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Exxon must Saturday Edition NEWS get Yellowtail EIA right before EPA authorisation - Int’l Lawyer AIETEUR

December 18, 2021 - Vol. 14 No. 48

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $80 readership yesterday, 74,552

Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Fraud accused PS cuts cheques for contractor before signing contract - pays half immediately, balance weeks later The protest A lesson continues for for Guyana... change to ExxonMobil’s $300,000 bail each for contract.

Countries with high debt portfolios at risk of defaulting

- UN Secretary General

11-storey facility GDF ranks, businessman to replace burnt out Brickdam for alleged theft of $745M worth of fuel Police Station

Dharamlall dismisses query into $500M emergency security charges - tells Deputy Speaker question “out of order”

$100,000 bail for PS in alleged bribery scandal

AG flags ad hoc procurement of COVID-19 supplies

- Found $424 million in contracts awarded without Tender Board approval

Here's what the PPP has done - They went and print US$1B in Treasury Bills and quietly sell them, we don’t know who buy them, and we don’t know how much them people who buy it will have to be pay back. Way to go Guyana, more loans on we backs! @11:00hrs on Kaieteur Radio 99.1/99.5FM

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Kaieteur News

Saturday December 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

Saturday December 18, 2021

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Countries with high debt portfolios at risk of defaulting A lesson for Guyana…

E

conomic growth across the world h a s b e e n stagnated, if not retrogressed in some parts of the world.

This has led to escalating inflation rates globally, which has left many with high debt portfolios, such as Guyana exposed to the risk of defaulting on repayments.

This was the stark warning handed to world leaders on Thursday when United Nations' (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who in his final address for the year, observed that at the end of a difficult y e a r, w h i l e a d v a n c e d economies were able to mobilize nearly 28 percent of their Gross Domestic Product into economic recovery, “for middle-income countries, that number fell to 6.5 percent.

And even worse, it plummeted to 1.8 percent for the least developed countries — a tiny percentage of a very small amount.”

Citing Sub-Saharan Africa, Guterres noted that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects that cumulative economic growth per capita over the next five years will be 75 percent less than the rest of the world.

This is unacceptable, he said, noting also that “inflation here in the United States and in many other countries has risen to a 40year high and we see it growing elsewhere.”

To this end, he observed, too, that as the US Federal Reserve indicates, interest rates will rise, with it “and that will place even greater

fiscal constraints on the countries that need help the most.”

Inherently, “defaults will become inevitable for lower income countries that already bear much higher borrowing costs.”

He was adamant that “the need to service an evermounting and more expensive debt will leave developing countries with little fiscal space for recovery, job creation, climate action, reimagining education and reskilling and training workers, and so much more.”

Compounding the situation, the Secretary General opined that “today's global financial system is supercharging inequalities and instability.”

According to Guterres, “it is a system that allows credit rating agencies to undermine the credibility of developing countries with good growth prospects and vital development needs, and this obviously makes private finance becoming more risk averse.”

In the circumstances he noted that international financial institutions alone do not have sufficient capacities to compensate.

Compounding the global financial development, the clear majority of Special Drawing Rights are distributed to the biggest and richest economies in a way that is far from being compensated by voluntary redistributions.

Special drawing rights are supplementary foreign exchange reserve assets

defined and maintained by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) “Meanwhile, inequalities keep widening.

Social upheaval and polarization will be growing. And the risks keep increasing.”

This, he said, “is a powder keg for social unrest and instability; It poses a clear and present danger to democratic institutions.”

Looking forward, he said, “it is time to clearly assume the need for reform of the international financial system.”

He was adamant, “we have a serious governance problem with respect to the prevention, detection and response to pandemics; and we have a serious governance problem in relation to the international financial system,” Guterres said “I am determined that 2022 must be the year in which we finally address the deficits in both governance systems.”

S u c c e s s i v e administrations in Guyana, when confronted with concerns about the level of the country's debt, have pointed the sustainability of its repayments.

The country's debts, however, have in the recent past been coming under intense scrutiny, with as much as a third of this year's budget being financed through loans. This is in addition to the numerous others contracted during the course of the year, or are in the process of being negotiated.

This past week, Kaieteur News in a report from the

Unidentified Venezuelan national found riddled with bullets in Baramita – Police An unidentified man believed to be a Venezuelan National, was on Thursday discovered with his face, chest and back riddled with bullets in Return, Baramita, North West District (NWD).

According to the police, the man who has only been identified as “Dorion” was discovered lying face up, motionless, and with several suspected gunshot wounds to his body, by ranks from the Baramita Police Station.

This was moments after a report was made that several suspected gunshots were heard in the area.

Kaieteur News understands that around 19:55 hours on Thursday, residents of Baramita heard several loud explosions suspected to be gunshots and the sound of someone screaming. This led them to report the matter to the police station and the discovery was then made by

ranks.

The man was rushed to the Baramita Health Centre, where he was pronounced dead on arrival by the Medex.

His body was then escorted to the Port Kaituma Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

It was reported that no arrest has yet been made in the matter. The investigation into the death of the unidentified man is ongoing.

- UN Secretary General Audit Office for government's financial performance during last year, had found that both the Coalition, A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), and the People's Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) governments, by the end of 2020, had racked up a whopping $163.3B 'illegal overdraft' in the national coffers—the Consolidated Fund.

Illegal, since bringing the Consolidated Fund into overdraft is in breach of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMA).

To rectify the illegal and fiscally embarrassing books for an oil producing nation, the PPP/C administration in May this year, approved the sum of $200B, “through the issuance of Debentures ranging from 1 to 20 years, to raise funds to clear the overdraft.

This exercise took effect i n J u n e 2 0 2 1 . ” What the findings essentially mean is that at the end of last year, the Consolidated Fund o r G u y a n a ' s Treasury—presided over by the APNU+AFC and PPP/C administrations for that year—was not only empty but had a $163.3B debt.

T h a t s t a t e o f a ff a i r s ,

UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres according to the FMA Act, is a breach. To this end, the PPP/C Government in 2021 approved the printing of debt instruments-Treasuriesguaranteed by government.

This, in turn, was then sold to all and sundry, in order to raise the $200B needed to clear the overdraft.

The bills were sold to those willing to make purchases on the agreement that government would buy back the debt when matured—as indicated, for period between one to 20 years—therefore repaying the debt incurred.

It was explained that this was done in order to raise the cash needed immediately, and clear the overdraft, while at the same time bringing government into compliance with the laws of Guyana.

The Mid-Year report for this year, in documenting the move by Cabinet had stated in June 2021, that government securitised the

inherited overdraft at the Bank of Guyana.

That report issued by the Ministry of Finance, under the auspices of Substantive Minister, Dr. Ashni Kumar Singh, had said this securitising of the overdraft was done using 85 variablerate debentures, with tenors ranging from 1 to 20 years, totaling G$200B. “Consequently, the first half of 2021 ended with the Consolidated Fund, as well as public deposits, reflecting a positive balance.”

According to Dr. Singh in his report, “these moves were intended to bolster transparency and accountability in public debt management, and to restore the integrity of Guyana's fiscal accounts.”

The country's total public debt at the end of 2020 had stood at some US$2B, but by the time of the Mid-Year report, had ballooned to $3B.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday December 18, 2021

Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL-TEL: 624-6456 Editor: Sharmain Grainger Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Essence of governance in Guyana On every occasion that we think we can stop talking and writing about corruption in this country, and address other vital areas of life in Guyana, we end up being drawn back into what sickens and enrages. That is, more corruption in almost every place that qualifies as the public sector. Corruption in Guyana more than a culture, or a cancer, it is both of those forming what is now the national religion. This is what the recent Auditor General report confirmed about what is happening in this country, where the public purse is involved, with all kinds of shenanigans taking place with endless millions of dollars. It is accurate to say that corruption is governance and governance is corruption, and little else.

What the Audit Office found at two state overseen entities provides an insight as to how governments here play tricks with money that the taxpayers have put in their hands, and which comes out of the same taxpayers’ pockets.

It could be VAT or income tax, or duty and fees put on goods imported, among other things. And there is another area of massive proportions, which would be the debt incurred on behalf of the people of Guyana to get their work done, and their standard of living enhanced. Borrowings from the IDB and China, to name two places only, are a monster all by themselves, with the accumulated debt growing daily.

What is seen, as embedded in Audit Office reports are two exploits now well practiced in some government circles by corrupt public service people, where big money is involved, and which gain more prominence. The first is that there are no records for millions spent, with an example being the Demerara Harbour Bridge and the Asphalt Plant.

If there is no supporting documentation, then reconciling and drilling down to check for frauds is a huge problem.

The substances are not present for proper probing. It is deliberate, with the objective of covering the tracks of the crooked and thwarting the efforts of auditors.

The second area identified by the Audit Office was at the Data Management Authority prompting the Auditor General to conclude that ‘the systems are weak, and that they can be ‘altered, corrupted, or destroyed.’ COVID-19 relief money was involved, which meant millions. When supporting systems are so flawed, then the best that can be said is that incompetent people are in the pilot’s seat; with the worst being that this is how they want it (‘weak’ and susceptible to being ‘altered, corrupted, or destroyed’). For then, the political and public service scoundrels can keep milking the corruption cow, without worry of any consequences.

Thus, the pattern goes on: make a speech about how much is spent, put or leave dirty friends near big money, exploit or create loopholes for fraud, pretend ignorance of what happened, and ignore audit findings and recommendations. This leaves the new year to continue the thefts. When corrupt officers, be they elected or selected, are in positions of power, clean public servants prefer to see nothing and say nothing. It is simply a matter of commonsense and career survival. Silence by the day converts to a pay cheque at the end of the month. The true professionals, the ones with some residual ethics still left (and backbone) must pretend at ignorance to ensure their continuity and doing justice to the saying that silence is golden.

The uncertainty and uneasiness, sometimes fear, instilled facilitates greater exploits of trickiness that rob Guyanese. When clear breaches of basic operating procedures occur, no one speaks, for that means professional death by needless suicide. Because the government sector is such a sprawling component of Guyana’s economy and businesses, to incur the wrath of powerful people means that the door to government work is slammed shut. Also, there is the legitimate concern by many qualified and long serving Guyanese public servants that, since the private sector that matters is so closely linked to government here, even landing a job there could be extremely difficult. So, the standing preference today by honest workers is not to see and not to know. Hence, the next audit reports will have more of the same skullduggeries and costly corruptions.

Charles Ceres to Freddie: provide the evidence or be sued DEAR EDITOR My grandfather died in 1953, the year I was born. The PNC formation was after that date. Freddie Kissoon has the wrong Charles Ceres, if his sister is younger than me, unless my grandfather rose from the dead to meet his sister and grandparents. Freddie may, however, be talking about my Bajan Granddad who married my Indian Grandmother “Pigeon” Singh in Leguan. He died before 1948the year my maternal grandmother died, so again that is highly unlikely.

Freddie, I am from Springlands, Corentyne, Berbice. My mother sold black pudding, souse etc. to raise her children after being deserted by her husband. I was unaware that the PNC has created empowerment based on selling black pudding & souse.

Freddie, maybe my father was empowered by Burnham to be a cabinet maker who the records will confirm never worked for or had a contract with the PNC or PPP. This, Charles P. Ceres was awarded a scholarship after graduating at the top of my class from the University of Guyana in 1974. I paid an annual tuition, like everyone else attending UG at that time, of Guyana $108. I attended UG at nights while being employed at the Ministry of Public Works soils laboratory in Kingston. I along with my Indian Guyanese counterparts Messrs. Baldeo and Salim and my classmate at Line Path Government Secondary, Omar Insanally were all appointed

as Guyana Bauxite Company (Guybau) cadets in 1974. I graduated from Queens University in Canada and returned to Guyana in 1979. I moved to Trinidad in 1983 where I lived for 18 months and made enough money to attend a graduate school in the US. I graduated from Drexel University in the US, obtained my professional engineering license and returned to Guyana in 1993 after the PPP won the 1992 elections. I exchanged the comforts of Cherry Hill, two cars and home with a swimming pool in New Jersey, US to live in a tenement yard at the corner of Durban Street and Cemetery Road when I returned to Guyana as a single parent with two sons.

My company, Ground Structures Engineering Consultants only provides services to the public sector as sub-contractors. I was empowered by Forbes Burnham to believe in myself as an African person, for which I offer no apologies. That belief has created a company with the ability to provide world class services in Geotechnical Engineering, Groundwater Hydrology and Environmental compliance.

In fact, the company I founded and built is the only one able to conduct both deterministic and stochastic modeling of environmental fate and transport.

The company I created in 1993 has empowered Guyanese from all ethnicities.

GSEC has fully funded the university tuition for several people including Sean Henry,

an indigenous Guyanese and Monique Singh an Indian Guyanese woman and my cousin. I will not respond to claims you have about your dog, cat or bicycle. However, it is distasteful to equate your problems with bicycle parking with that of the African Guyanese condition. No one is allowed to interfere in how I manage my company. I take a similar approach to other professionals and will never tell another professional how to perform their job. I suspect your complaint is more about you than the system and your inability to construe the concept of being a professional.

I have no interest in addressing your personal dissatisfaction with the Government of Guyana, either the PPP not renewing your contract at UG or Burnham facilitating your starvation in spite of how seriously you take yourself.

Your hypothesis that “this is the new ideology of an antiPPP mindset that essentially argues that African Guyanese have been so badly treated that its time they confront the “Indianised” government.” is not borne about by my statement. I do not need you to speak for me. I am not indebted to the PPP or PNC for my success. My success is the consequence of my belief in myself and hard work. I can provide evidence to you of every cent my company has earned, and you can identify all money related to Burnham empowerment. I suspect that your agenda is intended to indicate to young African

people in Guyana that African Guyanese cannot succeed based on hard work and discipline. If you accept that my success as an African Guyanese is totally attributable to my hard work and discipline that will destroy your hypothesis. You are consequently attempting to justify your inadequacies by pinning my success to my long dead grandfather(s) being facilitated by a PNC, which did not exist at the time of their demise.

