August29,2022-Vol.15 No.33 Online readership yesterday, 72,430 Monday EditionNew PSA must hold parent companies -Oppositionliable for oil spills GRA already doing realthousands of imports by - TaxStatiaChiefExxon, subcontractors …localsshouldtakelimelight-AFC ExxonMobil should be barred from oil blocks auction …as cash flow in some companies jump from US$17B to US$300B last year alone Oil companies set to receive largest returns in 15 years 92 Berbice sugar cane, weeding field Man friend'smissinghomeatFriendshiptosuspectWantedmurderPolice workers protest cutting time monitoring of costs for after leaving surrenders
Re-cleaners attached to the Berbice sugar estates last Friday protested poor working conditions
92 Berbice sugar workers
page 9) Kaieteur NewsPAGE 02 Monday August 29, 2022
Some 92 cleaners from can’t do nothing. They also Albion, Rose Hall and Port want us to cut cane, plant Mourant estates are calling cane, and clean punt. This is on the management of three day now we deh out G u y S u C o a n d h i g h here and nobody na meet authorities to reconsider a withwe.” decision made to move them The worker said he has fromtheunittoexecuteother been cleaning the canals for works such as weeding and eight years and prefers to cuttingcane. continuedoingthatsinceitis The workers were told what he knows his body is that there was no money capable of. He also stressed available to pay them to that having other work executethere-cleaningwork allocated to them will mean which consists of the they are required to do a cleaning of the canals for the more difficult job with very clear passage of punts. As a little pay “This is taking result, the workers are upset bread out of people mouth,” over the decision and staged heposited. a protest last Friday morning WinstonDey,47,another at the Albion Estate, calling worker who has been doing for the intervention of re-cleaning for 11 years said government. he had to be rushed to the One worker who said he estate dispensary after he is attached to the annex at was put in the field to weed. Rose Hall Estate told this “It is not fair to us because newspaper that he and weentitledtodo300rodsper another colleague were told day and when they take us by the superintendent that: out we cannot do the amount “We have to do weed and ofworkweweresupposedto relief work and we are re- do, so right now it hard for cleaner at Rose Hall. We us.” demand re-cleaning work, Meanwhile, a Guyana they said this come from AgriculturalWorkersUnion highermanagementandthey (Continued on
protest cutting cane, weeding field One of the protesters last Friday
tells administration
Kaieteur News PAGE 03Monday August 29, 2022
to stop painting Guyana as powerless against oil giant Govt. must show will to implement systems for early tracking of Exxon’s costs - Jordan
-
The Commissioner General (CG) the tax agency to know and declare the value declared that he expects that the current cost ofexemptionstotheindustry audit now being carried out will do just that, Jordan said too that Guyana can monitor among other things based on the Council of costs from as early as the stage pertaining to
The tax chief further noted that while (Continued
FinanceFormerMinister,WinstonJordan
on page 17)
Statiasaidthecountryisalreadyusingthe Former Finance Minister and Economist, Automated System for Customs Data Winston Jordan in a separate interview was (ASYCUDA)systemtomonitorallportsand keen to note that the Guyana Revenue purported costs for thousands of imports by Authority has the systems that are necessary the oil giant and its subcontractors, and it is to track costs for all imports by based on declared costs that exemptions are ExxonMobil’s affiliate and Stabroek Block calculated. He said these costs may include operator, Esso Exploration and Production transactions between related parties, and Guyana Limited (EEPGL), its affiliated whenthecostauditisperformed,competitive companies and subcontractors. Jordan said costsshouldbeutilized. the tracking of these imports is what allows
GRA already doing realtime monitoring of costs for thousands of imports by Exxon, subcontractors
By Kiana Wilburg Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Godfrey Statia hasconfirmedthatrealtimemonitoringofall Guyana does not have the ability to do real imports and declared costs to support time auditing, he assured that the authorities ExxonMobil’s operations is already taking ofthedayaredoingeverythingintheirpower place. tobuildin-countrycapacity
Vice BharratPresident,Jagdeo
PetroleumAccountantsSocietiesrules. thereviewoftheFieldDevelopmentPlans.
- Tax Chief Statia
By:KianaWilburg company is taking loans on Subject to 7.1, the Statement entries, material records and the country’s oil and you are of Expenditure and Receipts inventories, vouchers, ormer Finance saying to me, you don’t need shall be submitted to the payrolls, invoices and any Minister and detailsofallthisuntiltheend Minister no later than thirty o t h e r d o c u m e n t s ,FE c o n o m i s t , of ayearoruntiltheauditing (30) days after the end of correspondence and records Winston Jordan does not time.SoIampowerless?No, such Calendar Quarter or necessary to audit and verify agree with Vice President, I don’t accept that Guyana is Monthasthecasemaybe.” thechargesandcredits.” Dr Bharrat Jagdeo that the powerlessinthatregard.” Under the arrangements During the annual audit, country cannot do real time The former minister said of the contract, the Minister theMinisterhastheoptionto monitoring of bills being the authorities of the day also has the right to audit review items previously racked up by ExxonMobil’s ought to end this practice of upon 90 days written notice, subjected to audit in earlier affiliate and Stabroek Block painting the country as at his sole cost and expense, years. However, the contract operator, Esso Exploration powerless in the face of accounts and records of the stipulates that the review and Production Guyana Exxon. He said if the will Contractor shall only be carried out in Limited(EEPGL). exists, Guyana can have key The contract states that conjunction with the annual In a recent interview, mechanismsinplacetotrack the Minister may audit, audit for any given year The Jordan recalled Jagdeo’s how the company spends examine and verify, “at PSA also states that at the explanation that the 2016 and arm itself with the right reasonable times during conclusion of each audit, Production Sharing experts that can ask the normal business hours but ExxonMobil and the Agreement (PSA) does not relevant questions to ensure not more than once per Governmentshallendeavour cater for a co-management costsremaineconomical. Calendar Year, all charges to settle outstanding matters Development Costs and expenditures to year end. (e)arrangement hence throwing In Sunday’s publication, and credits relating to the and a written report will be Operating Costs consistent Variations between budgetall hope for real time this newspaper also showed Contractor’s activities under issued to the Contractor with the individual forecast and latest forecast,monitoring out the that the country is able to theAgreement and all books within 60 days of the categories specified in with explanations thereofproverbial window Jordan demand monthly and of accounts, accounting conclusionofsuchaudit. Sections 2 and 3 herein anddisagreed however as he quarterly bills from Exxon. will separately identifysaid, “No contract has to This is actually provided for major items of expendituresallow or disallow real time in Section Seven of the 2016 within these categories. Themonitoring of costs. The Production Sharing statement will show theGovernmenthastoputinthe Agreement. Section 7.1 following: (a) Actualnecessary infrastructure to states: The Contractor shall expenditures and receipts onensure that it can monitor prepare with respect to each a monthly basis for thethose costs in real time Calendar Quarter, or on a period in question (b)instead of waiting until you monthly basis if requested Cumulative expenditure andgetallthebillsinlumpsum.I by the Minister in writing, a receipts for the budget yeardon’t know whether he has Statement of Expenditure in question. (c) Cumulativegone to any legal personnel and Receipts under the expenditures and receiptsto determine that and he Agreement. The Statement since the Effective Date. (d)should say so if he did. “But will distinguish between LatestforecastofcumulativeI cannot fathom that a E x p l o r a t i o n C o s t s ,
banned. KANU as the only party “won” all seats in 1969, 1974, 1979, 1983 and 1988 elections.Afterattending the 1970 Non-Aligned Summit in Lusaka, Zambia, Burnham visited several East African countries such as Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania where he must have been inspired to deepen his de-facto oneparty rule in elections,collapsedlition.electionsRailafromKenyaMwaioppositionKANUforwhenoverKenyatta’selectionsMoiinethnicWar.followingandtoBurnham’sfistKalenjin,Moi,Kenyatta’sGuyana.successorfromaminoritytribe,theruledwithanironuntilhewasforced,aswithsuccessorHoyte,acceptmulti-party“freefair”electionsin1992,theendoftheColdAndasinGuyana,thefissuresagaineruptedthemobilisationofvotes.wonthe1992and1997andgroomedJomosonUhurutotakethepresidency.ButMoistooddownin2002UhuruKenyattatorun,wasdefeatedbyancoalitionledbyKibaki,aKikuyu.haditsfirstPresidenttheOpposition.OgingaOdinga’sson,whohadlostinthe1997waspartofthecoa-Butafterthecoalitionpriortothe2007Uhurubacked
The headline was, “IDB finds New Amsterdam Hospital in shocking state,” (KN, Aug 21, 2022). The surgical room has mould and fungus-infested walls, the hospital complex is without proper working toilets, patients are being treated in stockroom, equipment is outdated, and structures are dilapidated with many years of no upgrades and maintenance, etc., according to the IDB report. If New Amsterdam is bad, Port Mourant and Skeldon are likely to be worst. (My dad died at the New Amsterdam Hospital in 1974 at age 46 leaving 12 children behind. His doctor was hosting the visiting Pakistani Cricket team a few days, so he was not around to provide care). During the Coalition’s time in 2015-2020, when Dr. Sharma was no longer there, there were some very incompetent folks who were placed there and things declined rapidly. Dr. Sharma is back, and is the Regional Health Officer. She is a good lady, and I remember she was very kind in helping my aunt who was suffering from a stroke. The Region 6 Chairman, Mr. Armogan, is a very decent gentleman too, who would have done very well as a Regional Minister. Dr. Anthony is a good man, as well as former Health Minister, Dr. Ramsammy. The other former Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri is also at the Ministry. I hope Dr. Mahadeo too is looking out for Berbice. So, with three Ministers at the Ministry of Health, I have raised the bar of expectations that we can transform the health sector. With so much talent there, this should be the best Ministry. Region 6 is poised to become better in its Health Services. I was wondering if the US$160 million loan we are getting could build some new hospitals. US$160 million just to do some upgrades seems like a lot of money for repair work. In fact, the high price tags for infrastructural and capital works across the country seem quite excessive these days. I am glad to see bids for construction of a new Outpatient Building at the Port Mourant Hospital, and renovation of the Patient Ward at the Mibicuri Hospital in Black Bush Polder. If we improve education and health services in Black Bush Polder, that would help with retention of its people there. They would not hustle to move out. The majority of Region 6 people live closer to Lower/Central and Upper Corentyne, away from New Amsterdam, and I hope there is a bigger plan for making the Port Mourant Hospital to be a high-quality institution with varied services on the one-stop shopping model. This must include all lab services and dialysis centres.Regarding the filling of patients’ medicine prescriptions, if it is true that only 8590 percent of prescriptions are filled based on availability of medicines, I call on the Government to issue “prescription vouchers” in cases where the hospital or village clinics don’t have the medicines. We must provide prescription vouchers to our people when medicines are unavailable, “Because We Care.” We allow oil companies to ship away our wealth and not pay taxes, while our people suffer so much. Let’s put our people first!
The law had been changed to mandate that elections petitions had to be decided within 14 days and, if necessary, new elections be held in 60 days. After great confusion and several resignations in the Elections Commission, Odinga withdrew from the new elections in protest and Kenyatta was elected with 98 percent of the votes. And this brings us to their August 9 elections. By then, Kenyatta had been barred from a third term and under the guise of “power sharing”, he brought in Odinga in an ostentatious “Building Bridges Initiative” signalled by a famous “handshake”. The estranged Ruto identified with ordinary Kenyans and ran as an outsider “hustler” against the “dynasties and won by a whisker. Odinga filed his objection and the court will rule withinButdays.whatever the decision, it is clear that sadly, “this will not end well”. For Kenya and us, the aphorism of the architect of India’s constitution Ambedkar is salutary: “However good a Constitution may be, if those who are implementing it are not good, it will prove to be bad.”
DEAR EDITOR, I had written a letter asking that health services in Region 6 be boosted dramatically where each hospital can be a one-stop shopping centre, not a referral centre. For too long, rural folks have had to go from facility to facility, spending much time and money to go to the townships for better services. This is an inherently inequitable system that must be changed quickly. The Region 6 authorities had replied to indicate essentially that all is well. Then there was an article “Gov’t, Opposition Parliamentarians laud health sector enhancements in Reg. 6,” (NR, Jul 21, 2022). The Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Social Services led by its Chairman, former PNC Minister of Health, Dr. Karen Cummings, lauded massive improvements in the health sector across Region Six (East Berbice – Corentyne), the article stated. Now comes this independent damning report from the IDB theofUS$160aboutDevelopment(Inter-AmericanBank)thatistoprovidealoanofmillionfortherepairthreehospitalsincludingNewAmsterdamHospital.
