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Kaieteur News
Monday December 20, 2021
Govt. gives $420M more to CJIA project The Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). (Mike Charles’s photo).
- says funds will build baggage system that should have been catered for in initial project Last Thursday the National Assembly approved the sum of $420 million in supplementary funds for a baggage handling system for the renovated US$160 million and counting Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). When the matter came up in the Committee of Supply, Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill noted that the supplementary fund that he is requesting is to facilitate the installation of a modern baggage handling system, something that should have been catered for in the initial project. When questioned on the additional funds that he is requesting for another project for the CJIA, Edghill said that unashamedly, in the revised airport contract that the government inherited from the previous administration there was no provision for a baggage handling system when you check-in at the airline. H e s a i d , “ S o M r. Chairman, when you check in at an airline counter, when you check-in at an airline counter, you have to fetch your bag and carry it to a screening machine and you will know sir, that that is a security risks, because things can happen in transit.” To this end, he explained that the $420 million will cater for a conveyor belt service, so that when passengers check-in the agent will put the passenger’s baggage on the conveyor belt which will then take it straight up to the screening, then the luggage will proceed to the holding area before the passenger boards the flight. The minister then added that the project is one of the government’s measures to continue to modernise and correct what should have been done in the first place at the airport. The airport expansion project commenced in 2011, and was expected to be a US$150M venture; US$138M financed from the China Exim Bank and $12M from the consolidated fund – taxpayers’ money. However, to date more than US$160 million has already been spent on the contract.
Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill CJIA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ramesh Ghir recently disclosed that the government is undertaking several multi-million upgrades to the airport which were separated into three parts. It should be noted that the upgrades are separate from the ongoing modernisation works being undertaken by Chinese Contractor, China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC). Ghir had also mentioned that within a decade a second terminal will be needed at the renovated international airport. According to the airport’s CEO, a new office building for the airport is estimated to costs $25 million. The CEO had also said that efforts are being made to have the construction of the $513.7 m i l l i o n a i r p o r t o ff i c e building completed on time to house the duty-free bond, a conference room, offices for the airlines, and other supporting agencies. Kaieteur News had reported that Ghir said “With that new building, we are able to free up more space in the existing terminal building because maybe half of the staff is housed in the terminal. That now translates itself into concession space.” The CEO further disclosed that the $38 million international apron and the taxiway Charlie should be completed soon. Moreover, even though Minister Edghill, had promised that the total cost for the project will not Continued on page 10
Kaieteur News
Monday December 20, 2021
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Natural Resource Fund Bill 2021 …
PPP/C proposes no penalties or jail time for misuse of oil money In the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Bill 2021, the People’s Progressive Party / C i v i c ( P P P / C ) administration has proposed several penalties for an official who discloses confidential information or provides misleading data about the nation’s oil money. Noticeably absent however, is a fine or jail time for anyone found guilty of abusing or misappropriating the oil revenues. Under Part VIII of the
Bill which deals with penalties and offences, a person who gives information that is materially false or misleading or knowingly includes or permits to be included, in any report or document, information that is materially false or misleading, commits an offence and is liable on conviction on indictment to a fine of $10M and to imprisonment for five years. A person who fails to
comply with any obligation to publish information provided for in this Act, or leads someone else to fail to comply with or hinders or leads someone else to hinder the compliance with, the obligation commits an offence and is liable to be fined $5M and 10 years in jail. The Bill goes onto state that a person who, directly or indirectly, hinders or leads someone else to hinder the exercise of powers by an
Housing Ministry gets over $1.9B to build four lane highway The National Assembly, on Thursday, approved the sum of $7.7 billion for the Ministry of Housing and Wa t e r t o e x e c u t e infrastructural works in new and existing housing schemes, and the construction of the Eccles to Diamond four-lane highway. Of the $7.7 billion, the sum of $2.7 billion will go towards infrastructural works in new areas; $2 billion for works in existing schemes; $1.9 billion for the Eccles to Diamond four-lane highway; and $521 million for survey works. The supplementary funding was sought during the 33rd sitting of the 12th parliament at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) weeks after Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon is questioning the basis for which large sums of money was allocated by the Government to the Housing Ministry to construct roads. During a press conference Harmon questioned the sum that would be allotted to the Minister of Housing to facilitate additional works for new housing areas and for the construction of the four lane highway. “What is the Ministry of Housing doing constructing four lane highways when in fact we have a Ministry of Public Works that is required to do the same thing? We have to really question this, to find whether they are really not double dipping in regard to these two agencies,” Harmon asserted. His queries followed reports by Kaieteur News that the Central Housing and Planning Authority, an agency of the Ministry of Housing and Water, was looking for contractors to
Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal execute the construction of a brand new four-lane highway connecting Eccles and Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD). However defending the sum was subject Minister, Collin Croal, who explained that infrastructural works will include land preparation, roads, bridges, drainage and water network in communities in Regions Three, Four, Five and Six. The areas include; Plantation Stewartville, Mon Repos, Annandale, Vigilance, Bladen Hall, Strathspey, LBI, Plantation Cummings Lodge, Plantation Great Diamond, Plantation Little Diamond, Plantation Prospect Phase Three, Plantation Providence, Plantation Experiment, Williamsburg, Hampshire, Number 79 Village, Number 75 Village, Anna Catherina, Edingburg, Cornelia Ida and Meten-Meer-Zorg. “We have ongoing works for contracts that exist, and so additional sums are required to ensure that we complete these works to m a k e a v a i l a b l e accommodation for more land space so that we can have occupancy for over 10,000 lots,” Minister Croal clarified.
For the Eccles to Diamond four -lane road, Minister Croal further explained that the total amount that will be awarded will be $13.3 billion, and thus, a 15 per cent mobilisation advance was being sought. The surveys will be conducted in a number of housing schemes, and the four-lane road alignment is to be done as well. The Minister ’s explanation came in response to queries made by opposition Member of Parliament, Annette Ferguson who questioned the housing ministry’s effectiveness in executing those additional works, given that the year has almost come to an end. In response, Minister Croal noted that, “the work of the Ministry of Housing and Water to improve the lives of our citizens do not stop at midnight. We have a competent project team that is capable of executing these projects and do them in a timely manner and that’s why we are able to do so much more in a fast-track mechanism, because we have a commitment to the people of Guyana to deliver a minimum of 50,000 house lots in this our first term in office.” In fact, Croal highlighted that for infrastructural works in new areas alone the PPP/C Government has so far expended some $7.3billion. That process, he further noted is an ongoing one as the ministry completes infrastructural works in housing schemes. For instance, identification of lands has begun in Number 79, Number 75, Mon Repos, Little Diamond and great Diamond.
external auditor commits an office and can be fined $5M and be made to serve three years behind bars. Furthermore, a person who discloses official information in contravention of the provisions of the Act commits an office and can be fined $5M and sent to jail for three years. There is also a section for liability of legal entities. The Bill states that legal persons, corporations or any other legal entities are liable for contraventions provided for in this part when committed by its organs or representatives in its name and in the collective interest. The proposed legislation states that liability is excluded where the agent has acted against expressed orders or instructions properly issued. It further notes that the liability of the entities mentioned does not
Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh exclude the individual liability of their respective agents. It adds, “The entities mentioned in Subsection 1 are jointly and severally liable for the payment of any fine or compensation or for the fulfillment of any obligations derived from the facts or with incidence on matters covered by the scope
of this Act. The provisions included in this part are without prejudice to criminal and civil liability under applicable law.” It is significant to note that the current NRF legislation which the NRF Bill will replace, does not have any punishment for the abuse of the oil fund. When Guyana had pursued the creation of its first NRF legislation back in 2018, it was warned to have clear penalties in place for the abuse of the oil fund. This advice was provided by the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) which also cited numerous examples from around the world on how often Natural Resource Funds become easily mismanaged, and the perpetrators go unpunished. The 1Malaysia Continued on page 16
‘The next time you make false promises your salary will finance it’ - President tells govt. engineer An engineer attached to the Ministry of Public Works was on Saturday told by President Irfaan Ali that he can lose his salary for making false promises to residents of Mara, East Bank Berbice (EBB). The engineer came under verbal fire during a meeting the President had with the residents there. According to Ali, the engineer had promised to fix a dam in the community with eight tubes knowing that there was no funding available or budgeted for such a project. He even accused the engineer of not informing his superiors in the ministry
about the promise he made to the residents. Waiting on the dam to be fixed, the residents reportedly complained to the President during his visit there. Outraged that the engineer made the government looked bad for “failing to complete the project”, Ali threatened: “The next time people promise people things that are not in the budget and there is no resource available, we will take their salary and finance those projects”. He added: “You guys (engineers), do what you want on the ground and the government gets the blame at
President Mohamed Irfaan Ali the end of the day”, said an angry Ali. He then promised that he will request the funds from his Finance Minister, Ashni Singh, who was also present at the meeting, to buy the tubes and fix the dam.
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Kaieteur News
Monday December 20, 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
Caribbean voices concerned about Guyana’s oil plans The foreigners are raising their voices, and they will not be denied. They are not from America or Europe, but from this region. Our fellow citizens in the Caribbean Region are worried, some from as far away as Jamaica, others as near as Trinidad, with some others dotted on some of the islands in between. They have a problem with what Guyana is doing with, and how it is going about, its oil business. It is that Yellowtail Project, which has caused so much controversy and consternation right here. Groups in the countries named above and from other societies are highly concerned about potential fallout from this much-talked about, plagued-from-the-beginning with dispute Yellowtail Project. An oil spill wouldn’t be confined to just Guyana but could spread to their countries and seriously harm them. From their environment to their economics, from their standard of life to the kind of life they shudder to contemplate, in the event of a catastrophic oil spill. Guyana has agriculture and forestry and mining sectors, all huge and rich, upon which to fallback in the instance of a disaster and keep going. Our brothers and neighbours in the region have mainly one industry, one product, and not much more that could help them to manage at some level. They have tourism, which means their seas and their beaches, all natural and beautiful, and much in demand. Take that away, or tamper with that in some distinctive and measurable way, and they are left gasping for breath. It is as serious and possibly as existential for those whose way of living and standards are largely dependent upon Tourism (with a capital ‘T’), and all its associated opportunities. In passing, we mention their fishing trade, which is sure to be negatively impacted by a spill from the oil wells that are part of Guyana’s Yellowtail Project. They don’t appreciate how Guyana’s oil partner, Exxon, has proceeded with this sensitive and crucial Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). They have not been comforted by Exxon Consultant’s, Environmental Resources Management (ERM), failure to consult with them. They are angry that their concerns mean little, especially since the EIA document itself identifies the dangers that these countries beyond Guyana’s boundaries could encounter. Like we said earlier, a severe oil spill here could disrupt calamitously the present welfare and the future of our CARICOM brethren. Now, because Caribbean citizens are known for their lack of passivity, and possess more of a warrior mentality, they are not going to sit calmly, and take this quietly. Since, they are outside of Guyana, both the PPP Government and Exxon cannot work their usual magic and cow them, divide them, or silence them. They will not be intimidated by Guyana’s President’s blandness, its Vice President’s secrecies, or Exxon’s deceptions. This is serious stuff, where Caribbean citizens in many countries are crying out to be consulted, and be in the loop, because so much is involved for them. As we see it, CARICOM will be caught in the middle, and is going to be called upon to take a stand, one way or another. As it is part of its role, CARICOM has been keenly watchful but quiet. The leaders of this regional body could find themselves dragged into what is escalating. Such is the uneasiness that is intensifying in many places. The voices raised cannot be accused of partisanship since this is their corals and communities, their possible plights and the daunting prospects they are forced to contemplate. CARICOM would have to pronounce, at least say something. We can see this going in still another direction, one that could be precedent setting. What we speak of is some agitated neighbour, some alarmed group, going to the CCJ. Those contemporaries are not going to accept dumbly and blindly whatever Exxon and ERM try to stuff down their throats. They will not take kindly to any dismissive brush-off by Guyana’s oil wizard, its Vice President. What timid and divided Guyanese could not do, are hesitant to throw their full weight into, the Jamaicans and Trinidadians (and others from other places) are going to make their mission. They have no choice, for it is their present and future.