I make no apologies for advancing the position of the African Guyanese part of our population. I think you are better positioned than I am to comment on “Indian Life Matter”, suffice to say that a large proportion of my very close and dear relatives are 100% Indian from my maternal grandmother’s first marriage to an Indian Man. I consequently have no interest in involving you in a debate.

Please feel free to continue your daily diatribe. Given the facts about my parents and grandparents, I am demanding that you retract all statements related to my grandfather, mother and father. Alternatively, you will either provide the evidence or face the consequences of your slanderous statements. I would further advise Kaieteur News that editorial oversight dictates the publication of established facts only and not wild and false claims by a pseudo researcher, who is still to obtain his dream of post graduate qualifications.

Regards Charles P Ceres

Members should choose party leader and executives DEAR EDITOR, Reference is made to Election of PNCR Leader by Oscar Dolphin (Dec 17) who favors Van West Charles. The system is stacked against him because he lacks wherewithal to get delegates to support him. A better and fairer system is having members rather than delegates choose the leadership.

The nation and the diaspora look forward for the process and outcome of Saturday’s PNC’s internal elections to choose its executive leadership. I am also certain that the government and the minor parties are watching to see which candidate or side will emerge victorious.

Everyone I conversed with asked, will it be free and fair and transparent as I attempt to probe and predict the outcome. The general feeling is it will be a close race between Slate Joe Harmon and Slate Aubrey Norton. The third person seeking the leader position, Van West Charles, although having very good ideas, does not have much following.

Mr. Vincent Alexander is

the returning officer.

Alexander was a victim of alleged electoral skullduggery some years ago when he ran for leader. So was Carl Greenidge, who has declined nomination this year.

I believe Vincent will run a smooth operation.

The PNC election should reflect the will of the delegates. Regrettably, as it is for virtually all parties in Guyana, delegates choose the executives rather than the members. Political parties should consider empowering their members to choose the leader and executive rather than delegates who tend to be pliant towards a favoured candidate for leader with the expectations of rewards (positions, money, etc.). A complaint among members and supporters of a party is that delegates tend to be bought out to support a particular candidate for leader or a slate of candidates or they engage in what in political studies is called “horse trading”. It is more difficult to purchase party members because they are much larger in numbers than delegates and they vote

their own free will.

Political parties should function democratically promoting maximum internal participation among members.

They are important medium in a functioning (liberal) democracy as they compete with one another to govern the nation for a fixed period of time before seeking another mandate.

They supposedly articulate the aspiration of their members and followers and seek to win over others. They advocate for and provide necessary welfare and development measures when in office.

They have members and supporters who may come and go, but in racially divisive societies like Guyana and Trinidad, they remain perennial members or supporters based on ethnicity. They should be empowered to choose leadership in a democratic process. When parties function democratically, the electorate is likely to trust them and the electorate itself subscribes to democratic principles. It is not a coincidence that parties that limit internal participation behave undemocratically (seek to rig

elections, etc.) in national elections.

Party members and supporters expect to play a role in the functioning of the party and be given an opportunity, if so desires, to be an office bearer in the party and or run for office in the country. Everyone must be given an equal opportunity to seek a position in the party as well as in the country, and the members must decide on the fittest person for a position.

That is democracy at its best.

Regrettably, elections for executives in Guyana are manipulated especially through the delegate system. The leader punishes and rewards based on loyalty and sycophancy. In Trinidad, the delegate system was replaced some years ago with the leader and executives now chosen by the members – one person one vote system.

Political parties in Guyana should consider emulating that system or the one in the US to choose leadership.

In Guyana, leaders are chosen and decision making carried out in parties in a top (Continued on page 6)

Saturday December 18, 2021

CHEDDI JAGAN: A FLAWED POLITICIAN DEAR EDITOR During the last two weeks, the nation witnessed a proliferation of letters in Guyana’s two dailies analyzing, defending, and extolling the life of the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan.

None other than ex-President Donald Ramotar has stepped into the fray and has attributed the slogan middle class to Dr. Ramharrack.

Professor Ramharrack needs no assistance to defend himself but there is one phenomenon which is associated to the ex-President: Dr. Jagan.

As President, Dr. Jagan did not offer any positions in the government to his two children, but Mr. Ramotar did at the Gold Board and with the fiber optic cable project.

But the politics practiced

by Dr. Jagan, must be carefully analysed to highlight some of his inconsistencies that reached the heights of perversion and hypocrisy.

Having been elected to Guyana’s Legislature in 1947, Jagan formed the PPP in 1950 and was subsequently elected as Premier of British Guiana.

However, his belief in the Communist doctrine and his close ties to Moscow precipitated the suspension of the country’s Constitution in 1953.

At the time, Dr, Jagan knew full well that his Marxist/Leninist dogma would not be tolerated by the British/ American alliance.

Yet he continued his hardline Marxist/Leninist ideology during the height of the Cold War. Dr. Jagan was told by President John Kennedy that the United States would not allow a second Cuba in its backyard.

Therefore, the United States collaborated with the British to keep him out of power.

They realised that Forbes Burnham was the lesser of two evils and supported him instead.

Several studies have shown that Dr. Jagan, who had the massive support of the majority of Indians in

Guyana was not a smart politician.

For example, at the Independence Conference in London in 1963, Dr. Jagan was advised by his Attorney General, Dr. Fenton Ramsahoye, not to accept the British proposal of a constitutional change from “First Past the Post” to a “Proportional Representation system.” unless it was accompanied by Independence.

He ignored the advice of his learned Attorney General (AG), and signed the document that was handed to him

by Mr. Duncan Sandys, unknowing to his AG. News quickly reached Guyana that Forbes Burnham and Duncan Sandys, along with Peter D’Augiar had outsmarted Jagan.

Upon his return to Guyana, an embarrassed Dr. Jagan realising that he made a major mistake at the Conference that would keep him out of power, concocted a story that his hotel room was bugged, but it was an excuse to appease his supporters.

After the alleged rigged elections in 1968, Dr. Jagan had enough leverage to pressure Burnham to conduct fair and free elections because his supporters had incisive control of the entire agriculture sector, including the sugar and rice industries, dairy farming, private transportation, fishing, and lumber manufacturing.

In other words, they had control of the economy.

This was more than enough to break the hegemonic control of the Burnham regime; instead, Dr. Jagan continued to preach his Marxism/Leninist verbiage.

In August 1969, the world condemned Russia when it was discovered that it had invaded Czechoslovakia.

Yet Dr. Jagan supported Russia.

The invasion, later known as the Prague Spring, usurped the many freedoms that had existed in Czechoslovakia.

Instead of criticizing the Russian invasion, Dr. Jagan ascribed it to a class struggle.

When Forbes Burnham

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nationalised the sugar and bauxite industries in the late 1970’s, Jagan was ecstatic.

Not only did he give the Burnham government critical support, but he defined it as power of the proletariat—the panacea for development! He urged the further nationalisation of other industries which perpetuated a spectre of doom over the financial institutions.

Being idolised by his supporters, who at the time were more than half of the country’s population, Dr. Jagan proclaimed: “We have forced the PNC to accept Socialism, so while they will be pulling the cart, the PPP will be holding the reins of power.”

As a learned and dedicated politician, Dr. Jagan made many blunders.

It seems that he was more interested in the Marxist/ Leninist ideology than in the development of Guyana. He was anostalgic, self-centered, narcissistic and a misty politician whose Communist philosophy contributed to Guyana’s slothful development.

Even though most of his supporters were from the capitalist class, yet they hugged a man whose philosophy embraced state control of the economy.

They did not realise that their sawmills, rice mills, manufacturing and fishing plants, stores etc., would have become state-owned enterprises.

It is a profound paradox that most of Guyana’s population at the time had perpetually gravitated towards Dr. Jagan who juxtaposed the Marxism/Leninism philosophy with personal aggrandizement against capitalism. Had he been elected the Head of State in 1964 Guyana, it was likely that Dr, Jagan would have attempted to turn Guyana into another Cuba.

But many had believed that the United States would not have allowed it.

Regards Leyland ChitlallRoopnarine (New York)

Exploring Child Abuse DEAR EDITOR, Despite its prevalence, our culture is one that continues to misunderstand what constitutes child sexual abuse.

This is in part, due to many elements of it being rationalized and deemed as normal or cultural as is seen in the arguments for child marriages and adult relationships with teenagers.

Unfortunately, these beliefs persist as we continue to live in a culture where abusers are frequently protected while those who survive them are blamed.

Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) occurs when an adult or someone older than the child engages in sexual activity with a child younger than 18 years old. If the child is the same age or very near in age, a grey area develops as this is often innocent exploration rather than abuse.

CSA however, can take several forms and is often grouped into touching and non-touching abuse. Touching includes physical contact with a child’s genitals, making the child touch someone else’s genitals, playing sexual games and/or placing body

parts onto or into the child.

Non-touching abuse often includes things such as showing pornography to a child; exposing a child to someone’s genitals and/or watching a child undress or use the bathroom.

One of the main things to keep in mind about sexual abuse is that literally anyone can be an abuser, regardless of the way they act, look or the societal respect they might have.

While sexual abuse occurs in every space and at every age, children between the ages of seven and thirteen are the ones that are most vulnerable to abuse.

Child sexual abuse is a bit different from adult sexual abuse, as force is rarely the major element. Rather, abusers would seek to manipulate the child in an effort to lower their defenses and isolate them from those who can effectively support them. Abusers are often known and trusted caregivers with incest/interfamilial abuse accounting for one third of all sexual abuse cases.

Another way in which CSA is often different from that of adult SA is the fre-

quency with which it can occur as sexual abuse of children occurs over a long period of time.

The process of grooming contributes towards the building of trust between the abuser and the child, often making it difficult for children to recognize what is happening.

These negative experiences can have long-term impacts on the physical and mental wellbeing of children and can result in them being at increased risk of suicide, substance abuse, depression and post traumatic stress disorder and other chronic health conditions. This impacts their sense of self, security and wellbeing.

Becoming more aware about the various types of CSA, strategies of abusers and those who are most vulnerable can aid significantly in protecting children from violence and creating a safer environment for all.

Regards Akola Thompson Blue Umbrella Consultant, ChildLinK To report or seek counseling, please call 914/2270979/227-2023/233-3500

Freddie Kissoon apologises to Charles Ceres DEAR EDITOR, I am sorry Mr. Ceres assumes that I intended to defame him with reference to his parents and grandparents.

No such intention existed. My parents had known a Ceres family when I was about five years old.

I remember being given money by the elder Ceres.

I cannot produce proof that this Ceres family was related to Mr. Ceres’ parents.

Therefore, I withdraw all statements in relation to Mr. Ceres

grandparents and parents.

There was absolutely no intention to input anything bad.

I apologise to Mr. Ceres.

Frederick Kissoon

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Noticeable increase in applications for criteria are and comfort2. Their education citizenship these ing to know how well the ap- level.

DEAR EDITOR There has been a noticeable increase in the number of applications for Guyanese citizenship in the print media over the past year. One can only surmise that Oil-Dorado is now seen as a place to be rather than a place to flee. The Notice states: “any person who know any reason why naturalization should not be granted should send a written and signed statement of facts to the PS - Ministry of Home Affairs” If the Public is being asked to respond to these notices, should we not have some more information about the applicant? It is understood that some of these applicants (due to being new to Guyana) may have had various addresses during the time they are here prior to applying for Naturalization.

It is likely that persons may have information relevant to the granting of citizenship but may not be able to do so because the applicant was known by a different name at a different address.While I am not privy to the details of the naturalization process, it would be enlightening to know what

plicant meets the standards set by the system.

My concern is: Among those immigrating to Guyana, are we admitting persons that come with above average risk; what about their language (communication) ability, their understanding of the laws and openness to our multicultural environment? It would be good to know what the MHA does when no one responds to these “Notices”. Do these applicants have a sponsor and if not how do we know they are who they say they are?

How did they get here and why do they want to stay here? Have they renounced their birth citizenship? Is there any test or process to ensure that they are aware and understand Guyana’s history, constitution and culture? These are some of t h e thoughts swirling through my mind as I read the notices.

Here are some needed information that, if provided, would certainly help me understand and support the process: 1. The applicant’s country of birth.

3. The skills set and years of experience they bring.

4. The length of time they have been in Guyana.

5. Where they are currently employed and in what field?

6. Have they been compliant with the employment/tax and municipal regulations?

7. Is there any legal action pending against them?

8. Is there any neighbor or employer who will vouch for their character?

9. Do they have a police clearance for their home country?

Given the social issues (political and economic) we are facing as a nation, it is good to see persons who once felt Guyana was a place to run from now see Guyana as a future home.

I welcome those who bring good character, diligence and objectivity.

I ask that we reinforce the system to strain out and drain hustlers, drug dealers, pimps and persons of unsavory character. Mr. Permanent Secretary, Please advise us on the procedures for naturalization.

Regards Michael Smith

Saturday December 18, 2021

One resident is a big nuisance to La Jalousie and Blankenburg DEAR EDITOR Residents of the peaceful communities of La Jalousie and Blankenburg on the West Coast of Demerara are calling out the Police and the Government for the relentless threat to our physical wellbeing.

One resident, Reyaz Khan had installed a hallow box system to his vehicle exhaust (Silver grey Toyota 212) and it is being used as a total weapon to terrorise the residents of the two communities without discrimination. His hollow box system can be heard for over four miles away when in full beast mode.

He would deliberately rev his vehicle to earth-shattering decibels forcing nearby resi-

dents to seek cover and block their ears from exploding. This revving will continue for 20 to 30 minutes back and forth with total impunity. Three to four times weekly this individual will commit this heinous act especially in the dead of the night multiple times per night.

