AIETEUR NEWSK Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular Guyana’sweeklylargest weekly Online: www.kaieteurnews.com August15,2022-Vol.15No.32 Online readership yesterday, 91,681 Monday Edition Price $100 ...as Govt. fast-tracks oil spending US$1M IDB loan to help certify 120 Procurement Officers Slowe calls for independent probe into allegations of cover-up by police force ‘Paper Shorts’ killing… 'Time for better terms' Man stabbed to death Perseveranceat ...reportedly never brought suspect in for questioning Police were tipped-off about get-away car driver in 'Paper Shorts' murder …defends lengthy wait for payment of goods, services Exxon ignores cries of small businesses ...GWI blames disruption on major breakage on Church Street City residents endure two days without water accident,inKilledacarNotoyaNarineKilledinacaraccident,NotoyaNarine Former model killed in Linden Highway HighwaykilledFormeraccidentmodelinLindenaccident ...Ramjattan throws supports renegotiationbehindofExxoncontract p. 3
ExxonMobil Guyana President, Alistair Routledge
Kaieteur NewsPAGE 02 MondayAugust 15, 2022
To this end, he made it clear, “the worst thing is to commit or say there is a payment timeline but in reality it isn’t, so you also need to understand what is thetriggerforthestartofthat time and then having the certainty.”Routledge said Exxon is focused on working with institutions such as the Central Bank and the Government of Guyana, as wellasprivatesectorbodies like the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and the Center for Local Business Development to address the mechanisms that are needed to effect changes geared at modernizing the availability of funding. This he noted willpositionGuyana“sothat the r ig ht k in d o f internationally accepted financingpoolsareavailable for companies so that they can operate in a way that is internationally competitive and at a cost that is competitive.”Routledge assured that ExxonMobil closely monitors its payment timelinesasitsobjectiveisto ensure its contractors are happy working for the company, knowing that they would be paid. The issue of contractorsnotbeingpaidon time was highlighted by Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat when the first consultation was held with the private sector in May this year, following the passage of the Local Content legislation in Decemberlastyear Thelaw was passed to concretise benefits for locals from the budding oil and gas sector
Exxonignorescriesofsmallbusinesses …defendslengthywaitforpaymentofgoods,services
During the session, Minister Bharrattoldoilcompaniesin the room that failing to pay local companies on time for services already provided was stifling the growth and development of small and mediumsizebusinesses. Heexplainedthatitisthe practice here in Guyana for contractorstobepaidshortly aftercompletingjobssoasto ensure the business has the resources required to start newOnprojects.theother hand, he said that while some companies can wait for several months to be paid, they are sometimes told that issues were encountered with the invoices, thereby forcingalongerwaitingtime or double the time for payments, even though the glitches in the system were nottheirfault. The minister urged the foreign companies to set a timeline for the processing of payments which will otherwise result in the ‘death’ of local contractors, effecting unfair competition aswell.Meanwhile,theAttorney General, Anil Nandall, S.C in an interview with this publication explained that local businesses have complained of a systemic delay in payments for good supplied and services rendered.“Theycomplained that this delay is having severe impact on their limited capital and liquidity thereby hampering their ability to discharge their contractual obligations,” he added.According to him, the local businesses related to thegovernmentthatinmany instances, they are unable to secure sufficient credit facilitiesandasaresult,they have to flunk the financial capital in some occurrences. It was noted that in some instances where they are required to pay VAT (Value Added Tax) in relation to moniesthattheyhavenotyet received, in respect to transactions that they have not received payments for Assuch,Nandlallnotedthat thebusinessesarerequesting some form of regulations that would limit the timeframe for the credit arrangements. “Oneavenue that is being explored is the promulgation of regulation for the Local ContentAct to address the issue,” the AG note.The Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo himself had alsoflaggedtheissueduring a feature address at the Guyana Manufacturing and Servicing Association (GMSA) mid-year dinner He noted that a 90-days paymenttermtosmallsfirms in Guyana is not acceptable. “We are getting around to regulatingthattoensurethat Guyanese companies could have better payment terms,” Jagdeonoted.
In wake of concerns being raised by small and medium sized businesses of havingtowaitasmanyassix months to receive payments for goods and services already provided to oil and gas companies, the major player in the field, ExxonMobil, has not only admitted to forcing companies to wait for several months to receive their pay, but is also defending the lengthy waitingtime.
PresidentofExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge duringaninterviewwiththe NewsroomonFridaysought to justify the extensive period in which businesses wait for their payments. He saidthatthecostsaresubject to a rigorous process which is an accepted norm around the world and that their clientshavetheassuranceof being paid, despite there is nodefinitive Routledgetimeline.explained, “A lot of people have said that that seems like a long time, but in reality it’s not when you think about what’s required to go through proper invoicing, checking and processing payments.” According to him, “ What’s more important for a business,wefind,isthatthey have the certainty of the payment so that they know whatworkingtheyneedand thattheycanworktodo.”
Demerara.Younge a resident of the said housing scheme was killed during the early eveninghours.Hisdeathwas the end result of a longstanding feud between himandthesuspect. The feud escalated on Saturday and erupted into a street brawl and ended with Younge being brutally stabbedtodeath. The scene after the stabbing on Saturday
Kaieteur News PAGE 03MondayAugust 15, 2022
US$1M IDB loan to help certify 120 Procurement Officers o l i c e a r ePinvestigating the circumstances which led to the murder of Owen Younge, 19, on Saturday evening at Perseverance Housing Scheme
ByKianaWilburg A US$1M loan from the Inter A m e r i c a n DevelopmentBank (IDB) is expected to provide critical training and certification to public procurement officers in the National Procurement Tender Administration (NPTA)aswellasministries in best practices in public procurement.Forthisoperation, the IDB intends to contract consulting services for the certification of 120 government procurement officials at public procurement level 1, which will include procurement fundamentals, principles, and general practices; 60 in l e v e l 2 e f f e c t i v e procurement processes for successful project implementation; and 30 in level 3, including advanced procurement and contract management strategies, bringing the trainees in line in terms of capacity, with whatisneededforamodern procurementsystem. The certification programme which falls under the loan title: Support to Fiscal Policy and Management in Guyana, is expected to be completed within approximately 10 months of the contract signaturedate.Thefinancial institution believes the loan is justified since Guyana’s institutional framework has not been able to translate economic returns into improvedoutcomes. It believes strengthened procurement practices are now even more important withtheemergenceoftheoil sector and the government’s acceleratedpaceofspending thoseInrevenues.thearea of public procurement, the IDB was keentonotethatGuyanahas madeimprovementsoverthe last few years. It said the legal and regulatory framework is relatively soundeventhoughtherehas been little progress in deepening procurement capacity and capability to achieve fuller objectives of fairness, transparency, and bestThevalue.financial institution said an important step was the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) which cameintoeffectiveexistence with the approval of its Commissioners by ParliamentinOctober2016, and their swearing-in later that same year Another important advance it said was the passing of the Procurement (Amendment) Act 2019 which mandates the Tender betweenassessmentspotentialimportantaof2019latestfinancialandresults,monitoringcatma2Performance(F2019lowGuyanappractices,rframeworkbankentitiessubmittedparegistryimplementationAuthority’sofavendor,smallbusinessset-sides,andmandatesrocurementplanstobebyallprocuringinthecountryBethatasitmay,thesaidtheprocurementstilldoesnoteflectinternationalbestaddingthatcurrentrocurementpracticesinhavesomegaps.Thisisreflectedinthescore(D)receivedinthePublicExpenditureandinancialAccountabilityPEFA)assessmentIndicatorPI-4,whichexamineskeyspectsofprocurementanagementincludingransparencyofrrangements,openandompetitiveprocedures,ofprocurementandaccesstoappealredressarrangements.Intheareaofpublicmanagement,thePEFAAssessmentinevidencedsomeareasimprovement,however,itlsofoundareaswithweaknessesandforimprovement.Thecomparisonoftheindicatesthat2013and2019, budget credibility has improved as revenues are nowwellinlinewithbudget estimates and budgets are executed within available resources.Onthe other hand, the Chart of Accounts has not been modernized to comply with Government Finance Statistics (GFS) standards. Guyana was noted to be a pioneerintermsofadopting a Commercial Office the Shelf (COTS) platform for its Integrated Financial M a n a g e m e n t a n d Accounting System (IFMIS).However, that legacy system has been having performance issues such as slow response times for queries and data registry, gapsbetweencommittedand executed amounts and duplication of efforts as many public officials have resorted back to manual procedures. as Govt. fast-tracks oil spending , East Bank
-
Man stabbed to death Perseveranceat
Ralph Ramkarran responds to Freddie Kissoon
hat are we going to do with the crop ofWspineless, clueless, leaders we have in Guyana? What is to be expected of them, giventhedarkhistoriesofmostofthem? Canthecitizensof this newly oil rich country ever experience better at their hands, see justice under their governance, grow into prosperitywiththemholdingthereinsofpower? Theshort answertoallthosequestionsisthatnothingbuttheworsecan beanticipatedascomingfromthem,sincetheyknownothing about honesty and integrity, and live for nothing but what is rottenanddiseased. All of this is what can be gathered, as extracted from a reportonGuyana'soilsector,asevaluatedbytheIDB. There is no room for any other interpretations, given how this countrynowoverseesitsoilwealth.
IDB Report casts our leader in the worst light
RalphRegardsRamkarran DearEditor, Much of our population is neglected by the government except for receiving a small handout to pacifythem.Thebulkofour people is only important to politicians at election times. Election is due by end of year So government has gone into election mode giving out freebies. Still, many of our people are relegated to third class status.Thereisaracketinthe approval and distribution of handouts(grants). In doling out contracts, Hindus and Christians are marginalised.EvenMuslims arenotgettingafairshare.If o n e e x a m i n e s t h e distribution of contracts, a narrow religious section of thepopulaceofonefaithgets thebulkofcontracts.Hindus areaboutthirtypercentofthe population and vote almost exclusively PPP but are under represented in awarding of contracts Christians are also under represented in awarding of state contracts A small groupofindividualscloseto theapexoftheleadershipof the PPP are major beneficiaries Lucrative contracts and opportunities are channelled to a privileged 10 percent of the population who are in good gracewiththegovernment. Close examination revealsthatsome90percent ofthepopulationisexcluded from the new found oil wealth, large scale mining operations, and lumbering. Some people are preferred for handouts and contracts based on 'connections'. The massive development that is taking place within the country is so streamlined so as to concentrate the wealth ofthenationinthehandsofa selected few Projects conceived by individuals and organisations outside of that narrow group of the privileged and connected that would benefit the wider population are denied approvalandstymied. Some 85 percent of workersareemployedinthe public service, commercial, and agricultural sectors, inclusiveofcrops,livestock, lumberingandfishing.There is little for public servants, minimum wage for the bulk oftheprivatesectorworkers, and unplanned handouts to agri. sector/fishing workers to pacify them while their industries sink Workers could hardly make ends meet.Commercialorprivate sector workers can't feed themselves.Theunions of public service employees are kept outofbargainingprocessfor wages and raises were imposedonthem. The handout sector will growinmonthsandyearsto come as the non-energy and non mining sectors are declining in size. Rice, for example, is declining to lowest levels in decades –only 75 percent of production from preceding year It is lower than during APNU's tenure. Sugar has been at its worst in the historyoftheindustry,much worse than under the coalition. There will be a growing underclass in these two and other agricultural sectors who would depend onhandoutsforbasicfoods. Insteadoffoolingpeople with occasional handouts and temporary part time unproductive jobs to sit around an office, why not engageinrealpermanentjob creation that will result in productive labour of our people.Clearly, the apex of leadership is not genuinely interested in the welfare of the working class. It is time that the masses find new truly representative leadership and dethrone the oligarchs who are taking them for a ride and making themmoredependentonthe state. Yours Mukeshtruly,Narine
EDITORIAL PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana. Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456 Editor:SHARMAINGRAINGER Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210 Kaieteur News Editor’sNote;Ifyoursentletterwasnotpublishedandyoufeltitscontentswere validanddevoidoflibelorpersonalattacks,please contactusbyphoneoremail. Kaieteur NewsPAGE 04 MondayAugust 15, 2022
DearEditor, I refer to Mr Freddie Kissoon'sarticle“WhatYesu Persaud told me Janet Jagan told him about Ralph Ramkarran” published on August13.Iwasnotoffered any position in the government by the PPP in 1992. After the government was established, I was offeredadiplomaticposition by Clement Rohee, the then Foreign Minister, which I declined.Idid not want to leave Guyana and disrupt my life and had no interest in or knowledgeofdiplomacy Mr BernardDeSantos,a distinguishedlawyer,agreed to have his name on the List of Candidates in 1992 if he was appointed Attorney General if the PPP won the elections. The PPP did and he was appointed AG. In 1997 Mr Doodnauth Singh, also a distinguished lawyer, offered to serve as Attorney General.HewasnotontheListof Candidates He was a technocrat. Once again, I wasnotofferedapositionin the government in 1997 Therefore, I could not decline in 1997 what I was notofferedwhich,according to Mr Kissoon, is the assertion made by Nagamootoo.Theallegation that, according to Moses Nagamootoo, Komal Chand “was decisive in weakening Ramkarran's chances” is a mystifyingfalsehood.Thisis what Komal Chand said at the meeting: "I agree with Cde Janet that the job of president would be strenuous.Ifanything were to happentoherwewouldhave to go through this whole process again. Cde Janet should be congratulated for her frank contribution. If Cde Janet is not the candidateshewillbewithus longer and will be of more usetoOurus.supporters will not refusetovoteforusifwedo not have a Jagan name. I agreewiththeshortlist. We should start with the three names. Sam should remainasthePMcandidate. We should agree to a person other than Cde Janet as the presidentialcandidate.” My children spent five yearseachstudyinglaw-one year in Guyana at UG, two years in Barbados at UWI and two years in Trinidad at HughWoodingLawSchool. Theyearswere1995to2000 and1997to2002. And yes, Freddie, they qualified for duty free allowance,havingspentover three years abroad, which is really what you want to knowaftermakingfalseand libelous allegations many yearsagoinaccordancewith your usual modus operandi oflyingaboutanddegrading others and never letting up on your nefarious efforts, evennow
Time for genuine representatives of working class
Foreign investors or foreign exploiters
DearEditor, There is a case being made in the news that Guyana needs foreign investmenttomoveforward, thisiscorrectaseverynation rich or poor have some amount of foreign investment However, in business, there is KYI (Know Your Investor), Guyana must ensure foreign investors are well vetted for credibility, ethics, trustworthiness, their source of income, willingness to follow Guyana's rule of law, engaging in good faith business deals and leaders representing Guyana must ensure, when dealing with foreign investors, protecting thecitizens'andthecountry's wellbeing is the most important aspect of these partnerships, unfortunately f o r G u y a n a , i t ' s administration for many decades in this regard have beendismalfailures. Responsible leaders don't let the foreign investor value their country's assets, they do independent valuation,theirsenseshould tell them, the mere fact the investors came from first world country to a third world country to do business, indicates the third worldcountryhavevaluable a s s e t s T h e r e a r e independent companies in the world who uses ground penetrating radar and u n d e r w a t e r s o n a r technology, showing you on live TV screen what's under the ground an under the ocean floor, the cost to do this is far less than one terminal at the CJIA Guyana's signatories of the oil and oil blocks and other resource contracts said they were told to sign contracts and did, without seeing anything.Responsible leaders wouldprotecttheownership rights of their country's assets. Guyana could have raisedmoneybyselling (Continued
