Kaieteur News

K

AIETEUR NEWS

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

“Third force” needed to break political

culture of corruption

Saturday Edition August 06, 2022 - Vol. 16 No. 29 Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $100 readership yesterday, 64,529

- PPP National Candidate

Rattled by citizens' concerns…

Rystad Energy

says Guyana was

Senior Vice President and Head of Latin America and the Caribbean, Schreiner Parker

second poorest nation behind Haiti; Oil changed our fortune ...Comments expose company's “Massa-mentality”– KN Publisher Integrity Commission flags Pres. Ali sells Gas-to-Energy Public Works, Housing project as best energy and Water Ministries for transition option over solar default in submissions - Challenges int'l group to prove otherwise Shares tumble as UK, Mabaruma Youth Leonora Hospital Spanish explorers hit water reportedly killed upgraded at a instead of oil-bearing for interrupting cost of $202M targets in Kanuku block couple's conversation

Govt. paid $4.9B to rent properties for 2020-2021- $1.8 billion to be paid out this year

AFC blasts Rystad Energy for dismissing dangers Guyana faces in oil sector Another foreign slave master came to lecture us with a fake study about democracy, poverty and freedom, telling us how good we are going to have it while deliberately leaving out the risks and dangers we face in the oil sector.@11:00hrs on Kaieteur Radio 99.1/99.5FM

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Saturday August 06, 2022

Kaieteur News

Rattled by citizens' concerns…

Rystad Energy says Guyana was second poorest nation behind Haiti; Oil changed our fortune ...Comments expose company's “Massa-mentality”– KN Publisher

By Kiana Wilburg

N

o r w e g i a n consultancy group, Rystad Energy, has come in for harsh criticism from local stakeholders after it snobbishly noted that Guyana, prior to her significant oil discovery in 2015, was actually the second poorest country in the western hemisphere.

Specifically, the company's Senior Vice President and Head of Latin America and the Caribbean, Schreiner Parker said the country ought to bear in mind where it came from and where it is now going. Parker made these and other remarks after being cornered by citizens about his company's sensational report on the country's oil future.

A summary of the report which focused on Guyana's upstream industry was unveiled to members of the business community on Friday evening at Duke Lodge. It stated among other things, that Guyana was poised to receive at a flat rate of US$50 per barrel, US$157B into 2040.

Refusing to accept what was presented as gospel, stakeholders at the event organized by Oil NOW and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), slammed the Rystad study for not being peerreviewed as well as the fact that it failed to take into consideration or even mention in a cautionary note, what Guyana's revenue would look like in the face of environmental and other technical risks.

Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall in particular, raised a number of concerns.

Lall asked Parker if he, at any point, took into consideration where Guyana sits with the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) in the context of provisions that allow for the oil companies to pay no taxes.

Lall also challenged the Rystad VP to say if he took into consideration the fact that Guyana is “at the mercy of God” when it comes to full liability for disasters.

Adding two more queries, Lall asked Parker if he analysed the ramifications of Guyana having no ring-

Senior Vice President and Head of Latin America and the Caribbean, Schreiner Parker

fencing provisions in place or even the fact that the two percent royalty is recoverable.

This bit of information, apparently ruffled by the concerns, Parker said his company did take the taxes into consideration while adding that this is something, that is traditional in a frontier exploration area like Guyana.

He was then keen to note that, “Guyana was the second poorest country in the western hemisphere out beat

by Haiti before this oil industry was developed.

Now, Guyana will become

one of the richest countries per capita in the western hemisphere and the world if you think about it.”

Parker added, “And I think it is really important if you think about the fact of where you were and where you are going.

So of course, we will have a difference of opinion and that is what we were exchanging here. Our piece is an opinion piece just as your pieces are opinion pieces…”

Following the conclusion of the event at Duke Lodge, Lall said it is not so much what Parker said that

disturbed him but rather, the tone with which it was said.

The KN Publisher said, “It brings out the massamentality, how these guys think of third world, coloured people. In his mind, he believes that Guyana should have been like Haiti and we should be thankful that we found oil. And that oil will lift us out of that situation he cast us in with his plucked out figures from thin air as to how much we will get from the oil industry.”

Lall said he found the KN Publisher, Glenn Lall Rystad official's comments to be a condescending reaction who are we to question his to his failure to address the company's so-called figures impacts of the lopsided that are masquerading as a report. contract with ExxonMobil. for me was very What was even worse Lall said was near the ending disrespectful to a sovereign of the programme, Parker nation. All these things can closed by referencing the happen because of the kind of democracy Guyana now l e a d e r s h i p w e h a v e , ” lives in which therefore gives expressed the businessman.

The staunch advocate for the press and citizens by extension, the freedom to betterment in the oil sector express their thoughts and said he is of the firm conviction that Rystad, opinions.

“By using democracy and w h i c h i s a c l i e n t o f freedom of the press the way ExxonMobil, could not he expressed himself also attempt such a brainwashing reeks of the massa-slave exercise with “such garbage syndrome again; meaning, in any country of its peers.”

Kaieteur News

Saturday August 06, 2022

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“Third force” needed to break political - PPP national culture of corruption candidate People Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) national candidate, Anthony Vieira has warned Guyanese that they will never get the government they deserve, as long as the nation continues to turn a blind eye to matters of corruption.

The businessman and sugar industry advocate made the assertion days ago in a letter he penned about his resignation from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) over alleged corrupt behaviour by senior company executives.

Vieira said that Guyanese continue to ask themselves when the country will finally get the Government it deserves. But “the short answer is never,” Vieira charged as “too many of us in this nation are still allowing too much corruption to pass unquestioned.”

Vieira had accused GuySuCo officials of manipulating systems to have matters carried out in their favour. He insinuated that corruption is not only taking place at the sugar company, but that it is a national issue requiring citizens' attention. He said therefore that “in the nearly two years I have been associated with this government, I

have seen things being done which frighten me, and I don't scare easy.”

Vieira highlighted in his letter that in 2020, when he was asked by now President Irfaan Ali to be one of his national candidates. He said he agreed because he could not accept what the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) had done to his family in Houston. He said h o w e v e r, t h a t s i n c e 2 0 11 , Guyanese had been looking for a better representative than what they have in the two main opponents. He said that Guyanese were fed up with corruption and had put their faith in the Alliance For Change (AFC) who then took away the control of parliament from the PPP. “In my view, since 2011 Guyanese were looking for an alternative, and they were completely betrayed by the AFC party in 2015…they joined the People's National Congress (PNC) to form the APNU and instead of stabilizing that coalition, they were even more voracious feeders on the Guyanese patrimony than the PNC members of the government. But there is still a place for a third force in Guyana since the PPP only

enjoys a one-seat majority in Parliament making what we are seeing incomprehensible,” Vieira shared. He posited however that it should be clear that for many, the Guyanese tolerance for corruption has reached the saturation point, “so it cannot be corrupt business as usual.” As such, to see corrupt behaviour and not report on it, the former Board member said he would be acting “unpatriotic.”

Vieira has become the latest of public figures to call out what some perceive as rampant corruption in various sectors of the system.

Article 13 co-founder, Dr. Yog Mahadeo, just weeks ago observed that “corruption is once again reaching dangerous levels.” He was at the time commenting on the Vice News saga which featured pointedly, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, and other government ministers as being part of an elaborate bribery scheme with Chinese investors paying officials for access to lucrative State assets and contracts, when he called for an independent investigation into the damning revelations.

Mahadeo had said that the perception in Guyana is that a

person cannot conduct any business without a connection or link to someone who looks forward to a bribe. He added that the Chinese business people claim to have top civil g servants on speed dial o and often get their way with a simple phone call.

Transparency advocate and Kaieteur News Publisher, PPP candidate Anthony Vieira Glenn Lall has also been very vocal about the increase in corrupt v behaviour by public officials here. ernment, that score steadily Lall has spoken against huge improved reaching 41 points. financial projects, contracts and However, in the latest ranking other asset giveaways where the which was made public earlier in public has not been afforded the t h e y e a r , T r a n s p a r e n c y right to information.

International, a global coalition Last year, Guyana dropped two against corruption, noted that points on the Transparency Guyana's performance dropped International Corruption Index, from 41 in 2020 to 39 in 2021. meaning that corruption in the Apart from Article 13, local country's public sector had body Transparency Institute climbed, after a full year under the Guyana Inc (TIGI) has also spoke People's Progressive Party (PPP) out against corruption. In a recent Government. When the PPP/C publication, the civil society group demitted office back in 2015, the supported calls to have an country was scoring below 30 investigation into the Vice News points, it was noted. During the allegations of bribery, corruption y e a r s o f t h e A P N U + A F C and money laundering involving

AFC blasts Rystad Energy for dismissing dangers Guyana faces in oil sector The use of surface predictions instead of indepth studies to determine Guyana's growth in oil dollars is a trend the Alliance For Change (AFC) finds particularly worrying, especially as the nation continues to show signs of having the Dutch disease.

The Dutch-disease, for those who may not be familiar with the term, refers to the exponential growth in sector, while the others are overlooked and therefore become uncompetitive.

David Patterson, the Opposition's Shadow Oil and Gas Minister told Kaieteur News during a press conference yesterday that Rystad Energy, for example came to Guyana to present a report on the country's rich resource and the revenues to come, but it completely overlooked the dangers the nation is exposed to as it ramps up oil production.

The former Minister of Public Infrastructure explained, “When these agencies come, all they do is tell you how great your oil is but they don't do the deeper analysis which we need; this

deep analysis we expect to focus on the effects of pumping so much money so quickly into a small and under developed economy like Guyana…so we have to be worried about these experts that have been rolling in.”

He reasoned that objective discussions are needed on the merits and demerits on the pace at which the country is extracting its resources, yet the 'experts' gloss over these subjects.

To t h i s e n d , t h e Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) argued, “Yes we know that our oil is in high demand, yes we know that there's a low breakeven point, yes we know that the oil will be in demand for the next 40-50 years even though there is a move for renewable energy… And yes we know that the oil companies are making billions of dollars on it… (but) hold on a second.

There are challenges with the pace with which Guyana is going.”

He added, “We don't have the capacity to do all the things that we would like to do at the same time…”

Patterson said oil companies have been purchasing stone for example in bulk, as they can afford to pay premium on the material while home-makers feel the pressure to source stone and other types of materials due to the high demand.

More worrying, however, is the fact that even though all the analysts seem to be excited to weigh in on Guyana' wealth, the same specialists ignore the fact that the country may be heading down the path of the Dutch disease.

“Our fisherfolk will no longer be fishing, sugar is dead…they are not speaking about that and what naturally happens is every single industry will gravitate towards something in oil and gas because that's where the money is,” he pointed out while adding that instead of the spotlight being given to these industries, government continues to be plastered on the front pages, celebrating other achievements.

The MP was keen to note that what Guyana currently needs is a research and compilation of various

analyses which point to the pitfalls the country could look out for.

However, he said, “They are not doing that, they are just telling you the good, collecting the funding from whomever they are paid by (but) why are they here?

Who invited them?

Do they go to every single country that produces oil and present an annual report?

They don't. They pick and choose which countries they go to.

If they were like say Transparency International and issues a worldwide report on oil production we could say yes, well we would accept it but they pick and choose where they go, so we do have a difficulty in selectivity of what they are doing.”

To support his belief of 'surface-studies' being done, Patterson pointed to the Food and Agriculture (FAO) study that was done on the declining fish catch, which reportedly concluded that oil and gas activities were not responsible, but rather climate change. After being

p r e s s e d b y a n Environmentalist, he reminded that the body admitted it was a “rapid study” that was conducted, using data that was presently available.

Citing yet another example, the MP noted that full studies are yet to be done on the feasibility of the Gasto-Energy project, yet Rystad eagerly opined that the venture would be beneficial.

Ry s t a d E n e r g y, a n “independent” energy research and business intelligence company is headquartered in Olso, Norway. Since 2004, it has been reporting on oil and gas development in producing countries.

Rystad's Senior Vice President (VP) and Head of Latin America, Schreiner Parker this week came to Guyana to unveil a study it conducted which, among other things, points to a projection that the country is poised to receive US$157B by 2040.

The report titled, Guyana Upstream Industry and Country Benchmarking Update, was unveiled to

Shadow Oil and Gas Minister, David Patterson members of the business community at Duke Lodge on Friday, where Parker also spoke about the amount of associated gas Guyana has and the fact that it is moving in the right direction by bringing it to shore through a pipeline project.

During the question and answer segment however, when Parker was questioned about his qualifications or range of expertise that helped him arrive at his conclusions, he could not answer. He also admitted that his study was not peer-reviewed by any external expert.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday August 06, 2022

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

Rystad Energy – the latest oil sales people Anybody from anywhere in the world thinks that they can come to Guyana and present any sparkling oil numbers to us, and we should swallow that hook, line, and sinker.

The latest in the growing line of promoters of eye-catching figures, with their shiny slides, and slick salespeople was Rystad Energy of Norway. The problem was that the very American accented and sounding oil pitchman from the European-based entity, Mr. Shreiner Parker, was all sales pitch, and little of substance. Mr. Parker’s product, as he presented it, crumbled under the light of scrutiny and some rigorous shaking.

