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Former Finance Friday Edition NEWS Minister arrested over...released, sale ofthen Kingston hospitalised wharf ...owner, BK also questioned AIETEUR

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

December 03, 2021 - Vol. 14 No.49

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $80 readership yesterday, 91,875

Guyana's oil to help double Exxon's global profits in 5 years …as company manages to pay off US$11 billion debt this year- CEO Woods

Civil society must unite in call for real electoral reforms- GHRA Govt. to spend Trio in $700,000 $136M to build half mile stretch of road bribery scandal gets bail at Lima Sands, E’bo

Housing Ministry building $147 million Sherriff The protest continues for St./Mandela roundabout change to ExxonMobil’s contract.

Project cost overrun, a sign of gross mismanagement - PAC Chairman Listen to how oil companies are boasting about making US billions yearly, on Kaieteur while GWI is cutting off poor people’s water at Christmas.@11:00hrs Radio 99.1/99.5FM

Kaieteur News

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Friday December 03, 2021

Guyana's oil to help double Exxon's global profits in 5 years …as company manages to pay off US$11B debt this year- CEO Woods

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ome 2027 when Guyana is expected to be producing some one million barrels of oil per day (bpd), US based ExxonMobil Corp., is projecting that its total earnings on the world market would by then be doubled.

The announcements were made on Wednesday last, when the company disclosed some of its corporate plans up to 2027,

including a slashing of its overall capital expenditure from a pre-pandemic target of US$35B annually to between US$20B and $25B through to 2027.

The plans, ExxonMobil said, support the corporate strategy of continued structural cost savings, investment in low-cost-ofsupply and lower-emission products, and further portfolio high-grading, positioning the company to

double earnings and cash flow by 2027 versus 2019.

According to the company, much of the US oil major's future spending will be focused on projects in Guyana, where the company has discovered vast reserves of crude—in excess of 10 billion barrels of proven reserves thus far with intensive drilling campaigns in train.

Production from

Guyana, in addition to its assets in the Texas/New Mexico Permian basin—the largest US oilfield—would double earnings by 2027 compared with 2019's US$14.3B. Production in Guyana currently stands at some 124,000 barrels of crude oil per day from the Liza Destiny in the Liza I production field in the Stabroek Block.

That Floating Production

Chief Executive Officer, Darren Woods

Storage and Offloading Vessel (FPSO), has been joined by a second, the Liza Unity, currently being hooked up for commission at the Liza II development field in the Stabroek Block.

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, in a recent Argus Media was quoted as saying "By 2027, we are hoping that there will be at least seven FPSO vessels in the country and that we will be producing either close or even over 1mn bpd."

ExxonMobil intends to have five FPSOs operating in Guyana by 2026, and sees potential for up to 10 soon after.

The Liza Unity is scheduled for its 'first oil' in a few weeks' time - January next year - and is designed to produce some 220,000 bpd.

Additionally, the US$9B Payara project, the third development field in the Stabroek Block is progressing with the FPSO currently under construction at the Keppel Shipyard in Singapore while production wells and other ancillary related works are underway.

That project is scheduled for commissioning in 2024 and will deliver another 220,000 bpd to the Stabroek Block output.

Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) Exxon Mobil's Guyana subsidiary and operator of the Stabroek Block is currently in the process of acquiring a u t h o r i z a t i o n , environmental and otherwise in order to pursue i t s f o u r t h development—Yellowtail.

Contracts to this effect have already been given out by the operator despite any project sanctions by the Guyanese authorities.

Maintaining capital investments in the range of between US$20B and US$25B per year through 2027 “with flexibility to

adjust to adverse market conditions or changes in policy and technology for low-emissions projects” is being made possible as a result of the improved cash position of the company in the past year with the recovery of oil and natural gas prices.

According to the company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Darren Woods, “the restored strength of our balance sheet and improved financial outlook support accelerating investment in our industry-advantaged, high-return projects, and a growing list of financially accretive lower-emission business opportunities,” According to Woods, “our strategy is designed to create shareholder value by leveraging our competitive advantages while maintaining flexibility to respond to future policy changes and technology advances associated with the energy transition.”

To this end, he iterated that projected growth of cash flow and earnings in the upstream business, results from aggressive cost reductions and progressing advantaged investments in low-cost-of-supply projects in Guyana, Brazil, and the Permian Basin in the United States.” To This end, he said more than 90% of the company's planned upstream capital investments through 2027 are expected to generate returns of greater than 10 percent at prices less than or equal to $35 per barrel of oil equivalent.”

According to Woods, “increased cash flow and earnings enable both further debt reduction and returns to shareholders.”

It was noted that, to date, the company has repaid US$11B in debt and expects to be comfortably within the range of its targeted debt–tocapital ratio of 20 to 25 percent by year-end.

Kaieteur News

Friday December 03, 2021

PAGE 03

Former Finance Minister arrested over sale of

Kingston wharf ...released, then hospitalised ...owner, BK also questioned

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ormer Finance Minister, Winston Jordan was on Thursday arrested and later released on a series of allegations relating to irregular transactions of public funds and state properties, estimated to value billions of Guyana dollars.

Kaieteur News understands that Jordan was yesterday morning invited to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) Headquarters, a branch of the Guyana Police Force (GPF). Upon his arrival the allegation was put to him and he was arrested.

Ye s t e r d a y a r o u n d 13:35hrs while speaking with the Head of SOCU, Faizal Karimbaksh, he related to Kaieteur News that Jordan was still in custody and presently being questioned.

According to him, Jordan was arrested for misconduct in public office, while serving in public office as the Minister of Finance.

“This is in relation to the vesting of State lands in 2020 in relation to the Kingston water front properties and other transactions” Karimbaksh added.

According to the police, the first transaction that he was interviewed about is in relation to the alleged sale and vesting of the state's largest wharf facilities located at Kingston, Georgetown, valued a p p r o x i m a t e l y US$40,000,000 but was reportedly sold for US$500,000.It is alleged that the purchaser BK Marines Limited, only paid US$100,000, which is 10 percent of the purchase price, and Jordan issued a vesting order passing Title to the purchaser, without the payment of any further sum of monies.

It was further stated that the vesting order stated that the property is being sold free from encumbrance and liabilities and no further sum of money is owed by the

Former Finance Minister, Winston Jordan. purchaser.

Also, the transport was subsequently reportedly issued for the property and the value stated on the transport was US$2,000,000.

It was noted however, that the agreement of sale stated that title must only pass upon full payment of purchase price.

The police also reported that investigators have evidence to establish that a facility which is a mere fraction of the size of the state property that is under investigation and located seven miles upriver was sold by a private company for US$17 million.

It was noted in the GPF's statement that while Jordan was being escorted to Sparendaam Police Station for further questioning, he complained of feeling unwell and he was rushed to a Sparendaam Health Centre.

It was disclosed that he was subsequently placed on his own recognizance and sent away with instructions to return today.

Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall, had announced that legal action will be taken against Jordan and others. The legal proceedings are grounded in the contention that Jordan allegedly played primary roles in the giveaway of prime state lands, said to be worth billions of dollars.

BK's principal, Brian Tiwari.

Condemned In reacting to the arrest of Jordan, Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon, said there was no justification for the action by the police and noted that the arrest is another vile, malicious and vindictive act of political witch hunting by the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) regime.

In fact he stated “The arrest of former Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, is not evidence based, but is rooted in depravity. The PPP is bent on harassing and tormenting the lives of coalition members and supporters.”

Harmon went on to state that Jordan's recent remarks

Jordan being assisted by his attorneys Roysdale Forde, SC (left) and Darren Wade, from the Plaisance Health Centre. [PC: Christopher Jones] that the PPP/C has already borrowed more money than what was received thus far from oil has clearly upset the party.

It was further stated that “What we see here today is a clear case of excessive use force by the state in an attempt to silence those who seek to expose them.”

According to the statement, attorneys-at-law, Roysdale Force SC and Darren Wade were at Jordan's side throughout the process yesterday and Jordan was released from custody after needing medical attention due to the psychological and mental stress brought on by (Cotninued on page 22)

Jordan at a private hospital yesterday. [PC: Christopher Jones]

Kaieteur News

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Friday December 03, 2021

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

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

EDITORIAL

The essence of Government’s inadequacies The word on which we focus today is ‘inadequate.’ It was used recently to describe what the PPP Government has put before the public, and as carried by this paper: “Proposed amendments to elections laws inadequate -Civil Society Group” (KN November 29). Inadequate is a rather civil and measured word, as one would expect from a civil society entity, and as they apply to just released draft amendments to the Representation of the People Act (ROPA), and as mild it is, it is a good start to point to many other matters of crucial significance to this society, where so many areas are in need of urgent attention and remediation.When proposed amendments to elections laws are ‘inadequate’ that means, by any definition, that they are far from acceptable, because they lack the essentials that could make a difference in those areas that have agitated us, devastated us. All that inadequate proposed amendments will succeed in achieving is that the divided and hurting state in which this society exists will continue without letup, but at more intensely furious levels.

For what the Government introduced to the public, and then proudly defended, is nothing short of an insult creates more animosity, and keeps the racial fires at high temperature in this country. It is obvious that, when opportunity presents itself to fix glaring weaknesses with some degree of honesty and national objectives in mind, all that the PPP Government can come up with are proposals and drafts and amendments that possess neither substance nor strength. They don’t even have credibility; so partisan and sickly they are. Such handiwork of a cunning Government more than enrages, more that divides, and more that reflects how shabby and shambolic are its pretenses; these exercises in Government trickeries. They are a reflection of how determined PPP leaders are to keep this society divided, citizens pitted against one another, and all to their advantage.

The problem and concern is that inadequate goes beyond elections amendments, since this same inadequacy, this ramshackle way of governing, reaches into many other areas of governance. It confirms the defining and continuing characteristic of PPP leadership: what deceives Guyanese.

First, it is through what set their expectations at some reasonable level, and then come up with what dashes those expectations to pieces. Second, this occurs time and again, without shame, and with great persistency. And third, it is made possible through a mechanism that delivers more and more of what no self-respecting government and no selfrespecting national political leader would wish to be identified with, so suspect is it.We invite our fellow Guyanese, and others who are here (but not native born) to look at some selected aspects of what masquerades for national governance, open governance, and sound and honest governance in the last year and a half approximately. The first that we make a start with is the natural resources (gold) sector, and look at what passes for presidential and ministerial wisdom in this rich space. Agreements are made with foreign companies and no Guyanese is aware of this, save for cronies benefiting from dealings that are secret and by the back door. The most recent example of something like this involves a contract signed with a foreign company, and months later, it is held close to the chest by PPP leaders. Only they know why this is necessary, how this can be described as ‘clean governance’ or ethical leadership. That is not merely inadequate by any yardstick, but has to be classified as the work of imbeciles engaging in the insipid, possibly with what borders on the invidious, meaning, treasonous.The same inadequate (at a minimum) state is what can be said about how our oil wealth is managed at the political leadership level. To be fair, both the past Coalition Government and today’s PPP Government, have failed us miserably with their oversight of this oil. We know little, we lack confidence, we get nothing. Neither money nor specks of prosperity nor truth are coming from leaders in government. Guyana’s oil is now a pirate cargo, with savage and barbarous pirates holding sway. Likewise, procurement and contract awards, and all amounts to much more than inadequate.

GuySuCo needs a real leader DEAR EDITOR, Real leaders are not born, the ability to help others and triumph over adversity in not written into their genetic code. They are forged in crisis and the manner in which they handle a crisis will inspire people during d i ff i c u l t t i m e s ( ‘ R e a l Leaders are forged in a crisis’

by Nancy Koehn). A leader cannot solve crises by merely talking about it and keep on harping about the problems as if they will go away and keep on blaming others for his own ineptitude.

