Kaieteur News

Kaieteur News

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Tuesday December 28, 2021

‘More blows for Dharamlall’ Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Nigel Dharamlall

The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) and the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers (GAWL), have joined in the condemnation of Local Government Minister, Nigel Dharamlall, for his attacks on the Chancellor of the J u d i c i a r y, Yo n e t t e Cummings-Edwards and Appellate Judge, Dawn Gregory. Minister Dharamlall in a Facebook post last week, called for the Judges to be “defrocked,” describing them as biased, after they

ruled that the Court of Appeal has jurisdiction to hear an appeal in an election petition Case. Several other organizations, individuals and political parties have already condemned the Minister who remains defiant. “The GPSU is shocked with the unprofessional and unethical conduct of the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, who on Tuesday December 21, 2021 bluntly accused two female

Court of Appeal Judges of bias and suggested that they be defrocked,” GPSU said in a statement.” The trade union said, “as a member of the Executive, he is obviously unenlightened with the demarcations that are entrenched in the Constitution of Guyana, that is, Executive, Legislative and Judiciary vis a vis the separation of powers.” According to the GPSU, “in his comments, he clearly intended to undermine the esteem, integrity and

- Women Lawyers, GPSU slam Govt. minister over disparaging remarks against judiciary

credibility of the Judiciary as a whole in the eyes of the right-thinking public.” The GPSU said, Dharamlall’s subsequent attempt to edit his original comments is a manifestation of deceit. “The GPSU has concluded that his conduct is inexcusable and should not go unpunished by the Head of the Executive. If not, the right-thinking public would construe his action as having been done with full consent of the Executive, of which he is a part. One cannot overlook that this comment was directed at two of the most prominent female members of the Guyanese Society and the reflection it would definitely have on the way women can be treated in Guyana, without any form of consequence.” For its part, GAWL expressed “its profound concern at the recent remarks of the Minister of Local Government. In his attempt to convey his apparent displeasure at a recent ruling of two of the judges of `the Court of Appeal of Guyana, who are sitting on a panel in an elections-related matter. PURPOSEFUL ATTACK “It is apposite to note that there was a purposeful attack on specifically Honourable Madam, Justice Yonnette Cummings, Acting Chancellor and thus head of the Judiciary, and Madam Justice Dawn Gregory, in a manner that, apart from being clearly disrespectful of office and person, was also sexist in its intent,” the body stated. While it is any citizen’s prerogative to be in agreement or disagreement with any court decision, it must at all times be borne in mind, that decisions are made by the court based on its interpretation of the law. It must also be remembered that the principle of separation of powers makes it imperative that the judiciary be regarded and allowed to be independent.” As such, “remarks such as those which are the subject matter of this statement can therefore only be regarded in this context to have been deliberately uttered to diminish the judiciary and those particular judges, in the eyes of the public. It is of note that notwithstanding the redaction by Mr. Dharamlall of some of the offending remarks, there has been no apology. The body said, “GAWL

trusts that going forward there is no other occasion when such injudicious utterances have to be addressed, and that boundaries with respect to our judiciary are truly honoured and not in the breach. Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker, and Leader of the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), Lenox Shuman, also knocked Dharamlall for his comments. In a facebook post, Shuman said, “I have noted the ruling of the Court of Appeal and the dissenting ruling of one of our Learned Jurist and express my gratitude to the Judges.” According to Shuman, “it is a matter of national importance that such a case is heard to uncover all the details and discrepancies that occurred in the Elections of 2020 so that we may find ways to correct them. To take Electoral Law Reform without a true understanding of the events that occurred in 2020 stands to do our entire reform process and our nation an injustice.” He said electoral reform is already in a process that starts from the midsection instead of starting with constitutional reform as the initiating process that addresses the issues at the root. To this end, he portends “I continue to have confidence in the Justice system in Guyana with our apex court as the CCJ and ask that all citizens respect the ruling of our learned Judges in such a sensitive matter.” At this juncture, the veil over elections 2020 is the “only thing” that needs to be defrocked,” Shuman wrote. Last Tuesday, the Court of Appeal, in a majority decision ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear an appeal challenging the decision of Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire, to throw out an election petition. The Judges who presided over the matter are Justices Cummings-Edwards, Dawn Gregory and Rishi Persaud and they handed down a 2-1 decision—Justices Cummings-Edwards and Gregory allowed the appeal, while Justice Persaud dissented from their position. Wi t h t h e C o u r t ’s decision, the motion that was filed by Trinidadian Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes, on behalf of Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo and Attorney (Continued on page 13)

Kaieteur News

Tuesday December 28, 2021

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Granger Cabinet ignored warning for Oil and Gas Master Plan …Infrastructural chaos now the consequence - Greenidge By Kiana Wilburg Just over a week ago, Guyana observed its second anniversary as an oil producing State. For the most part—particularly from the stage of discovery in 2015, to first oil in December 2019—the David Granger administration held the reins of office and there were great expectations about what it should, or could have put in place to ensure the effective governance of the sector. Longstanding politician, Carl Barrington Greenidge, who served as Foreign Affairs Minister and Foreign Secretary, under the Granger government recently acknowledged that indeed, more should have been done. In an exclusive interview with Kaieteur News, he said one of the key mechanisms Guyana ought to have had in place was an ‘Oil and Gas Master Plan.’ Greenidge, who now serves as Advisor on Borders said, the consequence that grips Guyana in the absence of this plan, is infrastructural chaos which ultimately hinders the control the State should have had to begin with. As such, he predicts, with the money now flowing, matters will only get worse. The former Minister provided this conclusion in a detailed 25 minutes response, when Kaieteur News asked for his take on the coalition A Partnership for National Unity, Alliance for Change’s (APNU/AFC) performance with the oil sector, and perceptions that the party should or could have done more to promote good governance of the sector. Greenidge quickly retorted that there are two aspects to the question that

have to be addressed. The first issue, he said, is that citizens need to bear in mind that petroleum production, or a country becoming a petroleum producer, is not a process that suddenly endows a nation with magical characteristics. The Advisor on Borders said, “if you came upon a product such as the earth metals or uranium for which market prices are dramatically high, you would experience challenges that are similar with having petroleum and the first of those challenges is, in my view, to have a vision... if you don’t have a vision, you will go where a chaotic market takes you and where chaotic actors in the community take you.” The former Finance Minister said, he had spoken to the David Granger Cabinet ad nauseam, about the importance of having a master plan for the sector, while stressing the need for the country to heed the lessons learnt by nations like Papua New Guinea and Equatorial Guinea which planned ahead for oil and gas. “Both nations paid attention to the importance of putting in place, planned cities and if you look at the last Cabinet, minutes of the previous administration you would see, as I was saying, people got tired of me talking about this and nothing of consequence was done to fix this and we will pay a price for it,” expressed the economist. He said managing an oil economy is not just about the accounts or looking to see if $1B as opposed to $500M is coming in. The economist said, it also has to do with how the

oil money is spent, how the authorities deal with human resources, and how they establish institutions that can help set national priorities and implement them. Due to poor planning, the economist said, many are seeing the consequences now unfolding in the form of infrastructural chaos that has gripped Guyana. Expounding on this front, Greenidge said that along the east bank corridor which now houses an oil and gas business hub, serves as a prime example of the chaos he speaks of. The former Minister said, “along the east and west banks of the Demerara River; you have a lot of economic activities which are central to the economic well-being of Guyana …Sugar is exported from the river; rice, bauxite come down the river and you have other products coming from the interior through Linden etc. So that is transport movement.” He added, “now, if that is disrupted or slowed, it imposes a cost on the country and has implications for your competitiveness …so you always have to keep an eye on it. If the rivers are not deep enough or the channels are too shallow, it will affect the industry and so you have to pay attention to these things and plan accordingly. We have also seen the chaos that takes place on the roadways due to the absence of planning for where key support infrastructure for the oil sector should be.” He posited, perhaps post 2020-ministers had it in their minds how they were going to fix this conundrum. Greenidge stressed nonetheless, that the public is entitled to know what

Two charged for break-in, burglarizing unoccupied home Two men have been charged for breaking into and burglarizing an unoccupied home, owned by Amarnauth Dukhi, of Lot 19, Duncan Street, Georgetown. The suspect, Roger Bledman, was positively pointed out during an identification parade, by Sheldon Greene, the driver of the motorcar which the suspect escaped in. He was arrested last week Tuesday, after continuous checks were made for him by the police, and was subsequently charged for the offences. Bledman subsequently appeared before Magistrate Rhondel Weever, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts last Thursday. According to reports, he also refused to be a part of the confrontation—despite being

caught on camera, removing the victim’s televisions and placing them into Greene’s waiting motorcar. Dukhi’s home had been unoccupied since late October but was well secured. On November 3 last, the victim made checks in his home and subsequently left after everything was seen to be intact. Upon his return the next day, Dukhi discovered the western door of his house opened, and while making checks, he noticed that two flat screen televisions, valued at $150,000 each, were missing and a total of $300,000. A report was later made to the Prashad Nagar Police Outpost and an investigation was launched into the matter. To date none of the items has been recovered.

those physical plans of action are. “As you probably recall, I spent some years as the Chief Planning Officer of this country and I cannot imagine that a country which came relatively early in planning in the region, where even in 1979 or 1980 we had a social and nutrition plan which was way ahead of other places in the region and now, we are operating as though we are novices in this area,” expressed Greenidge. The former Finance Minister added, “…the reason I am speaking about this and why I am concerned, is because it is not enough for ministers to have these things in their minds. Physical planning on the scale that we are required to do has to be exposed to the public, so that you can collectively look at the plans, the requirements, the dangers and so forth so.” Greenidge said, what Guyana is experiencing with the choking of the roadways is not merely a problem of the need for another bridge. He said, it also concerns

Advisor on Borders, Carl Greenidge

what is being allowed to take place along the rivers too. In this regard, Greenidge pointed out that several local businessmen are anticipating that the oil companies will pay billions of dollars for shore base lands, and so they are busy clearing the way for sales. According to Greenidge, “you don’t want the entire Demerara River converted to a place where you are keeping pipes for oil

companies or both banks of the river are monopolized by one or two oil operations. That is craziness! And that is what is going to continue to be unless action is taken to put in place a physical plan.” Greenidge said his views are not meant to be an attack on anyone. Be that as it may, the economist said it is crucial that the country recognizes the state it is in and gets into corrective action now.

Bus conductor, 19, dies in Boxing Day crash A fatal accident on the New Road Public road on the Essequibo coast Boxing Day last, has left a 19-year-old dead. Based on information reaching Kaieteur News, the victim has been identified as Kevin Samsundar, a resident of New Road, Essequibo Coast. Reports are that the accident occurred around 19:00hrs on Sunday last. Samsundar, who is also believed to be a bus conductor, was at the time proceeding along the public road on his motorcycle. The teen reportedly collided with a car, and sustained severe injuries about his body. He was later picked up and escorted to the Oscar Joseph District Hospital, where he was pronounced dead by a doctor. Police indicated that investigations are ongoing.

Dead, Kevin Samsundar

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Kaieteur News

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

More lessons to be learnt It is our hope that people don’t have to lose their lives here, over the way this oil is being managed. Similarly, we harbour hopes that this suddenly oil-rich country does not have to lose many billions of American dollars in future revenues, through the emergence of contingent circumstances that require dollops of cash to cover consequences. Last, as we study and draw parallels from the sector and elsewhere, we would not like to know that solid, hardworking servants of this country have to lose their daily bread, because they must be the ones who have to fill the role of scapegoats, due to the failures and crookedness of political leaders. All the above came into being in the saga of the Boeing 737 Max airplane, and its catastrophes. It is a dark and dirty tale, which came to light in a revealing book by Peter Robison titled, Flying Blind, the 737 Max tragedy and the fall of Boeing. Steve Coll is responsible for a tremendous work of authorship, which tells the long, up and down, story of another iconic American company. We recommend to all Guyanese Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power as a worthy read, and a compelling exercise in self-education, as to the ways of an American juggernaut. But Robison’s Flying Blind, is the captivating retelling of the sordid lengths to which corporate powers would go to get their way, even when the obvious dangers could be a disaster in the making. As skillfully excerpted by the New York Times in coverage dated December 1, a total of 346 persons lost their lives when two 737 Max crashed in quick succession. These were the first and costliest of the heavy human toll. Leaders at Boeing didn’t listen, which provides an eerie reminder of leaders in today’s PPP Government. Boeing top dogs dumped people standing in their path with futile objections, as they threw caution to the winds and muscled their way forward recklessly. Again, that should also sound like much of what is going on here with how this oil wealth and prospect is overseen at the political level. In the words of the New York Times and Peter Robison, “ultimate blame for the crashes lies with the highly paid executives, who waged a decades-long campaign to transform Boeing from a company, “once ruled by engineers who thumbed their noses at Wall Street” into “one of the most shareholderfriendly creatures of the market,” a company that “celebrated managers for cost cutting, co-opted regulators with heaps of money and pressured suppliers with Walmartstyle tactics.” Guyanese, who still possess the capacity to think, should pay close heed. For that is what Exxon has had one Guyanese leader after another, in different governments, deliver on its behalf. Exxon is reengineering its balance sheet, working its way to handsome profitability, and being the darling of both influential Wall Street watchers and heavy-duty shareholders interested in rich returns. This is on the backs of poor Guyanese, with the help of compliant political leaders. Several of Boeing’s bull-rushing CEOs neutralised the watchdog F.A.A with misleading narratives and got it to bow to the company. By now, Guyanese should be quick to connect the dots and make the conclusion. All they need to do is look at this country and its oil, and what Exxon has done with the collaboration of weakened and spineless leaders in today’s PPP Government, as our own pivotal watchdog is rendered sightless and speechless. Guyana’s watchdog is called the EPA, and we invite fellow citizens to look at it and listen to it first. Then, they should ask themselves how much confidence they have that what it has done could protect us. Men have lost their heads, Guyana has lost billions, and more and more Guyanese have lost trust in those leaders who oversee the nation’s oil wealth, but are more interested in pandering to every wish of Exxon that has them in a chokehold. Like Boeing’s leaders, the ones in Guyana collect their rich rewards, and pay no price for the damage already done, and what could be in store for us, like those doomed passengers on two flights using the flawed Boeing 737 Max aircrafts.

