Kaieteur News

K

AIETEUR NEWS

Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Exxon to rent more helicopters

Tuesday Edition August 03, 2021 - Vol. 14 No. 30

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $80 readership yesterday, 91,009

…gives interested parties two weeks to clear first hurdle

Pres. Ali says Govt. has been transparent in oil and gas sector - But still to release critical reports Appointment of Chancellor, Chief Justice dependent on Harmon - Head recognising Govt. as legitimate of State NICIL appeal over leased sugar estate lands could delay timeline, inflate cost for gas-to-energy project Pres. Ali says Guests make ready for LGE about-turn but only with after learning credible of theft at elections machinery wedding house

The protest continues Retroactive salary increase for teachers, other public in NY for change to the Exxon contract. servants by year-end - Pres. Ali @11:00hrs on We are in economic slavery, Exxon's Parent Co. Kaieteur Radio collecting US$100s of millions in fees from our oil. 99.1/99.5FM

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 03, 2021

State owned Mexican Oil Company responsible for ‘eye of fire’ plans to build refinery in protected area in breach of project EIA

A section of cleared forest to facilitate the Dos Bacos refinery. (Bloomberg Photo)

Popular international media company, Bloomberg, has recently reported that previously unknown public documents reveal that the state owned oil company Petroleos Mexicanos’ plans for the erection of the ‘Dos Bacos’ refinery in the state of Tabasco is being built in a zone, which the state, oil firm had promised to protect.

The media house has reported that the massive new oil refinery that is being built in an era focused on renewable energy will cost more than promised and is behind schedule.

Furthermore, documents show that in 2006 and 2007 Pemex committed to preserving the area that included a rare mangrove forest in exchange for the right to drill nearby.

The Environment Ministry had granted Pemex permission to develop oil and gas reservoirs for 20 years on the condition that it refrain from building any new infrastructure within a certain vicinity of protected areas that contain rare flora and fauna, the files show.

Bloomberg notes that a Pemex sanctioned Environmental Impact Assessment for the project done in 2006 state that the area was home to four types of mangrove, a coastal tree that absorbs more carbon than most trees and protects against flooding, as well as 23 species of protected animals.

Additionally, the EIA stated that conserving vegetation on the coastline “should be considered a priority.”

In giving conditional approval to working the reservoirs, the Environment Ministry declared in 2007 that Pemex “will not be allowed to develop projects and activities in areas” containing mangroves and various other types of vegetation.

Pemex “must abide by each and every prevention and mitigation measure it proposed in the

environmental impact assessment,” and other documents included in the proposal, the ministry wrote.

In response, the company promised that all the mangroves would be in a “restricted use zone” where the company wouldn’t build or conduct activities other than maintaining existing installations.

Despite this promise however, the company had since backpedalled on its commitment as Bloomberg has since confirmed via the use of satellite mapping that the refinery sits inside the protected area.

Four environmental lawyers, Fernanda Velasco and Adriana Miranda, both of whom worked as government regulators, Daniel Basurto, former coordinator of the Mexican Bar Association’s environment committee, and Gustavo Alanis, director of the Mexican Center for Environmental Law, all agree that the pledge to refrain from developing the land appears to still be in force, when consulted by Bloomberg News on the subject.

“Pemex is obliged to comply with these conditions throughout the lifetime” of the 20-year project, said Velasco.

Neither Pemex nor the Environment Ministry responded to several requests for comment. The office of the president declined to comment.

A 2008 study by the state-run Mexican Petroleum Institute carried out for Pemex found that Dos Bocas was the worst of seven potential sites considered for a new refinery due to environmental and social reasons, including the presence of mangrove forests and risk of flooding.

In 2019, a third party, found to have illegally cut down mangroves on the Dos Bocas site, was fined by the S e c u r i t y, E n e r g y a n d Environment Agency (ASEA), a regulatory arm of the environment ministry.

Satellite imagery shows mangroves continued to be chopped down after Pemex began building the refinery.

Bloomberg notes that Pemex drew international ire in early July when a gas leak caused a blazing fire at sea in the Gulf of Mexico, though the company said no environmental damage was caused.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 03, 2021

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Pres. Ali says Govt. has been transparent in oil and gas sector

By Kiana Wilburg After being sworn into office on the heels of a most tumultuous General and Regional Elections in 2020, the President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, had pledged that transparency would be one of the key hall marks in the oil and gas sector. But after one year of being in office, a noticeable information deficit still persists.

To date, Guyanese have not seen a single Local Content Report which ExxonMobil submits to the government on a quarterly basis, production reports on the Stabroek Block have not been released, and the report on the audit of US$460M ExxonMobil claims was spent pre-2015 in search of oil remains cloaked in secrecy. Also hidden from the public’s eye despite a

promise that it would be released, is a report that was done by Canadian consultant, Alison Redford.

The former politician who is tainted by scandals r e g a r d i n g t h e misappropriation of tax dollars had spearheaded the review of the Field Development Plan (FDP) for E x x o n M o b i l ’s U S $ 9 B Payara project in the Stabroek Block.

When asked to say when Guyanese can expect to see transparency on the foregoing matters, Ali during a virtual engagement with the press yesterday said, “I do not believe that we have been hiding anything as it relates to the oil and gas sector. Every piece of information that the government has, every discussion we have had, any change in any agreement, it

- But still to release critical reports

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali has been shared with the public.”

Ali continued, “Many of the areas you outlined, the government itself is identifying technically competent support staff that would come on stream with us in the new structure we

Cop, pillion rider killed in E’bo crash Romesh Das, a 23-year-old police rank, and his pillion rider, 22-year-old Abdool Shamain, were both killed in a collision last Sunday night on the Essequibo Coast.

According to information reaching Kaieteur News, the accident occurred sometime around 19:00hrs on the said night, on the Airy Hall Public Road on the Essequibo Road.

Police investigations have since revealed that Das was proceeding north, on the western driving lane along the public road, on motorcycle CJ 8588. In the meantime, 30-year-old Mahindra Raj, was proceeding south in his motorcar PYY 7890.

Kaieteur News understands that Das reportedly swerved out of his lane, and collided with the car. As a result of the impact, both men fell onto the roadway where they sustained severe injuries about their bodies. They were both picked up in an unconscious state by public-spirited citizens and rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital where they were pronounced dead on arrival.

This publication was told that Das served as a police rank attached to the Anna

Dead: Romesh Das

Regina Police Station. Das, who was also from the Anna Regina Housing Scheme, served in the Magistrate’s Court under the Court Superintendent’s office.

The driver of the motorcar remains in custody, as investigations continue, and a post-mortem examination is soon to be conducted on the bodies.

are designing for the sector to do the analysis in all the areas you have outlined and to present their findings to the population.”

The Head of State added, “We recently advertised for various posts within the unit and it is our hope that very soon, we can put together the structure and the team to further enhance our work in having an open and transparent system of management and information sharing in the oil and gas sector.”

Ali said too that his government is currently working on a website, which would house all the production, expenditure, and revenue collection details on the oil sector. He gave no timelines for when this would be completed or when the reports Kaieteur News enquired about would be released.

EXXONMOBIL’S LOCAL CONTENT REPORTS Since assuming office, neither the President, nor his Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, has ensured the release of ExxonMobil’s local content reports despite calls by this newspaper and other stakeholders.

In fact, yesterday made one year since the Ali government has been in office and the public is none the wiser about the E x x o n M o b i l ’s t r u e performance on hiring and training locals and using indigenous products and

services for the period 2016 to 2021. These reports which are yet to be seen by the public are produced in accordance with the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) that was signed for the Stabroek Block. Article 18 of the PSA specifically states, “Within 60 days prior to the beginning of each year or part thereof as applicable, the Contractor and the Minister shall provide a yearly plan for the utilisation of qualified Guyanese resources for the upcoming year. Following the submission of the plan, the Contractor and the Minister shall meet to discuss and consider the effectiveness of the plan.” Since being in office, the PPP/C Administration has said nothing about its engagements with ExxonMobil on this front, especially as it relates to the local content utilisation plan for 2021.

Article 18 goes on to state, “The Contractor shall provide half-yearly reports submitted within 30 days after the end of each halfyear to the Minister outlining its achievements in utilising qualified Guyanese re s o u rc e s d u r i n g t h e previous half-year and make appropriate adjustments to the yearly plan to better accomplish the goal of increasing the qualified resources available for use by the Contractor in its Petroleum Operations and other entities performing petroleum operations in

Guyana.”

To date, neither the Head of State nor the Vice President has disclosed these reports for the public to peruse and hold the oil companies accountable.

Neither has also informed the nation about whether they reviewed previous local content reports submitted by Exxon and partners and whether those were satisfactory and in keeping with the PSA’s call for increased use of Guyanese services and skills.

US$460M PRECONTRACT COSTS Upon reviewing reports pertaining to the audit of US$460M ExxonMobil claimed was spent prior to the discovery of oil in 2015, a reliable source during a recent interview with this publication, deemed the findings to be “an abomination”. In fact, the source urged this newspaper to challenge the government to make the audit report public, as it would expose how many loopholes have been left unaddressed.

Kaieteur News used the opportunity yesterday to do this but the President did not say when the report would be released.

This publication had previously reported that the audit of the pre-contract costs was done by IHS Markit, a British firm, at a cost of US$300,000 ($62.6 million) in 2019. The contract had to be extended Continued on page 13

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Tuesday August 03, 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

Public works, contractors’ work It does not matter which government is in power, which ministers are in charge, what lovely promises are made.

The results are the same, and they still keep on happening, like clockwork. In aggregate, they are of the long and enraging litany provided by one glaring example after another of shoddy work from shoddier contractors engaged to deliver on public works projects for the taxpayers of this country.

The latest instance of such failure to deliver on the part of contractors is contained in the article captioned “Agri. Minister instructs NDIA to hold payments after Plegt Anker residents report incomplete works” (KN July 26). It is the same, old tiring story of contractors bidding for and being awarded tens, if not hundreds, of millions of taxpayers’ funds, and not living up to their end of the contract with completed works or works that stand up to the test of time, and the ravages of the elements. Instead of us saying what is on our mind (and it is not pretty), it is better to let the residents of Plegt Anker speak of what has happened to them.

