Kaieteur News

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AIETEUR NEWS

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

Multi-million dollar gold heist…

Friday Edition

Wanted bulletins issued for three more

suspects

August 13, 2021 - Vol. 23 No. 33

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

- One currently out on bail for robbing, assaulting woman

Price $80

Online readership yesterday, 69,567

Due to high incidence of corruption…

Guyana must examine Exxon’s US$4.5B exploration bills with suppliers- NRGI US$1B Payara FPSO arrives at shipyard for final installations Lindeners clear bridge in hopes of complete reverse of vaccination policy US EPA says industry regulatory body must Shell to pay $100M in 21 days to consider ‘climate Nigerian farmers, communities damages’ of pending affected by 1970 oil spill Natural gas projects

GECOM terminates contracts of Lowenfield, Myers and Mingo - Chair cites no security of tenure @11:00hrs on OL Harmon sees cussing down and busing down VP Jagdeo as more important Kaieteur Radio than fighting to ensure all Guyanese have a comfortable life from our resources. 99.1/99.5FM

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Friday August 13, 2021

US$1B Payara FPSO arrives at shipyard for final installations ...as second floating ship Liza Unity nears completion to set sail for Guyana Even as the Liza Unity, Floating Production Storage and Offloading ( F P S O ) Ve s s e l n e a r s completion in a Singapore shipyard to set sail for Guyana in the latter half of this year, the converted Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) now called Prosperity has arrived in the said facility for its topsides installation.

The vessel is currently moored alongside the almost completed Liza Unity in the Keppel Shipyard in Singapore.

The announcement was made by SBM Offshore yesterday, the Dutch floater specialist that had won the

The Prosperity (at left) moored next to the nearly completed Liza Unity FPSO at the Keppel Shipyard in Singapore bid to supply multiple FPSOs for Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited—ExxonMobil Guyana—the operator of the Stabroek Block.

The company in making the announcement said “the next phase of construction will commence, with the topside modules being integrated at the yard.”

It was noted, according to

the SBM missive, that despite the various challenges posed by the ongoing global pandemic, the unit remains on schedule to be completed in 2024.”

SBM said the dry dock activities on the Prosperity are scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of this year, “with the installation of major structures that will support the Mooring and

Subsea Risers.”

Additionally, the Dutch Based FPSO builders noted that “in keeping the standardization philosophy that guides the Fast4Ward® program, the Prosperity FPSO by large replicates the design used for the Liza Unity FPSO.” According to SBM Offshore's announcement, “This approach has

showcased the value of Fast4Ward®, ensuring that the final product is delivered faster to our client ExxonMobil.”

Once installed, the vessel is intended to produce roughly 220,000 barrels of oil per day and will be able to store around 2 million barrels of crude oil.

According to SBM, “Once completed, Prosperity will join her sister vessel Liza Unity, currently under construction at the same yard, and Liza Destiny, operational since end of 2019, offshore Guyana.”

SBM Offshore in June last completed the project financing of FPSO Prosperity at a total of US$1.05 billion.

The project financing was secured by a consortium of 11 international banks.

The company at the time of the announcement outlined that the financing—to eventually be recovered from Guyana's oil produced in from the Stabroek Block—was to be drawn down in full, phased over the construction period of the FPSO. The financing, according to SBM “will become non-recourse once the FPSO is completed and the pre-completion guarantee has been released.”

The project loan was at the time inked with a tenor of two years post completion, in line with the duration of the

charter, and carries a variable interest rate plus 1.60%.

The Prosperity FPSO will utilise a design that largely replicates the design of the Liza Unity FPSO. As such, the design is based on SBM Offshore's industry leading Fast4Ward® program that incorporates the Company's new build, multi-purpose hull combined with several standardized topsides modules.

The FPSO was be designed to produce 220,000 barrels of oil per day, will have associated gas treatment capacity of 400 million cubic feet per day and water injection capacity of 250,000 barrels per day.

The FPSO, once completed will be moored in water depth of about 1,900 meters and will be able to store around 2 million barrels of crude oil.

The project is part of the US$9B Payara development, which is the third development within the Stabroek Block, some 200 kilometers offshore Guyana.

Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, an affiliate of Exxon Mobil Corporation, is the operator and holds a 45 percent interest in the Stabroek Block, Hess Guyana Exploration Limited holds a 30 percent interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited holds a 25 percent interest.

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Friday August 13, 2021

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Due to high incidence of corruption…

Guyana must examine ExxonMobil's US$4.5B exploration bills with suppliers - NRGI

I

n the petroleum sector, suppliers of goods and services do significant work for large multinationals like ExxonMobil and Shell Corporation.

B u t t h e r e i s overwhelming evidence that has shown over the years, just how endemic corruption can be between oil companies and suppliers.

According to research and analysis conducted by the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) on this matter, it was found that 64 percent of petroleum projects reviewed in over 40 countries was over budget due to incidents of

corruption.

One area that saw such high cost overruns was exploration costs, said NRGI. In Guyana, NRGI pointed out that exploration costs are estimated to be US$4.58B based on estimates provided b y Ry s t a d E n e r g y, a Norwegian Consultancy.

Given what it has observed from its research, NRGI, which is headquartered in the USA, advised that Guyana should check these costs which were racked up with suppliers to ensure they are correct.

It also urged Guyana to consider the impact of exemptions in the oil sector.

In this regard, NRGI said Guyana ought to examine exemptions on Withholding Tax to subcontractors or affiliated companies of ExxonMobil during the exploration period for the

Stabroek Block.

“Given Rystad estimates that operator ExxonMobil

spent US$4.58 billion on exploration in the block through the end of 2019; we estimate that exempted Withholding Tax up to this date could be more than a hundred million (US)

dollars…” NRGI stated.

It should be noted that ExxonMobil continued its

Multi-million dollar gold heist…

Wanted bulletins issued for three more suspects - One currently out on bail for robbing, assaulting woman

W

anted bulletins w e r e yesterday issued by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for three more suspects involved in the multi-million dollar gold heist at Wallison Enterprise on Gordon Street, Kitty, Georgetown.

Among the three are Antonio Maraj also known “Pluckin” and “Thuggy,” who is currently out on bail for allegedly beating and robbing a Land of Canaan woman in her yard of her Samsung Galaxy cellphone.

He and another man, Ryan Chung – one of them dressed in police uniform – invaded the woman's premises on May 25 this year.

One of them had pulled out a gun and tried to force the woman inside of her home, but she put up a fight and the bandit lashed to her head with the gun and escaped with her phone.

Maraj and his alleged accomplice were remanded on June 1 for the offence; however a few weeks later during their second court appearance, Maraj was granted bail. According to detectives working on the

gold heist case, which took place last Thursday, Maraj is one of the gunmen seen on CCTV footage robbing the business establishment.

Apart from him, police are also hunting down Jamal Hazel, an ex-member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), who allegedly hid $20M worth of raw gold stolen during the heist from his accomplices.

It is also believed that it was his Sophia home that was deliberately set a fire one day after the cops raided it.

Also wanted by the cops is Daquan King called “Titus” or “Quanie,” a taxi driver, who cops say was the driver who transported the gunmen to and from Wallison Enterprise.

King had reportedly abandoned the getaway car in front of his Cummings Lodge residence and fled to the interior.

Reports had also detailed that one day after the heist he had shopped a canter load of household items from Fon Roje Variety Store located on the corner of Robb and Cummings Streets, Georgetown. Among the (Continued on page 17)

Wanted for the multi-million dollar gold heist and also out on bail from robbing another person, Antonio Maraj

Wanted, Jamal Hazel

Wanted, Daquan King

aggressive exploration campaign in the Stabroek, Kaieteur and Canje Blocks post COVID-19 which hit Guyana in March 2020. But the costs post-2019 remained unpublished by ExxonMobil and its partners as well as the PPP/C Administration.

INFLATION BY ANADARKO Like NRGI, Kaieteur News' independent research also uncovered several cases of inflated exploration costs which left nations suffering millions in losses.

Anadarko, for example, had claimed that its exploration costs through to year-end 2012 were estimated at US$700 million in Mozambique. But oneyear later that cost magically increased to US$3B. More specifically, on September 13 2013, Anadarko's CEO, Al Walker, had indicated during a visit to Tokyo, that “at the end of the year the group would have invested US$3 billion in prospecting in Area One of the Rovuma basin in northern Mozambique.”

The claim of US$3B in exploration was repeated numerous times since September of 2013, and was confirmed by Anadarko in response to a direct question from the Centre for Public I n t e g r i t y, a n o t h e r international transparency

watchdog.

But the increase in exploration expenses was difficult to understand since there was no indication of such extraordinary expenses in Anadarko's 2013 annual report.

Each year, companies listed on a US stock exchange are required by law to file an annual report with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

Strict rules exists on how these reports are to be prepared in order to protect the rights of investors.

According to Anadarko's 2013 annual report, global exploration costs for Anadarko in that year were only US$1.3 billion, and this included activity in the Gulf of Mexico, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Côte d'Ivoire and New Zealand, in addition to Mozambique.

Despite repeated requests, Anadarko has refused to provide the public with a plausible answer as to how exploration expenses of US$700 million at the end of 2012 increased by US$2.3 billion in only twelve months.

The Government of Mozambique had commissioned an audit to be done in light of the said disparity but the money was nonetheless recovered in the meantime.

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Friday August 13, 2021

Kaieteur News

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

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

EDITORIAL

Guyana’s EPA does it again Every citizen must be wondering whether this country’s EPA is Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency or the Exxon Protection Agency. Because what the local EPA is doing is definitely not in Guyana’s interest but heavily skewed to that of Exxon’s. The latest came in the stunning news that “ExxonMobil gears for new 12well drilling campaign in Canje Block -gets exemption from doing Environmental Impact Assessment -EPA” (KN August 11). Clearly, there is no stopping Exxon in getting its way with whatever the company wants to do with Guyana and its oil, and in this, the leaders of Exxon could not have asked for a better aider and abettor than our own EPA. Let us say a few things before proceeding further.

Guyana’s EPA withdrew, for all intents and purposes got rid of, its more updated 2020 guidelines, rather abruptly and mysteriously, and replaced those with ones that are from twenty years ago. The objective was that such a burdensome obstacle should not stand in the way of Exxon, so to the dustbin it went. Similarly, the only time that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has any relevance, and need for implementation, is when small Guyanese and their businesses come under the EPA radar.

For whenever Exxon is engaged in much larger projects, and more dangerous ones, one rationale after another is found to give the gargantuan foreign company what is nothing but total clearance, without any whiff of serious scrutiny via demands for an EIA of substance. Since this has now become the norm when Exxon is involved, it might be better to cease the sham and do away with the EPA altogether, and put the people there out of their misery.

We say it is better for influential leaders in the PPP Government to scrub the shame from their faces, than to subject the nation’s EPA to this continuing embarrassment that furnishes evidence of its complete impotency. For when this joke of an Agency continues to function this way, it is nothing more than a politically directed body that is coerced to operate in this manner, while humiliating all Guyanese. If the EPA must be kept for the sake of appearance, then our political leaders should be honest enough (a problem proposition) and do the right thing.

That is, come out of the shadows, cast off the cloak of concerns about environmental contamination and give Exxon carte blanche to do as it pleases, which it is doing anyway, approval or not, EPA or no EPA. The gas flaring from the wellhead continues and as our article points out, drilling has been given the go ahead, and not for a tiny handful of blocks, but a dozen of them.

This would be one long comedy hour in Guyana, if the surrounding issues were not so potentially destructive to the future prospects of this country, its marine assets, its coastal areas, and the healthy and productive existence of citizens in both spaces. What is instructive is what has to be this farce on how Guyana’s EPA goes about delivering on its sensitive and all-important mandate.

