Kaieteur News

GuyanaseeksUS$30Mloantostrengthenpublicassistance programmesforelderlyanddomesticviolencevictims

The Government of GuyanathroughtheMinistry of Human Services and Social Security (MHSS) has appliedtotheInter-American DevelopmentBank(IDB)for a US$30M loan to enhance p u b l i c a s s i s t a n c e programmes in place for the protection of vulnerable populations including persons living with disabilitiesaswellasvictims of human trafficking and Gender Based Violence (GBV).

According to the project profile prepared by the IDB, this would be done by enhancing the MHSSS’s capacity to efficiently implement several mechanisms for fiscal support

The specific objectives include: improving the efficiency and transparency oftheministry’sprogrammes t h r o u g h d i g i t a l transformation; expanding the coverage and improving the delivery of the public assistance programmes for vulnerable groups; and supporting strategies and services that address human traffickingandGBV

With respect to the need for digital tools and management information systems at the ministry, the IDBsaidthisiscriticalsinceit relies on multiple systems and databases, resulting in scattered and unconsolidated data that hampers effective decision-making

The bank said the ministry has started working onaBeneficiaryRegistryand Document Management System (MIS), and on the conceptualization of a new information technology unit, but these initiatives have not beenimplementedyet

To support the wellbeing of the elderly population, it was noted that the ministry implements a universal Senior Citizens Pension (SCP) programme, which targets individuals 65 years

andolder

The programme has approximately 68,147 beneficiaries and delivers a monthly transfer of US$158 (GY$33,000) Based on a comparison of Latin American and Caribbean country, the IDB said this pensionschemehasveryhigh coverage (92% of the target population) but low value (with the pension representing 30% of preretirement average earnings).

Additionally, the IDB said the majority of pensioners still receive their benefits through vouchers obtained from post offices The IDB said this is a challenge for residents of remote areas, as travel costs incurredtocashthetransfers canamountto20%ormoreof theirvalue.

TheIDBsaideffortshave been made to introduce alternativepaymentmethods, including direct cash payments, payments through alternate venues (other than the traditional post offices), banktransfersandtheMobile MoneyGuyanamobilewallet application. However, the IDB said migration to alternate cash payments has

beenlow(lessthan1.5%).

Regarding the public assistance programme for persons living with disabilities (PwD), the financial institution said this programme delivers a monthly transfer of US$77, and targets three groups: (i) persons living with permanent disabilities; (ii) individuals facing economic hardship; (iii) individuals who have temporary medical conditions which restrictsthemfromearning.

Approximately 16,000 PwDarecurrentlyenrolledin the programme, representing 64% of its beneficiaries The IDB said the programme is under-dimensioned, in terms of both benefits which representhalfofthetransfers paid to older persons) and coverage, as the number of beneficiariesrepresentsonly about one third of the target population.

Notably, the IDB said human trafficking is on the rise,affectingmostlywomen

and girls and among them, migrants and young people from rural and indigenous communities in particular The bank said trafficking occurs in remote interior communities with limited governmentpresence.

For2022,thegovernment and non-governmental organizations identified 231 victimswhichrepresentedan

additional27victimsrelative to 2020 Of these, 218 were women,20ofthemunderage, exploited in sex or labor trafficking

In May 2023, Guyana approvedthenewTrafficking in Persons Bill, which expands the definition of exploitation and aims to strengthen the government’s abilitytorespondtotheissue

Aspartoftheimplementation of the Bill, the ministry is tasked with supporting victims Its CounterTrafficking in Persons (CTIP) Unit supports the identification of the victims and provides them with social welfare and assistance.

Importantly,theMinistry of Human Services is the principal government partner for the Spotlight InitiativeProgramme,which aims to create an environmentforwomenand girls to live a life free of violence, harmful practices and intersecting forms of discrimination.

Tothisend,theMinistry implements communitybased awareness and advocacy initiatives, and provides victims of genderbased violence (GBV) with psychosocial services, counselling and forensic interviews, and referrals to othersupportiveservices. This initiative addresses thefactthatGuyanahasone of the highest rates of GBV intheregion.

Continuedonpage25

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Vindhya Persaud during an engagement with elderly citizens

24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.

Publisher:GLENNLALL-Tel:624-6456

Editor-in-Chief:NigelWilliams

Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

Depending on Exxon

We depend on ExxonMobil for production reports about how many barrels of oil the company pumps daily We depend on ExxonMobil to conduct feasibility studies for oil projects, and then say that we review those studies. We depend on ExxonMobil for data and detail, for almost everything: inclusive of how many barrels of proven reserves of oil equivalents the company has found, to how much is produced daily, to what is being lined up for later Observing this ballooning oil and gas sector, something becomes blindingly clear Guyana has become a full dependent,award,ofExxonMobil.

Dependents are helpless, totally subject to the good graces of their guardians. Since oil is the subject, and ExxonMobil the company, then the best that Guyanese can expect is the cruelty and barbarity that hopeless dependents are forced to live with, and pretend happiness. Guyana gets scrapsforitsgreatoilbirthright,andExxonMobilsaysthatit is taking good care of its Guyana partner, its charge, in what is a predatory business. Guyana owns the wealth, and ExxonMobilownsGuyanalock,stock,andbarrel.

Whatever information we get on vital aspects of this nation’s oil patrimony, we get straight from ExxonMobil’s head and mouth. Whatever this American oil supergiant concocts in its head about proven reserves, daily production numbers, and so forth, this is what Guyana gets. This is the equivalent of the managers and shareholders of a bank dependingontheircustomerstotellthemwhatisgoingon.

Withoutadoubt,thiscountryisnotevenabeginnerinthe oil business. But seven years after the first discovery of oil, we should have been a little ahead of where we are today. Arrangements ought to have already been in place for round theclockonboardsurveillanceontheoilrigs. Thisissothat we can know with confidence that the numbers about daily production that ExxonMobil is giving to this country are not pigsinbags.

That is, to be onsite and obtain for ourselves, whether thereisunderreportingofproduction,orthereisunderstating ofwhatisreallygoingonoffshore.

Guyana,asanoilproducer,isnotonlyoperatinginastate ofthickandconstantdarkness. TheGovernmentofGuyana can be said to be a prime example of slackness, chronic slackness that has to be lived with to be believed. The counsel from many local and other quarters has been to go slow, and gather a broader and better understanding of how the oil business works. This country’s learning is not only steep, but it is long. The constant guidance, nothing but commonsense, was and remains develop local knowledge base, buildup local people, and grow with more and more technologyobtainedfromourownsources.

Though the PPP/C Government has been toothy about howthisoilisapartnershipwiththeGuyanesepeople,ithas discardedalmosteverypieceofadvicetendered,andpushed ahead at faster and faster speeds. With each new project given the green light to go ahead, Guyana falls farther behind. We do not a large workforce (capacity) to begin with, which means that the few available are spread even more thinly The country drops back some more, the centre thatshouldholdfirmgrowsweaker

The big chiefs at ExxonMobil have to be besides themselves with joy over their unbelievable strokes of repeated good fortune in the Guyana sphere of their operations. For the company has the State and its oil stewards eating out its hands, and whatever is fed to them. There is this bizarre environment of a government that is ignorant of the true extent of the wealth that is in its hands, andtheactionsthatarerequiredtogiveitsomesemblanceof control. Yet it gallops merrily along, despite being blinded bytheglaringlackofitsowninformationandintelligenceon mattersinvolvingthenationalpatrimony

There was a Guyanese presence on the oil rigs at one time. Either ExxonMobil or the PPP/C Government did not care too much for that, so they were recalled. Thus, Guyana expands its dependency on ExxonMobil, which is only too thrilledtodoitspart,itscleverway

A truly caring Government must engage all elements and sectors

DEAREDITOR, political beliefs must pose resources. control external forces by Last week, I referred to a this question to our Head-of- Speaking with highly taking account of our popular column written by State Recently in the placed and well-informed absorbability In other R.B.O Hart titled ‘Things National Assembly, the family members; I was words, don’t bite off more that bother me.’ Commissioner General of reminded that development than you can chew and be This week, I am the Guyana Revenue by these large companies is r e m i n d e d o f t h e reminded of a worldwide Authority stated that his not the same as the philosophical underpinnings seriesknownas ‘Believe it or complement of staff did not development for the people, of those mighty men who Not’ by Ripley It identified allow his agency to check, the owners of these God- established the Non-Aligned things and statements that monitor and to verify the givenresources. Movement, Nkrumah, Neru, actually occurred but which accuracy of information The point was made that NasserandTito.Wemustnot seembeyondbelief. supplied by the various oil here and elsewhere, the betraythem.

After listening to the companies and others mighty conglomerates Here is a hypothetical voice of our Great Saviour, involved in the extraction of proceed apace with the example. Company X digs our illustrious President Dr our non-renewable minerals extraction of our resources out two acres of our Ali, Believe it or Not by andalliedresources. that do not necessarily hardwoods valued at Ripley, came to mind. His It is therefore safe to benefit proportionally the $100 00 They declare Excellency with pomp and assumethatwetheownersof ownersofthoseresources. $60.00. Revenueamountsto pride proclaimed among our natural resources are at A t r u l y c a r i n g $20 00 However, the other things, that over the mercy of those large Government must engage all damage done to the US$500B is our potential conglomerates,butbelieveit the other elements and environment would cost this from forestry, $US35B from ornot,wearerushingtogive sectors in society so that and succeeding generations gold, and that we will be out more and more of our when they speak with those one hundred times more to harvesting shortly 1 2B patrimony whocometoexploittoavoid repair barrels of oil per day and in This has been the being as we say, short- As my family members sanctimonious tones gave dilemma of many small and changed A country like observed development yes, massive monies you will get medium size independent Guyana must always be but for whose benefit? from stones, quarries, and countries for some time now willingtowelcomeagencies, Editor, this mad rush to have sandamongotheritems. on the figures and therefore c o m p a n i e s a n d foreigners develop all they His Public Relations information being submitted establishments that come to can find in our waters, land A d v i s o r s m u s t b e bytheoilgiantsandIassume develop and make optimum and air is senseless congratulatedasInowdofor by other groups extracting useofournaturalandhuman Unfortunately,thisprojectof what in essence is our natural resources. This resources. whatthisPPPadministration Powerfully Proclaimed simply means that we are A country like Guyana is calling development is Piffle. unable to keep pace with the with experience garnered supported by a heavily Dear Editor, any rational extraction of our precious over the last hundred odd fundedandawell-oiled citizen irrespective of their non-renewable natural years must ensure that we

(Continued on page 5)

“EMR Implementation in Guyana headed for Disaster”

DEAREDITOR, dissemination of health data countrythatitnowgrappling implemented to facilitate a Electronic Health policies.IntheUnitedStates, with improving internet successful implementation Records (EHR) and the health information connectivity which is a forascaleoftheGeorgetown Electronic Medical Records p o r t a b i l i t y a n d major conduit to store, save Public Hospital Corporation (EMR) have become accountability act (HIPAA) and transfer health (GPHC). revolutionary for medicine governs the safe and information. Coupled with It is unimaginable that and public health due to its effective use of health data. very little knowledge of data withtheexperiencesofyours propensity to integrate Within government and server management and truly and Shellane Gill, technology into patients’ private agencies, additional integration of state-of-the- anotherGuyanesebornEMR healthcare and wellbeing safeguards have been art technological health expert aren’t consulted of EMR and EHR are used implemented to ensure that equipment such as fax which have represented interchangeablytodescribea patient’s protected health machines, workstations on Guyana across the world system that collects, stores information (PHI) is wheels (WOW), copier advising and conducting full and disseminate patient’s secured. It is treacherous machines and label printers scale implementations of medical history inclusive of and senseless for the which as peripherals EMR and EHR systems for demographics, medications, Minister of Health to initiate connects patients’ tasks to public and private health allergies, lab results, the implementation an EMR effective and efficiently institutions.Itisadiseasefor radiology, billing and at the nation’s leading deliveryqualityhealthcare. policymakerstonotintegrate insurance information. The facility without any patient As an EMR consultant local expertise into the difference is the former health information and data with over a decade of development of the country (EHR) contains information privacy laws. Although he experience and 25 plus andatendencytoengageless monitored by a single has long now lamented implementations across elite experienced and qualified provider whereas the later leg is latio n , h e h as public and private health personnel like the Inter(EMR) is supervised by unproductively produced to systems in the United States, American Development multiple providers. EMRs date. EuropeandAsia: Bank (IDB) who are are the trademark of many This means that public the standard procedure development generalists and private and public health and private citizens health with implementations of notEMRexperts.Wehaveto systems but unfortunately, informationisinthehandsof suchmagnitudeinasystemic do better to protect health the recent rollout in Guyana health professionals without approach is to pilot the informationandsafetyofour hasbeenchaotic. a compass of use and opens implementation of an EMR patients.

Bestpracticedictatesthat thewindowtomanypossible within smaller facilities like Thank You, before implementation of an violations of health the Diamond Hospital or Collin Haynes MPH EMR, health systems are information and data CampbellvilleHealthCentre MBA mandated to implement breaches. first, so that defects and Shellane Gill BSc. adequate health information Additionally, physical anomalies can be sorted out EMR Implementation privacy, storage and infrastructure is abject in a and best practices can be Consultants

Troy Resources wants to abscond! Watch Omai!

DEAREDITOR, The mine closed to allow for the Government of Guyana Guyana and the EPA. It shall assets (Clause 18 4 of underminingthetermsofthe “The Australian- this investigation and can be considered as a direct restore the areas used and Mining Contract). This has contract and our country’s headquartered mining hundreds of workers were violation of its large-scale damaged and pay any fees not been done by Troy development. company, Troy Resources laid off. In November of last mining contract with the duehereunder,uptothetime Resources. According to the These foreign Gold Guyana Inc., is closing its year (2022), Troy Resources Government of Guyana.The the termination becomes Stabroek News of 12th Companies, from historical gold mining operations in had announced plans to contract states that it must effective, submit complete August,2023, the decision times, go into countries and Guyanaasitdoesnotfindthe return to gold mining and legally comply with a land reports and evaluations, by “Troy” to abruptly close nations and destroy the market feasible anymore” production at its Smarts reclamation process and maps, assays, samples, their mining operations was countries for their gold. For (Stabroek News 11th Underground Site in the other environmental drilling tests and related as a result of the GRA example, the “Wild West” is August,2023).However,the fourthquarterof2023.Ithad obligations, as set out by the articles to the EPA (Clauses preparing to levy on the known as the “Wild West” company has given no exit said that it was in the Environmental Protection 18.6,18.4.2,6.4 of Mining assets of the company for simply because of the plans of its departure from preparatory phase of its Agency before leaving the Contract, Stabroek News hugetaxesowedtotheState. Europeans going into Guyana to the Government resumption timeline. The country (Stabroek News 14thAugust2023). I stand pained and in America and they went o f G u y a n a o r t h e company had also notified 14thAugust,2023). In addition, before the distraught that a major “wild” destroying lives and Environmental Protection that it was revising its The abrupt closure of its company is entitled to foreign Gold Mining properties;culturesandmost Agency (EPA) but has business model and was operations also goes against remove its property from company is attempting to of it in search of gold. We placedanoticeofliquidation looking at an immediate the compliance of its Labour Guyana and before any close shop, in this case Troy knowwhathappenedinthe of asset announcing the sale capital investment of US$ Agreements with the paymentsduetoitisreturned Resources, and seem to be (Continued on page 6) ofitsassetsinthemedia.