The Coalition Government received a US$11.6M loan from the IDB to build capacity to manage our oil sector, to strengthen what was already present for oil systems, management and cost systems, training of people, and creating laws to stand guard over our oil riches. We all can agree on one thing, which is that what we had in place was verymeagre,almostnexttonothing. Wewereinabadplace, andwereallyneededtotakestockandgetontrackasquickly andsmartlyaspossible. Wedidn'thavetheluxuryofeither cutting corners, or dragging our feet and wasting time, or playing the fool. The tragedy is that leaders are guilty of doing all this, and we now live with what we have, while ExxonanditsaccomplicesintherippingoffofGuyanamake ringsaroundGuyana,androbsusblind. The APNU+AFC Coalition made a start in putting the IDBloantosomeuse,andthenitwasknockedoutoftheseat ofgovernmentinGuyana. ThePPP/Ctookoverthereinsof nationaloffice,andpromptlyputtherecommendationsofthe IDBonthebackburner,whichisapolitewayofsayingspat uponthoserecommendations,andallbutdumpedtheminto thegarbagebin. Wegiveafewexamplesofwhattheleaders inthePPP/CGovernmentignored,andwhathasbenefitedthe oilcompaniesimmensely One of the key IDB recommendations was that a DepletionPolicybeontheground,andcontrollingtherateat whichouroilwouldbebroughtupandshippedawayfromour offshoreSuchoilfields.aDepletion Policy slows down the oil companies rushtoproduceandproduce,whilewegainprecioustimeto wrap our arms around what we have and extract the most benefitsthatcanbehadforourselves. Anationallyoriented Depletion Policy oversees this oil on our terms and conditions,andcanbeusedasabargainingchipwithawilling partner that is ready to do the kind of deals that ensures all partiesgetafairshake,andwalkawaysatisfied. Ontheotherhand,awellthoughtoutandwiselycrafted Depletion Policy can also be used as a weapon to knock stubborn oil companies on the head, and make them see the light. It is that this oil belongs to us, and we are the ones calling the shots about the speed of exploration and production.Aswedothisweearnandwelearn,webecomewiserand stronger on the ways of this complex oil business, from its costs, its sales, and its markets, and not to forget the regulationsandprotectionsthatwejusthavetohaveforour ownfuturesecurityandprosperity Mostdisastrously,wedon'thavemuchofanythinginthe areasidentifiedabove. Alsogrievous,wedonothaveaslew of other vital aspects not mentioned, such as cost allocation laws, rules about recoverable and nonrecoverable expenses, accounting systems to filter what comes before us, and the calibreofpeopletolookoutforourbestinterests. Allthisand morearewhattheIDBrecommendedforourgovernmentto haveandimplement. TheongoingtragedyisthatthePPP/CGovernmentcould careless,whileExxonismorejoyfulthanapiginfilth. Filthy richlucre,thatis.
onpage6)
the
Noise
Questions
Dear HavingEditor,read “My Trip Guyana” (Aug 13) and the complaints the writer mentions of the public about corruption and shoddy government infrastructure work, some questions creep into my brain for the Vice President,themostpowerful politician in Guyana. As the senior most member of the cabinet and one who is most knowledgeable of the needs of Guyanese, including members of parliament and cabinet, can the VP please advise what is a reasonable amountofmoneyrequiredby citizens, your colleagues as well, to live a normal, comfortable, decent lifestyle?Inviewofthelarge amount of wealth being accumulatedbysomeofyour colleagues and some government functionaries, siphoned off from projects that go unchecked, does the VP think it is appropriate to allow them to continue to siphon off the country's wealth? How does the VP proposetodealwithit? Considering the fact that several functionaries already amass multiple properties enough for themselves, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, and generationstocome,doesthe VP think it is appropriate to allow them to continue to siphon off the country's wealth at the expense of the poor and the working class whose interests your party is supposedtorepresent?Ifnot, whatplansdoestheVPhave todealwiththesituation? Your class)Shriramtruly,Ketwaru(onbehalfofworking DearEditor, The letter in the local press ended with a plaintive “PLEASE, TAKE OUR PLEA SERIOUSLY” and it was signed by 42 Enmore residents Of course, the issueis The'noise.’complainers were expressing their disgust at DJs, bars, music carts, vehiclesandweddinghouses from which very loud noise emanates and which has r e a c h e d e p i d e m i c proportions.Asweall know, NOISE EPIDEMIC is not an Enmorething. It is nationwide, and a part of the accepted culture of the day In fact, government sponsored events still continue to horribly affect residential communities adjacent to the Providence Stadium. They are bombarded incessantly many nights whenever shows and concerts are stagedAccordingthere. to one letter writer, there are “over amplified music, discordant notesandloud-mouthedDJs or announcers” who “… continueintothehoursofthe morning and most recently daybreak.” So, what's my point?First, Guyanese must understand that 'noise pollution'isentrenched. The noisier a person or occasionis,thehigheristhe acclamationaccorded. The PPP/C itself endorses this kind of attitude, as it keeps endorsing noise making activities, and its noisy aura is ever present when on a campaignorrally I feel strongly that the intellectual state of Guyana is of such that the leaders really do not fathom how disruptive, destructive and damaging noise is to the humanpsyche. It is the antithesis to anything academic and profitable.Research in this field is quiteabundanttoo. In fact, exposure to intensely loud sounds leads to permanent damage of the haircells,whichactassound receiversintheear Also it is well established that that noise pollution affects the behaviour of birds their fitness,breedingandgrowth, often leading to chronic stress.Scientists say that constant noise may form an acousticblanketmufflingthe audio cues birds rely on to d e t e c t p r e d a t o r s , competitors and their species.Ineed not belabour the pointanymore,butIhavean anomalytocommenton. During the height of COVID-19pandemic,many had no choice but to be online for their classes and studies.Guesswhat? The Ministry of Education, in its fossilized myopia,neverthoughtofthe kind of neighbourhood the country is cursed with, namely bottom house chutney and dancehall revelries, ice cream vans, milkvendors,upholsteryand cabinet-making workshops and a host of others noisemakinghindrances. I personally made limitless calls to get some helpforreprise,andIgotthe generic police answer, that is,'wewillsendthepatrol.' Let me now send a reminder and sound a warning to the Enmore people.They have to be cautious.InAugustlastyear, a religious leader met his demise, a brutal murder, whenafterfailingtogethelp from the police, he confrontedseveralmenwho were imbibing and using indecentlanguageinfrontof hisveryownpremises. Hewasbrutallybeatento death. That individual was Rishi Barrat called “Haribol”, 60, a father of four and a priest and joiner byprofession.Asweall know, this matterisoveranddonewith. Incidents of noise-making have become quite a maze, as are the cases of crimes, traffic lawlessness and accidents.Enmore complainers havenochoice.Theyneedto find a way to 'get by' until they can get out (as many Guyanesehavetheireyeson North America and are awaiting maturity of sponsorship).Guyanais too depraved to embrace the higher and finerfeaturesthatmakefora civil and law abiding societyThegovernmentisbereft of the requisite knowledge regardingthehorrorofnoise pollution, and as such, it cannot fathom why something should be done, as it sees that with noise pollution, no harm is being done.Irepeat-Becareful,and abideuntilyougetout. Yours Prescotttruly,Mann pollution will never be addressed in Guyana for Vice President
DearEditor, CRG congratulates the participants in the youth parliament on their maturity andfocus.Participants have an opportunity to establish a h i g h l e v e l o f constructive problem solving and debate that can help reduce the current conflict seen within the National AssemblyItisourhopethatasthese future leaders develop, the skills they learn during this experience will stay with them when given the opportunity to transition to the omMoutbusinessabewithNationalAssemblyThewaytheyinteracteachothertodayshouldreflectiveofthewayweasnationwouldliketoseetheofthenationcarriedattheNationalAssemblyutualrespectaintainedwhenpposingviewsare discussed and respect f o r t h e r u l e s o f Parliament while inside and outside of its four walls.O n c e a g a i n , congratulations on embracing the opportunity given, may you pursue and achieve the level of patriotism that fosters unity withinourNation.
Kaieteur News PAGE 05MondayAugust 15, 2022
Bestregards, Mr Jamil TChairmanChangleeheCooperat i v e RepublicansofGuyana Youth Parliament
Frompage4 shares to Guyanese locally and abroad and along with manageable financing could have controlled enough shares to dictate how the profits the oil, mining and forestry sectors could have been benefitting every Guyanese;thisisnotnewas BanksDIHalreadyusesthis Instead,model.
DearEditor, American oil behemoth, Exxon, says that Guyana's formerExecutiveDirectorof the local Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is lyingthroughhisteeth. OurownGovernmentof Guyana,eitherintheformof leaders or ministers, and through their public comments and postures, has essentially taken the same tack, said the same thing, presented the same stances incloseenoughways. It is that Dr Vincent Adams is a falsifier, an exaggerator, a deceiver, a flat-out liar Now reading, observing, thinking Guyanese have to take a stand in this matter about which side is telling the truth That is, who is representingexactly,ifnotas close as possible, to what transpired relative to discussions,understandings, and conclusions about obligations, and any limits, on the vital issue of full liability coverage in the event of an oil spill at our offshoreoperations. I mentioned above that Guyanese have a choice to make on whom to trust, which one of the clashing partiestobelieve. Thisisnotaboutpartyor cult leadership. It is about what safeguards Guyana; it is of what secures a shade more smartly the future of Guyana, its oil wealth, and the destiny of later generations If Vincent Adams is found to be lying, hedeservestobepilloriedby allofus,andrunoutoftown. If it is that our own leaders andpeopleinourinstitutions are deceiving us, then Guyanese again have one choiceonly. It is for how long more and for what else, they are ready and willing to vest their confidence in their leaders, how much they are willing to accept blindly, whateveritisthatthosesame leadersfinditfittotellthem, Editor, I make my own position as simple and as clear as I can. In any c o n v e r s a t i o n a n d deliberation that demand a judgment call, a conclusion, where the choice involves Exxon and Dr Vincent Adams, I will always be for Vincent Adams. That is, until such time that I discover that he has played g a m e s , o r h e h a s misrepresented what occurred.The American oil company has a long and putrid history of deceiving andtakingadvantageofhost countriesintheThirdWorld. The company's history is even more sordid in compromising dirty and corrupt national leaders in most places that it has visited.Insum,Exxonhasbeena callous and calculating corporate monster when dollars and cents are involved, and when it has to engage in any low and dirty trick, any subterfuge, to overpower people like Vincent Adams, and a troubled society like Guyana.Further, when I am confronted by the same choice, the time to decide whereIstandinanyconflicts about truth and ethics and personal honour with our leaders (and all should know of the reach of my net) on one side and Dr Vincent Adams on the other, there is no choice to bemadeatall Every time and for everyissue,Iwouldbeinthe corner of Vincent Adams, and the likes of people as him, whether black, white, brown, Guyanese or of foreignMyroots.own leaders have beenanencyclopediaoflies, concealments, commission and omission, tricks, betrayals,andsomuchmore along the same lines, if not worse, that have devastated this country and its peoples. Their known and believed secret histories damn them, standagainstthem. I have stated in the most u n a m b i g u o u s a n d unswerving terms where I stand.My Guyanese brothers andsistershavebeforethem the same challenges that I faced on this raging clash betweenthepartiesnamed. I urge them to come out andmakeknownwherethey standThispubliclyisnotareferendum onExxon. Itisnotaverdict for or against any President orVicePresidentorMinister (orOppositionmember). It would stand, though, as the most powerful testimony, the most ardent and incontestable evidence, of where all of us are with this incomparable endowment from divine providence, or nature, or some mysterious forces of physics and chemistry, and things of which I knowlessthan little.IhavestakedoutwhereI stand,mylinedrawn,andits bloodred.My fellow Guyanese mustnowshowtheirhand. GHKSincerely,Lall that he
has played games Exxon's Real Share - Clarification Sought
I will always be for Vincent Adams, until such time that I discover
TotalwithoutExxon’sIncomeTaxes 14.5% 14.5 ExxonTaxesIncome 3.4% 3.4 GovtRevenueWithExxonInc.Tax 17.9% 17.9 Exxonretains Costs75% 75.0% 75.0 Profit12.5% 12.5% 12.5 lessroyalty2% 2.0% 2.0 AssumesExxonPaysnoIncomeTax 85.5% 85.5
DistributionofRevenuesBetweenGuyana,ExxonBasedonExistingContract Percent US$ REVENUE(US$100) 100.00% 100 Royalty 2.0% 2.0 Cost 75.0% 75.0 Profit 25.0% 25.0 GovtShare50% 12.5% 12.5 ExxonShare50% 12.5% 12.5 Govt RoyaltyRevenue2% 2.0% 2.0 Profit12.5% 12.5% 12.5
R.RegardsDavid
Kaieteur NewsPAGE 06 MondayAugust 15, 2022
Exxon, Hess and CNOOCown100percentof theoilholdingsandwedon't know who owns the mining and forestry holdings as the press has no access to those contracts. The leaders gave away all Guyana's rights for the oil, mining and forestry sectors leaving Guyanese withnoownership. Responsible leaders would have ensured their country got a large signing bonus at the onset of oil, mining and forestry contracts to sustain the economy until revenues starts to generate from these sectors.The coalition leaders took 18M USD and tried to hide it in a bank account, in this computerised age, hoping no one would know Now under the current government, oil is pumping, resources mined, timber produced and being shipped a w a y m e a n w h i l e Guyanese gets nothing, e x c e p t d e b t plus absorbing the risks of environmental damage, THESE ARE WHAT GUYANESE GET FROM T H E F O R E I G N INVESTMENTS IN GUYANATheoilmoney projected forGuyanaby2040is$157B can the Oil Companies or Guyana'sleadersexplainthis mathtothepeople? $157B minus (25 projects @ $8 billion per project) minus (debt, interest, and other costs) minus(lossofthefishingand other industries) or clarify if this $157B will be after all thesecostsarededucted? Besides, how can they evenguarantee$157B,since oil prices are volatile and changeregularly IntheUSA,everydaythe wealthgapbetweenrichand poorincreasesrapidly,every day over 10 middle class citizens get poorer and even homeless, losing their jobs to automation, c h e a p l a b o u r a n d outsourcing while the large investors declare record profits and orders custom made luxury yachts, vehicles, private jets and are booking trips to outer space Currently, in the Henan Province of China, there is a banking crisis among the big banks, as one CEO Kim Chan kyong stole $33B Dollars and tried to flee the country, the banks have now frozen withdrawals by customers and there are protests in over 85 cities in China, the governmenthaveresortedto arresting and jailing protesterswhoareprotesting for their own lifesavings' moneyGuyanese, USA and Chinaarewherethemajority of your foreign investors come from, if this is what they can do to their own countrypeoplewholooklike them, imagine what they haveinstoreforyou. Ican'tthinkofone-third world country where investors of these two countries went to and life of poor people improved for long periods of time, since they can't take care of their own poor in their own countries.Theleaders of Guyana who signed deals with these foreign investors to rob and destroy this country, didn't do it due to misinformation or incompetence but due to evilness and sinisterism, WITHTHESTROKEOFA PEN AND THE POWER OF THEIR OFFICES, THEY FULLY WELL KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING WHEN T H E Y S O L D GUYANA OUT There are two reasons to support this, f i r s t l y , f o r b i g economic projects a government announces t h e s e p r o j e c t s i n a d v a n c e , g e t t h e necessary experts and construct a good deal, then sign the deals in front of cameras, instead every deal for Guyana's assets are done insecret,abroad,inthenight and early morning when the nation is sleeping or unaware,secondly,toobtain their degrees, masters, PhDs and, accreditations, like me and others, current and past parliamentarianshadtohave studied and passed courses like, best business practices, fiscal accounting, auditing, contractual law, effective negotiation tactics, asset valuation and ownership, value for money financial management,etc. Instead of Guyana's leaders removing their lawyers from the case filed by Glenn Lall, giving Guyana a chance to collect taxesfromtheoilcompanies, Guyana's leaders have resortedtobarefacedlyingat press conferences and meetings.Theyare following the same script from the oil companies propaganda machine, while berating reporters from the Kaieteur News and other sources who oppose, expose and questions the unethical and exploitive business operations in GuyanaI'llbetthereisnowherein the oil contract that stipulates,Guyanashouldbe fighting itself in favour of the oil companies, as this would make no sense whatsoeverNowwith all Guyana's valuable assets under the control of the foreign investors, the only foreign investors Guyana needs at this time, is for these investors to come and challenge the oil, mining, and forestry contracts for a percentage fee,aslongasGuyanesecan get a fair share of their wealth.
