Kaieteur News

PPP removes residency requirement for eligible voters from Law - AFC

he Alliance for qualification, which is the

Tan address in the area of that Additionally, the Party’s to house; house to house has Change (AFC) duty of GECOM to find and Local Democratic Organ or Leader said that after beenwrittenoff.” has sounded an file, an alternative L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t noticing the Government’s One expressed provision

alarm against arrangement under a new Authority” intention, it sought to have of the Constitution is that a Government’s removal of Section 6(4) which

“The previous position the matter deferred to a person must be 18 years and residency requirements for stipulates “ … at which by Section 2 (3) was that the Special Select Committee older, registered in order to eligible voting at elections, registration officers shall official list of electors for for deliberations. However, vote. Further,Article 159 (3) calling the move a major receive: (a) the application any division ‘shall be the thatrequestwasdenied. states that any other blow to democracy and free of registration of every preliminary list of the Meanwhile, Ramjattan qualification as prescribed andfairelections. person eligible therefore, electors’ resident in that has accused the Government by law shall make a person Leader of the AFC, with and address at the date division. ofdoingthesamethingsthey eligibletovote. Khemraj Ramjattan, at the of his application in the From all appearances, were accusing the former Additionally, the AFC Party’s weekly Press registration division in that the PPP missed the President Linden Forbes Leader said that the High Conference on Friday said district or any part amendment needed for the S a m p s o n B u r n h a m Court ruling on this matter thatthePeople’sProgressive thereof…,”Ramjattansaid. LocalGovernmentElections administrationofdoing. states that the Constitution Party(PPP)Governmenthas The AFC Leader who is Act to complete the circle. It “[Former presidents] doesn’t speak expressly passed amendments to the also an Attorney further obviously overlooked this Cheddi Jagan and Janet about residency but Representation of the added that as it relates to the residency qualification (Jagan) and myself… So questioned: “What else you People’sAct (RoPA) and the a m e n d m e n t t o t h e therein. many people in the PYO want to be expressly stated National Registration Act, RepresentationofthePeople

Khemraj Ramjattan

One has to be ordinarily [ P r o g r e s s i v e Yo u t h when it says by any such that affect the use of house- Act, the Government has by has installed a new part into resident to be a voter in the Organisation] fought hard other qualification as to-house registration as a substitution of Section 2 of the Representation of the L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t f o r t h a t r e s i d e n c y prescribedbylawandallour mechanism to ascertain the Amendment Act 24 of People Act in a new section Elections, and, ‘ordinarily requirement,” Ramjattan laws says a residency voters’residency 2022, knocked off the word 33 A (6), which now resident’ is given a meaning said while explaining that r e q u i r e m e n t ; t h e “The has effectively ‘resident’and replaced same stipulates : ‘’If the therein,”Ramjattanadded. during that era, they asserted Representation of the subtracted out of section with ‘with registered Commission so directs by The AFC Leader that there must be house-to- Peoples Act, the National 6(2)(a) of the National address’; and, for the words order, the list of Electors to continued by saying that house registration since it is Registration Act, and even Registration Act the express ‘an elector’s residence choose the members of any there is only one deduction the best way of knowing the Local Government r e q u i r e m e n t w h i c h within Guyana’ substituted local democratic organ to be made based on the wherepeopleareliving. Electionslaw.” stipulated that on the this with the words ‘an (other than a regional actions of the Government, Former U.S. President While the specific qualifying date, people who elector’. democraticcouncil)orLocal and that is “to have a voters Jimmy Carter also insisted change has not been made to areregisteredmustbepeople Displaying a high degree Government Authority shall list which will increasingly on the aforementioned, the Local Government Law, “(a): who are resident in of alarm and apprehension, consist of names extracted be bloated each year to Ramjattan said adding that Ramjattan believes the Guyana.” Ramjattan continued by from the Official List of come, and which will be “GECOMnowisgivenwhat Government will soon make “Further, it substituted saying, “Further and more Electors prepared under this a b u s e d v i a is call a carte blanche that the necessary changes there for this mandatory residency alarmingly, the Government section and registered with impersonations ” they don’t have to do house too.

24-year land rights legal battle…

CJ rules Akawaio and Arekuna people do not have exclusive rights to Upper Mazaruni lands

Chief Justice (Ag ) their rights to traditional and General. that those rights were not to meaning they do have land RoxaneGeorge-Wiltshireon ancestral lands. The CJ’s T h e t w o g r o u p s theexclusiontoallothers. titles, those rights are not to Fridayruledinadecades-old ruling has brought the approached the court The Akawaio and theexclusionofothers. Amerindian land rights case curtains down on the 1998 seeking declarations that Arekuna people argued that In her explanation, – stating that while the case, which was before the they not only have rights to that from time immemorial Justice George-Wiltshire Akawaio and Arekuna DemeraraHighCourt. the land they deem ancestral they continuously occupied said that she could not peoplehaverightstotheland The land dispute case land but exclusive rights to the Upper Mazaruni lands declare that the Indigenous in dispute – their rights are wasfiledagainsttheStateby thelandsinquestion. and by virtue of this, they Peoples have rights notinexclusiontoothers. the Akawaio and Arekuna

On Friday, the Chief have inalienable rights to the exclusive to the lands

The Indigenous people Indigenous peoples who Justice confirmed that the lands. However, the Chief because those rights are toIndigenouscommunities. of the Upper Mazaruni were represented by Nigel Indigenous groups have Justice found that while the subjectedtotheState. But in 1991, titles were District have long sought Hughes The State was rights to the lands in dispute. groups have communal and Further, the Chief Justice granted individually to each legal title for recognition of represented by the Attorney However, she made it clear aboriginalrightstothelands, saidwhiletraditionally,from community; though the the1800sandonwards,there request was for holding was a practice by the collective title to their Akawaio and Arekuna traditional territory the people to occupy the collective title would give disputed lands evidence the Akawaio and Arekuna presented to the court shows tribes’ control of the entire that non-indigenous persons UpperDemeraraRegion. have been occupying the The villages of Paruima, lands.

Waramadong, Kamarang

The two Indigenous (Warawatta), Kako, Jawalla groups were awarded and Phillipai in the Upper $250,000incosts. Mazaruni have long sought

Friday’s ruling by the legal title over the area Chief Justice ended the 24- defined by the 1959 year legal battle. Kaieteur Amerindian District as one News understands that in Akawaio/Arekunadistrict. 1967, the Government Being dissatisfied that instituted an Amerindian theirwishesweren’tgranted, Lands Commission (ALC), the Arekuna and Akawaio tasked with mapping and people had sought relief in suggesting titles to be issued theCourt.

Leader of the AFC,

Toshaos, other representatives of the Upper Mazaruni District Council on Friday during the ruling (Amerindian Peoples Association photo)

Acting Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire

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EDITORIAL

PROTESTS:THEPOWEROFTHEPEOPLE

When governments get oppressive, some of the people band together and become expressive. Sometimes, they have no choice, so overbearing their circumstances have become. Their choices reduced to two: sit on their hands quietlyandcomplacently,anddonothingforthemselves,or stand up and speak out for themselves and their interests. When this is left to an unhearing government and arrogant leaders,nothinghelpful,nothingpositive,everemerges.

Thefirstthingthatwewishtomakeunequivocallyclear aboutprotestisthis:protestsmustbepeacefultohavesome chanceofencouragingresults.

We urge our readers to look back at history, and how MohandasGandhiandMartinLutherKingwentabouttheir protestactions,andhowmuchtheyachievedusingpeaceful platformsinthefaceofintenseprovocations,andrelentless physical brutalities from officials. Also, protests must be well-organized,andwelldisciplined,iftheissuesandvisions that prompted them are to come to some sort of fruition. Protests of any other kind do not have our backing, do not have much chance of long-term success and, in fact, inflict moredamagethangood.

The Iranians went out into the streets of Teheran and made their numbers and voices register in the ears of tyrannicalmen,andtheywererewardedwithabitofanease. TheIranianGovernmentdisbandeditsmoralitypolice,and openedatinywindowforsomelightandfreshairtoseepinto the lives of their citizens, who had nothing left to lose. Whateveritisthatfollowsinthenextfewmonthscannotbe assuffocatingaswhatwastherebefore,andespeciallyasit wasfeltbyIranianwomen.

This is what happens when people can’t take what the Statedumpsonthemanymore. Thereisalessoninthisfor Guyanesebeingtoldendlessfalsehoodsbydeviousleaders, relative to their mineral resources’ wealth, and how their budgetedmoniesarespent.

In China, a repressive and near totalitarian State, the government imposed a harsh and intolerable lockdown in some of its heavily populated provinces. After a while the Chinesepeoplewereleftwithnochoicebuttostandupand speakoutintheirdefense,tohighlighttheadditionalburdens heapeduponthembythetoughlockdown. Itisamostfeared undertaking, an uphill fight, for Chinese citizens to get any inchofconcessionfromtheChineseGovernment,whichis thelongstandingstandard.

ButprotestshavepromptedChineseauthoritiestogivea littlegroundinZhengzhou,UrumqiintherestlessXinjiang region, and with other cities set to experience more relief fromtheCOVID-19restrictions,describedasdraconian. In Syria,theDruzemajorityinthecityofSweidaareoutinthe streetsprotestingagainstharsheconomicconditions.

InSriLankaseveralmonthsago,protesterskeptapplying relentless pressure on the government, about its corrupt practices favoring family and friends, while shortages and crippling cost-of-living conditions left citizens hungry and angry Senior members of the Rajapaksa government were forcedtoresign,thenhehimselffled.

The point of these examples of people exercising their righttoprotestintherightway(withSyrianewanddifferent, andsomeoftheothersstillinprogress)isthatwhencitizens exercise their freedoms in the most constructive manner possible, they usually end up with some movement in the rightdirection.

For sure, it takes long; calls for sacrifices, for governments all over can be just as determined to maintain theiroldcruelandcrookedways. InGuyana,thepeoplehere can never be truly said to have had a government that has been about what is in the best interests of all the people. Though the words and postures of leaders have been about whatisnothinglessthanthebestforthepeople,theiractions confirm them to be the worst of deceivers. Now oil has brought out the absolute worst from leaders in the PPPC Government. It is now up to the Guyanese have to decide whethertheywillcontinuetoallowgovernmentandleaders todismissthemasfoolsandpawns,oriftheywillstandupin protest in the best traditions of getting what is government forthepeople.

Agriculture on the move, heading for great things

DEAREDITOR, processing unit is a perfect initiatives are not new for exported to Trinidad and The $37M agro- example and manifestation this Government, because Tobago,Barbados,andother processing facility recently of the trajectory of the when you look at the plans countries in the Eastern commissioned at Fort country fortheagriculturesector,the Caribbean.” Wellington is a great omen Editor, the hope is high plans that were detailed in In closing, I will just indeed.Thedetailsshowthat indeed, as this huge the PPP/C’s manifesto, it make a few general “The People’s Progressive investment will see stated that Guyana has to comments, and hopefully, Party/Civic (PPP/C) approximately 700 persons, move the sector from a these will reinforce my Government of Guyana, in including farmers, agro- primary productive sector to message that Guyana is an effort to further processors, women, youth, one with value-added really heading in the right commercialise value-added and other stakeholders from capabilities.” direction For one, agroproduction through agro- Regions Five and Six As a passing note, I add industries have the potential processing, has been benefiting from improved thatthiskindofprogressand to provide employment for working to establish agro- services, geared at upgrade means that, we can theruralpopulationnotonly processing facilities across increasing the value and all, as Guyanese, grow in in farming, but also in offthecountry.” extending the shelf life of confidence regarding the farm activities such as Forexample,backinJuly their products. The country leadership of the nation. On handling, packaging, ofthisyear,PresidentAlidid cannot afford wastage, and the bigger stage, and as processing, transporting and toutthat“Guyana’seconomy this facility will be a big Minister Mustapha put it, marketing of food and willnotdependsolelyonoil boost in harnessing so many Caricomcannowbegintobe agricultural products andgas”Hedidexplain,and products that normally end more optimistic in terms of Secondly, all must bear in many times too, that “While upinthedumps. reducingitsfoodimportbill, mind that agro-processing Guyana is rapidly evolving Inthisregard,Itakenote as more locally-made increases food security by asanoil-and-gasmarket,the that it is aptly “… outfitted products are being exported promoting reduction of food nation’s economy will not with the necessary to countries in the Region. spoilage and wastage, and depend solely on the equipment to process and Succinct and profound agro-processed foods treasured natural resource packageapproximately4320 indeed are the words of the encounter higher price f o r c o u n t r y - w i d e litres of green seasoning (of Ministerwhenhestatedthat, stabilityontheglobalmarket development. The point, all types) and 3600 litres of “When you look around the and are therefore likely to accordingtohim,isthat“… peppersaucemonthly,andis Caribbean, our produce are have increase market the funds, from oil will be designed to offer 24-hour indemand. Weareworking opportunities for exports, used to unlock the potential service as well as a to remove all the non-tariff contributing to income of several areas which mechanisation process to barriersthatwerepreventing securities, particularly in existed for a long time, but reduceoperationalcosts.” our products from entering ruralareas. were stagnant due to lack of And I remind, yet again, those markets. We are now Yourstruly, resources ” So, this agro all Guyana, that “These seeing more products being H.Singh.