The pitchman from Rystad Energy presented the prettiest picture possible of how bright and beautiful our bountiful oil treasure is going to be for Guyana. It was as if he was selling to Guyanese on behalf of ExxonMobil, while pretending to be independent, which is what Rystad Energy claims to be. It so turned out, when pressed by two unrelenting Guyanese interrogators, Attorney and Accountant, Chris Ram and Glenn Lall (publisher of this paper), that Rystad Energy has been a client of ExxonMobil and Hess Corporation, two of the oil companies in the consortium producing oil offshore Guyana.

This neither looked good nor sounded well for several reasons. First, there should have been full disclosure up front, in the interests of openness and principle. No matter how good the Rystad Energy analysis, or any analysis at all, such a client-oil company relationship immediately puts Guyanese at a disadvantage, and raises questions about the fullness, accuracy, and reliability of what is presented.

The fact was that this had to be pried out, first by Mr. Ram, who did not get an answer about the independent nature of Rystad Energy, and then by the publisher of KN before that client-oil company relationship was grudgingly acknowledged.

The second issue of concern is that Rystad Energy’s report, as pitched by Mr. Parker is remarkable for its pronounced skew towards highlighting all the pluses, and only the pluses, from this nation’s oil discoveries and what those mean for the prospects of poor Guyanese. There were all the eye-popping figures that would make anyone poor man drool in anticipation. It is the equivalent of telling a hungry man any story about food and drink, and he is sure to suck up every syllable that is dangled so tantalizingly before him. He might even hallucinate and actually believe that he is filled and not suffering from hunger pains anymore.

This is how Rystad Energy and others play with the minds of Guyanese, and trick them. Oil production has its risks, and the fact that ExxonMobil is pumping oil at such an accelerated pace and in such a tight space with multiple wells only intensifies the exposures facing this country.

The probability of an oil spill is greater, and has to be considered and factored into any projection about royalties and profits. Further, such a probability is not some remote, ‘scaredy’ kitten scenario, but one that has happened before elsewhere with disastrous consequences, and should a major one occur here, it could be the death knell of not only Guyana, but for other countries in this region. These are what we consider to be significant flaws in the work put out

by Rystad Energy, and rather stumblingly defended by Mr. Parker. The third issue of contention with Rystad Energy and Mr. Parker had to do with the billion-dollar (US) gas-toshore project. As presented by Mr. Parker, this project is both viable and necessary. When asked repeatedly for the supporting basis for this position of Rystad Energy, there was no relevant response forthcoming. Mr. Parker went round and round about reinjection and flaring, only to end up always at this viable and necessary gas-to-shore project.

A reasonable thought is that a self-declared global leader in suck studies like Rystad Energy would have had some foundation, some underpinning, to boost what it is selling to Guyanese. As the man himself admitted, this so-called vaunted study by Rystad Energy of Guyana’s oil industry and its meaning for the citizens of this country was nothing but an opinion, and one with little to bolster it. It is what any fool from anywhere could do any time.

EPA permits issued for Exxon’s projects have not been changed to remove restrictions on flaring

DEAR EDITOR, In response to an unfortunate letter from former Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Vincent Adams, published this week in the local press, ExxonMobil Guyana provides this response to several inaccurate and misleading statements that Dr. Adams made.

ExxonMobil Guyana and its co-venturers are responsible for their activities in the Stabroek Block as provided by the Petroleum Agreement, the Environmental Protection Act, and other relevant laws, regulations, and environmental permits. It is not an insurance company that is liable to the Government for these obligations, but ExxonMobil Guyana and its co-venturers.

Rod Henson, as the former President of ExxonMobil Guyana, never signed any document with Dr. Adams, in his capacity as a prior Executive Director of the EPA, committing to ‘unlimited liability coverage comprising of insurance plus parent company guarantee’, as Dr. Adams claimed. After repeatedly making these claims, it only seems appropriate that Dr. Adams produce the “documents” he claims were signed.

ExxonMobil Guyana reiterates that it maintains full insurance coverage that meets international industry standards for all of its petroleum activities in Guyana. As previously stated, our first priority for all operations is to prevent adverse events by utilising the best technologies, processes, and people in our operations. In the unlikely situation that an event occurs, we have established response personnel, procedures, and equipment aligned with the principles of the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation (OPRC), the Caribbean Island Oil Pollution Preparedness Response and Cooperation (OPRC), and the National Oil Spill Response Plan of Guyana. We routinely conduct drills with the Government to ensure readiness.

Additionally, as recently reported in the media, Guyana will soon be the only country in the region (and one of very few countries in the world) with a subsea well capping stack on hand.

This

equipment stops or redirects the flow of hydrocarbons, as part of an immediate response to a blowout, allowing time to permanently seal the well.

Neither ExxonMobil, the co-venturers nor their affiliates are involved in the operations in Peru where there was an oil spill earlier this year. That event illustrated the importance of planning, preparing, and practising for response as we do with the relevant Government agencies in Guyana.

Production rates on the Liza facilities are maintained within safe operating limits at all times.

Our Petroleum Agreement requires that the level of production shall be consistent with the maximum efficient rate which conforms to sound reservoir engineering principles in accordance with good international petroleum industry practice.

This requires that we evaluate actual capacities after a facility has been started up. Any proposed change to safe operating limits is rigorously assessed and reviewed with the EPA and the Ministry of Natural Resources to ensure compliance.

Contrary to what was contended in Dr. Adams’ letter, the EPA permits issued for our projects have not been changed to remove restrictions on flaring. In fact, additional restrictions and fees on flaring were introduced such that flaring above background levels are only permitted under very narrow and clearly defined circumstances.

The modified Liza Phase 1 permit includes specific timelines for detailed instances of flaring, and notification and approval processes, during which the company must justify its reasons for flaring. The EPA reserves the right to reject a request if it finds those reasons to be unjustified. The permit strictly prohibits “routine flaring”, a term which excludes flaring resulting from the full or partial failure of any compressors, which is considered “non-routine flaring”. The permit specifies that flaring is only permissible during commissioning, startup, and special circumstances. It also requires the Permit Holder to pay US$50 per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) emitted as a result of flaring in excess of permitted periods.

Dr. Adams continues to peddle the fallacy that a cut in production during the compressor issues would have eliminated flaring. The only way to have reached zero flaring was a complete shutdown of production.

After the recent installation of a new gas compressor on the Liza Destiny FPSO, operations on Destiny and Unity are currently achieving background flare of less than one million standard cubic feet per day during normal operations consistent with their design basis. Our focus continues to be on safe and reliable operations to deliver maximum value to the government and stakeholders in compliance with our obligations.

ExxonMobil Guyana has been diligent in documenting and reporting all emissions and releases to the EPA as required. We are proud of, and stand by, our strong safety record as reported.

The company has always been open and transparent about the volume of gas being flared and has routinely provided this and other operational information to the government, media, and other stakeholder groups.

To date, emissions of CO2e, resulting from nonroutine flaring of gas attracting payments, amounted to 279,537.33 tonnes. ExxonMobil Guyana routinely provides reports to the Government authorities on its operations and earlier this year established a direct electronic data feed to the EPA and Ministry of Natural Resources. In addition, multiple agencies visit the offshore facilities to inspect and verify the operations.

ExxonMobil Guyana continues to ensure its offshore activities are being conducted in adherence to the highest safety standards, industry best practices, and laws of Guyana.

As stated by ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Darren Woods, the company is committed to Guyana for the long term. ExxonMobil Guyana has invested billions of dollars in multiple oil and gas projects here. We are dedicated to avoiding any spill, but should one occur, we are prepared to mitigate and resolve it as quickly and comprehensively as possible.

We remain committed to our partnership with the people and government of Guyana as we continue to responsibly develop the country’s oil and gas resources.

ExxonMobil Guyana welcomes dialogue and discussions of the oil and gas industry, and our operations in particular, based on fact and mutual respect. As a Guyanese, I find it incredibly disappointing that an individual who held a position such as Dr. Adams’ would be sharing such blatant mistruths. It begs the question whether he genuinely does not understand the issues or is bent on deliberately misleading. I also say this because I understand, and appreciate, the culture at ExxonMobil Guyana and that of its leaders.

A key reason our Guyanese employees, including myself, value working at the company, is the ethical, thoughtful, consistent, and socially responsible actions ExxonMobil Guyana takes.

We can already see that these actions are enabling Guyana’s transformation and bringing sustainable prosperity for our people.

Regards, Janelle Persaud Media and Communications Manager Public & Government Affairs Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited

The Opposition needs shaking up DEAR EDITOR, For there to be effective governance, there must be a functional opposition party.

Thus far, the current opposition is unable to effectively execute its mandate and it needs reshuffling. There are some outstanding performances; however generally better is

needed. This country needs to hold PPPC government more accountable and as such, I suggest the following names for a shuffling to include: 1.Cathy Hughes 2. Anma Ally 3. Sherod Duncan 4. David Patterson (Continued on page 5)

Saturday August 06, 2022

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Kaieteur News

The presumption of innocence and the principle of natural justice DEAR EDITOR, Following the murder of Quindon Bacchus by a member of the Guyana Police Force on June 10, 2022, the public was informed that the Police Complaints Authority would be investigating the incident. I pointed out then that the Police Complaints Authority Act, Chapter 17:02

The Opposition...

From page 4 5. Vanessa Kissoon 6. Khemraj Ramjattan 7. Mervyn Williams 8. David Hinds 9. Aubrey Norton 10. Geeta ChandanEdmond 11. Dr. Karen Cummings 12. Basil Williams 13. Sharma Solomon 14. Tabitha Sarabo-Halley 15. Dawn HastingsWilliams 16. Gary Best 17. Coretta McDonald 18. Richard Van West Charles 19. Volda Lawrence 20. Amanza Walton-Desir 21. James Bond 22. Jermaine Figuiera 23. Roysdale Forde 24. Joseph Harmon 25. Winston Jordon 26. Shurwayne Holder 27. Kadacie Amsterdam 28. Christopher Jones 29. Carl Greenidge 30. Ganesh Mahipaul The current division in APNU can be solved if this power team finds its way into government. The PPPC is strong and a strong opposition is needed also. Do bring back Harmon.

Yours truly, T. Andrews

provides for the Police Complaints Authority to “supervise”, and not by itself investigate an incident of that nature.

The Police Complaints Authority subsequently submitted a report to the Director of Public Prosecution with recommendations for three members of the Guyana Police Force to be charged with the following criminal offence: 1. Lance Corporal Kristoff DeNobrega, murder contrary to common law.

2. Lance Corporal Thurston Simon:(a) Conspiracy to commit a felony, to wit, murder contrary to section 102 (a) of the Criminal Law Offences Act, Chapter 8:01; and (b) Conspiracy to obstruct the course of justice contrary to section 320 of the Criminal Law Offences Act Chapter 8:01.

3. Sergeant Dameion McClennon :(a) Perverting the course of justice contrary to section 329 of the Criminal Law Offences Act Chapter 8:01; and (b) Unlawful possession of two rounds of ammunition contrary to section 16 (2) (a) of the Firearm Act Chapter16:05 as amended by the Firearm and Ammunition Act No 17 of 2007.

It must be noted that Director of Public Prosecutions did not advice the police to institute some of the charges recommended by the Police Complaints Authority.

Additionally, the Director of Public Prosecutions recommended that lance Corporal Simon should be charged with a disciplinary breach. Having had the opportunity to examine the

report prepared by the Police Complaints Authority, I must say that I am disappointed with the sparseness of the recommendations.

My disappointment stems from the fact that the report clearly identified several other ranks who committed criminal offences and disciplinary breaches, yet no recommendation was made for them to be charged with the identified offences and breaches. The three ranks who were charged appeared in court on July 5, 2022 and were all refused bail and remanded to prison. The standard procedure in cases where ranks of the Guyana Police Force are charged with a criminal offence is for them to be interdicted from duty with effect from the date they appeared in court, pending the outcome of the criminal charge. There are currently several ranks of the Force who are interdicted pending the outcome of various criminal charges, including a gazette officer who was committed to stand trial in the High Court for allegedly engaging in sexual activity with a 13-year child and a sergeant who was recently charged with larceny by public officer; just to give two examples.

I was therefore shocked to learn that shortly after the appearance in court of the three ranks charged in the Quindon Bacchus case, they were all dismissed summarily from the Guyana Police Force with effect from July 5, 2022, the same day they first appeared in court to answer the charges.

I was taught the legal

principle of the “presumption of innocence”: The principle says that, “every person accused of any crime is considered innocent until proven guilty. Under the presumption of innocence, the legal burden of proof is thus on the prosecution, which must present compelling evidence to the trier of the facts”.

I was also taught the principle of Natural Justice, which says that: “natural justice is a technical terminology for the rule against bias and the right to a fair hearing. While the term natural justice is often retained as a general concept, it has largely been replaced and extended by the general duty to act fairly”.

Section 34 (1) of the Police Act, Chapter 16:01, states “the commissioner may at any time discharge any subordinate officer or constable from the Force on the grounds that, having regards to the conditions of the Force, the usefulness of the subordinate officer or constable thereto and any other relevant circumstance, such discharge is desirable in the public interest”.

In the past, the administration of the Guyana Police Force and the Police Service Commission made use of section 34 (1) to summarily dismiss ranks. This practice was challenged on numerous occasions and the courts have repeatedly held that section 34 (1) cannot be used to dismiss ranks without applying the principle of natural justice. In other words, the ranks must be given an opportunity to be

heard.