A leader must lead from the front and show empathy towards his team by displaying strong emotional intelligence not by berating them, embarrassing them, ridiculing them and forcing them to quit. It is common knowledge that GuySuCo’s survival is precariously hung but its very survival depends primarily on good, competent leadership and

this is not about the ability to do financial projections and analysis. This is about the ability to run a diverse and complicated industry which has been bombarded by a plethora of problems. There are field and factory problems. There are labour problems and human resources issues. There are marketing problems. And most definitely these problems have been compounded by the CEO’s poor leadership. GuySuCo does not need a mortician.

What experience does the current CEO have about sugar, aside from using it in his tea?

He was an Accountant at the Flour Mill and he held some jobs overseas in the financial sector. Has he ever managed an industry of this nature and magnitude? The answer is definitely negative. But his management style in the current moment of crisis is to

continue to weed out those whose views are contrary to his and install his cronies who are pliable and malleable. With his lack of experience in the sugar industry he should have been listening attentively to those who have that knowledge instead of ‘bulldozing’ his way. He has been getting rid of professionals with great alacrity. Only yesterday, a senior personnel in Finance resigned, and just weeks before two professionals in the Procurement department were forced to resign. These followed a long line of sugar professionals who have resigned because they find working under the current CEO untenable and frustrating. All these experienced and hardworking people did was to point out to the CEO his errors and poorly thought out decisions. From all indications more resignations will follow

shortly.

How has the CEO acted in the face of this crisis which he himself has made worse?

He is currently on a one week leave preparing for his 50th birthday bash. There is an impending flood situation, there is productivity problems with the TC/TS at an all record high, the annual sugar production is set for a record all-time low, there is a wage increase unrest brewing yet the CEO is using GuySuCo’s resources to spruce up his residential building and environs for the past week to celebrate his natal day with pomp and grandeur.

Is it good leadership for the No. 1 man to be celebrating while the sugar industry is drowning? I do hope the media is invited to witness this gala event which may be attended by a huge posse of dignitaries.

Yours sincerely, Abdool Majeed

Implement initiatives to help reduce amount of waste going to Haags Bosch DEAR EDITOR, I was considerably confused and in fact dismayed to see the Mayor of Georgetown lecturing the central government about solid waste management and disposal for Georgetown and Guyana and expounding on the limitations, potential hazards and the ephemerality of the Haags Bosch landfill facility.

I will make a case for the Mayor due to his youthfulness of not knowing that in the past the Georgetown Municipality took full responsibility for refuse collection and disposal for the city as most cities do. The Council had its

own fleet of refuse trucks from which its workers efficiently and effectively collected garbage from every single property, commercial and residential and safely disposed of it through incineration and landfilling.

Georgetown was the ‘Garden City’. Today, instead, everything is farmed out, the collection process to private contractors at exorbitant prices and the Central Government removed the burden of disposal from the municipality by creating the Haags Bosch landfill site.

So, I am not sure what the Mayor’s people are doing or have to do with regards to

solid waste management.

They are clearly on Easy Street. And yet still we see piles of garbage all over Georgetown.

However, the Mayor says he wants to see Georgetown and Guyana move away from the landfill culture to protect the environment and citizens. Well here are a few recovery strategies I would suggest that the Mayor gets involved in, in order to persuade the citizens of his capital city to be a part of: that is recycling, composting and energy generation.

Recycling not only reduces the quantity of waste but also saves money, so there is an economic, as well

as an environmental, incentive to have citizens involved in recycling.

Careful separation of the waste into its different types is important for the efficiency of recycling.

Plastic bottles, newspapers, cardboard and tin cans can all be reprocessed and made into new items. Plastic bags can also be recycled and used to make mats, carpets and other products.

Non-hazardous, solid wastes such as crop residues, leaves, grass and animal manures can be managed by the Council by composting.

And finally, the Mayor should have them stop (Continued on page 6)

Friday December 03, 2021

Conditions are really deplorable at the New Amsterdam Hospital DEAR EDITOR, There are certain stories you might readily dismiss for lack of real evidence, but the recent coverage given by a first time mother of the deplorable and unsanitary conditions existing at the New Amsterdam Hospital is reason for me to write. This Region 6 medical institution has been in the news for some time now for all the wrong reasons and it is high time some attention be paid to the goings on there and for it to be remedied immediately!

We are talking about a medical institution here. One which should exude the ambience of a place of comfort and cleanliness, where one can feel at home either for the delivery of a newborn, even to the point of seeing ones last days of absolution and dying; this is what a hospital

should be.

It is not a place where one would like to see animals roaming the hallway or filth and uncleanliness, certainly not!

So, as a Berbician myself I would like the authorities so responsible to urgently address.

That photograph of a flock of sheep trapped in the hallway of the institution is utterly despicable; something that readily evokes revulsion in the hearts of anyone who would have cause to visit the hospital.

Farmyard animals in the hallway of a building reveal two glaringly nauseating facts, (a) The animals would have seen ample grazing in the compound which attracted them over and into the compound which brings us into the other aspect, (b). How is the ground-keeping at the

institution? Are the lawns well groomed or kept in a proper condition? The situation which is more likely the scenario here is that there seems to be a great degree of laxity where the upkeep of the grounds is concerned where animals are “invited” in, due to unkempt grounds.

And I would like to highlight the fact that even on the inside which is the concern of this new mother, that regular mopping and sanitisation of the interior surroundings are woefully lacking; things that pose a health risk to patients at the institution. This is unacceptable under any circumstances so I am calling on the Minister of Health, Dr. Anthony to make a surprise visit to the institution and get these matters fixed, now!

Respectfully Submitted Neil Adams

HELP! I CAN’T CROSS THE ROAD!!!

DEAR EDITOR, During my recent trip to Guyana a few weeks ago, I observed from a few houses away, a primary school student from Meten-MeerZorg Primary waiting patiently to cross the road to get to her school. Standing at the barely legible remnants of a “Pedestrian Crosswalk,” she fidgeted nervously as she looked from left to right and back continuously for a break to cross the road. Since there were no adults around, I decided to go assist her. I signalled drivers to stop and allow her to cross. The child was relieved that I was able to help in this process.

Crossing the public road on the West Coast of Demerara in highly populated areas has become difficult, challenging

and dangerous, especially for school children and elders during the morning and evening rush hours. The problem is compounded by inconsiderate drivers who blatantly show utter disregard for basic rules.

I recall in the past that there were traffic officers and/or teachers assigned to assist students to cross the public road at designated pedestrian crossings during peak hours.

From my observation, there were no persons there to help students cross the road.

I fear that the situation will worsen if the necessary actions are not taken to alleviate the situation.

Steps that can be taken:· Pedestrian Crossings need to be re-marked and signboards should be erected to alert

drivers of an upcoming crossing· Blinking amber lights could be installed for awareness at selected busy pedestrian crossings· The traffic guard/teacher supervision at crossings needs to be re-instituted with appropriate safety gear and handheld signboard during the peak hours at busy pedestrian crossings (traffic officers, teachers or community volunteers)· Fines and penalties for drivers breaking the laws in this regard should be more severe. This is a basic quality of life amenity that is already available in several neighbouring Caribbean nations, and can be implemented in Guyana.

Yours Truly, R. Deochand

Confused Guyanese have a simple question DEAR EDITOR, Minister Charles Ramson Jr said that his father was very successful, and that inspired him to want to succeed as well. He also said that black kids need good role models if they want to be successful also.The instant criticism was unlike anything Guyanese have seen in recent memory.

Famous attorneys, black professors, Members of parliament, ex-Coalition Ministers, Radio and Facebook hosts, Opposition leaders, sympathetic T.V. stations were all royally outraged at this ‘boy’ for his alleged racism.Yet, when similar and at times even more outrageous, vulgar and racist things were said by black and Coalition Members against Indians....all of these supposedly righteous parties have been quiet!Could someone please explain why none of these aggrieved parties that are so offended by Mr.

Ramson, have never criticised and have gleefully accepted the following : -Member of Parliament Sherod Duncan calling Minister Priya Manickchand a ‘wild hog’ -Member of Parliament Sherod Duncan robustly every night inciting racial strife by calling the PPP and their predominantly Indian supporters...”wicked, dutty and stink” “trench crappos” “jagabats”, etc, etc -Mark Benschop daily using pejorative and racist terms (trench crapoos, hooligans, etc) to unilaterally attack innocent and unsuspecting Indians.-Rickford Burke accused the PPP of practicising ‘apartheid’ in Guyana, a land where Blacks have absolute freedom to do anything and everything they wish. Burke has succeeded in doing the unthinkable. He desecrated the memory of 21,000 black

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Kaieteur News

South Africans who perished at the hands of the brutal White Supremacist regime.

Yet, not a pip from the moral brigade that have so vigorously condemned Ramson.

-Dr. David Hinds said that black people should only buy and patronise black merchants’ shops. -Member of Parliament Amanza WaltonDesir, said something that is more directly and overtly racist than what Ramson said.

She said that Indians are “mentally lazy.”Can anyone imagine the outcry if Ramson had said that blacks are “mentally lazy”?

Respectfully submitted, Jhagroo Persaud

Civil Society needs to pursue Electoral Reform independently of political parties DEAR EDITOR, Minister Nandlall’s most recent invective against the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) on his FB page appears to have been triggered by the GHRA’s proposal that electoral problems in Guyana run deeper than the mayhem and turmoil associated with the 2020 elections. According to the social media news service, Newsroom, the Minister questioned the membership, financing and political orientation of the GHRA.The flimsiness of his allegations about the GHRA do not merit a reply from the GHRA, they can all be answered from information already in the public domain. The results of GHRA elections are issued in press releases; GHRA modest accounts are audited; the GHRA Board comprises a majority of persons under thirty years of age. Apart from being normal

requirements of a democratic society such vigilance has served the GHRA against malicious attacks from disgruntled politicians and journalists since its inception over forty years ago.

The more significant feature of the Minister’s attack is what it reveals about the prevailing attitude to civic organisations.

Apparently the four press releases issued by the GHRA over the 2020 period of electoral unrest (Feb. 20th); March 6th,, March 28th, June 15th ) did not sufficiently vilify APNU, the major Opposition Party. (See also GHRA PR 21 May, 2021.) The releases focused on calling on the GECOM Chair to use her ample powers to issue a casting vote and bring the whole fiasco to an end. Presumably the criterion of dividing the sheep from the goats according to their perceived position

on the 2020 elections applies to other organisations (and individuals?) as well. This level of partisan prejudice does nothing to foster confidence in the on-going Representation of the People Act (RoPA) consultation. In light of this reality civic organisations would do well to remember that in electoral reform matters while the major parties will skirmish about details (such as RoPA amendments), their track record for fundamental reform is abysmally poor. The civic response to this state of affairs should be to invest time and effort in creating a strong civic position around agreed reforms.

Meaningful civic engagement with party political sectors as a whole would then be possible.