In the heat of his nightly act, one can hear small children screaming, alarms from vehicles going off, even though they park a quarter mile away, and domestic animals howling. Residents would be rudely awakened at all hours in the night, almost with a heart attack to deafening sounds of this revving.

Many parents are robbed of their nightly rest, children

who were up studying late cannot get their little sleep and the elderly, fearing for their physical safety in the form of heart attack.

Reports were made to the police at Den Amstel Station by many citizens of this evil act only to be ignored. I also urge other residents to report this act of terrorism to other media houses so that our communities can return to some form of normalcy. If any Government personnel reads this, we urge you to take this matter up urgently, as other residents are contemplating taking matters into their own hands to protect their own safety and that of family members.

Regards Sharmilla Mohan

Members should choose party leader...

From page 4 down system. Decisions are made at the top and passed down for implementation at lower levels. This is quite unlike in developed democracies like the US, Germany, India, etc. In the US, for example, party members choose an executive at the local block level, village level, borough, city or

county, state, and nationally.

The leader at each level is chosen democratically through maximum participation of members; executives at lower level get together to select the city-wide or statewide or national leader. There is no purchasing of votes.

The party members are empowered to elect a party nominee among several candidates for every elective office. In the US and other countries, the leader or President does not choose the party’s representatives to the legislature or the Prime Minister or Vice President or other positions. The voters or the legislature choose the head and deputies of the government.

In India, the law requires regular internal elections of parties.

For a party to function and seek elective office in India, it is registered and must be recognized by the elections commission. It must submit a constitution to the commission which monitors whether it is following its own by- laws and the constitution of India. The law requires that a party holds election at every level from block to district to municipality to state and

nationally. If a party doesn’t, it is advised to take corrective measures within a fixed period. If it fails within the given time frame, the commission can deregister it. Parties were de-registered. In Guyana, there should be a law for political parties to be monitored by an independent constitutional body and for it to hold internal elections.

In Guyana, positions must not be handed down by an all powerful leader.

Political parties must function democratically, engaging and consulting their members on matters and involving them in selecting office bearers. There cannot be top down decision making as exists in authoritarian states with one party. There must be bottom up decision making or at a minimum two way decision making with the views of those at the top and at the bottom taken into consideration in decision making.

A political party not based on internal democracy cannot claim ‘moralistics’ for proper functioning of democracy or complain about electoral fraud when itself does not allow internal party democracy.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

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BL TLUNT.. UNT...B BL Saturday December 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

The CJIA project needs another $25 million for new offices.

Thank God it is in Guyana dollars and not American greenbacks.

This is how Guyana Governments and contractors rip this country off and drain taxpayers. $25million here, $25 million there, and soon there is enough to build another airport.

Who are the people we have for leaders around these projects?

PAGE 07

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Kaieteur News

Saturday December 18, 2021

Dharamlall dismisses query into $500M emergency security charges Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall

- tells Deputy Speaker question “out of order”

T

he Ministry of L o c a l Government and Regional Development on Thursday approached the National Assembly to seek over $500 million more towards the payment of security charges, but when a member of the Opposition questioned the amount, he was told by the subject Minister, Nigel Dharamlall, that he is “out of order”.

The question raised by Opposition Member and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Lennox Shuman, was in relation to why the Government is requesting these exorbitant sums from the Contingency Fund to pay for security, if the crime rate is down as was reported by the Minister of Home Affairs.

“If crime has dropped by 20 percent, why are we spending so much on security? I sat in this very Chamber three days ago when the Honourable Minister of Home Affairs

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Lennox Shuman

complimented the administration's handling of crime in Guyana, and said that crime is at 20 percent decrease in this country.

I wanted to ask the Honourable Minister of Local Government and

Regional Development if your Cabinet colleague is saying that crime is on the decrease and it has dropped by over 20 percent, why are we expending so much more money for security at this juncture,” Shuman pressed.

But in response, the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall answered that “you are out of order to ask me that question”.

According to Dharamlall, “Mr. Shuman is asking me a question about a statement of the Minister of Home Affairs.

I believe Mr. Shuman is out of order to ask me a question that the Minister of Home Affairs pronounced on”.

Shuman was not too pleased with the minister's response and in fact said that he was shocked at his failure to defend the request for the additional sums.

After being further grilled, the Local Government Minister explained, that due to the fact that Government institutions have come under threat by the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) members, the Government decided to beef up security.

The sum of more than $500 million was spread across the various administrative regions.

While some of the regions did not hire more security officers, the question was also asked why more monies are being allocated to these services, when there has b e e n n o f o r mal announcement of a wage increase to the workers.

There has been no formal announcement of an increase to security guards since 2018

when the APNU/AFC raised the hourly rate from $300 to $377.

Another Opposition member, Ronald Cox cited Article 220 (1) which states that “Parliament may make provision for the establishment of a Contingencies Fund and for authorising the Minister responsible for Finance to make advances from that Fund if he or she is satisfied that there is an urgent need for expenditure for which no other provision exists.”

Further, the Financial Management and Accountability Act section 41 states clearly that the Minister must be satisfied that all matters that are dealt with under this section are urgent, unavoidable and unforeseen, therefore justifying the need for the expenditure.

In this regard, Cox asked Dharamlall to explain the

urgency and unforeseen nature of the security charges in excess of $500 million.

But this request was also shot down by the Local Government Minister who argued, “You have no right to ask our Government, which has always stood by the Constitution, and to impugn that our party and government do not respect the Constitution”.

Cox, however, held out that as a representative of the people of Guyana, he has every right to ask questions.

As a consequence, the Minister explained that upon taking office as Government, members were greeted with missing files, among others things, which prompted the need for increased security.

He said that this resulted in more officers being hired, hence, justifying the additional sums required.

Saturday December 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

The best part of waking up In 1984, there began a popular television advertisement with the jingle, “The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup. That ad ran for a long time and became very popular.

We all have our best part of waking up. For some it is scenic – to see the dawn and the music of birds and early morning insects. For others it is their early morning exercise which primes them for the day ahead. For others, it is simply to refreshment which comes with a long night sleep. But for everyone, there should be a best part of waking up.

For me the best part of waking up is about a newspaper in my hand and a cup of coffee. It does not matter whether it is Folgers or Nescafé, the best part of waking up each day is to have a cup of coffee and a hard copy of the Kaieteur News.

It has been a life-long routine of mine to sit at my breakfast table each morning with an open newspaper and a strong brew of coffee. I can think of no better way to start the day.

In the Golden Age of local cinema the late shows began at 8:30 pm and ended old days whenever you exited the late- night cinemas, the newspaper vendors were always there peddling their hot off the press copies.

In those days, the papers used to be off the press early and the late night cinemagoers and imbibers would catch the news before all others by picking up their newspaper copy from the vendors.

But even back then, I merely glanced at the headlines and deferred the heavy reading to the next morning. I did not seek to spoil the best

part of waking up.

Times are changing. The newspapers are out later and the newspaper vendors cannot be found on the streets after dark.

Many people also now prefer instantaneous news which they receive efficiently on social media. But much of what passes for social media reporting remains unchecked and hearsay.

The usual rigour which goes into verifying details, contacting interested parties, obtaining all sides of the story and giving vital background information is missing from social media platforms.

Social media reporting in that respect may be instantaneous but subject to inaccuracies and incompleteness.

Most newspapers today are available online. Some charge a subscription.

Kaieteur News took a decision not to charge but to make the news freely available as a public service. And while this may reduce the paper’s hard copy circulation, it has increased the reach of the newspaper.

Reach is important in advertising but it is not the prime consideration in advertising. Social media today is also being used for advertising. Some say it has greater reach but reach does not translate to effect.

A few days ago, I viewed a full-page KFC advertisement in the Kaieteur News.

The longer I looked at the image of the succulent chicken, the more I craved for it. By afternoon, I could resist no more. I sent to buy a serving.

That is the effect of print media advertising where the reader can look with greater deliberation on an advertise-

ment.

There are a number of features available in the hard copies that are not readily or easily accessible in the newspapers’ social media platforms. One of these is the Classified Ads. It is a cheap and inexpensive way for persons to advertise products and services and many persons buy the newspaper just to see what is available. Persons looking for properties to rent or buy usually pay keen attention, daily, to the Classified Ads. Then there are the advertisements. You can learn a great deal about what are the trends in society by looking at what is advertised.

Over the past few years for example, the electronic stores have not been pushing new gadgets but rather electronic accessories such as headphones and speakers.

It is very interesting development which may speak to the slowing down of new products in preference to improving functionality.

Every day, the newspapers provide a number of advertisements about vacancies. Recently, the Ministry of Natural Resources advertised a number of key vacancies.

The Bureau of Statistics is seeking a Logistics Officer.

Woodlands Hospital had advertised for a number of key medical specialists.

Other private sector firms are seeking specified skilled persons.

If you don’t buy the daily newspaper, you are going to miss out on these vacancies, just as the contractors who do not buy the newspapers will miss the Invitation to Tender.

But perhaps the best rea-

Dem boys seh ...

Ghost-Busters will be on hand at Kangress Party Official: I have summoned this Press Conference to assure all of you that all scissors… sorry … systems are in place for a transparent, fair and free Kangress.

The elections will be so transparent that you can see straight through it. The elections will be so fair that there will be no questions asked.

The elections will be so free that even the losers will celebrate.

Every delegate will have to present one of four forms of identification before being allowed to vote.

His or her name must be ticked off of the Official List of Electors.

After casting his or her

ballot, the delegate must leave the voting room.

The ballots will be counted at the place of poll and transmitted to the Chief Elections Officer.

Voting will be by secret ballot. Each contestant will be entitled to have a representative observe the voting and the counting of the ballots.

Reporter: Has the delegates list be subject to house-to house verification?

Party Official: There is no need for house to house verification.

The membership of the party groups has been verified.

Reporter: But is the system in place not similar to that used in the General and

Regional Elections?

Party Official: You may wish to draw that conclusion.

Reporter: So how do you prevent dead people from voting and migrated people from voting?

Party Official: We have a special ghostbusters team which will be in place to ensure that no dead or migrated persons enter the area.

In fact our security system is so fool-proof that no unauthorised person can enter.

Reporter: What is the name of the ghost-buster team?

Party Official: In the interest of protecting the integrity of the ballot we are not permitted to reveal the team’s identity Talk half. Leff half.

son for buying a hard copy of the daily newspaper is because it is simply an integral element of the best part of waking up.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Saturday December 18, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

I am suspicious of Granger's absence today Mr. Granger will not be at his party's congress at a time when he is still legally the leader of the party. Mr. Granger's timing is bound to cause some suspicion by analysis. But one will be deterred from any analysis because the reason is medical treatment.

Still, the wider society needs interpretations of complex occurrences and scholars and the media have to do their work. My position is still the same – I don't think today's process will be free and fair. I think Mr. Harmon is going to be declared the winner.

When that happens Granger cannot be blamed; he was not there. The last time the outgoing leader was present at a congress was when Granger had beaten Greenidge by 12 votes even though few persons in Guyana and the PNC in 2012 knew much about Greenidge.

It is interesting to note

that Greenidge's campaign manager was Aubrey Norton.

Norton was not too comfortable at how things worked out at the congress.

The other candidate, PNC stalwart, Dr. Faith Harding was not as diplomatic as Norton. She attributed bad faith to Corbin. She said the election was not fair.

The 2012 congress will be different this time; the outgoing leader will not be at the event. No one can hurl accusations at Granger as Harding did to Corbin.

Granger, unlike Corbin, will have a water-proof alibi.

During the anti-electricity hike in Linden in 2012, Norton told me what he saw at the 2012 congress was disheartening.

He described badbehaved PNC delegates, mostly women throwing nasty abuses at Greenidge.

He intoned that the ugliness was witnessed by all the major leaders of the PNC but

no one intervened. History is a thing that keeps reoccurring.

Could Norton become the victim Greendige was in both in terms of receiving insults and losing to a fixed election?

Here is my scenario. I believe certain PNC personalities have learnt from the wayward, reckless, infantile attempts to rig the 2020 general elections. If Burnham and Hoyte were alive, they would have declared a victory, the night of March 3 when the Region 4 returning officer, Clairmont Mingo (Mingo lived after his name, the rigging was clear) had proclaimed his fictitious numbers.

Burnham was a crude dictator. He would have declared victory on March 3.

Had the PNC leaders done so on March 3, the world would still have rejected them. But they kept playing for time until the Chief Election

Officer can come up with a phenomenal stratagem. The PNC leaders waited for five months to birth a stratagem so brilliant that it would have caused doubts in the mind of the world.

But five months was insane and stupid. Five months allowed the world (except Eusi Kwayana) to see how the rigging was being done.

This isn't going to happen today. There will be a swift count. Harmon will be declared the winner. Norton and Dr. Van West Charles are going to ask for this and that probe. They are going to produce evidence of irregularities and misdirections but these would fade away and that will be that – Harmony will be the leader until he is in his eighties if he chooses to.

It is unfortunate that this is how things are done in the PNC but the PNC is what it is.

I rather suspect that once

Harmon is in the saddle, there will be a more than ordinary role for Granger in the Frederick Kissoon direction of the PNC. Harmon and Granger were very close in the army t he dual authority of where Harmon served as Harmon and Granger, only head of intelligence. Did this time it would be out of they know anything at all power.

Mr. Granger is very about Burnham's plan for limited in his political Walter Rodney?

Once in power, Harmon understanding of Guyana. I l i t e r a l l y s h a r e d t h e don't know what he can teach presidency with Granger and Harmon. Granger as number Granger was happy with that. two will create a political There is a voluminous body chaos for the PNC. One thing of policy-making decisions for sure; Aubrey Norton's that Granger did not know days were over from the time about or was not interested in he announced his candidacy. knowing. This was the extent Granger is a Burnhamite to which Granger conceded fanatic. Norton is not.

Granger will not want such a power to Harmon.