The Speaker of the National Assembly cannot be such a rank partisan Dear Editor, The Speaker of the National Assembly needs to desist from shielding the incontrovertible untainted ineptitude and incessant equivocation by PPP Ministers when answering questions posed in parliament by opposition members. The Speaker, whether he likes it or not, must understand that the National Assembly is not his house. It’s the august House of the people of this nation, many of whom have an interest in knowing how our affairs are being handled. So, when questions are asked of Ministers, we the people of
Guyana need the Ministers to answer those questions directly and he is there to make sure that those questions that are asked get responses that are relevant. I was left in awe when the Minister of Agriculture was asked by Opposition Chief Whip, Mr. Christopher Jones, whether the over 1200 sugar works rehired by GuySuCo received the $250,000 cash grant as well, and the Minister basically ignored the question and went on to share a political diatribe before taking his seat. Mr. Jones in trying to get clarity sought to repeat his question and stood again to ask the question. The Speaker then
posited that when a question is asked, you may not like the response, or it may not be what you want to hear, but whatever the answer given, that is the answer to your question. Now as a citizen I am very perturbed by this, because what the Speaker is saying is that a Minister can stand and tell a ‘nancy story’ in response to a question to cover up things and we, the citizens, must accept that as the answer. What level of madness is that? Citizens need to get clarity on how their tax dollars are being expended, whether it is being misused and whether the public coffers are
being abused, that is our right. It is, therefore, offensive on the part of the Speaker of the National Assembly to deny the Guyanese people this right. This is just one example of how the Speaker has demonstrated that he is partisan in the execution of his duties. As I have said on numerous social media posts, the Speaker has brought the National Assembly to its lowest of lows, however I do take heart in knowing that the only place we can go from here is up. Regards, Clayon F. Halley
The PPP/C has delivered above and beyond Dear Editor, The year 2021 will close on a high note for all Guyanese. The PPP/C Government led by President, Irfaan Ali has delivered far beyond its campaign promises and the good life, which was only an illusion for five years under the Coalition, are being made a reality. Beyond question, President Ali has continued the progressive trend which past Presidents of the PPP/C have set. The President has made known from the inception that he is the servant of the people and since then he has been engaging Guyanese from all walks of life and from different political persuasion. He listens and resolves issues on the spot and what is remarkable is that he allows the audience to speak first about their problems. He is
not on the campaign trail, as his predecessor was. His humble and sympathetic demeanour removes all barriers and Guyanese are allowed to speak freely and without any pretensions. One could sense the complete ease with which the people interact with him. In July 2019, United States Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, pointed out the need for a deep-water port in Guyana. She spoke of the port as an infrastructural gap and highlighted the numerous significant benefits, which will accrue from this investment and will be a major source in promoting economic growth and development. And as usual, the Coalition conducted a number of costly studies which bore no fruit. Moreover, when contacted by the media at that time, Infrastructure
Minister, David Patterson was unable to give an update. He was clueless, as was his government. The deep-water harbour was just an illusion, just as the many campaign promises. With just over a year in office, the PPP/C Government has delivered not only on the deep-water harbour, but also on the bridge to Suriname. On Friday, the President was again in Berbice and this time, he cut the ribbon to the access bridge at Seawell, which is the first step in the building of the deep-water port to be built by CGX Energy Inc. This massive investment will create business and employment opportunities for Region 6. A few days ago, Minister Mustapha hinted at this development in addition to the building of the allweather roads at 52 and 58 villages and the opening of
over 50,000 acres of new land. He also spoke about the road to Brazil linking the deepwater harbour. This will create access across the borders of Guyana, Brazil, Suriname and the rest of the world via the Atlantic. The increase in trade will definitely push the Region and Guyana into being an important partner in international trade bringing a multitude of socio-economic benefits. This Government has placed emphasis on the development of all the sectors and it is just a matter of time that our economic development will grow by leaps and bounds. Mr. President you are a great leader and continue to walk with your people in humility and dignity and continue to be their servant. Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf
David Hinds fact-checks David Granger Dear Editor, I just saw a report of the outgoing PNC leader’s address to the PNC’s biannual congress in another section of the media. According to the report: Mr. Granger cited Jai Narine Singh, the first General Secretary, as someone who allowed personal and political ambition to smother Party allegiance and broke away to form the Guianese Independence Movement party; Sidney King, (later Eusi Kwayana), also a former General Secretary who broke from the PNC in 1961 and helped to e s t a b l i s h t h e Wo r k i n g P e o p l e ’s Alliance; Hamilton Green, another former General Secretary , broke from the Party in 1993 and established the Good and Green for Guyana; Raphael Trotman,
an elected PNC Member of Parliament, broke from the Party in 2005 and established the Alliance For Change. “The Guiana Independence Movement, t h e Wo r k i n g P e o p l e ’s Alliance, the Good and Green for Guyana and the Alliance For Change all wounded their ‘mother’ party.” I write not to contest M r. G r a n g e r ’s interpretation of the history of the PNC but to offer some facts in regard to Eusi Kwayana and the PNC that he either may be unaware of or neglected. First, it is not true to say that Kwayana “broke from the PNC in 1961” The record shows that he was expelled from the PNC in 1961. H o w e v e r, w h i l e h e never rejoined the PNC, he
continued to support the party and urged his supporters to vote for it at the 1961 election. When he was approached by citizens to contest the 1964 election under the banner of ASCRIA, he decided not to do so after discussion with PNC leader, Forbes Burnham. Again, he urged his supporters to vote for the PNC at the 1964 election. When the PNC came to power in1964, Kwayana turned down an offer to represent the country at the United Nations. He instead opted to visit thirteen African countries to introduce the new government to African leaders. Kwayana would serve without pay in key noncabinet positions in the PNCled government. He campaigned for the party at
the 1968 election and again urged his supporters to vote for the PNC. It was Kwayana who suggested to Mr. Burnham the “ Cooperative” in Guyana’s Cooperative Republic. If Mr. Granger considers the above as wounding the PNC, then he has to explain, Kwayana and ASCRIA eventually severed ties with the PNC in 1971 over official corruption. ASCRIA along with Moses Bhagwan’s IPRA, Clive Thomas’ RATOON and Brindley Benn’s WPVP together formed the WPA in 1974. Bhagwan and Benn had left the PPP in which they were leading figures. If one were to accept Mr. Granger’s thesis, then the PPP is also the WPA’s mother party and it would have wounded that party too. David Hinds WPA Executive Member
Monday December 20, 2021
Aubrey Norton has been handed a mantle, he must deliver Dear Editor, The PNC leadership race is over. I thought it was, with conceding from the main contender. Except I read of the startling, compliments of the current Opposition Leader: it is not over. This is a remarkable turn: the runnerup says he is still Opposition Leader. I have this to say: elections somehow bring out the worst in us, the utter madness prevalent in this country. This is going to be a spectacle of rare proportions, with a leadership mandate not really a mandate; the spectre of an opposition within an opposition. Nevertheless, I proceed as if Mr. Norton is the Opposition leader. Now the hard work of leading begins, and this is the mantle on the head of Aubrey Norton by his comrades. Now, he must be more than Comrade Aubrey or Comrade Norton. He must be Mr. Guyana. He must show all Guyana that he is up to the many daunting tasks ahead. It should be noted that I put on the front burner ALL GUYANA, and not just the PNC. He must be a rallying point on the inside and leveraging that into a driving national agenda. This country’s divided social milieu must be knitted together; for then, Guyanese can confront both local and foreign devils that suck the blood out of this society. Aubrey Norton must dispel fears, make people believe, that he is different. He must find it in himself to be an inspiration, a confidence booster. Guyanese must be reminded that this land is theirs, ours; and we must get the most from it, regardless of what anyone says, who objects.