PresidentAli insults Kuwait, Qatar and UAE on cash transfers to their citizens

DEAREDITOR, $607 Million. The NRF Act Transfers,MaleKWD1,000 berepaidover25yearswith Reported in Demerara 2021cameintooperationon = USD $3,270; Female 50% writeoff=USD$164, Waves on 15 November, 1stJanuary2022,andaspart KWD 500 = USD $1,635; 705) this is for married 2022, addressing a of the Budget 2022 process, andEachChildKWD250= universitygraduates.Qataris reception at the United Parliamentary approval was USD $818: Kuwait values with less than a bachelor’s K i n g d o m H i g h granted for a total of very importantly its citizens degree get 60% of the land Commissioner’s residence US$607 6 million to be whoaretheownersofitsoil size and loan (USD inhonourofaBritishtrade transferredduringfiscalyear andgaswealth.Inadditionto $197,646writeoff). and investment mission, 2022 Guyana’s 210,000 free education, health, and UAEforEmiratis the President disagreed with households at USD $1,000: heavilysubsidizedgroceries. With ID card, facilitates, the opposition Working peryearwillamounttoUSD QATARforQataris f r e e L A N D , f r e e People’s Alliance (WPA) $210Million,forastart,and Being rich has become a EDUCATION, free four-yearoldproposalthatat is doable in oil and gas rich birthright for native Qataris. WEDDING, free hospital leastGY$1millionshouldbe Guyana These resources’ T h e g o v e r n m e n t care, free FUNERAL paid, given to each Guyanese per riches are Guyanese wealth, redistributes money from its including an air-conditioned year. ”Don’t tell me and they should share in it, resources to citizens, TENT within 5 hours of nonsense about giving equally, and this is, real resulting in the record death,nexttoEmiratihome. every household a million democracy to share in the $88,221 GDP per capita. Whenachildisborn,parents dollars from oil, money. It wealth given by God They also receive free pay nothing for 9 months; doesn’t work anywhere,” Almighty For 2022, electricity, health care and University degree he said. Oil money for Guyana’s Natural Resource other benefits. 500, 000 programmes are free, upon business initiatives in Fund (NRF) account has Qatari Rial (USD $ 136, marriageUSD$20,000:fora Guyana, Diaspora- Pres. already broken the US$1 750:) annually to citizens. wedding reception, Grant to Ali – Demerara Waves billion mark, according to Qatar government provides build a home with ZERO OnlineNews-Guyana the Bank of Guyana (BoG), the following toALLQatari interest,surgeryoverseasfor

With all due respect, at the end of September citizens, no tax; free free, many discounts and President Ali, is insulting 2022 Guyana’s Natural electricity & water for caretakerwhensick. Kuwait, Qatar, and UAE, as Resource Fund Account primary residence; free Onward &Upward these nations do use “cash breaksUS$1billionmark| healthcare; free education; towards “One People, One transfers” for their citizens’ OilNOW USD $3,000 monthly salary Nation,OneDestiny.” well-being, with remarkable Kuwait, Qatar, and UAE for qualified Qataris in need Yoursfaithfully, successes, which can be started their assistances to of assistance (elderly, Professor Dr Shamir A. experienced when a foreign citizensbetweentwotothree divorced, widow, orphans, Ally visitorvisitsthesecountries, yearsaftertheiroilwealth. etc.); Every Qatari is also Former Ambassador to talk with knowledgeable KUWAITforKuwaitis guaranteed a job; plus free Kuwait2016-2020 Ambassadors, or do their Oil & Gas Wealth to plot of land (1,000 SQM = F i r s t A l t e r n

research. Year 2021 Guyana Kuwaitis, with ID Cards, 0.24711Acres) and QR. 1.2 G o v e r n o r I s l a

received in the National which facilitates Automatic, million = (USD $ 329, 410) Development Bank 2017Resource Fund (NRF) USD Monthly, Bank Wire interest free housing loan to 2020

National

& PublishingCompany

Guyana’s carbon credit economics and human security

FITUG condemns attack on Presidential residence

DEAREDITOR, heroismofthesecuritydetail

The Federation of which sprung into action to IndependentTradeUnionsof ensure that the situation was Guyana (FITUG) like many quickly brought under Guyanese was horrified to control. It is a testimony to learn of the attack earlier the training and skills of our today (December 15, 2022) menandwomeninuniform. on the official residence of The FITUG like many HisExcellencyPresidentDr Guyanese wonders what Mohamed Irfaan Ali. The could be the motivations for FITUG was gladdened to theattack.Wedotrustitisan learn that the President and isolated incident and not his family were safe and we connectedtoanylargerplot. arewishingafullandspeedy Atthistime,wejoinwithall recovery to the officer who Guyanese in praying for was injured during the peace and tranquility for all melee. citizens.

We are also must Regards, recognise the bravery and FITUG

DEAREDITOR, underdevelopment, and neoliberalism usually Agenda for Sustainable emissions. economics is based on the In 1994, the UNDP global human welfare include corporate Development(establishedin The IPCC has noted that convergence of factors produced what must be the especiallyinthepoorerparts globalization that is 2015) have emphasized the while the rate of GHG outlined above. The crux of mostconsequentialreportby oftheworld,weresecondary exploitative. In order to linkages among economic emissions slowed down our model is to enhance a UN agency in the post- to the high politics of improvehumansecurity,and w e l l - b e i n g a n d between 2010-2019, national development while 1945 multilateral universe. interstate competition in order to jettison the e n v i r o n m e n t a l “[w]ithout immediate and simultaneously contributing The report introduced a expressedfirstinthebalance privileges given to ‘national sustainability The former deep emissions reductions to global efforts in dealing paradigmatic shift in of power, and then the security’, narrowly defined, registered only partial across all sectors, limiting withclimatechange. security and development balanceofterrorwhichcame the UNDP envisaged success, and the latter is in global warming to 1.5°C is In a follow up article, I through the overarching with the advent of nuclear investing in human serious trouble due to the beyondreach”. will show how Guyana’s concept of human security weapons and their strategic development rather than pandemic,war,geographical At the same time Vida carbon economics, at the Thegistofthenewparadigm deployment The 1994 arms Empowering and sectoral imbalances in Carbon, a leading carbon nationallevel,willenableus is sustainable human UNDP Report turned the multilateral institutions to development financing, and investment company has toaddressthegoalssetoutin development. problematic of security up- “promote and sustain predictable crises in the determinedthat“[e]conomic theUN’sAgenda2030,with I suggest that human side-down Three major development” , and worldeconomy models predict that the LCDS as the leading security as the anchoring shifts occurred Firstly, expansion of the forms of Itisimportanttonotethat voluntary carbon markets edge. concept in sustainable human beings instead of capital inflow with less “[s]o far, onlyfivecountries areexpectedtoincrease15x Sincerely human development is most statesshouldbethe‘referent stress on aid, was also have met or exceeded the by 2030 and 100x by 2050, Dr. Randolph B. apposite to Guyana object’ofsecurity emphasized. targetsetbytheUNGeneral with growth projections of Persaud Whereveronemightstandin The new referent object It is noteworthy that Assembly in 1970 for politics, ideology, or party in this case means that previous reports had developed countries to give affiliation, I recommend we individuals and their emphasizedtherelationships 0.7%oftheirGNIinODA.” consider the substantive communities should be the among development and Guyana is and has been points related to a human- primary targets of physical e n v i r o n m e n t a l well ahead of the security driven paradigm, protection and socio- sustainability The development-sustainability underpinned as it were by economic advancement BrundtlandReport(1987)of curve, due to our LCDS our LCDS. Readers should Gender inclusion and the World Commission of approach to development, know that the two leading empowerment are key E n v i r o n m e n t a n d and its associated economic thinkers behind the human components in this pillar of Development, for instance, models. Our carbon sink securityparadigmwerefrom human security Secondly, observed that “[t]he credit model is based on a the Third World, namely rather than conceiving downward spiral of poverty complex of factors MahbubulHaqandAmartya threats as coming from and environmental comprising of the urgent Sen, both economists external sources only, degradation is a waste of n e e d f o r c a r b o n ProfessorSenwontheNobel internal threats to human opportunities and of sequestration, and the Prize in economics in 1998, welfareshouldalsobetaken resources.” equally urgent need for and Dr Haq served as the into consideration The The report appropriately development financing to Minister of Finance in sources of threat here could titled“OurCommonFuture” addresstheclearandpresent Pakistan and was a world- be from undemocratic, statedthat“[w]hatisneeded danger emanating from renowned development authoritarian states, and/or is a new era of economic climatechange. economist Two key groups within a country that growth - growth that is The model has elements components in the human cultivatefear,instability,and forcefulandatthesametime of national (economic) security paradigm, freedom violence. s o c i a l l y a n d interests, multilateral efforts from fear and freedom from Thirdly, while military e n v i r o n m e n t a l l y atclimatechangemitigation want,haveoriginsinaState threats are significant at the sustainable.” and adaptations, and the up to US$180 billion of the Union Speech to the inter-state level, there are Robust multilateral need for innovative ways in a n n u a l l y b y US Congress by President other sources of threats to agendas including the balancingenergyproduction 2030 https://vidacarbon co Franklin D. Roosevelt on c o m m u n i t i e s a n d Millennium Development while reducing or m/carbon-markets/. January6,1942. individuals. These include Goals (2000) and the 2030 ‘offsetting’ carbon Our carbon credit The restructuring of endangerment from global world order after the fall of phenomena such as climate the Soviet Union partly changeandglobaleconomic precipitated the emergence inequality,tosmallarmsand of human security as a light weapons proliferation, central articulating idea or the trafficking of women During the Cold War, and girls in the global sex e c o n o m i c industry Critics of

Govt, United Nations recommit to continued collaboration towards the achievement of SDGs

The Government of Senior Finance Minister Dr to continue to provide this Guyana (GOG) and the Ashni Singh acknowledged assistance and further UnitedNations(UN)System theworkoftheUNCountry affirmed that the UN hosted a Joint National Team in collaboration with mandate should be aligned Steering Committee (JNSC) that of the Government of withcountries’priorities. meeting on Wednesday as Guyana.Healsohighlighted Speakingatthemeeting, part of an ongoing the material support and United Nations Resident collaboration between the technical advisory services Coordinator, Ms Yeºim two sides to advance the as the most beneficial types Oruç stated that the UN 2030AgendaforSustainable of assistance provided to system is proud of its DevelopmentinGuyana. Guyana over the years. On cooperation and work with

The Joint National s u m m i n g u p t h e the Government and people Steering Committee is the Government and the UN’s of Guyana in all dimensions highest decision-making longstanding collaboration, of Guyana’s progress forum, in Guyana that Dr Singh reaffirmed towards achieving the provides policy guidance on Guyana’s continued Sustainable Development matters pertaining to the commitment to working Goals and ‘leaving no one U N - G O G C o u n t r y with the United Nations behind’. Implementation Plan (CIP) towards the achievement of “Today,wetookstockof and its alignment with the 2030 Sustainable our work in 2022 We national development DevelopmentGoals. anticipate great progress priorities as well as regional Deliveringremarksatthe towards global targets in a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l forum, Minister of 2023. We discussed where development agendas, the Parliamentary Affairs and and how the technical MinistryofFinancestatedin Governance, Gail Teixeira expertise and multilateral apressrelease. highlighted the critical reach of the UN has most to

The CIP operationalises assistance provided by UN offer towards this progress the UN Caribbean Multi- agencies to Guyana in some here in Guyana, regionally Country Sustainable of the most needed times and globally,” added Ms. Development Cooperation including during public Oruç. Also participating in Framework, which was health challenges, in the person and virtually were signed on December 10, fight against domestic Heads and Representatives 2021,inGeorgetown. violence and other related of UN Agencies, Funds and

During the meeting, areas. She called on the UN Programmes.

‘It will not be patchwork’

DEAREDITOR, on the East Bank critical works that will

Itgivesmenopleasureto thoroughfare significantly significantly improve the ever tell any media entity reduced. commuting experience of howtodoitswork,however, Inresponse,theMinistry many For example, this latest article, “$803 acceleratedaplantoupgrade communities in Grove, such million to patch East Bank the main streets within the as Samatta Point, will Demerara Roads, published Diamond and Grove become accessible from the in Thursday’s Kaieteur Housing Schemes to soon-to-be-developed newspaper is untruthful and function as an alternative accesses,andthuscontribute very misleading to the bypass of the Grove area. to enhanced traffic flow generalpublic. The scope of works of these along the East Bank

Itismyutmosthopethat projects includes the DemeraraPublicRoad. this was simply a mistake upgrading of Back Street Therefore, to say the and not intended to cast Diamond, Third Avenue Government of Guyana, aspersion on the Ministry of Diamond, First Bridge through the Ministry of PublicWorks. Access Road at Grove Public Works, is spending Currently, the Ministry Housing Scheme, and the $803 million to patch East has embarked on a series of construction of a bridge at Bank roads, is simply poor infrastructural works to the end of First Bridge journalistic practice, or an essentially improve traffic Access Road in the Grove outright pursuit to mislead efficiency, reduce Section. the people of Guyana which congestion and enhance The works will include can also be viewed as an safety for all categories of the widening, and attackonmyMinistryandits road users along the construction of concrete officers. Diamond/Grove, East Bank drains and pedestrian I do hope that this is Demeraracorridor walkways along the corrected.

These projects were identified sections of roads. Regards, conceptualised based on the The ministry will be JuanEdghill outcryofcommuterstohave spending approximately Minister of Public the issue of long wait times GYD $803 million on these Works

Broomes seen as good choice for General Secretary of PNCR

DEAREDITOR, stranglehold over the PNCR General Secretary of the ThePPPislaughingatus andrunsitasifithispersonal PNCR will be Simona in the PNC while heaping property (I don’t agree with Broomes. I do not think our scorn on our executives in the rumours), many, it is supportersandmemberswill theparty said, are afraid to speak out, accepttheLeader’sdecision

Before composing this advise or challenge the to make former minister of article, I ensured I reached Leader government,DawnHastings outtomanyofourgrassroots It is entirely the remit of the new GS. Democracy in supporters - some known theLeadertodecideonwho the party requires that the media personalities and willbeGeneralSecretarybut Leader listen to our other notable Guyanese in that doesn’t extend to his supporters, members and politicstohaveafeelofwhat choice being in direct others who care and are theythinkwithregardtothe opposition to our grassroots concerned about the party’s matterathand. supporters’ view of who welfareandsuccess.

