Kaieteur News

Govt. quashes Granger's one-year extension for Kaieteur and Canje Blocks but not for Stabroek Block

Though former President, David Granger had granted a oneyear extension on the exploration works to be executed on three deepwater oil blocks operated by ExxonMobil, the current administrationdidnotcomplywith itinfull.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Natural Resources, it only allowed the extension to be applied for the Stabroek Block and nottheKaieteurandCanjeblocks.

Granger had granted the extension to ExxonMobil's subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) just a few days' shy of handing over the reins of office to his successor, President, Dr Irfaan Ali.

The request for said extension on the three blocks was made by EEPGL's Head, Alistair Routledge in a letter to Granger months after the country held a tumultuous General and Regional Elections in March 2020. Routledge's request cited the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the company'sdrillingprogramme.

The signed extension was also released by the Ministry of Natural Resources to prove to the political opposition that it was its former Head of State, David Granger, who gave the now controversial extension and not the current government as the opposition had claimed.

Significantly, the ministry pointed out that Granger's extension was not allowed for the Kaieteur and Canje Blocks. This may be due to the fact that Exxon was unable to prove that its exploration programme for those two blocks was indeed inhibited.

This news agency previously reported that during the 2020 to 2021 period in which Exxon was granted the extension, the oil giant drilled Guyana's deepest well called Tanager-1 in the Kaieteur Blockfollowedbythreeotherwells intheCanjeblock.

Contrastingly, the government has maintained the one-year extension for exploration on the Stabroek Block where Exxon has made over 33 discoveries

ExecutiveMembersoftheAlliance

For Change (AFC) and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) have said they disagree with this decision since Exxon was in full production mode for all of 2020attheLizaPhaseOneProject. They also underscored that Granger's extension carried a clear condition for quarterly reviews to be done to better understand if that one-year extension required adjustments.

Both political parties even demanded that the government

show evidence that it did due diligence in this respect. Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has refusedtodoso.

Atapressconferencelastweek, thechiefpolicymakerforthesector said Exxon submitted reports in 2020 which showed that its exploration programme was affected.

Instead of being able to use six drill rigs, it was only able to use four Jagdeo said the government was satisfied that this showed the

extent to which the work programme was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic hence the extensionwaskept.

The extension for the block is a crucial matter as it delays from October 2023 to October 2024, the release of 20 percent of the lucrative Stabroek Block spanning 26,800km2.That20percentwould be equivalent to 5360km2. This portionisalsolargerthananyofthe 14oilblocksthegovernmenthason offer for the country's maiden oil round.

Exxon is also overdue for the relinquishment of portions of the KaieteurandCanjeBlocks.

For the Kaieteur Block, the agreement governing this concession states that 25 percent should have been relinquished in 2019 and another 20 percent given upin2022.

The total portion to be relinquished would be equivalent toapproximately5414km2.

In Canje, 20 percent of the block was returned to the State in 2019 which was equivalent to 1,220km2, thereby reducing the block to 4880km2. It now owes another 20% which amounts to 976km2.

In the oil and gas sector, “relinquishment” refers to the process where a company returns byspecifictimelines,portionsofan area it was allowed to explore or p r o d u c e o i l a n d g a s Relinquishment, according to several pieces of literature, is consideredcriticalforgovernments as they can auction those returned portions to other oil companies, thereby channelling more opportunities for revenues to the State.

Paramakatoi, Kato students walk two days to get to and from school – Toshao tells Govt.

During day three of the National Toshaos' Council (NTC) Conference, Toshao of Monkey Mountain, Region Eight, Lincoln Singh raised with Cabinet Members that for quite some time, secondary school students of Paramakatoi and Kato villages have been walking for two days to gettoandfromschool.

Singh raised the matter on Wednesday while requesting that the government provides transportationforthechildren.

During his address to the Conference, Singh said, “The children of Paramakatoi and Kato are asking if the government would provide them with transportation. Mostofthemarewalkingfromvery far, most of them do like two days walking to go to school and go

homeback.”

Responding to the Toshao's request, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand said, “The government's policy is that we provide transportation to children coming to and leaving the dorms. So, I am very surprised to hear that children are spending two days walkingtoandfromtheirhomes.”

The Minister said that her ministry will deal with the issue in short order and have it resolved beforetheconferenceconcludes.

“We feel very strongly about it… we will provide transportation in a timely manner,” the Minister assured.

Singh also revealed that the

Paramakatoi girls' and boys' dormitories are not in good condition and requested that this tooshouldbelookedinto.

Minister Manickchand in response said her ministry has recently concluded a full assessment of the facility and the issuestherewillbeaddressed.

“The Paramakatoi dorms, we just had a full assessment of this dorm, and we intend to repair it at a costofmorethan$300million,”the EducationMinisterannounced.

She pointed out too that the works that would be undertaken there will have to be rolled out in parts since the ministry does not wantthechildrenhousedtheretobe

displaced.

“The issue right now for us wherewearecurrentlylookingatis how do we do that while we have

childreninthedorm,wemighthave to do part by part. We don't want to stop your education,” the minister said.

A map showing the location of the Kaieteur, Canje and Stabroek Blocks, all of which are operated by ExxonMobil's subsidiary, EEPGL

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand on Wednesday addressing the National Toshaos' Council (NTC) Conference. (Photo courtesy, MoE)

Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS

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

Is there more than meets the eye?

Recent developments concerning the extension granted tooilcompaniesforrelinquishingportionsoftheStabroek, Canje,andKaieteuroilblockshaveraisedredflags,castinga shadowoverthegovernment’scommitmenttoopennessand accountability In the case of the Stabroek block, its operators have been handed until 2027 to comply with relinquishment requirements The less-than-transparent approachadoptedbytheadministration,regardingthestipulated review of the extension of the period of exploration, should concerneveryGuyanese NoamountofobfuscationbytheVice Presidentwilldismisstheconcernsovertheextensiongranted fortheperiodinwhichExxonMobilanditspartnersarerequired torelinquishspecifiedportionsoftheStabroekblock

UndertheProductionSharingAgreementfortheStabroek Block, ExxonMobil and its partners should have surrendered one-fifth of its total blocks But as was reported, they were granted a one-year extension because of a force majeure: the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this one-year extensionwasconditionalandsubjecttoquarterlyreviews,the firstbeinginSeptember2020,onemonthafterthePPP/Ctook office.Thesereviewsweredesignedtoassesswhethertheforce majeure event had a legitimate impact on the oil companies’ operations, thereby justifying the extension The quarterly reviewswereinstitutedtopreventtheexploitationofloopholes andtoguaranteethatextensionsareonlygrantedundergenuine, unavoidable circumstances As such, if the conditions that justified the granting of the extension changed, then the force majeure could no longer justify an extension of the period of exploration Vice President Jagdeo and his sidekicks have beenkeentopointoutthattheextensionwasgrantedunder theAPNU+AFCgovernment.

However,theyhavefailedtohighlighttherequirement for quarterly reviews which would have allowed for a determinationastowhethertheforcemajeureimpactedthe operations of the oil companies. The government needs to come clean on whether it conducted any such review, the outcome of the review and to make its findings public. Transparency is the essence of accountability As such, the vital importance of the government ensuring greater transparencyinitsdecisionsintheoilandgassectorcannot beoverstated.TheProductionSharingAgreement(PSA)for the Stabroek Block explicitly outlines the timeline for relinquishing a portion of oil blocks. ExxonMobil and its partners were obligated to surrender one-fifth of their total blocks by a specified date – an arrangement designed to ensure a fair distribution of resources and prevent undue concentrationofpower

The first of these reviews was scheduled for September 2020,onemonthafterthePPPCtookoffice.Itisperplexing thatdespitethegovernment’scommitmenttotransparency, there has been a conspicuous failure to make public the detailsofthisreview Thepublicisentitledtoknowwhether these reviews were conducted, the process involved, the findings, and how these findings influenced the government’sdecisiontonotdiscontinuetheextension.

Thelackofspecificsaboutthereviewsoftheoilblocks’ extension leaves room for speculation and undermines the government’s credibility It also raises red flags about the managementoftheoilandgassector Further,therelianceon a force majeure as the reason for the extension warrants scrutiny Force majeure events are typically unforeseeable and unavoidable circumstances that could not have been mitigated through reasonable measures. Such measures were put in place to allow the oil companies to continue operations. The oil companies had continued operations during the pandemic. The lack of transparency and the selectivedisclosureofinformationbythegovernmentfuels suspicionsofulteriormotives.Istheremoretothisextension than meets the eye? Are there hidden agreements or considerations that the public is unaware of? Without the government’s willingness to address these concerns, such questionswillcontinuetocirculate,deepeningthesense of unease.

APension fund for all workers

,

Policymakers should think of some kind of social security benefits for retirees who were not employed by theState.Whatretireesgetis belowtheminimumdailyor monthly wage. There are no social welfare schemes for theagedandpoorotherthan old-age pension payments that are below minimum wage.

Little attention is placed on old-age, poor individuals or families with no ablebodied earners in their household. There is also a need for some kind of unemployment insurance and health care as in the developedcountriespaidfor from contributions by employers The Guyana Constitution itself also speaks of the population being entitled to certain rights and benefits. But they have not been actionable on guaranteedhandouts.

Social security welfare benefits (pension, health insurance, and the like) can be availed if the State (government) makes it possibleforworkerstojoina pension fund and for the government to guarantee unemploymentbenefitsfora fixed period in the event of lossofjobnotduetoreasons oftheworker

The country needs significant social protection forworkers.

Over half of the salaried workforcedoesnotreceivea pension to provide for their means after retirement. The disorganised sector workers (taxi workers, short-term

labourers, farmers, infrastructure workers, construction workers, etc.) have no benefits in their old age and experience extreme difficulty in providing for daily survival, unlike their Diaspora brethren in North America and Europe. The State provides a ‘lil thing’ but it can hardly meet basic needs for a week The amount of government handouts is a pittance when comparedtowhatisrequired forminimumsurvival.

As it is, those who workedfortheState(regular salaried companies) are in a better position than those who worked in the private sector in terms of social security Those who worked for the State and a few private companies receive a guaranteedlifetimepension. The regular pension benefit is in addition to old age pension and NIS (if enough contributions were met) State employees also get health care coverage which isnotavailabletothosewho labour in the private sector like farmers, fisher folks, lumberjacks,etc.Thosewho laboured on farms including at GuySuCo (except for management) growing rice and other produce and in forestry do not receive a guaranteed pension after retirement and have no medical coverage; they depend on old age pension and NIS (if they qualify –most farm workers don’t receive NIS) and their meager savings to provide for food and health care; it couldnevermeettheirneeds.