The new conquistadores, colonists, and carpetbaggers will not take kindly to that, because it benefits them to keep Guyanese docile, divided and wrathful. In today does PPP leadership, the modern-day colonisers have recruited faithful foot soldiers who are good at keeping the people simmering, hate. I remember Aztecs and Incas, helpful Africans in the slave trade era, and subcontinent Indians. The Caucasian has his burden, his skill with cooperative natives. This winner not a leader has many herculean challenges; he must be a composite of several individuals. This PNC man, Aubrey Norton, of the present and for the future must be a leader (hold on!), fighter, troubleshooter, peacemaker, healer, and unifier, all in one. In those sensitive areas, he must prove to be miracle worker, small ones are a start. The first task is to be a consensus builder within the contradiction of being a dogged fighter. If his handiwork smacks of the usual partisanship, then we are as good as lost. If he is too much of a compromiser, then there may be nothing left for him and his group and, by extension, those many other Guyanese left behind in this country’s biggest race issue - its mad oil race. He must throw down the gauntlet on oil; doing otherwise is criminal, maybe treasonous. Expectations are high, watchfulness keen, cynicism deep. Leaders in an out-ofcontrol Government must be halted forced to brake: borrowings, equitable treatment, open government,
Unparliamentary stance Dear Editor, The stance taken by a sitting minister to queries about supplemental funds is unparliamentary. The Speaker
should not allow such conduct to go unmentioned. Taxpayers monies must be accounted for and the place for that is parliament. That is non-negotiable. Shamshun Mohamed
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for starters. The leaders of Exxon, who take Guyanese for granted, must be forced to think twice, revisit their Guyana blueprints. This oil has made monsters of most politicians throughout the political divide. Senses have fled, and so, too, have character and any residual will to remember the plight and dreams of the downtrodden people. The latest being who is leader. There are simple folk in Guyana, who are extremely dispirited; they must be given hope. The sophisticated and visionary would listen, but only if there is credibility, trustworthiness. Mr. Norton must listen. The few selfless leaders in untainted civil society would appreciate a viable political presence, as represented by a man who could be a formidable leader, who has this internal shocker. Many Guyanese feel abandoned, hopeless, stagnant; they crave something different. Separately, this country has been cursed with the worst of unprincipled leaders, ministers, insiders, selfhelpers. Mr. Norton must choose: continue to fill the mould, or start fresh with openness, seriousness, industriousness, unselfishness. In one word, I call upon him to be honest, in two, principled, reachable. He must hear those who will tell him what he doesn’t want to hear. Winning this tense internal race for leadership does not and cannot come to mean the perpetuation of the same leadership failures, the same personal weaknesses. We have enough crime to not have to fear government, their goons and guns. Time will tell what he proves to be.
We have inflicted much damage upon ourselves, individually and collectively, incinerate ourselves. A true nationalist leader lights the way forward out of impasse, quicksand, and swamp. The man thinking himself capable to lead these forbidding wildernesses must be made of a special fibre, possess vision and purpose. I watch for suitability for what stands before. As done before with Guyana’s President last August, I give room to deliver; if not, most will fade. Look at our headman, so helpless, so much in the thrall of the white man is he, and of that he is happy. Some of us don’t seek shelter in a PPP or PNC sanctuary. What is desired is a different Guyana, one with spine and pride, standing up to the powerful and not blinking or groveling. If these are not done, then when the foreigners are finished with Guyana, and when their Guyanese leaders have grabbed their share of the spoils, then it is not even square one, but nothing. Nothing, but a mountain of debt, and any scapegoat of convenience will have to suffice for venting frustrations. For all these reasons, Mr. Aubrey Norton must be a catalyst for so many things, and all at once. This country is in a hurry, and woe to those left behind, or on the wrong side of the Guyana story. The moment starts from right now: the PNC can restore itself and be a major contributor, an influencer, and a power. It all starts with the leader. The best of luck, sir. Sincerely, GHK Lall
Increased transparency urgently needed in the National Assembly Dear Editor, In summary, the last sitting of Parliament has left an impression that increased transparency is urgently needed within the National Assembly. The only items that should be considered for additional funds at this late juncture of the fiscal year should be for materials and expenses already incurred that are pending payment; and expenses that can be realised within the remaining two-week timeframe. These expenses should be deemed necessary, urgent, and doable before the end of the fiscal year. During the last two weeks of the year, which is a major holiday period in Guyana, no one has the realistic expectation that major public works or infrastructural and housing work will be implemented. We must temper our enthusiasm and be realistic in our approach. Workers are focusing on the festive aspects of the season and this is a period when productivity
starts to wane. To aggressively pursue additional funds for the execution and implementation of major projects will bring into question the integrity of the budget process and those involved. It is my hope that the current Administration does not put at risk its reputation and create the impression that they are in it for the short term. We must all guard against squandering the opportunities that have been given to us as a result of our hard work and integrity. Remembering that our resources are limited should help temper the enthusiasm to rush out and spend freely. We must plan for the long term and keep in mind the impact that our decisions today will have on future Administrations and future generations of Guyanese. Best regards, Mr. Jamil Changlee Chairman The Coopertive Republicans of Guyana
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Fully vaccinated man among two new COVID-19 fatalities The Ministry of Health on Sunday reported that two more persons, who contracted the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease, have died. As a result of this, the country’s COVID-19 death toll has moved to 1,030. The latest fatalities are that of a fully vaccinated 66year-old man from Region Six and a 34-year-old woman from Region Two whose vaccination status was unknown. It was reported that they died over a three-day period (December 16 to 18) while receiving treatment at a medical facility. Meanwhile, in its latest COVID-19 dashboard, the Ministry recorded 53 new infections, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 38,870. The dashboard also shows that 10 patients are admitted into the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 39 in institutional isolation, 749 in home isolation and 2 in institutional quarantine. To date, a total of 37,042 persons have recovered from the virus.
Pesticide board new admin building to cost over $98M The construction of a new administrative building for the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board is estimated to cost some $98,693,707. The edifice will be constructed in the NAREI compound, East Coast Demerara. According to the invitation for bids published in another section of the media yesterday, it was stated that interested bidders may peruse the bid document at the procuring entity and uplift a complete set of the bidding documents upon the payment of a non-refundable fee in the amount of $5000.00 GYD from the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board at its NAREI Compound, Mon Repos, East Coast
Monday December 20, 2021
Kaieteur News
Demerara. All bidders are expected to submit their bids together with the bid. These can be addressed and submitted to The Chairman, National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, Ministry of Finance, Main & Urquhart Streets, Georgetown. It should be noted that all late bids will be rejected and returned to bidders unopened. Bids will be opened by the National Procurement and Tender Administration (PTA) in the presence of bidders representatives who wish to attend on the 15th of January, 2022 at 09: hrs. at the office of the Chairman, National Procurement and Tender Administration Board at the Ministry of Finance on Main & Urquhart Streets, Georgetown.
I don’t know of anyone who rode the gravy train Dear Editor, People take offense to the statements accusing former GuySuCo staff of corruption. I do not know Adbool Majeed and cannot comment on his allegations against or support for several individuals (formerly or now) affiliated with GuySuCo. I do know Asquith Rose (though not his co-writer Rajkumar) and am shocked that Rose would append his name to an unsubstantiated attack on several individuals of repute and character in their management of GuySuCo (KN Dec 17). I take umbrage on this unjustified assault on current and former stalwarts of the sugar industry, people of repute and for whom the industry is dear to them. GuySuCo is also dear to my heart as I grew up on a plantation that sustained me (as a child) and my family’s life. For that reason, I spent considerable amount of my personal funds travelling to India and Trinidad (and I am no rich man) in an effort to recruit investors to take over the four estates closed by APNU led government; the regime was not seriously interested in saving the estates or GuySuCo. Every effort must be made to rehabilitate GuySuCo to retain staff and expand operations to rehire the 7,500 terminated by APNU. Instead of attacking former staff like Paul Bhim, Vishnu Panday, Khemraj Tulsi, Yussuf Abdul, and others whose interest is in turning around GuySuCo, we should find ways to bring everyone on board on how best to rescue the industry. The issue of CEO was long settled by the President over a year ago. There can only be one CEO. Sase Singh was chosen and staff must respect his authority even if they don’t like him. Those who feel they can’t work with him or that he is not qualified for the job have moved on. Why the need to attack them, maligning their character! Rose and others contend Majeed is a pseudonym. Given that workers are victimised if they critique or criticise any government or management at all industries in Guyana, it won’t surprise me Majeed is a pseudonym. However, speaking with several staff at GuySuCo, including former stalwarts, they all say that Majeed is spot on in his assessment of the industry and his allegations. His views represent theirs. They won’t speak publicly.
What troubles them and individuals I speak with in Guyana and in the diaspora is the baseless attacks on former individuals affiliated with the industry describing them as corrupt. Dr. Nanda Gopaul is not fearful of his name being quoted. He is very peeved that names are being sullied, including his, when reference was made about management of the industry some two decades back suggesting that board members and management staff were corrupt. There is hardly anyone in Guyana who is more concerned about GuySuCo and more compassionate for labourers than Dr. Gopaul and who has stood up for the working class. In criticising the management two decades back, several towering personalities like Ronald A l l y, N a n d a G o p a u l , Donald Ramotar, Geeta Knights, Keith Burrowes, Mrs. Sobers (head of procurement and who worked with different boards), and JB Raghurai are implicated. GuySuCo had its best management team around that time and continuing for several years. There was a new procurement act and a new manual on procurement (prepared by Burrowes and others) at GuySuCo. The company ran profitably and negotiated wage increases for workers. It was self-sufficient. There were incentives for productivity. Under that board, there were the highest productive days in the industry. It had no subvention like the billions being granted to GuySuCo over the last year. To say that the board turned a blind eye on corruption is to implicate the Board and management staff. To say that Paul Bhim, Vi s h n u P a n d a y, Yu s s u f Abdul, and others were riding the gravy train is to implicate them in corruption. It was this board that recognised that Booker Tate (BT) took the industry for a ride. When some were flying from London to Timehri first class and then flew special charter to Skeldon, the Board put an end to it to save resources. If it was not for Bhim, Abdul, Panday, and others, mismanagement at GuySuCo under BT would not have been exposed. Without BT padded expenses, the industry would have been more progressive and would have been very profitable. Vishnu Panday
