Kaieteur News

Mother of three killed by sisters

Dead, Vanessa Anderson [Photo credit, Big Smith News Watch]

Tuesday Edition August 09, 2022 - Vol. 15 No. 31

Online readership yesterday, 89,949

PPP Govt. rejects IDB Depletion Policy Guidelines for oil resources Questions still linger 16 years after shooting death of KN pressmen Canje woman ‘Every day the govt. is stabbed to deathbeing sued’ by ex-husband - Nandlall says as House approves $100M to help fight law suits against State

Rystad Energy another example of how foreign entities seek to exploit domestic market - Chris Ram

Body of Hog Island farmer floats up with boat engine tied to waist, hands, feet bound, head in plastic bag Politicians and the state media misrepresenting The Glenn Lall Show the facts and giving us half truths! @11hrs on 99.1/99.5FM

Kaieteur News

PAGE 02

GuySuCo looking to partner with rice farmers to plough land, increase production

T

he Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is banking on a partnership with private rice farmers to increase the amount of land it tills to grow more sugar cane crops and ultimately improve its utterly poor production numbers.

The sugar company fell way below its first crop target and does not expect to meet required numbers this period to help satisfy both its local and foreign markets. It is adamant however that the company will not allow any in-country sugar shortage as Guyana will have first priority in accessing the sweetener. GuySuCo said its production numbers have fallen over the

particular period because of mainly poor weather and inadequate machinery for tilling the soil.

As such, GuySuCo’s Chief Executive Officer Sasenarine Singh said Thursday last, that he has invited private rice farmers to engage in contracts with the company to work side by side and till the necessary acreage.

He explained that these farmers with “big machines” will work with the company when the weather is sunnier.

Acknowledging that the farmers would give their farmers first priority and noting that avenue as a “risk”, Singh said nonetheless that “they (farmers) have given me the commitment that

Tuesday August 09, 2022

GuySuCo insists increased ploughing will support increased sugar cane production

between mid June, August and mid October, they are available to us and they are willing to work with us during that period.”

“So, if we plough the land then we can plant the land, then we can care for the cane, then we can have cane in the ground.” And once cane is in the ground, then we have sugar in the factory, the CEO emphasized. Singh said that the sugar production figure this year is 55,000 metric tons and it is not a lot, “but we are looking to make sure we plough more land this crop using the GuySuCo tractors and the private sector tractors in a public private partnership, and hopefully we can at minimum, double it

(ploughing).”

Singh reiterated however, that despite the efforts being made, “everything is dependent on the weather.” He told the newspaper that as the rain continues to fall what currently exists on the plantations is what sugar stakeholders call “platter platter mud” that is so soft that it could be smeared on the skin. He said that tractors will be destroyed in that type of soil, and once the rain continues to fall “we are helpless”.

The CEO said therefore, it would not matter what type of tractors are available to be used. The CEO and its Board of Directors, particularly, it’s Vice Chairman Anthony

Vieira, have had heated discussions about what tractor would be best suited for the tillage job. Vieira has since tendered his resignation from the board.

In a full page advertisement in the news dailies yesterday, GuySuCo said that the fixed framed, and articulated tractors at the centre of the controversy, can both be used to get the company’s job done when applied on their different types of beds.

The CEO told Kaieteur News that based on the advice of its technical people provided; the articulated tractors were most suited for the company’s Dutch beds and should be used until the company achieves 100

percent conversion to English beds. The tractors, the CEO has been insisting will increase capacity to till and ultimately increase sugar cane production. The first six articulated tractors provided to GuySuCo by the government, is expected to arrive in Guyana this month.

Singh said he is “definitely confident” that sugar production will increase next year once the recommendation of the Te a m o f P r o f e s s i o n a l Engineers independent of GuySuCo, is followed. He told the newspaper that the company’s decisions are backed by scientific evidence and that will be applied in moving the entity forward.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 09, 2022

PAGE 03

PPP Govt. rejects IDB Depletion Policy Guidelines for oil resources

By Kiana Wilburg Cognizant of the need to s t r e n g t h e n G u y a n a ’s capacity to manage the oil sector, the APNU+AFC faction had taken several loans and grants from international lending agencies during its time in office. In December 2018 for example, it borrowed a US$11.6M loan from the I n t e r- A m e r i c a n Development Bank (IDB) to support the development of the oil and gas sector as well as the development of cleaner energy sources for electricity generation.

One of the specific objectives of this loan focused on the establishment of Oil and Gas Depletion Policy Guidelines. This mechanism is often considered a necessary tool in the governance f r a m e w o r k f o r inexperienced oil producers with significant oil and gas resources. Though those guidelines were completed

in keeping with international best practices, it was wholly rejected by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic when it assumed office in August 2020.

In Guyana’s case, the guidelines which were prepared by the IDB in collaboration with the APNU+AFC regime sought to arm the country with standards it can use on setting the right time/pace at which production of oil resources must take place.

The bank reasoned that setting the correct pace of extraction and development helps Guyana to optimally reap the most benefit from its resources. By determining and moving at the right pace, the country allows itself enough time to put the most effective monitoring systems in place and build capacity needed to handle the complexities of regulating and auditing an oil industry. The guidelines therefore inherently ensure optimal extraction rate that

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

President, Irfaan Ali

maximizes resource use, economic value, and national development policy outcomes.

Kaieteur News understands, following a perusal of the Project Completion Report (PCR) for the loan, that these guidelines were completed and in place for the PPP/C Government to use way before the 2020 General and Regional Elections were completed. It was actually in place, waiting to be utilized

since December 2019.

Since assuming office h o w e v e r, t h e P P P / C Government has taken the decision to not make use of the guidelines in its entirety.

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo and President, Dr. Irfaan Ali have argued that they want ExxonMobil and partners to accelerate oil production in the Stabroek Block. Both have articulated to the citizenry that Guyana has a short window within which it can get the most

‘Every day the govt. is being sued’ - Nandlall says as House approves $100M to help fight law suits against State Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall SC revealed on Monday that the number of lawsuits filed against the State is among the main reasons the Ministry of Legal Affairs is seeking an additional $100 million as part of its supplementary budget.

In response to questions posed during the 49th sitting of the National Assembly, Nandlall explained that the State has been left with the financial burden of paying legal fees for a case brought against the government for the failed 2016 parking meter project contract.

According to Nandlall, some US $3 million will be expended on legal fees for the parking meter case which is filed in a Court in Wa s h i n g t o n D C . T h e Attorney General noted too that the $100 million only represents a single deposit of the monies to be expended on the parking meter case.

Attorney General, Anil Nandlall SC In addition, he noted there are several other lawsuits brought against the Government of Guyana.

Nandlall told the Assembly that: “Everyday almost the Government of Guyana is being sued in what I consider to be frivolous litigation.

O n l y, t o d a y I h a d proceedings filed in relation to the appointment of Patrick Findlay as Chairman of the Police Service Commission and every member appointed

by the President to the Integrity Commission has also been sued… These persons are simply dragged before the Court because they have demonstrated a willingness to serve the people of this country…

Each of these persons have been sued in their personal capacity so the State has to provide lawyers to represent these persons as they are being sue for no fault of their own.”

According to the AG, the elections petitions cases are also a part of the legal matters which the Government is to retain services to further represent its interest in that case.

“So this $100 million is to retain services in those categories of matters to which I have made mentioned,” he said. Back in January, the AG announced that Mexican Company had sued the Government of Guyana (GOG) for US$100 million as (Continued on page 6)

bucks for its oil barrels as the world will look to rely more on renewable energy sources to a significant degree by 2050.

Industry stakeholders have however expressed their disagreement with this approach, stating that Guyana’s sweet, light, crude will be needed beyond 2050, and therefore, authorities would do well to implement a depletion policy to pace itself. Local activists have also argued that Guyana should have a policy in place to give itself breathing space to build the necessary skills and capacities to manage the sector; otherwise the risks are even greater for economic loss as well as environmental damage.

The government has disagreed with the foregoing arguments, contending that its approach is in the best interest of the country.

OTHER UNDERUTILIZED LOANS This IDB loan is not the first

to be underutilized. Kaieteur News previously reported that the PPP/C Government has also placed a US$20M World Bank loan on pause.

That money was approved on March 29, 2019 for the Guyana Petroleum Resources Governance and Management Project (GPRGMP). The programme’s objective is to ensure the enhancement of legal and institutional frameworks and the strengthening of the capacity of key institutions to manage the oil and gas sector.

The financial institution said in a report that the project’s overall implementation has been downgraded to ‘ M o d e r a t e l y Unsatisfactory’, with around 24% of the total credit disbursed and no disbursement requests received by the Bank since the second quarter of 2021.

The bank in its report said that the government has indicated as recently as late (Continued on page 18)

PAGE 4

Tuesday August 09, 2022

Kaieteur News

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

Publisher: GLENN LALL-TEL: 624-6456 Editor: SHARMAIN GRAINGER Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Full liability coverage - who is truthful?

Former Executive Director of Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Vincent Adams, is not backing down from his previous assertions. What he has said is that there were fruitful discussions and developments with ExxonMobil’s former Country Head, Mr. Rod Henson, on the issue of full liability coverage for Guyana by the company. Senior people from Guyana’s Central Bank and the Insurance Association of Guyana, who were also present in those meetings, have since publicly confirmed that they were there, and the issue was raised. Now both the local EPA, and the American oil giant have linked arms in efforts to overpower Dr. Adams.

As we proceed, we make something clear right away. If a position has to be taken on who is more credible, which one of the clashing parties could be trusted more, we have to come out on the side of Dr. Adams. We have not found him to disguise or falsify anything in attempts to misrepresent the facts, and deceive the reading public. This ought to present how our own local EPA is considered, with nothing left to be said on where we stand with ExxonMobil and its rapaciously predatory leaders.

The issue before all citizens is one that harbours much menace for each one of them. It concerns “the amount and availability of oil spill insurance for the Stabroek Block” (“‘Put up or shut up’ …Former EPA Head challenges EPA, Exxon to publicize all spill policy” -KN August 8). Those are strong words, which indicate that he is geared for a public fight in his struggle to get the facts right for Guyanese.

He has pointed to specific sections of the Permit signed by ExxonMobil and Guyana, which greenlighted operations in the Stabroek Block. Dr. Adams has quoted copiously from Sections 1, 3, 4, and 5 of the Permit, which language speaks cleanly, on the extent of what is involved on the thorny issue of full liability coverage in the event of an oil spill, and who is responsible for providing that coverage. Specifically, those Sections of the Permit identify coverage, supplementary coverage, and developments relative to any modification, cancellation, or expiration, and the binding requirement that Guyana’s EPA must be informed, and review with a view to accepting or not. According to the Former EPA Head, these were among the things that ExxonMobil’s then Country Head, Mr. Henson, signed on behalf of the company. This public spat, which increases in intensity daily, highlights a couple of concerns. What is there, or what is not there, in terms of an underlying full liability coverage policy, or contingency provision, to protect Guyana and possibly the region, on the part of ExxonMobil? Did the company actually go to the effort and expense of obtaining what had to be had, and in keeping with the Permit that was signed by ExxonMobil’s then most senior representative in this country? Or did it balk at the thought of what such an outlay of funds would mean for the company’s profit numbers, and dragged its feet? Also, why is Guyana’s EPA, which has the crucial duty of safeguarding the interests of this country not more energized in engaging ExxonMobil’s people to get full disclosure on where matters stand, and in fulfillment of the Permit executed? Moreover, what is discomforting is that this country’s own EPA is much more comfortable going after Dr. Adams with the objective of degrading what he has had the courage and integrity to share with all Guyana. It would be helpful if we and the rest of Guyana could get a better handle on why our own EPA sees this as a proper course of action. The bottom line is whether ExxonMobil has taken out such full liability coverage for Guyana, or it has not to date. It is our belief that the resources and energies of the EPA would be better channeled, with much more value for Guyana, if ExxonMobil is made to come clean on what it has for a policy. All this partnering with others to publicly flay an outspoken Guyanese is self-defeating, and risks Guyana’s own selfdestruction from a real catastrophic oil spill, while it is without this compulsory and vital full liability coverage.

REBUTTING FREDDIE KISSOON’S FICTION DEAR EDITOR, Any good, decent, and respectable journalist would investigate, research and contact persons before writing erroneously about them. Journalists should be honest and accurate on facts and not conjure up things in their heads/minds and write disparagingly about people with the belief that they are correct. This is reckless, false/ fabricated and mediocre journalism to say the least. So let me rebut the baloney Freddie Kissoon wrote about me in Kaieteur News on August 5. He said “Mr. Nohar’s project has four interviewers – Mr. Charles Sugrim, Paul Tennassee, Dr. Asquith Rose, and Mr. Vishnu Bisram, all of whom do not live in Guyana and haven’t been in Guyana in recent years.” I do not know about the travelling schedule of the other names he mentioned, but for Mr. Kissoon to say that I have not been in Guyana in recent years is not only ridiculous and silly, but it shows clearly that he is presumptuous, snobbish, and snooty. Mr. Kissoon does not know anything

about me much less my travel plans which I will explain later.

He has been known to attack the character of persons, especially those from a certain ethnic group because he gets away with it. But not with me and not today. I am ready.

So let ne upbraid this Kaieteur News columnist who thinks he alone knows all about the politics, economics and history of Guyana and is the only one who has a panacea for all of Guyana’s socio-economic and geo-politics problems.

He has the temerity to say that Guyanese who reside in the Diaspora should not write or discuss anything about the issues in Guyana because according to him, they have abandoned the country when things were rough. However, Mr Kissoon does not live in the U.S, Canada, the Caribbean, or Latin America, or any country except for Guyana, yet he writes about those countries. This is hypocrisy at the highest level. Mr. Kissoon, by now you should know that there is a new marvel known as SOCIAL MEDIA which he

has stated that he is not familiar with because he does not have a smart phone. If he has any knowledge about SOCIAL MEDIA, he will refrain from writing such bunk about Guyanese in the diaspora. The social media has turned the world into a small village. Based on his illthoughts and poor logic, only those who live in Ukraine should write about the war currently taking place in that country.