In Guyana, unlike in several other developing countries like Trinidad and Barbados, for example, private employees have virtually no access to a provident fund, pension, health care, and disability insurance to meet basic needs.Thepoor,somehalfof the population, and the poorest (some quarter of the population, including retirees) who scour for daily work or labour below the minimum wage have no access to any benefits, no social welfare benefit other than old age payments. Our South American partners like Brazil and Argentina, among others, have pension plans — contribution-based and with matching funding from the companies where they labour Such a system helpstocontributetoincome loss for a worker (and his family) from retirement or lossofjobduetoanaccident, a disability, death of a breadwinner,illness/medical treatment (hospitalization), the birth of a child, the time needed to care for loving ones,oranyeventthatleads to time away from work, family burdens, or the prospect of unemployment, etc.

The country needs some kind of employer and employee contribution system to guarantee social welfare for all workers who are contributors as in the developed countries where the Diaspora is settled Foreign companies should be required to provide some kind of pension scheme for

local workers; they do the same for workers in North America and Europe and expatriates employed in Guyana.They should not be exempted from doing so in Guyana.

There should be some kind of pension system –mandatory or optional. The collection (amalgamation or aggregation) of the funds provides a significant amount for investment –loans to the government for aninterestthatiscompetitive with institutionalized borrowers as an example or can be used in various other investments to generate a healthyreturntopayretirees a decent pension This system was introduced in Singapore in the 197Os (becomingmandatoryforall workers) resulting in large pension payments monthly after retirement In developed countries, pension is optional but must (by law) be offered to workers.

Companies also contribute to the pension in addition to paying for the health care of their former staff. Those Guyanese who joinapensionsystemreceive health benefits like free dentalandmedicalcareanda decent pension sum that covers their monthly expenses and from which they also save to make an annual trip to their former homeland.

In developed countries, one receives multiple sources of payments after retirement–aguaranteed

(Continuedonpage05)

Suggestions for an immediate improvement in road safety

D

EAREDITOR

, CRG offers our heartfelt condolences to all of those impacted by the loss of the preciouslivesrecentlytaken fromus.

Road safety has been an ongoing concern since the beginning of the transition from the TATA bus to the minibus system. This may not be the reason for the fatalitiesinthisinstance,but onealsodoesn’thavetolook far to see the signs e n c o u r a g i n g o v e r consumptionofalcohol.Not one, but two bottles pouring rum into a glass. We must shifttowardsasaferformof enjoying our newfound wealth.As acommunity, we should be willing to work together to get this problem

resolved and to do so will require that we each make sacrifices for the safety of all. With this in mind, the government should implement a temporary c u r f e w e f f e c t i v e immediately at the bars and on the roadways.Additional traffic lights must be put in place to reduce the opportunity for speeding, andpoliceroadstopsinhigh accident areas must also be implemented to conduct breath analyzer testing for alcohol. Acampaignagainst drunk driving must also be started posthaste. To ensure that drivers are within the limits of the law, additional outreachandbreathanalyzer checksshouldbecarriedout at the end or upon exiting

major events, popular drinkingestablishments,and clubs. Bar owners can help by limiting the number of drinks a patron may have withinanhour.Adesignated driver programme, which restricts the designated driver to abstain from drinking has been a proven success. In the absence of a designateddriver,theruleof onedrinkperhourshouldbe used. Taxi availability for those who have over consumed should also be a part of this road fatality reductionstrategy

Itisextremelypainfulfor t h e f a m i l y , t h e neighbourhood, and the countrywhenourlovedones are taken away before their time Please support the

nation and any additional efforts made to reduce road fatalitiesbytakingyourtime ontheroadstostaysafe,and by avoiding driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

Ourdeepestcondolences tothefamilies.MaytheGPF andtheGovernmentquickly find and eliminate the root causesofthesedeaths.

It is better to get home latethantoneverarrive,soif you feel like you are losing control behind the wheel, STOP AND TAKE A FIVE OR CALL SOMEONE TO PICKYOUUP

Staysafeandbewell.

Mr JamilChanglee Chairman

of

DEAREDITOR, “Iwouldnotshakehands with those who oppress my people!” This was a prophetic response to a question posed by Dr Dhanpaul Narine to

Opposition Leader Mr AubreyNortononThursday, August 24, 2023, at a Town Hall meeting in Little Guyana (pseudonym for Greater Richmond Hill, Queens,NewYorkCity).

Except for about 25 residentswhocarriedprotest placards outside the building, Guyanese residents went about their businessasusual.

The thought that the Guyana Parliamentary Opposition Leader would visit Little Guyana at 6:30 p.m.toprovideanupdateon Guyana’s political situation was never an attraction

Nevertheless, some residents’ feelings were captured in the display of

placards outside the Starlite Pavilion Hall where the meeting was held A sample of placards reads: “Guyananeedbuildersnot dividers;“Stillwaitingfor the 2020 SoPs;” and “Electionfraudsters.”

Under a dark overcast cloud with intermittent light showers, which was not enough to dull their enthusiasm,agroupof“One Guyana”supportersensured that the Opposition Leader, Mr AubreyNorton,whowas making his first public appearanceinLittleGuyana, received a frosty reception.

The meeting was to provide the APNU leader with the opportunity to reach out to Guyanese who do not ordinarily support his party He also wantedtodiscardthenotion thatheisaone-ethnicgroup partyleader

Itisbyreachingouttoall ethnic groups and

advocating national unity that one becomes a national leader

Despite much of their support is from IndoGuyanese, the PPP/C says thatithasenoughsignificant supportfromtheotherethnic groupstojustifyitasamultiethnic party They cite the results of LGE 2023 as evidence to support this multi-ethnicparty’sclaim.

Mr Norton understands thatthisisapaththathemust travel to enhance his chance of leading his party to electoralvictory

Thesmallcrowdofabout 60comprisingmostlyofMr Norton’s party supporters who do not reside in Little Guyana,listenedcarefullyas he stated that he is fully committed to equity and equalityofopportunity

He blames the PPP/C government for race and political discrimination; corruption; questioned the

250,000 school children grants;expressesuneasiness about public safety with the increase in crime; lamented the inadequate old age pension payments; and accuses the PPP/C government of not doing enough for farmers in Regions7,8,and9.

How the PPP/C’s performance in office compares with the APNU+AFC’swasavoided. A member of the audience asked him to produce evidence to back up his allegations.Hedidnot.

Mr Norton advocated for two meals per day for eachschoolchild.Heargued for an increase in wages for public service workers and rejected the government’s excuse that it would lead to inflation.

He called for a national transportationsystem,buthe didnotprovidedetails.

He insists on biometric screening of voters at the 2025 national and regional elections. “If this is not done, the results could be rejected ” (Demerara Waves:8/24/23).

There was a lively exchange between Mr Norton and prominent Community Leader Dr Dhanpaul Narine, who observed; “It was clear that the Brooklynites (at the meeting) did not know a great deal of what the government is doing to developGuyana.

They are bombarded with anti-government information.

I explained to them aboutthehousingpoliciesof the government, the cash grants, the progress in education, and the tax cuts, b u t t h e y r e m a i n unconvinced.”

Whenaskedif“hisparty is anti-Indian,” he denied that and introduced Riaz Roopnarine (at the head table)whoisamemberofhis party

Probing further, Mr Norton was asked if the PPP/C won the 2020 elections and why he refers to them as an installed government. “If this is so, then how come you, Mr Norton, is the legitimate leader of the opposition?

Which constitution are you working with? “Mr Norton said there were electoral irregularitiesin2020.

Dr.Dhanpaulthenasked him, “Why don’t you shake the hands of the President, and let’s move on?” He replied that he does not shakethehandsofthosewho oppresshispeople.

Throughoutthemeeting, although it was his supporters who constituted 80% of the audience, he appeared too mechanical and uncharismatic In politics, the image could be more important than the message.

IfMr Nortonisgoingto make any impact on Little Guyana, he must produce evidence to back up his allegations,dosomedamage control, work on boosting his image, and provide alternative policy options, wherepracticable.

Although he had no convert from Little Guyana, he must be given credit for comingthereandsharinghis thoughts and position in a PPP/Cstronghold.

DEAREDITOR, The Ministry of Education offers a management course administered through its agency, NCERD. The last batch of teachers completed the 2020 -2022 programme in 2023, having written the part 2 examination on 3rd March2023.

This programme is very important for future school managers and the professionaldevelopmentof current managers. It had its challengessinceitwasdone during the height of the

pandemic, and access to resources was limited

Nevertheless, teachers like me completed the programme.

Editor, it is almost six months now since the last exams were written and up to date, there is no word on the final grades for the twoyear period nor a date has been fixed to allow for graduation and subsequent receiptofcertificates.

It is astonishing how an important programme like this is placed on the back benches.Thisprogrammeis

of a professional nature and mustbegivendueattention.

Having completed the programme, it is now pertinent that teachers be issued their final grades for both parts A and B of the e x a m i n a t i o n a n d courseworkandreceivetheir certificates.

Region4Teacher.

Frompage04 pension fund and welfare payments (including government pension) from the stateinadditiontohealthbenefits;sourcesof ample income and benefits for old age are guaranteed to meet minimum needs and beyond. A similar system is needed in Guyana especially since the economy is transitioningfromagriculturetoenergy

It is time that our policymakers begin to

Dr.TaraSingh

Education Management Certificate by NCERD APensionfundforallworkers...

developapensionandsocialsecuritysystem like that in the USA or Canada where a worker can obtain at least two forms of retirement benefits – pension and governmentsocialsecurityinadditiontoNIS and health care. Guyana should aspire to providesocialsecuritytoallofitsworkforce, inamannerthatisfeasible.

Yoursfaithfully,

VishnuBisram

“Iwouldnotshakehandswiththosewhooppressmypeople!”

By 2025, pension will increase by $7,000 and ‘Because We Care’ grant by $10,000

Guyana’s Vice President (VP), Bharrat Jagdeo onTuesdaydisclosedthatby 2025,pensionerswillbenefit froma$7,000increasewhile childrenwillreceiveanextra $10,000forthe‘BecauseWe Care’cashgrant.

Jagdeo was at the time addressing attendees at the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference 2023 being held at the Arthur Chung Conference Center (ACCC), Liliendaal, Georgetown.

The Vice President was asked about the benefits Indigenous communities

and their people receive fromtheoilrevenues.

He listed cash handouts and increases for the public sector as being among the benefitsoftheoilrevenues

Jagdeo pointed out that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) reintroduced the cash grant andwasabletoincreaseitto $40,000 per child, with the help of oil revenues “By 2025,aswepromiseditwill get to $50, 000,” Jagdeo said.Heunderscoredthatthe currentchildren’scashgrant wasan$8.4Binvestmentby thegovernment. Lastyear, it was announced that each

–JagdeotellsAmerindians

school-aged child will receive $40,000 as part of the government’s plan to increase the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant to $35,000, in addition to the $5,000uniformgrant.