I recall that when I was the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, I had a conversation with the Solicitor General in relation to the same subject. I was informed that the Attorney General’s Chamber was at its wits end to deal with cases where ranks of the Guyana Police Force were dismissed without the principle of natural justice being applied and had moved to the court to seek redress. I was further informed that in all of those cases, the Attorney General’s Chamber had to concede and pay out large sums as damages to the affected ranks. It is to be noted that the dismissal of Lance Corporal Simon also flies in the face of the recommendation from the Director of Public Prosecution that he should be charged with a disciplinary breach.

It is evident that the dismissal of the three ranks violated the sacrosanct principles of the presumption of innocence and natural justice, and is therefore unlawful.

I am reminded that some persons in society speak eloquently about the rule of

law. I would like to take this opportunity to state that “the rule of law is a principle under which all persons, institutions, and entities are accountable to laws that are: Publicly promulgated.

Equally enforced.

Independently adjudicated.

And consistent with international human rights principles”.

The dismissal notices referenced above are unlawful and should be immediately withdrawn; failure to do so must result in swift legal challenge. We must be reminded that in any country governed by the rule of law, citizens should not stand idly by and allow the misguided, misinformed and incompetent to violate the rights of anyone, including persons who are charged with criminal offences.

Regards, Paul Slowe CCH, DSM, Assistant Commissioner (Ret’d)

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Saturday August 06, 2022

Kaieteur News

Govt. paid $4.9B to rent properties for 2020, 2021 …$1.8B to be paid out this year so far

By Renay Sambach When it comes to the rental of buildings, consecutive governments continue to pump billions of taxpayers’ dollars often into the hands of private citizens, to rent properties to provide occupancy to State and other related entities.

In just two years, $4,920,023,000 of taxpayers’ dollars was spent to rent properties to house several government agencies and to rent properties across the different regions.

With the use of the Estimates of the Public Sector, Current and Capital Expenditure for 2022, Kaieteur News was able to do a compilation of monies paid for the rental of buildings for the last two years; and the amount that is to be paid this year.

The document separated the rent under agencies and by regional districts.

For 2020, across 19 agencies, the sum of $1,731,539,000 was paid in rent. Notably, the sum includes rent that was paid under the APNU+AFC Coalition and the PPP administration when they assumed office from August 2020. In the said year, the sum of $12,671,000 was paid to rent properties across six regional districts, making $1,744,210,000 the total sum of rent paid in 2020.

Last year, the total sum of $3,175,813,000 was paid in rent; the sum includes rent paid for 12 State agencies and for the rental of properties in seven regional districts.

Recently, this publication had highlighted that the APNU+AFC Coalition government tied Guyana to a 10-year lease to pay $188 million annually to rent prominent Guyanese singer, Eddy Grant’s, Duke Street, Kingston property, to house the United Nations (UN) offices.

Including the $188 million that will be paid to rent the Kingston property – a compilation revealed that the sum of $1,868,238,000 will be paid in rent for this year.

Kaieteur News reported this week that Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Ganesh Mahipaul said the issue over rental of buildings under the various administrations will continue unless there is a shift in the mentality of the political leadership from having to rent these buildings to owning them.

During February 2020, in the National Assembly, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, had explained that the monies being spent to rent the property for the UN offices could have constructed a facility on a plot of land that the State owns.

Minister Edghill had noted too that the State has the responsibility to select the building in the context of what the State can afford.

However, consecutive governments continue to pump billions into the hands of private citizens.

See tables below on how taxpayers’ money is being spent to rent properties for the State for the period under review:

(Continued on page 18)

Care must be exercised when addressing another race/ethnic group’s culture DEAR EDITOR, During the rise in black consciousness movement which gained renewed energy in the USA during the 1960s and particularly after the release of Stokely Carmichael’ s book “Black Power” in 1966, Africans in the Diaspora experienced a new pride in themselves.

This new pride birthed in them an urgent need to identify with our homeland – Africa. The immediacy to do so demanded visible expression and the adoption of African clothing and names, for many blacks, became the dominant means for quickly making visible this newly acquired pride in being black.

For many of us, this new knowledge also made us awareness that most things, including life itself, began in Africa. That, notwithstanding all efforts to keep this knowledge from us, we have come to know the truth and will no longer allow ourselves to feel inferior to others. In this light, the taking of African names and wearing of African clothing was a positive development among black people. In more recent times, there has been a slowing down in the rush to change our names to African ones.

This has happened because as the euphoria tempered, many of us have come to realise there are at least two things to be considered before making a name change.

First, we note that for Africans living in traditional communities, naming of children is no casual event.

For such communities, names have both religious and cultural dimensions.

The character Kunta Kinte in the film “Roots” gave us an insight of how fiercely Africans would fight to protect their traditional names. Second, that Africans speak about African peoples not tribes. Thus Dr. MBITI in his seminal book “African Religion and philosophy,” tells us that there “are about three thousand African peoples” and that each observe different practices for naming children. He stresses that in traditional societies and even today in the villages, “names have meaning according to the occasion or other significance at the time of birth.”

For example, among the Wolof people, the child is named according to the day in the week that he/she was born. Among the Luo people, the child’s name is sought

when the child is crying. Thus, there are African people who name their children to reflect famine if that is their specific reality at the time of birth or give children names that means rain if they are born at a time of heavy rain fall. There are also some African people who name children after recently departed members of the family or community who during their life on earth displayed virtues of tremendous value to that people (tribe).

Thus for those of us living in the Diaspora and who are armed with this knowledge, name change now demands some knowledge of which African people (tribe, according to the west) we originate and what are the practices they observe when naming children.

Further, this understanding of how traditional societies in the homeland went about naming children helps us to appreciate the decision of the black revolutionary and intellectual who changed his name from Malcolm Little to Malcolm X. Since by doing so, Malcolm was signaling that he did not know which African people his ancestors was from and therefore what his traditional name might

have been.

In a letter appearing in your edition of 8th June 2022 under caption “Ridiculing ethnic names is offensive,” the writer seemed to be taking a ‘dig’ at those of us of African descent who have not adopted African names.

He says (a) Blacks have accepted the names assigned to them by the slave owners of their ancestors” and (b) “some fittingly have gone back to their original names and faiths that their ancestors brought with them from Africa hundreds of years ago.”

Then, as if contradicting himself he says, “One must not poke fun at peoples’ names.” Which seem to suggest respect for person’s name, regardless whether their names are ‘traditional’ or not.

Perhaps the writer means well, and that he might have articulated his thoughts poorly in this instance.

Whatever his intent, he might be well advised to take heed to some of the considerations, which I mentioned above that have influenced this seeming slowing down in blacks making name change.

Yours sincerely, Claudius Prince

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BL TLUNT.. UNT...B BL Saturday August 06, 2022

Kaieteur News

Daily, our leaders are at each other's throat over issues affecting this country, but ignoring the foreigners who are studiously working to trick and rob us of our resources.

No doubt, the mismanagement of the country by the current crop of leaders can see us citizens taking to the streets every day, because there are so many things to protest about.

Only this week, we witnessed the bravado, from the so called independent group- Rystad Energy with a bogus report hailing the most corrupt oil deal in the world as profitable to Guyana. These are the things our leaders should be fighting against instead of fighting each other.

They should be joining forces to defeat enemies like Rystad Energy that came here with the sole purpose of deceiving this young nation- no doubt with backing from the Government of Guyana and the oil players operating here.

The Guyana Chronicle's lead story in yesterday's edition reproducing the garbage from Rystad Energy confirms our suspicion that the administration probably assisted in funding the so called study and also was responsible for bringing the Rystad messenger to this country.

Luckily, we have enough patriots here who were able to stand up to the fraud that was being foisted on us by Rystad Energy. And so, as we motor along in the oil and gas industry, it is important for everyone- including our journalists to watch out for the fraudsters; the bogus analysts and even our leaders who make it their settled occupation to deceive citizens, en route to filling their pockets.

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Saturday August 06, 2022

Kaieteur News

Pres. Ali sells Gas-to-Energy project as best energy transition option than solar - Challenges int'l group to prove otherwise

By Shervin Belgrave

P

resident Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Thursday took the opportunity as keynote speaker at the opening ceremony of a meeting meant for promoting solar power as a viable form of renewable energy source to sell his coveted Gas-to-Energy project (GTE).

Kaieteur News previously reported that Guyana is moving ahead with a 300 megawatt gas-to-shore project. The aspect that deals with the installment of pipelines alone to bring the gas to shore will cost more than US$1.3B. Although Guyana does not know what the final cost of the project will be, Ali told representatives from other countries attending the meeting that his investment in natural gas is way cheaper, more viable than solar and will cut the cost electricity in his country significantly.

In fact, the Guyanese president even encouraged attending countries from the CARICOM region like neighbouring Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) and Barbados, to follow in his footsteps and invest in natural gas.

“Now here comes the big opportunity for the region and I would be very disappointed if the leaders of this region are going to say to

us that they are not going to unlock this opportunity that I am going to speak of which speaks to real opportunity for transition. I speak of natural gas,” Ali stated.

For those who believe that solar power is more viable, Ali challenged them to show him evidence of its sustainability and to come up with an economic model that can work profitably for the region by providing jobs and a long-term energy solution.

The meeting at which the Guyanese president sold his GTE narrative was held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) and is the fourth regional committee meeting of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) for Latin America and the Caribbean. According to reports, ISA is a collaborative platform for increased deployment of solar energy technologies for bringing energy access, ensuring energy security and driving energy transition among its member countries.

The ISA reportedly birthed via a joint effort by India and France to mobilize the fight against climate change through the deployment of solar energy solutions and was conceptualized on the sidelines at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) 2015. One of the main objectives of the ISA, according to its Director

General, Dr. Ajay Mathur, is to create an environment for accelerated uptake of solar energy which will support economic growth as well as job creation in the Caribbean and Latin American Region.

In order for this to happen, the ISA will need the support of leaders from the region. Hosting Thursday's meeting was one such way for the group to galvanize support for the use of solar power.

After listening to President Ali's opening remarks at the meeting, it was quite clear that Guyana is not too keen in supporting the initiative in full as it is bent on pursuing natural gas as its way of transitioning to renewable energy sources.

Ali started off by saying, “We have not mastered the technology nor have we been able to demonstrate from a financial and economic model that any single transitional module is sustainable in the long run and there are many questions to ask today about solar.”

Some of those questions, according to Ali, are about the affordability and viability of investing in solar. He even questioned where countries are going to get financing for the solar power investment when there is not much detail to support its sustainability.

“Where the supplies of batteries are coming from?

What is the replacement cost

of the batteries? What is the environmental damage in dumping those batteries?

How do we work to recycle those batteries?” Ali asked as he tried to punch holes in the ISA's solar power agenda.

He argued that if policy makers want to formulate a plan to transition to cleaner energy, it must be a realistic one. Ali said it is his belief that using solar alone is not the answer.

“So I like to take the uneasy road sometimes. I could tell you yes, solar energy is very important, let us clasp our hands and go ahead with a solar energy plan and we all commit to that. But that is not what we are here for, we are here for serious discussions and to understand the reality that developing countries face,” Ali said during his keynote speech.

In making his case that natural gas is the way to go Ali told the attending countries, “We have an opportunity of creating an energy renewable hub…One that can extend to northern Brazil bringing in jobs and financial viability to the region…When we speak of an energy hub, it is not just about putting out that solar is good for the environment; that will not win the case. We have to have an economic model that brings social benefits and can apply in a budgetary framework.”

President Mohamed Irfaan Ali making his opening remarks on Thursday at the Fourth Regional Committee Meeting of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Ali's view of a better plan for transitioning to renewables in a more viable way is by unlocking the natural gas potential in the region.

“The natural gas potential of Suriname is 28 trillion cubic feet of gas. Guyana has not done its macro analysis for its natural gas as yet but it currently stands at 16 trillion cubic feet. Trinidad and Tobago is at 11.5 trillion cubic feet, Barbados 142 million cubic meters and Brazil has 12 trillion cubic feet. There is an important reason why I included Brazil because if we want to create an energy corridor we have to include Brazil as part of the equation because it has a big population and market,” Ali explained as he described the natural gas potential in the region.

He continued by adding that if all these natural gas potentials are unlocked, the region can cut the cost of electricity by 40%.

The President boasted that Guyana is already moving ahead to unlock its gas potential with a 250 megawatt GTE plant and labeled it as only “one component of the project”.

He then ended his address by stating that one trillion cubic feet of gas can generate 142 megawatt hours of energy and challenge the “technical persons” attending the forum to show how solar energy can match up with that amount in an affordable way. “…It's a very important question but we have to answer,” the President related.

Although Ali touts that Guyana's GTE project will be very profitable to the country, his government has failed to support its financial viability with accurate figures. It is

known that a portion of the project will cost more than US$1.3B but the government is still unsure of the final cost because it is expected to increase as ExxonMobil, the oil company bringing the gas to shore, closes off more contracts.

Most of the projection of profitably being made by government officials is only based on estimates.

Despite the fact that Ali does not know the final price tag of the GTE project, he had concluded on June 30 last, during an announcement he made to the nation at State house, that it will cost Guyana between four to five US cents per kilowatt hour.

He was quite adamant that this figure includes the full repayment of a 12-inch pipeline that would be providing some 50 million standard cubic feet of natural gas to the onshore facility and touted that the project will slash electricity cost in Guyana by half.