First, according to public notice, the agency asserted that “the project will not significantly affect the environment” and which led to the issuance of an exemption from any EIA requirement. The EPA, however, was slick enough to accompany the exemption with the qualifier that “this is in no way an indication of approval for the project.” Then, semantics aside, we beg these questions: if not approval/clearance, then why issue the exemption for the project in the first place? Why waive what is an absolutely necessary first step? And when would any such exercise be done, when the project is over, and it is too late for preventative measures? To maintain this pretense of doing something, the EPA then went into overdrive with a platter of current buzzwords, which are the hallmarks of corporate speak. The following extracts should relay the nature of the game being played by our politically manipulated EPA: “sound environmental management” and “specific mitigation measures” and “environmentally sound and sustainable manner.”

Generally, they could mean much. Specific to Guyana and Exxon, they ring hollow, mean absolutely nothing.

Get used to it, Guyana.

Questions for Alfred Bhulai Dear Editor, I am driven to confusion that whenever reference is made in our local press about TIGI, i.e. (Transparency International Guyana Inc.), but in Stabroek News of August 5, Mr. Alfred Bhulai, its President described it as Transparency INSTITUTE Guyana Inc.

In the interest of transparency can Mr. Bhulai state for the record, which is correct - is it “International” or “Institute”: Also at the same time, he could advise us of the following:1) Are members of the Guyanese public given an opportunity to join?

2) What are the criteria for

membership?

3) What process is employed to elect the office bearers, namely: - the President, Secretary and others?

4) Does a public advertisement for its AGM precede the actual election?

5) Can members of the public contribute to its funding and attend its

meetings?

6) Does TIGI receive financial assistance from the GOG, PSC, any overseas organisation and others?

7) Is TIGI the local chapter representative of Transparency International?

Yours sincerely, Harry Deodat

Attempts were made to swear in Granger Dear Editor, In seeking to explain Mr. David Granger’s behaviour during the five months period to rig the elections, Mr. Freddie Kissoon (Aug. 10) suggests that Granger was under threat by subordinates causing him to close his eyes to the rigging attempt. This may be so as one now looks at internecine factional conflict within the party.

There were some squabbles and Granger was advised by authoritarian figures to take actions to remain in office.

But based on information available in public from credible confidential sources during the five months, it seemed that Granger’s life did not appear to be under any threat, and he seemed to be in charge.

As I gathered from the

ground situation and other sources, attempts were made by agents at GECOM to fraudulently swear in Granger.

The rigging process was nearly complete on multiple occasions. But the attempts were too crude and Burnhamlike.

Granger would have wanted a more polished process that he can defend as being a legitimate President.

From what I was told by very close friends high up in the PNC, Granger was unwilling to swear-in to the presidency unless a declared victory is legitimised at GECOM. He would have wanted to make the entire process right so as not to be ostracised for becoming president through fraud.

Granger could not embrace rigged results as that would compromise his

standing among CARICOM leaders. He kept stressing that he would accept a GECOM declaration, meaning that of the Chair.

Within the party, there were individuals who were more amenable to Burnhamstyle rigging using brute force and bold measures; Burnham did not care what CARICOM colleagues thought of him as a rigger.

Others wanted the rigging done in a polished way that can be defended. Granger did not publicly oppose rigging.

Granger was called a sanctimonious gangster, a well thought-out title, by St. Vincent Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves.

What is known is that democratic activists tracked and exposed the rigging, preventing elements at GECOM from foisting bogus

results on the population that would have led to a swearingin of Granger.

The continuous leakage of information from the PNC camp and those at GECOM conspiring to engage in fraud saved the day.

Opponents of fraud galvanised into action to expose the rigging, making it difficult to accept the fraudulent Mingo-like or Lowenfield-like results.

The PPP ought to be grateful to those who intervened to expose and prevent the rigging. Many of these figures have been snubbed, alienated, and marginalised; inevitably, they have nothing positive to say about PPP for bypassing them in favour of corrupt opportunists.

Yours truly, Calvin Braithwaite

Road conditions aiding bandits to rob citizens Dear Editor, Recently, I became yet another victim of an early morning armed attack where robbers waylaid me on Sussex Street near the King Edward Street cross lane. As a Christian, I try to be as generous and considerate to my fellow Guyanese, including those who destroy or seek to devalue human trust. But my major concern at this time is to relate the impact and social distress that has been occasioned by what can only be termed as the enabling environment that emanates from the deliberate mismanagement of the Georgetown City Council elites; and those who by their actions collaborate with the process of oppressing the ordinary people.

The first issue could be identified is the security and safety of female workers particularly who by the nature of their job are obliged to travel unescorted to and from their dwellings that are part of the La Penitence or Ruimveldt housing schemes and negotiate the walk through (actually a roadway) that bisects the Le Repentir Cemetery. Recall the gruesome, horrific rape/ murder of a female security minder during last year, that

heinous act has served to intensify insecurities within Albouystown, in particular, for a number of reasons over and external to the type of stereotype/image this part of Georgetown has been linked with for decades.

However, despite the complaints and appeals to Action Line, numerous unreported crimes involving either seniors or other so called “soft targets”, are as frequent as these are traumatic. It is almost a pastime to blame “de police, or the “govament”, or sometimes the hapless victims. Seldom are the real culprits, those who have the responsibility to maintain safe and sustainable roads and pathways identified and called out for their misdeeds and incompetence.

The other and perhaps related social/insecurity issue has to do with the state of the Albouystown roads including the entire James Street as well as the cross lanes of Callender, Curtis, Non Pareil, Bel Air, Cooper Streets, etc. These surface roads are located in a predominantly mixed ethnicity community where street vagrancy is, at times, a problem. During the years of the past administration, considerable

attention was paid to ‘nicing’ up Albouystown starting with the works to celebrate Guyana’s Jubilee. Then, there were interventions of GWI under the direction of the then CEO, Dr. R. Van-West Charles. The roads were dug up on both sides to lay pipelines, which were laid for the installation of new water metres. But that was all which was done leaving the roadways in a decrepit state, and potholes that are expanding wider. There seemed to be no structured programme for this event.

The re-operationalisation plan for the dormant fire hydrants is not foreseeable.

However, as to be expected the mainly loam/ sand overlay for whatever work was done by GWI crews and contractors (subsequent to excavating previously bitumised materials) just lays over the road surfaces and this has proven to be

hazardous with the cyclic floods. One only has to attempt to drive through the community to see clearly what has occurred. The small caves or potholes form a pattern that travellers must negotiate from hole to hole and avoid accidents at the same time as one is forced to use the wrong lane on occasions. The thieves, therefore, have a field day.

They ride unmolested on the verges even in a one-way street, they wait on the intended victim to slow or pause and, therefore, immediately attack and steal valuables – mainly cell phones, jewellery and purses with keys, documents and so on.

Editor, it is this situation that at times causes the burning of tyres and other acts of people’s frustration.

Respectfully yours, Worried citizen of Albouystown

Order of Democracy - why the delay in awarding?

Dear Editor, First year on return to office and diplomats, who stood firmly on the side of democracy, lauded over a

lunch. But still no conferral of Order of Democracy Award. Will this award ever be awarded?

Shamshun Mohamed

Friday August 13, 2021

RDC, NDC and Municipality Councillors are elected officials just like Parliamentarians DEAR EDITOR, It was brought to my attention yesterday that elected officials of the Regional Democratic Council for Region Three were hampered from attending the statutory meeting of the Council all because they were not fully vaccinated. I was told that it was the Regional Chairman, Mr. Inshaan Ayube who gave the order, which led to councillors being locked out of the RDC compound.

But after I communicated with him in an attempt to seek clarity, I was told that it is the Regional Executive Officer Jagnarine Somwar who gave the orders.

Editor, I have no time to go around in a circle with these people and their “dollhouse politics” but the action of the RDC Region Three yesterday to continue with a statutory meeting of the council where ELECTED COUNCILLORS were forcefully blocked from attending is a travesty on our democracy. That entire statutory meeting should be nullified and whoever was the individual that attempted to destroy a guardrail of our democracy must be held accountable for their out of order action.

May I remind the public that Parliamentarians cannot

What does two-week vaccine reprieve mean for the unvaccinated and access to public offices?

Dear Editor, The backlash from the heated rush to implement the new COVID measures has now seen, in the midst of the implementation, the authorities relenting and granting a two-week reprieve to some categories of employees. So, does it mean the requirement to gain access to government buildings and agencies have

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been relaxed for this period?

What really does the reprieve mean for the rest of the unvaccinated? Will it result in the blocked bridge being cleared?

Shamshun Mohamed

be hampered from attending sittings of the National Assembly or meetings of committees of the National Assembly and anyone who attempts to hamper a Parliamentarian can be held in contempt.

This is not a “wishy washy” privilege of MPs but one that adds to the foundation of our democracy.

MPs are elected officials of the nation and their presence and vote are that of the country in the house. It must reflect the will of all and not be derailed. The same principle applies to Regional Councillors and NDC Councillors. At least that is common sense to me.

Editor, if there is a law that speaks otherwise to this position of mine, I shall be guided. I call on the Hon. Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Mohabir Anil Nandlall to clarify for our country’s benefit.

Yours sincerely Hon. Ganesh Mahipaul, M.P.

This is a good day for democracy!

Dear Editor, Thursday, August 12, 2021, is a day that will go down in the history pages as the day when democracy prevailed in Guyana.

I say that because the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Roxanne Myers, and Elections Officer for Region Four, Mortimer Mingo, had their contracts terminated.

This decision makes it a joyous day. It comes 10 days

after President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s said that it is going to happen.

It took 17 months, but I am glad that the biggest obstacle to Guyana moving forward has been dealt with cautiously.

GECOM can now focus its energies on reforms and local government elections.

I understand that the GECOM Chairperson Claudette Singh and the three government-nominated members voted for the contract terminations.

The three oppositionnominated members of the Commission abstained.

That is more than I expected because the opposition Commissioners did not vote for them to continue.

Never mind, they are receiving their benefits. I am glad that they are gone! And the albatross is lifted off of GECOM’S neck. It can finally breathe again.

Yours truly, Suraj Singh

Govt. should focus more on over 50 age group as the vulnerability lies there Dear Editor, Reference is made to comments attributed to Vice President Jagdeo in which he tells unvaccinated people, “the minute you start going out, you go to work or a club and everyone else has taken the vaccine and you haven’t, you’re putting other people’s lives at risk.”

This makes no sense. If the vaccines make serious illness or death very unlikely

then how is it that an unvaccinated person is a threat except to him or herself?

Secondly, there is compelling evidence that vaccinated people can be infected and transmit the Delta variant at equal rates as the unvaccinated.

So, who really needs protecting from whom? The reasons why people are not getting vaccinated are many,

but I would suggest that resistance is very high among young people, simply because they are not seeing their peers becoming particularly sick from COVID19. And the statistics bears this out.

The chances of dying from the virus for those under 30 are 1 in 10,000. Negligible.

For someone over 50, it is 1 in 50, for over 80, 1 in 12. So, age (Continued on page 6)

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Vaccination - some points to ponder Dear Editor, From time immemorial, humans have been divided along some lines. The usual culprits were racial, economic or geographic. Now a new line of division is forming the world over between those vaccinated for COVID-19 and those that remain unvaccinated. As someone who has yet to take the vaccine, I will offer some perspectives as to why this is so.

Editor, it is indeed sad that over 500 persons have died from COVID-19 in Guyana, but when this figure is juxtaposed against other leading causes of death such as heart disease, hypertension and diabetes, I am willing to wager that it pales in comparison.

Yet we are not outraged when persons make unhealthy diet and lifestyle choices that are scientifically proven to lead to the aforementioned conditions.

Vaccines also do not prevent against the transmission of COVID-19, but prevent those who do contract the virus from developing serious illnesses.

But we must be careful that while studies have corroborated this, most of these studies were done by

the vaccine manufacturers themselves or were funded by them. Some of these same vaccine manufacturers have been found to have engaged in criminality before, as Pfizer was in 2009 and had to pay $2.3 billion to resolve criminal and civil liability arising from the illegal promotion of certain pharmaceutical products.