I have no concern with would be most suitable for Broomes cannot be how the PPP feel about the that important and critical bullied or controlled by inner happenings in our positionatthisjuncture. anyone. She has a proven party, the PNCR. Nepotism TheLeadercandecideto track record in the party and and cronyism in the PPP is go against the will of our is very popular not only rife.ThePPPpretendtoelect members and supporters but among our supporters but its executive body but we there may be far reaching also Guyanese in general. I know they are all there on a repercussions and his knowvoiceswillbeliftedin selectionbasis. electoralviabilityatthenext a rallying cry for her to

T h i s w r i t e r ’ s Congress could be assumethepositionofGSin i n t e r v e n t i o n a n d negativelyaffected. our party The PNCR will involvementinseeinganew I know for a fact that becomeagreaterforcetobe Leader of the PNCR was GeetaChandanEdmondwas reckonedwithifsheisGS.I premised almost entirely on pressured out of that genuinely believe that the decision of our position. I will not delve Norton is being scrutinised grassrootssupporters. further to explain, (that by many with regard to the

It would have been remains an internal party belief that he wants people impossible to break and issue) I know that any he is comfortable with and discard the old guard in the organisation of substance can have complete leverage partywithoutactivismbeing will have as its General over While Broomes will centredontheempowerment Secretary someone that is never fall into that bracket, of our supporters to decide. independent minded, the two will be pillars on Nothing else could be decisive, strong willed and which the PNCR will stand considered more of a known, respected and firmly on My personal democracyinthatregard. admired by members and political position is very

Itisunacceptableforour supporters. Our supporters, clear here. Broomes for the partytobewithoutanactive media personalities and GS of our great party, the General Secretary for four p o p u l a r p o l i t i c a l PNCR. months Amidst heavy commentators have said to Sincerely rumoursthattheLeaderhasa me that the best choice for NormanBrowne

Freddie seems good at ‘sand dancing’

DEAREDITOR,

therefore say if he is being Freddie must write that BecauseIhavethetime,I disrespectful supporting this underAli’s watch, we are in read the feature columns of move to dictatorship. If you themidstofthehorrorsofthe two independent papers, have,thePresidentwhofeels PoliceState. KaieteurNewsandStabroek there is no need for The killing of Boston at News Today, I was meaningful consultation Dartmouth,therefusalbythe disappointed and how then you are supporting an Government to accept help horrified I was about two unhealthydictatorship. to identify the killers of the thingsintheFreddieKissoon ButFreddieseemedgood Henry’s cousins in West Column. First,howdarehim atwhattheboyswouldsay‘a CoastBerbice,thesilenceon attack the Stabroek News sand dancing.’ If his good the President’s refusal to Editorial, whose writings friend Charrandass Persaud consult on the appointment have always been was not captured being of the Chancellor and Chief intelligently constructed and disrespectful to an Indian Justice, the awards of have always given wise lady in New Delhi, his good contracts to contractors who advice to citizens and in friend would have been areblacklistedfortheirpoor other circumstances, the labeledaSaintbyFreddie. performance and the waste question of visas addressed On this sordid matter, ofStatefunds. in support of the Editorial Freddie must say publicly

So we now have a full andworthyofconsideration. why only after Charrandass’ Police State Freddie, the

Second,Freddiehasnow abuse is revealed one year Chief Citizen is being publicly given support to after, he is recalled by arrested at City Hall for President Ali and his President Ali The expressing a view shared by Administration. propaganda gurus defending many of us and we’re told

He even suggested that President Ali claimed the that democracy allows for Aliisnotboundtoconsulton President was unaware of free speech and expression important national issues. I this incident. There is Lord of views. There are other am surprised Freddie ought Nelson’s famous calypso - matters, but for now, I await to know there is a moral, KingLiar,inacompetitionto Freddie’s comments on the legal and constitutional see who would be crowned above. requirementforPresidentAli the best liar- “you hear lie, Regards to consult. Freddie must thatislie.”

Officials at the meeting between the Government of Guyana and the United Nations

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DON’T BE DISTRACTED

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Recent events in Georgetown should not distract from the refusal of the Guyana Government to properly administer the oil and gas sector, which has virtually surrendered to ExxonMobil and Partners.

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It should not also distract from the impending sale of the profitable Marriott Hotel.

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These are two issues which the Government would want citizens to keep their minds off.

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So the incident at State House and the dubious charges against City Mayor, Ubraj Narine are perfect avenues for PresidentAli and his team to keep citizens in the dark, while our patrimony is being stolen and traded for Visa-free travel.

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Local Insurance fraternity hopes to be more than fronting agencies for ExxonMobil

The local insurance and InsuranceProgram.

keepsthepremiumspaid,ifitcedes “We have the required industry brokerage fraternities However,ithasbeenconfirmed outtoreinsurers,itearnstheceding insuranceandprimaryfocuswillbe are hoping to be more by industry insiders that what the commissions that should be earned on safety We are not going to have

than fronting agencies company is actually requesting is bythelocalcompanies. an oil spill,” Henson had told for U.S oil giant ExxonMobil and for a local firm to pretend to hold

Similarly, the brokerage that StabroekNews. itspartners. the project’s insurance policies in- should be earned by local brokers He was reported as saying that

The agencies are hopeful that country, when it would really be a goes to its friends Now, the in addition to the US$2.5 billion in firms here will earnestly be foreignagencyowningallrights. sweetest part of this deal is that it is insurance coverage, ExxonMobil provided with the opportunity to The local company is paid a fee all billed back to the Guyana and partners Hess and CNOOC are adequately service the US multi- for its acting, while all the ceding taxpayer as cost oil on the currently working with the Bank of million-dollar insurance scheme, fees, premiums and other revenue presumption that it is imperative Guyana, the Department of Energy needed for safeguards in the oil goestotheforeignholder coverage placed to independent and the Environmental Protection sector

Industry insiders have spoken third-party insurers,” the operator Agency (EPA) regarding their “Wehopethattheessenceofthe strongly against the oil company’s explained. plans for coverage “above and LocalContentActandthemeaning actions which they say not only

KaieteurNewsunderstandsthat beyond” the insurance sum, to be is followed going forward,” circumvent the local content law industry operators had recognized absorbedbytheparentcompanies. President of the Insurance but cheats the industry out of large very early the danger the oil This meeting of state agencies Association of Guyana, Melissa sumsrevenueandtheirabilitytobe company’s handling of insurance was also denied by the current DeSantos, told Kaieteur News on the government’s eyes in posed and had communicated their Government until Insurance Thursday monitoringthesector concerns to industry regulators Operators confirmed the activities

In an invited comment, she told This is the first local insurance almostfouryearsago. thatweretakingplaceatthetime.It this publication that “the local placement to be made by the oil F o r m e r h e a d o f t h e is unclear whether DFGI still has industry is working assiduously to company and already operators say Environmental Protection Agency, the coverage since Exxon’s get the consortium off the ground they are being “disingenuous in Dr Vincent Adams had President said that the policy was sothatthelocalindustrycouldtruly their attempt to appear to be in Attention was thus brought to painstakingly argued that moves notprovided. benefit.” conformity with the local content theissueof‘captiveinsurers’which were made to provide US$2.5B The last information on this She said that the local sector is act for which the grace period ends is a form of self -insurance. Under coverage for the budding sector at matter was that Exxon is offering set to lose out on large sums of onDecember31,2022.” the petroleum contract the oil the time when Exxon Guyana’s US$600MratherthantheUS$2.5B money since the fronting fee that It was reminded that this is company can self-insure part or all new President Alistair Routledge, on each oil project. Adams has will be offered is “just a despitetheenvironmentalcoverage oftheinsurancerequired. had denied such a commitment described the US$600M as commission.” for initialoil projectsstillnot being Without information on the being given under Country inadequate given the quantity of Kaieteur News reported that in country as well as unclear as to location of the existing policies, ManagerRodHenson. crudediscovered.

Exxon affiliate Esso Exploration whoholdsthepolicies. industry operators are left to However, media reports from No update has been given also and Production Guyana Limited The source told this newspaper believe that Exxon or one of its 2019 show that Guyana may have regarding the “above and beyond” (EEPGL) at the start of the month that the year will run out and the companies may be providing very well secured the sum that was US$2B coverage being negotiated publishedanoticetoputinplacean placement method will remain the coveragethemselves. repeatedlydenied. by the Government and parent agreementfortheprovisionoflocal samenotingthatthis“robsthelocal The Operator reiterated that A Stabroek News exclusive on company in case the US$600M is insurance services and requested industry of broking commissions, allowing Exxon to operate in the July 22, 2019 ‘Exxon secures local not enough to cover a disaster information of commercial and ceding commissions and the mannerithasstartedoffeffectively insurance’quotedHensonassaying Operators say as far as they are technicalcontentfromsuppliersfor opportunity to develop the robs the Government of any that EEPGL had secured Diamond aware, no one is covering this new meeting EEPGL’s bid selection industry.” oversight… and who benefits and Fire and General Insurance (DFGI) insurancescheme. requirements for Local Guyana The industry operator said that why - clearly in the absence of Inc, a subsidiary of Demerara They are also questioning why Insurers – Yellowtail and Gas to Guyana must know who is getting claims, the captive insurer owned Distillers Limited, to handle the to date the regulator has not secure Energy Projects Development allthismoney 100 percent by the oil major who policy thesectorgivenwhat’satstake.

Guyana Association of Real Estate Professional aims to lift real estate standards

The Guyana Association of Real Estate Professionals (GAREP) on Wednesday held their first annual Christmas Social and General Meeting at the Hibiscus Lounge where members of its Executive Committee, IMC, spoke of plans to develop ethics inthelocalrealestateindustryin2023.

“Some of the 2023 priorities for GAREP is an election in February [of the IMC] and a focus on education, certification, and development of ethicsinthe(RealEstate)industry,”the Associationsaidinastatement.

The Tourism Hospitality Association Guyana (THAG) and the New Guyana School pledged cooperation and support to GAREP in thisregard.

GAREP was founded in June 2022 and its main objective is to bring Guyana on par with international standardsintherealestateindustry

Membership of the association is opentoallpersonsinterestedinthereal estate business and willing to contribute towards the development of theindustry

Members of GAREP posing for a photo after their General Meeting

President of the Insurance Association of Guyana, Melissa DeSantos

THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS APPLAUDING AT ITS OWN TRAGEDY

Growth for Regional economies pegged at 3.7% for...

Frompage3 on monetary authorities in toolboxforfacingthecurrent the unemployment rate. In Latin America and the scenario Along with the addition, an increase in Caribbean to continue monetary policy rate, informality has been raising monetary policy officials should use observedin2022alongwith rates. macroprudential and adeclineinrealwages. ECLAC indicates that regulatory instruments that

You had to be there to took a familiar line. The transferandknow-how That the commanding heights of worstoildealinthecountry appreciate how smitten the President claimed that argument however has long their economies When Guyana’s gold is also being private sector is with multinationals allow been discredited. And it is Prime Minister Forbes plundered by foreign President Irfaan Ali. While countries like Guyana to shocking to learn that Burnham opted to companies. The same tune addressing a recent Guyana build capacity, to build PresidentAli,inthisdayand nationalise the bauxite that Irfaan Ali is singing tentaclesintheotherareasof Manufacturing and Services technology and know-how age, would fall for it hook, industry, he said that, “You todaywassungbyDesmond the agri- food chain, thus Association (GMSA) event, and to benefit from capital line and sinker Despite cannot be an independent Hoyte. He too heralded the givingthemadecisiverolein the President was greeted investment This is the having a doctorate in urban country and be an economic importance of foreign determining the global price with lusty and regular propaganda that the neo- planning, he needs to be satellite, not merely of multinationals But the forfood.PresidentIrfaanAli applause from the barons of liberal international schooled in macroeconomic another nation, but of a returns were poor for the is leading a charge for local industry who were financialinstitutionsandthe history privatecorporation.” country when he brought in greaterfoodsecurity Butthe oblivious to the superfluous multinationals themselves M u l t i n a t i o n a l Under colonial rule, foreign multinationals such more money he pumps into presentation that was being are ramming down the corporations (MNCs) and Guyana was once designed as Green Construction, the local economy, the made. throatsofourleaders. transnational corporations as Booker Guyana in Booker State and Cambior, higher the prices of food President Ali had the They are encouraging (TNCs)havehadanotorious r e f e r e n c e t o t h e to name a few OMAI, for becomes,suggestingthatthe audience’sraptattentionand governments to invite reputation for plundering commanding position the example, paid a small rateofincreaseofdisposable appreciation But one multinationals into the developingcountries.Thisis sugar company held in the royalty and no corporation income is outstripping wonders whether those who countries, and are telling why as part of the neo- nationaleconomy Similarly, tax.And in all their years of production. In such a case, were so generous with their them that in so doing the colonial struggle many the bauxite companies extractingmillionsofounces inflation is bound to applause really digested the country will build capacity newly independent states exerted an overweening ofgold,theyneverdeclareda increase Consumers are nonsense that he spoke. He and enjoy technology took actions to nationalise domination in the bauxite profit. feeling the squeeze as industry Burnham’sposition The reputation of foreign multinationals was that a country like multinational corporations corner the limited market. Guyana must own and as resource plunders has not Housewives recently control its own natural changed.Andthisreputation complained about a steep resourceswhichfortoolong is not limited to the natural increase in milk powder and hadbeenexploitedwithonly resource sector. A few butter All of this is minimal benefits to the months ago, United States happening at a time when country President, Joseph Biden, freight charges have Burnham was not took a swipe at a major declined. Multinationals, if opposed to foreign shipping companies in the giventheleverage,willrape multinationals involvement trans-Pacific area accusing our resources from right in the economy but he felt them of increasing freight under our noses. It is for that Guyana would not rates by more than 1000%. IrfaanAlitoensurethatthese derive the maximum These companies control foreign companies do not benefitspossiblewithinonly about80%ofshippinginthat leave Guyanese with scraps minority interest in the Region and therefore their while they cream off the naturalresourcesector actions have had a main benefits...He can start

In the fiscal sphere, the current situation poses would help manage although there has been a c h a l l e n g e s f o r aggregate demand, reduction in the primary m a c r o e c o n o m i c minimizing the effects on deficit, debt levels continue management On fiscal growthandinvestment. tobehigh,whichmeansthat matters,officialsmustavoid Finally, the Preliminary fiscal space can be expected premature spending Overview2022arguesthatit to continue conditioning the adjustments and expand is critical to stimulate trajectory of public fiscal space by reducing investment and productivity spending.Theriskofinterest evasion and avoidance, in order to address social rate hikes, of currency reviewing tax expenditures, demands, the creation of depreciations and greater carrying out reforms to decent employment, to sovereign risk are seen increase tax collection and reduce informality, hampering the financing of the tax structure’s inequality and poverty, and government operations in progressivity, and with move forward on climate 2023. multilateral support via the change adaptation and

Oneaspectthatthereport mobilization of global mitigation To that end, highlightsisthatthechanges liquidity Itisalsonecessary innovative public policies seen in the trajectory of to make progress on are needed on productive, regional inflation in the improvingtheefficiencyand financial, trade and social secondhalfof2022,coupled effectiveness of public matters and on the care with the deceleration in spending to enhance fiscal economy, to avoid another economic activity that is policy In the monetary- lost decade like the one expected to continue next financial realm, it is observed for the 2014-2023 year,willreducethepressure important to diversify the period.