Ali's estimate of profitably and affordability of Guyana's GTE project appears as if it is indeed the best option for transitioning to renewables. However, India was able to install 450 megawatt of solar power at a more economical cost when compared to Guyana's GTE. Kaieteur News had reported on July 6, last that India spent US$165M to install 450 megawatt of solar power.

At that price, India is paying US$376,000 per megawatt while Guyana is prepared to spend US$5.2M p e r m e g a w a t t . Vi c e President, Bharrat Jagdeo, in the absence of a feasibility study, and against the advice of international experts, has said the GTE is a “nobrainer.”

Saturday August 06, 2022

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

Political interference in the sugar industry has been toxic The biggest historical bugbear which the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has faced is political meddling in its management. This was responsible for problems in the industry after nationalisation and has continued onto this day.

One top government official – a political person – publicly indicated that he was going to address the management issue of the corporation in January. It is not clear whether he did.

But regardless of whether he did so or not, it is not the role of any politician to fix the management of the sugar corporation.

Having appointed a Board, it is the responsibility, and the responsibility of the Board alone, to fix the management of the corporation.

Sugar has enough problems of its own to be further saddled with a management crisis.

Unfortunately, for months now there have been all manner of accusations about the corporation’s management.

Compounding this problem is the recurring practice of political meddling in the affairs of the corporation. It was reported, for example, that following a dispute at the level of the Board, a complaint about the proposal to acquire tractors for the corporation reached the President who suggested a course of action.

The President has no basis to get involved in this sort of decision-making. That should have been the exclusive responsibility of the Board. The Board therefore has to take a grip of the situation and not allow politicians to meddle in disputes at the Board level.

Audio recordings of exchanges, purportedly between a management official and Board members, have been aired on Tik Tok. It is not hard to determine the identities of persons that are involved in the heated exchanges heard on those recordings. But what is disturbing is the utter disrespect which was shown to members of the Board, judging from the tone of one of the persons in the exchange. Regardless of your standing in the corporation, you cannot speak in such a manner to members of the Board. That is untenable.

The Board should not tolerate being brought into disrepute. It should also not entertain political meddling into its affairs.

GuySuCo went into remission years before the withdrawal of preferences in the European Market.

Political meddling and political appointments were responsible for much of the pre-liberalisation era damage to the sugar industry.

Persons cannot be handpicked for jobs in the sugar industry. That is a recipe for failure and

problems. But that has been a recurrent practice in the industry.

Instead of handpicking persons for jobs, there should be a system of competitive hiring so that the best and capable are recruited. No one knows whether the present CEO was handpicked by the political directorate for the job or whether he was employed following a process of competitive hiring.

Politics must be kept out of sugar management and production. During the 1977 sugar strike, the PNC recruited some 6,000 scabs to help cut and grind the cane. Most of them knew little about the sugar industry and did damage to it. Yet after the strikes had ended, many of the scabs were retained in the industry. The political imposition of the obnoxious sugar levy deprived the industry of resources needed for recapitalisation. One prominent economist had long noted that political interference was a severe toxic element in the industry and to the sugar company.

The PNC brought in foreigners to run the sugar industry. This was not a political imposition on the sugar corporation. The management fees were enormous and drained the corporation or precious resources.

The decision of the APNU+AFC to right-size GuySuCo and to send home almost 7,000 sugar workers

Dem boys seh...

Tik Tok is a revelation Dem Guyanese women and ghals surprise dem boys pon Tik Tok. Is nuff lawlessness tekkin’ place pon Tik Tok. Is nuff nasty word comin outta dem ghals mouth sometimes. Is all kind ah commonness talkin pon de Tik Tok. Dem boys wan know if dat is a microcosm of de society we building in dis country.

Deh gat some big women surprise dem boys with how dem behaving pon Tik Tok. Dem boys woulda

understood if some ah dat conduct did come from dem young ghals. But to see how some women behaving pon de social media platform leff dem boys shock.

Is nat a good example fuh dem young children fuh gat to see and hear some ah de things wah dem Guyanese women doing pon Tik Tok. And de men nah too much different and nuff ah dem finding fun in some ah de vulgarity.

Some ah dem songs wah

ban pon radio, getting play pon Tik Tok. And de lyrics of some songs mek yuh wonder wat gan happen to de present generation.

A man seh how he does only look at Tik Tok when he on de toilet bowl. Because he know where some of de nastiness gat to go.

But as one man seh, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. So keep watchin Tik Tok but be careful wat yuh take from it.

Talk half. Leff Half.

was not a decision of the Board. It was a political decision taken with what is believed to be political objectives.

The PPP/C has been no different. Eleven years ago, Yesu Persaud, a man with strong roots in the sugar industry, said that political interference continues to plague the sugar industry. He was speaking about the PPP/ C’s practice of political meddling in the corporation.

He called for a non-political solution to the problems of the sugar industry.

The APNU+AFC launched a commission of

inquiry (COI) into the sugar industry in 2015. That COI found that political interference had a negative impact on the sugar corporation.

One of the general recommendations of the COI concerned insulating the management and Board from political interference. The COI recommended that the management of the corporation should manage the enterprise within the policies and guidelines set by the Board.

It is time for the present Board to get a grip of the present situation and make it

known to all and sundry that it is the Board and not the politicians that runs the industry. And that respect must be shown to Board members.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Saturday Monday August May 02,06, 2022 2022

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Is Charandass Persaud telling the truth?

L

ast Wednesday e v e n i n g , Charrandass Persaud appeared on the Gildarie-Freddie show, and startled viewers with some descriptions that were not publicised before.

He said at the recent libel trial where he sued Khemraj Ramjattan of accusing him of accepting money for his yes vote in the no-confidence motion, Ramjattan called only one witness – Amna Ally. Charran went on to state that a simple answer from Amna sunk Ramjattan for 7 million dollars. Before we come to that, some background information should be given.

Ramjattan accused Charran of being bribed to vote for the opposition motion. Ramjattan spoke at the time of Charran's manoeuvrings in relation to purchase of gold. The police began to investigate

Ramjattan's outpouring. The then police commissioner, Leslie James, told the press Charran was being investigated for national security purposes.

Readers need to keep in mind that at the time, Ramjattan had enormous authority in security matters.

He was the minister of national security. Charran on the show revealed that after the vote, security officials seized documents from various government departments including the Gold Board without warrants.

Fast-forward to present, a few weeks ago, the trial was held, and the Guyanese people now have a mystery on their hand. The only witness called was Amna Ally who at the time of the no-confidence motion was a minister without the slightest connection to sensitive security matters. She was

Minister of Social Cohesion.

The first question that comes to mind was why Ally and not the plethora of state officials that investigated Charran? Once subpoenaed, they had to give testimony for the defence. There were two witnesses who had to be compulsory attendees. One was the then commissioner of police. The other was at the time of the APNU+AFC government, the real second in charge – Minister of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon.

The commissioner and Harmon would have been in possession of the knowledge gathered from investigating Charran. Why were these men not on the witness stand?

Did they choose not to testify thereby weakening Ramjattan's case, assuming that he had a case in the first place?

Now for Charran's revelation. Charran said Amna in answer to a question

from Charran's counsel told the court that she believes Charran voted according to his conscience. But Ramjattan's point was that Charran was the recipient of a bribe and that was the determinant for his 'yes vote'.

This was a most intriguing case. How can the defence have a witness whose testimony aids the plaintiff? Charran and his supporters, including this columnist, argued that conscience was the factor in voting.

Ramjattan claimed otherwise and went public with his declaration of bribery. Yet his only witness believes conscience was Charran's motive.

Now for the truth. Since the trial was not given widespread media coverage, do the Guyanese people know what was said in court?

Is Charran telling the truth? If he isn't, then the 7 million he won from Ramjattan is going to look like peanuts if Amna sues him for attributing words to her that never came out of her mouth.

I honestly cannot believe even for a fleeting moment

that Charran would go in front of the cameras watched by large numbers and quoted Amna as saying what she did not say. No, I can't Frederick Kissoon believe that. He is a lawyer that fought libel 'Yes men' and 'yes women' cases in his career. He must know that to put words in the do huge harm to humanity. I m o u t h o f a n a t i o n a l believe people will shut their personality like Amna Ally is mouth in order to feed their playing with big, big trouble. children. It is only human to I w i l l l e a v e t h i s do so.

We who egg on people to discussion by asserting that I speak up cannot put food on believe what Charran said our table. about Amna's testimony.

But the human has to be I end with another revelation by Charran on the decent. If you enter politics to show which can be accessed free people then you cannot on YouTube. It symbolises willingly become a slave the sad qualities of humans. yourself.

What I saw in the If humans continue to embody that trait, freedom mistreatment of AFC's and philosophy will remain second tier leadership was downright evil. If I were in forever elusive.

Charran said that as an that party during 2015-2020, AFC parliamentarian, he and I would have been in jail by the rest of the AFC legislators now serving a sentence for were told at all times by the murder.

(The views expressed in AFC leadership how to vote and their feelings were never this article are those of the asked for. His words on that author and do not necessarily show still ring in my ear – reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

“Freddie, I was a yes man.”

Saturday August 06, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

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Saturday August 06, 2022

Kaieteur News

Tax exemption, land availability among incentives for new investors in energy sector - Minister Bharrat - says Govt. will provide complementary infrastructure like roads and bridges

I

n his effort to entice that the PPP administration is t h e b u s i n e s s pro-business and therefore community to head to believes in creating an Guyana's shores and invest, enabling environment to M i n i s t e r o f N a t u r a l facilitate investments which Resources, Vickram Bharrat, will, in turn, spur economic listed tax-exemptions and g r o w t h i n a l l s e c t o r s land availability among ( t r a d i t i o n a l a n d n o n several other incentives as traditional).

He first listed some of the some of the fiscal goodies they stand to benefit from.

The minister even went as far as stating that the Government of Guyana (GoG) will build complementary infrastructure like roads and bridges to support the new endeavors.

It was in the Guyana Office for Investment (GOInvest) 2022/2023 magazine titled, 'Guyana-Investor Paradise' where the Minister of Natural Resources, minister listed Vickram Bharrat attractive incentives f o r i n v e s t o r s a n d t h e advantages of investing in advantages of investing in Guyana. Those he said are: fastest growing economy, Guyana.

Minister Bharrat shared r e s o u r c e - r i c h c o u n t r y,

English-speaking, multisector opportunities, low operation costs, ideal

location to access regional and global markets.

The others he listed are:

“fiscal incentives for investments, tax exemptions for risk-bearing investments, p r i v a t e s e c t o r- f o c u s e d government, affordable labour, land availability, ease of doing business and Single window system to be implemented soon.”

N o t a b l y, w h i l e t h e minister listed land availability as an advantage to invest in Guyana – last month during the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) midyear dinner, Guyana's Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, underscored that the State is running out of land.

In fact he said, “Secondly, there is this fallacy that we have a lot of land. Everybody that comes to Guyana says 'oh you have a lot of land for agriculture and everything else,' it is a fallacy.”

The Vice President had explained that a vast majority of the country is the forest, leaving a limited coastal strip land.

As such, he said that the government can get more land by cutting down parts of the forest, but noted that he does not think it is desirable

to do so.

In relation to the attractive incentives the government would create, the Natural Resources Minister stated in the magazine that investors will be exempted from the payment of Duty and Value Added Tax on all critical building materials and equipment.

In relation to dockyard and ship building, Bharrat said that investors will also be exempted from the payment of Duty and taxes for the operation of drydocking facilities. The same will be done for all machinery and equipment used in recycling.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, o t h e r enticements include: providing tax incentives for new investments, re-tooling, and technological improvements; establishing industrial parks/estates for manufacturing in coastal and hinterland regions; creating a fund to stimulate innovation and new businesses and providing complementary infrastructures such as roads, bridges, airstrips, training institutes, for investors.

Mabaruma youth reportedly killed for interrupting couple's conversation

By Shervin Belgrave

A

l l e g e d l y interrupting a c o u p l e ' s conversation on Wednesday might have led to the death of an 18-year-old Mabaruma man, identified as Jude Christino.

Christino was reportedly stabbed to death around 02:00hrs at Kumaka Water Front, Mabaruma, North West District (NWD) Region One, following an altercation he had with two men.

Police had later arrested the suspects and according to information received by Kaieteur News, they have reportedly accused each other of inflicting the stab wound that killed Christino.

Despite attempts to shift blame, both admitted to participating in Christino's murder.

As a result, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP)

Murdered, Jude Christino has advised that both suspects be charged with the capital offence.

Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum has confirmed with this media house that indeed detectives were advised to charge both suspects with murder.

Sources close to the investigation shared that (Continued on page 16)

Kaieteur News

Saturday August 06, 2022

PAGE 13

Leonora Hospital upgraded at a cost of $202M

R

etrofitting works to the Leonora Hospital on the West Coast of Demerara was done at approximately $202 million.

This is according to the Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony.

He was at the time providing an update via his daily COVID-19 report yesterday. Dr. Anthony said the newly upgraded hospital will be re-commissioned next week Tuesday.

The Minister on Friday explained that the hospital was being upgraded through a United Kingdom funded $835 million project which seeks to transform five health institutions in Guyana into 'smart' facilities.

“We are looking at facilities in Lethem, Diamond, Leonora, M a b a r u m a a n d

Paramakatoi,” the Health Minister shared.

