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Wednesday Edition December 08, 2021 - Vol. 14 No.47 Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $80 readership yesterday, 100,782

Housing Minister given $6B but signs $14B in contracts …Opposition demands answers in National Assembly for source of $8B overspending

The protest continues for change to ExxonMobil’s contract.

EPA can now access satellite images of offshore flaring - Parsram Guyanese businesses less competitive than C’bean counterparts - Pres. Ali Nurses, screening officer charged for selling COVID-19 vaccine cards - placed on $150,000 bail each EPA waives EIA requirement for hazardous waste treatment facility at Houston

Govt., Coalition guilty of hundreds of millions in overpayments …also ‘failed to collect’ items paid for with tax dollars - AG Report Finds The American President suddenly got a wake-up call and realised that his people were being short changed for quite a while now by the oil companies despite them receiving up to 19% royalty; while our leaders defending the sanctity of the 2% we are getting. @11:00hrs on Kaieteur Radio 99.1/99.5FM

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday December 08, 2021

Wednesday December 08, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Govt., Coalition guilty of hundreds EPA can now access satellite of millions in overpayments images of offshore flaring …also ‘failed to collect’ items paid for with tax dollars - AG Report Finds

The 2020 Auditor General Report was handed in September last, pictured here from left: Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir, Auditor General Deodat Sharma and Public Accounts Committee Chairman, Jermaine Figueira.

The Report of the Auditor General on the Public Accounts of Guyana taking stock of the Accounts of ministries, government departments and Regions for the fiscal year ended 31st December, 2020 will on Monday be made public.

Monday will see the first sitting of the National Assembly since coming out of recess which began in August last. This publication has since learnt that on Monday when the report is made public, it is expected to document the overpayment by both the PPP/C and former APNU+AFC administrations during the course of that year to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h i s publication has learnt that among the more pressing concerns raised by the

Auditor General in his 2020 report is the fact that during the course of the year, several hundred million dollars had been spent on various items that had not been delivered to the audited agency, at the time of the audit.

Kaietuer News, speaking with a source close to the Audit Office, has since learnt that the problem of overpayments and nondelivery of items procured did not plague any single agency per se, but the inconsistencies could be found across the board.

The incumbent Peoples Progressive Part Civic (PPP/C) administration would have taken Office in August of last year, some five months after ousting the then coalition A Partnership for National Unity, Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC)

government at the March Elections—the five month delay in the swearing in is as a result of the recount of the elections results.

As such, the financial stewardship of both administrations will be up for review when the documents are made public.

Additionally, members of the House are also expected to be presented with copies of a Performance Audit Report on the COVID19 Pandemic Assistance Voucher Programme; a Performance Audit Report on the procurement, storage and distribution of the COVID-19 supplies and a follow-Up Performance Audit Report of the Auditor General on a review of the Old Age Pension Programme in Guyana.

Additionally, the Continued on page 19

Acutely aware of the harmful environmental implications associated with flaring, Head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Kemraj Parsram has assured that steps have been taken to increase the agency’s surveillance capacity of operations aboard the Liza Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO).

At the moment, Parsram shared that detailed records on flaring are provided to the agency by ExxonMobil’s subsidiary and operator of the Stabroek Block, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL).

Parsram told Kaieteur News, “They have to document daily gas flared and emissions or constituents in it as well as carbon equivalent but we are not only depending on them.

We have hired a Geographical Information Systems specialist and acquired satellite image capability.

This allows us to access realtime data.”

He added in this regard that the agency makes use of data from SkyTruth, a nonprofit environmental watchdog that uses satellite imagery and remote sensing data to identify and monitor threats to the planet’s natural resources. This newspaper understands that SkyTruth produces two flaring maps, both of which are based on Nightfire data captured by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Suomi NPP satellite. This data is made available free from the Earth Observation Group at the Payne Institute for Public Policy, Colorado School of Mines.

Parsram said, “We go there and we see on a daily

- Parsram

EPA Head, Kemraj Parsram basis when flaring occurs. So the EPA is currently able to access technology for real time monitoring of flaring.

A n d S k y Tr u t h i s a n independent satellite source that allows us to do this and we are building on these efforts to strengthen the agency.”

Earlier this year, Parsram had said his agency has a stern stance on flaring hence it increased the tax on flaring from US$30—per tonne of Carbon Dioxide equivalent released—to US$45. Parsram disclosed that the EPA has already received $400M in penalty fees from ExxonMobil. More taxes are supposed to be collected since the oil giant has continued to flare more gas offshore on the Liza Destiny FPSO. He was keen to note that the fine was increased as of July.

Extensive research conducted by Kaieteur News shows that gas flaring contributes to climate change, which has serious implications for the human security and wellbeing g l o b a l l y. I n f a c t , t h e Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria,

outlined in one of its studies, that gas flaring is actually a major source of greenhouse gases, which accelerates global warming.

It was noted that flaring releases Carbon Dioxide and Methane, the two major greenhouse gases. Of these two, Methane is actually more harmful than Carbon Dioxide. It is also more prevalent in flares that burn at lower efficiency. Of the greenhouse gases researched so far, Kaieteur News understands that the global warming potential of a kilogramme of Methane is estimated to be 21 times that of a kilogramme of Carbon Dioxide when the effects are considered.

The University of Ibadan study also noted that flaring contributes to local and regional environmental problems, such as acid rain with attendant impact on agriculture, forests and other physical infrastructure. The acid rain results in environmental degradation, which includes soil and water contamination and roof erosion.

Furthermore, there have been over 250 identified toxins released from flaring, including carcinogens such as benzopyrene, benzene, carbon disulphide (CS2), carbonyl sulphide (COS) and toluene; metals such as m e r c u r y, a r s e n i c a n d chromium; sour gas with Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) and Sulfur Dioxide (SO2); Nitrogen oxides (NOx); Carbon dioxide (CO2); and methane (CH4) which contributes to the greenhouse gases.

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Wednesday December 08, 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

Govt. borrowing – A BLACK HOLE

W

e wrote about this before, but because what the PPP Government is doing has many grave implications for Guyanese we share again today, with what seriously worries many. It is that the Government has embarked on a programme that is nothing less than a borrowing free-for-all. It is the best description, since binge has an element of sanity returning, when reality takes hold.

Like a drunk celebrating his good fortune, what the PPP Government is doing, through easy access to huge amounts of money, is having a grand party at the expense of the national community. It is borrowing and splurging on murky high-profile projects, almost without any restraint, while positioning itself to borrow still more to continue the good times.

This is what today’s government is doing through approaches to China, and different sources in the Middle East, among others. The Chinese are always ready to treat with a sucker that has good credit standing (Guyana so qualifies with its oil riches), while the kingdoms and sheiks of the Middle East have the deep pockets, and an eye for good prospects with rich returns.

So, it has been a billion here and a billion there, and when taken together, the billions add up to incredible amounts for this still poor nation. If those huge sums of borrowed money were in Guyana dollars, the concerns may not be so intense, but they are mainly in American dollars, which given our current exchange rate, sinks us and keeps us below rough waters for many decades ahead. Nevertheless, PPP leaders couldn’t be bothered with counting, and that is in any currency, so excited they are to be around such financial candies in the well-stocked foreign stores.

It is a dream came true, and they can’t get enough to feed their debt borrowing habit, just like the serial alcoholic or drug addict. From the perspective of those same leaders, it is free money, and they are right to a point. After all it is not leaders who are saddled with the debt and responsible for paying back, but the already strapped and bowed citizens of this country.

The trick is to speak in billions and impress the population about how much is done, shining the spotlight on this or that fabulous project with so much potential, while not saying a single word, or expressing any worry, about the ballooning debt burden piled on the head of a poor society.

When some get agitated and make some serious noise, then there is always a $25,000 handout to smooth ruffled feathers, and calm most of the Guyanese people down.

What no one is pointing to or saying anything about is that the much talked about oil fund held in a New York bank is as good as gone.

That is, it functions as an unspoken and unwritten collateral for the billions in borrowing. In fact, future earnings are also likely to be gobbled up, once this frenzied borrowing of big billions continue unabated. For, Guyanese are now talking about and using a word that was once alien to them, and still mysterious to most of them.

Today, Guyanese are speaking of trillions. Most do not have a clue of how many zeros are involved in a trillion, but they have an appreciation that a trillion means a world of money we are floating in, not as revenues coming to us, but as debt now and debt to come, which have a due date.

The fact is that reckless overspending by the PPP Government meant funds for all the enormously expensive projects had to come from somewhere since we didn’t have enough to cover what was required. As announced in a flurry involving the oil and gas sector, for infrastructure (and other things), a huge hole has been created.

It gets bigger and deeper, but government leaders are neither listening nor budging. They ignore the brutal lessons of other Third World countries, whose people are poorer long after oil was first discovered. In effect, we don’t have an oil fund safety net. We owe billions, and future revenues could be similarly swallowed up. Clearly, oil has driven Government leaders mad, and now we fear them, and for ourselves.

Issues-Based Political Support and Voting are on the Ascendency!

DEAR EDITOR, When politically aligned groups utilise incendiary rhetoric and make subliminal and even open calls for violence and revolution, such moves reflect desperation over their inability to secure state power through the ballot box. It also reveals a lack of vision, as well as their contempt for the democratic tradition of free and fair elections. Every democratic society has become a marketplace of free ideas. Freedom of speech, buttressed by ready access to social media has expanded the Guyanese people’s appetite for politics and world affairs. There are signs that Guyanese are moving, though not rapidly, towards an issue-oriented approach to politics and discarding gradually an emotiondriven based political system.

The Amerindians had heavily supported the United Force but have now moved progressively towards the PPP/C and to a lesser extent the PNC/R. The Amerindian based GAP (Guyana Amerindian Party) and the LJP (Liberty and Justice Party) have not been able to secure a Parliamentary seat by themselves.

The Amerindians voted on issues rather than on race preference.

To understand the significance of this situation, the Amerindians could theoreti-

cally secure six (6) Parliamentary seats if they vote according to race preference. Instead, they have been motivated by issues and promises.

The Amerindians have increasingly embraced the PPP/ C because this party has been responding to their needs and fulfilling most of their promises, such as granting land titles, improving education and skills-set, modernising healthcare services, constructing Core homes under IDB funded SHHP, and job creation. The Mixed population, Chinese, Portuguese, and Whites are the independent voters who vote on issues. Combined with the Amerindians, these groups account for 30.9% of the population and have the potential to elect 19 Members of Parliament. Thus, if any political party wants to secure state power, they must embrace issues as central to their campaign and rely less on race-based voting. Recent history also offers a guide.

At the 2011 regional and general elections, a substantial number of traditional PPP/ C supporters (mostly IndoGuyanese) voted across party line for the APNU and AFC parties, based on issues and promises, and not on race preference. This resulted in the PPP/C losing their Parlia-

mentary majority to the APNU+AFC parties. This trend of voting by a segment of traditional PPP/C voters continued onto 2015, when an estimated 11 percent of Indo-Guyanese cast their votes for the APNU+ AFC coalition which won state power. However, at the 2020 polls, most of those voters returned to the PPP/C because the coalition did not carry out their promises (closed the sugar estates, laid off 7,000 workers, failed to offer $9,000 per bag of paddy, etc.). Contrary to belief held by some political pundits, this example shows that PPP/C supporters understand the force of issues around which they could be mobilised. PNC/ R and other political leaders as well as their supporters could not afford to ignore this development but to study it carefully in plotting their future political viability.

With no race group in the majority, securing state power has become extremely competitive, a process accentuated by the increasing emphasis on issues and the whittling away of race preference.

But there are opposition elements that do not seem to understand the nature of political evolution of Guyana, and still adhere to vile ideas of violence and revolution to secure state power. In addi-

tion, some political opposition operatives cannot come to grips with their party’s loss of the 2020 regional and national elections and continue their rumination. Beyond these, there have been repeated allegations of race discrimination and state murders perpetrated under the PPP/C government during the socalled “troubled period.”

These allegations have been rejected by the PPP/C. With respect to job discrimination, the reality is that 70% of public service workers are Afro-Guyanese, 90% of the army personnel are Afro-Guyanese, 75% of the Police Force are Afro Guyanese, 70% of nurses are Afro Guyanese, 65% of teachers are Afro-Guyanese, and 80% of the academic staff at the University of Guyana are Afro-Guyanese. The proportion of the Afro-Guyanese in the general population is 29%. How could anyone make out a compelling case for race discrimination, particularly institutional racism?

As to the killings, those were murders committed during the PPP/C’s governance in the early 2000s. The Stabroek News did an analysis of the murders and published the results for public consumption. First, not all the listed 420 persons killed were (Continued on page 6 )

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS DEAR EDITOR, For some time now, two clocks have been ticking though not at the same time.

One for the holding of Local Government Election (LGE) 2021, the other for electoral reforms.

As regards LGE 2021, it appears that the clock has been effectively stopped with the leakage of correspondence informing that LGE has been ‘deferred to a later date.’

Assuming the correspondence in question is legit, the Minister responsible for Local Government and Regional Development knows that at some point in time, he will be compelled to go to parliament to seek the National Assembly’s approval to have the election postponed by law.

When it is officially announced that LGE 2021 is postponed, the big issue still remaining is the urgent filling of key and critical posts at GECOM, left vacant with the termination of the services of some of its officials now before the court. With LGE 2021 likely to be kissed goodbye GECOM in effect will have more time to get its act together. Yet two of the big, if not urgent, issues facing

GECOM is the selection of a Chief Executive Officer and his Deputy since there are only two males in the contest.

Failing unanimity on the selection of a CEO and a Deputy, the combined votes of the three PPP/C appointed Commissioners plus the Chairman will pave the way for appointments to the two critical positions.

While the clock has apparently stopped ticking for LGE 2021, the clock for the much anticipated electoral reforms continues to do so.

In the meanwhile, concerns have been expressed over the nature of the reforms proposed and the accompanying consultative process.

The impending postponement of LGE 2021 will, in effect, take the pressure off both government and GECOM. In addition, such a move will give more elbow room to the Minister of Legal Affairs to make available the additional amendments he promised publicly.

While the LGE subject minister will be saddled with the task of tabling a motion in the National Assembly seeking passage for a postponement of LGE 2021, the

Governance Minister in the meantime, will be winding down consultations on the proposed electoral reforms with a view to tabling in the National Assembly amendments to the Representation of the People Act. In the circumstances, the opposition is likely to play hardball and will not give any support for a postponement of LGE 2021. We know what the storyline will be. It was belched out ad nauseam during their election 2020 campaign.