Now Mr. Kissoon, for your information, I am pleased to inform you that I was in Guyana in 2021, from May 14 to October 28 due to the Covid pandemic which allows me to do my job virtually. I returned to Guyana on December 13, 2021, and departed on March 8, 2022, because I had to be on site for my job due to the lifting of COVID restrictions imposed by the authorities. I returned to Guyana on May 17, 2022, and Mr. Kissoon, after two and a half months, I am still here. During my five and a half months in Guyana in 2021, and my two and a half months this year and now another two and a half months to date, I have travelled

extensively the length and breadth of the country from the Rupununi districts to the Brazilian and Venezuelan borders, to Moleson Creek and to Orealla, including all the inner cities, Linden, Mahdia and Lethem, etc., and the districts and villages. The reason for my lengthy visits is based solely on my interests, but I was not stuckup in Georgetown, walking my dog on the seawalls, or going to Giftland Mall, or Survival Supermarket.

Instead, I visited both the high and low-end restaurants, clubs, bars in the city and elsewhere.

So, please do not write anything about me period because you do not know anything about me. And for you to say that I have not visited Guyana in recent times without even contacting me is not only poor journalism but is also a fiction of your mind which is pitiable. As humans, we must always heed the axiom: ‘ENGAGE YOUR BRAINS BEFORE OPENING YOUR MOUTH.” Remember the word “Research” Dr. Asquith Rose

I never used the verb ‘declined’ DEAR EDITOR, I read with great interest Ralph Ramkarran’s recent ‘Conversation Tree’ article headlined ‘I never declined’ published in the Sunday, August 7, 2022 edition of Stabroek News. I was compelled to pay attention to what was attributed to me for more than a couple of minutes in order to ponder authorship, authority and authenticity.

I am glad that Mr. Ramkarran expressed his views publicly on the matter.

By opening the door, he rejected a view held by some, that key decisions made by the leadership of the PPP under the Jagans were not arrived at as a result of democratically held lengthy and robust debates.

Mr. Ramkarran’s account also served as a reminder of the difficulties inherent in the plurality of friends and the qualitative and quantitative problem of friendship and camaraderie. Tangentially, we

were reminded of Aristotle’s saying about friendship; ‘O friends, there are no friends.’

Reliance on memorabilia and our individual ‘contemporaneous records’ of particular events, are likely to evoke more than one account of what actually took place. It is in that context, that I welcome Mr. Ramkarran’s viewpoint since it inheres the healthy practice of public education for the sake of clarification with a view to carrying the discussion forward.

Suffice it to say in the conversation during the Freddie Kissoon-Gildarie Show aired on July 25, 2022, I never did use the verb ‘declined’ in the present nor past tense as the raison d’etre for Mr. Ramkarran’s discontinuation of the selection process for the party’s presidential candidate for the 1997 election.

To be more precise, what I did say in the conversation

during the show aired on July 25, 2022 was: “Ralph said he was no longer interested.”

I have to concede that Ramkarran never said he was ‘no longer interested’ (was indifferent or unconcerned) nor did he ‘decline’ (refused to accept) the nomination to be the Party’s presidential candidate.

Mr. Ramkarran said he did not decline the nomination.

That he accepted, but his proposal to deal with his temporary circumstances was rejected.

In my autobiography ‘My Story, My Song’ I wrote: ‘His proposal did not go down well with a few members of the Executive Committee. He asked to be given time to reconsider his position. Mr. Ramkarran subsequently advised that he stood by his position because of family commitments which he was unprepared to surrender at the time.’ (Ibid pp331) I went to say: ‘Efforts

were made, but to no avail to encourage Mr. Ramkarran to return to the meetings of the Executive committee and to agree to hold a position in the cabinet.

After several hours of debate on numerous suggestions about who should fill the number three position in the ‘A Team’ and with Ralph Ramkarran out of the picture, the meeting unanimously agreed that Bharrat Jagdeo be named as the Number Three. Jagdeo agreed.’(Ibid pp 332).

While I appreciate Mr. Ramkarran’s account of the events, I wish to plant a flag and to stand by what I wrote in my autobiography where I sought to curate my understanding of the events more tightly in contrast to the loose manner in which I defined his position. In that sense, one can see how problematic the quote being discussed is.

Clement Rohee

It is time for saner heads to prevail DEAR EDITOR, Amidst the growing tension in the global environment following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the visit by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, there is one small glimmer of hope.

Ukraine has recommenced shipments of grain from its ports in the Black Sea which

had stopped since the February 20 Russian invasion.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the price of grain on the world market has already declined by nine percent in July following the resumption of grain exports. This is a small but welcome

development brokered by the United Nations and the Turkish government which allowed for the safe passage of cargo vessels by both Russia and Ukraine. This is a victory, albeit modest, for diplomacy and showed that the United Nations can play a role in conflict resolutions.

Could this be the

beginning of the end of the war in Ukraine, as hinted by former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder who met with Russian President Vladamir Putin during his recent visit to Russia? One can only hope that such is the case. The war so far has not shown any sign of (Continued on page 5)

Tuesday August 09, 2022

PAGE 5

Kaieteur News

President on a salvaging mission at GuySuCo DEAR EDITOR, I learn with amazement that the President is on a rescue operation involving smoothing over the raging waters inside the higher reaches of GuySuCo. It doesn’t get higher than the board and senior management; if the two are at loggerheads, then minds become twisted, visions get distorted, neither of which helps the crippled company.

But when I read in SN of President Ali’s intended salvaging mission, my first take was that this is truly the strangest of countries. The problem is corruption, as fortified by a rash of claims about deception, and the resulting lack of trust that follows. Nobody at any level can work together when trust – that most precious and scarcest of commodities in Guyana – is glaringly lacking.

It is obvious to me from the distance of the far outside that some things are not right at the sugar corp.

Considering its fragile state, corruption is the last thing that it can afford, is able to endure. This is particularly applicable when we all know that GuySuCo is an expensive ward of the State, which means pressed and strapped Guyanese taxpayers. For these reasons, my thinking is that the President’s interest is not in the right place, when I

ponder this mediating mission that he has made his priority. Editor, it is my position that President Ali is barking up the wrong tree, and placing his weight on the weakest of branches. Given the roiling circumstances at the heights in GuySuCo, there is no need for a mediator or an arbitrator, even a wellmeaning reconciler, as much as I am all for the latter in most situations. In my little, twocents contemplations, what is needed, nay demanded, at GuySuCo is a truth seeker and a fact finder. The areas that should be prioritised include, which one of the contending sides (and it is more than individual parties, more like hostile factions) is speaking to truth, represents what is right. Right for the best interests of the corporation.

Right for internal ambience necessary for progress to be eked out in an entity sadly lacking in such. And right for the goodwill that GuySuCo could use both from inside its sphere of ops, and on the outside as well.

Additionally, because Guyanese taxpayers fund the continued existence of the corporation, contentions about corruption must be settled cleanly and conclusively; properly also.

If allowed to remain unaddressed, then it would be as if local taxpayers are willing

It is time for saner...

From page 4 easing up with no clear ‘winners’ in sight. Both sides have experienced significant losses both in terms of military personnel and military hardware, not to mention civilian deaths and destruction of property.

I believe that some amount of ‘war fatigue’ is already stepping in on both sides which could very well lay the basis for a negotiated agreement between Russia and Ukraine.

This hopefully could be

brokered by the BRICS countries, mainly China and India which so far have not displayed any hostility nor support for any of the two warring sides.

Brazil, South Africa and more particularly Turkey can also play a supporting role. It is time for saner heads to prevail with a view to bringing this war, now in its sixth month, to an end. The whole of humanity is affected by this senseless war especially, the Ukranian people.

Hydar Ally

participants in sponsoring robberies of their own persons. Further still, I must now put something else in motion. President Ali has been strident, acidic, even abusive in his own claims surrounding transparency and accountability, both of which signify a hard distaste for corrupt practices. Well, at least this is so in my book.

Now, the spotlight is on the President to make good on his words, which I remind him of every so often, so that he stays centred, and in my struggles to keep him honest, as we Americans like to say.

Thus, being a Presidential broker is the wrong move at the wrong time with the wrong issue. If the piercingly attacking former director is in the wrong, then let that be noted publicly, and if a reprimand is due for his hasty zeal, so let it be. By the same token, the CEO (and he is not a lone actor, all things

considered) is due recognition for his own no less stout defenses about what took place. To state my own case openly, I am convinced that there are more than tractors in this mess, and that it is the flare up and blowout triggered by a long string of other associated troubling issues. There were others before the now former director who left in anger and disgust. When all is said and done, this is where President gets to prove what he is really about: circling wagons, maintaining sketchy narratives, or a genuine leader who himself can be trusted to rise to the challenge and take no prisoners. He must demonstrate how authentic of a corruption fighter he is, by backing up longstanding words to that effect, with actions that would go far in confirming his own credibility.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

Investigation needed DEAR EDITOR, I note the exchange regarding the type of tractors best suited for GuySuCo operations and the fallout between board and CEO and the heated exchange between the CEO and the board’s Chair and Vice Chair. The audio has gone viral on social media with the CEO’s cuss out of the Chair and Vice Chair.

The media reported on accusations of possible corruption and nepotism activities of tractor supplier. I believe this is just the tip of the iceberg on corruption to hit the agriculture sector.

As appeared in the media, there have been questionable appraisals and procurement or purchase of pumps excavators, and other equipment by NDIA. There were also in the media questions about irregularities in the awarding of contracts at the Agriculture Ministry (NDIA contracts on drainage work). So many contracts have been awarded and work

not done or incomplete.

Many of the contracts, it is alleged, were given and payment made to unqualified contractors with limited or no experience.

And just as in GuySuCo, as previously appeared in the media, qualified engineers at NDIA have been disregarded and persecuted for giving competent advice on procurement of equipment and works; several of them have resigned or were terminated. Also, there was the lack of transparency and questionable distribution of the flood relief grant as well as the grant to fishermen. The grant to fishermen could barely purchase food for a month.

An investigation should be launched into the tractor controversy, the purchase of pumps and awarding of contracts, and the distribution of flood relief and fisherfolk grants.

Yours truly, Edward Burrowes

Guyana needs political parties modelled on the philosophy of our National Motto DEAR EDITOR, As someone inspired by Burnham during my youth, who ate his fair share of the PNC’s cook-up during their political meetings attended by my father and myself in the 1970s at Alleyne’s High School, also as a Guyanese who lived first-hand through recent attempts by the APNUAFC to overturn the results of the 2020 National Elections, I consider it as a great responsibility to share my thoughts on Aubrey Norton’s recent declaration at the PNCR’s general congress on August 06, 2022 (SN Aug 08/ 22) for the party to ‘slip into campaign mode’.

Norton and I have known each other since the middle 1990’s when I attended some of the Party’s meetings. He was always a brilliant man, someone who commanded attention, respect, someone to be listened to, although I think his recent posturing with the President has brought much of this into question. His further educational achievements have surely put him in a position where he understands perfectly Guyana’s economics, as well as the road to national development and prosperity now made so much easier

with our new-found oil wealth.

This said, I find it difficult, impossible, for anyone with a modicum of common sense, a sense of justice, not to mention an accomplished politician as Norton himself is, to remain with, be a part of a political machinery which as recently as two years ago, held this country over a barrel once again in its failed attempt to rig our national elections, an event which has become part and parcel of the existence of the PNC(R).

Just as bad was the AFC which went hand in hand in the 2020 elections sham, leaving the supporters it won for itself going into the 2015 elections nonplussed, with sore regret for ever countenancing supporting them in the first place.

Without a doubt there is much need for political parties, political representation in Guyana, but I think the last thing Guyana needs right now is a political party which blew its second, and I am almost certain, final attempt for the next two generations at least, to provide proper government and run off a national election without rigging it. The PNCR, its supporters, need to do (Continued on page 6)

PAGE 6

Tuesday August 09, 2022

Kaieteur News

Only he who feels it knows and can best articulate DEAR EDITOR, Those who ignore the plight of the poor, marginalised and dispossessed to focus on handshake must not fail to recognise whereas it is nice to be courteous, and the world would be a better place with courteous people, it must be recognised that good governance, human survival and rights take precedence over courtesy in any part of the world.

There are significant sections in society vocalising their pains about being marginalised and discriminated against, but their voices are being ignored. They are told their stories are not true or are being held hostage to some imaginary past that they or their leaders violated others and it is now payback time.

In societies that care about its people, particularly

such as ours where the majority have forebears that suffered historical violations, discriminating against others should be met with national outcries. In a nation that subscribes to universally acceptable principles no citizen should be denied basic rights or be in want.

There is a pompous arrogance where some believe they can and must determine for others, including who must be their leaders, who they must associate with, what they must do, and how they must react even in the presence of oppression and government violence and hostility towards them.

Only misplaced notions of superiority will drive some to think they have the right to determine and interpret for others.

Citizens are suffering, constitutional rights are being

trampled on with impunity, the government treats with contempt the rights of those who dissent or haven’t supported them at the polls.

There is no regard for the political system that mandates inclusionary democracy as outlined in Article 13 in the Constitution of Guyana, nor no demand made for the upholding of same by those preoccupied with a handshake.

There is silence or acquiescence from quarters for escalating corruption and wanton spending of taxpayers’ money.

There is no public appeal to restore probity to governance or at least not loud enough.

Sections of this society are hurting and for some who are managing to receive the crumbs from the table, they do so either by putting their dignity under their feet or

having it trampled under the feet of others in the name of survival or in the hope that things would one day get better.

Some are so contemptuous of us, even our sacred spaces are no longer sacred. Our pulpits are being commandeered as political platforms by politicians who have no regard for the separation of church and state but find these as ready spaces in their vote buying campaign as religious leaders let them in, in the hope their congregations could benefit from the national patrimony.

People are preoccupied with handshakes in the time of COVID-19 and monkeypox when the World Health Organisation (WHO) has encouraged minimising close physical contact or washing hands immediately after touching in order to mitigate spread of the diseases, both

‘Every day the govt...

From page 3 compensation in relation to a parking meters project which was introduced under the previous administration.