Executive Committee Guyana Human Rights Association

I AM IN WONDER-LAND DEAR EDITOR, A few days ago I wandered around Police Headquarters, Eve Leary and discovered to my chagrin that all the palm trees in the Tactical Services Unit compound were cut down. This left me wondering. I wonder why the palm trees that were majestically growing in the Tactical Services Unit for decades and have a rich history were unceremoniously cut down. I wonder why the roots were dug up and left there for all to see. I wonder why there was no clean-up campaign after the destruction. I wonder who gave the instructions for

the palm trees to be demolished. I wonder if Top Cop, Nigel Hoppie gave the order for them to be destroyed or that it was the work of a member of the gang of five that is working against him. I wonder if the order came from the politicians who said that the palms are symbols of a particular political party and must be gotten rid of. I wonder if the palm trees were infected with worms and the Ministry of Agriculture was not contacted for assistance. I wonder why there is a thick wall of silence from the installed Corporate Communication Unit. I then wandered along

Main Street and saw numerous beautiful and healthy palm trees in the compound of State House. I wonder when they would be cut down like those at the Tactical Services Unit. I wonder if the chain saw that was used at the TSU ran out of gas in a massive gas producing country. I wonder if cutting down those palm trees is not working against the Low Carbon Development Strategy. I wonder. I am still wondering.

Yours respectfully, Clinton Conway Assistant Commieeioner of Police (Retired)

FIRE CRACKERS DEAR EDITOR, I would like to add my voice to those persons who have complained about the noise made by firecrackers. I have complained about this for years here in Lethem but have never gotten any satisfaction. There is a law against such noise nuisances -

whether it is from firecrackers, or vehicles without exhausts, or loud music – yet nothing is done by the Police. Two weeks ago loud music could be heard for many hours several blocks away. And just Monday morning at 2.15 am a vehicle was playing loud music, and in violation of the

curfew hours.

The Police should know exactly who are the vendors of these devices as well as the perpetrators of the offences.

Both elderly people and dogs are affected. Why, year after year, is no action taken?

Yours truly, Clairmont Lye

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Don’t Guyanese living in Guyana need good examples too?

DEAR EDITOR, Was Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon attempting to foster racial mischief among us when he urged African Guyanese to fight back against Minister Charles Ramson Jr. who said, “I think that in the Black community, young Black kids also need lots of examples of success, because they have to be able to see that there is a pathway in order for them to live that successful life”.

In the USA, United Kingdom and Canada, to name a few countries where

many of our folks live, we complain that there are not enough of our own people in positions of power, law enforcement, on television, in movies, in sports and sports hierarchy, in business board rooms, etc.

Among other reasons, we argue that examples of success by our own kind will give us hope that we can be high achievers too.

Why should it be any different in Guyana? Don’t Guyanese living in Guyana need good examples too?

The Minister did use the

word ‘also’ to point out that other kids in Guyana need lots of examples of success too.

He did not say only Black kids need lots of examples of success.

Would Mr. Harmon, one of our leaders, reflect on his interpretation of what the Minister said, and still be happy that his appeal to the African Guyanese to fight back is the best choice he should make to lead us away from our divided society?

Yours sincerely, Muhammad Alli

Implement initiatives to help reduce...

From page 4 dumping garbage at the Incinerator Compound in Princes Street and instead replace ‘Old Smokey’ with a modern incinerator that includes air

pollution control equipment (e.g., fabric filters, scrubbers, electrostatic precipitators, etc.) to remove fly ash and gaseous contaminants.

Rather than just moaning,

implementing such initiatives would help significantly to reduce the amount of waste going to Haags Bosch and extend its life most notably.

Magagula Jackson

Friday December 03, 2021

GPL’s management tells union that ‘expired’ Board is yet to sanction increases for staff DEAR EDITOR, Permit me the space in your newspapers to address the subject captioned above.

The Guyana Power and Light Inc. has approximately 1500 employees who are mostly dedicated and diligent to the preservation, growth, sustainability and longevity of GPL’s operations – most naturally because it is the institution that provides them with wages and salaries to maintain their families.

However, the Staff of this noble institution has observed the posture of its Senior Management functionaries who continue to play “ride-the-donkey” with their Unions who are duly and legally recognised to bargain on behalf of the workers.

The unions have been told after many futile calls and letters to Management, that the expired Board of Directors

are yet to decide on the percentages increase for staff.

This woefully laughable response came from the Deputy Chief Executive Officer – Support Services.

Editor, I am no chartered accountant, but I do budget planning and basic accounting of my own salary, and I would like to assume that GPL’s Finance Division does same.

I would also like to believe, that wages and salaries are a priority line item on the budget and forecasting reports agenda of GPL. So, the Unions find Management response ludicrous, because there must have been some projections and forecasting as to what the Company is expecting and projecting to pay in wages and salaries. To this regard, Editor, the Unions are requesting that the Senior Minister within the Office of the President with

responsibility for Finance, Dr. Singh should step in and apply the seven percent increases to semiautonomous agencies including GPL’s employees.

Further, it is the unions’ position also, that the Senior Minister afford the employees of GPL a piece of the 400-million pie for essential workers, because their services were regarded as essential during the pandemic and Health Ordinances of the Ministry of Health. The employees of GPL worked diligently in service to country and company to keep the electric supply and grids on at all cost. It is the plea of the employees that Management respect their unions and CLA and pay seven percent increase across the Board.

Regards, Concerned Trade Unionist

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BL TLUNT.. UNT...B BL Friday December 03, 2021

Kaieteur News

Police stats indicate that 'bandits are busier on Saturdays and in the afternoons.'

Thank God for small mercies.

The street bandits are giving Guyanese a break during the week, while elected and selected bandits are operating daily and 24/7.

Some of our leaders, the crooked and greedy ones, happen to be among the full-time bandits in the land.

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Friday December 03, 2021

New COVID-19 variant throws oil industry into tailspin - Could wipe out almost 3m barrels of oil demand per day– Rystad Energy

I

f Omicron, the new variant of COVID19, triggers more lock downs or restrictions worldwide, Rystad Energy predicts that it could cost the global oil market as much as 2.9 million barrels per day

(bpd) of demand in the first quarter of 2022.

This would bring total expected demand down from 98.6 million bpd to 95.7 million bpd.

According to the consultancy group in its latest

analysis, if the variant spreads rapidly, causing a rise in COVID cases and the reintroduction of lockdowns, oil demand could fall from an expected 99.1 million bpd to 97.8 million bpd in December 2021 alone – a

drop of 1.3 million bpd.

Demand could also tumble further in January 2022, shedding 4.2 million bpd to a level of 94.2 million bpd the organization said.

As countries and governments learn to live with Omicron, or vaccine manufacturers adapt existing shots to counter the variant, Rystad said the full-year impact will likely be less severe.

In late November, Rystad noted that oil demand growth was so strong that even a coordinated strategic petroleum reserve release from major oil-importing countries did nothing to quell bullishness surrounding oil prices.

However, after governments went on high alert, it noted that the price of oil later collapsed by more than 10% as the demand downside is vastly different.

“The likelihood of increasing lockdowns in the coming months has risen dramatically due to the new Omicron variant, and this will undoubtedly impact global oil demand. Given the early stage of the variant outbreak and the unknowns related to contagiousness and

vaccine efficacy, we can only hope this scenario turns out to be a false alarm. Still, if the risk is real, the oil market will need to recalibrate accordingly,” said Claudio Galimberti, senior vice president of analysis at Rystad Energy.

Rystad further noted that thus far, countries and regions have reacted differently to the pandemic while adding that it anticipates that trend will continue with the Omicron variant.

“For instance, countries in North and South America – such as the US, Brazil and Argentina – will likely try to weather the storm and prioritize economic activity.

Countries such as China and Australia have in the past displayed a zero-tolerance approach and are expected to continue with this strategy amid future waves. European and Middle Eastern governments are likely to fall in between these two extremes as they try to find

equilibrium between economic activity and preserving the health and safety of their populations,” the consultancy stated.

Furthermore, Rystad said it should come as no surprise if the status quo changes while adding that regional reactions will be dictated by vaccination rates, cultural attitudes towards risks and public sentiment.

“As with earlier outbreaks, restrictions may be primarily dictated by intensive care occupancy rates in hospitals and the availability of hospital beds more broadly.

The pandemic has also impacted some regions and countries worse than others for myriad reasons.

C o n s e q u e n t l y, s o m e countries may need to enact more frequent or sweeping lockdowns than before, whereas others may not be as stringent,” the independent energy research and business intelligence company concluded.

Conflict of interest forced resignation of Mahipaul, Ferguson, Carol Joseph from PNCR Accreditation Committee

C

arol SmithJoseph, Anette Ferguson and Ganesh Mahipaul were on Wednesday forced to resign from the PNCR Accreditation Committee after Central Executive Committee (CEC) flagged their overt campaigning for nominees for key posts at the party's upcoming congress.

In a press release on Thursday the PNCR said that the CEC at a meeting held on Wednesday to discuss progress with holding the Party's 21st Biennial Delegates Congress which will be held on 11th December 2021, deliberated on a conflict of

interest that arose within the Accreditation Congress Committee.

“The CEC, while, recognising the right of Delegates to support candidates of their choice, reasoned that a conflict of interest arose where members of the Accreditation Committee, which is responsible for selecting the Delegates who would be voting for candidates are at the same time openly campaigning for candidates of their choice,” the release stated.

As a consequence Smith-Joseph, Ferguson and Mahipaul accepted the position of the CEC and

withdrew from the Accreditation Congress Committee. “The CEC thanked them for their service and immediately called for persons to be nominated as replacements.

The work of the Accreditation Congress Committee is significantly advanced; hence their withdrawal will not delay its completion. The People's National Congress Reform reassures its members, supporters and the nation of its commitment for a free, fair and transparent 21st Biennial Delegates Congress on the 11th December 2021,” the release concluded.

Friday December 03, 2021

Kaieteur News

The PNC/R is seeking political credibility at the expense of the PPP/C Race has always been used by the PNC/R for political purposes. It has been deployed, at times, for three purposes: first to stir unrest; second as a mobilising tactic by appealing to the notion of victimhood to restore tattered political credibility; and third as a weapon against the PPP/ C. At present there is a controversy over statements made by the Minister of Culture Youth and Sport, Mr. Charles Ramson Jnr. The Minister has denied the imputations which are being made against him.

He has promised to make public the recording of the statements which are now being used as a weapon against him.

The publication of the recording would allow for a better understanding of the context in which the statements were made.

He has not done so as yet on his Facebook page and therefore one has to use media reports about what he said.

One such report was provided by the social media outfit, News Source Guyana.

It quoted the Minister as saying, “I think that in the black community, young black kids also need lots of examples of success because they have to be able to see that there is a pathway in order for them to live that successful life.”

This statement is now being spun to claim that the Minister was saying that there are no role models within the African community. This interpretation is a disingenuous spin.

How can saying that young Black kids need lots of role models means that there are no role models. If I were to say that I need lots of money, does it necessarily mean that I have no money?

No, it does not and therefore

it is disingenuous to interpret Ramson’s statement as meaning that there are no role models in the African community.

In 2008, the then representative of the Guyana Action Party, Everall Franklin told the National Assembly that there was “scarcity of male role models.” There was no hue and cry about that statement.

Similarly the Guyana Chronicle in 2008 reported the then Deputy Mayor of Georgetown, Akeem Peter, as informing the inaugural Guyana National Youth Conference that there were not enough good examples and therefore young people need to create examples for future generations.

There was no outburst then that we have sufficient role models.

The APNU+AFC in its 2015 Manifesto recognised the need for role models. It promised to establish a cadre of positive role models throughout society.

When the APNU+AFC coalition was in office, it launched a Natural Resources Mentorship Programme in recognition of the need for mentors in this sector. Did this imply that there were no mentors in the sector? No, it did not.

The Minister of the Public Service, under the APNU+AFC, was quoted on a Ministry of Education website as saying at a community engagement at Samatta Point that “young people need role models.”