IDB Report on New Amsterdam Hospital is quite damning but maybe help is on the way
Section 7.1 of the 2016 contract states: “The Contractor shall prepare with respect to each Calendar Quarter, or on a monthly basis if requested by the Minister in writing, a Statement of Expenditure and Receipts under the Agreement.” There is no debating of Section 7.1, because the facility for co-management is written there in stone, and painted in black and white. We are surprised that Dr. Jagdeo missed that, and we hope that it was not deliberate. Moreover, we are surprised that the Minister of Natural Resources has not taken the fullest advantage of Section 7.1 of the contract by demanding those bills. This would effectively put this country in the position of confidently watching out for its own interests, while keeping a watchful eye on those it does this oil business with, meaning ExxonMobil and its partners, be they in the form of suppliers, vendors, and subcontractors. Just recently, there was the warning to Guyana to be on the lookout for ‘shell companies’ which could be used by ExxonMobil to pay itself from this country’s ignorance or negligence.Weatthis paper are baffled that the responsible Minister has not seized the provisions of Section 7.1 to stay in line, if not be on top of, the expenses that ExxonMobil says that it incurred. To get the most mileage the Minister must be demanding those bills on a monthly basis, for we believe that quarterly leaves too much time for ExxonMobil to exploit us some more. It is too long after, and the equivalent of constant chasing after ExxonMobil in attempts to catch up and apply some control to possibly runaway, if not inflated, expenses. What ExxonMobil has enjoyed is the freedom to spend in any amount to buy whatever it sees fit, which could stretch into the imaginary. Further, we are also mystified that Vice President Jagdeo does not know of the provisions of Section 7.1; or that his researchers and advisors did not alert him to the existence of this co-management arrangement in the 2016 contract. We are not going to make any assumptions, or draw any conclusions, about what the Vice President knew, or when he did. What we do know is that we don’t have to wait on ExxonMobil for it to submit its bills, but to work almost alongside with the company as it spends and buys. We can question then, we can check then, and we can know then.At the very least, we would have a better idea of what is happening in real time how the expenses are racking up, and significantly cut down on the accumulation of bills. In addition, ExxonMobil would be conscious that there are Guyanese looking over its shoulder, and shadowing its spending closely. This would be enough for the oil company to go more carefully, be a bit more honest in its dealings with this country. With real time monitoring of costs, Guyana could be closer to getting genuine value for the money spent by ExxonMobil.
It is becoming clearer why Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo is so hesitant, so consumed with anxieties, when he has to face the Guyanese media and speak about our oil wealth. He is fearful of putting his foot in his mouth, and speaking out of turn. Despite his best efforts, he did it again with real time monitoring of costs incurred by the oil companies in their ongoing operations offshore (“ExxonMobil 2016 contract contradicts Jagdeo’s claim that Guyana cannot do real time monitoring of costs -contract gives Guyana the power to demand monthly bills” -KN August 28).
Real monitoringtimeof costs
DEAR EDITOR, Kenya went to the polls on August 9 but the declared winner William Ruto has not been sworn in as yet as the declaration has been challenged in the Courts by his veteran rival Raila Odinga, who lost his fifth attempt at capturing the Presidency. Kenya, like Ghana and Guyana are very similar in our political challenges as excolonies of Britain that have attempted to institute parliamentary governance in our ethnically divided societies. Kenya has the “edge” over us with 42 tribes but with 8 dominant ones that act like our “ethnic groups”. Gaining Independence in 1963 under the legendary Jomo Kenyatta (from the Kikuyu tribe) as PM, Kenya slid into one-party rule before he died in office in 1978. In 1966 Kenyatta’s Deputy, Oginga Odinga, quit the ruling KANU and politics became fractured since Odinga’s Luo supporters and MP’s rallied behind him when he launched the KPU. In our local politics, some have theorised that even if Jagan and Burnham had led us to independence together, our cleavages would have eventually manifested as in Kenya. They were transformed into a one-party state in 1969 when KPU was Kenyan lessons in democracy
Kibaki (all Kikuyu) against OdingaFollowing(Luo). the latter’s defeat, Kenya suffered its worst outbreak of ethnic violence when some 1300 persons were killed and 600,000 displaced. After a 2008 National Accord and Reconciliation Act was passed and a temporary power sharing government between Kenyatta and Odinga was instituted, the constitution was drastically amended in 2010 to accommodate a welter of innovations. Many of these are presently being touted in Guyana by the Opposition to have a more “inclusive” government. Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto (from the third largest tribe the Kalenjin) were indicted by the International Criminal Court in 2011 for incitement of ethnic violence against Odinga’s supporter but the charges were dropped for lack of evidence.In the 2013 elections, Kenyatta defeated Raila Odinga, whose party won the most seats in the National Assembly.Inthe 2017 elections, which Kenyatta and Ruto won, the complaints by Odinga had shifted to the validity and counting of the votes and following his petition, the Supreme Court voided the elections.
PAGE 4 Kaieteur News Monday August 29, 2022 Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL-TEL: 624-6456 Editor: SHARMAIN GRAINGER Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210 EDITORIAL KAIETEUR NEWS
Dr. Jagdeo asserted that Guyana is blinded by the lack of a ‘co-management arrangement’, which prevents us from knowing on a timely basis what costs are accumulated by ExxonMobil, and if the oil company is taking us for a ride by cheating us with inflated bills. Through long association with Vice President Jagdeo, we have learned not to take his word on anything without checking for ourselves. We are glad we did, as our efforts have paid off with what sharply conflicts the Vice President’s position, in that the 2016 contract does contain clauses that make provision for comanagement in both policy and practice.
Dr.Sincerely,JerryJailall
RaviSincerely,Dev
In fact, when office was assumed by the PPP/C in August two years ago, the reminder was that “We promised 50,000 house lots, which we have been ensuring that we make available to the citizens, but we have been adamant that our primary focus is homeownership and ensuring that Guyanese move from being renters to becoming homeowners.” I think it is a ‘given’ that the Government will achieve its manifesto promise of distributing 50,000 house lots by the end 2025. Let me add that the right to adequate housing is a human right, recognised in international human rights law, as part of the right to an adequate standard of living. Also, we must understand that “Adequate housing, as defined under international law, is “the right of every woman, man, youth and child to gain and sustain a safe and secure home and community in which to live in peace and dignity.” This right is so
DEAR EDITOR So Guyana has oil. And we are exporting some as crude. We have top quality and we are exporting it. Why do we have to keep being a primary product exporting country.Now I am no economist but having an oil refinery in Guyana would be so transforming for Guyana. From my readings I have become aware that we can also get fertilizer and asphalt and so many other products and we could really use the fertilizer andWeasphalt.areimporting fuel and I am sure the transportation cost would be high so if we refine oil here it would be cheaper for the Guyanese people and bring down the cost of production and manufacturing in general. Guyana gets a percentage of the crude so if the Guyana Government sells the crude at market price to the
Yours truly, H. Singh Govt. should facilitate the efforts of our local businessmen local refinery, the cost of transportation of the crude would be less that when it is shipped overseas to other refineries and so is this not an advantage for the local refinery.Why is the Government not pushing for a refinery? Why is the Government not pushing the idea for the private sector to build one? The Government can encourage such a project by stating clearly that it would sell its crude to the local refinery. This would encourage investors. I am hoping the President would go public and state clearly that the Government would sell its crude to the local refinery, not at a subsidsed rate but at market price.Ihave been hearing that Government has a number of proposals for over a year now. Can they say something aboutComethis?on President Irfaan, I would like you to state clearly your policy that you would welcome private sector involvement in constructing a refinery and that your Government would sell its share of the crude to the local refinery.Idid read that one businessman wants to set up one in Linden so Mr. president, let’s hear what encouragement your Government would give to the Guyanese businessmen.TheGuyanese voters would be very upset if your Government do not publicly express your support for such a project.While your heartfelt welcome of the Saudis is indeed commendable, we should facilitate the efforts of our local business.Youshould be aware of the jobs that would be created and all the benefits from such a project Noonmatti BharrattDEAR EDITOR First it was the motor vehicle accident which claimed the life of the bridegroom, leaving his young bride nursing injuries. Now it is the freak work place accident which took the life of an employee at one of the famous hardware stores. Two heart breaking accidents in one week.From accounts, regarding the collapsed rack, a company official indicated the rack was a wooden structure ‘which stored light goods on top’ (KN August 27). Just what were these ‘light goods’ and how light were the goods I suppose it will come out in Two accidentsheartbreakinginoneweek
DEAR EDITOR, I think of the reality that “Globally, 1.6 billion people worldwide struggle inadequate housing conditions, with about 15 million forcefully evicted every year,” That is according to the UN-Habitat, which has noted an alarming rise in homelessness in the last 10 years. Young people, it is shown, are the age group with the highest risk of becoming homeless. So, what a relief it is to learn that in beloved Guyana, “Some 3000 more house lots will be distributed to residents on the East Coast of Demerara by the end of this year.” The news then from Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal, is not something that is merely ad hoc. In fact, the announcement came during a recent outreach where 250 house lots were distributed to residents from Nooten Zuil to Unity on the East Coast of Demerara. Explaining the national goal and vision of the Government, the Minister noted that “We have not had any recent outreach in terms of Ministry of Housing on this part of region on the East Coast of Demerara, so the cluster that we are addressing is between Unity and NootenAndZuil.”interms of ‘sticking to promises,’ Croal detailed that “… since taking office in August 2020, they (Government) have been able to allocate 7900 house lots to Region 4. (And) Of that, just under 4000 thousand house lots were distributed to people living on the East Coast.” So, “By the end of this year we want to allocate about another 3000 plus for the East Coast of Demerara.”
the investigation? It was also reported the now deceased employee was retrieving items from a storage cabinet positioned underneath the rack when disaster struck. It has to be wondered whether placing the storage cabinet under the rack was a safety folly? Further, was the structure of the rack compromised or weakened in any way which went undetected? Young lives lost and heartbreak ensue. Sincerest condolences to the grieving families and wishes for a full and speedy recovery to all those injured and scarred by these events.
Monday August 29, 2022 Kaieteur News PAGE 5
The Housing Phenomenon keeps getting better much more than simply four walls and a roof over a head. In this vein, Guyanese are now enjoying a level of security and dignity yet again, as this was missing between 20152020. Today, in the country, we see that there is the unfolding of so many rights, as “Human rights are indivisible and interdependent, so the right to adequate housing cannot be separated from the other rights such as sanitation, water, education, and healthcare.” I recall in June of this year, that The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Sherwyn Greaves, emphasising that the Government’s housing drive is synonymous with the creation of employment. This was a commitment that was also made to Guyanese back in August 2020. He rightfully stated at that time that “This will not only help the landowners; it will at the same time provide employment for our citizens across the country,” as the CH&PA will always be inviting individuals, groups and companies to express their interest in providing various skills and services for the housing initiative. Plaudits then to the leaders of the land. Guyanese today are achieving equity, dignity and security in an unprecedented way.