highlighted deficiencies of Booker Tate and his testimonial formed part of the affidavit to take BT to court. He exposed BT failures all around in every facet of operations. BT was milking GuySuCo and denying the workers a fair share. Regrettably, the coalition withdrew the appeal case against Bookers Tate. As Gopaul says, there is no person currently who better understands the sugar industry than Panday. Gopaul said he would like to go on the record as saying no one would make a better CEO of GuySuCo than Vishnu Panday; everyone I conversed with says he is the most knowledgeable in the industry. There is no better operations person than Yussuf Abdul who has done wonders in rehabilitating the plants at cheap costs. There is no one more astute a financial advisor than Bhim who crunched the numbers to understand the company’s reality; he was versed in marketing, financing and field and factory operations. Why attack them? PPP got into power to revive the sugar industry. If the industry fails, the PPP runs into a serious problem. We must always be cognisant of this issue. It is imperative that GuySuCo receives the support of Guyanese both locally and in the diaspora. Good management and respect for workers are critical for success and public approval. The workers, including management staff, levelled allegations. These must not be dismissed as disgruntled and wanting the CEO position; workers and staff views should be considered very carefully. The company management and government should inquire into their complaints. And for the politics, there must always be compassionate support for workers or face a repeat of 2011 and 2015. I don’t know of anyone who rode gravy train. If there is evidence, present it. Writers must cease and desist from levelling baseless allegations of corruption against former staff damaging characters. If you don’t have evidence, charges must not be made. Since the sugar industry is under public microscope, the management must function professionally to secure the trust of other colleagues, workers, and the public. I appeal to Rose, Rajkumar and others to stop the attacks. Yours Truly, Vishnu Bisram
Monday December 20, 2021
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Big financiers pay the bills The business class has over the past two decades been able to control the nature of election campaigning. However, in doing so, they have not necessarily, in doing so, been able to dictate the outcome of electioneering. They know that while they can throw their dollars behind political parties or candidates, they cannot determine who wins or loses. Their main reason for pouring billions of dollars into electioneering is to assure themselves of political insurance whoever emerges victorious. Whoever wins, the business class does not lose. They support and court both sides of the political divide and so they remain winners regardless of the losers. A few weeks ago, there were criticisms within the PNC/R camp about a businessman who was perceived to be a financier of the PPP/C. As it turned out, one PNC/R person let it be known that the same businessman had for years been providing support to the PNC/R. It is a public secret in Guyana that there are elements in the business community who, during electioneering, set aside two sets of envelopes: one for the governing party and the other for the opposition. One envelope might be fatter than the other but the business class secures itself even if its favoured party or candidate does not win. The business class has used its financial clout to change the face of election campaigning. Years ago, the large political parties would at best garner a few hundred million dollars in campaign
donations. And this was the kitty which the parties had to work with. In this way, they were forced to be frugal and focus on roadside meetings, advertisements, travel and posters as their main campaign activities Some parties however could not meet all their campaign expenses. They racked up debts and were forced, in some cases, to dispose of their fixed assets in order to cover these debts. The WPA was once forced to dispose of one of its buildings in order to settle its campaign debts. And the PNC/R has also encountered financial stresses after elections. Recognising this vulnerability, the business class made its move after 1996. It began to pour massive sums into the political campaigns of the political parties. Foreign investors edging for concessions became large financiers. These developments transformed the nature of election campaigning. Massive rallies - geared towards larger and bussed-in audiences have become the focal point of campaigning. They are the principal means of rallying supporters and have transformed rallies from discourse to entertainment. The political parties have become hooked on these rallies and, as a consequence, hitched to the large donations required to finance them. Elections would not be the same anymore without the pyrotechnics, large stages, huge music sets, buntings and guess performers. The business class has turned the need for financing these grand extravaganzas to their advantage. They have
used their financial leverage to indirectly influence the ideological direction of these parties. The policies and programmes of the beneficiary parties, when in government, have become more aligned to the interests of the business class. Both the APNU+AFC and the PPP/C have pandered to the interests of the class which provide the bulk of their campaign financing. As a result, the main political parties are increasingly becoming distant from the working class. And yet, ironically, the votes of the working class are the ones which determine the political fortunes of the political parties. The business class provides the money but the votes which matter come primarily from the workers. Mass-based support does not pay the bills. Businesses do. It is now impossible to return to the simple campaigning of the past, mass rallies are here to stay. People go for the entertainment and showmanship and politicians bask in the mass adulation. Roadside meetings no longer have the same appeal. The turnout is usually abysmal. People are more interested in the entertainment than the arguments. Mass media campaigning is now the norm, especially since the advent of social media has become more attractive and provides greater reach. But there is a price to be paid. And that price is the sidelining of the working class and the favouring of the business class. The business class is eager to accept the tab for electioneering. They know that every cent they sink into
Dem Boys Seh…
Wah good fuh de party must be good fuh de country! De same standard we set in de home, must apply in de school, de wuk place and on de playfield. If we nat allowed to cheat in de house, we must not do de same outside de house. Is consistency dat matters. Dem boys watch carefully at wah guh down at de Kangress. De votes count at de places of poll and de results transmit to de Chief Elections Officer. So far nobady nah ask fuh a recount. Some people did think
dem woulda gat confusion. But instead of confusion was concession. De official results nah declare yet but one done believe he win and he main competitor conceded defeat. Nobody nah seh nutting bout valid or invalid votes. De man wah concede seh how he accept de decision of de delegates wah vote. No court case gan be filed. No matter gat fuh guh to de Court of Appeal or de Caribbean Court of Justice. Is nah easy fuh lose
election but at least one man stand up and tek he licks like a man. And it nah 3 cents licks he get. De odder man win by a landslide. All is well dat ends well! And dis one end well. De same thing must happen in we national elections. De loser must accept de will of de people and concede. If yuh lose try and come better de next time. Yuh could never tell yuh luck. Wah good fuh de party gat to good fuh de country. Talk half. Leff half.
the political parties is an investment with attractive returns. In the meantime, those that matter the most, the ordinary supporters are left to accept the crumbs, handouts
and excuses. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
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Monday December 20, 2021
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
I am repeating what I wrote about Charles Ceres’ grandparents and parents I compose this column after discussions with several educated men and women, several lawyers and the publisher of this newspaper, Mr. Glenn Lall. The topic with these persons was over what I wrote about Charles Ceres’ grandparents and parents in an article of Thursday, December 16, 2021, titled Charles Ceres on entitlement: A response.” Here are the exact words on the grandparents and parents: “Mr. Ceres’ grandfather knew my father, my mother and my eldest sister very well. Is it true that the Burnhamite state had enabled your parents and you?” Any child from primary school can see there are no condemnatory words on the grandparent and parents. A question was merely asked if Ceres himself and his parents were enabled by the government under which Forbes Burnham was president. The word enable does not describe in what ways anyone was enabled. And it does not describe what is meant by “enabled.” Mr. Ceres in his response to my article in a letter in this newspaper of Saturday, December 18, titled, Charles Ceres to Freddie: Provide the evidence or be sued,” wrote the following: “I am demanding that you retract all statements
related to my grandfather, mother and father. Alternatively, you will either provide the evidence or face the consequences of your slanderous statements.” Am I slandering Ceres’ grandfather for saying he knew my family? Can you slander someone who died in 1953 by saying he knew your family? Here are the words of Ceres in his response: “I was empowered by Forbes Burnham to believe in myself as an African person.” I merely wrote the word, “enable,” in reference to Burnham, Mr. Ceres utilised a stronger word, “empower.” Yet Ceres wants to sue for a question asked, not a definitive statement. I repeat the question; “Is it true that the Burnhamite state had enabled your parents and you?” Ceres treats Burnham as a positive person by exclaiming that Burnham empowered him to think for himself. He admits that after graduating from UG he got a scholarship which had to be approved by the Burnhamite state in 1974. It obviously means Ceres sees Burnham in positive ways and is grateful to Burnham for shaping his thinking. Why then am I defaming Ceres’ parents by asking if the state under Burnham’s leadership enabled his parents? What
bad things I described by Burnham enabling Mr. Ceres’ parents? Can Ceres elaborate on Frederick Kissoon those things that would make them scandalous? And why should Ceres ask the court to award him money from me and the newspaper because I wrote about his dead parents and not him. But here is more. While I never said a bad word about Ceres’ father, Ceres himself told the world in his reply that his father deserted his mother. I didn’t write that uncaring thing about Ceres’ father. It was Ceres himself that did that. There is yet more to come from Ceres in that very response to me. He observed, “Maybe my father was empowered by Burnham to be a cabinet maker….” I ask again, where are my scandalous remarks about Ceres’ grandparents and parents by simply stating his grandfather knew my family and simply asked if Mr. Burnham enabled his parents. He answered the question himself by saying Burnham may have empowered his father. Can you ask the court to award you money for saying that a columnist wrongfully published that your grandfather knew his family? Can you ask the court to award you money for writing about people who are dead? Mr. Lall in his discussion with me on the subject told me that everyone who writes about Burnham will now be sued. Let me assert and I will keep asserting it. My mother, father and eldest sister who is dead but if alive would be far, far, far older than Mr. Ceres, knew very well a man named Ceres. It may have been Ceres’ grandfather or his father or a close relative of Ceres himself. Even if it was the grandfather or father of Ceres, that does not make my statement libelous. Charles Ceres can go ahead and sue. I spoke to the publisher of this newspaper so I am prepared for Mr. Ceres’ impending action. I will defend the writ vigorously. It is the height of absurdity to sue someone because you think they lied when they wrote that your grandparent knew their father. That is really bizarre, and surreal. This I will say to Ceres, he will be wasting money on legal fees. But more importantly, I hope Ceres’ lawyer invoke conscience and tell him to keep his money. He will never win such as case. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Govt. gives $420M more... From page 2 exceed US$200 million, that cannot be guaranteed now as the venture is currently a work-in-progress and the PPP/C administration is still pumping money into it. Since Minister Edghill announced that the spending on the CJIA expansion will not surpass US$200 million–other subcontracts for works that were catered for in the original contract, but which the government now has to spend additional funds to do were signed by his Ministry for the airport. One of those projects is for the “Construction and Rehabilitation Works of the VIP Lounge and new and existing commercial buildings of the airport at an estimated cost of GY$612,500,000. Another subcontract project was estimated at GY$23,223,375 for the rehabilitation of the existing roof at the airport. In September, the Ministry awarded a contract for US$2M to a local company named Total Solutions for the supply of two additional air-bridges for the long ongoing CJIA project, some US$ 350,000 more than what was paid for the other air-bridges. Also, a new runway was commissioned at the airport, complete with an Instrument Landing System (ILS) touted to reduce flights diversion by 90 percent – that aspect of the airport was completed at a cost of GY$518 million. The airport was expected to be completed by December 31, 2021, but Minister Edghill said that, due to the constraints of shipping as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, works might not be completed until early 2022.