“Several raised concerns about incomplete works that were carried out in the community” to the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Zulfikar Mustafa, in a face to face gathering last Saturday, and that “only a small percentage of the works were carried out.” When questioned by residents, the contractor, not surprisingly, is reported to have said that the “conditions were not favourable.” That is as good a reason as any, just like the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether it was so or not, what matters to the complaining residents is that “severe losses” have resulted, because a “canal in his area had not been desilted.” Another resident pointed to problems with the “crown dam” which was “patched up” about three years ago, but was not adequate enough to prevent flooding.

If all this sounds familiar, and not just from Plegt Anker, but from all over, it is because this has been the reality lived with by Guyanese taxpayers, in one expensive project after another. The record is lengthy and riddled with those same claims of “incomplete” works, works falling apart all too quickly, because they are the haste and waste of “patched up” jobs delivered time and time again.

Contractors do so, because they can get away with it. It could be schools, clinics, public accommodations, the one area that is all over, roads, and it is the same sickening story of contractors making hay while the Guyanese taxpayers pay, through the nose. This is so often that it is a wonder Guyanese can still smell.

In recent months, and due to the intensity of massive floods, the news is filled with reports of the agriculture minister (and others) signing millions of dollars in contracts a couple of times weekly, for weeks on end. It is a good time to be a contractor, especially a well-connected one.

The longstanding problem is in getting them to perform fully and expertly on their obligations, which they have not, and for a variety of reasons.

First, some of them don’t have the skills or resources, meaning tools and equipment and people, to undertake the jobs that they seek. Second, and this is true of whichever government is over the contract making decisions, contracts are sought after and awarded on the basis of a quid pro quo. That is, those contractors, who have given of financial and other support, are the main beneficiaries of the political spoils system. Third, there is a culture (used to be 15 percent or 20 percent number) of paying to play, which is part of the expectations of contractors, and part of those on the political side. This is how the games works, and not in this country alone, except that here it is more incestuous and devastating, since we can’t afford the corruptions.

With those three realities of local circumstances in mind, who is going to call out whom?

Though we welcome Minister Mustapha’s instructions to withhold, it may not be long before that contractor, and others like him, are back in business, and with the same kind of standards. They are local, they are foreign.

There are a number of questions surrounding the Amaila Falls Project that still needs to be answered DEAR EDITOR ‘Ole dawg neva dies,’ was a favourite expression of a rancher I knew in Ebini. Like the proverbial ole dawg, the Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project (AFHP) seems reluctant to die. Let me start by saying that anything that alleviates Guyana’s chronic electricity problems has to be commended. However, there are a number of questions around the AFHP that still need to be answered specifically, around the cost, location, scale, and the rationale.

As it relates to cost, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) highlights that the average investment costs for large hydropower plants typically range from as low as $1,050/ kW to as high as $7,650/kW. At 900 million USD (2011 costs) for only 165MW, the AFHP comes in at around $5,500/kW - this is expensive by global standards. Thus, the question becomes is this

the most cost-effective hydro site for Guyana? Some 40% of these costs are for transmission of power from the project site at Amaila to the load centres on the coast.

In terms of the financials and location one has to ask why Amaila? The site is not connected to any major artery, nor any major development plan. The majority of the Region’s inhabitants lives along the Ireng and the Pakaraimas and therefore would not even benefit from the access roads.

In essence, the AFHP would require huge investments in infrastructure leading literally nowhere and connected to nothing.Added to this, the government estimates that even without a huge jump in industrial output, Guyana would need some 460MW of power by 2025. Why then invest close to 1 Billion USD in a project that adds so little in terms of power. One had hoped the PPP would be able to dream a bit bigger than the

previous government. Why not invest in a site that would meet our needs not only now but also for moderate growth in consumption?

Norconsult’s Report on the AFHP of December 2016 argued that the Potaro basin has potential for other hydro sites which could also utilise the transmission lines and other infrastructure developed for AFHP. The most likely candidate is Tumatumari, but at 50MW the site does not justify the investment. Additionally, the Norconsult Report explicitly stated that more studies were needed to understand the hydrology of the basin and to assess if there is indeed enough water for one, much less two hydro schemes.

While the Norconsult Report stated that AFHP was the best site at around 150MW- the question we now need to ask ourselves is ‘Would a larger site make sense?’ When one considers the rapid annual increase in

electric consumption, the answer can only be yes. The gas-to-shore power project at 250MW, plus the Hope Beach Wind Farm (40MW) will give us some breathing room while we develop a more fit for purpose hydro project. A scheme at Turtruba, Oko Blue, Kamaria or Arisaru would be better investments.

All are larger sites with lower transmission costs. Most have been studied to prefeasibility level and were only discounted by the Norconsult Report because at the time they were too large.

One worries that the only reason this ole dawg is being resurrected is because the PPP backed it in 2001 and APNU+AFC didn’t. Amaila might have made sense in 2011, but the question is, ‘does AFHP meet the needs of Guyana in 2021 and beyond?’ Or will this ole dawg come back to bite us all?

Yours truly, Dr. Kwesi SansculotteGreenidge

President Ali retains high approval ratings on received strong 19, flooding, education, disapproving and 11% not anniversary others, ratings for delivery of housing, social services, offering an opinion. The

DEAR EDITOR, The findings of an opinion poll I have been conducting shows President Irfaan Ali and his government remaining popular on his first year anniversary. The government continues to receive strong approval ratings and satisfaction for the handling of the flood situation and COVID although voters are not pleased with high cost of living.

It has received widespread praise for the stimulus and educational grants, but respondents are looking forward for flood relief cash. Almost all the Ministries and Ministers and the Prime Minister — Works, Agriculture, Education, Social Security, Local Government, Public Works, Natural Resources, Information, Housing, among

services.

The survey is being carried out to determine the popularity of the government as it completes a year in office after the President was sworn in on August 2 last year, some five months after the election was held on March.

The poll, being conducted over the last couple of weeks, interviewed 750 respondents (41% Indians, 30% Africans, 18% Mixed, 10% Amerindians, and 1% other ethnic categories) to reflect the demographic diversity of the population.

The poll has a margin of error of 4% meaning views can vary 4% in either direction.

The government faced one crisis after another since it took office August 2, 2020.

The public feels that the administration has managed the crises very well, receiving kudos for handling COVID-

Would our old age pensioners receive an increase similar to the public servants?

DEAR EDITOR Our kind and respected incumbent President Irfaan Ali on Monday announced that public servants would before year-end get retroactive salary increases, even as he threw a cloud of uncertainty over the possibility of negotiations with the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU). “Let me assure you that the public servants will receive salary increases before the end of the year and it will be

retroactive,” he said.

One query for our learned and respectable President: would the over 30,000 of our old age pensioners get an increase on their pittance of their old age pension. Would our several thousand poor pensioners and low paid workers and single struggling mothers be given similar consideration too? Thanks for your benign consideration.

Yours truly, Rooplall Dudhnath

public works, agriculture, and other areas of governance.

But there is widespread complaint about the rising cost of living and crime, with people expressing fear of public security. Home Affairs is a very challenging Ministry with respondents saying the “Minister is trying hard but must do more.” The public complain about very high cost of living, crime, joblessness, and low wages that are not keeping pace with almost daily rising prices of basic food items and fuel.

Based on the findings of the poll, 63% approve of the performance of President Irfaan Ali, while 29% disapprove and 8% not expressing an opinion. It finds that 59% respondents approve of government’s performance with 34% dissatisfied and 7% not expressing a view. The trend is similar for the performance of Prime Minister, Mark Phillips, with approval at 61%, disapproval at 33%, and 6% not offering an opinion.

The opposition trails the government in rating — only 33% approve with 56%

Opposition Leader’s (Joe Harmon) approval rating is at 34% with a disapproval of 54% and 12% not expressing a view.

Queried about the no confidence motions (NCM), against the Ministers of Health, Home Affairs, and Opposition Leader, a majority (52%) feels it would be a waste of time. However, the public supports the idea of the opposition holding the government accountable. But a majority don’t feel the opposition has been doing an effective job in taking the government to task, saying the opposition “is opposing for opposing sake” without offering credible workable alternative solutions to problems or government policies.

The findings show most government supporters oppose the NCM against their Ministers while opposition supporters support it. Most APNU supporters oppose the NCM against the Opposition Leader while government supporters back it.

However, 10% APNU (Continued on page 5)

On the woman jailed for failure to pay child support DEAR EDITOR The mother seeking a job in order to pay off over half million in child support indebtedness is indeed in a desperate situation. It has to be queried just how much will she earn in order to wipe off such an amount and in what time frame? It must be further queried too that she served jail time for the offence but is still expected to honour the debt?

Yours truly, Shamshun Mohamed

Tuesday August 03, 2021

PAGE 5

Kaieteur News

Unlike the Coalition, this Government has embarked on programmes which benefitted every community DEAR EDITOR August 2, 2021, will mark the end of one-year of the PPP/C in Government and to say that the achievements are outstanding is a gross understatement. No one had expected that the PPP/C Government would start its delivery immediately. This Government has to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, the rigging ‘epidemic’ of the PNC, the worst flooding ever and the Herculean task of reversing the socio-economic devastation and havoc which the Coalition wreaked on this Nation for five long and arduous years. But it reversed the effects of all these in just one year.

Of course the PPP/C Government never failed this Nation. Immediately upon assuming Office, they took to the task at hand and began to accelerate the Plan which was

in place long before it assumed Office on August 2020 and was outlined in their Manifesto, unlike the Coalition whose Manifesto was not their ‘plan’ but just a campaign gimmick to fool the people. Unlike the Coalition, this Government has embarked on economic and social programs which benefitted every Region and community. There is no differentiation between who voted for you or not for you and no one can claim discrimination on any ground, be it race or religion. The President has kept the vow at his inauguration that he will govern for all Guyanese.

Indeed it will take a rather long dissertation to capture each and every achievement, so I will confine to a few. The Government knew that to stimulate the economy there must be an immediate measure

to put money in the hands of the people and therefore not only did it cut taxes and remove VAT from essential items but also gave a cash stimulus in the form of the COVID Grant. This resulted in billions being spent in the economy which when the multiplier effect is considered will create a ripple effect. The Ministry of Local Government must be lauded for this great initiative and its distribution to every household. In addition to each household, GuySuCo workers, medical professionals, and joint services benefitted twice from the cash grant- a total of 60,000 persons. In total $20 billion dollars was placed into the pockets of the people and this created an instant stimulus to a dying economy.