Smart City Solutions (SCS), a Mexican Company sued the Government of Guyana (GOG) for US$100 million as compensation in relation to a parking meters project which was introduced under the previous administration, some five years ago.

The project was introduced in 2016 by the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) under the stewardship of Mayor Patricia ChaseGreene. However, the project was stalled after it was rejected and faced massive protest by many citizens.

Nandlall said that most people might have forgotten about the parking meters project but the company has not. “We all forgot about the parking meters project. Well, the company that was responsible has not forgotten.

The company has filed proceedings in an institution

called the International Center for Settlement of Investments Disputes (ICSID) in Washington DC, against the Government of Guyana,” he related.

The ICSID is an international arbitration institution established in 1966 by the World Bank Group for legal dispute resolution and conciliation between international investors and States.

The case was filed on December 22, 2021, by the claimants: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, New York, NY and Houston, TX, U.S.A, and Fraser & Housty, Attorneys at Law, Georgetown, Guyana. The Attorney General’s Chambers, Ministry of Legal Affairs, Georgetown, Guyana, was listed as the respondent.

According to the ICSID website, the status of the matter is pending and the latest development in the matter is that the acting Secretary-General has registered a request for the institution of arbitration proceedings.

of which are declared public health emergencies.

Serious business of governance, life, health and upholding the rights of others to participate in and benefit from the nation’s patrimony or matters of good governance as prescribed by law and universally acceptable principles, are not of concern.

Something is wrong with a society where people, many of whom are surrogates and mouthpieces of the government, are overly preoccupied with wanting a handshake between the nation’s two premier politicians and not similarly preoccupied with the prevailing violations and transgressions occurring daily.

They are not preoccupied with wanting good governance, equality, equity, justice, a living wage and better conditions of work, an end to human rights violations and police excesses, marginalisation, discrimination, rising cost of living and diminishing wages.

Where are the voices crying out for public servants

who keep the wheels of government turning for an uncaring and corrupt regime that treats them worse than stray animals? Those who are preoccupied over a handshake have forgotten the bauxite workers employed at the Bauxite Company Guyana Inc (BCGI) who have been denied justice since the Bharrat Jagdeo regime.

Where are the voices clamouring for environmental protection and sustainable development in the era of oil exploitation? Where are the voices of these ‘good citizens’ calling for addressing the education system post COVID-19 and the imbalances that have been created for our little children as a result of the pandemic; the disparity in the cash grants? The working class is being denied social, economic and political justice as the margin between the rich and poor grows wider.

Only he who feels it knows and can best articulate, and it is time to start listening and stop dictating for others their reality.

Lincoln Lewis

Guyana needs...

From page 5 a reality check, some careful introspection on what happened during the PNCR’s last five years in administration, because many of these very supporters were left with the proverbial white-mouth as some of their very lives, means of earning a living, were uprooted and thrown into the fire by the then administration, not to mention the dashed hopes of the many invisible, forgotten Guyanese around the country. It will be hard to forget the Stabroek vendor on television explaining how the APNU-AFC’s decision to relocate him and the other vendors without consultation destroyed his life and that of his family because as a consequence he was unable to pay his mortgage. More importantly, they need to seriously examine and grade themselves on ethics and governance issues, because where everyone thought the PPP was bad, the APNU-AFC administration has demonstrated that they have no limit, there was nothing they could not do.

Their introspection should bring to the surface their numerous failures, the unforgivable one being the elections fiasco. I am sure Norton knows that his party doesn’t have a hope in hell of ever winning another national election, because after the

APNU-AFC’s contract with Exxon and company for the Government of Guyana’s Minister of Finance to pay Exxon’s income taxes, after scuttling an opportunity for better wages and salaries by public servants in 2019, telling Guyanese to go sell plantain chips, after trodding on the lives of vendors at Stabroek market, not batting an eye on the welfare of municipal workers, after trying to rig another election in this 21st century, just it seems to show how it’s done, our choices should become clearer.

The PNC gave Guyana and Guyanese a trashing in their 28 years of rigged elections and bad government.

Older Guyanese along with the new generation were barely spared another trashing in 2020. Norton knows the PNC/R has done irreparable harm to itself, to the extent where I personally see it as an interest group, a viable group nonetheless, with representatives in Guyana’s Parliament, but an interest group which will never win another election. The sooner traditional PNC supporters realise this, the better. Keep away from attempts to get drawn into ethnic politics. Our Buxtonians, children from a line of heroic, courageous fighters, can give us all a good lesson on this.

Yours Faithfully, Craig Sylvester

T N U L B . . .

T B N U T L N T B .

U .

L .

L T B .

N .

U .

N U T L N B .

U .

T .

L N T U N B .

N U .

L U L LUNT. B .

T . .

T T N N B U B .

U .

L .

L T B .

B . .

N . . .

T U T L N N T U U L N L B U .

B . .

L . . .

T B T .

The Opposition .

N .

N T U L N LU B U . .

L N .

T B U . has failed us! .

L N .

T B U . .

L N .

T B U . .

L N .

NT LUNT...B NT...BLU N U L B . .

B .

U . .

T L .

N T B . .

U N .

L N T B U N . .

L .

U T L B . .

N B . . .

T U .

L N T B U . .

L .

UN T B U . .

L N .

T B U . .

L N .

T B U . .

L N .

T B U . .

L B U UN .BLUNT. . .

L .

T B . .

N .

T U .

L N .

T B U . .

L N .

T B U . .

L N .

T B U . .

L N .

T B U . .

L N .

T B U . .

L N .

LU ...BLUNT LUNT...B NT...BL T B U . .

L N .

T B BLU T...BLUN BLUNT... UNT...B . .

L N .

T B U . .

L N .

T B B U . .

L N .

T B U . .

L N .

T B U . .

L N .

T B BBLU T...BLUN BLUNT... ...BLU .

T .

N .

N T T U L U L N L B U T...BLU U B .

L .

N .

B T . . .

N T U N N N L U U U B L .

L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Tuesday August 09, 2022

Kaieteur News

The A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Coalition has done this nation and its supporters a grave injustice by boycotting yesterday’s sitting of the National Assembly.

The political group continues to show gross immaturity by looking out for the interests of eight Members of Parliament (MPs), while allowing the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to raid the treasury.

Civil society activist, Dr. Yog Mahadeo could not have said it better “Guyana needs nationalistic thinking”.

It is unfortunate that the Opposition that represents close to half of the population chose to sit out such an important session rather than standing in Parliament to scrutinise the $44.7B that the government smoothly approved. While their argument that the Speaker, Manzoor Nadir allows the government’s side to escape liability is understood, it does not change the fact that the world is watching; they are seeing and taking note of the administration whose mantra is “transparency and accountability”.

PAGE 07

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Tuesday August 09, 2022

Rystad Energy another example of how foreign entities seek to exploit domestic market - Chris Ram The recent presentation

by Norwegian research and business intelligence firm, Rystad Energy on the outstanding oil future that awaits Guyana, particularly over the next two decades, is yet another example of how foreign entities seek to exploit their perceived gullibility of the domestic market, says Chartered Accountant and Attorney-atLaw, Christopher Ram. In an invited comment, Ram said Rystad’s Senior Vice President and Head of Latin America and the Caribbean, Schreiner Parker presented a study to citizens on Thursday last at Duke Loge which contained rather questionable information and views posing as facts.

Ram was keen to note t h a t e v e n Ry s t a d ’s representation of itself as a research organization is in itself misleading.

Expounding further, the Chartered Accountant said it is not a research entity but a firm of consultants which sells its services to oil companies and others and markets itself by the preparation and distribution of what it refers to as studies.

“Genuine research entities take their publications seriously, almost invariably having its work peer reviewed, so that it can stand robust scrutiny.

By its own admission, Rystad does not have its publications reviewed,” Ram said.

Unfortunately for presenter Schreiner Parker, this failure was brought into sharp focus when following his presentation, he had to respond to questions raised by the audience. In fact, it was Ram who challenged Parker on his study not being peer reviewed.

Chartered Accountant and Lawyer, Chris Ram Ram also told Kaieteur News on Sunday that Parker ’s supreme confidence in his presentation embarrassingly deserted him during question time. Unable to answer the

many serious questions thrown at him during his presentation, Ram shared that Parker headed for the door almost immediately after the proceedings came to a close. “So much for his promise during the questionand-answer session to meet one-on-one with those persons who were dissatisfied with his evasive or incomplete answers,” expressed Ram. He added, “It seemed clear to me that Mr. Parker was completely unaware of G u y a n a ’s p e t r o l e u m legislation, (former Minister of Natural Resources, R a p h a e l ) Tr o t m a n ’s infamous 2016 Production Sharing Agreement with Exxon, or the serious questions to which Guyanese had been seeking answers from their own government since 2016.”

Ram said too, that Parker did not seem to know too that the 2016 agreement was a post-discovery agreement

Rystad’s Senior Vice President and Head of Latin America and the Caribbean, Schreiner Parker which altered the dynamics of the arrangement between the government and the oil companies; nor did he understand that the petroleum laws of Guyana provide for a single agreement, and not one agreement fathering another.

The lawyer further pointed out that Parker did not seem to know the economic state of Guyana in 2015, referring and relying on statistics stale dated by decades rather than years.

Ram said too that the Rystad VP did not know the potential impact which an incident at one well could have on several others operating in such close proximity; nor indeed any questions about the environment.

Ram said this was not Rystad’s first foray in Guyana. “Hopefully, this would have been an eye opener and an education to them,” the lawyer noted.

Ram said if there was one

positive coming out of the presentation, it was the fact that there were among the audience, persons close to the government. “We can only hope that they would have taken back some message to their principals,” the lawyer concluded.

RYSTAD REPORT Through the facilitation of Oil NOW and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Rystad’s Senior Vice President and Head of Latin America and the Caribbean, Schreiner Parker presented some of the key findings of the firm’s Guyana study.

At the Duke Lodge Conference room, Parker noted that government revenue from domestic production is on track to break the US$1 billion mark this year and accelerate to US$7.5 billion annually in 2030, according to Rystad Energy research. He said this year is set to be a turning point for the Georgetown government to start capitalising on the vast reserves in the offshore field, with revenues more than doubling over 2021 levels.

Parker went on to note that the government’s take from the production is expected to increase until 2025, reaching US$4.2 billion annually. The Senior VP said too that the recent spate of prolific discoveries and the steady pace of Final Investment Decision (FID) position the Guyanese government to reap the rewards of these finds with cumulative revenues totalling US$157 billion by 2040.

Duo remanded for murder of Mabaruma youth A teenage boy and a man were on Monday remanded to prison for the stabbing death of a Mabaruma youth.

The accused, Wayne DaSilva, 22, called “Monkey Man” of Hobo Hill, North West District (NWD) Region One, and a 16-year-old boy of Kumaka Waterfront, NWD, appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Mabaruma Magistrate’s Court. The teen accused was represented by attorney-at-law Bernard DaSilva, while DaSilva was unrepresented. The two accused were not required to enter a plea when the

indictable charge was read to them. The charge stated that on August 3, 2022 at Kumaka Waterfront, they murdered Jude Christino.

Magistrate Scarce remanded the two accused and adjourned the matter to August 18, 2022.

Kaieteur News had reported that the alleged interruption of a couple’s conversation might have led to the killing of 18-year-old Christino. The teen was reportedly stabbed to death at Kumaka Water Front, following an altercation he had with two accused.

Sources close to the

Murdered, Jude Christino investigation shared that Christino was murdered allegedly for interrupting a conversation between one of the suspects and his (Continued on page 9)

Tuesday August 09, 2022

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

The PNC/R will be in Opposition for a very long time The PNC/R may have done more than simply shot itself in the foot. It may have inflicted a grievous wound on itself as a result of its attempt to benefit from rigged elections.

Guyana appeared headed for a future of one-term governments. The changes in the country’s demography and emergence of a number of small parties which prepared to join their respective Lists, and the razor slim majorities which have emerged in the National Assembly since 2011, all pointed to one-term governments becoming a permanent feature of Guyana’s electoral politics.

The PNC/R, by its shenanigans in the General and Regional Elections of 2020, has so harmed its credibility that it may have given the PPP/C a life’s holder pass to political office. It is difficult to imagine the PPP/C losing the next elections and the one after that.

And this has little to do with the fact that the incumbent regime has control over the oil revenues. Those oil revenues are a curse onto this nation because when the oil companies are finished with Guyana, it will be deeper in debt than before oil was discovered.

Already the government has begun to seek loans for

national development. It is asking the Saudis to establish a billion dollar investment fund for Guyana. It has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for US$2 billion line of credit with the Exim Bank of America. The oil monies are not sufficient to finance the government’s national agenda and so it is seeking external finance. It is even begging for money for climate mitigation and it wants this on soft terms.

The fact of the matter is that even without oil, the PPP/ C will cruise to victory in 2025 and 2030. These races should have been close contests. But they will no longer be because of the assault on democracy which was perpetrated by the APNU+AFC. The PNCR/R is the major party in the APNU+AFC. All the other parties in the APNU are cardboard parties.

Having elected a leadership which embraces a discredited narrative, the PNC/R will find it difficult to reclaim political credibility.

How can the PNC/R hope to regain political appeal when it continues to insist that the elections were rigged by the PPP/C. Not even its most ardent supporters truthfully accept this narrative.

The PNC/R did not need to go down this road. The 2011 and 2015 elections

showed how much the country’s racial demography has changed, a fact confirmed by the 2012 census. East Indians no longer are a majority in the country. In fact, East Indians’ share of the population has declined precipitously and far greater than any other ethnic group.

The Africans share of the population declined by slightly less than one percent between 2002 and 2012. On the other hand, the Indians share of the population declined by more than three and half percentage points for the corresponding period.

Also, the percentage of mixed Guyana has increased to the extent that this grouping can wield significant influence in any election.

The Mixed population moved to almost 20 percent of the population, making it a crucial electoral demographic.

These facts have implications for elections.

While it remains true that ethnic voting still predominates, the reality is that ethnic voting is not as deterministic as it used to be.

Even if the PPP/C, for example, gets all the Indian votes, that would not grant it a ticket to government. It needs the support of other demographics.