Dem boys seh...

NUFF FREENESS PASSING FUH CHRISTMAS

Christmas deh around de corner and Overseas people does like party but in backpaydonepay Isnowdemadrushgan Guyana, dem party does cost money and tekplacewithalldemwahgatmoneytrying nuffpeoplenahgotopartybecausedemnah fuh buy out dem store. Yo, things tight in want spend money pon clothes and nah gat Guyana, tek a walk down to dem shopping nothingfuhputindepot. areas and yuh want know if de whole So Guyanese muss have certain things country win de lottery Dat is what does fuhdeholiday-food,fairylightsandfamily happenafterde15thDecember Is dat is what local Christmas is about. Fuh

Dem money transfer agencies gan also food, yuh must gat a nice meal fuh get rush because dem Guyanese overseas ChristmasDayandplentytodrink. also get dem Christmas bonus and dem Demfairlylightsellingcheap,cheapand know dem gat to send something extra fuh so nuff people decorating dem house. demfamilybackhome.Nevermindsomeof Christmas tree gat to go up too in some dem back home doing better than dem house. overseas, dem gan complain how things AndwhatwillChristmasbelikewithout hard in Guyana and dem family gan send familywhodoescomeandadmireyuhfairly moneyfuhdem Christmas. lightsandeatoutyuhfoodanddrinkoutyuh

Soifnuffspendinggantekplace.Datis drinks? howGuyanesedoesenjoydemselves.

Talkhalf.Leffhalf!

At present, Guyana has significant impacted on by singing the praises of comefullcircle.Theforeign shippingcosts. foreignmultinationals. multinationals such as F o u r m a j o r (The views expressed in ExxonMobil, Hess and multinationals control 90% this article are those of the CNOOC are plundering of the global trade in grains. author and do not Guyana. The country is These companies, called the necessarily reflect the receiving a mere 2% as ABCD – Archer Daniels opinions and beliefs of this royaltiesand12.5%asprofit Midland,Bunge,Cargilland n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s oil in what has been as the Dreyfus – also have their affiliates.)

observers of G u y a n e s e politics are on the consensus

GEETA CHANDAN: THE NATURE OF GUYANESE POLITICS

I have known Geeta and PNCleadership.Itwasclear a faction in the PNC that is President Jagan resigned that Norton’s her husband a long time. to political observers that closetoNortonasaHarmon and Bharrat Jagdeo became politics is street Theywerebothmystudents there was water under the person. It meant from the president, Luncheon was de politics In fact, attheUniversityofGuyana. bridge between Norton and beginning, she was not factosecondinchargeofthe certain embassies in Over the past two decades, the Granger/Harmon/Ally trusted and her tenure was government Another Georgetown are we became friends. It was a triumvirate. The triumvirate viewedwithsuspicion. African became the de jure studying the prospect PNC. friendship that went beyond andtheNortonfactionwere S e c o n d l y , h e r head of the PPP with of facilitating a new party The departure had to the banality of association. not enamoured with each inexperience is politics formidable power- Clement The western embassies will come She did not Theytrustedmyadvice. other nurtured her disadvantages. Rohee. not deliver a Norton u n d e r s t a n d t h o s e Wife and husband Amna Ally told this Geeta does not know the Forwhateverreason,the presidencytoGuyana. methodologies, believed becamepartoftheAFCand columnist that she was PNC. She entered politics PNChasnoteulogisedtheir Certain key players in such approaches to politics when the APNU+AFC won flippantly derecognised by throughthefrontdoorofthe Indian big wigs the way the thePNCknowthatNorton’s would not be used by theelection,wehadadinner the Norton leadership. See AFC,thenbecauseasastate PPP has done to their leadership will not deliver Norton. When they were, celebrationatNewThriving my column of Friday, employed lawyer. Even African leaders. Geeta then an election victory and if she couldn’t accept them. Restaurant. As the AFC August 19, 2022, “What while working in the was not treated as an Indian Norton turns to “mo The end had to come. Like settledintooffice,thenature Amna Ally told me broke Ministry of the Presidency, discovery to be highlighted. fyaah/slo fyaah” because of her husband, Joel, she may oftheAFCleadershipledto my heart.” Geeta had to that role did not bring her Someone like Desmond the importance of the beatthepointof“callingit, her alienation and she know about the way the into the realm of PNC Hoyte or Robert Corbin EXXON presence in George” with politics. One crossed over to APNU. It triumvirate felt about politics She entered the would have seen Geeta as a Guyana, the PNC will not thing for sure, the Geeta was natural because she Norton’sleadership.Sowhy war-room of the PNC as a plus for the PNC’s image. survive American wrath Chandan exodus will hurt worked as the legal advisor did she enter the door of novice, knowing nothing Under Corbin, Supriya Therefore, Norton is living both the credibility and toMinisterJoeHarmon.Her Norton? about the PNC and the Singhcouldhaverisentothe on borrowed time in the electoral prospects of the husband Joel, disassociated There are two theories. history of Norton. First, the apex of the PNC. Secondly, PNC Geeta began to PNC We may see a himself from the AFC, One is that she was advised PNC has never elevated an Geeta was General- understandwhatshegotinto challenge to Norton sooner resigned and quit politics. I to do so by the triumvirate. Indian onto the hierarchy of Secretary under a man when she entered the thanlater wassurprisedwhenshetook The other is that the ethnic thePNCthewaythePPPhas whose politics is one- kingdom of Norton. Her (The views expressed in up the position as General thing drove Norton to offer nurturedAfricans. dimension. Aubrey Norton experience was with this article are those of the Secretary of the PNC after the position The Roger Luncheon was de cannot muster the H a r m o n a n d h i s author and do not her former boss was explanation of Geeta’s facto next to Cheddi Jagan pragmatism that politics in temperament was different necessarily reflect the defeatedbyAubreyNorton. resignation using both and Reepu Daman Persaud Guyana necessitates He from Norton’s Geeta’s opinions and beliefs of this I believe Geeta’s theories has the same and Moses Nagamootoo onlyunderstandsthewayof began to experience n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s

revulsion at some of the affiliates.) herintotherealmofthenew shewasseenbyNortonand powerful status After All independent methodologies of the new

inexperience in politics led explanatory theme First, accepted Luncheon thealley

FrederickKissoon

Guyana urged to beef up audit capabilities and introduce strong reporting standards to avoid highway robbery -InternationalAdvisoryGroup

‘Chatham House’, an

Management Systems: technical needs at key independent Policy Institute ( U S $ 3 . 5 0 M ) , a n d i n s t i t u t i o n s w i t h headquartered in London, is Component – D. Project responsibility for oil and encouraging new oil players Management & Project gas, support critical training like Guyana to invest Preparation Facilities: (Cost needs at key institutions quickly and heavily in $2.60M). with responsibility for the beefing up their auditing F o r e x p l a n a t o r y sector, build up petroleum capabilities. p u r p o s e s , t h e f i r s t data management, and

The international group component being for the strengthen environmental which provides Guyana and enhancement of legal andsocialmanagement other new producers with framework and stakeholder The third component is advice stressed that a robust engagement, aims to the enhancement of fiscal monitoring system with support the update of management deals with, discoveries are made, accountabilityofthesector.” PPP/C administration has strong reporting and Guyana’s legal and among other things, ‘Chatham House’ said it is ‘Chatham House’ said used a portion of it to accounting standards for oil regulatory frameworks for improving Guyana’s i n c u m b e n t o n n e w the foregoing, together with conduct cost recover and companies’ expenses is key the governance and capacity to manage the producers to allocate more establishing an independent performance audits but there to preventing significant oversight of the sector as NaturalResourceFund. resources to building r e g u l a t o r y a g e n c y, is still much work to be done revenuelosstotheState. well as support stakeholder Finally, the fourth capacity in auditing and i n t r o d u c i n g k e y to boost the nation’s army of It said an efficient e n g a g e m e n t a n d component gives proper monitoringoperations mechanisms for public auditors. auditing and administrative transparency m a n a g e m e n t a n d It said in one of its accountability, including K a i e t e u r N e w s body for the industry is a

Thiscomponentincludes coordination of all project reports, “If discoveries audits of state agencies and understands that the World fundamental of good two subcomponents: update activities financed under the reveal that the country can ensuring regular disclosure Bank loan funds a project governance hence its the legal and regulatory project. count on a significant of audit information to the with four components: recommendation that all frameworks for the sector, More specifically, it production lifespan, the public, will all serve as C o m p o n e n t A – Governments invest in and support stakeholder provides support and builds Government must invest in critical antidotes to Enhancement of Legal buildingcapacity e n g a g e m e n t a n d the Government’s systems i t s a d m i n i s t r a t i v e corruption Framework and Stakeholder

It said even from the transparency for procurement and capabilities and boost its Guyanabackin2019had Engagement: (US$3.20 M), early days of exploration, The second component financial management, own knowledge of the received a US$20M loan Component B – Capacity Governments should on the capacity building of while allowing for the petroleumsector from the World Bank to BuildingofKeyInstitutions: already move to centralize key institutions includes i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f This will enable the develop its abilities to (US $10.70 M), Component g e o l o g i c a l d a t a four subcomponents: safeguards for proper Government to improve the govern the oil sector The C – Enhancement of Fiscal m a n a g e m e n t W h e n s u p p o r t i m m e d i a t e management,monitoring.

High Court Judge stops Schlumberger from

operating radioactive storage facility

By Renay Sambach

JAt Friday’s hearing, Justice Harnanan ruled that ustice Nareshwar the EPA breached its Harnanan on Friday statutory duties when it

g r a n t e d a n made the decision to waive injunction to stop the the requirement of an operation of US based Environmental Impact Company, Schlumberger Assessment (EIA) to Guyana Inc ’s radioactive Schlumberger in relation to storagefacilitylocatedatLot granting an environmental 1 Area ‘X’ Houston, East permit for the construction BankDemerara(EBD). ofthefacility

Attorney-at-Law, Siand Dhurjon Attorney-at-Law, Ronald Burch-Smith

Attorney-at-Law, Marlene Alleyne

On February 14, 2022, In fact, the Judge three Environmental declared that EPA’s decision Activists and residents who to not conduct an EIA into live nearby the facility, t h e e f f e c t s o f t h e Vanda Radzik, Danuta construction of the facility Radzik, and Raphael Singh, was illegal, ultra vires, EPA statutory duty set out statutory duty set out under Schlumberger, restraining it through their Lawyers: unreasonable, and irrational under section 11 (2) of the Section 11 (1) and (2) of the from continuing the

Marlene Alleyne, Siand since it breached the EPAAct. EPAAct.

possession, use and storage Dhurjon, and Ronald Burch- Environmental Protection

A second Order of Section 11 of EPA Act, of radioactive chemicals at Smith filed a lawsuit at the Act,Cap.20:05. Certiorari, was issued and stipulates that any project its Houston facility, unless Demerara High Court JusticeHarnanangranted directedtotheEPAquashing that may significantly and until it is in receipt of a against the Environmental an Order of Certiorari issued its decision made in January affects the environment lawfully issued permit Protection Agency (EPA), and directed to the EPA 2022, that permitted requires an EIAand such an pursuant to the provisions of t h e E n v i r o n m e n t a l quashingitsdecisiononJune Schlumberger to operate its assessment requires theEPAAct.

Assessment Board and 9, 2021 to award an radioactive substances and p u b l i c a t i o n i n t h e

Further, the Judge Schlumberger environmental authorisation materials storage and newspapers of the intended orderedcostsweretobepaid Attorneys-at-Law toSchlumbergertoconstruct calibration facility and to p r o j e c t a s w e l l a s by EPAand Schlumberger to ShareefahParksandFrances a radioactive substances and possess, use and store consultations with the theApplicants. Carryl represented EPA material storage and

the public, granted radioactive materials, on the public

According to reports, on while the Law Office, calibration facility on the Schlumberger permission to ground that the decision was Further, the Judge issued January 19, 2022, the EPA Hughes, Fields and Stoby ground that the decision is use,storeandpossess in breach of the EPA an injunction against without any notice given to representedSchlumberger ultra vires and breached the

Cops to interview man in State House shooting after surgery

Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum, on Friday told Kaieteur News that Investigators will make efforts to interview 25-yearold Bethel Ikenna Chimezie, the Nigerian national who wounded and disarmed members of the Presidential GuardUnitstationedatState House, the official residence of President Irfaan Ali on Thursday, when he regains consciousness.