10M for its Karouni Ministry of Labour as it by the Government of

Troy Resources had operations (Stabroek News relates to the security of its Guyana, it must obtain from commenced operations in 11thAugust,2023). employees before leaving t h e C o m m i s s i o n a Guyana in 2015 with high This abrupt closure of its the country (Stabroek News Certificate of Compliance, e x p e c t a t i o n s a n d miningoperationsinGuyana 14th August,2023). Clauses a s h a v i n g m e t t h e e n c o u n t e r e d m a j o r has placed the company’s 18 6,18 4 2,6 4 of the termination requirements as difficulties in October 2019 compliance with its legal company’s mining contract laid out in the Mining afterGeologist,RyanTaylor, obligations in an unclear specifically states that Troy Operation Contract The died after a cave that he was position, as well as the Resourcesmayterminatethe company must involve the working in collapsed. The employment security of its Agreement with the Government of Guyana in APNU+ AFC Coalition employees. Troy Resources Government of Guyana by the sale of company’s Government then ordered an not giving any exit plans of giving six months written property, equipment and investigation into the mine. its departure from Guyana to notice to the Government of other fixed/immovable

A truly caring Government must engage all...

From page 4 murky, chemical infected partyparamountcybuttoday the murder of ‘Paper Shorts’ ( f o r g i v e t h e p u n ) that even reptiles dare not this is now the norm. For and the recent shooting of information propaganda venture. example, Press Conferences Former Chief Education machine. The architects of our to brief the Nation on Officer and two recent

Dear Editor, at the end of independence struggle and important matters are being shootings atWest Ruimveldt thisdeceitanddebaucheryof those who fought against held at the Headquarters of and Sophia. No one has yet ourcountry,whatwillwesay imperial domination, the thePartyinOffice. Believe it been arrested nor charged. to our children and their ravages of colonial or Not.

Believe it or Not children when they gaze exploitation must look down

The Party identifies the Yet our Police Force and upon areas where there are with shame and anger. topbrassofourPoliceForce, the powers that be can’t find no birds, no animals, no Hubert Nataniel Critchlow, and boasts of the billions the previously ubiquitous flowers to soothe our eyes Cheddi Jagan, Forbes budgeted to make the GPF Mr Sue, so that my good and no bees to pollinate the Burnham must be shedding e f f i c i e n t , m o d e r n friend can’t sue Sue. Believe communities to sustain life, tears. equipment, vehicles, It or Not. when the beautiful streams The PPP in the 70s were cameras,etc. Hamilton Green of clear black water are now opposed to what we called Yet we have yet to solve Elder

Take precautions to avoid wildfires

DEAREDITOR,

The recent terrible scenes and images on news sites of destruction and devastation in Maui Hawaii, caused by wildfires fuelled by heavy winds must raise red flags here. Given our prevailing scorching, dry weather conditions the chances of dry grass, bush and other inflammable and combustiblematerialscatchingafireisahighprobability

It is hoped the authorities and citizens are cognizant of theseconditionsandtakethenecessaryprecautionstoavoida similarsituationoronenearsoasisexperiencedonthatsideof thePacificOcean.

Shamshun Mohamed

Risks and Consequences for Guyana with ExxonMobil contract

DEAREDITOR, may not have as much say in Furthermore, the benefitswillbeworthit. sector has the potential to own economy. Without this, I write to you today with how the sector is developed development of the oil and F u r t h e r m o r e , I t

’s we risk becoming overly aheavyheart,asIfearforthe and managed, which could gas sector could exacerbate encourage our government economy According to a reliantonexternalforcesand future of our beloved lead to environmental existing social issues, such and other stakeholders to report from the International unable to sustainably grow country The oil and gas degradation and other as inequality and corruption. take an active role in the Monetary Fund (IMF), our economy in the long sector has brought both negativeimpacts. If the profits from the sector d e v e l o p m e n t a n d Guyana’s GDP is projected term. e x c i t e m e n t a n d Furthermore, if the are not fairly distributed or management of the sector to increase by 86 percent by In terms of social and apprehension to our nation, contract is not renegotiated, i n v e s t e d i n s o c i a l This includes investing in 2025 due to oil production. environmental impacts, and it is crucial that we fully we may be missing out on a programmes, certain groups l o c a l t a l e n t a n d Additionally, the sector has there is no denying that the understand the potential significant opportunity to may be left behind and infrastructure, establishing the potential to create oil and gas industry has the consequences of the invest in our own economy unable to benefit from the strong environmental thousands of jobs and boost potential to cause significant decisions being made Theoilandgassectorhasthe sector’spotentialgains. regulations, and ensuring local industries such as damage if not managed regardingthisindustry potentialtocreatejobs,boost It is also worth noting that the profits from the manufacturingandtourism. properly – remember the

As you may be aware, infrastructure, and stimulate that the oil and gas industry sector are reinvested in However, these benefits infamous Exxon Valdez oil ExxonMobil Guyana is other industries such as is notoriously volatile, with social programs and other can only be realized if we spill that occurred in Alaska currently operating under a tourism and manufacturing. pricesanddemandsubjectto areasofneed. have control over our own in1989. contract that grants them However, if we do not have fluctuations and geopolitical

In terms of economic resources and ensure that the Sincerely, significant control over our control over the resources events. If we do not have benefits, the oil and gas profits are reinvested in our Kevin Ramnarine oil and gas resources. While and profits, these benefits control over our own some may argue that this maybelostorlimited. resources, we risk being at contract is necessary for the In addition to economic the mercy of external forces development of the sector, I concerns, there are also and unable to adapt to urge you to consider the social and environmental changingmarketconditions. long-term effects of such an considerations to be made. In light of these potential agreement. Theoilandgasindustryhasa consequences, I urge

First and foremost, if notorious reputation for ExxonMobil Guyana to ExxonMobil Guyana does causing environmental relegate the contract and not relegate the contract, we damage, which can have work with the government risk losing control over our devastating effects on local and people of Guyana to own natural resources. This e c o s y s t e m s a n d ensure that the oil and gas could result in limited communities Without sector is developed in a way benefits for our country and proper regulation and that benefits our country as a its people, as much of the o v e r s i g h t , w e r i s k whole This may require profits from the sector may experiencing similar c o m p r o m i s e a n d be exported to other negative impacts in our own cooperation from all parties countries. Additionally, we country involved, but the long-term

Troy Resources wants to abscond!...

From page 5 over and they are quietly WeknowthatOmaiGold Caribbean in 1492 when doingtheirminingwork. We mines extracted so much of Christopher Columbus came are not hearing any issues wealth and gold out of this to the West Indies The f r o m t h i s C h i n e s e country, that one has lost foreign explorers went into Conglomerate Gold Mining count. It is even alleged that t h e C a r i b b e a n a n d Company The work goes on Omai had a private airstrip desecrated the Caribbean in there. where they would ship out search of gold, enslaving the The mining assets were Guyana’s gold without aborigines,theAmerindians. soldbyGuyanaGoldfieldsto reporting into the system. For example,inAruba, I was this Chinese Company for Our system was weak then shocked to hear that they over 200 hundred million and to my opinion, our have no gold, no mineral USD. My issue is that system is even weak now. resources in the earth, Guyana Goldfields had to Omai poisoned millions of because the Spanish took pay taxes on that money in years of water system and to everything out. Let us not Canada but they left Guyana date, the people can no forget the mauling and andtheydidnothavetopaya longer use the water; fish in desecration of the cultures single dollar in taxes on that the water; or swim in the and religions of the mighty salemoneytoGuyana. water civilizations of the Mayas, N o G o l d M i n i n g This is a painful thing for the Aztecs that existed in Company or any company me as a Guyanese to witness Peru, Guatemala, Mexico should be allowed to “sell and it should be a painful and other ancient sites. The out” without the permission thing for all Guyanese. Had wealth was stolen by of the Government of they been in the USA, shiploads and shipped to Guyana. And they should Canada or Europe they Spain. A country which still have to compensate the would have had to continuestoenjoythewealth people of Guyana with compensate the people and earned from the destruction adequate compensation say the Government for that oftheseancientcivilizations. 50% or 60% of the selling environmentalnegligence.

And like that North price. Not mere permission The Government of American (Canadian and but we must get a large share Guyana should insist they Australian) corporations are of that selling price! Our compensate or criminalize coming to Guyana and people, our country deserve Omai for that terrible totally demolishing our that. environmental catastrophe country; drawing out all our The laws of Guyana as it they created. They should resources! Our diamonds, pertains to gold mining and pay billions of USD for the ourgoldandallourminerals, any other mining activities natural disaster that they left and if they can get need to be tweaked and behind and quietly exited everythingoutovernightand modernized So that no Guyana.

“wipe us out,” “they foreigncompanycouldthink Now, Omai is coming wouldn’tcareadamn.” they could come in Guyana again with some of the When “Troy” was and operate as if we do not largest rights to our gold coming to Guyana, I have skills nor leaders of mining areas and the people objected quite a bit, reason intelligence that can stop of Guyana have little or no being, I had spoken about them in their tracks of benefits to get from this Omai in the media for the thievery and manipulation. company They drained environmental atrocities For Australia, Guyanese are Guyana once. Now they are they committed, but Omai not as the Australian going to “drain Guyana” wasbyfarbetter Aborigines whom were again! And obviously

In my letter to the media, enslaveduntilrecenttimes. Guyana would be in a “state I spoke about Guyana Guyana Government, of shock” as a result of this Goldfields also Where this Government of the “blatant leaching of our Guyana Goldfields suddenly People needs to act on this resources” by Omai and decide and said that they are matter Our Minister of others.

not making money “out of Natural Resources, Hon These corporations will the blues!” Which was all a Vickram Bharrat along with continue to poison our capitalistic ploy to drench us Vice President Bharrat natural water ways; our of our gold and wealth. Jagdeowhoarelookingafter ecosystems and destroy the Suddenly they decided that Mineral Resources need to lifestyles of our people. The theyaregoingtosellofftheir put things in place to ensure, Government of Guyana assets to an unknown that the people of Guyana needstobeverycautious. Chinese company The andourcountryarenottaken Yours sincerely, Chinese Company bought it advantageof. Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan

Guyanese being forced to ‘beg in lines’ for handouts as Govt. refuses to increase wages -ShadowFinanceMinister

sition Member of Parliament (MP) and Shadow Minister of Finance, Juretha Fernandes has called out the Government of Guyana (GoG) for failing to increase the salaries of publicservantsandinsteadoffering cash handouts in a “corrupt” process.

During a recent interview with Kaieteur News,theMParguedthat Guyanese are being forced to line up in the scorching heat to “beg” government for assistance as the costoflivingcontinuestotakeatoll onpoorfamiliesespecially

“Guyaneseareliningthestreets to collect these monies because peopleareinabsolutepovertyasit isrightnow Peoplehavetodecide whethertofeedthemselvesortheir familiestwooronemealperdayso people are lining the streets for these monies because they are in desperate need but the PPP is utilizing a technique that is the mostcorrupt,”Fernandessaid.

She continued, “The handouts they are giving to Guyanese, it is the most corrupt practice I have

ever seen.You have persons going withbagswithcashonaboattothe hinterland for example. You have persons walking around with a book bag with cash into communitiesinthecapitalcity.Itis the most reckless way of cash distribution one can ever think of butthisisthewayinwhichthePPP operates.”

The Shadow Minister of Financeexplainedthatshedoesnot believethecashgrantsareintended tobenefitthepopulationbutrather a scheme to benefit the government’scronies.

Fernandes recalled that during the distribution of ‘flood relief’ grants distributed to farmers in 2021 following severe floods across the country, concerns were flagged regarding persons who have never farmed receiving assistance.

This process reportedly involved an assessment of the damagesandlatercompensationby the government The Guyana Chroniclereportedthatonefarmer benefitted from a cheque of $1.4

million, while another received $50,000 for his losses. The State entityreportedthat$7.6billionwas allocatedtotheexercise.

Fernandes argued, “When we had the cash grant for the flood relief, even the persons in their strongholdswerecallingthingsout like people who never ever grow any bit of crop in their life their

names are on the list to collect grants so it is swamped with corruption.”

Likewise,shebelievesthecash grant distribution by the Ministry of Education too lacked transparency. “We had persons coming to say there was real time auditing of the systems so they were getting away from doing an auditbysayingohwehadrealtime auditing but the truth is that we have no capacity in our country to do real time audits of any system like that and sending two or three people at couple places to say whether or not the system appears tobesmoothisokay Thatisnotthe wayinwhichitisdone,”shenoted.

To this end, the Shadow Finance Minister pointed out that Guyanaisnowinapositionwhere it can improve the salaries of the peopleworkinginthecountry;this would avoid them being left “at government’s mercy”accordingto her

In November last year, President Irfaan Ali announced a payhikeofeightpercentacrossthe

board for public servants. The announcement was met with widespread criticisms, especially since it was prefaced by a meager sevenpercentin2021.

Just last month, Leader of the Opposition,Aubrey Norton during a rally in Georgetown told his supporters that although Guyana has been dubbed the fastest growing economy on Earth, the country’s people are still living under extreme poverty with government’srefusaltopaylivable wages.

Norton said, “Is it not interestingthatweareboastingthat we are the fastest growing economyintheWorldandpoverty increasing faster?You just have to walkRegentStreetinthenightand therearemorepeoplelivingonthe pavesonRegentStreetthanpeople living in houses on Regent Street and we are the fastest growing economy.”

He told the gathering that measurescanbetakentoreducethe costoflivingandpovertylevelsin

Continued on page 26

Shadow Finance Minister, Juretha Fernandes

The dangers of ‘yes’men

During the five-month a physical and intellectual advisors and confidants to ‘yes’ men and ‘yes’ women. times,constructivecriticism. period when Guyana was giant Amin even once help him or her make The ones who should be (The views expressed in treading water while waiting challenged the great decisions. However, when more trusted are those that this article are those of the for the elections results, I Muhammad Ali to a fight. politicians surround are fearless enough to not a u t h o r a n d d o n o t wrote a column about the Eric Gairy, a Caribbean themselves with sycophants echo what the leaders claim necessarily reflect the signposts of dictatorship and dictator, dabbled in the and ‘yes’ men who cater to or want but rather are opinions and beliefs of this warning that if it should occult and harboured their leaders’ ego and prepared to go against the n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s return to Guyana under the illusions of being an expert desires, rather than grain and to provide, at affiliates.)

APNU+AFC,parentsshould inscience.

providing impartial and get their children out of the Burnham created his critical analysis, they are countryasfastastheycan. own cult of personality His doing disservice to their

I noted then that Guyana loyalistsspreadthemyththat politicalmasters. hadfounditselfinitspresent he was a superb orator, Politicians who surround predicament because the before Eusi Kwayana themselves with sycophants older generation – the same exposed his mimicry of are creating an echo ones who like to lecture Churchillian pauses chamber They only hear young people about what is Burnham’s picture adorned their own opinions coming right and wrong – condoned the covers of exercise books back to them. This shields political dictatorship which were distributed free them from criticism, becauseofethnicloyalties. toschoolchildren. including constructive

I recalled how the Dictators and would-be criticism, which they may economy shriveled under dictators are obsessed with need Eventually and dictatorship, corruption was pomp and pageantry especially during period of rampant and discrimination Burnham, for example, crisis,theleaderisbeingtold was the order of the day A dressed himself, quite what the ‘yes’men want him return to those days is not ridiculously, in a General’s or her to hear and in the ends something anyone should uniform, even though his up creating an alternative welcome, regardless of military skills could hardly universe with alternative which political party you commandaboys’scout. realities that is detached support. Modern day egotists fromtheactualhappenings.