Some 214,000 school children in public and private schools received the $40,000 grant from the government Notably, based on what the Vice President said, those children should receive an additional $10,000 by 2025 Jagdeo said too that

pensioners will also receive an increase in pensionsinthefuture

“The pensioners… their pension increased from, $20,000 to $33,000, and it will get to $40,000 by 2025 as we promised in our manifesto,” he told the gathering of Indigenous leaders.AccordingtotheVice President, about 74,000 pensioners, including Indigenous people, benefitted from the $13,000 increase –which was a $14 5B investment.

Two injured in nightclub shooting at Bartica

Two persons are nursing gunshot wounds at the Bartica Regional Hospital following a shooting at a nightclubinBartica,Cuyuni Mazaruni,RegionSeven.

The victims of the shooting were identified as Conroy Cox, 38, a labourer

ofThirdAvenueBartica,and Lavella Douglas, 18, of SecondAvenueBartica.

Police said that the shooter was a 46-year-old gold miner of FifthAvenue, Bartica.

Thecaseisbeingtreated asattemptedmurder

Police learned that

Cox,oneofthevictims,was reportedly drinking inside the club with some acquaintances when the shooter’s friend passed by and jammed his table overturning all the bottles on it and spilling beer on them Cox confronted the individualbutendedupina

heated argument with the suspectafterhe(thesuspect) intervened.

Things escalated when Cox threw liquid on the suspect’s face and allegedly assaultedhim.

The suspect did not retaliate and Cox left the club.

However,Coxreturned in his car and continued to curse the suspect As he exited his car, the suspect reportedly drew his licensed firearm from his pants waist and began shootingCox

Three of the bullets struckCoxinhisbellywhile Douglas, a bystander, was hittoherrighthand.

Public-spirited citizens

Critical, Conroy Cox

intervenedandbothCoxand the 18-year-old girl were rushed to the Bartica Hospital.Coxissaidtobein a critical condition while

Douglasisstable. Police have arrested the suspectwhoisattheBartica Police Station as investigationscontinue.

Vice President (VP), Bharrat Jagdeo

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Whoisbenefittingfromthe extendedrelinquishment ofStabroekBlock???

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Exxon is already dining at the best restaurants, thanks to massive profits from Guyana's oil, while most of our people taking home dog food to their families.

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We have a chance to get back a portion of the rich Stabroek Block to elevate the lives of Guyanese but Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo is refusing to act on our behalf - at no surprise to many.

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While he is willing to revoke the decision by ex-President, David Granger to extend the exploration period for the Kaieteur and Canje Blocks, the Vice President is allowing Exxon to keep its claws on the oil rich Stabroek Block for an extra year.

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What benefits will this bring to Guyana? Or will this decision only benefit a few in high offices?

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After 10 years with Kanuku Block...

Repsol seeks fresh licence to continue exploration

-Jagdeoconfirms

Teen miner dies as mining pit caves in

A17-year-olddredgeownerdied onTuesdayafteraminingpitat Cowpen Backdam, Puruni River, Region Seven caved in and covered himup.

Dead is Anthony Richard of Parika, EastBankEssequibo(EBE).

According to reports, the cave-in took place around 15:30hrs while Richard and

his three workmen were operating his fourinchlanddredgeinthepit.

Richard was reportedly “jetting” when thelandabovehimbecamelooseandfellon him.

His workmen managed to escape and alertedpersonsnearbyofwhathappened. Together, they were able to dig Richard outbuthehaddiedalready.

Spanish oil company Repsol

Map showing the Kanuku block offshore Guyana

A mining pit in Guyana's interior

Amerindian development requires a movement away from handouts towards empowerment

InAugust2015,thenPresident, David Granger unveiled a 10-point plan aimed at fostering the holistic development of Indigenous communities in Guyana This comprehensive approach was a response to the human development crisis facing these communities and sought to uplift them from poverty, unemployment, and underdevelopment.

However, since the PPP/C’s assumption to office, this approach has wavered, giving way to a return to the trend of handouts and ad hoc policies. It is high time to dump this approach and embrace a more sustainable and comprehensive strategy that empowers indigenous communities.

David Granger’s 10point plan emerged from an analysis – however limited orflawed-ofthechallenges confronting indigenous communities. It may not have been the perfect antidote that was needed by Amerindian communities, but it marked a significant departure from the handout syndrome that was a feature of the previous PPP/C a p p r o a c h t o w a r d s Amerindiandevelopment.

Granger’s plan never gained traction. The PPP/C has always exerted a powerfulpresencewithinthe Indigenous community and this may have been responsibleforthepushback towhatwasafreshandnovel approach to Amerindian development.

Granger ’s plan, according to the Stabroek News of 19th August 2015,

envisioned converting Amerindian communities intothrivingeconomicunits, eradicating poverty, reducing unemployment, and bolstering economic opportunities The plan emerged out a thoughtful assessment, offering a blueprint for Indigenous development.

But it needed to be fleshed and effectively i m p l e m e n t e d Implementation has always been a weakness of PNC governments.

Recent statements and reports suggest a departure from Granger’s structured approach.

T h e c u r r e n t administration, led by PresidentIrfaanAliandVice President Bharrat Jagdeo, seems to have embraced a handout mentality, characterized by ad hoc decisions and fragmented projects.

In addressing the National Toshaos’ Council Conference (NTCC) this week, both President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo continued their policy of treating Indigenous peoples’ development as a basket case. There was no analysis of the state of Indigenous communities. There was no plan developed. Everything wasdoneinadhocmanner This was exemplified when the Vice President sat down and made a decision that$100Mwillbeallocated to 100 playgrounds for this year and another $100M for another 100 playgrounds nextyear

Jagdeo has taken ad hocism to a new level Allocatingnominalamounts

Dem boys seh...

forplaygroundsorproviding isolated assistance lacks the strategic depth needed to transform the lives of Amerindians.

The fallacy of this approachisreadilyapparent. A mere one million dollars canbarelymakeadentinthe endeavour to enhance hinterlandplaygrounds.

The prudent course of action would have entailed an initial assessment of the project’s significance to Amerindian communities Following this, a systematic identification of the specific playfields in need of i m p r o v e m e n t , t h e correspondingcostsforeach upgrade, the extent of government support, and a meticulous prioritization of these playfields over a span of three years should have beenexecuted.

This approach could have potentially facilitated moresubstantialallocations, considering that not every ground would have met the criteriaforassistance.

A paradigm shift is needed in the PPP/C’s approach to Indigenous peoples’ development, The focus should not merely be about immediate relief; it must be about fostering long-termempowerment.

The handout mentality perpetuates a cycle of dependency and fails to address the fundamental issues indigenous communities face The challengesofpoverty,youth migration, subsistence living, lack of connectivity, land rights, and economic stagnation require comprehensive and structuredsolutions.

An effective strategy

Guyana is a funny place!

Weleaderstalkingabout Guyana providing global l e a d e r s h i p o n d e environment. Dem leaders dehpuffin’updehchestlike peacocks tellin’ everybody how we ready fuh de Big League. But if yuh ask me, deh only Big League we ready fuh is de one where you gotta play bat-and-ball indepark

Imagine we gettin’ a visit from one of dem topnotch British Prime Ministers, a real high-flyer from de last century an’de presentonetoo.Disbigshot come all di way to Guyana fuh talk ‘bout climate change. An’ he bringin’ de big idea ‘bout protectin’de

environment an’ switchin’ up to clean energy like we switchin’ TV channels. De man come fuh open some biodiversity research stationindeMazaruni.

When de ceremony done, yuh woulda tink de government gon’ tek dis man fuh a nice lil’fly over derainforestsoravisittode Kaieteur Falls. But nah, instead, dem tek de man straight to see dis fancy artificial island right by de mouth of de Demerara River Imagine de man just done talk about de environment and he getting tourofadevelopmentthatis supposed to serving de fossil fuel industry De

begins with understanding the intricacies of each community’s situation Instead, therefore the government asking its Permanent Secretaries to sit with the Toshaos and solve all the problems – an impossibility if ever there was one – the government should work with the Toshaos and Village Councils on a development plan for Indigenous communities.

There are already Community Development Plans. Instead, therefore of s c a t t e r i n g f u n d s

sporadically,aneffortshould be made to bring together these plans into a national indigenous development blueprint and to work with each community to realize theirdevelopmentplans.

Thetimehaslongpassed to move beyond the shortterm relief approach and embrace a transformational strategy that empowers indigenouscommunities.

A sustainable future demands comprehensive planning, community engagement, and a commitment to long-term development.

The handout mentality perpetuates dependency, while a holistic approach empowers individuals and communities.

But the PPP/C does not want this approach because it suits them to keep Amerindians dependent on the government for tractors, ATV, Presidential grants, andwhateverisupforgrabs.

optics was terrible and its showspoorplanning. Is like we singin’ “Oil and Gas” while de man talking “Environment, E n v i r o n m e n t , Environment!” Dem leaders movin’like dey got marbles rollin’ ‘round upstairs, puttin’oil on one side of de scale an’environment on de oddaDis Big League ting we boastin’ ‘bout, it look more like a Comedy Non Stop Show So fuh now, Guyana, keep dreamin’ ‘boutdeBigLeague,butde onlyleaguewereadyfuhis de one where we providing entertainment in de form of standupcomedy Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

Gabon Military takes over country, arrested President

(Reuters) - Military officers in oil-producing Gabon said they had seized power on Wednesday, placing President Ali Bongo under house arrest and naminganewleaderafterthe Central African state's election body announced Bongohadwonathirdterm.

Saying they represented the armed forces, the officers declared on television that the election results were cancelled,bordersclosedand state institutions dissolved, after a tense vote that was set to extend the Bongo family's more than half-century in power

Within hours, generals met to discuss w w o u l d l e a d t h transition and agreed by unanimous vote to appoint General B r i c e O l i g u i Nguema, former h e a d o f t h e presidential guard, accordingtoanother televisedaddress.

Meanwhile, from detention in h residence, Bon appealed in a v statement to foreign allies, imploring them to speak out onhisandhisfamily'sbehalf. Hesaidhedidnotknowwhat washappening.

Bongo's plight was a

dramatic reversal from the early hours of Wednesday w h e n t h e e l e c t o r a l commissiondeclaredhimthe winner of Saturday's disputedvote.

Hundreds of people celebrated the military's intervention in the streets of the Gabonese capital Libreville, while the United Nations, African Union and France, Gabon's former colonial ruler which has troops stationed there, condemnedthecoup.