Politically they will see postponement of the LGE as ‘a blessing in disguise’ to be milked exhaustively.

Left gasping for breath following the blows meted out to them because of their attempt to rig the 2020 election, postponement of LGE 2021 will give the opposition some oxygen that will allow them to fume over what they claim as a feather in their cap.

As matters stand, the opposition will want to have its cake and eat it. However, with the holding of their congress ‘up in the air’ and their leadership question yet to be settled, they will be hard pressed to turn their attention to LGE and demand the hold-

ing of elections but duplicitously, not support it’s postponement.

The opposition’s stand might seem contradictory.

Ostensibly, they will claim they want LGE but at the same time not support its postponement. However, its main objective would be to make political capital by weaponising the issue.

Here’s how the pages in the opposition’s playbook will read; they are likely to make a big hullabaloo over the legal and constitutional requirements for the holding of LGE and GECOM’s readiness to proceed with elections preparations. Also, they are likely to raise questions whether the elections petition currently before the court can legally prevent the holding of LGE and whether a new voters’ list is required for the holding of LGE whenever.

When the opposition’s demands are not met and the questions not answered to their satisfaction, government will be blamed for not holding LGE this year.

But there is one big obstacle militating against the opposition’s iniquitous designs. And it has to do with (Continued on page 6)

Wednesday December 08, 2021

We need cheaper fertiliser DEAR EDITOR, It seems that government has forgotten us farmers and the high fertiliser prices which we still face even though they had planned to help us as they did in 2014.

This is the society we live in. As soon as protests are stopped the government forgets about us and its promise to us.

It has been over a month and we are still paying over

$8000 for a bag of paddy.

Mr. President and the ministry of agriculture please keep your promise.

We need cheaper fertiliser.

Kind regards, Rayaad Busgith

I condemn Rickford Burke’s violent incitement DEAR EDITOR, I was appalled and taken back by the racist and divisive rhetoric from overseasbased Guyanese, Rickford Burke.

Burke conjured up the fictitious and fabricated story of the ‘PPP murdering 1,500 black people or more’ to justify his senseless appeal to Guyanese to break the law and engage in riotous acts.

I am glad that the Guyana Police Force is investigating this matter and has issued a wanted bulletin for him for crimes he committed here in breach of the law of Guyana.

I hope that serious consequences follow him for spewing that racist and divisive garbage about the socalled and alleged intimidation, discrimination, and racism that Guyanese of African descent face from the PPP Government. This allegation is false and meritless.

I want to urge the police

and government to investigate Burke’s links to criminals in Guyana as his talk that the PPP might not survive the alleged war that they are allegedly starting is most troubling. He is now a fugitive from justice if he does not turn himself over to the police here for further investigation.

Does he honestly think that he should be allowed to sit from the comfort of his home in the US and incite violence and ethnic conflict in Guyana without facing the consequence?

The silence of the Opposition, A Partnership for National Unity, and the Alliance for Change is deafening and it signals their support as by their own actions they too have sought to divide Guyanese along ethnic lines.

If I am wrong, let Joseph Harmon and Khemraj Ramjattan condemn Burke’s statement and distance their parties from the violence and

disorder preached by him. I challenge ANY other opposition politician to say that they do not support Burke’s racist and divisive rhetoric. It does not suit the opposition narrative against the PPP to do so at this point.

Burke’s statement is enough for the government to look closely at all developments in the crime and security sector from this day onwards. Look at the remittances and aid from the CGID and Burke to Guyana to see if he is funding domestic terrorism against the state.

Finally, I want to say that right-thinking Guyanese, like me, who are up to date about political developments and what is happening in Guyana ought to reject and condemn this latest attempt to incite violence and divide us along ethnic lines by Rickford Burke.

Yours Truly, Alvin Hamilton

Elder abuse is domestic violence too DEAR EDITOR, We are in the strove of 16 Days of Activism; against gender violence. This must include violence against elder persons as well. Violence against anyone within a household is domestic violence. The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MHS&SS) is busy promoting awareness of this annual event but they are miserably failing in the act of preventing violence against elders in their constituency.

What is elder abuse and how is it addressed?

It is violence against older [vulnerable] persons. It usually is perpetrated by persons within the family or someone who has been entrusted with access and care of the elderly.

It is any act that causes harm or discomfort to the elderly and includes threats, neglect, bullying, hitting, terrorizing, denial of food, adequate recreation, medical services, medication, erratic dispensing of medication (overdose, withholding, delaying, forgetting), isolating, lying to an elder, stealing from, misappropriation of assets, financial fraud or any act that causes confusion or doubt.

In the English speaking Caribbean, there is no specific

Elder Abuse Legislation even though many ratified the UN Principles for Older persons 46/47 of 1990 – Strengthening Older People’s Rights.

Without specific laws on Elder Abuse as in developed countries, the Domestic Violence Act reasonably provides for relief of these stress factors to elderly persons.

Civil action can also be brought against perpetrators.

So again, this year the MHS&SS is giving lip service. The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security joined the rest of the world in kicking off 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence (GBV) under the theme, “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!” This event was launched on November 25 and will conclude on the 10th December, 2021, “International Human Rights Day”.

The National Congress of Women (NCW) joins the world in calling for an end to the various forms of violence

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meted out to our women, under the theme “Orange the World, End Violence against Women Now!” Alas, they have forgotten the elderly [woman].

It is no secret that the Public Service is in disarray. Taxpayers’ money are going to personnel who either don’t know or don’t care about the duties and responsibilities to the community they are charged to protect. The Police, the EPA, the government ministers are just a few.

This leaves the burden on civic society to step up to the plate to execute tasks or force the respective incumbent of agencies in question to act morally and responsibly to protect our environment, our civil rights, domestic rights, etc. Some such civic (Continued on page 6)

CEO Sase Singh is the right person for the job DEAR EDITOR, Someone with the name of Abdool Majeed has written two letters criticising the CEO and the senior management of GuySuCo for their efforts to re-open two of the shuttered sugar factories and to make the corporation solvent.

Majeed’s statements are reckless, insipid, wishy-washy and banal, and without merit.

His attacks on the CEO are personal vendettas from a bitter, ill-disposed, envious, and inconsequential person. He seems to believe that he has the expertise to solve all the human, structural, engineering and management problems at GuySuCo. The fact that Majeed’s letters address some of the major issues at GuySuCo suggests that he may be senior management personnel at the corporation who has been part of the team that led to the collapse of the corporation.

For decades, GuySuCo has been insolvent and had to depend on Government subsidies for its survival.

It took the new CEO. Mr. Sasenarine Singh less than a year to end massive corruption/bribery and halted the gravy train that provided a bonanza for the disgruntled and irate Majeed and his colleagues, who have refused to accept the professional changes at GuySuCo, includ-

ing the internal monthly audit of each sugar factory, the stamping out of corruption/ bribery and the consolidation of the procurement department. Instead of supporting the changes, Majeed has opted to oppose them and vent his vexation publicly. Not only is he opposed to the changes and progress being made at the corporation, but he is undermining them.

In other words, managers from individual estates are not allowed to award contracts without approval from the procurement department. The CEO has also reduced the top-heavy staff by almost 50 percent and this along with other vital 21st century structural and managerial changes coupled with the increased price for packaged sugar have reduced the corporation’s expenses by over G$500 million in less than 15 months. It is understood that people in general would resist change, but the changes being made at GuySuCo are positive and they are for the good of the corporation which has reemployed almost 1500 previously laid off employees.

For Majeed to write letters to the media under a fictitious name to hide his identity is evil. He has turned his venom on the CEO and the new management staff. He is from the old school who

wanted to maintain the status quo to reap the benefits derived from the colossal corruption practices that have led to the insolvency of GuySuCo. We urge the public to ignore this individual who fits the description of a fifth wheel to a coach.

In criticising the leadership at GuySuCo, Majeed is dishonest when he referenced a book written by Nancy Koehn, an historian at Harvard School of Arts and Sciences.

In Koehn’s book “Forged in Crisis: The Power of Courageous Leaders in Turbulent Times” she addressed the issues faced by political leaders in difficult times. Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass are two of those leaders. She did not focus on issues affecting business leaders as suggested by Majeed.

He also stated that several professionals have left GuySuCo, but he did not provide their names or the reasons for their leaving.

The truth is the CEO has taken over a corporation that was insolvent, corrupt, and top heavy and he has worked tirelessly to make it viable, that is why he is the right person to head and lead GuySuCo. Dr. Asquith Rose Dr. Vicki Rajkumar

Are we really happy with the state of affairs in Guyana?

DEAR EDITOR, Sometimes I think that the PPP and PNC are happy with the state of affairs in Guyana.

But, the vast majority of Guyanese are not happy with mediocrity. We want a state whereby Government departments are functioning and not just rubber-stamping Government decisions. Examples would be the EPA and the Tender Board.

We want a country that is safer.

We want the economy to propel living standards.

The Government of the day needs to leave better institutions of state than it inherited from its predecessor.

Guyana will never reach its true potential as long as the PPP and PNC continue fighting each other. They need to see each other as partners in development rather as competitors for power.

There is a pretense that there is a Status Quo being maintained as the ordinary Guyanese hopes and dreams are trampled on.

THERE IS NO STATUS QUO. Guyanese put you in

Government; Guyanese will take you out of Government.

Lethargic, nonfunctioning Governments are a thing of the past.

The average Guyanese voter is wiser now.

They now know that they have the power to take down any Government which is not working in their best interest.

Yours Faithfully, Sean Ori

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Wednesday December 08, 2021

ELDER ABUSE IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TOO From page 5 organisations [active in Guyana] are Article 13, Oil and Gas Governance Network (OGGN), National Congress of Women (NCW), Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) doing a great job for all Guyanese.

The number of elder persons abandoned at the local public hospitals is horrendous while those neglected and left to live alone and fend for themselves at home is equally alarming. But the MHS&SS does not have statistics or refuse to act on it.

Clearly, they have not been doing anything to alleviate this scourge. The number of elderly persons destitute and laying along the byways and highways of the City is an embarrassment.

There are laws, which empower the Police and the MHS&SS to step in and remove a child from any abusive circumstance. Childcare and Protection Act 2011, Cap 46.06 There are laws that allow

the Police to step in and remove an offending partner from the residence on allegations of abuse or threats of violence. Domestic Violence Act 199, Cap 11.09. This Act too can be used to protect the elderly, but only if the applicant is a member of the immediate family.

So after paying taxes for 40 or 50 years of your life you are essentially, relegated out to pasture to simply eke out your remaining time and die in any manner. Governments do not give/care a farthing about you; elders.

The Guyana Times, December 4, reported 672 incidences of domestic violence in Berbice alone for 2021. The question is how many of those are for elder abuse?

Does the authorities even record incidences of elder abuse?

My personal journey began with my mother complaining to my younger brother, my daughter and me about the various forms of abuse she was experiencing

from people and her vulnerability of being old and alone in Guyana. Neighbours and friends and relatives too began calling and complaining to me especially last year as she was rushed to emergency care four times and accompanied only by strangers.

On three of those occasions I was called all the way in Barbados to grant permission to take her to hospital.

I wrote the Welfare Department TWO TIMES seeking their intervention as well as the then Prime Minister, Mr. Moses Nagamootoo who did direct the Minister of Finance to intervene as it related to the allegations of financial fraud.

Ms. Eversley from the Welfare Division of the MHS&SS did call mommy on March 12, 2020 and asked for some preliminary questions and promised to get back to her. She never did. When reminded in January 2021, she claimed it was the fault of the lockdown.

Nevertheless, after migrating from here over 36 yrs ago, I returned to mommy’s aid,

Issues-Based Political Support...

From page 4 Black men; 119 were IndoGuyanese. Second, many of those murders took place because of confrontation between the police and criminal gangs; others were killed by gang members in gang warfare; many were killed during family/domestic problems; while a few were killed when they tried to topple the PPP/ C government.

During the APNU+AFC regime (2015-2020) many more murders were recorded than during the troubled pe-

riod. The PPP/C did not kill anyone. It is just like blaming the US President and the Democratic Party for all those murders committed in the inner cities.

Exploiting misleading, distorted and deceptive information to fuel violence and incendiary rhetoric has no place in civil society and must be rejected by all peace-loving people. In a democratic system there are socially acceptable ways to channel grievances. Under the “One Guyana” initiative, Guyanese

must collectively continue to build upon its success and should not allow anyone or group to derail the path to a good life for all, irrespective of race, religion, gender of disability.

The ascendancy of issues in the political arena and the corresponding relegation of race-based politics, should allow for the creation of a new culture of inclusivity and accountability. Guyana needs builders and not destroyers or detractors.

Dr. Tara Singh

representing my younger brother also, who could not travel then.

Five weeks into my arrival and numerous reports and visits to Ms. Eversley, Welfare Officer, responsible for all female elders in the entire Georgetown region, no contact or effort was made to investigate. Her explanation was that she had no doctor as all had taken leave together. The reason she gave was that all of last year they all worked around the clock with the demand from COVID19 cases. Only my complaint to a higher authority resulted in action. Ms. Eversley called my mother on the one day that I was out of town, to inform her that she was coming that very day at 1pm and bringing a doctor from the Palms Institution. This traumatised mommy as she received the information to be that they were coming to take her away, which is what she later related to members of the family, and understandably so, since it is what she was threatened with many times over the past years.

This situation, augured by the department that is charged to protect and intervene on behalf of vulnerable persons actually created the mayhem, then they stood listlessly by saying they can only ‘hope’…The Director of Social Services, Mr. Whenworth Tanner told me: “your mother said she does not want to speak to you Kim Medford. We would hope that with counselling she change her mind”.

I have not had contact with my mother since January 31. She is being isolated from me and my younger brother who also has since been blocked from communications.This is the recklessness and gross incompetence of the Officers empowered and entrusted to act under the Social Services and Social Security Act. It is clear that these officers do not know or do not want to do their jobs. While Ms. Eversley stated that she saw no evidence of neglect or abuse, I escalated my campaign to her Supervisor who asked her to have a second

meeting with me included and asked that I provide the agency with a list of areas I needed addressed.

