Kaieteur News

Major oil companies continue to mislead world on climate change intentions

…spending more on green PR and oil projects - says Int’l

Observer Report

Extensive analysis by five companies in 2021, 60 percent International Observer , contained at least one green claim, Influence Maps, has while only 23 percent contained

found that the world’s claims promoting oil and gas. five super major oil companies, Claims highlighting the someofwhomareoperatingherein companies’ support of, or Guyana, are spending hundreds of involvement with, efforts to millionsofdollarseachyeartotrick transition the energy mix were by the world into believing they are far the most popular type of green sincere in positions regarding claim,thegroupsaid. climatechange.

However, “none of the The US-based think tank which companies assessed disclosed the global network of industry example, to confront major US deployedinstrategicdevelopments provides data and analysis on how strategies that inform their public associations globally, which are companies on their misleading PR, intheU.S.PermianBasin,Guyana, business and finance are affecting messaging on climate change, nor highly active in their opposition to some of which were promoted Brazil, and LNG projects around the climate crisis accused oil the resources dedicated to related Paris Aligned climate policies.” despiteoilmajorslikeExxonMobil the world ExxonMobil’s majors ExxonMobil, BP, Shell, activities.” Using cost estimates The findings raise serious and knowing decades in advance, the operationshereinGuyanahavenot Total Energies and Chevron of based on the number of persistent questions for regulators dangers of its operations on the necessarily supported its low utilising “a systematic strategy to communications and media staff and the companies’ shareholders, natural environment, particularly carbonaimssincethecompanyhad portray themselves as positive and the companies employ, Influence as well as PR and advertising theclimate. committed to no unsanctioned proactive on the issue of climate Map’ssaiditsanalysissuggeststhat agencies, media, and social media Oilcompaniesthisyearrakedin flaring but did so initially all change” while there spending on the oil companies are spending platforms that work with the billions of US dollars following through its Liza 1 project claiming publicrelationsandenergyprojects around US$750 million each year companies. Influence Map noted high crude prices that saw them a faulty seal on its gas compressor telladifferentstory cumulatively on climate-related that as its analysis focused on the making the highest profits ever fortheLizaDestiny Influence Maps in its most communication activities In companies’ main corporate This has encouraged oil companies It was aided when the recent report ‘Big Oil’s Real contrast,only12percentofthefive communications channels, it to pump more capital into the Government placed a fee on the Agenda’ 2022 said that oil companies’ 2022 capital looked at the information sector ExxonMobil just days ago company for flaring which one oil companies’ commitment to the expenditure(CAPEX)isforecasted communicated in their North announceditsfive-yearplanwhich expert said acted more as an climate agenda was found “to be to be dedicated to ‘low carbon’ American/European relations it said carried “a sizeable increase incentive than a deterrent since inconsistent with the companies’ activities, the group reported Future research, the group in investments aimed at emission Exxon would still be able to make plansforcapitalinvestmentintheir “Additionally, none of the super continued, will focus on what reductions and accretive lower- severaltimesmoremoneyfromthe business” and that it was majors’ forecasted oil production messages the oil companies are emission initiatives, including its fee rather than reducing its oil “…misaligned from the detailed appears in line with the carrying to the Global South. The Low Carbon Solutions business.” productionperday policy engagement activities of the International Energy Agency’s Net company has so far made provided The company said its corporate The company has also offered companies and their industry Zero Emissions by 2050 (as of Q4 in the report, Integrated Climate plan through 2027 maintains an “inadequate” environmental associationsonclimatechange.” 2021), with several companies Profiles detailing each companies’ annual capital expenditures at $20- insurance scheme which experts Influence Map said that planning to increase oil and gas public communications strategies, $25 billion, while growing lower- say is small compared to the following its 2019 edition of ‘Big production between 2021 and policy engagement, and business emissions investments to massive oil bounty that have Oil’s RealAgenda’, its latest report 2026.” operationsonitspage. approximately$17billion. befallen the oil company and seeks to compare and contrast the At the same time, Influence Climate experts and other Apart from lower-emission partners in the offshore Stabroek public communications, business Map said it found that “none of the stakeholders continue to accuse technologies, the company did not Block. operations, and policy engagement companies have aligned their large oil companies of talking the say exactly how it plans to roll out The placement of this massive of the five super majors. It found climate policy engagement talk and not walking the walk on its low emission strategy It did say insurance plan is kept secret that across 3,421 items of public activitieswiththegoalsoftheParis climate change; a matter that however that more than 70 percent between the Guyana government communicationsmaterialsfromthe Agreement and retain a dense and recently caused US authorities for of capital investments will be andExxonMobil.

MARADsigns$1.38Bcontracttoremovewrecksfromrivers

TheMinistryofPublicWorksthroughthe However, the clearance of these wrecks, Maritime Administration Department along with the three (3) that were cleared (MARAD) on Monday signed a $1.38B earlier this year by Koole B.V. will allow the contract with Dutch company, Koole B.Vfor country’sportstobeofinternationalacclaim. the removal of submerged wrecks and The Ministry said the signing of the obstructionsacrossthecountry contract represents the Government’s thrust

The Dutch company is an international in developing and maintaining the industrial and maritime service and solution sustainable use of our ocean and river provider that specialises in industrial resources for economic growth, improved demolition, remediation, wreck removal and livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the maritime construction, the Ministry said in a healthoftheocean’secosystemreferredtoas PressRelease. the Blue Economy The removal of these

The wreck removal project is expected to wrecksiskeytoportdevelopmentinGuyana, be completed within eight months and will in particular, theVreed-en-Hoop Port and the covertheentrancestotheDemerara,Berbice, GastoEnergyprojects,theMinistryadded. Pomeroon, Waini, and Essequibo rivers, as Once completed, the wreck removal wellasoffoftheCoastingeneral. information will be submitted to the United

Subject Minister, Juan Edghill, said that Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) for the project is extremely important as “The similarremovalfromthenavigationcharts. country is advancing and it is, therefore

“These efforts are expected to garner necessaryforustomakeourwaterwayssafer renewed confidence for mariners and vessels for ships by removing these 17 wrecks thatitisnowverysafetonavigateourwaters. quicklyandefficiently.”

It will also significantly decrease the

Director General of MARAD, Captain insurance risks posed to vessels calling on Stephen Thomas, said that some of the Guyana’s ports,” the press release said. wrecks to be cleared existed since the mid- Further, the Ministry said MARAD is 1900s. He said that Guyana’s ports were invested in seeing all ports and port facilities previously viewed as hazardous to seafarers. inGuyanameetinternationalstandards.

Flaring aboard the Liza FPSO

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill (center) with Director General of MARAD, Captain Stephen Thomas (left) and a representative of Koole B.V after the signing of the contract (Photo courtesy of the DPI).

In five years solar energy will dominate –IEA Director electricity market

- Cites economic and environmental benefits

Two Brazilians feared dead as wave topples boat in Mazaruni River

-

4 others,

including Captain survive

By Renay

Sambach competitive when it comes to electricity generation Executive Director, of High oil prices make the International Energy biofuelsinthetransportation Agency (IEA), Dr Fatih sectorevenmoreattractive.” Birol, last Tuesday stated Dr Birol explained that that within the next five the acceleration of solar years solar energy is energyisimpressiveandthat forecasted to dominate the it is driven by solar electricitymarket. installations in India, China,

Two Brazilian Carlos Santos of Regent wastossedoverboard. nationals are Street, Georgetown, and 21- After being flung

Dr. Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA)

AtthelaunchoftheIEA’s EuropetheUnitedStates.“In new Report Renewables the year 2027, in five years 2022,DrBiroldisclosedthat of time, the latest solar and I by 2027 “Solar will be the amnotsayingrenewablesall king of global power together, only solar will be markets ” During his the number one source of address, he explained that at electricityintheworld.” a time when the world is “To see such a big facing one of the worst growth of solar is very good energycrises,ithasopeneda news for many reasons from door and shows the need for energy security, to economic worldwide have improved Governments to accelerate a benefits, from economic the competitiveness of solar cleanenergytransition. benefits to environmental PV and wind generation

Dr Birolhighlightedthat benefits,”headded. againstotherfuels. in addition to the climate The first global energy The IEA report shows commitmentwhichcomesas crisis, triggered by Russia’s that renewable capacity a result of transitioning to invasion of Ukraine, has expansion in the next five renewables, solar has great sparked unprecedented years will be much faster than what was expected just ayearago.

“Over 2022-2027, renewablesareseengrowing by almost 2 400 GW in our main forecast, equal to the entire installed power capacity of China today T h a t ’s 8 5 p e r c e n t acceleration from the previous five years, and almost 30 percent higher thanwhatwasforecastinlast year’s report, making it our largest ever upward revision,”itwas statedinthe newreport.

Notably, renewables are set to account for over 90 percent of global electricity capacity expansion over the forecastperiod.

On the local front, back economicbenefitsgiventhat momentumforrenewables. inSeptemberGuyanasigned “renewable energy is way The IEA examines the an agreement with the Inter- cheaper.” “In addition to, of full spectrum of energy American Development course climate commitment, issues including oil, gas and Bank (IDB) to utilise many countries have been coal supply and demand, US$83.3MfromtheNorway pushing and the key drivers r e n e w a b l e e n e r g y forest funds to build eight of renewables we are seeing technologies, electricity solar projects across the aretwonewelements.These markets, energy efficiency, country two new elements are turbo access to energy, demand

N o t a b l y , t h e charging the renewables side management and much Government of Guyana growth,”theDirectorsaid. more. Through its work, the (GoG) is also currently He further stated, IEA advocates policies that pursuing a US$2 billion gas- “Energy security many will enhance the reliability, to-energy project which is to countries around the world a f f o r d a b i l i t y a n d be built at Wales, West Bank see renewables now as an sustainabilityofenergy Demerara. Back in October, option to address the energy AccordingtotheAgency, Kaieteur News had reported securityconcerns…” fossilfuelsupplydisruptions that a 2022 report by the

Another driver he stated have underlined the energy UnitedNations(UN)warned is that the cost of renewables security benefits of against the US multi-billion came down significantly in domestically generated gas-to-energyprojectadding the last few years making it renewable electricity, that solar and wind are the more competitive than fossil leading many countries to ‘cheaper’, better energy fuels. “The high and volatile strengthen policies option for Latin American fossil fuel prices, gas, coal supportingrenewables. and Caribbean (LAC) m a k e r e n e w a b l e s It was highlighted too countries. competitive, even more that higher fossil fuel prices

reported missing year-old Dillon Perreira of overboard, the two missing following a river mishap 1421 Parika Village, East personswerenotseenagain. that occurred around BankDemerara. Savory further told the Sunday morning in the Savory told Police that Police that he, Dellon vicinity of ‘Looking Glass he was the Captain of a boat Perreira, Juarez De Morais, Falls’intheMazaruniRiver which left from Bartica and Carlos Santos swam to The only names given Stelling,EssequiboRiveron safety and were rescued for the two missing Sunday morning and was en some two hours later by a Brazilian nationals are route to Poppy Show, passingboat. ‘Japow’ and ‘Bartolomeu’, MazaruniRiver Savorysaid Efforts were made to Police said in a Press with him in the boat at the locate the missing but Release. timewereJuarezDeMorais, without success The According to the Police, Carlos Santos, Dillon survivors received injuries enquiries revealed that on Perreira and the now to their bodies and were Sunday at about 16:20 hrs, missing Brazilians escorted to the Bartica 27-year-old Assardo Adrian Japow’and‘Bartolomeu’. Regional Hospital where Savory, a Boat Captain of He stated that whilst they were all seen, Five Miles Bartica went to navigating the river in the examined, and later sent the Bartica Police Station in vicinity of the ‘Looking away the company of 52-year-old Glass Falls’, the boat came The Boat Captain is Juarez De Morais, a in contact with a strong presently in custody at the Brazilian Businessman of wave which caused the bow Bartica Police Station Providence, East Bank oftheboattobreakoff. a s s i s t i n g w i t h Demerara, 61-year-old As a result, everyone investigations.