DEAR EDITOR,
Shamshun Mohamed
DON’T GET MAD – RUN FOR OFFICE! think or believe this or not, Guyana is on a cyclical path. Since independence, we have moved from bondage to independence…from independence to great courage…to abundance. I theorise that we have or will move from abundance to apathy to dependence then to weakness, and finally back to bondage. You can affix the timespans in each segment, or maybe you would line up the segments differently. The bottom line is if you are mad as hell in terms of what is really happening to our beloved Guyana, then run for office. As late as the LGE is (and GECOM must be held legally responsible for local government’s elections – no excuses). Run for office –someone has to speak, advocate, protest, represent –someone has to inspire the next generation. Why would the word “apartheid” sting in Guyana’s context? I position that engagement and activism are at an all-time low, thus, those in office, those out of (Continued
on page 6)
Thank you for allowing me the space in your newspaper to advocate to those mainly between 20yrs – 45yrs to run for office in the next local government elections. Will you speak up for the oppressed in our nation? Decade after decade since independence, we as Guyanese are not happy and I mean all ethnicities. Do you know there’s a World Happiness Report? Guyana reminds me of the book of Judges – recycled misery. Whether you
For we need to shed our layered cloaks of putrid partisanship, if we are ever going to start considering and approaching (start only) an environment and society, where there are those ideals of democracy of which we love speaking with such self-congratulatory aplomb. One of those ideals is justice for all, or equal justice under law. A man suspected, whether rich or loyal or helpful, being seen in the company of politiciansbe he or she President, Vice President, Minister, or Opposition member-should not result in an automatic brand of guilt. But that very relationship, perhaps sturdy, mutually beneficial friendship, now stands as a flashing red light as to what follows, or shouldn’t unfold. Is it kid’s gloves? Does a wall of silence takeover? Is there the perception of, as ably supported by, a blue wall erected with seniors singing some desultory blues? Or is there the same energy and urgency that characterises the pursuing of a junkie, or a known character, or a citizen of past propensities? Whichever applies, the standard ought to be same, and consistently (Continued
Yours
DeniseCordially,Murray
From page 5 office, and those watching on are all offended. This sounds like apathy and/ or weakness to me. Where can you start? Put this in your browser - 3 quick questions on electoral reform…click, fill listTKJU9YTKojFZyKgr6.submit…https://forms.gle/andPushforacleanvoter’salongwithhouse-to-house
Support to investigate allegations of corruption
DEAR EDITOR, The relatives of the Guyanese machine-gunned on Main Street speak of a prime suspect in the murder seen shaking hands with local politicians (KN August 28). This means such action is in the open, and I must thank the PPP Government, from the President on down, for that single instance of untouched transparency. It raises all kinds of spectres, and returns us back to prior times, and the horrors of what went before. It is not merely a matter of who is protecting whom, who in high offices are covering up for others, but just as meaningfully, how many different standards of
PAGE 6 Kaieteur News Monday August 29, 2022
Who is protecting whom?
DEAR EDITOR, I have seen consistent threats against GECOM Chair Madame Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh seeking to push her out. These threats are inappropriate. The threats themselves are inappropriate and don’t belong in a democratic, civilised society. One cannot attack or threaten a head or member of a statutory or constitutional body. Anyone who studies political science as I did or have a basic understanding of law would know such threats don’t belong in a democratic society or made by another head of a constitutional body. Threats themselves don’t remove a person from office. The threats are hollow and they will not ensure that the Chair leaves. Justice Singh is a strong person. I don’t think she would simply walk away from her office on mere threats (physical or oral). What benefits would accrue to the Opposition and or its leader by threatening a statutory office holder? It brought back memory of Basdeo Panday’s attack on then President Robinson in Trinidad, a decision he must have regretted. In the tied election, when Panday should have remained as PM, Robinson bypassed him and appointed challenger Patrick Manning as PM who won less votes than Panday. That was the end of Panday’s career as PM. Threats themselves are legal infractions (violate the law). It is up to the legal authority to address that matter. In democratic countries, as in the US, India, Canada, there would be consequences threatening a constitutionalPoliticiansperson. must know that there is a well laid down
DEAR EDITOR, I support the call by Jillian Adams in another paper calling for “Allegations of corruption to be investigated by an independent body (Aug 27).The following are suggested projects and acts (list not exhaustive) that should be queried: fishing trawlers fiasco, purchase of GDF helicopters; granting or not environmental permits without proper studies or not conducting any studies for various projects of government or favoured companies (how was clearance done without impact statements), GuySuCo operations and management as well as its land grants and grabs, leasing of US$14 M packaging plant and building a new packaging plant for higher cost than the combined receipts of the lease, awarding of contracts to build road (many of the roads are falling apart with huge potholes), to procure pumps, steel sheet pil-
And while we are at it, the public would be interested to know: given the glaringness (and boldness) of aspects of questionable award of contracts, is there organised corruption by a few individuals at the top? Are individuals fronting for government executives? Can the President or VP say whether the summoning to Washington has now led to American companies getting contracts that are being steered away from Chinese companies? Justintruly,DeFreitas really should move from a top-up list arrangement to voting for potential party regional heads who compete for a seat in parliament.Let the people decide who should be their representative in Parliament and not the political party. This can be seen in St. Kitts and Nevis’s just concluded elections-even the potential Prime Minister campaigned for a constituency and won doforwelltomustNewsAccordingresoundingly.toaStabroekarticle,“GECOMsaysactwithinlawinrelationpreliminaryvoterslist”–whatisGECOMwaitingafteralltheseyears…justit.
Inappropriate threats against GECOM Chair
DON’T GET MAD – RUN FOR... registration.Next,we
policing and justice exist in thisAscountry.Icontinue, the objective is not to be provocative, but to be thought provoking.
ing (tendered multiple times) and varied movable equipment, and to build pump stations (contracts were given to inexperienced, unqualified contractors); flood relief grants (why no accounting and auditing for fraud), denial that oil and gas production is impacting fish stock yet government agrees to compensate fisherfolks, Mr. Su’s revelations, Demerara River Bridge ( why switch location from what was planned by Coalition Government and why the sudden switch of contractoris it characterized by features that Su talked about in ViceDidrevelations?Surevelation lead to a change in company); shore base being constructed at mouth of Demerara River (why is Exxon constructing it with government oil revenue and State not owning it? Why aren’t details of this transaction made public), gas to shore and the Wales Industrial complex, allocation of land as well as permit to grow hemp, granting of land in Uitvlugt and Leonora (President’s hometown), nonopening of the four closed estates, making contract payments without validation of work by engineers and scrutiny by accounting departments, and many more deals.
process of removing the Chair or Commissioners (unless they resign on their own accord). Theirs is a constitutional position – charges and establishment of an independent tribunal that will launch an inquiry and give recommendations to the President. The Chair has been accused of being partial towards PPP. Nevertheless, there is no evidence that she violated rules in favour of one party or the other. She merely has followed the laws. She can’t be accused of turning a blind eye on complaints of fraud in the March 2020 elections. Rigging was thoroughly addressed by the courts, including CCJ, and independent observers. The results were scrutinised at multiple levels right up to the CCJ. All violations were addressed. The Chair and GECOM followed the law. The Government has established an international commission of repute to look into the 2020 elections — cheating, rigging, performance of GECOM actors, etc. Terms of Reference of the Commission are not finalised. The Commission will come up with a report. It will address the issues being ventilated now and Conversationsbefore. I had with legal experts suggest that Madame Claudette Singh has been scrupulously pursuing constitutional framework. She has not violated laws or rules. She has been deliberate in her thinking and decision-making. Any constitutional infractions under her watch are not tenable. She will not condone or support wrongdoing. No one can force her to go beyond constitutional or legal process. Justice Claudette Singh is a disciplined person. She has been a judge and is legal and constitutionally minded. She follows the law. Attempts to bully the Chair are being thwarted by the alacrity of the Chair herself. She has been running the Commission for three years. She has not yielded to anything illegal. She will not be cowered by veil threats. She is sticking to constitutional legalForprovisions.preparations for the overdue Local Government Elections, she recently emphasised that the list is being sanitised and people will be free to include their names on it (if missing). She also made it clear that she cannot remove any name unless the person is deceased and evidence provided accordingly by the register office (of deaths and births). It should be noted that people travel for employment, education, vacation, and other purposes. One can’t willy nilly remove names from the list. Those who are deceased can be Oneremoved.mustalso note that the Chair is not GECOM. She is merely one of seven members. Decisions are taken as a body. Whatever decision is taken is that of the entire body and not just the members who support it. She is not responsible alone. The full body is responsible. Why pick on Justiceher?Singh is not of unsound mind and is not corrupt. She deserves all support to do her work without fear and favour and to implement all constitutional legal provisions. Absence of legal constitutional infractions by the Chair, the threats against the chair are baseless. Yours Vishnutruly,Bisram
on page 16)
Kaieteur News PAGE 07Monday August 29, 2022 BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT
Section 7.1 of the 2016 oil contract vests the power to audit and verify ExxonMobil’s expenses incurred in the hands of the Minister of Natural Resources. The contract provisions must be employed to its maximum to ensure that ExxonMobil is not tricking us, cheating us, or pulling the wool over our eyes. We must monitor expenses real time, and start doing so now. All the powers embedded in Section 7.1 must be utilized for the fullest benefit for Guyana. Mr. Jagdeo and Mr. Bharrat must show that they are both on the job, and up to the job. Enough with these costly failures! Real time monitoringcosts
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has taken on too much with this oil and he is slipping. Specifically, he erred terribly in saying that there is no co-management arrangement to help Guyana track ExxonMobil’s spending, and maintain checks on the authenticity of the oil company’s bills. Mr. Jagdeo assertion that we lack the power to do so is another failure on his part, and raises questions on how much he knows and how much he is for Guyana, where our oil wealth is concerned.
Kaieteur NewsPAGE 08 Monday August 29, 2022
…as cash flow in some companies jump from US$17B to US$300B last year alone
Oil companies set to receive largest returns in 15 years
Oil and gas companies to fundamental support petroleum product prices are a series of disruptions amid globally are positioning for levels through 2025,” BMO soaring “amidst the largest ongoing underinvestment record increases in cash said in the Upstream release. re alignment in energy triggeredthereadjustmentin flow, while providing better The report pointed out that supplysincethe1970s.”The the energy market. “Oil and returns on investment, even theoilandgassector’sreturn report noted that crack gas producers could report as rising costs have severely on capital employed spreads for gasoline and highest-ever free cash flows, impacted commodity price (ROCE) could hit next year diesel have reached all-time as much as $1.4 trillion, in and availability In fact, a the highest level since the highs and believe they could 2022.” Additionally, “global BMOCapitalMarketsreport 2008 global financial crisis, rise even higher as the year upstreamissettogenerateup highlighted by Upstream withROCEpossiblytopping drawsdown. to $1.5 trillion in surplus Energy stated oil and gas 25percentby2023. The Deloitte report in cash by 2030, possibly with producers are expected to In another report, highlighting striking the 70 percent of this surplus book record cash flows Deloitte Insights, said that Balance market trends, said generated by 2024; thisand most significantly, the billionin2020andnow,cash whileofferingthebestreturn oil and gas exploration and that recession worries and could be enough to fund andloss of Russia petroleum flows are set to increase on capital employed production (E&P) firms energy policy shifts, present balancebothlow-carbonandproductexports.” furtherasenergycommodity (ROCE)in15years. globally could generate downside risks to energy coreoilandgasprioritiesthisAn analysis by BMO pricesrally Itwasnotedtoo In June, BMO Capital combined cash flows of a markets. But disrupted trade decade.”Capital Markets of 120 oil that despite the rising costs Markets the investment record $1.4 trillion this year, flows and ongoing financial E v e n a m i d t h i sand gas firms, operating of production and inflated banking subsidiary of thanks to high prices in the discipline of oil and gas prevailing situation, oilglobally, found that stronger costs along the supply chain, Canadian Bank of Montreal- ongoing readjustment in the companies, along with low companies continue to beoil and gas prices will be the the oil and gas sector offers provided an oil and gas energy markets Capital inventories and spare heavily criticized for beingkey driver of record cash compelling value for a report highlighting their discipline, it noted, resulted capacity could limit more concerned withflowsintheindustry “select subset of producers” view on the continued in the oil and gas industry significant downside, returning money to
on page 19
The bank noted that the with vastly improving increase in prices, “amidst being“inoneofitshealthiest despite volatility in energy shareholders throughoil companies generated a returns profiles “We global product shortages periods currently, with its prices. It said that over the dividends and buybacks,record US$300 billion of continue to believe that stemming from rising lowest ever leverage ratio of next decade, oil and gas thaninvestingintheindustryfree cash flow last year, global under investment demand, refinery closures, 20 percent and one of its companies could have a key to develop more resourcecompared to just US$17 presents substantial upside highest ever dividend yields role in striking the balance that would increase supply of six percent, compared to between energy security and and rescue consumers othersectors. energy transition, while plaguedbyhighprices. Describingthegoodtime helping commercialize Earlier this month, for the oil industry, Deloitte essential low carbon United Nations Secretarycoined this period “the third technologies. GeneralAntonioGuterres golden age,” saying that Thereportcontinuedthat (Continued
andthePublictals,siteselfisdatecontentionmentwhenportlemsTheFrameworkandAssessmentDraftTheseportedmanyGovernmentAPNU+AFCtheingssayonmassiveorderDevelopmentInter-AmericanBank(IDB)intojustifytheneedforaUS$160Bloan;andtheotherhanditwantstothattheseadversefind-relatetotheneglectofhealthsectorunderthebutthatthePPP/Chasbeguntofixoftheproblems.Thoseproblemswerere-onbyKaieteurNews.findingsemanatedfromaEnvironmentalandSocialandEnvironmentalSocialManagementPlandatedAugust2022.PPP/Csaysthattheprob-identifiedintheIDBre-relatetoAugust2020theCoalitionGovern-wasinplace.ButthisisatoddswiththeoftheIDBreportwhichAugust2022.Thereportit-alsomakesitclearthatthevisitstothethreehospi-namelytheGeorgetownHospitalCorporation,LindenHospitalComplextheNewAmsterdamReThe IDB
Dem boys seh...