Chimezie was shot multiple times after he opened fire on members of the Presidential Guard on C a r m i c h a e l S t r e e t , Georgetown. He was taken to the Georgetown Public H o s p i t a l w h e r e h e underwent surgery for his injuries.

Chimezie had reportedly entered a security room located at the southern side of State House facing C a r m i c h a e l S t r e e t , Georgetown and demanded toseePresidentIrfaanAli.

-CrimeChief

“I want the President Upon seeing the violent M e m b e r s o f t h e [Mohamed Irfaan Ali])” the attack, other members of the Presidential Guard returned man reportedly said before Presidential Guard on duty fire in their counter- attack pullingaknifefromhispants rushed to Perriera’s aid but and pursued Chimezie to waist and stabbing Telon the Intruder managed to New Market Street where he Perriera, a member of the disarm a female member of waseventuallyshot. Presidential Guard, five her 9mm pistol and started TheNigeriannational timestotheneckandbody. shootingattheOfficers. (Continued on page 22)

EPA Head, Kemraj Parsram

High Court Judge, Nareshwar Harnanan

Bethel Ikenna Chimezie at the hospital on Thursday

‘Local Content was created for retention of wealth in country not extraction’ -GCCIPres.

- urges Govt. to plug loopholes in Legislation

With the first

loopholes in the Legislation anniversary by utilizing persons who s i n c e t h e have little or no connection

passage of the to Guyana to obtain multiLocal Content Act in the billiondollarbenefitscarved N a t i o n a l A s s e m b l y outforGuyaneseinthelaw approaching, President of The law mandates that in the Georgetown Chamber of order for a joint venture to Commerce and Industry’s cash in on multi-million (GCCI) Timothy Tucker, on contracts in the oil and gas Thursday night urged the sector, they must show that Government of Guyana to 51% of the shares are owned plug all the loopholes in the by Guyanese However, Legislation. someForeignInvestorshave

Tucker was at the time been ‘renting’ citizens to making the opening remarks meet the requirement at GCCI’s 33rd Awards stipulatedbylaw Presentation and Gala “So it is important that Dinner held at the Marriott the regulations are put in Hotel,Kingston. place to guide and ensure

He reminded attendees, thattheyaretrueandgenuine who included President partnerships so we do not Irfaan Ali, that the Local have an extraction and that Content Act is aimed at the the wealth is retained in of the very important opportunity to participate in “retention of wealth in country for our development Legislation, Tucker said that the oil and gas sector It was country and not the for your development for his organization spent four for the retention of wealth in extraction of wealth through everyone’s development, years lobbying for it. “The country not the extraction of rent-a- citizen [one of the just want to make that one purpose and the rationale wealth through rent-a- loopholes being abused by clear,”Tuckerstated. was for you in this room, the citizen”. foreignentities]”.

Last month Minister of Guyanese businesses in this Foreign companies have While thanking the Natural Resources, Vickram room, to be given the been taking advantage of the Government for the passage Bharrat had vowed that his Government will do everything in its power to strengthentheLocalContent Legislation with the aim of p r e v e n t i n g f o r e i g n companies from taking

keen to plug the loopholes ContentSecretariat,inanbid advantage of certain following a recent court case to prove that Ramps’ 51 loopholes. withRampsLogisticsInc. percent sale of the company

He had said that the Ramps Logistics Inc., a to Guyanese, Deepak Lall, PPP/C administration will local registered company waslegitimate. not stand idly by and see with Trinidadian parentage, In June 2022, it was companies pluck random had taken the Local Content revealed by Ramps that Lall, people from the sky, claim Secretariat to court for whowasnotborninGuyana, they have Guyanese refusing to grant it a Local only got his Guyanese parentage, and front with ContentCertificate. passport for the first time in them as Partners so as to The Chief Justice 2021. The Chief Justice in usurp multi-billion dollar Roxane George-Wiltshire her ruling said that the law is benefits carved out for had said the Secretariat had v e r y c l e a r o n t h e Guyaneseinthelaw asked Ramps to supply requirements to get a Local

The Minister made those several pieces of financial ContentCertificate. remarks at a Local Content documentation, which were The company must show Forum hosted by the Private not part of the legislation. that 51 percent of its shares Sector Commission (PSC) This documentation was areownedbya on November 17, 2022 requested by the Local (Continued on page 23) Bharrat noted that he was

Junior Public Works Minister, Deodat Indar receiving his Local Content award

Former GCCI President, Nicholas Deygoo Boyer receiving his award.

Former Executive Director of GCCI, Richard Rambarran being awarded.

Puran Brothers secure $252M contract to construct sanitary

landfill facility in Reg. 2

Govt. to spend $144M from IDB loan to build Justice Centre at Vergenoegen

A$144M Hope ninemonths. alternative sentencing, and Justice The firms are Panko amongothermeasures. C e n t r e a t Steel Fabrication & Further, the Hope and

Vergenoegen, C o n s t r u c t i o n Justice Centre is expected to Region Three will soon be ($224,583,086), Jagdish provide a wide range of c o n s t r u c t e d b y t h e Persaud Construction services including but not GovernmentofGuyana. ($155,765,441), S &K limited to legal and medical The Justice Centre will Construction, Consultancy aid, counselling, and law be funded through a loan Service & General Supply enforcement. The Centre received from the Inter- Inc. (bid $154,081,198) and fallsunderthepurviewofthe American Development P D C o n t r a c t i n g Ministry of Human Services

Puran Brothers Disposal enhance the management of in Region Two,” Dharamlall Inc on Friday signed a wastecountrywide. said.

$252M contract with the “Thishasbeenoneofthe

According to DPI, the M i n i s t r y o f L o c a l sore issues for a long time, $252M facility will Government and Regional garbage collection and complement the many Development for the disposal and so, this is infrastructural works construction of a sanitary another of the many ongoingintheRegion. landfill at Zorg-En-Vlygt, investments that we’re ”We have started Essequibo Coast The making in this sector in projectsinsomeofthelarger Ministry’s Permanent Region Two,” the Minister NDC areas to also build S e c r e t a r y , P r e m a said while noting that there many sanitary areas and Roopnarine, and Managing were smaller facilities landfill facilities and it is the Director of Puran Brothers (dumpsites) but “with the intention of the Government Disposal Inc, Lakenauth signing of the contract, to intensify the construction Puran signed the contract in hopefully in the next few of sanitary landfills so that the presence of Minister of months we’d be able to get a we’re better able to manage Local Government and facility where we can refuse across our country,” Regional Development, properly dispose of garbage Minister Dharamlall said NigelDharamlall. and overall solid waste in while disclosing that a Construction will begin Region Two.” Meanwhile, similar project will be done withintwoweeksandwillbe the Minister urged the inRegionSix. completed within five contracting company to Guyanese are urged to months, the Department of complete the project within engage in the 3Rs concept –Public Information (DPI) thestipulatedtimeframe. recycle,reuseandreduce–to hasreported.

“Over the next five c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e Minister Dharamlall said months, we are going to see government’s efforts to keep this is part of the elevated services provided communitiesandthecountry Government’s effort to for solid waste management clean.

High Court Judge stops Schlumberger from...

Bank (IDB) under the ($144,778,735). andSocialSecurity Support Criminal Justice The Government had Meanwhile, Kaieteur System programme. The receivedaUS$8Mloanfrom News reported last month project is estimated to cost the IDB to address that the Ministry is also US$723,000(G$144M). overcrowding in prisons as looking to build another

T h e N a t i o n a l part of the Support Criminal Centre at Lusignan on the Procurement and Tender JusticeSystemprogramme. EastCoastofDemerara. Administration Board The Hope and Justice That project which had (NPTAB) at the recent Centre programme aims to attracted seven construction opening of tenders disclosed o v e r c o m e p r i s o n companies is estimated to that four firms submitted overcrowding by reducing cost US$391,479 The bids for the project which is pre-trial detentions and Centre is also being funded slated to be completed in increasing the use of bytheIDB.

From page 15

prevent the company from continuing any radioactive materials at its facility located at constructionofthefacility Houston.

However, in responding to the residents’ Notably, the public was also not given any lawsuit, the EPAin its Defencedisclosed that notice that any such permit was under the construction of the radioactive facility considerationbytheEnvironmentalAgency wasalreadycompletedandthatithadgranted However, onApril 11, 2022, the EPAin a permission to Schlumberger to use, possess notice published in the daily newspapers, and store radioactive substances at the disclosed that Schlumberger wanted to facilitysinceJanuary26,2022. construct a building to house the radioactive

The State Agency also submitted to the materials and that the construction process court that the Orders the residents sought wouldnotrequireanEIA. oughtnottobegrantedsincetheconstruction After seeing the EPA’s notice to waiver wascompletedandthatoperationhadalready the EIA for Schlumberger, several residents started.TheapplicantsthroughtheirLawyers formally objected to the decision stating that challengedtheEPA’scontention. radioactive materials should not be used or For its part, Schlumberger in itsAffidavit stored in close proximity to schools, ofDefencearguedthatthepublicdidnotneed neighbourhood,ortheDemeraraRiver any notice that the EPA was considering a Kaieteur News understands that the EPA radioactive materials usage, possession and then convened a meeting with the residents storage permit because the Authority was andtheirLawyers. satisfied that there would be no substantial

During the meeting, EPA assured the impactontheenvironment. residents that this was only for the Notably, the EPA had joined construction aspect of the facility and that Schlumberger in its Defence stating that it they would get a better opportunity to speak wasclearthattheprojectwouldnotaffectthe on the merits and demerits of the actual residentsortheenvironment. radioactive storage facility’s operation when

However, the Lawyers for the residents Schlumbergerseeksanapplicationforsame. contended and maintained that the use and Threeresidentslaterapproachedthecourt storage of radioactive materials at Houston, seeking an Order of Certiorari to quash the EBD could significantly impact the construction permit EPA granted to environment and should be moved to a less Schlumberger and an order of injunction to populatedarea.

Permanent Secretary, Prema Roopnarine (left), Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Nigel Dharamlall (Centre), and Lakenauth Puran, Managing Director of Puran Brothers Disposal Inc. (DPI)

Guyana,EUsignagreementforlegaltradeoftimberatCOP15

G u y a n a a n d t h e

products-forallstagesofthe h o m e t o o u r r i c h European Union (EU) have supply chain- have been biodiversity, help us signed an agreement to producedinaccordancewith strengthen the economy, and ensure the legal trade of nationallegislation. i m p r o v e p e o p l e ’ s timber to EU buyers on When this system is livelihoods. This deal with F r i d a y a t t h e U N operational, Guyana can theEUwillboostthetradein Biodiversity Conference issue verified legal timber legal timber, which will (COP 15) in Montreal, products with FLEGT stimulate the creation of Canada. licences The licence green jobs while protecting

Thelegallybindingtrade certifies that the timber or thepreciousenvironmentwe agreement was signed by timber products exported have This bilateral Minister of Natural

underthatlicencearelegal. agreement will advance the Resources Vickram Bharrat With the signing of the integrated planning and a n d t h e E u r o p e a n deal, Guyana and the EU management of Guyana’s C o m m i s s i o n e r f o r need to ratify the VPA, forest sector under the Low Environment, Oceans and according to their respective Carbon Development Fisheries, Virginijus procedures. It was stated Strategy(LCDS)2030.” Sinkevièius, and co-signed that, forest stakeholders as M e a n w h i l e , by Deputy Minister of the t h e p r i v a t e s e c t o r, C o m m i s s i o n e r f o r Environment of the Czech indigenous peoples, local International Partnerships, Republic, and EU communities and civil JuttaUrpilainensaid“Weare Presidency of the Council, society,haveallbeenclosely thrilled to have reached this Jan Dusík, a statement from involved in the negotiation agreementwithGuyana.” theEUsaid. of the agreement, alongside “After the forest

The signing of the with the Government and Partnership signed at COP agreementmarkstheendofa EUrepresentatives. 27, this VPA provides an illegal logging and promote also one of the first five including fighting climate 10-year negotiation process.

For his part, Minister opportunity for the EU and trade in verified legal timber countries worldwide that change and supporting It consolidates Guyana’s Bharrat said, “Guyana has Guyana to keep on building products. signed a Memorandum of security of global supply position as a frontrunner in one of the oldest, most on our long standing Guyana is the first Understanding (MoU) on a chains. the protection, restoration, diverse and largest tropical partnership to further country in the Amazon Forest Partnership with the Through the VPA, andsustainablemanagement ecosystems worldwide that cooperate in the area of region to sign a Voluntary EUatCOP27amonthago. Guyana will tackle trade in offorests. houses an array of diverse environment and forests Partnership Agreement This cooperation takes timberthathasbeenillegally The agreement will give flora and fauna. Our forests Forests are our allies in (VPA) on forest law place in the context of the harvested, transported or EU based timber buyers are home to more than 9 000 fighting climate change and enforcement, governance EU’s global strategy which processed. The country will assurance that timber species and it is crucial that protecting biodiversity, and and trade (FLEGT) with the stands for sustainable and improve market access for products from Guyana are wepreservesuchwildlife.” local communities benefit EU. trusted connections. Global law abiding businesses, as legal. It will help improve

He added, “Forests in from sustainable forest Under the EU Global Gatewayistacklingthemost well as modernise its forest governance, tackle Guyana are also a net carbon management. I am confident GatewayStrategy,Guyanais pressing global challenges, forestry sector, create jobs, sink and have a major role to that this agreement will also promote sustainable play in the world to mitigate lead to a positive impact on development,andprotectthe climate change. They cover the Guyanese population, rightsofindigenouspeoples. nearly 80% of our land and including Indigenous

Under the VPA, Guyana through sustainable forest Peoples,”Urpilainensaid. commits to developing a management we can ensure Commissionerfor timber legality assurance they can continue to be a (Continued on page 22) system to assess that timber

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat (right) and the EU officials at the signing of the agreement

7firmsnowbiddingtobuildGuyana’soilrefinery

The National 2 0 2 3 w i t h p r o j e c t

Procurement and completion no later than two

T e n d e r yearsafterstartdate.