The military takeover in

Gabon is the eighth in West and Central Africa since 2020, and the second - after

Niger - in as many months Military officers have also seized power in M a l i , G u i n e a , Burkina Faso and C h a d , e r a s i n g democratic gains since the1990sandraisingfear among foreign powers that strategic interests in the region.

"I am marching today becauseIamjoyful.

Afteralmost60years,the Bongos are out of power," said Jules Lebigui, a jobless

27-year-old who joined crowdsinLibreville.

Bongo took over in 2009 on the death of his father Omar, who had ruled since 1967 Opponents say the familyhasdonelittletoshare the state's oil and mining wealth with its 2.3 million people.

Violent unrest broke out after Bongo's contested 2016 election victory, and there was a foiled coup attempt in 2019.

The Gabon officers, calling themselves The

Committee of Transition and t h e R e s t o r a t i o n o f Institutions, said the country faced "a severe institutional, political, economic, and social crisis", and that the Aug. 26 vote was not credible.

They also said they had arrested the president's son, Noureddin Bongo Valentin, and others for corruption and treason.

There was no immediate comment from Gabon's government.

COUP'CONTAGION'

Bongo, 64, was last seen in public casting his vote on Saturday Before the vote, he had looked healthier than his more frail television appearances after his 2018 stroke.

Unlike Niger and other Sahel countries, Gabon, which lies further south on theAtlanticcoast,hasnothad to battle destabilising Islamistinsurgencies.Butthe coup is a further sign of democraticbackslidinginthe volatileregion.

A " c o n t a g i o n o f autocracy" is spreading across Africa, said Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, the current chair of WestAfrican bloc ECOWAS. He said he was working closely with otherAfrican leaders on how torespondinGabon.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the African Union condemned the events and called on the military to ensure the safety of Bongo and his family, while China and Russia said they hoped for a swift return tostability TheUnitedStates said the situation was deeply concerning.

"We condemn the military coup and recall our commitment to free and transparent elections," Frenchgovernment (Continued on page 16)

PapercommittalforK/News'security guardschargedwithmurderwrappingup

Th e p a p e r committal for two former Kaieteur News security guards who were charged back in 2021 for the alleged murder of 58year-old Mohabir Singh is winding down at the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts.

Back in August 2021, the paper committal process had commenced before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly for Tony Waldron, 42, and Yan Licorish,51.

A paper committal sees the witnesses' statements and documentary evidence being tendered to the court without thewitnessesbeingpresentin court These pieces of information are inventoried andmarkedasexhibits.

On Wednesday, Senior Magistrate Daly admitted an unsworn caution statement by Waldron into evidence. Police Prosecutor Harris then

informed the court that he wanted to make additional submissions to the court in the matter – this was allowed bythemagistrate.

Notably, attorney-at-law

Latchmie Rahamat, who is representing the accused, asked the court for additional time to review the exhibits

that were admitted into evidence before a decision is made on whether her clients will lead their defence or go before a judge and jury at the DemeraraHighCourt.

Senior Magistrate Daly then adjourned the matter to Thursday, September 7, 2023 for the continuation of the matter

Waldron and Licorish were not required to plead to the indictable charge which alleges that on March 16, 2021, at Kaieteur News located at Saffon Street, Charlestown, they murdered Singh. This publication had reported that on the day in question, Singh's lifeless body was found under a shed on the media entity.A postmortem examination done by the Government Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh, revealed that Singh's cause of death was brain haemorrhage due toblunttraumatothehead.

(Left to right) Yan Licorish & Tony Waldron

Dead: Mohabir Singh

Gabonese military appear on television as they announce that they have seized power following President Ali Bongo Ondimba's re-election, in this screengrab obtained by Reuters on August 30, 2023.

Gabon President Ali Bongo Ondimba

Berbice Port to be built in stages to match Guyana's cargo capacity

By Kiana Wilburg

CGX Energy Inc. has expressed its alignment with recent remarks by Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, that its Berbice Port Project is not being constructed at the moment to be a “deepwater” facility that caters to Panamax-sized vessels These massive tankers range between 200 and 250 metres (650 and 820 feet) and have capacities of 50,000to80,000dwt.

CGX said the project is actually being constructed in a phased manner that enables it to meet the country's existingcargocapacity

At a previous press conference, Jagdeo told mediaoperativesthattheport would not deliver deepwater services given the country's currentcargocapacity

T h i s n e w s p a p e r subsequently contacted CGX which said it endorses the Vice President's comments.

During an exclusive interview on Wednesday, CGX further noted,

“ Guyana at this time simply does not have the cargo volumes required to justify Panamax-sized vessels.”

CGX pointed out that it has organized the Berbice port development in phases, in keeping with expected volumes and types of cargo. The company said that this is exactly why its phased approach was adopted. It said, “The first dredging of the facility will be to 7.5 meters at low tide, which w o u l d a l l o w i t t o accommodate all vessels supplying the oil and gas sector and additionally all cargo-related vessels currently entering Port Georgetown in the Demerara River.”

The company also said that it is in complete alignment with the Vice President's identification of cargo from Brazil which is crucial to justifying a true deepwater port in Guyana that could accommodate Panamax-sizedvessels.

CGX pointed out also that its capital expenditures

have been matched to predicted levels of cargo in order to project a reasonable rate of return on the company'sinvestments.

CGXindicatedalsothatit isverymuchlookingforward to the government's importation of aggregates and to accommodating rice and sugar exports as well as the importation of fertilizers

Ongoing works at the Berbice Port Project

alreadycompletedthedesign work for this dredging, but work will not be undertaken unless justified by cargo volumes and related contracts.

The final move to a depth to accommodate Panamaxsize vessels, as indicated by the Vice President, would r e q u i r e a r o b u s t transportation link and a concerted effort between the Government and the companiesinvolved.

andconsumergoods. Recently, Kaieteur News reported that in keeping with the company's phased approach, continued investments are linked to securing contracts for the use of the port. In keeping with this focus, CGX said that in August 2023, the company met with key growers of corn, rice, and soybeans, s o y b e a n c r u s h e r s , transportation companies, and livestock companies in the Northern Brazilian State ofRoraima.

At this meeting, CGX said several barriers to the GuyanaGatewaysolutionfor Brazilian cargo were identified and discussed and willalsobecommunicatedto the government The Company indicated that the Government of Guyana's

move to construct concrete bridges along the Lethem to Linden Road is an important aspect of strengthening this linkage.

CGX indicated that if some amount of Brazilian cargo can begin coming over the road and along the Berbice River, this would justify CGX moving to the nextplannedstageofBerbice River dredging, allowing the Company to handle handysized vessels of 50,000 tons and require a depth of 9.5 m atlowtide.

This will also likely need to be a programme supported, in part, by the Government as is currently done in the Demerara River, given the national benefits of having transformative ports ofentry

The company said it has

In this regard, CGX said it chose the Grand Island location because several international studies, including by the Indian Government and the InterAmerican Development B a n k ( I D B ) h i g h l y recommended this site as ideal for a deepwater harbour

However, in alignment with the Vice President's comments, the company said thatthisisaprocessthatmust be managed in phases as the amount of cargo to be handled justifies the expendituretodredge.

The company said it saw nomisalignmentbetweenthe Vice President's comments and its stated and publicized objectives in terms of d r e d g e d d e p t h s o r accommodation of cargo volumes.

The Vice President has been a proponent of the GuyanaGatewaysolutionfor the Northern States of Brazil dating back several decades from the time he was the PresidentofGuyana.

Boy, 13, drowns in Demerara River

A Tuesday outing at the Coomacka Mines Beach, Linden Region Ten, turned into a tragedy for a foreign couple after a 13-year-old boy in their care reportedly drowned in the Demerara River

According to police, the boy identified as Hassani Mack of Wisroc New Housing Scheme, was swept awaybyastrongcurrentafter he and a friend went to wash themselvesintheriver

The tragedy took place around16:30hrs.

Police were told that the foreigncouple,a29-year-old man and his 25-year-old wife, had taken Hassani and four other children for an outing around 14:00hrs that day

Theyreportedlyspentthe

afternoon swimming and playing games in the water together

As they were wrapping up their afternoon of fun, Hassani and one of the children, a 14-year-old boy, went into the Demerara Rivertowashofftheirskin.

Suddenly, according to police, “the water started to flow at a fast rate” sweeping bothboysaway Theybegan shouting for help as they struggledtostayafloat.

The 29-year-old man reportedly rushed to help them but police said that he only managed to rescue the 14-year-old boy Hassani disappearedintheriver

Other persons at the beach helped the man to search for Hassani but they couldnotfindhim.

Gunmen rob Chinese supermarket of cash and phone cards

Four gunmen invaded a C h i n e s e Supermarket at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara (ECD) on Tuesday night, and robbed two Chinese cashiers of cashandphonecards.

The robbery took place around 19:34hrs and was reportedly captured on security camerasatthesupermarket.

Police said that the four suspects arrived in front of the building on two Honda XR motorcycles - one red and one black.

Police said that two of the suspects ran into the building and held both cashiers at gunpoint.

Footageshowedthatoneof the gunmen posed as a customer requesting a pack of cigarettesfromthecashier

As the woman placed the cigarettes on the counter, the man pulled out a gun from his pantswaistand“stickherup”.

The cashier tried to save some of the money while the bandit made his way behind the counterbythrowingthemintoa garbage bag, but he was too quick.

She had to drop the bag and put her hands up as the bandit grabbed cash and phone cards from the cash register and shovedtheminhispantspocket andcrotch.

While he was robbing that cashier, his accomplice was robbing the other one. The remaining bandits were on the lookout.

The suspects then ran back to their motorcycles and rode away in a southern direction alongtheEastCoastHighway Police have since released stillimagesofthesuspectsfrom CCTVfootageoftherobbery

“Anyone who can identify any of the suspects, contact police on telephone number 696-4862.

All information will be t r e a t e d w i t h s t r i c t confidentiality,”policesaidina statement.

One of the bandits robbing the cashier at the supermarket.

Still images of the suspects and the bikes they used.

Disputeoverbusinessman'sproposalhalts‘developmental’ worktoturfclubandmultipurposegroundatBushLot

Adispute over a b u s i n e s s m a n ' s proposal has halted work scheduled to develop a turf club and multipurpose facility located at Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice(WCB).

Earlier this year, businessman, Nasrudeen Mohamed of Jumbo Jet Services proposed investing in excessof$140milliontotransform theturfclubintoanall-terrainhorse r cing track and a family entertainmentcentrecompletewith amodernrecreationalpark.

The proposal was however rejected by some of the Bush Lot United Turf Club (BLUTC) board members; the oversight committee that has been in charge of the facilityforover75years.

The members who rejected the proposal believe that the investment is all part of a scheme for the businessman to own and takeoverthefacility;aclaimwhich Mr Mohamedhasrefuted.