In an OP-Ed column published in the Guyana Chronicle in August 2017, Dr. David Hinds discussed what he deemed the ‘crisis’ in the African-Guyanese community.

He said then, “One of the devastating consequences [of the crisis] has been the

loss of role models who live day to day in the communities.”

No one took him to task or suggested that there was not a need for more role models.

So, why the brouhaha over the statement by Ramson which effectively says there is a need for lots of role models? There are many possible explanations.

But the most plausible relate to the forthcoming Congress of the PNC/R and the need to boost the fortunes of candidates and to restore the political credibility of a party which had attempted to benefit from rigged elections.

Guyanese can look forward to a great deal of grandstanding as the candidates for leadership seek to maximise political capital in order to appeal to the delegates.

But it will take much more than mischaracterising Ramson’s statement to do this.

The PNC/R will have to give account for the suffering it placed all Guyanese through during those five months when there was a raging pandemic and many persons could not work and the government could offer precious little to do so.

The PNC/R is facing its sternest credibility crisis.

It knows what it did between March 2 and August 2, 2020 and it knows that it has lots of work to do in order to regain political credibility.

And what better way to regain political credibility than at the expense of the PPP/C… and through political spin.

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

Dem boys seh ...

Don’t tek worries If yuh gan deh in de kitchen, yuh gat to be able to handle de heat. Nuff people like fuh give pressure but dem can’t tek pressure.

Dem does buckle under pressure.

Yuh does see some big men, big and strong. But when pressure brace dem, dem does fold up like a baby. Some ah dem does like talk big, like dem know everything. But simple questions does kerfuffle dem.

Big man does see lockup door and does start fuh cry.

Dem does get cold sweat. So

nah judge a book by it cover.

Christmas suppose to a jolly good season. But it gat it own pressures.

People does stress out ova cleaning de house. Dem does stress out over baking de cake.

Dem does stress out over money. Dem does even stress out because dem stress out.

So tek it easy and nah worry.

Christmas gan come and go and come back again. But when yuh stress out and yuh gone, yuh nah coming back again.

Yuh gat to be cool under pressure. One time, dem had

11 people hanging onto a rope from wan airplane…10 ah dem was Americans and one was Guyanese.

Dem all decide dat one person gat to get off because if not, de rope gan break and dem gan all fall to dem death.

None ah dem bin wan decide who should go, suh finally de Guyanese delivers wan touching speech, ending with de words, “I’ll get off.”

De 10 Americans start clapping after de Guyanese’s speech and de problem get solve.

Talk half. Leff half.

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Kaieteur News

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Friday December 03, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

My wife and I have Black role models in Guyana If you ask my wife to name her role model, I'm telling you that within the split of a second, she will say Joyce Sinclair. If I were asked to name a Black woman anywhere in the world that I admire and respect and would gladly do anything for, it would be Joyce Sinclair.

Ms. Sinclair died last year.

There are fine, excellent African Guyanese in this country and this workingclass Indian boy will shout that from the rooftop. I hope African Guyanese have Indian role models. This country has birthed some excellent Indians, Africans and Portuguese.

I can only speak for

myself. Some of my role models outside of my Indian heroes are from the African Guyanese world and are the late Walter Rodney, the late Professor Rudy James and the late WPA great, Brian Rodway. For Portuguese, I adored and adore are the late Father Andrew Morrison, the late CEO of the Georgetown Club, Fred Philips, and my history professor who is getting on in age, Sister Mary Noel Menezes.

I can name two Blacks I know who are role models in Guyana – Courtney Benn and a Buxton-based bakeryowner, Adrian Benjamin.

This gentleman is a refined, cultivated citizen who started

to work as a helper in a bakery and today he makes the finest cakes, pastries, and bread comparable to others anywhere in the world.

I think Minister Charles Ramson made a mistake. I am giving Ramson advice that comes from the heart.

Make an apology with an explanation if he cares to and move on from there. In this c o u n t r y, a m i s t a k e i s regarded as an act of selfdestruction. One of Elton John's biggest hits is “Sorry seems to be the hardest word.”

In this country, people avoid the word “apology” like the plague. To apologise shows the strength of character. It should be offered willingly. Amanza Walton Desir (AWD) has destroyed her political career by refusing to apologise. She w a s a b s o l u t e l y contemptuous of Indian people and sought refuge under the rubric of “PPP supporters.” Everyone knew she meant Indian people. No judge can tell a jury that

AWD meant PPP supporters not Indians. She didn't say Indians but she meant that.

Ninety-five percent of PPP supporters are Indians.

Ronald Waddell in 1997 declared war on Indian people because he said they voted for the PPP. Ramson should avoid the bad advice AWD got. Her PNC and the PNC surrogates rallied around her, with the advice, “tell your critics and the PPP to eff off; stand by your belief.” But her belief was a phantasmagoria.

Indian people voted against the PPP in 2011 and 2015.

A simple apology would have changed the image of AWD but for her, like the rest of Guyana, to make an apology is an impossible thing to do. For all the terrible things done to me, no one from the PPP establishment has ever said to me, “Freddie, we are sorry” or “Freddie, I apologise.” The closest was Harry Gill in an email to me but he stopped short of saying he apologised for what has been done.

I do believe African Guyanese have role models from whom African Frederick Kissoon youths can shape their lives. In my 26 years of teaching at UG, I have met u p to him and say, countless Black youths who “ e f f t h e P N C , d o n ' t told me who inspired them to apologise.” But those people study law. I do believe there do not have a political career. a r e s o u n d A f r i c a n Those people are confusing entrepreneurs in this country. an entire ethnic community It is unfortunate that Mr. with a political party.

Here is something Ramson and AWD, maybe in Ramson would not know a moment of political because he was too young at passion, said things that c o u l d c a r r y e t h n i c the time. President Jagan implications. Mr. Ramson innocently but correctly, said has an opportunity that AWD that on the economic ladder threw away – the chance to of the US economy, Blacks explain and apologise. I think are on the lower rung. The Ramson got it out of context PNC leaders and other Black when he said he saw his leaders denounced Dr. Jagan. father going out to work each N o w t h a t w a s n o t a day to provide for his family. psychological analysis but a He is right to see his father as s t a t i s t i c a l p o i n t . B u t a role model. But countless President Jagan still made a fathers all over the world go public apology. Sorry doesn't out to work every day have to be the hardest word.

(The views expressed in regardless of which race this article are those of the group they belong to.

There is a certain a u t h o r a n d d o n o t pathway Mr. Ramson should necessarily reflect the be wary of. People will come opinions of this newspaper.)

Friday Friday December October 29, 03, 2021 2021

Kaieteur News

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Friday December 03, 2021

Civil society must unite in call for real electoral reforms - GHRA The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has called for a united front by civil society organisations in pressing government for real electoral reforms and not those being proposed by the Attorney General Chambers.

The GHRA made the comments in response to remarks by Attorney General, Anil Nandlall regarding the status of the organisation among other issues. “In light of this reality, civic organisations would do well to remember that in electoral reform matters, while the major parties will skirmish about details (such as RoPA amendments) their track

record for fundamental reform is abysmally poor.

The civic response to this state of affairs should be to invest time and effort in creating a strong civic position around agreed reforms.

Meaningful civic engagement with party political sectors as a whole would then be possible,” GHRA said in a statement.

The GHRA recently said that reforming the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and the implementation of singleseat constituencies should be the priorities if government is really serious about a m e n d i n g t h e Representation of the People

Act (RoPA). Two weeks ago government released draft amendments to RoPA, which is laced with draconian penalties for electoral malpractice and also a most controversial proposal to break up Region Four into four sub-districts. Since unveiling the proposals,

political parties and civil society grouping have hammered the proposed amendments, calling on the administration to withdraw them.

The GHRA said the proposed consultation to a m e n d t h e R o PA i s calculated to further, rather than reduce, political tensions in Guyana by keeping attention focused on the post-elections fiasco of 2020 and to sustain political polarization.

To t h i s e x t e n t , i t constitutes a piece of monumental hypocrisy, the human rights body stated.

According to the GHRA, priority action on electoral reform should be

implementation of singleseat constituencies and reform of GECOM. “These reforms were unanimously approved both by the Constitutional Reform Commission and in Parliament by the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Electoral Reform in 2000.

However, subsequent efforts over the next decade by civic and religious bodies, the diplomatic community and business sector to implement the reforms were successfully frustrated by the combined resistance of the leadership of the PPP and the PNC,” the GHRA stated.

The human rights body said, revival of the quest to

implement those reforms, not the distraction of amending RoPA, should be the current focus of civic action. “Both PPP Governments, between 2000 – 2015 and the APNU+AFC between 2015 – 2020 had ample opportunity to address these reforms but chose not to do so, preferring to monopolise GECOM to keep MPs accountable to the party leader rather than to the people who elected them.

In line with the new orientation, the GHRA is proposing that the consultation should focus on Composition, Structure and Powers of GECOM; and Completion of the approved reforms for expansion of single-seat constituency. The body said ample documentation exists to enable the current generation to understand why our indefensible electoral system has survived.

It has nothing to do with RoPA technicalities, but everything to do with a persistent, mutual leadership cover-up to resist real changes.

Friday December 03, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Friday December 03, 2021

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Controversial Ghanaian Professor helping Guyana draft new Oil Fund Laws P

rofessor Joe Amoako-Tuffour, the Secretary and a Member of the Economic Management Team attached to the Office of the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, who in 2018 was accused of being involved in a corrupt bribery transaction, is in Guyana assisting the Attorney General's Chambers, with drafting new laws governing the use of Guyana's oil revenues.

The meeting was had between Professor AmoakoTu ff o u r a n d A t t o r n e y General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, on Wednesday last.

The delegations from the two teams, according to the Ministry in a subsequent public statement said, “…the meeting was a consultative exercise on Guyana's Local Content Bill and Amendments to the Sovereign Wealth Fund Act.”

According to the Ministry, Professor Joe Amoaka- Tuffour shared lessons that were learnt by the Ghanaian Government when drafting legislation of this nature.

He also reportedly shared the experiences of some eight oil producing countries “which he studied and explained the various strategies and mechanisms that were employed to overcome the myriads of obstacles.”

The Ministry said, the Ghanaian official also cautioned against aspiring for the perfect legislative framework based upon other countries, explaining that with time and experience, Guyana will have to develop its own unique network.

According to the Ministry, Attorney General Nandlall, during the course of the meeting, explained that in drafting the amendments to the Sovereign Wealth Fund

From Left: Natural Resources Ministry's Bobby Gossai Jr., Professor AmoakoTuffuor and AG Anil Nandlall, during Wednesday's meeting Act, the intention is to create a transparent, accountable and rigid framework which insulates against political interference.

In relation to the Local Content Bill, the Attorney General emphasized that strenuous efforts are being made to ensure simplicity and a framework that would protect Guyana and its people's best interest.

Minister Nandlall further explained that the legislative endeavors draw heavily from the experiences of Ghana, the inputs of the Professor and from many other jurisdictions whose legislation were examined as well as from consultations that were locally done.

Corruption Allegations Checks by this publication into Professor Amoako-Tuffour however, has since unearthed that the Ghanaian official was in 2018, accused of being part of a corrupt transaction involving the payment of bribery.

He had reportedly denied the allegations, saying he was only a mediator in the entire affair.

A c c o r d i n g t o international media reports, the senior member of Ghana's governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), name had popped up in a supposed corrupt deal at the Metro Mass Transit Limited.

