the scaling down of production in the Stabroek Block. This comes on the heels of problems that developed with the flash gas compressor on-board the Liza Destiny, Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, this past week. Providing an update on the meeting, Opposition Leader Harmon in a statement revealed that the meeting was successful and that “at the heart of the issue, is the flaring of gas into the atmosphere and the operational efficiency of critical equipment.” According to Harmon, “this matter is of considerable concern to all of us, given the impact it would have on Guyana’s earnings from the industry.” As such, Harmon related that the opposition members
have since informed the ExxonMobil team, “that we are resolutely against flaring; except when permitted at pilot light level.” A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e Opposition Leader said, “we inquired whether the people of Guyana will have to bear the cost associated with the malfunctioning equipment.” A response to the latter was not provided in Harmon’s statement. Be that as it may, he said the opposition is insisting that the issues raised be resolved as a matter of urgency and production is safely returned to optimum levels.He underscored that “while we seek to exploit our natural resources, we must maintain a strong commitment to doing so within a green framework with minimal effect to our environment on land and at sea and with respect for our laws.” To this end, Harmon noted that the Opposition also raised the issue of ExxonMobil’s involvement in the gas-to-shore project and was “given a commitment of a fuller presentation on all of these
matters, recognising that this is a very important project to the development of Guyana and the lives of Guyanese.” As such, theflaring Opposition Exxon at their leader reported that “overall, Liza Destiny operations I am satisfied with the tone offshore Guyana and content of the meeting” and that both sides expressed a strong desire to engage on a more regular basis. The Opposition Leader also expressed that the meeting was the first “in Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon (center), along with ExxonMobil Guyana what I anticipate to be a President, Alistair Routledge (left), and Production Manager, Mike Ryan. series of on-going meetings.” political opposition had been with flaring at pilot levels. ExxonMobil reported that The opposition members bombarded with questions According to Harmon at the defective discharge t h a t m e t w i t h t h e and concerns “from the the time, ExxonMobil’s silencer was removed for E x x o n M o b i l P r e s i d e n t public and our supporters performance appeared to be further assessment of the i n c l u d e d : K h e m r a j and therefore took the far below expectations. damage and to determine the Ramjattan, Amanza Walton- opportunity to engage with ExxonMobil last week necessary scope of repairs Desir, David Patterson, Exxon to benefit from their Tuesday, reported that while and or modifications. Geeta Chandan-Edmond, direct explanations and to conducting the final testing The company said it Ronald Cox, Roysdale Forde inform them of our position phase of the reinstalled flash estimated that repairs or and Aubrey Norton, the on the issues.” gas compressor and other replacement will take Executive Director of the The meeting yesterday components of the system on approximately three months. Office of the Leader of the was preceded by a statement the Liza Destiny FPSO, “we It was noted too that that Opposition. from ExxonMobil which had encountered an additional the company had begun to R o u t l e d g e w a s indicated that the defective problem with the discharge slowly ramp up production a c c o m p a n i e d b y h i s equipment would take some silencer.” to between 100,000 and Production Manager, Mike three months to be repaired. The company said that a 110,000 barrels per day at a Ryan and Janelle Persaud, Harmon last Thursday team from SBM Offshore, flare level of no more than 15 E x x o n M o b i l G u y a n a ’s requested the meeting with MAN Energy Solutions and million cubic feet per day Public and Government the ExxonMobil team, ExxonMobil are on site to and that the parameters were Affairs Advisor. following reports that it had assess repairs, with support d e f i n e d a f t e r c a r e f u l H a r m o n r e v e a l e d to slash production by some from engineering experts in c o n s i d e r a t i o n a n d yesterday too that the 90,000 barrels of oil, in order Europe and the USA. discussions with the relevant meeting was called since the to maintain safe operations O n W e d n e s d a y , government agencies.
ExxonMobil, others slapped with fresh lawsuit for “systematically and intentionally deceiving” New Yorkers
Y
esterday, New Yo r k M a y o r, Bill de Blasio and Corporation Counsel, James E. Johnson announced the filing of a lawsuit against ExxonMobil, Shell, British Petroleum (BP), and industry lobbyist, American Petroleum Institute, for violating New York City’s Consumer Protection Law with false advertising and deceptive trade practices. The lawsuit which was filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, calls out the defendants for “systematically and intentionally deceiving New
ExxonMobil CEO, Darren Woods
Yorkers.” Specifically, the complaint lays out a case showing that the defendants’ product promotions which are positioned to convince consumers that the purchase
and use of their products is beneficial in addressing climate change, are false and misleading because they fail to disclose the disastrous impacts associated with the
use of those same fossil fuel products. The case also states that through their aggressive and multi-pronged greenwashing campaigns directed at NYC consumers, the named defendants falsely presented themselves and the oil and gas industry as corporate leaders in the fight against global warming, recognising that they can sell more products if they are viewed as environmentally responsible corporate citizens. The lawsuit seeks relief to stop the defendants from engaging the deceptive practices alleged in the
New York Mayor, Bill de Blasio
complaint and to recover civil penalties for every violation of New York City’s Consumer Protection Law. The City is represented in
this matter by the Law Department and Sher Edling, one of the nation’s premier law firms on the (Continued on page 19)
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Friday April 23, 2021
Kaieteur News
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Tel:624-6456 Editor: SHARMAIN GRAINGER Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
Venezuelans in the midst Every now and then, there is a news item that reminds us that we have many of our neighbours living here. But truth be told, nobody knows with any great degree of accuracy, how many Venezuelans are present. It would be fair to say that our officials have some idea of their numbers, but that could be more a matter of educated guesses, on the one hand, and outright speculation, on the other. But the higher the number of Venezuelans present in this country, the greater the concern and probability of problems in a wide array of areas. It is believed that there are several tens of thousands of our hungry and hurting neighbours in Guyana. That could easily be somewhere north of 50,000, or not too much lesser. When numbers alone are considered, there has to be alarm and worry in official circles. Alarm and worry because the situation in Venezuela is grim, and when that is so, people look for any exit point. They flee with whatever they can carry in the hope of gaining relief, any kind of relief. This has been the history of man from time immemorial, where he is always on the move, when the pressures in his social environment build, the prospects are dimmest and there is no option left, but to hit the road, and to anywhere that will accept. As much as Guyana and Guyanese are sympathetic (because they know of such travails) and want to lend a helping hand to those in need, we can only accommodate so many, absorb so much. So, when the talk and conclusion is of tens of thousands, the concerns intensify on many levels. At the government level, the issues are of social services, not abundant to begin with, that are stressed to beyond what can be borne. The housing sector currently only has space for so many, and with an emphasis on those who can pay for land and the construction of a home. That is a nonstarter for many of the Venezuelans who come here hoping to start over from the bottom, and without anything, but the clothes on their backs, and a few dollars, if even that. Along the same lines, the Guyana job market, always tightly strapped by any measurement used, is unable to cope with local job needs, with unemployment largely believed to be in the double-digits percentage. This is a stark picture, which oil related employment demand could relieve to some extent, but not by much more, and only with the passage of time. There are several points embedded in this reality, especially as it relates to Venezuelans, and on which we now elaborate. First, it is believed, and is the local experience, that a considerable number of the incoming Venezuelans are nonEnglish speakers, and this is even at a basic, getting by level. That is a problem for job seekers, and entities with jobs to fill. Second, there are very few jobs left to offer to Venezuelans, should they speak English. Some local employers in the retail merchandising sector have taken a chance and pushed the envelope with a few Venezuelans, who are extremely limited in what they can do to assist inquiring customers. It goes without saying that such labour is much cheaper than that of regular job seeking Guyanese. Third, if incoming foreigners - be they Venezuelans or whomever - are unable to work and earn, then there are several things that are beyond their reach. This includes housing and paying the rent. This would extend to putting food on the table and feeding themselves and their families, whether the latter is here or in Venezuela. In such circumstances, where the outlook is discouraging, and the reality worse, the alternatives are homelessness and crime, if only for the sake of survival. This is already happening in drips and drabs, and largely under the radar. An early bird parishioner was robbed by a Venezuelan (immediately apprehended) outside a local place of worship in Central Georgetown. There are reports of Venezuelan “encampments” aka squatting areas on the East Bank Demerara, by the western riverside; and what is called ‘Venezuelan Scheme’ on the lower East Coast Demerara. There may be other enclaves around the near and far outskirts of Georgetown. Regarding the interior locations, it is anybody’s guess as the total number of Venezuelans present. Venezuelans have helped us before in their good times and our bad ones. Our times are struggling to get to a good plateau, but we are still open to helping. The reality is that we can only welcome so many and do so much, given what we have right now. We can barely carry ourselves, which means that we would be unable to carry too many of them. And that is the bottomline; no matter how we look at this.
GuySuCo already in deep trouble DEAR EDITOR, Why am I not surprised by the caption on the front page of a popular newspaper which reads, ‘Top-heavy GuySuCo Management can discourage workers’? This leech-like growth has been around since the appointment of the new CEO but has been allowed to enlarge and fester. Albeit GAWU was fully aware of this parasitic ‘blood-sucking’ of sugar workers from day one and remained mum until now. Nearly two months ago striking workers held placards which clearly displayed the lifestyle of the CEO. Several letter writers including the former President Donald Ramotar, explicitly stated the ‘wrong turns’ being made by the current CEO. But I daresay say that Mr. Seepaul Narine has failed to realise that the ‘top-heavy management’ has already been wreaking havoc in the Sugar Industry, demoralising and paralysing the management of the Estates and even forcing some to resign. Immediately, the former Finance Director, Mr. Paul Bhim, and the former Estate Manager of Skeldon,
Mr. Vishnu Pandey, come to fore. There seems to be a design whereby people are deliberately coerced into leaving so that vacancies are created to be filled by more ‘suitable persons.’ The industry is already in deep trouble, Mr. Narine. How can it be accepted that 30 persons are employed at Head Office earning more than $30 million per month cumulatively? This is a conservative $360 million annually. As a Financial Analyst, how can the CEO rationalise this extravagant sum doing a cost-benefit analysis? We are producing far less sugar than before but we now have a bloated Head Office staff to sell sugar. Such employment is also tantamount to a breach in the employment practices of GuySuCo since they are not only paid above the established pay structure but the Board has not approved these hiring. I have noticed a reply to GAWU’s claim by the Communications Team at GuySuCo which stated that, ‘the executive organisational staffing at Head Office was increased by a net of two (2)
persons; not thirty (30)’. Can GuySuCo explain the following: Why were two consultants hired since last year for three months to work on the business plan and are still there earning millions per month? Why is an accountant hired to do human resource auditing without the Board’s approval? Why is a marketing consultant and a new head of the marketing department hired when our sugar production is just below a hundred thousand tons? Why a new person is hired as Project Officer/Chief of Staff to the Chief Executive? Do we really need this when we have a head of ISD? Why is it that a Communications Officer was hired and paid at a grade far higher than normal? Why was a new structure created in Finance and positions created where persons are again paid higher than normal? Are we going to fill the post of Finance Director and is a candidate already identified? Do we really need two directors when we only have three operating estates? Were these positions advertised and the hiring process transparent? The CEO cannot simply
dismiss these hard facts as ‘reckless allegations,’ he needs to provide this nation with a justification for his actions since taxpayers monies are used to keep GuySuCo afloat. I am surprised that the CEO is given a free rein to ‘mismanage’ as he pleases. What is the Government doing to ensure that there is value for money? There is ‘more in the mortar than in the pestle’ and a thorough investigation into not only the employment at Head Office but the extravagant spending on luxurious items, the willynilly transferring of management staff and the most of all the dictatorial implementation of policies overriding the business plans submitted by all the estates. GuySuCo is sinking and we need an experienced captain to not only keep it afloat, but to set it in the right direction to ensure that it reaches its destination. Right now there is a clueless captain, a disenchanted crew and a ship without a rudder. Yours sincerely, Alfred Sewchand
Ongoing conflicts of interest DEAR EDITOR, This has reference to the scandal relating to former GuyOil General Manager, Mr. Trevor Bassoo, (KN Apr. 21 and 22). Was Mr. Bassoo involved in wrongdoings or was it a few others on the board that were making corrupt deals. Has Bassoo resigned to protect his good name and because he and the Chair, Mr. Paul Cheong, and a couple other Directors and a finance official apparently were not getting along? Was the former GM coerced into approving transactions that he opposed or felt was not in keeping with sound business practices? Was he instructed to approve decisions not discussed or approved by the board? Who from the top gave the order? The board was in the dark about several transactions and decisions were apparently unilaterally overridden, but not by the GM. Who gave instruction to bypass one contractor for another to transport fuel? Why? Were tendering rules followed? It is understood that staff were hired and fired without board approval. An investigation is needed on who gave the approval to bypass the board in giving contracts and unilateral decision-making. Unfortunately, those linked to improprieties made it appear in the media that Bassoo was involved in
‘deals.’ Was it so or were others involved? Facts were presented to the Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh. Regrettably, Dr. Singh did not give a report of his meeting with the Board except to say that an audit will be conducted (Apr. 21). The Minister should have provided a summary of the proceedings. Is the Minister acting prudently and in his best interests? Why is he silent? Did the chair, Paul Cheong, violate business practices or board rules? GuyOil is not a private company that can hide its business operations and cover up shenanigans. It is a public government owned entity. It must report to its shareholders – the public. Its operations can’t be secretive. The public must be made aware of its transactions (purchases, sales, hiring and firings) and its business activities must be available for public scrutiny. Open the books! Government must have nothing to hide. The guilty in the fuel scandal must be held accountable. Is Mr. Bassoo going to be the fall guy? The Senior Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, said there would be an audit. He did not give a timeframe for the audit. When will it be conducted and by who? Will there be a cover up? An audit is needed
urgently, completed within days on what really happened in the company. Who made the deal with ARI to purchase fuel? Who were slated as beneficiaries of the alleged kickback? The Minister, the board, and the audit must come clean on this one. Editor, GuyOil is not the only board or Ministry embroiled in allegations of corruption or conflict of interest. An official and his family are currently living in a house on the East Bank Demerara owned by a businessman whose company bids for contracts from a Ministry. The businessman, who gets multi-million dollar contracts, has relocated to a house further up the East Bank Demerara. Is there a quid pro quo or ‘pay to play’ in this deal? Is this not a conflict of interest? Does the official have the capacity or is he fit to hold that portfolio? Does he not recognise the
inappropriateness of accepting accommodation from a contractor? Editor, it is now learned that NDIA (Ministry of Agriculture) has been split. The accounting and procurement sections have been removed from the rest of the unit (based at LBI) and brought to Georgetown, under close control of the Agriculture Minister. The Chair of NDIA, Mr. Lionel Wordsworth, an engineer by training, is being provided office space at Regent Street in this new arrangement to overlook procurement and accounting. His position is now akin to that of an executive chair or a GM. Several years back as reported in the media, his name popped up in questionable transactions. His return has raised a lot of questions. Does he remain in the employ of the group that (Continued on page 6)
Whatever happened to accountability and transparency? DEAR EDITOR, First the incredulous query was: why did they go to the media? Now the company will not negotiate with the union in the media. Is the media the scapegoat
when officials are cornered? Whatever happened to accountability and transparency? Yours faithfully Shamshun Mohamed
Friday April 23, 2021
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Kaieteur News
We must sit and talk in a civilised manner DEAR EDITOR, After the horrors, trauma and tribulations of slavery and indentureship, except for brief moments, we have failed to make optimum use of our enormous natural resources. We recite the pledge and boast that we are a nation of six people. Part of the failure to maximise the Creator’s bounty is our collective failure to know and understand the ravages of our colonial experience and the seemed to be forgotten imperial strategy of divide and rule. Guyanese, even before the advent of the oil and gas, should be the wealthiest and happiest people in this hemisphere. Apart from arable agricultural lands, marine and mineral resources, forest with some of the world’s treasured species, we have no debilitating natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes and volcanoes.