We should recall that all the Coalition did at the inception

The foisting of an Interim Town Clerk is an illegal move DEAR EDITOR, As I read the response by Ms. Candace Nelson, who is stated to be the ‘Interim Town Clerk’ of the Georgetown City Council, I fully understand why Mayor Narine has questioned her position on valid reasons. Her response was filled with several red herrings which failed to deflect from the fact that her ‘appointment’ by the Chairman of the Local Government Commission, Mr. Julius Faerber, was neither properly nor legally done.

Further, I have read that his unilateral decision did not receive the approval of the Commission neither was it ventilated at their meeting on

Tuesday July 27, 2021. Thus, I can assume that her ‘appointment’ is not legal and would recommend that Mayor Narine requests the minutes of that meeting before approaching the courts.

Moreover, I decided to check Cap 28:01 of the Municipal and District Councils Act, to see if there is any position that reads as ‘Interim Town Clerk’ since I have never heard of such a position and found that there is no position with that title.

Based on the letter that I have seen circulated by the media, Ms. Nelson’s appointment is as Interim Town Clerk although there is no slated

position as such. Therefore, it appears that Mr. Faerber has assumed powers that he has not been vested with in the unilateral ‘appointment’ of Ms. Candace Nelson to a post that does not exist.In conclusion, I understand why Mayor Narine has shown public discomfort in this situation since any action in cooperation with Ms. Nelson in ‘her appointment’ can be viewed as him condoning an illegality. As we celebrate one year, I call on President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, to help ease this building political impasse so that the citizens of Georgetown are not affected.

Yours truly, Rohan Jagnaraine

Here in Guyana, refugees’ lives don’t matter DEAR EDITOR, They left their country because they were trapped in poverty to come to this nation to be trapped by grills on the doors and windows. Like many immigrants, they came to Guyana for a better life.

What they got was a horrible death. Just days ago, two young women died in a fire in Alberttown.

I don’t know their names.

In this country, their names don’t matter. They are refugees. Yesterday, I went to their apartment to see what happened and took pictures and hope that you will share those pictures, especially the one with the grill on the windows.As I entered the house, I saw grilled windows.

Some of the grills were out of the windows. I didn’t see any smoke or fire alarms. One of the windows in the bedroom was grilled. My guess is that it was the grill that kept them from escaping and the fireman from rescuing them.

As I perused the inside of the house, I saw burned beds and chairs. Their apartment was one of several apartments in the building.

They were surrounded by neighbours. Even though they were surrounded by people, they died alone.

Inside the yard, life goes on. Two men and a woman were drinking Guinness. It’s not even 48 hours since they died and they are already forgotten. They haven’t been

buried yet and their friends have moved on. Such is life on these shores. Life here has no value, no purpose and no meaning. No one cares that two people died. No one has the time to mourn or grieve for them. On the street outside of the building, I can see the Alberttown Police and Fire Station.

With the police and firefighters being just a stone throw away, I ask myself how this can happen. How these women were not rescued.

And, then I remembered that this is Guyana. Here in Guyana, refugees’ lives don’t matter. Foreigners’ lives don’t matter. Immigrants’ lives don’t matter. Not even Guyanese’s lives matter. As a matter of fact, no one lives matters.

Yours truly, Name Provided

was to give themselves humongous salary increases ranging from 50 to 100% as an incentive not to steal. But thief they did, on a grand and unprecedented scale.

The Education Sector saw the rolling out of the $3.2 billion ‘Because We Care’ (BWC) cash grant which again put monies into the hands of parents to assist in their children’s education.

The multiplier effect will again boost the economy manifold and happiness was seen on all the parents’ faces. On the other hand, Granger’s Bus had only benefitted the Coalition support base. The BWC benefitted each and every child in Guyana who attends school.

This will increase each year to $50,000 per child by 2025. In addition, the Guyana Online Scholarship program is already set on course to deliver the 20,000 online scholarships as promised.

This is addition to increasing Technical and vocational training and apprenticeship schemes.

The Ministry of Public Works has invested heavily in infrastructures and the landscape which had deteriorated under the Coalition across the country is progressing at a rapid pace.

This Ministry had suffered massive corruption under the previous administration.

Imagine an ailing entity giving a $500,000 gold bracelet birthday present to a former Minister!

The Ministry of Housing

has also been moving rapidly in making to 50,000 house lots available to Guyanese as housing schemes are being opened across the various Regions. How many house lots did the Coalition gave in its 5 year term? They gave 360 house lots! This Government gave 400 in Linden in one day and in less than a year had distributed nearly 5,000.

Getting a house lot is not a nightmare anymore.

The Ministry of Heath must be congratulated for the manner in which it has handled the COVID-19 pandemic. It has completed the Infectious disease facility at Liliendaal in just a few months and has embarked on a massive vaccination drive to achieve ‘herd immunity.’ It must be recalled that the Coalition stole hundreds of million from the Liliendaal facility whilst Guyanese were dying from the disease. They had only one focus and that was to rig the 2020 Elections and stay in power to continue its thieving and squander mania.

The Ministry of Natural Resources has seen massive improvements with oil leading the Sector. In fact, crude oil production increased by 82.4 % and has now earned nearly US$500 million. All the subsectors which were dying under the Coalition are now improving rapidly. Under the Coalition it was a mystery to know what had happened to the US$18 million signing bonus. It makes us wonder what would have happened to

the US millions now being earned. The gas-to-shore project will ensure that our economy continue to benefit from oil and gas.

The Ministry of Agriculture has ensured and guaranteed that Guyana does not become victim to the Oil Curse. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, this Sector has continued to grow as a rapid pace.

In March, despite adverse weather conditions rice output increased by 79.9 %, fish and shrimp by 9.2% and even sugar, which was actually destroyed by the Coalition has shown a growth of 0.5%. The Government has delivered on its promise to reopen the closed Estates and the Rose Hall estate has already employed nearly 700 persons and will be grinding in the second crop next year.

The entire Canje and the surrounding areas are once again coming to life economically. The other Estates are already embarking on the reopening process.

This again is a promise delivered.

This Sector faced the worst challenge. The flooding was deemed a National Disaster and crops were completely wiped out throughout the country as thousands of hectares of agricultural lands and entire communities became inundated. But this disaster only brought out the best of this Government and its Ministers. Moreover, the (Continued on page 6)

Letter from Saludeen Nausrudeen was deliberately misleading DEAR EDITOR, I am responding to a letter published in the Guyana Times and Kaieteur News on July 29, 2021, titled “The Diaspora is the most potent resource available for Guyana’s development, let’s not waste it.”

Although UGDGN Corp. did not send the letter written to President Ali to Demerara Waves, it is my responsibility to respond to the deceptive and deliberately misleading statements by Saludeen Nausrudeen.

Nausrudeen, who was not a part of or invited to any of the seven meetings and many

discussions with the Diaspora Unit in planning the series of webinars, stated incorrectly: False 1: “Mr. Forde’s frustration stems from a planned investment webinar that did not happen because of the unavailability of the President.”

Fact: President Ali was neither considered for participation in the webinar nor invited to participate;

therefore, President Ali’s availability or unavailability was not a factor in the arbitrary postponement of the webinars as Nausrudeen knowingly misrepresented.

President Ali retains...

From page 4 supporters back the motion against the Opposition Leader while 8% PPP supporters back the motion against the Home Affairs Minister, saying he needs

to do more to stop crime. The Health Minister enjoys the

confidence of government supporters.

The poll queried adults on a number of other issues.

The findings will be released in a subsequent report.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

False 2: Nausrudeen erroneously credits the Ali administration with “the establishment of a Diaspora Unit within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

Fact: It was the Ramotar administration that established the Diaspora Unit in 2013-2014.

False 3: Nausrudeen suggests that the postponement of the webinar was also due to the COVID19 pandemic.

Fact: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs convened a successful webinar on May

22, 2021(during the pandemic), in which the President, Vice President, and several senior Ministers of the government participated, delivered presentations, and answered questions.

This is my final salvo; beyond this, I have no time to waste.

Yours truly, Wayne Forde

PAGE 6

Tuesday August 03, 2021

Kaieteur News

The rules and principles of natural justice should apply in considering the removal of GECOM staff DEAR EDITOR, The United Republican Party, in the person of its Chairman, recently sought to admonish “the now opposition appointed commissioners” for their offensive and magical behaviour in relation to their

response to the motion to have Lowenfield, Myers and Mingo dismissed.

He contends that we are using delaying tactics. It is clear that the good Doctor is cockeyed. He sees us as delaying a motion tabled on June 1, 2021 but has nothing

to say about the Director of Public Prosecution who after one year has still not started the prosecution of the substantive cases that are premised on the said whereas clauses that the motions proffered.

Like the ‘now government

appointed commissioners’ he is “committed to pursuing the dismissal of the CEO, DCEO and RO.” He has already determined guilt and decided on the same penalty as the a f o r e m e n t i o n e d Commissioners. Ironically, he also declares that his party “remains a party for the people and more so for justice to be dealt fairly.”

Exactly therein lies the issue. The ‘now government appointed commissioners’ seem not to know or don’t care to know that even in the instance where the Constitution empowers the Commission to remove staff, the legal system, of which the

Constitution is the foundation, requires that any removal be done fairly. That means that the Rules/ Principles of Natural Justice should apply.

Those Rules require that the Officers should be given a Hearing, as has been determined by the Chairperson. It also means that the hearing should be free of bias. How can the Commissioners who have already, by virtue of the content of their motions and public statements, declared the Officers guilty and have even predetermined the penalty, be the prosecutors and adjudicators in the same

cases? Their bias is not perceived. It has been declared.

In those circumstances, the “now opposition appointed commissioners” will not be party to a flawed process. We see Dr. Kanhai`s call as an embrace of the transgression of Natural Justice and will not be party to any such action. Dr. Kanhai and his ilk are the ones who need to close the gap between their rhetoric about justice and their call for action. For us, the position that we have taken has nothing to do with the substantive motion. We are demanding that the (Continued on page 16)

President Ali has failed to honour promises on the oil contract and transparency DEAR EDITOR As the country hits the one year milestone of the Irfaan Ali administration, it is reminded that he has failed to honour a promise to re-open the oil contract and to be transparent in governance.

Oil royalty can be a cash cow to obtain the finances necessary to develop the country. We won’t need to beg for resources to fund countless projects. We would get billions of dollars more in revenues every year for every additional percentage in royalty or profit sharing. And we can get another minimum ten percent in royalty and profit sharing that would be the average equivalent of international norms.