Foreign investors or foreign...
DearEditor, Ihavebeenlookingatthenumbers publishedonGuyana'sPSAwithExxonand havecomeupwiththefollowing assessment,whichshowsthatGuyanain factgetsonly14.5percentoftotalrevenue, whileExxongets85.5percent.Thisis rathercurious. Stakeholdersare encouragedtoclarifyforthesakeofpublic consumptionandappreciation. Best CraigRegards,Sylvester
The IDB did everything that it could to warn Guyana's leaders: be on guard. Don't get complacent. Don't take anything for granted with what oil companies submit as their costs.
Kaieteur News PAGE 07MondayAugust 15, 2022 BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT
Also, the IDB wisely cautioned about the company's judgment on costs being the likely source of frequent disagreements.
'Costs incurred by Exxon are subject to a high degree of judgment by the oil companies.' 'Disagreements between the State and the oil giant are likely to be frequent…’
A high degree of judgment means this: oil companies will lean only towards that which fills their pockets, swells their profits. If they have to play games with costs, they will. If the result is that 10 times out of 10 that Guyana will end up on the wrong end of the cost stick, then that's too bad. Once we (Exxon and partners) rake in the billions that is all that matters.
In other words, this is where trouble lies, where oil producing countries get shafted and cheated. PPP/C Government leaders seem more interested in aiding and abetting (slavishly agreeing with) Exxon than challenging the company on anything, including billion-dollar bills. Exxon cheats us, leaders conspire with it.
IDB Report – Part III
Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill
ADDITIONAL SPENDING The additional spending by the government has increased the amount of money spent on the airport which falls way below e x p e c t a t i o n s a n d international airport standards.The$37 million that is expected to be spent to construct the storage bond and workshop will also be added as additional spending.Justrecently, eight companies bid vying for the contract to construct a new administrative building at theairport. Forthisproject, the engineer estimated it to cost $906 million [US$$4,309,639].InAugust2021, the Public Works ministry had signed a contract with Kalitech Incorporated to the tune of $25 9 million [US$124,021] to design the newofficebuildingforthe Continuedonpage15 Govt. now building storage bond, workshop
Kaieteur NewsPAGE 08 MondayAugust 15, 2022 The Ministry of Public Works, has issued invitation forbidstoundertakeanother project at the Cheddi Jagan InternationalAirport(CJIA). According to an advertisement, the ministry is seeking to construct a storage bond and workshop at CJIA. The engineer estimated that the project would cost some $37 million. Just recently, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill disclosed that construction at the airport will continue even though Chinese contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) has completed its part under the US$150 million airport expansioncontract. Kaieteur News had reported that with over US$166 million already pumped into the expansion of the airport – citizens should expect more of their taxpayers’ dollars going towards the ‘continued modernisation’ of the airport. The airport expansion contract was signed in 2011 under then President, Bharrat Jagdeo, and was passed through the truncated presidency of Donald Ramotar However, when the David Granger administration took over in 2015, it said that the very defective plan needed adjustments and changes were made. The decade-old project was awarded to CHEC for the sum of US$150 million: $138 millionfromtheChinaExim Bank and $12 million from the consolidated fund taxpayers’moneyWhenth e P P P administrationtookofficein August 2020, Minister Edghill had stated that they were not satisfied with the work that was done by the contractor and as such, they had negotiated and got CHEC to do additional worksattheairportatnocost to Guyana. The additional worksthatweredonebythe contractor included a superstructure, corridor and curtain wall. It was only recently that CHEC completed the works on the airport.Notably, while the contract cost with the Chinese contractor remains a t U S $ 1 5 0 M , t h e government is undertaking several multi million upgradestotheairportwhich were separated into three parts.OnWednesday,during a press conference at the Ministry of Public Works boardroom – the Minister disclosed that the works being undertaken by the government at the airport, most of it should be completedwithinthenext18 months.Notwithstanding, the currentadditionalprojectsat CJIA, Minister Edghill last Wednesday disclosed that construction at the airport will continue because the government has to continue m a k i n g m o r e accommodation He said, “We have to continue to m a k i n g m o r e accommodation, I think sooner or later with oil and gas sector growing and tourism growing and bringing in high profile tourist,wewillhavetohave facilities for corporate jets, luxury lines people coming here with private planes to go and do things; w e h a v e t o k e e p expanding…”
-
Another$37MtobespentatrenovatedCJIA
Kaieteur News PAGE 09MondayAugust 15, 2022
Non-core sport getting support!
Dem boys seh... Lifeisfunnyeh?Jusaboutayearago, sportwasinlockdowninGuyana.Andden yuhhearaboutcoresportandnon-core sport.Dembinlisthorseracingasnon-core sport.Butlookatdemoneywahpumpinto deGuyanaCup.Likesomebodyeyeopen andrealisedatdenon-coresportcancore support.Langagoyuhusetohavegamblingat demhorseracemeeting.Peopleusetoguh andplacedembetsandmachinesuseto giveyuhyuhticket.Ifyuhwinyuhdoesgo andcash Nowadaysin.peoplebettingman-to-man. Anddehgatsomepeoplebelievedemisde smartestindeworld.Demdoescometo yuhandaskyuhwhichhorseyuhlike.And whenyuhanswerdemdoessehdemgan giveyuhdathorseanddemgantekde wholefield.Anddemdoesdodatwitha dryGamblingface.howevercanputsomemen introuble.Amanbinsittingathomeone daywhenhewifecomeupbehindheand lashheinhehead. Dehusbandaskshe,“Wahdehellwas datfuh?” Dewifereply,“Ahfindapaperinyuh pocketwithdenameLauraLouonit!” “Don'tworry,”dehusbandseh,“datisjus denameofaracehorse.Ahputabetonita fewdays Satisfied,ago.”dewifeapologisetoshehusband. Severaldayslaterdewifecomeupbehind dehusbandandsmackheoverdehead. “WATDEHELLWASDATFUH?”he holler,leapingupandholdingheheadin Depain.wifetossdephoneatheandseh,“Yuh horsecall.” Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
Imagine that you have a shopbutyouneedapartnerto helpyouwithit.Soyouenter into a partnership with anotherperson. The person gives you an agreement to sign in return for the partnership That agreement says that the profits are to be split 50-50. Youthinkthathalfandhalfis a good deal. But it is only a gooddealiftheotherpartyis bearinghalftheexpenses. However, you find out that this is not so The agreement which your partnergivesyoutosignsays that they will supply the goods for the store but you havetopaythemforitinfull. And the agreement also states even though you are payingbackforallthegoods, the other partner gets half of the profits. So let us assume thattheotherpartnerssupply $10,000 worth of milks and eggstoyou.Youhavetopay thembackthissum,plusyou alsohavetogivethemhalfof whateverprofitsyoumake. And to make matters worse,youdonothaveasay in what they send to you to put in the store. They decide onallthegoodsandtheprice at which it is purchased for you.This is what the oil companies are doing to Guyana. Guyana owns the shop–theoilisours.Theoil companiesbearnorisksatall because all the operational expenses are cost recoverable So whatever theyspendtheyclaimback.It isGuyanawhichispayingfor the costs. On top of this Guyanahastogivehalfofthe profits to the oil companies. And Guyana has no say in determining what the oil companiesspend.Itdoesnot evenhaveasayinhowmuch oil is produced Which country in the world does businessinthismanner? Then when it comes to paying taxes, it is Guyana which has to pay the oil companies' taxes. So here you have a store, you are paying for all the goods and expenses. Someone else is taking half the profits and whenitcomestopayingtheir taxes, they also send the bill toyou.Howcanthiseverbefair? Thisisthebiggestconinthe historyofoilagreements. But even more tragic is that by the time the oil runs out, Guyanese are still going to be poor Multinational corporations have a history of raping countries of their resources.Guyana has had this experience before. Reynolds and Alcan took out millions of tonnes of bauxite ore and by the time they left, Guyanese working in the industry were still poor. Bookers was involved in sugar cultivation and production. By the time they left, sugar workers were still pauperised. Omai came and drilledoutmillionsofounces of gold and never declared a profit They left and Guyanesewerestillpoor Bythetimetheoilbarons leave, the oil would have disappeared and Guyanese will still be poor How can thisbe Butfair?itdoesnothavetobe this way? If the people protest peacefully against what is taking place with their oil resources, they can forcea Butchange.thepeopleexpectthe government and the Opposition to do their bidding The people are looking in the wrong direction; the government andtheOppositioncannotbe expected to bring about the change that is needed with theoilcontract. The Opposition, APNU+AFC,cannotcallfor renegotiation of the oil contract because to do so would be to condemn their own agreement The government is clearly not interested in renegotiating the contract unless they are forced to do so through peacefulpublicpressure This leaves the people without an ally in the government or Opposition. But the people have champions in our society who are objecting to the oil agreement and are demanding a renegotiation. There is a small weekday protest taking place against the oil agreements. The protest is small but it can becomebigger Itistimeforthepeopleto nothidebehindtheirleaders' frock tails and coattails. The people have the power to force peaceful change in the agreement. But so long as theycontinuetohopethatthe government and the Opposition will opt to renegotiate, the people will endupin Guyanadespairdeserves a better deal. Guyana has to have a better deal The oil companiesarenottakingany risks Once oil was discovered, the entire Stabroek Basin was de risked. It means that the oil companies bear no risk Whatever they spend on exploration and production they are reclaiming as cost recovery expenses It is Guyana which is bearing all the risks. Whatever is spent hastoberepaid. Isthatadeal.orasteal? (The views expressed in this article are those of the a u t h o r a n d d o n o t necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
The 50-50 profit sharing is a sham
Stop renting fantastic houses for these mediocre UN personnel
Kaieteur NewsPAGE 10 MondayAugust 15, 2022 THEFREDDIEKISSOONCOLUMN FrederickKissoon I was in Miami in 2000 for an eye operation at the Bascom Palmer Eye Hospital.Holdyourhorses!I couldnotaffordthenandstill cannot afford foreign medicalbills. In case you missed it, I saidonmyprogramme–the Gildarie Freddie Kissoon Show-lastFridaynightthat Ihavenothadanelevationin salaryforalmost13yearsas acolumnist.Isaid that publicly without malice and I don't think anyone will take umbrageatit.Ididsayonthe showthatIcouldnotseethe owner of Kaieteur News objecting to my declaration because it is the truth and it concerns my life so why should I hide that fact as a publicfigure. GildarieandI were discussing the escalatingcostofliving. My hospital facilitation was done through Father Andrew Morrison, then editor of the Catholic Standard.AsIwaitedformy passporttobestampedbythe A f r i c a n A m e r i c a n immigration officer, I became impatient The gentlemanwasinterrogating two elderly Vietnamese couple. The interrogation went on and on. The immigration guy was hassling these two people. I watched at him with angry eyes. The next day, I was using the metromover to get to the hospital and there was “Mr Immigration” sitting on the train in total obscurity In American society, he was a nobodyIntheThirdWorld,these diplomats come and people gocrazyoverthem,thinking they are special when they are simply non-entities in their own countries. When theygobackhome,theylive inveryordinaryhouses. Lastweek,Isawasenior citizen came out of his car, walked on the Eve Leary seawall and stopped to buy an item from one of the vendors. No one looked at him This was a multi millionaire in American dollars. This man could buy anymansionintheUS.Heis simplyanunassumingman. Mediocre UN officials comehereandliveinrented mansions the ambience of whichtheywillneverseefor the rest of their lives when they go back to their homecountryIn my compound, directly from my house, there lived the head of the UN Refugee Agency in Guyana.Thatmansionhasto go at three million dollars monthlyThisisahugestructure.I say with unmitigated inflexibility,thatpersonwill neverseethatkind ofopulenceinher life once she returns home That lady never used even a tenth of that mansion because of itssize.Guess who pays the rent for all the extraordinary houses UN personnel live in?The state and it amounts to hundreds of millions annually Two weeks ago, the lady was moving out. This UN official came up to my car as I drove into my gate. He told me that a containeriscomingtomove the lady's personal stuff and itishugeandwilltakeupthe entirewidthofthestreetand parapet.Hesuggested that the threehouseholdsthatwillbe affected should park further up the road and leave our vehicles there overnight because we will not have access to drive out for two days.In the early days at Kaieteur News, when someone said something stupid, we would say, “yuh smokingcongapump.”Well, this UN guy was smoking something weirder than gongapump. I told him one thing and onethingonly–hehadtoget permission from the police to do that and I know that was impossible to get since the police will not subscribe tosuchlawlessness. I immediately phoned the two neighbours that would be affected and they werelivid.Theladycameup tomeandItoldherthatwas not going to happen. I told her she had to find alternativearrangements. The incredible rental for houses for UN officials hit the news channels last week whenitwasrevealedthatjust one landlord would collect two billion dollars from his property over a 10 year period.There needs to be a forensic audit ordered by Cabinet into how feasible it is to go on renting these mansions that run into hundreds of millions each year Dowerecoupthatsum in resources the UN offers thisThecountry?roleof the UN was laid bare in this land during the five months of election drama.One would have expected the UN resident representative to have been in the forefront in the advocacy of free and fair elections.During those five months, the UN resident emissary was almost invisibleandalmostsilent. (The views expressed in this article are those of the a u t h o r a n d d o n o t necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