COVID-19 was first identified in December 2019, and it has been less than two years since. How can we be certain that from then to now, vaccines have been developed that are effective against COVID-19? Vaccine manufacturers are now touting booster shots as whatever protection the vaccines offer may likely be temporary.

This is aligned with “big pharma’s” philosophy that a customer cured is a customer lost. Studies regarding vaccines or any drug for that matter are usually done over a long period of time to determine if there are any adverse effects over the long term. How can this be done in less than two years?

I have read the articles carried by this newspaper by various writers and most are supportive of the vaccines being made mandatory.

Persons who have opposing views or are skeptical of the vaccine’s efficacy are vilified and accused of having sinister or political motives. If you choose to get the vaccine or not to get the vaccine, you are doing so thinking it to be the best decision for your health.

I do not see the point that some letter writers are making that the unvaccinated are somehow jeopardising the health of those taking the vaccine especially in light of the concerns, which I highlighted earlier. As of right now, it can be deemed that vaccines are being made mandatory given that unvaccinated persons have to provide negative PCR tests and make an appointment to access certain government services.

Last year, the government had no problems forcing “essential workers” to work in light of whatever concerns they may have had. By now, making it difficult to work and survive without taking the vaccine, I find it very strange and duplicitous. I do hope the government reviews this decision as it may have political consequences to their detriment.

Yours truly, Vishal Singh

Linden’s anti-COVID-19 vaccination protest is uncalled for Dear Editor, There is a protest happening in Guyana and it must end quickly. I am talking here about the ignorance that I see being manifested concerning mandatory vaccination in Guyana. The fuss is totally uncalled for and now protests have moved to the point that life and belongings are coming into play.

I go to Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, Vice Provost for global initiatives, at the University of Pennsylvania, and according to him, “”Health care workers have an ethical duty to put patients’ health and wellbeing first and getting vaccinated for COVID-19 is integral to that duty.” He extended his statement, adding that, “Employer vaccine mandates are effective and lifesaving and they are especially appropriate in health care and long-term care settings. No patient should have to worry that they could become

Friday August 13, 2021

Kaieteur News

infected by one of their care providers, and no provider should put their patient at risk.” A big ‘amen.’ So why the resistance, mind you, politically driven, ongoing here?

I am saying all of this, because Lindeners are joining frontline health workers who were locked out of healthcare facilities across the Region, as they are refusing to comply with the “No Vaccine, No Entry Policy,” which is now a global phenomenon. How ironic, contradictory and hypocritical it is to see, that vaccinated Opposition Members of Parliament Jermaine Figueira and Devin Sears, safe with their inoculation, are telling the Lindeners that, “You are standing for your rights, you are standing for justice, you have been on the frontline serving this community without vaccine, putting your lives at risk every single day for the residents of this community and here you are

denied access to your place of employment.”

These words fly in the face of groups such as the American Medical Association, American Nurses Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, Association of American Medical Colleges, and National Association for Home Care and Hospice. All of them are calling for all health care employers to require their employees to be vaccinated against COVID19.

The other thing to note is that this Linden protest seems to be more about ‘other things’, instead of the mandatory vaccination drive.

The news is that there were scores of residents blocking traffic in the town. Is this legal? I guess not, but it has the makings of societal disruptions, and I am happy that Commander of Region 10, Hugh Winter, was on hand, imploring residents “to desist from blocking the road and obstructing the flow of traffic.”

If lives matter and Guyanese embrace irrefutable evidence concerning the fight against COVID-19, then Guyana can move on to normalcy quite quickly. I pray we quit ‘fooling around’ and act according to knowledge.

Yours truly, Attiya Baksh

Govt. shows reasonableness but number of unvaccinated nurses, teachers shocking Dear Editor, It came as quite a shock that there were many nurses in Linden and Region 10 who were unvaccinated and a large number of teachers nationwide who were not vaccinated.

The Government’s decision to give a 2-week extension for compliance shows reasonableness on the part of Government.

Both in the USA and Guyana, the vaccine was given first to frontline workers – nurses, doctors and medical personnel. Everybody else had to wait. In Guyana, frontline workers also got a bonus from the new Government. Therefore, it was shocking to find out that some nurses are not vaccinated, and most teachers were not vaccinated.

This is simply reckless and unacceptable.

The Government should have been tracking these numbers and disclose them to the public. You would least expect that the vaccine resisters and hesitant would include medical people. Same for teachers who are within the most educated sector. It’s not

that because they worked unvaccinated, it’s OK and should be allowed to remain unvaccinated. Now that we know, that’s a problem to be fixed. You would expect nurses and teachers to be preaching the gospel that vaccination saves lives while the virus kills people.

I asked my friend Suresh what he thinks of the latest news that many Region 10 nurses were not vaccinated.

He said, “Dem muss be from dah group weh all a dem bin fail the nurse exam.” He added, “Wha dem a black the bridge fah? Only one bridge dem gat fuh go in the Interior. Dat is sheer wickedness. Blackking the bridge is nat a human right, when other people gat to pass.”

It’s not a lack of education or lack of sensitivity by the Government, as to why resisters and the hesitant are not getting the vaccine. It’s simply stupidity. Guyanese have access to all information and are world wise. They know what’s going on around the world. They know it’s better to be vaccinated than to remain at risk by being unvaccinated, but some are

seriously misguided by the vaccinated mischief makers who think a COVID-19 crisis that becomes unmanageable would embarrass the Government.

Guyanese must realise that a “hole in the boat, is a hole in the whole Guyana boat.” It does not matter that the hole is on the side of the unvaccinated group. The hole affects and threatens the health and safety of all of us.

As Martin Carter would say, “All are involved, all are consumed.” If you look at the headlines across the world, more and more employers are requiring people to be vaccinated or show regular negative tests if they choose to be unvaccinated. This is good, defensible public policy, and we must include the teachers too. I trust our people would understand these are desperate times that require desperate measures, and we cannot invoke human rights when the rights of the majority in the boat are threatened. Getting the vaccine is the right thing to do!

Sincerely, Dr. Jerry Jailall

Important observation on GOAL scholarship awardees Dear Editor, I write to you today with a heart of content regarding the GOAL scholarship programme, which the Government of Guyana has rolled out across the country.

I am not a scholarship awardee but I feel so proud to know that in excess of 6,000 Guyanese have secured scholarships to study at different universities around the world. I ask that you allow me space in your publication to echo my gratitude to the Government as well as to comment on some observations I made.

To begin, I want to commend the Government for embarking on this great initiative. For years, Guyanese have been asking for opportunities like this and now it has become a reality that will better the lives of thousands of scholars across the country. The GOAL initiative is well thought out and I believe that it has been rolled out at a very convenient time. The efforts which have gone into making it possible by the Public Service Ministry as well as the Ministry of Education deserve many commendations.

Just a few days ago, I saw that the list of scholarship awardees from the GOAL programme was published in the newspapers. I perused the list

thoroughly because I was very excited for our young people and those that were successful in securing their scholarships in the various fields. One of the things that I observed was that of the 6,000 names published, there was an even spread between names which I believe are AfroGuyanese and those which I believe are Indo-Guyanese. From what I have gathered, I would say that around 39 percent and 40 percent of the scholarships were awarded to AfroGuyanese and IndoGuyanese respectively, and the remaining 21 percent to the Indigenous Peoples and those of mixed race. The spread is a representation of the population and there appears to be no

discrimination in terms of geographic location. Another observation that I made is that the opposition’s criticism of this initiative, specifically its claim of ethnic discrimination (which appears to be their mantra with everything emanating from the Government), is not based on the reality given my earlier observation. In addition, its calls for a boycott were largely ignored as the numbers indicate.

In concluding, I just want to reiterate how happy I am that the Government has embarked on this initiative, which will benefit our people greatly. I commend them for their efforts and call on every single Guyanese to do the same.

Yours truly, Adron Pires

...Govt. should focus more From page 5 is the overwhelming variable in both hospitalisation and death rates.

Could the Ministry now tell us the percentage of people over 50 who have been vaccinated?

Clearly, this is the age range, which needs to be targeted and encouraged - not some 25-yearold in good health. And that is why the coercive measures denying citizens access to public services and even their jobs are

so abject and disreputable.

The government is rapidly creating a segregated society of the vaccinated and those who are not. We now see that they are postponing some of the measures for two weeks, but they should also “take warning”, many, many people will never take nor get this vaccine. So, what is their end game?

Yours sincerely, Lynn Nicholas

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L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Friday August 13, 2021

Kaieteur News

An accused solider had a change of heart after “clearing his head.”

We suggest that leaders in the PPP Government and APNU+AFC Opposition do the same.

President Ali, Vice President Jagdeo, Minister Bharrat, and Opposition Leader Harmon all NEED TO ENGAGE IN MUCH CLEARING OF THEIR HEAD(S).

Their heads are in the wrong place with Guyana's oil. Their heads have been confused and corrupted by association with Exxon and others.

The President, Vice President, Natural Resources Minister, and Opposition Leader have all lost their heads and surrendered their minds.

They are not thinking of all Guyanese, but of themselves. Worse still, they are all thinking of what is best for Exxon. They all need to do like that soldier and start clearing their heads, so they can represent Guyana better, and stop making fools of themselves.

PAGE 07

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Friday August 13, 2021

US EPA says industry regulatory body must consider 'climate damages' of pending Natural gas projects A c c o r d i n g t o international media house, S&P Global Platts, the US Environmental Protection Agency advised the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to begin incorporating the social cost of carbon into its environmental reviews.

Considering the climate change impacts of Natural gas infrastructure projects could help the Commission put a dollar value on harm caused by project emissions, the EPA said.

That recommendation was consistent in recent comments filed by officials from Regional EPA offices about draft environmental reviews for various projects.

The FERC approach to considering climate change impacts in permitting decisions continues to evolve while its staff has been at an impasse, repeatedly saying in the draft reviews released so far that they are "unable to determine significance" when it comes to climate change.

A US EPA official had recently said that "Climate change is inherently a major, significant impact of each fossil fuel project.” The E P A ' s o t h e r recommendations in the recent comments included FERC taking a harder look at local and regional impacts of Methane emissions as a precursor to ozone, which can cause harmful effects on human health and the environment. The EPA also said FERC should consider attaching mitigation

measures for climate change impacts for gas projects.

"Additional mitigation efforts to offset emissions associated with the proposed action, such as promoting carbon sequestration through revegetation efforts, should also be considered in the final [environmental impact statement]," an EPA official from New York wrote.

The EPA also encouraged FERC to use state climate targets in its analyses. In the case of Marcus Hook project, an EPA official wrote that "it would be beneficial to require the proponent to mirror" state targets, including Delaware's, saying as an example that the developer could consider as a

goal of reducing its operational emissions by 80% by the end of the license term.

In the Iroquois filing, an EPA official said the agency acknowledged the uncertainty associated with using a social cost of greenhouse gases analysis but still encouraged FERC to use the estimates "that reflect the best available science and methodologies to incorporate the value to society" of emissions impacts associated with permitting decisions.

"For example, by applying the [social cost of greenhouse gases] analysis, the projected emissions associated with the proposed action equates to over $144

million in climate damages per year," the EPA said.

In a recent ruling on permits for LNG projects, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit also said FERC must explain whether it is required to apply the social cost of crbon or some other analytical framework.

The social cost of carbon (SCC) is used to estimate in dollars all economic damage that would result from emitting one ton of Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere.

It indicates how much it is worth to us today to avoid the damage that is projected for the future.

The social cost of carbon (Continued on page 13)

Kaieteur News

Friday August 13, 2021

PAGE 09

The Fourth Wave is here The world appears to be in the fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic. The recent surge in cases came as something of a surprise, since a few months ago, with vaccinations then on the uptake and deaths and new cases declining in countries with high vaccination levels, the indications were that the pandemic was coming to an end.

That prediction is being defied by the present surge in cases. In June this year, there were 409,715 new coronavirus cases in the United States. However, the number of new cases tripled in the month of July with 1,380,963 new cases.