The government is reminded that there is rising disgruntlement with its performance – not so much in the delivery of services but in perceived corruption and failure to honour a promise to create 50,000 jobs. Its hold on power is tethering.

On perceived corruption, several contracts have been given out without transparency and bidding.

The least costly and capable

bidder received contracts.

Sheet Piling tender (KN Jul 4) was one example. Also, least qualified and capable contractors were given awards to prepare for heavy rains and floods.

We know the results were devastating resulting in billions of dollars in losses that could have been avoided.

And now the Tender Board is evaluating bids for pump stations at Cottage in Mahaicony and Andrews in Essequibo. Will connection and/or corruption play any role in the awarding of the contract?

Will the contracts be awarded to the most or least qualified bidder in terms of experience, delivery, and quality of work?

The government is given a friendly reminder of what happens when the least competent and capable contractors are awarded jobs to prepare for the expected heavy rains; they failed miserably resulting in widespread damage to infrastructure, crops, homes and livestock. Had the most capable contractors been given public infrastructure

contracts to prepare for floods, the effects of the flood would have been mitigated.

Establishing pump station is a highly technical project.

It is very critical to have efficient pumped drainage in light of what took place over the last three months. The most technically capable contractor should be assigned the contract. Voters are looking on how this government gives out contracts and governs and don’t like what they see.

The PPP is reminded that in March 2020, citizens voted for the lesser of the evils. The PPP won the election a year ago by a mere 6,700 votes or just one seat. A slight majority rejected the deep racism of the Coalition, changing the government. Now, because of perceived deep corruption, the government would have lost support. Since March of last year, it has lost support.

Thus, re-election is questionable unless it changes course and govern transparently and honestly, award contracts fairly, and renegotiate the oil contract.

Yours truly, Edward Burrowes

Unlike the Coalition, this Government...

From page 5 Minister of Agriculture toiled endlessly and without any respite to ensure that the crisis is brought under control.

Again the Government has made a cash compensation commitment of more than $7 billion to everyone affected by the flood in addition to $10 billion supplemental budget to repair the fallouts from the flood. It’s anyone’s guess what the Coalition would have done. It would have been just

another avenue to steal and squander.

There are so many achievements that it is impossible to mention them here. Congratulation to this Government! No doubt the President, the Vice President and his team have done wonders at this juncture when our country has been so hard hit by not only the flood and the pandemic but by an Opposition which continues to lie and deceive to fool the

people.

We must beware of what happened in 2015 when the Goebbels strategy was used to perfection. The chief propagandist for the Nazi Party, Joseph Goebbels, had said that, ‘If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.’ What if the Coalition had successfully rigged the 2020 Elections?

Yours truly, H. Yusuf

Tuesday August 03, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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Tuesday August 03, 2021

Exxon now using, re-injecting 96% of Natural gas from Liza Destiny …will monitor defective compressor until new one arrives year-end — Production Manager US Oil Major, ExxonMobil, says that it is re-injecting and consuming more than 96 percent of the associated Natural gas produced since the full gas compression system on the Liza Destiny Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel is now operating.

The company in making the announcement had noted its Production Manager, Mike Ryan, iterating that the ExxonMobil “team continues to perform maintenance and optimisation activities with the aim of keeping the flash gas compressor on-line and minimising flaring until the arrival of the new flash gas compressor at the end of the year.”

The FPSO operating in Guyana’s Stabroek Block, which forms part of the Liza1 project, was producing between 120,000 and

125,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude, after a compressor failure earlier this year prevented it from producing at full capacity without flaring in excess of G u y a n a ’s g o v e r n m e n t guidance.

Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL)—ExxonMobil Guyana’s subsidiary—had at the end of June said its upgraded and repaired the discharge silencer for the flash gas compressor and a new venturi were safely installed on the Liza Destiny vessel with the first phase of testing successfully completed earlier this week.

The flash gas compression system was started up on June 19, last, for the first testing phase and was shut down on June 28, last, in order to remove temporary probes and instrumentation.

ExxonMobil at the time,

ExxonMobil Guyana’s Production Manager, Mike Ryan

to ensure it remains in compliance with its environmental permit, said it had applied to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for approval to flare above pilot level for this extended period of equipment testing. Pilot level means one million standard cubic feet of gas.

The subject of the flaring of Natural gas from the Liza Destiny since the vessel was unable at times to re-inject

back the gases had become a sore topic for public debate.

The administration in May last had publicly stated that the flaring practice would not be tolerated, much less a recurrence on the Liza Unity, which is set to arrive in Guyana later in the year and the Prosperity set to arrive in 2024.

Calling the recent troubles with the gas compressor that substantially curtailed

operations in April 11, last, “unfortunate,” substantive Minister with responsibility for the sector, Vickram Bharrat, was at the time adamant “it is not something that the Government of Guyana wants. It is not something that we will tolerate.”

Defects to the flash gas compressor in April last forced ExxonMobil Guyana to slash production by some 60,000 barrels per day, in order to maintain safe operations and not flare above pilot levels.

The company has since removed and flown the defective part to Houston, Texas, and not Germany, as had obtained the previous time the flash gas compressor experienced problems and had to be removed and repaired.

T h e d e v i c e malfunctioned for a fourth time while it was being

monitored following its reinstallation in early March.

Kaieteur News would have reported that a gas leak had been detected.

Lamenting the state of affairs, Minister Bharrat said, “it is affecting production and worse yet, it is causing damage to the environment by the flaring of gas.”

But according to the optimistic Minister, “we’re hoping that the matter can be resolved, or the compressor, that is, can be fixed as early as possible.” He expressed at the time, “we are hoping too, that when it is fixed and returned, that we don’t have a reoccurring issue.”

As such, he disclosed, “this has now forced us to enter into engagements with Exxon to ensure that the Unity FPSO that is coming later in this year, and then Prosperity in early 2024, that we don’t have this issue with those FPSOs.”

Tuesday August 03, 2021

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

Ruminations about the media!

An old man named Ovid apparently was deposited at the Georgetown Public Hospital. His relatives reportedly never came to visit or discharge him.

When his case was publicised in the Kaieteur News, one person tweeted that he knew the man from Enterprise, East Coast Demerara. Yet, we have seen no report about anyone in the media trying to locate these relatives and seeking an explanation as to why he was not visited by them or collected from the hospital following his discharge.

But we were treated to a story about a Good Samaritan who had visited Ovid at the hospital and took some food and clothing for him. That is great news! But what about tracking down the man’s relatives.

Ovid must know the names and address of his relatives. All it would have taken was few phone calls or a visit to the man to find out the name of his relatives and his former address could have been located and the relatives questioned as to why he was abandoned.

This matter is of public interest and not only of human interest. While it is nice to learn that Ovid has now found a residence in a

state-owned and run home for the elderly and indigent, there remains a major concern about citizens depositing their elderly residents at the hospital and abandoning them.

One of the most disturbing trends in Guyana is the practice of families dumping their aged relatives at the Georgetown Public Hospital. In many instances it has been found that after the patients have been admitted, the relatives are not seen or heard from and the hospital becomes saddled with the responsibility of finding somewhere for the patient to go after the patient would have been discharged.

In some cases, some people check themselves into the hospital and refuse to leave. In one instance, a man refused to be discharged. And after he was asked to leave, he attempted to be readmitted to the hospital because, it would seem, he has nowhere else to go and the hospital serves as a hospice for him. The man no doubt felt comfortable living in the hospital and did not want to leave.

In other cases, relatives are engaged in the practice of abandoning patients at public institutions. They are washing their hands free of

the problem and are dumping their problems on government institutions.

The hospital is saddled with abandoned patients. A few years ago, the hospital took a discharged patient back to the address he had given, the persons there refused to accept him.

Children are also being abandoned. A few years ago it was reported that two children had been abandoned by their parents, both of whom were said to be alcoholics.

However, as much as we can criticise the relatives of abandoned patients, it is a great financial and psychological burden to attend to bed-ridden patients at home. Some persons also do not have the patience of the medical professionals to deal with such cases.

There are terminally ill cancer patients who are at home and unable to do things for themselves. And the cost of providing them with pampers and with the nursing care required is prohibitive.

There has long been a need for nursing care to be provided to persons at home.

This is something which the government and NGOs need to look at.

Relatives should not be provided with any

Dem Boys Seh…

De riggers vex dem lose De Vincee man bin tell de riggers dat dem must stand up and tek dem licks like a man. Dem boys agree dat whether it is in Olympics or politics, yuh must learn fuh tek yuh licks.

De Americans bin feel dat dem invincible in swimming. So when dem get beat de other night in de women relays dem mekkin all kind of excuse about cheating. But is suh when yuh can’t stand up and tek yuh licks.

De riggers in Guyana tekking on stress. Dem still

smarting from losing de attempt to rig de elections.

Dem bin think dat dem could cheat and get away with it.

But as ole people say, dis time nah lang time. Even dem supporters wah used to come out and protest nah gat time with no cheating. Dem tell dem riggers, “if yuh lose, yuh lose.

Tek yuh licks like a man.”

Is like everything de guvment do dem finding fault.

Is suh when yuh traumatised.

De guvment share out cash grant and dem vex. De guvment announce flood relief and dem vex. De

guvment share out hamper and dem face sour. But wha de riggers bin do when dem had a chance fuh do something. Dem nah do nuttin.

But dem wan spoil you and me day because dem nah succeed in rigging. Dem boys wan tell dem dat once yuh is a cheater, yuh is a loser. But if yuh can stand up and tek yuh licks like a man, yuh gan always be a winner, whether yuh lose or not.

Talk half and good riddance to de riggers!

encouragement to abandon their loved ones at the hospitals but there is an urgent need for specialised nursing care for persons and this care should be provided in their homes. In the United States there is a system in which persons who are elderly or bed-ridden are provided with helpers for a few hours each day. This is a great relief to families. The government should pilot such a scheme on a small-scale initially.

A few weeks ago, a video

was circulated on social media in which a policeman shackled a man and then pulled his feet from under him and dragged the man into a cell. It was expected that the rank would have been charged and placed before the courts but nothing has been heard since about this matter. The media should follow up on this matter.In another case, a man was seen on a video being slapped by a police officer in Berbice. Nothing has also been heard about whether any investigation took place into

this matter.The media has to do its work and follow-up on these matters which are of public interest since they relate to the issue of justice within our society.