Kaieteur News PAGE 11MondayAugust 15, 2022
Continued on page 18
few of the natural
Kaieteur NewsPAGE 12 MondayAugust 15, 2022
15 natural gas plants exploded in US over past 8 years
Despite natural gas pipelines and plants explosion being prevalent, the President IrfaanAliled PPP administration is adamant inrushingaheadwiththeUSmultibillion dollar Wales Gas To Energy (GTE) project despite criticalsafeguardsareyettobeput in place and citizens in the dark aboutitsfinancialviability In just eight years, the United +States of America (USA) recorded 15 natural gas related explosions. Those explosions not onlycausedbillionsindamagesbut lives, homes and livelihood were lost.For 2022, within four months there were four natural gas related explosions. Therewereexplosions in Kansas, Oklahoma and two in Texas. In Oklahoma the explosion causedafiretoeruptatthenatural gasfacilitywhichisdescribedasa “natural gas liquids fractionation facility” Fractionation is the process by which components of naturalgasaregenerallyturnedinto retail products such as ethane, propane,butaneandnaturalgasfor homes and vehicles – collectively these hydrocarbon configurations areknownasnaturalgasliquidsor NaturalGasLiquids(NGL). InJuneandJuly,twonaturalgas projects exploded in Texas. The firstoccurredonJune8,last,when an NGL facility burst into flames, leaving residents rattled over the possiblenegativeimpactstheycan be exposed to. No injuries were reportedfromthisincident. On July 7, an Energy Transfer natural gas pipeline exploded setting off a two-hour fire in the rural parts of Houston, Texas. It was reported that a release of natural gas from the 24 inch pipeline resulted in the explosion andfire.Noinjurieswererecorded fromthisincidentalso. In April 2022, a natural gas plant in Kansas exploded injuring two persons. Officials had to issue evacuation orders after a further inspection of the plant revealed 2,000 to 3,000 gallons of trapped liquidnaturalgas.InAugust2019, the heat from a deadly natural gas pipeline explosion in Kentucky melted the siding of a home that waslocated1,000feet(335meters) away Thiswasreportedbyfederal investigators.Itwasstatedthataruptureofthe 30-inch pipeline killed a woman andsentfiveotherstothehospital. Theexplosionscorchedtheground
LessonsforGuyana…
President, Irfaan Ali Lead of the Gas-to-Shore project, Winston Brassington A Gas-to-Energyofrepresentationtheproposedproject
Scenes from a gas
project explosions
…as Guyana Govt. moves ahead with Wales Gas-to-Shore project
LACKS CREDIBILITYOF “It is my view that the Guyana Police Force, as currently staffed, lacks the credibility to conduct a conscientious investigation intotheseseriousallegations againstseniormemberofthe Force and the businessman named in the allegation,” Slowewroteinalettertothe presson ReferencingSaturdaya statement by the Police Force, which stated that the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR)hasbeeninstructedto commence an investigation into the allegations leveled by Bascom, Slowe said this is “laughable.” He added that the statement is ambiguous and does not state what is to be investigated. “The Office of Professional Responsibility lacks the personnel and credibility to conduct an investigation of this nature. Of note is that some of the members of the Force againstwhomtheallegations are leveled are far senior in rank to the most senior rank at the Office of Professional Responsibility,” Slowe wrote.He recalled that some years ago when a serious criminal allegation was made against a senior member of the Force help was sought and obtained from a sister CARICOM country to assist in the investigation That assistancegavecredibilityto the investigative process. “I am of the view that if the authorities are serious about getting to the bottom of this veryseriousallegationmade by a serving member of the Force, the only acceptable option is for a team of competent independent investigators to be assembled to conduct the investigation. Anything less will be unacceptable,” SloweHeasserted.saidafter the fire which completely destroyed several buildings in the Brickdam police compound both the President and the Vice President stated that overseas help would be sought to investigate the causeofthefire.Thatdidnot materialise.“Notwithstanding that failure, being a perennial optimist, I am still hopeful that given the very serious nature of this recent allegationanditspotentialto further damage the ailing image of the Guyana Police Force, and by extension Guyana, they will see the need to urgently seek overseas assistance to get to the bottom of these nocuous allegations.”
Former Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Retired Assistant Commissioner, Paul Slowe
‘Paper Shorts’ killing…
Former Chairman of the Police Service Commission, R e t i r e d A s s i s t a n t Commissioner, Paul Slowe said that the damning allegations of bribery and corruption against the Guyana Police over the gunning down of Ricardo Fagundes called paper Shorts should not be investigated by any member orunitoftheGuyanaPolice Force.He said this matter should be seen in the wider nationalsecuritycontextand as such called for an independent thetheescape.motorcartshooterscamerasGCafterMarchwithofBascom.edeniedlinkedpopartbribeandofIrgrandlocation,ttheremovedwhoAGeorCdownFagundesinvestigation.wasgunnedoutsidePalmCourtlubinMainStreet,getowninMarch2021.sergeant,DionBascomwasearlierthisyearfrominvestigatingkillingofFagundesandransferredtoanotherhassinceallegedacover-upbysenioranksoftheCriminalnvestigationsDepartmenttheGuyanaPoliceForcethepaymentofalargetoanamedofficerasofthecover-up.Thefficer,aswellasarominentbusinessmantothecrimehassincetheallegationsanventhreatenedtosueFagundes,aclosefriendRogerKhanwasriddledmorethan20bulletson21,2021momentshesteppedoutofPalmourtonMainStreet,eorgetownCCTVhadcapturedtwogettingintoawhite,intedToyotaFielder,makinggoodtheirBascomwasoneofdetectivesworkingoncase.
Kaieteur News PAGE 13MondayAugust 15, 2022
GREAT CONCERN Slowe said he has noted with great concern the serious allegations made by Bascom Touching on comments attributed to the Leader of the Alliance for Change and former Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan,whichstatedthat there should be an immediate investigation by the Police Complaints Authority into the allegations. Slowe said he had pointed out previously thatSection14ofthePolice Complaints Authority Act, Chapter 17:02, empowers the Police Complaints Authority to ‘supervise’ specific criminal allegations leveled against members of theGuyanaPoliceForce. Those allegations are: complaint or information thatanymemberoftheforce has unlawfully caused the deathofanyperson;doing Continuedonpage16
Slowe calls for independent probe into allegations of cover-up by police force
Sergeant, Dion Bascom
Kaieteur NewsPAGE 14 MondayAugust 15, 2022
The Guyana Water Incorporated on Sunday blamed an almost two-day disruption of water in the CapitalCity-Georgetownon a major breakage on a 20inch transmission main at Church Street, within the vicinity of the Indian High Commission.Inastatement,GWIsaid technicians toiled throughout the night on Saturday to effect repairs u n d e r d i f f i c u l t circumstances “Water supplytothecitywasturned on at approximately 9:30am on Sunday morning. However, due to the length of time it was off, communities received water through their taps at various times,” GWI said in the statement Thanking customers for their patience and understanding during theexecutionofworks,GWI said it is currently undertaking the installation ofpipelinesalongMerriman Mall is to upgrade the aged Georgetown transmission network, particularly those alongChurchStreet. The water company said many of the transmission m a i n s w i t h i n t h e G e o r g e t o w n p i p e distribution network are approximately100yearsold and are prone to breakages, particularly under the pressure of heavy duty vehicles. As such, it is a continuation of works undertaken at Newtown, Kitty and Cemetery Road to replace and upgrade the old pipe infrastructure in the cityAccordingtoGWI,these upgrade works would not onlyimprovetheintegrityof thepipelines,butwouldalso improvethelevelofservice Continuedonpage16
- GWI
for oil spill
major breakage on Church Street City residents endure two days without water GWI ReplacementworkingtechniciansontheChurchStreetbreakageofChurch Street transmission mains along Merriman Mall
Former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)Dr VincentAdamscontinues tocallontheGuyanaGovernmenttomakeit clearwhowillbefootingthebillforoilspill damage over the US$2 6B insurance coverage that is currently being worked out between the government, ExxonMobil and itspartners.Exxonhastoldthenationthateachofits Stabroek Block projects is covered by a US$600M policy, while it is still in discussion with the government for a combined US$2B package of affiliate company guarantees; bringing the total coverage cost to US$2.6B. Outside of this sum,Adamsinsists,allGuyanahasisa“word of mouth” that the oil companies will spend more money to handle oil spill liabilities abovethe AdamsUS$2.6B.madehis case during an Oil and Gas Governance Network (OGGN) symposium held in New York Saturday, where he maintained that Guyana faces significantenvironmentalandfinancialrisks without having guarantees that hold the oil operators liable for any cost from a spill occurringduringtheiroffshoreoperations. Adams told the gathering that during his tenure at the EPA, Exxon insisted on giving verbal commitments toward covering oil spilldamageitssubsidiary-EssoExploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) could not handle, instead of providing the writtenguaranteetheEPAwasseeking. He said that today, because the government did not ensure the written guaranteewasprovided,Exxoncontinuesto just say it will do without providing the parentcompanyguarantee.Hestatedinfact, thatduringdebatesregardingthefullliability coverage motion in Parliament weeks ago, government Members of Parliament, including Natural Resource Minister VickramBharrat,defendedtheunavailability offullliabilitypolicyclaimingthatitwould beexpensive,andthattherearenoinsurance policiescoveringblankfigures. Adams charged that the guarantee from Exxoncostnothing.Hesaiditisaguarantee letterfromthecompanycommittingtothem
Four million barrels of oil flowed from the Macondodamagedwelloveran87-dayperiod.Guyanaissettopump1.2millionbarrelsofoilperdayby2027 blames disruption on
Continued on page 16
- Former EPA boss urges Exxon/Government to explain Who will pay damage overUS$2.6Binsurancecoverage?
company named Total Solutions for the supply of two additional air-bridges forCJIA,some$73,248,420 morethanwhatwaspaidfor theotherairbridges. Someotherprojectsatthe airportthatthegovernmentis funding are: $38 million [US$181,962] for an international apron and the taxiway Charlie; $23 million [US$110,135] for the rehabilitation of the existing roof at the airport; c o n s t r u c t i o n a n d rehabilitation works of the VIP Lounge and new and existing commercial buildings of the airport at an estimated cost of $612 million [US$2,930,554]; $518million[US$2,480,436] runway,whichcomeswithan Instrument Landing System (ILS) and $420 million [US$2,011,164], which was approved by the National Assembly for a baggage handling system for the renovatedairportWithmorespending to be done on the airport, the final cost for the airport expansion is still unknown. Notably, while Minister Edghill had assured that the CJIAexpansionprojectfinal costwillnotsurpassUS$200 million to date, the spending is currently over US$166million.