92 Berbice sugar workers protest...
Monday August 29, 2022 Kaieteur News PAGE 9
Careful with can-tractors!dem and gat fuh buy mo materials. Dis does carry de cost even furtherDenup.when de wuk done, yuh does find nuff fault. And it does cost yuh double fuh fix deDatprablem.ishow dem can-tractors get dem label. Dem looking fuh charge yuh a jewel and a crown. When dem building fuh yuh, dem also building fuh demselves. But some ah dem can-tractors does come in useful fuh some ah dem politician friends in de private sector. A company bin buildings a massive complex. While de building going up, de can-tractor did also building a house fuh de top daag in de company. Coincidence? Another big one lose he wuk over some alleged arrangement he had with de can-tractors wah did building a new building fuh he company. Dat is why yuh gat be to be careful and only use contractors and not Socan-tractorsyuhgat fuh know who yuh tekkin fuh do yuh wuk. Dem can-tractors gan can yuh if yuh nah careful. Talk half, leff half. ers that are affected. “The canals are getting worse and they have to clean the canals whenever that activity resumes. They are tasked with cleaning 300 rods for a pickup, a day’s pay and when the canals get bad that is not being reduced...the estate knows the cleaning of the canals is important because when you have the punts going in there, that ram punt is servicing the cane harvesters, we have fertilizer punt going through the canals, that is the fertilizing gang will be affected, planting gang will be affected, cane punts will have to use it. Why now seize the Heoperations?”wentonto argue that billions of dollars is being pumped into the sugar industry but yet there is no provision for workers such as the re-cleaners. “At the end of the day these people live from pay cheque to pay cheque and somebody needs to pay attention to these workers. There is a welfare department at every estate and they ought to see what is interfering with the workers.” $3.5 Billion was injected into GuySuCo recently and was done through the approval of the Agriculture Ministry under the supplementary budget.
this project on hold
From page 2 representative attached to Berbice, Harvey Tombron ,told reporters that based on the information provided to him by senior officials at the estate, “NDIA who is to fund GuySuCo the money to pay to re-cleaners, they stop the funding and so this left us in shock because obviously management would have been able to know beforehand that the funds are being depleted and there would be no money to pay these workers.” He stated that while it is puzzling as to how the money has suddenly depleted, at the end of the day it is the workWe gat contractors in Guyana. And we gat dem can-tractors. Deh gat a difference between de two. De former does do good wuk and nah rob yuh. But is fuh find dem. De latter we does call can-tractors. Dem does try fuh juk out yuh eye. Some ah dem does give yuh one estimate before de wuk start. And when yuh agree and yuh ready fuh build, dem does give yuh another and higher estimate. And den when de wuk tekkin place, yuh does suddenly run outta materials
The Government is playing a dangerous game. On the one hand it wants the people to accept the damning findings of the needs to put gional Hospital were done in July 2022. The sites visits were done on July 21st 2022, July 6th 2022 and July 5th 2022 respectively. It is therefore disingenuous for the Government to be now claiming that the data and evidence in the report related to the pre-August 2020 period. In relation to the New Amsterdam Regional Hospital, the Government says there have been interventions since the PPP/C came to office. For example, it says that a new X-Ray machine has been installed since 2021 and other X-Ray machines have since been installed. The Government further states that a new CT scan has been provided and “has been operationalised, laboratory equipment has been procured, ECG equipment, ultrasound machines, CTG for fetal monitoring in the delivery rooms, better systems for supplies have been put in place.”Itgoes on to state that, “Basic maintenance work on the existing operating theatres have been done, new maternity building, with three new operating theatres is about to be commissioned, operating room tables, new delivery beds and new ICU beds have been procured, new ventilators and anesthetic machines have been installed. A new oxygen therapy system is in place. The ATS for the back-up generator has been installed. The solar system now contributes 20 percent of the energy needs of the hospital. There are now new ambulances for the hospital. A new chemotherapy building will be operationalised in a few weeks. The dialysis centre has been reactivated. A new, fully-equipped Infectious Disease Building has been constructed and operationalised. General environmental clean-up has been put in place. Upgrading of the laundry services have been embarked on. In addition, a major upgrade of the hospital is planned under the IDB project that the government has Thesenegotiated.”claims do not subtract much from the deficiencies unearthed by the IDB in July of this year. In fact, these are all red-herrings since they do not substantively address the shortcomings noted by the IDB in its report. The IDB study pointed to major shortcomings in relation to the physical infrastructure; and inadequate space for the dressing rooms and outpatient care and the public waiting area. The IDB found a three-bed operating theatre and a two-bed ICU. If additional beds were procured how come the IDB made these findings during its site visit in July 2022?The IDB report also found the absence of capacity to do pathology analysis at the New Amsterdam Hospital. And as reported in this column earlier, a litany of other problems was identified including waste management and facilities management. The IDB desk study found no waste management plan. The number of toilets was found to be grossly inadequate for the traffic which flows through the hospital and some were said to be not working. The water used in the hospital was said to be untreated and the laundry inefficient. The Government therefore should stop playing politics with the health of the population. The IDB study involved July 2022 site visits and a desktop review of the literature. As such, its findings relate to the present state of the health sector and not to that which existed under the APNU+AFC.Butjustfor argument sake, what if it did? If the PPP really had fixed those problems identified in the report, then it means that it has the capability to do so without borrowing. And if the IDB study is dated, as is implicit in the Government’s response, then surely, this study cannot be used as the basis for lending Guyana US$160M. The Government wants to eat its cake and have it too. In light of the disingenuous claims being made by the Government that the findings relate to the period before August 2020, the IDB should put this project on hold until it can verify that the findings in the draft report relate to the post August 2020 period. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Kaieteur NewsPAGE 10 Monday August 29, 2022 THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
d
TLF, TUS, CMC, and PNL have gone to Timbuktu
Frederick Kissoon Lots of things are a group of wild men who get 1000. So they have become business They are still H e n r i t h e happening in the land that onsocialmediaandspeakso deadmeat. mentally immobilised over narcissist fromTLF should galvanise the much fantasy that after a TUSaresomefolksfrom the loss of power by the has links to a leading hypocrites who are the while people just got fed up womengroups,middle-class middle-class groupings in personality of CMC. world’s most barefaced of the same sermon, same men, anti-PPP academics, the PNC and AFC in March Women members of humans. But except for TLF cussingout,samewords. and former associates of the 2020 CMC has serious TUS enjoy deep destitution when Forbes - the lunatic fringe - the rest A m o n g T L F WPAremnants. support from one leading friendship with seminal Burnhamruledinthe70sandof the anthropological personalities are; trench They would publish a media house because some figures in the CMC For 80s. We are referring to thedegenerates are holidaying crapo, black pudding maan, letter each month since Dr members of CMC own that example; two leading male March2020election.inTimbuktu. Henri the narcissist. They AlibecamePresidentandthe media organisation. CMC is Indians from the LGBT I think this constantThe usual suspects have been taking a beating signatures would mostly be notexclusivelypopulatedby community–oneinGuyana, banging has affected them.(TUS), Creole middle class with their viewership. You over 20 and it would be the Portuguese and mullato the other in Barbados – are Secondly, there may have(CMC) and the political see on Facebook and samenamesoverandover-a folks. There are countless interconnected with TUS been some effect on thenuveau lumpen (PNL) have YouTube, there is an inbuilt bunch of psychologically ChristianIndiansinCMC. andCMC. denunciation of them bybeen eerily silent over the systemwherebyonceyougo jadedsouls. Finally, there is PNL. To conclude on the M i n i s t e r P r i y apastfewmonthsanditbegan on the page it registers the CMCisaseriousstratum These folks come mostly descriptive typology - TLF, Manickchand.with the attack on the Mon click. in this country They are from civil society entities TUS, CMC and PNL are On the Gildarie-FreddieRepos Market vendors by So you can know how obsessed with colour and who desperately seek driven by anti-government Kissoon show she was harshdemonstrators protesting the many viewers visited the class and are the direct relevance and they find it by frenzy and their activism on TUS, CMC and PNLpolice shooting of a youth in site. If with a population of descendants of the mullato being hysterically anti will be on full display in the although she did not identifyBeterverwagting suspected almost two million race in British Guiana. They government. 2025 election campaign. If any group. She said sheofcriminalconduct. Guyanese in the land and have no racial dislike for The best description so you are a supporter of the cannot and will not engageLet’s do a quick spread over the world, you Indian people. It is just that far of PNL is from Ralph PPP, you will have to use suchpeople.efinition of these cannotget1000viewersthen they feel Indians are not Ramkarran. In response to every ounce of energy to The third factor is thatdegenerates then discuss you are a social media culturallysuitedtoholdstate his analytical treatment, he confront these four TUS, CMC and PNL aretheir recent reticence.TLF is failure.And TLF hardly gets power and should stick to said he got a good cussing dimensions of Guyanese confusedaboutwhatisgoingoutfromthem. society on inside the PNC. At theI asked Kian Jabour, the So why have they been level of class and culture,organising secretary of Mr silent lately except for TLF? they do not support AubreyRamkarran’s party, ANUG, Three factors may be at Norton and this has them inif he knows who did the work. One is that the PPP some serious confusioncussing out but he did not leadership has been about how to shape theirknow A caveat is in order inflexible and relentless in activism.There is no discernible, neat their lamentation that these (The views expressed inseparation between TLF, peopleshouldbeashamedof this article are those of theTUS, CMC and PNL. They supporting or being silent at a u t h o r a n d d o n o tare all incestuously a time when Guyana was necessarily reflect theconnected. They are all about to return to the opinions of this newspaper.)friendlywitheachother. a b o m i n a b l e e r a o f
Monday August 29, 2022 Kaieteur News PAGE 11
Kaieteur NewsPAGE 12 Monday August 29, 2022
The current Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), w h i c h t h e G u y a n a Government entered into with ExxonMobil Guyana and its partners, give the oil companies leeway to selfinsure the offshore operations.Thismeans that the oil companies are allowed to set asideanamounttheybelieve is enough to cover any accidents that may occur during oil production rather thanpayforapremium.This loophole however is one of the key features the A Partnership for National liable in any future PSA consequences which results Leader of the AFC Party, company guarantee is being tanker, Mare Doricum, wasUnity+AllianceForChange regarding full liability indamagetoathirdparty)by KhemrajRamjattanandwho negotiated with the unloading at one of Repsol’s(APNU + AFC) Opposition coverage for any oil spill or the contractor or the said the deal was signed at a Environmental Protection refineries The spillbelieves should be plugged any sort of related operator ” This is so time when Guyana was in Agency(EPA). contaminated Peruvianinanynewoilcontract. environmentalaccidents.” according to Article 2.4 of need of a new revenue E x p e r t s a n d waters, blackened several ofThis is according to The subject of a new the2016PSA. source. In recent times, he environmental activists have the country’s beaches andEconomist Elson Low, who Production Sharing Further, the contract has acknowledged the need questioned this sum in light disrupted the livelihood ofserves as the Opposition Agreement or oil contract states at Article 20.2 (b) for a renegotiation of the of recent oil spill accidents. artisanalfishermen.Leader’s Economic and recently took the spotlight as “Subject to the Minister’s contract, after being a stern In Peru for example where As such, in May, Peru’sYouth Policy Adviser Low the country gears for an approval, which shall not be defenderofthedeal. only 12,000 barrels of crude Consumer Protectionin a recent telephone auction of the remaining oil unreasonably withheld, the More importantly, wasspilledoffshore,Repsol- Agency, National Instituteinterview with Kaieteur blocks by year end. The Contractor, notwithstanding ExxonMobil Guyana has the Spanish operator of the for the Defense ofNews, was at the time current oil contract merely theprovisionsofArticle20.2 said that there is a US$600 block-hasbeenslappedwith Competition and Protectionoutlining some of the ties Exxon’s limited liability (a), shall have the right to million set aside by the a US$4.5 billion lawsuit. It of Intellectual PropertyCoalition’s plans for new company, Esso Exploration self-insure all or part of the Stabroek Block operators to wasonJanuary15,lastwhen (INDECOPI) approachedPSAs when he highlighted and Production Guyana aforementioned insurances coveroilspillsperdisasterin thousandsofbarrelsofcrude the 27th Supreme Court offull liability coverage as a Limited (EEPGL), to inArticle20.2(a).” the rich Stabroek Block, were spilled from one of Peru and filed a civil lawsuitkey area of focus He damages that “may be It must be noted that this where presently production Repsol’s La Pampilla and is seeking US$3 billionexplained, “There is a brought or made against agreement was signed under has surpassed 300,000 refineries off the coast of for environmental damageserious concern regarding Government by a third party t h e t h e n C o a l i t i o n barrelsperday Inadditionto Ventanilla in the region of and US$1 5 billion fortheinsuranceissueandsowe by reason of negligence (any Government, by AFCs that, it was reported that a Lima, Peru It happened damages to locals andbelieve that the parent act or omission or reckless Raphael Trotman, and US$2 billion parent when an Italian flagged consumers.companies must be held disregard of harmful