Our occasional flooding is due generally to human error and our failure to maintain our sea defences, sluices, kokers and canals. These are minor challenges compared to the trauma of other countries. Recent statements and actions by both the sitting Government and the sitting Opposition suggest that our present crop of leaders on both sides of the political divide seem incapable or unwilling to understand the background to our troubles over the past several generations. For without this knowledge of our troubles, this and succeeding generations will fail the benefits from the bounty that beckons, what with vast oil and gas resources recently discovered and being developed. Political leadership in Guyana requires first, understanding the vagaries of international politics and
economics. Second, failure to surf the turbulent waters of the global environment where the interest of small nation states such as Guyana are not the same as the mighty who control vast military and financial establishments. We at the moment are suffocating in spite of President Ali’s asseveration of a one Guyana agenda. Both sides are behaving the petulance and of tantrums of urchins. The President is demanding that the Opposition Leader and Opposition publicly recognise him as Head of State, whether defacto or dejure is unimportant at this stage. So, the Opposition is not consulted as is required by our Constitution. On the other hand, the Leader of the Opposition continues this charade about not recognising the illegitimacy of the
Cost of living is manageable now DEAR EDITOR, I do not profess to have an Economics Degree, but I am well read and capable of distinguishing facts from fictitious and suspect writing. Recently, I came across a piece which I read online at “The Village Voice” News outfit titled, “rising cost of living.” Editor, the piece had some salient points which I agree with but the major premise of the cost of living increasing or rising now does not find favour with me. The cost of living in Guyana is not rising astronomically as the article leaves the readers thinking. The opposite is happening since this new model of financing and economics has been employed by the experts at the Ministry of Finance. The cut-throat taxes have been reduced making it very easy for customers to afford many basic items which they are accustomed to. The value-added tax policy has been changed by the Government because it was hurting poor families. Every single area from a microeconomic standpoint
has been significantly altered. Just look at the key industries and the sectors for example. I also disagree that “life is hard for the ordinary man” because there are many opportunities available in education, health, agriculture and local government. All one needs to do is to take advantage of these as one begins opening up the door towards a better life. Do not listen to the gossip being bandied around, life in Guyana isn’t hard but the Government can do much more to decrease the level of unemployment, decrease poverty while raising the standard of living for all Guyanese regardless of where you stand on the political aisle.
And these reporters or writers must do their research in order to get a good understanding of what they are seeking to enlighten the public about. I am sure the writer could not have spoken to some ordinary folk who will tell them about the real deal in the pre2020 economy. The rich were getting richer and the poor were getting poorer, while the politicians in power were the real “fats cats” in our society. As a humble citizen, things are not worse off than what was happening but things in the case of Guyana are a little easier and better for the normal citizen. Yours Truly, Alvin Hamilton
Government. For me, both sides are wallowing in the cesspit of stupidity and arrogance. I believe the majority of Guyanese accept the fact that Mr. Ali was sworn in on the 2nd of August and Mr. Harmon, Leader of the Opposition, and others were sworn in as Members of Parliament. This identifies the basis for a governmental structure in a modern democracy, that is a Government with a Cabinet in charge with affairs of State and an Opposition in Parliament whose business in democracy is to point out the missteps of the Government and where appropriate, offer advice in the interest of the residents at home and abroad of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. The time has come for both sides to get off of their ‘high-horse’ and give our people a chance to exhale and benefit from our God-given resources, the greatest per capita in the region, I am not saying that the Coalition ought not to rely on the Judiciary, I have always felt that civility and meaningful dialogue is a superior tool than the relying on the judiciary to resolve what essentially are political matters. The Opposition unnecessarily assails the fourth estate. Sometimes being critical of the very sections of the mass media, that once supported their cause. A journey of folly. On the other hand, the Government unable to learn or seek the advice pro bono of those who know, plunges into a relationship with Taiwan, completely ignoring the Guyana government’s commitment to one China policy since 1974. Only after the gentle rumbling growl of the Chinese
Dragon did they retreat, like the frightened puppy with their tails between their legs. I avoid the tedium of examples of missteps by the leadership of all of our political parties. We see a complete reversal of the JaganBurnham PPP of a socialist policy intended to make the small man a real man. Instead, local and foreign so-called private sector is dominant where citizens must buy inferior goods and machinery of all sorts, from the cheapest sources ignoring the need for quality and endurance. A careful examination would show that we are slowly being re-colonised. The rich harvest which should benefit the descendants of those brutalised slaves and immigrant labourers will not be realised. The answer is, for Government and Opposition Leaders to stop behaving like petulant urchins and put on a cloak of maturity, understanding that the philosophy of the imperial masters, extant for centuries, is still alive and well. We saw the deep wounds that the Cold War inflicted on us, which caused an unfortunate split of the then powerful mass party and the problems between our two national heroes, Dr. Jagan and Forbes Burnham in 1955. I’ve chatted with young and old political personalities, a few academics, and it is surprising to know how many do not recognise that the foot prints of the divide and rule still exist.
I give one example, which a group of bright young Guyanese did not fathom. The Spanish-flu epidemic killed over 500 million worldwide and 12,000 Guyanese, mainly in the sugar belt. The British by then had put an end to indentureship. With the encouragement of the British Governor, two groups of prominent Afro and Indo fighters set out to visit India and Africa in an attempt to import labour to work on the estates where a shortage of labour was evident. The recruiting group to Africa was led by Alfred A. Thorne and the recruiting group to India was led by Dr. Jung Bahadur Singh. Thorne’s group was made useless, when the white sugar estate managers and white overseers declared that they had no interest in bringing in Africans to work. Some claimed because the Africans were lazy, other claimed the freed Africans were demanding too high a wage and that the Indians who came after the conditions on our plantations were improved, were better workers. You see the Africans were not lazy, when they dug all those canals, they were not lazy when they worked sun up, sun down in sub human conditions and civilised the entire coastal belts with their (Continued on page 6)
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Friday April 23, 2021
Kaieteur News
Discussing the ‘principle of fairness’ DEAR EDITOR, I take the opportunity to comment on Eusi Kwayana’s letter of 18 April, in which he discusses the ‘principle of fairness.’ The contents of Kwayana’s letter are fundamentally polemical. Fairness implies freedom and equality of opportunity. While the state and its arms must ensure citizens enjoy both to the fullest, limitations are unavoidable. In the circumstances, from a general perspective the ‘principle of fairness’ should not conflate self-worth with impossible expectations. The Constitution of Guyana reminds us that ‘the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual’ are subject to ‘...limitations of that protection, designed to ensure that the enjoyment of the said rights and freedoms by any individual does not prejudice the rights and
freedoms of others or the public interest.’ How much fairer can the ‘principle of fairness’ be for each Guyanese in a Constitutional context? To understand the ‘principle of fairness’ as expressed by Eusi Kwayana, it is necessary to understand the role of the individual in the evolution of Guyanese political culture. This role should be viewed from two perspectives; the ideological and the socio-political. In some quarters, Kwayana is recognized as a proponent of social justice, while in others, he is perceived as a supporter of the cause exclusively of Black men and women. Internationally, he is known to be a strong advocate of Pan-Africanism a concept considered anathema to others. Kwayana has a long and checkered history in
Guyanese politics beginning from the heyday of the anticolonial to the post-colonial periods. Kwayana has been criticised for many positions he took in the past. More recently, he was called out for not to taking a stand against the attempts by the APNU+AFC to rig our country’s last election. But Kwayana was not alone in that respect. I cannot recall any prominent African Guyanese in good standing who, in the midst of it all, took a stand against the election shenanigans by the APNU+AFC. This peculiar occurrence did not go unnoticed. Regrettably, it helped solidify a long held perception that elections in Guyana is all about race. Was it fair for such persons to remain silent in the face of a blatant attempt by a cabal to change the course of
Let’s all support the hardworking crime fighting ranks DEAR EDITOR, It is important for us as Guyanese to give credit where credit is due. As I reflect on the tenure of the APNU+AFC, one thing is clear: the coalition failed miserably at addressing crime in Guyana. Recent statistics will point to the fact that ever since the PPP/C Government came into office in August 2020, crime rates have declined significantly. In fact, Guyana’s serious crimes decreased by 34.97 percent. Recent reports show that for the period January to March 2021, there was a total of 450 serious crimes, which is a decrease from the 692 serious crimes recorded under the same period for 2020 under the APNU+AFC. Notably, areas like robbery under arms decreased from 240 in 2020 to 142 in 2021, robbery with aggravation from 24 in 2020 to 5 in 2021, larceny from 39 in 2020 to 11 in 2021, and burglary from 45 in 2020 to 16 in 2021. These statistics show that the PPP/C Government is indeed prioritising
public security and I commend such efforts. One of the things that cannot be overlooked is the fact that the PPP/C Government is actively working towards strengthening the Guyana Police Force. I have interacted with many police officers, some of whom I share close friendships with as well, and one of the things that they would speak of regularly is the fact that since the new government took office, there is a renewed sense of confidence among crime fighting ranks in the force. Under the APNU+AFC coalition government morale
amongst these ranks was at its lowest. They were scared to go after criminals owing to the posture of the then government. There was the view that criminals had more rights than the police. As citizens we must all show our commitment and provide the necessary support to the hardworking crime fighting ranks. Crime affects us all not just businesses and the government. We must therefore redouble our efforts. In this regard I urge the now APNU+AFC coalition opposition to give the necessary support to our law enforcement ranks and refrain from postures which diminish their efforts and morale. Yours Respectfully, Erin Northe
...Whatever happened to From page 4 bids for contracts at NDIA? If so, is this not another conflict of interest? Is conflict of interest the new norm of this government? NDIA is an engineering unit. What is the motif of splitting
it and bringing procurement and accounting sections and placing them so close to the Minister’s office? Procurement and Accounting should remain tied to the rest of NDIA. Yours truly, Thomas Whitehead
history or, should others be considered as unfair to them because they chose to remain silent? This particular issue became a subject for discussion in many quarters at home and abroad. In discussing the ‘principle of fairness,’ there are important lessons to be learnt from the 1955 to 1964 period in our country’s history when the trusted became untrustworthy, and when fairness was replaced by treachery. Usually when Kwayana writes, the contents of his missives are viewed through the prism of race and ethnicity. This is a historical uniqueness peculiar to Kwayana, which to his credit; he has managed to live with to this day. That uniqueness and peculiarity notwithstanding, I doubt whether Kwayana’s name would ever find its way in Ian McDonald’s weekly pieces profiling ‘Extraordinary People.’ When all is said and done, ‘the principle of fairness’ is more subjective than objective. But the principle of fairness apart, what has kept this country together is its openness and its constant quest for national democracy and good governance in the broader sense of the twin precepts. Few would disagree that
since independence, there has been significant improvements in the rule of law, democratisation of social life, economic growth with social and ecological justice and multi-culturalism with unity in diversity. A free press and the individual’s right to freedom of expression have been the lynchpins of our fledgling democracy. True, there have been periods in our country’s history when democracy was trumped by a dictatorship during the Burnham, and to a limited extent, the Hoyte era. Granger made a reckless and futile attempt to follow suit, but failed miserably. Insignificant as it may seem, it is interesting to note that no political party in Guyana has ever risked to publicly express its commitment to racial/ethnocentric politics as a matter policy. Our attitude towards political adversaries or those with whom we may have philosophical, ideological or political differences should be guided by Cheddi Jagan’s approach. Jagan was critical of Burnham, yet he extended critical support to his government and opened talks with him or his representatives in the search for a political solution. He introduced the concept of ‘Winner does not
take all.’ Jagan was critical of previous United States’ administrations yet he eventually saw the need to seek the support and work with the US to have free and fair elections in Guyana. When the WPA refused to consider the PNC as part of a National Front Government, Jagan did. Jagan was critical of Kwayana, yet they worked together in supporting the strikes of bauxite and sugar workers; in the Arnold Rampersaud Defence Committee; in support of Walter Rodney’s employment at the University of Guyana and for the restoration of democracy; in CDD against a rigged referendum and in the PCD for free and fair elections. Circling back to Kwayana’s ‘principle of fairness’ the question must be asked; what was it that was so unfair about the conditions that made the holding of free and fair elections in 2020 difficult to achieve? And who were the forces that attempted to change the course of history by attempting to thwart the will of the Guyanese people to elect a government of their choice? Only Kwayana can answer. Yours faithfully Clement J. Rohee
...We must sit and talk in a civilised From page 5 blood, sweat and tears. There were no bulldozers, hymacs in those days. The Indians worked hard, employed deferred gratification and our Indo-Guyanese must be proud of the sacrifices of their ancestors. Of course, the pattern, particularly in North America and the Caribbean, has been that whenever African Leaders/Activists seek justice or recounting the truth of our history, they are deemed racist The most recent has been the disappointing, disgusting and unjustified assault by
Columnist Freddie Kissoon, when he described a respected, revered Patriot Eusi Kwayana, an Elder as being racist. The likes of my friend Freddie, will do well to listen and learn from Elder Kwayana. My advice, if both sides wish not to be swallowed up by the oil and other giants, they should do well to set aside this petty bickering and after discussions with the masses, present to the oil and other giants formulae representing not fifty percent, not forty percent, but ninety-
nine percent of the Guyanese. A polarised divided nation as we seem to be is unlikely, in the words of a former leader, to reach the commanding heights of our economy. Citizens must persuade their respective political leaders that we must sit and talk in a civilised manner. That we must know that the interest of the mighty may not coincide with what is in our best interest. This requires skill, patience and resolve. Yours truly, Hamilton Green
T N U L B . . . T B N U T L N T B . U . L . L T B . N . U . N U T L N B . U . T . L N T U N B . N U . L U L LUNT. B . T . . T T N N B U B . U . L . L T B . B . . N . . . T U T L N N T U U L N L B U . B . . L . . . T B T . . N . N T U L N LU B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . NT LUNT...B NT...BLU N U L B . . B . U . . T L . N T B . . U N . L N T B U N . . L . U T L B . . N B . . . T U . L N T B U . . L . UN T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L B U UN .BLUNT. . . L . T B . . N . T U . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . LU ...BLUNT LUNT...B NT...BL T B U . . L N . T B BLU T...BLUN BLUNT... UNT...B . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B BBLU T...BLUN BLUNT... ...BLU . T . N . N T T U L U L N L B U T...BLU U B . L . N . B T . . . N T U N N N L U U U B L . L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Friday April 23, 2021
Kaieteur News
Yesterday, Guyana joined over 140 countries in celebrating Earth Day. Instead of it being an occasion for Guyana to be proud, it was an event that augured feelings of utter disgust at the way in which ExxonMobil is allowed to pollute our airspace daily with the release of over 250 toxic chemicals by burning the associated gas from the Liza Phase One Project. This despicable track record is further compounded by the astonishing fact that we have no Comprehensive Insurance for the Liza Phase One, Two and Payara operations. Way to go PPP/C! Keep up the good work on being firm with ExxonMobil!