That list contained at least a dozen points for Ms. Eversley to investigate and improve. To date, Ms. Eversley nor her department/ ministry has indicated to me whether these were implemented or been able to get a resolution between the parties and alleviate the tensions or stop the criminal actions of the perpetrators.I concluded, as it appears, clearly, that public officers are being corrupted. Because of the MSS&SS’s /failure to resolve the issues several matters were filed in the Georgetown magistrates’ courts by me under the Domestic Violence Act. These were dismissed or put on unreasonable length of ‘time out’.Applications to the Full Court were filed to appeal all these decisions.

Mr Tanner, the citizens of Guyana expect better service for their years of service.

Kimanzi Mulekezi (Kim Medford)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS From page 4 the mess they made of themselves between March and August last year when they dug themselves into a hole from which they now seek to extricate themselves.

Fortunately for the PPP/ C, it continues to have, by and large, public opinion and the international community on its side. This augurs well for a limited postponement knowing it will come with a political price. Therefore, the

sooner LGE the better. Political goodwill is not a permanent feature in local politics.

It can end up being frittered away.

Moreover, the extant correlation of forces favourable to the PPP/C nationally and internationally should not be underestimated nor overestimated.

The ebb and flow of local politics offers no guarantee to success unless serious political work is done on the ground .

In 2016 and 2018, the PPP/ C handsomely won freely and

fairly two consecutive LGE’s.

And although LGE do not excite the electorate as in the case of General and Regional Elections, it nevertheless is known to lay down benchmarks with respect to the overall performance of a government.

Notwithstanding the goodwill and public support government enjoys at home and abroad, every effort, innovative and otherwise must be initiated in pursuit of the holding of LGE soonest.

Yours faithfully, Clement J. Rohee

Wednesday December 08, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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Wednesday December 08, 2021

Guyanese businesses less competitive than Caribbean counterparts – Pres. Ali President Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Monday stated that Guyanese businesses are less competitive than their Caribbean and Latin America counterparts are.

He made this statement during his keynote address at the Harvard Business faculty w o r k s h o p o n Microeconomics of Competitiveness (MOC).

Ali first explained to the forum that Guyana has had major hydrocarbon deposits discoveries, and stated that

with the country’s new found oil wealth – Guyana is now poised to become one of the wealthiest countries in the hemisphere.

“Some estimates suggest that GDP may increase by 300 to 1,000 percent in coming years,” the President noted. He then shared that his government has plans to deploy the gains from exploiting the country’s hydrocarbons deposits into initiatives aimed at expanding the country’s

e c o n o m y a n d competitiveness.

However, President Ali detailed that currently the productivity of Guyana’s private sector is below the other counterparts in the hemisphere. “So this is an important issue that we will have to address and why this is so, is from the constraints impacting the cost of electricity, the reliability of e l e c t r i c i t y , telecommunications, our tax rates and tax system, the cost

of finance, the political environment, and our competitiveness,” he said before highlighting that those are some of the key factors contributing to the country’s low rate of productivity.

In his discourse he also made reference to International Reports in which Guyana was ranked 121 out of 140 countries in World Economic Forum Competitive Index and ranked 134 of 190 countries in the World Bank Doing Business Index. “The areas of concerns in all these reports are the time it takes for construction permits,

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali getting electricity, and trading across borders,”

President Ali added.

To this end he stated that in order to address the issue, his government has set out an “aggressive medium term agenda, and of course, a long term strategy that will address all of these areas.”

According to President Ali, the government’s strategy will improve the country’s positioning in all the areas that he highlighted, including infrastructure transportation links, and development of human capital.

After explaining that the country’s human capital is the most important element Continued on page 19

GECOM deliberations on new CEO deferred to Friday

Former acting DCEO, Vishnu Persaud (left) and a former Elections Officer of Jamaica, Leslie Harrow.

The seven-member commission of the Guyana Elections Commis s ion (GECOM) has deferred deliberations on the appointment of a new Chief Elections Officer (CEO) to Friday.

A meeting was scheduled on Tuesday to discuss the interviews conducted with the two candidates vying for the p o s t . H o w e v e r, t h i s newspaper was told that matter came up but was not discussed at length.

“The meeting was more about routine matters rather than the appointments. The deliberations have been deferred to Friday where at least one commissioner is hopeful that these discussions can be concluded,” an official close to the issue told Kaieteur News. GECOM has been without a CEO since August after the commission took a decision to dismiss Keith Lowenfield.

At present, GECOM has to consider

between two candidates who made the final cut to be interviews for the post; former DCEO Vishnu Persaud and a former Elections Officer of Jamaica, Leslie Harrow.

B a s e d o n advertisements, GECOM requires the CEO to be examined and approved by members of the commission.

Among the other requirements for the CEO post, candidates must have requisite qualifications which include a Post Graduate Degree in Public A d m i n i s t r a t i o n , L a w, Management or relevant discipline from a reputable and recognised institution, and specific training and verifiable experience in managing election systems, along with at least 10 years of experience in a senior management position overseeing and directing diverse operations aimed at achieving targets within specific deadlines.

Additionally, candidates

would need at least 10 years relevant experience in Management of National Elections and Election Systems.

Kaieteur News understands that following the deliberations on Friday, the seven member commission will vote on which of two candidates; former acting DCEO Persaud and a former Elections Officer of Jamaica, Harrow will fill the vacancy. This newspaper understands that so far.

Persaud who served as Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Guyana Elections Commission for several years before being appointed to the position of Acting Deputy Chief Election Officer is favoured by the government representatives of the Commission.

The former DCEO acted in that position for three years, but he left GECOM after his contract was not renewed.

Wednesday December 08, 2021

Kaieteur News

Ridding ourselves of this dangerous complex Is it that Guyanese have low self-confidence and is that why more than 10 of them would sit in a speeding minibus, placing their lives at risk and not utter a single syllable demanding that the driver step off the accelerator?

No, I do not believe it is a matter of low self-esteem, which sees Guyanese sit silently in the presence of danger to their lives. The real explanation has to do with the fact that many of us have not yet acquired that level of assertiveness, which could save so many lives from being lost on our roadways because of accidents involving speeding vehicles.

While the problem is not low esteem, I believe it is directly related to a complex that we have developed and passed on to our children regarding those that provide services to us.

That complex is one that sees the person providing that service as being in a superior position and therefore we feel inferior and dependent on that person and are thus reluctant to assert our rights.

We have come to see those who provide services to us, services that ironically we pay for, as doing us a favour. There was a time in this country when some young women used to go crazy for minibus drivers and conductors.

It was a big thing to have a boyfriend who was a minibus driver and many a young lady could be found boasting, “My man is a minibus driver.”

It is not that these girls thought so low of themselves that they worshiped these transportation providers.

Rather, it is they thought – and many still do— highly of these guys especially those with the ‘ready rides’ who drive as if they wish to be the successors of Evil Knievel.

This complex has its roots in the food crisis that afflicted Guyana in the seventies and the eighties when Guyanese used to have to stand in line for hours on end for basic

commodities.

In those days when an item was short and was being rationed, which was most of the time, persons would have to make some purchases at state-owned or operated outlets and then depend on the generosity of the cashier to decide whether how much of the scarce item you would get.

If you were leaving Guyana on a holiday in those days, you required a tax exit certificate.

When you went to apply and uplift this from the tax agency, you had better be respectful or else your file could be pulled and you could be denied an exit certificate.

Here again the public was intimidated by those providing this service.

It was the same in many other areas of life including when a traffic cop stopped you on the roadway. If you did not have your licence with you, you could bet that nine times out of 10 you would not be allowed time to present this. You faced the possibility of being issued a ticket for not having your licence on your person.

In the private sphere it was the same. Flights out of Guyana were limited but if you had the contact in the travel agency, you stood a chance.

In the markets, you needed to be on good terms with whomever you made your purchases from so that the person would keep some of the scare item for you, even if you were paying an inflated price for the item.

So over time we developed in Guyana an esteemed opinion of those providing services for us.

When, for example, we went to the butcher shop and the man gave us 50 per cent of the weight in bones, we could not complain because the next week he could refuse to sell us and that would mean that we would have to do without. In hard times this was not an opinion many people liked.

Today things have changed, competition has in-

creased and customers do not have to accept substandard products. They can dictate what they want.

However, this same approach is taking time to filter down to other areas such as the transportation sector.

This is why, when three persons are already sitting in a seat in a minibus which caters for three and the conductors demand that a fourth be accommodated, it is not out of sympathy that most persons comply, it is simply because they feel that they cannot assert their rights to refuse because they feel that it is his bus and that he can put them out.

The only recourse people have is to cite COVID guidelines, and though most drivers are complying, this is not universal.

Public commuters fail to insist that they are paying for a service and that this service places them in the superior position whereby they should insist on comfort and safety, rather than accepting whatever is done to them.

The problem of deaths on our roadways is not going to be changed by placing more traffic cops on the roadways or undertaking increased road traffic campaigns.

This problem will only be brought under control when all commuters who have to use public transport assert themselves and demand better because they are paying for it. No minibus driver is doing anyone a favour.

Those who travel by public transport are paying for a service and they should insist when they see a vehicle speeding that the driver slow down.

Unless we can have this change in thinking, we will not end the terrible carnage on our roadways. You cannot heal the body without healing the mind.

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

Dem boys seh...

OIL DON’T SPOIL

De former Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago bin seh how oil don’t spoil. But it could spill and dem boys seh dat is why dem did never too excited bout de country’s oil find.

Guyana gat nuff oil. Plenty oil passing.

Yet we still gat fuh deh borrowing money fuh all manner of things.

Dem boys want to know if oil was so profitable, why we still borrowing.

Guyana find oil but it gan end up with more debt dan before it discover de oil.

Some ah dem other country wah find oil end up in debt because dem went on a spending spree.

Guyana end up in debt because dem oil company deh pun spending spree.

Dem spending money like it is salt and dem billing we.

Dat is how de debt mounting. Dem boys wan people to know dat instead of becoming rich, Guyanese gan end up wuss off because ah de debt. Is we politicians put we in dis bab-a-laps.

Dem sign agreement with dem eye close and dem hands open. Dem sign agreement with who dem nah know.

One man can’t even read wat he sign.

Talk half and wait fuh see all de oil spoil.

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Kaieteur News

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Wednesday December 08, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Some people have mental fixations that should be confronted Among my beliefs are two unshakeable ones. I firmly believe in the death penalty. I studied too much philosophy to believe there should be respect for the lives of some humans who are worst than predatory jungle beasts.

Such uncivilised species should be put to death for unspeakable crimes. They say never say never in life so I am not saying, never, but I doubt I will change my position. Secondly, I think some people carry deep psychological feelings that they believe are based on life’s truths. Some are racist, some are homophobic, some don’t think women and men are equal, some hate animals. They hold deeply to these beliefs when in fact they are irrational and not grounded in reality We save pliable minds from these ignoramuses when we counteract their

outpourings. One woman in another paper wrote a shocking discourse on race relations in Guyana but the editor allowed it to pass. I have encountered countless middle class folks who have rundown the Kaieteur News (KN) classifying it as second to others.

But this is what I know – some of the racist chants that I see published in other mainstream newspapers since the no-confidence vote in December 2018 and from the March 2020 election unto this day would not be accepted for print in the KN. I have known the current editor, Sharmain Grainger, for over 17 years now and I know how she feels about racist peddling.

Here now is an example of an incredibly large dose of mental strong-headedness.

The woman noted that the PPP government has power over the lives of Guyanese.

Then the woman went on to describe the unfair treatment African Guyanese receive in Guyana. Here now is the obvious question based on simple logic.

If the PPP government has power over Guyanese then logically the PNC regime from 2015 to 2020 had power over the society.

Were African Guyanese treated unfairly before 2015?

If the answer is yes, then, why was the ambience that nurtured that mistreatment not extirpated after 2015?

But there are more rebuttals to this theory of hegemonic government in 2021. What description and interpretation you put to a government that has power over Guyanese and sacked 7,000 sugar workers thus affecting 42,000 people in a wider connection of dependents?

You read these narratives on lack of opportunities for

African Guyanese and there is no holistic analysis on class and race discrimination in Guyana. Let me mention for the second time the story of the coconut vendor at Orange Walk and North Road.

From the presidency of Desmond Hoyte right up to the government of Donald Ramotar, the army bought coconut water from him.

When the Granger presidency assumed power, his supply was stopped and a Black vendor took his place.

This is what is meant by the power of the government over the citizens.

In an irrational rambling this woman by some strange logic sees one government in 2021 as having authority over the citizenry but the government from 2015 suddenly didn’t have that authority. There is no space in this column to examine the complete control the different PNC governments had over the lives of all Guyanese for almost 28 years.

One would hope that independent African minds would analyse these

misleading narratives.

My mind loiters on someone like Ruel Johnson whom I consider a multi-racial African Guyanese that would not pen the disturbing outlook that woman composed. Young minds like Johnson need to shape a higher profile where they can contribute to the debate on race and class in Guyana.

I believed from my studies of Guyanese society African Guyanese economic evolution has been a disadvantaged one. Two books have adequately documented this - Alan Adamson, “Sugar Without Slaves: The Political Economy of British Guiana, 1838-1904” and Carl Greenidge, “Empowering a Peasantry in a Caribbean Context: Land Settlement Schemes in Guyana, 18651985.” But that historical wrong cannot justify entitlement in the 21st century.

Since the 19th century, other ethnic groups have played their part in developing this country

Frederick Kissoon therefore the argument of entitlement cannot stand. I will look at the flawed thesis of entitlement in a forthcoming column.

However, when one speaks of the lack of successful economic pathways for African Guyanese, it cannot be done without a methodological examination of the failure of the Burnham and Hoyte presidencies to support African opportunities.

Someone wrote that Jagan failed his Indian supporters. There can be no greater example of how a leader failed their ethnic base than in the presidencies of Burnham and Hoyte.

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

Wednesday December 08, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday December 08, 2021

EPA waives EIA requirement for hazardous waste treatment facility at Houston

By Davina Bagot The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has waived an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the hazardous waste treatment facility at Houston, East Bank Demerara, even though the operator, Tiger Rentals Guyana Inc. has its plant within range of residential properties and even schools.

In confirming the suspicions of Environmentalist Simone MangalJoly, the Executive Director of E PA , M r. K e m r a j P a r s r a m explained that while an EIA was not required, an Environmental Management Plan was submitted to the regulator.

According to Parsram, “Subsequent to the Environmental Audit conducted in 2019, an Environmental Assessment was conducted to update the EMP. As a requirement, the company also completed a Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) and Waste analysis Plan to further complement the EMP. Aspects of WAC were taken into consideration by EEPGL in the recently conducted Cradle to Grave Waste Analysis”.