I cautioned that it was erect billboards. Wherever The presence of ‘yes’ important for persons to the people go, they are men in a politician’s inner recognize the early-warning confronted with these huge circle distorts the decisionsigns of dictatorship. It is images of the leader and the making.Thiscanleadtorash important they understand supposedgoodworksthathe andill-adviseddecisionsthat how dictatorship incubates orshedoes. can have negative and faritself and the early But perhaps the most reachingramifications. symptoms which can point worrying feature is the Sycophants are often tothelateremergenceofthis tendencytosurroundoneself motivated by their own full-blownpoliticaldisease. w i t h m e d i o c r i t y , personal interests. A good

I recapped that Walter opportunists, lackeys, boot- test of their loyalty is to Rodney in a speech-entitled lickers and stooges withdraw their privileges “People’s Power, No Burnham had many of these perquisites and power and Dictator”hadprovidedsome aroundhimwho,ifhekicked see whether they will remain pointers.TodayIjustwantto theminthebutt,wouldthank faithfulorbegintobackbite. repeat two of those pointers, him for the compliment. It is When advisors prioritize notbecauseweareanywhere said that one Christmas personal aggrandizement near political dictatorship morning he sent for the head over candid advice, they end butbecausewehavetobeon ofagovernmentcorporation. up offering self-serving the lookout for certain When the man arrived, advice that hurt the fortunes tendencies that are common Burnham told him he had a of their political masters. to dictatorship and headache and wanted him to They are more interested in authoritarianrule. get some aspirin for him. currying favour than

First, is the cult of This is how Burnham offeringtherightadvice. personality in which leaders humiliated those around him All political leaders, behaveasiftheyaresuperior and,insodoing,keptthemin ironicallyincludingdictators beings. Rodney noted that line. have to be vigilant about IdiAmin considered himself Any leader needs surroundingthemselveswith

Dem Boys Seh...

Change de rhythm!

Yesterday was a dread day Four persons nah call it a Day of Standstill because some wereburnttodeathintheirhomes.Outofde people can’t stand still and some of dem four persons that died, two were children. might tek it literally and want try fuh stand This was real sad indeed. Dat alone should up still throughout the day. But if yuh tell cause people to start thinking about why all dem tek a Day of Rest, dem know dat good. thesetragediestekkin’place. Dem gan sleep till midday and nah go to Ontopofthat,ahousebundowninMon wuk. Repos, a school child missing, and plenty So leh we trace lil luck and tek a day off accidentstekplace.Andamangetstabbedto from wuk tomorrow, Thursday, if yuh can. deathinSophia. Leh we keep off de road and from all dem Thingsnahregula! wah speeding like if dem late fuh de Decountryneedstohavearest. Weneed emergency room. Things getting out of to tek a break and slow things now When hand in Guyana. De country and especially yougettingabadstreakofluck,yuhdoesgat dem vehicles need to slow down. Too many to slow down and step back and change de people are dying and too many people rhythm. When yuh change de rhythm, de gettinginjured. luckdoeschangefuhdebetter Solehweslowthingsdownandseeifde Is time fuh another Day of Rest. Leh we countryluckganchange!

Cost-Of-LivingCripplingFirst,ThenKilling

Ihaveadirtyjobtoday I am joining PPPGovernment critics No! Not those who criticizeawasp-eaten,worminfested government Today I link arms with the critics from the PPP side who criticize those who criticize their beloved government.

To the people in charge at Stabroek News (SN), I plead: please stop this costof-livingseries. Thisisdone with every respect for the hard-hit communities affected, and the struggling people interviewed, who share their anguish in a country lavish with oil. I also tip hat to the tireless workers at SN What follows is not tongue-incheek;bothareswollenstiff from cost-of-living observations.

Frankly, SN’s cost-ofliving series, now in its 36th week of running, is a source ofembarrassmenttoasociety thatisthedroolingenvyofthe world IfitwereaBroadway show, it would have been a smash. Because it is about people short of finance and

fallingjustshortoffamine,it is a monster slash and lash. Howcouldthisbe? Somany insomanyplaceslefttohold the ‘dirty end of the richly varnished oil stick’ to paraphrase Excellency Ali. In the interest of further saving the face of the PPP Government, and propping up a rather outclassed President, I refrain from mentioning what kind of matter varnishes the stick. ButtoSNIsay,thisisairing dirty laundry not only in the local domain, but globally, and doing so weekly It is enough to drive any leader, any supporter, bananas, if they were not so already I can imagine an Aleutian (Eskimo) chortling: Guyanese can have their ocean of oil, and short handedness,wewilltakethe tundra with its ice, and a ragingfireintheigloos.

Toallmediapractitioners, I suggest that it would be infinitely more constructive tofocusonthebillionsspent onroadsandbridgesthatthe villagers and city swells use

compliments of the PPP Government, to get to the refurbished markets, again thankstoasetofbenevolent leaders. As good as those are, the bad news is what awaitsattheshoppingmarts, markets,andmausoleumsof accessing and buying. I didn’t even read SN’s Monday edition, regarding where its team visited, and what my fellow Guyanese had to say about the punishing cost-of-living. I can tell without turning a page.

In terms of what I just referredtoasmausoleumsof shoppingforfood,thebasics only,noluxurieslikebroccoli or Brussel sprouts, the price of admission is GY$10,000. Leave home on any given Saturdaywithlessthanthat, anditwouldhavebeenbetter tosavetheminibusfare. Or returnhomeemptiedofcash, and a basket half-empty Since I am trying to say a kind word for President Ali and his PPP Government standingastridethisnational oil spectacular (it is a daily

expo,isn’tit?),Ilookonthe bright side of local life, and now see a food basket half full. Half full of what, with what left out, due to being unaffordable, thus inaccessible,isthequestion. Learningand adjusting such amindsetiscalled,thoughit is a painstaking work in progressforme.

Thereare,however,some placeswhereIabsolutelywill notgoforanypoliticalparty, oranypartytothesuffocation and starvation of workingclassGuyanese:therewillbe no burying of head in the sand by this source. In the event that the last two sentences sound like readying for an election run in 2025 (looks like 2024 to me), I keep those embers warm and glowing, just to keep the stress and excitement levels up, and everyoneatattention.Sucha run would be more of a c a k e w a l k b y m y calculations: too many conscientious Guyanese have had it with stink and ‘dutty’politicians,witheach

citizen having their favourite effigy, their own voodoo doll in whichtostickpins. These guys and gals are the pits, asincesspit.

Veryseriously,Guyanese are feeling the cost-of-living pain, and it is savaging, crippling,draining Itakemy leave by leaving four questions for my Guyanese brothers and sisters (all are) to take off their party hats, and put on their thinking caps, their human hats

First,whatgoodisallthisoil if there is one Guyanese yearning, hungering, possiblystarving?

Second, what happened to not one child (make that manorwomanorfamily)left behind? Third, what does it say about many Guyanese classified as high income, whentheitemtheycanmost easily afford is rum? When this is so, it means that Guyanese must be among the biggest high-income bums.

Finally, how do brothers AliandJagdeo(bothcaring,

compassionate doctors) live with themselves, can be so more fixated on sand when poorGuyanesehavesolittle in their hand? Focus so much on steel, while gnawing pains of Guyanese aresoreal? Concentrateso heavily on wood, with numerous Guyanese condemned to economic hoods? Infrastructure on the rise, Guyanese fracture andstudytheirdemise? On each occasion, leaders look in the mirror, I believe it shatters and scatters their failures before the world All this oil and this is the best that they could do Great leaders find a way to overcome, contract or no contract (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaperanditsaffiliates.)

As residents of the remote Region Once community of Wauna protest the sloth in completion of an electrification project there, claims of financial mismanagement have been levelled against the Community Development Council (CDC),includingitsChairmanandTreasurer

Following a protest on Monday in which residents of the small community called for “transparency” and “accountability”,residentsrecalledanincidentlastyearwhich was swept under the carpet since it involved a senior CDC official who is a close associate of the governing Peoples’ ProgressiveParty(PPP).

It was alleged that last year, two senior officials of the WaunaCDCtravelledtothecitytocollectalargesumofmoney which was issued to the community under the Presidential grant. The money, which was earmarked for projects at Wauna,wascollectedbytheduoatacommercialbank.

However,reportsarethatthetwomeninformedresidentsat a meeting held by the Wauna CDC that a sum of G$1M was unaccountedforandtheynotedthat they made the discovery when they returned to the hotel room in the city where they stayed.

“TheycamerighthereinWaunainfrontoftheCDCandtold residents during a meeting, they told us that they could not accountfor$1M,”aresidenttoldthispublication.

The resident said shortly after, the two officials told residents that the commercial bank where they conducted the transaction,hadrobbedthemofthe$1Msum.Atthetime,the issue was downplayed since several developmental projects were being undertaken at the community No official investigation was ever undertaken by the police or the RegionalDemocraticCouncil(RDC)ofRegionOne.

However,whenarecentissuearose,inwhichlargesumsof moneyissuedbythegovernmentundertheCarbonCreditFund, cannotbeaccountedforatWauna,theissueofthemissing$1M wasraisedduringaprotestexerciseonMonday

Residents on Monday called on the government to ensure thatmoney,whichisallocatedfordevelopmentalprojectsinthe community,isaccountedfor

‘We were robbed of $1M by the bank’

- CDC official tellsWauna residents

NoevidencethatWalesGasPlantwillcutelectricitycosts

- Citizens tell High Court

RadzikandElizabethHughessaid, “The Deponent makes wild claims aboutthepublicinterestandpublic benefit...for which the Deponent has produced no evidence whatsoeverincludingnofeasibility study, no gas Utilization Plan, and nofinancialmodel.”

Two citizens challenging the Environmental Permit, granted to Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) for the

pipeline aspect of the Gas-toEnergy (GTE) project in the High Courthavehighlightedthefactthat there is no feasibility study that

confirmsgovernment’sassertionof loweringelectricitycosts.

In their July 28, 2023 submission to the Court, Vanda

The women explained that in a letterdatedJanuary13,2021,their attorney, Melinda Janki wrote to President Irfaan Ali highlighting that there was no business case for Guyanatoproduceoil,flaggingthe risk of stranded gas assets for the country She requested a Natural Gas Business Plan, the state’s Energy Plan, an Economic CompetitivenessandRatePlanand FiscalPlan.Tothisend,Radzikand HughestoldtheCourtthattherehas been no response from the Presidentorthedeponentincharge oftheproject-referringtoWinston Brassington.

The citizens said, “In the absence of independent credible

financial analyses, its beggars beliefthatspendingUS$1.7billion can deliver cheap electricity to 800,000peopleofGuyana,ormore accurately a portion of the Guyanesepopulationsincethereis no evidence that the project will provide energy beyond the Demerara Berbice Interconnected System(DBIS).”

ThewomenmovedtotheHigh Court on March 27, 2023 challenging the decision made by the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)toissueaPermitfor the pipeline, in the absence of the requiredpaperwork.

They are seeking an Order of Certiorari to quash the agency’s decision, citing a breach of the Environmental Protection Act (Cap 20:05), and more particularly, the Environmental Protection (Authorisation) Regulations.

Thecitizensoutlinedthat Continued on page 15

HomeAffairsMinisterdenieslackofpublictrustinPolice

Commerce and Industry (GCCI), the largest private sector body in the country that complained about the “lax”approachtocrime.The bodysaid,“TheGCCIviews the decline in official

statisticsasdemonstrativeof a loss in confidence in the GPF and reflective of an underreporting in criminal perpetration.”

Moreover, the United States Embassy just last

month issued a travel advisory, warning of the rampant crime in Guyana and its lack of resources to suppresssame.

Benn said he believes that the Embassy’s stance

was as a result of specific incidents in the Capital City thatinvolvedacitizenofthe US.

Hewaskeentonotethat theGPFhastaken

Continuedonpage33

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn has denied that the public lacks trust in the Guyana Police Force(GPF).

Inanexclusiveinterview on the sidelines of an event last week, the Minister said that, “I disagree that there is a prevailing lack of trust, I think the public is also well aware of the challenges that the Police Force has in relation to being given t i m e l y a c t i o n a b l e intelligence.”

Benn said too that the many villagers are aware of the crimes in their communities and often time react in a “dysfunctional” manner when handling the situation.

“This relates to crime, violence particularly, domesticviolenceinrelation to crime is what we called

Minister of Home Affairs,

disorderly behaviour, drinkingandsmoking,those other things, after which people could get into arguments and they don’t separate themselves from situation which can result in violence,” the minister added.

To this end, the Minister told Kaieteur News that statistics show that most crimes stem from drinking and smoking or quarreling and carrying a knife, which is termed “disorderly crime”.

He conceded that the GPF must “up” its efforts in relation to the discovery of guns even though the Force has been successful in this regard.

T h e M i n i s t e r ’s statementscomeontheheels of a recent statement by the Georgetown Chamber of

NoevidencethatWales...

Frompage12

ExxonMobilinitsapplication,datedJune24,2021includes detailsoftheprojectsite,theproposedrouteofthepipeline and the areas to be used and affected by the project, which includes residential properties, commercial properties and state-ownedproperties.Bethatasitmay,theapplicationdid not include or provide any proof of ownership, a lease or otheragreementwiththelandownersofthesaidarea.

Even though the costs associated with the project are more than triple what a pre-feasibility study anticipated, therehasbeennoupdatedanalysistoconfirmthesuccessof the project by government. In fact, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo is quoted as describing the initiative as a “nobrainer”.

Government anticipates that the pipeline being constructedby Exxon would cost US$1B while the Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) plant and power plant will cost an additionalUS$759million.Associatedcontractcostsforthe transmissionoftheprojectarepeggedatUS$160millionand US$200millionforlandacquisitiontofacilitatetheproject. This means the total cost of the project is approximately US$2.1billion.

Back in 2018, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) had partnered with the State to conduct a feasibility study of the project. The primary objective of the study, which was executed by Energy Narrative for US$70,000—an international entity that provides strategic market analyses and advice was to determine the overall feasibilityoftransportingnaturalgasfromoffshoreGuyana, buildingaNGLseparationplantandaLiquefiedPetroleum Gas (LPG) production plant to market the liquids from the natural gas stream, as well as building a new electricity generationstationtousetheremainingdrynaturalgas.

Notably, a table was used in that report which was sourced from ExxonMobil; it stated that project would cost US$478 million. Five years later, the gas project is now costingGuyanaatleastUS$2.1B.

Robeson Benn

IOM emphasises need for migration policy to help Guyana solve labour shortage - Report

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in its 2022 country report recommended that Guyana places emphasis on establishing a migration policy to help the country solve its shortage of skilled labourers, particularly given the rapidly developing oil sector

The report is being

highlighted even as the GovernmentofGuyanamulls the creation of a National Labour Committee, working under the umbrella of the Ministry of Labour The proposal specifically targets the country’s labour shortage intheoilandgassector

According to IOM Guyana,in2021,astudywas initiated on the country’s

readiness and institutional capacity to facilitate migrant labour

Based on the report, the findingsofthestudysoughtto shed new light on policy measures to be implemented in Guyana with regard to labourmigrationaswellasto explore other aspects; notably:legislativeand

Continuedonpage30

The IOM had placed emphasis on the need for a migration policy to help Guyana solve the shortage of skilled labourers

Waunaelectrificationprojecthangsinthebalance

…Residents protest, call on police to investigate CDC Chair, Council

Residents of the remote community of Wauna in the Mabaruma sub-region on Mondayprotestedwhatthey considered to be “glaring” acts of corruption in the community

The residents allege that millions of dollars are unaccounted for under an electrification project in the community and are calling on the government to investigatethematter.