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Guyana to tap US$47M CDB Basic Needs Trust Fund programme One of the Caribbean’s longest-running poverty reduction programmes, the Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) launched its tenth cycle last week, with over US$47 million committed to supporting projects in nine countries across the Region. A l r e a d y, 1 2 3 s u b projects are in the pipeline for this cycle of the BNTF which will run until December 31, 2024. Contributors to CDB’s Special Development Fund which funds the BNTF, approved US$40 million with the remainder coming from the participating countries: Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
and Suriname. Speaking at the launch last Monday, President of the Bank Dr. Gene Leon urged development actors in the Region, including at the Bank, to explore how development programmes like the BNTF can be expanded and retrofitted to meet the changing needs of the Region. “…Enhancing the development impact is more than doing what we are currently doing and doing it better,” noted the Bank President, adding: “It is about questioning our targets to make sure that we are providing the best use of every development dollar. It is about questioning what aspects of development are the most urgent for targeting. It is about members
designing, monitoring implementation, and providing feedback on programmes.” Pointing specifically to the issues of climate change and resilience and how they affect the Caribbean, he noted that the metrics used for allocation and assessing impact may need to take other factors into account. “On impact we can ask; is the current allocation efficient or optimal? Should we pivot to a distance-to-SDG metric as the basis of allocation? Indeed, should we not review the very definition of eligibility, given we are championing the Recovery Duration Adjustor (RDA) as a more equitable alternative to Gross National Income (GNI) as the predominant factor in accessing
concessional finance?” stated Dr. Leon. G u y a n a ’s S e n i o r Minister, in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Finance, Hon. Dr. Ashni Singh elaborated on the impact of the BNTF in his country and further afield, stating: “Over the past four decades, interventions have provided access to improved social infrastructure including markets, health posts, resource centres and schools, provided first time access to potable water, improved roads, bridges and foot paths and provided certified skills training aimed at enhancing employability and income generation. BNTF projects have impacted us all regionally, nationally and most importantly, our people at the grassroots level.” In his remarks, Grenada’s Minister of Finance, Economic and
President of the CDB, Dr. Gene Leon Physical Development and Energy, Hon. Gregory Bowen, noted that the BNTF had been there for the countries of the region during difficult times of structural adjustment and the launch of the tenth cycle was welcome and timely, coming during the economic difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The continuance of the
BNTF programme during the difficult periods of structural adjustment, fiscal restraints and weak growth continues today during the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters, as our OECS economies struggle and adjust to the fallout of the reduction of revenues and the ability to provide basic needs and services to the people. The fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic is increasing poverty levels and worsening living conditions, particularly for the poor in our region where the pre-COVID average poverty levels were between 18 and 30%. This is to say that BNTF cycle 10 is timely and an opportunity for addressing poverty in our territories. The BNTF programme has played and continues to play a significant role in narrowing the social sector funding gaps,” said the minister.
Woman brutally chopped to head by ex-boyfriend A 27-year-old woman, Shamika Greene is now fearful for her life after being brutally chopped to her head by her ex-boyfriend Hansel Elgin, while cleaning her yard. Greene told Kaieteur News that on Monday last she was across from her home about to burn some garbage, when Elgin, approached her armed with a jooker and a sharp edged-object. She stated that while continuing to do her work the suspect dealt her one chop to her head and she retaliated by pelting him to the face with a spade she had in her hand at the time. This resulted in 43-yearold Elgin receiving a cut to his lip and his dentures broke. Her current boyfriend, after hearing her screaming, Continued on page 14
The part of Greene’s head after receiving 13 stitches.
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Norton, new Leader of PNC/R Aubrey Norton has been declared the new leader of the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNC/R) Party, after securing more than 70 percent of the total votes cast for the position. The announcement was made on Sunday afternoon, as was promised by Vincent Alexander, who functioned as the Chief Election Officer (CEO) for the P a r t y ’s 2 1 s t B i e n n i a l Delegates Congress. Norton will be replacing the Party’s incumbent leader, David Granger, who did not contest. He however
- Shurwayne Holder elected Chairman d efeated the incumbent Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon as well as Dr. Richard Van-West Charles. Alexander told reporters at a virtual press briefing that the election process saw a voter turn-out of 1,209 in total. Some 3000 delegates were registered to vote. The three candidates who were running for the position of Party Leader
were Dr. Richard Van-West Charles, Joseph Harmon and Aubrey Norton who secured 64, 245 and 900 respectively. Meanwhile, out of those who contested for the post of Chairperson, Shurwayne Holder was the clear choice. He received 407 votes while Roysdale Forde secured 256, Amanza Walton-Desir 217, Gary Best 156, Aubrey Norton 55, Sharma
Solomon 36, Simona Broomes 13, Dawn Hastings-Williams 5 and Mervyn Williams4. Holder will be replacing the incumbent Chair, Volda Lawrence, who did not contest, although nominated. One of the two Vice Chair positions was safely secured by Elizabeth Williams Niles with 470 votes, while the position of
second Vice Chair saw Christopher Jones and Viceroy Jordan receiving equal number of votes - 381. The CEO explained that the party will later announce how they proceed with this development. A total of 12 party members were vying for the position, including former Minister, Annette Ferguson with 279 votes, Darren Wade 166, Sharma Solomon 126, Dawn Hastings 107, Aubrey Norton and Simona Broomes with 82, Mervyn Williams 48 and Ubraj Narine 47. The election process also allowed for a Treasurer to be selected by party members. Mohammed Faaiz Mursaline emerged as the winner with 404 votes. The other candidates, Dr. Karen Cummings secured 303 votes; Ivelaw Henry, 41 votes; Vanessa Kissoon, 83 votes; Derrick Lawrence, 67 votes; Elson Low, 116; Ubraj Narine, 144 votes; and Daniel Seeram, 303 votes. When it comes to the Central Executive members, up to the time of the announcement, Alexander said votes were still being tabulated for the more than 123 candidates of which 15 will be selected. Alexander dismissed claims made on social media, leading up to the announcement, that the few hours delay was allowing for a negotiation to take place, of who the next leader will be. In fact, the CEO told reporters that the team were merely seeking to deliver accurate results. He discounted those claims as
New Leader of the PNC/R, Aubrey Norton
New Chairman of the PNC/R, MP Shurwayne Holder
Mohammed Faaiz Mursaline “just another imaginative moment” of the accuser. The election saw almost a full participation of voters in North America, with 53 out of 55 submitting votes. The installation of the new leader is expected to take
Woman brutally chopped to head by... From page 12 rushed to the scene and he too was injured during a scuffle with Elgin. Greene and her boyfriend then made a report to the Grove Police Station to where Elgin allegedly claimed that it was Greene’s boyfriend who chopped her and attacked him. Kaieteur News after contacting Commander of Division Four ‘B’, Mahendra Siwnarine learnt that both parties will be charged for wounding each other. A c c o r d i n g t o
Commander Siwnarine, the police are presently awaiting their medical certificates before charges are made out against them – those certificates are expected to be uplifted today. Greene also said that she had previously taken out a restraining order against Elgin earlier in December for threats he made against her and her current partner. Greene stated that the threats have been ongoing throughout the year and even after the restraining order was taken Elgin still continued to torment her.
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EAST COAST BUS-PARK KILLING… Body of soldier recovered two days after boat mishap Mother says tragedy ends 20 years of feuding between men
Two days after the Guyana Defence Force’s Coastguard rank Junior Kenroy Sooklall drowned in the Essequibo River, his body was found yesterday. Sooklall’s body was discovered sometime around 07:00hrs by fishermen at the mouth of the Essequibo River. According to a report from the GDF, the police were notified and the body has since been positively identified. Ordinary Rating (OR) Kenroy Sooklall was a passenger on a private vessel on Friday last, when it encountered difficulties and overturned. The soldier is the only fatality from this incident. The GDF stated that the late OR Sooklall resided at Bark Lane, Hopetown Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB). The army said the investigation to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident, continues. Kaieteur News had reported on Saturday
Dead, GDF Private, Junior Kenroy Sooklall that the GDF Base Commander for Fort Island, Staff Sergeant 18990, Everette Tudor of 659 South “B” Field Sophia, Georgetown, and three other persons were intoxicated while they travelled in a privatelyowned “unregistered” boat. It was noted that when questioned by police, the boat captain, Ramesh Beepat, revealed that they were travelling from Fort
Island when the 17-foot, wooden boat with a 150 HP Yamaha outboard engine hit a wave and capsized. The mishap occurred at around 16:45hrs on Friday in the vicinity of St. Lawrence. According to police, a GDF rank, who was passing the area where the boat capsized, heard persons shouting in the river and observed that some passengers were stranded. As the ranks quickly went to the direction of the persons, they observed four men in the water and two others in a green and black boat a few metres away. A group of soldiers was dispatched immediately and they managed to rescue the stranded persons. The ranks then took the rescued men to Mangal’s Wharf, after which a report was made to the police. Kaieteur News yesterday made several attempts to contact Sooklall’s relatives. Those efforts, however, have proven to be futile.
Man gets 12 years for rape After almost ten years, a twenty-twoyear-old woman finally received justice last Monday, when a family member who had repeatedly raped her was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment. The accused, who has been identified as Kemo Calvin Chase, 25, of Essequibo Coast, faced two counts of rape. The matter was tried in the Suddie High Court before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and a twelve member jury. At the conclusion of the trial, the Jury returned a guilty verdict for the accused and he was later handed his 12 year-sentence. During an interview with this publication, the young woman told Kaieteur News how being raped countless times by Chase has scarred her for life. She told this publication that as a child, she moved around frequently with her dad and stepmother. In 2011, however, she moved in with an aunt; a decision which will later have devastating consequences. As she began to chronicle the events that will soon befall her, she said, “I was happy
until one night a knife was put to my neck and I was raped by someone, I called family; my cousin.” She went on to say, “the rape continued for countless times, if I was to give an exact number of times I was raped I would be lying. On my thirteenth birthday he raped me, saying he had a gift for me… Sometimes I wish I was never alive.” The young woman also revealed that her schooling was also affected, as she went on to say: “I was taken out of school because my school work was never on time; I had these big dreams of being a teacher or doctor when I got big. Because of this crime, I never had the opportunity, every day I lived in fear. Some nights when anxiety attacks, I can’t sleep, sometimes I wish I can just forget everything.” The woman said that though the accused has been sentenced, nothing can erase the pain she is left to endure. “Even though today as he is being sentenced, no sorry or jail time can take back the pain and the things he did. I was just a child, I did not deserve what he did, it’s a stain on my life.”
By Shervin Belgrave Thousands saw the recorded video of the killing of a minibus tout last Wednesday, but what they did not know is that it was the culmination of a 20-year-old dispute that ended tragically. The minibus tout, Morven Nurse, 30, a resident of Haslington Village located on the East Coast of Demerara, (ECD) died while undergoing surgery for a stab wound he received from Paul Junior Lynch , 28, at the Route 44 Bus Park, Commerce Street, Georgetown. Many took to the various social media platforms to voice their opinions after they watched Nurse being killed. It appeared as though it was an argument that turned violent as onlookers cheered them on. Based on the videos that went viral, Lynch was shoved by Nurse. They continued to exchange words until Lynch armed himself with a knife. Nurse walked a short distance but still continued cursing Lynch. As the argument heated up, Lynch approached with a huge stone and pelted it at Nurse. Nurse retaliated by pelting back with bottles. As the situation intensified, the cheers from the crowd began to change. They could be heard saying, “aye ya’ll calm down”. The video ended there but there was another clip uploaded for the social media audience. It began with someone in the background saying, “The man bore he bai”. A bleeding Nurse was
To be charged for killing minibus tout, Paul Junior Lynch.