T h e r e w e r e person to lead the PNC. The interchangeable. But they die is cast. See you later, had to fail and fall because Aubrey!

(The views expressed in they were both very limited this article are those of the in their political astuteness a u t hor and do not (perhaps they didn't have necessarily reflect the any). What we will have after tomorrow is a continuation of opinions of this newspaper.)

Fraud accused PS cuts cheques for contractor before signing contract ...pays half immediately, balance weeks later The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs last year not only sole sourced the purchase of 112 tractors and trailers for Amerindian Villages and Communities on the basis of market research and not competitive bidding, the cheques were drawn up for payment even before a contract was signed.

The state of affairs is documented in the Auditor General Report for 2021 covering a period when the now fraud accused, Permanent Secretary, Sharon Hicks, was the Accounting Officer for that Ministry and would have been responsible for such contracts.

The Auditor General in his report found that Cabinet granted its “No-objection” on 30 December 2020 for the award of a contract in the sum of $446.880M for the supply and delivery of 112 tractors and trailers for the Amerindian Communities and Villages.

According to the report, the award was made using the single source method of procurement on the basis of

market research, which revealed that Mahindra Tractors are the most economical tractors on the market with the four-wheel drive and 75 horse power needed for development in t h e A m e r i n d i a n Communities/Villages.

Compounding the situation, it was noted that the contract was signed between the Ministry and a local supplier on 31 December 2020—the last financial day for the year.

The contract stated that an advance payment of 50% of the contract sum shall be paid upon signing of the contract, whilst the final payment of the remaining 50% of the contract sum shall be paid upon submission of a payment bond.

The Auditor General found, however, that six transactions amounting to the contract sum of $446.880M were processed on 30 and 31 December 2020; while, the cheques were drawn on 4 January 2021.

As such, it would mean that the now fraud accused

Permanent Secretary for the Amerindian Affairs, cut the cheques for contractor before signing the contract, in order to ensure that the monies would not have to be returned to the Consolidated Fund.

Three subsequent payments amounting to $223.440M and which represented 50% of the contract sum were paid on 13 January 2021.

According to the Auditor General, the other three payments amounting to $223.440M representing the final payment on the contract, were paid on 5 March 2021.

Additionally, an Advance Payment Guarantee dated 30 December 2020 was provided in the sum of $223.440M, with a validity period from 30 December 2020 to 30 April 2021, which is the duration of the contract.

Further compounding the situation, the supplier subsequently wrote the Ministry in April 2021 requesting an extension of time to supply the 112 tractors and trailers.

He said the basis of the extension sought was for disruptions “…due to several unexpected closures at the Mahindra Production Plant in India. As such, the production was delayed for a few weeks”.

The Ministry granted the extension up to 15 August 2021, with the Ministry also amending the Advance Payment Guarantee resulting in a new validity date of 20 August 2021.

According to the Auditor General's findings, as of September 9, 2021, 103 tractors and trailers were recorded as having been received by the Ministry, and of these, 54 tractors and trailers were still at the Amerindian Dorms, Liliendaal; whilst the difference of 49 tractors and trailers were issued to various Amerindian Villages.

To this end, the Auditor General said “the intended benefits from the use of the tractors and trailers were being delayed” to which the Ministry responded saying “the late delivery of the

tractors and trailers was of no fault of the Ministry, and that the delay is not material in nature or would compromise the intended purpose.”

Additionally, it was found that only 20 handing over forms were submitted for audit and “as a result, we could not determine the locations of the twenty-nine tractors and trailers, and whether they were handed

Fraud accused Permanent Secretary, Sharon Hicks

over to the Villages, as reported.”

Meanwhile, Hicks was yesterday placed on $100,000 bail when she appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates' Court to answer to the charge, 'Corrupt transaction by agent.”

She was allegedly caught red handed taking a bribe during a police sting operation in October last.

Saturday December 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

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Saturday December 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

Exxon must get Yellowtail EIA right before EPA authorization International Lawyer, Melinda Janki has submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), that Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), ExxonMobil's subsidiary that will be undertaking the Yellowtail Project in Guyana's waters, must first get its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) right, before permits are granted.

In her submissions to the EPA, Janki, an international lawyer of over 30 years said, “It is clear that the EIA, produced by ERM (Environmental Resources Management- the Consultant hired by Exxon), contains conclusions that are contrary to science, gives assurances that are unsupported by evidence, and lacks the technical, and other data necessary to provide an adequate professional assessment of the environmental impacts of the proposed Yellowtail Project.

The EPA must, therefore, reject the EIA and require EEPGL to submit an EIA that meets the required

- International Lawyer

Lawyer, Melinda Janki Dr. Erik Cordes

Dr. Mark Chernaik technical and legal standard”.

She added, “Until that is done, the EPA must refuse EEPGL's application for an e n v i r o n m e n t a l authorization”.

Janki holds an LL.B from University College, London and two masters degrees in law – the BCL from Hertford College, Oxford University and an LL.M in public international law from

University College, London.

She has advised international financial institutions, governments and multinational corporations, including oil companies and is currently challenging dangerous deep water petroleum production offshore Guyana.

The lawyer in her submission to the EPA, on December 15, 2021, did not only make submissions

based on her opinion and personal knowledge, but also included independent reviews from international experts in the field.

One such person who gave their reviews was Dr. Erik Cordes. A quick search on Cordes showed that he is an Associate Professor and the Vice Chair of Biology at Temple University. He has worked on the ecology of deep-sea corals and

hydrocarbon seeps for over 20 years. He has spent over 16 months at sea on over 30 research cruises, 10 as Chief Scientist. Dr Cordes' report states that sections of the EIA reviewed by him are, "missing critical information that is required to make an informed decision."

For example, he points out the paucity of the data relating to fish.

The specialist's recommendation is that, "additional data are required

to properly evaluate the potential impacts of the proposed project."

His conclusion is that, "… the EIA is deficient and the EPA does not have the scientific and technical information required to make an informed decision about the potential impacts of the proposed project”.

He also warned that without this information, the Yellowtail Project is highly (Continued on page 14)

Saturday December 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

AG flags ad hoc procurement of COVID-19 supplies

Auditor General, Deodat Sharma

- found $424M in contracts awarded without Tender Board approval

By Kiana Wilburg

A

uditor General, Deodat Sharma, has flagged the ad hoc procurement of COVID-19 supplies by the Ministry of Public Health and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) for the period March 2020 to August 2020.

In a special value-formoney audit, Sharma said a review was conducted on the procurement process used, the storage and accounting for items purchased and gifts received, and the distribution of hampers. He said this was done to determine whether the activities were done in compliance with relevant laws, regulations, guidelines, and international best practices.

But following this audit, the AG said several troubling findings were made. In this regard, he noted that a total of 18 contracts valued at over $424M were awarded before approval was received from the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB). He stressed that this is not in keeping with the nation's laws.

In response to this finding, officials at the Ministry of Health explained

that with reports of the coronavirus being contracted in human beings and spreading rapidly from China to other neighbouring Caribbean countries at a fast rate, Guyana was put on notice to be in a state of readiness, in the event that the coronavirus impacts Guyana in the near future.

Subsequent to a meeting held in this regard, the officials said a list of equipment and medical supplies were put together to be procured immediately for the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation in order for it to be prepared for such a reality.

As such, the Ministry said it had its Procurement Department carry out a procurement process in order to ascertain which suppliers had these items readily available on the ground and to be delivered immediately.

The officials said the contracts were signed before the award was sent from NPTAB, in order for the Ministry to be able to secure these items and have them in place.

As for the Civil Defence Commission, its management said it would appreciate any guidance, which can be given on the procurement of emergency

supplies which may be needed within a short timeframe, and which does not allow for the requesting of relevant approvals. The CDC said, too, that it is committed to observing all regulations and only sought to expedite the procurement to provide urgent COVID-19 relief to affected households in keeping with a task assigned to the Commission by the National COVID-19 Task Force.

Upon noting the feedback from the entities, the Auditor General's Office recommended that the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health and the Director General of the Civil Defence Commission engage the Ministry of Legal Affairs and other stakeholders to have the Procurement Act 2003 amended to include emergency procurement policies and procedures.

Further to the foregoing, the AG also discovered three other worrying findings.

Sharma outlined that the contracts effected by the agencies in question did not have fundamental provisions, which could have protected the interest of the State and ensured value for money.

Sharma noted, for example, that nine contracts prepared by the Civil Defence Commission did not have definite terms as to the start and end dates for delivery of the items. Sharma said the failure on the part of the Commission, to legally bind suppliers to a stipulated delivery period, resulted in delays on the part of suppliers.

Furthermore, Sharma was keen to outline that a penalty clause serves as a deterrent to prevent parties from breaching the terms and conditions of a contract. That said, Sharma stated that his office expected all contracts to have this clause to protect the Ministry and the Civil Defence Commission against late suppliers. Surprisingly, the AG said his office found that the Ministry had no protection against late suppliers because many of the contracts did not have penalty clauses.

His report goes on to state, “We noted that the Ministry of Public Health and the Civil Defence Commission worked quickly to procure items and spent over $1 billion to buy equipment, food, drugs, and medical supplies to fight the coronavirus disease or

COVID-19.”

“We noted that suppliers delivered close to $400M in supplies a month late. The Ministry could not act against them and had to wait on the suppliers for the items. This delayed the distribution of the items to vulnerable persons. As a result of not inserting penalty clauses in contracts, the Ministry lost money and vulnerable persons had to wait for much needed supplies.”

C o n v e r s e l y, i n o n e instance where the clause was included, the AG said the Ministry did not even deduct the penalty fees of close to $5M. Adding that this saving could have been used to purchase additional supplies to help fight the disease.

Speaking to other anomalies, Sharma said the Ministry of Public Health and the Civil Defence Commission did not monitor the performance of contracts

from their beginning to end.

He said, too, that his office found no evidence that the entities valued donations or gifts and properly recorded and disposed of same. He said the failure of the Ministry and the Civil Defence Commission to properly account for the items received, resulted in him being unable to determine the true value of gifts received during the period.

He subsequently recommended that the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health and Director General of the Civil Defence Commission put in place gift registers to account for donations or gifts received.

Taking the foregoing factors into consideration, the AG categorically stated that the entities did not procure COVID-19 supplies in an efficient manner.

GPF distributes over $32M to outstanding cops T

he Guyana Police Force (GPF) during its Christmas Award Ceremony distributed approximately $32.6 million to officers within the force for their outstanding performances throughout the year. The ranks received awards in several categories, including Best Cop and Best Cop runner up.

Acting Commissioner of Police, Nigel Hoppie stated that the yearly ceremony is one which will continue to boost the morale of police officers in the execution of

their various duties.

“Among the awardees here today are members of the Force, who have been exemplary through the recovery of illegal firearms, interdiction of narcotics, police action in the apprehension of persons who escaped from prison, and the arrest of wanted persons, just to name a few.

Since the commencement of the award ceremony in 1990, the police force has paid out a total of $498.7 million as cash incentives to deserving ranks. This morale- boosting and motivating gesture will

surely be continuing, as a means of enhancing work performance,” the top cop said.

Best Cop of the Year, Sergeant Moalchan Jadunandan received a trophy and a sum of money for his hard work and dedication throughout the y e a r. T h e S e rg e a n t encouraged his colleagues to remain dedicated, hardworking and willing, which will see them towards a successful career throughout the GPF. Speaking on behalf of all of the awardees, Sergeant

Jadunandan expressed gratitude to the Government and all other officials for attending the ceremony.

The runner-up for the title of 'Best Cop of the Year' is Sergeant Komal Pitama, who is attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Region 10, and was instrumental in solving a number of murders, as well as the eradication of narcotics.

Sergeant Pitama shared that “Since I joined the Guyana Police Force, my aim was to ensure that justice (Continued on page 14)

Saturday December 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

11-storey facility to replace burnt out Brickdam Police Station M

inister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn announced yesterday that the Government will be constructing a modern 11storey Police Station complex at Brickdam, Georgetown.

This facility will be replacing the Brickdam Police Station, which was completely destroyed by a fire on October 2, last.

The Minister made this revelation during his feature address at the Thanksgiving and Awards Ceremony for Regional Police Division '4' A. The Minister said that following the fire, he and stakeholders, along with engineers, had discussed rebuilding the Brickdam Police Station.

“Our discussions suggested, and with the layout that we have available

here, we should be able to build a new 7-storey facility…but I have to speak about the position of a younger and perhaps more vigorous man than myself, H i s E x c e l l e n c y D r.

Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who in a discussion with me said, 'Of course, we will build bigger and better', and so the task we have is to build an 11-storey building on this footprint for the new Brickdam Police Station,” he related yesterday.

As should be recalled, on October 2, a devastating fire flattened the Police Station, along with two vehicles and a business place close by.

According to reports, the fire reportedly began around 11:06hrs in the upper part of an eastern building and spread to several other buildings in the compound.

Immediate investigations led to the root of the fire,

The Brickdam Police Station before it was gutted by fire.

which was found to be caused by arson. A prisoner, who was arrested earlier in the day in relation to a robbery under arms matter confessed to investigators that he had started the fire.

Clarence Greene, 24, the prisoner who confessed to

setting the fire, was later remanded for the crime, as well as the alleged robbery under arms offence.

“I want to thank Commander Simeon McBean, his officers and all those who ensured that after the conflagration on October

2, which resulted in the loss of probably the oldest police installation in this country….that even though there was a lot of stress and anxiety following the conflagration, the Commander and his team maintained a positive

policing posture in the largest and perhaps most difficult policing division in the country,” the Minister told the gathering.

D u r i n g t h e announcement of the new building no price of what it would cost was revealed.

Exxon must get Yellowtail EIA... Nurse remanded for allegedly stealing from ex-lover

From page 12 likely to have greater impacts than those indicated.