Mangal-Jolly in an interview with Kaieteur News recently highlighted her concerns over the

fact that ExxonMobil’s fourth p r o j e c t , t h e Ye l l o w t a i l development Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) does not say how much toxic waste will be coming to shore, or its potential impacts.

“The current Yellowtail EIA does not address waste treatment to an extent that meets assessment or legal thresholds required of an EIA. The total quantity of waste coming to shore, specific toxicities of components and health and ecological risks are not comprehensively addressed, nor are the impacts of treatment of hazardous components and subsequent dumping,” MangalJoly explained.

She had previously told this newspaper that Section 5(a) (1) of the Environmental Protection Act clearly states that an EIA must address the “physical characteristics of the whole project and land use requirements” and that the Yellowtail EIA conducted by consulting firm Environmental Resources Management (ERM) failed to do this as it does not adequately account for the waste brought onshore.

In calling out oil giant ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production

Executive Director of the EPA, Kemraj Parsram Guyana Limited (EEPGL) for its deficient EIA, Mangal-Joly noted, that “In the case of Yellowtail, toxic waste generated from offshore activities only exists because of those activities, its entire life cycle forms part of the whole project.

A proper EIA would address the exact quantity of waste for the life of the project, name the toxic components and how these could affect human health or ecology, specify how they are treated to remove their toxicity, assess the capacity and safety of treatment facilities, and assess the capacity

and safety of the final resting place or dumpsite for the waste, considering the total volume of waste for the life of the project and the land use requirements for its disposal.”

According to the distinguished Guyanese Environmentalist, Exxon’s Yellowtail EIA refers to a C o m p r e h e n s i v e Wa s t e Management Plan (CWMP) that will be used for the management of all EEPGL’s waste. This plan however, is not yet on stream and is to be approved by the EPA. However, she says that it is procedurally incorrect for the EPA to permit the development of mitigation measures and Yellowtail’s waste handling plan outside of the EIA process and EIA’s statutory requirements for public scrutiny.

She explained that she only became aware of how the EPA was operating when she attended a consultation in July of this year for the Gas to Energy project. She has recently been looking into the previous approvals given by the Agency and was shocked to find that previous Environmental Permits were granted to EEPGL for offshore production without proper accounting for shore-based waste treatment and disposal in their

Environmental Impact Assessments.

In her view, these EIAs did not meet the legal and logical thresholds for a complete EIA and should never have been accepted by the Environmental Assessment Board. She stated that: “The EPA would be violating the Environmental Protection Act as it applies to the current Yellowtail EIA process if it did not ensure that all of Yellowtail’s offshore waste brought to shore was properly accounted within the current EIA process.”

She also pointed out that the Yellowtail EIA document refers to Tiger Rentals Guyana Inc. (TRG), located at the Guyana Shorebase Inc. (GYSBI) facility as currently the primary provider of hazardous and non-hazardous waste treatment services in Guyana. However, she could not find an EIA for Tiger Rentals Inc. and it appears that the Environmental Protection Agency waived the requirement for an EIA for this facility.

According to Mangal-Joly, in so doing the EPA deprived the public of the opportunity to participate in the assessment of impacts from a facility treating hazardous waste, which is located Continued on page 24

Wednesday December 08, 2021

Kaieteur News

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PM, Shuman differ on Govt.’s treatment of Amerindians “On October 25, 2021, at my office, Mr Shuman and I cordially discussed several matters related to indigenous peoples’ development and the Government’s approach to bridging the digital divide and eliminating the disparity in quality of life between our hinterland and coastland,” the Prime Minister pointed out.

Subsequent to the meeting, Shuman who is also the leader of the Liberty and Justice Party said “The Prime Minister iterated his government’s commitment to taking steps to ensure Indigenous Peoples are part of the development of Guyana under the One Guyana framework and that the infrastructural needs are critical to such future plans

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Lennox Shuman (left) and Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips on Tuesday said that he is disappointed over the recent comments made by the Deputy Speaker, Lenox Shuman, that the incumbent administration does not respect Amerindians.

But Shuman is standing by his statement and even further stated that the government is incompetent to deal with matters of

indigenous peoples.

In his response to Shuman’s letter, the Prime Minister said, “I must share m y p r o f o u n d disappointment at the position taken by Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, the Honourable Mr Lenox Shuman, in a letter published...Mr Shuman departs from facts to unfairly and erroneously suggest that the PPP/C Government is

not open to dialogue with regard to the development of the Indigenous peoples of Guyana”.

He added that not only is S h u m a n ’s p o s i t i o n inconsistent with the “wellestablished track record of the PPP/C when it comes to Amerindian development, but it is also contrary to a “goodwill and good faith” meeting they held only recently.

along with ICT access among others. He was also very receptive to ideas put forth on advancing initiatives that will enhance IP’s [Indigenous Peoples] presence and participation in Guyana” as was pointed out by the PM. In this regard, he said he is uncertain as to why the Deputy Speaker would make such conclusions.

Nevertheless, Prime Minister Phillips said he is urging him to engage the relevant authorities.

“Our Indigenous brothers and sisters form a significant part of our country’s history and will most certainly be a part of its future and development through a considerate and consultative mechanism, as

has been consistently demonstrated by successive PPP/C Governments. The PPP/C Government will always respect the views of our Indigenous peoples,” the PM assured.

PPP incompetent In response, Shuman told Kaieteur News that he is standing by his position that the Government must do better when it comes to the rights of Indigenous people.

He noted that while he does not deny meeting with the Prime Minister recently, it must be noted that during the said engagement, the issue of Indigenous people not being consulted was raised, where he clearly stated his discontent in the manner in which decisions Continued on page 24

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday December 08, 2021

GPHC team records three groundbreaking surgeries

From left: Carlos Martin, General and Vascular Surgeon; Dr. Kishore Persaud, Head of Transplant and Vascular Department, GPHC; Dr. Delon Ramnarine, Registrar, General Surgery; Dr. Hemraj Ramcharran, General and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeon; Dr. Drohinath Singh, Chief Resident, General Surgery and Dr. Duan Yun Fei, Hepatobiliary Surgeon is (third from right).

Doctors attached to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) recently conducted a ground breaking ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) surgery which was successfully done along with two other similarly critical procedures saving the lives of three patients at the facility.

The team of doctors spoke to the media about the three advanced procedures during a press conference held at GPHC last week.

In addition to the AAA surgery, doctors also performed advanced laparoscopic adrenalectomy as well as gallbladder cancer cholecystectomy, and hepatectomy.

Dr. Carlos Martin; General and Vascular Surgeon, Dr. Kishore Persaud, Head of the Transplant and Vascular Department at GPHC led the team that conducted the ruptured AAA and emergency graft repair surgery explained that the operation was performed on a 36year-old male patient from Mahaica.

During the press conference,

Dr. Persaud explained that the patient was admitted to the hospital in a state which required surgery almost immediately. He noted that while AAA surgeries would’ve been performed in Guyana in the past, this would have been the first time that one would have ruptured.

The doctors noted too that by the time the patient was ready for surgery he went into hypovolemic shock and the aneurysm is a ballooning within the artery wall.

“So it was basically an emergency procedure,” Dr. Persaud said adding that with that condition every second counts. The doctors noted that the success of the operation is noteworthy since that the survival rate for such procedures at quite low even at advanced medical facilities in the developed world “About 65 percent of patients with this condition die before getting to the hospital and the fatally rate for these procedures are quite significant so the success of the operation is testament to fact that GPHC is moving in the right

direction,” Dr. Martin added.

The doctor explained that the patient who benefitted from the operation has been placed in recovery and is doing pretty well, post surgery.

“The patient is in a stable condition, recovering and doing well,” he said. Meanwhile, Dr. Persaud said while aortic aneurysms were done before at GPHC, this is the first case that surgery was performed on a ruptured aortic aneurysm.

He explained that the surgery was possible, particularly because of the availability of the synthetic grafting materials.

Persaud noted “It’s the graft that allowed us to perform such a lifesaving surgery. We have the resources, in terms of the technical capabilities and human resources, but we are lacking the grafts to do other such surgeries. If we do not have more vascular grafts available, we would not be able perform more such surgeries. We are working with the administration to hopefully change

that soon.”

Dr. Delon Ramnarine, Registrar General Surgery and Dr. Hemraj Ramcharran, General Consultant and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeon, performed firstadvanced laparoscopic adrenalectomy on a 54 -year- old patient from Berbice.

The woman was diagnosed with a pheochromocytoma after suffering with uncontrolled high blood pressure. As such, the procedure she underwent involved the removal of the adrenal gland.

Dr. Ramcharran noted that the procedure not usually done in Guyana so to have it done at GPHC is quite a momentous occasion.

Dr. Ramcharran who trained in Canada to conduct the advanced operation explained that as opposed to open surgery where a surgeon makes incisions 6–12 inches long in order to access organs, laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive surgery, whereby notably smaller cuts are made, and the doctor conducts the surgery via inserted cameras. The

procedure included a number of surgeons, anaesthetists and an endocrinologist.

He noted that critical to this procedure was stabilizing the patient’s blood pressure to a level necessary for surgery. “We did four small holes in the abdomen; we put in some cameras and equipment, and we did the entire surgery through the four small holes,” Dr. Ramcharran added. He noted that the procedure allows for a faster recovery rate.

“In our case, our patient was walking the next morning with minimal pain, eating and tolerating a regular diet.” With regard to future operations, Ramcharran said that steps are being taken to have the procedure done more regularly at the hospital.

“CEO, Robbie Rambarran and Dr. Navin Rambaran, Head of Department of Surgery have been quite helpful with having the equipment provided by the hospital as we work towards building capacity to do more surgeries” the doctor added.

Meanwhile, “gallbladder cancer cholecystectomy, and h e p a t e c t o m y ” s u rg e r y w a s performed on a 50-year-old female with a history of ovarian cancer.

The surgery was successfully led by Dr. Drohinath Singh, Chief Resident, General Surgery and Dr. Duan Yun Fei Hepatobiliary Surgeon, of the Chinese Medical team which recently arrived in Guyana. The surgery involved the removal of the gall bladder, and the removal of part of the liver. Dr. Yunfei played a critical role in the hepatectomy an expertise that is not available here in Guyana. Dr. Singh explained that “That surgery was a bit challenging, because of the blood loss that can occur.”

“We are dealing with the liver which is a vascular organ which meant a lot of bleeding can occur but Dr. Yunfei was very skillful, and able to go through the surgery with minimal blood loss,” he added.

Kaieteur News

Wednesday December 08, 2021

PAGE 15

Nurses, screening officer charged for selling COVID-19 vaccine cards Two nurses and a screening officer of the Ministry of Health were on Tuesday charged for selling fake COVID-19 vaccination cards days after they were busted in separate police sting operations on the East Coast and East Bank Demerara.

Police said that Andel Valentine, age 32 years old, of Lot 2136 La Parfait Harmonie West Bank Demerara, and Teneka Pollard, age 29 years old, of Lot 109 Golden Grove EBD, and Olivia Bonus, 21 year-old all appeared at the Diamond Magstrate’s Court before Magistrate Judy Latchman on charges of forgery of document with Intent to Defraud the Public, Contrary to Section 278 of the Criminal Law Offence Act Chapter 8:01.

They were not required to plea and were placed on $150,000.00 bail each.

The matter was adjourned until Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022.

Valentine and Pollard were arrested on Friday last by a party of police and charged for the offence of Forgery of Documents with Intent to Defraud the Public, which occurred between Monday, March 1, 2021, and Friday, Dec. 3, 2021, at various vaccination centres on the East Bank of Demerara. Bonus was

- PLACED ON $150,000 BAIL EACH

Screening Officer, Andel Valentine arrested on 2021-12-03 and charged on 2021-12-07, with the offence of Forgery of Document with Intent to Defraud the Public Contrary to Section 278 of the Criminal Law Offence Act Chapter 8:01.

Kaieteur News reported this week that one of the nurses admitted to police that she had sold some 50 COVID-19 vaccine cards at a price of $65,000 each and that 12 of her colleagues at the Ministry of Health had sold some 500 as well at the same price.

Bonus and Pollard were nabbed by police last week during separate

‘sting operations’ selling the cards on the East Coast and East Bank Demerara. The first was caught in the East Coast Police District last week. She was arrested and taken to the Sparendaam Police Station and spent some three days in the Beterverwagting Police lock-ups.

Kaieteur News was told that on Saturday a female police rank contacted a nurse and told her that she would like to purchase some vaccine cards. The nurse then reportedly told the rank that it will cost her $65,000.

The serial numbers of the cash were recorded and the female rank agreed to meet with the nurse at the snackette.

She paid for the COVID-19 booklets and then called in her colleagues to intercept the nurse. The police ranks arrested the nurse and took her to Golden Grove Police Station where she admitted to selling 50 COVID-19 Vaccine Booklets. She has also named 12 other medical personnel working with the Ministry of

Teneka Pollard

Nurse, Olivia Bonus

Health who are allegedly selling vaccine cards also.

According to the detained nurse the 12 have allegedly sold some 500 vaccine cards. The nurse has also agreed to assist investigators in going through the records to identify the buyers of the COVID19 booklet. Investigations are ongoing.

Back in August this year, in wake of concerns about the possible forgery and selling of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, had said that his ministry is working on a system to generate

digital versions of the COVID-19 vaccination card. Anthony had told the media that digital document and a corresponding digital database would help ease the concerns about possible forged documents, as well as help give persons easier access to show proof of vaccination when visiting businesses and government ministries and agencies.

While Dr. Anthony gave no definitive timeline for the completion and release of a digital card, he noted that employees of the Ministry are in the process of creating electronic copies of the Continued on page 19

Kaieteur News

PAGE 16

Wednesday December 08, 2021

Chuck E. Cheese to get locations in Guyana Chuck E. Cheese, the global family entertainment brand, continues to drive international expansion and has successfully signed development agreements in

three new countries across South America and in the Middle East.

According to a release from the company, the rapid ongoing international

expansion of the brand already announced in new regions like Egypt, Morocco, Romania and Kuwait, sets Chuck E. Cheese on track to have over

100 international locations by 2022.

The statement outlined that the company is expected to place locations in Suriname and Guyana in the

coming year. According to the release, Arun Barnes, COO and SVP of international development for CEC Entertainment revealed that “With a unique business model that is unmatched in the Family Entertainment Center (FEC) landscape, we are the brand that can have an immediate impact in almost any country around the globe, while providing a reliable cash flow for franchise partners who have a passion for family entertainment.”