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Kaieteur News
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Friday April 23, 2021
Cash strapped GuySuCo agrees to meet with union …claims $3.8B in losses last year; wages bill more than revenues earned The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has signalled its intention to meet with the Guyana Agricultural Workers’ Union (GAWU) over the stalled wages talks that led to a spate of recent strike action by sugar workers. The Corporation in announcing the meeting yesterday sought to place on record its financial position, in relation to any wages increases, to say that last year it had to spend 102 percent of its revenue, to pay wages and salaries. A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e Corporation claimed that
this past year, it recorded some $3.8 billion in losses. As such, the Corporation underscored that, “without financial support from the shareholders, the Corporation could not have met its wages bill.” Agreeing to meet in another two weeks on May 4, the Corporation noted too that at present, there is an employment freeze of senior staff at the Head Office until the human resource and skills audit process is completed. That report is expected to be submitted by the end of June 2021. In an attempt to rubbish
what it called inaccurate public statements made recently by the GAWU President, Seepaul Narine, the Corporation said, while it does not intend to negotiate in the press with the Union, it remains firm in its commitment to collaborate, to bring a final resolution to the workers’ compensation issues. Lamenting its state of affairs financially, the Corporation in its public statement—to the press—said, it inherited a situation where it was met with a $113M debt owed to GAWU’s Credit Union and
GuySuCo’s CEO, Sasenarine Singh
that it has since, “with the limited cash flows,” paid over approximately $140
million. It said too, the Corporation has also formally committed to the GAWU to pay a further G$2 million per week to clear the inherited debt. Blaming some of the industry’s financial woes on the past administration, the Corporation reminded that a 2017 Independent Audited Financial Statement of GuySuCo, made it absolutely clear, that by way of the Vesting Order in December of that year 2017, “all moveable and immovable property of Wa l e s , S k e l d o n , E a s t Demerara and Rose Hall” were transferred to the
National Industrial and Commercial Investments (NICIL), but the liabilities remained with the Corporation. Accordingly, GuySuCo said there is nothing “fairly straight forward” about a business that has the external auditors declaring that “the validity of the going concern basis on which the consolidated finance statements are prepared, is dependent on the continued support from the Government of Guyana.” Additionally on the matter of wages and salaries, it was noted that the GuySuCo compensation package is governed by the ‘Hays Job Evaluation Methodology’ and it has been unable to meet the recommended rates for the senior staff since 2013. According to GuySuCo, it would mean that the Corporation’s rates are below the average senior management salary rates in the public service and p r i v a t e s e c t o r. It noted nonetheless ahead of its meeting that the Corporation is desirous of arriving at an amicable (Continued on page 22)
US$800M for gas pipe... From page 2 the US$800M now being claimed as the pipeline costs.” He noted too that some of the significant other costs of the project include the power plants of maximum capacity, being188 megawatts (MW) using 10 x 18MW units. According to Patterson, inclusive of civil works, this was estimated at US$275M. Patterson used the occasion to underscore too that “even this is overestimated since on average, it costs US$1M for 1MW of dual-fuel generation.” He said too, the new substations, transmission lines, civil works and other required activities for the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Company was estimated to be around US$20M.Patterson observed nonetheless that with all the significant pieces being considered, the total project cost was between US$500M to US$600M, some US$200M less that the price tag being touted for just the pipeline alone.The former government Minister in
providing the details prefaced his position by saying, “a project cost of US$800M is very high and should be challenged, if not, the country shall end up with another white elephant.” He posited, “…these costs will be impossible to justify for the average citizen, but for the PPP/C, it will be a walk in the park” and highlighted as an example, the changed narrative from cost to savings. Accordingly, Patterson observed that “this was the same reasoning they used when they (PPP/C) attempted to foist the Amalia Falls (Hydro Electric) project on the country” and exhorted, “don’t be fooled.” He reminded that, “when the spiraling costs (for the Amalia Project) were challenged, the PPP/C resorted to, don’t mind the cost or the viability of the project, we will save U S $ 2 0 0 M p e r y e a r. ” According to Patterson, the party supporters parroted this version without even seeking to verify its truthfulness.
Kaieteur News
Friday April 23, 2021
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THE KINGMAKERS AND CHANGE Every time a new leader takes over in Guyana, pressure mounts on that person to immediately distance himself from the previous leader. He is told to be his own man, to do things his own way and more importantly to make sweeping changes. This call, in part, reflects the frustration of some within our society at the pace of progress and the association of the need to hasten that pace with the need for change. The new leader is told that he needs to break with his predecessor. Hoyte was told this; Jagdeo was no doubt told the same, as was Ramotar. Already, also, people are saying that the new President is not doing anything. What they really mean is that he is not firing the members of the old government. What the “change” chorus wants is not just any break from the past but a break that benefits them. They see a new President as representing an opportunity for them to feather their nests and they are not pleased with the status quo in terms of the main political players remaining unchanged under a new President. Unfortunately, if every President was to break immediately with his or her predecessor, then there would be very little continuity. In reality, it is never practical for sweeping changes to take place immediately unless of course the President is courting political failure. There is always a period of political consolidation when the new President
Dem
boys seh...
seeks to ensure his own political survival and to establish his political base. This happened with Hoyte and it is happening with Ramotar. When Hoyte first took over there were many, especially the Americans, who were hoping that he would immediately banish the old Burnhamite guard. This, however, did not happen until very late in his presidency. In fact for the first years of his presidency, Hoyte surrounded himself with powerful figures from the old Burnham regime, including the wife of Burnham who was promoted t o a Vi c e - P r e s i d e n t immediately upon Burnham’s death. This move was intended to assure the party leadership that he, Hoyte, would ensure continuity and that they need not feel threatened by him. It gave him the breathing space he needed to entrench himself and build his power base within the party and government so that when he was ready to rout the Burnham guard, very few persons were able to stand in h i s w a y . Over time, Hoyte effectively dismantled the Burnhamite guard from within the government, but it took many years for this to happen. There is another reason why it is not practical for a new leader to make sweeping changes upon assuming the presidency. That has to do with the need to ensure continuity. Each President respects benefits from the rebound of projects that his predecessor would
have implemented. Hoyte was credited with changing the course of the economy and for its liberalisation. But those who are familiar with the behindthe-scenes workings of the government would relate that the groundwork for most of the changes that Hoyte was credited with actually began under Burnham. The invitation of foreign investors in the mining and forestry sectors began under Burnham. The introduction of television began with Burnham. And the move towards the IMF and World Bank did not at all start with Hoyte. Since 1983, Burnham had been sending teams to the World Bank and IMF seeking a funding programme. Hoyte should not, however, be deprived of the honour of being credited with the changes that were made under his rule even if those changes took root under Burnham. Every leader inherits something from his predecessor and Hoyte was not the only one to do so. It is no use trying to argue as to who should be given credit. The incumbent takes the credit for what is achieved under his watch and takes the blame for what goes wrong. It takes about three years to negotiate a new loan and longer to conceive and plan a major public project. To therefore simply dismiss everything that went before would be crazy because the country would end up being at a standstill. This is something that the group of middle-class players within our society
Uncle Sam watching wah we watching!
Dem boys remember wan time when dem went into a video store fuh borrow a movie. A man walk in and within minutes he selected 16 movies. Impressed at both he selection speed and de number of DVDs dat he selected to buy, dem boys ask he, “Seems as if you are stocking up for the entire month there.”“Entire month?” he responded. “This is my weekend collection.” Guyanese always like to watch movies. In de old days dem cinemas used to sell out pun weekends and had a fair attendance during de week. Dem cinema magnates mek good sauce but most of dem ship it out of Guyana.Den TV come and shut down dem cinemas. People used to go to work all sleepy eyed because dem watching TV all night, Monday to Sunday! One man used to sit down in front he TV from Friday afternoon,
right through to Saturday morning. Sleep during de day and resume in front of de TV on Saturday night, right through to Sunday morning. He was a TV turk. But dem video stores start offering movies and DVDs cheap. And nuff pirating tek place. Uncle Sam never mek a fuss about it.Eventually de pirating get so widespread and cheap some of dem big establishments abandon de business. And Uncle San still nah seh nothing.De cinema come back and people start fuh pay dem money and go to de cinema. And is now de US look like dem want clamp down.It mek dem boys laugh because only de other day dem boys hear de Vee Pee seh dat deh gat some forms of copyright piracy wah he nah lose sleep over. Talk half and wait fuh de lash from Uncle Sam.