He subsequently explained saying, that he was not complicit, and that he only acted as a mediator between the company's Managing Director, Bennet Aboagye, and his supposed

blackmailers. Citi Newsroom in April 2018 had reported that Professor A m o a k o - Tu ff o u r h a d decided not to immediately report the blackmailers to the police in the hope of retrieving some secret recordings.

“I was only a mediator between two people talking about their business. My interest all along was to make sure that when they got the tape, I can also get hold of it and then play it and make sure that whatever concerned the president or ministers, I can deal with it,” that news report quoted him saying.

Professor Amoako Tuffuor is alleged to have attempted to bribe some staff of the company on behalf of the Metro Mass Managing Director, Bennet Aboagye, to be able to extract evidence from those the MD believes

are “blackmailers.”

Present at Wednesday's meeting with Professor Amoako Tuffuor and AG Nandlall was a team from the Ministry of Natural Resources comprising of Bobby Gossai Jr., Snr. Petroleum Coordinator, M a r t i n P e r t a b , S n r.

Petroleum Economist, Joanna Simmons, Snr. Legal Coordinator, Visal Satram, Legal Officer and Michael Munroe, Legal Officer.

Additionally, members of the Chambers of the Attorney General which comprised of Debra Kumar, Deputy Solicitor General, Charles Fung-a-Fatt, SC, Chief Parliamentary Counsel, Ronetta Sargent, Senior Legal Advisor, Arti Outar, State Counsel, Janet Ali, State Counsel and, Ayana Fable, Parliamentary Counsel, were also on hand for the meeting.

Friday December 03, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Friday December 03, 2021

Trio in $700,000 bribery scandal gets bail

Fraud accused who wanted to be free for Christmas, Vishal Munilall.

Charged for committing fraud, his brother, Vickram Munilall.

Charged for trying buy her relatives freedom for Christmas, Kulwattie Munilall.

Charged for committing fraud with Munilall brothers and also trying to bribe an officer, Deodharry Oodit, 26

The three individuals who allegedly attempted to bribe a policeman last Saturday at the Golden Grove Police Station, East Bank Demerara were on Thursday granted bail when they appeared at the Diamond Magistrate's Court.

Vishal Munilall, 34, a fraud accused, his female relative, Kuluwattie Munilall, 25, and Deodharry Oodit, 26, all appeared on Thursday before Principal Magistrate, Judy Latchman. They were charged with corrupt transaction at the Golden Grove Police Station. The transaction was to allegedly

bribe an investigating officer with $700,000 for Munilall's freedom.

Munilall at the time was detained for allegedly committing fraud by selling unsuspecting customers properties that did not belong him. He reportedly, did not want to spend Christmas in jail and had allegedly conspired with Kuluwattie and Oodit to bribe the officer to let him go.

The trio pleaded not guilty to the attempted bribery charge and was granted $40,000 bail each. They are expected to return to court on the on January 4, 2022.

Meanwhile, Munilall, Oodit and his brother, Vickram Munilall were charged separately with fraud. The three men were charged jointly for obtaining money by false pretense.

They pleaded not guilty and were granted $100,000 bail each and expected to return to court for this offence on January 4, 2022 as well.According to reports, Munilall and his accomplices were wanted by the police for some two years. Last Saturday, ranks caught Munilall and during his interrogation, he requested a phone call to his attorney and it

was granted.His lawyer did arrive but, his female relative, Kulwattie, arrived too and handed him a package, which he gave to the investigating officer.

After the officer found the cash in the package, Munilall reportedly requested that he drops the fraud investigation and set him free. The policeman however, allegedly refused the cash and cautioned Munilall that he had just committed an offence. When asked why he did it, Munilall, reportedly responded that he did not want to spend Christmas in jail.

Friday December 03, 2021

Social Services Ministry to set up justice centres countrywide for battered, disabled women

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud

T

he Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MoHSSS) in partnership with Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD), and United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) have intensified efforts to help persons with disabilities, particularly those suffering from domestic violence.

The initiative, kickstarted with the launching of a workshop on Wednesday, which focused on GenderBased Violence (GBV) for young women with disabilities. Minister of H u m a n S e r v i c e s , D r.

Vindhya Persaud, during the opening ceremony, said no effort would be spared to help vulnerable persons. She said the 914 hotline which has been in existence for more than a year, an app would soon be launched, called “I Matter”, will provide another

avenue for victims to report domestic violence.

“Every person matters, so the app will be available in the stores for you to just upload it on your forms, and you can utilise the app in many ways. Information will be readily available through the app, but there is a button that will link a person who is e x p e r i e n c i n g violence…when you hit that 914-panic button, it hooks up to more 914 hotlines.” “All we ask is that you keep the location on your phone on, so if there is need for us to find you and help you, we can do that”, Minister Dr. Persaud pointed out.

The minister explained that justice centres would be launched across the country so that services can be readily accessible. “So, we're looking at a gender-based referral system where the Police are involved or survivors' advocates are involved…and welfare (Continued on page 22)

Kaieteur News

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Friday December 03, 2021

PAGE 19

Housing Ministry building $147M Sheriff/Mandela roundabout A drone shot depicting the progress thus far of the roundabout.

Minister of Housing Collin Croal

Junior Sammy, owner of Junior Sammy Guyana Inc.

The Ministry of Housing is currently building the roundabout which will connect the Sheriff/Mandela road to the new bypass Road to Eccles, East Bank Demerara.

The project is being constructed at a tune of $146.7 million by the Junior Sammy Guyana Inc. The project commenced on August 30 this year and is expected to be completed by December 24 2021.

According to the Minister of Housing, Collin Croal, the roundabout will facilitate the flow of heavy traffic between

Mandela Avenue and the new four-lane highway expansion through South Ruimveldt.

This will also ensure minimum disruption to traffic on Mandela and Aubrey Barker Road.

The roundabout will also minimise the traffic build up associated with the traffic light at major intersections, Croal added.

Croal stated that he is quite pleased with the progress thus far and though the completion date is set to late December, he is quite sure there will be an early completion.

Kaieteur News

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Friday December 03, 2021

Govt. to spend $136M to build half mile stretch of road at Lima Sands, E’bo

By Romario Blair

T

he Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Public Works, will be spending some $136M for 800 metres (M) of road currently being constructed within the Lima Sands Community on the Essequibo

Coast, Region 2.

An 800metre stretch is only half mile and it means that each metre will cost approximately $170,000.

Relating the cost of the project to Kaieteur News is the Region's Vice Chairman, Mr. Humace Oodit.

Works on the half mile stretch reportedly

commenced last month and is said to be only the first phase a new road in Lima Sands.

Kaieteur New learnt that the contract was awarded to S. Jagmohan and Supplies, by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure.

According to Oodit the specifications of the project will see the construction of a

20ft wide, 800 metres of asphalted road. Concrete drains will also be constructed on both sides of the half mile stretch. The Regional Vice Chairman

Ongoing construction of the 800M Lima Sands road that will cost the government $170,000 per metre.

added that the first layer will be sand, followed by a layer of loam then a third layer of crush and run. After completing the three layers the contractor will add the

asphalt finish.

The concrete drains on each side, he continued, will be built 3ft. wide and two ft. deep. Meanwhile Lima (Continued on page 22)

Friday December 03, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Friday November 26, 2021

Govt. seeks insurance for Skeldon co-gen plant Yesterday, the National Procurement and Tender AdBoard 102 GoodHope Mahaica, m i n i s t r a t i o n 500ftx42ft Roadside. Call: 691- (NPTAB) office received four bids for the provision 8420. of insurance services for the Skeldon Energy IncorLAND FOR SALE

porated (SEI), which was the procuring entity.

The highest bid for this contract was from Raj Singh Insurance Brokers at the tune of $34 million while MP Insurance Bro-

kers bid the least with $27 million.

SEI power plant is a company co-owned by the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and the National Industrial and Commercial In-

vestments Limited (NICIL).Skeldon Energy Incorporated (SEI) Provision of Insurance Services- All risk of physical loss and damage.

SERVICES Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisements, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040 House plan drawing & estimates. K.Lakeram Building C o n t r a c t o r. C a l l : 2 1 6 0671,692-8464 or whatsapp 622-0267.

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Former Finance Minister arrested over...

From page 3 agents of the state.

For its part the People's National Congress Reform (PNC/R) also issued a statement in which they condemned Jordan's arrest and called it a witch hunt by the current administration.

The party assured Jordan and his family that they have

its full support against the tyranny of the PPP/C administration. It was also mentioned that the current administration ought to be scared of the statements that are being made by Jordan surrounding the nation's finances and its oil revenues.

Consequently, it was stated that the current administra-

tion has resorted to body violence, health threats and psychological intimidation against the former Minister.

Meanwhile, businessman and principal of BK Inc., Brian Tiwari was also called in for questioning at SOCU Headquarters.

This was confirmed by the Head of SOCU, who also re-

lated that the businessman was questioned in relation to prime waterfront properties in Kingston, Georgetown, in which BK reportedly breached its contractual obligations.

Karimbaksh noted that Tiwari was questioned and released on his own recognizance.

Social Services Ministry to set up justice centre's...

From page 17 officers are involved… Justice centres will be launched across the country where these services will not be through phone call or through an extension, but they will be, or the intention is for them to be readily accessible to people across the country under one roof…”, she noted.

There is also a complex that is currently being constructed that will cater exclusively for persons with disabilities.

“That will be based on the East Coast of Demerara, and it is intended for this construction to be concluded

before mid-part of the year, because it has already started and I'm hoping it will finish earlier…the intention is to provide safe spaces, if you like, to hold your meetings, or events, or anything that you feel that is necessary.

And in next year's budget, we've asked for transportation, retrofitted transportation to cater for persons living with disabilities…,” Minister Dr. Persaud added.

She further explained that later on in this year, training will commence in a number of areas, and it would be targeting persons living with disabilities.

She said that when these

training programmes begin, attendance would be free of cost.

“You might say that is separate to the issue of violence, but it's not.

It is working to make you very independent, very independent. And once you will access those training programmes…the funding will be available to you, because we want to encourage micro enterprise.

We want to encourage you to be entrepreneurs, we want to encourage you to be bosses, and we want to encourage you to take control of the finances…”, Human Services Minister

posited.

Furthermore, over the years, not many programmes have been implemented to educate women and girls with disabilities about GBV. H o w e v e r, s h e h i g h lighted that very few women and young girls with disabilities are aware of their rights, and lack the knowledge of the available GBV services. Nevertheless, this workshop and continuous online and inperson training, GCOPD hopes that will sensitise and empower women and young girls with disabilities.

Govt. to spend $136 million for half mile...

From page 20 Sands residents said that they are optimistic that the new stretch of road will boost their community's development.

“It's been 20 years since this community has been in existence. And it's the first time that we're receiving an

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One female general worker to work shift system at a guest house. Call:664-1566.

asphalted road along with street lights in one year,” one resident told Kaieteur News.

Over the years, there have been concerns surrounding the construction of roads in sandy communities along the Essequibo Coast.

Residents pointed out previous construction of

roads without drains, was a 'failure from the start,' and it would end up getting washed away by the rains.

“The Lima Sands area, and Onderneeming area as well, what we've noticed is that if you do the road alone it will not bring that much relief because the water will

continue to traverse in residents' yards and the side of the roads will crumble due to quick erosion.

So we believe that drains on both sides will increase the life span of these roads, and should bring some measure of relief to the residents”, the vice chairman stated.

Friday December 03, 2021

Kaieteur News

Region 6 man succumbs to COVID-19 An unvaccinated 32year-old man from Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) who contracted COVID-19, has died. This is according to the Ministry of Health, which reported that the man died on Thursday while receiving treatment at a medical facility.