Appeal Court upholds 28-year sentence for child rapist

The Court of

additional four years, which A p p e a l o n tookthesentenceto28years, M o n d a y was handed down for

dismissed an aggravating factors.The two Application by a convicted sentences were ordered to be child rapist to have his 28- servedconcurrently y e a r j a i l s e n t e n c e Meanwhile, in his overturned. appeal, Norton’s Attorney

The convicted rapist, asked the Court to reColvin Norton, approached examine the medical the Court of Appeal through evidence used to convict his his attorney Dexter Todd to client and contended, among have his conviction and other things, that the records sentence overturned because wereinadequateandallowed of what he considered to be forspeculationbythejury the inadequacy of the However, Chancellor of victim’smedicalreport. the Judiciary, Justice

In April 2018, Norton Cummings-Edwards, who was jailed after being found was unanimously supported unanimouslyguiltybyaJury by Justices Rishi Persaud of the offence of engaging in and Dawn Gregory, in sexual penetration with a reading the decision, said childundertheageof16. that medical reports

The charges against submitted as evidence to the what had happened. On the Norton had stated that he Court, clearly showed that secondoccasion,Nortonwas sexually penetrated a six- the child suffered injuries caught in the act by the year-oldgirlonAugust1and consistentwithrape. victim’smother 6, 2013. Norton was 19- “There was redness, The victim’s impact years-oldatthetime. swelling, and abrasions to statement said that she

According to the facts of thevaginawhichcanonlybe suffers from post-traumatic the case, on the first caused by something big flashbacks which she said occasion, the victim and her being forced into something has adversely affected her siblingswereleftinNorton’s very small,” The Chancellor performanceatschool. careattheirhomewhiletheir said dismissing the

The matter was heard mother went out. He raped arguments submitted by before trial Judge, Jo Ann the child and threatened to Norton’sAttorney Barlow who sentenced kill her and her mother, Further, the Chancellor Norton to 24 years in prison should she reveal what he made it clear that Norton’s on the first rape charge and haddone. Application to the court was sentenced him to four

The child feared for her denied because the court has additional years on the life but subsequently foundnoevidencetosupport second charge The confided in someone about hisclaim.

Colvin Norton

Kaieteur News

24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.

Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

Editor-In-Chief:NIGELWILLIAMS Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210

EDITORIAL

INTERNATIONALANTI-CORRUPTIONDAY

Guyana could observe International AntiCorruption Day every day of the year, and its

Governments would still be among the most corrupt anywhere. Guyana’s Governments and Guyanese Politicianscouldmakeallthespeechestheywishabouthow muchtheyareforanti-corruptionvalues,andtheywouldstill rank highly among the worst falsifiers and fraudsters in the world.

Prior PPP/C Governments, the Coalition Government, and this present PPP/C Government (the worst one) are as rotten and corrupt as they come, but still they all pretend at having clean hands, and doing what is beneficial for Guyanese.

Our oil is riddled with secrecy, which reinforces the widespreadperceptionthatchroniccorruptionsareatwork, and it is what stains the face and mouth of any Guyanese Politicianwhosaysotherwise. Publicworksprojectssuffer fromonesetbackafteranother,withmoremillionsbeingthe repeated remedy, but which only expands the corruption to deeperlevels. Thelatestrankexampleoftheperceptionof possible corruption at work involves the Good Hope SecondarySchool. Abuildingprojectwithaninitialpriceof $840Mnowrequiresanadditional$520Mtogettothefinish line. This same Good Hope School was scheduled to be completed in January 2020, yet despite four extensions of time, and almost three years later, it is incomplete. Even moreinfuriatingisthatthenewContractorshavetogetovera halfbilliondollars,orawhopping62%oftheoriginalproject award,tocompletetheGoodHopeSchool.

What work was done by the first Contractor for that $840M? What was done with the four extensions of time? Where was the Coalition Government during all this time? Who was supervising the project, documenting its lack of progress, and reporting the unacceptable failures up the chainofcommand?

Mostimportantly,whyisnobodyinjailforwhatsmellsin the worst way possible? How is it that there is never any restitution by nonperforming contractors when these ongoingfailureskeepoccurring?

ThePPP/CMinisterinchargeofeducationmadeanice speech about the June 2023 delivery date to the new Contractors, with her demands for quality work and timely work. Wehaveheardthisbefore,andasmuchasitishelpful to hear again, Guyanese wonder if this is not part of games beingplayedwiththem. Thatis,afterthesharpspeechesand sweatyposturing,theywillonceagainfindthemselvesinthe sameplace,ifnotadarkerhole. Aninterestingdevelopingin thisGoodHopeSecondarySchoolprojectisthatthepeople whoweresupervisingithavenowbeenawarded$520Mand sixmonthstogetthislongoverdueprojectdoneandhanded over Wesaylittleaboutthischoice,otherthanwewatchto seehowwellitwillliveuptoexpectations(andthedemands oftheminister),andforwhichithasourbestwishes.

Separately, we note that the International Community pointed to something that we mentioned earlier in this writing. InfluentialpeopleintheInternationalCommunity residentherespokewellofourstronganti-corruptionLaws, but also emphasized the need for strong action to be taken against the swindlers and scoundrels that litter our environment. We interpret that to mean court cases of substance, and penalties that put the guilty in jail. Further, we say what the knowledgeable spokespeople of the International Community are constrained from saying and goingtosomespecificplacesthatwecan.

Thatis,consideringtherealityofGuyana’senvironment, strongeractionagainstthecorruptshouldcastthewidestnet possible,andreelinfrombigfishtolittleones.

ItisourpositionthatthisincludesnumerousPoliticians, Public Servants at many levels, and those that both groups that they do business with, and involving billions in taxpayers’dollars. Inessence,Guyanahasspokentoolong, andhaswrittentoomuch,buthasdonethebarelynegligible afterthoseactions.Thisnowappearstobepacifiersandmore oftheacutedeviousnessbeingplayedontrustingGuyanese.

We have the Laws; therefore we must use them to the fullest. When we continue as before, then anti-corruption LawsarenothingbutacrueljokeonGuyanese.

Elements at GECOM are complicit in support of the wrong doing of the Govt.

DEAREDITOR, boundaries.’Thatreportisas authority The Order and its 3. Further, GECOM In a recent letter, I made accurate as any can be content are known to in its publication of the the observation that GECOM`srelease,however, GECOM, by its own voters‘ list has reflected the GECOM, which had been found it necessary to clarify admission. It is therefore configuration and media shy, had come alive. what are the powers of the baffling for GECOM, in its reconfiguration of Onthisoccasion,Iamforced Minister and concluded that Press Release, to state that constituencies as is the case to comment on what ‘regarding the recently the Minister ‘may have in the Yarowkabra/Hararuni occasions the lifting of gazette orders of the identified changes to those A r e a a n d t h e GECOM‘sveilofshyness. Minister, in which he made constituencies’ He either Yarowkabra/Lamaha Area,

Kaieteur News on changestotheexistingLocal did or did not In any to mention just two Thursday,December8,2022 AuthoritiesAreas,andatthe circumstance, it is not his GECOM is therefore published an article: same time may have role to identify or effect complicit in attempting to ‘GECOM agrees to use identified changes to those changestotheboundariesof contravenethelaw electronic fingerprinting at constituencies within the constituencies. What is obvious, is the the place of poll ….’ The Local Authority Areas, 2. As a matter of fact, complicity of elements in newspaper, on Friday, those changes made to the bothorder40and50of2022 GECOM in support of the December9,2022published boundariesofthelocalareas, carry the title: The Local wrong doing of the another: ‘GECOM rules and any changes to the Authorities (Elections) Government and GECOM‘s Local Govt. Minister has no electoral divisions within (Constituencies) Order foray into the Press to power to demarcate thoseLocalAuthorityAreas, Clearly this title, as the face obfuscate and buttress the boundaries’ These are two arewithinthelegalauthority of the Order, points to an wrong doing. These acts are important matters on which oftheMinister.’ order that is outside of the also perpetrated at the level GECOM had deliberated, The clarification quoted Minister‘s jurisdiction A of the Commission, when but in its usual manner did above is but an attempt to perusal of the orders clearly questionsareposed.Thishas not find it necessary to blindthepublic‘seyestothe indicate that they sought to been the case in relation to informthepublic. However, facts, and the infringements establish constituency the configuration of the when the media brought the that have occurred. Imagine boundaries, to wit, in the publishedvoters‘list. matter to the public`s GECOMusesitsrarelyused extend area of the previous In relation to the first attention,GECOMrushedto privilege to blindfold the To e v l u g t / P a t e n t i a article, the fact is that the give clarity and in so doing public. In this regard, the Neighbourhood Democratic Chairperson,byvirtueofher focused on the headlines of followingshouldbenoted. Council, Vriesland/Patosi vote, determined that the articles rather than the 1 In the penultimate has been gazetted as the 9th electronic finger prints, as a content. paragraph of its Press Constituency There can be meansofidentificationatthe

Inreferencetothesecond Release,GECOMcomments no misunderstanding. The placeof poll, can be utilized article,initstext,itisclearly on the text of the ‘gazetted actions taken specify the as an alternative form of stated that ‘Commissioners order of the Minister’ e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f identification, subject to the agreed that the Local Hence, GECOM cannot constituencies and their outcome of a feasibility Government Minister, does pretendthatthereisnoorder boundaries No such study not have the power to relatedtothecontentionthat authority is vested in the Yourstruly, demarcate constituency the Minister exceed his Minister VincentAlexander

Guyana’sImageislosingshineintheMiddle Eastandwith112AmbassadorsinKuwait

DEAREDITOR, 200 Pictures on activities, supported Guyana’s 3 Diplomatic Visas, and Esteemed Editor-in- UN 193 flags set on the Anniversaries at their neglect to inform Kuwait Chief and Guyanese, Embassy’s Walls, including Kuwait Motor Town, for Ministry of Foreign Affairs, AmbassadorDr Shamir,has Islamic Development Bank Brotherly & Sisterly by A ‘NOTE VERBALE’ been maintaining ‘back President’s picture, which RelationswithGuyana.50th and to all Ambassadors in channel’ contacts with the recorded the beginning of AnniversaryofRepublic; 25 Kuwait, that the Guyana GCC Ruling Families and USD $900 Million Credit years of Diplomatic OfficialattheEmbassy,will theAmbassadors in Kuwait, and Grant 2018/2022, all Relations between Guyana be away from Kuwait, as andamsharingthesedetails, taken down, and placed in a and Kuwait; and 9th Guyana’s New Ambassador to enable improvements box; Embassy’s Website Anniversary of Embassy in to Qatar, which is the from the Government of with 235 pages, including Kuwait. standard operating Guyana and Ministry of 108 of 112 Ambassadors. Carwas1of3Cars’Gifts procedure, BUT was not Foreign Affairs. Do care, Qatar’s Ruling Family who to the Embassy and Amiri done, and when Kuwait hencethisalerttoall. visited the Embassy and Diwan asked and was given Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The President, Vice looked for a picture he saw the Guinness World Record found out, they phoned the President, Minister of onhisvisitattheEmbassy’s Car for display at their official who was in Qatar, Foreign Affairs and website, which he found the museum. All in Kuwait and andwithinhours,theofficial Permanent Secretary are page was deleted Qatar Globallywereinformedthat returned to Kuwait, and aware of the loss of good RulingFamilyaskedforOK the “ winning car” is in the Kuwait Embassy staff was images at the Embassy in for the use of “Show,Tell & names of Guyana and toldtolietoKuwaitMinistry K u w a i t , f o r t h e Know” at few of Qatar Kuwaitandwillbeexhibited of Foreign Affairs, etc. etc. discontinuation of four overseasEmbassies,andOK at Kuwait Motor Town etc. The Kuwait Minister of programmes and three waspromptlygiven. (KMT) The PPP/C ForeignAffairsandMinistry unethical items by THE “Guinness World Representative in Kuwait, staff are all aware of this PPP/C Government’s Record”formoststickerson took the vehicle back, and gross Diplomatic error by representativeinKuwaitand a car, with 41,543 Unique removedthe41,543Unique Guyana ISLAMIC m o s t o f t h e 1 1 2 Stickers, in the names of Stickers Consequently, DEVELOPMENT BANK Ambassadors in Kuwait are Guyana and Kuwait, for Guyana’s Image in Kuwait with two inaccuracies for asking,why?why?why? 50/25/9>>>3Anniversaries and GCC Countries, Qatar, Guyanaontheirwebsite.

Recycling Program withaWorldRecordProject, SaudiArabia,UAE,Bahrain Government of Guyana Discontinuation, which was with, Al Sabahs Ruling & Omar, are at extremely top officials were informed used by Kuwait Ruling Families,KuwaitMinistryof low levels , for this “loss of in two emails on the two Families, Embassies, Foreign Affairs, Ministers, face’, by the Guyana inaccuracies, which needs BusinessesandPublic,atno Governors, Ambassadors Embassy,inKuwait. immediate correction at the charge for Show Tell & andSpouses.