Administration Board I m p o r t a n t l y , (NPTAB) has announced Government said it will that seven firms are provide several incentives to competing to construct the thesuccessfulcompany country’soilrefinery A l o n g w i t h t h e Earlier this week, estimated30acresoflandto Kaieteur News reported that be provided, Government four firms responded to the said it will also offer Ministry of Natural generous fiscal incentives Resources’ advertisement for the project including a for Request for Proposals 10-year tax holiday, supply (RFP) to design, finance and of feedstock (oil) from the construct Guyana’s first oil Guyana Government’s refinery share of profit oil at market

At the opening of tenders prices, and access to the on Tuesday at the National domestic market for sale of Procurement and Tender refined products (if Administration Board desired) (NPTAB) office, it was The RFP had stated too revealed that the competing that this project will be firms are DRL Engineering strictly financed and owned in joint venture with GESS, 100% by the private sector Sol Guyana Inc in “GOG will not have any collaboration with CH4 ownership or investment Guyana Inc. and Lindsayca interest in the project,” the Inc , Freight N Cargo advertisementmentioned. Logistics Inc., and Berbice Back in October, Green Refining Inc. in joint President Irfaan Ali had venture with ARC Energy, mentioned that the refinery PolarisEPC,andBarsonSG. will open opportunities in However, NPTAB’s transport and logistics, the website was uploaded to service industry, the include Quanten LLC, construction industry, the Environmental Engineering rental industry, and much Solutions Inc., and SPEC more. EnergyDMCC.

Meanwhile, Government Kaieteur News had will soon be constructing a reported that the proposed $385M all-weather road at facility will be designed to Blairmont, Region Five to process 30,000 barrels of oil facilitate the Ministry of per day (b/d) and be located Agriculture’s Black Belly on land provided by the Sheepprogramme. Government at the mouth of This was revealed on the Berbice River in the Tuesday at the opening of vicinityof‘CrabIsland’. bids at the National Government’s RFP said Procurement and Tender it expects construction to Administration Board start by the first quarter of (NPTAB)office.

Below are the companies and their bids:

Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development Upgrading of concrete road.

Ministry of Public Works Emergency works - reconstruction of collapsed culvert at Mahaica junction.

Ministry

of

Finance

Ministry ofAgriculture - National Drainage and IrrigationAuthority Rehabilitation of all weather road for the Black Belly Sheep programme at Blairmont.

Procurement of CCTV equipment.

Ministry of Natural Resources Design, finance and construction of a 30,000 barrel/ day oil refinery

National Parks Commission Construction of security office at eastern gate at Botanical Gardens.

WANTED

Live-indomestic/maidand canterdrivertoworkinthe Interior.Call:614-1819.

Driver, sales man, porters to work in warehouse. Must have experience , attractivesalaryoffered.Call: 696-4444.

Nimbus water system are nowHiringporters.Apply with application at Lot 79 Albert and Laluni streets queenstown.Contact6220445or685-7659.

One Domestic needed. Call Ameena:#226-4948.

ExperienceCashier,Cooks, Counter Staff & Cleaners. Apply @ Hot& Spicy Albertown.Call:225-6255/ 226-9000.

TaxidriversneededatPrincess Taxi Service, Ramada Hotel.Call:265-7075/76or 616-5419,690-2242.

Headcook,assistantcook and kitchen assistant needed.Call:707-4788.

Hardwaredistributorneeded inGuyanaforhomefurnishing & hardware products. For further informantion email:info.guyanahardware @gmail.com

VACANCY

Wanted:Experiencedsupervisor, cashier, counter person, cooks and labourer Apply@Shanta's,225Camp and New Market Sts.

Data Entry clerk needed. Apply to: Essential Care Pharmacy & Supercentre , BlockXMandelaAvenueor G3 Building Diamond East BankDemeraraOrViaE-mail -essentialcarepharmacy@ yahoo.com

Pharmacist & Pharmacy Technician needed. Apply to:EssentialCarePharmacy & Supercentre, Block X Mandela Avenue or G3 Building Diamond East Bank Demerara or E-mailessentialcarepharmacy@ yahoo.com

Logtruckdriver,Dieselmechanic, Porters and Timber grant manager. Call: 609-7675/674-1705

One general domestic to workinG/town.Mustknow to iron clothes. Call: 6153379between8:00-4:30.

Masons, skilled men carpenters and labourers, wages$7,000-$10,000per day & Labourer 5-6K per day.Call:650-1394,692-7110.

RoomattendantandReceptionist30-45yearsold.233 SouthRoadLacytown,Call: 225-0198.

SERVICES

Call:637-4927,654-9511or 683-8734.

Visa application: Canada andUK&U.S.A.Graphics design & advertisements. Wedding decorations & elderlygrooming:hair,nail etc.Call:626-7040.

Repairs at affordable price: fridge,\airconditioner,washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves&freezer.Call: 610-5846or661-8158.

North ½ of Lot 53 known and referred to as Sublot B and held by Transport No. 1514/ 2001.

Guyana, EU sign agreement for legal trade of

timber...

TOLET

Store at Lombard street, commercial spaces at Enmore mall, top floor 300ftx25ft.Call:609-7675/ 674-1705.

One 2 Bedroom semifurinished apt at Guysuco Gradens, long term or shortterm.Tel#222-7891/ 609-9202.

B)An Order that a Joint Survey be carried out to confirm the boundary C) An Order that the Respondent do immediatelygiveup vacant possession of the said portion of land belonging to the Applicant.

D) Damages for Trespass to property belonging to the Applicant.

E)An Order compelling the Respondent to demolish the fence he has built which Encroaches upon the land belonging to the Applicant.

F) Mesne profits; G) Costs; H) Such further or other relief as the Honourable Court may deem just;

From page 20

Environment, Oceans, and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevièiusadded:“ThisVPA is yet another positive developmentinfightingillegallogging, as the world meets in Montreal to agree on ambitious new targets to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.

Earlier this month, the EU agreedontheworld’sfirstlaw to fight global deforestation andforestdegradationdriven by EU production and consumption.

Thenewlawwillintegrateand improve the existing system tocontroltimberlegality,going beyond legality and addressingseveralothercrucial commodities beyond wood.

WewillworkwithGuyanaand all other partner countries to help them reap the economic opportunitiesofthisnewlaw

for deforestation-free producers across the globe.”

Likewise, Jan Dusík, Deputy Minister of the EnvironmentoftheCzechRepublic and Special Envoy of the CzechGovernment,onbehalf of Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU said the agreementconstitutesa“significant contribution to the conservationofGuyana’sforests which is essential for both protecting the biodiversityandfightagainst climatechange.”

“GuyanaandtheEuropean Union already worktogetherveryclosely, andtheVoluntaryPartnership Agreement will strengthen our cooperation and also stimulate goodgovernance andsustainableforestmanagement,” Dusík said.

Guyana, EU sign agreement...

From page 20

VEHICLESFORSALE

2014NissanX-Trail$4.5Mil negotiable.Excellentcondition, dark blue colour & blackinterior.Call658-9008.

OneHondaCRV,fullyloaded immaculate condition, low mileage3.3M negotiable& 1 new super custom Hiace Bus 2.5M .Contact:6490956.

UPONAPPLICATION in person or by letter to Mr. Brandon De Santos, Attorney-at-Law for the Applicant whose address for service and place of business is at Lot 26 HadfieldStreetand Pollard Place, Georgetown, Demerara copies of the Fixed Date Application,filedherein, will be delivered or sent to you.

Environment, Oceans, and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevièius added: “This VPAisyetanotherpositive developmentinfightingillegal logging, as the world meetsinMontrealtoagree on ambitious new targets to halt and reverse biodiversityloss.

commodities beyond wood. WewillworkwithGuyana and all other partner countries to help them reap the economic opportunities of this new law for deforestation-free producers across the globe.”

Business place to rent at fourth corner on Hunter Street, mini bus route. Call: 674-0614.

Two&threebedroomsfurnishedaptinDiamond and 3 bedroom upstairs and downstairs apt @ Vreeden-hoop.Call: 604-6664or 682-6238.

JAGNARINE

PRASHADApplicant -and-TRENTON SERAPHIN

Respondent Notice

TO:‘TRENTON SERAPHIN

Portion of E ½ Lot 53 Plantation Virginia East Coast Demerara TAKENOTICEthatthe FixedDateApplication was filed on the 20th September, 2022 in the High Court of the Supreme Court of Judicature of Guyana at Georgetown, Demerara byJAGNARINE PRASHAD in which the Applicantclaims: A)ADeclaration that the Respondent is a Trespasser of a portion of land belonging to the Applicant, more specifically a portion of land on the East ½ of the

ANDTAKENOTICEif you desire to defend this action you must forthwith within 28 days after the second and final publication of this notice, prepare an Affidavit in Defence in Form 10C prescribed in the Civil Procedure Rules 2016, serve it on the applicant’s attorneyat-law, to Mrs. Kamini Parag-Singh address for service and place of business is at Lot 160 ‘A’Waterloo Street, North Cummingsburg

Georgetown, Demerara and file it with proof of service at the Supreme Court Registry at Georgetown, Demerara, not later than 4 days before the date fixed for hearing of the application, and you or your attorneyat-law must appear at the hearing.

ANDFURTHERTAKE NOTICE that if you fail to file such affidavit and or if you fail to appear at the hearing,finaljudgment may be given against you notwithstanding your absence.

ANDTAKEFURTHER NOTICE that this matter stands Adjourned to the 8th February 2023 at 11:15 am for hearing Via Zoom: Meeting ID: 845 1426 6584 and

Earlier this month, the EU agreed on the world’s firstlawtofightglobaldeforestation and forest degradationdrivenbyEUproduction and consumption.

Thenewlawwillintegrateand improve the existing system tocontroltimberlegality,going beyond legality and addressingseveralothercrucial

LEGALNOTICE

Passcode: 786 445. HonourableMadam. Justice Damone Younge.

Dated this day of November, 2022

Likewise, Jan Dusík, DeputyMinisteroftheEnvironment of the Czech Republic and Special Envoy of the Czech Government, on behalf of Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU said the agreementconstitutesa“significant contribution to the conservation of Guyana’s forests which is essential for both protecting the biodiversity and fight against climate change.”

“GuyanaandtheEuropean Union already work together very closely, and the Voluntary Partnership Agreement will strengthen our cooperation and also stimulate good governance and sustainable forest management,”Dusíksaid.

Corentyne man crushed to death by tractor

Atractor operator is dead following the toppling of the vehicle he was driving at a

Wellington Park rice field, Corentyne,BerbiceonThursday

Dead is 47-year-old Rakesh Loojune of PhillipiFarm,Corentyne,Berbice.

Reports are that the man was operating thetractorwhenheencounteredissueswhich resulted in the tractor toppling and pinning himunderneath.

The deceased’s mother, Indra Loojune, described her son as a very generous and kind-heartedindividual.

Rakesh Loojune

“...Me daughter got the call that the womansaid. tractor topple pan him and dead. Meh son-in- Accordingtothegrievingwomanherson law at 46 Village come and borrow someone hadbeenvisitingherconsistentlyforthepast tractor and go down and see, they had to turn twoweeks. overthetractortogethimout,”thedistraught Investigationsareongoing.

From page 18

oilcompanies.

Guyanese, ensure that at least 75 percent of This loophole was highlighted by Newexecutive and senior staff are Guyanese and York based Attorney-at-Law, Dr Vivian have at least 90 percent of local non- Williams in one of his four analytical pieces managerial staff. Since Ramps satisfied all published by Demerara Waves, on July 10, three, she ordered that the certificate be 2022. issued. However, her judgment was not well Dr Williams said, “The problem is, the receivedbyGovernmentbecauseitwasofthe Secretariat has no power to investigate the view that company had rented a citizen to informationprovidedtoorwithheldfromit.It cheatthelaw has no subpoena powers Further, the “People cannot show up or fall out of the Secretariat has no power to seize and inspect skyorappearafter17or18yearsorwhatever documentsandcomputersandelectronicfiles the case and say oh ‘I am Guyanese to the from firms suspected of creative compliance bone.’ It can’t work suh. It is unfair It is oroutrightfraud.” hurtful too that you can just show up, never Meanwhile GCCI presented a ‘Special pay a dollar to develop this country, don’t LocalContentAward’tothreeofitsmembers know how a road or school was built or how for the role they played in lobbying the people were punishing in Berbice for water Government for Local Content Legislation. like I did but you just show up just like that TheawardeesareRichardRambarran,former and want benefits,” the Natural Resources Executive Director of GCCI, Nicholas Ministerhadsaid. Deygoo Boyer, Former President of GCCI

While the government seems fixed on and Junior PublicWorks Minister and former preventing companies from “renting a GCCIMember,DeodatIndar citizen”, there are other loopholes that are of “They were first to push for Local equal importance. One of them is that the Content when Guyanese did not know even current Local Content Legislation does not know what the phrase meant,” the GCCI give Guyana robust investigative power over Presidentsaidattheceremony

The toppled tractor that killed Rakesh Loojune

Adidas reports ‘extraordinary’ demand for Argentina jerseys

(Reuters) - As Lionel Messi dreams of getting his handsonamaidenWorldCup trophy in Qatar, his fans struggle to get theirs on jerseysoftheArgentinateam as sportswear giant Adidas grapples with a global shortage of stock due to the extraordinarydemand.