In 2011, the PPP/C lost Indian support in West

Dem boys seh...

A man mek everybody millionaire overnight A man come and tell we how we gat get US$157B from oil over de next 17 years and people cheering de man on.

De man come and mek everybody millionaire overnight. Pon paper though, because people pushing dem hand in dem pocket and it coming out empty Dem nah divide de 157 by de 17 fuh determine how much we gan get each year.

And dem nah factor in how de Vee Pee bin seh how de window fuh oil production be narrow because of renewables.

Dem shoulda bring de man fuh total up de votes of de last elections. With de sort of maths wah he using de APNU+AFC would ah win by landslide. Instead dem now sliding de land to political oblivion.

Guyana borrowing money fuh development. And America look like dem gat we renewable energy programme pon lockdown. It look like de Americans gan be in de driver’s seat when it comes to renewable energy.

De IDB fund a 1 MW solar farm in Lethem. It cost more

dan 452 M Guyana dollars or more dan 2 M dollar. Dem boys wan know since when 1 MW of solar energy suh costly fuh generate. De IDB should explain how de cost of de 1 MW is so far higher dan de global average.

But dat is de new mathematics when yuh borrowing. De cost does go up because yuh gat all kinda add on cost. Somebody however should take a second look at de cost of dat solar farm to see whether we get overcharge Talk half. Leff Half.

Duo remanded for murder of ...

From page 8 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.

Berbice. Those votes went to the AFC because of the strong campaigning by former members of Ravi Dev’s ROAR who had been recruited by the AFC. The treatment of the sugar workers in that area was also decisive. When Jagdeo realised the falling support in West Coast Berbice, he went to meet the sugar workers.

They told him, “Boat dun gone ah Falls.”

While therefore ethnic voting dominates elections, it is not as deterministic as it once was. Both parties have begun to recognise the importance of both the Mixed and the Indigenous vote.

The changing demographics means that the PPP/C is no longer

guaranteed a victory by virtue of its stranglehold on the Indian vote. The APNU and AFC together held a majority in the 2011 Parliament. And when they formed the APNU+AFC Coalition in 2015, the grouping secured a one seat majority.

In government, they however behaved as if they had a commanding majority.

And then in the 2020 elections, the APNU+AFC dissolved whatever chances it had to regaining power in 2025 by not distancing itself from the plot to rig the elections.

There is no place for electoral cheats in the modern era. By continuing to embrace a discredited narrative, the PNC/R has not

only shot itself in the foot, it has shut itself out of political office for a very long time.

Instead of blaming the PPP/C, the supporters of the PNC/R should blame those who are responsible for thwarting whatever chances the PNC/R has of ever regaining political office.

(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

Tuesday August 09, 2022

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Aubrey Norton: Pavlovian reflexes This column here is a continuation from yesterday’s analysis of the politics of the opposition leader. All politicians propagandise when they are in opposition. They classify everything that the ruling party does as bad. When they get into power, those that now form opposition play the identical game.

What opposition parties say and do have to be astute and sophisticated because in societies with an educated population, people can dismiss you, and it can damage you at election time.

The refusal of the opposition leader to shake the president’s hand on two occasions has to be one of the most comical and selfdefeating misdemeanor in politics anywhere in the world.

There is nothing disastrous in individuals

refusing to shake hands. The personal issue may be so traumatic John may refuse to shake Suraj’s hand. Those are persons acting in their own capacities. Norton acts in his status as one of the representatives of the nationhood of Guyana. He has moral obligations in that classification that untold numbers of Guyanese do not.

That Mr. Norton can elevate the political importance of a handshake is beyond the hilarious and the absurd. But Mr. Norton’s decision becomes understandable when you use context. Mr. Norton grew up in the youth arm (YSM) of the PNC at a time when the PPP, WPA and several civil society groupings were relentless in their confrontation with the PNC government.

The YSM was generally the part of the PNC that

fought the street battles with government’s opposition.

Many of the young men and also young women in the YSM who eventually made the transition to the father/mother party - the PNC - could not reshape their deportment and mentality.

What happened then was that though they were accepted in the father/mother party, the leading lights in the PNC’s hierarchy never considered them personalities that could be groomed for leadership.

The PNC is replete with such examples.

When Forbes Burnham died, there was no serious consideration making Hamilton Green his successor. When Hoyte died there was no serious consideration making Robert Corbin his successor.

When in 2010, the PNC

opened up its leader position to competition, there were four contenders – Faith Harding, James Bond, Carl Greenidge and David Granger.

Greenidge and Granger were in front by billions of miles. Harding was always seen as a rough lady in the PNC involved in social missteps. In one unsavoury incident that was the talk of the town, she was the central fighter in a brawl in a night club.

I remember the incident well. The other fighter was a student of mine at the time.

All of UG was talking about the incident. Bond was seen as a road fighter and was never in contention.

Unfortunately, Bond has not been able to shake off that label.

I remember during the five-month of election rigging, he passed by my home on the Railway Embankment on top of a large truck, with dozens of residents of Sophia. Traffic was disrupted. He was shouting from a bullhorn that the PNC had won the election. The entourage

made its way into the heart of the city where traffic came to a halt.

In that 2010 competition, Carl Greenidge, who was Frederick Kissoon away from Guyana specialist who is also from for 20 years, lost to Granger by 12 votes. The meaning of the village. It is a sad fault of Greenidge’s success lies in the ordinary man and woman how people see their leaders. of this world but it is a brutal Although Bond was very fact.

Mr. Norton continues to popular among PNC youths and was seen as a young behave as if he is leading a Hamilton Green, Greenidge street protest during the era w a s s e e n a s m o r e of mo fyaah/slo fayyah. I presentable than him. Mr. believe Mr. Norton honestly Norton won less than 50 in his mind thinks that the percent of the votes at the r e f u s a l t o s h a k e t h e congressional election in president’s hand is a thing December last year. One can that the street boys will argue that Norton was not praise him for.

He plays to that gallery. I seen with enlightened hearts cannot see Mr. Norton going and minds by the PNC in any other direction than delegates.

There is a fault-line in the the pathways he has been psychology of working class riding on since his days in the people all over the world. A YSM. He is disappointing farmer will use his tractor to the African people that love block the pathway of the the PNC. (The views expressed in police in a protest in the village. But when it is time to this article are those of the choose a contender to a u t h o r a n d d o n o t become head of government necessarily reflect the they will go with the cancer opinions of this newspaper.)

Body of Hog Island farmer floats up with boat engine tied to waist, hands and feet bound, head in plastic bag

T

he Guyana Police Force (GPF) has disclosed that the person(s) who murdered the missing Hog Island farmer tried to sink his body by strapping a boat engine to it.

The man’s hands and feet were also bound with a plastic bag and duct- taped over his head. Brutally murdered is Romeo Randolph, 35, a farmer and boat captain (passenger boat) of Hog Island, Essequibo River and Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo.

The farmer lived alone on the island but made visits to his reputed wife and children at Tuschen once weekly. On July 29, 2022, was the last time his family saw him alive. He however spoke to them via telephone on the afternoon of August 4.

Kaieteur News understands that Randolph had called his family to inform them that he was heading home – however, he never made it home to them as he disappeared that said evening.

Later that evening, Randolph’s wife received a call from her husband’s neighbour informing that his boat was found floating in the river but he was not in the vessel.

As such, the woman went to his home at Hog Island where she observed nothing amiss, and the boat and engine intact at the neighbour after being recovered from the river. She made checks for him in the area but he was not seen.

The following day (August 5) the woman reported her husband missing. Around 08:00hrs on Sunday, Rudolph’s body was seen floating in the Essequibo River. After it was retrieved, family members later

Brutally murdered, Romeo Rudolph positively identified the remains. The police reported that Rudolph’s hands and feet were bound with a piece of rope, with his head covered with a black plastic which was ducttaped and an 115HP outboard engine was tied to his body.

Rudolph’s body was taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where he was officially pronounced dead by a doctor on duty and then taken to the Ezekiel Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem examination.

According to the police, Randolph was murdered sometime between August 4, 2022, and August 7, 2022. Several persons have been questioned as investigations are ongoing.

According to Regional Commander, Mahendra Sewnarine, no suspect has yet been arrested.

Tuesday August 09, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Tuesday August 09, 2022

EPA must release monthly oil - Dr. Vincent production reports Adams As Government pushes the oil companies operating here to speed up production to meet the world’s energy demand, in light of the crisis caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, this also brings into focus, the need for more robust oversight of environmental safeguards.

Leading the call to this end is the former Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Vincent Adams. Though he has migrated to the United States, Adams has been an advocate for good governance and management of the country’s oil and gas sector in particular. In a letter to the Editor, Dr. Adams, a retired Environmental Engineer and former Manager at the United States Department of Energy, reasoned that since the EPA seems to be making strides towards becoming transparent, it would be prudent for the agency to provide the Guyanese public with monthly data on the

exploitation of its oil resource.

For instance, he noted that monthly reports on the amount of oil produced; the amount of water produced; sea water injected and the total amount of produced water being dumped into the sea should be made public.

Further, the former EPA boss said that citizens also deserve to know the amount of gas produced, re-injected and used for other purposes on the two Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) Vessels, currently in operation.

Currently, crude is being produced at the Liza One and Two fields by the Liza Destiny and Liza Unity FPSOs, respectively. A third drillship is expected to come on stream next year, one year earlier than expected. In the mean time, ExxonMobil has reported production rates of 140,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) at the Liza One site, while the second project is said to be safely pumping 220,000 bopd.

Dr. Adams in a previous interview explained that each well, that oil is drawn from, contains a different gas to oil ratio. Similarly, each project will generate different amounts of produced water. This means that the technical data must be provided by the EPA to the public, as in the absence of these statistics, one would only be allowed to make estimates regarding possible pollution.

During oil production, a dangerous and highly hazardous substance referred to as produced water is also brought up. It contains dissolved mineral salts, or it may be mixed with organic compounds such as acids, waxes, and mineral oils. It may also be mixed with inorganic metals and byproducts or with trace amounts of heavy metals and naturally-occurring radioactive materials, according to the United States Department of Energy.

Notably, these chemicals can pose dangers

to marine life and the ecosystems in which they dwell. In addition to the content, produced water is known to be dangerous owing to its usual high or hot temperature.

Esso Exploration and Production Guyana limited (EEPGL)- the operator of the Stabroek Block and subsidiary of ExxonMobilis required to treat the produced water before disposal into the country’s water, however the EPA does not have systems in place to ensure the company is complying with the safety requirements of the operations’ permit.

The Head of the EPA Mr. Kemraj Parsram back in December last year told this newspaper that while the agency does not have systems in place to verify that ExxonMobil is doing its part to keep the environment safe, the EPA would from time to time visit, to ensure that the company is carrying out this requirement.

He explained, “The EPA

Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat

Former EPA Head, Dr. Vincent Adams

has, with any operation, conducts periodic monitoring exercises at all offshore facilities”. Even more surprisingly, EPA said that the agency relies on the company to submit daily reports to the Government of Guyana, which includes adherence to discharge parameters. If any flaws are highlighted in these reports, only then would the agency act.

According to him, “The data in this report is processed by the EPA to monitor and determine trends or any anomalies or deviations from standards set in permit”.

Back then, Parsram assured that the agency is in

the process of strengthening its capabilities to conduct “real time” environmental monitoring offshore Guyana.

It was reported that a loan that was taken by the government from the World Bank to boost monitoring capabilities of locals was shelved after the former Coalition government demitted office. Up to late last month, the Natural R e s o u r c e s M i n i s t e r, Vickram Bharrat could only say that the US$20M Guyana Petroleum Resources Governance and Management Project was still being refined.

The programme (Continued on page 15)

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 09, 2022

PAGE 13

Western diplomats call for end to discrimination, violation of rights of indigenous peoples Western diplomats working here have called for an end to discrimination and the violation of Indigenous peoples rights as Guyana joins the rest of the world in observing International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, being commemorated today.

“Together we must also acknowledge that the fight against discrimination, marginalisation, and violations of Indigenous rights, is a global priority, also in Guyana.

We must work in collaboration to prevent exploitation of their land and natural resources. Their leadership in this endeavour must also be recognised,” Ambassador of the United States of America, Sarah-Ann Lynch; Ambassador of the European Union, Fernando Ponz Canto; Canadian High Commissioner, Mark Berman; and British High Commissioner, Jane Miller said in a joint statement to mark the occasion.

This year’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is being observed under the theme: “The Role of Indigenous Women in the Preservation and Transmission of Traditional Knowledge.” “We would like to pay our respect to the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana as the first peoples to this beautiful country, and to honour them for the achievements and contributions they have made and continue to make to this land, in particular their commitment, leadership and stewardship demonstrated over decades for a more sustainable, safer, cleaner environment for us all, but also their contributions to business, culture, art, language, tourism, cuisine, medicines and t r a d i t i o n s a n d o t h e r, ” t h e ambassadors said.

US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch British High Commissioner, Jane Miller

Canadian High Commissioner, Mark Berman

Ambassador of the European Union, Fernando Ponz Canto

According to the diplomats, Indigenous Peoples all over the world, with their traditional knowledge are recognised as distinct peaceful peoples in harmony with nature and the environment where they live, conscious of their collective human connections to their land and its surroundings and the richness of their culture. “However, we are also aware indigenous communities throughout the World face challenges.

Improving security of land tenure, strengthening governance, promoting public investments in infrastructure, and supporting Indigenous systems for livelihoods are critical in advancing the quality of life within these communities,” the statement added.

The ambassadors said the fight for Indigenous women’s rights is still a challenge and therefore particularly important to support.

“Indigenous women are known to be the backbone of their families

and peoples’ communities and play a crucial role in the preservation and transmission of traditional ancestral knowledge.

They deserve all possible support, so that they can be more empowered and resilient to the many challenges they face and stand resolute in promoting and preserving their traditional knowledge. Indigenous children deserve to experience, benefit from and value the legacy of the unique cultures, languages, arts, cuisine, medicines and traditions as a whole, for these are also key elements that identify them as indigenous peoples. In addition, Indigenous women are often taking a lead in the defence of indigenous lands and territories and advocating for indigenous peoples’ collective rights worldwide.”