In an advertisement facilitate these additional That contract would allow done at the CJIA falls under taxpayers’ dollars going m a k i n g m o r e published in Sunday’s works, and the engineer for the construction of a the PPP administration plan towards the ‘continued accommodation He had edition of the Kaieteur estimated that it would cost storage bond and workshop to ‘continue modernize’ the modernization’ of the said,“Wehavetocontinueto News,theMinistryofPublic some$150million. at the airport – for that airport In fact, it was airport. (Continued on
Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) [Mike Charles Photo] Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill By:RenaySambach After completing a US$150 million expansion and rehabilitation of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) at Timehri, Works, invited for bids to It was only onAugust 15 project the engineer Minister of Public Works, The Minister had noted Government will be u n d e r t a k e d r a i n a g e that this newspaper reported estimated that it some $37 J u a n E d g h i l l , w h o that construction at the pumping another $150 improvement and flood that the Ministry issued millionwouldbeneeded. announced that citizens airportwillcontinuebecause millionintothefacility control structures to another invitation for bids. All new works being should expect more of their the Government has to keep
Peru
page 16)
New PSA must hold parent companies liable for oil spillsElson Low Authorities join efforts to clean up a spill in
Another $150M to be spent on CJIA
Opposition Economist
apartment from fire accidentally started by Swiftchildresponse child
The International Decade for People of and telephone of the call for proposals. African Descent Assembly Guyana IDPADA G’s Project Officers offered (IDPADA-G) on Friday distributed grant guidance throughout the process of awards to nine of twenty-four (24) approved completingtheapplications. “Theproposals projects to member organisations at its North were reviewed by our Project Management Road,Bourda,Georgetownoffice. Team. An external panel reviewed and Each grant is valued at $100,000. At the recommended the final grant awardees. All handing over ceremony, Programme material and supplies will be procured by the Manager,LyrisPrimoinformedthegathering Secretariat,” she said noting that the projects thatinJune2022IDPADA-Ginvitedmember arediverse. organisationstoapplyforgrantsinsupportof Projectsincludepigandchickenfarming, community based projects that aim to youth development, African History promote justice, recognition, and sustainable Children’s book and a Guyana Youth Talent development within the African Guyanese programme. The implementation of all community Ms. Primo said the objective of projectswillbemonitoredbyProjectOfficers the grants are to support and encourage until completion. Present on Friday to sustainable development practices at the receive their awards were, The House of community level. Member organisations that Nyabinghi, Dominion Schools, and Carib previously benefitted from project Feedback/ Theocracy Mansion (Region 4), managementtrainingwererequiredtosubmit Belladrum Co-op Society, Rising Star Youth only one application in the areas of training Sport and Culture, Young Farmers Fruit and and educational activity, enhancing existing Vegetables Agro Processing, and Small cooperatives, and household/community Farmers’Association (Region 5), Lighttown gardens. Agricultural Cooperative Society Limited, The Programme Manager explained that and Lighttown Gangoo Creek Community memberorganisationswerenotifiedbyemail Development(Region6).
Swift response saves
Five recipients of IDPADA-G’s grant awards.
L-R: Mr Maurice Smith, Ras Leon Saul, Ms Sherrol Mingo, Ms Caroline Rahaman and Ms Florine Dalgetty
Investigations have revealed that the withoutanyadultsupervision.
IDPADA-G issues grants to 24 Member Organisations
The swift response of the Guyana Fire blazeeruptedinoneoftheapartmentslocated Service (GFS) on Friday saved a two-story on the ground floor The fire service said it apartment building from being completely wasstartedbyachildwhowasplayingwitha destroyed after a child accidently started a cigarette lighter The flames from the lighter firewithacigarettelighter accidently came in contact with a mattress The fire service said it had received a call and began to spread, eventually gutting the around 11:02hrs alerting them that there was entireapartment. a fire at Lot 34, Friendship Public Road, East Luckily fire fighters arrived quickly and Bank Demerara (EBD). The building, a two- were able to extinguish and contain the storey wooden and concrete structure, is flames from spreading to other parts of the ownedby51-year-oldYonetteWiltshire.The building. woman lives at the location along with nine The Guyana Fire service is urging home otherrelatives. owners not to leave small children home
Man missing after leaving friend’s home at Friendship
Kaieteur News PAGE 13Monday August 29, 2022
A 47-year old man is now missing, after leaving his friend’s home at Friendship, East Bank Demerara on ThursdayThemissing man has been identified as Jermaine Liverpool, 47, of lot 838, CoventGardenEBD. According to Yvonne Liverpool, the motherofthemissingman,hersonsuffers from epilepsy had left their home around 14:00hrs on Wednesday to visit his friend’s home, located at First Street, Friendship,EBD.
The woman said her son did not did not say where he was going but she is aware that he would visit his friend at Friendship. As such, she noted that she Sundayavisitwasmadetothefriend’shomeat was not too worried when he failed to Friendship and he told them that Liverpool had show up later that evening as he would left there around midday Thursday for Covent evensometimesspendthenightthere. Garden. However, when he failed to return A shop owner in Friendship also home on Thursday she and his brother corroborated that indeed Liverpool had left the started to become worried because it was area to go home onThursday and they have not unlikehimnotshow-upafterspendingthe seenhimbacksincethen. nightout. Relativesareseekingthepublic’sassistance Friday passed and there was still no in locating the missing man. If anyone knows sign of Liverpool.Areport was lodged at whereLiverpoolmightbe,orhasseenhim,they the Providence Police Station and his are asked to make contact with the nearest brother began looking for him On policestationorcall679-4614.
The apartment.gutted
Liverpool.JermaineMissing,
Five customers walk away with over $500,000 each as Digicel’s Summer Cash Vault promotion concludes
Kaieteur NewsPAGE 14 Monday August 29, 2022
Excitement filled the air on Saturday as another five lucky persons were able to walk away with over $500,000 in cash as Digicel broughtthecurtainsdownon its Summer Cash Vault promotion.Thepromotion was launched last month by the service provider, which said itscustomershadachanceto grab up to $15 million in cash.The final Cash Vault drawing was held at the MovieTowne tarmac, where there was also a live performance by Guyana’s singing sensation, Vicandi Singh.The five final customers of the promotion are: Maveline Johnson of Linden, Preston King of Bartica, Melessa Dabydeen grab as much cash as they the Digicel’s promotion and of West Coast of Demerara, can. win cash for themselves, Abigail Garret of Soesdyke Previous winners who without having to meet the andSherwinGoring. also walked home with over specified requirement of the By topping up with $500,000 in cash were promotion. $1000 or more, they were all Germain Knight of As the Cash Vault show able to collect letters and Georgetown, Ramdai c o n c l u d e d , D i g i c e l spell the word C-A-S-H; Ramnand of Berbice, Trudy announced that with the automatically winning Ramberan of Georgetown, upcoming Cricket Carnival, $500,000 each. They were Amar Persaud of Grove and its customers will have a also eligible for a chance to S h e n e z a C a e s a r o f chance to win more prizes as win up to $3,000,000 from Kwakwani. Members of the the company has plans on the Digicel Cash Vault, media were given an hosting other promotions wheretheyhadoneminuteto opportunity to participate in duringthatperiod.
The five lucky contestants who participated in Digicel’s final CASH Vault draw show on Saturday. Scenes from the Cash Vault draw show which was held at Movie Towne.
Opposition’s Spokesperson picture, the Shadow Oil and has more than enough at the of Guyanese participation His personal position is TheVicePresidentsaid,“We onoilandgasrelatedmatters Gas Minister said he moment.Idothinkthatsome would be of particular that a consortium of have all of the areas in the National Assembly, believes Exxon already of their blocks will be interest. Guyanese could be given a potentiallythatwearegonna was asked to weigh in on the holds more of Guyana’s c o m i n g u p f o r Should locals be chancetoprovethattheycan put out to auction. We have matter when he said wealth than it should. He relinquishment because involved in the auction, he get the capital, give the 3D seismic for some areas; Guyanese should be went on to acknowledge the obviously they may not be said there would have to be country better fiscal terms, wehave2Dseismicforsome enjoying Guyana’s wealth, oil giant’s experience in the abletoexplorethemallatthe an examination of how to and make a profit for areasandwehavenodatafor rather than foreign sector, noting that if same time so I don’t think avoid the blocks landing in themselves As to the some areas. Before the end companies.Infact,heargued ExxonMobil wishes to our competing will not be thehandsofExxonandother timeline for the auction, he ofAugust,wehavetomakea that the Local Content participate it should play a detrimental to them in any players since the intention of said this has been moved determination on whether Legislation was crafted partner role and lend its way.” the bid round is to also avoid fromtheSeptemberdeadline wewillpursuethestrategic specifically with this goal at expertise to the local Vice President Bharrat more concentration of the to year end, as they are a (Continued on page 16) heart. business. Jagdeo,whohasbeencalling Patterson believes that “There is nothing wrong the shots in the budding notonlyshouldGuyanesebe with Exxon partnering sector, recently said he is not allowed to participate, but afterwards if they want to opposed to the idea of locals should also be the winning lend their expertise to a local participating in the bidder of the prospective oil company but I don’t think upcoming auction of the oil blocks, considering the fact that it is advantageous for us blocks. During his most that locals will have enough to have more than 50 or 60 Press Conference, the VP time to boost their human percent of our oil fields said the involvement of resource capacity and controlled by one particular locals is a very important financialstrength. company,” Patterson noted. point for the State to He said, “Actually I He went on to explain that consider wouldgofurthertothinkthat when the Coalition was in If the auction is open to
ExxonMobil should be barred from oil blocks auction
…says locals should take limelight - AFC Shadow Oil and Gas Minister, David Patterson
The party made its buildtheircapacityandmore pointedout. terms of being leaders in the position clear on Friday thanenoughtimeforthemto He believes, “if we have u p s t r e a m i n d u s t r y during a Press Conference. get financing locally and several different players Meanwhile, foreign entities
Former Public Infrastructure internationally to be able to there, obviously each of are being allowed to exploit Minister, David Patterson, productivelyusetheblock.” them have their own stake the resources. He said a nation’s offshore assets with number of matters that are w h o s e r v e s a s t h e Drawing Exxon into the but I think that how Exxon debate on the pros and cons thosecompanies. still under consideration
Kaieteur News PAGE 15Monday August 29, 2022
Change (AFC) believes that auction, if it does various companies from themselves If locals are US oil major, ExxonMobil happen…the time between different countries “so that excluded, the Vice President should not be allowed to exploration and production no one country or no one said there could be concerns participate in the year end that can be about five to 10 company has overly undue that Guyanese are not being auction of the remaining years, that’s more than influence on the country,” given the opportunity to blocks. enoughtimeforGuyaneseto the Member of Parliament grow their knowledge in
Already enjoying the if it does happen, the Government, efforts were Guyanese, Jagdeo said he richness of Guyana’s 6.6 successful company (should being made to diversify anticipates criticism that the million acre Stabroek oil be) Guyanese based because ownership of the oil blocks. Government is allowing a block, the Alliance for the reality is whenever the This means including few people to enrich
FOR RENT
GHKSincerely,Lall
From page 15 partnership idea or whether we will put out everything to auction or do a combination of both. Also, we have to deFrom page 12 making more accommodation, I think sooner or later with oil and gas sector growing and tourism growing and bringing in high profile tourist, we will have to have facilities for corporate jets, luxury lines…people coming here with private planes to go and do things,we have to keep expanding…”Moreover, just recently Chinese contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) completed its part under the US$150 million airport expansion contract. The airport expansion contract was signed in 2011 under then President, Bharrat Jagdeo, and was passed through the truncated presidency of Donald Ramotar. However, when the David Granger administration took over in 2015, it said that the very defective plan needed adjustments and changes were made. The decade-old project was awarded to CHEC for the sum of US$150 million: $138 million from the China ExxonMobil should be barred from oil blocks...