Dr. Anthony stated that these five hospitals that they looked at are being upgraded to make them more climate resilient “meaning that they shouldn't be flooded.

They should have better flow within the hospital itself where it's possible, instead of using power from the grid, it would be using solar power and that the water from rainfall, we can convert that and use it within the facility.”

During his briefing, he mentioned too that through the project, they expended about US$900,000 on the renovation works for the hospital while noting that the government had spent approximately $15 million on some additional works that were needed.

With the upgrades, some of the services that would be

offered at the health institution are that of inpatient and outpatient clinic services and an accident and emergency unit.

The hospital's pharmacy area was improved among other sections, he noted.

At the inpatient clinic, he said that there would be the handling of more maternity cases.

“So if a woman goes there to give birth, there will be a labour room, there will be antenatal services, post-natal services So that's predominantly what will be there,” he pointed out.

Also, when the hospital is re-commissioned, patients would be able to stay there over night depending on their duration of hospitalization.

“So generally, I think this upgrade would have allowed us to do more things than we

The Leonora Hospital that was upgraded. were doing previously and to do it more efficiently.

Three doctors will be there and from time to time, we will increase depending on the needs,” he said.

Through the Smart Hospital initiative, works

have been completed at the Lethem and Diamond hospitals, both of which were previously re-commissioned.

Wi t h w o r k s a l m o s t completed at the Mabaruma Hospital, the Mi nister disclosed that later this

month, it is expected that the institution will be recommissioned to better provide services for the people of Region One and by next month, works on the Paramakatoi Hospital will be completed.

EPA issues statement debunking claims by AFC on Full Liability Coverage See below statement by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on full liability coverage.

T h e E PA n o t e d inaccuracies in a recent press release by the AFC repeating certain statements made by the former head of the EPA, Vincent Adams.

The EPA offers the following response to provide clarity to the public to avoid any further confusion on the subject of insurance and liability coverage.

The Environmental Protection Agency is guided first and foremost by the Environmental Protection Act and its suite of regulations. Where the risk of oil spills is concerned, financial assurance is provided for Sections 30 and 31 of the Environmental Protection Act. Insurance It must be made clear that only Liza 1 permit issued in 2017 did not have a specific

requirement for insurance coverage. Whilst the insurance requirement was introduced in Liza 2, it was only in the Payara, Yellowtail and the recently renewed Liza 1 Permits were the requirement for insurance coverage and parent guarantee clearly defined.

In Yellowtail Permit, it is ensured that EEPGL is held liable for all costs associated with clean up, restoration and compensation for any pollution damage, which may occur as consequence of the project. EEPGL is also required to have Financial Assurance which includes a combination of Insurance which must “cover well control, and/or clean up and third-party liability on terms that are market standard for the type of coverage”, The EPA is in receipt of insurance policies from EEPGL for all permits issued namely Liza1, Liza 2, Payara and is currently awaiting

Yellowtail insurance policy.

Each of these insurance policies have been executed and has coverage of a total of US$600 million per occurrence of a spill event This per occurrence value covers third party liabilities, clean up and well control.

None of the insurance policies provided has US$2.5 billion coverage for oil spill as is purported by the former EPA Head.

Parent Company/Affiliate Guarantee The EPA was presented with a draft parent company/affiliate guarantee and is engaging EEPGL on its proposed total guarantee of US$2 billion from an affiliate company in the event EEPGL and its CoVenturers default.

The EPA is ensuring that the circumstances under which the affiliate guarantee will be operationalized and the specific obligations covered are clear and

acceptable. The EP A in the Yellowtail and renewed Liza 1 permits require that a Parent Company/Affiliate Guarantee Agreement is provided which indemnifies and keeps indemnified the EPA and the Government of Guyana in the event EEPGL and its Co-Venturers fail to meet their environmental obligations under the Permit.

Further, the EPA required that the financial assurance (US$2 billion) provided must be guided by an estimate of the sum of the reasonably credible costs, expenses, and liabilities that

may arise from any breaches of this permit. Liabilities are considered to include costs associated with responding to an incident, clean-up and remediation and monitoring.

It is also ensured that this value can be renegotiated to cover for increasing risks in the Stabroek block as a result of increasing projects.

Conclusion The requirement for insurance and parent guarantee and the terms and conditions for each of these were strengthened in the recent Permits issued namely Payara, Yellowtail and renewed Liza 1 in late

2020, and 2022 respectively.

The EPA is not in possession of any documentation that indicated any commitment

by EEPGL to the Former Head to provide US$2.5 billion in insurance coverage. If this is available, the EPA humbly ask that Vincent Adams provides a copy to the EPA and or the public.

A draft Parent company/Affiliate Guarantee received in 2021 and offering guaranteed coverage of US$2 billion is being negotiated by the EPA at this time.

End Statement

PAGE 14

Saturday August 06, 2022

Kaieteur News

Mustapha launches Agriculture survey for several regions - 4,000 farmers targeted for pilot exercise T

he Ministry of Agriculture through the Sustainable Agriculture Development Programme (SADP) on Friday launched its Agriculture survey.

According to the ministry, the survey which is being funded by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB), will see the collection of data from approximately 4,000 farmers residing in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, and Ten. T h e s u m o f US$1,000,000 was allocated to conduct the survey under the SADP, which aims to increase the productivity of the agriculture sector while maintaining sustainable and climate-resilient use of natural resources in Guyana.

The ministry reported that a total of 120 tablets, 19 computers, four printers, and 120 survey packages containing jerseys, hats, bags, and stationery were procured at approximately $24,971,000 and approximately 100 enumerators are expected to be trained to conduct the survey in the targeted regions. The survey is expected to commence before the end of August 2022.

While delivering remarks at the launch which was held at the Regency Suites Hotel, Agriculture

Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said the survey will assist with developing a register of farmers, detailing what they produce, where they are located, and how much they are producing.

“Over the last two years, we've seen a number of initiatives being implemented by the government targeting farmers, a lot of farmers were not captured. Last year, we experienced one of, if not, the most devastating floods in our country's history where 90% of our agriculture sector was destro y e

IDB representative handing over the equipment that will be used to conduct the survey to Minister Mustapha.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha

d. The government decided to give relief to the farmers but, to date, we are hearing that some farmers didn't receive any relief. It is

activities like these that will help us to know exactly how many farmers are in our country, where they are located and the number of

crops they are producing,” the minister explained.

Minister Mustapha further stated that the data collected will also assist the government with crafting realistic policies to further develop the sector and the country.

“This survey will help us to set our programmes because when you set programmes, especially in the agriculture sector, you have to be more realistic because we are dealing with food and food security.

Without proper analysis and proper knowledge, we wouldn't be able to set

programmes that capture all the activities our farmers are involved in,” Minister Mustapha said.

For her part, IDB Guyana's Chief of Operation, Lorena Solorzano-Salazar said that the project was important to both the government and the Private Sector.

“The objective of this project includes producing high-quality data for the agriculture sector, increasing productivity, especially for the small and medium-scale farmers; agriculture that is appropriate for innovation

and extension systems as well as compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary systems.

Hence, the agriculture survey is relevant to enhance the capability of the Ministry of Agriculture for data collection and knowledge dissemination of an agriculture database.

This new information will add value to the government for decisionmaking and also to the Private Sector to develop investment in the agriculture sector in line with foreign development priorities,” she noted.

Pres. Ali wants GDF's Air Corps to become best in the Region

P

resident, Dr Irfaan Ali said he wants the Guyana Defence Force's Air Corps to become the premier Air Corps in the Region. He said it can achieve this by leading by example and by reflecting best standards.

The Commander-inChief of the Armed Forces made the statement on Thursday afternoon while interacting with Air Corps ranks at the Air Corps Hangar in Timehri.

“I want Air Corps Guyana to be the premier Air Corps in the region. This must be the go-to Air Corps for any country in the region seeking training or seeking to build their capacity.”

“So today (August 5, 2022) is about working to get to those standards. It's about understanding each of you and what you're

thinking, how you're thinking because frankly speaking, we can't make this investment if people are not ready to invest their future with us too. It's a two-way street. So we have to understand the gaps and we have to work on filling those gaps so that we are going to come up with an action plan today.”

While President Ali spoke about the importance of identifying and addressing gaps, which will allow the Air Corps to transcend to the highest level, he pointed to the pillars needed.

High on the agenda, he explained, is the establishment of an academy and development programme, which can be integrated with a scholarship programme.

“So I must go to the

Heads of Government and say to them that we have a one-year plan on bringing our Air Corps to this level and I want the commitment that you're going to use us for all your training.”

The President spoke about the possibility of having a military-operated commercial arm of the unit and about the equipment needed for such a directive.

He also noted that discussions are ongoing as to what equipment to invest in while revealing that the Air Corps will be getting a second chopper.

The effective deployment of the chopper is being examined.

“This is about us making some important decisions as to where we want to position Air Corps. In my mind, I want to position it as the best Air Corps in the region and

President Ali in discussion with members of the Air Corps at Timehri we are already making the investments in human resources. We're spending a lot of money.”

In the discussions forward, President Ali urged

those present to share their ideas and to be honest, open, and frank in their dialogue.

National Security Advisor, Captain Gerry Gouveia; Chief of Staff of

the GDF, Brigadier Godfrey Bess and other Government officials and senior ranks and officers of the GDF and Air Corps were also at the event.

Kaieteur News

Saturday August 06, 2022

Integrity Commission flags Public Works, Housing and Water Ministries for default in submissions

T

wo of the ministries with the largest budgetary allocations this year have been flagged by the Integrity Commission for failing to make timely submissions.

The Ministry of Public Works, with a budget of $76.7 billion, and the Ministry of Housing and Water with an allocation of $12.4 billion have failed to submit the list of names of all Specified Persons in Public Life, as required by the Integrity Commission Act. Specified Offices, according to the law include the President, Speaker of the N a t i o n a l A s s e m b l y, Ministers of the State, Secretary to the Cabinet, Parliamentary Secretaries, Members of the National Assembly, Members of Local and Regional Democratic Organs, Clerk of the National Assembly and several others.

Two other government agencies that are yet to submit the list of specified persons in public life are the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

In a public notice, the Commission said the outstanding lists relate to the 2022 Declarations period

Office of the Integrity Commission commencing July 1, 2021 which ended on June, 30, 2022. The local watchdog body indicated that the deadline for submission of all correspondences relating to the outstanding lists should be submitted on or before August 10, 2022.

Five Regional administrations (Regions Two, Four, Seven, Eight and 10), were also included on the default list, along with the Deeds and Commercial R e g i s t r i e s A u t h o r i t y, Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, Guyana Police Force, Guyana Fire Service, Guyana Rice Producers Association, Guyana Tourism Authority Board, Hinterland Electrification Company Inc, Judicial Service Commission along with six other state departments.

Another 15 agencies that

fall under the remit of Town Councils have also been called out by the Integrity Commission for not submitting the lists. A few notable bodies included are the National Drainage & Irrigation Authority, Police C o m p l a i n t A u t h o r i t y, Presidential Guard Service and the University of Guyana Berbice and Turkeyen Campuses.

The Integrity Commission was keen to note that all Specified Persons in Public life are required to submit their 2022 Declarations of Assets and Liabilities on or before August 31, 2022.

It noted, “All Specified Persons in Public Life are kindly asked to take note of their outstanding statutory obligations to submit an Annual Declaration of their (Continued on page 16)

PAGE 15

PAGE 16

LEGAL NOTICE

VEHICLE FOR SALE One Honda CRV,fully loaded immaculate condition, low mileage 3.3M negotiable & 1 new super custom Hiace Bus 2.5M .Contact:649-0956.

SERVICES Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design,Advertisements, Wedding decorations & Elderly grooming: Hair,Nail etc.Tel:626-7040.

Specialized Repairs/Service Refrigerator, Washing Machine, Pressure Pump, Stove, Treadmill, Dryer, Filtration System, Deepfryer Ect.6949733.

Hamid's On Saffon street is now opening on Sundays & Hoildays from 8:00 AM -1 PM. Contact 225-8721 Rengen Atchana herbal specialist cure stroke, Asthma & Any Pain.Interested persons contact 638-2044

FOR SALE Acetylene bottles and Qxygen bottles. Call: 627-5043 / 228-5655 Pitbull pups for sale already got the first vaccine contact: 603-2640

FOR RENT 3 bedroom apartment located at Monrepos free water, Light & Wifi Call:645-9805.

One upper flat at 41 Hadfield street W/Rust suitable for office or business call:651-7676/ 233-1591

TO LET Commercial Spaces Enmore Mall, ECD.Top floor 275 x 25 ft., Parking available for 25 cars Call Richard 609-7675/ 674-1705.