Noting the work of indigenous peoples here, the ambassadors applauded the Indigenous leadership in the country, which recently reflected in the attendance

of the National Toshaos Council Conference. They also congratulated the indigenous leaders on their role in advocating for the needs of Indigenous Peoples of Guyana, working together with government, private sector, civil society organisations and other stakeholders. “We wish them well in their tenure as they advocate for development and review legislation and policies as it relates to safeguarding Indigenous

House clears $646M for disability grant

T

he Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Human Service and Social Security will soon roll out the $100,000 cash grant programme for children living with disabilities.

The distribution set to start next week will see some 7,700 children benefitting. The cash grant was covered in the Human Services M i n i s t r y ’s $ 6 4 6 m i l l i o n supplementary budget which was approved in the National Assembly on Monday.

Human Services Minister Dr. Vindhya Persaud in response to a question posed by her Cabinet colleagues revealed that her ministry is focused on providing much needed aid to persons living with disabilities in Guyana. “…And as part of that focus, this special grant will be distributed to those children in need all across the country. It is an inclusive distribution, it’s one that caters to the needs of our children who are living with disabilities and

Human Services Minister Dr. Vindhya Persaud provides necessary relief to the parents who are the caregivers and providing the level of care that children need,” Dr Persaud said.

She noted that the provision of the grant was announced by President Dr. Irfaan Ali in June.

According to the Minister, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, through the National Commission on Disability

(NCD), has since been registering the children expected to benefit.

The President also announced plans to ensure that all children with a disability are automatically registered to receive the monthly public assistance and transportation support for them to get to and from learning institutions and the training of teachers to deliver special needs tutoring.

Aside from this grant, the minister also noted that a number of much-needed assistance programmes, including training programmes, have been rolled out by her ministry. In addition the minister said that they would provide across the country free support for people who need them whether it is wheelchairs, white canes, canes, hearing aids. She stressed that these will be made available to persons living with a disability at no cost.

Also announced by the minister, is that the Ministry is planning to provide free training for persons living with a disability.

peoples. It is essential that their voices are prominent to enhance their participation in decisionmaking processes. We therefore reiterate our support for Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples rights and aspirations, and their full participation and decision-making as we work together in partnership to enhance their socio-economic development, empowerment, improved governance and, importantly, the preservation and transmission of their traditional knowledge for today and future generations,” the statement concluded.

West Dem. residents exposed to dangers in absence of Gas Leak - David Management Plan Patterson …as ExxonMobil busy awarding contracts for Gas-to-Energy project

By Davina Bagot T h e r e s i d e n t s o f We s t Demerara, Region Three remain exposed to danger, in the absence of a Gas Leak Management Plan (GLMP) for the US$1.3 billion Gas to Energy pipeline to be developed by American oil major, ExxonMobil.

This much was highlighted by the Shadow Oil and Gas Minister, David Patterson in an exclusive interview with Kaieteur News yesterday, as he stressed the point that the oil company has been busy awarding contracts for the project, while the people on the western end of the Demerara River are clueless as to what can happen, and how the company would respond, in the event of a gas leak, or worst yet, an explosion.

Patterson pointed to the fact that gas pipelines are likely to be damaged, as highlighted in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) submitted by Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), Exxon’s subsidiary that will be undertaking the project.

The EIA explains that while

Shadow Oil and Gas Minister, David Patterson onshore pipeline integrity failures are rare, if a loss were to occur, the most likely causes would be due to a third party striking the line, or corrosion of the pipe.

A strike to the buried line can occur as a result of a third party excavating in close proximity to the pipeline without knowing the exact location of the pipeline and would present a source of ignition for the released gas, which could (Continued on page 17)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Tuesday August 09, 2022

Canje woman stabbed to death by ex-husband A woman on Monday was murdered by her exhusband who is suspected to have ingested a poisonous substance and abandoned his car along the Palmyra Public Road, Corentyne.

Confirmed dead is Cindy Ramchandar, 25 of No.47 Vi l l a g e , E a s t B e r b i c e Corentyne. The attacker has been identified as Suraj Ganpat of Cumberland, East Canje Berbice. Police are on the hunt for Ganpat who escaped in a car that was found yesterday abandoned along the Palmyra Public Road with a bottle containing what appeared to be a poisonous substance.

Kaieteur News was also informed that the murder weapon was found inside the car. Police said that at about 08:30 hrs. Ramchandar left her aunt’s home (where she was staying) with her threeyear-old niece on an electric scooter. She was headed to her cousin’s home when she was confronted by Ganpat.

The suspect was armed with a knife and dealt the woman several stabs about her body

which caused her to collapse on the ground in front her cousin’s home at No.47 Village. Ganpat then escaped in a car and headed west.

Ramchandar was picked up in an unconscious state and rushed to the Skeldon Public Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Anita Thribowan, the aunt of the deceased related to this newspaper that Ramchander and Ganpat got married over a year ago and they were living with his parents in Cumberland, East Canje for some time.

However, Ramchandar experienced difficult times with her in-laws and the suspect who worked on a ship, and so she decided to pack her belongings and leave the marriage. “She meet very tough times with this boy and he parents them.

She does complain to her mom about everything, that’s why she mommy bring she back here before dem do she anything,” Thribowan disclosed.

Ramchandar separated from Ganpat two months ago

Police are investigators on the scene

Cindy Ramchandar and Suraj Ganpat in happier times and she moved to No.47 Vi l l a g e a n d l i v e d a t Thribowan’s house with her sister. The aunt however disclosed that shortly after she moved there, the suspect and her nephew were out drinking one night and the nephew came to her house and brought the suspect with him, with the intention of reuniting the two. Ganpat instead attacked Ramchandar with a knife.

The matter was reported to the police, but he was never arrested or charged for the incident. Thribowan said that since the incident, Ramchandar has been scared to leave her home to go anywhere. The aunt disclosed that her nephew’s daughter, a three-year-old had stayed over at the house and Monday morning the mother of the child asked Ramchandar to take the child

Digicel moves corporate office to Pegasus Suites

home. “She mom called them and tell them to carry the little girl early this morning (Monday) to go Rose Hall and buy school things.” It was minutes after dropping off the child that

Ramchandar was attacked.

Ganpat was reportedly informed that Ramchandar would be coming out to drop the child and he was hiding out at the No.47 Health Centre until he saw her.

Dead, Francisco Simosa

Digicel head office is now located on the ground floor of Pegasus Corporate Office

Venezuelan dies after run over by truck Digicel Guyana has moved its corporate office and Retail Store to Pegasus Corporate Office, located on Seawall Road, Kingston, Georgetown.

In a press release Digicel said since it opened its doors here on Feb 14, 2007, it has operated out of a building in Fort Street Kingston, Georgetown. “…your loyal support has helped us grow, and now we need more space to serve you better and provide you with a wider

range of services. We have been looking for a new home for the past few months and are happy to inform you we found it. It is our pleasure to announce that both our Corporate Office and Retail Store have been relocated from their previous location at Fort and Barrack Streets, Kingston to a new, larger and more convenient location.

You can now find us on the ground floor of the new Pegasus Corporate Office, located on Seawall Road,

Kingston, Georgetown,” Digicel announced.

The company said at the new location customers will be able to take advantage of the same “high-quality of service you have become used to.” It added: “Corporate customers can pay their bills, acquire new services, seek support and access all standard services.

These are just a few of the services you can enjoy at our new location. You will also enjoy the contemporary

appearance and atmosphere, as well as its improved accessibility and parking facilities. Thank you for being a Digicel Business customer. We look forward to continuing to do business with you at our new location.” If you have any questions about the new location or services provided, please call us at 660 1000 or via email at guy_b2bqueries@digicelgro up.comand we will be happy to help.

A Venezuelan national on Monday morning lost his life after he was crushed by a truck on his way to work on the Sarah Johanna Public Road.

Dead is 38-year-old Francisco Simosa, a father of one who lived in Sarah Johanna, East Bank Demerara. Simosa was heading to Bounty Farm, also located in Sarah Johanna, when around 06:00hrs he was killed after a truck reversed and crushed him.

This publication was told that Simosa was waiting to catch a bus when the truck

suddenly reversed on him.

One eyewitness said that he had raised an alarm for the truck to stop but the driver did not hear him in time and ended-up running over Simosa. According to a video seen by this p u b l i c a t i o n , S i m o s a ’s lifeless body was on the roadway, as the truck driver and others gathered around.

Kaieteur News was told that the driver of the motor truck GYY 6047 is presently in custody assisting with the investigation. Up to press time there was no official police report on the accident.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 09, 2022

Bundling of contracts…

Companies that fail to meet local content targets to pay $50M fine - Local Content Secretariat Director

U

nder the legal provisions established to safeguard local content, companies which indulge in bundling of contracts are liable on summary conviction to pay a fine of $50 million.

This is being emphasized

by Director of the Local Content Secretariat Martin Pertab. His comments followed on close heels of a statement by the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) which pointed to the recurrent contract bundling practices within Guyana’s petroleum sector.

In a statement issued last week, the GCCI explained the harsh impacts contract bundling have had on small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

According to GCCI, MSMEs are unable to compete in the space since the ‘bundling’ practice will set an artificial barrier to their participation.

According to the GCCI, the consolidation of the procurement of various goods and services under one contract has seemingly become a practice of companies within the petroleum sector.

The Chamber noted that the sum-effect of this practice is that Micro, Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) are unable to compete in the space since the ‘bundling’ practice will set an artificial barrier to their participation.

Apart from its obvious hindrance to MSMEs wishing to service the sector, the Chamber said that contract bundling works against the spirit and intent of Guyana’s Local Content A c t ( 2 0 2 1 ) t h e r e b y, defeating the objectives of the Act as it relates to private sector development.

Pertab in an invited comment said that the Local Content Secretariat sees bundling of contracts as a

direct contravention to the First Schedule of the Local Content Act which speaks to “maximum participation of Guyanese companies supplying goods or providing services in the Guyanese petroleum sector and local capacity development”.

“Furthermore,” he stressed that this practice also does not align with the section 3.4 of the Procurement and Bid Evaluation Guideline published by the Secretariat which explicitly states that, “ A Contractor, Subcontractor, Licensee shall, as far reasonably possible, unbundle the proposed scope of works/services into smaller units so as to enable Guyanese companies and Guyanese nationals to participate in the tender; To ensure verification of compliance to the requirements of the Act, Contractors, SubContractors, or Licensees should ensure that the Sectors and Sub-sectors specified in the First Schedule of the Act are not bundled during the planning process.”

The Director said therefore that the Local Content Secretariat remains firm that any contract awarded after the operationalization of the Act, and in which there is bundling of services stated on the First Schedule of the Act, will not be recognized or counted towards the measurement for the purpose of compliance with the minimum local content levels as set out in the First Schedule.

“Critically, a Contractor or Sub-Contractor who carries out petroleum operations without the minimum local content requirement commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of fifty million dollars,” he said.

In the meantime, the Director noted that the

Director of the Local Content Secretariat Martin Pertab Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) has publicly signalled its disapproval with the practice of contract bundling within the oil and gas sector.

Back in May, Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat had put oil companies on notice that the Government of Guyana will not tolerate the shortchanging of citizens in their own country after it was brought to the attention of the administration complaints of unfair competition and other issues in the industry.

Bharrat listed a number of issues he said are raised with him daily. To this end, he explained that local businesses have complained that oil companies have been bundling services for catering, security, garbage collection and other technical offshore support systems as part of one contract.

This, Bharrat said, has been posing significant challenge to locals, as they are burdened to offer a service they are not registered to.

In fact, this often lends to the oil company failing to achieve the local content targets.

To ensure that the breach of the fresh law is not the outcome, the Minister had urged that the practice be stopped.

EPA must release monthly...

From page 12 recommended strengthening of the Guyana National Bureau Standards (GNBS) for real time monitoring and being present on the FPSOs. Some 34 specialists were to be trained to offer 24/7 monitoring of the

operations. Bharrat, while insisting that project was not scrapped, said that the department grew from three members of staff to 13 presently, which are dedicated full time towards monitoring oil and gas activities.

PAGE 15

PAGE 16

Tuesday August 09, 2022

Kaieteur News

OP:ED Rallying Indigenous peoples’

knowledge systems towards sustainable development pathways VEHICLE FOR SALE

VACANCY

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

Vacancy- Lorry Drivers & Porters Contact: 650-0979

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 At Essential customer brokerage, get all vehicle and heavy machinery cleared for $20,000 Call: 639-0910/ 684-9994

FOR RENT 2 two bedrooms apartment for rent at New Scheme Herstelling, phone:671-4757 One upper flat at 41 Hadfield street W/Rust suitable for office or business call: 651-7676/233-1591 Property for over 50 staff with parking Saffon street bottom flat apartment building providence contact: Ray's Realty 627-9685

Experience Cashier CXC Passes in Maths & English, Knowledge of Quickbook, Apply in writing @ Wieting & Richter Ltd Counter clerk & Porter to work at Hardware store. Monday Saturday Call: 689-4041 Full time driving instructor, 5 years driving experience, friendly, patient and good at interacting, contact: 602-2583 Certified Accountant Send application to the manager Agri Parts Machinery & Services 202 Mandela Avenue Alexander Village Georgetown Vacancy exists for Sales Woman,Counter Attendant @Dian's Deli Bar St Kitty.Tel:225-3700.

Maid to cook & Clean for East Bank area call: 615-9132.

Driver must be able to assist in workshop Car& Van license Call.642-9823.

One clerk for TSI Eccles office.English & Math , grade 1 o r 2 E m a i l application:techserigy @yahoo.com or call 642-9823.

Forklift Operator,Delivery clerk / Sales Clerk /Delivery clerk. Contact : 227-1511 / 2272486 Vacancy for Driver, ages 35-45. Contact:266-1287 Vacancy for Paint Technician/ Mixer, experience required. contact: 226-1287/ 226-1270

More than two decades ago, in 1999, the Indigenous communities of Guyana held their first National Toshaos Conference to discuss contemporary challenges and formulate a common position on critical issues that have devastating effects on livelihoods, environmental and natural resources sustainability and the wellbeing of Indigenous peoples.