Speaking on the sidelines of a community meeting held at Bush Lot on Tuesday Vice President of BLUTC, Asheik Motilall told Kaieteur News that many people are concerned about the plan to develop to facility located at the BushLotSeaViewPark.

“He [Mohamed] is going ahead with work like he owns the place,” Motilallsaid.

According to him, even before the proposal was made, the businessman was already sidestepping the authority of the fivememberBLUTC.

Motilall recounted that

sometime inApril, it was printed in the newspapers that “Mr Jumbo Jet's son” Nasrudeen Junior Mohamed and his [Nasrudeen

Senior's] brother-in-law, Dharmindra Dharamjit, who is President of the BLUTC came up withaplantodeveloptheracetrack

and change it into a recreational facility

“We are talking about over 28 acres of land that they want to

change and develop. Now we have no problem with development but the way they are doing it is without any discussion and approval from the rest of the committee…that's notthewaytodothings;ifyouwant to do something talk to the club,” Motilall said.He continued: “They broke down and removed 14 horse stables, two grandstands, and one judge box and there was no explanation to the club members, I spoke to Mr Nasrudeen who has been my friend for 35 years and he told me that he get over the place. I asked him how he could get a community place. And he said so and so body gave him…,” Motilall added.

The BLUTC Vice President claimed the businessman later made an attempt to obtain a lease for the community ground but the leasewasalreadyinthenameofthe BLUTC “and so he is pulling out…”“Wedon'thaveanissuewith (Continued on page 17)

IICA awards Guyanese farmer Rosamund Benn

…for commitment to food security, empowering rural women

Rosamund Benn, a G u y a n e s e farmer, who has been a driving force in empowering rural women to enhance their livelihoods through crop processing and marketing, has been bestowedtheprestigioustitle of "Leader of Rurality of the Americas" by the InterAmerican Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).

The "Leader of Rurality of the Americas" award, presented by IICA, holds a distinctive significance. It not only acknowledges individuals who guarantee f o o d s e c u r i t y a n d biodiversity preservation through their agricultural efforts but also serves as an inspiration for rural development across the

region.

In recognition of her remarkable contributions, Benn will be presented with the esteemed "Soul of Rurality" award. This accolade is part of a noteworthy initiative by the

IICA, a specialized agency focused on rural and agricultural development. The initiative aims to honor individualswhoaremakinga profound impact in the rural landscapesoftheAmericas,a (Continuned on page 16)

Guyanese farmer, Rosamund Benn

A display of some of Benn's Pomeroon Rose products

Three members of the BLUTC Committee seated at the head table during the community meeting at Bush Lot, WCB on Tuesday

A section of the 28 acres Turf club at Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice (WCB) that is at the centre of the dispute

Pres. Ali wants Guyana's carbon credit price to be US$70 per tonne on global market

In the global arena of environmental economics, Guyana emerges as a steadfast advocate for equitable compensation for carboncredits,asitcontinues to press for a substantial increase in the prevailing carbon credit pricing President Irfaan Ali, in a recent discourse held at the University of Guyana, articulated the nation's resolute ambition of driving the carbon credit price to a remarkable$70pertonne.

During this thoughtprovoking dialogue, President Ali engaged in a conversation with former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, concerning the intricate balance between developmental aspirations and the imperative to safeguard the world's rainforests.

Highlightingasignificant financial gap that currently poses a challenge, President Ali spotlighted the pressing needfor$2.3trilliontofulfill the crucial Sustainable DevelopmentGoalsby2030. This financial hurdle gains further prominence against the backdrop of insufficient returns from carbon credit

salesontheglobalmarket.

Amidst the bounty of natural resources bestowed upon Guyana, President Ali expounded on the country's predicament: the presence of vast standing forests juxtaposed with a lack of viable markets for these forest ecosystems He accentuated the inevitable human need for sustenance a n d d e v e l o p m e n t , emphasizing the urgency of addressing the prevailing carbon credit pricing conundrum.

President Ali said, "The carbon price must be US$70 per tonne. It is not even US$7. And that is why the market is so important. We h a v e t o f i x t h a t fundamentally."

To grapple with this fundamental issue, President Ali called for a united regional effort to rectify the pricingmechanism.Henoted t h a t w i t h o u t s u c h collaborative action, the ongoing dilemma of balancing developmental pursuits and ecological preservationwillpersistently haunt nations across the region Elevating the discourse, President Ali

CIOG helps Success fire victims rebuild home

The Central Islamic Organisation (CIOG) on Wednesday responded to a plea for help made by victims of a Success, East Coast Demerara (ECD) fire.TheCIOGwillhelpthe victimsrebuildtheirhome.

Shafiez Mohamed and his family were left homeless after a fire destroyed their home on Thursday,August17,2023. K a i e t e u r N e w s had reported that Mohamed's home was uninsured and that he was pleading with the public to provide any form of assistance in his rebuildingefforts.

“The CIOG donated a quantity of clothing, stove, kitchen utensils, bed, chest of drawers, and monies to

posed a formidable question: How can the international community collectively agree to set the carbon credit price at a resolute US$70 per tonne? He challenged the world to make this momentous decision in

pursuit of net-zero emissions, marking a crucial step towards addressing the climate crisis In this poignant exchange, former Prime Minister Tony Blair also underscored the monumental educational and

inspirational potential embedded within Guyana's r a i n f o r e s t s B l a i r

commended Guyana's formidable credibility on the global stage for its ardent commitment to forest conservation, a rare attribute in the ongoing battle against climatechange.

He hailed Guyana as a leader poised to make a significant impact in the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference, popularly known as COP 28.

Scheduled to convene in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, this pivotal event carries the potential to reshape international climate discussions.Moreover, Blair lauded Guyana's pioneering Low Carbon Development

Strategy (LCDS), heralding it as a beacon of hope to dispel the purported d i c h o t o m y b e t w e e n d e v e l o p m e n t a n d environmental protection He called for harnessing the momentum from COP 28 to propel the LCDS towards an evenmorerobustfuture. Beyond its economic significance, Guyana's verdant rainforests hold an intrinsic value that transcends borders Encompassing a sprawling 18.4 million hectares, these forests harbor an astonishing 19.5 gigatonnes of carbon and annually absorb 154 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, contributing to the global fight against climate change.

aid the family in the rebuilding of their home”, the Islamic organisation statedonWednesday CIOG said that it “trusts” that the items it donated will be of support to “the emergency care and needofthefamily.”

CIOG expressed gratitude to those who assisted in helping the Success family to rebuild theirhome.

“CIOG wishes to express their gratitude to contributed:

The Muslim Community Center of NewYork, B & B Restaurant, Dinar Trading, Ms Halima Begg and Imran Shafiullah; and all those who have supported this noble cause and pray that they will be richly rewarded”,CIOGsaid.

10-month-old baby dies in Dennis Street crash

A10-month-old baby was on Wednes day killed in a car crash along Dennis Street, Sophia, Greater Georgetown. Dead is Zanid Boyer.

Reports are that the accident occurred at about 14:00h in the vicinity of the Juvenile Holding Center and involved two cars traveling in opposite directions.

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Commander of Georgetown, Simon McBean confirmed the accident and that Boyer died.

Kaieteur News understands that the baby and his parents were traveling in a private care when a hire car

slammed

IICA awards Guyanese farmer...

From page 14 region that holds significant importance for global food security, nutritional well-being, and environmental sustainability.

As the President of the Women Agro-processors Development Network (WADNET) in Guyana, Rosamund Benn has played a pivotal role in offering vital support to rural women, helping them overcome the myriad

challenges they face on a daily basis. In sharing Benn’s journey, the IICA noted that her endeavours are deeply rooted in her upbringing in one of Guyana’s hinterland communities, situated in the forested areas beyond the coastal plains.

When she met her husband, she moved to Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) known for its large rivers and its fruit farms, which primarily grow coconuts. “I come from a farming family, but production in the hinterland is completely different from that on the coast,” she recounted.

ing. Nonetheless, her unwavering commitment to farming and sustainable practices shined through.

and triggering a national disaster response.

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With nearly four decades of farming, she and her husband transformed their initial 5-acre land into a sprawling 50-acre expanse, primarily focused on large-scale coconut cultivation.

According to the IICA, in a country heavily reliant on water transport for food distribution, the effects of climate change, such as heightened floods and droughts, have posed formidable obstacles for Benn and her farm-

Collaborating with her husband Rudolph, she embarked on producing virgin coconut oil in the 1990s. This labour-intensive process involves manual extraction and grating of coconuts to create a high-quality product with medicinal attributes. Marketed under the brand name “Pomeroon Rose,” their virgin coconut oil has gained prominence, reaching consumers through wholesalers and businesses across the country.

However, the path of coconut farming is not without its trials. It is said that coconuts thrive in rainy seasons but demand substantial time to grow during dry periods. The changing climate patterns, characterized by extreme weather events, have significantly impacted farming in Guyana. In 2021, devastating floods wreaked havoc on farms, leading to widespread losses of crops

Through the challenges, Rosamund Benn remains steadfast in her dedication to both farming and the empowerment of women in agriculture. The organization was keen to note that her involvement with the Women Agroprocessors Development Network (WADNET), established in 2012, has proven instrumental in fostering collective problem-solving and camaraderie among female farmers.

Recognising the additional barriers faced by women, including limited land ownership and credit access, Benn has emphasised the pivotal role of sharing experiences and knowledge-sharing.

She underscored the importance of passing down agricultural wisdom to the youth and nurturing the connection between generations to ensure the continuity of farming as a way of life and a vital contributor to humanity’s future.

Gabon officers declare military...

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From page 10 spokesman Olivier Veran said.

The coup creates more uncertainty for France’s presence in the region. France has about 350 troops in Gabon.

Its forces have been kicked out of Mali and Burkina Faso after coups there in the last two years.

French miner Eramet (ERMT.PA), which has large manganese operations in Gabon, said it had halted operations.

Gabon produces about 200,000 barrels of oil a day,

mainly from depleting fields. International companies include France’s TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA) and Anglo-French producer Perenco.

Concerns about the weekend election’s transparency were raised by a lack of international observers, the suspension of some foreign broadcasts and a decision to cut internet service and impose a night-time curfew after the vote. Bongo’s team rejected allegations of fraud.

On Wednesday, the internet appeared to be working for the first time since the

vote. The junta confirmed web access had been restored as well as all international broadcasts, but it said it would keep the curfew in place until further notice.

Shortly before the coup announcement, the election authority declared Bongo the election winner with 64.27% of the vote and said his main challenger, Albert Ondo Ossa, had secured 30.77%.

Gabon’s dollar-denominated bonds fell as much as 14 cents on Wednesday before recovering to trade down 9.5 cents on the dollar.