Another specialist, Dr. Mark Chernaik, a lawyer and science expert, also gave comments on the Yellowtail EIA. Chernaik is attached to the Environmental Law A l l i a n c e Wo r l d w i d e (ELAW). He helps attorneys and citizens make effective use of scientific information to defend the environment.

Mark received a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the Johns Hopkins University.

Janki in her submission included that “Dr Chernaik points out that the EIA (i) fails to address the indirect impacts of greenhouse gas emissions; (ii) fails to disclose the inconsistency with the Glasgow Climate

Pact; and (iii) fails to contain the required information about waste. This information is required by law”.

As a consequence, the local activist told the EPA that it should not accept the EIA prepared by the ERM, owing to these and other deficiencies.

The public feedback on t h e Ye l l o w t a i l Environmental Impact Assessment closed on December 15, 2021.

A g r o u p o f environmental experts, including Simone MangalJoly, Alfred Buhlai, Vanda Radzik, Janette Bulkan, Denuta Radzik, Jerry Jailall, Alissa Trotz and Maya Trotz, had teamed up to demand that the EPA scrap the Yellowtail EIA. Given that the document fails to address critical subjects, such as the impacts

GPF distributes over...

From page 13 prevails and that is my aim.

To ensure that people get justice they need and I have a zeal and zest to go after criminals.

I do not like to see crime happening. I do not sleep comfortable at night if I cannot solve it.

I depend a lot on the community who give us the information.”

On a special note, female police constable, Tatyana Blair-Da Silva was awarded a total of $200,000 for her outstanding honesty returning $1 million to the owner, which she found on her way to a village shop.

Blair received $100,000 from the GPF, and an additional $100,000 from the Queensway Security Service.

of the total waste brought to shore, and baseline data for Guyana's fisheries sector, among others.

Another civil society body that calls itself Article 13 also recently joined these calls.

In a letter to the Environmental Assessment Board (EAB) that was seen

by Kaieteur News, Article 13 said it, “endorses the concerns of a group of citizens in a letter to the Environmental Assessment Board dated 10 December 2021…over the conduct of the Environmental Impact Assessment for Exxon M o b i l ' s Ye l l o w t a i l development”.

The group consists of prominent, outspoken Guyanese, such as Chartered Accountant and Attorney at Law Christopher Ram, telecommunications expert Yog Mahadeo, Ramon Gaskin, and Jonathan Yearwood, among others.

Article 13 said that due to the nature of the impacts the Yellowtail development is likely to have, the Consultation process should be extended to regional stakeholders, as required by international law.

“We request that the 2020 Environmental Protection Guidelines be reenacted, and the EIA adhere to these and industry best practice standards,” the civil society body posited.

A

nurse was on F r i d a y remanded for allegedly stealing multiple items from her ex-lover, Joseph Mitchell.

Mitchell who recently returned from the interior, c o n t a c t e d t h e phlebotomist, Janila Simona for sex, which she refused and he had remained out of contact ever since. On December 14, after he finished drinking in Rassville with some friends, he returned home and observed his door open, so he entered and went to his room. He then discovered it ransacked. When he asked the other tenant what had transpired, she informed him that the accused was there.

He then proceeded to Simona's house but she was not there. He subsequently made a report to the Police, and with ranks returned to the nurse's address to search her home in the presence of her grandmother. During this search most of his missing items, including 3ozs of raw gold valued at

Janila Simona

$920,000, clothing worth $40,000, one cellphone valued at $35,000, cologne valued at $5,000, one gold scale valued at $2,500. All of the stolen items were

recover ed, except for the 3ozs of raw gold, the most highly valued item. A bottle, which held the missing gold was found on the fridge.

Saturday December 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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Saturday December 18, 2021

$100K bail for PS in alleged bribery scandal

M

ore than two months after s h e w a s allegedly caught red-handed collecting a bribe from a

contractor, the Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs (MOAA), Sharon Hicks was yesterday charged

for the offence.

Hicks, 42, of Onderneeming, West Bank Demerara, appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates'

Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, in the company of her lawyer, Sase Gunraj. She denied the charge, which stated that on

Sharon Hicks and her lawyer, yesterday at court.

October 7, 2021, at 251-252 Thomas and Quamina Streets, Georgetown, while being an agent employed by the Government of Guyana, she obtained from Heramainie Chintamanie, for herself, $200,000 as an inducement or reward for processing the payment requests for security services provided.

Gunraj made a bail application for his client to be released on bail and same was granted by the Magistrate. The defendant was placed on $100,000 bail and the matter was adjourned to December 20, 2021, for statements.

O n Wed n es d ay, th e Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, S.C., returned the case file to police investigators, with

advice to charge the PS for corrupt transaction by agent.

Hicks was caught on October 7, during a police sting operation collecting $200,000 as a kickback from a security services contractor.

Investigators had learnt the PS had a deal with the previous owner of the company.

The deal was that, in order to receive contracts, he must pay her $200,000 every month.

U n f o r t u n a t e l y, t h a t contractor died and his son took over the business operations. The new owner was reportedly unaware of the deal with the PS, and became 'fed up' after she began demanding money from him just to sign off some invoices.

As a result, he notified (Continued on page 19)

Charged, Sharon Hicks.

Saturday December 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

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PAGE 18

Saturday December 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

BEFORE & AFTERMATH

Lit cigarette butts lead to inferno at furniture workshop A

lit cigarette butt led to the inferno at a furniture workshop at Old Road, Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) yesterday.

According to the Guyana Fire Service (GFS), the fire occurred at 01:30hrs.

The two-storey wooden and concrete building was owned by Navindra Persaud and operated as a furniture workshop.

The GFS noted that the blaze was caused by several cigarette butts that were carelessly disposed by workers and which ignited the sawdust.

In addition, the GFS explained that an animal rescue shelter next door was also destroyed. Meanwhile, speaking with an eyewitness,

GFS ranks learnt that she was in her kitchen at the time, when she saw the large billowing smoke rising from the workshop. She then quickly alerted nearby neighbours.

Fire tenders arrived to contain the blaze, but those efforts were unsuccessful.

As the fire spread some more it destroyed the animal shelter next door.

This publication later learnt that the Fire Service responded 35 minutes after the report was made, by which time the fire had already ravaged the building.

Kaieteur News yesterday made several attempts to contact Persaud and the owner of the animal shelter.

Those efforts, however, have proven to be futile.

Saturday December 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 19

$300,000 bail each for GDF ranks, businessman, in alleged theft of $745M worth of fuel T wo members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) along with a businessman were on Thursday released on $300,000 bail each, after they were charged for stealing

some $745 million worth of fuel from the Guyana Oil Company (GuyOil).

The defendants, Delon Wilson, 34, of Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke/Linden Highway, Terry Milling, 35, of South Cummings Lodge,

Georgetown former ranks of t h e G D F, a l o n g w i t h businessman Gangadeo Sridat, 48, of New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara made their first court appearance in the Grove/Diamond Magistrates'

Ministry of Health records two new COVID-19 fatalities The Ministry of Health, yesterday reported that two more persons, who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease, have died. As a result of this, Guyana's COVID-19 death toll has moved to 1,028.

According to the M i n i s t r y, t h e l a t e s t fatalities are that of an unvaccinated 49-year-old

woman from Region Seven, who passed away on Wednesday, and a fully vaccinated 82-year-old man from Region Six, who died o n T h u r s d a y, w h i l e receiving treatment at a medical facility.

Meanwhile, the Ministry in its latest COVID-19 dashboard recorded 23 new cases, taking the total number of

confirmed cases to 38,751.

The dashboard also shows that 13 patients are admitted into the COVID19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 44 persons in institutional isolation, 630 in home isolation, and 3 in institutional quarantine. To date, a total of 37,036 persons have recovered from the virus.

Court before Principle Magistrate, Judy Latchman.

It is alleged that between January 1, 2015 and June 30, 2020 at the GuyOil Terminal, Providence, East Bank Demerara, they conspired together with persons unknown and stole $745,559,430 worth in fuel, the same being the property of the GDF. The court heard that between that period Wilson and Milling were tasked with procuring fuel on behalf of the GDF, but it was never delivered.

Following an audit, it was discovered that over $745

million worth of fuel were not received.

The GDF reported severe shortcomings with respect to the purchase, reconciliation and storage of fuel, in 2019 but, on the other hand, a report by Auditor General, Deodat Sharma found that 887,800 litres of fuel, valued at $181.5M, were uplifted by an unauthorised vehicle during the said year.

It was reported that the discovery included 26 instances where 2,000 gallons of gasoline were uplifted for the Coast Guard Headquarters, Ruimveldt even though the storage

capacity at the location was only 1,000 gallons.

In September 2020, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar had mentioned allegations of unusual activity between staff of GuyOil and GDF ranks.

Minister Indar had announced that an investigation is being conducted into a $300M fraud that was discovered by the GDF in relation to fuel supply.

The men are expected to reappear in court on January 27, 2022 for the continuation of the matter.

$1.2 Million compensation extended to Fiedtkou family following parlour mix-up The Fiedtkou family was recently granted $1.2 Million in compensation, after the body of their loved one, was cremated by another family earlier this month. This is according to the Chairman of the Suddie Parlour Committee, Charran Sarabjeet.

Based on reports reaching this publication, when the family showed up at the Suddie Parlour last week to bury their dead, they learnt that the deceased man was already cremated by another family.

Distraught family members were left no choice, but to prepare an empty casket for burial.

When asked how the mix-up occurred, the Parlour Chairman said, “The supervisor is responsible for

the operations of the parlour, and based on what he relayed to me, it was a mix-up with a COVID case and another case.

I'm still investigating, because I'm not clear yet, we will be meeting Saturday morning to go in there and do a proper investigation.”

Kaieteur News understands that family members aren't permitted to have any contact with dead COVID-19 patients, neither before nor during funeral arrangements. This will explain why the family was unaware that they cremated the wrong body.

A similar case occurred in the same Region earlier this year, when the body of a thirty-one-year-old man, was mixed up with that of an elderly woman.

At that time, the Regional Health Officer had revealed that the bodies were not tagged, and that in future, bodies will be tagged. When asked yesterday if the bodies were tagged in the recent mix-up, the parlour chairman responded in the affirmative.

He went on to say, “We are putting systems in place to keep COVID bodies in a separate place. The parlour committee is very sorry over the situation, and we are doing our utmost to prevent them in the future.”

As for the family who cremated the wrong body, this publication understands that they were in no position to bury 'the right body.' As such, the parlour to buried the body, as they had requested.

$100K bail for PS in alleged...

From page 16 police and a sting operation was set up. The man agreed to pay her the money on October 7, and she was allegedly caught red-handed by ranks collecting the cash.

Hicks was sent on administrative leave immediately to facilitate an investigation. However, it took more than two months before the DPP's office could advise for her to be charged

for the unlawful act. The file had been back and forth between the DPP and police investigators.

Police had to correct errors and return the file on three occasions.

PAGE 20

Kaieteur News

Saturday December 18, 2021

Saturday December 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

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PAGE 22

Kaieteur News VACANCY Procurement Clerk.Contact via email(chungsvacanc y@gmail.com). Tel:218-5120 or 632-0914, between 8am to 5pm.

Saturday December 18, 2021

Deforestation making outdoor work unsafe for millions, says study

Driver must be able to assist in workshop at Eccles, age 25-50 car/van licence.

Call:642-9823.

VEHICLES FOR SALE Honda fit 1.175M negotiable.

Tel:600-4676.

WANTED ExperiencedCashier, Counter sever Roti/ Puri cook, handy boy. Apply Hack's Halaal, 5 Commerce St.

Porters,TMlogTruck drivers,Chainsaw & Mill operator,Diesel mechanic.

Call:609-7675/674-1705.

1 domestic,5 day's a week $30,000.Contact:617-5700.

One welder must know Grill work.Tel:625-5763.

SERVICES Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisements, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040 Repairs and servicing, refridgerator, treadmill, washing machine, stove, pressure pump, filtration system dryer, deepfryer etc 694-9733 Repairs at affordable prices: Fridge,Air conditioner, Washing machines, Dryers, TV,Microwaves& Freezer.

Call: 610-5846 or 661-8158.

Skilled Carpenters, Mason, Welder & Labourer to work in Georgetown & Linden.

Call:615-7526/602-9469.

Leibrands financial management and tax consultancy.

Apply via email:leibrands. pmtc@gmail.com& @leibrands. info@ gmail. com.

Pure breed German Shepherd pups,black & tanned. Contact:665-9140.

1 CAT 428 Backhoe $3-5M,1 CAT 416 Backhoe $2M. Houselots available @ Blankenburg. Contact:6500402/652-0251.

Female cook for the interior & male to work in the interior. Tel:687-7638/660-9093/ 691-3942.

Uptown Kutz Barbershop, Barber wanted.Tel:6017132,address: Fifth St Alberttown.

1 sale female to work at Stabroek Market.Tel:2265793.

Wanted at People's Choice Kitchen 1 baker. Tel:6799449.

8 tower Scafolds 6ftx6ft, american made. Contact:6391178/680-3497.

One tutor for part-time teaching for grade six student on W.B.D.Call:614-8957.

One Jet 21" sanding machine.

Contact:639-1178/680-3497.

One (1) male able bodied clerk.Tel:231-2029,616-5954.

One stone concrete mixture, Honda Engine American made 2 sack ranson. Tel:6391178/680-3497/231-6960.

Brand New Honda 2200 watts super quiet Inverter Generator.Contact: 639-1178/ 680-3497.

Shepsky(German Shepherd and Husky Mix) for sale.For more info contact:684-7333.

Xerox Digital Color Machine.

Tel:233-2725/2439.

4 1/2 acres land & commercial mall on Enmore Public Road.Excellent investment opportunity. Call:609-7675.

PENPAL Indian overseas male seeks female age 30/35.Call:6029975.

LEGAL NOTICE

Enmore mall commercial space for medical facility.Call centre and any other type of business 609-7675/674-1705.