As a result of this, the country's COVID-19 death toll has moved to 998.

Meanwhile, in its daily COVID-19 dashboard, the Ministry recorded 76 new infections, taking the total number confirmed cases to 38,027.

The dashboard also

shows that 18 patients were admitted into the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 54 persons in institutional isolation, 1,067 in home isolation and two in institutional quarantine. To date, a total of 35,891 persons have recovered from the virus.

PAGE 23

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Kaieteur News

Friday December 03, 2021

Friday Friday December October 29, 03, 2021 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 25

Project cost overrun, a sign of gross mismanagement - PAC Chairman C

hairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Jermaine Figueira said that government's constant request for additional funding to complete major projects is a key indicator of mismanagement and possible corruption.

In an invited comment, the PAC Chair highlighted his concerns over recent media reports, where Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill is quoted as saying that more monies will be required to complete the Sheriff/Mandela Road Expansion Project.

According to Figueira, “The request by the government and more specially, the Minister of P u b l i c Wo r k s f o r t h e Sheriff/Mandela road is most concerning.”

He reminded that this project is being funded through an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan agreement that was signed by the incumbent administration in June 2012.

Some US$66.2 million was granted by the international bank to the Government.

Of this amount $US 42 million was allocated for the Sheriff/Mandela road, $US 8 million for the East Bank road and the remainder for a study of the Wismar bridge, according to the PAC Chair.

In this regard, the PAC Chair said, “this additional request for more tax payers' money is a clear indication of gross mismanagement and poor leadership”.

He pointed out that the project is now over due by more than two years and has already exceeded its initial budget.

In addition to this, the Chairman flagged the substandard works being produced by contractors, despite receiving huge sums as was evident in the most recent case of the Linden road works.

Yesterday, it was reported that the retaining walls of a major thoroughfare in the Silvertown community, of Wismar, Linden collapsed a mere two days after it was

Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Jermaine Figueira constructed by Contractor, David Sugrim, of D&R Construction Company to the tune of $11 million dollars.

“We have already seen across the country numerous substandard works on roads, drainage and some buildings being built,” Figueira noted.

Moreover, he said that in some cases, contractors are

given more work load than they can handle.

“Some engineers, clerk of works, and those who direct who should get, and not get those contracts are complicit, and are still being allowed to work.

In many instances, these officers are given more contracts to supervise and work respectively to no benefit of the tax payers who have to pay for their shortcomings,” the PAC Chair argued.

In fact, he said that handing out more monies to contractors, in excess of the initial contract sum, will not result in proper work being done. Instead, “What is required is prudent leadership, management and oversight from someone who has the knowledge, experience and humility to learn, that is what is most needed,” the Public Accounts Chairperson argued.

On Wednesday, Edghill hosted a media tour, where he announced that the US$31 million Sheriff Street/Mandela Avenue road

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill project will require additional funding to complete.

It must be noted that even though the additional funds are required, there will be no major changes to the design of the road. The minister went on to say that the price of materials would have changed from the time the

contract was signed to now, and the ministry had to hold the contractor at prices at the time of the signing of the contract. He further went on to say that with all of the work that had to be done to the preexisting road before moving ahead with the project, the ministry was forced to use quantities that were more than in the original bill.

In another instance, within the said Ministry, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport was initially pegged at US$150 million and has to date exceeded this sum by over US$10 million. But even though this is the case, more money is yet to be allocated to see this project through. As recent as September this year, bids were invited to fix the roof of t h e f a c i l i t y, w h i c h i s estimated to cost an additional $23.3 million.

Even though Edghill recently promised that the total cost for the project will not exceed US$200 million, there is no guarantee, as the project is currently a workin-progress.

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Kaieteur News

Friday December 03, 2021

Friday December 03, 2021

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Kaieteur News

NBA roundup: Giannis Antetokounmpo nets 40 in Bucks’ comeback win Reuters - The Milwaukee Bucks battled back from an 18-point deficit and Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a goahead layup with two seconds left in regulation to beat the visiting Charlotte Hornets 127-125.

Milwaukee earned its eighth straight win after outscoring the Hornets 67-57 in the second half to complete the comeback after not holding a lead through nearly 34 minutes of action.

Charlotte’s Miles Bridges threw up a heave at the buzzer, but it did not fall, handing the Bucks their sixth consecutive victory at home.

Antetokounmpo racked up 40 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. Khris Middleton added 21 points for the Bucks. Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball tallied a careerhigh 36 points to go along with nine assists and five rebounds. Kelly Oubre Jr. finished with 25 points for the Hornets.

Cavaliers 111, Heat 85 Kevin Love scored a game-high 22 points off the bench as Cleveland broke a 20-game, decade-plus-long losing streak in games played in Miami. Miami’s Duncan Robinson shot 0-for-7 from the floor and went scoreless.

That ended his 69-game streak with at least one three-pointer, which had been the secondlongest active streak in the NBA. Prior to Wednesday, Cleveland’s most recent win in Miami was on Jan. 25, 2010.

Cleveland bothered Miami with its height as 6-11 Jarrett Allen had 19 points, 11 rebounds and a game-high five blocks. Evan Mobley, a 7-foot rookie, had 17 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks as Cleveland won its third straight game. Tyler Herro returned from a two-game absence to lead the Heat with 21 points.

Magic 108, Nuggets 103 Cole Anthony had 24 points, eight rebounds and

seven assists in a successful return to the lineup and Franz Wagner hit a go-ahead triple with 1:45 left as host Orlando rallied to defeat Denver and end a seven-game losing streak.

Wagner’s 3-pointer gave the Magic their first lead of the game at 106-103. Will Barton missed an offbalanced triple from the left wing, and Anthony sank two free throws after being fouled on the rebound to cap the scoring. Wagner finished with 15 points and was one of six Magic players to score in double figures.

Nikola Jokic had 18 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists for the Nuggets, and Aaron Gordon scored 17 points in his return to Orlando.

Celtics 88, 76ers 87 Jayson Tatum had 26 points and a career-high 16 rebounds as host Boston outlasted Philadelphia for its second straight win and fifth

Friday December 03, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You feel romantic and sexy today, but you won't have the opportunity to do anything about it. You may be temporarily separated from the special someone in your life.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Today you may extend an invitation to someone close to visit you in your home, but don't count on the person being able to make it.

Something may come up.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) News of illness or employment problems on the part of someone you care about can have you feeling a bit down in the dumps today.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Friends or groups could make excessive demands on your time today. As a generous and service-oriented person, you tend to go along with what others want.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Though you're usually outgoing, today you might feel more shy and reserved, perhaps because of melancholy thoughts about love or friendship.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Information regarding spiritual or philosophical matters that may not be all that trustworthy may come your way.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Overspending on luxury items might have you feeling the need to tighten your belt a little. This could make you feel downhearted.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Group activities or gettogethers with friends may not go as well as usual today. You're feeling more reserved and perhaps preoccupied about a friend or romantic partner.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Minor family problems might make you gloomy today. Perhaps a family member is away, or there may have been some petty squabbles in your household.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) A separation from the special someone in your life, perhaps because of a minor disagreement, could have you feeling melancholy today.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) The illness of a relative or neighbor might have you feeling downhearted today.

The news is likely secondhand, so it might not be as bad as reported.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) A touch of melancholy and moodiness might have you feeling distanced from your entourage and so you could throw yourself into solitary activities.

in the last seven.

Dennis Schroder added 13 points off the bench for Boston, Al Horford totaled 10 points and eight rebounds, Robert Williams III added 10 points and Jaylen Brown finished with nine points on 3-of-11 shooting.

Seth Curry led the 76ers with 17 points. Shake Milton contributed 16 points off the bench while Boston-area native Georges Niang added 12 points for Philadelphia, which lost for the ninth time in 12 games.

Hawks 114, Pacers 111 Trae Young scored 33 points, his fifth straight game with 30-plus, and Atlanta defeated Indiana in Indianapolis.

The victory counts as coach Nate McMillan’s 700th career win, although he has self-quarantined because his son, assistant coach Jamelle McMillan, had a positive COVID-19 test earlier in the day. Indiana’s Malcolm Brogdon missed the potential tying shot from halfcourt to end the game.

Young was 13-for-27 from the floor, including three 3pointers, and added 10 assists and eight rebounds.

Kevin Huerter chipped in 19 points, and John Collins supplied 14 points and four blocks. Brogdon led Indiana with 27 points and nine assists, and Domantas Sabonis added 22 points and 10 rebounds. Myles Turner had 17 points, nine rebounds and two blocks.

In other scores: Rockets 114, Thunder 110 Wizards 115, Timberwolves 107

Pepsi Hikers...

From page 29 GCC Ignite defeated GCC Spartans by 5 - 4 MALE Second Division YMCA Old Fort defeated GCC War Dogs by 4 – 0 Saints Scorpions drew with Hikers Cadets by 2 – 2 Saints Sensations defeated GCC Pitbulls by 5 – 4 Games continue today from 17:00hrs and concludes this weekend with those matches hitting off at 15:00hrs.

‘Boys gained tremendous...

From page 30 practice. We must all thank physical trainer Yisrael and the Guyana Olympic Association who gave us the necessary funding so we could be as best prepared as we were for this tournament,” continued Wilshire.

Wilshire also thanked the GSA for giving him the opportunity to manage the team.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) gets ready before the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Fiserv Forum. (Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports) Mavericks 139, Pelicans 107

Kings 124, Clippers 115 (Field Level Media)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 28

Friday December 03, 2021

China chafes at exit of women’s tennis body in solidarity with Peng B

E I J I N G , (Reuters) Beijing took u m b r a g e yesterday at the suspension o f Wo m e n ’s Te n n i s A s s o c i a t i o n ( W TA ) tournaments in China in solidarity with Peng Shuai after the player made a sexual assault accusation then disappeared from public view.

Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin did not directly mention the WTA but pointedly said China “opposes the politicization of sports”.

In an editorial, the Global Times newspaper, published by the ruling Communist Party’s People’s Daily, said the WTA was betraying the Olympic spirit and bringing politics into tennis.

“Some forces in the West are instigating a boycott against the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics,” it added, referring to the February event which some rights groups want boycotted over China’s human rights record.

Peng, a former world No. 1 doubles player, was unseen in public for nearly three weeks after she posted a message on social media in early November accusing

C h i n a ’s f o r m e r Vi c e Premier Zhang Gaoli of forcing her into sex.

Neither Zhang, who retired in 2018, nor the government have commented on Peng’s accusation and the topic has been blocked on China’s heavily censored internet.

The men’s equivalent body, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), weighed in on Thursday saying Peng’s situation raised serious concerns within and beyond the sport.

“The response to those concerns has so far fallen short. We again urge for a line of open direct communication between the player and the WTA in order to establish a clearer picture of her situation,” said ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

Peng, a three-time Olympian, did appear in mid-November at a dinner with friends and a children’s tennis tournament in Beijing, photographs and videos published by Chinese state media and by the tournament’s organisers showed.

And the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it had held a second video call with the 35-year-

old player on Wednesday following one late last month.

The IOC said it had offered her support, would stay in regular touch, and had agreed a personal meeting in January. She appeared to be “safe and well, given the difficult situation she is in”, it added in its statement yesterday.

‘BIGGER THINGS THAN TENNIS’ Unconvinced, however, the U.S.-headquartered W TA w a n t s f u r t h e r assurances of her wellbeing and an investigation before it returns to the lucrative Chinese market.

“While we now know where Peng is, I have serious doubts that she is free, safe, and not subject to censorship, coercion, and intimidation,” chief executive Steve Simon said on Wednesday, suggesting she was pressured to retract her allegation.