Morven Nurse was stabbed to death. seen staggering before falling to the ground. The onlookers tried to save him by compressing the gushing blood by tying his jersey around the wound. That clip ended there. Police would later report that Nurse made it to the hospital alive but died while receiving treatment. Lynch would later turn himself into police with his lawyer and is currently in the lock-ups and most likely will face a murder charge today. As investigations continue, Kaieteur News
learnt that Lynch and Nurse had begun fighting with each other some twenty years ago. According to Lynch’s mother, Berneleeyne Lynch the two met at Enterprise Primary School. She recalled that during their childhood days, they would sometimes play marbles together but on many occasions they would return home with “boungie”, (wounds on their foreheads and eyes). Lynch, she said, would complain that Nurse frequently bullied him and it ended with fights. The woman remembered heading over to Nurse’s mother to discuss the frequent brawls between their sons at school but the discussions ended with “they are boys and they will make up back and be pals again”. However, Berneleeyne said, the boys never reconciled and their dispute continued throughout their teenaged years and only ended with the death of one last Wednesday. “I used to have to end up at the Enmore and Vigilance Police Station steady with Lynch to lodge reports against Nurse…One time he had run down Lynch with a cutlass in the village… He would always threaten to kill my son and pelt he up with bottles”, said the woman. Both men began working on the East Coast bus park some time later and the feud between them began to escalate further. “Lynch would cry and complain to me, ‘today I had to ketch a bus and come home because Nurse beat me up’ and them Continued on page 17
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Monday December 20, 2021
Local PR firm, others get HSSE Certification WANTED Skilled Carpenters, Mason, Welder & Labourer to work in Georgetown & Linden. Call:615-7526/602-9469. SERVICES Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisements, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040 Repairs and servicing, refridgerator, treadmill, washing machine, stove, pressure pump, filtration system dryer, deepfryer etc 694-9733 Repairs at affordable prices: Fridge,Air conditioner, Washing machines, Dryers, TV,Microwaves& Freezer. Call: 610-5846 or 661-8158.
Female cook for the interior & male to work in the interior. Tel:687-7638/660-9093/6913942. Uptown Kutz Barbershop, Barber wanted.Tel:6017132,address: Fifth St Alberttown. General domestic,living around Ogle E.C.D 25-45yrs, $25,000 wkly.Tel:610-3974. One (1) male able bodied clerk.Tel:231-2029,616-5954. 1 sale female to work at Stabroek Market.Tel:2265793.
FOR SALE
VACANCY Pure breed German Shepherd pups,black & tanned. Con- Driver & Cleaner.Apply with application/CV and passport tact:665-9140. photo to Survival 16 1 CAT 428 Backhoe $3-5M,1 Vlissengen rd,Newtown Kitty. CAT 416 Backhoe $2M. Houselots available @ Sales Attendant, Cashiers, Blankenburg. Contact:650- Porters.Apply with application/CV and passport photo 0402/652-0251. to Survival 16 Vlissengen Shepsky(German Shepherd rd,Newtown Kitty. and Husky Mix) for sale.For more info contact:684-7333. Procurement Clerk.Contact via email(chungsvacanc y@gmail.com). Tel:218-5120 or 632-0914, between 8am to 5pm. PENPAL Indian overseas male seeks female age 30/35.Call:6029975.
FOR RENT A spacious 2 bedroom middle flat building at Lot 20 George St GT. Call:226-9560 between 10am to 5pm.
WANTED Experienced Cashier, Counter sever Roti/ Puri cook, handy boy. Apply Hack's Halaal, 5 Commerce St. One tutor for part-time teaching for grade six student on W.B.D.Call:614-8957.
Driver must be able to assist in workshop at Eccles, age 2550 car/van licence. Call:6429823. Vacancy exist for Security Officers,male & female 18yrs & above.Contact:223-4172/ 632-0099.
On December 15, 25 Guyanese businesses graduated from the Health, Safety, Security and the Environment (HSSE) Management System Mentorship Programme which was facilitated by ExxonMobil’s Centre for Local Business Development. Sagacity Inc., a public relations and event planning agency located in Georgetown, was the only company in this category, among the batch. The programme was initiated in July 2019, and to date, over 250 businesses have commenced their HSSE management system journey. The programme incorporates awareness sessions, site visits and assessments of the companies’ HSSE Management Systems. The 25 graduating companies were the first to complete the programme, after it was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The programme is conducted with an initial awareness session, followed by a combination of site visits, creation of documentation and processes, assessment sessions and follow-up visits. Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Sagacity Inc. Mrs. Charlene Chapwanya noted that the company is cognisant of the importance of safety in all aspects of its
CEO at Sagacity Inc., Christopher Chapwanya operations. “Sagacity is proud to have completed this programme and commends the Centre for its ongoing activities aimed at helping companies build capacity, particularly with the emergence of the oil and gas industry,” she stated. She said HSSE has played a key role in the company’s operations, particularly when it comes to the planning and execution of events, which often involve multiple groups working simultaneously to set up a venue with all safety protocols being adhered to. “Having such a policy in place means that the organisation is putting the health and safety of its staff, clients and contractors first,” she said. Communications Specialist, Ahreefa Bacchus—who received the certificate and award on behalf of Sagacity Inc.—
noted that the company has been implementing safety systems in the workplace even before joining the programme. “While we have been placing safety in the workplace on the front burner and ensuring that our operations are undertaken in a safe and responsible manner, the programme has allowed us to really examine safety in all areas of our lives—personal and professional. It has been catalytic in the sense that employees are more safetyconscious at home, on their way to work and even when in social settings, allowing for the prevention and reduction of accidents and injuries,” she stated. Addressing the graduation ceremony, which was held at the Pegasus Hotel, Director of the Centre for Local Business Development, Dr. Natasha Gaskin-Peters commended the businesses for taking the initiative to build their capacity in this regard. She said, “The Centre would like to congratulate all of the 25 local businesses for not only beginning but sticking through and completing the programme. The creation of an HSSE Management System in your businesses will not only help you to compete for contracts in the oil and gas industry, but in other diverse sectors.”
Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond and Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, who were in attendance, both emphasised the importance of such a programme, noting that it will play a critical role in reducing the high number of workplace accidents that have been recorded in the country over the years. The other graduating companies were SEAJ EcoClean Services, Environmental Management Consultants, Guyana Oil & Gas Support Services Inc. , Metro Office and Computer Supplies, Silvie’s Industrial Solutions – SIS, Puran Brothers Disposal Inc., Guyana Logistics and Support Services, Queensway Security Services Inc., B&J Civil Works, Herdmanston Lodge, Grand Coastal Inn Inc., Eureka Medical Laboratories Inc., Hughes, Fields & Stoby, Zeco Group of Companies, Ground Structures Engineering Consultants, Marine Traders Atlantic, IMEX Inc., Arrow Oilfield Services Inc., Pinnacle Business Services Inc., Symmetry Brokerage and Logistics, Strategic Recruitment Solutions, Chung’s Global Enterprise, Camsol Inc. and GR Engineering Company.
Appeal case over judgment awarded to dismissed NBS CEO continues Last week, the Court of Appeal resumed hearing the case by which the New Building Society (NBS) is challenging the decision of a High Court judge to rule in favour of and grant a judgment award to its dismissed Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Maurice Arjoon. During the hearing, held on Thursday, High Court Judge Franklyn Holder joined the appeal bench to hear the arguments between NBS’ lawyer, Pauline Chase and
Senior Counsel Edward Luckhoo, who is representing Arjoon in the matter. Justice Holder replaced Appellate Judge, Dawn Gregory who had previously recused herself from the matter. Gregory had presided over the case in the High Court and expressed reservation in dealing with the appeal. Arjoon and the mortgage financing institution have been locked in a court battle for over 12 years now. The court case came about after the former
CEO filed a lawsuit challenging the grounds by which he was dismissed from his job. Arjoon and two of his managers were fired on allegations of fraud in relation to a multimillion withdrawal made from the account of Bibi Shamina Khan a member of the society at the time. The men endured negative publicity, as well as a trial in the Magistrate Court, before they were cleared of the charges. An Ombudsman’s (Continued on page 18)
Former CEO of NBS, Maurice Arjoon.
PPP/C proposes no penalties or jail time for misuse... From page 3 Development Berhad (1MDB) fund, established in 2009, has proven to be a major source of alleged corruption and mismanagement. Designed to attract investment into Malaysia by forming joint ventures with foreign firms, 1MDB ended up being in over US$11 billion of debt by 2014. Among its more suspect transactions are a US$1 billion investment in a Saudi oil company in 2009 which has gone missing; funds that were diverted in 2012 from an Abu Dhabi state fund to a firm in the British Virgin Islands (a se-
crecy jurisdiction); and US$4 billion that has been misappropriated from Malaysian state firms. Malaysia, the U.S., Switzerland, Singapore and the U.K. are still trying to unravel the web of corruption and money laundering schemes that are related to the fund and robbed current and future generations of their wealth. The Azerbaijani and Iranian funds are other examples of extra-budgetary funds which have been used to fund the legacy projects of political parties instead of being prudently saved for future generations. In Azerbaijan, for
instance, government authorities have used the State Oil Fund (SOFAZ) to directly finance strategic government projects such as the railway between Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. These expenditure items were not subject to the same reporting or public procurement requirements as those financed through the regular budget process, nor were they subject to as much parliamentary oversight. In Iran, the country’s US$40 billion National Development Fund provided loans to private-sector companies, cooperatives and economic
enterprises owned by nongovernmental institutions through agent banks. While the fund managers did not provide information on the specific investments, news reports revealed where they actually went. Importantly, the executive directly controlled the fund and therefore some decisions bypassed normal budgetary and parliamentary procedures. Taking the foregoing into account, among other cases of blatant mismanagement, Guyana was urged to have “clear consequences for malfeasance.”