Petitioner sworn to and filed herein on the 11th day of November,2021 in support thereof AND UPON HEARING Attorney-at-Law for the petitioner IT IS ORDERED that personal service of the Petition with Affidavit in support of Notice of Proceedings, and Acknowledgement of Service, by a person authorized by the Registrar be and is hereby dispensed with AND that the mode of Substituted Service of the said Petition with Affidavit in Support of, Notice of Proceedings and Acknowledgment of Service shall be effected on the Respondent by way of advertisement of a Notice of Petition in 2(TWO) Consecutive Saturday issues of Kaieteur News Newspapers, a daily Newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around Guyana and on the worldwide web. AND IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Respondent be and is hereby granted thirty-five (35) days after the date of the second and final Publication of such notice of petition within which to file an Acknowledgment of Service, a Notice of Intention to Defend, an answer and/or Cross Petition. AND IT IS FURHTER ORDERED that an Affidavit of Publication sworn by the Attorney-atLaw for the Petitioner with copies of advertisement exhibited thereto be deemed sufficient proof of service of Petition herein. AND IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this matter is fixed for Directions Hearing on Monday the 21st day of March,2022 at 10:15 am before the Honourable Madam Justice Damone Younge via Zoom Meeting ID:845 1426 6584 and Password: 786 445.

2 males to work for Holiday in the interior omi age 3545,attractive salary.Tel:6778104.

General domestic,living around Ogle E.C.D 25-45yrs, $25,000 wkly.Tel:610-3974.

FOR SALE

TO LET

VACANCY Male 18-35yrs to work at 26 Public Rd,Bagotstown glass & aluminium workshop & female waitress for restaurant 18-30.

Vacancy exist for Security Officers,male & female 18yrs & above.Contact:223-4172/ 632-0099.

Driver & Cleaner.Apply with application/CV and passport photo to Survival 16 Vlissengen rd,Newtown Kitty.

Sales Attendant, Cashiers, Porters.Apply with application/CV and passport photo to Survival 16 Vlissengen rd,Newtown Kitty.

FOR RENT A spacious 2 bedroom middle flat building at Lot 20 George St GT. Call:226-9560 between 10am to 5pm.

Bobby’s Reality, good for business– 4.018 acres of prime land in New Amsterdam, Berbice. Reduce Price. call 679-2497 Bobby’s Reality,large Property with Huge Concrete Bond, Prime Location Cumberland, Canje. Ideal for Business. Sale or rent. Reduce Price. Call 679-2497

LEGAL NOTICE 2021-HC-DEM-CIV-FD1467IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION PETITION NO.FD-1467 BETWEEN :(BAKER) TREVON ORIN Petitioner-and- (BARKER) TERRISHA MARCIA nee MAXWELL Respondent BEFORE THE HONOURABLE MADAM JUSTICE DAMONE YOUNGE(IN CHAMBERS) DATED THE 16TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2021 ENTERED THE 22ND DAY OF NOVEMBER,2021 UPON READING the Without Notice of Application on the part of TREVON ORIN BARKER, the above named Petitioner filed herein on the 11th day of November,2021 and the Affidavit of the said

(The Guardian) - Deforestation has made outdoor work unsafe for millions of people in the tropics over the past 15 years, a study has found.

The rise in temperatures and humidity caused by tree loss has reduced the number of safe hours in the day for people to work, especially for those performing heavy labour.

“Because of climate change, these areas in the tropics are already on the edge of what’s considered safe or comfortable for working in the late morning to afternoon,” said Luke Parsons, a climate researcher at Duke University in North Carolina and lead author of the paper published in the journal One Earth. “And then you take deforestation on top of that and it pushes these regions over into even more unsafe work conditions.”

A growing body of research has shown that deforestation is linked to an increase in local temperatures, as it decreases the cooling benefits trees bring to an area. For example, in the areas of the Amazon in Brazil which have been heavily deforested, over the past two decades the temperatures have been as much as 10C higher than forested regions.

For this study, the researchers parsed satellite and meteorological data between 2003 and 2018 in 94 countries with tropical forests, looking at temperature and humidity.

They found that almost 100,000 people, 90% of whom live in Asia, have lost more

than two hours of work time a day. Almost 5 million people have lost at least half an hour of safe work time each day, the majority of them outdoor workers doing heavy physical labour.

The effects are disproportionately felt in deforested locations; in the Americas, 5% of forested areas lost at least half an hour of safe work time a day, while 35% of deforested areas suffered the same loss.

“We couldn’t go to every single location where people are working and measure when they stopped working,” said Parsons.

0“We can make this assessment of lost safe work time, but people may often in fact choose to continue to work when it is too hot and humid, at the detriment to their health.”

Continued global heating and forest loss is expected to amplify these impacts, reducing work hours for vulnerable groups even more over coming decades.

Exposure to heat could affect mood and mental illnesses, as well as reduce physical and psychological performance, including lapses in concentration, fatigue, irritability, increasing the risk of accidents, said Beatriz Oliveira, researcher at the Sergio Arouca National School of Public Health in Brazil, who was not involved in this study.

The researchers say their findings provide an economic incentive for local populations to maintain intact local forests on top of the environmental benefits.

Saturday December 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Saturday December 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

World woefully behind COVID-19 vaccination target - As UN Secretary General continues criticizing lack of access by poor countries

W

i t h t h e availability of numerous COVID-19 vaccines the world has to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, it is still lagging behind its COVID-19 vaccination target.

This state of affairs was on Thursday noted by the United Nations (UN) Secretary, General Antonio Guterres, during his final address for the year.

Two months ago, the World Health Organisation (WHO) unveiled a strategy to vaccinate 40 per cent of people in all countries by the end of the year, and 70 per cent by the middle of next year. “COVID-19 is not going away. It is becoming clear that vaccines alone will

not eradicate the pandemic.

Vaccin es ar e av er tin g hospitalization and death for the majority who get them and slowing the spread. But transmissions show no sign of letting up. This is driven b y v a c c i n e i n e q u i t y, h e s i t a n c y a n d

complacency,” the UN Secretary General noted.He shared that the strategy requires total commitment by all countries, especially those with vaccine production capabilities.

Secretary General Guterres explained that with

Ann's Grove man sentenced to 30 months for robbing shopkeeper

D

efendant Fazil Khalil, a 51y e a r- o l d unemployed man of Ann's Grove Squatting Area, East Coast Demerara (ECD) appeared be f o r e t h e Linden Magistrate's Court via Zoom on Thursday, charged with robbery under arms against Elizabeth Miguel a shopkeeper, of Chiney Road, Moblissa, Linden Highway.

According to police investigators, the defendant was arrested on Tuesday

and charged for Robbery Under Arms, committed on Tuesday, of articles to the value of $195.000.00, contrary to Section 222 (c) of the Criminal Law Offence Act, Chapter 08:01.

He appeared before Magistrate Wanda Fortune at the Linden Magistrate Court via Zoom where the indictable charge was read to him.

The Administration of Justice Act (AJA) was applied, and he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment.

Sentenced, Fazil Khalil

just days away from year end, some 98 countries have not yet reached that 40 percent target. Out of that number, some 40 countries have not even vaccinated 10 percent of their populations.

He highlighted that in lower-income Member States, less that 4 percent of the population is fully inoculated, while in higherincome countries the vaccination rates are eight times higher than countries in Africa.

He added that at this rate, Africa will not meet the 70 percent threshold until

UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres A u g u s t 2 0 2 4 . “ Va c c i n e inequity is giving variants a free pass to run wild — ravaging the health of people and economies in every corner of the globe.

We cannot defeat the pandemic in an uncoordinated way,” the UN Secretary General insisted.

He further mentioned that all countries, especially those which the p o t e n t i a l o f responsibilities, must “take concrete action in the coming days to make greater progress to achieve WHO's global 40 percent target.”

Booster at least 80% effective against severe Omicron (BBC) - UK researchers have analysed the likely impact that a Covid booster shot will have on Omicron and say it could provide around 85% protection against severe illness.

The protection is a bit less than vaccines gave against earlier versions of Covid.

But it means the top-up dose should still keep many people out of hospital.It comes as a record 861,306 number of booster jabs and third doses were given in the U K o n T h u r s d a y. T h e modelling, from the team at Imperial College London, is based on limited information on Omicron.

The researchers say there is a high degree of uncertainty until more realworld information is gathered about this new variant that is spreading quickly.

Experts are still trying to figure out how mild or severe Omicron will turn out to be.

Vaccines help teach the body how to fight Covid. But the current ones in use were not designed to combat the heavily-mutated Omicron variant, meaning they are not a perfect match.

To get round that, people in the UK are being advised to have a booster dose to build up higher antibody levels to fight the virus.

Antibodies can stick onto the virus to stop it entering cells and replicating.

Studies have suggested a 20 to 40-fold reduction in the ability of these antibodies to take out the virus in doublevaccinated people.

The preliminary work from Imperial assumes there will be a drop in vaccine efficacy against Omicron.

Even with a booster, protection against severe disease from Omicron may be around 80 to 85.9%, compared to around 97% for Delta - the other variant that is currently dominant in the UK. However, there are other parts of the immune system, such as T cells, that can fight Covid too.

The modelling could not assess the impact of these.

One of the Imperial researchers Prof Azra Ghani said: "One remaining uncertainty is how severe the disease caused by the

Omicron variant is compared to disease caused by previous variants.

"Whilst it may take several weeks to fully understand this, governments will need to put in place plans now to mitigate any potential impact. "Our results demonstrate the importance of delivering booster doses as part of the wider public health response."

Dr Clive Dix, former chair of the UK Vaccine Taskforce, said: "There is a huge amount of uncertainty in these modelled estimates and we can only be confident about the impact of boosters against Omicron when we have another month of realw o r l d d a t a o n hospitalisation, ICU [intensive care] numbers and deaths.

“It remains the case that we still need to get vaccines current and future to the whole world."

Saturday December 18, 2021

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Kaieteur News

Lewandowski breaks Muller’s Bundesliga Covid: Weekend’s goals record for calendar year sporting events hit by new cases

Saturday December 18, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) It may be hard to make a decision today. You're so bombarded by facts and information that you're unsure how to proceed.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) This is a great day for you.

You're able to get a lot done.

You might find a marked seriousness to your emotions that helps you stay on track with everything you need to do.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) It may be difficult to fit in with the current trends of the day.

The energy is light and airy, while you feel the need to get more deep and penetrating.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) You may experience an emotional climax today. Things could come to a head. Don't be surprised if you run into some serious opposition.

Disperse your energy freely, but don't be surprised if other people try to pull you in the opposite direction.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You may want to go in many directions today, yet something seems to keep you from going anywhere. This annoying conflict of energies may make it difficult to make the most of your day, but you can handle it.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) There's a somber mood hindering your emotions today, but things favor you generally. The contacts you make now can be extremely valuable. You could gain a great deal of information from social interactions.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) It may seem like people have lost their sensitivity today. Meanwhile, you're left feeling indecisive and unsure about which way to turn. People want to hear from you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Your emotions may be dampened today, but don't let it get you down. To make the most of this day, it would behoove you to work with the energy.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) There's a fast-paced frenzy to the day that might leave you feeling a bit left out.

You may want to take things more slowly, yet the day's energy doesn't allow for hesitation or delay.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) This is an excellent day for you. People are on your wavelength more than usual. You can get quite a bit accomplished. You might want to take a disciplined approach today.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) This is a much better day to get out and be with people than it is to sit at home. Communicate with others on a personal level and share some of your wisdom.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) There's a great deal of fuel for your fire today, so go for it. Spend time with children and be creative.

Put your fun-loving personality to good use by encouraging others to play along.

BBC Sport - Robert Lewandowski scored his 43rd Bayern Munich goal of 2021 to break Gerd Muller’s record for the most Bundesliga goals in a calendar year.

The Poland striker, 33, volleyed home three minutes from time as Bayern thrashed Wolfsburg 4-0 at Allianz Arena.

Muller’s achievement of 42 Bundesliga goals in a year had stood since 1972.

The win moves Bayern nine points clear of Borussia Dortmund at the top of the table.

Lewandowski had already broken one of former Bayern Munich striker Muller’s 49year-old league records in May after he scored in the last minute of the season to claim his 41st goal of the 202021 campaign.

Midfielder Thomas Muller, who was celebrating his 400th German top-flight appearance, opened the scoring on seven minutes before setting up Dayot Upamecano with a header in the second half to double Bayern’s lead.

Leroy Sane added to the scoreline two minutes later with a curled shot into the top corner to put the game beyond 12th-placed Wolfsburg.

On 87 minutes Lewandowski, who missed out on the Ballon d’Or to Paris St-Germain forward Lionel Messi in November, wrote his name in the history books yet again by firing in from close range past goalkeeper Koen Casteels.

BBC Sport - A surge in Covid-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant has wreaked havoc on the weekend’s sporting fixtures.

In football, five Premier League games from this weekend’s 10-match fixture list have been called off with nine in total postponed over the past week.

Nineteen fixtures due to be played across all three divisions of the English Football League today have been postponed. Two games in the Women’s Super League today have also been called off.

In rugby union, 47 players from nine different

Premiership clubs tested positive for Covid-19, up from just two the previous week.

France’s new travel rules have caused the postponement of seven European rugby matches due to be played between French and British teams this weekend.

In tennis, the Battle of the Brits - an exhibition organised

by Jamie Murray and featuring Andy Murray set to take place in Aberdeen on 21 and 22 December - has been postponed.

And in the United States, three NFL games have been postponed after Covid outbreaks.

PAGE 26

Saturday December 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

New FIA head Ben Sulayem may have to punish Hamiltona PARIS, (Reuters) Mohammed Ben Sulayem pledged to help fix Formula One’s problems after being elected president of the governing FIA yester day, but recognised he may also have to punish Lewis Hamilton for breaking the rules by not attending the sport’s gala awards.The 60-year-old Emirati replaced Frenchman Jean Todt at the helm after winning an election with 61.62% of the vote.