Equality for women would suffer a setback if powerful people could suppress accusations of assault, he added. “I am also greatly concerned about the risks that all of our players and staff could face if we were to hold events in China

Unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 107 puts Sri Lanka in control on penultimate day of second Test

S

portsMax - An unbroken ninthwicket partnership of 107 between Dhananjaya de Silva and Lasith Embuldeniya put Sri Lanka in control on the penultimate day of the second Test against the West Indies at Galle yesterday.

At stumps, Sri Lanka are 328-8, a lead of 279 with two wickets still remaining. De Silva is 153 not out while Embuldeniya is on 25.

Together they took Sri Lanka from 221-8 after the West Indies had threatened to restrict the home side to a lead below 200 runs, having trailed by 49 on first innings.

Resuming on 46-2, still three runs behind on first innings, Sri Lanka lost their third wicket at 73 when Veerasammy Permaul had Charith Asalanka caught at short leg for 19.

Pathum Nissanka, 21, overnight, and de Silva stitched together a stand of 78 that was broken when the former got out lbw to Roston Chase for 66.

It was then 151-4.

At 157, Chase had Dinesh Chandimal out caught and bowled for two and the Sri Lankan lead was now only 108 with five wickets left.

However, de Silva forged

a partnership of 51 with Ramesh Mendis, who made 25. Permaul then dismissed Suranga Lakmal for seven and the injured Angelo Matthews for 1 as Sri Lanka slipped to 221-8, a lead of 172.

It was the last success the West Indies would enjoy.

Permaul, who took 5-35 in the first innings, has so far taken 3-100 while Chase has figures of 2-82.

Scores in the match: Sri Lanka 328 for 8 (Dhananjaya 153*, Embuldeniya 25*, Permaul 3-100, Chase 2-82) and 204 lead West Indies 253 by 279 runs.

in 2022.”

From former women’s greats Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova to m e n ’s N o . 1 N o v a k Djokovic, many in the tennis world applauded the WTA, which stands to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in TV and sponsorship revenue.

“Really strong stance.

Far bigger things in the world than a game of tennis,” said Australian player John Millman. The WTA had been fast expanding into China, where local interest was fuelled when Li Na won the 2011 French Open.

China hosted just two WTA events in 2008 but 11 years later was staging nine including the WTA Tour finals - though the pandemic forced the cancellation of all but one this year and last.

Another major global tennis body, the International Tennis Federation, also said it stood with women’s rights and that Peng’s allegations

China’s Peng Shuai in action against Spain’s Garbine Muguruza during their round of 64 match.

(REUTERS/Susana Vera)

must be addressed.

Peng posted in early November that Gaoli had coerced her into sex and they later had an on-off consensual relationship. The message was deleted half an hour later.

Sexual harassment and assault were for years rarely broached in public in China until a #MeToo movement began in 2018, when a student accused her professor of sexual harassment.

GFF meets government to discuss first CARICOM edition of FIFA football for schools programme

T

he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has met with the Government of Guyana (GoG) to kick off the national approval process necessary to accept an offer from FIFA for Guyana to become the first CARICOM nation to benefit from the world football governing body’s Football For Schools programme.

The programme, which will see FIFA provide financial, technical and logistical support to establish sustainable football initiatives and competitions in primary and secondary schools around the world, requires a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the GoG and the GFF, the creation of a national steering committee, and an agreed list of participating schools.

GFF President Wayne Forde on Wednesday met with Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Charles Ramson Jr., Chairman of the National Sports Commission Kashif Muhammad, Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle and Assistant Director of Sport Melissa DowRichardson to discuss the details of the MoU and the composition of the steering committee.

President Forde will appoint the chair of the committee, which will include representatives from the GFF, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, the National Sports Commission, corporate Guyana and members of the football community.

“We are honoured and deeply proud that Guyana has been selected by FIFA as a role

model member association to become the first CARICOM nation to benefit from the FIFA for Schools programme. FIFA and the GFF are eager to move forward as swiftly as possible in partnership with the Government of Guyana, so that this important programme can be delivered for the new school year in September 2022,” Forde said. “It is crucial that we are able to meet the strict criteria stipulated by FIFA for its development activities, and this meeting with government has helped us move forward in securing the support and resources required to deliver the programme successfully.”

“With expert help from the world governing body of football, and with all eyes in the region on us as the first CARICOM nation to participate, Guyana has a golden opportunity to transform its school sports agenda and to further cement its reputation as a premier destination for football development in the Caribbean,” he said.

The next steps in the process include finalising and signing the MoU, appointing the steering committee and providing FIFA with the list of primary and secondary schools that will benefit.

F I FA F o o t b a l l f o r S c h o o l s , i n collaboration with UNESCO, aims to contribute to the education, development and empowerment of around 700 million children. It seeks to make football more accessible to both boys and girls by incorporating football activities into the education system, in partnership with relevant authorities and stakeholders.

Friday December 03, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 29

Stanley Menzo: Ajax’s former goalkeeper on dealing with racism in Dutch game

B

BC Sport - In his first post as a manager, Johan Cruyff wanted a special goalkeeper, a player who matched his all-round attacking vision for Ajax.

Stanley Menzo fit the bill.

Menzo had been at the Amsterdam club for a few years. When Cruyff took charge, in 1985, he was an understudy, and had only played a few matches.

Under the Dutch legend’s guidance, Menzo went into the first team, aged 21. Cruyff moved on to Barcelona three years later, but the young goalkeeper would keep his place for seven seasons, a star of the side that won the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1987 and the Uefa Cup in 1992.

Over the course of a 16year career in football, Menzo also won nine domestic league and cup titles across the Dutch game and in Belgium, achieved with a style that helped change what many thought a goalkeeper could be. He was an extra man who could do more than keep the opposition out - an early example of the ‘sweeper keeper’.

But those years at the top were tough.

Born in Suriname in 1963, Menzo moved to the Netherlands when he was six years old. The racist abuse started early in his career. By the time he was at his peak, it reached a horrible intensity public, frequent and large scale. In many of the games he played, there would be monkey chants, racist taunts, bananas thrown on to the field.

“It hurt, it hurt me very hard,” Menzo says now.

“When you have half the stadium abusing you, it feels very lonely. When I think back, I can’t imagine how I did it - how I played my matches.”

Racism was such a regular feature of Dutch football at that time that almost nobody talked about it - including those who were being targeted, Menzo says.

Even though he tried not to let it affect him, it made him question himself.

“We never spoke about what was happening because we didn’t know how to deal with it,” he adds.

“Some players said they didn’t hear it. I can’t imagine

that - I heard it always, even when it was one person. It was normal - it became normal.

“I thought it was maybe my personality that made me feel and hear it, and maybe I wasn’t strong enough for professional football.”

But Menzo did show strength. And on more than one occasion, he physically stood up to his abusers.

The first time was in November in 1987, still early in his Ajax career, at the age of 24. It happened after yet another away game in which he was targeted.

He was coming out of the dressing room and walking across towards the team bus, carrying a box. A young man approached him. He asked Menzo if there were bananas in the box. Menzo put the box down on the ground.

“I said ‘what did you say?’ and he said it again,” Menzo continues.

“At that moment I was not myself, I think, and I hit him.

“The first feeling was just a relief, it was like the p r e s s u r e f e l l o ff m e .

Throughout the game the abuse was there, and here after the game again too.

Now it was - boom.”

Menzo struck the man full in the face. His abuser walked off, with a bloody nose and a broken tooth.

The whole incident was witnessed by the opposition t e a m ’s m a n a g e r, w h o defended Menzo when reports emerged in the press.

That’s how his mother found out what had happened.

According to Menzo’s biography, she reckoned the abusive young man would have lost more than a tooth if he’d said it to her.

There was no comeback from the authorities - but then little or nothing was done to try to stop the racism regularly aimed at the goalkeeper, either.

Later in his career, when he was playing in Belgium in the 1990s, yet another banana was thrown in his direction.

This time, instead of ignoring it as he had so many times before, Menzo picked it up, peeled it and took a bite. The result was laughter - a lifting of the tension.

“It was a good reaction,” he says. “It made me feel good and it gave a positive reaction to the fans.”

Menzo was appointed technical director of the Aruba national team in 2021.

In June, they won a match for the first time in three years . (Getty Images) Born in Suriname, Stanley Menzo moved to Amsterdam with his family when he was six. (Getty Images) But Menzo also believes that part of the reaction came because he was older, better known and more respected by that time. As a younger man, such a reaction would have been impossible, he says now.

It is more than 20 years since the former Ajax, PSV and Dutch international goalkeeper called time on his playing career.

He was collaborating on a book about his life, with journalist and author Mike van Damme, as the Black Lives Matter (BLM) campaign reached new global relevance in 2020, following the murder of George Floyd.

For Menzo, the contrast between the 1980s and 90s and the present day could not be clearer in terms of how football confronts racism.

Players speak out. Officials and governing bodies run campaigns. He says he “can’t imagine” teams walking off the pitch in protest back in his day.

The problem is far from resolved, but Menzo sees progress.

“What I enjoyed about the BLM discussions was that I didn’t see black people demonstrating against racism, I saw black and white people. And that’s the whole issue,” he says.

“If I feel it as a black person, see it and hear it. Do you see it and hear it as a white person? If not, then we have a problem. If yes, then let’s solve it together.

“In football we can change things and… we can use football to change things.”

It has taken a long time for Menzo to appreciate what he achieved in football.

Not just because of the constant abuse that he faced, but because he was often worrying too much about his

performances to enjoy success.

“Most of the time I was only seeing the negative things, the goals that I couldn’t save,” he reflects.

“I was too busy with those things, and forgot to see the positives.”

That feeling continued, he says, until he came to collaborate on the book. Its title is Menzo: The Battle Under the Bar. “In the beginning, it was a little bit strange to talk about yourself,” he says.

“But I came to like it and I saw other things of my life and my career that I enjoy now, and that I hadn’t enjoyed before. You see that you have done a great job as a player.”

And, in the reactions

since publication, he has finally been able to appreciate how others view him as well.

“I never knew they saw me like that - as an athlete, as a great goalkeeper, as somebody who was always fighting against racism. It made me proud that people thought of me in that way.”

Although he finished playing many years ago, Menzo remains in football. It is a relationship that began on the streets of Amsterdam.

The football he played as a child, on the streets, was a major forming influence on his life and career. When the whole world seemed to be inside watching the 1974 World Cup final, when the Netherlands lost to West Germany, a 10-year-old Menzo was out with a ball at his feet. He would always play street football growing up - continuing even after

he’d first broken into the Ajax team.

In more recent years, he worked as a goalkeeping coach with the Dutch national team, when Marco van Basten was in charge between 2004 and 2008.

In 2007-08, he led FC Volendam to promotion to the Eredivisie, and has also coached in Belgium, South Africa and China.

He is now the technical director of the Aruba national team and is also serving as its stand-in coach.

In June, he guided them to their first win in three years, a 3-1 victory over the Cayman Islands in World Cup qualification.

It’s all for the love of the game which - through good and ill - has been his life.

“I have to give back to football,” he says, “because football made me the person that I am.”

‘It won’t happen overnight’ - retired Jamaica track star Bolt warns young sprinters about taking shortcuts Usain Bolt has encouraged SportsMax - Retired track and field star Usain Bolt has encouraged up-andcoming athletes to embrace hard work and dedication to achieve their goals and not be tempted by the shortcut of performance-enhancing drugs.