Tuesday December 28, 2021

Government must initiate broad consultations on new Natural Resource Fund (NRF), not railroad its bill DEAR EDITOR Observers say the PPP is stealthily rushing its new NRF bill (and repealing the NRF Act already passed) while the nation is distracted by yearend festivities. Knowing how “politricks” work in Guyana, this is a plausible explanation for the rush. Exxon, Hess and CNOOC are shipping away the bulk of our oil wealth, leaving us a little larwah. For the oil companies, every day is Christmas. They get billions and we get a little fine change. We don’t want any party in Government – PNC nor PPP – to steal the little larwah that will be left in the NRF (the fund where all our oil money will be kept). Truth be told, when both parties lost the government in 2015 and 2020, many felt their Governments had become kleptocracies. Every day, news coming out of the Public Accounts Committee hearings or the Auditor General’s Reports is a catalog of the ongoing “fleecing of Guyana.” Across all of the Government agencies, billions are unaccounted for, mismanaged and transactions are questionable and there are no announcements of anyone going to jail for such crimes against the nation. Such malfeasance robs the nation of roads, medicines, dialysis treatment in rural areas, laptops or tablets for poor

rural children, etc. We must not allow the NRF to become a victim of such shenanigans. Next year, the Auditor General’s report will say similar things. And nothing will change. The Auditor General complained that 62% of his recommendations for accountability has not been implemented. This has been so under both the reigns of the PPP and PNC. None of these parties want to block loopholes, fix broken systems, or have stronger accountability and transparency. They leave the loopholes there so when it’s their turn in Government, they continue to rape the nation’s resources. The two parties, loyal to the oil companies and both against renegotiation of the bad oil deal, are like serial rapists against the nation. They have relegated the 42% of people below the poverty line, living on US$5.50 per day (IDB, 2020), to mendicants and targets for the Government playing Santa Claus all year delivering hampers “Because We Care.” Unless they renegotiate the oil contract to obtain more income for Guyana in the Natural Resource Fund, we will have to deliver hampers to our working poor people forever. The ones who will get rich are the business people, contractors, and connected friends of the

ruling party. Guyana has billions of barrels of the “sweetest” oil in the world, but the oil companies are having a feast. The rich are getting richer and the working poor are getting poorer, and we take the pictures of the poor and put them in the papers showing how we are giving them hampers. Billions for the oil companies and hampers for the working poor! The NRF is too important for the Government to rush through without discussions with the parliamentary Opposition, which represents almost half of the population. The PPP justifiably leveled such a criticism against the PNC for unilaterally and secretly signing a giveaway oil contract without the involvement of Parliament or the public. Now the PPP must not act unilaterally, force-feeding its NRF Bill on the nation without wide public consultation. If the Government truly believes in “One Guyana,” then “Half Guyana” -the PPP- must not take unilateral action as the PNC did with the oil contract. A petition, coordinated by the Policy Forum Guyana and representing several Guyanese groups of stakeholders, has called on the National Assembly to pause any debate on the Natural Resources Fund Act (NRFA) in order that the government must fully engage with both

the opposition and civil society on amending the NRF Act with the Natural Resources Sector Committee of Parliament available to facilitate such a process. Will the Government listen? I warn the PPP not to repeat the mistakes of the PNC that caused them to be in the Opposition benches now. We need a new era of governance where big deals involving our national natural resources must be discussed, debated and decided by the entire Parliament and civic society stakeholders, because as we have seen with the bad oil contract, the actions of one Government can bind the actions of a successor Government to the detriment of the nation. The PPP has a historic opportunity to change the paradigm of governance. If the Government shows recalcitrance in this matter, then it creates good justification for the emergence of an Oil Renegotiation Party. We are watching to see what the Government side does in parliament on Wednesday. The people do not want any one party to get its sticky fingers on the nation’s wealth. It’s our country, our wealth! Stand up for Guyana, for transparency, for accountability and stakeholder involvement! Sincerely, Dr. Jerry Jailall

Guyana is in a deplorable condition DEAR PRESIDENTALI Like many Guyanese I love Guyana, and want what is best for my country. It is vital for emerging economies to realise their aspirations for a better quality of life. It is vital for the mother who hopes that the water coming out of the pipe is clean - and available - so her children do not get sick; for the informal settlement dweller who wants his children to study but cannot afford an electricity bill; for farmers who need all-weather roads and reliable shipping to get their goods to market. It is especially vital to have proper drainage in a country below sea level so that houses, farms and streets

will not be flooded. These should be the first concerns of our leaders and government for a better Guyana, so that all Guyanese everywhere will benefit from lower electricity and other utility bills thus easing the burden of the poor and destitute while at the same time enjoying its fruits. Guyana is in a deplorable condition. The road to and from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport is a death trap riddled with all types of unsightly paraphernalia along the sides of the roadway making it extremely dangerous. Given the unique challenges of its geography, perhaps no other country has a deeper need for reliable and high quality infrastructure

than Guyana. From air and marine transport links, to good roads, telecommunications and energy generation, all are needed, for the provision of reliable services and to enable local businesses to grow and expand. Tourism can be a profitable business but only if the country is clean and attractive to foreigners. It doesn’t matter how many casinos and hotels are built. We have been blessed with an opportunity to make Guyana “The Gem of the Carribbean”. Let’s not look a gift horse in the mouth and squander away the money on less important things. I cannot stress enough the very first

thing this country needs to do with the “Oil Money” is to invest in infrastructure. There is an enormous need to invest in infrastructure for job creation and economic growth in Guyana. Infrastructure is the key that motivates a nation to bigger and better things from which all Guyana will eventually benefit. One feels a sense of pride when one’s country seems to be flourishing that instills its citizens to do more. It’s like the domino effect. May God guide you and all they that serve this country as you all embark on the road to prosperity for Guyana in the New Year. Yours truly Gloria Holder

Who is riding the gravy train at GuySuCo? DEAR EDITOR, I refer to the letters of Charles Sugrim and Asquith Rose & Vicki Rajkumar (KN) about former staff riding the gravy train at Guysuco as the trio defend and promote their friend Sase Singh. They are all current or former AFCites who slammed Jagdeo, Ramotar and the PPP when the party was in office and the first couple of years of APNU rule. I ask Sugrim, Rose, and Sase Singh – are

you not riding the gravy train at Guysuco? There was a huge 50th birthday bash for Singh at the Guysuco palace? It took a lot of GuySuCo human and financial resources, on a scale unprecedented in the history of the PPP, to prepare for the birthday bash. Such abuse only occurred under PNC rule. Wasn’t Rose there? The President, VP, PM, and the entire cabinet were invited. None showed up! Why? Why

didn’t Sugrim fly down from New York? How many doctor quack roses were presented to the CEO?Were GuySuCo senior managers and field supervisors compelled to attend this birthday bash? Were staff instructed to attend and be there at a particular time? What would have happened to them if they didn’t attend? They had a great time – loud food and drinks (top of the line), man, and good music too! It brought back memo-

ries of Burnhamism; when we were compelled to attend PNC rallies or lose ‘we lil wuk’. Burnham used to have people take attendance. So we had to attend his rallies and sometimes goodies were given out. It happened under Hoyte too but not under Jagan and subsequent Presidents! Would Jagan or Janet have permitted such behaviour? Is it true that an accountant from (Continued on page 6)

Tuesday December 28, 2021

We object to what appears to be an attempt to shove this project down our throats DEAR EDITOR, The latest article in Stabroek News pertaining to the building of the new Demerara River bridge, (EPA in no position to rule out impact survey for new bridge over Demerara - SN 12/24/2021), further increases the worry amongst some of us in the Nandy/Republic Park area that the government intends to build the bridge without technical due diligence, established legal processes, and most egregiously, without consulting and getting input from the residents. Editor, the Chairman of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council offered a noobjection to this project without meeting with the community and more appallingly, without the benefit of a bridge design. In other jurisdictions the entire council would be censured if not dismissed with extreme prejudice. The Minister of Public

Works was also quoted as saying that the no objection process is a “mere formality”. Are we now at a stage where citizens have no inputs in projects of this nature, scope and potential effect on communities? This comment is quite disturbing all by itself. It boggles the mind that a project of this magnitude can be even considered without the benefit of an Environmental Impact and Social Assessment (EISA). How does the construction of the bridge affect our community in terms of noise, dust, drainage and other factors? We are also told that the bridge will be based on the Build, Own, Operate and Transfer model and further that the pricing to utilise the bridge will not change significantly from what currently obtains at the Demerara Harbour Bridge. I now pay $200 Guyana

dollars to cross the existing bridge. What madness is this? Editor, these are not unreasonable questions. The process we seek and what should have been done, is within the relevant legislation. Glib comments like ‘minimal effects’ on the community are not acceptable. It is also surprising that a government who has committed to the principles of transparency and inclusion is conducting itself like this. We are not against development or progress. We however object to what appears to be an attempt to shove this project down our throat in the interest of expediency. We wish to urge now that a complete review of this project should be initiated with proper provisions for consultation and technical evaluations for the benefit and safety of all. Your faithfully Concerned residents

Poor service from GTT DEAR EDITOR In September of this year I reported a problem with my fiber service from GTT. I currently reside overseas and I would use what’s app and messenger as my preferred medium to talk to my wife and kids in Guyana. My data plan provides me with speeds of 80mbs and home network plan provides me with 450mbs. On their end it always says that the call is connecting or the call quality would drop. I made several reports to GTT and after having to wait almost two weeks, my wife was contacted by their in house technician who went over some trouble shooting techniques which did not solve the problem . The technician advised my wife that it is his personal opinion that the router and cable leading to my home should be changed and he would make the recommendation for same to be done. It has been three months and the problem still continues. Every time I made contact with GTT customer care on telephone number 620-2428

I’m given a reference number and promises that someone would reach out to my wife within 3-5 days. Mr. Editor, my kitchen is about 15 ft from my router in an open space and whenever my wife is there the quality of the call drops and in most cases, it disconnects. Because of this, I had to rent two pods from GTT at an additional cost because of a crappy router and these pods are just as useless as the router. Their customer service is

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just as poor as the service they provide. It takes me between 30 minutes to an hour before I can get onto an agent who would always say that they’re sending a reminder to that department that seem not to get it. These are the reference numbers I was provided with I N C O 3 3 4 3 7 9 , INCO32417302436359,02102638 and 02003794 My account number is 21965750. Regards Dissatisfied Customer

Norton is smart enough DEAR EDITOR Mr. Ray Chickrie’s letter published in the Stabroek News, December 24th 2021 edition, captioned: “PNC supporters want to see Norton take their party to new heights” is obviously not intended as advice to the new PNC leader, Mr. Aubrey Norton. Its main objective is to throw old and new machinations of the PNC in the face of its new leader. This approach, taken by Mr. Chickrie, even if it is wellintended, will be dismissed by Norton and his party as PPP propaganda disseminated through Mr Chickrie. This letter writer has joined the never-ending list of non-Africans who are fooling themselves into believing that they can speak for Africans. It is a new form of racial insensitivity that has become prevalent in this society. It is as if Africans don’t know what they want and can’t speak for themselves. In the case of Norton’s ascendency to the leadership of his party, members spoke loudly and clearly. During the campaign and from the ballot box vote, Norton is well aware of what members want/expect. There is no need for Chickrie to advise that PNC members want “new heights” for the party. Reading his missive, there is obvious evidence, of the pattern of thinking on political, social and economic issues, that reflects the general views of the PPPC and Indian rights activists. For example, Chickrie wrote, “Today, AfroGuyanese are still the major-

ity in the armed forces, the police, the public sector, and most heads of departments.” He appears to feel that Africans should be satisfied with their “majority” status in these areas. I don’t know Ray Chickrie. I am assuming that he is not African and is not sufficiently aware of Africans concerns and insecurity. An examination of the areas cited as African dominance will reveal a “reducing” majority historically. The public sector is not what it was in the 60s and 70s. It now has 40 or more percentage non Africans and this number is likely to increase not decrease over time. The army and police have become minuscule in relation to what they were in the 1970s. Here again still a majority - but a declining one. When you examine areas that Indians have been the majority/dominant historically, the situation is different. To cite a few areas: agriculture, commerce, manufacturing, fishing and cattle rearing. Indian have not only maintained their dominance but extended it. In none of these or other areas is there any threat of African take over. Mr. Chickrie’s comment on the “use of the race card” is also instructive. It assumes, in one sweeping statement, that throughout Guyana’s political history, the PNC is the only political party in Guyana that has used “the race card”. This is exactly my point about the purpose of Chickrie’s intent.