(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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Tuesday August 03, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Dr. Irfaan Ali and Anil Nandlall: One year of power On Saturday evening, I was part of a three-hour panel discussion organised

by NCN on the contents of the one-year reign of the new PPP government. It was not your normal four-person f o r u m b u t i t h a d 11 discussants.

In asking the guests to analyse the performance of the PPP administration, NCN composed a number of topics and we had to expand on the themes. I was unhappy because the subject area that concerns me as a Guyanese living in this land with a wife and daughter was not on the agenda.

Each discussant had a representative background. I thought the moderator saw

my presence as part of civil society because of a passing remark she made. I told the forum I was representing two sectors in the Guyanese social landscape – the human rights society and the working people of Guyana. I know by strict class criteria, I am not purely working class but I am not purely middle class; not by a long way.

So what did NCN left off the agenda? How does the poor, powerless, ordinary, working class human feel about how life treats them in Guyana one year after a new government? I made it clear in the room that Dr. Ali was not violating people’s rights.

I was pellucid that I believe

his intentions are good. I briefly trace his Jaganite/working class background and told the forum I am willingly available to assist the President in my own little way.

When it came to Nandlall, I informed the discussion that I believe he could emerge as the only Attorney General in Guyana - pre and post-colonial history- that will pioneer legislation that will promulgate more liberation and a better quality of justice for working class people.

Mr. Nandlall is essentially a working class politician though I admit, like me, his class category will not be strictly working class.

I would like to thank three panelists who supported the introduction of my topic, the part of Guyana that is closer to my heart. Those persons were M r. M a r c e l G a s k i n , structural engineer; Mr. Kian Jaboor, the organising secretary for the political party, ANUG; and thirdly, Nicholas Boyer, former head of the Georgetown Chamber

of Commerce, the son of famous Guyanese businessman, Eddie Boyer.

I dwelled on the denials that poor people face in this country that were not caused by any president or government but caused by the nature of Guyana. I mentioned the neglect poor patients endure at the Georgetown Hospital. I cited the case of my brother-inlaw who died there last week through doctors’ neglect.

When he became restless the night, if there was a doctor present his life could have been saved. The nurse paged the doctor who did not come to the ward.

I mentioned the time it takes just to pick up a form from the GRA. I asked what happens to that employee when her boss gives her a 10minute break to fly down to the GRA or NIS to collect a form and because of no delay on her part she returns 40 minutes after.

Now here is a very important intervention by Marcel Gaskin that should interest all Guyanese. Mr. Gaskin said he makes sure he would not find himself in

those situations but he thinks there has to be an organisation in this country that poor, ordinary folks could turn to for redress.

I t h e n intervened as a Frederick Kissoon m a t t e r o f exigency and told the room there is such a close to both the President body. It is named the Guyana and Vice President, Bharrat Human Rights Commission. Jagdeo, told me as we It is a formidable institution walked alone on the lawns of with judicial power. But it is t h e A r t h u r C h u n g also not a living organism. Conference Centre that the For 15 years it has been lying Bank of Nova Scotia is arrogant and do not intend to on the shelves of parliament. observe the laws of Guyana.

I will now include some words that I did not have the Then with a smile he said to time-latitude at that panel to me “they create their own mention. If 50 billionaires laws.”

If a small foreign bank and their families vote for can do that to Guyana, then the re-election of Dr. Ali, it will not bring in three seats. the bosses of ExxonMobil You need the votes of are now the official kings thousands of ordinary and queens of this country. people who will be annoyed G u y a n a n o w h a s a with government because monarchial system. they cannot get an ID card (The views expressed in replacement. this article are those of the I end with a shocking, unbelievable disclosure. a u t h o r a n d d o n o t After we exited the building, necessarily reflect the a very important person, opinions of this newspaper.)

Tuesday August 03, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Tuesday August 03, 2021

NICIL appeal over leased sugar estate lands could delay timeline, inflate cost for gas-to-energy project

By Carlos Gonsalves

The proposed route for the onshore pipeline.

O

n June 29, last, Chief Justice (Ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire handed down a judgment in a dispute between the state owned National Industrial Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) and various persons who would have leased sugar estate lands from the company.

The ruling effectively bars the state-owned privatisation company, from reclaiming lands that it leased to several private individuals and entities.

The ruling, as well as the state’s intention to appeal, as h i g h l i g h t b y N I C I L’s attorney-at-law Devindra Kissoon, signals the introduction of another hurdle that can hinder the timeline of the government’s proposed gas-to-energy project and inflate the project’s cost.

It has been noted that a portion of the disputed lands are located at Wales and are within the area for the proposed gas-to-energy project.

C o n s e q u e n t l y, t h e US$900 million estimated price tag associated with the project as well as its projected 2024 startup date would inevitably be affected if the government is to proceed with the appeal process.

The reasons for this interference with the project is that in granting the declaration sought by the

Claimants to revoke NICIL’s decision, Justice GeorgeWiltshire also imposed a permanent injunction against NICIL from interfering with the Applicants’ quiet and peaceful enjoyment of their properties.

This essentially bars NICIL, and by extension the government, as NICIL is a government entity that is under the authority and control of the government from executing any action in relation to the disputed lands until (and if) the high court’s decision is overruled by a higher court.

The appeal process in Guyana has historically been noted to be tediously lengthy, and while recent judicial reforms, such as the advent of the new civil procedure rules, have enabled a more streamlined and expedited approach, the estimated timeline for the Court of Appeal and then possibly the Caribbean Court of Justice to hear and issue a determination on the matter would undoubtedly go beyond the 2024 startup date for the project.

The government had previously indicated that the project will require about 2,000 acres of land for the construction of the power generation facility as well as additional areas to facilitate possible expansion.

According to documents previously seen by this publication, the legal challenge was mounted by businessman and proprietor of Universal Janitorial Services, Ian Edwards, and eight other persons against NICIL after the company took a decision to cancel their lease for the occupation

of lands once owned by the Guyana Sugar Corporation Limited (GuySuCo).

NICIL had acquired several plots of land after the previous A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition administration shut down sugar estates at Enmore, Rose Hall, and Wales between 2015 and 2017.

The APNU+AFC had subsequently allowed the properties to be divested and leased to private individuals and companies through NICIL. However, sometime last year, after a new administration came into place, NICIL moved to reclaim the lands by issuing notice to cancel the leases.

According to legal p a p e r s , t h e N I C I L’ s Privatisation Unit, sought to reclaim the land for the purpose of resuscitating the operations of the GuySuCo estates.

The court handed down the ruling in favour of the applicants despite claims last November by Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, that the lands at Wales were disposed of “without any process whatsoever.”

The AG had also stated that he had advised the new board of NICIL to send notices of rescission of leases to the persons occupying the lands at Wales. Some persons on the lands at Wales had also been given notices of eviction.

Government had also made a decision to undertake an occupational survey to ascertain which lands were developed, the state of development and overall what should be done.

Continued on page 13

Tuesday August 03, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

Exxon to rent more helicopters E

sso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) has contracted a fleet of helicopters from Bristow—an international air transportation company specialising in helicopter services—but with its ramped up activities in G u y a n a ’s E x c l u s i v e Economic Zone (EEZ), the company is now looking to secure the services of additional suppliers.

According to the invitation for interested parties, EEPGL intends to establish an enabling agreement for the provision of offshore helicopter and passenger handling services.

EEPGL said, it is looking to “identify suppliers who can provide air transportation in support of offshore exploration, development activities.”

Notably, the “suppliers will be required, but not limited, to supply appropriate aircraft.”

This is in addition to supplying, “ground support equipment, furnish competent crews and personnel operated by them, and maintain aircraft and associated facilities provided by EEPGL. ExxonMobil made the request for information for potential suppliers on July 29 last, with potential suppliers being given a little over two weeks to clear the first hurdle by having their submissions in by August 13.

The new agreements being proposed by EEPGL

…gives interested parties two weeks to clear first hurdle

One of the Bristow helicopters currently in the employ of ExxonMobil Guyana.

will inherently evolve into full fledged contracts, to be paid from cost oil—up to 75 percent of crude produced in a given month.

The request by ExxonMobil comes at a time when more information is coming to light with regard to the operational and other expenses being undertaken by the oil company.

To date, the expenditure for which the company deducts through the sale, of as much as 75 percent of the crude produced in the Stabroek Block, has in large part remained in the domain of the partners and has never been shared publicly.

This publication

reported on one such set of previously unknown publicly expenses on Sunday last that was documented in a recent study on Guyana’s Oil and Gas industry and the economics involved by Tom Sanzillo, Director of financial analysis for the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), that ExxonMobil Guyana in fact, pays its parent company ExxonMobil Corp. — based in Texas, USA — a hefty Parent Company Overhead (PCO) fee.

A PCO fee is described in business circles as a fee charged by an operator to its

Pres. Ali says Govt. has been...

From page 3 in May 2020 at no cost, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the time, former Head of the Energy Department, Dr. Mark Bynoe, had said this was mainly due to flight restrictions.

Following the audit, a final report was awaiting c o m m e n t s f r o m ExxonMobil for some time but those have been received. The source had said it is quite saddening, especially in the interest of

NICIL appeal over leased...

From page 12 The High Court’s injunction prevents the government from executing any undertaking related to the disputed lands in question, some of which falls within the confines of the area marked for the proposed GTE project.

Additionally, even if the government is to abandon its appeal process, it would have to rely on a notorious legal provision known as eminent domain in order to compulsorily acquire the lands, and consequently would have to fork out millions of dollars more to compensate the persons occupying the lands at market value.

It remains uncertain if this current market value would accurately reflect the actual value of the lands as this is computed by the government’s Chief Valuation Officer.

Should a discrepancy exist between the proposed market value and the actual market value of the lands, another legal challenge would again undoubtedly ensue, further stalling the massive energy project.

transparency and accountability, that the government has been silent about the results thus far.

The reputable industry stakeholder who is also a trusted advisor to the administration further noted that the political opposition should utilise the powers of special select committees on natural resources to demand answers on these audits which will cost Guyanese taxpayers billions of dollars.

The government advisor further questioned, “If these reports are not made public, how else will the Guyanese people know that the company selected for these audits did their job and gave the country value for money?