The big Jamaican was easily the standard by which all other sprinters were measured, after putting together a dominant spell that lasted over a decade. During that time Bolt claimed 8 Olympic and 11 World Championship gold medals, and in addition, set two records in the men’s 100m and 200m sprints that have stood untouched since 2009.

Perhaps more importantly, in a sport often riddled with doping controversy, the sprinter never failed a drug

up-and-coming athletes to embrace hard work and dedication and not be tempted by the shortcut of performance-enhancing drugs.

test.

“I tried to live a respectful life. I understood what it meant to show the world that it could be done so that younger kids can look up to me and say ‘Usain did all these good things without taking drugs’. It’s all about hard work and dedication and a lot of people want to take short routes. I always wanted to be the best version of myself,” Bolt said in at a recent Hindustan Times Leadership Summit.

“So young athletes listen, it’s all about dedication and hard work, it won’t happen overnight,” the Jamaican added.

As part of the solution, the sprinter believes stricter regulations could be considered to deter cheating.

“We have tried everything in sports to eliminate doping.

But I think we have to continue putting in more strict regulations to deter people from wanting to cheat.”

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Friday December 03, 2021

Plaudits pour in for Thompson-Herah Fisherman Masters thank sponsors, hoping on Athlete of the Year award to compete overseas portsMax “We expected it!” says Jamaica’s sports minister

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Plaudits have come in from Jamaica’s sports minister and the Jamaica Olympic Association for Olympic champion Elaine Thompson who was named World Athletics Female Athlete of the Year in Monaco.

Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, said it did not come as a surprise that Elaine Thompson-Herah would have won the prestigious award.

The 29-year-old Jamaican, who successfully defended both 100m and 200m titles she first won at Rio 2016 came out on top of a quality field of candidates that included the USA’s Sydney McLaughlin, Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon, Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan and Venezuala’s Yulimar Rojas, to win her first AOY award. “ We e x p e c t e d i t , ” Minister Grange said in a statement.

“This nation is so happy for Elaine and proud of her for winning the top award for women in track and field for 2021. But she put her hands up with her performances in the Olympics and World Games. In fact, she has enjoyed one of the finest sprint seasons in history, retaining her 100m and 200m titles in 10.61 seconds and 21.53 seconds in Tokyo as well as adding another gold medal to her collection in the 4x100m relay, which she and her colleagues won in a national record time of 41.02 seconds.

“Elaine did not just stop there; in her first race after the Olympics, she won the 100m in a world-leading

Olympic champion Elaine Thompson

time of 10.54 seconds which makes her second on the alltime list for the 100m and 200m.”

The minister said Thompson-Herah joins two other Jamaican greats to have won the prestigious award from the sports’ world-governing body. “ It is so great, Elaine now makes it a trio of Female Athletes of the Year for Jamaica; following in the footsteps of Merlene Ottey and Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce,” Minister Grange said. “ We s a l u t e E l a i n e Thompson-Herah. She is just awesome!”

JOA President Christopher Samuda d e s c r i b e d t h e accomplishment as a reward for her outstanding year.

“The Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) congratulates our Olympian, Elaine Thompson-Herah, for being selected Female Athlete of the Year by World Athletics,” Samuda said in a statement.

“It is indeed an admirable accomplishment, the reward for exemplary performances

and a testimony to her valour in transforming the challenges of a year bedevilled with the pandemic into inspiring feats.

“The Jamaica Olympic Association salutes her and exhorts her to continue to be driven in her athletic pilgrimage of excellence.”

Meanwhile, ThompsonHerah said winning the coveted award was the best way to end her historic season. Posting on her social media pages, the fastest woman alive said, “Way to cap off a magnificent historic season with my first world Athletics athlete of the year award. “I am just amazed with how the Lord piloted me throughout this year.”

She expressed gratitude to her supporters and sponsors who were behind her on the historic journey.”

“Thanks to all my sponsors @ncbjamaica @flowjamaica and @nike for your continued support.

Thanks to all my longstanding supporters family, friends and fans always with me through the ups and downs love you all.”

King and Queen Dominoes set for Sunday

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win Towers will be hosting a king and queen dominoes competition on Sunday at Turning Point starting at 15:00hrs.

Entrance fee is $2,000 and over $200,000 in cash and other prizes are to be won. Teams can contact Dhyan Carter on 696-7781 for registration.

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w o - t i m e Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc Prime Minister’s T20 Masters champions Fisherman have expressed gratitude to their sponsors following the successful defence of their title.

Fisherman defeated Ariel to win the Masters title for the second straight year when the final was contested recently at the National Stadium.

Captain Zameer Hassan credited the players for the victory and said it’s a great feeling to win the title once again.

Hassan made special mention of overseas based player Bhim George, owner of the team Pooran Singh and Shanti Singh for their dedication and the GSCL Inc.

Fisherman Masters Captain Zameer Hassan (R) and team owner Pooran Singh.

He has expressed gratitude to their sponsors, Bradley Mechanical HVAC USA, Krishna Harricharan of Legend Cook House Florida, KFC, Satrohan Sookdeo, Payless Variety Store, Rockaway Roti Shop

USA, Perfect Print, P. Singh and Son Fishing Depot and Guyana Committee of Services.

Hassan added that they will be looking to compete in upcoming tournaments in New York and Florida.

Pakistan leave out Shoaib Malik, Imad Wasim and Hasan Ali for West Indies series

Shoaib Malik will play no part in the home series against West Indies.

(Getty Images)

Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Wasim included in 17-man ODI squad ESPNcricinfo - Shoaib M a l i k , I m a d Wa s i m , Sarfaraz Ahmed and Hasan Ali have all been left out of Pakistan’s 15-man squad for the upcoming T20I series against West Indies at home.

Pakistan also named Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah and Mohammad Wasim jr in their 17-man ODI squad, with Abdullah Shafique included as a travelling reserve.

Faheem Ashraf, Hasan, Agha Salman and Sarfaraz who had been included in the squad for the ODIs against England in July - were left out.

“As we have been playing T20Is since October and now have a pretty settled and balanced side, we have decided to reduce the number of players to 15. As

such, we have not included Imad Wasim, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shoaib Malik,” Mohammad Wasim, the PCB chief selector, said.

“For the ODIs, which we last played in July, we have accepted the team management’s request and provided them two additional resources. In consultation with Hasan Ali and taking into consideration that he has been playing nonstop cricket since returning from a back injury, we have decided to give him time off from this series.”

Pakistan will host West Indies for three T20Is and ODIs each - all in Karachi between December 13 and 22. The T20I matches will count towards the ICC T20I rankings, while the ODIs will be part of the ICC Men’s

Cricket World Cup Super League.

Pakistan T20I squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman QadirPakistan ODI squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Mohammad Hasnain, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir

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Friday December 03, 2021

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Aroydy Branford scores the opener for Pepsi Hikers against Bounty GCC.

ExxonMobil National Indoor Hockey Championships

Pepsi Hikers still unbeaten More wins came the way of the GBTI GCC ladies and the Pepsi Hikers as the ExxonMobil National I n d o o r H o c k e y Championships continued on Wednesday evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The Pepsi Hikers and Bounty GCC squared off on Wednesday evening in what is traditionally a key men’s first division matchup. After seven minutes of conservative play by both sides, Aroydy Branford dribbled up the left wing, faked out GCC goalkeeper Medroy Scotland, and sent the ball into an empty goal for the Hikers opener. GCC responded three minutes later with a Kevin Spencer penalty corner flick to level the scores at 1-1. Hikers Captain Robert France would push his team ahead one minute later to have the score 2-1 in Hikers’ favour up to half time.

The second half was all Hikers as the GCC defence began to unravel as Hikers poured in four more

unanswered goals in the second half with Branford amassing a hat-trick and France a double, with the sixth Hikers goal coming via a penalty corner from Jamarj Assanah. The 6-1 victory leaves the Hikers as the only unbeaten team left in the men’s first division.

The GCC Roulettes seem to be cruising to the semifinal as they dished out another beating, this time of the Misfits by 5-1. Belgian guest player Leo Berlie led the scorers for GCC with a field goal and a penalty corner goal while veteran Tricia Fiedtkou, Abosaide Cadogan and Shebiki Baptiste each added one.

Kenisha Wills was the lone scorer for Misfits.

The GCC Ignite and the GCC Spartans ladies provided the most entertaining match of the evening which saw Ignite pull ahead 4-1 by half time, mainly through the skilful play and leadership of captain Aliyah Gordon. The Spartans made a few tactical

adjustments and swayed the momentum of the game in their favour in the second half. Captain Gabriella Xavier almost drew her team level with a hat-trick of goals with the final whistle coming

just two soon leaving Ignite to celebrate the 5-4 victory.

In the men’s second division competition, YMCA Old Fort obliterated the young GCC War Dogs 8 – 1. The Saints Scorpions

Pepsi Hikers midfielder Jamarj Assanah races up court on a counterattack. drew 2-2 with Hikers Cadets while Saints Sensations defeated GCC Pitbulls 2-0.

Full Results are as follows: MALE Division Pepsi Hikers defeats

Bounty GCC by 6 - 1 Guyana 40s drew with Saints by 1 - 1 FEMALE Division GCC Roulette defeated Misfits by 5 (Continued on page 25)

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Kaieteur News

Friday December 03, 2021

Junior PanAm Games (Squash)

‘Boys gained tremendous experience’ says Coach Wilshire The Guyana squash team. (Coach Garfield Wilshire is at extreme right)

By Sean Devers Guyana’s Squash trio of Team leader 18year-old Shomari Wilshire, 17-year-old Samuel Ince-Carvalhal and 15-year-old Micheal Alphonso put in credible performances against older and vastly more experienced players in the inaugural U-23 Junior Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia which ends on Saturday.

Coach Garfield Wilshire, the former Southern Caribbean Squash Champion and Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) member, feels that despite Guyana ending their campaign without gaining a medal, they gained valuable experience from their trip to the Central American Nation.

In the Men’s team Event, host Colombia beat Guyana 2-0 as Wilshire lost 3-0 to 22year-old Matias Knudsen Martin, JuanTorres Lara beating Guyana’s Ince-Carvalhal 3-0, while Alphonso did not play after Guyana lost their first two matches to the experienced players from the Central American Country.

On Tuesday Evening, in the consolation match for 5th to 12th against Equador, David Costales beat Shomari Wilshire 5-11, 4-11, 411 and Javier Romo beat Michael Alphonso 3-0.

Then against Guatemala, Erick Fonseca beat Michael Alphonso 3-0, Adrian Castello beat Samuel Ince Carvalhal 2-1 and Junior Enriquez beat Shomari Wiltshire 3-1.

According to Coach Wilshire, who doubled as Manager, he saw improvements in the Boy’s play during the tournament.

“They would have gained tremendous experience as the standard of play is extremely high and will stand them in good stead for the tournaments they have to play in the next few weeks. I am extremely satisfied in their level of play and the commitment shown in their matches,” revealed Wilshire.

The experienced Coach said the biggest challenge in Colombia for the boys was adapting to the pace of play as it was a step up for them as it was an Under23 tournament.

“Continuously being involved to higher level competitions like this one is something that needs to be done to replicate our Caribbean performances at the International level,” continued Wilshire.

Wilshire added that the players could not have been better prepared for this tournament.

“The boys will be playing in the Canadian and US Open, as well as the Guyana Junior and Senior National Open tournaments during the coming weeks.

I would like to thank everyone involved in the process to ensure Guyana participated in this tournament. All the executives of the GSA and especially Coach Carl Ince, Deje Dias and all the others players who gave the three players here the necessary match (Continued on page 25)

Friday December 03, 2021

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