I would ask Mr Chickrie directly, based on his logic, whether the PPP has ever employed what he calls the “race card”? What provoked Ray Chickrie’s missive is Mr. Norton’s speech at former president Desmond Hoyte’s death anniversary. He wrote, “...Mr. Norton said that his party’s recent elections are an indication that the party consistent want a “vigorous response” to any corrupt intentions of the PPP government to squander the country’s patrimony through reckless spending and bloated...” He went on to reveal fifthcolumnist tactics when he stated that PNCR supporters, “... are not looking for confrontation. They want to see Norton take over immediately from Lil Joe; recall and appoint new PNC Parliamentarians....” Mr. Ray Chickrie knows that Norton is in no position to act as he suggested. His advice is intended to increase antagonism in the PNCR. The matters he wants Norton to quickly resolve are delicate political matters and require time and negotiations. I conclude, unlike Ray Chickrie, to offer Mr Aubrey Norton genuine advice: while it is useful to cite international agencies support for past policies of the PNCR/ Hoyte it can be counterproductive to do so without giving due recognition to the views of the party supporters on those policies, and its effects on their life. Regards, Tacuma Ogunseye

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Tuesday December 28, 2021

Christmas Eve killings rock Albouystown... One executed, another gunned down during robbery Moments before families were about to celebrate Christmas, the relatives of Deon Charles, 28, and Garfield Newton, 36, were thrown into a state of mourning, after they were killed separately, an hour apart in the Albouystown community, Georgetown. Kaieteur News understands that Newton, a bodyguard attached to Beharry Group of Companies, was shot dead during the course of a robbery just about 22:00hrs Christmas Eve night at Campbell Street, Albouystown, while Charles, of Middle Road, La Penitence was killed execution-style, about 23:50hrs at James Street, Albouystown. According to police reports, moments before Newton was killed, he visited

Dead, Deon Charles. a goldsmith in the Campbell Street area, where he collected a silver hand band, a gold chain and two gold rings which he had taken to be cleaned earlier. It was while heading back to his company’s vehicle— which was parked on Sussex

Street—that the fatal incident occurred. The goldsmith told police that about five minutes after Newton left to go to his vehicle, a teenager came and informed him that that the person (Newton) who came to collect the jewelry was shot and lying on the street. Immediately after hearing this, the goldsmith reported that he went out to the street and saw Newton lying motionless on his abdomen. The Emergency Medical Technicians that were summoned to the scene pronounced Newton dead on the spot. His body which bore a gunshot wound to his chest was taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, where it awaits a Post Mortem

Dead, Garfield Newton. examination. According to reports, detectives on the scene found that the jewelry Newton reportedly had in his possession, a firearm and ammunition, property of the company and a cell phone were all missing.

Information reaching investigators has since revealed that three men in a motorcar were seen This publication was yesterday reliably informed from sources close to the investigation that two suspects were apprehended and are in police custody. Meanwhile, just about 23:50hrs that same night on James Street, police said Charles was gunned down. According to police reports, Charles was seen standing on the southern side of the street when a white ‘Axio’ motorcar came from the eastern direction and stop in front of him. It was reported to the police, that two men exited the car and approached Charles, after which a loud explosion,

suspected to be that of a gunshot, was heard. Police revealed that the young man fell to the ground and the two men re-entered the car and made good their escape. A wounded Charles was picked up by public-spirited citizens and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The dead man’s body was examined and a gunshot wound was seen on the left side of his head. His body was removed and taken to the mortuary. Police noted that efforts made to locate the suspects have so far proven futile. Nevertheless, investigations into the men’s killings are ongoing.

Who is riding the gravy... From page 4 NY was paid some US$20,000 plus expenses over nine months ago to prepare a report on the restructuring of GuySuCo? Did GuySuCo board know of, and, or approve this so-called study of GuySuCo? Does Charles Sugrim know the accountant? Was the report ever prepared? Were there recommendations to the board arising out of the study? Where is the report? Is any letter writer who is defending the CEO being paid a fee from Guysuco or some other source? Are hotel accommodations and stipends for a letter writer being paid for by Guysuco or an agent of it? Should or will the report include the abuse of human resources and money and about those riding of the gravy train over the last fourteen months? Last January when Paul Bhim was leaving, it was mentioned that a Finance Director will be hired from overseas, but the person would not be available until after the summer. Does Sugrim know the person? What are the terms and conditions? Will this new hire not ride the gravy train? And there is one Michael Fung, about 70 years old, who works directly for Sase. Isn’t his salary around 750,000 GYD under marketing category? What are his qualifications in sugar production? Fung was a music band manager? How is that related to sugar production? Will he be providing music to the CEO, staff, labourers and to the cane as they grow? Aren’t there also two bodyguards constantly with the CEO? Why – is he under some

threat? Aren’t there also four technical advisors and two assistants working directly with the CEO? Does any one of them have any background in sugar other than tasting it when drinking free tea or coffee or sweet drink at the office? Can Mr. Sugrim compare this with the leadership of Dr. Harold Davis who had just a secretary and a driver, and no body guard? Mr, Sugrim should carry out an audit of the satisfaction level of management staff at GuySuCo. And while at it, he should ask who has been riding the gravy train over the last fourteen months? He will find that the situation has never been so bad at GuySuCo in its history, not even under the 33 years of PNC governance and certainly not during the 16 years of Jagdeo and Ramotar presidencies. Sugrim advises that disgruntled staff must not look at the trees and ignore the forest. How can they see the forest when the trees have been laid bare – their leaves and limbs were cut down. Parasitic vines have sprung up sucking the company with birthday bash and big money for friends. Terminatin g managers and professionals and replacing them with friends or yes people without requisite qualifications can only have dangerous outcome for GuySuCo. It is Christmas season. What is going on at GuySuCo is being compared to a masquerade band. How long will the VP tolerate the entertainment from this band? Till after the holidays! Yours truly, Budhram Singh

T N U L B . . . T B N U T L N T B . U . L . L T B . N . U . N U T L N B . U . T . L N T U N B . N U . L U L LUNT. B . T . . T T N N B U B . U . L . L T B . B . . N . . . T U T L N N T U U L N L B U . B . . L . . . T B T . . N . N T U L N LU B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . NT LUNT...B NT...BLU N U L B . . B . U . . T L . N T B . . U N . L N T B U N . . L . U T L B . . N B . . . T U . L N T B U . . L . UN T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L B U UN .BLUNT. . . L . T B . . N . T U . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . LU ...BLUNT LUNT...B NT...BL T B U . . L N . T B BLU T...BLUN BLUNT... UNT...B . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B BBLU T...BLUN BLUNT... ...BLU . T . N . N T T U L U L N L B U T...BLU U B . L . N . B T . . . N T U N N N L U U U B L . L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Tuesday December 28, 2021

Kaieteur News

When the primary aim of leaders is to rob a nation blind, it is time that they are exposed and be made to face lawful consequences.

Except we as Guyanese make it clear that “enough is enough” and demand changes in this land, we will continue to haemorrhage money by the billions of American dollars. Guyanese, stop sitting in silence while our future is reduced to one of barely enough, if any at all.

What we are faced with in this land is certainly not a joke; we literally have to fight for our lives! We must demand better for ALL of Guyana, not just a few.

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Tuesday December 28, 2021

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Kaieteur News

The Vice President is clueless about transparency Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo has conceded that the PPP/C government has a public relations (PR) problem. But he has failed to realise that his own ranting makes it a nightmare to remedy his government’s PR deficiencies. He has developed a tendency to grant interviews to select media houses and social media platforms, staying away from the more robust interrogation which he is likely to face from newspapers like the Kaieteur News. On an important issue as the Natural Resource Fund Act (NRFA) which has generated extreme controversy, the Vice President should have met the entire press corps. Instead, he opted for a soft-landing by being interviewed by the Guyanese Critic. Yet, during the interview he was a palpable failure in seeking to justify why his government is choosing to reduce and amend the Public Accountability and Oversight Committee (PAOC) and change the composition of the Board, under the Natural Resource Fund Act (NRFA) The Vice President questioned why the Guyana Press Association (GPA) should be on the Public Accountability and Oversight Committee. The Guyana Press Association is yet to respond to this dismissal of its participation as part of the POAC. The media is duly qualified to be represented on the PAOC. The media is the watchdog of society. Why therefore, should it be excluded from overseeing how the PPP/C manages and spends the nation’s oil revenues? Then went on to accuse

other organisations, such as Transparency Institute of Guyana Incorporated (TIGI), of being biased. But biased against or in favour of whom? TIGI is on record as being critical of the actions of the PPP/ C as it was of the APNU+AFC. However, it is obvious that the PPP/C is not interested in genuine oversight. It only wants oversight from organisations which are favourably disposed towards the government. As one external analyst has already pointed out, the government, through its proposed legislation, is set to dismantle the 22-member PAOC and replace it with a 13member version, all of whom would be appointed by the President. The proposed Bill he says, moves towards less rather than more oversight. But why is there such paranoia about the composition of the PAOC? This body is merely an oversight body. Its powers are: “(1) monitoring and evaluating the compliance of the Government and other relevant persons with the provisions of this Act; (2) monitoring and evaluating whether the Fund has been managed in accordance with the principles of transparency, good governance and international best practices including the Santiago Principles; (3) providing independent assessment of the management of the Fund and utilisation of withdrawals from the Fund; and (4) facilitating public consultations on the management of the Fund and utilisation of withdrawals from the Fund.” If one of the key objectives of the Fund is to ensure transparency and accountability, why then is there less

oversight rather than more oversight? The PAOC is not tasked with managing the Fund or with determining how much and when monies are withdrawn. It is a key instrument to ensure compliance with the law. Yet, the PPP/C plans to drastically scale-down this body and to stack it presumably and primarily with organisations which it feels, may be more favourably disposed towards it. The PPP/C is not seeking oversight but a rubber-stamping of its actions. But even more perverse, is Jagdeo’s flawed understanding of transparency. According to him, “the ultimate act of transparency is fulfilling your promises as a political party.” This must go down as one of the most contrary to common-sense definitions of transparency. Transparency has nothing to do with fulfilling your promise as a political party. Jagdeo is mixing up transparency with political accountability. Jagdeo is clearly clueless about transparency. The very organisation, TIGI, which Jagdeo says is biased, has provided a simple understanding of what is transparency. According to TIGI, “transparency means that relevant information is readily available in a timely and user-friendly manner and that the information is complete and accurate. Both observers and those directly involved are therefore able to understand all facets of the transactions.” The World Bank itself notes that transparency involves greater openness (not less) and information sharing so as to allow the public to

Dem Boys Seh…

Christmas come and gone! Yuh does wonder weh de Christmas gone. It does descend pun yuh so fast and it does disappear even faster. It does leff yuh feeling as if yuh miss something. Nine out ah every 10 people when dem get ask how dem spend de Christmas holidays does claim how dem spend it quiet. But 10 out ah 10 does be in de hustle and bustle of de holidays. Is a strange co-incidence; all de fuss in de buildup to Christmas and Boxing Day, and dem two days does be two ah de most peaceful days ah de year. With de pandemic raging it mo quiet be-

cause nuff people nah able gat de traditional Boxing Day parties weh dem does invite dem friends to. But wat would Christmas be like without de traditions: cleaning de house, decorating de house, putting up new blinds and buying new things fuh de home? What would Christmas be like without de fairy lights and de Christmas songs, especially dem wah does play pun de radio? Wat would Christmas be like without de mixing and de baking of de sponge cake, de black cake and de fruit cake? Wat would Christmas be like without de pepper pot, ginger beer, sorrel and de other nice

things wah does prepare? And how can dere be any enjoyment without de harder drinks and when dem use to have all dem office parties and de girls dem dressing up fuh guh to wuk? Wat would Christmas be like without No Big Thing and Stretched Out Magazine and de Braddar Christmas wat use to mek yuh laugh till yuh want cry? Wat would Christmas be like without de toys fuh de children? And Santa Claus and de political grinches wah does try fuh spoil de solemnity of occasion with dem incivility? Talk half and start mekkin’ yuh resolutions for de New Year!

make informed decisions, to support accountability and to reduce corruption. Its key characteristics are access, timeliness, relevance and quality. President Ali faces a dilemma. He either reins in his

Vice President or subjects his government to further embarrassment. (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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Tuesday December 28, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

The Traffic Chief, the roundabouts, traffic insanity and six streets Note: The caption for my Christmas day article was: “2021 was the worst colonised Christmas since Independence.” The print version was wrong. That was the caption of a previous column.