who wish to control the presidency through exerting influence need to understand. They see themselves as kingmakers. Their main strategy is to apply pressure on the incumbent to break with the past because breaking with the past means that the incumbent will be forced to rely on them for support. In this way, they will wield greater political influence. When Jagdeo was President there was a group that he publicly stated wanted him to break with Janet Jagan. He did not do so immediately. In fact it was not until after his second electoral victory that he labelled her a private
citizen. The same thing is happening today. There are persons out there who want to see change but the only change they can envisage is the dumping of Jagdeo and everything that concerns h i m . Unfortunately change goes beyond personalities. Those who are plugging for change must state exactly what specific things they would like to be done differently apart from the president firing his entire Cabinet and everyone from Freedom House who is associated with the government or having nothing to do with the man from whom he took
o v e r t h e p r e s i d e n c y. It would be impractical and unwise for any new leader to do these things immediately just as it would be foolish of him to simply do away with all the plans which he inherited from the previous administration. Those who want change must come better; they must state what changes they want to see and why. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Kaieteur News
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Friday April 23, 2021
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
The turning point: A psychological analysis of Guyana’s failed putsch From now, way into the future, the March 2020 rigged election will be remembered and discussed. Some dimensions will be the center of attention, but over time will become banal. These dimensions will center on Claudette Singh, Clairmont Mingo, Keith Lowenfield, GECOM Secretariat and David Granger as the key players. Missing for years and years to come are some deeply complex aspects of the March 2020 disaster. Should the historian and social scientist write about it in the foreseeable future and
omit crucial, invisible complexities of the five month Faustian journey, it is hoped this column is a tiny contribution to focusing on some illumination on these hidden dimensions. Why was the PNC not successful in staying in power? The answer lies in the psychology of Claudette Singh. There is nothing from March 4 when Mingo began inventing numbers that the researcher could find to make people think that the PNC did not want to hold on to power. Everything was planned to rig and cling to
power hoping future negotiations with the PPP as demanded by powerful CARICOM and Western government would not cancel the tenure of the APNU+AFC. So why the PNC could not have held on to power even though the police force was prepared to assist? Before we begin the psychological analysis, a quick reference should be made to one of the great mysteries in human thinking. At the height of Nazi Germany’s successful conquest of Europe, Hitler’s deputy flew a plane, landed it
in enemy territory, Britain; was captured and jailed until he died in solitary confinement decades after. Why did Rudolph Hess do such an inscrutable thing? People’s psychology is never fixed. It was Freud who wrote that we should not refer to human nature because each human has a different cluster of factors that make up what we call human n a t u r e . A p e r s o n ’s p s y c h o l o g y u n d e rg o e s transformation depending on the circumstances that person is surrounded by. The
Frederick Kissoon P N C could not have held on to power because the key person it entrusted to pave the way for the putsch had a p s y c h o l o g i c a l metamorphosis – Claudette Singh. There is no question in my mind that Singh had agreed to accept GECOM’s fraudulent figures of an APNU+AFC victory on Thursday, March 6. All the bureaucratic procedures were in place for a GECOM declaration the next day. But the situations kept changing rapidly putting enormous strain on the psychology of Singh and David Granger. The beginning of Singh’s mental strain was on the very Thursday when the PPP got three injunctions to stop GECOM’s acceptance of Mingo’s fictional numbers. Here is where Singh and Granger began to feel the mental pressure. The PNC thought that Singh would have gone ahead and still declare the results because there was a plan to get Singh and Lowenfield to hide thus avoiding being served. But even though Singh was not served, she still accepted to halt an official GECOM proclamation giving APNU+AFC a victory. Why did she do that? One factor explains it. Singh felt compelled by her personal history to observe the High Court ruling because she was a High Court and Court of Appeal judge. These things
i n f l u e n c e p e o p l e ’s psychology. In her mind she felt the judicial system was close to her heart and she should respect it. But just as Singh was feeling mental strain so was Granger. When Singh accepted the three injunctions, the PNC became confused. They had to wait for another opportunity to get Singh to help them. Friday, March 10 was the beginning of the psychological breakdown of both Singh and Granger and a breakdown in the relationship between Granger and Singh. Granger got desperate and decided to close shop by getting Mingo to do on Friday, March 10 at GECOM head office in Kingston, a repeat of what he did the week before at GECOM’s command centre. The idea was to do a Burnham on the Chief Justice. When the constitution required Burnham to do something, he would do it in his own twisted, illogical way and declare – “I complied with the constitution and the laws.” So Mingo was instructed to do his repetition and GECOM would say that he complied with the injunctions. It meant that on Saturday, March 11, Granger was to be sworn in. But by this time, Singh had become a different lady. She did not call a GECOM meeting to declare the crooked results. Singh nor the PNC envisaged the unforeseen circumstances that would envelope them on Thursday, March 5. The plan was for GECOM to use fictional figures after Mingo did his Region Four skullduggery and declare the results. But the three injunctions had hit Singh hard. To b e continued. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Friday April 23, 2021
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Friday April 23, 2021
Escazú Agreement essential to development, sustainability of the region - Pres. Ali - Calls ratification of environmental treaty a milestone
H
is Excellency, Dr. Irfaan Ali, yesterday called the ratification of the Escazú Agreement, a significant milestone in the region while highlighting its importance to overall development and sustainability. In his address, the President noted that the agreement will reinforce democracy, transparency, accountability and effectiveness in dealing with an environment affected by climate change. The agreement which was adopted in 2018, entered into effect yesterday after a
structural ratification process by 24 nations took place in January of this year. The Latin America ( L ATA M ) a n d t h e Caribbean’s environmental treaty seeks to ensure that people have access to timely and reliable information and can participate in an effective way in the decisions that affect their lives and their environments. It is also structured to ensure that people can access justice in environmental matters. “The coming into effect of this ‘Agreement’ represents a significant milestone, one which
coincides, fittingly, with the commemoration of International Mother Earth Day 2021. The Caribbean and Latin America should feel a sense of collective pride on account of its continued sterling environmental leadership as exemplified by this ‘Agreement’,” President Ali stated. He added that the effects of the pandemic and the exacerbation of the climate crisis highlight the need for an arrangement tailored to t h e n a t i o n ’s s p e c i f i c requirements. “The climate crisis
represents an existential threat to humanity. Climate change characterised by extreme weather events, rising sea levels, landslides, floods, drought and biodiversity loss are inflicting losses on our economies and our peoples’ livelihoods.” The President added that with the regional hurricane season approaching (officially scheduled to start on June 1) natural hazards can strike at any time. In this regard, the Head of State pointed to the struggles of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines after the eruption of its Soufrière volcano and reminded that natural disasters threaten the very survival of small-island and low lying coastal states. He also called for countries in the region that are yet to ratify the agreement to do so. “I, therefore, reiterate the need for us to act collectively for the protection of our people and their environment. Our twin celebration…should engender a greater sense of urgency to work collectively to safeguard our peoples and the planet.” The President pointed out too that the essence of the agreement is that it does not only protect the environment, but it protects the people who defend it. “Rights and inclusion, cornerstones of democratic societies, are at the heart of the Escazú Agreement. The ‘Agreement’ responds to the important affirmation of Heads of States and Governments at Rio+20, that
access rights contribute to the strengthening of democracy, good governance and human rights.” LEADING BY EXAMPLE President Ali was keen to highlight that Guyana was the first State Party (States Parties are countries that have adhered to the World Heritage Convention) to ratify the Escazú Agreement. “Guyana as a signatory to the ‘Agreement’ hereby endorses the right of access to environmental information. It welcomes public participation in the environmental decisionmaking process. It supports access to justice in environmental matters and commits to working to ensure the right of every person to live in a healthy environment.” He emphasised that Guyana subscribes to the belief that public access to information and citizens’ participation in environmental decisionmaking, are vital elements of sound environmental stewardship. Further to this, the President said that the agreement is aligned with Guyana’s constitutional
President, Irfaan Ali
obligations. “Our ‘Constitution’ proclaims that, ‘Everyone has the right to an environment that is not harmful to his or her wellbeing.’ We subscribe to the belief that public access to information, and citizens’ participation in environmental decisionmaking, are vital elements of sound environmental stewardship.” T h e a g r e e m e n t ’s provisions for judicial and administrative proceedings include remedy and redress, which according to the President, is necessary to strengthen the inclusive and transparent approach that his Government is fostering on environmental matters. Additionally, the Head of State noted that the protection of the e n v i r o n m e n t i s mainstreamed in Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy. In this regard, he said that the ‘Strategy’ is premised on the REDD+ Mechanism. In the ongoing implementation of this ‘Strategy,’ he said that the PPP/C Administration is committed to continuous multi-stakeholder consultations undertaken in (Continued on page 19)
Kaieteur News
Friday April 23, 2021
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MP Sarabo-Halley raises concerns over Govt.’s 20,000 scholarship programme
F
ollowing the G o v e r n m e n t ’s opening of the application process for Scholarships under the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) initiative, Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Tabitha Sarabo-Halley has raised several concerns. She did this via a recent submission to the National Assembly in which she posed several questions and pressed for a response from the Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag. The GOAL initiative which was introduced by the PPP/C administration, in keeping with its manifesto promise, seeks to grant 20,000 online
scholarships to Guyanese and represents a collaboration between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Public Service. In her submission, the MP asked whether recipients of the scholarships are expected to sign contracts with the Government, if they will be expected to join the Public Service upon completing their individual programmes, and if an official needs assessment was conducted to give guidance as to the current and future skills need of the public service and the country. She went on to query whether Parag provided the
National Assembly with any document that shows the number of skilled personnel the public service and Guyana needs, including the number needed per sector; whether Parag would be able to produce any document clearly outlining how the programmes being offered were decided upon and if she could provide the members of the National Assembly with a copy of the contract that the scholarship awardees will have to sign. Sarabo-Halley did not stop there. She also asked the Public Service Minister if she could provide a detailed breakdown of the process being implemented to ensure that there is equity and
equality in the awarding of said scholarships; and if she could explain the process and who will determine who the recipients of the scholarships will be. Ye s t e r d a y, t h i s publication contacted Parag in a bid to solicit a response to the questions posed by the Opposition MP, however, she explained that a notice document of the questions have not yet been given to her, adding that she would issue a response to the (Continued on page 22)
Opposition MP, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley
Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag
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Friday April 23, 2021
First Female Director of Guyana Police Force Band dies at age 55 S uperintendent Charmaine Stuart, the first woman in the history of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to lead its music band, died on Wednesday at age 55. According to GPF, it’s Director of Music and Culture passed away in the early evening hours while receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Her son, Kevin Jones, said that Stuart was rushed there after suddenly complaining of a chest pain. Acting Commissioner of Police Nigel Hoppie, related during a visit to her home yesterday, that Stuart’s
sudden demise has left a void in the Force that cannot be filled right away. Hoppie accompanied by GPF’s Welfare Officer, Deputy Superintendent Jewel Sullivan; the secondin-charge of Administration, Allison Moore; and Quartermaster, Assistant Superintendent Donna Ferguson, had visited Stuart’s home to express their condolences. They assured her relatives that the GPF will extend its full support to them during their time of grief. Stuart had served GPF for more than 30 years and during that time she had
The late Police Director of Music and Culture, Charmaine Stuart
Acting Commissioner of Police, Nigel Hoppie, expressing his condolences to Stuart’s son during a visit to her home yesterday. made some major accomplishments. One of
them was becoming the first woman in more than 177 years to lead the Force’s music band. She made that achievement on August 1, 2016, when she succeeded her predecessor, Assistant
Commissioner Cecil Bovell, who had retired. Superintendent Stuart also became the first female rank in the recent history of the Force to be awarded overall best cop of the year. She was presented with that
award in 2017 while holding several positions in the Force. Apart from being the Director of Music and Culture, she also served as the Chairman of the Joint (Continued on page 20)
Kaieteur News
Friday April 23, 2021
PAGE 15
Over 100,000 persons receive COVID-19 vaccine
T
he Ministry of Health announced via its Facebook page yesterday that over 100,000 individuals have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Previously, over 4,000 persons were being vaccinated daily but since the Government has dropped the age of eligibility to 18, that number has since increased to 6,000 vaccinations per day. The vaccines currently being used in the Government’s immunisation campaign are t h e : I n d i a ’s O x f o r d AstraZeneca vaccine, the
Chinese Sinopharm vaccine and Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine. All of these vaccines are administered in doubledoses. During his COVID-19 u p d a t e y e s t e r d a y, D r. Anthony said, “Our policy with vaccination right now is to ensure that whoever is in Guyana, once you are an adult, you will get the vaccine because herd immunity cannot be achieved by excluding people. Other nationals who are working in Guyana would also receive the vaccines once they are in the country for a protracted
Owner of delivery service shot in jaw during robbery The owner of Quick Eats Delivery Service was shot in the jaw on Tuesday last after attempting to defend himself from an armed bandit, shortly after arriving at his brother’s home. Navin Mahablal was the victim of a recent robbery that occurred at 20:45 hrs. at his brother’s John Smith Street, Campbellville, residence.
According to Navin’s brother, Ravin Mahablal, Navin was visiting him and his family as he usually does from time to time. His brother relayed that as Navin arrived at their home and was about to dismount his motorcycle to open the gate, two unknown individuals rode up behind him. Ravin said the pillion (Continued on page 19)
Jealous man beats wife for not answering his question The bold actions of a concerned nurse led to the arrest of a man who had severely beaten his wife on Monday. The incident took place around 12:30 hrs. at the couple’s home located at N u m b e r 6 4 Vi l l a g e , Corentyne, Berbice. According to a police report, the woman’s husband and her brother-in-law were drinking rum when he decided to call out for her to approach him. When she turned up, he reportedly asked her, “Are you looking out for your lover?” The woman, police reported, remained silent. Angered by her reaction, the man grabbed her by the hair and dealt her several blows about her body with his fists. He even pushed his fingers in her eyes. After “beating up the woman,” police said he threatened to
kill her. The following day, the injured wife had reportedly visited a local health centre in her community to seek medical attention. A concerned nurse there noted the severity of the woman’s injuries and decided to ask her how she got them. After learning what took place, the nurse thought it best to report the matter to police ranks attached to Number 51 Village, Corentyne, Police Station. When they arrived at the man’s home, detectives learnt that this was not the first time the woman was badly beaten. On a previous occasion, he had dealt a chop to her hand with a cutlass. The ranks have placed him in the lock-ups as they continue to investigate the matter.
period…” Dr. Anthony was keen to note however that the vaccines do not prevent the COVID-19 infection but they would reduce the severity of the disease. He added that in order to prevent the virus from spreading, Guyanese need to halt its transmission. He also stressed the need to maintain social distancing, the wearing of face masks, avoiding crowded environments and proper sanitisation.
A young woman receiving her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine
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Kaieteur News
Friday April 23, 2021
Friday April 23, 2021
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Friday April 23, 2021
Five juveniles recaptured, two still at large after escaping Sophia Holding Centre
H
ours after they escaped from the Sophia Juvenile Holding Centre, located in Greater Georgetown yesterday, three of the seven juveniles were recaptured and placed back into custody. According to a police report, the seven juveniles escaped from the detention centre between 02:30 hrs. and 02:40 hrs. Swift response by ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) led to the recapturing of three juveniles. However, sometime after
07:00 hrs., a fourth escapee was returned to the custody of the facility by his mother. A fifth escapee was later recaptured with the help of his relatives and is now back at the Sophia Holding Centre. While the details surrounding their escape are still being investigated, this publication was told that the juveniles breached one of the fences of the facility before making good their escape. Up to press time, the search was still ongoing for the other two juveniles.
Owner of delivery service... From page 15 rider approached Navin, placed a handgun to his head, and demanded that he hand over his bike. Navin attempted to fight off the armed bandit but this resulted in the bandit discharging a single round, which impacted the victim’s jaw. The bandit then relieved Navin of his black XR-150 motorcycle. After acquiring
the bike, the culprit met up with his accomplice and the two made good their escape, in an unknown direction. Kaieteur News understands that Navin was immediately picked up and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. Up to press time, the young man was still awaiting surgery. The investigation into the matter continues.
ExxonMobil, others slapped... From page 3 cutting-edge of environmental and consumer protection litigation. “When oil companies advertise their core products with words like ‘greener’ and ‘cleaner’ while failing to disclose the actual impacts of those products, it impairs consumers’ ability to make informed purchasing decisions,” said Lorelei Salas, Department of C o n s u m e r a n d Wo r k e r Protection. Salas added, “Many New Yorkers want to make smart, green choices and these companies have deceived them into believing they were. We cannot allow them to continue to profit from these deceptions.” Dave A. Chokshi, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in providing
a comment said that Shell, Exxon, and BP recognise that their corporate image matters to their bottom line, and so they are spending millions of dollars to “green” their brand, but not their business. As public officials responsible for the well-being of our residents, Chokshi said New Yorkers must take a stand to safeguard the health of current and future generations. In 2019, the State of New York had sued ExxonMobil for allegedly deceiving its investors about the cost of climate change. While it did not win that case, it has not stopped the State from bringing fresh lawsuits to prove that the oil giant along with others have not been truthful about this global phenomenon.
Escazú Agreement essential ... From page 12 an institutionalised, systematic and transparent manner to ensure full and effective participation of indigenous peoples and other forest-dependent communities, through free, prior and informed consent.
Further, the President noted that the government is working towards the enhancement of transparency and access to extractive industry information, as required under Guyana’s Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI) obligations.
PAGE 19
The Sophia Holding Centre
Kaieteur News
PAGE 20
Great Diamond households to get land titles after three
decades of squatting
Susan Rodrigues, Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water After more than three decades of squatting, 65 households at Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD), will soon to be in possession of their land titles. The move comes as the Central Housing & Planning Authority (CH&PA) looks to regularise and hand out land titles to informal settlers in various areas across the country. Susan Rodrigues, Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, made this announcement during a briefing at the Ministry’s Headquarters on Wednesday. Alluding to squatters at Blocks ‘B’ and ‘C’ being portions of Block ‘D’ in Plantation Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara, Minister Rodrigues said, “We have engaged the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited [NICIL] because that area is now under their purview...It was taken to the Board and they approved the transfer of that area from NICIL to the Government of Guyana and we will administer the issuance of those titles through the Central Housing and Planning Authority.” She further explained that the transfer was greenlighted through a March 25, 2021 Cabinet decision, while adding that NICIL is in the process of preparing the legal
framework. The land was originally transported by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to CH&PA via Transport No. 302/2005 to begin the process of regularisation. But this was stalled following the discovery that a portion of Block ‘C’ was owned by Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL). Three informal settlers, who were occupying the land owned by DDL, were last year relocated to Prospect, East Bank Demerara, through a partnership between DDL and CH&PA. Minister Rodrigues noted that the relocated persons in Prospect are also to receive their land titles. Since the new government took office, squatters had lamented their title ownership issue to Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, during a number of his outreaches on the East Bank Demerara. Minister Croal had assured the residents that the situation would be met with swift resolution. With the massive road development network soon to come on stream, Minister Croal noted also that there will be new lands opening up in Region Three. He said the many “spin-off” benefits from that project will impact the housing sector.