Exim Bank and $12 million from the consolidated fund –taxpayers’ money. When the PPP administration took office in August 2020, Minister Edghill had stated that they were not satisfied with the work that was done by the contractor and as such, they had negotiated and got CHEC to do additional works at the airport at no cost to Guyana. The additional works that were done by the contractor included a superstructure corridor and curtain wall. It was only recently that CHEC completed the works on the airport.Notably, while the contract cost with the Chinese contractor remains at US$150M, the Government is undertaking several multi-million upgrades to the airport which were separated into threeADDITIONALparts. SPENDINGThe additional spending by the Government has increased the amount of money spent on the airport which falls way below expectations and international airport standards.The $150 million that is expected to be spent on drainage and flood control structure – as well as the $37 million that will go towards the construction of the storage bond and workshop will also be added as additional spending.Earlier this month, eight companies bid vying for the contract to construct a new administrative building at the airport.For this project, the engineer estimated it to cost $906 million [US$$4,309,639]. In August 2021, the Public Works Ministry had signed a contract with Kalitech Incorporated to the tune of $25.9 million [US$124,021] to design the new office building for the airportThestaff.Government also signed a $513 million [US$2,456,494] contract last year with construction company CALCO for the construction of a new building attached to CJIA’s terminal building – that new building will house a conference room, offices for the airlines and the other support agencies as well as storage bonds for the duty-free shops and concessionaires.InSeptember 2021, Edghill’s Ministry awarded a contract for forpany[US$2,000,000]$418,562,400toalocalcom-namedTotalSolutionsthesupplyoftwoadditional air-bridges for CJIA, some $73,248,420 more than what was paid for the other air bridges. The air bridges are slated to be installed in September.Someother projects at the airport that the Government is funding are: $38 million [US$181,962] for an international apron and the taxiway Charlie, $23 million [US$110,135] for the rehabilitation of the existing roof at the airport, construction and rehabilitation works of the VIP Lounge and new and existing commercial buildings of the airport at an estimated cost of $612 million [US$2,930,554], $518 million [US$2,480,436] runway, which comes with an Instrument Landing System (ILS) and $420 million [US$2,011,164], which was approved by the National Assembly for a baggage handling system for the renovatedWithairport.more spending to be done on the airport, the final cost for the airport expansion is stillNotably,unknown.while Minister Edghill had assured that the CJIA expansion project final cost will not surpass US$200 million –to date, the spending is currently over US$166 million.
cide on the blocks – how we want to split these potential areas and what size these blocks should be so we are going to get technical advice on that.”Government is yet to determine whether existing oil companies in Guyana, particularly ExxonMobil, will be allowed to participate in the auction and if so, whether there will be a limit to the number of blocks one person could have or not.
Another $150M to be spent on CJIA...
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From page 6 so. I seek to be realistic: Guyana is not heaven. Oil and all, the President sometimes soothing, most times aggressively grinding, verbal exploits, and the reflexive rush to the rescue of partisan, from the book educated to those uneducated in what is meant by principle and honour, I insist that Guyana is not Nirvana. It consists of weak men, weaker leaders, and a nation labouring with a history of the sordid and woeful. The PNC took care of the killer of a man held as a hero, the one deemed to be the saviour of Guyana; except that he was blown up. We still lament losses from a record that goes back to Son Chapman and travels to a jailbreak and all the mysteries between and thereafter. I apologise for compressing 6 decades of the perverse into less than 6 phrases in 1 sentence. The point is that we have had our troubles, terrible ones, with my next two points being that (1) we must have learned something about the futility
Who is protecting whom... of some ways; and (2) protection of perversions and the associated perverters makes all of us (me too) into committed or unwilling perpetrators of more injustices. For those with conscience, try it. I now try a different tack. By now, something should be crystal chandelier clear. It is that the lead suspect(s), prime perp(s), top candidates for the murderous Main Street barrage is not a regular street criminal, a run of the mill hitman. From every indication, whether pointed to or still unknown, the killer(s) and orchestrators are commodities of power and enormously influential reach. Though the President has garnered for himself a well-earned reputation as better dancer than Mr. Bojangles, the more he dances with and around this one, the more tangled his feet, the clumsier he comes across. One would think that he is running interference for his besieged Vice President, given his hesitations, his hiccups, and his helplessness. Again, I resurrect that wise reminder from Mario Puzo in The Godfather -take the people money, then there has to be responding when the call comes; even if it is 25 years later. In Guyana, we are talking of the most recent two, and the piper has to be paid. Hence, none should marvel at the gyrations of senior officers of what I still call the law. It is a struggle, but the sacrifice is made. I don’t think that this would ever be the self-degrading, humiliating, personal state for some two-bit bozo with an automatic weapon who let loose. I must close this out: I understand that the officers are following orders and script. Get it done any which way, and be done with it. There is still such a thing called following the law, save for its falling apart, falling down, and falling flat on its face.Whither standards, whither honour, whither law, and whither the men to stand for all three. I do the President a favour by including him.
SOUTHCOM is one of the Department of Defense’s six geographically focused unified commands with responsibility for security cooperation with defense and public-security forces in the Caribbean, Central America and South America.
U.S. Army General, Laura Richardson, Commander of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), is expected to visit Guyana today to meet with Government and defense leaders for talks on the bilateral security partnership between the United States and Guyana.TheUS official is expected to return home on Wednesday.Richardsonis visiting Guyana ten months after assuming duties as SOUTHCOM’s Commander and nearly five months after meeting with Caribbean defense and public-security leaders during the 2022 Caribbean Nations Security Conference in April in Bridgetown, Barbados, the US Embassy here said in a release. During her two-day stay in Georgetown, she will meet with U.S. Ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch, President of Guyana, Mohamed Irfaan Ali, and Guyana Defence Forces (GDF) Chief of Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess. Richardson will also join Guyana’s First Lady Arya Ali and Ambassador Lynch in welcoming participants of the Caribbean Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Conference, which Guyana will host August 29-September 1 in partnership with the Florida National Guard. The United States and Guyana have a longstanding history of security cooperation.
Section 7.1 states: The Contractor shall prepare with respect to each Calendar Quarter, or on a monthly basis if requested by the Minister in writing, a Statement of Expenditure and Receipts under the Agreement. The Statement will distinguish between Exploration Costs, Development Costs and Operating Costs consistent with the individual categories specified in Sections 2 and 3 herein and will separately identify major items of expenditures within these categories. The statement will show the following: (a) Actual expenditures and receipts on a monthly basis for the period in question. (b) Cumulative expenditure and receipts for the budget year in question. (c) Cumulative expenditures and receipts since the Effective Date. (d) Latest forecast of cumulative expenditures to year end. (e) Variations between budget forecast and latest forecast, with explanations thereof Subject to 7.1, the Statement of Expenditure and Receipts shall be submitted to the Minister no later than thirty (30) days after the end of such Calendar Quarter or Month as the case may be.” Under the arrangements of the contract, the Minister also has the right to audit upon 90 days written notice, at his sole cost and expense, accounts and records of the Contractor.Thecontract states that the Minister may audit, examine and verify, “at reasonable times during normal business hours but not more than once per Calendar Year, all charges and credits relating to the Contractor’s activities under the Agreement and all books of accounts, accounting entries, material records and inventories, vouchers, payrolls, invoices and any other documents, correspondence and records necessary to audit and verify the charges and credits.”During the annual audit, the Minister has the option to review items previously subjected to audit in earlier years.However, the contract stipulates that the review shall only be carried out in conjunction with the annual audit for any given year. The PSA also states that at the conclusion of each audit, ExxonMobil and the Government shall endeavour to settle outstanding matters and a written report will be issued to the Contractor within 60 days of the conclusion of such audit.
Monday August 29, 2022 Kaieteur News PAGE 17
The Former Minister said if the will exists, Guyana can utilize multiple mechanisms to track how the oil company spends and arm itself with the right experts who can ask the relevant questions that can ensure costs remain economical.InSunday’s publication, this newspaper also showed that the country is able to demand monthly and quarGRA already doing real-time monitoring... terly bills from Exxon. This is actually provided for in Section Seven of the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement.
Commander of U.S. Southern Command to visit Guyana
Weeks after a wanted bulletin was issued for 26-yearold Linden Fordyce called “Blacka” in relation to the murder of a Venezuelan woman – the murder suspect on Saturday night surrendered to the police. Fordyce had allegedly shot and killed Rosmarys Revolledo Torres, while she was trying to save her friend from him. The Police had issued a bulletin for Fordyce who surrendered at the McKenzie Police Station in the company of his lawyer on Saturday evening. Kaieteur News had reported that in the wee hours of Saturday, August 13, 2022, Torres was shot dead at Mahdia, Region Eight. According to reports, the Venezuelan woman was shot
Surrendered, Linden Fordyce called “Blacka”
The defense partnership between the two countries includes collaboration against regional threats and challenges, capacity-building exercises, bilateral training, expertise exchanges, events fostering the inclusion of women in defense and security missions, and professional development engagements.
Dead, RevolledoRosmarysTorres
Despite calls from the A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) Opposition to have a clean voters list before any elections with one party even threatening to boycott the upcoming Local Government polls, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is adamant that it could only work within the confines of the law where the matter of removing names from that list is concerned. In fact, the elections body is adamant that there are legal methods to be followed to remove any elector from that list which must be observed. Addressing what it said are concerns and opinions in the public domain, in relation to the existing Preliminary List of Electors (PLE), which was extracted from the National Register of Registrants Database (NRRDB), “GECOM cannot act contrary to the legal provisions enacted in the National Registration Act (NRA), Chapter 19:08.”Ina public statement from the organisation’s Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward, it stated that the NRA dictates the procedures for the registration of eligible persons and likewise, the removal of any such persons from the NRRDB.Itreminded that the eligibility requirement for registration is that one must be a Guyanese citizen by birth, descent, or naturalization, or a citizen of a Commonwealth country- living in Guyana for to police
U.S. Army General, Laura Richardson
GECOM says it will adhere to legal methods for removing names from voters list one year or more. “Once persons have met those requirements and have been registered, their registration is and remains legal. It follows that any removal of their names from the NRRDB, without a legal basis, would be unlawful and unconstitutional,” the statementGECOMsaid.explained that the existing legislation provides that the removal of names from the NRRDB can only be done through the legal methodology which includes the receipt of monthly reports from the General Registers Office (GRO) or through an Objections process, which allows for any elector, or suitably accredited Scrutineers of Political Parties, to object to the inclusion of names in the PLE, whom they suspect may not be eligible. However, the burden of proof would be on the objector to present at the time of the relevant hearing(s) to substantiate the objection(s), the elections body related. It noted that to further clarify the legal provisions enacted in the National Registration Act, Chapter 19:08, Chief Justice (ag), Roxanne George on 14th August, 2019 in her decision in the matter of Christopher Ram vs Guyana Elections Commission in relation to the Houseto-House Registration exercise in 2019, page 32 ruled that, “in order for the names of persons already registered to be removed from the list of electors, they would have to be deceased or otherwise become disqualified, but failure of registered persons to be present or resident during the house-to-house exercise would not be such a disqualifier and such a person’s name can only be deleted if they no longer meet the qualifying criteria under Article 159(2) or become disqualified under Article 159 (3) and (4).” Justice George further ruled that “GECOM would have no legal authority to remove or deregister such persons who are otherwise qualified unless such registration can be cancelled pursuant to Section 8, which provides for cancellation of registration, or in the Claims and Objections period pursuant to section 15 of the National Registration Act and the Regulations thereto.” The Chief Justice concluded that if GECOM is to act outside of those legal provisions, “it would be unconstitutional and, therefore, illegal.” GECOM noted the “crucial importance” in recognizing that the decision of the Chief Justice was not appealed (Continued on page 18)
Wanted murder suspect surrenders
From page 3 Taking the foregoing into consideration, Jordan said he would disagree with Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo who said that the country cannot do real time monitoring of bills being racked up by Exxon since there is no co-management agreement in place.Jordan said, “No contract has to allow or disallow real time monitoring of costs. The Government has to put in the necessary infrastructure to ensure that it can monitor those costs in real time instead of waiting until you get all the bills in lump sum…I cannot fathom that a company is taking loans on the country’s oil and you are saying to me, you don’t need details of all this until the end of a year or until the auditing time. So I am powerless? No, I don’t accept that Guyana is powerless in that regard.”
three times with a shotgun. The fatal shooting took place at a shop located at the Mowasi Backdam Landing in the Mahdia district. Several bystanders were reportedly injured, including the friend who Torres attempted to save during the shooting. Kaieteur News was told that the injured friend and Fordyce were reportedly in a relationship and were drinking at the shop with some other individuals. Torres was present when an argument ensued between the couple and things reportedly turned violent. Some eyewitnesses related that the man started to beat Torres’ friend at the shop. The woman then intervened in a bid to defend her friend. This publication understands that other Venezuelan women had backed her up but when the man realised he was outnumbered, he pulled out a shotgun and shot at them several times. Torres was struck three times and killed while several other women were injured. Torres’ friends have related that her tragic demise has left her 12year-old daughter motherless and stranded in the mining town with no close family members around. Torres and her daughter had travelled to Guyana sometime back to escape the hardships in Venezuela. Seeking a good source of income, she ended up in Mahdia with her daughter. This publication had reported that Torres was running a small shop in the area at the time of her demise.