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n Tu e s d a y, December 21, (2021), I came off the Eve Leary beach with my dog and was about to drive off when a police vehicle pulled up alongside. I came out of my car and Traffic Chief, Ramesh Ashram greeted me. I h a v e k n o w n M r. Ashram for a long time, long before his Traffic Chief status became a reality. I have always regarded him as one of the most pleasant police officers I have ever had conversations with. His attendant was in the car and I told him I wanted to ask a question and that I will publish his answer and cite

the presence of his personal aide. Can a traffic rank wave a driver to the side of the road at random and ask for his/her documents? His answer was no. He was pellucid on a related subject. When anticrime ranks have a roadblock and your papers are requested, you have to produce it. I asked another question. “Can there be a scientific replacement for traffic lights?” He smiled and did not answer. I told him it cannot stand up to logical thinking when you remove traffic lights and replace them with roundabouts. I expressed my emotional opinion that this just is not logical. He told me the making of the roundabouts is a Ministry of Public Works thing and not that of the police force. I pressed on with the issue of t h e t r a ff i c s i g n a l s . I explained that no one is

going to go through a red light because of the fear of death. When you do not have signals, drivers aren’t going to stop. I left Mr. Ashram with a suggestion. Set up a plain clothes research team outside the new roundabout at the Railway Embankment and Sheriff Street. The findings will show 90 percent of those who are supposed to stop, do not. I use two roundabouts more than once a day. Drivers do not stop at the roundabouts. Maybe I don’t know this because I live in Timbuktu and not in Georgetown. You do not remove traffic lights. They are lifesaving. The government removed the signals at two of the busiest intersections – C a r i f e s t a Av e n u e a n d Vlissengen Road and the Railway Embankment and Sheriff Street and what is the result? Any fool who uses those two roundabouts

knows the answer. On the nights of the 22, 23, and 24 I watched from my upper verandah everything that is so wrong about my country that when I see these backward manifestations, I want to run away from Guyana. On the Railway Embankment on those dates, there was pure traffic insanity and it was cruel. West bound traffic going to Giftland could not move. East bound traffic turning into Giftland and heading up the East Coast could not move. Traffic coming out of MovieTowne Road to get onto the Railway Embankment could not move. Every driver was immobilised for more than an hour. All it needed for civilisation to be restored was just two traffic ranks. At least the traffic would still have crawled but there

would have been movement. I don’t know if it was true, Frederick Kissoon but I heard a woman heading to the Georgetown Hospital gave barrow-pusher will have to push his way into the gutter birth in a car. Finally, there are six to allow the car to pass, or the streets on UG Road that lead driver will have to fly over into the district known as the pusher. I don’t know if it is true Cummings Lodge. The first one is at the huge Rama what I heard about an Krishna church, the last one incident in one of those is at the entrance of the Cyril streets. There are some Potter College Of Education. h u m o n g o u s o p e n - b a c k Every one of those six streets trucks in Guyana with names is intestinal in width. Yet all like Tundra and Tacoma. I those streets accommodate was told that a foreigner, not knowing how narrow those two-way traffic. During the Christmas six streets are, turned his season I had to drop off a few Tundra into one of them and close friends and relatives in heading in the opposite Cummings Lodge. Those direction was a canter-truck. streets cannot be two-way. There was no collision They are just too narrow. If because both machines flew you are pushing a wheel over each other. (The views expressed in barrow down any of those six this article are those of the streets and a vehicle is coming in the opposite a u t h o r a n d d o n o t direction, the vehicle will not necessarily reflect the be able to pass. The wheel opinions of this newspaper.)

COVID-19 pandemic ‘gives birth’ to over 30 babies on Christmas Day By Allyiah Allicock More than 30 bouncing babies were delivered this year on Christmas Day, amidst the global COVID-19 Pandemic. The country’s first set of Christmas babies, a boy and girl were born at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) at exactly 12:15am. This year, the GPHC saw a total of 10 babies being born, five girls and five boys. Given its usual Christmas Day tradition, the hospital’s maternity unit was visited by First Lady, Arya Ali, where she delivered care packages to the mothers of the newborn. Alexandra Jerry of Jawala village, Region Seven, who was the first to give birth to the first boy at the GPHC, told Kaieteur News that she was never expecting to give birth on Christmas Day. Jerry related that she was expecting to give birth a day or two, before December 25. Nevertheless, the first-time mother said, she is very much thankful and happy to deliver a healthy baby boy. Mother of the first baby

girl to be delivered at the GPHC, was Natasha Richards, of Region One. Richards noted that to give birth on Christmas Day was no surprise because she was expecting to deliver anytime during the holidays. The elated woman shared that her bouncing baby girl, who weighed little over eight pounds is the 10th child she have given birth to. In Region Three, the West Demerara Regional Hospital welcomed a total of seven babies, four boys and three girls. The first to be born was a girl at approximately 0 5 : 2 8 h r s t o mother—Basmattie Sukhdeo. The second baby was at 06:38hrs to mother, Naomi Ramdeholl, the third was at 08:30hrs to mother Linda Elizabeth, the fourth was at Shona Gibson at 11:05hrs, the fifth was at 17:35hrs to mother Natasha Dass. Dass’s baby was the special delivery of the day, given she was the first delivery of a severe preterm (premature baby). After a history of infertility, Dass at the age of 37 welcome her first live

Natasha Richards, the first mother give birth to a baby boy at the GPHC.

baby. The sixth baby to be delivered at the hospital was at 21:20hrs to mother Tiffany Wilson while the last of the day was delivered to mother

First Lady, Arya Ali at the GPHC on Christmas Day.

Karren Andries at approximately 23:15hrs. Over in Region Six, at the New Amsterdam Hospital, its maternity ward welcomed a total of five

bundles of joy, three boys and two girls. The first to be born were twins, to mother Ruth McCalman, 31, of Tucber Park, New Amsterdam. Via a C-section operation, McCalman gave birth to a bouncing baby boy at exactly 07:26hrs while her baby girl was born at 07:27hrs. The other deliveries at the New Amsterdam hospital was another baby girl who was born at 14:00hrs to mother Ashmetha Satrohan, a 17-year-old of Number 19 Village, a baby boy at 15:38hrs to mother, Beyonce

Britney Sooklall, 19, of Hopetown and lastly a baby boy at 19:15hrs to mother Ravina Hardar of Canefiled, Canjie. Still in Region Six, the Skeldon Hospital welcomed two baby boys, first being born at 05:50 hrs to mother, Michelle Roy and the second at 07:00hrs to mother, Farzana Ali of Number 76 Housing Scheme. Meanwhile, via its Facebook page, privately owned Dr. Balwant Singh Hospital announced the birth of 11 angels born on Christmas Day at the institution.

Tuesday December 28, 2021

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Tuesday December 28, 2021

KN Publisher’s Tick Tock messages irk Vice President - calls on supporters to take on challenge

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ith already over 11,000 followers on the latest social media phenomenon, Tik Tok, Kaieteur News Publisher Glenn Lall, has seized the opportunity to enlighten Guyanese on the most disturbing occurrences taking place locally, but Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo is fearful of the messages being shared by Lall. On a Christmas Eve programme aired on the National Communications Network (NCN), Jagdeo c o m p l a i n e d o f L a l l ’s messages, labelling them “asinine views”. According to Jagdeo, “I personally I find it very distasteful that this guy (Lall) would every day go on Tik Tok and routinely lie and some asinine views (are) passed off as analysis there and my fear is that people will actually believe some of these things. Not because they have any merit, but because of the preponderance of the

messages, you know it bears down on you (after) the daily grind, (when) you repeat it over and over and over again”. In one example given by the Vice President, he said that he has publicly dismissed claims that the Marriott Hotel is owned by him or Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh. “You know we have dispelled that, that the Marriott belongs to me or Ashni Singh, etcetera. The last Government knew that the Marriott is 100 percent owned by Guyanese. It’s one of the most profitable Marriott’s in the world, (but) he still continues with this nonsense and how do you respond to a person who is almost a raving lunatic on a daily basis? How does a Government respond to that without really demeaning itself, or going down to that level”? Jagdeo reasoned. On this note, he called on his Party supporters to

challenge Lall in the comment sections of his videos. “I think people who support the Government also have to go to these web pages and point out sense, you know the comments section. They should go and take on the nonsense there. Not by being abusive, but just pointing out the facts and how stupid sometimes the views are…and then maybe we would have that balance,” the former President explained. He added, “they think that the money is just falling from heaven and the streets of Guyana are paved with oil money? And that all Guyanese should stop working and we should all get a big paycheck every day? We have to work hard to change this country. How do you address that? And then people go there so we cannot, we will not be tiktoking, but we are hoping that (by) putting out information, more people

Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall will read”. Lall has been using the online social media platform, to share his observations and comments on critical subjects, especially regarding spending from the public purse. It is the Publisher’s position that Guyana needs to “wake up” hence, he has been taking advantage of his viewership to share such messages. In fact, he is adamant that certain questions must be

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo answered by the leaders, who remain behind their office doors, and only speak when “authorized” to do so. When it comes to the Marriott Hotel, it must be noted that over US$50 million was invested into the public/private partnership venture. Initially, Government had plugged in US$20M leaving it to find another US$37M from a private investor and a syndicated loan, managed by Republic Bank Trinidad Limited.

Exxon’s operations not driving fish away

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ice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, has denounced the observations made by fishermen across the country, that the recent oil and gas operations have negatively impacted their catch. In a recent interview with social media personality, the ‘Guyanese Critic’ on Christmas Eve day, Jagdeo said, “now there is no scientific view, for example, that the oil and gas industry cause the fish to swim away from Guyana and he (KN Publisher, Glenn Lall) is telling the fishermen that the fish swim away; Now if we can prove that, that’s great but there’s no scientific view of that”. The Vice President went on to explain that he grew up in the fishing community of Unity, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, where since he was a young boy, the catch would be low in certain seasons. “I grew up in a fishing village, in Unity. There are periods when we have had low catch too. The guys would go out many, many times and didn’t bring in any(thing) much and that was long before we were producing oil, since I was a young boy,” he told the nation during the interview aired on the National Communications Network (NCN) and online. As a consequence, Jagdeo implied that it would be irresponsible to attribute the decline in fish catch across the c o u n t r y t o E x x o n M o b i l ’s operations. However, when the first six

months of 2019, 2020 and 2021 were compared, it was revealed that for the past two years, fish and shrimp production has been declining. This was evident in the recent Bank of Guyana (BoG) HalfYear Report. According to that report, the fishing industry recorded mixed output performance and this resulted in a smaller reduction of 6.6 percent compared to the 12.1 percent recorded in June 2020. It was also stated that there was a decline in catches of fish and shrimp by 22.1 percent and 11.8 percent, respectively, due to a reduction in the number of fishing vessels operating. A table in the report illustrated the fish and shrimp production as follows: fish (tonnes); 2019 – 10,378, 2020 – 9,509 and 2021 – 7,406, and for shrimp (tonnes) 2019- 10,046; 2020 – 9,259 and

2021 – 8,171. In addition to this, Environmental specialists have been calling out the oil giant over its “unsafe” operations offshore Guyana. During a recent interview with this publication, Environmentalist, Simone Mangal-Joly noted that the ramped up production rates are a reckless chase after money. She said it is, “a reckless rush to chase money without counting the damages and losses in other areas in the process, both in direct benefit we accrue daily, and monetary ter ms , is s h orts ighted an d dangerous to all of us, including businesses and our economy as a whole.” She explained that each time a new Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel is welcomed to Guyana, it also brings along tonnes of toxic waste that is

discharged into the waters, thereby impacting our fish and other marine species. Already, fishers in Guyana have reported a rapid decline in catch, and are predicting that they may very well be out of jobs in the next five years. A key report from the American multinational has warned that there will be significant impact on the nation’s marine resources, due to the cumulative impact of those oil related activities. This disclosure was made in the project documents for the Yellowtail development in the Stabroek Block, operated by ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL). Leroy Williams, who retails fish in Georgetown, is one of many that have attributed the decline in catch to Exxon’s operations. The fisherman, who said he has

However, that US$37M had remained elusive as a court case filed by former Opposition’ Member of Parliament, Desmond Trotman, has sought to block the mortgaging of the Kingston property. Even though an investor had come along, the name of the official was never released; hence the question still remains as to who is the owner or shareholders involved and are benefitting from a project paid in part by tax payers’ dollars.

- VP Bharrat Jagdeo claims

been in the business for over 22 years now, also claims to be fearful of what is to come. “Right now in the fisheries industry what I can say is that since this oil company is out there, the amount of fish we used to get in this market, we are not getting it anymore. Most of them fisherman when they go out, they are not getting no kind of catch because they throw the line and they go back next day to pull it up, but when they go back they can’t get nothing much. Since this oil thing come about the fisherman them suffering in this country here right now. By we ain’t getting fish in here, people hardly coming in to do any business. You see the size? We used to get bigger Curass than this. I think like all the fish moving out by the noise that does be in the water cause especially like how they drilling and so, the fish them like they moving away,” he explained. Stayon Frank, another fisherman who retails his stock in the Stabroek Market told this newspaper, “ever since them man start drill we seabed out deh, we catch gone very low. I in this business like since I was a child. In the earlies, from like 2007 when I start catch fish to like 2016. We used to get an exciting catch. But you see from like 2016 to now; presently, we catch is like going and strain water cause when we go out there we would just catch back lil gas money and something to feed the family. You can’t presently do nothing for yourself with this fish”.