First Female Director... From page 14 Services Committee and Vi c e - P r e s i d e n t o f t h e Guyana Association of Women Police. During the 2017 awards c e r e m o n y, S t u a r t w a s described by her colleagues and superiors as an officer known for going above and beyond the call of duty.
They related too that she was a shining example of literacy and good etiquette. It was highlighted as well by the then Acting Commissioner of Police David Ramnarine, that Stuart was one of those ranks who could have been reached at all times on her cell phone, even on weekends.
Friday April 23, 2021
Friday April 23, 2021
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Kaieteur News
Police Finance Department multi-million dollar fraud…
New charges slapped on Superintendents As the probe continues into the misappropriation of millions of dollars at the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) Finance Department, several Superintendents were slapped with fraud charges. Some of those officers who were recently charged include Deputy Commander of Division 4 ‘B’, Senior Superintendent Lorraine Saul; Police Finance Officer, Superintendent Marcelene Washington; former Deputy Finance Officer, Deputy Superintendent Frank Jackman-Wilburg; and former Deputy Finance Officer, Assistant Superintendent Roxanne Griffith-Adams. The matters were called in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan. On the two occasions the matters were called, the court was informed that Saul and Washington are out of the jurisdiction. On Wednesday last, the matter that involved Saul, Washington and JackmanWilburg was called. The trio was slapped with two joint conspiracies to commit felony charges, while Saul was slapped with two individual counts of falsification of accounts. As Saul and Washington are not in the jurisdiction, the joint charges were read to Jackman-Wilburg. The charges were indictable, as such; he was not required to enter a plea. The first charge alleges
that Saul, Washington and Jackman-Wilburg between November 2, 2020 and December 3, 2020 at Guyana Police Force (GPF) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, while being officers of the GPF, with intent to defraud, conspired with each other and other persons, to falsify a feeding account in the sum of $2.2M, to purportedly show that meals were provided to ranks who performed fixed point duties at Mounted Branch, between October 16, 2020 and October 31, 2020. The second joint charge alleges that the trio on the same date and at the same location, while being officers of the GPF, with intent to defraud, they conspired with each other and other persons to falsify a feeding account in the sum of $1.4M to purportedly show that meals were provided to ranks who performed fixed point duties at the Suicide Helpline between October 16, 2020 and October 31, 2020. Chief Magistrate, McLennan, placed JackmanWilburg on $150,000 bail and the matter was adjourned to May 14, 2021. On that date Saul and Washington are expected to appear in court. Yesterday, in the same courtroom the matter that involved Saul, Washington and Griffith-Adams was called. This trio was slapped with one joint conspiracy to commit felony charge, and Saul was slapped with an
individual falsification of account charge. The charge was only read to Griffith-Adams, who was present in court. It is alleged that Saul, Washington and Griffith-Adams, between November 2, 2020 and November 24, 2020 at Guyana Police Force (GPF) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, while being officers of the GPF, with intent to defraud, conspired with each other and other persons to falsify a feeding account in the sum of $1.1M, to purportedly show that meals were provided to Officers and Inspectors of the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) who performed fixed point duty at the Unit from October 16 to October 31, 2020. That charge was also deemed indictable and Griffith-Adams was not required to enter a plea. Chief Magistrate, McLennan, placed her on $150,000 bail and that matter was also adjourned to May 14, 2021. The charges were brought against the Superintendents by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), an arm of the GPF. According to reports, Saul was stationed at the Felix Austin Police College Mess, as the officer-in-charge, and on the dates mentioned in the charges, she created feeding accounts for ranks that were performing fixed point duties. It is alleged that the accounts that Saul prepared were for duties that never
MoE cancels Grades 2, 4, and 9 placement Exams due to effects of COVID-19 Due to the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has taken the decision to cancel the Grades Two, Four and Nine placement Examinations. This was announced by the Chief Education Officer (CEO), Dr. Marcel Hutson, yesterday as he highlighted the pressure the pandemic has placed on students. “We recognise the hardships our students would have been experiencing in terms of their readiness and preparedness for these Examinations and we also recognise the need for us to ensure that our students are safe,” he noted. Despite the cancellation, the CEO said that provisions have been made, particularly for the placement Examinations. He stated that primary school students enrolled in private schools will be allowed to attend the
Chief Education Officer (CEO), Dr. Marcel Hutson school they were awarded at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA). Also, remigrants seeking to be enrolled in public schools will be placed in an A-List or BList school closest to their homes. The Grades Two, Four and Nine Assessments were also cancelled last year due
to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the NGSA Examination was still written, given that it was pertinent to placing students in secondary schools. It will be written this year in August, with over 14,000 students expected to conduct the sitting.
Deputy Commander of Division 4 ‘B’, Superintendent Lorraine Saul.
Former Deputy Finance Officer, Deputy Superintendent Frank Jackman-Wilburg.
Police Finance Officer, Superintendent Marcelene Washington.
Former Deputy Finance Officer, Assistant Superintendent Roxanne Griffith-Adams.
existed. It is further alleged that, Saul conspired with Washington, JackmanWilburg and Griffith-Adams, who approved and processed the accounts at the Police Finance Department. Last year, an investigation was launched into the alleged misappropriation of over $150M from the Police Finance Department. The probe was carried out by SOCU and resulted in several senior officials either being sent on leave or relocated. To date, several Superintendents were slapped with fraud charges and placed before the court. On April 13, 2021, Saul and Officer-in-Charge at the Police Finance Department (Ag.), Assistant Superintendent Kurt Smith, were charged for falsifying over $1M in meals payment. However, since then the court was informed that Saul is out of the jurisdiction. Saul and Smith were slapped with two joint charges of conspiracy to commit a felony and Saul was
charged additionally for two counts of falsification of accounts. According to reports, Saul was also the officer-incharge of the Brickdam Police Station’s Other Ranks Mess, before she was moved. In this matter, Saul was charged for allegedly inflating and creating fake meals payment accounts for meals provided by the Mess for reimbursement at the Police Finance Department. In the first charge, Saul allegedly created a meals payment account for $1,350,000. This was supposed to be for a training session but none had occurred. On the latter charge, she reportedly inflated the number of ranks and number of meals in the sum of $465,000. Smith was charged for allegedly conspiring with Saul to defraud and to authorise the payments of the accounts - one which never existed and one which was inflated. Meanwhile, on March 26,
2021, former Assistant Commissioner of Police Kevin Adonis, of Lot 95 Stewartville, West Bank Demerara; Rawle Haynes of Hydronie, East Bank Essequibo; Jermaine Fraser of 4116 Phase One West Minster, West Bank Demerara, and Michael Corbin of 315 First Avenue, La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, made their first court appearance after they were slapped with a $19M fraud charge. It was also reported that last year, Corbin and Fraser were slapped with 21 fraud charges, which amounted to a total sum of $11,385,000. They had appeared before Principal Magistrate, Faith McGusty, in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and were placed on $250,000 bail each. It is alleged that the duo, on April 4, 2019, at Eve Leary, Georgetown, while being employed as a clerk or servant at the GPF’s Finance Office, with intent to defraud, they willfully made false entries into the accounts of their employer.
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Friday April 23, 2021
Kaieteur News
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From page 13 questions once that is done. Notably, Parag and Sarabo-Halley have been constantly clashing over scholarship related issues since the new administration took office last August. The most recent clash was at the Budget Debate in February. During her speech, the Opposition MP had called attention to the Government Scholarship that was granted to her under the APNU+AFC administration, positing that she has no apologies for it.
In response, during her budget speech, Minister Parag lambasted SaraboHalley for thinking that it was justifiable to grant herself a scholarship, adding that the government had no record of her ever completing her studies under the scholarship, which is said to have amounted to over £10,000. “How does the former Minister juxtapose this against the award of full scholarships to two of her Cabinet colleagues and the children of another,
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while brilliant young Guyanese coming from vulnerable groups are denied the opportunity to further qualify themselves? The complaints have been manifested and it is from that standpoint I made such a statement,” Parag lamented. She also affirmed that it was wrong for Sarabo-Halley to grant scholarships to the children of former ministers; Nicolette Henry, Annette Ferguson and Simona Broomes, when she could
have awarded them to financially disadvantaged persons. Sarabo-Halley is not the only person that has publicly questioned the GOAL initiative. In fact, Guyana Elections Commission Commissioner, Vincent Alexander, in a letter carried in Kaieteur News’ April 21, 2021 edition, sought to highlight issues that need to be addressed to make the initiative effective. Those issues will be examined in a subsequent report.
...Cash strapped GuySuCo agrees to meet From page 8 solution acceptable to all stakeholders and encourages factual discourse to advance the cause of the 7,400 workers. GAWU subsequently responded to the Corporation to observe that while it was noted that the Corporation would not negotiate in the media, it did proceed to make certain statements public statements, “which we believe have prejudiced the ongoing discussions.” The Union said too, “it was the first time we had learnt of these statistics” and that “we believe it would have been prudent for the Corporation to share such data at the bargaining table.” Additionally, with regards the claims made that in 2020 it utilised 102 percent of rev-
enues to pay wages, GAWU responded saying “for us, this seems perplexing, as GuySuCo, to the best of our knowledge, did not receive support from Government for current expenditure.” The Union used the occasion to reiterate that the media extensively reported that the financing received from the Government was solely for capital expenditure. As such, “if what the Corporation is saying is indeed true, we are befuddled as to it how met its other current expenses.” It was noted nonetheless that the Union remains willing to engage the company. With regards the claims made by GuySuCo of monies paid to the Union, GAWU denied that it received $140M
between August 2020 and now. It said rather, “…our Union received $31,806,616 representing Union dues and $79,398,039 representing Credit Union savings of workers, an aggregation of $111,204,655.” These are monies authorised by workers and deducted from their wages and salaries and ought to be paid over. “If indeed GuySuCo paid out such a large sum, as we have demonstrated, it was not entirely remitted to the GAWU or the Credit Union and we urge the GuySuCo to double check its figures…Regarding the outstanding sum, this is a matter that is actively engaging the Union and we will refrain from any further comment.”
Kaieteur News
Friday April 23, 2021
PAGE 23
Cops hunt gunman reportedly seen running away from scene Murder of Charlestown man…
P
olice are hunting for a gunman who was reportedly seen running away on
Wanted for the alleged murder of Yearwood, Lenroy Michael Forde.
Wednesday night, seconds after Odingo Anthony Yearwood, 25, was gunned down on Drysdale Street, Charlestown. Investigators have been told that the man on their radar is Lenroy Michael Forde popularly known as “Biggie.” A wanted bulletin has since been issued for him by the Guyana Police Force (GPF). The GPF said that anyone with information which may lead to Forde’s arrest is asked to contact police on telephone numbers, 268-2298/2222, 226-7065, 911 or the nearest police station. According to a release sent out by GPF, preliminary information received by its detectives suggests that “Biggie” was the one who murdered Yearwood.
It is believed that the shooting stemmed from an argument between the two over a robbery “Biggie” had
Gunned down in Drysdale Street, Odingo Anthony Yearwood
Suspect confesses to killing former priest with “tawa and knife” - claims he was jealous co-accused was giving victim more attention Orlando Richards, the 21-year-old suspect in the murder of former Anglican priest, George Chuck-ASang, who was found dead in his home, has reportedly confessed to detectives that he is guilty of being involved in the horrifying incident. The lifeless body of Chuck-A-Sang, which bore multiple stabs wounds, was found on December 21, 2020, sometime around 15:00 hrs.Crime Chief We n d e l l B l a n h u m , confirmed with this media house that Richards confessed to the crime and admitted that he had fatally inflicted the injuries on the former priest. Kaieteur News was told that the suspect reported to detectives that he was jealous that the former priest was getting more attention than him from the female who was employed as a cleaner at the time. In F e b r u a r y, 4 6 - y e a r- o l d Mohanie Mohabir, the cleaner, was remanded to prison for Chuck-A-Sang’s murder. In his confession, Richards said that he told the woman about his jealous feelings and she told him that he (Richards) has to “prove himself as a man.”
Arrested: Orlando Richards. This, he said had triggered him to kill the former priest. According to information received, the suspect told investigators that he used a “tawa and a knife” to inflict the fatal injuries. This publication learnt that at the time of the murder the suspect was staying at the priest’s residence along w i t h M o h a b i r. A f t e r committing the crime,
Richards reportedly fled the scene and went to Berbice, there he ventured to Mahdia, where he was nabbed by police on Monday. Kaieteur News had reported that the partially decomposed body of the former priest was discovered by his daughter, Renata Chuck-A-Sang and current priest, Monsell Alves, in his two-storey concrete house located on Vlissengen Road, Lodge, Georgetown. The house adjoins the St. Sidwell’s Anglican Church. According to police reports, Chuck-A-Sang’s daughter reported that after not hearing from her father for some time, she grew worried and decided to check on him. Renata reported that she was accompanied by Alves to her father’s home and there they made the gruesome discovery.