Only 12 days have elapsed so far for August. Yet in 11 of those days, the United States recorded a total of 1,254, 445 cases. As a consequence, active cases which had been declining since mid-January began to increase again.

Fortunately, there has been no corresponding increase in deaths. This is evidence that vaccines are working. And from the available data, these vaccines are supressing the number of severe infections.

From all appearances, including statistically, the world is in a fourth wave of the pandemic. This most recent but less deadly wave has coincided with a slowdown in vaccinations in the United States. After a slow rollout, the US was able to vaccinate 51 percent of its population by the end of June. However, in July less than 54 percent had been

vaccinated, indicating that the rate of vaccination was stalling.

The massive increase in new infections is correlating to this slowdown. Despite correlation not being causation, scientists are firm in their belief that increased vaccination will lead to less new infections, less severe illness and less deaths.

The Delta variant is being blamed as the principal cause of the present surge in cases, including in countries which have relatively high vaccination rates. Late last month, the World Health Organization announced that the Delta variant was triggering a fourth wave in the Middle East.

Canada is also now claiming that some of its provinces may soon experience a fourth wave.

The Delta variant is said to be responsible for the present increase in cases in many parts of the world including those with a relatively high percentage of their populations fully vaccinated. The countries with high levels of fully vaccinated persons include the United States (50.3 percent), Germany (55.6 percent), United Kingdom (59.6 percent), Italy (58.9 percent), Spain (62.4 percent), Canada (60.5 percent) and Israel (59.7 percent).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that the Delta variant is the predominant strain now in the United States.

It is also the predominant strain in the

United Kingdom and Germany and is dominant in Italy, Spain, Canada and, now, Israel.

One explanation for this surge in countries with relatively high vaccination rates is the high rate of transmission of the Delta variant. Some sources indicate that it is 40-60 percent more transmissible than the Alpha variant believed to have originated in the United Kingdom; and 200 percent more transmissible than the original virus believed to have originated in Wuhan, China.

Guyana is yet to confirm the variants which are circulating locally. The country lacks the technology to test for variants. But one top government official says that it is likely that the Delta variant is in the country.

Given the experience of other countries, vaccination alone may not be enough to stem the spread of the Delta variant. Israel which had a lead in vaccinations is now suggesting that a multimodel system including resort to lockdowns may have to be reintroduced, and booster shots provided to the immune-compromised and elderly.

This is an important warning for Guyana which like many other countries is relying almost exclusively on vaccinations to stem the pandemic and which is also now facing, as those countries are, high levels of vaccine hesitancy.

In a recent interview with the Guyanese Critic, second Vice President, Bharrat

Guyana gat boys seh... nuff weaklings Dem

Is nat public education responsible fuh de low uptake of de coronavirus vaccines.

Some people wah nah tekkin de vaccine is mo expert in vaccination dan dem scientists wah develop de vaccines.

No amount ah additional public education gan help de situation.

De only thing which gan push people fuh go and tek de vaccine is pressure.

And now dat de government saying dat dem bus driver and conductor gat to get vaccinated, yuh gan see how some ah dem wah bin

seh dem nah gan tek de vaccine, gan go and tek it.

Now dat de guvment saying dat if yuh nah vaccinated yuh gat fuh mek appointment, yuh gan see how much ah dem wah bin mekkin' styles gan go and tek de vaccine.

Is suh with we Guyanese. We is ah set ah last minute people. And we does only act when we get force.

But nuff people also frighten fuh tek de vaccine.

Dem is weakling.

Dem nah frighten de vaccine kill dem or cripple dem. Dem know de chances of dat happening less dan fowl cock growing teeth.

Is some of dem side effects wah gat people frighten.

Dem frighten chills like prison sentence. Dem frighten needle more dan a lightning and thunder.

Dat is why nuff a dem nah want tek de vaccine.

Dem frighten dem own shadow gun scare dem.

But some people also does like put off things . And dem been putting off tekkin de vaccine in de hope dat dem nah gat fuh tek it because dem hope de virus gan disappear like dem three wah get letter yesterday at GEEGONE. Talk half and remember today is Friday de 13th!

Jagdeo, said that 82.5 percent of the over 62-year population has been vaccinated. This is impressive but perplexing considering that high number of deaths of elderly persons.

The government should make it a priority to ensure that every single adult over the age of 50 is fully vaccinated. Unless this

happens, the death toll will rise, despite the high rate of vaccination for 62 years and older.

It is truly amazing that four months after vaccination began in Guyana only 57 percent of the adult population has been vaccinated with one shot. But on March 2, on that one day alone, 70 percent of the adult

population - young, old, healthy and infirm - came out and voted. On one day alone!

(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

Friday August 13, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

The Infamous Trio is gone but the Conniving Trio abstained T

here is no question in my mind that Roxanne Myers is going to continue to sue for libel if you write accusatory things about her. Her GECOM contract was terminated yesterday (along with Lowenfield's and Mingo's) so she cannot sue if your opinion is that GECOM did the right thing.

In no other country would Myers, Lowenfield and Mingo still be on their job one year after the election fiasco started on the afternoon of March 3. What boggles the mind is how in an age of the ubiquitous smart phone, the Infamous Trio hoped to remain on the job without being criminally charged?

This is the age of

Facebook. You go into a police station and begin to cuss up. Someone with a smart phone is going to film you. How do you hope to escape prosecution? You are engaged in a confrontation in the supermarket in which you are hurling racial invectives at another person, how you can deny charges of racism?

What is happening in the US these days are dozens of people are losing their jobs and are being charged for hate crimes because the smart phone undid them. Go to YouTube and type in, “Asian person attacked in subway,” and you will see persons filming Asian Americans being violently harmed.

I wrote it several times, as late as last week, that what

brought down Eusi Kwayana and killed off his “nice guy” image was his silly excuse that he could not have commented on the election drama because he was too distant from the action thus not acquainted with the facts and facts cited by others do not meet his standard.

I was a guest on Mark Benschop Radio along with Rickford Burke during the period of election insanities.

Both of them asked me why I didn't condemn opposition parties barging into the Command Centre of GECOM. How did they know that? There must have seen video clips of countless numbers of persons inside the building.

It was the smart phone that undid the Infamous Trio.

From the time Mingo

inserted false numbers in the Region Four tabulation; the world saw how certain members of GECOM were trying to remove the factual election results because his action was being filmed.

The videos of the action of the Infamous Trio for five consecutive months are available.

Look at them and ask yourself in which country in the democratic world would such people keep their jobs and to add insult to injury, they stayed on for a year.

It is my deeply held, personal belief that the Infamous Trio should have been charged with treason.

Mingo should have been charged by the police acting independently as soon as the recount showed discrepancies between the actual verified count in many polling stations in Region Four and what Mingo recorded both at the GECOM Command Centre on Wednesday March 4 and what he showed on the screen at GECOM headquarters on Friday March 13.

This was graphic evidence of fraud. This was tantamount to treason.

There should be a commission of inquiry into the five month election fraud. If the evidence supports charges of Frederick Kissoon treason, then those t hat the termination was persons should face illegal. If the Conniving Trio the High Court.

This country must never had voted for termination l e t a n o t h e r M y e r s , then the case for the Lowenfield and Mingo ever Infamous Trio would have grace the hallways of an been less persuasive.

Let us say they win in election building. I was 17 years when I saw as a PPP court. It will be appealed to polling agent how the Guyana's final court – the Burnham government rigged Caribbean Court of Justice. the elections using the The Infamous Trio and the ugliest methods of violent Conniving Trio have to be fools to think that the bullying.

I saw that repetition in Infamous Trio could be 1973 and 1978. I was away in reinstated.

With the exit of the 1980 but saw it again in 1985. But what I saw from Infamous Trio, one of the March 3 to July 31 in 2020 saddest yet most sordid was my worst political c h a p t e r s i n p o s t nightmare except the anti- Independence Guyana has I n d i a n v i o l e n c e i n come to an end. This Mackenzie in the early columnist will forever be sixties since I was very small grateful personally to those who saved my daughter's then.

Finally, why did the future by opposing the Conniving Trio abstain in the rigged election of March removal of the Infamous 2020.

(The views expressed in Trio? Because a court case is coming. The Infamous Trio this article are those of the is going to sue for wrongful a u t h o r a n d d o n o t termination of contract. The necessarily reflect the Conniving Trio will argue opinions of this newspaper.)

Friday August 13, 2021

Kaieteur News

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PAGE 12

Kaieteur News

Friday August 13, 2021

Deadline extended for healthcare workers, others to comply with new COVID-19 vaccine policy

I

n wake of protest actions against imposed COVID-19 vaccination requirements, the Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony, has announced a two-week period for healthcare professionals and public transport operators to comply with the new COVID-19 vaccine measures.

The Government of Guyana introduced modified COVID-19 measures for the month of August with guidelines giving more ease of access to the vaccinated populace while ordering that employees attached to the

Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony public transport sector must be vaccinated to ensure their continued operation, and

only vaccinated persons are to be allowed in bars, gambling shops and restaurants. As a result of representations made by various stakeholders to the Minister prior to sections of the COVID-19 Emergency Measures (No. 20) issued on July 29, 2021, the stakeholders represented to Min. Anthony that healthcare workers, public transport operators and conductors require additional time to comply with the Order.

“I have examined the request and wish to announce that healthcare workers, public transport (Continued on page 17)

Kaieteur News

Friday August 13, 2021

PAGE 13

K/News' security guards charged with murder…

Matter postponed to August 16 The matter for Kaieteur News' security guards who are charged with murder has been postponed to August 16, 2021. Yesterday was set for the prosecution to make additional disclosure of statements before the paper committal process commence.

However, Senior Magistrate Leron Daly could not appear yesterday and as such, the matter was given an adjourned date by another Magistrate at the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts.

Charged with murder are Yan Licorish, 49, and Tony Waldron. This publication had reported that the two Kaieteur News' security guards, who are on remand for allegedly killing a homeless man, would go through the paper committal process.

A paper committal is when the witnesses' statements and documentary evidence are tendered to the court without the witnesses being present in court and are inventoried and marked as exhibits.

Based on the written records, the Magistrate will take approximately 45 days

before giving a ruling on whether there is sufficient evidence for a prima facie case to be made out for the defendants to stand trial in the High Court.

Paper committal is one of two methods that are used by Magistrates for serious offences like murder; the other method is a preliminary inquiry (PI). For most cases, a PI is conducted. For a PI, the witnesses are present in court to give evidence and the documentary evidence is exhibited to the court before being tendered and marked as exhibits.

On their first court appearance in March 2021, Licorish and Waldron were not required to plead to the charge which alleges that between March 15, 2021 and March 16, 2021 at the Kaieteur News' Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown office, they murdered 58year-old, Mohabir Singh popularly known as 'Emile.'

It was reported that around 08:30hrs on March 16, 2021, Singh's lifeless body was found by an employee under a shed on the Kaieteur News' premises. The

US EPA says industry regulatory...

From page 8 is used to help policy makers determine whether the costs and benefits of a proposed policy to curb climate change are justified. A higher SCC generally means that the benefits of a particular climate policy to cut CO2 justify its cost; a low SCC makes a policy seemingly cost more than the benefits it ultimately delivers. Theoretically, the SCC should increase over time because physical and economic systems will become more stressed as the impacts of climate change accumulate.

How is the social cost of carbon calculated?

To arrive at the SCC dollar amount, information is fed into three computer models that link social, economic and physical features into one framework. The models integrate four types of information: 1.Socioeconomic predictions: For example, what will the population be in a given future year? How much will the economy grow? How much manmade carbon emission will result?

2.Climate projections: How will the climate respond to emissions? How long will CO2 remain in the atmosphere? How fast will sea levels and temperatures rise?

What types of extreme weather

could there be?

3. Benefits and costs: How will climate change affect agriculture? How much will adapting to sea level rise cost?

How does additional warming affect energy use? How will workers' productivity be affected?

4. The discount rate: Since most benefits from policies will come in the form of avoided damage in the future, and the policy will be paid for today, the discount rate indicates the rate at which society is willing to trade present benefits for future ones.