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3 families homeless after fiery Christmas Three families from across the country are now homeless after separate fires ravaged their homes on Christmas Day. Ravichand Rama called ‘ R a v i , ’ a 3 3 - y e a r- o l d Labourer at Albion Estate, his wife Reshma Dindyal, 30 and their three Children, all of lot 193 Ankerville Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice are now counting their losses. The affected building is owned by Bangapan Harold of the United States of America. Reports are that the fire occurred at approximately 17:30 hrs on Christmas Day. Rama disclosed that he along with his family, left home to visit his father-in-law at No.19 Village, Corentyne, at just around noon Christmas Day and that he had secured the home and turned off all electrical and kitchen appliances. He disclosed that sometime around 14:15hrs, he left his father-in-law’s residence and was visiting a friend of his wife at Albion, Corentyne when he got a call from his neighbour informing him that his house was on fire. Rama immediately left for his home and upon arrival, saw his house completely engulfed in flames. At that point, he summoned the Rose Hall Town Fire Service, which, shortly after their arrival managed to extinguish the blaze but by then the structure was destroyed. The building was fully furnished and was not insured. The upper flat of the building consists of three bedrooms and a living room, whilst the lower flat consists of a kitchen, and a lavatory area. Additionally there were two other fires which destroyed the homes of two families, one in West Ruimveldt, Georgetown and

The burnt out lot 193 Ankerville Port Mourant, Corentyne home

the other in Friendship on the East Coast of Demerara. Reports stated that around 08:50hrs the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) was summoned to the West Ruimveldt home to attend to a fire, to which they promptly responded and dispatched water tenders 102, 105 and 107 from Central and West Ruimveldt Fire Stations to the home at Lot 169 Rose Street West Ruimveldt. The purported cause of the fire was said to be a lit mosquito coil which was left unattended. The coil reportedly ignited with a window curtain and quickly spread throughout the entire building. The one flat wooden and concrete structure and its contents were completely destroyed leaving Jewel Anderson and her family homeless. Meanwhile, a two storey wooden and concrete structure was also gutted by fire on Christmas Day, as the Fire Service was called upon once again. According to reports, at 21:32hrs, water tenders 103 and 106 from Melanie and Campbellville Fire Stations responded to a fire at Lot 45 Company Road, Friendship, ECD. The top floor of the building which was occupied by Estwick Leitch and Edorl Leitch, and the

‘More blows for Dharamlall’... From page 2 General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, on behalf of the Government of Guyana, was dismissed. In response to the Court’s ruling, Douglas and Nandlall requested a twoweek stay on the ruling, so that they can decide whether they will go to the Caribbean Court of Justice for final determination, or if they will allow the appeal to go ahead – this was granted by the Court. Election petition case #99 which is challenging

the outcome of the March 2, 2020 elections was dismissed by the acting Chief Justice, on January 18, last, while the remaining election petition #88 was also thrown out on April 26, 2021, by the acting Chief Justice. This led to both matters being appealed by Monica Thomas and Brenan Nurse, who on behalf of the A Partnership for Nation Unity, Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition, are seeking to challenge the validity of the March 02, 2020, national elections.

ground floor which was occupied by Carlton Leitch and Odette Cummings set ablaze reportedly by an overloaded electrical circuit. This resulted in an electrical feedback to the main distribution panel, same arced, sparked and ignited nearby combustible materials. Also affected by the blaze were two vehicles, one silver grey Honda which was owned by Carlton Leitch and which was completely destroyed and a red and black Honda CG150, owned by Lincoln Leitch, which suffered severe damages to the seat and electrical wiring.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday December 28, 2021

Tuesday December 28, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 15

Norton points to conditions being laid out to raid Treasury …as Jagdeo attacks critics of proposed changes to oil account Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, “and his greedy elite b a n d i n t h e P e o p l e ’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), are creating the conditions for the PPP kleptocracy to steal the nation’s money that comes from the sale of oil.” This was the view shared by newly elected leader of the opposition People’s National Congress Reform, Aubrey Norton, in response to a scathing attack on not only himself, as the PNC/R Leader, but a number of civil society non-governmental organisations, such as the recently formed Article 13 grouping, the Guyana Human Rights Association and others. He qualified his description of the Vice President saying, “…the dictionary describes a demon as an evil spirit. The dictionary further states that a demon is “a source or agent of evil, harm, distress or ruin. All and sundry will agree that these definitions of a demon aptly describe the Vice President.” Others, that have criticised his government’s push to amend the current legislation in place to govern the use of the revenues to be had from the sale of Guyana’s share of oil from the partnership arrangement it shares with ExxonMobil Guyana and others—monies deposited into the New York Federal Reserve Bank. DEMONIC SPIRIT The PPP/C has placed on the Order Paper, a Bill—the Natural Resource Fund Bill 2021—with its debate and likely approval scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday December 29. That Bill, which is being promulgated by the Senior Minister in the Office of the P r e s i d e n t w i t h Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni K. Singh and not Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat, is said to be aimed at establishing the Natural Resource Fund to manage the natural resource wealth of Guyana for the present and future benefit of the people and for the sustainable development of t h e c o u n t r y, a n d f o r connected matters. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, on Christmas Eve, during a widely televised—in the State M e d i a a n d online—interview with Mikhail Rodrigues, popularly known as the ‘Guyanese Critic’, sought to defend the actions of his administration by outright

Newly Elected PNC/R Leader, Aubrey Norton

dismissing the legitimacy of the extant legislation. This, since according to

from the sale of oil. We oppose the PPP creating the conditions to be able to raid

wealth a crime. It is not!” In fact, according to Norton, “Jordan should be credited for taking action to p r o t e c t t h e n a t i o n ’s patrimony. It is time for Jagdeo to shed his evil ways and begin to serve the people of Guyana rather than himself and the rich and

Guyanese ‘Critic’, Mikhail Rodrigues (right) interviews Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, on Christmas Eve

According to Jagdeo, “when I see this group of unaccountable NGOs signing a petition to the parliament and saying we must not consider the amendments until we get their clearance and that the Bill that was there was the most consultative Bill ever in the history of this country,

“…we need to operationalise the fund so we can start; we have to start using the resources to build the infrastructure of the future, for the growth of the non-oil economy, for the creation of not 50,000 but 200,000 jobs in the future,” VP Bharrat Jagdeo him, the law in place is invalid, because it was passed without the then PPP/C opposition’s input in the National Assembly, and further it was done during a period when a ‘No-

the Treasury. We demand that you withdraw the amendments to the Natural Resource Fund Act.” According to Norton, “the wanton waste of taxpayers’ money on the

corrupt elite that have transformed the PPP into a Party of hustlers.” To this end, Norton was adamant, “…it is becoming clear to every ethnic group that he is about self-

it makes me want to vomit. That these organisations that pride themselves on being the conscience of society and they are the most accountable and safeguards accountability in Guyana,

…Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, “and his greedy elite band in the PPP/C, are creating the conditions for the PPP kleptocracy to steal the Nation’s money that comes from the sale of oil,” PNC/R Leader, Aubrey Norton Confidence’ Motion had already been successfully passed against the then coalition, A Partnership for national Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government.” Norton in firing back at Jagdeo on Boxing Day said, “I believe that there should be civility in politics and therefore I did not want to respond to the rantings of a demon amidst the festivities, so I delayed my response to today. We oppose the PPP creating the conditions to be able to raid the Treasury.” He went further to say, “…clearly, the intention of his (Jagdeo’s) comments is to shift focus away from his desire to remove Article 22 from the Natural Resource Fund Act, so that he and his greedy elite band in the PPP/C can create the conditions for the PPP kleptocracy to steal the nation’s money that comes

Skeldon Sugar Factory, among other failed projects, points to his ability to ruin anything he touches, and his entire time spent as President resulted in stress to the Guyanese people. This demonic spirit that has been unleashed on our people will be confronted and tamed.” JORDAN PREVENTED SQUANDERMANIA Additionally, according to Norton, the PPP/C has targeted Winston Jordan, Former Minister of Finance, and has trumped up charges against him. “Winston Jordan committed no crime, unless you consider his creation of a Natural Resource Fund with checks and balances to ensure a wider participation of the Guyanese people in determining how the funds from the oil sector will be spent and preventing persons o f J a g d e o ’s i l k f r o m squandering the nation’s

aggrandizement and not about the interest of our people; we will hold him accountable; the era of do as you like, when you like and how you like is coming to an end.” Vice President Jagdeo in his interview with ‘Guyanese Critic,’ addressing the Natural Resource Fund Bill, first tabled on December 16, last, said “we looked at what was passed and we had several issues with the legislation.” To this end, he listed firstly, its ‘illegitimacy’ since, according to him, it was passed after the no confidence motion against t h e A P N U + A F C administration before launching into scathing attacks on NGOs such as Article 13, which has since made its way to the National Assembly calling for a scrapping of the amendments by the PPP.

would want to associate themselves with a bill that was passed after the government had fallen, without any opposition input.” USUAL SUSPECTS Continuing his tirade, Jagdeo said the petition was signed by “the usual suspects, many of them were pro AFC or members of the AFC or APNU in the past but now they have reincarnated themselves into NGOs so we can’t pay too much attention to them and their gripe.” According to Jagdeo, the change to the NRF law was promised, while in opposition, “we campaigned on it. People voted for us to do these things. We will get them done.” Addressing some of the proposed changes specifically, Jagdeo told ‘Critic’ that his party was concerned that the Minister of Finance, in the extant

legislation, “controlled everything.” According to Jagdeo, under the Act in its existing form, the Minister of Finance, “was in charge of the fund, he named the macro-economic committee, he also was the sole person to calculate the fiscally sustainable sum that could be withdrawn from the fund, the natural resources fund.” He posited, theoretically, t h e F i n a n c e Minister—whose powers exists as a delegate of the President—could have withdrawn all the money every year, “with a formula that is not transparent and is subjected to manipulation.” Defending his party’s proposed amendments, the Vice President said, “we made it very clear in opposition we wanted to insulate the minister from the management of the fund, as a result of which we now put in the amendment a board of directors.” To this end, he said this board of directors will include a member of the private sector and another from parliament, “so the opposition gets a chance to have an input of one of the directors there.” That board, he said, is appointed by the President. Taking aim at the privately owned Stabroek News which had criticised the amendments in a recently published front page comment, Jagdeo said, “they didn’t have a problem with the minister managing the fund directly, but we are trying to insert a technical level of managers between the minister and the management of the fund and who best to appoint the board of directors than the President”? MANIPULATED FIGURES Defending the move Jagdeo suggested that if the board is a creature of the Minister then it is susceptible to the bidding of that Minister and said, with the amendment “at least the President can have greater (Continued on page 18)

PAGE 16

Tuesday December 28, 2021

Kaieteur News

Protest looms over ‘wicked’ changes to oil fund - petition lodged as calls grow for Bill to be sent to Special Select Committee

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Publisher of the Kaieteur News and advocate for a better oil deal, Glenn Lall, has called for a massive protest on Wednesday [December 29] to force the government to dump its ‘suspect’ Natural Resources Bill, which gives the President enormous powers to appoint members to the various committees and is also short on penalties for the abuse of the resources. The Irfaan Ali administration tabled the Natural Resources Amendment Bill on December 16, and is expected to use its one seat majority in the House to ram it through Parliament on Wednesday. The main Opposition said, due to the complex nature of the Bill and its importance to the management of the country’s oil resources, Members of Parliament (MPs) need more time to study it. As such, they have called for the Bill to be sent to a Special Select Committee for finetuning and possible changes, before it is debated in the House. Government however, seems to be in a hurry to pass the bill into law, with Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo saying, the people of Guyana gave his party a mandate at the last elections and they will forge ahead. Addressing the issue on his programme “the Glenn Lall Show” on Christmas Day, Lall told his audience that such a crucial law should not be rushed through Parliament. “Why are they in such a rush, at this time of the year when people having a good time? Your government hustling to pass a law to spend our oil money,” Lall stated, saying something seems wrong. “And they doing it behind we back in a sneaky way – in the wee hours of the morning when they know we are all in a deep, deep sleep,” he added. He told Guyanese not to allow such a thing to happen. “On Wednesday at 10:00 AM, in Parliament all of

you should come out in droves. Don’t depend on your leaders, get out there and stamp your feet and say enough is enough. I will try to be there with you guys with my placard. Bring your own placard. I got some jerseys to share away too,” Lall added. He said the amendment of the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Bill, will be passed in the dead of the night, “and we will all be stuck with it, unless ya’ll come out there yourselves and demand that the PPP put it into what you call a Special Select Committee, and give enough time for the people to study and weigh the pros and cons.” He said, Guyanese must put pressure on the government to put together a proper law, with proper oversight in which every Guyanese can go to bed every night and sleep well. “They don’t have to wonder, is how much them gon thief out and say they spend on this solar project, or this lil flood, like how them a thief $19,000 Covid grant money, imagine what they will do with that bank account in New York.” The amendments to the legislation governing the NRF propose that there be two key committees and a Board of Directors to preside over the management of the nation’s oil money. Importantly, all of the members on these committees as well as the Board will be appointed by the President or his Minister responsible for natural resources. As part of the governance structure for the NRF, the government proposes to establish a Board of Directors, which shall comprise of not less than three and not more than five persons who shall be appointed by the President, and one of whom shall be appointed Chairperson by the President. The amended Bill proposes that the directors be selected from among persons who