How else will the public be able to have confidence that the government can be trusted to be a prudent overseer?”

co-venture partners in respect of costs of support services from its parent organisation such as Human Resources security and procurement services, and is most commonly charged on the basis of a percentage of all other sums charged to the joint account.

Another set of expenses reported on by this publication relates to the rental of supply boats.

ExxonMobil Guyana is currently seeking three classes of specialised supply vessels to support its offshore operations.

The company currently has an active request for information for the provision of multi-purpose support vessels, platform support vessels, and fast support

vessels.

The company, in making its request, indicated that EEPGL—ExxonMobil Guyana subsidiary—plans to put in place an enabling agreement(s) for the provision and operation of multi-purpose support vessels(MPSVs), platform support vessels (PSVs), and fast support vessels (FSVs) for offshore activity in Guyana.

The company in its invite noted that the delivery dates for the supply vessels would be October 1 or January 1, 2021, depending on the type of vessel being provided.

This publication had also recently reported that ExxonMobil Guyana is currently utilising 24 supply vessels to support its drilling

operations at the Urau-1 well in the Stabroek Block at a cost of some US$1.3M daily.

This is for each of the vessels being rented at a cost of some US$55,000, as neighbouring oil producers, Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname, spend some US$12,000 for the rentals of their supply vessels.

According to a recent notice by ExxonMobil, the 24 vessels it recently rented were to support its drilling operations in the Stabroek Block, this time using the MODU Stena Carron to spud its Urau-1 well, some 101 miles offshore Guyana.

That drilling area encompasses an area of 0.29 square miles and mariners are being warned to stay clear of the vessels and navigate with extreme caution when in the vicinity.

The supply vessels being employed to support the drilling activity include Gary Rook, Russell Bouziga, Robert Adams, Seacor Nile, Sanibel Island, Jack Ed w ar d s , H o lid ay, C Installer, Kirk Chouest, Roger White, Charlie Commeaux and the Ted Smith.

Others being employed are Paradise Island, Seacor Demerara, Clarence Triche, Seacor Congo, Horn Island, Russell Adams, Seacor Murray, Seacor Amazon, Seacor Mixteca, Emily Day McCall, Michael Crombie and Guyana Hero.

Kaieteur News has since been reliably informed that according to the company’s contracts, they are to be paid whether the vessel is used in a day or not.

Guests make about-turn after learning of theft at wedding house Plans for a group of guests to enjoy the festivities of a wedding on Sunday evening were ruined after they were forced to return home upon receiving news that there was a theft at the host’s house.

The guests related that they were all decked out in their wedding outfits and were in a car travelling to La Union, West Coast Demerara (WCD), to be a part of the celebration.

As they approached the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB), one of them received a phone call informing that “the wedding house was just robbed.”

Their laughter and chatter ended as they decided to abort their plans of continuing the journey. As such, the driver turned around the car and the guests returned home where, according to them, “It is much safer.”

Later they learnt that it was not a robbery, but rather a case of theft allegedly perpetrated by two individuals who were hired by the wedding host as hairstylist and make-up artist.

According to police, the theft reportedly took place sometime between 15:00 and

18:00hrs. on Sunday at the bride’s home.

In a police release it was noted that some of the wedding house attendees had left the bride’s home around 15:00hrs. to attend another celebration at the groom’s residence leaving their belongings in rooms and the hired make-up artist and hairstylist behind.

They reportedly returned at 16:20hrs. that afternoon and the suspects left soon after in a taxi. A few moments later, the attendees discovered that their belongings were missing.

Stolen were two Samsung A52 cellular phones valued at $260,000, two Samsung S8 cellular phones valued at 360,000, one G Shock watch valued $70,000, one gold chain valued $50,000, one silver chain valued $15,000, $600 Barbadian currency, one apple Watch valued $95,000, one Samsung S9 cellular phone valued $180,000 and $275 US currency.

According to information obtained by this publication, the host, after contacting police, lured the suspects back to the home where they were arrested.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Tuesday August 03, 2021

Ministry says all set for NGSA 2021 - policy changes aimed at serving best interest of candidates All is set for the writing of the 2021 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) which will be written tomorrow, Wednesday, August 4, 2021, and the following day, Thursday 5th, 2021. This is according to a Ministry of Education release which noted that on Wednesday, Grade Six students will be writing English paper two and paper one in the morning and science paper one and two in the afternoon. On Thursday, candidates will be writing mathematics papers one and two in the morning and social studies papers one and two in the afternoon.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, regulations and guidelines have been established to ensure the safe and incident-free writing of this examination, the release added. These measures include the sanitising and washing of hands before entering examination buildings, the wearing of the recommended face mask, observing and maintaining social distancing at all times and the cleaning and sanitising of buildings and furniture.

Also, candidates are not required to wear their respective primary school uniforms. In the case where a child is not dressed in

uniform, they must be dressed modestly and as best as possible with clothes that bear little or no writing, pictures and or diagrams that would give cause or contribute to any form of cheating.

Candidates, the Ministry noted, will be allowed to leave the examination centres to have lunch but must return at least 15 minutes before the beginning of the next session. Candidates can take a bottle of water or suitable liquid to drink into the examination room once the bottle has no writing that can aid the student in the examination, the release added.

This year, there are 33 new examination centres s p r e a d a c r o s s t h e 11 education districts where candidates will be writing the examination. This was done to make the lives of children and their parents easier by eliminating the burden of having to travel long distances to get to their respective exam centres, which were not the schools they attended.

In addition to the examination centres, the Ministry of Education has established emergency centres that can accommodate those

candidates who may have tested positive for COVID19 or are in quarantine. This was done for the 2021 CSEC and CAPE examinations whereby COVID-19 positive candidates were accommodated and allowed to write their examinations in a separate building.

According to the release too, parents of Grade Six students who have tested positive or are in quarantine but are still able and wish to write the examination are asked to contact the school’s Head teacher or indicate the same to the respective Department of Education.

Parents can also call 2261237 to make the necessary arrangements.

Further, as of this year, candidates who are 12 years, 7 months and older will not be penalised with respect to their raw scores as in previous years. This category of candidates will have their raw scores standardised the same way as all other candidates. In addition, the individual subject scores for each candidate will be given to decimal places and their total score will be rounded to the nearest whole number. This is to ensure a more accurate reflection of each candidate’s performance.

Moreover, to ensure

candidates are prepared to write the examination, the Ministry has implemented several interventions. All Grade Six students in the public education system have received an NGSA Care Package containing face masks, pencils, erasers, sharpener, hand sanitiser and ruler.

Also, “to help our pupils prepare for the examination, each pupil was given a study package containing social studies and science notes, worksheets for the four subjects, past papers from the last five years and 12 textbooks on the four subject areas of English, mathematics, science and social studies,” the release stated.

The Ministry also launched its ‘Quiz Me’ platform on its website which offers students the opportunity to practice

Education Minister, Priya Manickchand NGSA-type questions and be given their results instantaneously. The NGSA Booster Programme was also launched whereby local teachers are recorded teaching the topics which can feature on the examination. These videos are aired on the Guyana Learning Channel according to a timetabled schedule and are also available for streaming on the Guyana

L e a r n i n g C h a n n e l ’s YouTube channel. All of these interventions catered to the consolidated curriculum which the Ministry prepared to cater for the reduced hours students were engaged.

The Ministry also extended best wishes to students during their examination and added, “we commit to continue working in their best interest.”

“We cannot expose children to unvaccinated teachers”– President says - as Govt. prepares to reopen schools in September Although optimistic that teachers will show leadership and choose to be vaccinated against COVID-19 even as government prepares to reopen schools in September, President Irfaan Ali on Monday made it clear that “we cannot expose children to unvaccinated teachers.” The President’s remarks were forthcoming during a press conference to mark the first anniversary of his party’s, the People’s Party Progressive Civic (PPP/C), ascension to office.

While the President did not explicitly say vaccination for teachers would become

“Our hospitals will not be able to cope, nor will we be able to bury the dead if the Coronavirus were allowed to infect the unvaccinated and spread throughout the country. We are in a war with an unseen enemy. We have no idea when and where that enemy will turn up with lethal force.” mandatory, he said, “Teachers are responsible enough” to understand the need for vaccination. He noted too that once the government secures the Pfizer vaccine, it would be provided to children.

“We expect children to take it,” the President said as he revealed that the vaccine would be rolled out to older children first.

In an address to the nation prior to the press conference, the President had made an impassionate appeal for all to get vaccinated.

“The unvaccinated,” he said, “are now as deadly as the virus itself for they are not only greatly susceptible to infection, they will carry it to others, crippling or killing their own families, their friends and their coworkers,” President Ali theorised.

Thus far, 547 lives have been lost and Guyana has recorded over 22,619 infections

President Irfaan Ali since the virus reared its head in March 2020. “All of us should be troubled by those who refuse to be vaccinated,” the President insisted.

With the emergence of the other variants of the virus, trouble is far from over, the President noted, as he warned of the dangers of not getting vaccinated. “Our hospitals will not be able to cope, nor will we be able to bury the dead if the Coronavirus were allowed to infect the unvaccinated and spread throughout the country. We are in a war with an unseen enemy. We have no idea when and where that enemy will turn up with lethal force,” said the worried Head of State.

For this reason, he said, “we must fortify ourselves against penetration, deny the enemy victims, and build up our strength through vaccinations and repel the foe before we can defeat this enemy and win this battle and return to the life we enjoyed,” the President stated.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 03, 2021

PAGE 15

Linden peacemaker succumbs to chop wounds

The suspect, Rochino Maison

A Linden man, who last Monday tried to represent a woman whose breast was squeezed by another man, succumbed to the two chop wounds he received from the perpetrator.

The perpetrator, Rochino Maison, is a 26-year-old man who has since been charged for attempted murder. On Monday, Keno Griffith also known as Tuckie, of Kara Kara, Mackenzie, Linden, died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where he was transferred to from the Linden Hospital Complex

(LHC), where he was initially taken when the incident occurred.

Family members said Griffith’s condition worsened over the last two days. He was chopped to his head and hand with a cutlass.

According to reports, Maison and a female resident of the community had a misunderstanding during which Maison allegedly squeezed her breast. She retaliated by spitting on him.

The suspect then became annoyed and threw a bucket of water on her. Griffith, as a result, went to the woman’s

assistance and an argument ensued between the men which resulted in a scuffle.

Maison then allegedly armed himself with a cutlass and chopped Griffith to his arm and head.