One of the most effective avenues of growth is through existing franchises that see success in their own regions, such as franchise partner Joanna Rostant of Yay! Entertainment in Trinidad & Tobago who has signed to expand the brand through sub-franchising into Guyana and Suriname. The first site at Suriname is under construction and is scheduled to open in the first half of 2022.

Joanna Rostant stated, “We are thrilled to partner through a sub franchise arrangement with Sasja Lie Pauw Sam and his team at Blue Falcon N.V. to bring the joy of Chuck E. Cheese to families in Suriname. We note with confidence Suriname’s recent discovery of substantial volumes of hydrocarbons, and in keeping with the recent IMF forecasts, believe that Suriname will experience strong positive economic growth in the next couple of years. For these and other

socio-economic reasons, we believe that the world’s l e a d i n g f a m i l y entertainment brand will be thoroughly enjoyed by children and families in Suriname.”

“It makes sense for Caribbean markets, and we are thrilled that Joanna’s strong operating model has positioned her company well to achieve and lead this exciting expansion. We look forward to her success in Suriname, and later in Guyana,” added Arun Barnes.

In addition to the Caribbean, Chuck E. Cheese has also joined with new franchise partners, Benchmark Hospitality Services, to expand new locations across Qatar throughout the next few years.

“Working with the CEC International team is a p l e a s u r e , ” s a i d Ya n n i Jouaneh, franchise owner and CEO of Benchmark Hospitality Services. “They have great systems and processes to support international franchising, and our business feasibility survey of the brand showcased a unique opportunity to bring in a highly profitable brand to Qatar’s exciting market landscape. There is no other brand that offers a great mix of games, food, and entertainment and birthday parties. Qatari families with kids will soon experience the joy of Chuck E. Cheese nearer to their home.”

Wednesday December 08, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday December 08, 2021

Wednesday December 08, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 19

Housing Minister given $6B but signs $14B in contracts The Ministry of Housing and Water, Central, Housing and Planning Authority ( C H & PA ) , u n d e r t h e auspices of substantive Minister, Colin Croal, was this year allocated some $6B for Capital Expenditure for spending this year.

That Budget Agency however, has already signed some $14B in contracts for road, and other projects—traditionally not undertaken under this ministry’s portfolio. The overspending by some $8B, undertaken by the government agency has not escaped the attention of the political opposition, and as such, the matter will be raised during the next sitting of the National Assembly.

That sitting of the National Assembly has been designated a ‘Private Member’s Sitting,’ meaning, the business of the opposition is prioritised—an occasion that obtains every four sittings of the House. To this end, Annette Ferguson,

…Opposition demands answers in National Assembly for source of $8B overspending

Minister of Housing and Water, Colin Croal the former substantive Minister under the coalition administration—now s h a d o w, t o M i n i s t e r Croal—will be using the opportunity to grill him on the source of the funding for the contracts signed.

Under the Standing Orders of the National Assembly, members of the House are allowed to pose questions to the ministers, with, or without notice in

some cases, to which answers must be provided to the House. Ferguson in her question to the minister, formally tabled on the Order Paper for next Monday’s sitting—observes that “Budget 2021 has an appropriated sum of $6B under Capital Expenditure for Infrastructural Development and Buildings.”

She noted a sum of $1.3B was also allocated under the M i n i s t r y ’s “ C u r r e n t Expenditure” for “Subsidies and Contributions to Local Organizations” and earmarked for the Central Housing and Planning Authority for Housing Development.

To this end, Ferguson in prefacing her question drew reference to reports by the Department of Public Information, in March of this year, which publicised that, “$13.9B in contracts was

Nurses, screening officer charged for...

From page 15 cards as part of the first step towards digitising the system.

“We are digitalising our records right now, and we have a few options that we are looking at right now on how we can do this,” Dr. Anthony said, emphasising that the new system would be calibrated in a way to detect cases of forgery, given that there have been reports of persons attempting to forge the cards and corrupt the process.

“We have had reports of persons who are forging the card, and if we find anyone forging the card they will face the law, because we have a law that deals with forgery…In Section 240 of our criminal law, our Criminal Offences Act, Chapter 8:01, forgery is an offence and you can be prosecuted for forgery.….If you didn’t get vaccinated, why would you get a card to say that you’re vaccinated?

The vaccines are free. It’s there, go get it,” Minister Anthony said.

Dr. Anthony noted that persons found in possession of bogus documents would face imprisonment.

“The fine, if you’re found guilty of forgery, would be up to three years imprisonment.

If you forge a vaccination card, then you will be liable to this type of punishment, if caught. So, I want to encourage people to desist from such practices because when we catch you, you are

going to feel the full brunt of the law,” the Health Minister said, adding that persons who have purchased counterfeit documents would also be put before the court.

He stressed: “The people who were buying the

vaccination card, if there’s such actions that are currently ongoing, I just want to warn people that this is an offence, and we will be taking very stern measures against anyone who’s trying to do this.”

Guyanese businesses less...

From page 8 for the country to achieve; President Ali shared that upon assuming office in 2020 – they liberalize the telecommunication sector.

It was also noted that the liberalizing of the telecommunication sector was one of the major concerns that were addressed in the International Reports on Guyana.

President Ali, however, pointed out that his government has already addressed the issue. “This liberalization saw immense new investment almost instantaneously into the country and this has already led to improvement in this sector,” Ali further disclosed.

The President also spoke about his government’s energy master plan and noted that they are currently in the final stages of having a single window application system for construction permits, which he believes will boosts the country’s competitiveness.

Govt., Coalition guilty of...

From page 3 Members of the House and public at large are expected to be presented with A number of annual reports for several organisations spanning several years, some even dated back to 2016.

Among the Annual Reports to be handed over are those for the Ombudsman Office and the Ethnic Relations Commission for the years 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Reports by the Ministry of Public Works are also expected to be laid over in the House, including accounts for the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation for the years ended December 31, 2015 to 2017; the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018 and the Berbice Bridge Company Inc. for the years ending December 31, 2019 and 2020, among others.

Auditor General, (AG) Deodat Sharma in September last, handed over the 2020 Audit Report to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir.

signed for housing development.”

As such, Ferguson has requested that Minister Croal tell the House, “”where the shortfall of $7.9B was funded from for the awarding of some $13.9B in contracts to commence infrastructural

works and construction of housing units in Regions 3, 4, 5 and 6, respectively?.”

This publication in March last had also reported on the contracts that had been signed under the auspices of Minister Croal.

At the time it was reported that close to 200 contracts

totaling US$70 million (G$14 billion) for housing development had been inked as part of government’s drive to make available some 50,000 house lots over the course of the administration’s first term in office.

At the ceremony held at Continued on page 20

PAGE 20

Kaieteur News

Wednesday December 08, 2021

Housing Minister given... Govt., Opposition agree to merge 2017 and 2018 audit findings for review From page 19 the Arthur Chung Conference Center in Liliendaal, Junior Minister for Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, had detailed that the housing areas being developed would allow for over 10,000 houses to be provided on an annual basis.

Meanwhile, substantive Minister, Croal on that occasion, had projected that works totaling some $4B would be completed by June 2021 while another $6 billion was expected to be completed in the latter half of this year. Each of the projects are at various stages of progression as the opposition finally demands answers and is now calling on the Housing Minister to provide answers on the source of the funding since it has not been clearly identified in the budget allocations.

Following hours of debate between the Government and Opposition representatives of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday, a decision was taken to merge the review of 2017 and 2018 audit reports as part of efforts to clear up the backlog.

The committee was initially arguing over the proposal made by the Chairman of the PAC Jermaine Figueira to merge the 2016, 2017 and 2018 audit reports.

However, a decision was taken just to merge the two years after the committee consulted with Auditor General, (AG) Deodat Sharma.

Sharma proposed merging the two reports instead of three given the contention raised by members of the government side of the PAC about the 2016 audit report.

Government Chief Whip and PAC member, Gail Teixeira noted that there was still a lot of work to do on that (2016) which is before the committee.

Teixeira said that while she understands the issue that the members are raising about haste and getting through the three reports, it is also a responsibility to do what is correct.

“We now have work to do with compiling a report that reflects our concerns, whether by sector or by general recommendation, general observations.”

We have a lot of work to do in putting forward a proper report that reflects the concerns of 2016…We have several weeks’ work to do with 2016. I don’t want this to be a matter which we seem to be ignoring our responsibilities under the constitution and the

Chairman of the PAC, Jermaine Figueira procurement act. To try to rush through is not the issue.

It’s to do good work and reflect our responsibilities.”

Teixeira added.

Former PAC Chairman and Opposition member, David Patterson had however pointed to the fact that the committee has a long history of consolidating reports.

Patterson noted that since the PAC of the 12th Parliament is currently faced with a backlog of Auditor General (AG) reports to be examined, combining the information may be the best in ensuring that the committee fulfills its mandate.

Patterson explained that backlogs on its workload, while undesirable, are not uncommon to the PAC According to Patterson, historically the PAC has always sought to resolve this challenge by combining several outstanding years

into a single report. This method, as evidenced by previous PACs actions, in no way reduces the Committee’s scrutiny of our public accounts.

The Opposition member noted that the consolidation of reports dates as far back as 1990s. He noted from 1990s to 2014 all the PAC’s examination was of merged audit reports.

“We are competent enough to do it…It is undesirable but it is not an uncommon challenge that has faced previous PACs in the past. They have, for whatever reason, been times the work of the PAC has been some years behind. We have done, several times, combined reports whereby PAC would combine reports for the audit office in a matter to address the backlog,” The PAC has been dealing with a five-year backlog of still to be scrutinised public spending.

The body had started to meet twice weekly instead of once per week to deal with the issue. However, a motion presented by Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs Gail Teixeira succeeded in seeing the meetings being reverted to once weekly.

That decision was taken even as opposition members of the PAC argued for the speeding up of scrutiny of public spending by the bipartisan parliamentary committee.

Region 10 woman is Guyana’s latest COVID-19 fatality The Ministry of Health on Tuesday reported that a 69-yearold woman from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) who contracted the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease has died.

As a result the country’s COVID-19 death toll has moved to 1,009. According to the Health Ministry, the woman was an unvaccinated patient who died on November 28 while receiving treatment at a medical facility.

Meanwhile, in its latest COVID-19 dashboard, the ministry recorded 44 new infections, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 38,261.

The dashboard also shows that 16 patients are admitted into the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 50 persons in institutional isolation, 867 in home isolation and four in institutional quarantine. To date, a total of 36,319 persons have recovered from the virus.

Wednesday December 08, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday December 08, 2021

COVID-19 could wipe out US$17 trillion in lifetime earnings for students LAND FOR SALE

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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— WORLD BANK-UNESCO-UNICEF REPORT LAYS OUT THE MAGNITUDE OF THE EDUCATION CRISIS

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WANTED Manager.Call Indian Henna 671-5759/657-6979.

One experience domestic to work in Georgetown 2 to 3 days per week, vaccination required.Tel:682-3300.

The World Bank has cited Guyana for low education engagement during the pandemic.

WASHINGTON, DC, Dec. 6, 2021—This generation of students now risks losing US$17 trillion in lifetime

Live in waitress 18-25 yrs.

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earnings in present value, or about 14 percent of today’s global GDP, as a result of COVID-19 pandemic-related school closures, according to a new report published on Tuesday by the World Bank, UNESCO, and UNICEF. The new projection reveals that the impact is more severe than previously thought, and far exceeds the $10 trillion estimates released in 2020. In addition, The State of the Global Education Crisis: A Path to Recovery report shows that in low- and middle-income countries, the share of children living in Learning Poverty – already 53 percent before the pandemic – could potentially reach 70 percent given the long school closures and the ineffectiveness of remote learning to ensure full learning continuity during school closures.

“The COVID-19 crisis brought education systems across the world to a halt,” said Jaime Saavedra, World Bank Global Director for Education. “Now, 21 months later, schools remain closed for millions of children, and others may never return to school. The loss of learning that many children are experiencing is morally unacceptable. And the potential increase of Learning Poverty might have a devastating impact on future productivity, earnings, and well-being for this generation of children and youth, their families, and the world’s economies.”

Simulations estimating that school closures resulted in significant learning losses are now being corroborated by real data. For example, regional evidence from Brazil, Pakistan, rural India, South Africa, and Mexico, among others, show substantial losses in math and reading.

Analysis shows that in some countries, on average, learning losses are roughly proportional to the length of

the closures. However, there was great heterogeneity across countries and by subject, students’ socioeconomic status, gender, and grade level. For example, results from two states in Mexico show significant learning losses in reading and in math for students aged 10-15. The estimated learning losses were greater in math than reading, and affected younger learners, students from low-income backgrounds, as well as girls disproportionately.

Barring a few exceptions, the general trends from emerging evidence around the world align with the findings from Mexico, suggesting that the crisis has exacerbated inequities in education: Children from low-income households, children with disabilities, and girls were less likely to access remote learning than their peers. This was often due to lack of accessible technologies and the availability of electricity, connectivity, and devices, as well as discrimination and gender norms.

Younger students had less access to remote learning and were more affected by learning loss than older students, especially among pre-school age children in pivotal learning and development stages.

The detrimental impact on learning has disproportionately affected the most marginalized or vulnerable. Learning losses were greater for students of lower socioeconomic status in countries like Ghana, Mexico, and Pakistan. Initial evidence points to larger losses among girls, as they are quickly losing the protection that schools and learning offers to their wellbeing and life chances.

“The COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools across the world, disrupting education for 1.6 billion students at its

peak, and exacerbated the gender divide.

In some countries, we’re seeing greater learning losses among girls and an increase in their risk of facing child labor, gender-based violence, early marriage, and pregnancy. To stem the scars on this generation, we must reopen schools and keep them open, target outreach to return learners to school, and accelerate learning recovery,” said UNICEF Director of Education Robert Jenkins.

The report highlights that, to date, less than 3 percent of governments’ stimulus packages have been allocated to education. Much more funding will be needed for immediate learning recovery.

The report also notes that while nearly every country in the world offered remote learning opportunities for students, the quality and reach of such initiatives differed – in most cases, they offered, at best, a rather partial substitute for in-person instruction. More than 200 million learners live in lowand lower middle-income countries that are unprepared to deploy remote learning during emergency school closures.