Publisher of Kaieteur News Glenn Lall have wide experience and ability in legal, financial, business or administrative matters. It was noted that one of the Board members shall be nominated by the National Assembly along with one from the private sector. The Bill states that the directors shall be appointed for a period not exceeding two years and shall be eligible for reappointment. Apart from the Board, there would also be an Investment Committee which shall have seven members appointed by the Minister of Natural Resources. They will include nominees from the Minister of Finance, Minister in charge of the oil sector, the Attorney General, Leader of the Opposition, the Private Sector and two ex officio nonvoting members: the Senior Investment Advisor and Analyst and a nominee from the Governor of Bank of Guyana. The Committee would be required to take account of the current conditions, opportunities and constraints in the relevant financial matters, the principle of financial diversification with the objective of maximizing risk-adjusted financial returns and taking into account the capacity of the institutions involved in the management of the fund and the nation’s ability to bear financial risk. We need

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Flash! Citizens have been calling for changes to the oil contract, but instead is proposing Flash! Citizens have been calling for changes to the oil contract, but instead is proposing

three months Former Minister of Public Infrastructure under the previous administration, David Patterson, said, that due to the nature of the Bill, it is only fitting that the National Assembly and the nation at large be given three months’ time to fully scrutinise the document that contains more than 30 pages of information. He said, “there are about two petitions in Parliament asking for them not to pass the legislation as yet, but to give the whole country time to go through the bill and comment on it because people are very concerned and we (as Opposition) are very concerned about the fact that they have dismantled the 22-member committee and replaced it with handpicked persons. Then there are several other issues”. Patterson is convinced that the Government is rushing to enact the legislation, since it would enable it access to the oil funds sooner. More so, he said with this proposed Bill, the incumbent administration would be able to, not only access the funds, but do so without any supervision, since the Government has proposed to remove the 22-member oversight committee. The former APNU/AFC administration had set up a 22-member oversight committee, comprising of a representative from civil society organizations and community based organizations, the Bar Association of Guyana, the Guyana Consumers’ Association, the Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), the Transparency International Guyana Inc. (TIGI) and the Guyana Press Association, among others. Petition lodged Local civil society group, Policy Forum Guyana in a petition lodged at Parliament recently also called for the Bill to be deferred. With some 60 signatories to the petition the organization said the Bill should be parked, until proposed amendments can be considered by non-parliamentary citizens. “The National Assembly should ensure that the key natural resources of our country, on which the future sustainable development of Guyana hinges, are managed as required by Article 36 in the National Constitution 1980 and so as to maximise the net social benefit,” the petition read. The Petition calls for a pause on any debate on the Natural Resources Fund Act (NRFA) in order that, the government must fully engage with both the opposition and civil society on amending the NRF Act, with the Natural Resources Sector Committee of Parliament available to facilitate such a process.changes to the oil fund

Tuesday December 28, 2021

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Kaieteur News

Jagdeo backs Dharamlall over attacks on judiciary …says I am not going to chastise him for expressing his frustration which I too share Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo is the latest person to add his voice to the commentary which followed the recent ruling of Guyana’s Court of Appeal on the Elections Petition case. The ruling which essentially paves the way for the opposition to challenge the outcome of the recent Regional and General Elections drew ire from some members of the ruling People Progressive Party/ Civic “(PPP/C) administration, including the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamalall, who publicly called for the officials to be relieved of their posts. In his comments, Dharamlall publically lambasted Chancellor of the Judiciary (Ag), Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Justice of Appeal Dawn Gregory for the decision, calling them politically biased “PNC activists.” The Local Government Minister’s comment was met with backlash from several individuals and civil society groups including the Guyana

Association of Women Lawyers (GAWL) which called for a swift retraction of the Minister’s statement. Dharamlall’s recent comments on the Appeal Court‘s decision to hear the appeal on the dismissal of an opposition election petition, has found the support of Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo. During an interview, which was shared via his official Facebook page, Jagdeo called for the critics to lay off Dharamlall. The Vice President in his defence of Dharamlall, reasoned that the Minister was just expressing his frustration. “In my opinion… It was impulsive but impulsive doesn’t mean unthinking. He is very passionate and I am not going to chastise him for expressing his frustration of which I too share,” Jagdeo opined. Jagdeo opined that Dharamlall is not the only one and noted that people are very frustrated about judicial unaccountability. As such, the Vice Presi-

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dhramalall. dent said that the reputation of the local judiciary has been brought into disrepute not just nationally but internationally. To this end, Jagdeo said, instead of critiquing Dharamlall, efforts should be geared towards changing the system to where the judiciary is more accountable to the people it serves. According to Jagdeo, “the question of the indepen-

National Flood Taskforce on high alert - CDC The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) has reported that the National Flood Taskforce is on high alert, following a series of flood reports in the capital city on Monday. According to the CDC, up to late last evening, sections of Georgetown were still inundated, as a result of hours of rainfall. “As a result, the National Flood Taskforce, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the Hydro meteorological Office, relevant Ministries, City Engineers and the Mayor’s Office, all Regional Executive Officers and the CDC are on high alert and are closely monitoring the situation” the organization noted. Furthermore, it reported that as of yesterday afternoon, all the pumps in the city were completely functional. However, sources who were part of an assessment exercise revealed that Durban Street, between Chapel and Victor Streets was the most affected area. This was so since road works in the area left the drains blocked. Other areas under water which were visited include Bel Air and Ruimveldt. The CDC assured that engineers are monitoring the situation on a 24 hour basis, while the NDIA has indicated

A section of the Capital City inundated yesterday that the Koker/Sluice will be open to facilitate better drainage. It added that the National Flood Taskforce will monitor countrywide reports and weather patterns will be ready to deploy resources and aid if necessary. Residents are advised to remain vigilant and cautious, and to report any further impacts to local authorities or the National Emergency Monitoring System (NEMS) on 600-7500 at any time. With more rains expected in the next few months, the Government of Guyana is rushing to spend over $200 million to clear city drains, canals, streets and alleyways in bid to prevent flooding. This is according to two ‘Invitation for Bids’ published on November 24th edition of the Kaieteur News. According to the Ministry of Agriculture public

notice, NDIA is inviting suitably qualified and experienced bidders to undertake the project, “Manual Monthly Maintenance (MMM) Cleaning (January to December) 2022, of Drainage and Irrigation Channels within Georgetown, Demerara Mahaica, Region Four: Lots 1-55). These works according to a total amount of its engineer estimate is to cost $199,356,020. Another set of projects, which were to be opened on December 14, 2021 are for the cleaning of Cummings canal which is estimated to cost $14,342,400 according to engineer ’s estimate, the cleaning of Downer canal which is expected to cost $16,140,000 and the cleaning of Ruimveldt north drainage and daily cleaning of trash racks within that area which is to cost $15,000,600.

dence of our judiciary, the accountability and its partisanship is now a global issue…We have seen particularly, post elections period, some of the weirdest decision; not based on law decisions in our courts…We recently saw a person who headed recount in the Guyana [elections] speak about this in a lecture in Barbados. But it is not confined to Barbados… And if people feel that the judiciary is not objective that it is biased, it has political preference. It will not just affect the individuals in the judiciary but it will affect our country in every way whatsoever; it will affect us on the commercial fronts; the transparency front when we are assess internationally.” The Vice President said, “clearly, Guyana cannot turn a blind eye to these issues;

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo. the people regardless of which side you are on, even if you are in the leadership of the judiciary, the question out there is how come we have such grave disparities in the rulings … if you look at the scathing remarks of the CCJ— our highest court—

they are almost in disbelief that such decisions could have been made. There is this view that the judiciary is partisan especially when it comes to political matters.” The Vice President, as such, believes it is time to explore a different model or system for the judiciary. “So the question is how can we as a country make the judiciary more accountable to the public? As the executive and legislative we have ways to be held accountable….” Jagdeo suggested a system similar to that of the United States could allow the people more liberty to speak on matters pertaining to the judiciary. “We should be looking at these models that allow the judiciary to be more accountable to the people,” Jagdeo said.

Over-seas based Guyanese pensioner arrested for rape of 13-year-old girl An over-seas based Guyanese pensioner, aged 55, is currently in police custody after allegations surfaced that he reportedly had sexual relations with—raped—a 13year-old girl, who he shared a relationship with. According to reports, after the young girl’s father lodged a report at the Cove and John Police Station yesterday, a squad of Law Enforcement Officers was subsequently dispatched to the child’s mother’s home. The child’s father and mother have been separated for some number of years. However, neighbours claimed that the man reportedly sent money to the mother through a local money transfer company; they added that the teen took a taxi on her own from home to pick him up at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). The pensioner is presently on a vacation visit for nine-days in Guyana. Today will make it seven days since he has been in Guyana. According to the police, the man was arrested on Boxing Day at 12:30hrs at the

teen’s residence and placed into custody. However, he is yet to be charged at the Cove and John Police Station and an investigation has been launched. Kaieteur News was reliable informed by concerned neighbours that the young girl was seen with the elderly man, on at least five occasions, two in October and three in December, when he visited the teen’s mother’s residence somewhere on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD). It was also revealed that the man had made advances to have a committed commonlaw relationship with the young girl and even promised her to deal with all expenses of the home. The mother of the teen is highly aware that they were sexually intimate. Attempts have also been made to have the matter swept under the carpet but the concerned neighbours in the area where the young girl resides, decided to take the matter to this newspaper to expose the current situation. Neighbours also stated

that the child failed to resume her attendance at school, ever since school re-opened for this term. This publication was informed that once there is enough evidence, the man could be charged for Statutory Rape. This was revealed by the Director of the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA), Ann Greene, during a telephone interview with this newspaper on Monday morning. According to the Sexual Offences Act of 2010, children under 16 years of age cannot in law, give consent to sexual intercourse and a wide range of other sexual activities. It is a criminal offence for anyone to have sexual intercourse with a child who is under sixteen years of age. The neighbours explained that the child was placed into hiding by a family relative, which was also to prevent her from taking a vaginal medical examination to prove if the girl was sexually active at a tender age. Nevertheless, the child was later found yesterday by (Continued on page 18)

Elderly woman’s skeletal remains found in home The skeletal remains of a 57-year-old woman, was found lying on the kitchen floor of her home on Saturday last by a party of police officers. The discovery of the body comes after her brother-inlaw, Compton Dyal, age 63, visited her home but got no response. He then summoned the police to the scene, where they discovered her skeletal remains in the kitchen in the

lower flat of the house, which is located at 106, Dr. Miller Street, Triumph, East Coast Demerara (ECD). According to the police, the deceased resided alone in a two-storey wooden structure and she would normally secure her home and remained isolated from her family members and friends. The condition of her health was said to be unknown, since she usually does not visit any health institution. The deceased

was last seen about three weeks ago by her neighbours. The scene was processed and photographed and the skeletal remains of the woman was taken to the Jerrick’s Funeral Parlour for storage. The home was not found ransacked and several persons were questioned and statements taken. Investigations are currently ongoing.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday December 28, 2021

Civil Society joins call Driver succumbs to injuries following Berbice car crash to scrap PPP/C’s revamp of oil fund …says time given to consider such significant proposals unreasonable A number of civil society organisations last evening, in a joint statement, have called on the People’s Progress Party Civic (PPP/C) administration to refer to a Select Committee of the National Assembly to which members of the public are permitted to make recommendations for its proposed Natural Resource Fund Bill. This, since “we consider it entirely unreasonable, even in the best of circumstances, for the people of Guyana and their parliamentary representatives to have just eight working days to consider the text and implications of undoubtedly the most significant piece of legislation of the PPP/C Administration.” The signatories to the joint statement include the Trade Union Congress, Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc. and Article 13—the Civil Society Group formed to promote inclusionary and participatory governance— to call on President Irfaan Ally and the Government of Guyana to delay a parliamentary vote on the Natural Resource Fund Bill scheduled for this Wednesday, December 29. According to the grouping “we note that this Bill was gazetted on December 15, 2021, and read for the first reading in the National Assembly the following day.” It was noted that a Natural Resource Fund, also known as a Sovereign Wealth Fund is designed to impact

positively on a country’s economy, its exchange rate and inflation rate and to prevent the Dutch Disease and worse, the resource curse, all over the short and long term. Indeed, the Act describes itself as “establish[ing] a natural resource fun to manage the natural resource wealth of Guyana for the present and future benefit of the people and for the sustainable development of the economy”. To this end, John Lipsky, First Deputy Managing Director, International Monetary Fund, in a 2008 seminar organised by the Ministry of Finance of Chile, noted that countries exporting nonrenewable resources have a challenge of transforming “such resources into sustainable and stable future income, compensating for the reality of volatile commodity prices and finite supplies.” It was noted in the joint statement that, “while our organisations have not had sufficient time to consider the full text of the Bill, we note the dismantling of the oversight mechanisms contained in the Act of the same name passed by the APNU+AFC Government.” The group argues that the Bill, as proposed by the PPP/C, “places the moneys of the Fund in the hands of a Board of Directors appointed by the President and that the Board reports to the Minister of Finance; that a Public Accountability and

Oversight Committee comprising of nine persons providing vaguely for nongovernmental oversight of the Fund is the body charged with reporting to the National Assembly; and that the Fund will be operationally managed by the Bank of Guyana, whose Governor is also appointed by the President. “ Additionally the group jointly lamented as contentious, “the provision in the First Schedule to the Bill allowing the Government to appropriate the first US$500 million in the Fund, 75 percent of the next US$500 million or US$375 million, 50 percent of the next US$500 million or US$250 million, and 25 percent of the next $500 million or US$125 million.” In other words, “of the first US$2 billion, the Government is permitting itself to take out $1.3B not including withdrawals for emergency financing. If the constant resort to the Contingency Fund is any guide, emergency financing will take up what is left after these set withdrawals. As such, the grouping “therefore calls upon the President, in accordance with the requirement of the Constitution, and especially in light of the recent ruling of the CCJ with regard to what is effective consultation, and further to enable his Government to receive the advice and recommendations of a wide cross-section of the citizenry, to have the Bill be referred to a Special Select Committee.