“We want justice”, “Price for wire, sounds too high” and “We want transparency” were among the chants of a group of residentswhobravedthesun with their placards while walking through the sprawling community to venttheirfrustrationoverthe issueonMonday

The monies are part of the Carbon Credit Fund which was allocated to Indigenous communities by the government to implement projects that w o u l d a i d t h e i r development The government sourced the funding from selling Guyana’scarboncredits.

Earlier this year, $18M was allocated to Wauna to aid its developmental projects The Community Development Council (CDC) set aside $15M for theelectrificationprojectbut

onTuesday,theCouncilwas forcedtomeettodiscussthe funds and the concerns raised by the residents who protestedonMonday

It was reported during the meeting that Councillor MikeAdamsalongwithtwo businessmen purchased the wires to be used in the project for $5M. The wires were to be used to connect the homes at Wauna to the electrical grid However, during the meeting on Tuesday, it was confirmed that there was no more moneyfortheproject.

“What did they do with all that money,” a resident questioned.

Additionally, a CDC member recalled that when the body met earlier this year,adecisionwastakenon the quality of wires needed to execute the project However, the wire that Adams and the two businessmen bought were not in keeping with the agreementandinferior “The council don’t even seemtohavemoneytofund thewiringofpeoplehomes.”

BLOATEDFIGURE

According to Wauna residents, several months ago, the Chairman of the WaunaCDC,AmmonThom and council members held meetings with the residents

andinformedthemaboutthe G$18MCarbonCreditFund which he said at the time, will be utilized for an electrification project at the community among other projects.

Of that sum, the CDC decidedthat$15Mwouldgo towards the electrification project. “This CDC Chair is notevenfromWaunaandhe always in a money scandal here in the region,” a protestoralleged.

According to another resident, because of its remoteness, Wauna has never been connected to the electricitygridatthetownof Mabaruma, “So, we welcomedtheproject.”

The regional authorities undertook a project, circa April this year in which Waunawasconnectedtothe electricitygridatMabaruma and Regional Chairman, Brentnol Ashley announced

atthetimethatWaunawould receive 24-hour electricity forthefirsttime.

Reports are that the WaunaCDCCouncilcatered for 150 houses but the residents alleged that the amount was exorbitant Duringameetingearlierthis year, this was brought to Thom’s attention. However, he indicated that the 150 figure was only a rough average but residents noted that something was amiss sincethehousingpopulation of Wauna is substantially smaller than what was catered for Attempts to contactThomforacomment ontheprojectandtheprotest have been futile as the number provided for him wenttovoicemail.

PROTEST

On Monday, residents toldthisnewspaperthatthey were“fedup”ofthedelayin the project and the answers

given by the Council regarding the project, which the residents said remains incomplete because of corruption.

Theynotedthatthewhen the Carbon Credit Funds were made available to the community, the residents provided information on the quality and type of wires neededfortheproject.Atthe time, the council disbursed thefundstoselectedpersons, including council members and their relatives, to purchasethewire.

“Now they said the money was not enough and that it finish,” a protestor relatedonTuesday

She alleged that the Wauna CDC Chairman and the Secretary of the CDC, who are close friends of the Regional Chairman, have been lying to the residents about the project and the sumsallocatedforsame.

“We believe they are misusingthemoney,andthis is based on previous project funds which disappeared under their helm,” she said. She called on the governmentandthepoliceto investigatetheincidentsince it appears that large sums of moneyarenotaccountedfor undertheproject.

“TheRegionalChairman andtheCDCChairofWauna and the Secretary of the Council are friends, but we are fed up,” she said. She said that the majority of Waunaresidentsaredie-hard supporters of the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP) but she noted that residentshavehadenough.

FlyAllWaysmakesemergencylanding atCJIAafterenginefailsmidair

TheengineofaFlyAllWaysaircraft(PZTFB)boundforSurinamefailedsome20,000 feetintheairaftertakingofffromtheCheddi Jagan InternationalAirport (CJIA), Timehri, EastBankDemerara(EBD)onMonday

Forty-four passengers were onboard the plane at the time, a Guyana Fire Service (GFS)pressreleasestated.

Theincidenttookplacearound11:14hrs.

“Whentheplanewasabout20,000feetin the air, oil pressure dropped below the required limit, causing pressure loss in the rightengine,resultinginthepilotputtingthe failedengineinidlemode,”GFSsaid.

The pilot was forced to turn the aircraft around and return to CJIA for an emergency landing TenGFSrankstookuptheirpositions and were on standby as a precautionary measureinpreparationforanyeventualitythat couldhaveoccurredduetothefailedengine

Luckily the aircraft landed safely and all passengersonboardwereevacuated.

Kaieteur News understands that three Jamaican artistes, Teejay, Malie Donn and Masicka,whorecentlyperformedatthe‘One Guyana Cup’ held at the Rising Sun Turf Club,WestCoastBerbicewerealsoonboard theflight.

A Fly AllWays aircraft

Residents of the remote Region One community of Wauna during the protest on Monday

Guyana should be wary of decommissioning clause in new oil law –MPPatterson

…citeswhatExxon,ShelldidinU.S.

responsibility for decommissioning to small operators

Duetothehighpricetag a s s o c i a t e d w i t h decommissioning,ifasmall operatorisunabletofootthe decommissioning cost, taxpayers can be left with thatcost.

“So, there are issues on the decommissioning fund,

sowesayingthatitshouldbe put in escrow So therefore, even if they farm it out, that money is there all the time,” MPPattersonadded Kaieteur News had reportedthatlastSeptember when Exxon and Shell announced they will be selling their California wells;U.S.officialsraised Continuedonpage30

Shadow Oil and Gas Minister and Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), David Patterson last week stated that the decommissioning clause in thePetroleumActivitiesBill of 2023 spells danger for Guyana.

Decommissioning is the process of ending offshore oil and gas operations at an offshore platform and returning the ocean and seafloor to its pre-lease condition.

The Bill was passed in the National Assembly last Thursday It was tabled by Minister of Natural Resources,VickramBharrat and once enacted will replace the 1986 Petroleum ( E x p l o r a t i o n a n d Production) Act Cap. 65:04 and the Petroleum (Production)ActCap65:05.

Minister Bharrat during his presentation on the Bill h i g h l i g h t e d t h a t Government made provisions in the Bill for decommissioning. He said, “Toensurethattheoperators beartheresponsibilityofthe decommissioning process, this Bill will set up a decommissioningfund.”

The law states, “The holder of a petroleum production licence shall establish an abandonment fund for the purpose of ensuringadequatefundingto implementdecommissioning andabandonmentoperations uponcessationofproduction andthesubsequentexpiryof the production licence The annual contribution to the abandonment fund must ensurethatthefullestimated cost of abandonment is paid

tothefundtwoyearspriorto t h e a n t i c i p a t e d commencement of decommissioning and abandonment operations in theproductionlicencearea”

During his objection to some clauses of the Bill, Patterson said that allowing the oil companies to only submit money two years priortothedecommissioning processcanleaveaburdenon taxpayers

Patterson said that Guyana should be wary of what occurred in other countries, dealing with oil and gas companies when it comes to decommissioning. Assuch,henotedthatwhile the Opposition supports the decommissioningfund,they asked for it to be placed in escrow

He cited what occurred in California, United States with American oil giant; ExxonMobil and British oil giantShell.

“In California and other places in America, they are having issues with a decommissioning plan because what normally happens,whatcanhappenin the industry is that an operatortowardstheendofa fieldtheynormallyfarm-out the well So what they normallydotheyfarmitout to smaller operator,” Pattersonsaid.

He explained that towardstheendoftheproject life, when the oil has been depleted - the wells are no longer beneficial to big operatorslikeExxon Assuch he said, in some cases, they canselltheirsharesintheoil block to small operators - in the process, transferring the

Shadow Oil and Gas Minister and Opposition Member of Parliament, David Patterson

12-year-old girl and aunt burn to death in Linden fire

A12-year-oldgirlandher auntwerelateMondaynight burnttodeathintheirSecond Street, Silvertown, Wismar, Lindenhome.

Dead are EukeilaAdams andherauntCherylMoore. Reports are that the fire was set by Moore’s 33-yearold brother Akali. Akali had reportedly escaped from the scene just after setting the house ablaze but was subsequently caught in a clump of bushes two streets away Hewasarrested.

EarlierMonday,relatives held a small birthday celebration for the 12-yearold girl. At the time of the fire,itisbelievedthattheduo had not retired to bed However, reports are that Akali, who is said to be of

unsound mind, had threatenedtokillCherylwith acutlass.

Shortly thereafter, it is alleged that the man doused the lower flat of the house with kerosene before setting thehouseablaze.

Phillip Moore, Eukeila’s father, was forced to jump overtheverandahalongwith other relatives while another sister, Pauline jumped through a window to escape theblaze.Effortsweremade torescueCherylandEukeila, buttheywereunsuccessful.

Cheryl’sbodywasfound on the step leading downstairs It was burnt beyond recognition. Reports from the scene indicate that somethingapparentlyfellon thewoman,trappingher

“It was like she was tryingtocomedownthestep but the blaze was too much, the fire start downstairs but like they wake up late and didn’t get to make it out,” a neighbour told Kaieteur News

Eukeila’s body was foundunderthestep.Shesat the National Grade Six Assessment earlier this year and was preparing to attend Secondary School in September

“Up to yesterday, she celebrated her birthday, happyandeverything,thisis very, very sad, ” the neighboursaid.

Eukeila’s grieving mother told Kaieteur News thatshewantedherdaughter tospendthedayatherhome for her birthday but her requestwasnotgranted.The mother was inconsolable at thescene.

“Allawantedwasformy daughtertospendsometime

withmeforherbirthday,that was all a ask for,” the distraughtwomansaid.

Neighbours said that within minutes, the entire house was engulfed and when the fire tender arrived, there was nothing that could be done to save the building orthosetrappedinside.

Meanwhile, a relative told Kaieteur News that severalreportsweremadeto the Wismar Police Station about the violent threats allegedlymadebyAkali.

“I don’t know if he set it on purpose, if they had any problem or so, but like he does‘goandcome’(mentally unstable) I don’t know if he wasn’t in his right senses or what but when it happened, he run and hide,” therelativesaid.

Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira, who is a resident of Silvertown, and whowasonthesceneofthe

Continuedonpage29

Lightning kills 15-year-old girl; injures brother in Region 9

An area in Sand Creek, Region Nine. (Photo courtesy, Sand Creek Village Facebook page)

DDL launches new El Dorado CPL Special Edition 11-year-old Rum

The Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) on Tuesday launched its 2023 El Dorado Master Blender Special Edition 11-year-Old Rum in celebration of its 11th year as theofficialspiritoftheCaribbeanPremierLeague(CPL). ThelaunchedwasheldonTuesdayattheMarriottHotel, Georgetown.

Maturedfor11years,likeElDorado’spartnershipwith CPL,MasterDistilleratDDLShaunCalebsaidthisrumisa unique blend of carefully selected marques from the historicalPortMourantDoubleWoodenPotStill,Versailles Single Wooden Pot Still, the Uitvlugt French Savalle Still and the Diamond Coffey Still. The Blend Master of the specialeditionrumisSharonSue-Hang-Baksh.

DDL’s Chairman Komal Samaroo noted, “DDL is thrilledtobecelebrating11yearsastheofficialspiritofthe nowRepublicBankCaribbeanPremierLeague.ElDorado hasbecomesynonymouswiththespiritofcricket,andthis limited-edition release is a testament to our dedication to craftingunforgettableexperiencesanddiversespirits.”

Pete Russell, Republic Bank CPL Chief Executive Officer(CEO)statedthat,“ElDoradohasbeenahugepart of CPL since its inception and it is always exciting when they release a new blend of their world-class rum. We are lookingforwardtotoastingthesuccessofthe11theditionof theCPLwiththeirMasterBlenderrum.”

The El Dorado Master Blender’s Special Edition 11Year-OldRumisnowavailableforsaleatlocalretailoutlets countrywideandallDuty-FreeShops.

A 15-year-old girl of Sand Creek, Region Nine was on Monday killed after being struck by lightning. The teen’s17-year-oldbrotherwhowasalso struck by lightning, escaped with injuries.

DeadisSimoneAndrew,formerlya student of Sand Creek Secondary School.Herbrother,MarcusAndrewis hospitalised.

The sibling’s grandfather and ToshaoofSandCreek,EugeneAndrew told Kaieteur News that the incident occurredataround17:30h.

According to Toshao Andrew, the siblings had left their home and visited the Government Administration buildinglocatedinthevillagetousethe Wi-Fiinternet.

Hesaidtheteenswouldusuallyvisit the building to use the internet to talk with their friends who reside in other communities.

It was while at the building that the siblings were struck by lightning. The ToshaodisclosedthatitrainedMonday afternoon but it was not heavy rainfall butexplainedthatinAugust,thevillage

usuallyexperienceslotsoflightning.

Kaieteur News understands that after the siblings were struck, they became unconscious. It took several hours before Marcus regained consciousnessbuthissisterneverdid.

TheToshao disclosed that the teens were rushed to the Lethem Regional Hospital. Subsequently, Marcus was transferredtoahospitalinBoaVistafor additionaltreatment.

Toshao Andrew described his granddaughter as a quiet and kind person.

DDL’s Chairman Komal Samaroo during the launch of the new rum.

The 2023 El Dorado Master Blender Special Edition 11-Year-Old Rum which was released on Tuesday by the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL).

Dead: Cheryl Moore Dead: Eukeila Adams

The Silvertown, Wismar house on fire

MotherandsondieinGoodHope,EssequiboCoastfire

The Good Hope, Essequibo Coast house on fire

Amotherandsontragicallylost their livesTuesday morning, when theirGoodHope,EssequiboCoast, Region Two home went up in flamestrappingthem.

Dead are 32-year-old Sasha La Cruz and her nine-year-old son IlyasWilson.

Eyewitnesses reported that the firestartedataround05:00hrs,and quickly spread throughout the woodenandconcretehouse.

At the time of the fire, Sasha was at home with three of her four children.Herhusband,66-year-old Andrew Dash, was not at home at thetimeofthefire.

According toVernon Dash, the deceased brother-in-law, he was awakened at around 05:00hrs by what he described as “explosive sounds”. Vernon, who lives in the same yard with the deceased said, “I was awaken about 05:00 with somekindanoise,whenIwatchout the bedroom window, I see the houseonfire.Irunouttoseewais theposition,whenIcomeout,Isee big fire. I take off the main switch and lash down the electric cable causedaisdoneaproblembyitself

Dead: Sasha La Cruz and Ilyas Wilson

because you gon deal with water andcurrent.”

As family members battled the fire, two of the Sasha’s children, ages 11 and 13, rushed out of the house. Sasha, a housewife and her nine-year-old son were however trappedintheburningbuilding.

Vernon,whospoketo Kaieteur News said,“Ididn’tevenknowwa going on, it was so confusing, the two children come out we ain’t even know who in the house, then

weheartheysaying…thegirllefin the house with the lil bai. But nobodycouldn’tgointhere,thefire was too much. Maybe she get confuse and trapped because they house ain’t got grills, she could’ve breakthelouversandcomeout,but weain’tsurewhathappen.”