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One Salesman, One Labourer, Cxc Subjects, experience in writing bills, stocktaking and cashing. Apply at Keyfood Mc. Doom Village next to the Post Office.

Carpenters, Labourers, Masons & Skilled men needed, wages $7,000-$10,000 per day & Labourer 5-6K per day. Call: 650-1394, 692-7110.

FOR SALE

Pure breed German Shepherd for sale. Call: 615-3595/ 6659140.

Canje transported farm land 207 acres, recently used for rice cultivation, fresh water own koker. Email: gelgin15@gmail.com

into the car that they were in. The details of the ac-

cident are sketchy however, passengers from both vehicles were injured. Investigations are ongoing.

Accident scene on Dennis Street, Sophia.

Dispute over businessman's proposal halts...

Frompage14 development but what he wantstodothereisownand control the place and get rid of the Club…We are not going to stand for it,” Motilalladded.

Vice Chairman of Mahaica Mahaicony Abary Agriculture Development Authority (MMA/ADA)

Zaid Rafeeoodeen shared a similarview

“I got a call from Mr JumboJetandhesaidtome, I'm pulling out and the reason I'm pulling out becausetheleaseisnotbeing written in my name and I wanttotakeittothebankto finance this project…These arefactsforme…Ihavesaid to you what Mr Jumbo Jet has said to me and I can s u b s t a n t i a t e i t , ” Rafeeoodeendeclaredtothe small gathering of residents atBushLot.

Rafeeoodeen noted nevertheless that he is in favour of development for the community and expressed hope that

membersoftheBLUTCand the businessman could meet acompromise.

“It's unfortunate that we are here in a situation like this I personally would like to see development at BushLot…”helamented.

Head of Bush Lot Community Development Council (CDC), Rosita Kerut who chaired the community meeting, urged thevillagerstoshowsupport for the development project to continue. She is hoping thatwithenoughsupport,the villagers can persuade Mr Mohamed to continue with the project. “We need this typeofdevelopmentinBush Lot. The community of Bush Lot doesn't have anywhere for our kids to go and have recreation. It will benefit us greatly I know that Mr Jumbo Jet does not want the place for himself. Lookatwhatitwilldoforthe community…”Kerutsaid.

When contacted via telephone, Junior Mohamed confirmed that he is no

theturfclub.

He told this newspaper that millions were invested in trying to upgrade the facility“We upgraded the track to an all-weather track for horses and we changed therailsandputinsteelrails. Our plan is to upgrade the standstoseat4000persons.”

“A bunch of rumours startedtoswirlaboutJumbo Jet wanting to take over the place and we just withdrew completelybecausewedon't want the place… we were goingtodevelopit,”hesaid.

Mohamed claimed too that the BLUTC was never involved in previous developmentalactivities.

“There wasn't an active group in place for many yearsbutnowthattheclubis in place, they would have gotten a lease in their name so they have power and we wouldn't want to invest in anything that they would have complete control over It doesn't make sense,” he explained.a

but graphs less

Ministry returns oil data to website useful than before

The Petroleum M a n a g e m e n t P r o g r a m m e website, managed by the Ministry of Natural Resources, recently underwent changes after facing what appeared to be technical difficulties. But all hasnotbeenfixed.

In a statement, the Ministrysaidit“isaddressing a recently identified issue with the timeline line graph feature as part of the Data Centrefound…Ourthorough checks have revealed that users have encountered difficulties changing the graph's display based on the selectedperiod.”

An article by Kaieteur News on Tuesday had drawn attention to the missing oil production data on the website Following the article's publication, the Ministry acted swiftly to return the oil production graphs to the portal However, the reintroduced data presentation has brought about its own set of challenges.

Userswhopreviouslyhad the capability to zoom into specific time frames, such as monthly, weekly, or daily oil production, now find this feature unavailable Stakeholder feedback, as reported by Kaieteur News, had emphasized the need for

diverse data presentation, advocating for simpler graphs,tables,andinteractive visuals Despite these suggestions, the current interface does not reflect theserecommendations.

Addressing the current situation, the Ministry said, “We have replaced the timeline line graphs with static line graphs as a temporary solution This approach will allow users to access critical information without disruption while we work diligently to resolve the underlying technical glitch affecting the interactive charts.”

While the Ministry did take action, including adding new oil production data for July 2023, the way the information is currently displayed is unusable According to the statement, the technical professionals are working to identify the rootcause.

Kaieteur News had highlighted a series of glitches that plagued the portal,makingpivotaloiland gas sector data inaccessible. For weeks, stakeholders and citizens alike grappled with challenges in accessing vital information, from oil and gas production data to the evolution of crude oil prices, up until the data all vanished fromthesite.

Before, Kaieteur News had noted stakeholders' concerns that the data was only readable by a certain educational class. Now, it appearstoalienateeveryuser, irrespective of their educationallevel.

When it comes to the presentation of data, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), of which Guyana is a member,encouragesmember countries to embrace an open data format. This was noted by the National Coordinator of GYEITI, Dr Prem Misir, in a recent public note to the Guyana multi-stakeholder group.

He noted that the Open Data Handbook (Open Knowledge) defines open data, in this way: “Open data isdatathatcanbefreelyused, re-usedandsharedbyanyone – subject only, at most, to the requirement to attribute and sharealike.”

This principle does not currently apply to the data presented in the Petroleum Management Programme, which is meant to serve as a resource for information sharing about Guyana's oil and gas sector The Ministry said it is committed to delivering accurate and accessible data to the public and maintaining the highest standardsoftransparency

K/NewsrobberytrialtocontinueinOctober

The trial into the October 2022 robbery of Kaieteur News will continue on October 17, 2023. The m

MagistrateLeronDalyonMonday

Twenty-five-year-old Ivor Belingie called 'WildLife' of Back Circle, East Ruimveldt, and 23year-old Lemuel Grant, a clerk of Russell Street, Charlestown, were charged for robbing the Kaieteur N e w s office located in Georgetown.

The duo was among the suspects remanded to prison for being involved in the October 10, 2022, armed robbery carried out at the media entity While others have pleaded guilty and were jailed, Belingie and Grant have maintained their innocence which resulted in the matter going to trial before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates'Courts.

Belingie and Grant made their lastcourtappearanceonMonday

Earlier this year, former Kaieteur News employee, 33-yearoldRyanWharton,and36-year-old Harry Stongster of Hyde Park, Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD) changed their initial not guiltypleasandadmittedtobeinga partoftherobbery

Wharton of R4-574 Canary Street, Tucville, Georgetown, and Stongster were both sentenced on January 24, 2023, to 50 and 48 months respectively Notably, 35year-old Joshua Junor, Kaieteur News security guard of Middle Road, La Penitence, later changed hispleaandwassentenced.

This publication had reported that between October 9, 2022, and October 10, 2022, at Lot 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, while being armed with a dangerous weapon, the defendants robbed Kaieteur

News ownedbyGlennLallof$38.8 million, a Republic Bank cheque valued at $9.1 million, US$9,306, one black .32 Taurus pistol serial number FHS60749 valued $350,000, ammunition valued at $480,000, one firearm case valued at $25,000, two handles valued at

$10,000 and six magazines valued at $60,000. The charge also stated that the men allegedly robbed Noel Junor, the other security guard who was on duty of $5000, and Wayne Lyttle, a graphic artist, who was also on duty, of one cellular phone valuedat$44,000.

Accordingtoreports,duringthe wee hours of Monday, October 10, three bandits entered the Kaieteur News office and stole a safe containingmillionsofdollarsalong with a firearm and ammunition. Wharton was the first to be arrested. While in custody, he reportedlyconfessedtoplottingthe crime with Junor who was one of two security guards on duty during the commission of the robbery –andseveralothers.

According to police, Wharton and Junor had reportedly been planning to rob the company a while back but had only finalised their scheme the Sunday morning priortotherobbery Theyallegedly contracted Stongster and Belingie to be their accomplices and allegedly borrowed a Toyota Spacio motorcar from another accused to transport them to and fromthe Kaieteur News office.

Oil production graphs were returned to Petroleum Management Programme with reduced functionality

Lemuel Grant Ivor Balengie

Republic Bank GCB U23 Super50 tournament...

Deopersaud 6 wickets pilot Albion to Republic Bank

GCB U23 Berbice

Kumar Deopersaud

bowled Albion to victory with 6 wickets as they defeated Blairmont in a Super Over when yesterday’s Republic Bank U23 Super50 Berbice leg finals ended in a thriller.

Both teams posted 90 during their respective innings played at the Port Mourant Cricket Club Ground.

Damion Cecil led with 28 for Albion batting first, along with 17 from Afraz

zone title

Budhoo, the duo led their team’s batting.

Bowling for Blairmont was spearheaded by Akash Ragbeer who stole 4 for 19 while Nigel Deodat and Seon Glasgow snared two wickets each.

Blairmont then failed to eclipse their opponents score and was stuck on 90 as Glasgow (29) and Chris Harry (27), failed to complete the task.

Deopersaud was the destroyer with 4 wickets in the

regulation period of the game, along with Leon Cecil who also picked up 4 scalps, to give Albion fighting a chance.

However, the thrilling Super Over saw Albion rallying to victory off the last ball thanks to the Heroics of Deopersaud, who snagged 2 more wickets after being entrusted with the most important over of the game, finishing with 6 wickets in total while marshaling his team to the title.

Thursday August 31, 2023

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)

Today you might be in the public eye along with some close friends and perhaps a love partner. You may be giving a speech, leading a discussion group.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Whether or not you're artistic, Taurus, inspiration for music, painting, writing, or other creative projects could come to you thick and fast today.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

A group activity could involve a number of people, including some close friends, who share your intellectual, philosophical, or spiritual interests.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

Today you might be in the public eye along with some close friends and perhaps a love partner. You may be giving a speech, leading a discussion group, or be the center of attention at a party.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)

A new and exciting person, possibly someone from a distant state or foreign country, could come into your life today. You could spend hours talking.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22)

Some unusual dreams could have unexpected side effects, Virgo. They could spark new ideas for creative projects or possible innovative concepts to advance your career or social life.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

Social contact with new and exciting people, Libra, perhaps at a neighborhood gathering, could bring intriguing information your way. You could learn about new fields that interest you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Work might take up a lot of your time today, Scorpio, perhaps job related, perhaps chores around the house. Friends or family may join you, and their conversation could help relieve some of the tedium.

SAGIT (Nov.22–Dec.21)

Much of your day is likely to be spent in the company of family, close friends, and a current or potential love partner, Sagittarius. Business partners could be involved.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The Today you might decide to host a social event in your home, perhaps for friends and colleagues with whom you share intellectual, philosophical.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

A large gathering, perhaps a festival of some kind, could take place in your neighborhood today, Aquarius. You could choose to attend with some close friends and your romantic interest.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Discussions with friends or colleagues about possible future business enterprises could find you taking notes, Pisces. Your natural meticulousness should serve you well.