Thethreeunethicalitems IslamicDevelopment Know” Guyana with over Kuwait Amiri Diwan , involves apartment rent,

PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd.

Rampersaud Tiwarie and Father Malcolm Rodrigues

DEAREDITOR, tradition of an independent continued by the Jagan an professional public was part of a picketing Guyana and election of the They were two peas in a Civil Service, I recognized administration. servant, Mr Tiwarie made exercise, where he along PPP/Ctooffice. pod Though they were that he must have been Based on conversations his contribution to nation with others were hauled Father Rodrigues’ left generations apart; one a unsupportive of the doctrine which I happened to be part building. from the picket line, thrown leaning politics brought him dedicated Public Servant, of‘paramountcyoftheparty’ of,itwascleartomethatMr May his soul Rest In into a minibus which took in close contact with Dr the other a Catholic Priest when it became a dominant Tiwarie was a dedicated Peace! themtoMochavillageonthe Walter Rodey and theWPA. who held strong beliefs in featureofthePublicService Civil Servant who applied Fr Malcolm Rodrigues EastBank. In the wake of Rodney’s liberationtheology under the Burnham his knowledge and wasaradicalbutapragmatic There,Fr Rodriguesand assassination, he along with I knew both of them. administration. experience to what he was one.Hecametoprominence the others were thrown onto FatherAndrewMorrisonSJ, Rampersaud Tiwarie was Mr Tiwariecametooffer doing at the time. He had a inthethroesoftheGuyanese the road again and forced to and Jesuit Priest, Mike introducedto me in the later his service to the newly long distinguished career in people’s struggle for social walkbacktothecity Hewas James kept the public 1980’s by Janet Jagan. And elected Cheddi Jagan the Civil Service under and economic justice. He instrumental in the informed through ‘The although he was not a party Administration considering Britishcolonialism. played a prominent role in formation of the Ratoon Catholic Standard’ about man, whenever he returned his years of experience in Mr Tiwarie served as supporting racial and group at the University of new developments that had tovisitGuyanafromCanada Public Service. The issue at Clerk of Courts in the East working class unity Guyana and the Guyana emerged following where he had migrated, he hand at the time, was Public Demerara Judicial District especially between and Institute for Research and Rodney’sassassination. would pay visits to the ServiceReform.Mr Tiwarie and later, as Assistant amongst Guyanese sugar Development(GISRA). During the Burnham Jagan’s at Freedom House, wasencouragedtomeetwith SecretarytoPremierCheddi andbauxiteworkers.Hewas As an academic, he dictatorship,acrackdownon headquarters of the PPP Robin Sivanand, the then Jagan’sCouncilofMinisters capable of balancing his servedasLecturerinphysics Catholic priests was Always neatly dressed and Permanent Secretary at the in the 1957 to 1964 period. ecumenicalwithhispolitical at UG, then in the launched Fr Malcolm well spoken. It could easily Public Service Ministry For a short while, he served andsocialactivism. Department of Natural Rodrigues, was searched on bediscernedthatMr Tiwarie Sivanand along with Dr under the Burnham As a Human Rights Sciences and Environment departure and arrival to and was a consummate Public Roger Luncheon were key administration in 1964 and Activist, Fr Rodrigues Studies. from Guyana several times. Servant although he had playersinthepushforPublic briefly in the post helped form the Arnold Father Rodrigues was a The police kept an eye on retired from the service Service Reform in Guyana. independence period either Rampersaud Defence key player in the him and searched locations manyyearsago. Public Service Reform was at the Public Service Committee. He was present establishmentin1991ofthe where they assumed he Moreover, because he initiated under the Hoyte Ministry or Ministry of at court hearings, and ElectionsAssistance Bureau wouldbefound. was a Civil Servant in the Administration and Education in the 1970’s. As without jeopardizing the (EAB)alongwithClairmont Accordingtoreports,his proceedings,didnothesitate Lye, Dr Makepeace name along with Fr in making his views public Richmond, Ms. Eileen Cox Morrison and Mike James through the Catholic andNigelHughes(Senior). ‘were known to be recorded Standard.

IamreallydisappointedinVPJagdeo

DEAREDITOR, barrels to each of two will argue with this result?

I take note of your lead partners (Oil Company and GoGisgetting5barrels–but article, ‘Jagdeo agrees with GoG). Technically no one t h i s i s Exxon that Guyana getting can argue with the statistics. technically/statistically 52% from Stabroek Block Guyana is getting 12 5 speaking 50% of profits. deal’, and wish to comment barrels – and that’s 50% of Twelve and half barrels in asfollows: theprofits. one illustration represent

Twoillustrations: (2) Assume total 50%ofprofit.

(1) Assume total productionis100barrels. In the other 5 barrels productionis100barrels,75 Inthiscase,90barrelsgo represent 50% of profit barrelsgoforCostRecovery for Cost Recovery Now the What leaps off the page into Remaining 25 barrels are remaining10barrelsaresplit yourface?Twelveandahalf considered profit and are evenly – 5 each to Oil barrelsvs5 split evenly – 12 and half Company and GoG. Who (Continuedonpage6)

Guyana’sImageislosingshineinthe...

Frompage4 respect, the PPP/C Affairs, will take steps to Bank’s website for their 57 Governmentisfailingbadly, correctthesesevenitems,as Member Nations, which is and time will tell, when, the all Guyanese will benefit beingviewedGlobally Investments’ promises, are from adequate, truthful, and Government of Guyana materialized. n o n - m a l i c i o u s isactivelyworkingtoattract These countries are with representationinKuwaitand Investments from Qatar, highly qualified staff, and theGCCarea. UAE, and SaudiArabia, but they do very thorough due Onward & Upward thesebadimagesbyGuyana diligences, peruse the toward “One People, One in Kuwait are known to nation’smedia,socialmedia, Nation,OneDestiny.” them. etal,todeterminetheirfinal Regards,

He along with others on in a Black Book kept at the Fr Rodrigues who was the political left, worked airport by Immigration once a teacher, played a with Cheddi Jagan in the which listed persons to be leading role in supporting a Committee for Defence of searched.’ major strike in 1977, at the Democracy (CDD) for a Fr Rodrigues will be Corentyne High School successful boycott of the rememberedforhisenduring where teachers and students 1978fraudulentreferendum. contribution to the struggle were demanding the right to From that period be became of the working people of establish a Student’s knownasComradeMalcolm Guyana for bread and Council The strike was Rodrigues. justice. followed by a wave of Fr Rodrigueswasfighter Guyanesefromallwalks sympathy strikes across the for unity and solidarity, he of life owe this outstanding countrylastingformorethan worked with other like- Jesuit and liberation onemonth. minded Guyanese in the Theologian a debt of Fr Rodrigues was Committee of Concerned gratitude. prominent in a number of Citizens opposing the May His Soul Rest In protest actions including rigging of elections up to Peace. picketing exercises. On one 1992whichsawthereturnof Yoursfaithfully, occasion,in1979,Irecallhe free and fair elections to ClementJ.Rohee

In the Islamic Culture, investmentsdecisions.

Professor Dr. Shamir A. the3KeysareRelationships, It is hoped that the Ally SABR (Patience) and GovernmentofGuyana,and Former Ambassador to Respect and with all due the Ministry of Foreign Kuwait2016-2020

Electoral Contrasts in Fiji and Guyana

DEAREDITOR, parties are (with one on occasional guest lectures voter fraud and whether the A nominal President, gains among Indians from Fiji goes to the polls on exception) ethnically based atseveraluniversitiesonthe government will accept the elected by majority of the thethreeseatswonin2018. Wednesday similar to Guyana. mainisland. outcomeifitloses. Parliament, serves as for a The official opposition, (Tuesday Guyana time). Governments led by or Cognizantofconcernsof As it stands, the three years term; there is no SODELPA,apartyofethnic Thiswillbethethirdelection dominated by Indians were the election outcome, the combined Opposition of term limit. The President is Fijians, will lose most of its since democracy was toppled by the armed forces head of the army and police several parties contesting Head of State while the 21 seats to PA. Labor Party, restored in 2014 after a controlled by ethnic have pledged to respect the separately is ahead of Fiji Prime Minister, Leader of ledbyformerPMMahendra militarycoupin2006bythe Melanesians Indians, vote result in response to First.TheOppositionparties the majority, is Head of Chaudhry,andwhichwonan currentruler,PrimeMinister descendants of girmityas, media questions. There is a haveagreedtocometogether Government. overwhelming majority in Commander Frank formed a majority of the strong media presence from toformaGovernmentifthey The President appoints 1999 triggering the 2000 Bainimarama Fiji also populationsincethe1970sin Australia and New Zealand. win a majority of seats to thePM.Thereare51seatsin coup, faces an uphill task to experienced military coups the polarized pluralist ReportersfromUKandUSA keep out FF A majority of the Parliament; 26 is needed reach5%.Nootherpartywill in 1986, 1988, and 2000. archipelago nation but have are also monitoring the Indians are backing FF to form a Government. The get5%toqualifyforseats. Elections are ethnically notbeenabletoholdpower e l e c t i o n s a s a r e

Since 2014, Indians have incumbent had 27 seats The USA,Australia, and polarized. They began migrating after Commonwealthobservers. beenoverwhelminglyvoting Members are elected for a New Zealand are worried The country is made up the 1986 coup and currently Going by projections forFFbecauseofpromiseof fouryearterm. about China’s growing ofmostlyMelanesians,some constitute under 40% of the fromindependentmediaand protection from racial Unlike Guyana, a party i n f l u e n c e o n t h e Polynesians, and Indians population. opinionpolls,theincumbent violence and a coup. FF has must cross a minimum Bainimarama Government. with a sprinkling of Chinese Hundreds of thousands Fiji First Party (FF) of offered relative equality to thresholdof5%oftotalvalid They have condemned and Europeans Indians of Indians have settled in Bainimarama is trailing the Indians general peace and votes to be awarded seats in political harassment and came to Fiji under similar Australia, New Zealand, opposition parties. This was calm in the nation. If a third parliament. crackdowninthemediaand circumstances as Indian UK, California, British alsomyviewinmylastvisit oreven20%ofIndianvoters Only three parties freespeech.Buttheyarenot Guyanese. Columbia,andOntario.This totheislandtravelingaround defect from FF, it will lose. qualified for seats in the taking sides in the election, There has been a recent writer did research among andqueryingvoters. There are growing political 2018 election. The same is fearing alienating influx of Pakistanis and Indian Fijians and their The Government is fissures among Indians of likely in Wednesday’s themselves from the Bangladeshis who the diaspora. extremely unpopular and v a r i e d r e l i g i o u s election with the possibility Bainimarama regime should opposition claims have Their culture, cuisine, faces the prospect of a backgrounds Indian of two more crossing the it win a third consecutive acquired passports for religious practices, and resounding defeat. It will Muslims and Pakistani and mark. If this happens, Fiji term Speculation is rife electoral purposes The traditions are similar to take some doing, including Bangladeshi migrants First may be out of about what will happen opposition claims recent Indian Guyanese Some creative handling of voting eligible to vote, are strongly Government. should the incumbent lose. immigrants are very close IndianFijiansaremarriedto andthecounting,forittopull supportingFF Hindubhajan People’sAlliance(PA),a There is a threat of racially with the powerful Attorney Guyanese and Trinidadians off a victory A victory singers were recently new party of ethnic Fijians, inspired violence. Indians General incumbent de facto in Canada, USA, and UK.A cannot be ruled o.Anything attacked by a Government and the NFP, historically a were at the receiving end of Deputy Prime Minister fewGuyaneseweresettledin can happen considering that Minister;thishasresultedin party of Indians with some all election related or coup AiyazSayed-Khaiyum. Fiji and a few African opponents and critics have some Hindus moving away recent cross over vote, will violence. FF has promised Politics in Fiji is racially GuyanesestudiedatUSPon been harassed. There are fromFF winseats. security and stability This polarized and political scholarships as I discovered concerns about potential Hindu voters seemingly The PA is led by former could cause disgruntled holdthebalanceofpower If PM, Ret’d General, Sitiveni Indians to stay in the FF enough of them defect from Rabuka,iscapturingthebulk camp. FF,itwilllose.Thesmallbut of the ethnic Fijian vote. The Opposition remains growingnumberofChristian EthnicFijiansareupsetwith confident of inroads among IndiansaresupportingFF FFwhichisnotmakinggains Indians and ethnic Fijians Like Guyana, Fiji has a fromamongthem.NFPisled andvictory PRsystemwithaunicameral by retired USP Professor Yourstruly, Parliament. BimanPrasadandismaking VishnuBisram

I am really disappointed in VP...