KaieteurNewsunderstandsthat theFireDepartmenttookalmost45 minutes to respond and it was relatives and neighbours who attemptedtodousethefire.

“Wehadtodosomethingorthis other house would’ve burn down. One of meh nephew come with a pump and he start soaking the building that was on fire. Same time we soaking here [the second house], because the heat was too much… All I doing is controlling thefirecausethishousededoneon fire,sowed’tryingtosavethisnext one, trying to take out as much as possible from in here too cause I ain’tknowwagonhappen,”Vernon toldthispublication.

After the flames were doused, the charred remains of Sasha and herson,Ilyaswererecoveredfrom the scene, examined and transported to the Suddie Public Hospital where they were pronounced dead by a doctor The bodies were then taken to the SuddieHospitalMortuary

Meanwhile, angry relatives are calling for the extension of fire servicestofarflungcommunitiesin

The aftermath of the Good Hope, Essequibo Coast fire

RegionTwo.Therelativessaidthat had there been fire services closer totheirlocation,thelivesofSasha andhersonwouldhavebeensaved aswellasmillionsinlosses.

“Weneedthefireservicecloser, or else we wasting time… we suffering.Iseesomeroadsbuilding to go nowhere at all, you got money, invest the money in place that can benefit people, you see some road building where got no house,justtogoseawall,whatwe reallyneedisafireserviceatevery police station because all these yearsistillatReginathefirestation deh,”saidVernon.

Relativesestimatethelossesin themillionssinceapartfromafully furnished house being completely destroyed, several outboard engines and spare parts were also damagedanddestroyed.

Aninvestigationhassincebeen launchedtodeterminethecauseof thefire.

An electrical connection on the house

GuyanaseeksUS$30Mloantostrengthenpublicassistanceprogrammesforelderly...

Frompage3

The IDB noted that women in Guyana report experiencing higher rates of physical violence (35%) than in other Caribbean countries, such as Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname(bothat27%).

Although the Ministry has several programmes which address these issues, the IDB said there is need for a comprehensive strategy which incorporates all of these programmes to address GBV, which should include an

increaseinthecoverageandqualityoftheexistingservices

For example, only 10% of the reported cases of domestic violencewereprosecutedin2022

With respect to financing, the IDB said the proposed programmatic policy-based loan is structured in two technicallylinkedbutfinanciallyindependentoperations.

Thefirst,describedinthisarticle,leveragesparallelcofinancing resources from Global Affairs Canada for an amount of US$90 million It promotes the preparation

and/orapprovalofstrategicandregulatorypoliciesinthree areas: (i) digital transformation of the ministry, aimed at increasing the efficiency of the country’s safety net; (ii) improved coverage and implementation of the safety net; and (iii) addressing human trafficking and gender-based violence

Meanwhile,thesecondoperationofthisprogrammewill focus on the implementation of the policy actions promoted bythefirstoperation.

Guyanesebeingforcedto‘beginlines’forhandoutsas...

Frompage8 the country; however, the Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo for instance believes that increasingpublicservantwageswillresultin inflation.

To this end, he explained, “That is only true if you don’t increase production, but if

you increase wages and producing more goodsandservices,themoneywillbeableto absorb it and not result in inflation so we mustn’tbefooled…”

The Opposition believes that Guyana presently has the resources needed to ensure itspeopleenjoyabetterlife.

WANTED VACANCY

Wanted: Experienced Puri Maker, Cashier, Counter Person, Labourer and Cleaner. Apply at Shanta's, 225 Camp and New Market Sts.

One live-in Housekeeper needed to work in Virginia, USA. Ages 30-50 yrs. Call: 592-615-5476/ 845-325-8241.

Looking for a reliable live-in aide for an elderly woman. Call: 686-8051.

Security Officers urgently needed! Must be able to read and write, $350 and $400 hourly. Contact: 603-5140.

Security/ Handyman needed. Contact: 223-5273/223-5274.

General live-in Domestic needed. Call: 660-9093.

Porter wanted. Requirement: Valid police clearance. Call: 265-7311 ( Ext 277).

One Domestic worker needed to work 2 times per week at 192, Duncan St Newtown, Kitty. Call: 649-3783.

Experienced Nanny preferably from the East Bank. Contact : 693-5014.

Wanted! Male & Female workers for packaging pasta and chowmein on the Back Road (Mandela Ave). Call: 611-7839.

One male and female ablebodied Staff needed to work in a store. Call: 225-2313, 2261497, 658-8559.

Horse cart operator stabbed to death

…suspect surrenders

A horse cart operator was on Monday night stabbed to death during an altercation with a man at a shop in Plum Park, Sophia, Georgetown.

“The victim (Harris), who was allegedly armed with a knife, attempted to stab the suspect,” police stated.

LAND FOR SALE

Lethem (Commercial Zone 69x200), Bartica, Essequibo, Friendship, East Bank, Yarrowkabra & Bent Street, Georgetown. Contact Ray's Realty: 627-9685.

One office Assistant needed. Experience will be an asset. Call: 688-7911.

Sales Clerks, Delivery Clerks, Warehouse Manager & Graphic Designer needed. Apply at: Lens 136 Sheriff Street. Call: 227-2486/ 2271511, lensgy@outlook.com

One Manager for A&S General Store located at Charity, Essequibo. Call: 687-5814.

East Bank Electrical is now hiring Electrical Engineer, Outside Sales Staff & Counter Sales Staff. Call: 604-6394, sales@eastbankelectrical.com

Receptionist, Room Attendant, Laundry Attendant & Security Guard needed at 233, South Road Lacytown. Call: 225-0198.

Male Engineer needed, Must have atleast 10 years experience in road & building construction. Email CV: rbinvestmentinc@gmail.com, Call: 613-0855.

1 Male Project Supervisor (construction field), ages 35-50 years. Must have atleast 5-8 yrs managerial experience. Email CV: rbinvestmentinc@gmail.com, Call: 613-0855.

Bobcat & Roller Operators needed. Ages 30 years & older. Must have atleast 5 years experience. Email CV: rbinvestmentinc@gmail.com, Call: 613-0855.

Truck & Canter Drivers needed. Ages 30 years & older. Must have atleast 5 years experience. Email CV: rbinvestmentinc@gmail.com, Call: 613-0855.

Diesel Mechanic and Skilled Labourers needed for road construction. Ages 20 years & older. Must have atleast 5 years experience. Email CV: rbinvestmentinc@gmail.com, Call: 613-0855

Vacancy for Driver, Salesman, Porter, Bakers, Cleaners, Pastry maker and Baggers at Humphrey's Bakery 38 Ketley st. Charlestown. Call: 225-7864.

VACANCY

Cashiers needed at Two Brothers Gas Stations, WCD. 1+ experience. Call/ WhatsApp: 592-708-3256.

Able- bodied Porters/ Driver, Must have Lorry License and Cashier, CXC Maths & English required. Call Telles Steel & Hardware: 231-3265, 226-6771.

Dead is Mark Harris, a 25-year-old horse cart operator of Lot 90 Plum Park, Sophia.

The suspect, a 20-year-old labourer also of Plum Park reportedly turned himself in to police on Monday after allegedly stabbing Harris with a pair of scissors.

According to police, Harris and the suspect were friends but an “ongoing problem” made them enemies.

At around 19:30hrs on Monday, they got into an argument at a shop and it escalated into a fight.

The suspect reportedly retaliated by holding onto the knife and defended himself with a pair of scissors, which he had in his pants waist. He stabbed Harris two times, police said. Harris reportedly ran a short distance away before collapsing to the ground.

The suspect left the scene and made his way to the Prashad Nagar Police Outpost where he reported the incident and gave police the pair of scissors.

When police arrived at the scene, they saw a motionless Harris who was picked up and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where doctors pronounced him dead.

TO LET

Studio apartment, $10,000 per week with 1 month down payment. Call: 645-1933.

1 bedroom apt in Lyng street, $40,000 per month. Call: 7131515.

General Domestic needed to work 4 days per week, must know to cook. Apply at Keyfood Mc Doom village next to the post office.

Pump Attendants urgently needed at Two Brothers Gas Stations, WCD/ EBE. Call/ WhatsApp: 592-708-3256.

Driver must be able to assist in workshop at Eccles, age 23-50, Car/ Van licence. Call: 615-9132 or 645-8443. Maid needed to cook and clean at East Bank area. Call: 615-9132.

The suspect alleged that Harris attacked him first with a knife.

Investigators also found a silver blade knife at the scene.

Investigations are ongoing.

One Clerk for TSI Eccles office.Must have grade 1or 2 Maths and English. Email: techserigy@yahoo.com or Call: 615-9132.

GWI begins drilling of new well at Wauna, Region One

Minister Croal inspecting the site during his recent visit to Region One

One male Cleaner needed for Eccles area. Call: 615-9132.

Experienced Sales girls needed. Apply in person to Alabama Trading at 65 Robb street Bourda.

Factory Worker needed. For more information Call: 2262621.

Accounts Clerk needed. Must have a sound secondary education and 1-2 years Accounting experience. For more information Call: 2262621.

DPI - The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has commenced the drilling of a

FOR RENT

New unfurnished & furnished 2 and 3 bedroom houses in Enterprise, ECD. Call/ WhatsApp: +592-7000030.

Bottom flat, 2 bedrooms and top flat 3 bedrooms at Durban Street. Call Leon or June: 612-5296 or 623-1562.

Live-in and business quarters for rent at James Street. Call: 674-0614.

FOR SALE

Pure breed German Shepherd puppy for sale. Call: 6971141/ 612-6672.

well at Wauna, Region One that will provide reliable potable water to in excess of 900 residents of the community and surrounding areas.

On Tuesday, Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, visited the site to inspect the works. He stated that the well is being dug by GWI’s in-house team using a recently processed PAT Rig.

The estimated cost for drilling the well is $10 million, which covers materials, consumables, and in-house expenses.

recently received electricity for the first time, which will facilitate a smoother process.

“This is part of the plan to address, in a holistic way, the water issues affecting the residents in this area… Once successful, it will take us off of the current system where we are depending on Wanania,” he underscored.

The project is the delivery of a commitment made by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali during a previous engagement with the residents.

VEHICLES

One CRV Honda, $3.3M negotiable and 1 Toyota Allion, $3.350 M,

649-0956.

SERVICES

Elevate your brand with our professional Graphic design services. Call: 619-0007, 6295526.

Visa Application to Canada and U.S.A, graphics design, advertisements,USA passport application forms & i130 application. Call: 6267040.

Minister Croal said the project is on schedule to be completed by the end of September, and the area already has an existing distribution network. The community is currently receiving water from a reservoir in the neighbouring community of Wanania on a rotational basis.

As part of the long-term plan, Minister Croal said the system will be connected to Wanania, Hosororo, and Koborimo. The community

Wauna is among several communities to benefit from new water distribution systems in a Region One this year. Other villages that are benefitting include Manawarin, Waramuri, Haimacabra, Kamwatta, Koko, Parakeeis, Cabora, Karaburi, Wallaba, Santa Rosa, White Water, Yarakita, Kamwatta and Black Water Savannah.

The sum of $1.4 billion was allocated this year to increase access to clean, safe water in hinterland communities.

fully loaded immaculate condition, low mileage . Contact:

$1 billion estimated to repair 22 community roads in Regions 2, 4, & 5

The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Developmentplanstoexpendsome$1,064,084,694towardsits CommunityRoadsProgrammethatwillseetherehabilitationof 22roadsacrossRegionsTwo,FourandFive

This was revealed during the recent opening of tenders at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB)office.

KaieteurNewsunderstandsthatroadworkswouldbedone in communities such as Strathspey, Enmore and Success on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), Region Four, at Darthmouth, Hampton Court, Sparta in Region Two and at BelladrumandatBathinRegionFive.

Below are the companies and their bids:

Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development Community Roads Programme in Region Four – Lots 1 to 6.

Community Roads Programme at Region Five for Lots 1 to 9.

12-year-old girl and aunt burn to death...

Community Roads Programme in Region Two – Lots 1 to 7.

From page 23 and the 11th Council of the fire, said, “This tragedy is a municipalityassoon asthey great loss not only to the assumed office,” the joint family, the Silvertown statementsaid. community, and Linden but Recently, the two to the entire country I saw agencies adopted four areas thepainofhermother,andit of focus for attention based was unbearable In this on reports from the various difficult situation, we saw a security agency heads, the community came out and foremost of which was the lend support and it show urgent need for the strengthinunityanditisthis provision of a fire station at unity I want to encourage Wismar t h e p e o p l e o f o u r The other issues community to let us work included the installation of together to help rebuild the fire hydrants across the homeofthisfamilyandseek community of Linden, the help for this family in increase of the use of providing counselling and synthetic drugs such as emotional support they will ‘molly’ in the community need.” and the high prevalence of Meanwhile, in a joint persons battling mental statement from Region 10’s healthissuesinLinden. Regional Democratic “The provision of a Fire Council (RDC) of Region Station at Wismar was not 10 and the Mayor & Town onlydiscussed,buthasbeen Council of Linden said the advanced locally to the tragedy has allowed for stage where land has been renewed calls for a fire identified and secured for stationatWismar the building of this much“As your elected needed facility at Wisroc representatives, the RDC and several appeals have and the Municipality have beenmadetotheMinistryof continuously represented Home Affairs and publicly the need for the provision of for this structure to be a Fire Station at Wismar to b u d g e t e d f o r a n d address these emergencies. constructed urgently,” the Indeed, given the terrain of statementsaid. the communities at The regional officials Wismar, the restrictions also called for the hiring of posed by the current trained and experienced configuration of the firefighters, the acquisition Wismar-Mackenzie Bridge, of fire tenders including and the geographic expanse thosesuitabletotraversethe presented for coverage by terrain presented at Wismar this section of the town, this and all of the other input call for the construction of a n e c e s s a r y f o r t h e FireStationwastakenupby commencement of the the 9th Council of the RDC service.

IOM emphasises need for migration policy to help...

From page 16 stakeholders, including team was able to formulate the Guyanese workforce mannerwhichcancontribute decade,” the document administrative structures in policymakers, continue to succinct and practical policy benefits from significant toitsmaximumpotential.” added. placetomanageanddevelop take steps in the right recommendations to guide training for those without ‘The next decade,” it It pointed out that even if labourmigrationinGuyana. direction to ensure that the management and recognized skills, retraining said “is one in which Guyana were to harness all Issuessuchassafelabour Guyana has in place a development of labour forthosewhoseskillsmaybe Guyana’s population, its of its unemployed, migration practices; fair suitable framework to migration for the years to mismatched with the labourforce,andthenumber underemployed and recruitment of workers; and manage its potentially come. demand in the economy, and of migrant workers will discouraged workers, the appropriate integration of explosivegrowth. The study also noted that upskillingforthosewhomay increase like no other period potential supply of labour migrants into the local Among other issues, the informationharnessedonthe have skills but are unable to in the post-independence wouldbeonly63,500. culturewereexplored. study placed significant local workforce will also be operate in a capable manner Guyana.” “In the medium-term, it The recommendations emphasis on the recruitment critical to ensuring that within an intensified “This trend is already isestimatedthatGuyanawill have been crafted through o f m i g r a n t l a b o u r, migrants do not encroach on competitive environment,” foreshadowed by a reversal need approximately 160,000 thorough and careful specifically about fair employment opportunities the report pointed out while of the net arrival rate in workers. The conclusion analysis of the Guyanese recruitment and the ways in forcitizens. noting that Guyana also has Guyana which has reversed can be drawn that there will environment, its projected which local institutions can I t w a s t h e r e f o r e a large Diaspora around the since2015. be the need for, at minimum, development and the practice such recruitment recommended that the world, particularly in the In 2016, Guyana, for the 100,000 workers in Guyana situation prevailing in protocols. government modernizes the United States, United first time in recent history, to realize its full growth

Guyana in relevant As a result of the Key institutional and legislative KingdomandCanada. had more persons arriving in potential. It is for this reason dimensions particularly the Informant Interviews (KIIs) framework associated with The report determined thecountrythandeparting. that ensuring there is a now developed oil and gas and the cross-referencing migration as a matter of t h a t “ a s t r u c t u r e d This number, growing structured migration policy, sector existing legislation and priority engagement with the exponentially to 18,150 in informed by evidence-based Throughthestudy,itwas publications related to “Simultaneously, the Diaspora ensues where this 2018,isexpectedtocontinue analysis is key,” the report hoped that relevant migrant labour, the research governmentmustensurethat skillset can be tapped in a to rise throughout the emphasized.