Additionally, the GGDMA said it welcome the removal of the 14% VAT on LubricatingOilswhichwasgazettedonJuly 12, 2022, and will have an immediate positive impact on the mining sector, where heavyequipmentisessential. Theassociationalsosaiditisappreciative of the following incentives granted by the GovernmentofGuyanatotheMiningSector since taking office in August 2020. These being; Removal of Tax and VAT on AllTerrainVehicles(ATVs),removalofVATon Machinery and Equipment for mining, removal of VAT on Hinterland Travel, removal of police clearance requirement for minerstotransportfuelintheirownvehicles, removalofrequirementtoregisterandobtain road licenses for mining equipment and the removalofexcisetaxonfuel.
The Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) said it is “extremely pleasedthattheFiscalEnactmentAmendment Bill No 2 of 2022 was on Monday last approved by the National Assembly, which givesmajortaxincentivestothesector The Bill, which was successfully piloted by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, “will certainly give much neededtaxrelieftoallMiners. This Bill gives legislative effect to the recentcommitmentsmadebygovernmentto the mining community,” GGDMA said in a release. On May 31, 2022, Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo had met with GGDMA members at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, following which the government announced several measures that would be takentoprovidereliefforminers. The GGDMA said it welcomes, in particular, the government’s move to reduce theFinalTaxonincomefromgoldproduced, declared, and sold. “This Tax has been reducedfromamaximumof3.5percenttoa new maximum of 2.5 percent effective June 1,2022.”According to the body, the other major development that theAssociation welcomes istheabolitionoftheburdensome10percent TributorsTaxwhichminersweresubjectedto formany “Thisyears.alsotakeseffectfromJune1,2022. The abolishment of the Tributors Tax will benefit the personnel working within the various mining operations throughout the country as larger disposable incomes will allow them to better support their families during this time of rising prices. Managers and owners of mining operations also welcome this move as it will create a more level playing field for recruitment and retentionofqualitypersonnel.”
“The GGDMA is of the view that these measures by the government will assist in reducing the burden of added operational costs and improving varying aspects of miners’operations.TheGGDMAwouldlike to express gratitude to His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Honorable Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, Honorable SeniorMinisterintheOfficeofthePresident with responsibility for Finance Dr Ashni Singh, Minister of Natural Resources Honorable Vickram Bharrat, and the Government of Guyana for keeping their promises and commitment to the Mining Sector We value the partnership with our government as we seek to ensure the continuedviabilityoftheminingsector,”the statementconcluded.
Kaieteur News PAGE 15MondayAugust 15, 2022
Another$37Mtobespentatrenovated...
Frompage8 airportstaff. The government also signed a $513 million [US$2,456,494]contractlast year with construction company CALCO for the construction of a new building attached to CJIA’s terminalbuilding–thatnew building will house a conferenceroom,officesfor the airlines and the other support agencies as well as storage bonds for the dutyf r e e s h o p s a n d concessionaires.InSeptember 2021, Edghill’sMinistryawardeda contract for [US$2,000,000]$418,562,400toalocal
Minerspleasedwithtax breaks,otherincentives Gold and diamond miners meeting with Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo earlier this year
The Ministry of Health has recorded 18 new Covid-19 cases within the last 24 hours, with one person in the Intensive Care BelowUnit. is the dashboard with the details.
From page 14 covering all liabilities over whatEEPGLcan. “It’stoput somethinginwritingtosayif anything happens… this is a guarantee,putyoursignature to Adamsit.” said that as a professionaldealingwiththeoilindustryintheUS,itisrequired tohaveagreementsinwriting. Hesaid“Theonelessonthey teach you every day is that if it is not in writing it does not exist.”Giventhe“industryleading speed” at which Guyana is developing its oil endowments, Adams said that Guyana must weigh the high risk it faces regarding an oil spill. He explained that the formulaforrisksisthechance of an occurrence multiplied by the consequence. He continued that the Macondooilspillhadasmall chanceofoccurring,butitdid and brought with it costs reachingsomeUS$70B. Herelatedthatevenanoil From page 13 bodily harm by wanton misconduct; assault causing actual bodily harm; unlawful wounding; discharging loaded firearm with intent; felonious wounding and such other offences as may be specified by the Minister Hesaidtheusualpractice, as provided for in the above namedAct,isforoneormore members of the Guyana Police Force to conduct the investigation, which is “supervised” by the Police Complaints“TheAuthorityCriminal Investigations Department of the GuyanaPoliceForceistasked withtheinvestigationofserious crimes. The Special Organised Crime Unit scopecrimesalsothe(SOCU),whichisaunitwithinGuyanaPoliceForcecaninvestigateseriousthatfallwithintheofthatunit.”
Bel Air Park, Surbryanville, Ogle, Republic Park, Nandy Park& Peter's Hall. Contact Ray'sRealty:627-9685.
Who will pay for oil spill damage over... City endureresidentstwodays
PAGE 16 Kaieteur News Monday August 15, 2022 VEHICLE FOR SALE OneHondaCRV,fullyloaded immaculate condition, low mileage 3.3M negotiable & 1 new super custom Hiace Bus2.5M.Contact:649-0956. Experience Cashier CXC Passes in Maths & English, Knowledge of Quickbook, Applyinwriting@Wieting &RichterLtd. 1GeneralDomestic,age38or older to work in Herstelling. Call:697-0157. Driver must be able to assist inworkshopCar&Vanlicense Call.642-9823.ForkliftOperator, Delivery Clerk/Sales Clerk /Delivery 2486.Clerk.Contact:227-1511/227PROPERTY FOR SALE Located at Mon Repos,41.5 mil.Contact:697-6552. LANDFORSALE Coldigen,Friendship,Garden of Eden, Soesdyke and Moblissa. Contact Ray's ReLathealty:627-9685.OperatorCall:645-9333. Heavy equipment servicemenforinteriorlocation.Experience,proofofqualifications. Beginners need not apply.Call:231-2250.Cook/baker,pitmen,service-menandhauleroperatorforinteriorlocation.Applicantsmustbeexperienced.Call231-2250. VACANCY WANTED Domestic must know to cook preferably living around Ogle.2pm to 10pm , $3000 weekly.Call:610-3974. Maid to cook & clean for 2135CleanersExperienceEastBankareacall:615-9132.Bartendersandneeded.Call642-between7am-8am. Seamstress, Tailor wanted. Call/Whatsapp:691-1918. 1femaleCook&Bartender for shop in Interior, must have experience. Call/Whatsapp: 689-4461.TaxiDrivers(HireCarlicense)atPrincessTaxiService.Call:265-7075/76or616-5419. Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; etc.TElderlyWdesign,Advertisements,Graphicseddingdecorations&grooming:Hair,Nailel:626-7040. SERVICES One Domestic Worker needed, ages 30-50. Contact: 677-4896. Located at Crane Old Road, 7milneg.Contact:665-3590/ 690-6356. SeekingGrades2&5Teachers at The Jos-el Educational Institute.Call:226-7868/678tion.Pit)Experienced0652.crew(Jet,Maroc,requiredforminingopera-Call:697-2533. VacancyforDriver,ages35Contact:MixerVyahoo.comapplication:techserigy@Mathematics,grade1orofficeEnglish&One45.Contact:266-1287.clerkforTSIEccles2Emailorcall642-9823.acancyforPaintTechnician/,experiencerequired.226-1287/226-1270.VacancyforexperienceLorrydriverApplyinpersonatAlabamaTradingat65RobbStreetBourda.AccountsClerkwithknowl-edgeofquickbooksandac-counting@SurvivalShop-pingComplexSheriffStreet.Call:609-2995,email:survival.humanresources@gmail.comWesternUnionCSR,CXCMathematics&Englishre-quired-18yrs+atSurvivalShoppingComplexSheriffStreet.Call:609-2995,email:survival.humanresources@gmail.comBondclerk/Porters/Super-marketPackers,apply@Sur-vivalShoppingComplexSher-iffStreet.Call:609-2995,email:survival.humanresources@gmail.comDrivers(Validdriverslicensewithmotorlorry),apply@SurvivalShoppingComplexCall:609-2995,email:survival.humanresources@gmail.comAM/PMCashier,apply@SurvivalShoppingComplexSheriffStreet.Call:609-2995,email:survival.humanresources@gmail.com VACANCY AM/PM Sales Representatives,apply@SurvivalShoppingComplex ExperiencedneededDriversCall:231-5857.rant,neededtimesistant,Cleaners,way@onePoultry&gmail.comsurvival.humanresources@email:Call:609-2995,LivestockFarmer,familytoliveinandworkSoesdyke,LindenHigh-.Call:609-2995.Chef,KitchenAs-NightSupervisor,PartSercurity&Servers@HibiscusRestau-91MiddleStreet.andDispatcheratHibiscusTaxiService,91MiddleStreet.Call:231-5857/675-3549.cashier,cleaner,Labourerandcounterperson.Apply@Shanta’s225Camp&NewMarketSt.1CookforaRestaurantinMazaruni(Papishowlanded).Whatsapponly:677-0869.
Slowe calls for independent probe into...
.. 18newCovid-19cases;onepersoninICU
spill 1/10 the size of the dreaded Macondo disaster whichoccurredintheGulfof Mexico would require three times the US$2.6B which Exxonis Adamsoffering.noted therefore that while Exxon speaks to a smallchanceofanoilspilloccurringtheyhavestayedclear of acknowledging the consequences.Itison that backdrop that Adams insists that the Guyana must have the parent company guarantee in writingsothatifaspilloccurs like the Macondo, Guyana does not just get the US$2.6B, and is left withmassivedebtorhaving tobeincourt,fightingExxon to handle the effects of its oil projects.Theformer EPA head is also calling on the governmenttoeasethemindsofcitizens and publicize the documents.Just days ago, President of ExxonMobil Guyana AlistairRoutledgesaidagain that his company intends to goaboveitscommitmentson paperinrespondingtoanoffshoreHedisasterreiterated too that the coverage the company is offeringisthe“highestinternational standard for every singlewell”beingdrilled.He pointed to the first capping stackbeingincountryincase of a well blow out and added that because the company is focusing on operational efficiency, a disastrous occur renceis“extremelylow”. Adamshasclaimedhowever that the sum being offered is inadequate for any massivespillhereandthatthe parent company guarantee must be received by Guyana inwriting.Heinsists too that oil operators are currently producingthecommodityillegallyat theLiza1and2wellsasthere is no parent company guarantee required by the EPA permits.
From page 14 and quality of water customers receive, as well as minimize Thisdisruptions.isphaseone of the project and the transmission lineswillrunfromShelterbelt to East Street. The duration of the project is 6 months.
“However, having regards to the nature of the allegations, and the fact that the Police Complaints Authority can only “supervise” specific investigations conducted by the member (s) of the Force, I am of the view thattheinvestigationintothe damningallegationsmadeby the sergeant should not be investigated by any member or unit of the Guyana Police Force,”Slowesaid.
Over the past two years, GWI has expended close to $1BillionontheGeorgetown Infrastructure Renewal Project, which includes upgrades to transmission mains atVlissengenRoad,Cemetery RoadandnowChurchStreet. Another $200M in Government’ssupplementary budget is slated for projected works from Church Street to High Street, alongAvenue of the Republic and from Lamaha Street to Pegasus Hotel.GWI is committed to improvingitsservicetocustomers countrywide through a number of ongoing upgrade projects.
Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan a former fierce defender of the lopsided 2016 oil contract signed under the Coalition administration has now joined the call for a renegotiation of the deal, citing that the lessons learnt from the sector has proven the need for the country to securebetterterms.
In an interview with Mikhail Rodrigues, popularly known as the Guyanese Critic on Sunday, the ExxonMobil Guyana President,AlistairRoutledge shot down the need for Guyana to renegotiate the lopsided deal, in which the oil company enjoys excessivetaxwaivers,while paying Guyana a mere two percent royalty, all without fullliability Routledgecoverage.inresponding to the question of
Kaieteur News PAGE 17MondayAugust 15, 2022
Ramjattan attached his signature to a document in support of renegotiating the 2016 oil contract.
WhiletheAFCLeaderis in support of bringing the American oil giant to the table,henotedthathewould be astonished if the other members of the Opposition do not agree with this position of seeking greater benefitsforGuyanese. He was keen to note, “Mypersonalviewisthatwe should support the government in any of its renegotiatingprocessesfora better deal, not for a worse deal because we notice that they have already worsened the deal by moving out the strongest characters that we could’ve put in the Environmental Protection Agency to deal with Exxon and that is why we have the (produced)watergoingback into the ocean, flaring continues and a whole host of other things like no unlimited liability coverage, as he (former EPA head VincentAdams)wasarguing for,andsoitisimportantthat this worsened situation does not continue, but the renegotiation or a better f dealiscertainlysomethingI would support, and that is whyisIdidwhatIdidatthat conference.”Whilehe repeated his supportforanyrenegotiation sought by the PPP, the Leader was asked specificallyifhewouldseek tobringbackExxonMobilto thetable,shouldtheAFCbe voted to govern Guyana, whenhesaid,“Ofcourse,of course! C’mon, when we signed the deal as we did, I am certain that all the implications and the environmental impacts like to the fisheries and a whole hostofotherthingswewere somewhat uncertain about and when, you have to be honestandacknowledgethat there might be implications in relation to seismic testing and those guns that they hit theseabedwithmightaffect the fishes and the water that they are pouring in will also affectthefishes.” He went on to explain, “We have been led (to believe)thatthatisnotgoing tobeenvironmentalimpacts tothatsoofcoursewhynot. Now that we are getting it more and more as any new development will have new challenges, we have to ensure that these new challengesaremetbytalking to Exxon, renegotiating and signing a better deal in the future.” The AFC head said that “honest governments” upon realizing its wrongs wouldseektochangethose.