Reopening schools must remain a top and urgent priority globally to stem and reverse learning losses.

Countries should put in place Learning Recovery Programs with the objective of assuring that students of this generation attain at least the same competencies of the previous generation.

Programs must cover three key lines of action to recover learning: 1) Consolidating the curriculum; 2) Extending instructional time; and 3)Improving the efficiency of learning.

In terms of improving the efficiency of learning, (Continued on page 24)

Kaieteur News

Wednesday December 08, 2021

PAGE 23

18 contractors bid lower than Govt. engineer's $85M for Ogle Fire Station Eighteen of the 21 contractors who submitted bids for the construction of the Ogle Fire Station tendered lower than the government engineer's estimate of $85 million.

The project is being undertaken by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The engineer is a state employee and questions have been raised about the glaring variance in his cost and that of 18 of the contractors- many of whom have years of experience in building construction. It is believed at this critical stage of public projects, millions are usually stolen through corrupt award of the contracts.

Kaieteur News on Tuesday reached out to Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn for the name of the engineer attached to his office but he declined to disclose same.

At the opening of tenders on Tuesday, at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office, it was revealed that to rebuild the fire station it would cost $85,611,455. The 18 contractors who bid less than the engineer's estimated cost, submitted prices ranging from $63 million to $84 million.

According to reports, this project forms

part of the $1.9 billion that was allocated to the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) in the 2021 budget. In February last, government in its annual budget presentation outlined that the $1.9B will go towards the relocation of the Stabroek Fire Station, the construction of a new fire station at Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD) which is already in its final stage of completion and the procurement of six water tenders and two ambulances.

Recently, it was revealed that out of the $1.9B, the relocation of the Central Fire Station would eat up $648 million. That contract was recently awarded to Mohamed Enterprise to the sum of $614M. As for the Eccles Fire Station, it is being constructed to the tune of $37 million by contractor, Kawal Ramdeen General Construction Company.

Additionally, the Fire Service in March received four tenders from the government at the cost of $175M. Also on Tuesday, bids were out for the supply and delivery of office furnishing, computers and electronic equipment for the Brickdam Police Station.

This Station was in October completely destroyed by a fire.

Below are the companies and their bids:

Ministry of Home Affairs Re-construction of Ogle Fire Station, Guyana Fire Service.

Bidder Rishma & Sisters PD Contracting R. Persid Construction Navin & Sons Construction A.Nazier & Son DKE Enterprise Romano Builders N & S General Engineering & Contracting Services Tony’s Construction Work Memorex Enterprise Eron Lall Civil Engineering Works Singh & Son Construction SD Investment A & N Enterprise International Import & Supplies Platinum Investments Inc. Say Investments NP Investment R. Kissoon Contracting Service Elle’s Trading & Hardware A Orgestine & Sons Engineer’s Estimate

Amount Tendered $78,655,768 $80,102,759 $68,063,721 $73,474,115 $79,340,883 $90,375,548 $79,997,291 $83,735,921 $79,688,081 $76,786,605 $82,479,870 $76,313,419 $83,954,899 $77,568,777 $99,990,290 $83,796,251 $74,951,140 $84,974,670 $81,709,320 $83,615,785 $85,611,455

Supply and delivery of office furnishing and equipment.

Bidder Giftland Office Max Starcom Office Furniture Guyana Inc.

Amount Tendered $6,608,500 $6,466,190

Amount Tendered $12,674,480 $14,905,445 $22,975,500 $3,109,806 $15,893,000 $9,822,810

Supply and delivery of desktop computer and multi-purpose printer for the Guyana Police Force.

Bidder PBS Technologies Guyana Inc. Digital Technology Giftland Office Max NT Computeac

Bidder Executive Caribbean Development Guyana Inc. DNS Enterprise Guybis Establishment S & K Construction & Consultancy Services & General Supplies Inc.

Amount Tendered $13,747,260 $30,180,000 $19,972,000 $52,781,360

Guyana Water Inc. (GWI): Supply and delivery of aluminum sulphate.

Bidder ANSA McAl Chemicals Limited (T&T) Industrial Chemical Company Jamaican Limited (Jamaica) S. Jagmohan Construction & General Supplies Limited Supergraphics 3R Energy Solutions Limited (UK) Steven Tractor & Trading

Amount Tendered US$819,000 US$945,000 $558,288,000 $475,200,000 US$1,080,000 $252,720,000

Guyana Defence Force (GDF): Procurement of a 15 KVA generator.

Bidder Farm Supplies Limited General Marine Company General Equipment Guyana Limited

Amount Tendered $4,104,000 $11,454,576 $4,160,526

Small Business Bureau: Supply, delivery, installation, trading and after service of equipment for Lethem Business Incubator.

Bidder Eagles Height Technologies Western Scientific Company Limited N & C Consultancy Services

Amount Tendered $8,838,550 $52,403,324 $50,538,767

Procurement of security services.

Bidder RK’s Guyana Security Service Sentinel Security Inc. Amalgamated Security Services Guyana Inc. Strategic Action Security Limited Castle Security Service Inc.

Amount Tendered $18,847,210 $18,628,056 $18,614,650 $17,842,140 $20,162,131

Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) Procurement of test measures parts and accessories.

Bidder Industrial Equipment & Supplies Company

Amount Tendered $7,924,000

Supreme Court of Judicature: Rewiring of Supreme Court Registry Suddie.

Bidder N. Balgobin & Sons Contracting Service & Electrical Supplies Cummings Electrical Company Limited NP Investment

Amount Tendered $44,430,056 $33,199,489 $42,578,430

Supply and installation of one new 150 KVA diesel generator with automatic transfer.

Supply and delivery of office furnishing, computers and electronic equipment for Brickdam Police Station.

Bidder Elle’s Trading & Hardware PBS Technologies Guyana Inc. (Lots 1 &2) Giftland Office Max (Lots 1&2) Starcom Office Furniture (Lot 1) Supergraphics (Lots 1&2) NetCom (Lots 1&2)

Ministry of Amerindians Affairs Supply and delivery of 120 new automatic/manual sewing machines with cabinets.

Amount Tendered $5,478,500 $7,739,800 $6,940,000 $5,015,386

Bidder Cummings Electrical Company Limited Farm Supplies Limited General Equipment Guyana Limited IRIS Construction Equipment & Sales & Rentals Vas Global N. Balgobin & Sons Contracting Service & Electrical Supplies

Amount Tendered $11,337,928 $5,933,535 $9,963,495 $10,971,842 $9,912,914 $10,472,000

Ministry of Education Design and supervision services for the re-construction of the North West Secondary School building, Region One.

Bidder Caribbean Engineering & Management Consultants Inc.

Amount Tendered Financial proposal submitted

PAGE 24

Wednesday December 08, 2021

Kaieteur News

EPA waives EIA requirement for hazardous...

From page 12 where people live in Houston, just across the road from Houston Secondary School and a block down from Houston Nursery School.

“Imagine that our EPA thought it fit and fair to our people to waive the requirements for a hazardous waste treatment facility for an industry and activity that is brand new to the country” she stated, adding that “To date the effect has been to hide the impacts of hazardous waste brought to shore, its treatment, and safety of disposal from public scrutiny. We have been deprived of our statutory rights to participate in the assessment of impacts under the Environmental Protection Act.” She explained that “The matter of how hazardous waste coming to shore is

handled should be of concern to all Guyanese.

The quantities of toxic and other waste, health, and ecological risks of each of their constituent parts, and how they are treated and disposed of are critical issues, as the toxic waste treatment facilities are in areas where people live.

All are high risk for flooding and creating a toxic soup on the coast, and our coastal ground water aquifers are at risk. We stand to lose a lot.

We need to understand the value of what we currently have, both in terms of quality of life and health and monetary terms, and we need to protect ourselves and our valuable natural resources that could be despoiled”.

Therefore, Mangal-Joly noted that the Yellowtail EIA cannot be accepted as it

stands, due to this and other deficiencies and violations of the EPA Act. She said, “In fact, we cannot continue to accept the way the EPA is doing its job.

It has been five years of oil.

We have no excuse for being so far behind in our understanding of what constitutes a credible EIA or our ability to regulate this industry. The EPA must do the right thing and correct course. It can start with this Yellowtail EIA.” However, she added that to do its job and protect our health and natural assets the EPA needs to be able to operate more independently and should be allocated more resources if it is to stand on its own two feet in dealing with the powerful multinational corporations that comprise the oil industry.

COVID-19 could wipe out US$17 trillion...

From page 22 techniques like targeted instruction can help learning recovery, which means that teachers align instruction to the learning level of students, rather than an assumed starting point or curricular expectation.

Targeted instruction will require addressing the learning data crisis by assessing students’ learning levels. It also necessitates additional support to teachers so that they are well-equipped to teach to the level of where children are, which is crucial to prevent losses from accumulating once children are back in school.

“We are committed to supporting governments more generally with their COVID response through the

Mission Recovery plan launched earlier this year,” emphasized Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant DirectorGeneral for Education. “With government leadership and support from the international community, there is a great deal that can be done to make systems more equitable, efficient, and resilient, capitalizing on lessons learned throughout the pandemic and on increasing investments. But to do that, we must make children and youth a real priority amidst all the other demands of the pandemic response.

Their future – and our collective future – depends on it.”

To build more resilient education systems for the long-term, countries should

consider: Investing in the enabling environment to unlock the potential of digital learning opportunities for all students. Reinforcing the role of parents, families, and communities in children’s learning.

Ensuring teachers have support and access to high-quality professional development opportunities.

Increasing the share of education in the national budget allocation of stimulus packages.

This report was produced as part of the Mission: Recovering Education 2021 by which the World Bank, UNESCO, and UNICEF are focused on three priorities: bringing all children back to schools, recovering learning losses, and preparing and supporting teachers.

PM, Shuman differ on Govt.’s treatment...

From page 13 are being made.

The Deputy Speaker argued that even though the discussions were held to include Amerindians in the decision making processes, the Government proceeded to enter into agreements, which will impact the lives of Amerindians, without consulting them.

He reasoned; “They went to (the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties) COP26, delivered a framework to which Indigenous Peoples were not consulted, the Government sought to undertake the reinvention or the redevelopment of the LCDS and they undertook the Marudi mining agreement without consulting the Indigenous people and they continue along the same path”.

Furthermore, Shuman argued, “They bring in a tractor and a trailer and call that development. They bring in an outboard engine and a boat and call that development. They bring in some brush cutters and chain saws and call that development but those aren’t develop-

ment. It’s a 21st Century Christopher Columbus approach”.

Shuman said he was surprised at the PM’s statement. He concluded that the PPP is incompetent when it comes to dealing with issues pertaining to Indigenous People.

“I don’t think that we have the kind of competency within the PPP to address Indigenous Peoples issues. We need people who understand Indigenous people issues, and who empathize with them,” Shuman explained.

In a letter to this publication, Shuman blasted the administration for failing to consult with the residents of Marudi and surrounding communities, in relation to a signed agreement that permits prospecting and gold mining.

“It is my informed view that the Government of Guyana under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has zero inclination to meaningfully consult the Indigenous Peoples on any matter. It is also my informed view that they intend to throw money at the problems the Indigenous Peoples face instead of genuinely trying to find comprehensive solutions to addressing them.

By addressing the issues comprehensively, it empowers Indigenous Peoples which poses a problem to the PPP and that is far removed from the MO and intent of the PPP,” the Deputy Speaker wrote.

Wednesday December 08, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday December 08, 2021

Wednesday December 08, 2021

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200 children to benefit from GCF’s Introduction to Chess Programme T

he Chess in Schools programme, an ini tiative by the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF), will commence its planned training schedule to introduce chess to 200 children at two secondary schools.

This initial phase of the programme seeks to introduce chess to children who have no prior exposure to the game.

Queens College and St. Stanislaus College will benefit from the Chess in Schools Programme that began last Monday.

The programme will see the students and teachers in grades 8 and 9 (form 2 and 3),

benefitting from 10 hours of training over four days; Monday to Thursday.

This introductory course was established by the GCF in close collaboration with Queen’s College’s Chess Coordinator Dianne Henry, and St. Stanislaus College Games Master Robert Fernandes, as well as the respective school administrations.

The programme will be supervised and conducted by the Guyana Chess Federation Chess in Schools team.

So far the Federation has been successful with its Introduction to Chess Programme at the School of Nations where over 150 chil-

dren were introduced to the game. There are also chess classes on Sundays for children where the GCF has successfully guided over 100 children past the beginner level to more advanced classes and instruction.

The Federation is now enrolling for the January and February classes which will span 6 weeks.

This will also be for the beginner level.

Despite the pandemic, the growth of chess in the 7 to 12 age group has been significant and the Guyana Chess Federation remains committed to investing in the development of youths in the sport.

Wednesday December 08, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) If only more days could be this easy. The energy from the aspects is revitalizing, allowing you to get a lot accomplished.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Today will start off with an energy boost for you. Seize the opportunity to make the most of this by getting those major projects and chores handled.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Today the cosmic conditions are great for peak physical and mental energy.

You'll be able to take on almost anything.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Expect to enjoy today.

You're in great shape and operating at peak performance. These are excellent conditions for working or creating. Given the chance, your mind will teem with innovative ideas.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) The energy today means you'll feel on top of the world. Given your usual hardworking nature, you may need to keep an eye out for exhaustion.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You're off to an excellent start. If you've felt a little weary lately, this will change. Added mental and physical strength is available to you. Things that seemed difficult yesterday will come easily today.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You might feel like you have more energy today than you usually do. Whether the tasks ahead require physical strength or mental acuity, approach them with confidence.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Expect to start your day with renewed strength and energy. Almost everything on your to-do list will fall into place.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) This will be one of those days when you're glad to get up. The energy is exceptionally positive. You'll probably feel energetic, confident, and ready to get down to work on your projects.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) It's going to be a great day to get things done. Cosmic conditions will have you feeling energetic and raring to go. If there's a list of things to do waiting for you, grab it and get going.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) This will be an excellent day to start some of the projects you've held back for some time. You'll likely feel more physical and mental energy than you've experienced lately.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You might be more energetic than you've felt in a long time. It's the perfect day to get busy with tasks, projects, and housework.

GCF Chess in Schools programme picking up steam.

Den Amstel FC to hold Extra Ordinary Members Meeting on Dec. 18 The Executive of the Den Amstel Football Club, one of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite League members, will convene an Extra Ordinary Members Meeting on Saturday December 18, 2021 at the Den Amstel Community Centre.