This conference has evolved into becoming an annual gathering, and today provides a vision of unity to many Indigenous peoples all around the world.

After an interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Conference resumed functioning in mid-July 2022.

It brought together Toshaos from over 212 indigenous communities, working with the administration to develop strategies and guidelines, as well as to elect a new executive committee of the Toshaos Council. From this policy dialogue comes the promise of a flourishing Amerindian Heritage Month in September of this year. The month will focus on Indigenous knowledge and languages, cultural expressions, intangible heritage, and the

WANTED Experienced cashier, cleaner, Labourer and counter person.Apply @ Shanta’s 225 Camp & New Market St.

Experience Waitress to work shift living on East Coast Preferably $22,000 Weekly. 6103974 1 General Domestic, age 38 or older to work in Herstelling.

Call:697-0157 WANTED Wanted One General Worker Lathe Operator Call: 645-9333. to work at Guest House. Call 225-6337 / 218-1400 Wanted one experience Hairdresser at Magic Touch Beauty Salon Tel: 225-6492 / 686-3121 Farm Workers In Timerhi :6172032 / 617-2047.

LAND FOR SALE Friendship East Bank , 85x213 Garden of Eden East Bank, Soesdyke Double lot & Moblissa Contact: Ray's Realty 627-9685

Male porters, female cooks for PROPERTY FOR SALE Interior supermarket and live in domestic for Georgetown, Peter's Hall, Rebublic Park,Nandy Park Providence 687-7638/660-9093 & Subryanville -contact: Ray's Realty 627-9685 Lorry driver,apply at RP'S Enterprise at Area K Located at Mon Repos,41.5 LeRessouveir mil. Contact: 697-6552.

E.C.D,contact#220-2818

unique indigenous life and cosmogonic vision of Toshaos.

On the 9th of August, between the Toshaos Conference and the Amerindian Heritage Month, will be the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, where the United Nations will seize the opportunity to raise global awareness of Indigenous peoples and their knowledge systems. It will also promote Indigenous culture, languages and traditions, essential towards fostering sustainable and resilient societies, fostering global understanding and building peace among humans and with nature. Indigenous peoples are guardians of 80% of the world’s biodiversity and ecosystems, which they often manage based on culturally specific world views, caring for the health of the environment and on reciprocal responsibility[1]. If the deforestation rate of Guyana is under 1% per year – remaining one of the most preserved and pristine rainforests in the world – it is largely due to the stewardship of indigenous communities who inhabit and protect this vast green cover.

The theme of this years’ International Day is “The Role of Indigenous Women in the Preservation and Transmission of Traditional Knowledge”.

Indeed, Indigenous women play a vital role in their communities as knowledge holders on cultural norms and traditions, community histories, medical services and agriculture systems, while being agents of conflict prevention and resolution through community order and indigenous justice.

Jessica George-Joseph is from the Macushi Nation from the village of Moco Moco in the region of Central Rupununi in Guyana. She describes the role of Indigenous women in the preservation and transmission of traditional knowledge as irreplaceable.

“As women, we work and observe what goes on around us and for us to pass this knowledge we need to be empowered to first believe in our worth, to be proud of who we are. When we as women realize our worth, we will then know the power of our actions and words.” She further addresses the need for Guyanese to value the natural beauty of their country and stop its destruction to create a balance. “We need to be

By Jean-Paul NGOME ABIAGA (Programme Coordinator, UNESCO Office in Kingston, Jamaica) more responsible and respect each other and each other’s space,” urges Jessica GeorgeJoseph.

Indigenous women also are the educators in many of their peoples, transmitting knowledge on the sustainable management of natural resources, cultural heritage and the languages.

Language is a key element when implementing literacy programs or designing educational curricula. We need to understand and expand our education system to include more Indigenous knowledge that cares for the planet.

We also need to invest more in the education of Indigenous communities by developing appropriate curricula and inclusive teaching methodologies that meet their specific needs.

Indeed, there is a general lack of disaggregated data, admittedly, indigenous peoples, especially women, suffer the highest illiteracy rate[2] in the population. This has dramatic consequences, leading to a lack of opportunities in the labour market, limited personal development possibilities, and high levels of rural-urban shift, where they face low wages and discrimination.

One of the biggest challenges for indigenous communities is the migration of youth from communities to cities in search of work, said Jessica George-Joseph.

“After completing secondary education, there are no jobs for the youth to stay in the communities”In most cases, indigenous women are the primary conduit through which the younger generation learns and perpetuates indigenous languages.

Despite accounting for only 6.2 percent of the world’s population, indigenous peoples are the custodians of 4,000 languages. These languages are part of our common human heritage, which we must preserve and

cherish. This is why UNESCO, as the lead agency of the United Nations International Decade of Indigenous Languages, which runs from 2022 to 2032, is working to address the critical status of many indigenous languages around the world, and encouraging their preservation, revitalization, transmission and promotion among youth.

On this year’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, UNESCO is also committed to supporting indigenous youth, as exemplified by the indigenous drive launched by the Village Council of St. Cuthbert’s Mission/Pakuri Village in Guyana. Indigenous youth are featured in this informative and educational parade supported by UNESCO, the United Nations in Guyana and the Canadian High Commission to highlight the indigenous cultural heritage and engage Guyanese decision-makers in the protection of indigenous peoples’ heritage. Finally, it commemorates the milestone of the 15th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007.

The link between Indigenous knowledge systems, natural sciences and social sciences, and policy making, is a key priority for UNESCO in Guyana, Suriname, Belize, and in the Caribbean’s indigenous people’s landscape. At UNESCO, we believe it is a driver for leveraging the value of indigenous knowledge in addressing environmental and societal issues, and in complem e n t i n g the traditional scientific knowledge system. In Guyana, biodiversity and the related ecosystem s e r v i c e s a r e i mportant catalyzers for (Continued on page 17)

Tuesday August 09, 2022

PAGE 17

Kaieteur News

Questions still linger 16 years after shooting death of KN pressmen

Y

esterday marked 16 years since a marauding gang of vicious, misguided and illiterate youths stormed the Eccles, East Bank Demerara printery of this newspaper and slaughtered five of our co-workers.

Chetram Persaud, Eion Wegman, Richard Stewart, Mark Maikoo and Shazeem Mohamed were all placed to lie down and shot at point blank range to the back of their heads.

With still many questions unanswered, the callous shooting incident back in 2006 remains a haunting memory that lingers in the minds of several longstanding Kaieteur News staff members – especially publisher, Glenn Lall.

The men –Persaud, of 76 CC Eccles, East Bank Demerara; Wegman, 47, of 51 Fourth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown; Stewart, 24, of 239 Lamaha Park, East La Penitence, Georgetown; Maikoo, 22, of 5 Yarrow Dam, La Penitence, Georgetown, and Mohamed of 267 BB Eccles, East Bank Demerara –

were cold bloodedly slain on Tuesday, August 8, 2006 at the Kaieteur News printing facility at Eccles Industrial Site.

Another worker, Wordsworth Grey, of 31 Norton Street, Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara, was shot dead shortly before the killers stormed the printery.

Senior pressman Ramchand Harripersaud and security guard Julian De Grace were the only survivors of the massacre. In February of 2013,

one of the men accused of killing the five pressmen was freed. This newspaper was told that Dwight DaSilva, one of three who were accused, was freed of the murder charge for lack of evidence.

DaSilva, along with Quincy Evans and Jermaine Charles called ‘Skinny’ (deceased), were charged for the murders of Wegman, Stuart, Maikoo, Mohamed and Persaud.

Evans was previously freed in the Magistrate’s court while Charles was killed in a

shootout with police after he had escaped from custody.

DaSilva was also freed in the case of Caneville businessman Barbot Paul back in June 2012. Problems with the identification evidence of a 16-year-old girl, whose description of a murder accused rested on the words “a tall dark man” and “a short brown man” resulted in murder accused DaSilva being f r e e d o n a no-case submission.

Businessman Barbot Paul was murdered on August 6, 2006. DaSilva was accused of entering the business premises at Grove, EBD along with other gunmen and killed Paul in a robbery bid.

Paul’s wife, Latifan, who had seen the shooting, did not identify the gunman, but her grand-daughter, Nazeema Persaud, who at first gave the impression that she had identified the accused as a person she used to see when she visited her mother at

Glasgow, East Bank Berbice, told the jury that the only information she had about the men was “that one was “tall and dark” and the other was “short and brown”.

Those features fitted a number of persons, including the defence counsel and two members of the jury, the girl explained under crossexamination.

The accused who was represented by Attorney-atLaw George Thomas, pleaded not guilty to the crime.

West Dem. residents exposed to dangers in absence of Gas Leak...

From page 13 result in the immediate ignition of the gas, the EIA notes.

But if, “the release is not ignited immediately, a flammable gas cloud would be formed and this could ignite, causing either a flash fire or explosion. An explosion would only be likely to occur if the gas is released into a congested space. A congested space can be defined as any space within which there is an obstruction to the free movement of gas through the space. The most likely places where obstructions would be present near the onshore pipeline would be densely forested areas or thick undergrowth.”

It is in this regard that Patterson has flagged the urgent need of a GLMP. According to the former Minister of Public Infrastructure, “Exxon, being a worldwide international company, would be fully aware of the require-

ments that should be in place for such a project to be successfully executed. It is worrying that such a global company is proceeding apace without having undertaken all the required studies.”

Former Head of the EPA, Dr. Vincent Adams had made it clear that a gas leak is the most hazardous risk that is involved in such a project, hence a response plan to such an occurrence was crucial to be included in the EIA. “Remember what an EIA is; that’s the document that defines, it’s what I like to call the bible of any project. It defines all of the environmental risks and hazards. No other document does it in detail, so if a risk has not been identified and not only identified, it has to say in that EIA how you are gunna address that risk in terms of mitigative action or how you are gunna respond if something happens,” he shared.

OP:ED Rallying...

From page 16 climate adaptation and regulation, land and forest preservation, provisioning of freshwater resources, disaster risk resilience and communitybased sustainable green and blue economies in the hinterland and in the coastal areas. It is in this context that UNESCO and the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office in Guyana are developing a trialogue series to mobilize all relevant stakeholders and expand the

Indigenous KnowledgeEnvironmental SciencesPolicy Making interface in the country. Indigenous peoples’ issues are an integral part of global concerns.

Therefore, we must rally as one humanity for the full participation and enjoyment of Indigenous peoples’ rights, their knowledge systems, languages and cultural riches in the global endeavor to find sustainable pathways for the living world, for society and for humanity as a whole.

Exxon has committed to develop and submit the document to the EPA before a year before the project commences, however, it has plunged right into the award of contracts for the venture, while being completely silent on this critical aspect of the venture.

This move clearly states the company’s priorities Patterson said, while adding that the government is equally responsible in not holding the company liable. He argued, “The excuse that the government has given them (Exxon) permission to proceed is not acceptable. They will be equally liable for any mishaps or corrupt practices as the Government of Guyana.”

Meanwhile, in squeezing the oil company, the former Minister reasoned, “There is a maxim “ignorance of the law is no excuse”, equally so, knowingly bringing a danger-

ous substance (gas) to shore without the requisite safeguards under the coverage of Government permission is no excuse.”

He was keen to point out that funds were allocated through the 2021 Budget to finance studies to further detail the works on the project, but to date, no further studies have been executed.

According to him, “As a developmental partner to Guyana, it is also the responsibility of Exxon to ensure all their projects, and expenditure goes towards the benefit of the country as a whole, in an open and transparent manner. The Wales Gas to Shore project does not meet that threshold.”

It was reported last week that while the country was celebrating Emancipation, the oil company awarded a contract to Technip FMC, a United-Kingdom based firm

that provides expertise for subsea and surface projects.

According to reports, the company received a “significant” contract to provide engineering, procurement, construction and installation of subsea risers and pipelines for the Wales Gas-to-Energy venture.

Though a cost was not attached, it must be noted that a significant contract for Technip FMC is one within the range of $75 million and $250 million. The full contract award will not be included in inbound orders until the project receives a final investment decision and government approvals.

Prior to that, Exxon entered into an agreement with two other companies to aid in the laying of the 190 kilometre pipeline. Subsea 7 and Van Oord were contracted to assist in the project management, engineering, and instal-

lation of the natural gas pipeline, with an associated shallow water portion and onshore approach making landfall to the west of the Demerara River, along the coast of Guyana. Subsea 7, according to its website, specialises in subsea engineering, construction and services mainly for the offshore energy industry.

The company is registered in Luxembourg with its headquarters in London.

Meanwhile, Royal Van Oord is a Dutch maritime contracting company that specialises in dredging, land reclamation and constructing man-made islands.

EEPGL has revealed that a minimum of 50 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (mmscfd) will be transported through the pipeline by 2024 and that the pipeline would have a maximum capacity of 130 mmscfd.

PAGE 18

Tuesday August 09, 2022

Kaieteur News

$44.7B supplementary budget approved in absence of opposition

A

supplementary provision that more than doubled last year’s additional sums, was yesterday passed in the National Assembly with the Housing Ministry receiving a significant portion of the $44.7B approved for government business set for the rest of the year.

In the absence of the Parliamentary opposition who boycotted sitting, a number of ministers sought to question their colleagues on the specifics of the additional sums. Housing Minister Collin Croal secured over $21B for additional resources to support infrastructure in new and existing housing schemes, hinterland water supply intervention, costal water supply and urban sewage and water.

Responding to a question from his colleague, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo, Coral said that the quality of water delivered to households remains an issue for government. On the coastland, he said only 52 percent of persons receives treated water. As such, the government is working to have 90 percent of treated water delivered to households by 2025 and that is expected to cost some $28B.

To start the process, the majority of the $4.2B under the coastal water treatment line item will go toward the construction of seven new costal water treatment plants in Regions 2; 3 and 4.

Together, the new facilities will benefit around 92,400 households.

Twelve treatment plants are also set to be upgraded in Regions 3, 4, 5 and 6 while others are set for expansion work. Under urban sewage and water, Croal said that Turkeyen and shelterbelt will see new wells being drilled, while the Linden water treatment plant will be expanded and upgraded, and the changing of century old pipes which had started in surrounding areas will continue on Sheriff Street.