On Thursday July, 29 last, Maison appeared before Magistrate, Annette Singh, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and was not required to plea to the indictable charge.

Bail was refused and he was remanded to prison.

Now that Griffith has succumbed to his injuries, the charges are expected to be upgraded.

Killed, Keno Griffith

PAGE 16

Tuesday August 03, 2021

Kaieteur News

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The rules and...

From page 6 prescribed procedures be followed as Dr. Kanhai et al demanded, in the instance of the first election petition.

They can’t be allowed to shift the goal post to achieve their predetermined result.

Dr. Kanhai should note that his revered Commissioners have since sought to amend their motions to avoid the inevitable ruling that they are biased and cannot participate in any such hearing. They are now calling for termination under the contractual provision, which provides for either party to terminate the contract by simply giving due notice. According to Commissioner Shadick‘s public statement, ‘We want them out at any cost.’

On another note, Dr. Kanhai‘s reference to the absence of two Commissioners from the initial meeting as a “disappearance” is very disrespectful. First, we did not disappear. We gave due notice of our attendance of the funeral of the late Winston Bentham. Secondly, matters of bereavement should not be the subject of politicking. Respect is due to the dead. I hope our “new” breed of politicians is guided by such precepts and practices.

Yours sincerely, Vincent Alexander GECOM Commissioner

France, and the United States.

But the boost for the travel industry was dimmed by speculation that the government could also soon slap new rules on

holidays.The Times newspaper reported a COVID-19 warning against trips to Spain, the UK’s most popular destination, was likely. Spain could go on a

new category of risk - the “amber watchlist” - meaning it could be upgraded to “red” at short notice, with arrivals having to quarantine in hotels, the Times said.

Tuesday August 03, 2021

PAGE 17

Kaieteur News

Op-Ed: Industrialisation and Government Subversion of the Rule of Law

By Simone Mangal-Joly

A

tremendous amount of goodwill and sacrifice went into securing democratic elections in 2020 that brought the PPP/C government to power. Many ordinary citizens stood up in defense of democracy because we know right from wrong, not because we had narrow agendas or stood to benefit financially from the outcome of the elections.

Now we must stand again because our fragile democracy is as threatened as it was a year ago. It is very disappointing to see the PPP/ C government, under the

leadership of President Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, a UN Champion of the Earth, systematically subverting the rule of law in promoting heavy polluting and financially risky hydrocarbon developments, many of which involve public resources and funds, and are shrouded in secrecy.

The Government has been disregarding our Constitutional rights, the Town and Country Planning Act, and the Environmental Protection Act in pushing the gas-to-shore pipeline and Wales Development Zone. It has made a big ado about the need for consultation in attempting to justify its

suspension of the 2020 Rules and Procedures for the Conduct of Environmental Impact Assessments but sees no need to consult on a major shift in our national development strategy or updates to the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act, which it has taken before Parliament.

The Attorney General is clear that the bill contains updates to facilitate the gasto-shore plans. As per the August 2, Stabroek News: “Amendment to Petroleum Act…”, he claims that “works contemplated in the bill are necessary for the advancement of our country’s welfare.” If they

30-year-old woman is country’s latest COVID-19 fatality Yesterday the Ministry of Health (MoH) reported that a 30-year-old woman from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), who tested positive for the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease, has died. In a statement, the Ministry noted that the woman passed away on Sunday while receiving treatment at a medical facility.

As a result of this, the country’s COVID19 death toll has moved to 547.

Further, via its COVID-19 dashboard, the Health Ministry within the last 24 hours recorded 22 new infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 22,619.

Presently, there are 12 patients admitted in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 90 persons in institutional isolation, 749 in home isolation and two in institutional quarantine. To date, a total of 21,221 have tested positive for the virus.

are, then this is a secret known only to a few men.

There are no studies whatsoever in the public domain proving that the benefits of gas-to-shore outweigh the costs to our country now or will in future generations, nor does the PPP/C seem to think that we should see anything or have any say in what will happen to our lives and our children’s lives.

I do note that the party’s proxies have suggested in the press that the voluntary meetings carried out by ExxonMobil Guyana in connection with their preposterous “partialproject” EIA somehow count as a consultation.

It is damning to suggest that a foreign company whose sole purpose for existing is to maximise shareholder financial value is an appropriate interlocuter between citizens and their government. The other reason we hear is the industrialisation plans are still in the early stages. Yet ExxonMobil has applied for an Environmental Permit, the Ministry of Natural Resources has advertised for investors, and the Attorney General is engaging Parliament to update the Petroleum Act to aid the grand USD900 million plus plot. This is bigger than anything we have ever seen before, four times the size of the failed Skeldon Estate investment undertaken by the same individuals pushing this gas-to-shore plan.

Why do PPP/C leaders believe that the resources of this country are theirs to do with as they please?

Why do they believe that a small circle of men alone knows what is in our country’s welfare? Why do they believe that the safeguards in place to protect the public interest and future generations of Guyanese are theirs to sidestep?

Where does the Constitution give them the power to act without citizens’ access to information and enjoyment of our rights to have a say in how our country is governed?

The Attorney General, no doubt aware that forging ahead with actions to support the gas-to-shore plan despite the ongoing violation of citizens’ rights, appears to be attempting to normalise the government’s actions by stating that: “Every oil producing country has to pass these types of legislation.

Trinidad and Tobago has an entire pipeline act for example.” Do you know what

Simone Mangal-Joly else Trinidad and Tobago has? It, like many oil producing countries, has a decommission fund or legal requirement for developers to place monies in an escrow account to safely remove their oil and gas installations when they are done. Is the government proposing this in the update?

Is the government proposing that profit seeking private companies pay for mandatory international insurance for industrial accidents and liabilities?

Those are the kinds of things that would be in the country’s welfare. Who will be responsible for decommissioning costs and operational liabilities?

Hazardous waste pollution clean-up? Our children?

And how have oil and gas helped Trinidad and Tobago’s economy? Here’s what Trinidad and Tobago is gifting its children: a domestic private sector that is stagnant and declining. A 2016 IDB study entitled, “Are Oil and Gas Smothering the Private Sector in Trinidad?” found that, based on growth and the level of Total Factor Productivity (TFP), Trinidad’s private sector performs worse than the average of Caribbean countries.

It doesn’t receive much foreign investment. Gains from lowered energy costs have been offset by an overvalued dollar, due to the oil and gas sector.

The effect has been to make non-oil and non-gas tradables less competitive internationally. The IDB study concluded that Trinidad’s private sector is not up to the challenge of supporting economic growth, creating employment or national revenue, or contributing to the economic welfare of the country. For all that oil and gas, what a completely emasculated business sector!

Trinidad also has a Natural Gas plant that it has had to mothball, despite pumping hundreds of millions of public funds into the initiative. If its citizens hadn’t fought 10 years ago against the establishment of a gas-fed aluminum smelter all the way to where the court

declared the Environmental Impact Assessment illegal, Trinidad would have been left high and dry with that too on its hands.

Of course, back then the Trinidadian government justified these ill-fated developments as “progress” and in the “country’s welfare”. It denounced any citizen that spoke out against the absurdity. As I am sure our government is poised to do.

But is it really in our interest to be afraid and stay quiet in the face of this assault on our rights and future wellbeing?

Is it really in our local business sector’s interest to hitch our wagon to a dying horse? All over the world, countries are divesting away from hydrocarbons, passing legislation that prevents any new investment in gas infrastructure, and banning petrochemical products. Do we believe it is wise to use public funds to expand with mega-sized oil and gas projects or is it better to invest the revenues from offshore production into nonhydrocarbon dependent forms of energy and multiple local businesses? Of course, there will be opportunities for firms to work directly in the oil and gas industry, and those involved in buying and selling will benefit, but what about our manufacturing sector and the cost of living for ordinary Guyanese? De we honestly want to or need to go any deeper down the hydrocarbon dependent path? Don’t we want to talk about this at least?

Is it unreasonable to expect and demand a structured public national conversation that allows for a transparent assessment of costs and benefits?

It is barely a year and the PPP/C’s leadership is back to the obnoxious lawlessness and authoritarianism that caused the party to lose the support of middle ground voters in 2015.

We didn’t want a dictatorship then, we didn’t want it in APNU+AFC, and we don’t want one now. Does the entire business community really want one?

The silence of the 2020 advocates for democracy, especially the Private Sector Commission, Chamber of Commerce, foreign Western missions, and small joinder parties is loud. It suggests if anything that our country is still very much in a governance crisis, a more insidious one than APNU’s silly attempt to hold on to power in 2020.

It is left to those who stood up in 2020 because of their principles and young men and women whose futures are being decided behind their backs to stand up now.

PAGE 18

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 03, 2021

Tuesday August 03, 2021

Appointment of Chancellor, Chief Justice dependent on Harmon recognising Govt. as legitimate – Head of State

Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards President Irfaan Ali has said that the confirmation of the Chancellor and the Chief Justice is dependent on the Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon, recognising his government as legitimate.

During a press engagement yesterday to mark one year since swearing into office, the President called on Harmon to concede to the legitimacy of his government so that they can move forward with other orders of business.

“I am sure Harmon definitively knows who also the Leader of the Opposition is and who is the President so the ball is in his court to do the right thing and I’m hoping… I’m a very positive person. I’m hoping that very soon, he will stop his reckless statements about the government and do what is right in the interest of the people of Guyana,” the President said in response to questions about the delayed confirmations of the two top judicial officers.

The procedures for the appointment of Chancellor and Chief Justice are outlined in Article 127 (1) and (2) of the Constitution of Guyana. Article 127 (1) states specifically, “The Chancellor and the Chief Justice shall be appointed by the President after obtaining the agreement of the Leader

of the Opposition.”

Ali said the failure by Harmon to recognise him as legitimately elected has prevented any form of consultation. Earlier this year, the Opposition Leader made a public call on the President to confirm the acting Chancellor of the Judiciary and the acting Chief Justice.

Back then, it was noted how regrettable it is that Guyana remains without a substantive Chancellor and Chief Justice. But this has been the case during the last three presidencies in Guyana after a constitutional amendment was made to allow the two top judicial office holders to be appointed substantively by the President after obtaining the agreement of the Opposition Leader.

C u r r e n t l y, J u s t i c e Yo n e t t e C u m m i n g s Edwards is performing the duties of Chancellor and Justice Roxane GeorgeWiltshire is performing the duties of Chief Justice. They were both appointed by former President David Granger in 2017.