Murdered: George Chuck-A-Sang
committed. Detectives related that Yearwood was reportedly annoyed at “Biggie” because he had
robbed one of his (Yearwood) acquaintances. Yearwood better known as “Dingo,” was riddled with
bullets sometime after 20:00 hrs. on Wednesday. When Kaieteur News had arrived at (Continued in page 24)
PAGE 24
Bartica massacre crew committed Triumph’s double murder - “I was just the lookout man”- accused admits in statement Police witnesses testifying in the trial of murder convict, Mark Royden Williams called ‘Durant’ or ‘Smallie,’ have so far tendered a Caution Statement (CS) in which he admitted being the lookout man for the notorious Bartica massacre crew as they robbed and murdered two men at Triumph, East Coast Demerara (ECD). Williams who was convicted and is serving time in prison for the 2008 Bartica massacre, is facing yet another trial at the Georgetown High Court for the double murder. The case is being heard virtually at the High Court in Georgetown. The accused stands indicted before Justice, Sandil Kissoon, and a mixed 12member jury for allegedly murdering 35-year-old Rajesh Singh and 25-year-old Fazil Hakim at Lot 82 Agriculture Road, Triumph, East Coast Demerara, on December 16, 2007. A number of witnesses have testified in the trial including Detective Inspector of Police Suraj Singh; Police Sergeant Rodwell Sarabo and defence witness, Michael Caesar who was jointly charged with Williams for the murders. Caesar is currently serving time in prison after he pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter for the crime at a previous criminal hearing for the case. Caesar was called to testify on Williams’ behalf yesterday after State Prosecutors, Lisa Cave and Tyra Bakker, called their final witness and closed their case. He told the court that although he was charged alongside Williams for the crime; Williams was not there when the act was committed. His testimony is in conflict of a CS which was previously tendered in court on behalf of Williams, who had allegedly admitted to
Mark Royden Williams called ‘Durant’ or ‘Smallie’ police investigators that he was present with the Bartica massacre men when they shot and killed Singh and Hakim during a robbery at a shop at Triumph, ECD. According to the statement, while Williams admitted to being there, he said he did not do the actual shooting; he was just the lookout man. The CS added too that Williams said that he was not armed with any gun, he only had a cutlass. Defence lawyer, Nigel Hughes, however took the police witnesses to task over the statement essentially challenging the credibility of the information contained in the document. Hughes put several questions to the Officers Singh and Sarabo, as to whether his client faced any form of intimidation or threat while giving the statement. The lawyer asked specifically if his client had been shackled, beaten or faced any form of violence at the time he was giving the statement. Both officers denied the suggestions. They claimed instead that the statement was freely and voluntarily given to them by Williams who admitted that he was present when the crew swooped down on Hakim and Singh and another man who
were consuming alcohol at a shop in the village. The officers’ testimonies followed that of State Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh, who gave the cause of death of the two men as shock and haemorrhage due to multiple gunshot wounds. At the time of his demise, Hakim called “Boyee,” resided at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, while Singh called “Rabbit,” lived at Martyrs Ville on the East Coast of Demerara. Police reports had indicated that the men were imbibing at a shop owned by Narendra Mukhram. Mukhram reportedly went to close the shop when he was confronted by three men who were armed with a rifle, a shotgun, and a handgun. One of the gunmen held him at gunpoint and took him to his home next door. The other two gunmen entered the shop and one of them ordered the three patrons to lie on the ground. When they hesitated, the gunmen opened fire, killing Singh and Hakim. Over at the house, the armed men held Mukhram’s wife and children at gunpoint and demanded jewellery and cash. According to reports, they handed over $500,000 in jewellery and $300,000 cash to the gunmen.
...Cops hunt gunman reportedly seen running From page 23 the scene, his body was covered with a brown cloth and was lying on the street in a pool of blood, a short distance away from his Lot 2 Drysdale Street, Charlestown, home. Three spent shells were seen near the body and a trail of even more spent shells was observed leading to the
Friday April 23, 2021
Kaieteur News
victim’s bicycle which was found in an alleyway close to his home. An eyewitness related t h a t Ye a r w o o d w a s a t tacked in an alleyway leading to his yard. That person recalled him having a heated conversation with an individual. This newspaper understands that Yearwood’s last
words before gunshots rang out were, “Ow budday a know yuh, don’t shoot meh.” There were also allegations made that there might have been a second shooter, but so far police have been unable to confirm this theory. The investigation into this matter continues.
UN climate chief urges rich countries to step up funding: ‘Climate change is a multiplier’ The United Nations’ climate chief called on the world’s richest countries to fulfill their climate financing goals, as global leaders gathered for a virtual climate summit hosted by the White House. Speaking to Yahoo Finance, Patricia Espinosa, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, said the failure of developed nations to deliver on their $100 billion a year in funding commitment to poorer countries, threatens to undermine trust and confidence in the Paris Agreement. “[International financing] has really become one of the most important elements to ensure a good outcome at COP 26,” Espinosa said, referencing the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow, scheduled for November. “It’s not because that amount will really be an offer that is sufficient to drive the transformation, It has become something like a trust building signal, where developed countries would be sending the signal that they are actually willing to comply with the commitments that they make.” Developed nations, including the U.S., committed
Patricia Espinosa to raise climate finance for vulnerable countries in 2009. The plan called for nations to increase those pledges to $100 billion by 2020. The Paris Agreement called for a higher amount to be negotiated, and take effect from 2025. Yet, more than a decade later, neither commitment has been realized. That issue of funding has taken on increased importance as developing nations emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic shouldered with debt. Fifty-four percent of emerging economies find themselves in debt distress or
at high risk of distress, according to an independent report published by the UN. That has severely hampered the governments’ ability to respond to the climate crisis, in nations most affected by extreme climate. “Climate change is really a multiplier of every single challenge that humanity is facing,” Espinosa said. “Unfortunately, this means that in the countries that are most vulnerable, that are the poorer countries, unfortunately, really endure a lot of the costs and of the negative consequences of climate change.” (Yahoo)
Germany rejects idea of redrawing Western Balkans borders - minister BERLIN - (Reuters) - Germany rejects a redrawing of borders in the Western Balkans along ethnic lines and the idea has been “put back into a drawer”, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said yesterday. The idea was raised in an unofficial European Union diplomatic note that alarmed Bosnians, who saw it as a threat to their country’s territorial unity, two decades after ethnic conflicts led to war in the region. The note, seen by Reuters, suggested that creating a Greater Serbia, a Greater Albania and a Greater Croatia could help resolve national tensions holding up EU integration in the region. A diplomat in Brussels said EU member states had not discussed the idea. “The idea that things can be solved with new lines on a map is not only unrealistic, but it is dangerous to even initiate this discussion,” Maas told reporters in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo. “The idea of a shifting of borders is one that the German government vehemently rejects,” he said, adding that he was happy that the idea had been “put back into a drawer or hopefully the shredder of history”. The EU diplomatic note was first leaked to Slovenian media. Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa denied media reports that he had sent it to European Council President Charles Michel, who chairs EU summits, as a proposal
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on how to deal with the region after Slovenia takes over the EU presidency in July. Ethnic tensions in former Yugoslavia worsened after the death of long-time leader Josip Broz Tito in 1980, culminating in the Yugoslav federation’s collapse in 1992 and the Balkan wars of the 1990s. Some 100,000 people were killed in Bosnia, where Serbs and Croats sought to form their own ethnic statelets. Two former Yugoslav republics, Croatia and Slovenia, have joined the EU. Montenegro, Serbia, the Republic of North Macedonia, Bosnia and Kosovo - formerly part of Serbia - also hope to accede. Albania is also seeking membership.
Friday April 23, 2021
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Friday April 23, 2021
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...Taking the knee for Black Lives Matter will be banned at Tokyo From page 31 to make gestures of political protest during the Games. The IOC’s Athletes’ Commission chief Kirsty Coventry, who led a review of the rule, said the majority of athletes consulted were against any protests within the fields of play or the podiums. ‘I would not want something to distract from my competition and take away from that. That is how I still feel today,’ Coventry, a former Olympic swimming champion for Zimbabwe, said in an online presentation of the Rule 50 consultation results. Coventry said there were a series of recommendations approved by the IOC’s Executive Board on
Wednesday, including providing clarity on sanctions, more information about Rule 50, a change of wording of the Olympic Oath with messages on inclusion, and producing athlete apparel with inclusive messaging. When asked, however, if athletes would be punished
in Tokyo for making political statements such as taking a knee on the podium in support of racial equality, Coventry said: ‘Yes that is correct.’ ‘That is also because of the majority of athletes we spoke to. That is what they are requesting for,’ Coventry said. The IOC’s recommendations are the
result of a consultation process that started in June 2020 and involved over 3,500 athletes. Coventry said some 70 per cent of those athletes did not want protests on podiums, ceremonies and fields of play. The Tokyo Olympics, delayed by a year due to the pandemic, kick off on July 23.
...Josh Kroenke confirms who will pay From page 28 pundits and players around the world. And as a result they, along with Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham, announced on Tuesday they would be performing a huge u-turn and
walking away from the scheme. Kroenke, whose father Stan is the CEO of the KSE company which owns Arsenal, attended a fans forum to discuss the fallout from the Super League farce on Thursday (yesterday).
Friday April 23, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Aggressive people may interfere with your plans today, so don't get too upset if things don't work out the way you want them to.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Wear the striped shirt and polka-dot pants today, Libra. The more you clash with the outside world the better.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) It's hard to keep your balance when a big rock suddenly falls on one side of the scale. Resolving the matter isn't as hard as you think, because this rock has been dropped there as a gift.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) If you don't understand something, ask, Scorpio. If it looks different to you, ask why that is. Your curiosity is high, especially when it comes to the unconventional, and even more if it's revolutionary.
GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Like a team of pickpockets in a crowd, a group may have its eyes on you and secretly scheme to take advantage of your innocence. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Opportunity is the name of the game for you, Cancer. Don't turn out the lights before you make sure you've explored all your options today. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Today you may be asked to choose between the old and the new, Leo. It's as if people are protesting in some manner and you're being asked to join in the ranks of those wishing to see change. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Your inner strength and courage are tremendous today. You will find that people naturally gravitate toward you. Accept this flood of energy and put it to good use however you see fit. A spark of genius may hit you sometime during the day.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You may be shaken to the core today by someone of great personal magnetism. Maybe you feel as if you're being overshadowed because of the grandiose ideas and mountains of information coming from this person. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Your internal computer just got upgraded today and your head is buzzing with all kinds of new information. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You may feel a bit lonely today, even if there are people all around you. It may seem like everyone's on a different plane. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) This is a climactic time for you, Pisces. All your yearly cycles have reached a critical juncture. You may feel as if you're at a point of tremendous victory or terrible failure. Either way, it's important that you look on this time as a celebration that you've made it this far.
He faced a number of questions, one of which was over who would pay the fine which Super League chairman Florentino Perez stated would be necessary in order to exit proceedings. And he replied: “To confirm, KSE are covering all outside costs related to the ESL.” It is not clear exactly how much this is, but CEO Vinai Venkatesham added: “This is nowhere near the £8m mentioned.” That did not seem to placate the Arsenal supporters present, however, and one asked whether the Kroenkes would be looking to sell the club in the near future. But Josh replied: “We believe we are fit to go forward with Arsenal, and that we were put in a difficult situation by sources outside the Club. “Leadership is about recognising when you are wrong, correcting and apologising. It was never our intention to harm English football, we can talk Financial Fair Play, about racism, but for football pyramid stability we need to ensure we are maximising revenue. But we went about it the wrong way on this occasion.” Protests are expected against the Kroenkes before Arsenal’s game against Everton on Friday, and it seems the Americans are fighting a losing battle in a bid to try to win back over fans of the club.
...Guyana lost before the first From page 26 fans, the team and the players although not receiving a stipend (as confirmed from two players) will fly the Golden Arrowhead high again as they did at the 2018 CBC Championships.
Tommie Smith (centre) and John Carlos raised gloved hands as a form of anti-racist protests at the 1968 Games but a similar gesture made by athletes in Tokyo could be punished.
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Friday April 23, 2021
Guyana lost before the first whistle By Calvin Chapman Last week was significant for local
basketball as the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) for the
first time in history had their senior men’s team make an appearance at the
International Basketball Federation’s (FIBA) 2023 Wo r l d C u p ( W C ) CONCENCABA prequalifiers which was held at the Adolfo Pineda Gymnasium in San Salvador, El Salvador. And that was it, an appearance, as team Guyana managed zero wins from their four one-off roundrobin matches. This ordinary performance was played out although the Guyanese were the second highest ranked team in the pre-qualifiers following an alleged “unacceptable” last minute addition of Jamaica. However, team Guyana lost even before the first whistle was blown so fans and stakeholders should be less critical of the team and examine the root causes of such a disappointing performance despite losing three of their four games agonisingly close. They say that failure to prepare is preparing for failure and Guyana was definitely not well prepared for this tournament as is the bugbear for most of our sportspersons and associations but we will talk about basketball this time. Guyana’s failure to prepare for such an important opportunity is highlighted by lack of infrastructural and financial support. For years, even decades, basketball has been on the backburner with only one indoor facility which is the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) on Homestretch Avenue. Uses of the CASH is shared by the GABF and Guyana Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) along with other sports such as hockey, table tennis and football. Besides the CASH, there are the Vryman’s Erven in Berbice, Burnham (Carmichael Street) and Mackenzie Sports Club (Linden) Outdoor Courts which are nowhere near what the standard should be. This begs the question: How is basketball going to improve in Guyana? How can the player pool be widened and developed if something as basic as having somewhere to play is not available. Especially since the GABF can’t depend on international players with the FIBA rules only allowing for one naturalised (not born in Guyana) player on national teams. Notwithstanding the tasteless and emotional comments by fans and
Costa Rica’s Daniel Shedden about to lay up as Guyana’s Harold Adams and Israel Yaw (12) watches during last week’s FIBA WC pre-qualifiers in El Salvador.