Frompage5

same thing – 50%. And, we accepting an extremely barrels.Thegaphereishuge. the citizens must be happy lopsided contract. Dr Jerry ButExxoniswillingtoargue Look, we are getting a Jailall over a year ago has Guyanaisgetting50%ofthe whopping50%ofprofit. said VP Jagdeo and Exxon profit.And,theygofurther- I am really disappointed are on the same side of this hitting us in the face with inVPJagdeo. He betrays no issue – opposed to the these brainwashing disgust to indicate this Guyanese people agitating billboards.The grade school statistical 50% is very foraFairDealcontract. kid would be fuming. Try misleading.The Billboard is ReverendCalvinButts,a telling him 12 and half intended to brainwash the Pastor in Harlem in the barrels and 5 barrels are the Guyanese people into 1980’s spoke out against misleading/brainwashing billboards promoting drugs and prostitution. Then one dayhetookabucketofpaint and a long paint brush – and painted over the billboards. No one dared to arrest Rev Butts.

Even the Mayor of the City and the Police Dept. silently approved of Rev Butts righteous stand for truthandmorality Guyanese people should emulate Rev Butts.

Take a stand for truth evenifyougetarrested.Itis civil disobedience. Gandhi says: Lies and wicked deception/brainwashing mustbeopposed.

Regards, MikePersaud

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

WHY THE FEAR TO TALK ABOUT OIL, MR. JAGDEO?

Why this determination on Jagdeo’s part not to speak about oil?

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

What is it that he is afraid of with this oil?

What could be responsible for Jagdeo’s nervousness, his anxiousness on oil?

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

What has Exxon done to him?

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

What is he doing for Exxon that shafts all Guyanese?

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

Why nothing on oil Mr. Jagdeo? Why?

BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

High Court throws out M&CC’s application challenging legality of Local Govt. Commission

The High Court has

ConstitutionofGuyana. oftheirinconsistency Government Commission dismissed the Georgetown

Further, the M&CC In a statement issued after the Municipal and Mayor and City Council’s sought a declaration that the Monday, the Attorney District Councils Act, Cap (M&CC) Application establishment of the Local General’s Chambers said 28:01,wasupdatedin2012. challenging the legality of GovernmentCommissionby that the fundamental issue

“The Constitution itself the Local Government Parliament by the Local raised by the M & CC in its is replete with examples of Commission (LGC) when Government Commission Fixed Date Application is one organ that is ostensibly the matter was heard before Act #18 of 2013 is contrary that, the establishment of a a u t o n o m o u s a n d Justice Navindra Singh last to Article 75 of the L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t independentbeingstaffedby Friday Constitution of Guyana and Commission, byArticle 78A another organ, as well as its I n a F i x e d D a t e isthereforevoidtotheextent oftheConstitutionoftheCo- functions being in some way Application (FDA) filed on of its inconsistency operative Republic of regulated by another agency March 3, 2022 the M&CC Alternatively, the Council Guyana, and the vesting of it This holds true for many sought several declarations said that Section 13(1) & (2) with a power to regulate and statutory agencies as well,” and orders against the of the Local Government staff Local Government the statement from the Attorney General and the Commission Act are Organs, and a power to Attorney General’s office LGC. The M&CC asked contrary to Article 75 of the resolve disputes within and said. that Court to declare that Constitution of Guyana and between Local Democratic

Judgment was handed A r t i c l e s 7 5 o f t h e are therefore void to the Organs collide with and is down in favour of the Constitution of Guyana and extentofitsinconsistency inconsistent with Article 75 arguments submitted by the 78A of the Constitution of Article 78A of the

The Council argued that of the Constitution which Attorney General and costs and the power to exercise Guyana are irreconcilably Constitution of Guyana is Sections 118 & 119 of the provides that Local

awarded in the sum of disciplinary control over inconsistent with each other; inconsistent with Article 12 Municipal and District Democratic Organs shall be $200,000 to the Attorney Local Government Officers that Article 75 of the of the Constitution of CouncilsAct as amended by autonomous. GeneralandtheLGC. as evidenced in Sections 13 Constitution of Guyana is Guyana;andthatArticle78A the Municipal and District The matter was heard on The Attorney General and 120 of the Local the leading provision and of the Constitution of Councils Act #15 of 2013 is May 23, 2022 by Justice was represented by Mr Government Commission should prevail over Article Guyana is inconsistent with contrary to Article 75 of the Singh who ordered that Mohabir Anil Nandlall SC, Act 2013 (No. 18 of 2013) 78Aof the Constitution; that Articles 71 and 74 contained Constitution and are submissionsbefiled.

MP, Mr. Nigel Hawke, Sections 97, 114 (now a declaration be made that in Chapter VII of the therefore void to the extent Attorney General and Solicitor General and Ms. repealed) and 118 of the Minister of Legal Affairs, Saabira Ali Hydaralie, State Municipal and District Anil Nandlall, SC in his Counsel. CouncilsAct. submissions contended that Mr Brendan Glassford Nandlall submitted that it was always the intent of represented the Mayor and the legislature sought to Parliament to repose Councillors of the City of alleviate any ambiguity as to authority in a LGC to deal Georgetown. their intendment of the role with all matters relating to The Local Government and functions of the theregulationandstaffingof C o m m i s s i o n w a s Commission and went a step Local Government Organs unrepresented. furtherandenactedtheLocal -

E-Networks rebrands as ENet

“Your EverythingNetwork”

E-NetworksonMondayannouncedthatit for changing the landscape of hasrebrandedandshallnowbecalledENetas telecommunicationsinhere. it prepares to make major moves in the Sinceitsformation,andparticularlysince telecommunicationssector liberalisation, the company said it has

According to a statement issued by the consistently raised the bar by introducing company, the rebranding represents an innovative,world-classservicesataffordable importantstepindemonstratingthebusiness’ prices, and bringing Guyana’s telecoms commitment to constant improvement and sector up to par after being neglected for the fearlessnesswithrespecttoinnovation. past30years.

Themed, “Your Everything Network”, The company also stated that the new, ENet’s branding focuses on the company’s improved look is a precursor to the emerging reputation as Guyana’s premier announcement of new services in the coming full-service telecoms provider, subsequent to weeks. the announcement of the country’s first 5G

Thecompanyalsoreassureditscustomers Mobilenetwork. thatitremainscommittedtoitscorevaluesof

ENetsaidthatmanyofitscustomersrefer integrity, performance, and excellence, and to the entity by this new name since it is the thatitisproudtobeaGuyanesecompanythat country’s only 100 percent indigenous continually impacts the market, using telecoms provider that has been responsible Guyaneseskills.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC

Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine

Queues form at fever clinics as China wrestles with COVID surge

REUTERS - People previously used to identify previous week Reuters warnedresidentsonSunday, restaurants. The number of domestic queued outside fever clinics travellers in COVID- witnessed similar queues sayingalmostallitsstaffhad Thatiswhyfewanalysts flights available across at Chinese hospitals for strickenareasfromTuesday outside clinics in the central beeninfected. expect a quick, broad China exceeded 7,400, COVID-19 checks on When such apps were city of Wuhan, where “Tryasmuchasyoucan rebound in spending in the nearly double from a week Monday, a new sign of the launched three years ago, COVID-19 first emerged not to go out ...,” it said on economy, as the glee that ago, flight tracker app rapid spread of symptoms critics expressed concern threeyearsago. WeChat.“Bethefirstperson greeted the abrupt VariFlight showed New after authorities began that they could be used for In recent weeks, local to take responsibility for relaxations was tempered home sales in 16 cities dismantling an apparatus masssurveillanceandsocial cases have been trending your own health, let’s face with uncertainty for picked up last week, in a theyusedtosurveilresidents controlofthepopulation. lowersincealateNovember thistogether.” consumersandbusinesses. movepartlyattributedtothe andcurtailmovement. In Shanghai, China’s peak of 40,052, official Suchmessagesappearto Yet China is pushing to easing of curbs, as people

Three years into the largest city which endured a figures show, however havehithomeforsomewho free up nationwide travel, venture out to view homes, pandemic, China is now two-monthlockdownearlier Sunday’s tally of 8,626 was saytheyarereluctanttovisit evenifforeigntripsmaybea the China Index Academy acting to align with a world thisyear,authoritiessaidthat downfrom10,597newcases crowded places or dine at whileoff. said. that has largely reopened to from Tuesday none of its thepreviousday live with COVID, after districts would be Butthefiguresreflectthe unprecedented protests that considered high-risk, dropping of testing became a de-facto meaning the end for now of requirements, analysts say, referendum against a “zero- measuresthattrappedpeople while health experts have COVID”policychampioned insidetheirhomes. warnedofanimminentsurge

Amedical worker in a protective suit collects a swab sample from a man at a nucleic acid testing site, as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreaks continue in Shanghai, China, December 12, 2022. REUTERS/Aly Song

byPresidentXiJinping. Nationwide, authorities incontagion.

The protests were the continue to recommend IncommentsonMonday strongest public defiance of mask-wearing and in the state-backed Xi’s decade-old presidency vaccinations,particularlyfor newspaper Shanghai and coincided with grim theelderly Securities News, Zhang growth figures this year for But with little exposure Wenhong, head of a team of China’s $17 trillion to a disease kept largely in experts in the commercial economy,theworld’ssecond checkuntilnow,Chinaisill- hub, said the current largest, that were among the prepared, analysts say, for a outbreak could peak in a worst for nearly half a waveininfectionsthatcould month, though an end to the century. heap pressure on its fragile pandemic might be three to

Beijing has dropped health system and grind sixmonthsaway. mandatory testing prior to businessestoahalt. In a WeChat post, many public activities, Lily Li, who works at a Zhang’s team said that reined in quarantine and by toycompanyinthesouthern despitethesurge,thecurrent early Tuesday will have manufacturing hub of Omicron strain of the deactivatedastate-mandated Guangzhou, said several coronavirus did not cause mobileapp used to track the employees,aswellasstaffat long-term damage and travel histories of a suppliers and distributors, peopleshouldbeoptimistic. population of 1 4 billion had been infected and were “We are about to walk people. athomeisolating. out of the tunnel; air,

The app that identified “Basically everybody is sunshine, free travel, all travellers to COVID- now simultaneously rushing waitingforus,”thepostsaid. strickenareaswillshutdown tobuyrapidantigentestkits

STOCKS,YUANSAG

at midnight on Monday, but have also somewhat China’s stock markets according to a notice on its given up on the hope that broadlyretreatedonMonday officialWeChataccount. COVID can be contained,” and the yuan eased from a

The app has collected a shesaid.“Wehaveaccepted near three-month high hit in hugeamountofpersonaland that we will have to get the previous session, as sensitiveinformationandthe COVID at some point investors fretted that data should be deleted in a anyway.” spreading infections might timely manner, Liu In the capital Beijing, disrupt consumption and Xingliang,aresearcheratthe about 80 people huddled in manufacturing.