Top of the agenda would be the elections of new office bearers among other items. Like other sports, and for that matter the world, covid-19 has taken its toll with regards to stalling many constitutionally due elections across the sports spectrum.Den Amstel is no different as theirs was due since 2019.

However, not being daunted, the Executive and Members will convene on December 18, next, based on Article 30 of the club’s constitution. The meeting would be called to order at 18:00hrs.

GASA and good...

From page 27 of GASA. Ultimately, the evidence shows that GASA doesn’t practice good governance, and if this is the case, how is GASA’s President going to contribute to FINA’s reform agenda in Abu Dhabi this month given their track record?Yours sincerely, Nicholas Fraser Bachelor of Physical Education and Sport Master of Business Administration - Sports Management

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Wednesday December 08, 2021

Djokovic on Serbia team for ATP Cup in Australia, Nadal missing AFP - World number one Novak Djokovic was named in the Serbia team yesterday for the ATP Cup in Sydney in January, after speculation about whether he would travel to Australia because of vaccination rules.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion had cast doubt on whether he would defend his Australian Open title next month, refusing to reveal whether he was inoculated against coronavirus.

However, he was listed as part of the five-man Serbia team when the draw was made in Sydney for an event that will precede the opening Grand Slam of the year.

Rafael Nadal was missing, with the Spanish fellow 20time Grand Slam winner last month suggesting he would play an exhibition in Abu Dhabi this month, then another tournament before arriving in Melbourne for the Australian Open.

The only other absent top

20 player for the 16-team ATP Cup was injured Swiss great Roger Federer.

“The playing group enjoy representing their countries and to see 18 of the world’s top 20 players commit to the event is testament to that,” said tournament director Tom Larner. An ATP statement accompanying the draw noted that top seed Serbia was “headlined by world number Novak Djokovic”, who won three of the season’s four Grand Slams.

The 34-year-old ended his rollercoaster season with a Davis Cup defeat last week and then promised to make a decision on his Australian Open participation “very soon”.

Organisers of the Australian Open have insisted only fully-vaccinated players will be allowed into the country, which saw Djokovic’s father last month suggest his son “probably won’t” play.

“Of course he would want

Novak Djokovic was named on the Serbian team for the ATP Cup, after speculation over whether he would travel to Australia because of vaccination rules (AFP/ William WEST)

to go with all his heart,” he told Serbian television.

“But I really don’t know if that will happen.

Probably not under these conditions, with this black-

mail and when it’s done that way.”

Djokovic contracted Covid-19 during the ill-fated Adria Tour event he organised in the Balkans in

June 2020, but said he did not suffer from any symptoms.

Russia are the defending ATP Cup champions after their team spearheaded by Daniil Medvedev and Andrey

Rublev swept past a Matteo Berrettini-led Italy in the final.

Djokovic’s Serbia won the inaugural event in 2020, overpowering the Nadal-led Spain. The 16 teams in next year’s event, from January 19, are divided into four groups of four, playing across two Sydney venues — the Ken Rosewall Arena and Qudos Bank Arena — with each tie comprising two singles matches and one doubles.

Top seeds Serbia were grouped with Spain, Norway, and Chile, while Russia will face Italy, Austria and home nation Australia.

Germany, led by reigning ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev, headline Group C against Canada, Great Britain and the United States.

Fourth seeded Greece, featuring world number four Stefanos Tsitsipas, are in Group D with Poland, Argentina and Georgia.

Wednesday December 08, 2021

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Kaieteur News

Fisherman Masters victorious in Ultra Shine Auto body workshop softball final Fisherman Masters continued with their winning ways as they defeated Wellman Masters by 18 runs to win the Ultra Shine Auto Body workshop softball tournament which was contested on Sunday last.

Fisherman Masters took first strike at Liliendaal and were reduced to 12-3 before Troy Ramsaywack and Zameer Hassan added 28 for the fourth wicket which proved to be the best partnership of the innings as Wellman Masters bowled with discipline. Ramsaywack was run out for 16 with one four while Hassan hit two fours in a top score of 23.

Zakie Salim struck two sixes in scoring 20 as Fisherman Masters made 84 allout in 14.2 overs. Wayne Jones captured 3-12 while Mike Singh took 2-9.

Hardat Heeranandan and Sahadeo Budhu added 27 for the opening stand to put Wellman Masters on course before they were separated in quick succession. Heeranandan made 10 while Budhu scored 14.

Zameer Hassan with his prizes.

Fisherman Masters, despite a 29run third- wicket stand between Jones and Nandram Samlall, managed to pegged back the scoring rate with some steady bowling in fading light. Jones made 16 not out while

Letter to the Sports Editor DEAR MR. SPORTS EDITOR, The President of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) will be travelling to Abu Dhabi on December 18, 2021 to discuss and ratify several critical areas of reform in the International Swimming Federation (FINA), namely: Governance; Marketing; Events Communication; Digital Transformation and Safeguarding; Medical and Equity.

In many regards, GASA is at a critical crossroad as it relates to the first area of FINA reform: Governance. On one side, they can continue to let corrupt practices continue and hide these corrupt practices from FINA, or on the other side, they can choose to stop misleading FINA and correct their gross misconducts of the past. As I will illustrate to you, GASA has chosen to continue with its corrupt practices and misinforms FINA. As disclosed to you in my last letter, GASA had uncovered deliberate falsification of receipts in accounting for the expenditure of FINA Olympic Aquatics Support Programme (OASP) funds in 2018. The lack of action in executing the decisions of GASA’s own General Meeting held in September 2019 to investigate and address these misappropriations indicates that consecutive administrations are shielding persons from being investigated for financial

wrongdoings.

To compound the issue of OASP funds, GASA has provided information to FINA on a Governance Survey which they know to be untrue.

The Survey is an evaluation tool that scores points towards the ranking of the national federation in relation to governance. The higher the score, the higher the amount of funds will be given to each national federation in 2022. So, if the national federation is evaluated as having a high level of governance they are eligible to receive USD$30,000; a medium level of governance beings USD$22,500; a basic level of governance gives USD$15,000; and developing governance is entered into the Mentorship programme. The following twelve responses provided to FINA are simply false: Q1: GASA stated that there is a strategic or operational plan. As far I know, GASA has not tabled a strategic plan or operational plan to the General Meeting for approval in over a decade.

Q3: GASA stated that their (current) constitution was ratified by FINA in 1993.

Yet the current version of GASA’s constitution is dated 2005, this is the document that is used to guide its affairs.

Q14: Even though GASA does not have a Code of Ethics in place, they still informed FINA that they did.

Q15: Part of the reason GASA has not sorted out its financial issues is that it does not have a disciplinary

The victorious Fisherman Masters team with the hardware.

Samall scored 14 with one four as Wellman Masters managed 66-3.

Devanand Kanan, Danny Thomas

and W. Majeed took one wicket each. Hassan was named man-ofthe-match. The final was reduced to

15 overs. Rockaway Masters also took part in the competition.

(Zaheer Mohamed)

GASA and good governance

commission or ethics commission in place, yet it reported to FINA that it has one.

Q16. GASA reported to FINA that it has financial statements audited on an annual basis by an external financial auditor. As I indicated in my last letter, GASA’s last financial audit report (2018) indicated that an opinion on the finances could not be provided since they could not even verify the existence of the cash balance.

There were no audits done for the period 2011 through 2017.

Q17: GASA has not presented a budget to its General Assembly (General Meeting) in more than a decade, yet, GASA responded in the affirmative to FINA when asked about this.

Q18: GASA informed FINA that a summary of its financial information is published in open access to external partners and the general public. This is simply not true and you can easily verify this.

Q21: On June 4, 2021, FINA approved new rules on the protection from harassment and abuse, GASA has not implemented any new bylaws or rules of its own in more than a decade and does not have any protection from harassment and abuse rules, yet GASA responded that it has implemented similar rules as FINA on the protection from harassment and abuse.

Q22: GASA does not have any policies or rules on the protection of athletes’ health

and medical care, yet GASA informed FINA that it has these policies or rules in place.

Q23: GASA has not incorporated FINA Doping Control Rules into its own rules: it does not appear in any of the 2 ratified documents of GASA – the constitution or the financial bylaws. Yet GASA indicated to FINA that it has.

Q24: Even more surprising is that GASA informed FINA that it conducts Anti-Doping Education on a yearly basis.

This is simply not true.

Q25: Finally, GASA stated that it engages in activities to promote principles of fairness and fair play and fights against the main threats to those values. There are dozens and dozens of examples of athletes, coaches and officials being sidelined

by GASA simply because they are from the Dorado Speed Swim Club – and it continues to this day. So we can assure you that GASA

does not promote principles of fairness and fair play and it has driven many swimmers away from the sport.

Mr Editor, I have highlighted many issues to GASA over my short stint so far as President of Dorado, and there are others who have been doing so for years with no solutions being implemented. For example, the Dorado Speed Swim Club has been asking that GASA treat swimmers fairly by implementing transparent selection policies for athlete and coach selection.

This transparent process is impossible due to a coach who is the head coach of 3 of the clubs affiliated with GASA (and GASA doesn’t see any issue with this inherent conflict of interest) also controls who is selected to represent Guyana by shifting the goal posts when it suits his narrative. What is jarring is that he has admitted to defrauding FINA in 2018, but because he coaches half

of all affiliated clubs in GASA and is the leader of the cabal that controls GASA nothing will come out of this. In the end, there is no fairness in the swimmer selection process since the process can change even after the Team Selection Meet is completed.Mr Editor, we must teach our young charges that hard work and only the best performances are what get you to the top.

We should not teach our young swimmers that playing politics, trading in favours and covering up serious improprieties is the way to go.

Not at all!

GASA should be following the FINA Good Governance Guide 2021 and as part of the FINA reform process currently underway, transparency in its activities with all stakeholders including the media is paramount. Therefore, I invite you to again verify all that I have written above with the current executive (Continued on page 25)

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GCB’s Raphael sends condolences to Green’s family on behalf of MSC Coach Arthur & Ex Nat F/baller Niles remembers their mentor

By Sean Devers Guyana’s cricket and football fraternities were plunged into mourning following the death of George Arlington Green, who died last Saturday. He was 84.

Claude Raphael, the GCB’s PRO and former Malteenoes President, remembers his fallen team mate as very decent and humble person.

“I remember when I joined Malteenoes in 1956 and meeting George for the first time. I was playing in the Second Division team and made a few runs and George saw me and played big role in me playing at first division level. Players like Glendon Gibbs, ‘Ball oil’ Glasgow, Rex Collymore and Patrick Legall were also in that team. He was a short man who played as a batsman who bowled ‘right-arm optimistics’ and I am the only person alive in Guyana who played with him back then.

George was a wonderful person and more than decent batsman who Captained Malteenoes and was good enough to play for Demerara,” the former Malteenoes President explained.

Green represented Malteenoes at the Case Cup level from 1953 to 1971 and also captained the club, before representing Demerara at the Inter-county level in 1956 and was an excellent table tennis player.

“However, George was Muliti talented and also played table Tennis but it was in Football that he made the biggest impact playing for Guyana,” Raphael continued.

“In those days they had West Indies teams in cricket, cycling, Lawn Tennis and Football and George was one of four Guyanese selected for the West Indies Football team.I did not know he died until I saw your message. I extend, on behalf of Malteenoes, my condolences to his friends and family.

Not many of the generation under50 would know of what he achieved but I can say the cricket and football fraternity will miss a good and honest man,” Raphael, a former National selector, concluded. Another Malteenoes ‘old timer’ Edward Richmond, remembers when George was working at GNTC and he was the cleanest footballer he had even seen. “He was a diminutive Footballer, who was dapper and skilful. He was older than I was but I remember him playing cricket at Malteenoes.

But what I remember most about him was how clean his clothes were even after he had played an entire football match. His shirt was always tucked in his shorts, both of his socks were always the same level, his hair was well combed and his posture was always immaculate,” added Richmond, a former Physical Trainer of the Malteenoes U-

George Green gone at 84 19 and first division teams.

“George lived full lives and had many achievements.

Condolences to those he has left behind. RIP George,” said Richmond.

Lennox Arthur, who represented Guyana at U-17, 19, 23 and Senior Football, played under Green from 1969-1973 and was Assistant to Coach Green from 1975-1978 and he had fond memories of Green dating back to the 1960s when he first saw him play.

In 1969 and 1970 Arthur was coached by Green and Reds Perriera and described Green as humble, honest, decent and a very good player and Coach. He was also Coach in Arthur’s last game for Guyana in 1973 against Haiti and according to Arthur, Green was very firm with fittness and discipline. Because of a knee injury, Green stopped playing in 1966 and was appointed as the coach

Lennox Arthur, Claude Raphael of the Senior team. He was coach from 1966 to 1980. In 1976, the GFA sent him to East Germany on a three-month coaching scholarship.

“He was also the first National Football coach to coach a World Cup squad; in 1976 when Guyana participated in a qualifier against Suriname.

Guyana won that game twonil at home and I was assistant to him. I took over as Coach for the return when he was unavailable due to his departure for East Germany,” said Lennox who turns 70 on Friday and informed that Green was his mentor.Former National Footballer Keith ‘Wiler’ Niles, is Green’s sister son, whom he called his father, and he introduced him to cricket and football as eight-year-old. “My Uncle

would take me to Malteenoes to see him play cricket and as a little boy I would go to the football grounds so when I started playing I was already accustomed to being among National players,” said Niles, who along with his Father and Grand Father are only three generations of Niles to play football for Guyana.

Niles, who grew up in Tiger Bay, remembers his uncle would carry him on a Bicycle to Malteenoes, a club he represented later in his life.

“My uncle started playing soft shoe football at Parade ground for a team called ‘Juice’ when he was working with Wieting & Richter,” said Niles who started his career at YMCA, now Pele FC. “George Green is a special person who has helped a lot of people. He captained both the Guyana and West Indies team and he should be honored by GFF,” Niles said from the USA. Green played Football for the then British Guiana with distinction from 1958 to 1966 without missing a match, captaining the team during that period.Green started his outstanding football career in 1957. He played senior football for Victoria FC at right half, now called midfield.

He played for Victoria from 1957 to 1961 and was captain from 1957 to 1961. In

those days Victoria was one of the better football clubs in the Country.

While playing for Victoria, he was selected to represent the then British Guiana in 1958 against Suriname. He was also a member of the Continental Football Club which played in the Soft Shoe League.