persons whose mandate should be to support the development and promotion of sport, before the team even departed ‘The Land of M a n y Wa t e r s ’ f o r E l Salvador, the amount of time the team had to prepare was not enough. Head Coach of the team, Junior Hercules who came under a lot of criticism on social media and in local basketball forums for his poor management of the side in crucial moments of the game, had publicly stated that he was not happy with the amount of time the team had to train together despite the pandemic. The National Covid-19 Task Force came under heavy criticism after denying the National men’s basketball team permission to just train at the CASH (in preparation for this important assignment) early in the year despite others being granted permission to actually compete in other sports. Financial support When Guyana were crowned champions of the region for the first time in the depleted 2018 Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Men’s championship in Suriname, many believed that the corporate community would’ve been lining up to support the sport but that wasn’t the case and in fact, Team Guyana were not even substantially honoured by the state for their success. Some blame should be put on the Basketball Federation that is guilty of not mobilising quickly enough at times or following the correct protocol when requesting funding from the corporate community and the state, respectively. Meanwhile, Basketball being an Olympic Sport, the Guyana Olympic
Association (GOA) have been called on to do more many times whether it be larger financial aid or through capacity development programmes. Guyana does not have a national league, a National Club Championship is contested within a two week period and the last time that competition which is dubbed ‘Mecca’ was played was 2018 which helps to solidify the point of the national men’s team losing before the first whistle was blown. The teams that Guyana were pitted against at the FIBA WC 2023 prequalifiers were Jamaica, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, listed below are some facts each association has that would have contributed to them being better prepared. - Costa Rica doesn’t have a pro league but there are seven first division teams that are supported adequately so that they are able to contest a league that is run from February to September each year. - Nicaragua has two competitive first and second division pro and semi-pro leagues. - El Salvador basketball league has grown exponentially from 2015 to present with many players going on to play in top Latin American leagues. - Jamaica boasts a functional sports policy that has helped the nation become a regional and international powerhouse in sports. D e s p i t e t h e shortcomings, Guyana did show that they can compete and had some narrow, heartbreaking losses. And, maybe with just a bit more support from all stakeholders, including the (Continued on page 25)
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Friday April 23, 2021
BCB/Dr Puran Singh Educational Trust Fund 2021
Ten West Berbice youths benefit as BCB President preaches the importance of education Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) President Hilbert Foster on Wednesday last urged young players across the County to complete their studies at the secondary level since an educational career was very important in today’s modern world. Foster was speaking at the presentation ceremony of the BCB/Dr Puran Singh Educational Trust Fund at the Board’s Office, New Amsterdam. Ten Under-17 players drawn from clubs in the West Berbice SubAssociation each received $10,000 under the Fund as an investment in their school studies. Foster recalled that when his administration was elected to office in 2018, he spoke of the need for youths to not only play the game on the field but also to complete their educational careers. Noting that less than five percent of players who are currently playing would go
on to be professional players, the BCB President urged players to make sure that they have an education to fall back on. An educated mind would open doors of opportunities that would otherwise remain closed and he committed to assisting as much as possible. Over the last three years, two hundred youths have benefited from among other things, educational grants, educational scholarships, bicycles, school bags and educational materials. Another ten (10) players from the Upper Corentyne area would receive educational grants next Tuesday when the BCB holds the first presentation ceremony of the Vitality Inc. Educational Trust Fund. Foster spoke at length on the need to balance sports and education while urging parents of the youths to be their best role models. He pleaded with the parents to
play a bigger role in their children’s cricketing careers by encouraging them on a regular basis and following their progress on the field of play. Players receiving the grants were, Razam Koobir, Altav Balman, Keyman Mingo,Sheniya Mangra, C h r i s t o p h e r We b s t e r, Ta m a r a G e o r g e , S a i f Hargoin, Shivnarine Ragobeer, Arif Bacchus and Justin Doobay. They were drawn from the Blairmont, Cotton Tree, Bath, Achievers, Paradise and Bush Lot United Cricket Clubs. BCB Secretary Angela Haniff expressed thanks to Dr. Singh for his continued investment in Berbice cricket and also urged the players to remain disciplined and focused. Dr. Puran Singh is a major sponsor in Berbice cricket and is based Barbados where he is a very popular Medical Doctor.
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Simon Yates extends Tour of the Alps lead on stage four BBCsport - Britain’s Simon Yates has extended his lead in the Tour of the Alps after finishing third on stage four. The Team Bike Exchange rider outlasted his rivals on the final mountain climb toward the end of the 169km stage to Pieve di Bono in Italy. But he was joined on the final descent by Pelle Bilbao of Bahrain-Victorious, who won the stage, and Aleksandr Vlasov of Astana PremierTech who came second. Yates, 28, remains in the green jersey, with a 58second lead over Bilbao. “It was a hard start - the team controlled all day,” said Yates. “I tried to win for those guys today but I found a faster guy.” Bilbao, 31, chased down and caught Yates and Vlasov on the descent at around 3km remaining with a searing pace, taking several risks on the steep corners of the Alpine course in near Trento in northern Italy. Britain’s Hugh Carthy, 26, of EF Education-Nippo,
Yates won the 2018 Vuelta a Espana. (Getty Images)
finished sixth on Thursday’s stage, one minute and six seconds down, and is two minutes and 37 seconds behind Yates overall. F o u r- t i m e To u r d e France winner Chris Froome spent much of the day in the early breakaway, showing signs of improved form before the Tour begins on 26 June. Froome, 35, is more than 40 minutes down in the general classification, but is
racing in support of teammate Dan Martin, who crashed on Thursday’s descent and is now four minutes adrift overall. Stage winner Bilbao dedicated the stage win to former Astana team-mate Michele Scarponi, who was killed in a training accident four years ago on 22 April 2017. Yates has one stage remaining to secure overall victory on Friday’s 121km run to Riva del Garda.
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Friday April 23, 2021
Milestone match launches Liechtenstein’s women FIFA - Less than two weeks ago, on 11 April 2021, the Liechtenstein women’s national team played their first ever international match, going down 2-1 to Luxemburg. First of all came the disappointment of defeat, but in the moments that followed, the players soon began to realise what an historic milestone they had achieved. “ I t ’s a n e n o r m o u s milestone and worthy of a new chapter in the history of the Liechtenstein football association,” said the team’s coach Philipp Riedener in an interview with FIFA.com. “It was really exciting and above all something that we’d been desperate for, for such a long time. Both emotionally and in purely sporting terms, it was a great experience and a good performance. “The expectation was that we would put in a decent performance and one worthy of our status, and that’s what we did. The work that we have put in over recent months paid off. “Obviously we’re all athletes and we want to win all of the time. My feeling is that Luxemburg aren’t that far ahead of us. I wasn’t expecting us to win the match. We wanted to give it our all, and if that turned out to be enough to get a result, then so much the better. And if not, then it wasn’t going to be the end of the world. Taking the lead was a positive sign, and in the first half, we were the better team.” It was in the 35th minute when captain Viktoria Gerner prodded the ball home from close range to score the women’s national team’s first ever goal. “I just had to stick my foot out,” said the striker, who incidentally celebrates her 32nd birthday today (22
Liechtenstein Women’s National Team. LFV/Daniela Porcelli April), with a grin. “I can’t begin to describe how it felt. We’d been waiting for this moment for so long and that made it all the sweeter when we finally got to go out onto the pitch together. The main things we felt were pride and s h e e r e n j o y m e n t . I t ’s obviously a shame that we lost – everyone wants to win. My goal was a highlight and I’d have been happy, whoever had scored it. “The next thing we’re aiming for is obviously our first win, but what is much more important is to be able to play in front of fans again. Whether that comes this summer or not, nobody knows. We’re currently growing as a team. Experiences like the first international match bring us together and give us something to build on. We’re obviously hoping for a win against Gibraltar – and hopefully in front of a crowd.” The long wait is over The 18-strong squad assembled on Easter Monday ahead of the Luxemburg game to begin intensive preparations for their first international
match. “The long wait is over” was written in large letters on a PowerPoint slide that was shown to the Liechtenstein players at the beginning of their “week of football”, as it was termed. It was the culmination of almost 18 months of preparatory work. In early 2020, the national association (LFV) announced the creation of a women’s national team – a good six years after the first international appearance of the country’s U-16 side. The foundations laid by the clubs and the national association were finally bearing fruit. “The last few months have been very productive for us,” Riedener said of the tough times during the pandemic. “The clubs were only allowed to have training in small groups with no physical contact. We then reached an agreement together for us to train with our international players, and since January, we have had regular sessions held under normal conditions. That helped us to take the next step.” An even bigger step is set to be taken in June, with a
Josh Kroenke confirms who will pay Arsenal’s Super League withdrawal fee Mirror - Josh Kroenke has revealed that his family company will pay the fine incurred for Arsenal’s withdrawal from the European Super League rather than the club itself. The Gunners were one of the six English teams who had originally signed up to the controversial new tournament, but they faced a furious backlash from both their own supporters and (Continued on page 25)
Gunners fans are planning further protests on Friday (today)
second international match, against Gibraltar. “This year, we want to play Gibraltar, Luxemburg and Andorra,” the coach continued, “and if all goes well, we might take it one stage further and look to face opponents who we think are a little stronger. “Our main aim is to take part in the next round of EURO qualifying – that’s due to start in autumn 2023. Between now and then, we want to have built things up
to a level where we can take on other teams in a competitive environment. We’re also hoping that there will be a UEFA Nations League for women, along the same lines as the men’s. The advantage with that would be that we would compete against teams who are of the same standard as us.” Girls on the ball Everyone is well aware that this particular goal is still a long way off, so the aim at the moment is to recruit new players and to create awareness around the national team. “We’re well set up for the future, but what we’re lacking at the moment is depth,” said Riedener. “We need even more players and that’s why matches like the one against Luxemburg are important in promoting women’s football. We need to get young girls excited about football, following the example that our men have set. They’re at a stage now where they can absolutely hope to pick up points and the odd win here and there, and that has to be the next target that we set ourselves.” To achieve this aim, the LFV has launched a
campaign called ‘Girls on the ball’ featuring a wide variety of activities throughout the year to make it easier for girls to take up football and to promote exchanges between players. The seven member clubs have come together to provide a support base to offer girls age-appropriate footballing pathways. For Gerner this development has come too late, with the captain working full-time as a physiotherapist in a clinic, although she does train three or four times a week. “In my generation, people played football in Liechtenstein because they enjoyed it, but ambitions have now definitely changed,” she said. “Things have really come on since I first started playing. The younger generation is looking to achieve different things. I’m here to provide a sense of calm and leadership for the others. The younger players have followed different training paths and change clubs at an earlier age, and I can learn a lot from them. We’ve achieved this milestone together and we’re ready to follow it up!”
Slow day in Pallekele ends with Bangladesh holding all the aces
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SPNcricinfo Bad light ate away the last 90odd minutes of play on the second day, leaving Bangladesh very much in control with 474 on 4 on the board, even though they hardly moved the runrate needle with their 172 runs in 65 overs on the day. On a pitch where bowlers have found almost no joy, the Bangladesh batters haven’t shown any interest in forcing the pace, or get to a position where they can declare. Sri Lanka wouldn’t mind putting their feet up after nearly two full days out in the field in searing heat and humidity. In fact, the extra minutes in the shade could even be advantageous for them, as it takes away more time on a pitch that might grip and turn a bit more on the remaining days. On the day, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque continued to be Bangladesh’s batting stars, the former taking his maiden Test century to 163, while Haque reached his first overseas hundred.
Shanto struck 17 fours and a six during his eight hours and 53 minutes at the crease, with most of those boundaries coming in the arc between point and mid-off. He took a liking to Dhananjaya de Silva’s offspin, hitting him for eight boundaries while he was generally watchful against the pace trio of Suranga Lakmal, Vishwa Fernando and Lahiru Kumara, who eventually sent him back caught and bowled. Shanto and Haque added 242 runs, a record for Bangladesh’s third wicket, after Shanto and Tamim Iqbal had put on a brisk 144 for the second wicket on the first day. Haque was caught at slip trying to force a drive off de Silva not long after Shanto’s fall. This was an important knock for the Bangladesh captain, who held the record for scoring most Test hundreds without getting a single one of them away from home - it was 10/0 before this one. Haque was more inclined towards picking the gaps around point and cover - most of his 11 fours came through point
and cover - while he dealt mostly in singles when it came to the leg side. Mushfiqur Rahim took his time to get going after coming in following Shanto’s fall. A Sri Lankan review for lbw off Kumara first ball went in his favour courtesy an inside edge, and he had one overturned not long after when given out lbw by umpire Kumar Dharmasena off Wanindu Hasaranga. But he settled down to end the day unbeaten on 43 off 107 balls. Liton Das was with him on 25 off 39 balls with two fours and a six. Vishwa had taken two wickets on the first day, and on the second, there was one each for de Silva and Kumara, just rewards for the young fast bowler who hit decent speeds for most of the day. Lakmal and Hasaranga were both impressive in terms of staying disciplined, but they went wicketless in 64 overs combined. Bangladesh 474 for 4 (Shanto 163, Mominul 127, Mushfiqur 43*, Liton 25*, Vishwa 2-75) vs Sri Lanka.
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Concacaf teams learn Olympic Draw fates
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iami, Florida – The Men’s and Women’s Teams set to represent Concacaf this summer at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo have learned their fates from the Draw held on Wednesday, A p r i l 2 1 a t F I FA Headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland. I n t h e M e n ’s Tournament, 2020 Concacaf Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship winners Mexico have been drawn into Group A along with Japan, South Africa and France. For Mexico, who took home the Gold Medal at the 2012 Olympics in London, it marks their third straight appearance in the Olympics. El Tricolor faced group opponents Japan in the 2012 Semifinals, winning 3-1 to reach the Final. 2020 CMOQ runners-up Honduras have been drawn into Group B and will square off against New Zealand, Korea Republic and Romania. Honduras will be appearing in their fourth consecutive Olympics and will seek a third straight
berth in the knockout round after reaching the quarterfinal stage at London 2012 before a fourth-place finish at Rio de Janeiro 2016. The Catrachos are well acquainted with Korea Republic in Olympic play, narrowly losing 1-0 in the group stage at Beijing 2008 before posting a 1-0 win over the Asian nation in the quarterfinals at Rio de Janeiro 2016. I n t h e Wo m e n ’s Tournament, 2020 Concacaf Wo m e n ’s O l y m p i c s Qualifying Championship winners United States were drawn into Group B with Sweden, Australia and New Zealand. The United States are four-time winners of the Gold Medal at the Olympics (Atlanta 1996, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012), but were eliminated by Sweden in the quarterfinals in a penalty shootout at Rio de Janeiro 2016. The U.S. have also defeated New Zealand in the last three Olympic tournaments, winning 4-0 in the group stage at Beijing 2008, 2-0 in the quarterfinals at London 2012 and 2-0 in the group stage at Rio de
Premier League tells Big Six execs to leave committees: Sky Sports Reuters - The Premier League has told executives from the clubs involved in the breakaway European Super League to step down from key committees or risk being “forcibly removed”, British media reported. Premier League Chief Excutive Richard Masters had approached executives from Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City on Wednesday asking them to relinquish their positions on working groups, Sky Sports said. Tottenham Hotspur are not represented on any of the Premier League’s key committees. It follows Tuesday’s meeting of the 14 Premier League clubs not involved in the Super League who “unanimously and vigorously” rejected the plans for the competition. Chelsea Chairman Bruce Buck sits on the Premier L e a g u e ’s a u d i t a n d remuneration committee, while Arsenal CEO Vinai
Ve n k a t e s h a m a n d Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano are members of the Club Strategic Advisory Group. Manchester United executive vice chairman Ed Woodward and Liverpool chairman Tom Werner are part of the Club Broadcast Advisory Group. The six Premier League teams that signed up for the venture withdrew on Tu e s d a y f o l l o w i n g a n intense backlash from fans, players and the British government alongside threats of bans and sanctions from the game’s European and world governing bodies. Spain’s Atletico Madrid and Italy’s Inter Milan pulled out on Wednesday, while AC Milan indicated they are also abandoning the project. Juventus Chairman Andrea Agnelli said the competition cannot proceed any longer after the English teams pulled out but Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said the project was not dead.