The victorious Albion U23 team.

Peter Lewis Asphalt Sales & Construction Services Big Man Cricket2rounds 6 & 7 Fixtures

The New Doctor’s Clinic assists

2 West Indies O40s selectees

- Powered by Blue

Waters as the official water for Big Man Cricket

BIG MAN CRICKET-2@ O40s

T25 tournament continues on Saturday with 5 matches in Round 6 plus 1 match from Round 3 at 5 venues across Berbice, Demerara &

Essequibo with a double header at Blairmont. Round 7 will just feature 3 matchesinBerbiceduetotheunavailability ofgroundsinDemerara.

FullFixtures:

Lyles and Richardson headline stellar Zurich Diamond League meet

AFP-Track“rockstars” Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson are two of 13 newly-crowned world champions who headline a stellar line-up at today’s Diamond League meet in Zurich.

Coming just days after the World Athletics ChampionshipsinBudapest, Zurich throws up a superchargedeveningoftrackand field, with 14 finals.A15th, thewomen’spolevault,was being held in Zurich city centreyesterday

The only event not to feature a current world champion is the men’s 5,000m as Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen decided not to make the short trip from HungarytoSwitzerland.

Lyles was hailed along with Richardson as “rock stars” by World Athletics president Sebastian Coe after winning golds in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m

relay while US teammate Richardson finally lived up toherpromisebypullingoff a stunning 100m victory, taking bronze in the 200m andgoldintherelayinwhat was a breakthrough championshipsforboth.

“I’m truly happy You can only become a world champion on those days. Times can always come (later),”Lylessaid.

“You can’t be a world champion not at a world championship.Thegoalwas awaystogoafterthedouble, s o w e c h o s e t h e championship double over anythingelse.

“Getting three was a blessing.” Lyles said he had thrivedonthepressure.

“Iloveit,it’swhatmakes competition, competition This is the moment I dream of.”

In Zurich, Lyles goes in the 200m and faces the man who finished second to him

Once again, The New Doctor’sClinic,hascomeon board to assist with 2 selectees for their participation in the West Indies Masters O40s Cricket Global Cup being held in Karachi, Pakistan during the period September 18th to October 2nd2023

TheNewDoctor’sClinic is located at 74 Queen St, Kitty, Georgetown and provides the following services:

-Doctors’consultation,

-Pharmaceutical Supplies,

-Hospital Furnishing & EquipmentSupplies,

-Medical equipment installation, Maintenance & Servicing

This Clinic is headed up by Mr Satyendra Khemraj aka Samba who has always been willing to assist our cricketers and other athletes to make their dreamareality Earlierthis year, Mr Khemraj assisted Messrs Basil Persaud & Chanderpaul Singh to enable their successful participation in the IMC O50s Cricket World Cup held in Cape Town, South Africa.

CRICKET O40s T25 tournament.

Garbarran and Clements will join the other Guyanese cricketers selected to represent West Indies O40s squad, namely, Randy Ljndore, Bhesham SeepersaudandLookeshwar Mahabeer, to wing out from Guyana to New York on

Wednesday September 13th 2023. They all then join the othermembersofthetouring party from Trinidad, Barbados, Canada & the USA to leave New York on September 15th 2023. Two othertouringpartymembers willjointheminDubaifrom London to arrive together in Pakistan.

inthateventinBudapest,19year-old Erriyon Knighton, a s w e l l a s w o r l d championships100mbronze medallistZharnelHughesof Britain, Canada’s Olympic champion Andre De Grasse and 2021 Diamond League champion Kenneth Bednarek.

-WarholmvoldrivalsNorway’s three-time world champion and world record holder Karsten Warholm will again take on arch-rivals Rai Benjamin andAlisonDosSantosinthe 400mhurdles.

Also running will be worldsilvermedallistKyron McMaster, CJ Allen and TrevorBassitt.

Richardson will run the 100m, facing off against Elaine Thompson-Herah,the reigning Olympic champion who failed to make the Jamaican team for Budapest and was reduced to running heatsoftherelay

On this occasion he has voluntarilycomeonboardto support Messrs Hemraj Garbarran and Devon Clementstoparticipateinthe O40s Global Cricket Cup in Pakistan Both of these cricketers have already primed up for their tour by smashing centuries in the ongoing BIG MAN

Liverpool’s Van Dijk charged by FA over red card reaction

AFP - Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has been charged with acting in an improper manner after he was sent off at NewcastleonSunday

VanDijkwasshownaredcardfollowing his foul on Newcastle’s Alexander Isak in thefirsthalfofLiverpool’s2-1victoryatSt James’Park.

The Netherlands centre-back was furious with the decision and initially refusedtoleavethepitchashearguedwith refereeJohnBrooks.

VanDijkcurrentlyhasaone-matchban, ruling him out of this weekend’s game againstAstonVilla.

But the suspension could be increased afterhischargebytheFootballAssociation on Tuesday for using abusive or insulting languagetowardstheofficial.

“VirgilvanDijkhasbeenchargedwitha

breach of FA Rule E3.1 following Liverpool’s Premier League game against Newcastle United on Sunday, 27 August,” anFAstatementsaid.

“It’sallegedthatthedefenderactedinan improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words towards a match official.”

Van Dijk has until Friday to respond to thecharge.

Speaking immediately after the Newcastle game, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopphadslammedthedecisiontodismiss hisdefender

“I don’t think it is a red card. There’s prettymuchnocontact,verylittle,butwhat can I say? The decision is like this and I cannotchangeit,”hesaid.“WouldIwhistle inatraininggame?Definitelynot,butthere arereasonswhyIamnotaref.”

Devon Clements receives his sponsorship check from Mr. Khemraj.

Garbo receives his sponsorship check from Mr. Khemraj.

Former champion Venus Williams suffers early U.S. Open exit

NEWYORK,(Reuters)

- Two-time U S Open champion Venus Williams suffered her most lopsided lossin24appearancesatthe GrandSlamtournamentwith a6-16-1defeatatthehands ofqualifierGreetMinnenin thefirstroundonTuesday

TheBelgiansmacked24 winners and saved all six break points she faced to dispatch the veteran American,whoshereveres.

“In 1997, Venus already playedafinalhereandIwas just born, so for me it was incredible to play a legend like her,” the 26-year-old Minnen said in an on-court interview

“I have huge respect for her.”

Former world number oneWilliams’bestchanceof climbing back into the contestcamewhenshehada break point opportunity in the opening game of the second set but she failed to convert.

The hard-hitting Minnen wouldbreakthenextgameat love and cruise to victory in the match that lasted just 75 minutes.

“First I have to give credit to my opponent,” Williamstoldreporters.

“There wasn’t a shot she couldn’t make. Even when I hitreallyamazingshots,she just hit a winner or a

Jordan Johnson slams 105 as Windies

U19s clobber Sri Lanka by 195 runs to level three-match ODI series

so I don’t think I playedbadly

Ithinkitwasjustoneof those days where it’s just unlucky.”

Seven-time Grand Slam winner Williams, whose youngersisterSerenaretired after last year’s U.S. Open with 23 major titles to her name,saidshewasprepared to come to Flushing Meadows without her siblingplaying.

“I was very much aware

V

Venus Williams of the U.S. reacts after losing her first round match against Belgium’s Greet Minnen.

(REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo)

IsaiThorneandDeshawnJamesamongthewickets...

SportsMax-Aquick-fire century from Jordan Johnson and 50s from Joshua Dorne and Tarrique Edward spurredWest Indies U19stoanemphatic195run ODI victory over Sri Lanka

at Rangiri Dambulla yesterday West Indies bowlers, too, played a crucial role in the massive win as Isai Thorne and Deshawn James each took three wickets in the match that saw West Indies level theseries1-1.

that Serena wouldn’t be playing the tournament, so I thinkIwasokay

I’ve had a chance to get usedtothatideaevenbefore sheretired,”shesaid.

“I kind of knew that was coming.”

Asked when she might hangupherracket,Williams wasnon-committal.

“Iwouldn’ttellyou,”she saidwithasmile.

“I don’t know I don’t knowwhyyou’reasking.”

Haaland wins PFA Player of the Year award

LONDON, (Reuters) -

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland was named theProfessionalFootballers’ Association (PFA) Player of theYearonTuesday

The 23-year-old was voted ahead of team mates Kevin de Bruyne and John Stones, as well as Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and former Tottenham player Harry Kane, who is nowwithBayernMunich.

Haaland’s remarkable performance saw him netting 52 goals in 53 matches across all competitions last season, contributing to City’s triple victory as they clinched the Premier League, FA Cup, and the Champions League titles.

international also achieved

Manchester City’s Erling Braut HaaHaaland wins PFA Player of the Year award

Battingfirst,WestIndies scored320alloutfromtheir 50 overs, thanks to the efforts of Johnson, who laid the platform for the matchwinningscore.Hemade105 fromjust79ballsandhit12 fours and three sixes while featuring in a third-wicket partnership of 160 from just 131 balls with Dorne, who scoredarelativelypatient56 from 73 balls hitting the boundarysixtimesalongthe way

Edward chipped in with acrucial53thathelpedpush theWestIndiestowards300 runs through a 60-run partnership with Nathan Edward, who scored 13

Opener Adrian Weir scored 32 and was the principal scorer in a second-wicket standof41withDorne.

Sineth Jayawardena was the best of the Sri Lankan bowlerswith4-36.

Needing to score at 6.4 runs an over, Sri Lanka’s batters wilted under the pressure collapsing to 40-6 in the 14th over Only a 46-

run partnership between Malsha Tharupathi and Supun Waduge held up the West Indies attack and got the home side closer to the 100-runmark.

They were eventually bowled out for 125 in the 31st over to hand the West Indiesvictory

Thornefinishedwiththe impressive figures of 3-18 while James took 3-30 Nathan Edward chipped in with2-17.

Theteamswillclashina decider on Friday, September1.

Gauff downs Andreeva, 16, to make US Open third round

AFP - American teenager Coco Gauff qualified for the third round of the US Open yesterday after beating 16-year-old RussianMirraAndreeva6-3, 6-2.

Sixth seed Gauff, one of the favourites for the title afterrecenttournamentwins in Washington and Cincinnati, will meet Belgium’s Elise Mertens or countrywoman Danielle Collinsforaplaceinthelast 16.

After a tough opening round against German veteran Laura Siegemund, Gauff dominated the youngest player in the draw to notch a 13th win in 14 matches since losing in the Wimbledonfirstround.