Saturday August 06, 2022

Kaieteur News Upon APPLICATION in person or by letter to Ms. Anastasia Sanford Attorneyat-La For the Applicant whose address for service and place of business is at Lot 215 South Road, Lacytown, WANTED Georgetown, copies of the Experienced cashier, cleaner, Fixed Date Application, filed Labourer and counter herein, will be delivered or person.Apply @ Shanta’s 225 sent to you. AND TAKE Camp & New Market St. NOTICE if you desire to defend this action you must Experience Waitress to work forthwith within 30 days after VACANCY shift living on East Coast PrefVacancy- Lorry Drivers & Por- erably $22,000 Weekly. 610- the final publication of this notice, prepare an Affidavit in ters Contact: 650-0979 3974 Defence in Form 1 0C Chrome Construction Hiring prescribed in the Civil Information on any family Grader, Excavator, roller OpProcedure Rules 2016, serve member of Jonas Bowser liverators & Truck driver for init on the applicant’s attorneyterior / Urban Road works ing in Guyana with surname at-law, to Ms. Anastasia Bowser, 264-2231 Call: 679-5617 Sanford address for service Chrome Construction Hiring 1 General Domestic, age 38 or and place of business is at Lot One experienced Office assis- older to work in Herstelling. 215 South Road, Lacytown, tance (Preferably female) Call: Call:697-0157 Georgetown, and file it with 679-5617 proof of service at the LEGAL NOTICE Experience Cashier CXC Registry at Georgetown, Passes in Maths & English, IN THE HIGH COURT OF Demerara, not later than 4 Knowledge of Quickbook, THE SUPREME COURT OF days before the date fixed for Apply in writing @ Wieting JUDICATURE GUYANA hearing of the application, and & Richter Ltd CIVIL JURISDICTION you or your attorney-at-law Counter clerk & Porter to work 2022- HC- DEM- CIV- FDA- must appear at the hearing. at Hardware store. Monday - 547 BETWEEN: ROLETTA AND FURTHER TAKE Saturday Call: 689-4041 L U A N N E J O R D A N NOTICE that if you fail to file represented herein by her such affidavit and or if you Full time driving instructor, 5 duly constituted Attorney fail to appear at the hearing, years driving experience, D O N N Y S A L B E R T - final judgment may be given friendly, patient and good at STEWART by virtue of against you notwithstanding absence.

AND interacting, contact: 602-2583 Power of Attorney executed your on the 30" day of October, FURTHER TAKE NOTICE Certified Accountant Send 2019 and registered in the that this matter stands application to the manager Deeds Registry at adjourned before the Agri Parts Machinery & Ser- Georgetown on the 1 March, Honourable Mr. Justice vices 202 Mandela Avenue 2021 No: 1470 of2021 Nareshwar Harnanan on 14" Alexander Village Applicant -and- JUNIOR October, 2022 at 9:00 am.

Georgetown DEY Respondent Notice TO: Dated this 20 day of July, 2022 JUNIOR DEY Sub lot B of Lot Vacancy exists for Sales 39 Bagotstown East Bank Woman,Counter Attendant Demerara TAKE NOTICE that @Dian's Deli Bar St a Fixed Date Application was Kitty.Tel:225-3700. filed on the 20 April, 2022 in Forklift Operator,Delivery the High Court of the clerk / Sales Clerk /Delivery Supreme Court of Judicature clerk. Contact : 227-1511 / 227- of Guyana at Georgetown, Demerara by ROLETTA 2486 Vacancy for Driver, ages 35- JORDAN in which the Applicant claims: A 45. Contact:266-1287 declaration that the Vacancy for Paint Technician/ Respondent is a trespasser on Mixer, experience required. the Applicant’s property contact: 226-1287/ 226-1270 situated at Sub-lot lettered ‘B LEGAL NOTICE ‘, being part of lot numbered 39 (thirty-nine) Bagotstown 2022-HC-DEM-CIV-FD-184 IN THE HIGH COURT OF in the Eccles Rams burgs THE SUPREME COURT OF Village, District, situate on the JUDICATURE FAMILY, East Bank of Demerara River, AND in the County of Demerara, DIVORCE M AT R I M O N I A L Republic of Guyana, with the JURISDICTION FAMILY building and erections DIVISION BETWEEN: thereon. An order that the WANTED Respondent, agents and or (SCHADDE) RAKHINA nee KHAN Petitioner -V-Lathe Operator Call: 645-9333. servants do vacate the (SCHADDE) LEONARD property situated at sub lot FRANKLIN lettered ‘B’, being part of lot Wanted one experience Hairnumbered 39 (thirty-nine) Respondent TO: dresser at Magic Touch LEONARD FRANKLIN Bagotstown in the EcclesBeauty Salon Tel: 225-6492 / SCHADDE(Last Known Rams burgs Village, District, 686-3121 Address)St.Denny’s Mission situate on the East Bank of Tapakuma Creek, Essequibo Farm Workers In Timerhi :617- Demerara River, in the County Coast, Guyana.TAKE of Demerara, Republic of 2032 / 617-2047.

NOTICE that on the 14th day Guyana with the building and of February, 2022 a Petition for 1 canter driver Tel:644-5957. erections thereon and deliver Divorce was filed against you up possession to the Male porters, female cooks for Applicant and or her duly by RAKHINA SCHADDE nee Interior supermarket and live constituted Power of Attorne KHAN, the Petitioner in the in domestic for Georgetown, immediately. General damages Family Division of the High 687-7638/660-9093 in excess of $500,000 (five Court in Georgetown, Demerara.AND FURTHER hundred thousand dollars) TAKE NOTICE that as part of Lorry driver,apply at RP'S En- for trespass by the an Order made on the 21st day terprise at Area K Defendant.Such further or of June, 2022 the Petitioner L e R e s s o u v e i r other ordersas this Honorable was directed Court may deem Just.Costs.

E.C.D,contact#220-2818

LEGAL NOTICE to effect service of her Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of the Kaieteur News Newspaper, a daily Newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around the Republic of Guyana and on the Worldwide Web.AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorneyat-Law at the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with Related documents. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), an Answer and/or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 50 (fifty) days from the date of the Second and final publication of this Notice.

TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Monday the 19th day of September, 2022 at 9:30 am before the Honourable Madam Justice Sandra Kurtzious at the High Court at Georgetown via Zoom Meeting ID: 648 772 9256 and Password: 5hRiHf. IN DEFAULT of you filing an Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention to Defend, an Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce.The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara]. The office is open to the public between 8:00 am and 3:30 pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00 am to 2:30 pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is Closed. Dated 23rd Day or June, 2022.

Integrity...

From page 15 Assets & Liabilities, including those for themselves, spouse and children.”

To this end, the public officials will be required to submit “Copy of income statement(s) from employer (s) for declaration period (salary statements, payslips, employment contract, cheque stubs where applicable); Copy of rental agreement (s); Copy of Transport (s) or Certificate of Title (s)/ Lease (s); Copy of latest valuation (s) conducted within the last three years pertaining to Transport or Certificate of Title or Leases; Bank statement (s) as at June 30, 2022; Copy of Certificate (s) of Registration for Motor Vehicle (s) and any other supporting documents…”

In the meantime, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 Specified Persons in Public life are also reminded to submit their outstanding declaration forms along with the above supporting documents.

Section 22 of the Integrity Commission Act states that any person who fails to comply with the Act shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine of $25,000 and a term of no less than six months imprisonment, no longer than one year.

Mabaruma...

From page 12 Christino was murdered allegedly for interrupting a conversation between one of the suspects and his girlfriend.

One of the accused had reportedly told investigators that while he was chatting with his girlfriend at the Kumaka Water Front, Christino came up to him, made some “advances,” and interrupted their conversation.

The suspect became annoyed at Christino for his action and the two got into a heated argument.

Kaieteur News was told that the second suspect was present too and had joined in the argument, which quickly escalated into murder.

An eyewitness had related to detectives that two men beat Christino but he had managed to wiggle himself out of their grip and tried to run away.

According to the eyewitness, the two men give chase and when they caught up with him, one of them pulled out a knife and plunged it into his neck.

Christino collapsed to the ground and remained motionless while they escaped.

During the interrogation, the suspects reportedly admitted to both attacking Christino that morning, but had accused one another of inflicting the fatal stab wound.

Saturday August 06, 2022

PAGE 17

Kaieteur News

74 new 12 contractors vie Colombia peace deal to continue rehab COVID-19 failing as violent gangs works on Canal cases No.1&2 main roads detected, recruit vulnerable children 1 patient in ICU

D

uring the opening of tenders on Tuesday at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office, it was revealed that 12 contractors are interested in continuing the upgrade of both Canal No. 1 and 2 main access roads.

The Ministry of Public Works in an invitation for bids (IFB) had stated that it is preparing to spend some $210 million more to continue the rehabilitation of the main access roads. According to the IFB, both road projects are estimated to cost $105 million each.

The government’s move to upgrade the main roads in these two farming communities began last year, when phase one of the projects was awarded back in September. As part of efforts to continue the upgrade of the access roads this year, two more contracts worth $192, 181,710 were awarded to complete phase two of the projects.

These two new contracts, when calculated showed that already half a billion dollars, $535,926,357, is being spent by the Public Works Ministry to do rehabilitative works on the roads. The award of the projects was revealed by the NPTAB on April 19, last. R&B Investment Inc. won the bid to execute works on Canal No.1 road for $99,000,300 and

Navin & Son Construction won the bid to do Canal No. 2 road to the tune of $93,181,410.

As previously reported, $343,794,647 was spent on the first phase of these roads.

In September last year, two contractors, Japarts Construction Inc. and Aronco Services Inc. were awarded contracts to upgrade the first phase of the roads. Reports are that Japarts was awarded a $173,131,854 contract to work on Canal No. 1 and Aronco to work on Canal No. 2 main access road for the sum of $170,612,793. These projects would form part of the $15.2 billion that was allocated in this year’s budget for the construction and rehabilitation of urban and community roads across the country.

Below are the companies and their bids: Ministry of public works Procurement of worksPublic and main access roads for Regions Three, Five and Six for Lots 11 to 15.

Lot11: rehabilitation of sections of Black Bush Polder (Yakusari) Region Six; Lot12: rehabilitation of sections of Black Bush Polder (Joanna); Lot13: rehabilitation of sections of Burma Road, Mahaicony, Region Five; Lot14: rehabilitation of sections of Canal No. 1, Region Three; and Lot15: rehabilitation of sections of Canal No.2 main access road.

(Continued on page 18)

On Friday, the Ministry of Health via its latest dashboard reported that within the last 24 hours, it recorded a total of 74 new COVID-19 cases in the country.

The dashboard shows that one patient is still admitted into the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit, 16 persons are in institutional isolation, 528 are in home isolation and one is quarantined institutionally.

To date, a total of 68,267 persons have recovered from the virus.

(BBC NEWS) - Corinto has the vibe of a bustling town just like any other motorbikes zip up and down the main streets, residents amble along the pavements and shop owners hover outside their premises,

beckoning in customers.

But stop on any street corner and there is a more threatening presence here. “ Wi n d o w s d o w n o r bullets,” reads one graffitied wall, and it is signed “FARC-EP”, short for

the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - the People ’s A r m y. I t i s a warning to drivers to make themselves known and is repeated on many walls in Corinto, in Colombia’s southwest Cauca province.

PAGE 18

Kaieteur News

Saturday August 06, 2022

‘What recession?’: US employers add 528,000 jobs in July WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers added an astonishing 528,000 jobs last month despite flashing warning signs of an economic downturn, easing fears of a recession and handing President Joe Biden some good news heading into the midterm elections.

Unemployment dropped another notch, from 3.6% to 3.5%, matching the more than 50-year low reached just before the pandemic took hold. The economy has now recovered all 22 million jobs lost in March and April 2020

when COVID-19 slammed the U.S. The red-hot numbers reported Friday by the Labor Department are certain to intensify the debate over whether the U.S. is in a recession. “Recession — what recession?” wrote Brian Coulton, chief economist at Fitch Ratings, after the report came out. “The U.S. economy is creating new jobs at an annual rate of 6 million — that’s three times faster than what we normally see historically in a good year.”

Economists had expected

only 250,000 new jobs last month, in a drop-off from June’s revised 398,000.

Instead, July proved to be the best month since February.

The strong figures are welcome news for the Biden administration and the Democrats at a time when many voters are worried about the economy. Inflation is raging at its highest level in more than 40 years, and the economy has contracted for two quarters in a row, which is the common — but informal — definition of a recession and does not take into

account a host of other factors economists consider, such as the job picture. At the White House, Biden credited the job growth to his policies, even as he acknowledged the pain being inflicted by inflation. He emphasized the addition of 642,000 manufacturing jobs during his watch.

“Instead of workers begging employers for work, we’re seeing employers have to compete for American workers,” the president said.

Biden has boosted job growth through his $1.9

trillion coronavirus relief package and $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law last year. Republican lawmakers and some leading economists, however, say the administration’s spending has contributed to high inflation. The president has received some other good economic news in recent weeks, as gasoline prices have steadily fallen after averaging slightly more than $5 a gallon in June. On Wall Street, stocks dropped after the employment report came out. While a strong job market

is a good thing, it also makes it more likely that the Federal Reserve will continue raising interest rates to cool the economy.

“The strength of the labor market in the face of ... ratetightening from the Fed already this year clearly shows that the Fed has more work to do,” said Charlie Ripley, senior investment strategist at Allianz Investment Management.

“Overall, today’s report should put the notion of a near-term recession on the back burner for now.

Govt. paid $4.9B to rent properties for 2020, 2021...

From page 6

12 contractors vie to continue rehab works on Canal No.1&2...