The ailing Guyana Sugar Company (GuySuCo) will receive some $3.4B in addition to the $6B it received in the 2022 budget. About $2B will go toward covering the company’s operational expenses while the remainder will go toward the recapitalization of the company. In answering questions, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said that in 2020, the corporation was operating at 45 to 49 percent capacity as critical parts for capital works

Mother of three killed by sisters Two women are now in police custody after they reportedly stabbed their sister to death on Monday evening at ‘B’ Field Sophia, Georgetown, Khali Pareshram, Commander of Regional Division 4C has confirmed.

Dead is Vanessa Anderson.

Kaieteur News understands that Anderson and her sisters were involved in a heated argument that turned deadly.

Up to press time there was no official police report on the stabbing death of the mother of three.

Dead, Vanessa Anderson [Photo credit, Big Smith News Watch]

Housing Minister, Colin Croal

Minister of Public, Works Juan Edgill

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha

were missing or at the end of its life. As such, he said that capitalization sums are necessary for the company to be modernized and work efficiently. Answering a question from the Guyana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU), the minister announced that at the Rose Hall estate out of 1038 retrenched workers, 692 have been rehired with a number of capital works already completed to optimize the estate.

At least 50 acres of land will be utilized for the groups

of differently able persons, young people and women that will be involved in the $1.7M black belly sheep program. The Mahaica Mahaicony Abary Agricultural Development Authority and hinterland persons are among those that will benefit from this program.

As part of its work in leading the Caribbean food security program, Guyana will be seeking to create a regional brand that will eventually phase out the Australian and New Zealand sheep which the Caribbean has been

dependant on. He said that Guyana has the land and the climate and will be seeking to have the 1000 black belly sheep from Barbados play a role in providing food security.

Under the Ministry of Public Works, Minister Juan Edghill charged that “neglect” was the reason that the government was seeking some sums from the more than $4B allocation. He claimed that pontoons at the Demerara Harbour Bridge as well as ferries used to link some regions were sorely

neglected. Over $300M was approved for those items.

Despite a line of credit being available to Guyana government since 2014 for the East Bank, East Coast Demerara road link, Minister Edghill said it was not used.

As a result of the delays to the project, cost came in at more than the $50M line of credit that was provided by India.

The monies being sought for the road link, Edghill said, will thus facilitate government’s contractual obligations to the contractor.

The road he said, is intended to prevent persons from the East Coast heading to the different areas on the East Bank to get to their location without having to go through areas that are known to be congested.

As it relates to miscellaneous roads, the Public Works Ministry received $3B in addition to the $15B received in the 2020 budget. Minister Edghill assured that his ministry executes road works at the same quality and with equity; so when the question was asked to identify the miscellaneous roads, he opted not to do so as to “avoid confusion and not interrupt social cohesion.”

CJ to rule on challenge to appointments of Chairs of Integrity, Police Service commissions this month Later this month, the acting Chief Justice (CJ) Roxanne George-Wiltshire is expected to make a decision on the legal challenge to the appointments of the chairs for the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Integrity Commission.

The challenge to the two appointments was brought

by Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton. On May 13, President Ali and Norton met for the first time in regards to the appointments to several appointments to constitutional bodies. Ali and Norton had committed to meeting again the following week, but that meeting did not occur within the stipulated timeline. However, the meeting was rescheduled for

May 30 but Norton was unable to attend the meeting owing to prior commitments.

Following the first consultation, the Opposition Leader had requested the Curriculum Vitae (CVs) of the persons who were nominated, along with additional information. While the CVs were provided to Norton, the government did not provide the additional information and this led to a ‘tit for tat’ between the two parties.

Notably, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira, has contended that the President is not mandated to provide any additional information to the Opposition Leader as he had already complied by

PPP Govt. rejects IDB...

From page 3 December 2021, its intention to “refine the scope of the project to bring it in line with current government priorities.” That process is still ongoing.

This newspaper also reported that a US$1M grant from the World Bank to strengthen the monitoring capacity of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

was also underutilized.

This programme had, for example, set the stage for the regulator to be armed with a 34-member unit of oil and gas experts including highly specialized and experienced petroleum, geological and environmental engineers.

This, among other objectives under the grant, are yet to materialize.

Chief Justice (ag), Roxanne George-Wiltshire. producing the CVs. Norton contended that President Irfaan Ali failed to have meaningful consultation with him before making the appointments as is required by law. Norton argues that the President Ali appointed Patrick Findlay as Chairman of the PSC without meaningfully consulting him as required by Article 210 (1) (a) of the Constitution. Norton is not only asking the court to quash the appointments to the commissions – but he also wants the Court to declare that President Ali’s termination of the consultation process as being arbitrary, unreasonable and unconstitutional, inter alia.

Representing the State in

this matter is Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, SC and representing Norton is attorney-at-law Roysdale Forde SC and Selwyn Pieters.

On Monday, the CJ heard oral arguments from the applicant and some respondents – the others relied on the written submissions they made to the court.

Forde argued that the President never provided the criteria from which Findlay was selected; while Nandlall argued that Norton had ample time to examine the list of the nominees and even express his concerns– but failed to do so. After listening to the oral arguments by both parties, the Chief Justice set August 23, at 15:00hrs as the date for ruling.

Tuesday August 09, 2022

Kaieteur News

PAGE 19

PAGE 20

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 09, 2022

Tuesday August 09, 2022

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

Valiant Sunshine Girls take silver after 55-51 loss to Commonwealth Games champions Australia at NEC Arena SportsMax - Facing the number-one team in the world twice in the same tournament proved a hill too steep to climb for Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls on Sunday after losing 55-51 to the now four-time Commonwealth Games champions Australia in the gold medal match at the NEC Arena.

Despite heroic efforts from Captain Jhanielle Fowler who scored 46 goals from 47 attempts and a perfect five from Shanice Beckford, Jamaica found the Diamonds

too hard to break the second time around.

Jamaica defeated Australia 57-55 to win Pool A in the preliminary rounds and followed up with an emphatic 67-51 victory over New Zealand, the second-best team in the world that claimed the bronze medal Sunday morning after defeating England 55-48.

In the gold-medal encounter, the Australians edged Jamaica 14-12 in a keenly contested first quarter but the Jamaicans showed grit re-

bounding to win the second quarter 17-15 to see both teams remain deadlocked at the half-time break.

Australia broke the game open in the third quarter outscoring the Jamaicans 1610 to take a six-point lead into the final stanza. Australia extended the lead to seven goals late in the quarter but Jamaica was not prepared to yield and fought valiantly outscoring the champions 12-10 but it was simply not enough.

Jamaica missed only one shot from 52 attempts during

Tuesday August 09 ,2022 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Your love life might be a little fragile, and you'll find that your partner is more sensitive than usual, Aries. A more caring, emotional approach to a situation will help you form a better connection with your partner.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You may feel a bit of a creative block now, Libra, but don't view this as a signal to stop pursuing your artistic goals. The truth of the matter is that discipline is all that's needed to manifest the things you really want.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Things in the love and beauty department should be going rather well for you now, Taurus, so it's a good time to make a move toward the object of your desire.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Today is an important day in which you can breathe creative energy into a structured situation, Scorpio.

You'll find that bolstering the aesthetics of your surroundings will help inspire you. .

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Be a bit more selective in terms of where you put your energy today, Sagittarius.

Don't waste your time with situations that aren't healthy or conducive to your aims.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Slow down and take a more reserved, sensitive, and calculated approach to things today, Gemini, especially when it comes to matters involving love and beauty.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) You may be at a rather climactic point now in the department of love and beauty, Cancer. Your creative levels are peaking, and you might feel a strong urge to create something on a giant canvas.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Pieces of your life that you've tried to avoid for some time may come to the surface today and cause you a bit of trouble, Leo. That which isn't organized or structured.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22) Cupid has fired his arrow into your heart today, Virgo, so snuggle up with the object of your desire. You'll feel more sensual and romantic than usual.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) = It Love and romance are coming your way today, but it's important to be practical, Capricorn. Don't take your relationships for granted.

Realize that love doesn't necessarily mean that everything is perfect.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) You probably should settle down a bit today in the love and romance department, Aquarius. Realize that your relationships with others aren't a show or stage act to perform.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Sit back and observe others' behavior today, Pisces. Take a look at the people around you and figure out what makes them tick. You'll find that you can learn a great deal from their actions.

Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls had to settle for silver against Australia.

the final.

Gretel Bueta led the scoring for the Commonwealth champions, shooting a perfect 37 goals from 37 attempts.

Cara Koenen was also perfect scoring 15 goals from 15 attempts.

The Sunshine Girls will leave Birmingham with a silver medal their highest ever placing at the Commonwealth Games.

PAGE 22

Tuesday August 09, 2022

Kaieteur News

Sagicor Junior Tennis tourney in St Lucia

Guyanese players win on day three action The 37th Sagicor Junior Tennis tournament at the St Lucia National Tennis Centre has attracted 75 players from 16 Nations including the USA, Mexico and India.

Renola Jordan was undefeated in round robin play.

She won four of four matches and is now on to the next round.

Nathan DeNobrega, who

also went undefeated in the round robin play, will meet Jacob Jacelon (TT) in the first round at the knock out stage.

Navindra Arjune awaits the completion of one other match

to determine his fate into the knock out rounds Nathan teamed up with Giovanni Quinn (ANT) in 12 and under doubles and is now on to the quarterfinals.

In the last match of the evening, DeNobrega beat Trinidadian Jacob Jacelon 6-

0, 6-1 to progress to the main draw where he will meet the tournament’s number one seed.

In yesterday’s knock out stage, Guyana’s Renola Jordan beat number four seed Trinidadian Madison Khan 40, 4-0 to be unbeaten in her

group in three matches and now has to face the number three seed in her group in the last round group match.

Also yesterday Matias Schaeffer of El Salvador beat Navindra Arjune 4-0, 5-3. (Sean Devers)

Renola Jordan beat Madison Khan 4-0, 4-0 yesterday in St Lucia.

Nathan DeNobrega (GUY) defeated Jacob Jacelon (TT) 6/0,6/1. He is on to the quarterfinals in the main draw, where he will meet the tournament’s number one seed.

Matias Schaeffer (left) beat Guyana’s Navindra Arjune 4-0, 5-3 in yesterday’s knock out action.

Tuesday August 09, 2022

Milo Secondary Schools Football Tournament…

Christianburg/Wismar Secondary School (CWSS) successfully retained the Milo Secondary Schools Football Title following an impressive win against North Ruimveldt in the finale on Sunday evening, at the Ministry of Education Ground.

The unbeaten winners of the Petra organised under-18 tournament carted off with the 2022 edition of the Milo Trophy along with Gold Medals and a $300,000 prize that will go toward a project of choice at the victor’s institution.

The second place finishers, North Ruimveldt, lost 3 – 1 against the Linden team and had to settle for the $200,000 project prize which was accompanied by Silver Medals and the runner-up Trophy.

Finishing third was Golden Grove who needled (1 – 0) Dolphin in the third place showdown which preceded the final. Golden Grove earned the third place trophy with the win along with Bronze medals and a $100,000 project prize.

The losing side had to settle for the fourth place trophy and a $75,000 project prize.

I n t h e d a y ’s f e a t u r e match, CWSS were able to draw first blood through a Ryan Arthur strike in the 40th minute which poised the game 1 – 0 at the half time interval.

Upon resumption, the scores were leveled in the next highlight when Yannick Norton found the back of the

Flawless CWSS retain U-18 Title net in the 61st minute.

Linden kept persisting and were rewarded for their efforts in the 75th minute when Jamil James made his presence felt.

With the lead under their belt once more, the Mining Town team made it a two-possession game as Omarion Ramsammy put the nail in the coffin in the first minute of injuries and stoppages time (90’+1’) with the regulation time whistle right around the corner.

Meanwhile, the match that came before saw two evenly matched sides contest a seesaw battle for the majority of the encounter.

It was the tenth minute goal from Kelvin Richardson that proved to be the decider in the third place playoff.

Strikers Sports club launches it’s All Female Dominoes Summer Special

Charlyn Barnwell receives the third placed trophy with medals and sponsorship cheque from Sales Executive, Kerisha Beete, while other Sales Executives Houshadi Arjune, Lisa Ganesh, Customs Manager Yoletta Bynoe and Organiser Roderick Harry savour the moment.

VSH Guyana Inc., which has been the authorized distributor for Red Wing Safety products in Guyana who specializes in safety ASTM Class 75 footwear for men and women just to name a few of its products, is the latest on board in the Strikers Summer Special All Female Dominoes Tourney which is slated for August 27 at Strikers Sports Club, Meadow Brook Gardens.

In a simple presentation held on Wednesday last at its headquarters in Carmichael Street, Sales Executives and Customs Manager presented sponsorship for the 3rd prize (inclusive of medals and trophy) to representative of Strikers Sports Club, Miss Charlyn Barnwell. The initiative was birthed three years ago by “Three the Hard Way” in which the inequality women folks have to endure when competing against their male counterparts in domi-

PAGE 23

Kaieteur News

noes was noted. Some of their all female events include Strikers Sports Club Christmas Bonanza in 2019, a salute to mothers in 2021, all female Strikers Sports Club Anniversary celebration in 2022.

It was noted by the club, ‘Women are always made to compete against men and most of the time they are at a disadvantage because the numbers are highly stacked against them i.e. if there is a tournament consisting of twenty seven (27) teams (more or less) we seldom find three (3) all-female teams that can compete. Because of the stigma attached to their participation (a woman’s place is in the kitchen etc.) and, this does not augur well for them.

They are usually booted (knocked out) by their male counterparts before, as we would say in Guyanese parlance, “Seeing the Promised Land” to a final six participating teams of the said compe-

tition. Hence we at “Three the Hard Way” in association with Strikers Sports Club has taken the initiative to invite female teams only for this event. Some of the teams that have assured us of participation are Big Boss Girls, All Seasons Angels, Spartans Girls, Turning Point Girls, Big Girls, In Time Ladies, Kuru Kuru Queens, Hammer, Meadow Brook Warriors and Cody Girls.’