Ben Sulayem told reporters he would devote all the time needed to Formula One, whose season ended in uproar in Abu Dhabi last Sunday after a change to the safety car procedure led to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen taking the title on the last lap.

FIA race director Michael Masi has been at the centre of the controversy; with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff saying the Australian had ‘robbed’ Hamilton of a record eighth championship.

The governing body has

agreed to clarify rules and review the decision-making process.

Hamilton, the sport’s most successful driver of all

time and badly affected by the outcome after leading until seven corners from the end, did not attend Thursday night’s gala awards cer-

emony— a requirement for the championship’s top three.

“If there is any breach, there is no forgiveness on

this,” said Ben Sulayem, while also recognising that rules could always be improved and saying he wanted to make a fresh start. “We have to improve in every aspect,” he said.

“We will look into the rules and make sure that any situation like this that occurs in the future we will have an instant solution for it,” he added Asked about the FIA’s confidence in Masi, he said he would “look into every single matter that can improve the FIA or there is an issue about it” but needed to fully inform himself first.

WORLD ORGANISATION In a significant break with the past, Ben Sulayem is the first non-European elected FIA president.

“This is the centre of Europe but the FIA is for all members and a world organisation,” he said. “(Some people said) they will never accept anyone from outside Europe. I heard it and didn’t take it very seriously. I was not upset about it at all.

“Actually, the same people then called me and said ‘we don’t mind’. I remember one person said to me ...

‘America had a Black president and the Vatican had a non-European Pope, we don’t mind someone from your part of the world with the name of Mohammed.”

Ben Sulayem said diversity and governance were high on his agenda, as well as increasing motorsport participation significantly in the developing world. Brazilian Fabiana Ecclestone, the wife of former Formula One supremo Bernie, will be a vice-president for sport in South America. “The choice was made on merit,” he said.

“She had been involved in mobility in Brazil, in Formula One, and she has been on two of the (FIA) commissions so her experience is there.”

Robert Reid, who was codriver to Britain’s late world rally champion Richard Burns, will take the role of deputy president for sport.

Big challenge to keep Windies Women Bahamian Joana Evans makes 200m focused following cancellation of freestyle finals as World Short Zimbabwe World Cup qualifiers – Walsh

Course Swimming Championships get underway in Abu Dhabi

Courtney Walsh believes his most difficult task preparing for next year’s ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, and keeping his players focused following the cancellation of the World Cup qualifiers.

SportsMax - West Indies Women head coach Courtney Walsh believes his most difficult task preparing for next year’s ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, will be keeping his players focused and ready for the task at hand following the cancellation of the World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe.

The players returned home to their respective islands last weekend.

“That’s going to be a big challenge,” Walsh told the

Antigua Observer.

“We had a break and didn’t get to play as much cricket as we wanted to play for them to get that exposure, so I don’t want to use the words ‘starting over again’, but it is going to be something similar where we are going to have to restart or reset and see how best we can get things going to have everybody clicking again.”

Following the cancellation of the qualifiers that were

to be held between November 21 and December 5, the West Indies Women were forced to spend 11 days in quarantine in Oman.

West Indies Women had won their first match against Ireland Women by six wickets.

The 2022 ICC Women’s World Cup gets underway on March 4, 2022, with West Indies Women facing hosts New Zealand at the Bay Oval in Tauranga.

Bahamian Joana Evans made the 200m freestyle finals.

SportsMax - Bahamian Joanna Evans and Mexican Jose Martinez were both finalists at the FINA World Short Course Swimming Championships in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

The 24-year-old Evans, who represented the Bahamas at the Olympics in 2016 and 2021, was seventh in the Women’s 200m Freestyle in 1:54.93 won by Hong Kong’s

Siobhan Bernadette Haughey in a new world record 1:50.31.

Canada’s Rebecca Smith was second in 1:52.24 and the USA’s Paige Madden was third in 1:53.01.

Martinez, 24, placed seventh.

The former Texas A&M competitor represented Mexico at the 2017 World Aquatics Championships and the 2020 Olympics.

He swam 1:52.00 to finish seventh in the Men’s 200m butterfly won by Alberto Razetti of Italy in 1:49.06.

Noe Panti of Switzerland was second in 1:49.81 and Chad Le Clos, South Africa’s 2012 Olympic champion, was third in 1:49.84.

Thursday was the opening day of the championships that concludes on December 21.

Saturday December 18, 2021

PAGE 27

Kaieteur News

FINA’s World swimming C’ships in Abu Dhabi...

Persaud is 1st Guyanese female to swim 100 free in under a minute

By Sean Devers Abu Dhabi in the UAE is hosting the best swimmers in the globe for a six-day show between December 16 and 21 for the 15th edition of the FINA World short course Swimming Championships.

The competition is being held in the iconic Etihad Arena and team Guyana is part of this event.

Fifteen-year-old Dorado Speed Swim Club’s Rekwon Noel, 15-year-old Olympian Orca Speed Swim Club’s Aleka Persaud, Dorado Swim Club’s 25-year-old Fowler and 15year-old Dolphin Speed Swim Club’s Patrice Mahaica along Coach Sean Basksh comprise team Guyana. On the opening day on Thursday, Patrice and Aleka were in action, while Raekwon swam for the first time yesterday.

Swimming in 100m free style, Guyana’s youngest Olympian clocked a time of 59.70 to become the first Guyanese female to swim that event under a minute. Patrice

swam a personal best of 1:12.24 in the 100m back in their races. Raekwon finished both of his events yesterday.

Yesterday, swimming in men’s 100m fly Raekwon finished his race in 1:00.25 and clocked 2:06.28 in men’s 200m free.

“We had fantastic performances from Patrice breaking the national100 meters back stroke and Aleka just created history by becoming first ever Guyanese female Swimmer to swim under a minute in the 100 meters’ freestyle. They both swam personal Best …he is done but that’s a good achievement for all three of them. Andrew still has to swim and we are looking forward to seeing what he can do,” said the Orca Speed Swim Club’s Coach. Coach Baksh provided an update on the Covid requirements to enter the UAE. “The protocols are in place here…Masks, Vaccination. When we arrived at the airport we had to do a PCR test. Every Forty-eight hours

we have to do a PCR test.

There is an app that we have to download, it gives you your reading as you do the test it’s recorded there and you have to show it whenever you enter the facility or even when you go to eat in the dining rooms, you have to show it to prove that you are negative.

All protocols are in place but it’s not affecting us…we are all up to scratch,” continued Coach Baksh.

He informed that the team has to do a PCR test every three days. “We do not expect any of the swimmers to reach the medal round, Raekwon has already finished, Patrice has already completed one event, while Aleka is ranked 60 out of 85 in her 100 free.

So they are not going advance to the medal round…we are not there as yet,” noted the Coach.

Olympian Fowler is scheduled to swim in the 50 freestyle today and the 50 butterfly tomorrow.

Patrice has one event to compete in on December 19

when he swims in the 50 backstroke. Aleka will swim in her

final event on the December 20 in the 50 freestyle.

PAGE 28

Kaieteur News

NBA roundup: Kevin Durant leads COVID-struck Nets past 76ers

Indiana Pacers guard Caris LeVert (22) dribbles the ball in the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

(Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports) Reuters - Kevin Durant totaled 34 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists and converted a tiebreaking fourpoint play with 1:46 remaining as the short-handed Brooklyn Nets beat the Philadelphia 76ers 114-105 Thursday night in New York.

The Nets played their second straight game with seven players, including James Harden, in the NBA’s COVID19 protocols and had just nine players available.

Blake Griffin and Nic Claxton each added a seasonhigh 17 points for the Nets.

Joel Embiid totaled 32 points, nine rebounds and six assists as the 76ers lost their third game in a row.

Seth Curry added 29 points, but Harris was held to 11 on 3-of-17 shooting.

Suns 118, Wizards 98 JaVale McGee recorded 17 points and eight rebounds and Deandre Ayton added 15 points and 10 boards to help well-

balanced Phoenix roll against visiting Washington.

Chris Paul had 12 points and six assists in just 24 minutes as Phoenix won for the 22nd time in its past 24 games.

Landry Shamet tallied 16 points and Cameron Johnson added 13 for the Suns, who improved to 13-2 at home.

Bradley Beal finished with 26 points and five assists for Washington, which has dropped four straight games and seven of eight. Deni Avdija scored 14 points and Montrezl Harrell had 12. Pacers 122, Pistons 113 Caris LeVert poured in a season-high 31 points and added five assists as Indiana handed visiting Detroit its 13th consecutive loss.

Justin Holiday had 17 points, and Myles Turner contributed 16 points, seven rebounds and four blocks for the Pacers.

Saddiq Bey tallied 28 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Pistons, who

are one loss away from tying their franchise record for consecutive defeats in a season.

Knicks 116, Rockets 103 Immanuel Quickley scored 15 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter and Evan Fournier scored 23 as New York held off host Houston.

Quickley closed out the Rockets with his perimeter marksmanship in the final period, making his first five 3pointers as the Knicks turned a two-point lead entering the fourth into an easy victory.

Quickley added four rebounds and four assists in the game and was one of three reserves to score in double figures, joining Miles McBride (15 points) and Mitchell Robinson, who had 17 points with nine rebounds.

Julius Randle scored 21 points but missed 12 of 18 shots for the Knicks, who lost Derrick Rose to a sore ankle in the first half.

(Field Level Media)

Saturday December 18, 2021

Australia remove openers to leave England in deep trouble AFP - England were battling to stay in the second Ashes Test yesterday after Australia removed both openers in a fiery spell under lights on day two to leave the visitors reeling.

The home team declared their first innings on a commanding 473 for nine in Adelaide, leaving England to face a trying 40 minutes against a swinging pink ball.

They didn’t fare well with under-pressure Rory Burns lasting just three balls against a rampant Mitchell Starc, edging a rising delivery to Steve Smith at second slip after making just four.

Haseeb Hameed hung on slightly longer before Michael Neser, in for skipper Pat Cummins — who pulled out of the Test at the last minute over a Covid scare — bagged his maiden Test scalp.

Hameed, on six, chipped to Starc at mid-on with Neser mobbed by his teammates.

Once again, England’s fate rests with skipper Joe Root, who was unbeaten on five alongside Dawid Malan on one as they reached stumps at 17 for two after lightning forced an early halt.

England crashed by nine wickets in the first Test at Brisbane and if they go 2-0 down in Adelaide the Ashes are as good as gone, with Root’s men needing to win all three remaining Tests.

“It’s been a tough two days obviously, we’ve spent a lot of time out in the field,” said England all-rounder Ben Stokes.

“But we get to turn up tomorrow in the natural light (which) I think most people agree is the easiest and best time to be a batter out in the

middle.”

He added: “We don’t believe we’re beaten already.”

Earlier, Marnus Labuschagne top-scored with a magnificent 103 while David Warner (95) and Smith (93) provided vital support after Australia resumed from their overnight 221-2.

Stokes was the pick of the England attack with 3-113, while Jimmy Anderson took 2-58.

Number three Labuschagne completed his epic century after setting himself up by batting almost all day on Thursday, bringing up his sixth Test ton and first in an Ashes series off a dogged 287 balls.

But he struggled when Ollie Robinson was brought into the England attack and he was trapped lbw, adding just eight runs to his overnight 95.

“It was nice to get that hundred, obviously got a few chances there but that’s how it goes sometimes, you ride your luck,” Labuschagne said.

“It feels like you have to grind for every run that you’re out there.”

- Smith at it again Smith struck a fine 93 to help Australia reassert control after Travis Head and Cameron Green were out in quick succession after Labuschagne departed.

The stand-in captain was England’s key tormentor at the last Ashes in 2019, on his return from a ball-tampering ban, and he kept his cool in sweltering Adelaide.

He was ably supported by Alex Carey, who is in the team as replacement wicketkeeper for former skipper Tim Paine,

who quit on the eve of the Ashes over a text-message scandal.

Smith came to the crease when Warner was out and barely put a foot wrong, dishing out particular punishment to Chris Woakes, crunching three boundaries in one over then smacking him for a big six. He looked destined for a 28th Test century but was dismissed lbw to an Anderson ball that pitched up — the English veteran’s first wicket of the tour.

Carey fell soon after for 51, his maiden Test half-century, chipping to Hameed at cover off Anderson. Temperatures in Adelaide peaked at 37 degrees Celsius (99 Fahrenheit) as England toiled, desperately needing wickets to stay in the game.

They were rewarded for their persistence by getting not only Labuschagne but Head, who was high on confidence after an impressive 152 in the first Test at Brisbane.

But he was undone by Root’s part-time spin, with the England captain finding turn and bounce, beating Head with a delivery that left him sprawled on one knee in disbelief, out for 18.

Green only lasted five balls, undone by a fuller delivery from Stokes that clattered into his stumps.

Tailenders Starc and Neser rubbed salt into English wounds in a quickfire 58-run stand before the declaration.

Scores: England 17 for 2 (Root 5*, Malan 1*, Neser 1-4, Starc 1-11) trail Australia 473 for 9 dec.

(Labuschagne 103, Warner 95, Smith 93, Carey 51) by 456 runs.

C-Mobile Online Shopping & Electronics GT Office Assistants Committee to support for GFF-K&S Super 16 Cup

stage Inter-Government Agencies Tapeball cricket tomorrow The Georgetown Office Assistants Promotion Committee will stage their rescheduled end of year Inter-Ministries and Government Agencies, 8-a-side 6-overs Knockout bat your own ball Tapeball cricket competition tomorrow.The event is fixed for the National Cultural Centre Tarmac starting from 9:00am and teams have until 8:30am on competition day to register as no late entries will be accepted.

Trophies and medals are

up for grabs in the James ‘Uprising’ Lewis organised event.

All players are to be fully vaccinated with official proof.

Sanitizing stations will be in place at the venue.