-
Exxonshootsdownneed forrenegotiation
considering a renegotiation oftheoilcontractsaid,“The business we are in is we don’tknowwhat’scomingor what’s in the corner It may lookgreattodaybutIwould say we kind of made it look easysofar Alotoftheresourcethat wefoundisgoingtobemore difficult to develop The return on those won’t be as good as the Liza Field. The firstFieldthatwefoundwas the best resource that we foundintheStabroekBlock. Thatwaswherewestarted.” He went on to explain that so far, the reservoirs havenotbeenaslucrative.At thesametime,thehighprice of oil on the global market “will almost certainly fall” which means that the businessmustbe“robustand durable”forallstakeholders to allow them to continue investing in the production of Guyana’s oil and gas resources.The2016PSA ActivistsinGuyanahave beenlobbyingforchangesto be made to the 2016 PSAas Guyanareceivesameretwo percent royalty for its sweet lightcrudeandsettledfor50 percent profit sharing, after Exxon takes 75 percent of the earnings to clear its expenses.Thedeal that the oil company often brags about to its shareholders, also forcesGuyanesetopaytheir share of taxes, amounting to millions of US dollars each yearThis figure is likely to further balloon as more operationscomeonstream. Inaddition,thecountryis allowing ExxonMobil to operateoffshorewithoutfull liability coverage in the event of an oil spill, which means that the risk is borne byGuyana.Another key provision that is lacking in the document is ring fencing provision, which would avoid the oil company from usingthepetroleumrevenue in one field to cover for expensesinanother
ExxonMobil Guyana President, Alistair Routledge
Ramjattan in an exclusiveinterviewwiththis publication on Sunday admitted that the former administration erred by agreeing to the terms included in the contract, but insisted that the then government was pressed to make a decision that could serve as a new revenue generation stream, as the othertraditionalsectorswere not performing well at the time.“Sugarwaseatingupour treasury’s money What do youYdo?ou need a brand new revenuestream…althoughit was an imperfect decision,” theformerMinisterofPublic Securityadmitted. ItwastheAFC’sRaphael Trotman,formerMinisterof Natural Resources that entered into the agreement onbehalfofGuyana. On Saturday, Ramjattan attended a consultation hosted in the US, where he attached his signature to a document in support of renegotiating the contract. To this end, he explained, “My reasoning is that they are saying that it was a bad contract and the new government is indicating, or since it was in Opposition, that it would renegotiate the contract.Iwouldbeoneofthefirst Parliamentarianstosayifthe new government here is going to renegotiate a better contract, out of the one my government signed, I am in supportof Ramjattanthat.”pointed out that even though the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) promised to renegotiate the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with ExxonMobil in its Manifesto, they have failed tokeeptheirword.“Iamnot seeing them doing any renegotiation so they were lyingtousandonthatscoreI would propose that they continue talking to Exxon for a better deal and that is whatIsupport. If they can get a better deal by the process of renegotiation, every single Guyanesewillsupportit.”
Ramjattan throws supports behind renegotiation of Exxon contract ‘Time for better terms’
ByDavinaBagot Leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan
amenities
Kaieteur NewsPAGE 18 MondayAugust 15, 2022
15naturalgasplantsexplodedinUSoverpast8... ...but
Frompage12 around the pipeline, destroyed five homes and burned for about 30 acres of land – the flame was also visible for at least 38 miles (61kilometres)away In just 2015 to 2017, there were 12 deaths and 10 injuries reported from natural gas pipelines explosions in the US Notably, the list does not include the many injuries, deaths, and extensive property damage reported from natural gas explosions reportedathomes,apartment buildings,businesses,etc.
Patterson admits $188M rental for UN offices high
From June 2015 to June 2017, the following incidents have been documented:February 17, 2017: A naturalgaspipelineoperated by Kinder Morgan in Refugio Texas exploded creating a massive fire. The explosion shook homes 60 milesFebruaryaway. 10, 2017: A naturalgaspipelineoperated byPhillips66PipelineinSt. Charles Parish, LA exploded, injuring 3 workers.February 1, 2017: A pipeline in Panola County, Texas, exploded and created acraterinanairportrunway, shuttingdowntheairportfor amonth.January 17, 2017: A naturalgaspipelineoperated byDCPMidstreamexploded in Spearman, Texas, which led to multiple fire crews beingcalledtothescene. August 20, 2016: 10 peopleinNew Mexicowere killed when they were c a m p i n g n e a r a n underground natural gas pipelineoperatedbyElPaso Energy that suddenly exploded.April 18, 2016: Two workers were killed when they struck a pipeline at the Southcross Gas Processing PlantinBonnieView,Texas. April29,2016:A30-inch pipelineinSalemTownship, operated by Spectra, exploded, severely injured a worker, and caused the evacuation of local businessesandhomes. January 9, 2016: A 30inch pipeline operated by Atmos Energy in Robertson County,Texas,explodedand forced the evacuation of severalAugustfamilies.26, 2015: Two workerswereinjuredwhena Boardwalk/Gulf South Pipeline Co underwater pipeline off the coast of Louisiana ruptured and exploded.June27, 2015: Four workerswereinjuredwhena pipeline exploded at a gas boosterstationinWhiteDeer Texas.June17,2015:Apipeline operatedbyEnergyTransfer Partners ruptured in Cuero, Texas and caused a massive blazeandtheevacuationof7 families.Itwas reported that 165,732 pounds of volatile organic compounds may haveTburned.hei n c i d e n t s documentedaboverepresent a continuation of and ongoing trend of repeated naturalgaspipelineandplant disastersintheUS. Thereportsofnaturalgas projectexplosionscomeata time when President Ali is movingaheadwiththemuch vauntedGTEproject. Thisplantwillbelocated at Wales, West Bank Demerara, and will be done in partnership with American oil giant, ExxonMobil.The300 megawatt project will cost taxpayers’ more than US$1 3 billion just for the installment of pipelinestobringthegasto shore while the government aspect of the project; the Natural Gas fired power plant and the NGL plant carries another cost.
The Project will involve capturing associated gas produced from crude oil productionoperationsonthe Liza Phase 1 (Destiny) and Liza Phase 2 (Unity) Floating, Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessels, located offshore and transport gas viaa12-inchsubseapipeline onshore passing through communities such as Crane and the Canal Polders up to Wales.Importantly, while an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project has already been submitted to the local authorising body, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the document says that Guyana will not be immune to gas explosionsatthesite,listing theactivityasalikelyevent. Also, Exxon has not yet submitted a Gas Leak ManagementPlantotheEPA for considerations to be made in the permitting process, but it has promised to have the document ready aboutayearbeforetheplant startsitsoperationsatWales. In addition, the GTE Project Manager, Friedrich Krispin has indicated that Exxon and its partners will not walk away from any accidents, but will help Guyana should an unfortunate event take place at the proposed facility However, he failed to provide answer on if a document would be signed specifically to secure insurancepolicytocoverany mishaps.Sig n i f i c a n t l y , ExxonMobil can reclaim all costs expended on this venture from Guyana’s oil revenue,inkeepingwiththe 2016 Production Sharing Agreement(PSA). ThismeansthatGuyana will be paying for the project, even though the returnsarenotdefinitive. says payment include utilities, security, other
The payment of utilities and other amenities are included in $188M per year rental of the buildings that now house the United Nations Offices in Kingston Georgetown, Former Minister of Public Infrastructure(MoPI),David Pattersonhassaid. Patterson is shedding lightontheissuesomeweeks after current Public Works Minister Juan Edghill publicly condemned the movebytheAPartnershipfor National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government to bind Guyana to a 10 year lease contract at $188millionannuallytorent the Duke Street Kingston propertyownedbyGuyanese singerEddieGrant. The annual rent amounts to $1 9 billion which is estimated to cover two pay increasesforpublicservants. Edghill had condemned the formeradministrationsaying that State funds could have beenusedmorewisely However,inalettertothe editor on Saturday, Patterson who served under the APNU+AFC government explainedthoughthecostfor the rental of building is indeed on the high end, the Government was able to cut cost on security, water rates and other amenities since it wasincludedintherent. Additionally, the former Minister turned opposition Member of Parliament explained that leasing the building to house the UN offices, allowed the government to reclaim properties which once accommodated the UN offices. He explained that afterthe UN offices were moved from those locations, the government was able to cut back on cost for rent, securityandotherbillswhich amounted to over $100 millionPattersonannuallysaid that back in 2018, there existed six different UN agencies in Guyana, these are the Food andAgricultureOrganisation (FOA); United Nations International Children's EmergencyFund(UNICEF); United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNDP); Pan American Health Organization (PAHO); The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Organization for Migration (IOM)He said that with a seventh agency scheduled to become operational in 2019, the Government of Guyana (GoG)hadtostartlookingfor alternative space to collectively house the UN offices.AccordingtoPattersonat that time, the GoG owned two of the buildings which the UN occupied and paid rentalfortwoothers.Assuch, the GoG was liable for repairs and maintenance, security, utilities, janitorial costs,andinsuranceforsome of the other locations. These payments were made via the MinistryofForeignAffairs. The APNU+AFC MP notedthatastheUNpresence here began to grow, the UN (headed by the former UN Resident Coordinator) with theassistanceoftheMinistry ofForeignAffairs(headedby thecurrentChiefofProtocol) began a search for a suitable locationtohouseallsevenof theUNagencies. “Several possible locations were examined, including the CARICOM Annex on the Railway Embankment, which was unavailable at the time; he said adding that “it is important to note that all the proposed buildings were selectedbythelocalUNstaff in association with the UN internationalsecurityunit.” Pattersonsaidtoothatthe MoPI was initially not involved in any activity towards renting the building fortheUNoffices. He explained that it was after the challenges surrounding the rental of Sussex Street bond, the Cabinet had mandated that since MoPI had the relevant technical staff, property rentals, if necessary, should seek technical input from MoPI.Finally, after discussions at the cabinet level, it was agreed that MoPI would be the lessee, rather than Foreign Affairs, as was the previoustraditionalroute,on the simple reasoning that since there was an existing building maintenance department in MoPI, that ministrywouldbebetterable to respond to any technical issuesthatmightariseduring theleasingperiod. After the building was identified,Pattersonsaidthat property inspection was conducted by the building and electrical inspectorate departments, who made recommendations to the landlordforcorrectiveworks prior to the commencement oftheHelease.saidthat important to note, is that at the time the property was identified by theUN,itwasalreadyleased to an oil and gas company (REPSOL). “The landlord, at his own expense, was required to renovate his property in line with the proposed recommendations and relocate the existing tenant company to an alternative location Note that the landlord was extremely reluctant to make this change in tenancy, but thepersuasionoftheUNwas considered, and he agreed , ” claimed Patterson.Theformer Minister explained therefore that the lease agreement was proposed by GoG and Blue Wave Apartments Inc. for a three storey concrete building(21,525SF),aGreat House (7,425 SF) and other offices(1,664SF)–atotalof 30,614SFovertenyearsata rate of US$68,882.00 per month,witha1%perannum increase in rental rates from years8–“Included10. in this fee was water rates, rates and taxes, security (6am – 6pm) on working days, maintenance of landscaping, car parking, grounds,andotherassociated externalstructures,”hesaid. According to him, on agreement of this proposal, the GoG was able to reclaim three buildings, which were allocated to other ministries (including former UNDP offices now house the Department of Energy), and be relieved of the responsibility for payments for security, electricity, maintenance, etc for the other locations, which amounted to almost US$700,000 per annum. “At thetime,itwasestimatedthat an additional US$500,000 per annum would be saved, due to the reallocation of the reclaimed buildings,” he said.
Former Minister of Public Infrastructure (MoPI), David Patterson
Kaieteur News PAGE 19MondayAugust 15, 2022
Former model killed in Linden Highway accident wreckedNarine’scar
More allegations have been brought to Kaieteur News’ attention that detectives investigating the March, 2021 murder of Ricardo Fagundes better known as “Paper Shorts” were tipped-off by an informant about the driver of the get-away car used in thehitbuttheyhadnevermovedtoarrestthe suspectforquestioning. The suspected get-away driver is no stranger to law and although the police allegedly did not pursue leads to detain him, helandedinhot-watermonthsafterFugundes was killed for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. He was charged and remandedtoprisonfortheoffence. It is unclear if the detectives had questioned him about his alleged involvement in death of Ricardo Fagundes. However, according to reports received by this newspaper, police had received details that the suspect could be the one behind the wheels of a white heavily-tinted Toyota FielderWagonusedinthehitonFagundes. Despitehavinganidentityofthesuspect, no instructions were given for him to be arrested nor did police attempt to detain him for questioning or seek leads about his whereabouts. The alleged get-away driver wasthesecondsuspecttobeidentifiedinthe killingofFagundes.Thefirsttobeidentified was an individual by the name of “Shop Man”, a security guard working with a business establishment located in central Georgetown.“ShopMan” was recently publicly identifiedas Mark Richmond of Mohamed’s Enterprise located on Lombard Street. The businessplaceconfirmedthatheispartofits securityteambutnotinchargeofitssecurity operations.Thisdevelopmentcameafteradetective, Sergeant;DionBascompubliclyaccusedhis superiors and named one of them of collecting a bribe to cover up the investigation.Bascomwas one of the detectives workingontheFagundesmurdercasebuthe waslaterremovedfromtheinvestigationand transferred to another location after reports hadsurfacedinthemediathatthesuspecthad threatenedDuringhim.hisFacebook live he implicated Azruddin Mohamed, a prominent business linked to Mohamed’s Enterprise in the murder and the alleged cover-up of the investigation. Mr Mohamed has since dnied the allegations. The detective claimed that withtheuseoftechnology,investigatorswere abletoplaceRichmondatthecrimesceneon thenightofthemurderandcellphonerecords showedthathewasincontactwithMohamed. As it relates to the ongoing investigation into the murder of Fagundes police had publiclystatedthattheywereabletotracethe car used in the hit from North Road towards MainStreet,Georgetownmomentsbeforehe wasThekilled.car parked at Main Street and two gunmenwaitedinsidefor theirtargettostep outside of Palm Court and when he did, CCTVcamerascapturedthememergingfrom the vehicle and riddling Fagundes will more than20 Theybullets.thenwent back into the car and it spedinasoutherlydirectionheadingtowards theEastBankDemerara. Acarwaslaterthat evening found burnt out along Linden/Soesdyke Highway and police suspected that it was used to carry out Fagundes’murder
Police were tipped-off about get-away car driver in ‘Paper Shorts’ murder - reportedly never brought suspect in for questioning
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters at Eve Leary
Murdered in front of Palm Court, Ricardo Fagundes popularly known as “Paper Shorts”
Killed in a car accident, Notoya Narine ByShervinBelgrave
Kaieteur NewsPAGE 20 MondayAugust 15, 2022
AformerfashionmodelintheSt Kitts and Nevis was killed Sunday morning in a car accident along the Linden/SoesdykeHighway The dead woman has been identified as 35-year-old Notoya Narine a mother of two and a resident of Plaisance on the East CoastofDemerara(ECD). Up to press time police did not release any information on the accident Also injured in the accident were her young daughter and her boyfriend Narine was reportedly the driver of the car travelling along highway when she lostcontrolofthevehicle. The car reportedly toppled severaltimebeforecomingtoahalt. Narine was reportedly pronounced deadatthescenewhileherdaughter and husband are currently hospitalised.