Guyana should be wary of...

From page 19 notplugitswellsbeforewalkingaway,wells concerns that the reason behind the oil are orphaned and the clean-up costs companies’ departures is the looming ultimately fall to taxpayers and current liability for environmental clean-up – which operatorsthroughfees. canbeleftonU.S.taxpayerstofootthebill. Itwasstatedthatinordertominimizethe ProPublica, a non-profit newsroom that Government’s exposure if wells are investigates abuses of power particularly in orphaned, producers must put up a bond, the oil and gas industry – reported that typically held as cash or a surety policy The despite the price of oil produced in bondsactlikeasecuritydepositinwhichthe California,thisyearithasreacheditshighest companygetsitsbondbackifitcleansupits level in a decade – Exxon and Shell who mess, but the Government keeps the money havedonebusinessintheStateformorethan ifthecompanyorphansitswells. a century, are selling assets and beginning to While California has the authority to ask pulloutofCalifornia. for an additional US$30 million in financial

ProPublica also reported that the oil security from a single operator – Shell and giants agreed to sell more than 23,000 wells Exxon’s joint venture holds a US$3 million in California, which they owned through a bond. As a result, Aera’s bonds cover way joint venture calledAera Energy, to German less than what would be required to plug the asset management group, IKAV, for an wells. estimatedUS$4billion. According to ProPublica, California is While Exxon and Shell say the deal will unique because State law allows regulators strengthen their businesses – Greg Rogers, to call on former operators such as Shell and anAttorney andAccountant who researches ExxonMobil to help pay for plugging the oil and gas industry, said the deal allows onshore oil wells if they are later orphaned, the sellers to shed decommissioning costs. even by a different owner But companies “You got bad assets with big liabilities, and have escaped responsibility under this you can get rid of both at the same time. stronger legal standard, by exploiting That’sawinforExxonandShell,”hesaid. loopholessuchasaporousbankruptcycode.

Other industry experts, lawmakers and SomeexpertsquestionwhetherShelland environmentalists are concerned about the ExxonMobil would be required to pay if the deals, noting that the sales shift wellstheyaresellingtoIKAVareultimately environmental liability from corporate orphaned, saying their ownership of the powerhouses to less-capitalized firms, wells through a separate company, Aera, increasing the risk that aging wells will be mightshieldthemfromliability left orphaned, unplugged and leaking oil, Additionally, Exxon’s affiliate, Esso brine and climate-warming methane. They ExplorationandProductionGuyanaLimited seeathreatthattheState’soilindustrycould (EEPGL) has been taking out money from repeat a pattern seen in other extractive G u y a n a ’s o i l p r o d u c t i o n f o r industries like coal mining and lead to decommissioning – this money is being taxpayersbearingclean-upcosts. controlledbythecompany

California Assembly Member, Steve During an engagement with media Bennett, a Democrat who has long worked operatives in June 2022, ExxonMobil on oil policy, has seen oil companies in his G u y a n a a c k n o w l e d g e d t h a t Ventura district walk away from decommissioning funds are not needed until environmental liability “It gets passed on to 20 to 30 years down the line. Be that as it asmallercompanyandtoasmallercompany may, the company noted that the provisions until someone declares bankruptcy and the of the 2016 Stabroek Block deal allow for public is stuck with the clean-up bill,” he earlyrecovery said. According to ProPublica, if it’s not The oil giant assured nonetheless that profitable to return wells to production, they when Guyana needs that money for cleanneed to be plugged. But if a company does up,themoneywillbehandedover

PAHO donates devices, equipment to increase Region Six health surveillance

DPI - The PanAmerican World Health Organisation. Health Organisation

So, a lot of our surveillance (PAHO)onMondaydonated system is built around printers, central processing capturing infectious units (CPU), and tablets, diseases,”hestated. among other devices and The minister added that equipment to enhance health Guyana is aiming to have an surveillanceinRegionSix. advanced surveillance

The handing over took system. place at the Regional Health

“Having a system just to FacilityinNewAmsterdam. report when there is a

During the small particular outbreak is not ceremony, Minister, Dr what we are looking for, we Frank Anthony noted that it want a system that can help is imperative for the country usinourplanning,wewanta to have an effective system system that can help us in that helps to track data in the doing health better in the healthsector community,” Dr Anthony at infectious diseases diseases are what we call “Wehavestartedlooking explained. because some of those reportablediseasestoWHO-

PAHO Consultant, Dr Naail Uthman noted that the region has been working assiduously over the past year to provide a wellconstructed surveillance system.

Home Affairs Minister denies lack of public trust in...

From page 15 appropriate measures with the private sector to support security measures that they can take at their business places toprotectagainstcrimes.

Meanwhile, as it relates to specific measures being taken by government to address crime, the Minister explained, “In additiontothePolicereceivingactionableIntelwellaheadto respond,wehavethenewvehicleswhichweareputtinginto operation.”

Moreover, he said the GPF is engaged in activities to boostitscapacitythroughseminars.

“We are also appealing to people to be more aware, to be morediscerningintermsofwhattheydoandwheretheydoit and in their response to disputes; we also notice more road ragesandquarrelingincommunitiesandpeoplegatheringto watchafightandtakingvideos,”henoted.

Guyana’s Acting Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken during the Police Force’s 184thAnniversaryAwards ceremony told ranks that that they should give themselves a roundofapplauseforreducingseriouscrimesinthecountry Hicken said, “…we have some successes compared to previous years some of those successes for 2022 to date include but not limited to an overall reduction in serious crimes by 12.6 percent. I think you deserve a round of applauseforthat.”

Wednesday August 16, 2023

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Keeping things balanced today will prove challenging. Takethisseriouslybecauseit's probably needed more than ever You might be the arbiter in situations where a battle existsbetweenoldandnew

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Passions may run high, and you could be right in the thick of things. Today may be a bit more intense Conflicting energies will butt up against eachotherinyourhead.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

Indecision may leave you standing at the station after all the trains have left, Gemini. Hop on one that's going in yourdirection.Addyourname to the roster of active participants.

CANCER(June21–July22)

Something might be shaking the very ground you stand on, Cancer Justwhenyouthought everything was calm and stable, suddenly the ground beginstorumble.

LEO (July 23–Aug 22)

Follow your heart instead of your wallet, Leo. Start with yourself and choose where to spend your resources. Take an active role and be on the lookout for opportunities to grab hold of and profit from. You may find a conflict going oninyourworld.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

Your adaptable nature will be puttothetesttoday,Virgo.Try togowiththeflow Remember that you have a rudder with which to steer You can float downtheriverfreely,butdon't thinkthatthismeansyouhave togiveupallcontrol.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Today is a significant day, astrologically speaking, Libra. It may be an affirmation of your pioneering spirit. Be the champion of the new and bizarre.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

There may be some tension in the air for you, Scorpio. Large forces are moving through your life that are suddenly coming into conflict. People who have been on a certain path for a long time now have tofacethemusic.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

Your ability to juggle many tasksisgoingtocomeinhandy Information may fly and you could be asked to step up and contribute your wealth of knowledge. You may come into opposition with someone withasuperiorattitude.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Youfeellikeascaredchildwho wants to hide under the bed today,Capricorn.Keepinmind that there are just as many monstersunderthebedasthere areoutintheworld.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

Today may feel like everything's coming to a head for you. Even the slightest action might face resistance. The more stubborn your attitude, the harder it will be to progress Your job is to infuse playfulnessintoeverysituation.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar 20)

You'd do well to discipline your actions today, Pisces, and keep a level head. Unexpected events may rise to challenge established authority Don't jump to any sweeping conclusions.

“We organised a regional health plan with [the] RHO and from the health plan some key activitieswereidentifiedand the region requested some support in beefing up their surveillancesystem.

A part of that, is c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d surveillance where we utilisehealthworkerstovisit all of the households in specific areas as a startup,” the PAHO consultant pointedout.

Dr Uthman said this has enabled the region to identify various chronic and infectious diseases in the communitiesandenhanceits healthcareservices.

Tahir Named Captain...

From page 38

Imran Tahir as our captain and Romario Shepherd as our vice-captain for the RepublicBankCPL2023.”

“Theirexperience,skills, andcommitmenttothegame align perfectly with our aspirations,andweareeager to witness their impact on and off the field,” he continued.

CPLbowlsoffonAugust 16 but heads to Guyana on September 12 with Warriors facing Jamaica Tallawahs (September 13), Saint Lucia Kings (September 14), Trinbago Knight Riders (September 16) and B a r b a d o s R o y a l s (September17).

The playoffs will begin with the first eliminator on September 19 followed by theQualifier1onSeptember 20 and Qualifier 2 on September 22. The final is setforSeptember24.

All matches in Guyana willbeplayedattheNational Stadium,Providence.

He noted that with the exception of murder- which increased by 37 percent- reaching 85 as compared with 62 during the same period last year, all categories of serious crimesare“atanegative”.

Some of the devices that were distributed by PAHO in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.

Williams upsets Kudermetova, Stephens beats Cocciaretto at Cincinnati

Venus Williams concentrates on her shot as she faces Veronika Kudermetova during round one of the Western & Southern Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason

Monday, August, 14, 2023. (Cara Owsley-USA TODAY Sports)

Monday, August, 14, 2023. Stephens won 7-5, 6-2. (Cara Owsley-USA TODAY

(Reuters) - Venus Williams upset 16th- “I felt like when I came out here I was a ranked Veronika Kudermetova 6-4 7-5 at the little bit slow and obviously she didn’t get to CincinnatiOpenonMonday,asherunseeded do her full warm-up, and our warm-up it was American compatriot Sloane Stephens raining at the end,” Stephens, world number overcame a sluggish start to beat Italy’s 38, said in her on-court interview “So a lot ElisabettaCocciaretto7-56-2. drama but happy to be through after a slow Williams had not beaten a top-20 start.” opponent in four years but used all of her Cocciaretto took control early on and veteran composure as she overcame deficits built a 5-2 lead that gave her two chances to in both sets and converted six of nine break serve out the set. But Stephens dialed up the points. pace and broke to love on each occasion as

The 43-year-old Williams initially she used a five-game winning streak to wrap appeared outmatched at the hard court uptheopeningset. tournamentasKudermetovabrokeinthefirst In the second, Stephens kept her foot on andfifthgamesbutmountedanextraordinary the gas as she consolidated an early break comebacktowinthefinalfivegamesinarow withaholdtolovefora3-0leadbeforegoing toclaimthefirstset. on to end the encounter with another service Kudermetova flipped the momentum as break.

she won the next four straight and nearly Stephenscanexpectatoughertestagainst closed out the second set in the eighth game sixth seed Garcia, who is 4-2 all-time versus but instead helped Williams to break with a the American including a pair of first-round doublefaultandapairofunforcederrors. wins at the Cincinnati Open. Stephens won

The Russian missed another opportunity their most recent encounter at Guadalajara in to win the second set when Williams fended 2022.

off a break point in the ninth game with an Ukrainian Elina Svitolina was forced to unreturnableserve. withdrawaheadofheranticipatedshowdown

The seven-time Grand Slam winner had with CarolineWozniacki due to foot pain she themomentumassheconvertedabreakpoint has been experiencing since her run to the in the 10th game and a demoralised semi-finalsatWimbledonlastmonth. Kudermetova handed her the match with a “I am really disappointed to pull out pair of double faults - out of nine across the anywherebutIlovethefansinCincyandlove entirematch-inthefinalgame. playing in front of them which makes it extra Stephens, who along with Cocciaretto hard but I have to take the medical advice I wasunabletogetafullwarm-upinduetorain havebeengiven,”shewroteonsocialmedia. that delayed the start of the match, broke the “I will do my best to rest and recover in Italianfivetimesandsavedthreeoffivebreak timefortheU.S.Opennow.” points en route to sealing the win in 76 Wozniacki, who returned to competitive minutes. tennis this month after a more than three year

She will next face French defending break to start a family, is now scheduled to champion Caroline Garcia in the second play lucky loser Varvara Gracheva in the round. nightsession,weatherpermitting.

Sloane Stephens returns a serve from Elisabetta Cocciaretto on Center Court during the first round of the Western & Southern Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason

Sports)

Spy row erupts ahead of Australia vs England Women’s World Cup semi-final

The Telegraph - know if Sam Kerr was back England’s World Cup semi- in full training mode or on final showdown with restricteddutieswithhercalf Australia has been soured by injury, The Daily Telegraph a spying controversy after a went to the sky with these helicopter was used to film exclusive aerial photographs the Lionesses final training of England’s final training session before the match in run. Sydney.

What will Australia learn from this bird’s eye view of the Lionesses training? (Australian Daily Telegraph)

“It might not be in the

The Australian Daily spirit of football, but after Telegraphsentthehelicopter last month’s men’s Ashes to spy on Sarina Wiegman’s cricket series we will let the sideastheyworkedonaplan moral arbiters England pass to beat the Matildas and judgmentonwhatisandisn’t knock them out of the acceptable in the world of tournament they have co- sport. But make no mistake, hosted alongside New England are here to ruin Zealand. Australia’sparty…”

Despite a largely The FA has declined to amicable build-up, the comment, although the u n d er h an d meth o d s incident is bound to offer deployed by a prominent extra motivation for Australian newspaper will England’s players as they anger players and supporters look to reach a World Cup alike. finalforthefirsttime

“If England’s Lionesses The controversy comes thought they would happily just a few weeks after the fly under the radar into the Australiancricketteamwere World Cup semi final under roundly criticised in the filming or photographing not even clear, at this stage, Australia’s coaching staff, about England’s tactics or the radar they were in for a secondTestofthissummer’s training sessions and no whether the footage have although in truth, the m e t h o d s t o n u l l i f y rude shock,” boasted the A s h e s s e r i e s w h e n

Australian Telegraph wicketkeeper Alex Carey

“We’ve sent the chopper up stumped Jonny Bairstow at toseehowtheoldenemyare Lord’s after the England preparing… Welcome to the batsman had wandered out jungle, Lionesses, we’ve got of his crease at the end of an funandgames.” over

The newspaper went on The incident sparked to write: “As the Matildas anger across the country, held their final training with the Australian team session behind closed doors booed and then confronted at Kogarah, about 100km by furious MCC members in north at Central Coast the Lord’s Long Room. The Stadium in Gosford the chant “same old Aussies, England team attempted to always cheating” became a finalise their preparations regularsoundtracktotherest withoutanypryingeyes. ofthedrawnseries.