Ministry of Industry and thecoldoutsideafeverclinic

But for the same reason, Information Technology, in the upmarket district of demand surged for stocks in was quoted by state radio as Chaoyang as ambulances Chinese drugmakers and saying. zippedpast. providers of masks, antigen

Chinese state-owned A Chinese government testsandfuneralservices. telecomgiantChinaUnicom official said on Monday

“P leas e protect (0762 HK) said late on night that visits to such yourself,” the management Monday it would delete clinics hade risen to 22,000 of a condominium in users’ mobile itinerary data per day, up 16 times on the Beijing’sDongchengdistrict

TheMichael Carringtonincident:

Unbearable hypocrisy

Peopleshouldnotdenytheright respectforSASODbecauseIknow neatly manicured lawns of the Eve transaction is utterly of a group to defend their members it has no intention of rallying to the Learypolicestation. harmless. and colleagues What critics, causes of other people who society Enter Michael Carrington. Mr Carrington wrote his letter analysts and human rights activists hasfailed. Carrington was a former Member on Sunday, the next day, I saw should do is to examine within the ThereistheBarAssociation.Its ofParliament.Hewenttouplifttwo noexpressionofsupportforhim context of the country’s life, the raison d’être is the preservation of hundred American dollars from by the Bar Association, the raisond’êtreofthesegroups. rule of the law and everything Western Union and was refused G u y a n a H u m a n R i g h t s

The raison d’être of any NGO associatedwiththewholesomeness becauseashewroteabouthisplight Association, Article 13, the trade or civil society group is not one- of laws, the constitution, the in the newspapers last Sunday, he unionsamongotherorganization.

wom enareafter Bysexappealhe dimensional. If that group chooses dispensation justice and the was told that under the anti money-

As a Guyanese reading this meansmaximumpublicity to concentrate and emphasise only practiceoflawingeneral. laundering legislation, he is a column in whatever country you

It is a plausible theory The one particular trait of its existence So the Bar Association and its “PoliticallyExposedPerson.” arein,Iaskyou;doyouthinkthisis picketing at Eve Leary proved that then it is utterly hypocritical and members went and picket the Eve Thatisadepravedviolationofa the end of the Michael Carrington the Ramkarran theory has efficacy shouldbeconstantlyexposed. Leary police station over the police citizen’sconstitutionalright.Ihave incident or there will be an The lawyers’ picket exercise was Let’s provide examples, no detaining a lawyer for 10 seconds. argued countless times on this page outpouring of criticism of what all over the media. It was given other entity in a country needs to That lawyer turned out to be a that financial houses do not WesternUniondidtohim? maximum publicity The event expendenergyonhumanrightsand privileged person because ten understand the law and are either If you think that tomorrow, carriedsexappeal. anti-discriminatorypracticesthana seconds is a cup of ice cream abusing it out of ignorance or hypocrisy will disappear from this Anyone reading this column homosexual organisation. LGBT compared to what the police do deliberatelyhasslingsmallpeople. land, then, you are not living in the and familiar with the decline of people face scorn, humiliation and other people that this columnist Context is everything in life. I real word. You see the Ralph Guyana’s collective character discriminationtheworldover knows about from his activism of have written on this page that the Ramkarran theory of sex appeal is believes that there is going to come Inthefaceofthisreality,thereis over5decades. commercialbankscannotapplythe relevant here. Umpteen times, I to the rescue of Carrington and a huge compulsion of LGBT The Bar Association has not Act to someone whose saving have explained what this theory is condemn Western Union? If you groups to defend the rights of all uttered one word, muchless ten, on accounthashadnoinputforseveral about. do, then you have not lived in people who society mistreats. In horriblylightsentencesinthecourt yearsandonlysmallwithdrawals. Mr Ramkarranarguedthatcivil Guyana and don’t know a damn Guyana, the LGBT organization is that cannot be justified under any In the case of Carrington, he is society bodies choose carefully thing about it; not even one thing. known as SASOD. It is my right to circumstances even the most not a frequent receiver of money which issue to highlight rather than (The views expressed in this article extendrespectorwithdrawrespect. generous sentencing guidelines from Western Union and on this looking at the broad spectrum of are those of the author and do not No government or organization There is so much wrong in this occasion the sum is two hundred issues to be ventilated He necessarily reflect the opinions or individual can tell you who to country about the dispensation of American dollars. Again, I stress; postulates that speaking out on and beliefs of this newspaper and admire and who to respect. I have justice but the Bar Association context is everything in life and in some situations brings sex appeal its affiliates.) absolutely zero tolerance and finds time to trample upon the this context, Carrington’s and that is what these men and

GECOM deliberation on process to compile LGE Voters List set for today

elector must be able to go to changes were made in terms Alexander highlighted the list of the constituency of constituencies based on that in 2016 and 2018 and to see if there is anyone the publication of Order 40 GECOM did what the law

The Guyana Elections based on Constituencies w h i c h i s t h e a r e a on that list who does not and 50. In those orders, required to determine the Commission(GECOM)will devised by the Authority, so encompassing what is called reside in that list in keeping Alexander stated, the demarcation of boundaries todaydeliberateonamethod where the Minister has Neighbourhood Democratic with the provisions of the minister sought to specify of constituency. He said the that will allow for the sought to make changes to Councils (NDC) or law about residency and to constituencies, which he has process the body used at the compilation of a Voters List constituency boundaries, municipalities and the objectthatpersononthelist. no authority to do. He said time involved Registration for the upcoming Local this must be undone before constituencies which are Thatwasnotdone;hencewe the minister has configured Officers and Political Government Elections any List of Eelectors are part of the local government have to redo this whole constituency boundaries as Scrutineers doing the initial (LGE). down up. Alexander said areas. “So, you have to question of the preparation in Toevlugt/ Patentia where work on the ground and This was explained by that GECOM’s last meeting, establish the local areas first of the list ” Alexander he added Vriesland/Patosi makingrecommendationsto Elections Commissioner, it accepted by all that the and the minister does that. submitted. He explained the and in Yarowkabra/ GECOM. Vincent Alexander when he way the body went about But having established the i m p o r t a n c e o f t h e Hararuni and Lamaha The Commission would sought to clarify the preparing its list was wrong local area, he is then interrelationship between Yarowkabra they have in turn determine what the demarcation of boundaries and needed to be corrected authorized to indicate how thepreparationofthelistand increasedthesizes. final boundaries are issue that has contributed to “by going into a process that many seats are going to be constituencies, “because Alexander said the latter Alexander said that the postponement of allowedforitspreparationas constituency seats. Once he GECOM has to use the locations did not exist as GECOMmustnotpretendas Nomination Day and could the law requires it to be hasdonethat,hethensignals constituencies as the basis local authorities prior to the if there has been no process also see a push back in the prepared.”. to GECOM how many for the specific list because last elections, so where the employed and are ignorant date for LGE polls set for He said that the law is contingencies should be t h e l i s t s a r e b y government has claimed to to same. For him, he said March13nextyear unambiguousaswhohasthe createdandGECOMhasthe constituencies,”hesaid. be undoing a wrong by the such an action is a GECOM recently power to establish authority to create those A l s o , a s e a c h last administration, “what “precursor” to any work on accusedAlexanderinaPress boundaries for local constituencies ” This is constituency will have a they have done is resize one the list since the list has to S t a t e m e n t o f government areas and that interrelatedto the voters list, personelected,GECOMhas authority and downsize the reflect the configuration. He misinformation after he told would be the Minister He Alexander continued He to identify the eligible other;andintheprocess,has said that, “GECOM has to this publication that the clarified therefore, that a said that “The problem we voters. interfered with constituency do its work,” that it has to go Elections Body agreed that constituency is not a local have with the list is that the So even as the body boundaries”. He added that back on the ground and LocalGovernmentMinister, government area. He said list was not extracted on the seeks the manner in which it the same has occurred with where the Mnister has Nigel Dharamlall has no that the only law that makes basis of local government will approach the list, Mabaruma which was made sought to impose himself, it authority to demarcate reference to constituencies areas and constituencies and Alexander said they have to a township under the mustbeaddress. constituencyboundariesand in terms of who has the therefore the electorate were look at the demarcation of Grangeradministration. Nomination Day which that it must now come up authority, is the Local unable to make objections the local authorities and the He said the government was supposed to be held with a process that allows Government Elections on the principle of constituencies so that the has sought to extend the Monday was postponed the List to be complied Amendment Act Section 38 residency.” configuredlistcorresponds. township which they can do following issues arising within the law Alexander (A) (4) and (5). “And 5 Local government

GECOM’s press release but has also sought to about the legality of the list. restated on Sunday that the unambiguously says it is election provides for “has itself sought to confuse identify it as a constituency The Matter was brought to law does not grant the GECOM that has to either residency,Alexander further the public,” Alexander He said that GECOM is in a the fore after the Opposition Minister power to change combine or divide the related “You must be chargedasitclaimedthatthe position to know the Political Party took the constituencies and insisted divisions for the purpose of resident in the constituency minister “might” have constituencies the minister matter to court. Alexander that that responsibility is creatingconstituencies.” of the local authority in changed constituency sought to configure and said the matter can possibly onlygrantedtoGECOM.

Alexander said that the whichyouareeithergoingto boundaries and submitted make corrections where affect the election date since Alexander in his public needs to understand voteorgoingtocontest.And that that was in his power necessary,hencethepurpose no deadline could be drawn explanation said that the difference between the therefore, when we have Alexander said that of the process leading up to up until the list contention is GECOM’s voters list is local government areas, claims and objections an GECOM is fully aware that thecompilationofthelist. rectified.

Frederick Kissoon

Govt. announces adjustments in salary for healthcare workers

Haiti receives first shipment of cholera vaccines

resident,IrfaanAli

$100,000, while Nursing

PCare Assistants will now o n M o n d a y earn a minimum of e v e n i n g

a n n o u n c e d Assistants will now earn adjustments to salaries of $115,000. several categories of

Midwives will now earn healthcare workers, which a minimum salary of he said demonstrated his $169,438, Staff Nurses will a d m i n i s t r a t i o n ’ s now earn $169,438 and Staff c o m m i t m e n t t o t h e Nurses Midwives will now professionalsinthesector earn $195,000, according to

The salary adjustments PresidentAli. are in addition to 8% salary

Haiti, with the support of sanitation, and hygiene and Research (DELR) the Pan American Health interventions–topreventthe reports 1,220 confirmed Organization (PAHO), on spread of the water-borne cases and over 280 deaths Monday received around disease. due to cholera in eight 1.17 million doses of oral PAHO is providing departments, with over cholera vaccines as cases technical and financial 14,100 suspected cases continue to rise in the assistance to the MSPP to spread across all 10 country implement the vaccination departmentsinthecountry

President Irfaan Ali

The Guyanese Leader increase announced last also addressedAllied Health month and will take effect Workers, announcing that from January 1, 2023, Pharmacy Assistants will President Ali said during a now earn a minimum of televisedaddress. $100,000, Dental Aides and According to Ali, Lab Aides and Community Medical Interns will now Health Workers will now $414,032. have a minimum salary of earn a minimum of

Regarding Medical $200,000, Medical Officers $100,000.ThePresidentsaid Officers, Ali said those with will now have minimum Medex will now earn three years, their minimum salary of $300,000, Medical $200,000 minimum and salary will be adjusted to Officers of 1 year of post- Pharmacists will now earn $446,160, while Specialist employment will now earn a $215,000.

Doctors will now earn minimumof$351,204,while President Ali said over $450,000minimum. Medical Officers with two- 5000 persons in the public

For Nurses, PresidentAli year post employment will health sector will benefit said NurseAides and Patient receive a minimum of fromthesalaryincreases.

The vaccine (Evichol) campaign,includingtraining “PAHO has been was provided by the of health workers, guidance working closely with the International Coordinating to identify priority MSPP to scale up critical Group on Vaccine Provision communities and potential operations to treat and (IGC), which manages the barriers, deployment of prevent cholera,” said global cholera vaccine record management tools Maureen Birmingham, stockpile, following a and risk communication and P A H O / W H O request by Haiti’s Ministry community engagement Representative in Haiti of Public Health and activities to encourage “Vaccination is one Population (MSPP, its vaccineuptake. additional strategy to help acronyminFrench).

“The arrival of oral slow down transmission,”

Haiti’s vaccination vaccines in Haiti is a step in sheadded. campaign is set to start in the the right direction,” MSPP PAHO has so far next days, initially targeting Director General Lauré provided over 49 tons of populations over the age of one year in Cite Soleil, Delmas, Tabarre, Carrefour and Port-au-Prince in the Ouest Department and Mirebalais in the Centre Department – areas in which most of the cholera cases havebeenreported,todate.

“Haiti has experience in Adrien said “We are essential medical supplies to managing cholera, but the integrating this tool into our support Cholera Treatment fragile security situation has national strategy, which Centers set up by national slowed down response includes surveillance, water authorities and partners in efforts,sothearrivalofthese and sanitation interventions, the most affected areas vaccines is most welcome,” social mobilization, and Materials include oral PAHO Director Carissa F treatment.” rehydration salts, Ringer’s Etienne said. “PAHO has “We hope this first Lactatesolutionandinfusion been working with Haiti shipmentwillbefollowedby sets, cholera beds, as well as since the resurgence of others so that the vaccine is non-medical supplies such cholera and will continue to availabletoallpopulationsat as fuel to support operations support the national risk in Haiti,” Adrien added. and water, sanitation, and authorities to quickly An additional batch of hygiene(WASH)supplies. distribute vaccines, monitor around 500,000 doses is PAHO is also assisting casesandprovidelife-saving expected to arrive in Haiti in theGovernmentinsettingup care.” thecomingweeks. rapid response teams

The World Health Cholera has spread throughout the country to Organization (WHO) geographically within Haiti follow-up on alerts, raise recommends the use of the in the past weeks. As of awareness about preventive oral vaccine in combination today, the National m e a s u r e s w i t h i n with other measures – D e p a r t m e n t o f communities, and address p a r t i c u l a r l y w a t e r, Epidemiology, Laboratories, WASHissues.