Jamaica's big three set to clash over100m at Diamond League meet in Lausanne,August 26
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22) Working within boundaries and restrictions could get to you today, Libra.Yours is an independent spirit, and your best achievements are often born of doing things your ownChancesway are that you'll feel upbeat and positive today Sharethisenergywithothers who feel less than content Your attitude can have a profound effect on friends, partners,spouse,andchildren
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) GEMINI(May21–June20) CANCER(June21–July22) SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21) AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20) Frompage23 walking away with a trophyand$300,000GYD. Andrew Simmons also received a trophy for the MostValuablePlayer “On behalf of the Executive Body and team of the RVFC, we would like to extend heartfelt gratitude towards the Bartica Football Association and all the memberclubsonmakingthis leagueasuccess.Wearealso not forgetting the fans, withoutyou,thiswouldn'tbe enjoyable as it is, so thank you for all your love and support,” a release from the winningclubstated.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Try not to let the blues get you down, Capricorn. While it's true some days can seem to drag, the busier you stay, thefastertimewillpass. Dare to be different, Aquarius.It'seasytofallinto routines-sleepandeatatthe same time, wear the same style, and do your work the samewayeveryday. If your lifestyle is very different from others, resist feeling self-conscious about it today, Pisces. Remember that you chose your life for specificreasons.
Kaieteur News PAGE 21MondayAugust 15, 2022 Monday August 15, 2022
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson are set to clash in Lausanne, August 26.
Riverstriumph...View SportsMax Could Shely Ann Fraser Pryce's meet record of 10.60 be on borrowedtimewhenthreeof thefourfastestwomeninthe worldthisyearlineupforthe 100m at the Lausanne DiamondLeaguemeetingon AugustNewly26?minted five-time world 100m champion Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce who has run under 10.70, a record-extending six times this season, including a world leading 10 62 in Monaco on Wednesday, has beenconfirmedforthemeet. Mommy Rocket is the first woman to run under 10.70, a record six times in the same season and has eight times under 10 60 overall.Inherlastsixfinals, the 35 year old Jamaican has run 10 67 (Nairobi), 10 67 (Paris), 10 67 (Oregon), 10.66 (Silesia), 10.67 (Hungary) and 10.62 (Monaco).Withthe prospect of a two week break from competition in which she is expected to get take some well needed rest after running10.6threetimesina week, Fraser-Pryce will be aiming to extend that record even further to seven when she lines up in Switzerland, where she will face compatriot Shericka Jackson, who ran a lifetime bestof10.71inMonaco. Jackson,the200mworld champion and the fastest woman alive over the distance,hassaidshehasnot runherbest100msofarthis seasonandwillbelookingto improve on that time that saw her finish second to Fraser-Pryce.Alsoconfirmed for the blue-ribandclashisthe2020 Tokyo Olympic champion Elaine Thompson Herah, the fastest woman alive c o u r t e s y o f t h e blistering 10 54 she ran in Oregon in August 2021 after establishing a new Olympic record of 10 61 while winning gold in Tokyo two weeks earlierAdmittedly, the doubledouble Olympic champion has not been at her best this season but she enters the meet coming off a confidence boosting sprint double at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, where she ran 10.95 to win the 100m title and a seasonbest22.02toclaimthe200m crown.The 30 year old Thompson-Herah ran 10.79 in Oregon in May, which made her the third fastest womanintheworldthisyear until last Wednesday when Marie Jose Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast eclipsed that time when she was third in Monacoinalifetimebestof 10.72,atimethatmakesher thefastestAfricanwomanin historyFraser Pryce, Jackson andThompson-Herah swept the medals at the Tokyo Olympics and again at the World Championships in OregoninJuly. Olympic champion Hansle Parchment gets another crack at two-time world champion Grant Holloway in the 110m hurdles In Monaco, Holloway ran a season-best to defeat Parchment, who was third in a season-best 13.08.
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19 Enhanced determination could motivate you today, Aries, giving you the zip to plow through your work. Finishprojectsthathavebeen pendingandthinkaboutwhat youwanttotacklenext. Areyoufeelingtheeffectsof today's low key planetary aspects,Taurus?Take heartit's only temporary Do your besttotakethingsonestepat a time and make some plans foralittlefunthisevening. Make some plans for recreation, Gemini. Having something fun to look forwardtocanmakeeventhe toughest times far easier to Don'thandle.judge someone just because his or her lifestyle differs from what you considernormal,Cancer
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Getting through any work youhavetodoshouldn'tbea problem for you today, Virgo. Evenifyouflagforabit,you're likelytogetasecondwind,and thiswillgiveyouthedriveand determination to see your projectstocompletion.
LEO(July23–Aug.22) Friends seeking advice or a shoulder to cry on may be plentiful today, Leo. And you're one of best people to provide the support and caringtheyneed.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Don't discount your excellent taketeverythingSagittarius.resourcefulness,Ifyouhaven'tgotyouneedorallofheinformationrequired,sometimetothink.
Coach says it was a learning experience for his players as USA Tri-State beat GT XI 3-2
t i c k e t s a t tickets.windiestickets.com or via ewatchentrymobileticketticketsIndiesadvancepresentedTandavoidingwww.windiescricket.com/ticketstheneedtoqueueortraveltochoosetheirpreferredseat.heWindiesTicketsservice,byMastercard,providesticketsforeveryWesthomefixture,deliveringsecurelyanddirectlytofans'accountstostoreontheirdevicesortoprintoutforintotothevenue.FansintheWestIndiescantheCGUnitedODISeriesxclusivelyliveonESPN Caribbean or listen to live radio commentary on the West Indies YouTube channel . Fans in New Zealandcanwatchexclusivelylive onSkyWMASport.TCHSCHEDULEednesday17August: 1st CG United ODI at Kensington Oval, Barbados Local start time 2pm/1pmFridayJamaica19August: 2nd CG United ODI at Kensington Oval. Localstarttime2pm/1pmJamaica Sunday 21 August: 3rd CG United ODI at Kensington Oval. Localstarttime2pm/1pmJamaica.
Kaieteur NewsPAGE 22 MondayAugust 15, 2022
Wonder what the late great is saying about what appears to be a personal vendetta the GCB has against the GCA,” the experienced Fraser“Wasked.e'veplayers from both sides that I've seen over the years has improved their overall performance, batsmanship, bowling, fielding, we now need to continuetoworkonthementalpart ofourI'llgame.advisethatagegroupcricket needsonlytwoorthree-daycricket matches along with 50 overs ......thankstoourhostGCA,”Fraser concluded.Skipper Anirudh Bolisetty bowled with pace and was one of fourbattersintheUSATriStateto reachThe50.right-handed Swar was their leading run scorer with 282 runs including a ton and made 176 in the five match series against the GCAXI.Helookedeasilythebest batteronshow. In addition, Arepally and Siddarth Kappa were the other batters to reach a fifty, while 13year-oldleft-handerTanishDongre showed excellent technique and temperamentandisonetolookout forinthefuturewhenhegetsbigger andstronger The USA bowling was led by Bolisetty and left-armer Rounak Rao who finished with eight wickets each in the five-match series.Left-arm spinner Siddhant Rai wasexpectedtobetheUSAteam's bestjudgingfromhisworkonpast tourshere,but,affectedbyanankle injury he had a poor tour with the ball,mosttimebowlingtooflatand short. Tanmay Joshi did not look toobad.Forthe City lads, little left hander Shiloh Adams, who is also a competent 'Keeper', scored the most runs in the series (179) and along with Jadon Campbell (127) are the two best batters, while Shaquan Walters (126) and Riyad Latif (124) were among the top five runsscorersintheseries. Off spinner Myhiem Khan, whoattimesbowledtoofast,which did not allow the balls to grip and turn, was the leading bowler in the serieswithninewickets. GCA's leg spinners Latif and StephonSankaralongwithleft-arm spinner Brandon Henry had eight wickets each and were among top fivewickettakersintheseries.
Leading run scorer in the 5-match series Shiloh Adams (left) & Jadon Campbell were two best batters for the GT X1. (Sean Devers photo) Ruhan Swar with 282 runs was Tri State's leading batter on tour. (Sean Devers photo)
The USA Tri State U-17 Development team ended their two-week tour to Guyana with a 31-run victory over the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) U-17s at Bourda last Saturday to win the five-match 50-over series 3-2 and capturetheRogerHarperTrophy The tour, badly affected by inclement weather, also included a game against Everest in which USA's Ruhan Swar's 106 was the only century registered in the six matches the visitors played in the CityThe tourists, who were hosted bytheGCA,wascoachedUSbased formerGuyanapacerLindenFraser with former National U-17 coach OrinBaileyfillinginforFraserwho arrived late due to cricket related workinFlorida. In their first match at Everest theAmericansbeattheGCAXIby 43runsbeforelosingby135runsin thenextgameagainsttheGCAXI. The US rebounded to win the third game by four wickets before theCityladslevelledtheseries2-2 bywinningby20runsintheirfirst game at Bourda before the tourists wononSaturdaytotaketheseries. The USA Tri State U-17s also played Everest at Everest in the second match on tour and led by a masterful 106 from Ruhan Swar and 88 fromAmoghArepally beat thehostby102runs. Kaieteur sports caught up with Fraser yesterday just before he departed Guyana and the 57-year old Berbician described the tour as agoodexperienceforhisteam. “It was a good experience for theyoungstersafterhavingtositfor afewdaysinthehotel. Because of the rain they were gettingfrustratedandreallywanted to get out on the field,” said Fraser who took three wickets in four First-Class matches between 1983 andFraser1990., who played one FirstClassmatchforGuyanainthe1984 Shell Shield against Jamaica, informed that it was always a learning process for his young charges.“Our USA boys are not accustomed to playing on turf and beingabletodosoherewasagreat learning experience for them. The mental part of their game will also improve from playing in different conditions coping with different situations.Iwas most pleased by the fightingspiritshownbybothteams, the hunger the high standard of every game while we were here,” continued Fraser, who's best FirstClassfigureswere3-87forBerbice againstDemerarain1988.
TicketOfficeopensatKensingtonOvalforWIvsNZCGUnitedODISeries
“We were supposed to participate in the Basil Butcher MemorialU-17tournament,hosted by GCA with about 13 teams participating.Thedisappointing part was the leadershipoftheGCBdidnotgive their blessings to this tournament although Mr Basil Butcher Snr is known in the cricketing world as one of our legends. Butcher cared about the development of young cricketersasheoftenshowedwhen on visits to the USA and always found the time to share his knowledgeandexperiences.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados –Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announcedtheopeningoftheticket office at Kensington Oval for the upcoming CG United ODI Series between West Indies and New Zealand.Theteams will meet in three day/night matches at the historic venueinBarbadoson17,19and21 August,witheachmatchstartingat 2pm local time (1pm Jamaica time).The three matches are West Indies'lastremainingthreefixtures in the ICC ODI Super League as West Indies aim to automatically qualify for the 2023 ICC World Cup in India. West Indies will be seekingtowintheCGUnitedODI Series to secure one of the automatic qualification places reserved for the top 7 teams in the ODISuperLeaguetable,excluding hostsTheIndia.boxofficeislocatedalong Fontabelle Road on the western sideofKensingtonOvalandwillbe opendailyfrom9amto5pmdaily, except yesterday Sunday 14 Augustwhenitwasclosed. Ti c k e t s p r i c e s a r e US$35/BDS$70 for premium seating in the 3Ws Stand and at US$17.50/BDS$35 for the standard seats in the Greenidge & HaynesStand. Children's tickets for those aged 16 and under are half price. Seniors can also get tickets at half price for either of the stands. The West Indies Party Stand presented by Power X Four returns with tickets priced at US$38/BDS$76, inclusive of five alcoholic or nonalcoholic drinks and great entertainment.Fanscanalso purchase their
USA Tri-State U-17s Head Coach Linden Fraser. GT's Myhiem Khan was the leading wicket-taker with 9 scalps. By Sean Devers
Nat U-15s involved in 2 practice match
nd
Kaieteur News PAGE 23MondayAugust 15, 2022
With a strong breeze blowing from the Atlantic Ocean blowing acrossthegroundonadayblessed withbrilliantsunshinetheNational U-15s beat a GCA XI by one run yesterdayatEverestinfadinglight in their second practice game as theypreparefortheRegionalU-15 50-overtournamentinGrenada. TheGuyanaU-15sidewonthe tossandoptedtobatongoodtrack andfairlyfastoutfieldandwereall outfor191. Razam Koobir (27) and Romario Ramdehol (38) added 42 for the second wicket after joining forceswiththescoreon16-1. Skipper Dave Mohabir contributed 20 before pacer Shane Prince(24)andNicolasLovellwho wasunbeatenon19puttogether41 thforthe10 Leg-spinnerwicket.Stephon Sankar took 3-15 and Reyaz Latif 2-10 bowledwellfortheGCAunitwho fellfor190allout. The inform 15-year-old Shiloh Adams led the way with classy 57 from 75 balls with five fours and got support from Jeremiah Hohenkirk who scored 28 from 31 balls with a four and a six, Latif who made 20 from 36 balls with three boundaries and Sankar 19 with a four Adams, who ran hard and pushed the balls into the gaps, added 52 with Hohenkirk for the seventhbeforethelittlelefthander who attends the Christ Church Secondary which produced Test batter Carl Hooper, added another 61fortheeightwicketwithSankar But in the end his half-century wasnotenoughasDaneshPersaud 3-29, Arun Gainda 3-36, Dave Mohabir2-30didthedamagewith theball.Thethirdmatchissetfortoday at Everest from 9AM. (Sean Devers)
Shiloh Adams hits Jonathan Mentore back over his head for during 57 at Everest yesterday. (Sean Devers photo) Danesh Persaud is bowled by John Persaud at Everest yesterday. (Sean Devers photo)yesterday SportsMax Half centuries fromSharmarhBrooksandPlayer of-the-MatchBrandonKinghelped the West Indies salvage a measure of pride after they defeated New Zealand by eight wickets with six balls to spare in the third and final T20InternationalatSabinaParkin Kingstonyesterday. NewZealandtooktheseries2-1 after winning the first T20 international by 13 runs last Wednesday and humiliating the West Indies by 90 runs on Friday, whichmeantthatyesterday'smatch wasadeadrubberwithonlyprideat stakeforthehomeside. Set a target of 147, the West Indies cruised to 150-2 from 19 overs.The victory was set up by an opening stand of 102 between Brooks, who was unbeaten on 56 andKingwhoentertainedthesmall crowd gathered with 53 from 35 balls, his first T20 international half-century on home soil and his fifthItoverall.wasthefirstopeningstandof 100 or more by the West Indies sinceJanuary2020againstIreland. King eventually got out in the th14 over attempting to pull Tim Southee over the square leg boundarybutwascaughtbyMartin Guptillrunninginfromdeep. Devon Thomas wasted an opportunitytogetsomerunsunder hisbeltwhenhewascaughtatdeep midwicketbyGlenPhillipsforfive toleavetheWestIndies113-2midth waythe15 over Stand in captain Rovman Powell ensured that there would be no jitters. He scored 27 not out including the matchwinning six over the midwicket boundary from James Neesham's finalPowelldeliveryand Brooks shared a 37 run partnership that took the home side to victoryFor the first time in the series, the bowlers and batsmen were on song.Odean Smith took T20I career best figures of 3 29, Dominic Drakes bowled tidily to finish with 1-19 and Akeal Hosein 2-28 to restrict NewZealandto145-7, theirlowesttotalofthe series.Phillips followed up his 76 from the s e c o n d T 2 0 international with a 26-ball 41 but NewZealandlostwicketsatregular intervals and were unable to put together any meaningful partnerships.Infact,it was a 47-run fourthwicket partnership between Kane Williamson (24) and Phillips that helpedthetouristssetarespectable total after struggling to 57-3 in the ninthDevonover Conway's 21 was the onlyotherscoreofnoteastheWest Indies bowlers maintained a stranglehold throughout the 20 overs.