“But just as we did last There is nothing to stop week when we wanted to domestic media outlets

rules have been broken It is b e e n p a s s e d o n t o

pictures do not reveal much Australia’sattackingthreat

United States down Mexico to claim Concacaf Boys’ U15 title; Haiti beats Jamaica 3-1 to take third place

The US players celebrate their 2023 Concacaf Boys’ Under-15 Championship.

Neymar joins Saudi club Al-Hilal from PSG on two-year deal

(Reuters) - Neymar has signed a two-year contract at SaudiArabia’sAl-Hilal after six years with Paris St Germain in which the Brazil forward won several domestictrophiesbutnotthe Champions League the club craves.

No financial details were disclosed onTuesday but the fee was reported to be about 90 million euros ($98.24 million) plus add-ons and subject to a medical for the 31-year-old.

French newspaper L’Equipe said the deal could net Neymar 160 million euros.

Paris St Germain’s Neymar celebrates scoring their first goal in a match in South Korea.

(REUTERS/Kim

Hong-Ji/File Photo)

SportsMax - The 2023 Concacaf Boys’ Rignaal Jean Francisca in Willemstad, Under-15 Championship wrapped up on Curacao. Sunday with the United States claiming the

In the League BThird-Place Match at the LeagueAtitlewitha4-2victoryoverMexico Stadion Rignaal Jean Francisca, Martinique at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez in defeated Bermuda 7-6 in a penalty shootout SantoDomingo,DominicanRepublic. after a 1-1 draw In League C in the

TheduelforThird-PlaceinLeagueAsaw Dominican Republic, Saint Martin claimed anall-Caribbeanaffairendina3-1victoryfor thetitlethankstoa4-1winoverSaintVincent Haiti over Jamaica, also at the Estadio andtheGrenadinesintheFinal. OlimpicoFelixSanchez. Meanwhile,intheThird-PlaceMatchthat Nicaragua are champions of League B was completed on Saturday, Turks and after edging Saint Lucia 2-1 at the Stadion CaicosIslandstoppedDominica1-0.

Saudi Professional brought to our club and our involving league champions League (SPL) club Al-Hilal project over the last six Al-Ittihad,Al-Ahli,Al-Nassr announced that Neymar had years. andAl-Hilal. signedadealuntil2025,with “We’ve had some The Saudi Pro League the Brazilian saying, “I am extraordinary moments and season kicked off on Friday here in Saudi Arabia, I am Neymar will always be part after spending close to half a Hilali” in a video on the ofourhistory Iwouldliketo billion dollars luring a host team’s social media thankhimandhisfamily.” of top players and coaches accounts. Neymar has also played fromEuropeansides.

Neymar joined PSG in 124 times for Brazil, scoring Portugal forward 2017 from Barcelona for a 77 goals - a joint-record CristianoRonaldojoinedAlworld record fee of 222 alongside three-time World Nassr last season soon after million euros. He scored 118 Cup winner Pele. He was theQatarWorldCupinadeal goals in 173 appearances for partoftheBrazilteamwhich whichmadehimthehighestthe Paris club and won won the Confederations Cup paid athlete on the planet, n u m e r o u s t r o p h i e s , in2013. while Al-Ittihad signed includingfiveLigue1titles. SAUDI TRANSFERS French striker Karim

N e y m a r w o n t h e The most successful club BenzemafromRealMadrid. Champions League with inSaudiArabiaandAsia,Al- UEFA Champions Barcelona in 2015 but had to Hilal have won 66 trophies League winners Riyad settle for a runners-up medal and hold the record for Mahrez, Edouard Mendy in the 2020 final, which PSG number of league and Asian andRobertoFirminohaveall losttoBayernMunich. Champions League titles signedforAl-Ahli.

“It is inevitably difficult w i t h 1 8 a n d f o u r Al-Hilalalsotriedtosign to say goodbye to a club respectively Neymar’sformerteammates legend, which Neymar will Strengthening the squad France striker Kylian always be,” PSG president is a priority for the Riyadh- Mbappe and Lionel Messi, Nasser Al-Khelaifi said in a based club after the Saudi but the Argentine eventually clubstatement. Public Investment Fund opted for Major League

“I will never forget the announced in June an Soccer’sInterMiami. day he arrived at Paris Saint- investment and privatisation ($1 = 0.9162 euros) Germain, nor what he has project for sports clubs

Carmona fires Spain into World Cup final with 2-1 win over Sweden

A U C K L A N D , they face co-hosts Australia JOYTO DESPAIR (Reuters) - Olga Carmona orEnglandinthedecider In a match-up of Iberian struck late to lift Spain to a “We’re extremely happy attacking flair and Swedish thrilling 2-1 semi-final win If you go to the dressing defensive resilience, Spain over Sweden yesterday and room now, it’s incredible weretheliveliersideearlyon send the Iberians into a first how they’re celebrating,” but had nothing to show for Women’sWorldCupdecider Vildatoldreporters. it. as the tournament signed off “We have the final in Full back Carmona inNewZealandwithaflurry front of us, we’re going to blazed just wide with a low, ofgoals. Sydney tomorrow and we long-range effort in the 14th

Wearing the captain’s wanttowin.” minuteandmidfielddynamo armband, Carmona’s 90th- Peter Gerhardsson’s Aitana Bonmati thrashed a minute strike from the edge Sweden bow out after wild shot past the same right of the area pinged off the another defeat at the post from the edge of the crossbar and into the net two penultimate hurdle, having area However, Sweden minutes after Rebecka made the semi-finals in finished the half ascendant Blomqvist had levelled the France four years ago and at with a typical salvo of setmatch for Sweden in front of last year’s European piecepressure. a baying crowd of 43,217 at Championship.

Spain’s Olga Carmona celebrates scoring their second goal with Teresa Abelleira.

(REUTERS/ Hannah Mckay)

A few minutes from the EdenPark.

“Itfeltlikeapunchinthe break, Spain were dealt a

Te e n a g e r S a l m a stomachwhentheymanaged fright as Nathalie Bjorn Paralluelo, Spain’s quarter- totaketheleadagainstraight chested the ball down and final hero against the away There are no words,” crossed to an unmarked Netherlands, produced S w e d e n d e f e n d e r FridolinaRolfointhearea. magic off the bench again, Magdalena Eriksson told But the Sweden winger’s putting her side in front in Swedishradio. volley was well covered by the ball alive with a cut-back isreallyincredible.” history at their breakout the 81st minute and

FifteenSpainplayershad keeperCataColl. pass to Alba Redondo in It looked all over for WorldCup. breathing life into what had threatened to quit last year if Sweden kept up the heat close. Slumped on the turf, Sweden as regulation time S w e d e n b o s s been a slow-burning, cagey Vilda was not moved on, but after the break but Redondoswungalegoutbut dwindled but Lina Hurtig Gerhardsson was left to rue affair on Tuesday his decision to Paralluelo, named player of could only put her shot into headed down to an thecruel,latetwist.

Less than a year after a replace playmaker Alexia the match, wrested back the thesidenetting. unmarked Blomqvist, who “I think everyone just player revolt against coach Putellas with Paralluelo m o m e n t u m f o r t h e

Jorge Vilda tore the squad before the hour mark proved Spaniards. Paralluelo pounced again on range. disappointment,”hesaid. apart,‘LaRoja’willhavethe decisive as the team beat She came close to a poor clearance, thumping The Swedes’joy quickly “We felt this enormous chance to lift the trophy in Sweden for the first time at breaking the deadlock in the home into the right corner to turned to despair when joy and elation that maybe Sydney on Sunday when their12thattempt. 70th minute when she kept send Spanish fans into Carmonatooktheballfroma we can bring this to extra delirium. corner, took a few paces time.Thenitturnedagain.”

Youngsters invited to CPL morning games

Eleven minutes later volleyed home from close feels sadness and huge

ThemorninggamesattheRepublicBank Also partnering with CPL is Guardian Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will Life who will also be supporting this widewelcome thousands of young people this ranging initiative with further ticket year. There will be giveaways and giveaways with the Guardian Life Boundary entertainmentatthematchesstartingat10am Buddiesscheme. in Saint Lucia, St Kitts & Nevis, Barbados, Meanwhile,PeteRussell,RepublicBank Trinidad&TobagoandGuyana. CPL’s CEO, said: ”The young people of the CPL will also be working with Caribbean are the future life blood of our governmentagencies,schools,cricketclubs, sport, and we want to ensure that we are youth organizations and foundations to give investing in them and playing our part in away thousands of tickets to young people helping them fall in love with our wonderful acrosstheCaribbean. sport. We are looking forward to welcoming

With giveaways and entertainment, the thousands of young people to our 10am 10am games at this year’s CPL are set to games which will give them the chance to become the biggest kid’s party in sport with watch and enjoy some of the best cricketers thousands of younger age groups in from around the world and from across the attendance. Caribbean.”

“It was a magic moment forward and unleashed a Host nation New once again,” said the 19- fierce strike that keeper Zealand bid a fond farewell year-old, who scored in the Zecira Musovic tipped onto to the tournament, having 111th minute to dump the theundersideofthebar generated a total attendance Netherlands out of the The ball bounced down of more than 700,000 people tournament. over the line, giving Spain a in 29 matches across four

“To be able to repeat this chance to create more cities.

Against perhaps the fastest field ever, can Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce win an unprecedented sixth 100m world title?

SportsMax - At the age

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

sprinter having come in their the Istvan Gyulai Memorial of 36, with six World lastthreemeetings. inSzekesfehervaron18July, Championships behind her

At 34, Ta Lou is in the when she clocked 10.97 as and 10 gold medals in her form of her life. A close runner-up to the new kid on collection, Shelly-Ann secondtothelateToriBowie the blocks, Julien Alfred Fraser-Pryce is preparing to inLondonin2017,losingthe fromStLucia. venture into unknown gold by 0 01, and third T h e 2 2 - y e a r - o l d territory at the World behind Fraser-Pryce and Commonwealth silver Athletics Championships DinaAsher-SmithinDohain medallist prevailed in 10.89, Budapest23. 2019, the 5ft 3in African stretching her unbeaten

“It’s a new situation for Pocket Rocket has blasted to recordto10wins. metocomebackfrominjury

10victoriesin10100mraces Fifth fastest in the world and start my season so late,” in 2023, including Diamond at 100m with 10.83, Alfred the Jamaican sprint

League successes in has also clocked the third phenomenon confessed after Florence, Oslo, Lausanne fastest 200m (21 91), contesting her first 100m and London, and looks a suggesting she has the speed race of the year, in Lucerne serious contender for a first endurance to feature at the on20July globalgold. endofaclosecontest.

H a v i n g w o n i n

“I’m really going for the Brittany Brown and Switzerland in 10.82 and in gold and I believe that I can Tamari Davis, second and Madrid in 10.83 two days do it,” Ta Lou said. “I know third behind Richardson at later, Fraser-Pryce heads to my finish is strong, but my the US Championships, both the Hungarian capital with startcouldbebetter Ineedto have the potential to make an unbeaten record at 100m Jamaican Championships,

Sha’Carri Richardson with has only once failed to cross onhomegroundinJamaica. achieve my goal of winning challenge, while 2012 world

In 14 years, Fraser-Pryce only 100m wins have been improveittomakesureIcan the final and mount a in2023.

Her only other races 10.71 in the heats at the US the line first in a World On the Diamond League gold.” U20 champion Anthonique since overcoming a knee Championshipsandthebang Championships 100m final, circuit, the two-time world T h e 2 2 - y e a r - o l d Strachan of The Bahamas problem have been a 200m in-form Ivorian Marie-Josee finishing fourth in Daegu in 400m bronze medallist has Richardson, who will be clocked10.92asrunnerupto heatandfinalattheJamaican Ta Lou with 10.75 at the 2011. finished runner-up to m a k i n g h e r m a j o r TaLouinOsloinJune. Championships, where she BislettGames.

In Oregon 12 months Richardson in Doha and championship debut as a The European challenge finished second to Shericka T h e J a m a i c a n ago, she won in a Silesia and third in Oslo and senior, has won eight of nine will be led by Asher-Smith, Jackson, the world Supermom – who will be championship record 10.67 London. races at 100m this year, who clocked an encouraging champion at the distance, in concentrating on the 100m, – one of her record seven In terms of head-to- including Diamond League 10.85 as runner-up toTa Lou 22.26 – plus, of course, that having withdrawn from the sub-10.70 performances in heads, Fraser-Pryce boasts victoriesinDohaandSilesia. in the London Diamond celebrated victory in the 200m–willneedtoclosethe 2022 – with Jackson second an 8-1 record against her She has reached an League, and Poland’s 2019 mother’s race at her son’s gap on her rivals if she is to in10.73. compatriot and training impressive level of European indoor 60m schoolsportsday. win the title for a sixth time ThistimeJacksonhasthe partneranda21-4advantage consistency, registering four champion Ewa Swoboda, Three women have gone and equal Sergey Bubka’s super-fasttimegoingintothe overTaLou,butistiedat3-3 of the fastest seven times in whobroke11secondsforthe faster: Jackson, with her record haul of individual championships, plus two with Richardson, her three 2023,all10.76orquicker. firsttimewith10.94forthird scorching 10 65 at the goldsinoneevent. 10.78 performances, but her successes against the US Her one defeat came in placeinSilesia.

Tahir Named Captain, Shepherd Vice-Captain of Guyana Amazon Warriors

[Georgetown, Guyana] Guyana Amazon Warriors. bowler and aggressive

The Guyana Amazon His aggressive approach, lower-order batsman have Warriors franchise has combined with his passion earned him a reputation as announced the appointment for the sport, is set to one of the most promising ofImranTahirascaptainand invigorate the team and talentsintheregion.AsviceRomario Shepherd as vice- contribute to their pursuit of captain,Shepherdwillplaya captain for the upcoming CPLglory crucial role in supporting Republic Bank Caribbean “I am incredibly grateful Tahir’s captaincy and Premier League (CPL) 2023 and excited to lead the contributing his insights to season. The duo brings a GuyanaAmazon Warriors in the team’s strategic wealth of experience, skill the upcoming Republic decisions. and leadership to the team Bank CPL season,” Tahir “It’s a privilege to be a n d t h e i r d y n a m i c commented. named vice-captain of the partnership is expected to “I believe in the talent Guyana Amazon Warriors,” elevate the Warriors’ and potential of this team, the Guyanese noted while performanceonthefield. and together with Romario adding, “I look forward to

Tahir,theseasonedSouth and our fantastic squad, we working closely with Imran African cricketer who is aimtodeliveranexceptional and the entire squad to known for his electrifying performance on the field achieve our collective goals leg-spin and exuberant while representing the andbringpridetoourfans.” celebrations, will take on the passionate cricket fans of The Guyana Amazon role of captaincy for the first Guyana,”headded. Wa r r i o r s f r a n c h i s e time in his illustrious career Joining Tahir in a management expressed Tahir’s extensive knowledge leadership role is Shepherd, confidence in the leadership of the game and his ability to a longstanding member of of the duo and their ability to inspire and rally his the Guyana Amazon guide the team to success. teammates make him a Warriors family Shepherd’s “Wearedelightedtohave natural choice to lead the all-round abilities as a fast (Continued on page 33)

Badminton Association names team for Junior CAREBACO event in T&T

Junior Guyanese players will be heating up the Badminton courts in Trinidad and Tobago as they compete in CAREBACO Junior Badminton Tournament hosted from August17to20,2023. Themembersofthe Guyana BadmintonAssociation are hopeful tobringhomemedalsfortheircountry

The twelve junior players will be coached by National Players, Priyanna Ramdhani andAkili Haynes. The team will be accompanied by GBA President Mrs. Emelia Ramdhani and Ms Martina Bacchus- Felix. The team will depart for the whereAkili Haynes and Priyanna Ramdhani Twin Island Republic today, Wednesday, will be competing in the men’s singles, August16,2023. women’s singles, mixed doubles and women

Following the junior tournament, the doubles (where Priyanna will team up with a Trinidad&TobagoInternationalTournament regional colleague in the fraternity from (senior) will be held August 22-26, 2023 Barbados).