In 1959, he was selected to tour England with the first West Indies Football Team and at the age of 21 years he was the youngest player of that Elite Team. In 1961 he left Victoria Football Club and played for Sandbach Parker Football Club where he was employed.

In 1962, he was elected as captain of the team which consisted of several National Players. Under his captaincy, they won all the senior trophies that year.

He also coached two Caribbean teams against Hull City Football Club of England and Kwang Tong Province of China. These games were played in Guyana.

In 1992 he employed at the Department of Youth & Sports until his resignation in 2005 he was the co-ordinator for the Annual National Coca Cola Secondary Schools U19 football competition, He was also co-ordinator of the Inter Guiana Games.

Olympic champion ThompsonHerah among nominees for BBC CWI announces official tour... SPOTY World Sports Star award From page 29 Sportsbreaks.com The date of a full vaccination (or single dose vaccination) must be at least two weeks prior to the first match that any fan intends to attend.

Tickets will go on general sale in mid-December as CWI introduces its new online ticket service which will be available through “Buy Tickets” button at https:www.windiescricket.com.

The full list of Cricket West Indies Tour Operators and Licensed Ticket Partners is: Barmy Travel Black Opal Travel Group Elegant Sports Travel Gullivers Sports Travel International Cricket Tours Living With The Lions Sports Travel Spectate

Venatour Sports Travel Please see below the list of Official Tour Ticket License Partners: Allan Lamb Associates Elite Sports Travel Rendezvous Co. Ltd Sporting Highlights FULLMATCH SECHDULE January 22: 1st T20I at Kensington Oval January 23: 2nd T20I at Kensington Oval January 26: 3rd T20I at Kensington Oval January 29: 4th T20I at Kensington Oval January 30: 5th T20I at Kensington Oval March 8-12: 1st Test Match at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium March 16-20: 2nd Test at Kensington Oval March 24-28: 3rd Test at Grenada National Stadium

SportsMax - Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah has been named among the nominees for BBC Sports Personality of the Year’s World Sports Star award.

This follows her being named Female Athlete of the Year by World Athletics at their virtual award show held on December 1st.

The triple gold medallist from the Tokyo Olympics this year has been nominated alongside Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, Rachael Blackmore, Tom Brady, Novak Djokovic and Max Verstappen. Thompson-Herah will face stiff competition from her fellow nominees as Alvarez became the first undisputed supermiddleweight champion in boxing history with an 11th round finish against Caleb Plant last month.

Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the Grand National back in April.

Tom Brady led the Bucca-

Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah neers to their first Superbowl in franchise history and his seventh overall, having won six previously as a member of the New England Patriots.

Novak Djokovic won three Grand Slam titles this year at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon to take his overall tally to 20, joining rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at

the top of the all-time leader board.

Verstappen is in a fight for his first F1 title and has won nine races so far this season.

Voting is now open for the award on the BBC’s website and closes on December 14th with the winner being unveiled at the BBC Sports Personality of The Year Ceremony on December 19th.

Wednesday December 08, 2021

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Kaieteur News

Over 30 years and counting, Mohamed’s Enterprise supports GFF, K&S football

According to Proprietor Nazar Mohamed, Mohamed’s Enterprise of Lombard Street, Georgetown has been supporting sport and football, especially the Kashif and Shanghai yearend extravaganza for over thirty years and they are pleased to continue this association.

Those sentiments were expressed during a media exercise to hand over a sponsorship package to Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde and co-organiser Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major yesterday at the company’s head office for the GFF-K&S Super 16 Cup tournament set to start this weekend.

Mr. Forde recognised Mohamed’s Enterprise for their yeoman support for football over the years, noting that this kind of gesture does not truly reflect the generosity of the business house due to what they have done over the years as he extended gratitude on behalf of the many boys and girls who look to showcase their talent in the sport.

The GFF President also expressed the hope that many other business entities would follow the example of Mohamed’s Enterprise.

Mr. Mohamed said it was an honour to be once again partnering with the K&S organisation, having done so

GFF Boss Wayne Forde (2nd left) collects the sponsorship from Azruddin Mohamed in the presence of from left, Nazar Mohamed and Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major yesterday. when they started over 30 years ago.

He said he was proud to be associated and not just associated, but to help fuel the dream of many young people involved in the sport.

He highlighted the current Covid19 pandemic and stated

that he was happy that the players will now get the chance to showcase their talent after being forced off the field of play due to the international disaster.

He wished all a happy holidays and it was disclosed that the sponsorship was in the form of trophies and finan-

cial assistance.

Questioned on the progress of the arrangements, GFF President Forde disclosed that they are coming along well and the clubs are set to go and the necessary Covid19 precautions will be in place among players and at game ven-

ues.

The GFF-K&S Super 16 Cup is scheduled to be held over the period December 12 – January 1, the GFF Women’s Super 16 Festival 2021 to be held over the period December 11 – January 2 and the GFFK&S Futsal Championship

to be held over the period December 14 – January 8.

Games will be played in venues across the country, including in Georgetown, Buxton, St Cuthbert’s Mission, Providence, Leonora, Linden, New Amsterdam, Bartica, and Essequibo.

CWI announces official tour operators and licensed ticket partners as anticipation rises for England T20I and Test tour of West Indies ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Cricket West Indies (CWI) yesterday confirmed the official tour operators and licensed ticket partners for England’s T20I and Test tours to the West Indies in 2022. A number of trusted and experienced tour operators have partnered with CWI along with some new tour operators who are experienced in providing major sport tours around the world.

Fans will be able book from a range of attractive tour packages covering every permutation of T20I and Test fixtures, enabling fans to access preferred tickets and itineraries in advance of the general sale of tickets to the wider public. The West Indies vs England five-match T20I Series takes place at the Kensington Oval in Barbados from January 22-30, 2022 including two weekends of back-to-back matches offering a sun-soaked actionpacked start to the year.

This will be followed by

the three Test matches in March, which will renew one of cricket’s greatest rivalries dating back close to 100 years.

The arch-rivals will compete for the first time for the newly minted Richards- Botham trophy, named in honour of legends Sir Vivian Richards and Lord Ian Botham. The Test Series opens appropriately at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua from March 8-12, followed by the second Test at the historic Kensington Oval from March 16-20. The third and final contest will be at the idyllic Grenada National Stadium from March 24-28. All three Tests are part of the ICC World Test Championship.

The full range of Cricket West Indies official tour operators and licensed ticket partners can be found with further information on their specialism and expertise at: https://bit.ly/3DviDCy. “We are excited to confirm Cricket West Indies Official Tour Operators for next year’s

England T20I and Test tours of the West Indies. There has been huge interest in the tours and we have been working with our tour partners, regional governments and tourist boards to ensure fans have every opportunity to get their preferred seats and travel plans to enjoy one of the best and most memorable experiences in the game. A new chapter in the rich history of Test cricket between West Indies and England will be written. The first ever fivematch T20I Series promises fireworks under warm Caribbean skies and we look forward to welcoming thousands of visiting fans to the Caribbean,” said Dominic Warne, CWI Commercial Director.

CWI advises only fans that are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 should consider purchasing tour packages or tickets. Fans will need to bring their vaccination documentation with them to be able enter the venues.

(Continued on page 28)

Kensington Oval is one of the venues to be used. (CWI)

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Wednesday December 08, 2021

Kaieteur News

RHTYSC Cricket teams and friends hand over $3.7 million home to Sonaroo family - Florida Guyana Hope, Regal, KSM Investment, Navin Construction and Crab Wood Relief hailed for supporta The twelve cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club on Sunday last joined with several donors to officially hand over a $3.7M home to Mr Chunilall Sonaroo and his family. The presentation was held under the chairmanship of Club Secretary /CEO Hilbert Foster and in attendance were representatives of several donors and also Regional Chairman of Region Six, David Armogan.

Foster in providing a back ground of the project, stated that in late August, he committed the cricket teams of the RHTYSC, MS to assisting the Sonaroo family with a home despite the club never been involved in such a project.

This was done after Chunilall Sonaroo visited his office, pleading for assistance as their old home was falling apart and learning that his wife and only child were suffering from severe diabetes.

Several donors responded to a public plea for assistance from Foster and construction of the new home started less than one week after Chunilall Sonaroo had sought the RHTYSC assistance.

The Florida Guyana Hope donated over two million dollars, while Mahadeo Panchu of KSM Investment donated 1500 of its finest concrete blocks. Navin and Sons Construction donated free labour and the foundation, while Anil Hardyal of Regal Stationery contributed two beds, a

RHTYSC Officials pose with representatives of the sponsors and the Sonaroo family after the presentation. fridge, gas cooker, three piece chair set, kitchen table and chairs along with an electric fan. The Crab Wood Creek Relief Committee was also involved in the project and would shortly be donating a computer for Sonaroo’s fourteen years daughter.

President of Florida Guyana Hope, Mohammed Jamal Yasin, stated that his

overseas based organisation was delighted to be part of the project, which is one of several it was supporting in Guyana. He hailed the contribution of Foster who highlighted the plight of the family and as such it caught his attention.

The total cost of constructing the home and furnishing it, he disclosed was

$3.7M and he hailed the contribution of Navin and Sons for their support.

Regional Chairman of Region Six David Armogan spoke on the importance of making a positive difference in the lives of the less fortunate and hailed the work of the club and the sponsors.

He committed himself to making sure that water and elec-

tricity are added to the home in the shortest possible time.

An emotional Sonaroo disclosed that he prayed a lot before visiting the office of the club and stated that Foster was his last hope after been disappointed on numerous occasions. He stated that Foster listened to his pleas, readily agreed to assist and that he would be forever

grateful to the club and the several donors. Barely holding back tears, the sixty three years old Sonaroo pledged to take proper care of his prized new home. The cricket teams responsible for the development of the projects were Rose Hall Town Namilco Thunderbolt Flour under 21 and first division along with Vitality Under23.

Wainwright Bethune is new UDFA President When the long awaited Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) Annual General Meeting and Elections were finally held Sunday the lone slate headed by Wainwright Bethune, was voted in unopposed.

The AGM was staged at the Egbert Benjamin Conference Hall in Mackenzie and Bethune, who is the Deputy Mayor of Linden, will now serve for the next two years.

The outgoing President Terrence Mitchell was present as were Guyana Football Federation General Secretary Ian Alves, while the Returning Officer was another GFF official Lyndon France.

Bethune’s slate of names was nominated unopposed thus making way for 1st Vice President Sean Adams, 2nd Vice President Patrick Dey, 3rd Vice President Olston Thorman, the Secretary Ms

Wainwright Bethune Dawn McCammon Barker, Treasurer Kevin DeJonge, Public Relations Officer Ms Reycia Nedd, Assistant Secretary /Treasurer Kellon Josiah with the Committee Members Mark Richards, Dexter Harris and Damian Forrester all on his team to be elected en bloc.

New President Wainwright Bethune is sitting at Centre flanked by Ms Dawn McCammon Barker left and at right is Treasurer Kevin DeJonge, while other officials stand. The GFF General Secretary is at right and Lyndon France at left standing.

Wednesday December 08, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 33

Bright caps amazing year with Panam silver medal for the last couple of months so this medal means a lot to me, and my coaches especially as I’m about to open my (NCAA) season on Saturday.”

In summary, Bright has been consistently improving this season despite setbacks.

The Guyana National Champion has become AllAmerican in both jumps over the indoor season with her

Chantoba Bright in stride.

U

S-based student a t h l e t e , Chantoba Bright has had an amazing 2021 which she closed off with a silver medal finish in her pet event; the women’s triple jump, in the inaugural Panam Junior Games that was hosted in Cali, Colombia last weekend.

The Kansas State University student has won the National Junior Sportswoman of the year award before and after such a stellar performance she would definitely be in the running with many persons in the track & field fraternity already making some reasonable calls for such.

In response to public nomination, Bright shared with Kaieteur Sport that, “They are only advocating for me to win the national junior sportswoman of the year award because they think I deserve to, being that I’m the only athlete from several disciplines that has given Guyana any medal at the last games. In Ecuador, (South America Championships), I was the only athlete to medal in both events and then now at the first Junior Panam games in Colombia, creating history. So that’s two back to back games, I’ve represented Guyana well with a total of two silver medals in the triple and 1 bronze in the long jump.”

Although at the end of the year Bright can close off with some success, she mentioned that it wasn’t easy, “Well it’s been a tough couple of months for me, since summer I did a surgery on my jump leg one day after competing at the National

Senior Championship in Guyana and I’ve been on the road to recovery ever since. I couldn’t do anything over the summer and I had gained a little weight so when I was finally able to train again in September, my roommate got covid and I was put in quarantine for two weeks. So I really resumed practicing at the end of September and by then I felt like I had lost too much and had to start from the ground up. All my teammates were ahead of me and I had to play catch up while playing it safe to stay healthy.”

Bright continued, “I’ve only had like 6-8 weeks of training, generally just base work like strength and conditioning. My coach was a little worried about me doing a double championship for Guyana in the middle of the off season, especially since being healthy was our main focus as we looked forward to my senior season.

My coach and I didn’t train for this competition just like we didn’t do any preparation for Ecuador but having coach Johnny (Gravesande) there with me really helped because he walked me through my jumps, especially when I was having trouble with my approach and we got to put in some last minute work which was major towards me achieving that silver medal.”

“I was sick for two weeks leading up to the day of my triple jump event so I was really nervous and a little stressed because I felt like I couldn’t catch a break these past months. The distance I jumped was a big surprise with the struggles I’ve faced

best leap being .2m off Guyana’s national record.

Also, she copped the silver medal at the Big XII conference and also made it to the NCAA National final for the first time in her career.

In the outdoor season, she made it to the NCAA regional finals and improved her PR to 6.49m which is 0.1m off the goal that was set for the year.

Chantoba Bright

Over 30 years and counting, Mohamed’s Enterprise t r o Sp supports GFF, K&S football

GFF Boss Wayne Forde (2nd left) collects the sponsorship from Azruddin Mohamed in the presence of from left, Nazar Mohamed and Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major yesterday.

Bright caps amazing year with Panam silver medal

CWI announces official tour operators and licensed ticket partners as anticipation rises for England T20I and Test tour of West Indies

RHTYSC Cricket teams and friends hand over

$3.7 million home to Sonaroo family

RHTYSC Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster and the sponsors hands over keys to the home to Chunilall Sonaroo.

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