Half-centuries from Brooks, King help Windies save face with eight-wicket victory over New Zealand at Sabina Park Tim Southee is all smiles after getting rid of Brandon King. (Associated Press) Brandon King and Shamarh Brooks added 102 runs for the opening wicket. (AFP/Getty Images) Glenn Phillips and Kane Williamson added 47 runs for the fourth wicket. (AFP/Getty Images)
(Reuters) Climate activists affiliated with Extinction Rebellion have targeted golf courses in southern France, filling holeswithconcreteinprotest over exemptions from water restrictionsduringoneofthe worstdroughtsonrecord. France has told residents to avoid non-essential water usage like car-washing and wateringgardens. However, activists complain that golf courses are allowed to continue wateringgreens. The protest action took placeattheVieille-Toulouse clubandalsoattheGaronne desSeptDenierscourse. Defending their exemption from the water restrictions, Gerard Rougier of the French Golf Federation told the France Info news website: "A golf coursewithoutagreenislike anice-rinkwithoutice." Extinction Rebellion Toulouse posted a photograph on Twitter apparently showing a golf holefilledwithcementanda sign saying "This hole is drinking 277,000 litres. Do you drink that much? #Stop Golf". A petition aimed at scrapping the exemption enjoyed by French golf courses during drought said: "Economic madness takes precedence over ecological reason."Water bans are enforced at the discretion of regional officialsandsofaronlyIlleet-VillaineinwesternFrance had banned the watering of golfFrancecourses.had been one of thehardesthitbythehotand dryconditionsacrossEurope with firefighters battling a "monster" blazeinforests in thesouthwestFrance.
IGG set for November 25 to 27 here
By Zaheer Mohamed
The Ministry of Culture, Youth a n d S p o r t (MCYS)/ National Sports Commission (NSC) annual Swim camp concluded yesterday at the National Aquatic Center (NAC) at LilliendaalontheEastCoast ofDemerara.Theprogramme, which saw a record 1700 participants, was geared to prepare swimmers for national competitions and to teach swimming as a life skill. Apart from the NAC, sessions were held at Colgrain pool, Linden and Berbice The camp was deemedaresoundingsuccess as many participants learned to swim while others sharpenedtheirskills. Speaking at the closing ceremony, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport CharlesRamsonJr reminded theparentsthattheyhavethe responsibility to guide their children “Learning is a process.Whenwearebuildingour children we are building our nation, and being part of a sport programme is beneficial towards this journeyofsuccessforthem,” headded.Ramson Jr. noted that safety was always a priority and commended all i n v o l v e d “ T h e s e programmes,allofwhichthe MCYSisputtingtogetherfor you, will supplement what the children are doing in school,” the Minister explained.Headded that there are currently 250 participants in their youth culture camp, stating that he is looking forward to working with all stakeholders for the development of Guyana's children.Minister Ramson Jr informed that there will be a science fair, with a winning prize of one million dollars, on August 27 and 28 at the Aquatic Center He encouraged the parents and children to attend, adding thattheMinistryiswillingto assistwithtransportation. Minister Ramson indicated that they have secured the participation of both French Guiana and Surinameforthereturnofthe Inter Guiana Games following a five year absence.“Wewill invite countries from the Caribbean and South America so as to expand and develop and the annual games which will be the biggest sporting showpiecefortheregion,”he posited.Ramson Jr related that hisministrywillcommencea mentorship programme in thecomingweekswhichwill be beneficial for the youths. He disclosed that the IGG isset for November 25 to 27 here.Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle alluded to the fact thattheywereabletouphold 'safety'astheirwatchwordin that the camp was incident free. “The MCYS and by extensiontheGovernmentof Guyana want to reach out to familiessoastobuildabetter nation.With the leadership level we have at the MCYS, we will only get better and together we will make this nationproud,”herelated. Deputy Director of Sport Melissa Dow Richardson encouraged the youths to utilise their skills and to support each other She touchedontheimportanceof discipline and urged the youths to focus on their education.Shesaid that swimmers cannowprogressthroughthe clubsystemandcommended thestaffoftheNSC. Coach/Organiser Paul Mahaicasaidhewaspleased with the response and noted that 917 children learned to swimduringtheprogramme. He also thanked the coaches while GASA President Dwayne Scott expressed his pleasureatthesuccessofthe camp.
MCYS/NSC swimming camp concludes at NAC - Minister Ramson Jr. Minister Charles Ramson Jr., greets participants of the camp. The highly anticipated match-upbetweentheRivers View (RVFC) and Rising Stars FC surpassed expectations as the curtains came down on the Bartica Football Association (BFA) Men'sSeniorLeague. The Rising Stars team hadfansontheedgeoftheir seats in the first half as they produced a dominating performance This was furtheremphasizedwhenthe ball flew pass goalkeeper DariqJamestogiveStarsthe lead minutes before the 1st period came to an end. It would appear as if all hope waslostforRiversView However, the Riverine boys re-grouped during the halftime break and came backwithavengeance.Midwaythroughthesecondhalf, Andrew Simmons did his thing to replenish the motivation and energy desperately needed by scoring his 18th goal of the tournament.Thescoreswere leveled but the job wasn't done yet. A little over 15 minutes later, Simmons produced his 2nd goal to the sheerrelishofhisfans. This second goal meant heartbreak for the Potaro Strikers who were desperately hoping Stars couldpulloffthewin. Andjusttoputthecherry ontopthecake,OmarioLake placedtheballperfectlypast the keeper to carry the score to 3-1. The few fans that Rivers View had, who were already ecstatic in their celebrations, went ballistic when the game ended a few momentslater This win saw the Rivers ViewUnitedFootballClub (Continuedonpage21)
Rivers View triumph again as Rising Stars fall 3-1 River's View Football Club celebrate at the presentation.
French activists fill holes with cement in protest at watering exemptions
Kaieteur NewsPAGE 24 MondayAugust 15, 2022
Lakesha Pearson 4, Annalisa Vincent 5, Collette Rutherford, 6, Deekola Chester 2, Tiandi Smith 2 and Ashanti Smith 1 did the damage.
Guyana Table Tennis Association says thanks
Another USA based Guyanese,LatchMohabirand his family, has provided $20,000 towards the “Cricket Gearforyoungandpromising cricketers Initiative”
Formerly from East Canje, Berbice,Mohabirsaidthathe is following the work of the projectandisimpressed how far and how many youthsandcricketclubs have benefited, thus hissupport.The j o i n t initiative between Anil Beharry of Guyana and Kishan Das of the USA has progressed well since its inception and will continue to provid towardsthedevelopment young people and cricket in general. The project is very thankful for the assistance provided by Mohabir and familyTotalcricketrelateditems collected so far: $250,000 cash, two trophies, twelve cricket boots, nineteen pairs of batting pads, twenty one bats, fifteen pairs of batting gloves, nineteen thigh pads, one pair of wicket keeping pad,onearmguard,sixcricket bags and two helmets. In addition to the above, $600,000 worth in gear was donated by Sheik Mohamed, former National wicket keeper/batsman.
Kaieteur News PAGE 25MondayAugust 15, 2022
MinisterToddmeetsteams- Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd meets Police and Milerock teams before the game.
GDF and Police romp to massive victories in Female football tourney
Andrea Lashley 1, Abiose Heywood 5, Yaneira Omearra 1 and Melinda Scott 3 were on target for the army Following their participation in the recently concluded Commonwealth Games 2022heldinBirminghamEngland,the Guyana table Tennis Association has taken the opportunity to express gratitude to all those who assisted in helping to put on one of their best showingso Accordingfartotherelease,theGTTA mentioned Wärtsilä Guyana and the Guyana Olympic Association for providing substantial and timely support. The release also mentioned the many well-wishers and fans who cheered the team on during the tournament on their historic performances especially among the women; ,Chelsea Edghill Natalie Cummings, Priscilla Greaves and ThuraiaThomas. TheMen'sdoublespairofShemar Britton, Christopher Franklin, the women's doubles pairing of CummingsandEdghill. Italsomentionedtheunforgettable performance of Natalie Cummings whoreachedtheroundof16,whichisa firstforGuyanaatthesegames. The release also mentioned performances of youngsters Jonathan VanLangeandThuraiaThomasalong with the return of inJoel Alleyne nationalcolours. The officials on the team namely coachesIdiLewisandLindenJohnson andphysiotherapistVanessaWickham amongTheothers.release concluded that the GTTA will continue the national team's training programme which began under Coach Osdani Romero Garcia as the GTTA pursues its long termgoals. (SamuelWhyte)
TheGuyanaTableTennisAssociation(GTTA)in collaborationwiththeMinistryofCultureYouthand Sports(MCYS)andtheNationalSportsCommission (NSC)willbeholdingaSummerteachthemYoung, TableTennisSportsAcademy. thTheactivity,whichisslatedtobeginAugust15 ,is thscheduledtoconcludeonAugust26 attheGuyana NationalGymnasiumMandelaAvenuefrom10hrsto 1300hrs.Coachesattachedtothethreeabovementionbodies willbeinattendancetotaketheteensthroughtheirpaces.
InterestedpersonscanmakecontacttelephoneNos 621-7630and628-3307forfurtherinformationand guidance. (Samuel Whyte) Table Tennis teach them Young camp set to begin today at National Gymnasium Latch Mohabir and family support “Cricket Gear for young and promising cricketers in Guyana”project
Todate,thirtyeightyoung playersfromallthreecounties of Guyana have already benefited from three junior gear bags, two trophies, one arm guard, fourteen bats, one box,twohelmets,elevenpairs o f rcicket shoes, ten pairs of batting pads, one bat rubber and twelve pairs of batting gloves.Inaddition,twoclubs in the Pomeroon area benefitedfromtwousedbats. Pomeroon, Leguan and Wa k e n a m C r i c k e t Committees and Cotton Tree Die Hard also received one box of red cricket balls each whileRHCCCCreceivedtwo, fifteen white cricket shirts, onepairofjuniorbattingpads, one pair of wicket keeping glovesandasetofstumpsand bails and the Essequibo CricketBoard.
Guyana Table Tennis Association representatives at Commonwealth Games 2022.
Mr and Mrs Mohabir Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and Guyana Police Force (GFP) recorded dominant victories in latest matches in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Women's Football League tournamentonSaturday Playing at the Wisburg ground in Linden, GDF hammered Coomacka10-nil,whilePolicedid better by pummeling Milerock 15nil. Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd met the Police and Milerock teams before the start of the game. After play started the Police lasses made steady passage to the Milerock outfit goal as Lakesha Pearson 4, Annalisa Vincent 5, Collette Rutherford 6, Deekola Chester 2, Tiandi Smith 2 and Ashanti Smith 1 ran riot over the haplesshometeam. When the GDF defeated Coomacka by their 10-nil margin, Andrea Lashley 1, Abiose Heywood5,YaneiraOmearra1and Melinda Scott 3 saw their team in totalcommandforthetriumph.
PrintedandpublishedbyNationalMedia&PublishingCompanyLtd.,24SaffonStreet,Charlestown,Georgetown.Tel:225-8458,225-8465,225-8491orFax:225-8473/226-8210. Sports IGG set for November 25 to 27 here MCYS/NSC swimming camp concludes at NAC - Minister Ramson Jr.
Minister of Culture, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson Jr., Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle and members of the NSC with participants at the closing ceremony. (Zaheer Mohamed photos) Brooks, King
help Windies save face with eight-wicket victory over New Zealand at Sabina Park
Odean Smith (right) picked up career-best figures of 3 for 29. (AFP/Getty Images)
Half-centuries from