Exxon wants Court to strike down Glenn Lall’s application challenging tax waivers

-Lawyerarguescaseshouldhavebeenfiledunderpubliclawproceedings

A t t o r n e y f o r

“Itwouldbeunnecessary He said: “They say they ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, toentertainthisapplication,” were financially constrained Esso Exploration and he said alluding to the which I find very difficult to Production Guyana Limited overarchingprinciple,which understand since the (EEPGL), Edward Luckhoo, is set out in Section 21 of the applicant puts himself SC on Monday petitioned Judicial ReviewAct where it forward as the owner of a the court to strike out the states “if the court considers media house. They say they case filed by Kaieteur News that there has been undue were unable to obtain legal Publisher, Glenn Lall to delay in making the representation which in the c h a l l e n g i n g t h e applications for judicial context of Guyana, thought Government’s decision to review and grant of relief of an unavailability of grant massive tax waivers to would cause substantial lawyers is impossible to oilcompanies. hardship,prejudicetherights entertain.”

Lall had filed a case of any party…It may be Luckhoo added that the against the Government of consider it not appropriate to issue of tax exemptions, Guyana (GOG) back in convertthematter.” which is the center of Lall’s January to challenge the Added to this, the Senior Application, is one that is to decisiontograntmassivetax Counsel advanced that Lall beeasilydisputed. waivers to the oil company “Based on his own Lawyer, by his own the Judicial ReviewAct, if it hasnotshownanyreasonsin During his presentation, and its affiliates. However, submissions of the applicant admission, Lall whose legal is permissible and whether his application as to why the Senior Counsel Luckhoo EEPGL was subsequently [Lall] the proceedings team is led by Attorney, the Court ought to exercise matter should be converted cited Section 51 of the added as a respondent in the cannotmoveforwardbyway Mohamed R. Ali, has been its jurisdiction to convert the under the Judicial Review Petroleum Exploration and matter of private law proceeding disentitled from any of the proceeding to Judicial Act. Production Act (PEPA) On Monday, EEPGL’s because at paragraph 3.5 of reliefs sought under private Reviewproceedings…” He stressed that the which deals with the Lawyerargued,amongother the applicant’s submission, law Further, Luckhoo Application did indeed modification of the tax laws t h i n g s , t h a t L a l l ’s the applicant admits that he He continued “… The submitted that the Court suffer undue delay being withrespecttothelicensee. Application should not be has no personal interest in only issue that rises for your should not exercise its filed five years after the That section states that: allowed to proceed since it the reliefs sought and he is Honour’s consideration is jurisdiction if it finds the Petroleum Agreement was “The Minister assigned was filed erroneously under not directly affected by in an w h e t h e r , i n t h e applicant would be signed between the responsibility for finance theprivatelawproceedings. individualcapacity.” circumstances of what is disentitled to the relief Government of Guyana and may,byorder,whichwillbe Luckhoo asserted that According to the before the court and under sought. theoiloperator (Continued on page 16)

FAO calls for closer integration of Latin American and Caribbean countries to strengthen family farming

In the presence of 10 smallholders in Guyana and implement public policy M i n i s t e r s a n d through a portfolio of a g e n d a s a i m e d a t Deputy Ministers, projects to improve the empowering family Farmers

representatives of 24 livelihoods of family because of their key role in co u n tr ies , an d 2 0 0 Farmers, and the food and eradicating hunger and Delegates, the Food and nutrition security of their poverty and mitigating the Agriculture Organization of communities. effectsofclimatechange. the United Nations (FAO), The Farmers were

Participants highlighted together with MERCOSUR, supported by the FO4ACP theneedtostrengthenfamily the Central American Programme, which is being farming by increasing Integration System (SICA), implemented by FAO with investment and budgets to Government Authorities funding from the European buildnewruraldevelopment and platforms of family Union, International Fund governanceinLatinAmerica farming organizations, held f o r A g r i c u l t u r a l and the Caribbean dialogues on the progress of Development (IFAD) and Participantsalsoemphasized the plans and policies of the the Organization of African, that it is essential to direct United Nations Decade of Caribbean and Pacific States more investments to family FamilyFarming. (OACPS). farmingtocombatinequality

In a Press Release the The Programme aims to in the territories and provide FAO said two Farmers from improveaccesstoservicesto society with healthy and Guyana, Mr Javed Ishmael empower women, rural nutritious food produced of the West Berbice Sheep youth and vulnerable moresustainably and Goat Association and c o m m u n i t i e s b y Theeventswereattended Ms. Cindy Halley of the s t r e n g t h e n i n g t h e by Mario Lubetkin, FAO

Representatives of the extreme poverty to reach 82 capabilities to facilitate Central Mahaicony/Perth organisational capacity of Regional Representative for Organizations CLOC /Vía million people by 2022.” initiativesthatstrengthenthe V i l l a g e F a r m e r s ’ Farmers’ groups in areas of Latin America and the Campesina, COPROFAM, L u b e t k i n a d d e d , bonds of integration and Association attended the entrepreneurship, business Caribbean, Ministers from and the Regional Rural “collaborative work is solidarity event. a n d o p e r a t i o n a l Bolivia, Belize, Chile, Costa DialogueProgram. required to change this I reiterate: this is your Their experience will development. R i c a , a n d P a n a m a In his speech, the FAO situation, and this must be home”. ”We must recognise serve as inputs for national Theeventwasheldatthe G o v e r n m e n t Assistant Director-General led by the countries, through this meeting as an policy dialogues on the FAO Office for Latin Representatives from andRegionalRepresentative their Institutions, to advance exceptional opportunity to importance of family America and the Caribbean Uruguay, and members of for Latin America and the theirpriorities.” generate agreements that farmers and positioning Headquarters in Santiago. the Executive Secretariat of Caribbean stated, “Between He also reaffirmed the facilitate dialogue and the small-scale producers at the R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f the Agricultural Council of 2019and2021alone,hunger willingness to “continue design of differentiated center of the agri-food Governments, Multi-lateral the Central American figures increased to more working with Governments policies for Family Farming systems transformation bodies, and Regional Rural Integration System, the than 13 million people and and all Actors in the region, and highlight its role in the agenda FAO has been Organisations committed Institute for Agricultural poverty is projected to reach civil society, and academia, transformation of agri-food supporting the work of themselves to developing Development of Chile and 201 million people and w i t h o u r t e c h n i c a l systems,”addedLubetkin.

Javed Ishmael and Ms. Cindy Halley, two Guyanese Famers attended the event

Senior Counsel, Edward Luckhoo Attorney, Mohamed R. Ali

Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall

WANTED

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

Carpenters, masons and labourers required. Call: 645-9805.

Driver,salesman,portersto work in warehouse. Must haveexperience,attractive salary offered. Call: 6964444.

One experience accounts clerkrequired.Call:231-0363

Handyman,maid&malereceptionist for night needed. Call:225-9211.

Experienced crew (Jet, Maroc, Pitmen) and servicemen required for miningoperation.Mustbewilling to work through christmasandthenewyear Call:697-2533.

Nimbus water system are now Hiring porters. Apply with application at Lot 79 Albert and Laluni streets queenstown. Contact 6220445or685-7659.

Male & female needed to workintheInterior,ages18 years & older and one live in domestic to work min Georgetown.Call:686-2201/ 691-3942,674-9999.

One housekeeper needed ages 18-35yrs, must have child care experiences and livinginTimerhi/Soesdyke or Kuru-Kuru. Call/ Whatspp:603-0210.

Farm workers, clerk and admin assistant needed. PreferablylivinginTimerhi/ Soesdyke or Kuru-Kuru. Call/Whatspp:603-0210or email:tjjason52@gmail.com

OneDomesticneeded.Call Ameena:#226-4948.

Male workers needed for Candy Factory, $3500 per day.7am-4pm,transportation provided. Call: 6117839.

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

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

Head cook, assistant cook and kitchen assistant needed.Call:707-4788

VACANCY

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

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

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

Cook/baker,pitmanandservicemenforInteriorlocation. Applicants must be experienced.Call:615-0545or2312250.

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

Wearenowhiringsalesgirl & counter attendant @ Dian'sDeli foodoutlet,Bar StKitty Tel:621-7862/2253700/225-6478.

VacancyatPeople'sChoice kitchen for experinced cooks, pastry maker & kitchenassistant.Call:6799449

Masons, labourerscarpenters & skilled men, wages $7,000-$10,000perday& Labourer5-6Kperday.Call: 650-1394,692-7110.

$23M more to be spent on new $69M Wales Fire Station

The Ministry of Home Affairs will be spending an additional $23M on infrastructural works on the WalesFireStation,WestBank Demerara (WBD) that is currently being constructed.

Theoriginalcontractsum was $69M. Following competitive bidding for the project, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB)officeonitswebsite revealed that a $23,925,513 contract has been awarded to NK Engineering Service to complete the infrastructural works. The project was estimated to cost $27.5M according to the Ministry’s Engineer

The Contractor won the contract ahead of 15 others. Kaieteur News had reported thatthenewfirestationwhich willbenefitresidentsofWales and surrounding communities on the WBD is being constructed by AYN Construction to the tune of $69,080,354. The new fire Station when completed will facilitatetheexpansionofthe Emergency Medical Service (EMS) to the West Bank area

FOR RENT

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

Twobedroomapartmentfor rent on E.C.D. Call: 6296237.

Two & three bedrooms furnished apt in Diamond and 3 bedroom upstairs and downstairs apt @ Vreed-en-hoop.Call: 6046664or682-6238.

and will house two fire tenders and one EMS ambulance.

During the contract signingbackinJune,Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn had noted the importanceofthefirestation at Wales.

He had explained that “Other than paying attention tosomeoftheneedsatWales itself,wearecognizantofthe impendingconstructionofan industrial estate there, the gas-to-shore project and the

resulting manufacturing and power engineering projects whichwillbeatthefootprint, so we want to be ahead of Wales.”

Meanwhile, along with the works for Wales Fire Station, NPTAB also awarded contracts for a number of other projects for thatMinistry.VASGlobalhas beenawardeda$21,525,987 contract to complete infrastructural works at the Providence Police Station. That police station was

recently reconstructed by A.Orgasein and Sons Construction to the tune of $65,240,320.

Similarly,BuildersSupply has been awarded a $19,518,425 contract to undertake infrastructural works to the recently built $59M Ruimveldt Police Station while K&J Persaud Construction Service was awarded an $82,997,400 contract to build a Police Station at Tuschen, Region Three.

Exxon wants Court to strike down Glenn...

From page 15 subject to affirmative action of the national assembly, directthatanyorallofthewritten laws mentioned in subsection (2) shall not apply to, or in relation to, a licensee where a licensee has entered into a production sharing agreement with the GovernmentofGuyana.”

ensee” as defined by the Petroleum Act refers only to EssoExplorationandProductionGuyanaLimited(EEPGL), CNOOCNEXENPetroleum Guyana Limited and Hess GuyanaExplorationLimited and not to any other person.

questions surrounding the points raised by EEPGL (the contractor).

SERVICES

Repair & install fridge, freezer,washer&dryer,AC units, stove, etc. Whatsapp/ Call:637-4927,654-9511or 683-8734.

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

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

VEHICLESFORSALE

DAFCF85DoubleAxleTwin SteerDumpTrucksforsale. $9Mileachnegotiable.Call: 658-9008forinquiries.

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

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

HenotedthatwhileLall’s argument is that the PEPA shouldbelimitedtoExxonand its subsidiary, the law does not expressly state to whom the benefactors are when it mentions the words, “in relation to.”

Among the grounds, Lall lists his main contention as the provisions of the agreement violate the Petroleum Act, by purporting to extend production sharing concessions to persons other than those licenced. Against this background, he argues that anyexemptionsreferredtoin Article15PetroleumExplorationandProductionAct,purportingtoextendconcessions to persons other than the licenseesarenotconsistentwith the provisions of Act.

He contends that “lic-

LallthroughhisAttorney has asked the Court to make a declaration that bringing the agreement into force that the tax waiver must apply only to licensees.

On the issue of discrimination, Lall argues that the Agreement “is discriminatory to Guyanese employees by exempting from personal income tax income earned onlybyexpatriateemployees of the contractor, affiliated companies or non-resident sub-contractors who are physicallypresentinGuyana for 183 days or less on a cumulativebasisinthetaxyear of assessment.” However, Luckhoo contends that the law should be interpreted to mean that the concessions and waivers may be given to persons with sufficient connection to the licensee.