A high discount rate implies more greatly valuing the money in hand, and spending less today to allow future generations to bear more of the costs; a low discount rate indicates a willingness to spend more today to protect future generations.

A quantification of the effects of pollution from fossil fuel projects in terms of a monetary value arguably presents an invaluable tool in assessing the effects of proposed fossil fuel projects.

Such an approach, if adopted by the Guyanese EPA in its Environmental Impact Assessment of the proposed Gas-to-Energy Project, would undoubtedly be heralded for its utility.

employee had gone to remove a truck when he saw Singh's body lying in its tray.

As a result of the discovery, the matter was reported and the police arrested the two security guards. Both men were subsequently charged with murder. A post-mortem examination had revealed that Singh died as a result of brain haemorrhage due to blunt trauma to the head.

This publication had Dead, Mohabir reported that Singh had been Singh called 'Emile'.

(Continued on page 23)

On remand, Yan Licorish (left) and Tony Waldron.

PAGE 14

Kaieteur News

Friday August 13, 2021

Friday August 13, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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Friday August 13, 2021

Shell to pay US$100M in 21 days to Nigerian farmers, communities affected by 1970 oil spill

Extent of environmental damage caused by a Nigerian oil spill

A

ccording to the community lawyer for the Ejama-Ebubu people, Lucius Nwosu Anglo-Dutch energy giant Shell will pay the affected people 45.7 billion Naira (US $110.9 million) in compensation to put an end to a legal case that began in 1991. “They ran out of tricks and decided to come to terms,” the lawyer said.

“The decision is a vindication of the resoluteness of the community for justice.”

Shell approached a court in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, on Wednesday to disclose the development, he said.

Shell will pay the agreed sum within 21 days, Nwosu added.

The payment “is for full and final satisfaction” of a

court judgment issued against the company 11 years ago, a spokesman for Shell Nigeria said by email.

The decision is the latest involving Nigeria's oilproducing south where communities have long fought legal battles over oil spills and environmental damage.

According to energy news website Energyvoice,

the origin of the community's grievance against Shell dates back to a rupture in one of the firm's pipelines in 1970. Shell said it maintains that the environmental damage was caused by “third parties” during a civil war that was raging at the time. While the joint venture that Shell operates “does not accept responsibility or liability for

these spills, the affected sites in the Ebubu community were fully remediated,” the company said.

In 2010, a federal court ordered Shell to pay 17 billion Naira to the community. The oil major unsuccessfully challenged the decision on multiple occasions, including most recently at the Supreme Court in November. In March 2020, a judge in a related court case said that, with interest accrued, Shell's debt stood at nearly 183 billion Naira by January 2019 – a valuation, the company vehemently contested. After a 13-year legal battle, a Dutch court in January this year ordered

Shell to compensate Nigerian farmers for spills that polluted much of their land in the Niger Delta.

The court ordered Shell to compensate three out of four farmers who lodged the case in 2008. The case has dragged on so long that two of the Nigerian farmers have died since it was first filed.

I n F e b r u a r y, S h e l l initiated arbitration proceedings against the Nigerian government at the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes following its unsuccessful attempts to overturn the 2010 ruling. Shell didn't say in its statement if it will withdraw the claim.

Kaieteur News

Friday August 13, 2021

PAGE 17

Present day CO2 levels highest in - IPCC the past two million years Report

After the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report was released this week, multiple startling and frightening facts were presented, specifically pinpointing earth's current path to imminent doom; a path, which the IPCC report undeniably shows, draws closer.

The IPCC report states that present-day global concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) are at higher levels than at in any time in the past two million years, stating that over the past several decades, key indicators of the climate system are increasingly at levels unseen in centuries to millennia and are changing at rates unprecedented in at least the last 2000 years.

The report, which has been assessed by 234 scientists from 66 countries, expressed that in the last decade, global mean surface temperature (GMST) was more likely not higher than for any multi-century average during the Holocene, the time since the end of the last major glacial epoch, or Ice Age which was roughly 125,000 years ago.

The report further notes that changes in Effective Radiative Forcing (ERF) since the late 19th century are dominated by increases in concentrations of greenhouse gases and trends in aerosols. ERF measures the energy imbalance caused by anthropogenic activities such as emissions of CO2, other greenhouse gases or aerosols and/or natural

events, such as volcanic eruptions. The report also made it clear that the solar activity since 1900 was high but not exceptional compared to the past 9000 years.

The IPCC observed changes in the atmosphere (the layers of gases surrounding a planet), oceans, cryosphere (the places on Earth that have frozen water due to its frigid temperature) and biosphere (the parts of Earth where life exists), provide unequivocal evidence of a world that has warmed and worryingly so.

Simple examples of this are the fires in Siberia, Russia that are so massive, they have been viewed from space and have been labeled by scientist as “Record breaking” and ultimately linked to the effects of Global warming.

A further alarming find within the report was the fact that between 1979 and 2019, Arctic sea ice area has decreased in both summer and winter, with sea ice becoming younger, thinner and more dynamic. This therefore attributes to the rising sea level and causes great flooding concerns; something, which our country is no stranger to its impacts.

Should the world continue down this path, the evident effects of the global warming can cause cataclysmic results, if we haven't already seen them.

The Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) lost mass between 1992 and 2020, with an increasing rate of mass loss over this period.

Deadline extended for...

From page 12 operators, and conductors will be given two weeks to comply with the Order,” Min. Anthony stated.

The Minister said that the Government of Guyana has secured enough vaccines for the adult population. He also pointed out that citizens currently have a choice of first and second dose AstraZeneca or Sinopharm and first dose Sputnik V.

Additionally, the Pfizer vaccine for children will soon be available.

“I wish to reiterate that the vaccines are safe, effective and if you are fully vaccinated, it will reduce your chances of infection, hospitalisation and death.

Please protect yourself, your family, and your community. Please get vaccinated,” Minister Anthony pleaded.

Wanted bulletins issued...

From page 3 items he purchased was a smart TV, b l e n d e r , a refrigerator and a music set. Anyone who might have information leading to the arrest of these three men can contact the

police on telephone numbers, 226-7065, 2271270, 226-7476, 226-7065, 227-9271, 227-1611, 2271149, 227-1270, 225-69409, 225-3650, 226-1928, 911 or the nearest police station.

Friday August 13, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 18

IPCC Report presents rallying call for lawyers, game changer for climate lawsuits

F

or years, plaintiffs around the world have sought to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for their contributions to climate change — often seeking compensation for damages like economic losses from floods or wildfires.

But these cases have been stymied by a lack of causal evidence. That is, plaintiffs have struggled to prove in the courtroom that they have suffered economic damages due to the activities of the oil and gas companies they are litigating.

This may soon change due to a recently released landmark report on climate change.

According to climate change news website, Grist, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's sixth assessment report, released on Monday, contained some of the group's strongest language yet affirming the link between human activity and global warming. Humans have “unequivocally” warmed the planet, the IPCC report said, making heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires more extreme in the process.

The specific field of science that examines the connection between extreme weather events and human activity is called “climate change attribution.”

According to the IPCC, scientists have gotten much

better at this over the past decade, and can now more rigorously pin extreme heat, heavy precipitation, dry spells, and hurricanes on big carbon emitters.

This finding could have big implications for lawsuits seeking to hold polluters accountable for disaster damages.

Rupert Stuart-Smith, a climate researcher at the University of Oxford said that “the IPCC report should be a sort of rallying call to lawyers to ensure that they are making use of the most up-to-date developments in climate science.”

Take, for example, the 2008 case of Native Village of Kivalina v. ExxonMobil Corp., in which Native Alaskans sued ExxonMobil and 23 other energy giants for damages associated with coastal erosion.

The plaintiffs said the erosion had been exacerbated by climate change. But the U.S. Court of Appeals dismissed the villagers' case, citing a dearth of causal evidence. “It is not plausible to state which emissions — emitted by whom … and at what point in the world — 'caused' Plaintiffs' alleged global-warming related injuries,” the court ruled.

According to StuartSmith, however, that's no longer true. Thanks to the rapidly advancing field of attribution science, researchers now have the tools needed to attribute

- University of Oxford Climate Scientist

The cover of the IPCC report summary for policymakers

natural disasters to humaninduced climate change, and to determine individual companies' contributions to them.

“This kind of scientific evidence exists, the methods are robust, and they're widely accepted in the scientific community,” Stuart-Smith said.

But that evidence isn't yet being used in the majority of climate-related lawsuits.

According to a paper StuartSmith co-published in Nature Climate Change this June,

plaintiffs tend to claim that they have been damaged by oil and gas companies' contributions to climate change without citing strong enough evidence: Nearly three-quarters of the 73 cases analysed in the study didn't refer to any peer-reviewed attribution studies at all.

Those that did incorporate attribution science tended to do so in a general way, drawing broad links between emissions and climate change impacts, rather than making a causal link to

specific damages sustained by the plaintiff.

To build a better legal case in climate lawsuits, Stuart-Smith said, plaintiffs must first establish the contribution of an individual emitter to climate change using what's known as source attribution. In other words, “How much has an individual fossil fuel company contributed to climate change?” Stuart-Smith explained.

That calculation may be easier than it sounds, considering there is already a robust and well-used body of literature on the topic.

Much of the field builds on seminal research from the Climate Accountability Institute, which in 2014 published a paper quantifying the top fossil fuel companies' contribution to global warming.

The report has far reaching implications for currently pending Climate change lawsuits and can aid plaintiffs in their battle against the corporate giants that they face. A point of particular note for Guyana should be how the report will influence the Guyanese filed court challenge to ExxonMobil's offshore oil exploration in Guyana.

On May 21, 2021, two Guyanese citizens filed suit alleging that Guyana violated their constitutional rights by approving oil exploration licences to an ExxonMobilled group.

The plaintiffs are Quadad de Freitas, an Indigenous youth, and Dr. Troy Thomas, a scientist and university lecturer. According to court documents, the plaintiffs allege that the constitutional rights to a healthy environment, sustainable development, and the rights of future generations require the government to stop issuing licences to activities that will exacerbate climate change.

They point to evidence that the licences could lead to billions of tonnes of CO2 emissions, which would imperil the coastal nation.

P r e v i o u s l y, v a r i o u s climate change proponents such as international lawyer Melinda Janki had attempted to elaborate on some form of climate change attribution, linking ExxonMobil's activities to potentially devastating effects, however, in the wake of the IPCC's report, the hope is that more direct concrete evidence can be proffered in the case against the oil Giant.

High Court trial to commence for taxi-driver who allegedly killed teacher Almost three years after Matthew Munroe, 50, a taxidriver of Diamond, East Bank Demerara, was committed to stand trial in the High Court for the murder of school teacher, Kescia Branche, the trial is set to commence on August 26, 2021.

The battered body of Branche, 22, a teacher of the Richard Ishmael Secondary School, was discovered unconscious at Louisa Row, Georgetown, on November 5, 2017.

She was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where she remained without regaining consciousness and subsequently succumbed on November 7, 2017.

Munroe was arraigned before Justice Sandil Kissoon

in the Georgetown High Court, he pleaded not guilty to the capital offence of murder.

The jury will hear the case later this month.

Munroe was charged on December 5, 2017, for Branche's murder.

On October 17, 2018, at the conclusion of the Preliminary Inquiry (PI), Principal Magistrate, Judy Latchman, said that after going through the entirety of evidence of the prosecution witnesses which was led by Police Prosecutor, Shellon Daniels, she is of the o p i n i o n t h a t s u ff i c i e n t evidence was established for Munroe to stand trial before a judge and jury.

This publication had reported that Munroe was detained after returning from an overseas vacation. He had

reportedly travelled on vacation to the United States of America (USA) around the same time that Branche was found unconscious at Louisa Row, Georgetown.

The police had impounded his vehicle, which had sustained damage, and had a missing bumper.

However, Munroe had told police that he had driven into a pothole on the East Coast of Demerara – he was reportedly unable to show police the location.