Among those lending sponsorship support include: Office of the President, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, the Minister’s Office, Star Party Rentals, Trophy Stall and GTT. The organiser is expressing gratitude to the Ministry of Health Covid-19 Task

Force.

Contact can be made with James Lewis on 625-9007 for more information and entry. So far entered are: Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Lands and Survey, GEA, Guyoil, Forestry, Maritinal Adm, EPA, Ministry of Home Affairs, MFA and Ministry of Agriculture.

The event was rescheduled from last Sunday due to the persistent rainfall experienced.

The corporate community continues to play it part in ensuring the success of the ongoing GFF-K&S Super 16 Cup powered by KFCGuyana.

Joining the list is C-Mobile Online Shopping & Electronics formally Cell Phone Shack and located at 176 Middle Street (Plum Building).

Making the presentation of cell phones to President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Wayne Forde in the presence of Co-Director of the Kashif & Shanghai Organisation, Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major was CEO of the company, Chris Low Koan, a sportsman and pas-

sionate supporter of sports.

Low Koan in handing over the instruments to Forde reminded that they have a long and fruitful partnership with the K&S Organisation and have been supporting the tournament for more than a decade.”Our support for this year-end spectacle goes back a very long time, 13 years to be exact and we here at C-Mobile Online Shopping & Electronics will continue to support this tournament.

We are extremely happy to see it come back as we know the level of excitement it brings amongst the players and fans.”

Forde in response thanked Low Koan and his

company for once again supporting the game through their contribution stating that he recalls the days when Cell Phone Shack lent unflinching support to the tournament. ”On behalf of both the GFF and the K&S Organisation, I would like to commend you for once again being a partner with this tournament. Your contributions over the years have not gone unnoticed. This tournament is special as it is being played at a very challenging time.

We are all combining efforts to show that as a collective we can overcome this covid-19 pandemic and we are pleased that you and your company are on board.”

Saturday December 18, 2021

PAGE 29

Kaieteur News

Lewis Hamilton may be punished for not attending awards ceremony, says new FIA president BBC Sport - New FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem has refused to rule out punishing Lewis Hamilton for boycotting its awards ceremony on Thursday.

Hamilton and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff did not attend in protest at the handling of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last Sunday.

Formula 1 rules dictate that the top three drivers in the championship must attend.

“If there is any breach, there is no forgiveness in this,” Ben Sulayem said.

Asked to clarify whether he was saying Hamilton would be penalised for not attending the gala, he said: “Forgiveness is always there.

But rules are rules.

“I know Lewis is really sad about what happened. I would say he is broken. But we have to look into if there is any breach.

[After] a few hours now as president, I cannot give answers without going back to the facts.”

Wolff said on Thursday that Hamilton was “disillusioned” after the events of Abu Dhabi and that he could not guarantee the seven-time

champion would return to F1 next year.

The FIA has launched an inquiry into the events of Abu Dhabi, where race director Michael Masi appeared not to follow the organisation’s own rules when it came to the operation of a late safety-car period, resulting in the championship changing hands from Hamilton to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen on the last lap of the race.

The FIA has admitted that the controversy surrounding the race was “tarnishing the image” of F1.

Wolff has accused Masi of “a freestyle reading of the rules and it left Lewis like a sitting duck”, and of “robbing” Hamilton of the title. He added that Mercedes would “hold the FIA accountable” for the controversy.

Ben Sulayem, 60, a former rally driver who has been a member of the FIA World Council, F1’s legislative body, since 2008, said: “Someone will always get upset. I spoke to Toto and he said to me: ‘I am not coming here.’

“I listened to him. When I listened, he started cooling down. We will look into the rules and make sure any situ-

ation like this that occurs in the future we will have an instant solution to it. There are so many areas we can improve.”

He said he believed that Hamilton, Mercedes and the FIA will be able to “start afresh” in 2022.

“It is a responsibility of me that we forget the past but look into it with improvement,” Ben Sulayem said.

“We have to be proactive.

We have to improve in every aspect. As a driver, I would be so upset for a while but time is a fact that will cool.”

Ben Sulayem is a 14-time Middle East rally champion and former World Rally Championship competitor who has been a motorsport administrator for the past 16 years.

He was elected after a campaign in which he promised to expand motorsport participation around the world and lead the governing body for its members.

His deputy president for sport is Scot Robert Reid, who won the World Rally Championship as co-driver to Englishman Richard Burns in 2001.

Brazilian Fabiana Ecclestone - wife of former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone - is his

F1 world champion Max Verstappen was in attendance at the FIA’s prize-giving gala in Paris. vice-president representing South America.

He said Ecclestone had been nominated for her experience and credibility having

worked for the FIA’s member club in Brazil and as part of the organisation of the Brazilian Grand Prix. She is the first woman to have a role as

an FIA vice-president.

Ben Sulayem said Bernie Ecclestone had not been involved other than to introduce the pair.

U.S. athletes will not require COVID-19 UEFA working with CONMEBOL booster to compete in Beijing, says USOPC on joint Nations Leaguea The emblem of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics is seen on a glass door at the National Alpine Skiing Centre during an organised media tour to the Olympic venues in Yanqing district of Beijing, China December 17, 2021.

(REUTERS/Tingshu Wang)

(Reuters) - American athletes competing at the Beijing Winter Games will not be required to have COVID-19 booster shots, the United States Olympic Paralympic Committee (USOPC) said yesterday.

The USOPC said in September that all U.S. athletes hoping to compete at the 2022 Winter Olympics would need to be vaccinated but will not require boosters even as the United States is seeing a surge in cases and the Omi-

cron variant takes hold.

“At this point there is no mandate for a booster vaccine,” said USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland, during a conference call following the final executive board meeting of 2021.

“We have already encouraged many in our community to get the boosters following the CDC (Center for Disease Control) guidance where it’s appropriate and encouraged at this stage. We will absolutely continue to do that,”

added Hirshland.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Beijing Olympic organisers have not required athletes to be vaccinated for the Feb. 4-20 Games but participants who have not had a COVID-19 shot will be required to serve a 21-day quarantine before competing.

The IOC did not require athletes who competed at this summer’s Tokyo Games to be vaccinated although it was encouraged.

(Reuters) - UEFA is in talks with the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) over a joint Nations League that would see the likes of Brazil and Argentina feature in the expanded competition, European soccer ’s governing body told Reuters yesterday.

UEFA and CONMEBOL have fiercely opposed world soccer body FIFA’s plans for a biennial World Cup, with the two this week signing an extended Memorandum of Understanding until June 2028.

European champions Italy are already also set to take on Copa America winners Argentina in the so-called “Finalissima” on June 1 next year in London.

“UEFA is working on a number of projects with CONMEBOL, including a joint Nations League but nothing is finalised and no decisions have yet been made,” aspokesperson told Reuters.

In an interview with Polish outlet Meczyki on Thursday, UEFA vice-president Zbigniew Boniek said the 10 South American teams will be added to the Nations League competition from 2024.

General view of the UEFA logo at UEFA Headquarters before the draw.

(REUTERS/ Denis Balibouse) “From 2024 CONMEBOL will join the Nations League.

We do not know yet in what formula, in what form ... we signed a memorandum about cooperation between CONMEBOL and UEFA and from 2024 these teams will play in the Nations League,” he said. Boniek added that six CONMEBOL teams will join League A of the Nations League while the other four will join League B. The entry of South American sides would increase the number of teams in the two groups from 16 to 22 and 20, respectively, with all the matches reportedly set to be played in Europe to avoid excessive travel.

The revamped Nations League would also represent direct competition to FIFA’s plans for a World Cup every

two years, a proposal Boniek said would be difficult to implement, adding that he was against the idea of introducing more new events. FIFA will hold a global summit on Monday to discuss their ambitious plans, but UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, who has been a vocal critic of the biennial World Cup idea, has said the meeting would not be a defining moment in the process. “As much as we know FIFA is still pursuing the project, there are some signals coming from different sides that they might not pursue it till the end,” he said this week.

“We don’t have a particular strategy. For Monday, it will be 211 federations, that means 500 people at the videoconference. I don’t expect something very deep.”

PAGE 30

Saturday December 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

GFF, KS inaugural Futsal KO tournament...

Four more teams advance on night two Tywell Henry (blue) scores Foot Steppers’ 7th goal against Goal Shattas in the first game.

North East scores one their 5 goalsagainst West Side Ballers.

By Sean Devers Although the intensity was not quite as high and crowd appreciable smaller than on the opening night, four more teams advanced to the next round of the first ever Guyana Football Federation and Kashif and Shanghai’s 5a-side Futsal tournament at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Thursday night.

Foot Steppers demolished Goal Shattas 7-nil in a lopsided opening encounter to shatter the goal of Goal Shattas of staying on course to become the tournament first winner and taking home the $1Million prize money up for grabs for the champion team.North East beat West Side Ballers 5-2, Leopold Street got the better of Silver Bullets 4-3 as they just ran out of ammunition, while Back Circle stopped the show of Show Stoppers by inflicting a 3-nil defeat on them.

Thursday night’s winners joined Venezuelans Vengy FC, Alexander Village, California Square, Team Cruel and Renegades who were all in winner’s row in the Tuesday night’s action.

Watched by a fair sized gathering of fans in the stands, a ‘header’ crashed in

the cross bar in the opening seconds of the contest before Mervin Padmore opened the scoring in the 10th minute of the contest. Niron Barrow doubled the score in the 13th minute and at half time Foot Steppers enjoyed a 2-0 lead.

The second half saw Foot Steppers beating the Goal Shattas Keeper for five unanswered goals as they controlled most of the possession and dominated the opposition with attacking football.

Barrow netted his second goal of the night to give his team a 3-nil lead before Nathaniel Giddings made it 4-0. Goal Shattas continued to be outplayed as Foot Steppers’ strikers kept pushing forward and soon it was 5-nil when Domini Garnett scored in the 28th minute.

Tywell Henry added a brace within a minute of each other and at 7-0, Goal Shattas had no answer to the relentless second half raids on their goal. The second game of the night, between North East and West Side Ballers was arguably the most entertaining.

At the end of a competitive first half the score was 1all as West Side Ballers’ Dontee McAulay opened the scoring before Prince Nero

registered the equalizer as both showed good defence.

The second stanza produced five goals as Troy Miggins scored for West Side Ballers as they took a one goal lead. However, that lead lasted just 2 minutes before Lindy Gardner netted his first of two goals to level score 2-2.Lennox Cort put North East ahead at 3-2 before Gardner scored in the 29th minute and Cort beat the custodian a minute later at 5-2 which was eventually the end result. In the penultimate game of the night, Okenny Fraser made it 1-nil for Leopold Street but a well-executed shot from Silver Bullets’ Jermaine Samuels registered the equaliser. Seon Alfred made it 2-1 for Leopold Street before a minute later Omar Brewley levelled the score and at half time it was 2-all. Daren Benjamin beat the Keeper at 3-2 before Brewley fired in his second goal to tie the scores 3-3, but Quincy Adams scored the winning Goal.

In the night’s final encounter, a brace from Jamanine Beckles and a goal from Reshawn Ritch ensured Back Circle beat Show Stoppers 3-nil.

The competition continues today.

A fair size gathering watched the action on Thursday night.

Albion congratulates Motie The President, Executives and Members of the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club would like to extend congratulations to Gudakesh Motie on making his international debut for the West Indies. Motie became the sixth Albion cricketer to represent the West Indies at the international level when the West Indies played Pakistan in the third T20 International, last Thursday in Pakistan.

“We are very excited as a Club and are proud of young Motie’s elevation to the status of being an international cricketer and we would like to congratulate him on this achievement.

We all know how talented he is and that it was just a

matter of time for him to represent the West Indies Senior Team.

Without any doubt, we are very confident that he will have a long and outstanding career as an international cricketer,” said Vemen Walter, the President of the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club.

Motie has now joined Sew Shivnarine, Narsingh Deonarine, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Devendra Bishoo and Veerasammy Permaul as being Albion cricketers who have represented the West Indies at the international level.

Overall, nine cricketers from Albion have played at the international level with

Fazil Sattur, Abdool Samad and Sunil Dhaniram having represented Canada.

Motie’s achievement is another demonstration of the outstanding work the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club has been doing.

It will also serve as a tremendous motivator not only to our cricketers but all members inclusive of our executives who are known to work beyond the call of duty.

Only a few weeks ago, Motie’s Albion Club mate and fellow left-arm-spinner Veerasammy Permaul made an impressive return to international cricket, capturing eight (8) wickets for the West Indies in the last Test match against Pakistan.

Saturday December 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

Maggie's Catering Inc. continues traditional support of year-end Football GFF-K&S Super 16 Cup Maggie's Catering Inc. of First Street, Alberttown, a household name in the Catering, Bakery and Restaurant business in Guyana has continued its support of year-end football as a means of giving back to the community which has been supportive of the entity over the years.

Yesterday, Co-Director of the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation, Aubrey 'Shanghai' Major visited General Manager of Maggie's Catering Inc. Pearson Burch-Smith to receive the company sponsorship for the competition.

In handing over the cheque, Burch-Smith reminded that he has been associated with the tournament for over two

decades dating back to him being associated with Grace Kennedy when it was located in Main Street.

“My relationship with this marquee competition has come a long way and many years, and I've seen its progress. Like many others, we are very pleased to see it back on course and we look forward to maintaining and strengthening our partnership.”

Major posited that both the GFF and K&S Organisation are more than pleased with Burch-Smith's commitment to the sport and its development noting that even after he joined the employ of Maggie's Catering Inc., he has still maintained the relationship with the tournament.

“In accepting your

company's sponsorship, I would like to express our thanks to you, the management and staff of Maggie's Catering Inc. and wish you all the best as well as continued success whilst encouraging our players and fans to continue support your business.”

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General Manager of Maggie's Catering Inc. Pearson Burch-Smith (left) hands over cheque to Aubrey 'Shanghai' Major.