He submitted that Lall’s legal team failed to address

The Senior Counsel said thatwhileLallischallenging the use of PEPAby claiming that it is ultra vires of the Financial Administration (and Audit)Act (FAA), “There is no definition of a tax act withinthecontextof[our]legislation…” then the sections ofPEPAthataddresstaxmodification ought to be deemed astaxlaw

Luckhoo, who represents EEPGL along with Senior CounselAndrewPollard,was onlyLawyertomakeoralpresentations in the case before Justice Nareshwar Harnanan on Monday

Lall’slawyer,MohamedR AliaswellasLawyersrepresenting the Government led by Attorney General and MinisterofLegalAffairs,Anil Nandlall,SCdeclinedtomake oralsubmissionsbutreliedon the information previously submitted to the court.

The case which seeks to overturn the expansive tax provisions granted to the oil companies is now set for rulinginFebruary2023.

The newly built Providence Police Station.

The recently constructed Ruimveldt Police Station.

Govt. a no-show at PAC for third consecutive week

- Opposition says Committee’s efforts stymied

Fo r t h e t h i r d widespread allegations of Further, the Opposition their mere non-attendance, consecutive week, massive corruption at the members said that they the PPP will stymie the G o v e r n m e n t Ministries of Public Works, intend to notify the functioning of the PAC

Representatives Agriculture, Home Affairs, Diplomatic community and rendering it impotent and who sit on the Public Culture, Youth and Sports, Parliamentary organisations non-functional,”hesaid. Accounts Committee (PAC) Health, Education, Natural ofthisdevelopment. N o t w i t h s t a n d i n g were a no-show for Resources, Parliamentary

Meanwhile,inAprilPAC Figueira’s objections, on scheduledmeetings. Affairs and Governance, Chairman and Opposition April 13, 2022 the

In a Press Release, Foreign Affairs, Housing Member of Parliament Government used its one m e m b e r s o f t h e A and Water, Finance, Human (MP), Jermaine Figueira seat majority to pass the Partnership For National Services and Social Security had opposed a Motion Motion in the National Unity +Alliance For Change and Regions 1 to 10, the submitted by Minister of Assembly (APNU+AFC) said that the country and people of Governance Gail Teixeira As Figueira predicted, workofthePACcontinuesto Guyana are left with no to change the quorum from the PAC meetings have been suffer due to the continued answer, no accountability three to five members – two postponed on more than six absence of the Government and no transparency with members each from the occasions due to the absence membersoftheCommittee. thisPPP/CGovernment.” Government and Opposition ofthePPP/Cmembers. “ M o n d a y , 1 2 t h The Opposition said the and the Speaker or Deputy December, 2022 marks the absence of the PPP/C Speaker serving as thirdconsecutiveMondayof Government members at the Chairman, as is the case of no meeting of the PAC since PAC clearly illustrates total t h e P a r l i a m e n t a r y the resumption from recess disrespect for accountability ManagementCommittee. of the National Assembly andtransparency

Figueira objected on the due to the absence of a “The PPP/C’s continued ground that the proposed quorum. absence from the PAC is change would stymie the The sixth Monday of no clear evidence of the work of the Committee and PAC since the passage of a breaking down of the more over prevent the motion to change the g u a r d r a i l s o f o u r C o m m i t t e e f r o m composition of a quorum for democracy,” the Press scrutinising Government the PAC,” the Press Release Release said noting that expenditure. said. efforts will continue to fight “We in the APNU+AFC Further, the Opposition for accountability and are confident that the effect s a i d t h a t “ A m i d s t transparency ofthisMotionwillbethatby

Vendors in front GPHC given final warning to move

Government has Vendors seven days to trying to enter the gates at issued a final vacatethearea. GPHCandfromthevehicles

n o t i c e t o “Vendors are being parking indiscriminately, to vendors who are occupying reminded that the seven-day these vending stalls taking spaces along New Market period has expired and up the parapets in its way, Street, betweenThomas and teamsfromtheMinistrywill we cannot allow this to East Streets, to remove all begin the removal process continue,” Minister Edghill erected makeshift stalls, today, Monday, December noted. sheds, carts, caravans, 12,2022,”thenoticesated. The New Market Street motor vehicles, and other According to the Vendors are urged to receptacles used for Minister of Public Works, remove all makeshift stalls, vending. Juan Edghill, has reiterated sheds, carts, caravans, or T h e s e v e n d o r s , that this type of illicit other receptacles used for according to the previous activity can no longer be vending or have these notice have been impeding tolerated as vending in this removed by the Ministry’s the smooth flow of traffic in area is causing serious team the vicinity of the traffic hazards and With the latter choice, Georgetown Public congestion. the Ministry will not be Hospital Corporation “Health and safety must responsible for any damage (GPHC), the main public be a priority for all or loss when these health institution in the Guyanese, we have to try encumbrancesareremoved. country, the Ministry of harder and we have to be The Minister of Public PublicWorkssaid. conscious of what is right Works, and by extension the The Ministry of Public practiceandwhatisawrong Government of Guyana is Works added that it would practice, there are times urging full compliance with have served ‘Violation ambulances and other the order to ensure an Notices’ prior, giving the emergency vehicles will be uninterruptedprocess.

‘Scrawly’ gets 14 years for killing...

From page 12

BramdeohadreportedlychasedBradford was reportedly stabbed to death after he for some distance before the injured man physicallyassaultedBramdeo’sdaughter collapsed and uttered to nearby witnesses “Is It was reported that when Bramdeo saw Scrawlyjukme.” Bradfordwasrushedtothe Bradford assaulting his daughter he West Demerara Regional Hospital before he intervened and this led to him stabbing was transferred to Georgetown Public Bradfordtotheback,stomachandarmpit. HospitalCorporationwherehesuccumbed.

PAC Chairman, Jermaine Figueira

WorldCup2022:Messi,France,Morocco’shistory-makers - the themes of the semi-finals

BBC Sport - Saturday’s defeat by France means the World Cup dream is over for England.

But four teamsArgentina, Croatia, France and Morocco - remain in Qatar,eachstillhopingtolift the trophy in a week’s time.

It is a semi-final line-up few could have predicted, but one with plenty of intriguing storylines which could play out over the coming days...

Is this Messi’s moment?

The most obvious semifinal subplot surrounds LionelMessiandwhetherthe Argentina superstar can win the World Cup for the first time.

Messihashadaglittering career, winning 10 Spanish league titles, another in France, four Champions Leagues, the 2021 Copa America and a record seven Ballond’Orawards-givento the world’s best player each

year

But, unlike other all-time greats, such as Brazil’s Pele or Argentina’s Diego Maradona, the 35-year-old has not been able to win the sport’s biggest prize.

It is 36 years since Argentina,runners-upin2014 with Messi, were led by Maradona to their last World Cupwin.

Could Messi repeat the feat-andindoingsoperhaps secure his legacy as the

greatest of them all?

More to cheer for Morocco?

Morocco have already made history

They are the firstAfrican team, and the first Arab side fromacountrywithaMuslim majority,toreachasemi-final of a World Cup.

Despite having an experienced squad with a number of high-profile players, such as Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech and Paris StGermain’sAchrafHakimi,the Atlas Lions have defied expectation to reach this stage.

They topped a group including Croatia and Belgium, before beating Spain in the last 16 and Portugalinthequarter-finals.

Their success has been built around their steely defence and relentless workrate.Nooppositionplayerhas scored against Morocco so far in Qatar - they have conceded just once, an own goal against Canada.

They have also been one of the most passionately supported teams during the tournament.

Organisers have said this World Cup is not just about

Qatar, but is for the Middle EastregionandMuslimsasa whole.Couldtheyhavemore to cheer on Tuesday?

Can France go back to back?

But standing in Morocco’swayareanotherof Europe’s best sides, France.

LesBleusaretryingtodo what no-one has managed since Brazil 60 years ago in 1962-successfullydefendthe men’sWorldCup.

Infact,inrecentyearsthe holders have struggled. Italy, Spain and Germany have all exited early as reigning champions over the past 12 years, but France have banished that curse.

Saturday’s win over England meant they became the first defending champions since Brazil, in 1998,toreachthesemi-finals.

Tuesday December 13, 2022

ARIES (Mar.21–Apr.19)

You should enjoy a good mood today, Aries, and you will find that things will go wellforyouingeneral.Perhaps the only sticky situation that could arise is one that stems from an aggressive approach.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Circumstances of the day may result in some tricky situations for you, Taurus. You could be caught between a rock and a hard place. The instinct to make war or peace with any given issueismakingyourestless.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

Things should go well for youtoday,Gemini.Yourromanticnatureispiqued.You will find that an aggressive approachtowardyourloved one is just what's needed to jump-start the relationship.

CANCER(June21–July22)

Stand up and take action, Cancer. Forces may be pulling on you from all angles, and your challenge willbetomaintainahealthy balanceamongallofthem.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

You will find that you relate very well to others today, Leo, and your communication will prove to be quite valuable.Youmayfindyourselfinthepositionofarbiter simply

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

A friend or colleague could recommendsomebooksthat youwanttoreadrightaway, Virgo. Be sure you take breaks and rest your eyes from time to time to avoid eyestrain and headaches today

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

There's apt to be tension betweenyourheartandyour general mood, Libra. Your romantic nature will incline youtoadoptaselfish,impatient attitude, while the prevailing tone of the day calls for peace and balance.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)

Adjustments may be in order for you to flow easily with the energy of the day, Scorpio.Theprevailingtone calls for a more outwardly directed solution to all situations.Youwilldiscoverthat it's easy to start up new projects.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

The prevailing tone today is amixofconflictingenergies that might put some stress on your heart. It's nothing you can't handle, Sagittarius.Infact,ifanyone can make the most.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)=It

The key today is action, Capricorn. There's a great deal of force pressuring you togettheballrolling.Oneof theseforcesmaycomefrom a romantic interest waiting for you to make the next move.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

Ignite the fire in your heart, Aquarius, and make it burn more brightly than before. Keep in mind that you may need to make compromises inorder

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Thereareacoupleimportant issues that you may need to resolve, Pisces. Take an activeroleinthedepartment of love and romance.

Manager Didier Deschamps, though, is concentrating on Morocco.

“You’re getting ahead of yourself,”hesaid,whenasked about the prospects of a second final in a row

CouldCroatiadoitagain?

We could yet have a repeat of the 2018 final, if France beat Morocco and CroatiacanseeoffArgentina.

Croatiaarebackinthelast four after another incredible showofresilience.

They beat Denmark and Russia on penalties en route tothefinalfouryearsago,and this year have come through shootouts against Japan and Brazil.

It is 24 years since they last won a World Cup knockoutgamein90minutes - a 3-0 win over Germany in the1998quarter-finals.

Croatia’s efforts this year have been even more remarkable given their midfieldmaestroLukaModric isnow37.

Despitetheextraminutes, hehaslookedasgoodasever Argentina,wholost3-0to Croatiainthe2018WorldCup group stage, will know not to underestimatethem.

From page 23

One Guyana President’s Cup will take centre stage, especiallywithitsuniquepurpose, his Government is looking forwardtoworkingwithallassociations to help them achieve their goals.

In doing so, PresidentAli said the Government is on a massive drive to enhance existing facilities while establishingnewfacilitiesthroughout Guyana, specifically aimedatincreasingtheplayer populationandbringingquality sports amenities to each community

Guyana U-13’s go down to Trinidad and Tobago in opener of bilateral/ goodwill series

Guyana Under-13 boys went down to Trinidad and Tobago under-13 in the opening encounter of the Bilateral/Goodwill series p l a y e d o n S u n d a y, December 11, 2022, at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

The Match started in sunny conditions at 10:00hours.

T&T, who sent Guyana into bat, made early inroads as opening bowler Tyler Ramroop made the early breakthrough when he bowled Ravid Fredericks for

just 2 runs. Ramroop then sent back Ethan Elias without scoring, with the scoreonsix.

The Guyana boys lost wickets at regular intervals, eventually being dismissed for43in26.4overs.

T&T’s bowling was led by Shaan Ramtahal, who finished with figures of 3 for 7off1.4overs.

Ramroop ended with match figures of 2 for 5 off 5 miserly overs; Brian Harricharantook2for6off3 overs, while Mikaeel Ali, Raed Ali Khan and Jordan

Julien had a wicket each. A revised target of 38 was set due to rain stoppage, and T&T reached the total in 10 overs with the loss of only

onewicket.