Guyana’s last substantive Chancellor of the Judiciary was Justice Desiree Bernard. She served until 2005 and was in that position before the constitution was amended.

Acting Chief Justice, Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire

Kaieteur News

PAGE 19

President Ali says ready for LGE but only with credible elections machinery President, Irfaan Ali, yesterday stated that his government is ready for Local Government Elections (LGE) but only with credible elections machinery in place. The President was at the time responding to a question asked during a press conference he hosted yesterday on his government’s one-year anniversary since assuming office.

“Be assured we are ready and we are supportive of Local Government Elections, but with a transparent elections machinery and with professionals in place to conduct those elections so that we don’t experience what we did just a year ago,” President Ali said.

To further prove his government’s readiness for LGE, he further noted that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government had already made the necessary budgetary provisions in the budget to facilitate LGE. In March 2021, the National Assembly had approved $1.1 billion for LGE but, no funds were allocated for another Houseto-House registration exercise.

According to President Ali it is the role of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to run the elections and advise the government on its readiness. However, he added that the Commission is still dealing with a motion to remove officials who were intricately involved in the alleged rigging of the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

Moreover, moments after he was sworn in after the five-month long electoral impasse, President Ali had

Head of State, Dr. Irfaan Ali promised a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the attempts to rig the elections to keep former President, David Granger, and the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition in office and deny the PPP/C victory.

However, that CoI is yet to commence and during yesterday’s press conference another question was asked in relation to the promised CoI. President Ali in response said that his government is still committed to the CoI into the events of last year’s elections and revealed that his government has been engaging various stakeholders to find suitable persons that can be part of the elections CoI. He then stated that the persons

involved in the CoI, would not only identify the individuals involved in elections rigging but also, “identify possible weaknesses that can form part of the plan to strengthen our electoral system so that never again can we experience such a barefaced attempt at facilitating attempts to steal an elections.”

The President also turned his attention to the motion moved at the level of the Guyana Elections Commission for the dismissal of Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield; Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO), Roxanne Myers, and Region Four Returning Officer (REO), Clairmont Mingo.

According to reports, the trio was sent on leave as the Commission considered the motion for their dismissal. The motion was tabled by government nominated Commissioners, Bibi Shadick and Sase Gunraj. Lowenfield has since filed a motion in the High Court seeking several things including barring Shadick and Gunraj from taking part in the deliberation to have him removed from GECOM. According to reports, Lowenfield, Myers and Mingo proceeded on leave from June 28, 2021. The embattled GECOM officials were not only sent home but are also before City Magistrates at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts facing multiple charges in relation to their actions during the March 2, 2020 elections and the events that followed.

Retroactive salary increase for teachers, other public servants by year-end - Pres. Ali President Irfaan Ali has announced that teachers and other public servants will be eligible, before year-end, for retroactive salary increases.

“Let me assure you that the public servants will receive salary increases before the end of the year and it will be retroactive,” he said.

Ali shrugged off questions about when his government will give in to several requests by the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) for wage and salary negotiations.

The GPSU has accused government of violating an agreement it has with government as well as applicable International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.

“We have to be careful and my appeal to public servants and teachers is a simple appeal – trust the government, by the end of these five years, you will all be better off,” he said.

President Ali was keen to note that it is not his Government’s vision for the discourse to only be about salary increases;

rather, it is actively looking at mechanisms that would allow all public servants to live improved lives.

“We are looking at the mechanism that would allow every public servant to own their own home. They also benefited from the help with the COVID-19 cash grant.

But we want to empower public servants so that their children too can benefit from the scholarship programme, many of whom are already benefitting.

The public servants themselves are benefitting. It is that holistic approach that is necessary, and we are happy about this,” said the President.

In addition to housing

and education programmes, which he said, are putting money back into the pockets of public servants, the President noted that the Government has also implemented measures to support citizens during the pandemic.

Those measures, President Ali said include the reversal of taxes on a slew of utilities and items, as well as the removal of value-added tax on electricity, water, healthcare, education and even construction material.

According to the President, the Government estimates that those tax reversals automatically put billions back into the pockets

of Guyanese.

Earlier this year, public servants also received a $25,000 one-off grant. A total of $2 billion was budgeted for this initiative and it was said to benefit over 60,000 workers. The beneficiaries of this grant include workers within central government, statutory bodies, subvention agencies, public corporations, teachers, medical workers, members of the Joint Services, government pensioners and staff of the University of Guyana, to assist them with the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 03, 2021

Tuesday August 03, 2021

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

Hassan bags first gold, Kenya’s...

U.S. men’s national soccer team defeat Mexico in Concacaf Gold Cup final, collects second trophy in two months USA TODAY - Miles Robinson’s extra-time goal in the 117th minute lifted the United States men’s national soccer team to a thrilling 1-0 win over Mexico in the Concacaf Gold Cup final in front of an overwhelmingly pro-El Tri crowd at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday.

The victory marked the second time in two months that the USMNT defeated their rivals in a continental tournament, after prevailing in extra time in the Concacaf Nations League final on June 6.

Kellyn Acosta delivered the deep free kick into the 18-

yard box, where Robinson headed home the winning goal.

The Gold Cup final was the fifth game in the tournament that the USMNT won by a 1-0 scoreline, including all three knockout stage games. Goalkeeper Matt Turner, who plays professionally for the New England Revolution of MLS, started in goal for the U.S. the entire tournament and earned clean sheets in all five of those games.

The USMNT has won nine consecutive games overall and 14 home games in a row.

This is the seventh time

The USMNT celebrate after defeating Mexico in the Concacaf Gold Cup final. that the U.S. has won the Concacaf Gold Cup, with the last win coming in 2017 when it faced Jamaica in the final.

The USMNT had only defeated Mexico once previously in a Gold Cup final,

Tuesday August 03, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Social events or group activities could put you in touch with many people, Aries, both close friends and casual acquaintances. A new person may come into your life who makes a difference TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Physically, Taurus, you should feel strong and energetic and ready to take on just about anything that comes your way today.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Romantic desire tempers spiritual passion today, and you may want to pursue both, Gemini. Perhaps your romantic partner is as spiritually inclined as you, and you aspire toward the same ends.

CANCER(June21–July22) Romantic desire tempers spiritual passion today, and you may want to pursue both, Gemini. Perhaps your romantic partner is as spiritually inclined as you, and you aspire toward the same ends LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) An invitation to an important social event could come today, Leo. This may be a chance to meet important people who could advance your career in some way or who might be involved in a field that interests you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) A previously untapped talent may emerge today, Virgo. You could decide to train this talent and create a new skill that can help you with just about any type of work you'd be doing. This is the day to do this.

You should be full of energy and enthusiasm, capable of assuming any formidable task.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Romantic passion might motivate you to improve your physical appearance, Libra. You might decide to exercise, change your diet, and experiment with new clothes or haircut.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)You might take on the world, Scorpio. Excitement, enthusiasm, and purpose could fill your soul, yet you may wonder where it comes from, as nothing has really changed since yesterday.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Information gleaned from friends could find you focusing on a new goal, Sagittarius. You may have a lot of ideas about projects you want to take care of, and today you may realize which one has top priority.

Start moving!

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) A possible change in direction might arise today. You could meet someone new or run into someone you haven't seen in a while who offers you a chance to change careers.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You may feel especially emotional today, Aquarius, reacting strongly to just about every image you see, whether it's a war photo or a kitten on a doorstep PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Dreams and visions might come and go today, Pisces, as unconscious images surface. Some of these impressions could represent old traumas and phobias that have outlived their usefulness and need to be released.

with that win coming in 2007 when Landon Donovan and Benny Feilhaber scored goals in a 2-1 win at Soldier Field.

With the USMNT’s premier players taking part in preseasons for their upcoming European club team seasons, coach Gregg Berhalter relied heavily on players from Major League Soccer. Of the 23 players on the Gold Cup roster, 19 represented MLS clubs.

Berhalter’s starting lineup Sunday included nine MLS players.

The USMNT’s

European-based players will return when the team opens World Cup qualifying at El Salvador on Sept. 2.

For Mexico, the Gold Cup final defeat will bring up questions about the future of coach Tata Martino, who was hired in January 2019 after leading Atlanta United to victory in the 2018 MLS Cup. But two defeats this summer against its biggest regional rival in tournament finals will cast doubts about Martino’s status as Mexico’s coach.

Mexico also opens World Cup qualifying on Sept. 2, playing Jamaica at home.

From page 23 so many times to compare myself with the Kenyans and Ethiopians to see whether I could reach this gold, and I did.”Allman launched her first throw 68.98 metres and was never really threatened.

Germany’s Kristin Pudenz defied the difficult conditions with a personal best 66.86 for silver and Yaime Perez of Cuba just edged double defending champion Sandra Perkovic of Croatia for bronze.

Back on the track, defending champion Elaine Thompson-Herah and fellow Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, one and two in the 100m final, look in great shape to repeat that in the 200m after impressive qualifying performances.

Thompson-Herah, seeking a second successive Olympic sprint double after bagging the 100m gold on Saturday, matched her personal best of 21.66 seconds, while Fraser-Pryce cruised to 22.13.There was mixed news for the last two winners of the men’s 400m as 2012 champion Kirani James of Grenada looked back to his best with the fastest semi-final time but defending champion and world-record holder Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa failed to progress after a long run of injuries.

The women’s 400m hurdles showdown is on as American rivals Dalilah Muhammad and Sydney McLaughin safely negotiated a sodden track to win their heats and set up a final where the world record, recently taken from Muhammad by McLaughin, will be under threat.The morning session produced its share of thrills and spills as Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn impressively took the 100 metres hurdles - her country’s firstever athletics gold - and Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece won men’s long jump with his final leap, his country’s first medal in the event.

Tentoglou’s leap of 8.41 metres put him level with Cuba’s Juan Miguel Echevarria but his next best effort was superior, securing the gold.

Teenagers make 200 final in Olympic...

From page 23 they only apply to certain race distances. World Athletics scientists have not been able to determine whether increased testosterone has a meaningful impact in distances outside the 400-meter to 1-mile range.

The issue was a major controversy at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, when all three medalists in the women’s 800 meters — Semenya, Francine Niyonsaba and Margaret Wambui — were later barred from that event because of high natural testosterone levels.