From page 17

Kaieteur News

Saturday August 06, 2022

PAGE 19

Shares tumble as UK, Spanish explorers hit water instead of oil-bearing targets in Kanuku block Tullow Oil, a UK explorer from the UK, announced on Friday that its drilling operations at the Beebei-Potaro exploration well in the Kanuku licence, offshore Guyana, have been completed. It disappointedly noted that while the well encountered good quality reservoir in the primary and secondary targets both turned out to be water-bearing.

Kaieteur News understands that the Noble Regina Allen rig drilled the Beebei-Potaro well to a total depth of 4325 metres in 71 metres of water. The well has since been plugged and abandoned. Tullow told industry stakeholders that it will integrate the well results into its regional subsurface models and work with its joint venture partners before deciding on next steps.

This newspaper understands that shares of Tullow fell as much 6% to 47.38 pence in early trade, among the biggest losers in London's Stock Exchange following the news.

Repsol is the operator of the Kanuku licence with a 37.5%

working interest. Tullow holds 37.5% with TOQAP, which is a company jointly owned by Total E&P Guyana B.V. (60%) and Qatar Petroleum (40%) hold 25%.

A couple of years ago, Repsol had more luck with an exploration well on the Kanuku licence.

The Carapa-1 well encountered approximately four meters of net oil pay based on preliminary interpretation and extended the prolific Cretaceous oil play into the group's Guyana acreage. The Valaris EXL II jack-up rig drilled the Carapa-1 well to a total depth of 3,290 meters in 68 meters of water.

Tullow is an independent oil and gas, exploration and production group, quoted on the London, Irish and Ghanaian stock exchanges (symbol: TLW). The Group has interests in over 30 exploration and production licences across eight countries. In March 2021, Tullow committed to becoming Net Zero on its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030.

Fire at police OPR building was electrical - Guyana Fire Service Photo of the OPR building on fire

The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has concluded that an electrical fire had destroyed the police force's Office of Professional Responsibility's (OPR) building and the Director of Public Prosecution's (DPP) chambers at Eve Leary, On November 20, 2021.

It took the GFS some eight months to wrap up the investigation into the fire and on Friday, it moved to release its findings via a public statement.

GFS stated, “Based on the fire pattern, evidence gathered, eyewitness and scene examination, the fire was ruled as electrical in origin”.

With this being said, the fire service reminded home and business owners to be vigilant on the issue of overloading electrical circuits and to turn off electrical appliances when not in use.

Around 15:00hrs on November 20, 2021, the now ruled electrical fire started in the OPR building at Eve Leary and quickly spread destroying other sections of the facility that accommodated the Chambers of the DPP. Fire fighters reportedly arrived at the scene 45 minutes later but before they got there, police ranks, the Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn along with other government ministers, Anil Nandlall, Priya Manickchand and Sonia Parag were seen scurrying with staffers to save important documents and files from the burning building.

Those documents, according to information received by this media house, contained details on police cases and serious matters which are before the courts.

Reports had suggested that by time the flames were quelled, 98 percent of the legal documents were saved.

Map showing the location of the Kanuku Block offshore Guyana.

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Saturday August 06, 2022

Saturday August 06, 2022

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Kaieteur News

‘Dim’ night for Bright in Triple Jump finals at Commonwealth Games Abrams, Phillips out at semis

By Rawle Toney in Birmingham (Team Guyana Press Attaché) Chantoba Bright had a Season’s Best 12.97 metres, but it was never going to give the Kansas State University athlete a chance at a podiumfinish on another shiveringcold night of Track and Field at the Alexander Stadium.

Jamaican, Shanieka Ricketts, 2018 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, was first of the 13 jumpers to the ‘pit’ and the 2022 World Championships runner-up placed the enter competition on notice with a leap of

14.94m. Ricketts’ jump became the new Games Record in the women’s Triple Jump.

With the night already cold, it added further chills to her competitors.

Dominica’s Lafond Thea, bronze medallist at the 2018 Gold Coast Games, was second (14.39m) and England’s Naomi Metzger settled for bronze with a Personal Best 14.37m. Jamaica’s Kimberly Williams, the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games champion, settled for fourth (14.25).

Meanwhile, Aliyah Abrams and Kenisha Phillips ended their campaign at the

Commonwealth Games after exiting in the semi-finals of the Women’s 400m and 200m respectively.

Abrams, who crossed the finish line sixth with a time of 52.82s, her performance was certainly not the result she was hoping for.

“I think my body is at that point. It’s the only way I can describe it,” Abrams stated, pointing to her showing at the World Indoor Championships this year, where she was fifth in the finals, and followed that up with a semi-finals appearance in Oregon.

“I give it all that I had; I

Saturday August 06, 2022 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) A heightened level of intuition and understanding of others might catapult you to the center of attention at a gathering, Aries. Knowledge combined with experience results in wisdom today.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Communication with friends who have traveled widely could have you hankering to make a future visit to a distant place that you've always wanted to experience.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Dreams or visions could put you in touch with deep feelings that you may not have been aware of before, Gemini.

This could enable you to release traumas from your past and give you a new sense of lightness.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Relationships of all kinds are likely to be strengthened by an increased level of understanding today, Cancer. Your thinking is greatly enhanced by your emotional intuitiveness.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Dealing with the ups and downs of other family members could be easier for you today than usual, Libra.

You're less inclined to be logical and more apt to identify with what other people feel.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Today your mind is strongly influenced by feeling and intuition, Scorpio, so you'll be able to communicate especially well with others.

You might sense what they need to hear before. .

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You generally like to think of yourself as someone who faces life logically and rationally, Sagittarius, but today your intuitive side could prove a valuable resource.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Your intuition is usually very strong, Capricorn, and your level of empathy enhances your relationships. Today, however, a burst of logic could enable you to see many things.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Today your emotional intuition intensifies your mental abilities, Leo. Friends and family members are likely to grow closer to you.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Your intuition is heightened almost to the point of telepathy today. Aquarius, you may be able to sense what others want and need even before they know it themselves.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22) Relationships with those closest to you, particularly friends and love partners, should be enhanced by an increased understanding of their emotional world, Virgo.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Getting in touch with your closest friends could bring about some intense communication, with many revealing some of your deepest concerns, Pisces.

Chantoba Bright (Getty Images)

don’t know. It’s cold, but everybody has the same conditions, so I just had to make the most of it,” Abrams said

following her run. For Phillips, yesterday’s run of 24.39s in Heat two of the 200m, will bring the curtains

down on her season.

“I’m just grateful to God. I had a long season and I’m thankful that it’s finally over and I was healthy from January to now,” Phillips said, while adding that she’s not used to competing in cold conditions. It all comes down to the Men’s 4X100M relay team of Noelex Holder, Emanuel Archibald, Arinze Chance and Akeem Stewart to salvage some pride for the Guyanese track team in England’s second largest city.

“We’re very comfortable in the 4X100m,” a confident Stewart said. “I mean, our team would’ve brought back a bronze medal after two bad legs at the South American games; I think we’re capable of running 38 seconds.”

Guyana’s last three medals at the Commonwealth Games came from Track and Field. In 2002, in Manchester, Aliann Pompey won gold in the women’s 400m and would return in 2010, in Delhi, to clinch silver. At the 2018 Games in Australia, Troy Doris won the men’s long jump.

Fayyaz Hanif hits 84 not out in Canada Fayyaz Ali Hanif scored a brilliant, unbeaten 84 but still his team Super Star Colts went down to Ontario Cricket Academy (OCA) by seven wickets recently at Thackery Park, Etobicoke in the c o n t i n u a t i o n o f t h e 2 0 2 2 To r o n t o a n d District Cricket Assoc iation Juniors Under-14 T20 competition.

Hanif, the youngest son of former G u y a n a first-classwicketkeeper Azib Ali Hanif, struck 14 fours but Super Star Colts only mustered an inadequate 154-2 from the 20overs.

OCA, in reply, reached the target for the loss of three wickets with 45 balls remaining, thanks to an im-

Caribbean Senior...

From page 23 McQuan f r o m T & T a n d Adam Murrils from the BVI. Teams will start arriving from August 19.

Corporate support includes title spons o r s Wi s y n c o t h r o u g h t h e i r b r a n d , WAT A ; To u r i s m E n h a n c e m e n t Fund (TEF); Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA); Sports Development Foundation (SDF); Ernst & Young; Fleetwood; Levy Cheeks and Best Dressed Chicken.

pressive 68 not out from Dharm Patel while Jaison Koshal supported with 31.

The ten-team competi-

tion continues this weekend with a series of matches across the Greater Toronto Area.

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Saturday August 06, 2022

CMC Reliable Security Partners with GGA/Nexgen Golf Reema and Vishal Mohan of CMC Reliable Security Inc. and C. Mohan & Sons Contracting Guyana Inc. joined a growing number of major companies throwing their support behind the development of the first of its kind golf course being built by Nexgen Golf at Crane/Vreedenhoop in Region Three.

The multinational company, based in Guyana and Canada sees the benefits that Nexgen Golf has brought to Guyanese, especially for

young women and children and definitely wants to be a part of the sport that is sweeping the nation.

Reema said, “this is our way of ensuring that we are contributing to President Ali and First Lady Arya Ali’s vision in Region Three of creating fun and family oriented activities to Guyanese and through our companies and we plan to do as much as possible to help realize those goals. We are excited about the potential that this new

model of golfing is bringing to the West Coast and will support it as much as possible.” CMC Reliable Security is a leader in the industry and provides every service from 24 hour monitoring, cash in transit, and personal security protection.

The company understands that many expats play golf and as such, they’re ready, willing and able to secure the facilities during tournaments and after hours so that players can relax in a safe and secure environment.

C. Mohan Contracting is

no stranger to sponsoring the development of Sports in Guyana and sees joining forces with Nexgen Golf and the Guyana Golf Association as simply another step in providing as many opportunities for aspiring athletes to gain national recognition. According to the company “we have the capability help develop this project so it was a no-brainer to get involved. Golf has captured the attention of thousands in a short time and we believe that we can play a role in its development in Guyana.”

President of the Guyana Golf Association, Aleem Hussain, said he was extremely grateful to the Mohan family and companies for their support, “this means a lot to our efforts to develop golf facilities for the students in this region who plan to take golf at CSEC. Once large companies such as these are involved, it will make the growth and access to the sport for everyone a lot easier.” Hussain is the first Guyanese golf course designer and he has created a unique design that will change the way the sport is played in the years ahead. As he ex-

President of the Guyana Golf Association, Aleem Hussain accepts the cheque from a member of the Mohan family. plained, golf like cricket, is due for a makeover and without a new generation of players and a change in layout, the sport will not grow. “We are the 20/20 format of golf, and as you know, the old 5-day test matches are no longer popular!” The Nexgen Golf Academy is hosting its Third Annual Golf Camp at the

Scouts Association Ground on Woolford Avenue from August 15-28. Players will be able to participate in golf, archery, soccer, self defense and learn first aid, while parents are treated to massages, tea parties and wine tasting while they wait!

Call 645-0944 to reserve or register in person at the Academy as space is limited.

Tamim becomes first Bangladesh batter to reach 8000 ODI runs (ESPN Cricinfo) - Tamim Iqbal became the first Bangladesh batter to reach 8000 runs in ODIs, and overall the ninth opener to breach the landmark. He reached the milestone during Bangladesh’s first ODI against Zimbabwe when he moved to 57 with a late cut wide of short third man off Sikandar Raza in the 24th over.

Tamim, who notched up his 54th ODI fifty, is on a hot streak both as captain and opening batter.

He was named Player-ofthe-Series against West Indies last month, leading his side to a 3-0 sweep of the ODI

series. He was the leading runscorer in the three ODIs scoring 117 runs at an average of 58.50.

Tamim has led Bangladesh to six out of seven ODI series wins since he started his permanent captaincy reign in January 2021.

Having started his career in 2007, Tamim is inarguably Bangladesh’s greatest opener across formats.

He is the second highest run-getter in Tests behind Mushfiqur Rahim, who narrowly beat Tamim to become the first Bangladesh batter to reach 5000 runs in the longest format of the game.

Tamim, however, is the

first to 5000, 6000, 7000 and 8000 ODI runs for Bangladesh.

The last 1000 runs took Tamim only 23 innings - two years, due to the lack of ODIs in Bangladesh’s schedule of late - and included two centuries.

Interestingly, out of the nine openers who have made 8,000 runs, six of them are lefthanders, Tamim being the latest one.

Tamim gave Bangladesh an excellent start in the first ODI against Zimbabwe stitching 119 runs for the opening wicket alongside Litton Das. He fell to Raza for 62.

Guyana Chess Team makes a clean...

From page 23 Pooja Lam and Anaya Lall are on 1 point each.

The Open team faced off Cape Verde on August 5 which is rated 123 in the world while the Women's team faces off Oman, seeded at 108.

Chess players were given a rest day on August 4 where they had the opportunity to

tour and shop in the nearby areas. The Guyana team took the much-needed respite to relax and regroup for the remaining 6 rounds of the tournament which will conclude on August 9. The Closing ceremony of the Olympiad will also be held that day at 16:00hrs IST. Games continue daily with

one round per day and are being played at the Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort and Convention Centre.

Play starts daily at 15:00 Indian Time - 05:30 Guyana.

Links to live games can be found on the Guyana Chess Federation Website: www.guyanachess.org.

Saturday August 06, 2022

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Kaieteur News

Bangladesh A Tour of West Indies…

Host in firm control after Day 2 West Indies A have taken the upper hand against Bangladesh A after the second day of their first unofficial test match at the Daren Sammy Stadium in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia.