In the Women’s Tournament, 2020 Concacaf Women’s Olympics Qualifying Championship winners United States were drawn into Group B with Sweden, Australia and New Zealand. Janeiro 2016. 2020 CWOQ runners-up Canada will play in Group E where they will take on Japan, Great Britain and Chile. Bronze Medal winners at London 2012 and Rio De Janeiro 2016, Canada last faced both Japan and
Great Britain at London 2012 when they fell 2-1 to Japan in the group stage and defeated Great Britain 2-0 in the quarterfinals. Draw results Men’s Olympic Football Tournament Group A: Japan, South
Africa, Mexico, France. Group B: New Zealand, Korea Republic, Honduras, Romania. Group C: Egypt, Spain, Argentina, Australia. Group D: Brazil, Germany, Côte d’Ivoire, Saudi Arabia.
Wo m e n ’s O l y m p i c Football Tournament Group E: Japan, Canada, Great Britain, Chile. Group F: China PR, Brazil, Zambia, Netherlands. Group G: Sweden, USA, Australia, New Zealand.
NBA roundup: Wizards slow Warriors’ Stephen Curry
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ield Level Media - The streaking Wa s h i n g t o n Wizards harassed Stephen Curry into 7-for-25 shooting while getting 29 points from Bradley Beal and a tripledouble from Russell Westbrook in a 118-114 victory over the visiting Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. Westbrook finished with 14 points, a game-high 20 rebounds, and 10 assists, though he turned the ball over nine times. The Wizards earned their season-high sixth consecutive win while handing the Warriors just their second loss in the past seven games. The expected shootout between the NBA’s top two scorers fizzled because Curry experienced a rare off night. He missed his first seven 3-point attempts and had only four points at halftime before finishing with 18, his fewest since March 17. Curry had averaged 42.8 points in the first four games of the Warriors’ now-completed trip. Knicks 137, Hawks 127 (OT) - Julius Randle scored
13 of his 40 points in the final 11 minutes — six minutes of regulation and the overtime period — for host New York, which remained red hot by storming back from a 11point deficit to beat Atlanta. The Knicks scored the first 10 points of overtime to survive a battle of attrition, lock up their eighth straight win — the franchise’s longest winning streak since March 2014 — and move past the Hawks into fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Derrick Rose and Immanuel Quickley each had 20 points off the New York bench. Hawks star Trae Young had 20 points and 14 rebounds before exiting for good in the third quarter due to a sprained left ankle. Suns 116, 76ers 113 Chris Paul compiled 28 points and eight assists to lift Phoenix over host Philadelphia, which has lost consecutive home games for the first time all season. Devin Booker added 19 points and Mikal Bridges had 18 for the Suns. Booker had scored at least 30 in each of his past seven meetings with the Sixers. The Suns
hold the best road record in the league, 19-7. Joel Embiid led the Sixers with 38 points and 17 rebounds, and he nearly missed a nearly full-court shot at the final buzzer. Philadelphia was without Ben Simmons (illness), Seth Curry (hip) and Tobias Harris (knee). Raptors 114, Nets 103 Pascal Siakam scored 27 points and grabbed nine r e b o u n d s a s To r o n t o defeated visiting Brooklyn at Tampa for its fourth straight win. OG Anunoby scored 25 points for the Raptors, who have won both games against the Nets this season with one more to play. The Raptors have won 11 straight home games over the Nets. Fred VanVleet added 17 points and Kyle Lowry added 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Kyrie Irving had 28 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists for Brooklyn. The Nets were without Kevin Durant (thigh) and James Harden (hamstring). Toronto’s Chris Boucher, who had four points and seven rebounds in 11 minutes, left the game early
in the fourth quarter due to a left knee sprain and did not return. Clippers 117, Grizzlies 105 - Playing short-handed and trailing by as many as 18 points, host Los Angeles fought back to defeat Memphis for its third consecutive win and its 10th in 11 games. Luke Kennard led Los Angeles with a season-high 28 points, and he grabbed seven rebounds. Marcus Morris Sr. contributed 25 points, and Terance Mann totaled 19 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Los Angeles outscored Memphis 34-20 in the third quarter to take the lead for good. Ja Morant paced the Grizzlies with 22 points and four assists as Memphis fell to 2-2 on a seven-game road trip. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 15 points in his season debut, returning from a serious knee injury. Other results: Mavericks 127, Pistons 117; Cavaliers 121, Bulls 105; Jazz 112, Rockets 89; Nuggets 106, Trail Blazers 105; Pacers 122, Thunder 116; Heat 107, Spurs 87; Kings 128, Timberwolves 125.
Kaieteur News
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Friday April 23, 2021
Padikkal 101*, Kohli 72* flatten Teams in New Amsterdam/Canje to contest BCB/J Supermarket Royals in ten-wicket win 40-overs tourney
ESPNcricinfo - A phenomenal century from Devdutt Padikkal ensured the Royal Challengers B a n g a l o r e ’s f o u r t h successive victory in IPL 2021 as they pulverised the Rajasthan Royals with 10 wickets and 21 balls to spare. Sanju Samson’s team did well to post 177 after he and the rest of his top order came undone against some accurate seam bowling. But it just wasn’t enough. Power outage in the powerplay - The Royals have the worst performing opening partnership in IPL 2021 (ave 14.25). And they came under serious pressure tonight. Mohammed Siraj clean bowled Jos Buttler, and impressive as that was, his skill and more importantly the experience he has gained travelling with the Indian team, and even being their lead bowler at times, was on better display when he introduced himself to David Miller with a scorching yorker. The batter never saw it coming and, with some help from the DRS, he was walking back lbw. The Royal Challengers’ seamers did well to attack the stumps in the powerplay, keeping their length full, but not drivable because from there, the hints of movement and extra bounce they generated made it severely hard to score runs. Dube and Tewatia step up - Pushing on from a platform of 32 for 3 in six overs is hard in the best of times. So picture how it must have been for Shivam Dube. He is in the middle of a slump and as much as he has the reputation of a big-hitter,
Virat Kohli watches one sail away © BCCI
A representative of J Supermarket hands over sponsorship to BCB President, Hilbert Foster.
he has never lived up to it in the IPL. Against his former team, he showed composure and good shot selection, both of which are crucial to revive a failing innings. Take his decision to attack Yuzvendra Chahal in the ninth over. The ball was spinning into his hitting arc, and he knew he could clear Wankhede’s boundaries. He has done it so many times in domestic cricket. So, 6, dot, 6. Dube’s 46 off 32 sowed the seeds of resistance and Rahul Tewatia took over from there. His unorthodox strokeplay - scoops over fine leg, lashes over third man obvious power and sheer determination produced 40 runs in 23 balls and took the Royals to 177 for 9. RCB roll on and on and on - “It’s very exciting for me as a batsman,” Kohli said at the prospect of playing in Mumbai. It looks like his opening partner also shared his enthusiasm. After struggling on the slow, spinning tracks of Chennai, Padikkal produced a joyous display of hitting right
through the line of the ball. A cut for four off Chris Morris. A straight drive for six off Mustafizur Rahman. A slog for six off Chetan Sakariya. Each of those shots brought jaws to the floor and the Royals to their knees. Padikkal reached his fifty off only 27 balls and showed no signs of stopping. Towards the end, he seemed to be playing the game only against himself. “Can I clear this boundary? Oh yeah. Easy. How bout we practice the reverse sweep now? Ooooh, look at that. It’s already gone for four”. His hundred came in the 17th over, off his 51st delivery, which he drilled through extra cover and roared in primal delight. Riding in Padikkal’s tremendous slipstream, Kohli eased to a fifty of his own and completed 6000 runs in the IPL. Royal Challengers B a n g a l o re 1 8 0 f o r 0 (Padikkal 101*, Kohli 72*) beat Rajasthan Royals 177 for 9 (Dube 46, Tewatia 40, Siraj 3-27, Patel 3-47) by 10 wickets.
T
he Berbice Cricket Board ( B C B ) o n Wednesday last unveiled another tournament as it continues to prepare for another restart to the 2021 season. The Board had placed a hold on playing after the recent hike of covid19 cases in Guyana. The season had bowled off in early February and the BCB was able to successfully complete nineteen (19) finals within two months before suspending activities. President Hilbert Foster visited the popular supermarket, located at Strand, New Amsterdam to formally launch the tournament and disclosed that it would start as soon as the BCB is satisfied that the covid situation has improved. The tournament would be contested by fourteen (14) teams in the New Amsterdam/Canje and East Bank Canje sub-area. Among the teams would be Rose Hall Canje, Goed
Bananen Land, Young Warriors, Tucber Park, Mt. Sinai, Pathfinder, Kendall Union Sports Club, Kendall Union Sports Stars, Edindurgh, East Bank Blazers and Guymine. The tournament is one of three that the teams in the areas would be involved in along with dozens more organised across the entire County. It would be played using the knockout format while all teams are expected to closely follow the covid19 guidelines laid down by the BCB. These would include no spectators at venues, social distancing, regular cleaning of hands and the wearing of face masks while in the pavilion. All teams are also reminded that this year the BCB would be enforcing its rule on white clothing during matches while any team that grants a walkover would be banned for the rest of the season. Players debarred from second-division tournaments would not be allowed to play. Among the players on the
CWI publishes Annual Report St John’s, Antigua – Cricket West Indies (CWI) has published a comprehensive full-colour annual report for 2020. The public release of the report follows the recently concluded CWI Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on 11th April 2021. The 36-page document reports on CWI’s progress in relation to implementing its Cricket First Strategic Plan, in the face of the unprecedented challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Annual Report features specific
reports on cricket, fan engagement and commercial development as well as finance, all of which were presented to the shareholder members at the recent AGM. Commenting on the release of the report, reelected CWI President, Ricky Skerritt, said: “The production of a holistic and analytical report to shareholders, published for general stakeholder reading, is not unprecedented. But, for various reasons, CWI has not prepared such an annual report for several years. I therefore wish to commend
our Executive Management team for pursuing this particular project, as part of our effort to improve communication with all of our stakeholders.” An excerpt from the report from CWI CEO Johnny Grave reads: “2020 will always be remembered for the pandemic, Covid-19. Despite these unprecedented challenges, I am extremely proud of what we have been able to achieve over the past year and it is truly inspiring in the way that everyone, on and off the field, has come together and collaborated so
quickly to respond to the significant changes and huge uncertainty.” The release of CWI’s Annual Report follows the publication of the audited financial statements which, for the first time, includes the consolidated accounts with Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG). The annual report and the audited statements can be viewed on CWI’s official website via the following link: https://www.windiescricket. com/cricket-westindies/cwi-auditedfinancials-2014-2020/
debarred list are Shimron Hetmeyer, Nial Smith and Romario Shepherd. BCB Public Relations Officer Simon Naidu expressed thanks to the Management and staff of the JSupermarket for their sponsorship. Naidu disclosed that this year, the BCB had committed itself to organising at least three tournaments in each of the 5 Sub-Associations in the county and is on target to do so. He noted that the work of the BCB under its current leadership has enabled the entity to attract sponsorship easily. Jason Sripal, Owner of the J Supermarket expressed happiness to be associated with the BCB whilst noting his satisfaction with the ongoing progress of the game in the county. Mr. Sripal also said that his business strongly believes in giving back and fulfilling its corporate duties. A former national junior p l a y e r, S r i p a l u t t e r e d confidence that the tournament would be a success.
Ricky Skerritt CWI President
Kaieteur News
Friday April 23, 2021
Pomeroon XI overcome Essequibo Coast XI in U-19 fixture
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Taking the knee for Black Lives Matter will be banned at Tokyo Olympics Football players have been taking the knee before matches since the summer of 2020 in gestures to help fight racism.
The victorious Pomeroon XI. Host Pomeroon XI overcome Essequibo Coast XI via net run rate after rain halted play when the teams collided in an U19 40-over fixture on Sunday last. Essequibo Coast XI elected to bat at Jacklow ground and were bowled out for 125 in 29.2 overs. Orrin Gibson made 46, Sheldon Charles 21 and Azizi Christiani 10. Bowling for Pomerooon XI, Brian Narine captured 4-24, Harold Demattos 2-7, Babetto Holder 2-11 and
Ryan Ramdeen 2-26. In reply, Pomerooon XI were 81-3 in 16 overs when rain intervened. Floyd Thornhill scored 25 and Rovaldo Edwards 22. Ramraj Bhopaul, Sheldon Charles and Shaziff Mohammed had one wicket each. Orrin Gibson took the best batsman prize and Bryan Narine the best bowler award. A return fixture is billed for the Essequibo Coast shortly. Pomeroon U19 -
B a b e t t a H o l d e r, Ry a n Ramdeen, Floyd Thornhill, Bryan Narine, Kevin Benjamin, Reveldo Edwards, Harlod Demettos, Devon Roberts, Danzel Roberts, Ronaldinho Rajcoomer, Zamas Boyal Renaldo Baharally and Andrew De Santos. Essequibo Coast U19 Azizi Christiani, Abdool Nadir, Benny Persaud, Carl Gilgeous, Sheldon Charles, Lance Roberts, Jarrad Allicock, Mahendra Basdeo, Romal Hubbard, Danny
Corbin, Ramraj Bhopaul, Shaziff Mohammed, Imtiyaaz Ally, Govinda Tulsie and Kishan Lall.
MailOnline - Taking a knee during the Tokyo Olympics or lifting a fist in support of racial equality will be punished as the International Olympic Committee on Wednesday maintained its ban on athletes’ protests inside stadiums, at ceremonies and on podiums. The IOC’s Rule 50 forbids any kind of ‘demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda’ in venues and any other Olympic area and
the Games body concluded the rule should be maintained following an athlete consultation. Against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement protesting racial injustice, calls have increased in recent months for a change to that rule that would allow athletes to protest. Some international federation chiefs, including World Athletics’ President Sebastian Coe, have said that athletes should have the right (Continued on page 25)