According to reports, Branche's injuries appeared to be consistent with those inflicted by the impact of a vehicle, and a post mortem later revealed that she succumbed to brain haemorrhage, caused by blunt trauma to the head.

On trial for murder, Matthew Munroe.

Murdered, Kescia Branche.

Kaieteur News

Friday August 13, 2021

PAGE 19

GECOM terminates contracts of Lowenfield, Myers and Mingo C

hief Elections Officer (CEO), K e i t h Lowenfield; Deputy CEO, Roxanne Myers and Returning Officer for Region Four, Clairmont Mingo were yesterday terminated as employees of the Guyana

Returning Officer for Region Four, Clairmont Mingo.

Deputy CEO, Roxanne Myers

Chief Elections Keith Lowenfield

Elections Commission (GECOM) based on the terms of their contracts.

The decision was reached at a virtual hearing of the Commission. In a subsequent release via GECOM, Chairperson of GECOM, Justice (Ret'd) Claudette Singh explained that the termination of the contracts of the three employees were made possible as they had no security of tenure. It was said nonetheless that the trio will leave GECOM with all of their benefits in keeping with the arrangements of their contracts.

The three former GECOM officials were dismissed after Government-nominated Commissioners, Sase Gunraj, Manoj Narayan and Bibi Shadick moved a motion for termination of the contracts and voted for it.

The three Oppositionnominated Commissioners Vincent Alexander, Charles Corbin and Desmond Trotman abstained from the vote.

Since the three Opposition-nominated Commissioners abstained when the vote was taken during meeting; there was then no need for the Chair to vote and the decision was made to fire the officers.

Kaieteur News understands given the decision, letters will be dispatched to the three former employees to officially inform them of the move.

Yesterday's meeting came after weeks of deliberation on the motions brought to GECOM by the Government-nominated Commissioners seeking the removal of those persons from office. All three officers are facing the court on electoral fraud charges as it relates to the March 2, 2020 Regional and General Elections.

In a release which followed the decision, it was explained that the GECOM Chair made several considerations before dismissing the officers.

Among them, Justice Singh posited that although the three officers held public/statutory office, they are not public but rather contractual officers.

She noted therefore that they have no security of tenure and their respective contracts stipulate the terms by which they are bound According to the release,

Justice Singh noted that the officers exercised the right to enter their respective contract willingly and voluntarily and were therefore aware of the method of termination provided by the respective contracts.

Further, in arriving at her decision, the former Judge stated that “it is trite law” that “not even a court of law can enforce a contract for

- Chair cites no security of tenure personal services against an employer terminating the contract of an employee since the proper relief for a breach in an employment contract for personal services lies in damages.”

Specifically as it relates to the CEO, the release pointed out that Clause Nine

of his contract stipulates that his services can be terminated by giving him three months' notice or payment in lieu of.

In regards to the DCEO and the RO, their contracts stipulate that the Commission may at any time terminate their employment

by giving three months' notice or payment in lieu of.

Accordingly, it was stated that the officers will be paid three months' salary in lieu inclusive of all allowances under their respective contract as well as payment for remaining days (Continued on page 23)

PAGE 20

Friday August 13, 2021

Kaieteur News

Law amended to give unmarried partners more rights Unmarried couples will now enjoy a greater level of security under the Civil Law Amendments Bill.

Amendments to the Bill were passed in the National Assembly early Tuesday morning.

It amends Section 5(1) (b) and provides that a widow or widower may inherit the assets of the deceased if there are no children, and all debts have been fulfilled. The Bill recognises that once a single man and woman have been sharing a common law union for a stipulated time period, the law recognises that they are entitled to legal benefits.

Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, said the passage of the Civil Law Amendments Bill is a revolutionary step. During his presentation in the Assembly, he pointed out that the law was inherited from the United Kingdom, which has since changed their laws.

“This amendment seeks to remove any type of discrimination, unshackle that spouse who is left in a union after the death of the other spouse, but has to share

Attorney General, Anil Nandlall.

the matrimonial property acquired during that period with persons outside of that union.”

“We feel that to keep that in our law books, not only perpetuates injustice, but it continues a culture of discrimination which offends against the rule of law, and offends against our Constitution.”

Minister Nandlall said persons who want to ensure their assets are passed to particular individuals, are free to make a will.

However, if a person dies without a will, the amendment makes provisions for that.

“In the event that you do not make a will, we believe

that equity and justice would favour a spouse who has been living with you for the duration of that cohabitation should benefit.”

He explained that while the Bill may not appear significant, it would impact the lives of many ordinary Guyanese.The Civil Law Amendments Bill 2021 was also supported by Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond.

In her presentation, she said the passing of such legislation as this one ensures that Guyana's laws reflect contemporary societal norms and will benefit thousands of citizens.

Friday August 13, 2021

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

Bids opened for road rehabilitation projects in Regions 2, 3 & 4 During the opening of tenders yesterday at the National Procurement and Tender Board

Administration (NPTBA), bids were opened for three more rehabilitation road projects, which come under

Ministry of Public Works Lot 11: Rehabilitation of Lima Sand Main Access, Region 2 Lot 13: Rehabilitation of Good Hope Main Access, Region 4

the Ministry of Public Works.

These rehabilitation projects are the rehabilitation of Lima Sand Main Access,

Region Two, the rehabilitation of Good Hope main Access, Region Four, the rehabilitation of Schoonard

Lot 12: Rehabilitation of Schoonard Main Access, Region 3

Main Access, Region Three, the rehabilitation of Charity River Dam, Charity, Region Two and the rehabilitation-

construction of Cane Grove, Phase 3.

Below are the companies and their bids

Institute of Applied Science and Technology Repairs and Repainting of IAST’s Main Building

Servicing and Upgrading of IAST Electrical Circuitry

Lot 88: Rehabilitation of Charity River Dam, Charity, Region 2 Lot 89: Rehabilitation/ Construction of Cane Grove, Phase 3

Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) Design and Supervision of a four storey multi-purpose building in the north block of the GPHC compound

Health Ministry records two additional COVID-19 deaths The Ministry of Health yesterday announced that two more persons, who tested positive for the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease, have died. The latest

Ministry of Culture Youth & Sport Procurement of Sports Gear

fatalities are that of two women, a 64-year-old from Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) and a 51-year-old from Region Three (Continued on page 22)

PAGE 22

Friday August 13, 2021

Kaieteur News

Alleged “Ponzi Schemers” had faked COVID-19 results to avoid new charges - Police WANTED Puri Roti Cooks.Apply @Shanta's,225 Camp & New Market Streets.

SERVICES Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisements, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040 Houseplan drawing and estimates.K.Lakeram Building Contractor.Call:2160671/692-8464 or whatsapp 622-0267.

Mechanic 5-7000 day for machine equipment to maintainand repair, Excavator,loader, grader.China Railway First Group.Tel:632-1122.

1 canter driver sales man.Layout birds to buy.Tel:225-0480,219-2170/ 675-0587.

One live in babysitter to work.Intrested person contact Shelly on 677-8963,6224576.

One male able bodied clerk.Tel:231-2029/616-5954.

FOR SALE 2&3bedroomhomes.

Onderneeming, WBD,Tuschen,EBE H a s l i n g t o n , ECD.Whatsapp:673-6210/ 694-9793.

Two houses one yard income generator,Diamond H/SchemeE.B.D.34M negotiable.Contact 6572951/612-9697.

16x6Truck,1 Freightliner,1 Sylphy,1 Hilux LN 172,1 JCB loader.Tel:673-4002/ 665-3676.

FOR RENT Vr e e d - e n - h o o p junction.Place for hair salon, pedicure, manicure ,other.Call:603-6400.$15,000 per month.

TO LET 1- bedroom house on E.C.D,no children.Tel:6629043,call between 8am-5pm.

2-bedroom house on E.C.D.Tel:662-9043.Call between 8am-5pm.

WANTED Welder fabricator for grill work.Call:621-5310.

Male & female to work in Interior & female cook.Tel:687-7638/6741767.

1 driver @People's choice kitchen.Tel:679-9449.

Live in experience cook 3035000 wkly.Live in domestic 25-30000 wkly.Tel:6487866.

Experience welders between ages 30-45.MechanicDoosan & Excavator operator.Tel:223-5273/74.

VACANCY Maid to cook and clean for East Bank.Call:615-9132.

Driver Eccles office,Car/Van licence.Call:642-9823.

Female cleaner for office.Call:642-9823.

One clerk for TSI Eccles officeEnglish& Mathematics,grade 1 or 2 . E m a i l application:techserigy @yahoo.com or call 6429823.

Factory workers and sale representatives.Must have a sound secondary education.Call:223-0090.

Cashier,Sales representative (in doors),Driver-Lorry/ Canter & Porter.Tel:2275286/609-2995. Email: survival.humanresources@ gmail.com.

One cashier to work at Superbet.Tel:691-7123.

Vacancy @People's choice kitchen for 3 experienced cooks.Tel:679-9449.

Rider's for a delivery with o r w i t h o u t bike.Professional,neatly a t t i r e d , w e l l mannered.Tel:642-6832/ whatsapp.

C l e a n e r, m a i n t e n a n c e worker,labours to work with P.S.G.C.S.Call:621-6969 or 615-7784,7-4pm.

Auto Electrical apprentice age 19-25 yrs.Apply in person, Lot 120 Forth Street Albertown G/Town or call 610-0340.

VACANCY One female cashier & one malewelder/fabricator@Del ice Co.Call:642-9191/2311408,8am-1pm.

Alleged Ponzi Scheme operators, Cuban National Yuri Garcia and his wife Ateeka Ishmael, have once again landed in hot water after detectives found that they had falsified positive COVID19 results to avoid facing 60 new fraud charges.

Already facing 80 plus fraud charges, the couple was expected to appear at Sparendaam Magistrate Court on Tuesday July 27, to face more but they had failed to show up.

Their lawyer, Dexter Todd, had presented the court with two medical certificates, on their behalf, purporting that they both tested positive for COVID-19.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF), however, was not buying any of it and suspected that the medical certificates were fake. An investigation was then launched to determine the authenticity of the documents.

“The investigation has confirmed that the medical

documents tendered were falsified,” stated the GPF in a release sent out last night.

GPF added too that it will be conducting further investigations into the matter.

Garcia and his wife are accused of operating a Ponzi scheme, swindling unsuspecting Guyanese of millions of dollars. They had allegedly beguiled pandits, pastors and others to invest their money promising them healthy returns.

The millions in profits never materialised and the unsuspecting investors could not even get back the monies they invested. Out of frustration they turned to police for help and the couple were investigated and later arrested and slapped with 80 plus charges.

They had spent one month in jail on remand and are out on $30M bail. Garcia had promised to repay the investors but to date there is no concrete evidence to prove that he had repaid any of them.

Accused of faking positive COVID-19 results to avoid facing 60 new fraud charges, Yuri Garcia and his wife Ateeka Ishmael.

Canada PM Trudeau planning snap election, seeks approval for COVID response - sources OTTAWA - (Reuters) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is planning a snap election for Sept. 20 to seek voter approval for the government’s costly plans to combat COVID-19, four sources familiar with the matter said yesterday.

Trudeau is set to make the announcement on Sunday, said the sources, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation. Trudeau aides have said for months that the ruling Liberals would push for a vote before end-2021, two years ahead of schedule.

Trudeau only has a minority government and relies on other parties to push

through legislation. In recent months he has complained about what he calls opposition obstruction.

The Liberals racked up record debt levels as they spent to shield individuals and businesses from COVID19. They plan to inject another C$100 billion ($80 billion) - between 3% and 4% of GDP - into the economy over the next three years.

Trudeau came to power in 2015 with a majority of the 338 seats in the House of Commons, but in 2019 he was reduced to a minority after old photos emerged of him wearing blackface.

“Circumstances have changed massively since

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 2019. We need to know whether Canadians support our plans for economic recovery,” said one of the sources.

Growth is set to rebound

in the third quarter and Canada currently has one of the world’s best inoculation rates.