Ahead of Argentina’s World Cup final against France on Sunday, German sportswear maker Adidas said the high demand for Argentinekitsandknockoffs making their way into local marketshaspromptedthemto

explore plans to boost their production ahead of what could be a massive celebration.

“Due to extraordinary demand for the Adidas ArgentinaWorldCupjerseys across the globe, we have very low stock in some countries,” a spokesperson for the brand told Reuters.

“We are working to get more jerseys to fans so they can celebrate an incredible journeyforthenationalteam.”

Argentina was the only Adidas-sponsored team to advance beyond the last 16

atthetournamentinQatar.Yet the company is experiencing higher demand compared to the2018WorldCupinRussia, according to the spokesperson, who added that its football sales have grown by 30% this year.

Earlierthismonth,Adidas reportedthatthebrandwould stick to its sales outlook for the tournament - 400 million euros ($424.12 million)despiteGermany’sshockexit inthegroupstageandhaving only three of its seven sponsoredteamsinknockout stages.

Saturday December 17, 2022

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Some vast changes in your communitycouldtakeplace, Aries. They're positive, for the most part. Today the news should spread widely, and you could be hearing aboutitfromallsides-local newspapers

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Taurus,youmightchooseto do some volunteer work today or help a friend. This could make you aware of a talent you didn't know you had. It could pave the way tomoreincome.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

Today you might wake up feeling that you can move mountains - and this might be exactly what you set out todo,figurativelyspeaking.

CANCER(June21–July22)

Today you could recapture thejoyinlifethatyouhadas a child, Cancer You're serious by nature, and feelingsofjoyaretobelived and treasured. You could be experiencingtrueflow

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Projects involving a group, perhapsyourentirecommunity, could take up a lot of your time, Leo. Interesting news and stimulating conversations could come your way

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

New ideas for your career could be on your mind, Virgo.Youmightbethinking notonlyaboutgettinganew job but also entering an entirelynewfield.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Continued success and good luck should have you feeling charged up to move ahead with plans and ideas. Yourenergyandenthusiasm arehigh,Libra.You'relikely thinking about expanding your horizons.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)

Don't be surprised if sometimeduringthedayyoufeel angry for no apparent reason, Scorpio. It's probably rooted in the past, from a situation that wasn't resolved long ago.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

This is a great day to start newenterpriseswithothers, Sagittarius. Possible gatherings with friends or group activities could lead to ideas for new projects that fire your energy and enthusiasm.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Activities of some kind could put you in the public eye today, Capricorn. Some workyou'vedonewellmight bring you richly deserved acknowledgement.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

Changes to your chosen field are indicated, Aquarius. Ideas from other statesorcountriesmightfire your creativity Your intellectual or artistic interests could take on a new dimension.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

A sum of money above and beyond your usual income could come your way This could be a bonus, settlement, or even a gift of somekind.

From page 31 match today. CWSS have a few doors open since the squad acquired a point, but Golden Grove’s loss has left theminamust-winsituation.

OnMonday,December19, the tournament will contest the final two Group matches at Providence as SBC and DFSS go head-to-head while Annai and SVB Academy thrash it out.

This tournament is sponsoredbyKFC,TigerOffshore Rentals, MVP Sport, Trophy Stall,GuyanaBeveragesInc. and Demerara Life with supportfromtheMinistryofEducation and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

A boy wearing Argentine national soccer team jersey with “10” and Lionel Messi’s name on it walks on the street (Reuters)

Adidas reports ‘extraordinary’...

Gill, Pujara centuries and Kuldeep five-for put India in firm control

(Cricinfo) - Shubman Gill scored his first Test hundred, and Cheteshwar Pujara his first in 52 innings and the fastest of his career as India declared on 258 for 2, setting Bangladesh a target of 513 in the first Test in Chattogram More realistically, they gave themselves two days and a bittopickuptenwickets.

In response, Bangladesh openers Najmul Hossain Shanto and Zakir Hasan saw off the 12 overs left in the day’splay

This was after Kuldeep Yadav, playing his first Test in 22 months and eighth overall, picked up his third five-wicket haul to skittle out the hosts for 150 in the firstinnings.

Resumingthedayon133 for 8, Bangladesh could add only17moreasKuldeephad Ebadot Hossain caught down the leg side in the fifth over of the day to complete his five-for Mehidy Hasan Miraz, the other overnight batter, then tried to farm the strike even more but was stumped offAxar Patel soon

after while going for a big hit. That gave India a lead of 254 but they decided against enforcingthefollow-on.

In the second innings, Khaled Ahmed and Taijul Islam opened the bowling for Bangladesh as Ebadot didn’t step onto the field. On Thursday too, after dismissing Shreyas Iyer, he was off the field for the rest of India’s first innings. With Shakib Al Hasan also not bowling, probably because of the rib injury he sustained during the ODI series, the hostswereleftwithjustthree frontlinebowlers.

KL Rahul and Gill, though, started slowly, accumulatingonly16runsin the first eight overs Gill upped the scoring rate after lunch but Khaled broke their 70-run stand Using the short-ball play, he first hurried Rahul and then had him pulling one to fine leg for23.

KhaledalsohitPujaraon the body twice, but the plan didn’t work against Gill, who took the short ball on and hit the seamer for a four

(Associated Press)

and a six. Later, as Khaled seemedtobetiringattheend of his seven-over spell, Pujara too pulled him for four

Against spinners, Gill used the sweep shot to good effect, picking up three boundaries with it He, though, had a scare on 70 when Yasir Ali pinged him on the pads. The on-field u m p i r e i g n o r e d t h e vociferous appeal, and when Bangladesh opted to review

it, they were told the DRS technologywasdown.

Post tea, Gill and Pujara battedwithevenmoreintent. Gill moved to 99 with a reverse-swept four off Mehidy and two balls later hit him over mid-on for a one-bounce four to get to his hundred. He fell for 110 whileattemptinganotherbig shot, but Pujara took over afterthat.

Having reached his fifty off87deliveries,Pujaratook

only 43 balls more to get to his hundred. On the way, he usedhisfeetagainstspinners toloftthemovermid-offand mid-on, deployed the lap sweep on more than one occasion, and even brought out the reverse sweep as Indiaeyeddeclaration.

Fromtheotherend,Virat Kohli almost exclusively dealt in singles. He and Pujara added 75 off 73 balls in an unbroken stand for the fifth wicket, Kohli’s share in

thatbeing19off29balls.

A misfield at mid-on took Pujara to the threefigure mark off 130 balls, and with that, India declared theirinningsaswell.

M a t c h d e t a i l s : Bangladesh 150 (Mushfiqur 28, Mehidy 25, Kuldeep 540, Siraj 3-20) and 42 for 0 (Shanto25*,Zakir17*)need another 471 runs to beat India 404 and 258 for 2 dec (Gill 110, Pujara 102*, Khaled1-51)

Brittney Griner says she will advocate for Americans detained abroad, resume career

(Reuters) - U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner, who on Friday left an Army medical center where she had been recuperating following her release from a Russian penal colony as part of a prisoner swap, said she would work to help bring other detained Americans home and planned to resume her WNBA career

Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and eight-time Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) All-Star, left the Brooke Army Medical Center a week after she arrived at Fort Sam Houston in Texas, CNN reported.

“The last 10 months have been a battle at every turn. I dug deep to keep my faith and it was the love from so many of you that helped keep me going,” she said in her first public statement since returningtotheUnitedStates

“President Biden, you brought me home and I know you are committedtobringingPaulWhelan and all Americans home too,” she said, referring to the former U.S. MarinestillbeingheldinRussia.“I willusemyplatformtodowhatever Icantohelpyou.”

Griner arrived at the medical

center last Friday after U S officials secured her freedom from Russia in exchange for Russian armsdealerViktorBout.

Griner,32,wasarrestedonFeb. 17atanairportoutsideMoscowfor carryingvapecartridgescontaining hashishoilinherluggage.

She was subsequently convicted of drug smuggling and later transferred to one of Russia’s most notorious penal colonies, where former inmates have described torture, harsh beatings and slave labor conditions.

“I intend to play basketball for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury this season, and in doing so, I look forward to being able to say ‘thank you’ to those of you who advocated, wrote, and posted for me in personsoon,”she said.

‘BRINGALLAMERICANS HOME’

Democratic U.S. President Joe Biden announced the release last week from the Roosevelt Room of the White House, with Griner’s wife,Cherelle,standingby

“She’s safe, she’s on a plane, she’sonherwayhomeaftermonths of being unjustly detained in Russia,” Biden said at the time, prompting cheers from the sports world and many others but sharp criticismfromsomeRepublicans.

Former President Donald Trump, who was in the White House when Whelan was detained in late 2018, nevertheless derided

the exchange without the exMarine, calling it “a ‘stupid’ and unpatrioticembarrassment.”

House of Representatives RepublicanleaderKevinMcCarthy called the deal “a gift to Vladimir Putin.”

U S officials pressed for the release of both Griner and Whelan, who is being held on what Washington called “sham” espionage charges, a Biden administration official said

The official said that Moscow, however, insisted on t r e a t i n g W h e l a n ’s c a s e differently, with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling the Griner swap a “one or none” deal

Griner, who posted a photo of herself stepping off a plane to her Instagram account on Friday, said she planned to spend the holidays with her family and called on her supporters to advocate for other Americans held abroad

“(I) encourage everyone that played a part in bringing me home to continue their efforts to bring all Americans home,” said Griner “Every family deserves to be whole.”

Cheteshwar Pujara celebrates his Test century with Virat Kohli

U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner steps off a plane following her release from prison in Russia, in an unknown location. (Reuters)

FIFA to reconsider format of 2026 World Cup after ‘best ever’ tournament

(BBC Sport) - Fifa is to reconsider the format of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, says president GianniInfantino.

The teams will increase from 32 to 48 for the competition and were set to be divided into 16 groups of three, with the top two progressingtothelast32.

Infantinosaidthatwould be looked at after the “success” of the four-team groups at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar “Here the groups of four have been absolutely incredible,” said Infantino. “Until the last minute of the last match you would not know who goes through. “We have to revisit or at least re-discuss the format. This is something that will certainly be on the

Infantino.

“Matches have been played without incidents. It has been a very joyful atmosphere.

“There is something happening when we talk about football becoming truly global, with anAfrican team [Morocco] reaching the semi-final for the first time.

“We also had a woman [Stephanie Frappart] referee amatchforthefirsttime.

“Ithasbeenanincredible success, approaching five billion in terms of viewing figures.Thefansmeetingthe Arab world, it has been very importantforthefutureofall of us ” A number of European nations planned to wear a OneLove armband during matches to promote diversity and inclusion but

the World Cup. “But I also believethesefanswhocome to the stadium and all those billions watching on TV maybe-andweshouldthink about that - they feel everyone has their own problems, they just want to spend 90 minutes without having to think about anything else than just enjoying a little moment of pleasure,joyoremotion.”

‘A legacy of exploitation andshame’Qatar’streatment of migrant workers, along with its stance on same-sex relationships and its human rightsrecord,wereamongthe m a i n c o n t r o v e r s i e s overshadowing the build-up totheWorldCup.

The chief executive of the Qatar World Cup was criticised by Human Rights Watch for displaying “a callous disregard” when he said “death is a natural part of life” when asked about a migrant worker’s death at thetournament.

Canada’s MacNeil betters own 50m backstroke short course world record

Maggie MacNeil (Reuters)

(Reuters) - Canada’s Maggie MacNeil broke her own short course world record in the women’s 50 metres backstroke to win gold at the world championships in MelbourneonFriday

MacNeil,whowon100mbutterflygoldat the Tokyo Olympics, clocked 25.25 to shave 0.02 seconds off her previous mark, which was set at the previous edition of the championshipsinAbuDhabilastyear American Claire Curzan took silver,

whileAustralia’sMollieO’Callaghanbagged bronze.

Earlier on Friday, France won the gold medalinthemixed4x50mfreestylerelayina world record time of 1:27.33, bettering the UnitedStates’previoustimeof1:27.89.

Melbourne is hosting the short course championships after Kazan was stripped of the event over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The event began on Dec. 13, and will run throughtoDec.18.

agendainthenextmeeting.”

The group stages in Qatar included some exciting final games as countries tried to secure a top-two place to qualify for thelast16.

The four-team group format, with the top two going through to the knockout stages, has been used since the men’s World Cupexpandedto32teamsin 1998. The best World Cup ever - Infantino Infantino was speaking at a news conference in Qatar after attending a Fifa council meeting With the thirdplace play-off and final to go, he said 3.27 million spectators had attended the games compared with an overall 3.3 million at the 2018WorldCupinRussia.

“Thanks to everyone involved, Qatar, all the volunteers to make this the best World Cup ever,” said

did not do so because of possible sanctions from world football governing body Fifa Germany managerHansiFlicksaidhis playerscoveredtheirmouths during the team photograph before their World Cup opener against Japan “to conveythemessagethatFifa issilencing”teams.

“When it comes to regulations, prohibitions, it is not about prohibiting, it is about respecting regulations,” said Infantino “Everyone is free to express beliefs as long asitisdoneinarespectfulway but when it comes to the field of play, you need to respect and protect football. “There are 211 football teams, not heads of state, and their fans want to come and enjoy football. This is what we are here for. I believe we are defending values, defending human rights, defending rights of everyone in Fifa, in

HumanRightsWatchalso said the 2022 World Cup was “ending with no commitment fromFifaorQatariauthorities to remedy abuses, including unexplained deaths, that migrant workers suffered to makethetournamentpossible over the past 12 years”. Human rights organisations and a number of football associations have been asking Fifa to establish a compensation fund for migrant workers and their families, as well as the establishment of a migrant workercentreinDoha

“Unless Fifa and Qatar provide a remedy for the widescale unaddressed abuses suffered by migrants who prepared and delivered the tournament, they will have chosen to leave behind a legacy of exploitation and shame ” said Rothna Begum, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch Infantinosaid:“Forusevery loss of life is a tragedy and whatever we could do to change the legislation to protect the situation of the workers, we did it and it happened. Whatever we can still do for the future, we are doing it. “We want to bring this experience into the future and make sure we can help and leverage the World Cup and spotlights on it to make lives of people and theirfamilyabitbetter.”