Entrance fee is slated to be $12,000 per team in which the winning team will walk away with $200,000, Trophy and nine medals, first runners up will receive $125,000, Trophy and nine medals, third place will be $75,000 richer inclusive with trophy and nine medals. A bonus Fourth place is added and will receive $40,000 and a trophy.

Potential sponsors and teams for this event can contact Strikers Sports Club on 592-623-7670.

CWSS played undefeated for the entire tournament.

PAGE 24

Thompson-Herah seals Commonwealth double as Australia pull clear in medals race AFP - Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah rocketed to a sprint double at the Commonwealth Games on Saturday as Australia pulled clear of England at the top of the medals table.

The Jamaican sprint star, 30, was the headline act on the penultimate night of track and field competition in Birmingham and did not disappoint the capacity crowd, destroying the field to win the women’s 200m in a Games record of 22.02sec.

“I was going for a Games record in the 100 and it didn’t work so I said, ‘I must get it in the 200’,” said ThompsonHerah.

“I’m grateful to claim that gold today, the day we celebrate Independence Day in Jamaica.”

Thompson-Herah topped the podium at last year’s Tokyo Olympics in both the 100m and 200m, retaining the titles she had won in Rio four years earlier.

But she only took bronze in the 100m behind compatriots Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson at last month’s world championships and finished seventh in the 200m final.

“I knew I had more races to come. I’m not a quitter,” said Thompson-Herah of her disappointing world championships results.

- ‘Learn, keep going’ “It’s a motivation for me to continue to learn and just keep going.”

Thompson-Herah, who won the 100m earlier in the Games, faced a tough task on paper in the 200m final despite the absence of her Jamaican

Elaine Thompson - Herah rocketed to a sprint double at the Commonwealth Games. rivals.

But she finished nearly half a second ahead of Nigeria’s Favour Ofili, with Namibia’s Olympic silver medallist Christine Mboma taking bronze.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards won the men’s 200m in a Games record time of 19.80sec.

World bronze medallist Mary Moraa produced an astonishing late burst to come out on top in a high-class women’s 800m field, timing 1min 57.07sec.

The Kenyan faded after a quick start but found a second wind to pip England’s Olympic silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson to gold.

Scotland’s Laura Muir won bronze — her first Commonwealth medal.

“I tried to run 57 or 58 seconds for the first 400 but I think I was 56-something (56.8),” said Moraa. “When I reached the 500m, I think everybody went past me.

“But with 200 to go, I closed the gap and then I knew I had to push myself right until the end.”

Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo

outbattled Kenyan pair Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli and Jacob Krop down the home straight to win the 5,000m in a season’s best time of 13min 8.08sec, completing a distance double in Birmingham after his earlier 10,000m win.

“It was a wonderful performance for me (at the Games),” he said. “I have two (gold medals) and I’m so happy about it.”

Alastair Chalmers won Guernsey’s first ever track and field medal when he took bronze in the men’s 400m hurdles.

In the morning session, Australia’s Oliver Hoare shocked world champion Jake Wightman and Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot to win 1500m gold.

The 25-year-old produced a storming late finish to cross the line in 3:30.12, breaking a 48-year-old Games record.

Australia’s Jemima Montag took gold in the women’s 10,000m race walk but the country’s recently crowned high jump world champion Eleanor Patterson was pushed into second place

by Jamaica’s Lamara Distin.

Sydney McLaughlin ends season with another historic 400m hurdles time NBC Sports - Sydney McLaughlin ran the sixth-fastest 400m hurdles time in history in what she said beforehand was her last race of the season.

McLaughlin, who lowered her world record at June’s USATF Outdoor Championships (51.41) and July’s world championships (50.68), ran 51.68 at a lower-level meet in Hungary yesterday. McLaughlin, who turned 23 on Sunday, extended her win streak to seven meets since her last defeat at the 2019 World Championships. Her time yesterday would have been a world record up until the Tokyo Olympics, where she lowered it from 51.90 to 51.46.

Next season is another world championships year.

McLaughlin has a bye into next August’s worlds in Budapest in the 400m hurdles as reigning champion but has said she could add or change

Tuesday August 09, 2022

Kaieteur News

Sydney McLaughlin

events, perhaps to the flat 400m, as the 2024 Paris Olympics approach. Also yesterday, Jamaican Shelly-Ann FraserPryce won the 100m in 10.67 seconds, giving her the world’s six best times this year.

Fraser-Pryce, 35, has broken 10.70 a total of seven times in her career, all in the last two years after returning from 2019 childbirth, including five times in the last three months. No other woman has broken

10.70 more than four times in a career. World champion Grant Holloway was upset by Jamaican Rasheed Broadbell in the 110m hurdles. Both ran 13.12, with Broadbell chasing down Holloway, who had a big early lead. The track and field season continues with a Diamond League meet in Monaco tomorrow, featuring a 200m showdown among Noah Lyles, Michael Norman, Kenny Bednarek and Erriyon Knighton.

National Under-15 Team to begin encampment Today The National under-15 team is set to begin encampment today, August 9, 2022.

The seven (7) day camp which will conclude on August 15 will be important as the players prepare for the CWI Rising Star Regional Under-15 tournament scheduled for Grenada from August 18-28.

Dave Mohabir, brother of national under-17 and under-19 capta i n , A l v i n M o h a b i r, h a s b e e n s e lected to lead the team while his deputy is tale n t e d b a t s man Romario Ramdeholl.

The squad also includes Adrian Hetmyer, the nephew of West Indies Sen i o r Te a m b a t s m a n , Shimron Hetmyer.

Lathman Yadram is the Head-Coach while Elroy Stephney has been named Manager.

The 14-man squad and reserves are required to check in at the LBI Cricket Hostel for 17:00 hrs today, Tuesday, August 9, 2022.

The other players are: Shane Prince, Zandon Rose, Durwin La Rose, Dhanesh Persaud, Arun Gainda, Navin Boodwah, Arif Khan, Razam Koobir, N i c h o l a s L o v e l l, Sohil

Adrian Hetmyer

Dhanesh Persaud

Guyana’s Under-15 Captain Dave Mohabir

Romario Ramdeholl

Mohamed and Jonathan Mentore.

The standbys are Omrion Smith, Mikle Sharma, Nicholas Hall,

Thierry Henry, Elis Ramdat and Enrique Mickle. The manager is Elroy Stephany and Coach Latchman Yadram.

More local athletes for Jamaica on full scholarship compliments of the KMPA Foundation “The King Medas Pansy Adonis (KMPA) Foundation would like to announce the latest batch of athletes who are about to travel to Jamaica on a full scholarship.

This scholarship is free no payment is required by the athletes,” a release from the foundation informed.

“The Scholarships involve Boarding, Books, School, meals and training.

The foundation also has sent a few athletes from St Lucia to Jamaica also on full scholarships.

These athletes would be going to Sixth Form and those who have not written their CXC will be able to do it in Jamaica,” the release disclosed.

The athletes who are heading t o J a m a i c a a r e : Q u e a n n a Ta y l o r, S e o n Booker, Cherissa Dec e m b e r, J e n n i f e r B y ass, T r o y Oxford, Odessa

F r a n c e , Vi b e r t M i n g o , Michael McKenzie and Dejaun Grant.

Returning from Jamaica are Gabriel Lim and Omari Walcott.

Trevon Prince would be going to Iowa Central on a full scholarship also and all his expenses are covered it was communicated.

The release continued, “With limited resources the K M PA Foundation programme has been able to deliver because of its unique way of being successful in getting the best deal and decision for the athletes. Some people ask, why Jamaica and not the US. According t o A n d y Medas-King the founder of the organization, he explains that the system in Jamaica is about development and careful planning. Like a student can get 21 CXC and CAPE yet still they’re not going to get a scholarship

in the US because in Guyana there’s nothing in place for that.

Also in Jamaica the athletes would be exposed to some of the highest level of training while preparing the athletes academically.

Mr. Medas King went on to say, ‘we have talent in Guyana but we are not interested in investing in our athletes.

We w a n t gold medals but we are not putting a cent towards it.’

Mr. Medas King went further to explain that the current Structural programme in Guyana has negatively impacted our athletes who instead of moving forward are pegged with no resources.

‘There’s a lot of talking but nothing else and that’s simple they don’t know what they’re doing and they are afraid to ask for help,’” the release concluded.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 09, 2022

USA Tri State tour to Guyana

PAGE 25

Points for Olympiad Team Members in Round Nine

I

Anthony Sanichara top scored for Everest in a losing cause yesterday.

(Sean Devers photo)

Swar, Arepally spur USA to victory over Everest despite Sanichara’s 88

By Sean Devers

I

n ideal conditions for cricket under blue skies, the Tri State Youth Development of the USA cruised to a second victory from as many matches on their rain hit Guyana tour when they defeated Everest U-19 by 102 runs at Camp Road yesterday.

Following a 43-run victory against a GSA X1, the visitors amassed 280-4 in 40 overs with 17-year-old Ruhan Swar smashing seven fours and seven sixes in an entertaining 106 from 102 balls, while Amogh Arepally reached the ropes 14 times in his 57-ball unbeaten 83.

S h i s h i r Ye l a m e l i captured 3-35, while Tanmay Joshi took 3-33 as Everest were dismissed for

Amogh Arepally hits leg-spinner Stuart Hoppie for six in his unbeaten 83 at Everest yesterday.

(Sean Devers photo)

178 in 35.3 overs despite a brilliant 88 with 10 fours and three sixes from 18-year-old Anthony Sanichara, who faced 79 balls.

However, only national U-15 player Nityanand Mathura, with a cameo 22 with two fours and a six and 21 from Stuart Hoppie with two boundaries, reached 20.

When the Tri State side began their innings on a good batting track and sluggish outfield due the persistent inclement weather, Siddarth Kappa who hit two fours in his 25 and Swar provided a firm foundation for the visitors with a 71-run opening partnership.

While Swar was aggressive and put the bowlers to the sword in sweltering heat, Kappa played the supporting role before he was removed by

Mathura.

Swar, playing some audacious shots soon joined his skipper Anirudh Bolisetty and Saharsh Shwethan with halfcenturies on this tour and along with Tanish Dongre saw the 100 posted.

Dongre (11) was just beginning to look set before the little left-hander edged leg-spinner Hoppie to slip at 119-2.

Swar and Arepally joined forces and the pugnacious Arepally flayed the hapless bowlers while Swar reached his century from 100 balls with seven fours and seven sixes.

The pair added 101 runs for the third wicket before left-arm spinner Arun Gainda broke the stand when he dismissed Swar at 220-3.

Arepally continued his brutal assault and stroked Hoppie for four past cover before pulling a full toss for six in the same over.

Shewthan (19) was soon sent packing by Devon Ramratan at 263-4 with 13 balls left in the innings.

When Everest began their chase, they quickly lost Ramratan for a duck to leave the score on 2-1.

Mathuria hit Yelameli for a couple of imperious boundaries through the covers before depositing him for an effortless six back over his head.

But with the score on 34 Mathuria was caught as miscued a short ball from Bolisetty.

Sanichara, who reached his 50 from 54 balls, played some glorious shots, but he fell at 159-5 to trigger a collapse as the last six wickets tumbled for 19 runs.

The Tri State team will play the GCA XI at Everest today from 10am in their third game on the two-week tour.

n Round 9 of the ongoing FIDE Chess Olympiad, Guyana’s Open team scored 1.5 points against Suriname while the Women made two draws against Guam.

CM Taffin Khan drew his match with Surinamese FM Viresh Giasi while FM Anthony Drayton (1928) was victorious over CM Romario Sanches (2066) to earn a point for the Open team. Both Drayton and Khan are on 3.5 points each.

The Open team is set to face Burundi, seeded at 173 in the next round. Players are Taffin Khan, Anthony Drayton, Loris Nathoo and Ethan Lee. On the Women’s side, 12-year-old Anaya Lall drew her match with Guam’s Jasmine Ramas earning a half point while in a tense five-hour battle, Guyana’s Sasha Shariff forced a draw from Ruth Nacario, despite her opponent holding a winning position throughout the endgame.

Pooja Lam, Sasha

Taffin Khan Shariff, Jessica Callender and Anaya Lall are set to play next against Timor-Leste, seeded at 116. Meanwhile, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich was re-elected for a second term in the presidential elections held on Sunday, August 7th.

Round 10 continues on August 8th. The final round

will be played on August 9th at 10:00 IST at the Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort and Convention Centre, followed by the Closing Ceremony at 16:00 IST. Links to live games can be found on the Guyana Chess F e d e r a t i o n We b s i t e : www.guyanachess.org.

Young Kitt among the best in the US

Sean Kitt

Sean Kitt put forth a bold performance at the 2022 Amateur Athletics Union (AAU) National Championships Junior Olympic and finished among the best in his event.

Competing at the North Carolina A&T University Track, the number one 8and-under Boys 800m athlete in Brooklyn, New York, was able to finish seventh out of the 97 competitors.

Kitt turned in a time of 2:46.74s in a field that was won by Kingston Boston who ran 2:37.78s. In second w a s B r a x t o n We b b (2:40.38s), Malachi Moore (2:43.28s) was third followed by Landon Sneed (2:43.38s), Braelen Bozeman (2:44.79s) and sixth place, Josiah Hudson (2:45.74s).

Milo Secondary Schools Football Tournament…

Flawless CWSS retain U-18 Title

Renola Jordan beat Madison Khan 4-0, 4-0 yesterday in St Lucia.

rt Spo

s

Sagicor Junior Tennis tourney in St. Lucia

Guyanese players win on day three action More local athletes for Jamaica on full scholarship compliments of the KMPA Foundation Assistant Director of Sport, Melissa Dow-Richardson, hands over an accolade to captain of CWSS, Omarion Ramsammy.

p.

22

Some of the young athletes set to travel to Jamaica on the KMPA Foundation scholarship programme.

USA Tri State tour to Guyana

Swar, Arepally spur USA to victory over Everest despite Sanichara’s 88

Points for Olympiad Team Members in Round Nine

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.