Monday December 20, 2021
Op: ED
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State of the Oil Republic
- Ali Govt. makes headway with legislative safeguards but key mechanisms to protect citizens’ interest outstanding By Kiana Wilburg Since today marks Guyana’s second anniversary as an oil producing State, it is prudent that we reflect on how the PPP/CAdministration, led by President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, has managed the Oil Republic. Without question, the Ali government has demonstrated more speed than its predecessor in bringing before the National Assembly, two key pieces of legislative safeguards—the Local Content Bill 2021 and the Natural Resource Fund Bill 2021. The former is expected to ensure citizens and indigenous companies have an advantage in the oil sector and that there are consequences when oil companies fail to meet the minimum local content requirements. The latter legislation will allow for the operationalisation of Guyana’s oil fund, which has over US$530M. Both pieces of legislation will be subjected to, hopefully, an informed debate on its merits and demerits before its final passage at year end. While the flaws of the draft legislation ought to be highlighted with the fervent expectation that the government would seek to
Senior Oil & Gas Journalist, Kiana Wilburg
strengthen same, it is noteworthy that the PPP/C Government has acted with considerable alacrity in bringing these two key legislative mechanisms before the House as it had promised. There have also been other notable achievements by the PPP/C Government in just one year. These include, but are not limited to: capacity building exercises for lawyers in the fundamentals of the oil sector; strengthening of the environmental permits for ExxonMobil which now caters for the introduction of a US$45 flaring tax; the successful negotiation of oil lifts while resisting the temptation of bilateral agreements; the strengthening of bilateral
relations for knowledge sharing with several countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Ghana; and the launch of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) to steer Guyana’s pathway for a sustainable energy transition. The foregoing are all to be commended, especially in the PPP/C’s first year of office, but there still remains several mechanisms which must be put in place if Guyana is to truly govern its oil industry effectively. Quite frankly, the honeymoon for the PPP/C Government is long over and the citizenry of Guyana will demand to see sturdier safeguards in place to protect their interest. In no particular order, Kaieteur News is of the view that Guyana needs to have the following
President, Irfaan Ali
mechanisms in place urgently: 1) The Petroleum Commission needs to be in place to ensure the oil sector’s daily operations are independently/apolitically managed; 2) There needs to be an audit of the Liza Phase One, Two, Payara and pre-contract or pre-2016 costs, all of which total more than US$19B. If these crucial audits are not conducted in a timely fashion Guyana would lose the power or right to object to those costs that are found to be ineligible or astronomical; 3) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) needs to be given the human and financial resources it needs to be a robust overseer of the sector. It needs to be empowered and not have to rely on ExxonMobil or any oil
‘Ya’ll eyes-pass the community’ - Ali scolds contractor for slacking up on Berbice road works
company’s aerial resources to patrol the armada in its basin for compliance; 4) In addition to the legislative safeguards brought by the PPP/C, other crucial pieces of legislation are needed, such as a National Upstream Oil and Gas Policy, Updated Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act, Updated Guyana Petroleum Regulations, Petroleum (Environmental Protection & Pollution Control) Regulations, Petroleum Health & Safety Regulation etc.; 5) Kaieteur News is also of the firm conviction that Guyana needs to establish a Depletion Policy that receive input from civil society and industry experts. Such a policy would determine what fields get developed and at what pace. It also puts Guyana in the driver’s seat of what happens with its resources and when; 6) We also need to strengthen key auditing agencies, specifically the Office of the Auditor General as well as those institutions that will be responsible for the expenditure of the oil money - including the Ministry of
Finance, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and the Ministry of Health; 7) We also need to urgently hire technical experts needed within the Ministries of Natural Resources, EPA, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) etc.; 8) Kaieteur News has been at the forefront of calls for the renegotiation of the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), so that certain loopholes for massive revenue loss can be closed. Three key loopholes that leave the country exposed are (i) the absence of ring fencing provisions which allow costs for nonproducing projects to be deducted from producing fields, (ii) the stability clause that prevents the implementation of any new legislation that affects the economics of the projects pursued by the oil companies, (iii) and the allowance of interests on loans to be recovered which is not an industry practice. This newspaper has held the view that the PPP/C Government should bring ExxonMobil, and all other oil companies for that matter, to the table to remove any onerous provision that leaves current and future generations at a disadvantage or shortchanged. The newspaper therefore, maintains this position and will continue to call on the Administration to set a high standard within the oil sector. A standard that says the people of Guyana must get their fair share; the lion’s share of the money made from the exploitation of their oil wealth.
Mother says tragedy ends 20...
President Ali scolding the supervisor on national television A supervisor of a construction company was on Saturday last scolded publicly by President, Mohamed Irfaan Ali for what he described as “slacking up” on rehabilitative works along the Mara Access Road, located on the East Bank Berbice (EBB). Ali had visited the Mara community to commission a water treatment plant there and decided to keep a meeting with residents. During the meeting the residents complained that the contractor awarded the
contract for the rehabilitation of three Kilometers of the Mara Access Road, has only worked three days and the deadline is December 29. Kaieteur News was told that the contractor is Kasim’s Construction. In front of journalists, residents and cameras, Ali turned to the company’s supervisor who was present at the meeting and said: “Ya’ll eyes-pass the community. The government investing in these roads and you guys feel you can do what you want. This is your final warning.”
Ali also told the government’s engineer to write it down. The President then asked the supervisor where he lives and the individual responded, “In Georgetown”. Ali then ordered him to move full time to Berbice until the project is completed then instructed one of his officials to rent a place so the supervisor could move immediately. The President then indicated that scolding contractors publicly will “be the approach from now on” because contractors need to
be held accountable for their short-comings. He said, “We will not be sitting back to watch people (contractors) ride the government” and warned that there will be consequences. This is not the first time that Ali has scolded contractors. Back in August, during a visit he made to Yakasari, Black Bush Polder, he instructed a contractor to return dirt from a road that he had sold to residents for $3000 per load.
From page 15 people laugh me up’”. Berneleeyne recalled. The fights, Kaieteur News understands, would begin from simple arguments over passengers and even to load a bus. Vendors at the park who knew both men said that it was a norm for the two men to fight and added that Nurse would also start fights with other touts working there but they never expected things would get deadly one day. One of the eyewitnesses detailed Nurse began bullying and taunting Lynch over $120. Lynch reportedly began to argue back and then it became physical. Normally, said the eyewitness, it would end with a slap to Lynch’s face and he would leave in humiliation. But last Wednesday he reacted differently after indi-
viduals started to call him a “soft man and pu**y for not fighting back. Probably provoked or filled with rage, Lynch fought back and killed Nurse. The 20- year-old dispute ended abruptly but it has left two mothers grieving. One, because her son is dead and the other because her son may never be a free man again. As Lynch’s mother reflected yesterday on the tragedy that placed him behind bars, she spoke of the plans he had for the weekend. “Today (yesterday) is his birthday and he wanted to surprise his girlfriend with an engagement party… He wanted to get married, settle down and take care of his four-year-old daughter but all those plans were shattered over dispute that has been going on for years”, Berneleeyne said.
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Monday December 20, 2021
Exxon’s Yellowtail EIA…
Conclusions on marine mammals incorrect and unsupported by evidence - Int’l Environmental As criticisms continue to pour down on Exxon’s Yellowtail development Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), an international organizationEnvironmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW) has said that the Consultancy firm, Environmental Resources Management’s (ERM) conclusions on marine mammals is not only incorrect, but unsupported by evidence. One of the team members is, Heidi Weiskel who has a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University; a Master of Science Degree, from Tufts University; and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the University of California, Davis, where she studied the effects of nutrient pollution on marine species. She did her post-doctoral work on oyster reef food webs at the University of Georgia. In addition to her field research, Heidi was the Director of Pollution Policy at the Pew Oceans Commission, which developed recommendations for the U.S. Congress and Administration to improve marine resource laws and regulations. She also worked at the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission on marine mammal protection policy, as an environmental research fellow at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, and as a science editor at UNESCO in Paris. ELAW helps communities speak out for clean air, clean water, and a healthy planet. They are a global alliance of attorneys, scientists, and other advocates collaborating across borders to build a sustainable, just future, according to the organization’s website. ELAW’s comment on the EIA document was solicited by International Lawyer, Melinda Janki, and was submitted to the Environmental Assessment Board (EAB) which is currently reviewing the document. The public feedback on the Yellowtail Environmental Impact Assessment closed on December 15, 2021, following a November 11, 2021 public consultation. The Yellowtail EIA, in section 3.1.6 speaks to the impacts on marine mammals. It says “Marine mammals have the potential to be impacted by the planned Project activities, primarily as a result of exposure to underwater sound, and it was determined that the significance of these potential residual impacts ranges from
negligible to minor”. Furthermore “Marine mammals have the potential to be impacted by two types of sound from planned Project activities: continuous sound from vessels and machinery operating in the PDA; and comparatively louder, shorter-duration impulse sound from Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP). Both the continuous sound and impulsive sound sources would be loud enough to cause injury in the immediate vicinity of the source, but would attenuate to noninjurious levels…” the document adds. In this regard, the ELAW body contended that these conclusions cannot be correct. The team quoted a distinguished Professor in Marine Science, Mr. Carlos Duarte who has been conducting research on marine ecosystems across the globe, ranging from polar to the tropical ocean and from near-shore to deep-sea ecosystems. His research addresses biodiversity in the oceans, the impacts of human activity on marine ecosystems, and the capacity of marine ecosystems to recover from these impacts. In a recent study, the professor concluded that, “...construction and operation of oil and gas infrastructure (e.g., platforms, pipelines) increase anthrophony. [Anthrophony is defined as, “sounds generated by human activities.” The dynamic positioning systems (i.e., propellers and thrusters) used to maintain the position of offshore structures, such as drilling platforms, produce low-frequency noise.” The authors of this research stated, “There was high confidence that anthropogenic noise negatively affected marine animals. The evidence was strongest for marine mammals, for which 85 to 94 percent of quantitative studies found significant effects...” In this regard, the ecologists said that this very information makes it difficult for the ERM’s conclusions on marine mammals to be credible. They explained, “Many of the activities studied were directly or indirectly connected to oil and gas production. This kind of scientific analysis makes it difficult to find the EIA’s conclusions of negligible impact credible”. As a consequence, Janki in her submission to the Environmental Assessment Board, (EAB) cautioned that
the EPA must seriously question the competence of ERM in reaching a conclusion of ‘negligible’ impact that is contradicted by science. “This is particularly blatant as ERM admits that there is ‘high confidence that anthropogenic noise negatively affected marine animals.’ The devastating impact of sound on marine mammals is no longer a matter of specialist scientific knowledge but has made its way into general and public knowledge,” Janki pointed out. She added, “This is a matter of grave public concern given the rich marine life in the area, including rare and endangered cetaceans” while emphasizing that “the EPA must seriously question ERM’s competence to carry out this EIA”. Janki, an International Lawyer has submitted to the EPA, that Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), ExxonMobil’s subsidiary that will be undertaking the Yellowtail Project in Guyana’s waters, must first get its EIA right, before permits are granted. In her submissions to the EPA, the international lawyer
organisation
of over 30 years said, “It is clear that the EIA, produced by ERM contains conclusions that are contrary to science, gives assurances that are unsupported by
evidence, and lacks the technical, and other data necessary to provide an adequate professional assessment of the environmental impacts of the
proposed Yellowtail Project. The EPA must, therefore, reject the EIA and require EEPGL to submit an EIA that meets the required technical and legal standard”.