FIFA President, Gianni Infantino (Getty Images)

All out for 15! BBL humiliation as Sydney Thunder post lowest score in men’s T20 history

(SportsMax) - The Sydney Thunder made astonishing cricket history whentheywerealloutfor15 in the Big Bash League, the lowest total ever recorded in men’s professional T20 cricket.

Friday’s humbling at the Sydney Showground Stadiumcameatthehandsof the Adelaide Strikers, who had briefly been concerned their 139-9 would come underthreat.

Instead, it turned into a rout as the Thunder made a shocking start and failed to recover, with Brendan Doggett their top scorer with four runs, hitting the only boundaryoftheinnings.

Doggett was the last man out as the home team were dismissed in 5.5 overs, with paceman Henry Thornton completing bowling figures of 5-3 in 2.5 overs. Fellow quick Wes Agar weighed in with4-6fromtwoovers.

Thornton suggested he might as well retire on the back of his five-wicket feat in the 124-run victory, because he would never top theexperience.

Speaking on beIN SPORTS, Thornton said: “I honestlycannotbelievewhat just happened Everyone here probably doesn’t know what’sgoingoneither

“It was amazing We thought they bowled really well, considering what the wicket was doing, and we thought if we hung in there long enough we’d create chances.

“That’sunbelievable.We thought if we bowled at the top of the stumps... we’d be inthegame.

“We’re really happy I’m really happy for Wes, he bowled really well tonight, super disciplined, and yeah, greatperformance.

“Honestly, I’m shocked, Ican’tbelieveit.”

Thunder openers Alex Hales and Matthew Gilkes both fell for ducks, and T h o r n t o n h a d b e e n expecting middle-order batter Daniel Sams to be a threat with the bat, but he madeonlyonerun.

“They’re an amazing team.Halesyisagreatplayer and Samsy down the lower order as well,” Thornton

said. “We thought if we got to 150-plus we’d be in the game, and it was enough I guess.

“IfeellikeIneedtoretire now,Idon’tthinkI’mgetting better than that. That was an amazing game of cricket, so I’m really happy, and the mood around the crew’s great, so I couldn’t be happier.”

Team-mate Chris Lynn

top-scored with 36 in Adelaide’s innings, and Lynn was wearing the onfield TV microphone as the Sydneywicketstumbled.

“I suppose you just soak itallup,”Lynnsaidattheend ofthematch.

“Fifteen! I don’t know what to say Everyone’s looking, laughing and gigglingaway Weplaythem in a couple of days’ time

down in Adelaide. It’s a momentum booster, but hopefully there’ll be a few scars there and we can go back-to-back.

“I’m a bit sort of ‘what’s goingon?’.”

Sydney’s score was 42 worse than the previous lowestinBBLhistory,the57 record by the Melbourne Renegades against the MelbourneStarsin2015.

Sergio Busquets: Spanish midfielder retires from international football

Busquets

moment has arrived to bid farewell to the national team,” he wrote on his social mediaplatforms.

T h e 3 4 - y e a r - o l d midfielder, who won the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championship,

“After almost 15 years and 143 matches, the

“Ithasbeenanhonourto represent my national team andhelpliftithigher ”

Busquets is the last of the revered Barcelona Spanish midfield trioalong with Andres Iniesta and Xavi - to announce his r e t i r e m e n t f r o m internationalfootball

He made his Spain debut on 1 April, 2009 in a World Cup qualifier againstTurkey andwentontofeatureatfour World Cups and three EuropeanChampionships.

His entire playing career has been spent with Barcelona, for whom he has played nearly 700 times, winning multiple trophies, includingeightLaLigatitles and the Champions League onthreeoccasions.

(BBC Sport) - Spanish World Cup winner Sergio Busquets has announced his r e t i r e m e n t f r o m internationalfootball.

was captain of the side knocked out in the last 16 thisyear

The scoreboard tells the tale.

(right) helped Spain win the Euros and World Cup during his time as an international

Fraser-Pryce only Caribbean athlete so far to donate artefact to Museum of World Athletics

West Indies Women remain unchanged for remaining 3 T20Is

The35-year-oldfive-timeWorld100m

100m

Hersisamongthe32artefactsdonatedby21athletesfrom 16countriesandfiveareastohavecontributedtothemuseum.

AccordingtoWorldAthletics,muchoftheclothing,shoes, equipment,andtrophiesenteringMOWA,weredonatedtothe World Athletics Heritage Collection during 2022 and were exhibited in MOWA Heritage exhibitions in Muscat, Belgrade,Portland,andEugenethisyear

Currently, the new additions are on show at the World AthleticsofficesinMonacoandwillbeexhibitednextyearin afive-month-longexhibitioninBudapest,aheadoftheWorld AthleticsChampionshipsBudapest23(19-27August2023).

Also making contributions this year were USA’s discus throwerValarieAllman, who donated singlet and briefs and a pair of throwing shoes, Rai Benjamin, the 400m hurdler who donated a pair of spikes and Norway’s Jakob Ingerbrigsten, whosecontributionwasabodysuitandnamebib.

Sport Ministry on board GABBFF’s Mr Guyana

The Guyana Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation met with the Minister of Culture Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, and the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Kashif Muhammad, yesterday at the Ministry’sQuaminaStreetoffice.

The meeting was organized to formally welcome the MinistryonboardfortheSeniorsBodybuildingandFitness Competition (Mr. Guyana) 2022 set for the National CulturalCentreonSunday.

InadditiontotheformalitiesofwelcomingtheMinistry on board, the bodybuilding federation and its athletes also hadfruitfulengagementswiththeMinisterandChairmanof theNSC.

Among the talking points were the issue of sponsorship andplansforCAC2024.

The Guyana Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation thanked Minister Ramson for his unwavering support for sports and for the sport of Bodybuilding and Fitness specifically

ST JOHN’S, Antigua –

The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Selection Panel today named an unchanged 14member squad for the remaining three T20 Internationals against England Women on 17, 18 and 22 December at Kensington Oval in Barbados.

Lead Selector Ann Browne-John said: “”The selection panel has decided to stay with an unchanged squadfortheremainingthree T20Is.

We were hopeful that some of the injured players

would have been available for selection, but we have been advised that they need more time to recover, keepinginmindthattheICC Women’s t20 World Cup in February 2023 remains a focalpoint.

Browne-John added, “The team that has played the first two matches, has shown some improvement andwebelievethattheyhave the ability to compete in the remainingmatches.”

Tickets for 3Ws stand tickets behind the wicket are a v a i l a b l e f o r j u s t US$15/BD$30 Fans can

purchase tickets in advance from the WindiesTicket online service, presented by M a s t e r c a r d a t tickets windiestickets com receiving their tickets securely into their online account to save to mobile devices or print out for presentation at the stadium, avoidingtheneedtoqueueat ortraveltothestadiumticket offices.Ticketofficesateach venue will be open on the dayofeachmatch.

Fans can watch all matches live via streamed coverage on the Windies CricketYouTube channel, as

well as on the ESPN Play app.

Fans in the UK will be able to view on BT Sport with fans based in the USA abletowatchliveonESPN+.

FULL SQUAD: (3rd, 4th, 5thT20Is) - Hayley Matthews (Captain), Shemaine Campbelle (Vice Captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Afy Fletcher, Cherry Ann Fraser, Shabika Gajnabi, Sheneta Grimmond, Chinelle Henry, Trishan Holder, Djenaba Joseph, Kycia Knight, Karishma Ramharack, Kaysia Schultz andRashadaWilliams.

(SportsMax) - Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is the lone Caribbean athlete so far to have contributed an artefact to the MuseumofWorldAthletics(MOWA).

championdonated thesingletworninthe

finalatthe2022WorldAthletics ChampionshipsinEugene,OregoninJuly

England Women lead the fivematch series, 2 – 0. (Getty Images)

Ill France players ‘staying in their rooms’

Russell sees T10 format as potential threat to longer forms of cricket

(SportsMax) - West Indies superstar Andre Russellsayshefearsthenew T10 format of the game could threaten T20 cricket and,eventually,Testcricket.

“To be honest, T10 cricket can be a threat because you can watch three games in a day, it’s less stress on the body and bowlers just come and bowl two overs,” he told reporters in Australia on Wednesdayaheadofthefirst offourgameshewillplayfor the Melbourne Renegades in the ongoing Big Bash League.

Andre Russell

(BBC Sport) - Several France players have caught colds, with Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konate the latest to fall ill and miss training, the French Football Federationhasconfirmed.

D e f e n d e r D a y o t Upamecano and midfielder Adrien Rabiot were unavailable for the semifinal win over Morocco on Wednesday because of the illness.

Striker Randal Kolo

Muanisaidtheinfectedwere isolatingintheirrooms.

France face Argentina in the World Cup final at 15:00 GMTonSunday “Those who are sick stay in their rooms,” said Kolo Muani.“They’rebeingtaken care of by the doctors and we’ve been enforcing social distancing. We’re very strict aboutit.”

Forward Ousmane Dembele agreed, saying the squad “were not scared” of

the virus: “We’ve been taking precautions and I think everyone will be ready.”

Boss Didier Deschamps had said on Wednesday he expected Upamecano and Rabiot to be well enough for thefinal.

However, should Konate and Varane be ruled out, he will have a selection dilemma as he would be without two of his top three defenders.

“T20 is always going to be ultimate but I just think the amount of cricket at the moment means the players’ availability is going to be a bigissue,”headded

The 2022 edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 league concluded last week, and the competition saw a host of marquee names including Russell, Nicholas Pooran, Eoin Morgan and Adil Rashidtakingpart.

The number of T10 leagues is steadily increasing, and earlier

this year, Cricket West Indies (CWI) became the first full-member board tostartitsownleague,called the 6ixty Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) have already announced that next year, they will be starting their own T10 league known as the‘LankaT10League.’

“Most players, it’s going to make them want to leave the longer f o r m a t w i t h t h e direction T10 leagues are going

There are a lot of different T10 leagues in different parts of the world

and they announced that just before the finals in Abu Dhabi.”

Russell himself has not played a single red-ball game since 2014 but the veteran is hoping that all players don’t fall into the short-formattrap.

“I just hope that players still believe in red-ball cricket, still believe in Test cricket and still want to play those formats because the older generation, they will come out and watch five daysofcricket.

That’s where it all started.”

France striker Randal KoloMuani said his team-mates are being very careful to prevent the virus spreading further

Visiting teams in action against CWSS, Golden Grove today

The second day of the 2022 KFC Goodwill Tournament unfolds today, December 17, at the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) National Training Centre in Providence, with what is expected to be an intriguing doubleheader

Competing in the curtain raiser of the Petra organised event, Golden Grove Secondary will tackle the Trinidadian Team, St Benedict’s College (SBC), from 14:00 hrs while Christianburg/Wismar Secondary School (CWSS)

and SVB Academy out of Suriname, collide in the featurefrom16:00hrs.

Golden Grove will have an opportunity to redeem themselvesfollowingthe6 –0 defeat they suffered at the hands of Desrey Fox Secondary School (DFSS) on Thursday at the same venue.DFSScontrolsGroup Awith three points from that victory while SBC and Golden Grove share the task ofgettingontheboard.

Thematchthatfollowsis a Group B encounter that sees joint leader, CWSS -

President Ali pushes Government support to Ezekiel Newton

currently on one point, and SBC, who now being their campaign.

GuyOil/Tradewind Tankers League Champion, CWSS, were minutes away from acquiring the tournament’s opening victory on Thursday, but proof of why Annai Secondary are defending

champions of the Goodwill Tournament was brought to the fore, as they equalised very near regulation time to sharethepoints.

The local teams enter today’s card with a bit of pressure on their shoulders since they will both be playingtheirfinalGroup (Continued on page 25 )

By Rawle Toney

Ezekiel Newton is one of Guyana’s budding sprinters, and though racking up an impressive resume on the track,yesterday,the17-yearold scored the support of the Government of Guyana towards the advancement of hiscareer.

The 100m and 200m athlete, competing in São Paulo, Brazil, at the South A m e r i c a n U - 1 8 Championships, won silver intheboys’200m,clockinga personal-besttimeof21.45s.

Newton, who hails from the East Coast Demerara villageofBareroot,alsowon the sprint double at the justconcluded Inter Guiana Games (IGG) and won the 100m title at National School’s Championship, where he also set a new U18 100mrecord.

President Ali said it’s

importantforGovernmentto remove all the hurdles standing in the way of athletes,andtoallowthemto focus on achieving their goals.

The Head-of-State promised Newton that his Administration is fully behind his endeavour and ready to cater to his needs as astudent-athlete.

Meanwhile, President Ali said he’s hoping to work with track and field stakeholders, to organise an e v e n t , w h e r e t h e Government will “bring some International spotters to see them perform Because once we can get them to be seen, then we have them sponsored in international programmes, high intensity training programme, so that we can a c c e l e r a t e t h e i r progression.”

President Irfaan Ali and National sprinter, Ezekiel Newton (Rawle Toney photo)

Golden Grove have a lot of work to cover in their match today if they wish to entertain thoughts of progressing.

Visiting teams in

today

Representatives of the GABBFF along with Minister Ramson and NSC Chairman Kashif Muhammed.