PAGE 18 Kaieteur News Monday August 29, 2022
From page 17 and stated therefore, that only by way of the enactment of legislation can persons’ names be removed from the NRRDB. The Commission said it is currently conducting a Claims and Objections exercise, which commenced on 22nd August, 2022. “This exercise allows for all eligible persons to make a claim to be included in the OLE and provides the opportunity for all those persons who are al-
ready registered to check the accuracy of their registration records in the PLE that is posted countrywide in every Registration Division/ SubDivision.” As such persons can apply for changes, corrections to his/her registration particulars on or before 11th September, 2022. The Commission urged citizens to scrutinize the PLE, and object to the inclusion of the names of persons, who they suspect may not be eligible for such inclusion, on or before 15th September, 2022. “Original documentary evidence must be provided to support the objection, in accordance with the law.” GECOM said it remains resolute in its vision, “to maintain and further develop the capacity to conduct credible registration; General, Regional and Local Elections which, enjoys the confidence of all Guyanese and meets international standards for elections”.
ECOM says it will adhere to...
Kaieteur News PAGE 19Monday August 29, 2022 Flood victims in Region 7
Residents of Kaikan and river, the water has receded a surrounding communities in little but the unfortunate part Region Seven, that were hit is that while it is better for by flooding, on Saturday you, it affects the other end. received much-needed food So, from the Eterinbang items from the Government level, water has risen about aspartofreliefmeasures. four feet overnight as of this Minister of Housing and m o r n i n g S o , w e a re Water, Collin Croal visited responding to your needs, to the community and handed assist you, to support you, so over about 100 hampers to we want to show you that you Toshao, Marlon Williams have a government that will and Deputy Toshao, ensure that we work with you KatiuskaAnthon. and can respond to your Kaikan, a small Region need.” Seven community is located Croal assured that close to the Venezuelan some 550 packages of border with Guyana. The cleaning supplies will be village was hit by flooding sent to the community to which was caused by heavy aidinsanitization. rainfall and subsequent Meanwhile, the Village overtopping of the Cuyuni Toshao in expressing River The Regional gratitude for the relief effort C h a i r m a n , K e n n e t h explained, “We had a high Williams explained that level of water three to four more than 45 families have days ago However, the been affected and displaced. water has receded and I am In photographs shared with happy about that. Some of this publication, residents the areas that are affected were seen trying to salvage mainly are the riverine clothing and other items communitieswhichisTshau, while making their way Carboo and Rock landing. through water that was up to So, I am happy that this their shoulders In other response would have been areas,thewaterreachedknee presentedtoday.” high. The Civil Defence During the Minister’s Commission (CDC) was on visit, the water had receded the ground conducting a slightlyinsomeareas. flood assessment. To date, it The Department of has already distributed food Public information reported hampers to about 68 persons h i m a s s a y i n g t h e in Kaikan and neighbouring distribution of food hampers villages. The CDC which is just one of the measures fallsunderthepurviewofthe taken to respond to the Prime Minister’s Office is situation. responsibleformakingplans He said, “We are pleased and conducting operations to know this morning that at relevant to all types of the Kaikan end, the Cuyuni disastersinGuyana. From page 8 urged Governments with oil companies in country to tax excessive oil and gas profits. He sharply criticized the “grotesque greed” of oil and gas companies for making record profits on the backs of poor people. He also slammed fossilfuelcompaniesforthe“excessiveandimmoralprofits” they made during the energy crisis sparked by the RussiaUkrainewarinFebruarylast.
American President, Joseph Biden also chided oil companiesformakinglargeprofitsonthebacksofconsumers strugglingtomeetprices HesaidthatExxonMobil,acompany operatinghereinGuyanathatisalsooneofthebiggestplayers in the fossil fuel business, “made more money than God ,” Thatcompany’sprofitsareforecastedtoalmostdoubleto$43 billionthisyear;itssecond bestperformanceonrecord Oil companies set to...
Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, hands over food hampers to Toshao, Marlon Williams and Deputy Toshao, Katiuska Anthon (Photo credit: DPI)
receives 100 food hampers
PAGE 20 Kaieteur News Monday August 29, 2022
GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Today is your day, Gemini, so live it up! If it seems like things have been rather intense lately, don't worry, they're apt to lighten up quite a bit today. Feel free to be your usual jolly self,
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22) You may need a translator to get through to people today, Virgo. It could be hard to make decisions, but not impossible. Today's tip is to err on the side of adventure.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Take yourself on a mental adventure today in which you explore new aspects of your world. Discuss philosophy and religion. Get to the core of a matter that seriously interests you.
From page 22 was restricted by tight bowling from Dominic Drakes 217, Duan Jansen (2-15) and Akina Dananjaya (2-15) and were only able to score 84 from 9.3 overs. This was despite 22 from Russell, who smashed three sixes from his 13-ball knock. Tim Seifert also hit three sixes in his 25-ball 37 but, alas, no other batter was able to get into double figures. The pair advance form their respective semi-finals earlier in the day. In the first semi-final, the SKN Patriots which lost to the Jamaica Tallawahs earlier in the competition exacted revenge yesterday in a match that saw some lusty hitting from Tallawahs’ allrounder Fabian Allen and Andre Fletcher of the SKN Patriots. Batting first, the Jamaica Tallawahs scored a competitive 122-4. Allen was the mainstay of the Tallawahs’ innings with a 33-ball 82 that included three fours and nine massive sixes. Tallawahs failed to capitalize on Allen’s whirlwind knock, however, as Kennar Lewis (12) and Raymon Reifer (10) were the only other batters in double figures. Needing 123 to get into the final, SKN Patriots were led by Andre Fletcher’s unbeaten 30-ball 60 that included five fours and five sixes. Evin Lewis got the Patriots off to a flying start with 21 from just eight balls that propelled the St Kitts and Nevis... side to 38 inside three overs. Sherfane Rutherford made 11 from six balls and Dewald Brevis a run-a-ball five, came and went, but the Universe Boss, Chris Gayle (10) and Fletcher took the Patriots to a seven-wicket victory with four balls to spare. Nicholas Gordon was the best of Tallawahs’ bowlers but proved to be expensive with 2-35 from his two overs. In the second semi-final, Rahkeem Cornwall hit four fours and three sixes in his 15ball 36 to lead the Royals to 101-5. He got support from Corbin Bosch (21) and Kyle Myers, who scored 15 from just seven balls. Terrance Hinds was the best of the TKR bowlers with 3-13 from his two overs. TKR made light of the chase getting to 104-4 from 8.4 overs. Sunil Narine (35) and Tion Webster (27) got the team off to a good start scoring 42 from 19 balls. Narine scored his runs from just 16 balls and hit four fours and two sixes. Webster was equally efficient scoring his runs from 13 balls with two fours and two sixes as TKR raced to 68 in 36 balls before he was bowled by Bosch. Andre Russell was run out for 17 six balls later but with 19 runs to get from the last three overs Hinds scored 12 from six balls and Tim Seifert nine from four deliveries ensured that target was achieved without any further loss.
Minister Ramson awarded life Membership of GCC toric Club which is the home of Bourda since 1885. Ali, a former GCB President, said that the life Membership Card was given in recognition of the contribution to the club by the Minister, especially in terms of funding for various projects of a club that produced 17 Test players and hosted the first ever West Indies Test victory in 1930.Minister Ramson, who started his cricket career as an eight-year-old at the famous Club, thanked GCC for be- stowing such an honour on him and promised his continued support of the club which hosted its last International match in 2006 when West Indies played Zimbabwe.A left-handed batter and left-arm orthodox spinner, Ramson who was appointed a Minister on August 5, 2020, decided to focus his attention on academics after failing to gain selection on the National Youth team, but played at the first division level locally for Everest and as a semi Professional for his University when he retired as a parliamentarian in 2016 to pursue a Master’s of Science (Msc) degree in oil and gas enterprise management in the UK. (Sean Devers)
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You could be asked to make some spontaneous decisions today that you might not feel entirely comfortable making, Scorpio. You could feel you don't have enough facts.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Use your power resources today, Libra, as you have a great deal of dynamic energy at your dispo sal. You have the ability to transform and conquer anything now.
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) There's a fiery tone to the day that can't be ignored, Pisces. You may find that adjustments need to be made in your own plan of attack in order to get on the same page with other people.
Minister Ramson (R) is presented with GCC Life Membership by GCC’s Ramay Ali.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Take hold of this day as if it's your own and use it to grow your dreams, Aquarius. You'll find a great deal of power and dynamism in the air urging you to take the adventurous route.
Founded in 1858, the Georgetown Cricket Club is the oldest cricket club in the Caribbean and hosted 30 Tests and 13 ODI’s and along with the Providence Stadium, is the only grounds in South America to host Test Cricket.
CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The Your emo tions could be extra powerful today, Capricorn, although something may not feel as if it's sitting right. It could be a feeling of manipulation.
Jamaican Olympic finalist Damion Thomas was second in the 110m hurdles running 13.46 to finish runner-up to the USA’s Eric Edwards, who ran 13.40 for the victory. Norway’s Vladimir Vukicevic finished third in 13.61. Yohan Blake clocks 9.96 t...
CANCER (June 21–July 22) Be careful that you aren't acting in a way that you dislike in others, Cancer. You could find that you're slowly taking on the traits of the people you despise.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) The day's general mood should fit quite well with your agenda, Leo. There's no need to fixate on the negative. Keep things light and upbeat and worry about the consequences later.
Monday August 29, 2022 Kaieteur News PAGE 21 Monday August 29, 2022
ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) There's an extra spark in your eye that people won't be able to ignore. Today's a good day to get your point across, because you'll find people more open and receptive to new things than usual.
SAGIT (Nov.22–Dec.21) Emotionally, you may feel as if you're running up against a brick wall, Sagittarius. It could be that your first reaction is to drown your sorrows in drink. Escapism is only a temporary remedy.
From page 23 than a stellar field, she proved to beMarikoimperious.Morimoto of Japan leapt out to a lifetime best of 13.82m to claim second place while Nesa Filipic of Slovenia mustered her best effort of 13.78m for third.
On Friday last, the historic Club welcomed its newest life Member when GCC’s VicePresident Ramsay Ali presented the honourable Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Charles Ramson Jnr with his life Membership Card at the upper Story of the his-
SportsMax - St Kitts and Nevis Patriots are the inaugural champions of the 6IXTY after defeating Trinbago Knight Riders at Warner Park in St Kitts last evening. Like in their semi-final against Jamaica Tallawahs earlier yesterday, it was the Spiceman, Andre Fletcher and the Universe Boss, Chris Gayle who saw the team to victory.