The 19-year-old defeated Andreeva for the

second time in three Grand Slams after winning their French Open clash in the first act of a potentially eradefiningrivalry

“I just learned to be aggressive, because if you give her something she is going to take advantage,”

Coco Gauff stepped up her game to sweep aside 16year-old Mirra Andreeva.

saidGauff,whowastakento three sets by Andreeva at RolandGarrosinJune.

“Ididwelltodaymaking herplayoffherbackfoot.

“Shehasagreatfuturein front of her - I think she is goingtobebackonthisstage manymoretimes.”

recognition in May, being awardedthetitlesofPremier League’s Player of the SeasonandFootballWriters’ Association’s Men’s Player oftheYear

SakawasnamedthePFA YoungPlayeroftheYearfor thefirsttimeafterreceivinga nomination for the fourth seasoninarow.

theWomen’sSuper Leaguewith22goals.

Chelsea’s Lauren James was named as the Young Player of the Year.

dropshot,

Jordan Johnson scored 105 from just 79 balls. (CWI Media)

(ANGELAWEISS)

Aston Villa striker Rachel Daly secured the PFA Women’s Players’ Player of the Year award after finishing as the top scorerin

GCC clinch Banks Hockey Festival Gold in Barbados

The 38th anniversary of the Barbados Hockey

Federation’s (BHF) continuous hosting of the renowned Barbados International Hockey Festival was joyously celebrated, seeing Guyana’s GCC Hockey Club lifting t h e i r f i r s t International/Caribbean title attheconclusionofthe2023 tournament Affectionately known worldwide as the “Banks Festival,” this beloved event took place under the radiant blue skies, basking in golden sunshine, from August 20-26 at the Wildey Astroturf, Garfield Sobers Sports Complex in St.Michael.

Among the participants were teams from Guyana, including the Hikers, GCC, and Old Fort, all of whom vied for the prestigious championship title The standout performers of the t o u r n a m e n t w e r e undoubtedly the GCC hockeyteamandTheHikers. These two teams displayed remarkable prowess throughout the competition andmanagedtosecurespots inthesemi-finals.

In an intense semifinal showdown, GCC faced off against the ABC Hockey team, emerging victorious with a 2-0 scoreline. Mark Sargeant and Shaquille Assanah of GCC delivered exceptional performances, each netting a goal on oppositesidesofthehalftime

mark. These achievements securedtheirteam’splacein thefinal.

In the ultimate match, GCC crossed paths with the New York Highlanders (NYH). Despite facing an early defeat to NYH in the earlier stages of the tournament, the GCC side

exhibited a remarkable comeback. The final match concluded in a thrilling 2-2 draw, leading to a gripping penaltyshootout.Intheend, GCCtriumphedwithascore of3-2,clinchingthecoveted title.

Reflecting on their achievement, Coach

Dwayne Scott emphasized adaptabilityandunwavering determination as the cornerstones of their success. He highlighted the team’s willingness to make sacrifices and their unyielding desire to win.

Coach Scott acknowledged the challenges of the

IPF World Sub-Junior and Junior Powerlifting Championships...

demanding schedule, with matchesscheduleddaily,but commended the players’ resilienceanddetermination, evident in their exceptional performance.

When quizzed about the team’s current sentiments, Coach Scott exuded enthusiasm, stating that the camp was brimming with excitement. He highlighted the significance of this victory for Guyanese hockey, noting that, “This marks the first time a Guyanese team had secured this achievement ” He expressed the team’s joy at finally clinching a gold medal after participating in numerous Caribbean tournamentsovertheyears.

The BHF draws teams from across the globe, representing regions such as the Caribbean, Europe, Britain, South America, the United States, and Abu Dhabi Renowned as the largest annual field hockey tournament in the hemisphere, the festival encompasses various divisions, including men’s, women’s, veterans, and mixed-teamcategories.

Tyrrell powers to deadlift silver, ends 10th overall in the 74kg Category

Even though he describeditasthe w o r s t performance ever since he began his powerlifting career, Guyana Dominic

Tyrrell ended his participation at the 2023 edition of the World Men’s Juniors and Sub-Juniors

Classic Championships in Cluj Napoca, Romania with asilvermedalinthedeadlift.

The day for the 23-yearold, T&T-based strongman who is now destined for Francewherehehaslandeda job, did not lift off well but ended glowingly with him announcingtotheworldthat Guyana is a nation to be reckonedinthepowerlifting world.

Lifting in the second of two flights of lifters, 10 in each, Tyrrell failed his first squat attempt at 227.5kg, justover500lbs.Hegotiton thesecondattemptbutfailed histhirdattemptat232.5kg.

Already on the board though, Tyrrell placed that behindhimandwasfocused on the bench press which saw him getting all three

lifts, the highest being, 140.0kg.

Itkepthiminthefrayand despite not challenging for thetoppodiumspotsoverall, Tyrrell knew that he had somethingspecialcomingin hispetlift,thedeadlift.

Withaveryeye-catching routine, before he attempts every deadlift, Tyrrell’s first attempt was the highest by any lifter in both flights, 300.0kg. It was a successful attempt that propelled him into the gold medal spot for thislift.

Fans in the competition arena and indeed, those in Guyana and around the world were anticipating an even bigger attempt for his second attempt but that was nottobeashetimedoutthat secondattempt.

His third and final attempt was 310.0kg but he was not able to lift it off the platform.Thatwastheexact weight that India’sAren Joy Fernandes achieved on his second attempt to land the deadliftgoldmedal.

Tyrrell’s first attempt was solid enough for the

silver whilst his Total of 667.5kgwasgoodenoughto seal him the 10th position overallintheworldoutofthe 20competitors.

In an invited comment afterthemedalpresentation, Tyrrell said he loves to be veryfrankwithanalysinghis

performances, and in this instance,itwastheworstthat hehashadatthecompetition level since he started the sport.

”Itwasthefirsttimethat I have gone into a competition and not hit the numbers or anywhere near

the numbers that I was planning to hit. It was the first time that I didn’t make any progress with my total since I started powerlifting. All things considered, I definitelyhavealotofroom to improve and I definitely shouldhaveputabetterfoot forward.”

He further noted that there were a number of challenges he would have encountered prior to getting to Romania and clearly beinginaweightclassthatis toolow,wasachallenge.

”It’s about time that I moveupto83kgwhichismy plan. I’m definitely too tall for this weight class. All things considered, I’m happy that I am the 10th strongestlifterintheworld,I am the second-best deadlifterintheworldandtohave accomplished that on my worst day possible, I am not madatall.Iamcontentedand glad that Guyana’s flag was able to fly at least in some regard.”

Tyrrell has expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport,

N a t i o n a l S p o r t s Commission, Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation, Mr Oudit Seenarain,andhisfamilyfor makinghisdream,areality

Meanwhile, Alberto Herraiz Francesof Spain whowonthesquat(267.5kg) also took the overall gold withatotalof710.0kg,silver went to Bobby Kian Tong Tan (702.5kg) of Singapore who was the gold medal winner of the bench press contest with 190.0kg while theoverallbronzemedalwas presented to Thomas Bouyerof France (700.0kg) who was also the bronze medal winner in the bench presswith170.0kg.

Silver in the squat was taken by Alessandro Pastorello(255.0kg)ofItaly, and the bronze went to Frances’ colleague, Marcos Albaladejo Castro (152 5kg) The bench presssilver was won by Laszlo Pota of Hungary (175 0kg) Sy James EmmanuelofthePhilippines was the deadlift bronze medalist.

The GCC Hockey team celebrate their triumph in Barbados. (Rawle Toney photo)

Dominic Tyrrell savours the moment.

Berbice overall champion of RBL/LGC Golf Programme Golf

On Saturday August26,2023, the curtains came down on the Republic Bank (Guy) Ltd / LGC Junior Golf Programme at the Lusignan Golf Club. In the end it was Berbice who prevailed, having walked away with a total of eleven medals, while Linden came in second and Region 4 bagging third Saturday’s national drive, chip and putt competition saw a total of 144 participants (Region 455,Linden-37,Berbice-52) competing, following 3 weeksoftraining.

During the three weeks leadinguptothegrandfinale the young golfers were introduced to the game, taught the rules and familiarizedthemselveswith the various clubs and their uses The results for the competitionwereasfollows: Boys5-9

1stCurtisMillington

2ndRandySemple

3rdAidenOlivere Boys10-12

1stKevinWoolford

2ndElijahHero

3rdMarkSimeon Boys13-14

1stRasheedBob-Semple

2ndJerimiahBriggs

3rdChrisLillah Boys15-16

1stTimothyDobson

2ndDevonHinds

3rdJaheimSamuel Girls5-9

1stAngelLondon

2ndOkeishaMcalmon

3rdUrikaSam Girls10-12

1stOliviaKendal

2ndSimoneJames

3 r d S h a n i c e Hollingsworth Girls13-14

1stAkolaCarmichael

2ndAnastaciaHenry

3rdShadiyaKendal Girls15-16

1stAtashaWilliams

2ndAndelikeHollings

3rdFavorDuke

Speaking on behalf of Republic Bank (Guy.) Ltd. wasManager,Marketingand Communications Jonelle Dummett who stated that RepublicBank(Guy.)Ltd.is proud to see the results and support from the various participants across Guyana. “As we bring the curtains down on a successful, few weeks of golf I want to say kudos to all our young golfers.Weareproudofyou, you have shown great determination over the last fewweeksasyoushowcased excellent sportsmanship in a competitive environment RepublicBank(Guy.)Ltd.is proudofitspartnershipwith the Lusignan Golf Club and looks forward to continued collaborationaswecontinue to empower youths and propel the sport of golf in Guyana.Weareverykeenon investing in communities throughourPowertoMakea

Difference programme,” Dummettposited.

Dummett further divulged that she is happy with the excellent work that the club executed during the camp.

She also relayed that throughthecampmanylives were impacted and the experience gained is invaluableastheylooktothe

future LGC President

Patanjilee Persaud said, “I want to thank everyone for showing up and for the enthusiasm they have shown I want to thank the coachesandRepublicBank (Guy) Ltd as without you guys this camp would not have been a resounding success For everyone that receivedtheircertificates,I

want you to keep that as a badge of honour We hope that at our next event, with the help of Republic Bank (Guy) Ltd.wecanspanthis camp to all administrative regions.

I want to thank all the parents for supporting this event,begoodfellowhuman beings and help each other whenyouaredown.”

A victorious Berbice.

144 children participated in the camp.

Jordan Johnson fired with the bat, the young West Indies. (CWI)

Junior world 74kg deadlift bronze medalist, Guyanese Dominic Tyrrell (left) with India’s Aren Joy Fernandes (gold medal) and Sy James Emmanuel of the Philippines who took bronze.