Over-seas based Guyanese pensioner... From page 17 her father around 15:45hrs. Furthermore, the mother was not arrested, and neighbours pointed out that she is currently verbally abusing her neighbours.

She said “Ize wam to y’all skun* man, must mind y’all own fuc*ing business sometimes.” They also alleged that the man had many other relationships with young girls at a

tender age, and which caused the man to separate from his wife. The police confirmed with this newspaper that an investigation into the matter is ongoing.

A 28-year-old hire car driver of Lot 86, Churchill Street, Springlands, Corentyne Berbice, has succumbed to his injuries, following a vehicular accident along the Bush Lot Public road, Corentyne, East Bank Berbice (EBB) on Christmas Eve day last. The accident reportedly occurred at about 07:20hrs along the public road, involving hire car driver Vishal Rabinchand, a 26-yearold who resides at Lot 18, Haswell Port Mourant, Corentyne Berbice, and deceased hire car driver, Ajya Caramchan. According to police investigators, Rabinchand was proceeding east, along the northern side of the road

at 65 km per hour, while Caramchan was proceeding west along the southern side of the said public road, also at a fast rate of speed and overtook an unknown vehicle which was proceeding in the same direction and ended up in the path of Rabinchand’s. This led to Rabinchand applying to his brakes and swerving left to avoid a collision but despite his effort, Caramchan collided with the front right side of his vehicle. As a result of the impact, both drivers received multiple injuries about their bodies. They were picked up in a conscious state by publicspirited citizens and were subsequently rushed to the Port Mourant Public Hospital

where they were seen and examined by a doctor on duty. Rabinchand was treated and sent away from the said institution while Caramchan was transferred to New Amsterdam Public Hospital for further medical attention and where he later succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment about 13:00hrs. His body is presently lying at New Amsterdam Mortuary, awaiting Post Mortem examination. A notice of intended prosecution was served on the discharged driver, subsequent to a breathalyzer test being conducted on him which read zero. He remains in custody assisting with the investigation.

18-year-old who claimed she was raped and stabbed recants her story An 18-year-old girl who reported to the police that she was raped and stabbed by a man, who took her out for drinks on the 24th December 2021, last, has since recanted her story. She is now denying that she was raped but that she willingly, with consent engaged in the act of sexual intercourse. Kaieteur News understands that the victim filed a report with the police on the Christmas Day, alleging that she had left her home unknown to her mother for an outing. She claimed while she walking on the road, a male

on a motorcycle rode up to her and began engaging in a conversation. He reportedly offered to take her out and she agreed and they both left for a local bar and consumed a beer each. The teen alleged that the suspect, subsequently took her to his workplace where they consumed a few more beers in the company of others and shortly after had forced sexual intercourse with her against her will and consent. He then allegedly stabbed her on her right side leg with a screwdriver after she claimed to have put up a

struggle. Following the report however, she was escorted to the hospital where a medical examination was done by a doctor on duty. On the following day— December 26—about 17:30 hours, detectives visited the alleged scene in the company of the victim’s mother at which point she then revealed that the suspect did not stab her with a screwdriver, neither did he rape her but instead she had sex with him willingly. Further statements have since been taken as investigations continue.

Norton points to conditions being laid... From page 15 oversight and then you have parliamentary input and private sector input on the board.” Further defending the changes proposed by his administration, Jagdeo said, “we have replaced this complex formula with a simple one— that any Guyanese, from a child to an adult—can now understand how much money will come to the treasury.” According to Jagdeo, with the proposed changes, “anybody at any point in time in Guyana would know precisely how much we would save. You not going to de-

pend on the Minister of Finance every year manipulating or calculating the figures.” Speaking to the removal of a 22-member oversight body, Jagdeo told his interviewer, “…imagine the Guyana Press Association was one of the oversight bodies for the oil and gas spending.” Additionally, he pointed to inclusion of that 22-member oversight body that the APNU+AFC had put in place as, “organisations that have openly demonstrated bias like TIGI (Transparency International Guyana Inc.) who was

muzzled in the five years when all the transgressions took place.” According to Jagdeo, “we replaced it (22-member oversight body) with a body labour, private sector and religious groups.” Adamant the amendments represent a major improvement on what exists, Jagdeo said, “we tabled it, we need to operationalise the fund so we can start; we have to start using the resources to build the infrastructure of the future for the growth of the nonoil economy for the creation of not 50,000 but 200,000 jobs in the future.”

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Test match continues... From page 21 in dribs and drabs but did stand in a semi-socially distanced huddle in the middle at one point. The Australians were unaffected having arrived at the ground at their normal time and begun their warm-ups in the nets. The Victoria government announced there were 1999 new positive Covid cases from 57,818 statewide tests done on Boxing Day. But the rules in Victoria are different to what was experienced in South Australia when Pat Cummins was ruled out of the second Test in Adelaide due to being a close contact of a Covid case on the eve of the Test match. Despite returning negative tests Cummins was forced to isolate for seven days due to the rules set out

by the SA health department. In Melbourne, close contacts only have to isolate until returning a negative test. Meanwhile, Australian television broadcaster Channel Seven had to completely replace their commentary team on day two in Melbourne after it was confirmed that one of their team had returned a positive Covid test. Seven Network Head of Sport Lewis Martin confirmed that the main commentary team, which includes Ricky Ponting and Sir Ian Botham are isolating and would not be part of the broadcast until they return negative PCR tests. Seven’s BBL commentary team have stepped in to fill the breach. “The Seven Network confirms it is responding after a

member of staff working on the Ashes broadcast at the MCG tested positive to Covid-19 on Sunday night,” Martin said. “The staff member was asymptomatic at the time of testing and has been in self-isolation since the moment the positive result was returned. “Seven is activating its Covid measures to ensure the health and safety of all staff, as well as the broader community, and is working in line with all relevant guidelines and regulations. We are working closely with the MCG operational team and Cricket Australia. “Just as the broader community is experiencing, we have Covid response scenarios in place to ensure the impact on Seven’s broadcast is limited.”

Tuesday December 28, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) The morning could find you somewhat worried about finances. Past reckless spending may be on your mind. TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Romance and marriage are always important to you, and today they're especially so. You should feel particularly warm, loving, and attractive, and matters of love and partnership should be especially romantic. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Today you feel especially imaginative, and you might want to try writing, painting, or composing. The past is especially appealing, so you may want to stroll through an art gallery or museum or attend a concert. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You're always intellectually curious, but today you might be especially so. Although you're usually idealistic, today your imagination is in full swing. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Your usually dependable judgment may seem clouded by emotion today. Perhaps you're unable to decide between different courses of action. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Optimism and foresight are important today, as you take charge of your life and seek new opportunities. Conversations lead to ideas for possible personal and career expansion, and you're likely to send out and receive a number of messages.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) New ideas and opportunities for advancing yourself financially may come your way today, yet this isn't the day to act indiscriminately or make any definite changes in your financial structure. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Today, you may feel especially sociable. You might want to look up old friends you haven't seen for a while, perhaps to release past quarrels or hurt feelings. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Your biorhythms may be low today, so you might not be feeling quite up to par. This could make you feel restless and a little blue. Most likely your malaise is related to stress. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Matters of love seem to be taking a turn for the better. Discuss your relationship with your partner. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Have you been thinking about remodeling or redecorating your home? If so, this is the day to do it. Your energy and aesthetic sense are high today. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) An unexpected visit or call from a friend could bring exciting news. You might decide to get together with this person and celebrate. Good fortune comes your way from an unforeseen source, but don't waste time wondering about it

Den Amstel and GDF... From pafe 22 Tony’s Jewellery Store, Daphness Foundation of New York, Ground Structural Engineering, Fast Lane Auto Spares, Bakewell, Pegasus Guyana, C MOBILE, Jim’s Variety Store, New GPC – Mr. Bobby Ramroop, Secure Innovation and Concept Inc, SIMEXTRA TRADING GUYANA, Superior concrete, Fitness Express, Banks DIH and Rose Ramdehol Auto Sales.

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Test match continues despite four Covid cases emerging in England touring party ESPNcricinfo - Two members of England’s support staff and two family members of the support staff returned positive Covid-19 rapid antigen tests before play on day two of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. The match has continued as scheduled after all the players tested negative with rapid tests although there are now questions about how the series might play out from here. Play was delayed by 30 minutes when the England team was delayed arriving at the ground due to the entire squad needing to be tested following the positive cases.

There will be a full round of PCR tests on the England touring squad later on Monday while extra precautions will be taken during play. “Cricket Australia has been informed that two members of the England cricket team’s support staff and two of their family members have returned a positive Covid-19 Rapid Antigen Test,” a CA statement said. “The affected individuals are currently isolating. The entire playing group and all other support staff have undertaken Rapid Antigen Tests this morning and all have tested negative. The England

cricket team will also have PCR tests today, and both teams will take extra precautions throughout play. Both playing squads remain unchanged. “There is currently no further impact on fans or other parts of the venue. Cricket Australia and the MCC will continue to monitor the situation and follow the endorsed Victorian Government CovidSafe Event Plan.” Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley spoke shortly after play began on day two and was confident the game and the series could continue.

The England players arrive at the groundafter a Covid scare. (Getty Images) “They’ll go undergo PCR tests,” Hockley said. “We’ll work on the basis of all the available information that we have. But certainly the medical advisers, on the basis of this morning’s precaution, they felt it appropriate to continue with the match.” New South Wales recorded 6,324 new Covid cases on Monday from 97,241 tests on Boxing Day. Hockley was

confident the fourth Test in Sydney, starting on January 5, was not in danger despite the higher case numbers there. “No, I don’t think so,” Hockley said. “I think we’ve shown that we’ve got great confidence in the protocols. They are increasing case numbers in New South Wales and in Sydney. We’ve got an exclusive property for the play-

ing group. We are flying there by charter. This is something that we’re all having to live with. So again, [we’re] just extremely appreciative to the medical staff, both squads, both sets of playing groups for adhering to the protocols which are designed to keep everybody safe.”The players eventually arrived and began their warm-up (Continued on page 20)

NBA roundup: Nikola Jokic helps Nuggets rally past Clippers Reuters - Nikola Jokic had 26 points, matched his career best of 22 rebounds and also contributed eight assists as the visiting Denver Nuggets rallied to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 103-100 on Sunday night. Will Barton scored 17, Davon Reed added 15 points and Austin Rivers and Monte Morris had 12 apiece for Denver.Eric Bledsoe had 18 points and a season-high 10 assists, Brandon Boston Jr. also scored 18 points and Ivica Zubac recorded 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers. Terance Mann had 11 points and eight assists and Serge Ibaka scored 10. Cavaliers 144, Raptors 99 Kevin Love scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds in his first start of the season and host Cleveland defeated depleted Toronto. Darius Garland also scored 22 points and added eight assists for the Cavaliers, who also were undermanned because of COVID-19 protocols. Lauri Markkanen contributed 20 points for the Cavaliers, who have won seven of their past eight games, and were coming off a loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. Yuta Watanabe had 26 points and 13 rebounds for Toronto. Chris Boucher had 21 points, D.J. Wilson scored 15 points and Svi Mykhailiuk had 10. Grizzlies 127, Kings 102 Desmond Bane hit two of his four 3-pointers in a thirdquarter explosion that allowed

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) moves to the basket against Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac visiting Memphis to snap a three-game losing streak with a shellacking of Sacramento. Bane paced five starters in double figures with a gamehigh 28 points as Memphis spoiled the return of Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley III and Terence Davis from health a d safety protocols. Davis had 15 points in 16 minutes, Fox 12 in 30 and Bagley three in 10 for the Kings, whose 25point margin of defeat equaled their largest at home this season. Bulls 113, Pacers 105 Zach LaVine scored 32 points in his return from a two-game absence and DeMar DeRozan added 24 as Chicago beat visiting Indiana. Nikola Vucevic had 16 points and 15 rebounds for Chicago, which won its third straight and avenged a 32-

point loss to the Pacers on Nov. 22. The Bulls led by as many as 18 in the first half. LaVine returned from the league’s health and safety protocols and was 12-of-18 shooting from the field, including 5-of-9 from 3-point range. Caris LeVert had 27 points and nine assists to lead Indiana. Myles Turner added 19 points while Chris Duarte scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half. Domantas Sabonis returned after missing one game due to a right-calf injury and finished with 14 points and 16 rebounds. Justin Holiday added 10 points for the Pacers.In other results: Spurs 144, Pistons 109 76ers 117, Wizards 96 Thunder 117, Pelicans 112 Heat 93, Magic 83 (Field Level Media)