The wicket to fall was Captain and opening b a t s m a n Z a k a r r i y a Mohamed who stroked an entertaining 23 off just 27 balls.

Guyana Captain Brandon Henry dismissed his counterpart with the

scoreon32.

The series includes four (4) One-Day, 40-Overs matches against the Trinidad and Tobago Under-13 team.

Sunday’s game marks the first-ever Bilateral Under-13 tour to Guyana, initiated by the two board presidents, Bissoondyal Singh (GCB)

From page 23 promises to be three nights of fistic fury among some of the best local boxers. The general consensus coming out of the various gyms: all fighters are geared and ready to entertaintheGymnasiumcrowds.

According to Terrance Poole the GDF coach, “The guys are in high-spirits, anxiously waiting to compete in the year’s competition.”

He also stated, “Fans can come out and witness lots of fireworks from my boxers. See the likes of AMBC Elite middleweight bronze medalist ‘Dynamite’ Desmond Amsterdam, also the lightweight champion Colin Lewis and triple super heavyweight champion Troy Glasgow and the others guys gunning for supremacy All my fighters are ready to defend and continue where they left off,”saidtheunfazedPoole.

From page 21 finishing from his side, taking into consideration how loose the Region 1 defenderswereinthegame.

Malcolm Miggins had a double (32’, 85’), while JuniorRedmon(42’),Trayon

Under-13 Team in Match 1.

and Azim Bassarath (TTCB).

It is expected that the Guyana boys will givea better showing in the remainingmatches.

The three (3) remaining matches will also be played at the stadium on December 13,15and17.

Deemed the “holy grail” of amateur boxing in Guyana, the fighters await the ‘much anticipated’ start to competition despitetheunpromptedpausetocompetition in2019.

Be there to witness some of the most prominent boxers showcasing their dominanceandzealinthering.

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) received top honours in 2019, winning eight out of eleven finals and also carting off with their19thconsecutiveBestGymawardatthe last National Open Boxing Championship. Will the GDF retain the Best Gym award or will history be made at the National Gymnasium?

Actionbeginsat17:00hrson16thto18th December,2022attheNationalGymnasium. Weigh-in happens action is Thursday 15th December

Bobb (47’), Captain Leo Lovell (56’) and Colwyn Adams (63’) accounted for thegoalsinthegame

The tournament will continue tomorrow at the same venue, where Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Upper

Berbice)willplayRegion5 (Mahaica/Berbice) from 18 hrs 30 and pre-tournament favourite, Region 4 (Demerara/Mahaica) facing R e g i o n 7 (Cuyuni/Mazaruni) from 20hrs30

Guyana

Region 9 in ‘goal spree’ thrilling win over Region 6

By Rawle Toney

The first-of-its-kind, One Guyana President’s Cup officially kicked off on Sunday evening at the National Track and Field Centre, where Regions 3 and 9 chalked up wins and became the first teams to cash in onthelucrativefootballtournament.

According to the prizestructure,forevery group stage, teams $200,000,andRegions the tone for what might be a goalinfestedinauguralcompetition.

In the first ma Region 9, backed by telecommunication giants, GTT, saw their players answering the putthehinterlandteams to advance out of Group they put away Region 6 (5 – 4) in a nine-goal-thriller

The second game side, Region 3, cr lopsided 6 – 0 victory 1.REGION9VSREGION

Watched on by Irfaan Ali, other Ministers Government and sponsors, players from th Takutu/Upper Essequibo hungoninthe‘rodeo’ with Region 6 to sit on crucialGroupA.

Stephen McDon plays for the Tabatinga ClubintheRupununi, bulk of his team’ registering the tournament’ hat-trick.Oneofthose turned out to the winning Region9.

T h e E Berbice/Corentyne team playedfrombehindmost f the game, with Region and national youth player fueltheirattack.

The strategy paid off, especially with Region 6 coach forcing Golden Jaguars defender, Kevin Layne, to play in the defensive central midfield position. Layne

usually plays the centre-back position Region 9 players capitalized on the coach’s decision, as McDonald ran riot down the middle, scoring in the 5th and 7th minutes of the game to push his side up 2-0. Sherral Daniels (21’) made it 3 – 0, but Leonardo AdamspulledonebackforRegion6side.

Slingerz FC forward Martin, who had a game, extended the lead for Region 9 in the 38th minute. But, just on KeonWilliamsfound stanzawithRegion9 2. hile, a tactical shift n 6 saw Layne o his customary centre-back position. That changed the complexion of the game changed in favour of the cians Layne his defence and keeping Region 9 y productive run at p front, Region 9 thegametoeventhe through Dane on (62’) and Allista )

e was heading to a oth teams aiming to 200,000 spoils, but 9 got selfish McDonald scored his hatgoal just before the o f S h e r w i n on’s ‘fox-40’ to secure the entertaining for Region 9.

REGION3VSREGION was an uninspiring ormance from the ima/Waini men, h o w e r e a l s o erwhelmed by the s s e q u i b o l a n d s / W e s t merara side The p little to talk about; mostoftheballwasplayedinRegion3’shalf. If anything else, Coach Bilal Nantambu will notbehappywiththequalityof (Continued on

National Youth player, Matrim Martin doing his signature goal-scoring celebration after finding the net for Region 9.

The Region 3 team that won 6-0 over Region 1.

SVB Academy arrives, St Benedict’s lands today

The first of two invitees for the Petra organised KFC Goodwill Tournament has arrived with the other expectedafternoon,today.

SVB Academy out of Suriname landed in Guyana on Sunday while St Benedict’s College from

Trinidad and Tobago, are expectedtotouchdownatthe Ogle InternationalAirport at 14:00hrs.

The Surinamese team has already pounced on the opportunity to execute a training session at the GFF National Training Centre at

Providence while the Twin Islandteamwillhaveatleast one session before they both spring into action on December16.

According to the organisers, the two Hinterland teams, defending c h a m p i o n s , A n n a i Secondary, and Desrey Fox Secondary (aWaramadong), are already in Georgetown forthefive-daytournament.

The other two teams, GuyOil League champion a n d r u n n e r u p , Christianburg/Wismar Secondary (CWSS) and Golden Grove, complete the tournament team roster A h e a d o f t h e commencement, Golden Grove, St. Benedict’s and Desrey Fox were drawn in GroupA,whileCWSS,SVB Academy and Annai were drawn in Group B On

Wednesday, the third edition ofthetournamentkicksoffat the designated venue, Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground, Carifesta Avenue, with the four local teams going head-to-head. At 17:00 hrs the opening match gets underway as CWSS oppose Annai then Golden Grove collide with Desrey Fox in the other showdown from 19:00 hrs. The second day will see CWSS springing into action in the first match once again as they meet SVB Academy at17:00hrs.

The match that follows features St Benedict’s College and Waramadong

battling from 19:00 hrs. On Sunday, December 18, the group stage concludes with matches five and six; St. Benedict’s face Golden Grove from 17:00 hrs while Annai and SVB Academy thrashitoutfrom19:00hrs.

After that, the top two finishers from the two groups advance to the semifinal round on Tuesday, December20,whilethethird place showdown and finale unfoldsthreedayslater Both d a y s h a v e m a t c h e s scheduled to kick off at 17:00hrsand19:00hrs.

Moresupport…

The tournament is sponsored by KFC, Tiger

Offshore Rentals, MVP Sports and Demerara Life with support from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture, YouthandSports. H o w e v e r , m o r e support continues to flow in with Trophy Stall and Guyana Beverage Inc being the latest entities to come onboard with Petra

Yesterday, proprietor of Trophy Stall, Ramesh Sunich, handed over a huge quantity of medals and trophies to the organiser, while GBI were announced as the official beverage providerforthetournament.

Trophy Stall’s Devi Sunich (left) hands over the Championship Trophy to Petra’s Nareeza Latiff.

GBI Finance Manager, Kemraj Misir, is flanked by Petra’s Jackie Boodie (right) and Nareeza Latiff.

Government investing heavily on improving sports in Guyana –PresidentAli

ByRawleToney

As President Irfaan Ali aims to transform the Land of Many Waters to resemble the country’s new-found riches, streamlined under his ‘One Guyana’initiative with investment poured into various sectors, sports will playacriticalroletoplay

The Head-of-State reaffirmed to Guyana’s athletes’ that sports will not beleftbehindasherolledout the One Guyana President’s Cup on Sunday evening at the National Track and Field Centre The inaugural tournament will feature 10 teams representing the Administrative Regions of Guyana and is the largest cash-incentive football competition ever played locally.

Apart from the $2M up forgrabsforthewinner,each player will pocket $80,000 as a one-off payment. Team captains will receive $100,000.Theheadcoachof each team will collect $100,000, while members of his coaching staff are to

receive $80,000. Teams will be rewarded $200,000 for each Group Stage win, and winning semi-finalist will collect $400,000 each. The Second place team to get $1M. “Football is a very energetic sport, and our countryisonaveryenergetic p a t h w a y t o w a r d s development, and sport is an important part of our agenda,”PresidentAlisaid. While pleased with the investmentinthetournament showcasing talents from the hinterland to the coastland, President Ali, speaking to reporters on Sunday, stated that, “This is just an initial step, not just in football, but improving and building the way we see sports and the importance of sports in transforming the society, in bringing people together.”

“But for us, this football tournament is geared towards a specific purpose, and that is to build our capacity, build experience, bring more players in and have a better look at players from across the country,”

President Ali said. The One Guyana President’s Cup, a c c o r d i n g t o t h e Commander-in-Chief, will give football stakeholders, “The best possible chance at bringing the best pool of talent from across the country, so we can build a national formula, invest as much as we can in the vision of getting a Guyana team to the next world cup.” The 2026 FIFA World Cup, will be hosted in the USA, Mexico and Canada. It will be an expanded version of football’sholygrail.

With FIFA moving from 32 teams in their current format to now 48 teams, President Ali is hoping that Guyana can be one of the six nations representing C O N C A C A F a t t h e tournament first held in 1930, and he’s ready to investheavily

“We’re going to spare no effort in putting all our energy, all our time and as much resources as we can, from the Government and from Corporate Guyana to

give you the best possible opportunitytogettothenext World Cup,” President Ali told the players, as he was metwithloudcheers.

“Wewanttosupportyou; we want the players to have the best opportunity to get there(totheWorldCup).”

Encouraging the players to remove any doubts about

seeing Guyana following Trinidad andTobago (2006), Jamaica(1998),Cuba(1938) andHaiti(1978)astheteams fromtheCaribbeantoplayat theWorld Cup, PresidentAli said: “With the continued partnership between the Government, Corporate Guyana and the Guyana Football Federation, football

willbethegrandwinner;that is what we want.” Facilities, President Ali said, are being developed all across Guyana, “So that footballers can have an even quality in termsoffacilitiesyou’llhave access to when you’re practising.” President Ali wasadamantthatwhilethe (Continued on page 19)

With just less than five days remaining, the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) Terrance Ali National Open Boxing Competition returns to competition at the National Gymnasium, MandelaAvenue. The GBA National Open Boxing Championship set to return on Friday 16th December for three nights of boxing action after a two-year hiatusduetotherecentCOVID19pandemic.

Thiscompetitionwouldbenotonlybethe laststatuarycompetitionfortheyear,butalso historic one for us here in Guyana and the entire English speaking Caribbean because for the first time in history Elite fighters winning Gold, Silver or Bronze medals will begivenmonetaryprizes.

Kaieteur News spoke with the President of the GBASteve Ninvalle and he confirmed that,“TheGBAarefollowingthefootstepsof International Boxing Association (IBA) whereby they will be allocating monetary prizes to the winner of Gold Silver and Bronze medals. This first-rate initiative is surelyaplusforthecompetitionandfanswill definitely see an increase to the level of boxinginGuyana.

The GBA presumes that, there will be over 50 boxers on display in this year’s competition. Athletes will be emanating out of; Republican boxing gym, ForgottenYouth

Foundation, Pace and Power gym, Young Achievers gym, Pocket Rocket, Rose Hall Jammers and Vergenoegen Boxing gym, Guyana Defence Force, also on the international side of things, we expect two female fighters coming from Trinidad by Wednesday, also Suriname has already confirmed two fighters. Be there to catch everypunch.”

Whowillbethegreatestpoundforpound boxer and who will walk away with bragging rightsforayear?Thisesteemedevent

Desmond Amsterdam

President Irfaan Ali being introduced to the stating XI of the Region 3 team by Captain Leo Lovell.

The SVB Academy contingent during a photo opportunity at the GFF Training Centre.