Sterling Products proud sponsor of Archery Guyana’s National Outdoor C/Ship 2023

Archery Guyana will be Mighty Foam Liquid and handover ceremony hosting its STERLING powdered detergent, hand commented that, “It is PRODUCTS sponsored sanitisers and hand soaps to always a pleasure for N a t i o n a l O u t d o o r nameafew Sterling Products Limited to Championships 2023 Sterling Products support various activities shortly with ranking rounds Limited, as we all know is a undertaken by organisations th to be held on Saturday 19 household name coming out suchastheArcheryGuyana. August, 2023 and the Finals from the grass roots of Weseethisasagreatway th on Sunday 20 August, 2023 Guyana With almost 70 for persons young and old to at the Queen’s College years of dedicated service to be a part of something that Playfield, Camp Street and thecitizensofthisgreatland, keeps you engaged and in a

, Sterling Products Limited sense there’re able to Georgetown

u r e s a n d develop a level of patience Guyana’s best local Distributes quality products andfocuswhicharequalities talents will be on display that caters to the needs of every individual must aiming for the bragging right every one of its customers possess.” He went on to ofbestOutdoorArcher Here whether large or small in convey, “Best wishes to all Archers will have to different regions across the the contestants participating demonstrategreatdiscipline, length and breadth of inthisyear’seventandtothe strength and stamina to walk Guyana. organizersaswell.” awaywiththetitle. The company also Thanks were expressed

Recently,atthehandover exports a wide range of its by Mrs. Vidushi Persaudceremony at Sterling productstovariouscountries McKinnon, President of Products’ Head-office at in the Caribbean and South Archery Guyana, for Providence, East Bank America. S t e r l i n g P r o d u c t s Demerara, President of Sterling Products c o l l a b o r a t i o n a s a Archery Guyana, Mrs Limited has products that fit competition sponsor Mr Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon into many activities each Robert Singh, Treasurer of and Archery Guyana’s customers engages in on a Archery Guyana, upon Treasurer, Mr Robert Singh daily basis whether it is receiving the cheque also wereabletolearnmoreabout cleaning,cooking,baking,or maderemarksofgratitude. the products from the just treating some friends at The Board of Directors knowledgeablestaff. aneventthereisaproductfor wishes to convey thanks to Some of their products youatSterling. Mr Ramsay Ali and the include Igloo Ice-Cream, Marketing Manager, Mr Management of Sterling Golden Cream Margarine, Dellon Lynch, during the Products.

World Champs preview: Warholm, Dos Santos favoured for 400m hurdles

SportsMax - Olympic

hamstring strain after clearing the champion and world record-holder first hurdle of his first race of 2022 KarstenWarholm laid down a huge at the Rabat Diamond League markerofhisambitiontoregainthe meeting, Benjamin must have 400m hurdles title at the World thought his chance had come to Athletics Championships in make a golden impression on his Budapest starting Saturday when hometrackinEugene,Oregon–but he set a Diamond League record of Dos Santos won with a South 46.51inMonacoonJuly21. American record of 46.29, with the

The 27-year-old Norwegian homerunnerclocking46.89. said before his race that his

HowclosecantheBrazilianget experience at last year’s World to his best form in the time Championships in Oregon, where available? At the moment his is he finished seventh after only fifth fastest in this season’s recovering from a hamstring injury list, with two other runners above incurred in his opening meeting of him – Kyron McMaster of the the season, has been a strong British Virgin Islands, the double motivatingfactorthisyear Commonwealth champion and

“It was really nice to do this fourth-placefinisherinTokyo,who again – that 0.01 off the Diamond has clocked 47.26, and CJAllen of League record and also the track the United States, who has set a

Dos Santos, who finished third

And in his first race over the Benjamin is equally determined to record,” Warholm said after a personalbestof47.58. intheTokyoOlympicfinal,hashad hurdles in Monaco the 23-year-old makeabreakthroughinBudapest. performance that also bettered his Others likely to make their to recover from a serious injury from Sao Paulo did enough to stir The 26-year-old US athlete owntopworldmarkfor2023. mark include France’s Ludvy early this year in the form of a torn his World Championships took silver behind Warholm at the

“This is a nice timing as the Vaillant, who has run a personal meniscus in his right knee which ambitions. Doha 2019 World Championships World Championships is just best of 47.85 this season, as has requiredsurgery “That was the perfect and bettered the Norwegian’s around the corner Since I was Jamaica’sRoshawnClarke,and31At the time it appeared his opportunity for me to come back to world record of 46.70 in the Tokyo injured last year, I enjoyed the year-old Rasmus Magi of Estonia, season was over before it had run,”hesaid.“NowIwillgetready Olympic final where he clocked racingmore.” European silver medallist in 2014, started, but he returned to top class for Budapest, to be able to win my 46.17 and took another silver as

In his wake was Brazilian whohasrun48.04thisseason. action at the Silesia Diamond worldtitleagain.” Warholm reached deeper to set the Alison dos Santos, who took over Italy’s 24-year-old 2018 world League meeting on 16 July, where But Warholm and Dos Santos currentworldrecordof45.94. the world title he had won in 2017 U20 champion Alessandro Sibilio, he finished third in the 400m in are not the only ones with world Last year, with Warholm still a and 2019, who clocked a season’s aTokyoOlympicGamesfinalist,is 44.73. gold in their sights, as Rai way off full fitness following a bestof47.66. alsoonetolookoutfor

Sterling Products’ Marketing Manager, Mr. Dellon Lynch (right) hands over the sponsorship cheque to Archery Guyana’s Treasurer, Mr. Robert Singh. Looking on is President of Archery Guyana Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon at left.

- BVI’s McMaster, Ja’s Clarke among those to watch

(From left) Norway’s Karsten Warholm, Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos, Kyron McMaster of British Virgin Islands and Jamaica’s Roshawn Clarke.

Giddings, Emanuel and Shanella London victorious at LGC tournament

On Saturday at the over 18 holes, three-man tournamentinmyviewwasa The Lusignan Golf Club Pope Emanuel London – Thirdposition Lusignan Golf team tournament dubbed, resounding success even will now turn their attention HC17,Gross104,Net87 MonnaeArjune–HC10,

C l u b , P o p e “TheWeakestLink.” though the attendance could to the highly anticipated Average combined net Gross89,Net79 Emanuel London, Eureka The intention is to have a have been better, but the Sankar’s Auto Works score:77.7 John Joseph – HC 15, Giddings and Shanella team of three players, one participants were satisfied tournament set for this Secondposition Gross99,Net89 London were the ones to from each flight and the especially with the prizes Saturday Maurice Solomon – HC Hilbert Shields – HC 20, watch. combined net scores are that were up for grabs even The results for the 21,Gross94,Net73 Gross95,Net75

The trio were in sync as totaled and divided by three though it was a club tournamentwereasfollows: Maurice Deo – HC 26, Average combined net they made excellent use of to get the net score of the tournament. Firstposition Gross100,Net74 score:79.3 the conditions on the team.

Our win was a pleasant ShanellaLondon–HC9, WilliamWalker–HC10, Longest Drive – Miguel course Speakingonbehalfofhis surprise because I knew that Gross84,Net75 Gross100,Net90 Yunes

The format of the team was Pope Emanuel as a team we didn’t play our Eureka Giddings – HC Average combined net Nearest to the pin –tournament was Medal play London who said, “The bestgame.”

27,Gross98,Net71 score:79.0

TroyCadogan

Guyana Amazon Warriors appoints Leon Johnson as New Manager

Georgetown, Guyana - dedication to the sport. As a glory.” Manager, the franchise aims Guyana Amazon Warriors is seasoned cricketer with a Johnson expressed his to build on its legacy and thrilled to announce the remarkablecareer,Johnson’s enthusiasm about his new captureitsfirsttitle. appointment of Mr Leon insights and strategic vision role, stating, “I am honored CPLbowlsoffonAugust Johnson as its new Manager are expected to contribute and excited to take on the 16 but heads to Guyana on for the Republic Bank significantly to the success responsibility of managing September 12 with Warriors Caribbean Premier League of the Guyana Amazon the Guyana Amazon facing Jamaica Tallawahs (CPL). Mr. Johnson brings a Warriors. Warriors. It’s a privilege to (September 13), Saint Lucia wealth of experience and a “We are delighted to work with such a talented Kings (September 14), deep passion for cricket to welcome Leon Johnson as group of players and support Trinbago Knight Riders his new role, promising to the Manager of the Guyana staff. My goal is to foster a (September 16) and lead the team with a unique Amazon Warriors,” the culture of excellence, B a r b a d o s R o y a l s andvibrantapproach. franchise management t e a m w o r k , a n d (September17).

Johnson, a former Test noted “His proven determination, and I look The playoffs will begin player and Guyana Amazon leadership abilities, forward to leading the team with the first eliminator on Warriors batsman has also extensive knowledge of the to success in the upcoming September 19 followed by captained the Guyana game, and strong ties to the CPLseasons.” theQualifier1onSeptember nationalteamtosixRegional cricketing community make The Guyana Amazon 20 and Qualifier 2 on First-Class titles, five of him the perfect fit for this Warriors have consistently September 22. The final is which were consecutively role We believe his beenaforcetoreckonwithin setforSeptember24. Johnson is widely respected appointment will invigorate the Caribbean Premier All matches in Guyana for his leadership skills, the team and drive us League, and with the willbeplayedattheNational cricket acumen, and towards championship addition of Johnson as Stadium,Providence.

The winner’s row

Leon Johnson

Courtney Walsh Named Head Coach of Guyana Amazon Warriors Women’s Team for WCPL 2023

TheGuyanaAmazonWarriorsfranchisehasexpressed delight to announce the appointment of cricketing legend Courtney Walsh as the Head Coach of the Women’s team for the upcoming Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) 2023 season. This exciting development marksanewchapterfortheteamastheygearuptoconquer the competition under the expert guidance of one of the sport’smostesteemedfigures.

Walsh’s illustrious cricket career, characterized by his unerring accuracy, intimidating pace, and exceptional leadership skills, makes him a perfect fit for the role of Head Coach. Having represented the West Indies cricket team with distinction for over a decade,Walsh’s wealth of experienceandcricketingintelligenceissuretoelevatethe performance of the Guyana Amazon Warriors Women’s team.

Walsh’s coaching prowess outlined through his time working with both male and female teams around the world, most recently serving as Head Coach for the West IndiesWomen’steamandOvalInvincibles

“I am truly honored to take on the role of Head Coach for the Guyana Amazon Warriors Women’s team,” expressedCourtneyWalsh.“Iamexcitedtoworkwiththis talented group of players and contribute to their growth and success. It’s a privilege to be a part of theWCPLonce again, and I am confident that together, we can achieve greatthings.”

Walsh’sappointmentisatestamenttothecommitment of the Guyana Amazon Warriors Women’s team to fosteringexcellenceandnurturinglocaltalent.Hisproven track record in mentoring and developing players aligns perfectly with the team’s mission to create a nurturing and competitiveenvironmentforaspiringcricketers.

The Warriors franchise management stated, “We are excited to have Walsh joining the Warriors family He brings a wealth of experience and professionalism and a passion that is in line with the core values and principles weasafranchiseareadamantabout.”

Walsh will reunite with former West Indies Women’s captain, Stafanie Taylor and vice-captain, Shemaine Campbelle as well as other bright prospects from the Caribbean.

TheWCPL2023promisestobeanexhilaratingseason for cricket enthusiasts, and with Courtney Walsh at the helm, the Guyana Amazon Warriors Women’s team is poisedtomakearesoundingimpact.

The tournament begins on August 31 with Warriors goingupagainstBarbadosRoyalsWomenintheiropening match. Warriors will then face Royals on September 3 in Barbados. They will then head over to Trinidad and Tobago for their clash against Trinbago Knight Riders Women on September 5 and 9 for a chance to book their placeinthefinalonSeptember10inTrinidadandTobago.

Palm Court, ReadyMix Cement donate

$2M to

‘Cricket For Charity’

President Dr. Irfaan Ali drives through the covers during the ‘Cricket for Charity’ match on Saturday at the National Stadium, Providence.

Palm Court and and six the President struck, Shala Home of Benevolence highlighting how sport is a R e a d y m i x Palm Court indicated they for All Races, and two unifying factor in bringing

Concrete Limited will donate G$5,000 and animal welfare groups in people together to help combined resources to G$10,000 respectively, Guyana, Tails of Hope and others. donate $2M to the ‘Cricket while the entertainment spot PawsforaCause. He further thanked the forCharity’matchthatraised will donate G$25,000 for The Private Commission PrivateSector,asinlessthan over$17.5M. everywickethecaptures. secured the funds through 24hours,theyraised$17.5M In release to the media, The President carried his generous donations from in funds for charity, and it the companies indicated the bat for a boundary-less 21 various individuals and shows, “We are truly One President’s inspiring but got three wickets for his businesses. Guyana,OneGuyanese.” performances with bat and winningTeamRoraima. After the match, On the day, several ball spurred them to make a The funds from the President Ali applauded the businesses pledged further further contribution to the match will be distributed to organisers, for a fantastic donations based on how noblecause. eleven orphanages, the tournament and noted, “It many runs or wickets the Initially, for every four Salvation Army, Dharm w i l l g r o w b i g g e r, ” presidenttookinthematch.

Moen Gafoor spells his dominance to cart off scrabble honours

Ascintillating

d i s p l a y o f shrewd word-

forming skills, coupled with strong mental fortitude, earned veteran scrabble player, Moen Gafoor, top honours when scrabble players convened last Saturday afternoon, at T e a c h e r K a m p t a Ramnarine’s residence, Enterprise, East Coast Demerara, to compete in a tournament in honour of a recently deceased player, CarltonMurray

The 5 rounds affair saw Gafoor notching up a perfect 5 points and a healthy positive spread of 764, while Winslow Jacobs continued to display a fine vein of form and finished with 4 points and a positive spread of 341 nd to earn the 2 place slot. Curtis Liverpool also demonstrated some measure of consistency, also notching up 4 points but with a negative spread of 171 Another veteran player, JamesKrakowsky,closedoff

spread

Courtney Walsh

Kampta Ramnarine (123), memory of their recently working ardently to have the the podiumspots after Winslow Jacobs (36), James departed colleague, Carlton Guyana Association of amassing 3 points and a Krakowsky(115)andRobert Murray,andmomentsbefore Scrabble Players (GASP) positive

of188. Williams(112). activities got underway, back on stream with a Gafoor’s victims were Meanwhile, the players observed a minute’s silence.

Marshal Karamchand (343), conductedthecompetitionin The affiliates are also committeeinplace.

nd Moen Gafoor (2 R) shows off his wares in the company of the other podium finishers L-R Krakowsky, Jacobs and Liverpool.