...Health Ministry records two From page 21 (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

Both women died on Wednesday while receiving treatment at a medical facility and as a result of this the country’s COVID-19 death toll has moved to 569.

Further, in its daily COVID-19 dashboard the Ministry recorded 88 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 23,244.

Presently there are 80 persons in institutional isolation, 16 patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 731 persons in home isolation and one in institutional isolation. To date, a total of 21,848 persons have recovered from the virus.

Friday August 13, 2021

...GECOM terminates contracts of Lowenfield, Myers From page 15 of Vacation leave. While the full details of Lowenfield’s contract are not known, Kaieteur News understands that the former CEO was paid some $25 million in salary and allowances between January 2020 and March 2021.

Although he received some $3.5 million in salaries between January to March, 2021, this does not include his accumulated multimillion dollar allowances.

PAGE 23

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur News understands too that a monthly breakdown of Lowenfield’s allowances amounts to $120,000 for travelling, $360,000 for entertainment, $700,000 in gratuity, $1 million for vacation, $120,000 for uniform. In addition, the CEO has a security allowance of $6 million annually.

Myers draws an annual salary of $16 million, while on a monthly basis, she receives

travelling and overtime allowances in the sum of $240,000; entertainment and rent $1.6 million; gratuity in the sum of $1 million; vacation $865,000 and uniform $120,000.

M e a n w h i l e , Commissioner Gunraj, at a subsequent press briefing noted that even though they will receive their benefits, “We are glad they gone, the nation waited too long for this to happen.”

The GECOM Commissioner explained that the next thing is to advertise the vacancies and have the posts filled by persons who can conduct themselves with dignity and in an ethical manner.

Gunraj believes the removal of the three officers would also support in large measure the successful holding of local government elections this year.

...Matter postponed to August 16 From page 11 homeless for some 25 years due to his drug addiction.

His son, Mohinder Singh, had told this newspaper that his father was a wealthy gold smith who owned his own business at West Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

However, because of a drug addiction, which he developed in his 30s, Singh ended up losing everything

and eventually he became homeless.

He was placed in rehab twice and came out a “brandnew man” but soon returned to his old habits, Mohinder had related.

The son also revealed that his father had even spent some time in jail, where he wrote the CXC exams and achieved distinctions.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 24

Lindeners clear bridge in hopes of complete reverse of vaccination policy Protesting Lindeners who were camped out at the Mackenzie-Wismar Bridge, as they prepared for a longhaul blockage, followed the appeal of Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira and Pastor Nigel London, to clear the blockage.

Following the announcement made on Wednesday evening by the Ministry of Health which stipulates that healthcare workers, public transportation operators and conductors will be given two weeks to comply with the mandatory vaccination order. Figueira urged the residents to open the bridge f o l l o w i n g t h e announcement, which would pave the way for

further consultation on the issue. The duo also ensured that healthcare workers who turned up for the 21:00 hrs shift at the Linden Hospital Complex, were allowed in.

Protestors however, were of the view that all citizens were given the two weeks extension and approached several government buildings on Thursday to transact business but were sent away.

"That is the understanding I get at the bridge last night, that everything open up back and today I hearing a different thing," one resident told Kaieteur News, when seeking clarity on the matter.

While Figueira and London were appealing to residents, the protestors vowed to return to the

location in two weeks, if the mandatory vaccination policy is not completely reversed. On Thursday, unvaccinated citizens still could not access government agencies in Linden, which included the Regional Democratic Council and the Guyana Revenue Authority.

Medical Superintendent of the Linden Hospital C o m p l e x , D r. J o s e p h London, told Kaieteur News that unvaccinated patients seeking medical services are allowed over the next 14 days, which is deemed a grace period. He said the time will also be used to advocate for persons to take the vaccine. Meanwhile, Regional Health Officer Dr. Gregory Harris said that

APNU+AFC Member of Parliament, Jermaine Figuiera. since the mandatory vaccination imposition was put into effect earlier this week, the region saw an increase of approximately three percent in the vaccination rate. Up to Thursday, August 12, the vaccination rate in Region 10 was 19.3 percent.

Friday August 13, 2021

Friday August 13, 2021

PAGE 25

Kaieteur News

...WI Over 50s embarks on its 1st Trilateral series in ...Mohammad Abbas rattles From page 30 time Canada has reopened its borders to its own citizens and residents only and those of the USA. West Indies team, which is made up of players from both North America and the Caribbean, has been seriously crippled in its selection process due to this rule by the Canadian authorities since it cannot select any players from the Caribbean who are not resident in the US or Canada.

CWIMA had begun organising masters’ cricket in Guyana, namely, the Big Man Cricket, whilst Trinidad and Barbados have their own historical masters’ tournaments being now brought under the CWIMA umbrella.

Windwards Islands has

also become active under the CWIMA but, unfortunately, they were unable to be considered for selection in the triangular series due to Canada cricket season coming to an end and the reopening of its borders for these players will be on September 7th.

Be that as it may, CWIMA has selected a strong 15-man squad for this series. Once again, the team will be captained by the evergreen Zamin Amin. The Vice-captain will be named shortly. The Manager will be seasoned cricket administrator, Raj Singh with Dave Narine as his deputy.

The full squad reads: Zamin Amin (Captain), Imtiaz Rick Ali, Sudesh Dhaniram, Sunil Dhaniram, Kenny

Girdharry, Brijmohan Harihar, Krishna Harricharan, David Malvern, Walter Persaud, Curtis Richards, Rajendra Daniel Sadeo, Shiv Shiwnauth Seeram, Vejai Seonarine, Balwant Roy Singh, Daniel Singh.

The team opens their tour with a practice match against a squad from the Scarborough Cricket Association on Sunday, August 15th at L’amoreau Park. Another practice match is scheduled for Monday against a select Canada team of Over 45s at the Danville Park.

West Indies will then square off with Canada on Tuesday, August 17th in its first ODI of the series and against USA on Wednesday, August 18th. There will be a

Friday August 13, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) It's important to take a hard look at yourself and know where you're going, Aries.

A little self-analysis never hurt anyone, especially when you feel like you aren't getting anywhere.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Libra, life around you today almost seems like a (bad) dream. It's almost as if people are talking, but nothing intelligible is coming out of their mouths.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Taurus, you tend to run away from confrontation, but today you might not be able to avoid it.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You can't spend all your time running from one activity to the next, Scorpio.

You need to take a break from time to time.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You may feel a little weary today. It's a good time to take stock of your life. You may have gotten some news about someone that has caused you some pain.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Today's planetary configuration has you wondering about an aspect of your life that causes you a good deal of hardship, Sagittarius.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) You have the gift of being able to get your great ideas across to others. In your family, you may be the one who teaches your children about life and its responsibilities.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You may have been a little difficult to be around lately.

You like to treat yourself to a little moodiness from time to time, but the people around you might appreciate a little cooperation.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) There may be tension in the air as you go about your day. The leftover fatigue from the past few days is starting to wear on you.Take advantage of the situation to clear the air with your friend.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Let your sensual, nurturing instincts shine through, Aquarius. Rely on your sixth sense. If things start to get rough, remember that you have the ability to keep your cool.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You don't live your life by society's rules. Your freedom is what is most important to you. But despite your independence, there are days when you have the sudden, sinking feeling that you could wind up alone in this world.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) A solid grounding is apt to be extremely important to you today, Pisces. Hearts may be broken or won, depending on how well you play your cards. Keep in mind that the slow and steady contender is most likely going to win this race.

semifinal for the second and third place teams on Thursday, August 19th with the first-place team qualifying for the first final spot. The finals then take place on Friday, August 20th between the winner of the semifinal and the first ranked team. There will be a closing ceremony following the final at the Danville ground. All official matches will be played at the Danville ground.

...National 800m Women’s From page 27 Reimagining Education, Youth in Leadership, and Youth and Health and Wellness.

This will be followed by the Inaugural Future Focus Global Youth Awards Ceremony which will celebrate visionaries who excel in different fields and have dedicated their time, expertise, and resources to Channeling Youth Power for Nation Building.

The awardees were Joanna Archer, Dr. Camille Wardrop Alleyne, Sherman Browne, Colette CyrusBurnett, Shane John, Janet Karim, Waynisha Saunders, Mpho Makofane, Lauretta Chithope-Mwale and Elyon Wells.

...GFF President makes visit to From page 31 should have to miss out on the GFF’s national football pathway just because of the limitations of the regional association structure we inherited.”

“We know the past year has been challenging for all footballers across Guyana,” he said, “but, thanks to the national vaccination programme, there is now a light at the end of the tunnel.

We continue to urge the football community to fully support the vaccination drive, so that we can move out of this pandemic, protect our loved ones, and return to play very soon.”

From back page so than Pakistan batted in them. Azhar and Azam were removed within five deliveries of each other. Azhar in particular struggled dismally throughout an uncomfortable sojourn out in the middle, surviving no fewer than four reviews before finally nicking off to Holder.

The next delivery Azam faced, he found Roach had beaten him on the inside edge, and when West Indies reviewed for a possible feather through to the keeper, Hawkeye supported their claim. All of a sudden, what had been a “nearly” session for Brathwaite’s side was transforming into a dominant one.

It wasn’t ill-deserved, either. For the first 45 overs, the hosts stuck with the four pace bowlers, allowing them limited rest in oppressively humid conditions. Not for any extended period, though, was there a discernible let-up in intensity, a dropping of the shoulders or the pernicious creep-in of

bad body language. The balls kept landing in the right areas, the pace didn’t fall away and Pakistan continued to be asked questions.

Mohammad Rizwan would be the man to answer them, because Rizwan, apparently, does every job Pakistan require nowadays. His first ball was clipped away to midwicket for a boundary, and it soon became evident that that was how the wicketkeeper-batter would play. Seales was pulled away for four the first ball he bowled, and two further boundaries off the same bowler saw the run rate trend upwards.

Rizwan fell shortly after, but it was during the AlamAshraf partnership, and the manic final hour which saw seven wickets fall that swung the game this way and that before leaving it finely poised overnight.

West Indies 2 for 2 (Brathwaite 1*, Abbas 2-0) trail Pakistan 217 (Fawad 56, Holder 3-26, Seales 3-70) by 215 runs.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 26

Friday August 13, 2021

Continental champs reap ranking rewards

F

IFA - It has been a busy few weeks for the world of football.

With UEFA EURO 2020, the 2020 Copa America, the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup, qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ and continental tournaments, as

well as friendly matches all on the slate, no fewer than 348 international encounters have taken place since the last edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s Wo r l d R a n k i n g w a s released.

Consequently, there has been a considerable amount

of movement in the standings, although Belgium managed to retain their top spot despite being eliminated in the quarterfinals of the European Championship.

Their last-eight opponents and eventual winners of the tournament,

Italy, (5, +2), moved up into the top 5, just behind EURO runners-up England (4, no change). Just above that pair, Brazil (2, +1) and France (3, -1) swapped places.

Argentina (6, +2) reaped the benefits of a triumphant Copa America campaign, while the two Gold Cup finalists broke into the top 10.

Vi c t o r i o u s i n t h a t tournament and winners of the Concacaf Nations League as well, United

States (10, +10) climbed no fewer than ten places, eight more than Mexico (9, +2), who, despite losing in the final of both competitions, now sit one spot above their continental rivals.

In addition, it is worth noting the impressive progress made by Gold Cup invitees Qatar (42, +16), who reached the semi-finals in the USA, thereby recording the largest climb of the month and equalling their highest-ever position in

Guyana now at 173

the ranking, which dates back to the first edition in 1993.

A handful of other teams that did not take part in regional tournaments, such as Sierra Leone (106, +8), Eswatini (146, +8), Puerto Rico (171, +7) and Mongolia (185, +7), still managed to gain ground courtesy of positive friendly results. The next FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking will be published on 16 September 2021.