At stumps, West Indies are 165 - 3 in reply to the visitor’s first innings score of 167 all out. They trail by just two runs going into the third day. Overnight in the middle are Tevin Imlach and the captain, Joshua DaSilva, who are on 23 and 14, respectively.

Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Jeremy Solozano started beautifully for West Indies and put up a 78-run opening stand before the latter fell for 32. Chanderpaul continued playing positively until he was removed on a painstaking 49.

Tagenarine Chanderpaul (SportsMax)

ExxonMobil Boys & Girls U-14 Tournament starts today A total of 17 matches are scheduled to be contested on the opening day of the Petra organised ExxonMobil Boys and Girls Under-14 Tournament, which gets underway at the Ministry of Education Ground, Carfiesta Avenue today.

The action in the Boys Division between the Secondary Schools starts from 11:40 hrs as La Venture take on Cummings Lodge before Dolphin meet St. Cuthbert’s Mission frpm 12:30 hrs.

At 13:20 hrs Lodge will

battle Plaisance Boys Orphanage while from 16:40 hrs, Freeburg battle Houston, then New Central High face West Ruimveldt at 17:30 hrs.

The other five scheduled Boys matches will run simultaneously at the same venue on another pitch. Those matches will see Charlestown play Ann’s Grove at 11:40 hrs, Patentia face Campbellville (12:30 hrs), East Ruimveldt challenge Leonora (13:20 hrs), Westminster tackle North Ruimveldt (16:40 hrs) and St. Winifred’s versus

Tucville.

For the Girls Diivision, the matches start at 10:00 hrs with New Campbellville versus Leonora then at 10:50 hrs, West Ruimveldt face Ann’s Grove. At 14:10 hrs, East Ruimveldt will play New Campbellville while at 15:50 hrs, New Central High tackle West Ruimveldt.

The matches that will run simultaneous with the first three matches are Dolphin versus Lodge, Charlestown versus Tucville and Ann’s Grove versus Tucville.

Caribbean Senior Squash Championship set for August 21-27 in Jamaica (SportsMax) - The 37th running of the Caribbean Senior Squash Championship will take place in Jamaica, August 21 - 27 at the Liguanea Club in Kingston.

Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Guyana, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago and host country Jamaica are the eight countries who will field approximately 140 participants for the one-week tournament.

Chris Binnie who is currently ranked #1 in the region is among the top Jamaica players who have won Senior CASA titles. Binnie is a 9-time All Jamaica and Caribbean Senior Men’s Champion.

Meghan Best, defending champion in the female section from Barbados has registered to participate. The tournament will also feature 13-time All Jamaica Senior Women’s Champion, Karen Anderson.

Fierce competition is expected from Adrian Grant, former world #9 playing for Jamaica in

Shomari Wiltshire

his first CASA, young national champion, Shomari Wiltshire from Guyana, Chayse (Continued on page 21)

Keacy Carty was the other West Indian to fall after crafting 36 off the opposition’s attack. Despite rain delays that halted play on several occasions, West Indies were sitting pretty during every session.

Earlier, Bangladesh resumed day two on 135 – 6 and were able to add only 32 runs

before their final four wickets fell. The captain, Mohammad Mithun, top scored for his side with an even half century while the next two top scorers were Nayeem Hasan and Saif Hassan, who contributed 27 and 20, respectively, before they met their demises.

Marquino Mindley led the way for the West Indies bowl-

ing attack with a five wickethaul. He claimed three wickets on the first day and followed up with two more to end with figures of 5 – 59 from 17 overs.

He was supported by Justin Greaves, who bagged 3 – 26 in 16.1 overs and Shermon Lewis, who claimed 1 – 7 from 6.3 overs.

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Saturday August 06, 2022

Kaieteur News

Series on the line as West Indies versus India goes to Florida (ESPN Cricinfo) - It has been 12 years since cricket officially and formally made it to the USA, with a weekend of two T20Is between New Zealand and Sri Lanka. For various reasons, though, Florida hasn’t yet emerged as the cricket destination the administrators would have expected it to. This weekend’s two matches between West Indies and India will make it only 12 matches played between Full Members there.

However, if the two teams

can put on the kind of entertainment they did six years ago - when 245 batting first played 244 in the chase - it will go some way towards establishing Florida as a cricketing outpost. These two are the ideal teams to draw crowds in, what with the high number of immigrants from their parts of the world in America’s Sunshine State.

For the two teams, these matches could well be the last look they get before they name their squads for the T20

World Cup in Australia. So it will be a good test for Arshdeep Singh and R Ashwin, on a small ground, to stake their claims for the back-up spots.

West Indies know their best combination less well.

The wizards of T20 cricket have to play the qualifiers at the World Cup. Who knows if Andre Russell will be fit and if Sunil Narine will be picked.

For various reasons, Sheldon Cottrell, Fabian Allen and Evin Lewis are also missing

the games against India. With the series on the line, this is a good opportunity for the fringe players to push into the squad.

Deepak Hooda has not set a foot wrong this year, but he still can’t force his way into the first-choice XI for India when everybody is available.

However, he still has time to force his way into the squad, and into the XI should one of the batters struggle in the World Cup. Nicholas Pooran, the most established T20 batter in the West Indies line-up, struggled to score at a-run-aball against the cutters of Hardik Pandya and the offspin of Ashwin in the third T20I. He will have to face more of it if there is any grip in the pitch, and he will have to find a way.

A lot of focus will be on Rohit Sharma’s fitness after he retired hurt with back spasms in the third T20I. He has missed more matches than he has played since assuming full-time captaincy, and India will not want to risk a serious injury so close to the World Cup. He will play only if fully confident of his fitness. On the bowling front, India could go full-strength by picking Harshal Patel over

CWI had been preparing a contingency plan to stage the final leg of the series in the Caribbean (AFP/Getty Images) Avesh Khan, who has not had the best of series.

A bowling allrounder in Dominic Drakes instead of a batting allrounder in Odean Smith is the composition West Indies are likely to stick with. They could, however, bring in Smith for wicketkeeper Devon Thomas, with Pooran donning the big gloves.

The pitch can be an unknown at venues not used to hosting international cricket regularly, but the boundaries are small and there should be good value for shots. There is no big threat to the

matches except for the odd passing shower.

India - 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Suryakumar Yadav, 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Rishabh Pant (wk), 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Dinesh Karthik, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Harshal Patel, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Arshdeep Singh West Indies - 1 Kyle Mayers, 2 Brandon King, 3 Nicholas Pooran (capt), 4 Shimron Hetmyer, 5 Rovman Powell, 6 Devon Thomas (wk), 7 Jason Holder, 8 Akeal Hosein, 9 Dominic Drakes, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Obed McCoy

GFF promotes Bryan Joseph to Acting Technical Director The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has promoted Assistant Technical Director and former senior men’s national team player Bryan Joseph to the position of Acting Technical Director, in recognition of his strong record of implementing results-driven youth development programmes across Guyana.

Joseph has previously worked as GFF Youth Development Officer and coached various national youth teams. One of three Guyanese coaches with a valid Concacaf ‘B’ License, he is currently training for an ‘A’ coaching qualification facilitated by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association.

“Bryan has been instrumental in the great strides we have made developing sustainable development programmes across Guyana for boys and girls,” GFF President Wayne Forde said.

“His appointment underlines our longterm commitment to up skill and empower Guyana-based talent across the spectrum of our activities.”

“As part of GFF’s commitment to Bryan’s long-term development, he is actively working his way through the Concacaf coaching license pathway, in addition to further upskilling opportunities through our partnership with UEFA Assist and the Danish Football Association,” he added.

“All this is geared towards ensuring that Guyana produces an eminently qualified Technical Director in the future.”

Joseph rose through the ranks at the GFF to serve as Assistant Technical Director under former Technical Director Ian Greenwood, who had been charged with designing and orchestrating capacity building across the GFF’s national technical and coaching struc-

Bryan Joseph ture. Since 2015, the GFF has facilitated official coaching certification at various levels for more than 70 domesticbased coaches.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to further serve Guyana’s football in this capacity,” Joseph said. “It is another step in working towards my dream. I am committed to ensuring that the development curve of the Guyana’s football remains on the incline as I look to further strengthen the existing programmes that are working well for us, as well as design and implement new programs to take us even further.”

“I am happy that my commitment and hard work over the years have been recognised by President Forde and the Executive Committee,” he added. “They’ve invested tremendously in my professional development over the years and I will do everything within my power to ensure that the rewards match that investment. I look forward to the usual support of the stakeholders in the game as we push forward collectively.”

Kaieteur News

Saturday August 06, 2022

PAGE 25

Cummings/Edghill Guyana's last hope at Table Tennis at Commonwealth Games - Players make call for support and funding

By Rawle Toney in Birmingham (Team Guyana Press Attaché) The pair of Natalie Cummings and Chelsea Edghill, remains Guyana's last hope at a podium finish in Table Tennis at the Commonwealth Games, following their Women's Doubles Round-of-32 victory over South Africa.

Cummings and Edghill seemed like the perfect pair, showing unmatched coordination as they battled hard to 3-1 win (11-3, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8).

They will progress to today's Round-of-16 to face New Zealand's Chunyi Feng and Yangzi Liu. When the two Guyanese take to the Table Tennis Hall at the National Exhibition Centre today, it will mark the first time Guyana's females are featuring in the Doubles Round-of-16 at the Commonwealth Games.

Things didn't go so well for Christopher Franklin and Shemar Britton in the Men's Doubles Round-of-16.

Natalie Cummings following her historic performance at the Commonwealth Games.

Franklin and Britton held their own against Nigeria, but would lose 1-3 (6-11, 611, 11-9, 5-11). It was also the country's first time in the Men's Double Round-of-16.

Meanwhile, Cummings' exceptional run in the

Wo m e n ' s S i n g l e s i n Birmingham, came to an end yesterday when she was defeated by Wales' 16-yearold prodigy, Anna Hursey 04 in the Round-of-16.

Cummings, following her breathtaking seven-set thriller in the Round-of-32 against Mauritius' Ruqayyah, became the first Guyanese, male or female, to advance to the singles Round-of-16 at the Commonwealth Games since Table Tennis was added in 2002.

Reflecting on her historic win on Thursday evening, Cummings said she owes it all to her teammates that pulled her through.

Making her third Commonwealth Games appearance, Cummings believes that the 2022 event is their best performance.

“As a team, we gel well together, we support each other. We struggle together, win together. The little camps that we had (back home), we kept pushing each other; so I'm pleased with everyone that came here (to

Guyana Chess Team makes a clean sweep in Round Six Both Guyana Chess Olympiad teams were victorious in Round 6 against their counterparts in the FIDE Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India.

The four-member Open team played against Gabon in Round 6 and won the match 4-0.

Ta ff i n K h a n ( 2 0 1 9 ) d e f e a t e d Mounguen Koumba (1942) while Loris Nathoo (1695) will improve his ratings after he defeated Candidate Master Barthelemy Bongo Akanga Ndjila (1803).

Roberto Neto and Ethan Lee also won against Tary Bongo Ngombele and Ceylan Odounga Christ, respectively.

The Open team members grasped the initiative from the beginning of their games where they sustained the lead to take Guyana to victory.

Khan and Lee are currently on 2 points while FM A n t h o n y Drayton and Neto are on 1.5 points each with Nathoo on 1 point.

At the same time, on the women's side, Jessica Callender scored her third win in the competition against Gracia Nakonzi-Ndousse of the Central African

Roberto Neto

Republic. Sasha Shariff and Anaya Lall young Anaya Lall were also triumphant against their opponents, Gloria Gamba and Hebron Baguida, respectively, while Nellisha Johnson was unable to convert her game.

Guyana's women's team won the match 3-1. Points for the women are: Callender - 3, Shariff - 2, Johnson - 1.5, while (Continued on page 20)

Christopher Franklin and Shemar Britton will be the first Guyanese pair to play in the Round-of-16 of the Men's Singles at the Commonwealth Games. the Commonwealth Games),” Cummings said.

Coach Idi Lewis bemoaned the lack of funding for the sport, and believed that if they were given enough resources to properly prepare, things w ould' ve been better; something that Cummings wholehearted agreed with.

“Funding! We keep

saying it. Funding is so important. Equipment on time, better facilities. We need a home for Table Tennis. For me, setting a benchmark, top 16 I dont think is the best we can do, but it sets a precedent that we can do better,” the candid 'lefty' stated.

Cummings added, “if we're at home training and

we got this far, much-less more support thrown towards us, I think we can do much better.”

“As Idi said, we're not supposed to be here, but we're here showing everyone, showing Guyana that, just give us the opportunity and we're going to do things,” Cummings said.

Guyana Chess Team 'Dim' night for Bright in Triple Jump finals at makes a clean Commonwealth Games sweep in Round Six - Abrams, Phillips out at semis

Taffin Khan

Chantoba Bright takes flight in the Women's Triple Jump at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. (Associated Press)

s t r o Sp

Olympian, Chelsea Edghill at the Commonwealth Games

Cummings/Edghill Guyana's last hope at Table Tennis at Commonwealth Games

Series on the line as West Indies versus India goes to Florida Nicholas Pooran has struggled to get going, especially in the third T20I against Hardik Pandya and R Ashwin (AP)

- Players make call for support and funding Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.