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Australia put one hand on Ashes after England collapse MELBOURNE, (Reuters) Australia’s pacemen crashed through England’s top order with four wickets in a thrilling final hour on day two of the third Ashes test yesterday to all but crush the tourists’ hopes of keeping the series alive. After Joe Root’s bowlers rallied their team by dismissing Australia for 267, Mitchell Starc came within a whisker of a hat-trick and debutant Scott Boland grabbed another two wickets to leave England 31 for four at stumps, still trailing by 51 runs. Captain Root was 12 not out, with Ben Stokes on two, the pair left to mount an improbable rescue mission at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Even accounting for the fragility of England’s top order the pace onslaught by Starc, Boland and Pat Cummins with the new ball was breathtaking. “What they did again for the last hour tonight was unbelievable,” said opener Marcus Harris, who topscored for Australia with 76. “I can’t see (the pitch) getting a whole lot easier to bat on ... There’s enough there for the bowlers and if you’re willing to occupy the crease there’s runs there as well.” It was a dramatic end to a rollercoaster day which started with a COVID-19

scare in the England camp as two support staff and two family members tested positive and were forced to isolate. England’s players were cleared after rapid antigen tests and the match got back underway after a half-hour delay. However, the team face an anxious wait to see if they will be cleared after more thorough PCR tests on Monday night. BITTER PILL Whatever the results, England finished day two on life support after their batsmen again crumbled under pressure a day after being skittled for 185. Starc had opener Zak Crawley caught behind for five and number three Dawid Malan lbw for a duck in successive balls. The hat-trick ball whistled past the outside edge of Root’s bat, drawing a gasp from the terraces. Home bowler Boland then triggered pandemonium in the stands when he had the hapless Haseeb Hameed caught behind for seven and nightwatchman Jack Leach bowled for a duck in the same over. It was a bitter pill to swallow for James Anderson and the other England bowlers, who had battled hard to drag their team back into the contest after Australia resumed on 66 for one in the morning. Even at 39 Anderson showed he has lost little of

GFF/K&S Super-16... Den Amstel and GDF book semifinal spots Coach O’Neal Heywood’s Den Amstel unit continued their fantastic run in the 2021 Guyana Football Federation (GFF)/Kashif & Shanghai (K&S) Super 16 tournament with a dominating 3-0 win against Georgetown powerhouses Fruta Conquerors Football Club (FCFC) during a quarterfinal double header at Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) ground in Linden. Playing on Boxing Night in the ‘mining town’, the men from West Demerara were 3-0 up within the first half hour of the contest thanks to a brace from Keanu Laurence in the 26th and 28th minutes and the opening goal from Gideon Payne in the 16th minute. Already with a comfortable lead, Coach Heywood decided to play it safe and successfully protected their comfortable lead and booked their semifinal sport on Thursday. In the other match at the MSC on Sunday, powerhouses Guyana Defence Force (GDF) flexed their muscles to pull off an incredible come from behind 3-1 win

against home side Milerock FC. Denzel Fordyce’s 25th minute strike had Milerock flying high at the 45 minute break but the last 30 minutes belong to the GDF team that registered goals in the 68th minute (Sherwyn Caesar), 78th minute (Benjamin Opara) and 83rd minute (Caesar). Both goalscorers were second half substitutes. Both semifinal matches will be played Thursday at the National Track & Field Center (NTFC), beginning at 18:00hrs Den Amstel will play GDF in the first match, while Western Tigers will match skills with Police FC at 8:00pm. GFF/K&S Super 16 is made possible by the following sponsors: Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sports, KFC GUYANA, Mohamed’s Enterprise, MVP Sports, Dinars Trading, DDL with Pepsi, Gatorade, Diamond Water, Statement Investment Inc., HJTV & 94.1, Stars Party Rental, Namilco, Capelli Sports, Fireside Grill N Chill, Cevons waste Management, (Continued on pega 20)

his brilliance, finishing with 433 after dismissing Steve Smith (16), Harris and Cummins (21) on day two after removing opener David Warner on day one. “I thought firstly on the bowling front we did really well to stick at our task throughout the day,” Ander-

son told reporters. “We know that that last 12 overs was going to be tough with that new ball but even so, to lose four wickets was really disappointing.” Ollie Robinson and Mark Wood grabbed two wickets each, while recalled spinner Leach bounced back from his

Gabba horror show with probing spells and was rewarded with the wicket of Cameron Green, trapped lbw for 17. With holders Australia up 2-0 in the series and needing only to draw the match to retain the urn, Root needed his batsmen to hold on for that final hour.

But once again the skipper found himself strolling out to the middle after only a handful of overs, this time with England’s Ashes hopes on the brink of ruin. Scores: England 185 and 4 for 31 (Root 12*, Stokes 2*) trail Australia 267 (Harris 76, Anderson 4-33) by 51 runs.

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RHTYSC, MS Cricket Teams completes massive 2021 Christmas Outreach Programme- thousands benefits 7th Edition of Christmas Village, a smashing success... The Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club MS and its twelve cricket teams on Friday last completed a very successful 2021 Christmas Outreach programme. The teams and the management of the club led by Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster between the 1st to 24th of December, worked beyond the call of duty to make a positive difference in the lives of those less fortunate than themselves. The highlight of the massive programme was the hosting of the seventh edition of the very popular Christmas Village in the compound of the Rose Hall Town Primary School from the 21st to 24th. The village was held under very strict covid 19 regulations as per instructions of the National Task Force and was attended by thousands of kids and their parents. Among the numerous attractions were over twenty inflatable characters, two nativity scenes, 20 feet Christmas tree, Christmas Star, three toy houses, Family bridge, Christmas Chimney, Santa and his Sleigh, two large portraits for families to take photos and numerous children games. Foster, stated that the village achieved all of its objectives of providing relaxation, social cohesion among residents, promoting the true tradition of Christmas and attracting visitors to Guyana smallest township. Other activities under the 31st edition of the Christmas programme included the distribution of one thousand food hampers, seven thousands toys, one thousand special Christmas Packages, educational materials, cycles and several other items to less fortunate families. Foster stated that each of the ham-

Youths of St Francis Xavier church poses with their school items. pers consisted a total of eighteen food items and was mainly sponsored by West Indies player Shimron Hetmyer and his wife Nirvani with support from several other sponsors. The RHTYSC,MS used a network of over eighty churches, clubs, individuals and NGOs to distribute toys in each area of Region Six, while donations were also made to the Camaal and Cannan Children Homes located at Chesney and Port Mourant respectively. Among the organisations receiving toys were St Mary Anglican Church, St Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church, Guyana Development Center, Rose Hall Assembly of God, Deeper Water Assembly, Rose Hall Wesleyan Church, Suresh Sugrim, Indira Jafferally, Bethel Full Gospel and the Deeper Life Ministry. One thousand special packages including apples, wall nuts, juices, drinks, sweets and biscuits were

Donation of items to the Camaal Children Home.

shared out to families, while the Rose Hall Town outposts of the Police Force and Fire Service also benefitted from donations of the packages. Hundreds of senior citizens received a surprise Christmas breakfast, while $620,000 worth of educational items including school bags, exercise books, pens, pencils and rulers were shared out to 450 students, compliments of Imran Mcsood and Rena Amjad of St Marten. Fifteen youths received cycles to attend school and cricket practice, while the club also made financial donations worth four hundred thousand dollars to families to assist them to obtain much needed household items. One elderly resident received a financial grant to assist in the construction of a septic tank, while the town council of Rose Hall Town also received a small financial donation to provide a yearend bonus to its workers. Each employee of the council also received a

food hamper from the teams. The RHTYSC,MS also assisted the St Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church in a special way by donating hampers for every family in the church along with toys for every child. The club also presented church members with a special Christmas Gift while every student received two thousand dollars worth of educational materials. Members of the St Mary Anglican Church also received a Christmas gift from the hardworking and dedicated cricketers of Guyana leading youth and sports club. Among the other

programmes sponsored by the RHTYSC,MS during the period were a feeding programme, a two hour Christmas Concert featuring the Friends Of New Amsterdam Musical band and several churches in the Lower Corentyne area, and a one hour television programme with the youths of St Francis .Foster stated that the club cherishes its relationship with the Roman Catholic Church as it is the church which played a massive role in the formation of the club which is the only one in Guyana to have ever received a national award.

The club and its cricket teams would like to express its thanks to all of the donors who came on board. Foster, stated that the list is very long but he would like to specially expressed thanks to Mr and Mrs Shimron Hetmyer who donated $2.2M worth of food items for the hamper project. The teams of the RHTYSC are Poonai Pharmacy under 12 and 13, Farfan and Mendes under 15, Bakewell under 17 and second division, Pepsi under 19 and intermediate, Metro Females, VITALITY under 23, Namilco Under 21 and first division.

Eastman Hat-trick sends Police through to final four in Women’s Super 16 football Onika Eastman netted a hat-trick as Police trounced Bartica 10-1 to advance to the final four of the Guyana Football Federation- GNWFA Women’s Super 16 tournament on Saturday last at the Bartica Community Centre ground. Police took an early lead when Lakeisha Pearson netted in the 5th minute before Eastman stretched the lead in the 17th minute. Kirsty Thomas slotted home for the home side in 20th minute before Eastman found the back of the net five minutes later. Tiandi Smith fired home in the 29th minute and netted her second nine minutes later as Police enjoyed a 5-1 lead at the break. Jimmaica Hunte scored three minutes into the second half before Deekola Chester fired home in the 51st as Police continued to dominate. Nicola Argyle fired home

From left Martha Chance, Lakeisha Pearson and Onika Eastman helped Police to a sumptuous win. in the 70th minute before Eastman netted her hat-trick seven minutes later while Ar-

gyle found the back of the net in the 88th minute to crown a fine game for the visitors.

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IBA congratulate Ninvalle, ‘Shakes’ on return to helm of respective bodies - Kremlev optimistic of boxing’s development in Guyana and St Lucia

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resident of the International B o x i n g Association (IBA), formally known as AIBA, Umar Kremlev has congratulated Guyanese Steve Ninvalle and David ‘Shakes’ Christopher, on their return to the helm of Amateur boxing in Guyana and St Lucia respectively. Both the St Lucia and G u y a n a B o x i n g Associations held their Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Elections on Monday December 20, Christopher and Ninvalle returned unopposed at the end of the voting process. Kremlev says he remains optimistic about the future of boxing in Guyana and St Lucia under the guidance of Ninvalle and Christopher, while adding that he’s looking forward to meeting the two Guyanese presidents at the next IBA event. The IBA’s next event is their AGM and Elections in June of 2022, while the Women’s World championship will take place in Turkey. Ninvalle commented that, “It’s not a coincidence that we had our elections on the same day. Guyana and St Lucia work very closely and we expect, and we have schedule, and we will work towards making boxing better not just in our own two countries, but throughout the Region.” According to Ninvalle, by the GBA and St Lucia Boxing Association had their elections results certified by the IBA, as he explained that “The IBA has a mandate that you must send the minutes of your meeting and send the return from the returning office. So, it’s not that you have an election and that’s it; the IBA has to certify your elections. We will ensure that we both work within guidelines and the mandates set out by the IBA.” Looking ahead, with the GBA set to announce a new National Coach, Ninvalle said, the plan to host a series of events around the country, in their process to decentralize the sport. Ninvalle highlighted,

that the GBA plans to send a team to the Americas Boxing Confederation (AMBC) Championships in Ecuador in March, and their hope is to host an international competition in February. The GBA president, who is also Guyana’s Director of Sport, was keen to point out his desire of “…working closely with other Caribbean nations to help fast-track boxing. There are several Caribbean countries who would want to come here and have their fighters prepare, but we’re also working with them to have a system on h o w w e d o o u r preparations.” “I’m glad to say the president of the Trinidad Boxing Association (TTBA) is also very much a part of our developmental plan. Trinidad has some of the best boxers in the Englishspeaking Caribbean. That could’ve been seen when they won a bronze medal at t h e l a s t Wo r l d Championships,” Ninvalle said. He added, “Guyana, Trinidad and St Lucia, along with several other Caribbean countries, will be putting our heads together, in order to ensure that we have a developmental plan, that is across the board and to ensure that we do not work in a haphazard or an ad hoc way. It’s a collective approach that we’re having towards developing boxing.” First Vice President, Malissa Parris, daughter of Guyana’s only Olympic Medalist, Michael Parris, along with Seon Bristol ( A s s i s t a n t Secretary/Treasurer), are the new members of the GBA’s executive Committee, while everyone else would’ve previously served alongside Ninvalle. Major Gordon Nedd is the Second Vice President, while Carl Graham is the third vice president. Stacy Correia is the Association’s Secretary and Dexter Paterson is the Treasurer. Ninvalle, who is also a Vice President of the Americas Boxing Confederation (AMBC), had highlighted that seeing the

realization of the proposed ‘Home for Boxing’ is top priority on the GBA’s agenda. According to the GBA president, the location is still being deliberated, but a timeline of three years has been given for the

completion of the first-of-akind in the English-speaking Caribbean. The approximately $ 1 2 0 M f a c i l i t y, w h e n completed, will have a 20room dormitory, kitchen area, and a state-of-the-art gym.

David ‘Shakes’ Christopher

Steve Ninvalle