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National 800m Women’s champion Archer receives 2K21 Visionary Award U.S. based Guyanese student-athlete, Joanna Archer, was among 10 awardees honoured at the second Annual Global Youth Empowerment Summit (YES) and Youth Visionary Award Ceremony, yesterday, virtually.

The award is given to any individual or group that is helping to positively enhance their country or the world at large. During her address, Archer, who is a Sociology with a

concentration on Criminology major at Texas Tech University, noted that, “It is always an honor to be a positive influence on youths in Guyana and around the world. I take every opportunity given to impact youths personally, so thank you to Future Focus Empowerment Institute International for giving me the beautiful opportunity to be a part of this global journey for change.”

“I wish a simple thank

you was enough to really express how grateful I am but it isn’t that’s why I will always show my gratitude through my hard work, dedication, competence and character. It has been an amazing journey and I pray it never ends, again thank you all so much. I am truly honored.”

The awards saw trailblazers from international communities, stretching across the Caribbean, North America,

and Sub-Saharan Africa uniting on a virtual platform for the ceremony themed, “Channeling Youth Power for Nation Building.”

The summit was fittingly held on International Youth Day as declared by the United Nations via a zoom

webinar and was accessible o n t h e o rg a n i s a t i o n ’s Facebook page and YouTube Channel.

Daniel Francis of Trinidad and Tobago, a Personal Development Coach and Author of the Millennial Mind delivered

the keynote address.

A cast of six global youth influencers weighed in on topics such as Youth in Skills D e v e l o p m e n t , Strengthening Civic Engagement & Advocacy, Youth in Innovation, (Continued on page 25)

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Friday August 13, 2021

Gold is Money crowned Dhyan Carter Birth Anniversary Dominoes champions G old is Money were crowned champions of the Dhyan

Carter Birth Anniversary Dominoes competition which concluded on Sunday last at Turning Point. Gold is

Money made 79 games to beat Phantom with 76 and All Season’s Racing Service on 69.

Mark Welch marked 17 and Kanhai Samaroo 15 for the winners while Rawle C a m e r o n a n d Ty r o n e Ambrose scored 16 apiece for the runner-up. Raymond Ali and Amanda Singh made 17 and 16 respectively for the All Season’s Tracing Service.

Gold is Money won the semi final with 81 games ahead of Phanton 76 and Gangster 57. Shawn Morgan and Mark Welch made 16 games each for Gold is

The victorious Gold is Money

Money while Ambrose and Cameron scored 17 and 15 respectively for Phantom.

Stephan Collymore and Shellon Collymore had 17 and 15 games in that order for Gangster.

Gold is Money pocketed $175,000 and a trophy; Phantom received a trophy and $80,000 while All Season’s Racing Service collected $65,000.

Meanwhile, Senior Organising Secretary of the Georgetown Dominoes

Association Mark Wiltshire in association with Shevon Bar will be hosting a one-day tournament on Sunday at Shevon Bar, 22 Cane View, Mocha.

Entrance fee is $12,000 and the competition will be played on a four-game sixsitting basis, $50,000 will be added to the prizes. All GNDA rules will be in effect and teams can contact Wilthsire on 659 8672 of Shevon on 684 0403 for registration.

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Friday August 13, 2021

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KL Rahul century helps tourists take control at Lord’s BBCSport - England suffered a demoralising first day of the second Test as a KL Rahul century led India towards a huge total after they were asked to bat first. Rahul played with elegance for 127 not out, growing in stature following his supporting role in an opening stand of 126 with Rohit Sharma, who made a superb 83 at Lord’s. With India captain Virat Kohli adding 42 in a third-wicket partnership

of 117 with Rahul, India moved to 2763 and in a prime position to take complete control of the match. James Anderson - passed fit to play - produced two excellent deliveries to remove Rohit and Cheteshwar Pujara, while Ollie Robinson provided a late boost with the wicket of Kohli.

However, the home side were collectively poor with the ball and, as the clouds gave way to evening

sunshine, batting looked increasingly comfortable on a true pitch. England were aided by the rain in the drawn first Test at Trent Bridge. The London weather is forecast to be dry for the weekend, so the hosts will need their batsmen - including Haseeb Hameed, recalled for Zak Crawley - to dig them out of this one.

Scores: India 276-3: Rahul 127*, Rohit 83, Kohli 42. England: Yet to bat.

KL Rahul acknowledges the applause on getting to a hundred Getty Images

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Friday August 13, 2021

Edwards announces himself with super five-for in rising stars U-19 trials

A

superb fivewicket burst from Nathan Edwards sent shockwaves through the Red Dragons batting line-up as the Cricket West Indies Rising Stars U19s trials continued on Wednesday

afternoon.

The left-arm pacer from St Maarten had the impressive figures of 6-223-5 as the Dragons were bowled out for 79 off 19.3 overs. This was in reply to 265-7 made by the Yellow Flamingos, who was asked

to bat first on a good surface at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.

The innings was set up by Anderson Amurdan, who again topscored with 79 off 70 balls with 10 fours and a six, to follow up his unbeaten century in the opening

match. He added 136 in 24 overs for the first wicket with left-hander Matthew Nandu, who made a well compiled 65 off 106 balls.

The series will continue today with two matches. Red Dragons return to Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground to

face Blue Dolphins. First ball is 9:30am (8:30am Jamaica Time). In the other contest, Green Pitons will face Yellow Flamingos at Coolidge Cricket Ground, in a match that will be streamed on www.windiescricket.com and the “Windies Cricket” Yo u T u b e c h a n n e l https://bit.ly/WindiesCricke tYouTube.

There will also be scores, statistical information and photographs provided on C W I ’s s o c i a l m e d i a platforms throughout the day. The trial matches form part of the West Indies Rising Stars U19s High

Performance camp, which is a k e y p a r t o f C W I ’s investment in development and preparations for the players for the ICC U19 World Cup to be played in the West Indies early next year. Following the Rising Stars U19 camp and the trial matches, a squad of eighteen (18) players will be selected for the West Indies Rising Stars U19 tour of England, which will feature six Youth One-Day Internationals at The County Ground, Beckenham and The Polo Farm, Canterbury from Saturday, September 4 to Friday, September 17.

WI Over 50s embarks on its 1st Trilateral series in Canada Zamin Amin

Sudesh Dhaniram West Indies Masters, which is administered by Cricket West Indies Masters Association (CWIMA), proceed on their first tour outside of the Over 50s World Cup. The very first Over 50s World Cup took place in Sydney, Australia in 2018 and, unfortunately, We s t I n d i e s w a s n o t represented at that event.

We s t I n d i e s w a s represented by a strong 15man squad captained by Zamin Amin in Cape Town, South Africa - March 2020.

This tournament had to be aborted midway due to the worldwide pandemic, Covid-19. The organisers have scheduled this aborted World Cup to be replayed in November 2022 at the same venue.

Now that the world has begun to reopen its borders for various sports under strict guidelines, CMCC, has led the way in organising this inaugural triangular series featuring hosts Canada, West Indies, and the USA. At this (Continued on page 25)

Kaieteur News

Friday August 13, 2021

GFF President makes visit to Waramadong, commits to set up ATC Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde has pledged to establish an Academy Training Centre (ATC) in Wa r a m a d o n g t o b o o s t hinterland football development, during a visit to the Region 7 community this week.

The President also donated football equipment to the village’ Sports Council and offered to organise GFF training for Coaches, Referees and Club Administrators for the Region where, because of its difficult terrain and logistical challenges, some areas are not adequately served.

The Federation regularly undertakes outreach, equipment donations, and capacity building activities in hinterland communities that are not covered within the boundaries of the GFF’s nine Regional Associations, and Forde underscored the reason for this, “It is vital for the GFF – and for me, personally – to ensure that all corners of Guyana have access to football development resources and support, as our nine Regional Associations do not cover the entire geography of the

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Chelsea Edghill presents portrait to Steve Ninvalle

GFF President Wayne Forde makes a presentation to one of the officials.

country,” Forde said.

“My meetings this week with Waramadong village leaders and the sports council were extremely positive, and we look forward to working together to develop football and to give young people in the community the opportunities they deserve to reach their full potential,” he said.

Forde said the GFF Technical Department will begin work immediately on planning for the creation of a special Academy Training Centre in the village, which boasts one of the most successful school football teams in Guyana.

T h e G F F ’ s AT C programme is an elite youth development initiative for

GBA confirms team for AMBC Elite Boxing Championship The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) will be sending a four-member team to the American Boxing Confederation (AMBC) Elite Championship in Colombia that is scheduled to punch off on September 25 and conclude on October 4, this year.

The announcement was made yesterday afternoon by President of the GBA, Steve Ninvalle, via a release to the media. The team Coach is Terrence Poole M.S. and will also include Caribbean Champion Keevin Allicock, who competed in the Tokyo Olympics, and he will be in the Featherweight division.

Meanwhile, Colin Lewis will box in the Light Welterweight division and Desmond Amsterdam in the Middleweight category to complete the team. Ninvalle, who is also Director of Sports, in the correspondence

boys and girls, which provides professionalstandard sessions delivered by trained GFF-affiliated coaches. The programme, which currently only covers t h e G F F ’s R e g i o n a l Associations, has been hailed by FIFA and Concacaf as a pioneering template for football development in the Caribbean region.

“We are determined to give all talent in Guyana a chance to reach our national teams, no matter where it is based,” said Forde, who also undertook an outreach to Mabaruma in Region 1 earlier this year. “We want to reward proactive and committed football communities. No Guyanese (Continued on page 25)

Kevin Allicock

detailed that, “The Elite Championship gives us another chance to not only expose our boxers, two of whom have not fought since 2019 when it was the Caribbean Championship, but it also gives us a chance to gauge where we are within Latin America and the Americas.”

“So this is a very important championship for us. Guyana has been at most of the AMBC championships in the past and this year would be no different.”

Ninvalle reiterates NSC’s full support for Table Tennis star, Chelsea Edghill

C

helsea Edghill, OLY, yesterday visited the office of Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, to not only thank the National Sports Commission (NSC) for their support, but also re-engage them on her future plans in the sport of Table Tennis.

Ninvalle, this week, made a presentation of $1M to the GTTA in aid of Edghill’s quest for continued success in Table Tennis, while noting that it could balloon following a review four months from now.

The 24-year-old who became the first woman from the English-speaking Caribbean and first Guyanese (male or female) to play Table Tennis at the Olympics, presented Ninvalle with a portrait from her victory over Fiji’s Sally Yee (4 – 1) at the 32nd Olympiad.

Edghill told Ninvalle that the image is one that’s close to her heart since it was her first match at the Olympics and more so one where she came out victorious (11-5, 411, 11-3, 11-6, 11-8) and

moved on to the Round-of64.

Ninvalle, on behalf of the Commission and by extension the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, and Minister Charles Ramson Jr, congratulated Edghill on an exceptional performance at the Tokyo Games.

The country’s Director of Sport reaffirmed the Linwood University Chemistry graduate that the NSC stands fully committed in supporting her development.

GCB Saddened by passing of senior Cricket Coach, Michael Hyles

I

t was with profound sorrow that the E x e c u t i v e C o m m i t t e e , members and staff of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) learnt of the sudden passing of cricket Coach, Michael Hyles. The GCB is particularly shocked as Hyles was not known to be suffering from any serious illness.

In fact, he had been conducting Coaching sessions in Berbice and just recently had visited the GCB’s office in Georgetown. Michael Hyles also referred to as Michael Franco was a long-standing Coach of the GCB, sharing his expert knowledge across

all levels including female cricket.

Hyles had been used extensively at the domestic level to assist in the development of players and coaches. His wide array of coaching education knowledge had allowed him to become a highly reputable coach within Guyana, and he was also respected by regional coaching education facilitators. Hyles, or Franco as he is familiarly known, made sterling contributions to the GCB’s development plans, especially those relating to players’ and coaches’ development. His contributions and ideas at planning meetings were invaluable.

Michael Hyles Hyles’ professional approach to coaching had won him many admirers. He will be dearly missed in the cricket fraternity. May His Soul Rest In Peace.

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