St Kitts and Nevis Patriots defeat TKR by 3 wickets to claim inaugural 6IXTY crown
World and Olympic champion Estelle Mossely became a special guest at the celebration.“International Boxing Day inspires in me a moment of sharing, of passion, of exchange between boxers, coaches, managers and officials to get to know each other, the big family of boxing. It is also a time of celebration of our sport where we highlight all the work done by this big family, through the coaches who travel to bring their boxers to competition and train them; through the boxers who work hard to achieve their dreams; through the National Federations guided by the IBA which contributes to the proper functioning of our sport,” MosselyBoxerssaid.from Africa showed courage and technique in front of the spectators. In the women’s 50kg category, Nyembo Gisèle from DR Congo won Teddy Nakimuli from Uganda. Another Congolese woman, Sakobi Marcelat celebrated a victory in 57kg against Nigerian Elisabeth Oshoba. Alcinda Helena Pangwana from Mozambique defeated Congolese Mbabi Brigitte in 70kg by RSC. In men’s 63,5kg, Collin Louis Richarno from Mauritius won Congolese Mbaya Fiston, while in 71kg Tiago Muxanga from Mozambique defeated Tshama David from DR Congo.Inthe final fight of the day, Congolese Peter Pita Kabeji delighted the home crowd with his victory over Fotouo Totap from Cameroon.
Bright festival, dedicated to International Boxing Day, took place in Kinshasa. DR Congo hosted a great sports celebration with honoured guests from all over the world and local boxing fans. The guests were welcomed to Africa with traditional music and dancing.
The boxers from DR Congo and other African countries, who met in the spectacular fights, became the headliners of the programme. “I am happy that International Boxing Day showed us again the unity and strength of our Boxing Family. We will continue to develop boxing in every country, so our athletes can have the best conditions to improve their skills. One day, there will be no corner in the world that wouldn’t have their champions,” IBA President Umar Kremlev said.
Fletcher scored an unbeaten 27 from 23 balls while at the other end Gayle was not out in 15 from 16 balls as the SKN Patriots scored 85-3 from 9.4 Evinovers.Lewis got them off to a rollicking start with 32 from 16 balls with two fours and three sixes before he was bowled by Andre Russell when the score was 53. Russell dismissed Sherfane Rutherford two balls later for four and Sunil Narine bowled Dewald Brevis for nought two balls after that dismissal as the newly crowned champions slipped from 53-1 to 58-3. However, Fletcher and Gayle got the remaining runs without much trouble. Russell took 2-11 in the only over he bowled. Earlier, TKR (Continued on page 21) 6ixty Champs St Kitts and Nevis Patriots celebrate with trophy following their triumph.
PAGE 22 Kaieteur News Monday August 29, 2022
International Boxing Day 2022: Flashlight in the African night
Cadogan; Aasrodeen Shaw Nearest to the Pin and Best Gross to Avinash Persaud (77).The winning scores were high, indicating some lingering soft conditions on the fairways and thick rough. The club continues to upgrade the course ahead of a number of marquee tournaments set for September and October.Country Manager for Ansa McAl Troy Cadogan kindly agreed to sponsor the tournament at short notice and brought some Barefoot Pink Moscato and Sweet Red wines for members to enjoy, along with raffling off various gifts.
Monday August 29, 2022 Kaieteur News PAGE 23
An angry Alonso ranted on Alpine team radio at the time: “What an idiot. He closed the door from the outside. I mean, we had a megastart but this guy only knows how to drive starting first.” Alonso was more restrained after the race and said he was happy to hear of Hamilton’s explanation and acceptance of the blame. “I think he thought that I wasn’t there anymore,” said Alonso. “So I don’t think that it’s a mistake – it’s just that in the heat of the moment you try to take the slipstream, brake late and turn in. “Sometimes, you don’t measure the cars completely, where everybody is, but I don’t know... I normally take more care. “It was his mistake to close the door like that.”
Mike Mangal walked off with first place in the Barefoot/Ansa McAl tournament at the Lusignan Golf Club last Saturday.Mangal won with a net 70 (9/ gross 79). Ayube Subhan took second with a gross 73 (10/83) and Bridgelall Harry was third with 74 (14/88). Longest drive went to Troy
Hamilton accepts blame for Alonsorace-endingcrash side into turn five. Just didn’t leave quite enough space and I paid the price for it. It wasn’t intentional. It just happened.”
Alonso added that Les Combes was a notably tricky corner.“We have seen that many, many times here. It happened to him with (Nico) Rosberg a few years ago, so this time it is the same thing.” He said he agreed with the stewards’ decision not to penalise Hamilton. “It was a first lap incident,” he “Thesesaid.things happen. In that corner, especially, there are a lot of things that are going“Peopleon. normally cut the corner in (turn) six and re-join the track in seven. “So it’s a tricky part of the circuit for sure. It was a racing incident and there’s nothing more to say.” Shortly after, Nicholas Latifi (Williams) took out the Alfa Romeo of Hamilton’s old Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas as up ahead Max Verstappen swept away his rivals to head a Red Bull 1-2.
Mangal takes Barefoot Golf Trophy
(Continued on page 21)
SportsMax - Yesterday, Yohan Blake and Kimberly Williams won the 100m dash and triple jump competitions, respectively, at the 2022 TrueAthletes Classic in Leverkusen, Germany. Blake, who in June signalled a return to form this year following a 9.85 clocking at the Jamaica National Championships, his fastest time in a decade, sped to a 9.96 timYohan Blake clocks 9.96 to win 100m dash at TrueAthletes Classic in Germany ing to miss out on the meet record of 9.93 set in July 2019 by Arthur Cisse of the Ivory Coast.Nonetheless, the time was good enough for the 2011 world 100m champion to win comfortably ahead of the USA’s Cravont Charleston, who finished in second place in a time of Jeremiah10.12.Azuof Great Britain picked up the other podium spot after finishing third in 10.16.Williams, meanwhile, won the triple jump with a mark of 13.92m.The 33-year-old Jamaican has been well off her best this season. She has only managed a best of 14.29m this season, well below her lifetime best of However,14.69m.against a less
AFP - Lewis Hamilton accepted the blame and apologised for his part in an opening lap crash with Fernando Alonso at yesterday’s Belgian Grand Prix.The seven-time world champion said he did not see Alonso who was in his blind spot, as he attempted to complete a passing move at Les Combes. His Mercedes car’s front right wheel hit the Alpine’s front left, causing it to rise and then fall violently. The pair were unhurt and continued. Moments later, however, he slowed to a halt in the middle of the track with his team telling him: “Stop, stop, stop”, bringing to an end his run of five podiums and a perfect record of race finishes this season. “It’s definitely my fault,” said Hamilton.“Ididn’t see him. I’ve apologised. He was in my blind spot. So it’s unfortunate... I mean, it’s motor racing, I gave it everything. “I tried to overtake on the out-
Ansa McAl’s Troy Cadogan (2nd right) along with the winners and LGC officials after the presentation.
Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso was involved in a crash at Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix.
GFF members show overwhelming support in adopting statute reform
Concacaf term limits and reforms • GFF Council must contain at least two female members The GFF annual budget was also approved by its membership.
The reforms included:
• Provision has been made for the Barima-Waini Football Association (BWFA) to become the 10th GFF re gional association• Limits on presidential service of three total terms in office, to align with FIFA and
“This is not an exercise unique to Guyana. All 211 countries within FIFA and 41 countries in Concacaf have to do this alignment,” McIntosh said.“We are very, very happy with what is happening in Guyana in terms of the Guyana Football Federation and their administration of the game.”
• All 10 Elite League clubs will be GFF members
Teams advanced following quarterfinal matches in the ExxonMobil U14 Boys and Girls football tournament following play over the weekend at the MoE ground on CarifestaAkeelaAvenue.Hazel in the 3rd minute scored to give East Ruimveldt a 1-0 victory over their West Ruimveldt counterparts.New Central and Tucville played out a 0-0 stalemate on regulation time, however, New Central advanced via a Penalty shootout 3-2. Charlestown moved forward ahead of Dolphin via the
Teams advance from ExxonMobil U14 football quarterfinals walk over route. New Campbellsville beat Ann’s Grove 4-1 with Michesha Osbourne a hattrick in the 3, 7 and 9 minutes and Jorcialy Sallina (43) netting the fourth. Ann’s Grove lone response came from Keshaiya Tixey (43). In Boys competition, West Ruimveldt overcame New Central 1-0 with Ronaldo Ramdass in the 40 minute scoring the Ann’swinner.Grove put 3 past East Ruimveldt who had no response. Isaiah Pellew 16, 26 and Akeyl Nedd 49 were on target for the winners.
ability and had some very close matches,” explained Coach Shelly Daley. The Guyanese competed in both singles and doubles using the same format. The seniors played first to six games and only played doubles. We ended with five wins, three lost while two games were not completed.“The focus was on the juniors, m ost of whom had the opportunity to play abroad for the first time.It allowed them to not only experience tennis outside Guyana, but to see players at another level with different styles etc. I believe that all the players benefited from this opportunity and they returned home with a lot more experience,” continued the Coach. “For Sh eltez, some players are fully back on court now, but still at a disadvantage of not playing consistently on good courts.Court time is key for players to develop their game and we don’t have that.Thanks for the use of a private court for a few hours on the weekends for the players to get to put in some extra work,” Daley reasoned.ResultsTotalnumber of games playedSuriname480 (OASE) won 282Guyana (Sheltez/Rebel) 198The seniors won five matches, lost two, while two were not completed because of rain. (Sean Devers)
Cummings Lodge scored 5 goals to defeat Dolphin who replied with 2. The Goal Scorers for Cummings Lodge were Tyrel Walcott 34, Rovin Henry 32, Duquan Thom 38 and 40 and Montell Marks 42. Dolphin replied with Jason Sandiford (33) and Malachai GowenCharlestown(36). brushed aside North Ruimveldt 5-1 thanks to Goal scorers Nicholas Nieuelder 8 and 30, Dequan Cox 39 and Colwin Kissoon 40 and 42 minutes. North Ruimveldt replied through Dalon Wray in the 11 minute.
GFF President Wayne Forde addresses the Congress on Saturday last. low for good governance”.
Players benefit from experience in Sheltez Tennis Club trip to Suriname
The nationwide membership of regional associations, clubs and affiliate associations of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) on Saturday voted by majority to reform the statues that govern the administration of football in Guyana.Thereform process, which aligns the GFF’s operational regulations with the governance standards and rules of Concacaf and FIFA, was the result of several months of national consultation following an official request from the world governing body of football.Atthe 2022 GFF Extraordinary Congress, held at the GFF National Training Centre, 13 member voted for the amendments, with one member voting against and another choosing to abstain.
PAGE 24 Kaieteur News Monday August 29, 2022
“The process was conducted with the full oversight of FIFA and Concacaf every step of the way,” said GFF President Wayne Forde. “At every stage, the members of the GFF participated fully in this exercised and it was therefore no surprise that they made an informed decision after having the revised Statutes in their possession for twenty one days. Everything that we do here at the GFF is done with complete openness and transpHowardarency.”McIntosh, Head of ONE Concacaf & Caribbean Projects at Concacaf, said the reform process was “an alignment with international best practices that al-
The OASE tennis club of Suriname extended an invitation to Sheltez and Rebel tennis clubs of Guyana for a goodwill tennis competition from August 21. A total of thirteen junior and nine senior players competed in the two-day event.The time f ormat was used for the juniors, meaning, each match was played for 50 minutes, the player with the most games at the end of the hour wins.“Our players were at a disadvantage, playing 3 or sometimes 4 matches against different ginninguswasThisplayers.informationmadeavailabletojustpriortothebe-oftheevent.Nevertheless,theyplayedtothebestoftheir
Andrea Johnson, President of the Guyana National Women’s Football Association and Chair of the Statutes Review Committee, said the reform process would further strengthen good governance of the GFF and leave a “proud” legacy for the entire membership.“At every step of this review, under the au spices of FIFA and Concacaf, it has been characterized by transparency and opportunities for the involvement of all the membership,” Johnson said.
Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210. Sports St Kitts and Nevis Patriots defeat TKR by 3 wickets to claim inaugural 6IXTY crown 6ixty Champs St Kitts and Nevis Patriots celebrate with trophy following their triumph. Players benefit from experience in Sheltez Tennis Club trip to Suriname The Sheltez Tennis Club in the Suriname tour