...Appeal case over judgment awarded to From page 16 report had later confirmed Arjoon’s contention that he was framed for refusing to lend some $2B of NBS’ money to the Bharrat Jagdeo- led government for the construction of the Berbice River Bridge. Arjoon and another manager (Kent Vincent) then turned around and filed separate lawsuits suing the institution for wrongful dismissal. Arjoon’s matter dragged on for more than six years in the High Court before the Court eventually granted a $79M judgment in his favour. However, the matter did not end there, as the NBS appealed the Court’s decision to pay Arjoon. That matter came up last Thursday as Chase; the lawyer for NBS continued her oral arguments that Arjoon’s dismissal was justifiable. The contentions were however, fiercely rebutted by Arjoon’s attorney Mr. Luckhoo, SC. Chase told the court among other things that the former CEO was liable for negligence and serious misconduct in regard to the alleged fraud that occurred at the mortgage institution back in 2007. The lawyer told the Appeal Court bench, which also consisted of Chancellor
of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings Edwards, and Justice of Appeal, Rishi Persaud, that based on the records Mr. Arjoon was liable of dereliction of duty. She noted that Arjoon was the highest ranking official at the time when the alleged fraud took place at the institution. According to the lawyer, “if Arjoon had run a tighter ship,” the incident could have been avoided”. Chase noted that “NBS set out rules and procedures which the respondent [Arjoon] did not follow. If he followed them it was not likely that the loss would have occurred. It was the responsibility of the respondent, as the highest ranking official, to ensure that those rules were followed,” she added. Chase noted that somehow the trial judge, Brassington Reynolds, in his ruling “found that NBS had established no rules for withdrawal. That is against the weight of the evidence.” “It is our respectful submission that the judge erred in this regard,” posited Chase. As she continued her arguments, the lawyer pointed to the liability of Mr. Arjoon in the entire
incidence. She noted that as head of the institution, Arjoon was supposed to hold those below him accountable. “It was a series of transactions… there were a series of breaches and if he relied on his junior staff it was to his own detriment,” she said. As part of her submissions, the lawyer referenced the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act (TESPA), which provides inter alia, for the employee termination on the basis of serious misconduct. Under this law, Chase contended that the company or agency is not entitled to pay the dismissed employee any benefits or severance pay. However, in response to Chase, Attorney for Arjoon, Mr. Luckhoo, SC told the court that based on the submission led by the lawyer, no consideration was given to the evidence in the matter. He noted that the evidence of the appellant (NBS)’s witness established that there was no misconduct on the part of Mr. Arjoon. In fact, Luckhoo noted that the Society’s witness Mr. Raja Ram- an internal auditor established that Mr. Arjoon complied with all the rules, systems and procedures of NBS. Mr.
Luckhoo emphasised that in the view of that witness the withdrawal by Bibi Shamina Khan was legitimate, and the Power of Attorney was registered at the deeds registry and executed before the Guyana consulate in Toronto. “There was no evidence that Bibi Shamina Khan had not executed the Power of Attorney.” Luckhoo stated. The lawyer posited that “In the circumstances, the findings by Justice Reynolds, that there was no misconduct on the part of the respondent were correct. Any other findings would have been perverse!” As such, Mr. Luckhoo said the NBS challenge to the calculation of the pension entitlement of Mr. Arjoon was misconceived. He noted too that no calculation was made to the High Court. He noted that: “The custodian, trustee and managing trustee were all parties to the proceeding and never challenged the respondent’s evidence. Toward the end of the hearing, the attorney promised to further develop on his submission by the next date by directing the court to the evidence which the appellant failed to address. The matter will continue on January 17, 2022.
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Monday December 20, 2021
Monday December 20, 2021
GAPLF seniors
Tarson is overall winner as 37 records tumble on thrilling day
Hardat Tarson in action. (Zaheer Mohamed photo)
Monday December 20, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Activity around you is picking up and you should add your energy to the group. Don't feel like you need to get expensive accoutrements to be part of the crowd. TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Don't get too emotionally attached to your work today. You'll have greater success when you distance yourself from what it is you're trying to achieve. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Finding out the truth in a situation is key for you. Today you may want to take things to a higher level and loftier vantage point. This can't happen until all the facts are straight. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Imagine yourself as part of a magnificent choir today. Your role is to sing beautifully but be aware of the other voices, too. Make sure your song isn't drowning out anyone else. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) What you can't find in one place, you'll be able to find in another. Don't give up until you find what you're looking for. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Keep things light and uplifting today. If you're open to new ways of doing things, revolutionary thoughts may come to you. It would behoove you to anticipate the future and nip any potential problems in the bud.
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LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Don't get overwhelmed by the intense energy of the day. Instead of cowering from it, use it as fuel to keep your internal power strong. Your inner being has a tremendous amount of appeal that can lead the masses. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Your emotions are going to be intense. There's a great deal of strength in your words. Let the fire burn red hot. The energy is contagious. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Things may be happening all around you today. You could feel like a spectator watching a foreign theater production. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Today you've reached an emotional climax. This feeling may be extra powerful. Great transformations are possible under this current trend. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) It would be best to do some deep meditation today. Connection with your inner space is incredibly valuable. Realize that great transformation comes when you release control. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Capitalize on the boisterous energy present today. This is a wonderful time to express yourself in a powerful manner. You may go to extremes on this level, so be careful how you wield your power. The key is not to get too attached to your ideas and any results that you want.
Hardat Tarson was crowned overall winner when the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) held its senior national championship yesterday at St. Stanislaus College. Tarson of Hardcore Barbell club of Rosignol, West Berbice competed in the 83kg men’s open class where he totaled 762.5kg. Vijay Rahim also of Hardcore Barbell Club dominated the men’s 74kg open raw division with a total of 712.5kg. Angel Chappelle won the women’s 52kg sb-jr raw, while Shelly Ann Gomes took the honours in the women’s 63kg open raw segment. Marlon Wilson took gold in the men’s 93kg master 1 raw, while Frank Tucker won the men’s 105kg master 3 EQ division. See more details in tomorrow’s edition.
NBA postpones five games due to COVID-19 outbreak (Reuters) - The NBA yesterday announced it had postponed the next two Brooklyn Nets games and games for three other teams due to the high number of players and staff that have entered the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers will also have games rescheduled because of the recent wave of new cases.
A total of seven NBA games have been postponed since last week. On Monday, the Chicago Bulls postponed two games after players and staff members were placed in protocols. The Eastern Conference-leading Nets have been particularly hard hit, with stars Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving among the nine players unable to suit up due to the protocols.
...Sports Personality 2021: Emma From page 21 champion since Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon in 2004 § The youngest Briton to win a Grand Slam title § The first woman to win the US Open without dropping a set since Serena Williams in 2014 She will enter 2022 ranked 19th in the world and with a new coach, Torben Beltz. Presented by Gary Lineker, Clare Balding, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott, the Sports Personality of the Year 2021 was broadcast live from
MediaCityUK, Salford. Other award winners at Sports Personality 2021 Helen Rollason Award: Jen Beattie Coach of the Year: Gareth Southgate Team of the Year: England men’s football team World Sport Star: Rachael Blackmore Lifetime Achievement: Simone Biles Unsung Hero: Sam Barlow Young Sports Personality of the Year: Sky Brown
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Monday December 20, 2021
China tennis star Peng denies that she made accusation of sexual assault
B
EIJING, (Reuters) Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai said yesterday that she had never accused anyone of sexually assaulting her, and that a social media post she had made early last month had been misunderstood. Peng’s well-being became a matter of concern among the global tennis community and rights groups when she appeared to allege that a former Chinese vice premier, Zhang Gaoli, had sexually assaulted her in the past. After that post, she was absent from public view for nearly three weeks. “First, I need to stress one point that is extremely important, I have never said or written that anyone has sexually assaulted me, I have to clearly stress this point,” Peng said in the video posted by Lianhe Zaobao, a Singapore media outlet. Peng’s remarks on Sunday marked the first time she had addressed the matter on camera in
public. She spoke on the sidelines of a cross-country skiing event in Shanghai that she attended. She said that her post on Weibo, a Twitter-like social media site, which had been quickly removed, was a “private matter”. Peng, 35, said in the video that “people have many misunderstandings” about her Weibo post. She did not elaborate. She also said that she had been living at home in Beijing without supervision. She did not mention Zhang. Reuters has been unable to reach Peng since her Weibo post. Early this month, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), which has sought a direct line of communication with Peng, said it would suspend tournaments in China immediately due to concerns over the treatment of Peng and the safety of other players. The WTA did not immediately respond to a request for comment
on Sunday. China has not directly commented on Peng’s initial post, but said after the WTA’s move to suspend tournaments in China that it “opposes the politicization of sports”. Zhang has not commented on the matter. Discussion of the scandal, which emerged as Beijing prepares to stage the Winter Olympics in February, has been heavily censored in China. Peng said in the video posted on Sunday that she had personally written a letter last month to WTA head Steve Simon, in which she denied the allegation of assault, and that an English translation of it by Chinese state media was accurate. Simon had said at the time that he “had a hard time believing” that Peng had actually written the email or believed what had been attributed to her. The International Olympic
A file photo of China’s Peng Shuai serving during a match at the Australian Open on January 15, 2019. (REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo/File Photo)
Committee (IOC) has held two video calls with the 35-year-old Peng. At the Shanghai event on Sunday, Peng appeared on a fifth floor viewing balcony with athletes from various sports, including
former NBA basketball star Yao Ming, and watched for about 20 minutes, according to the Lianhe Zaobao report. She wore a black jacket with a China flag and a red T-shirt with the characters for China.
Joseph Parker defeats Derek Chisora by a unanimous decision in thriller Derek Chisora spent some time on the canvas Saturday in England. (Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Joseph Parker did everything he wanted except stop Derek Chisora.
B
oxing Junkie Joseph Parker did everything
he wanted except stop Derek Chisora in their wild rematch Saturday in Manchester,
England. P a r k e r, t h e f o r m e r heavyweight titleholder,
battered his game opponent for most of 12 rounds en route to a unanimous-
decision victory at Manchester Arena. Parker (30-2, 21 KOs) defeated Chisora (32-12, 23 KOs) by a split decision in May. The Kiwi was credited with three knockdowns and seemed on the verge of stopping his British counterpart multiple times but could never finish the job, a testament to Chisora’s t o u g h n e s s a n d determination. And the 37-year-old “Del Boy” had some good moments in the fight, which made it difficult for the referee to stop the fight. However, in the end, he
couldn’t overcome the knockdowns on the cards. The final scores were 115110, 115-111 and 114-112, which many will have believed were generous to Chisora. With the victory, Parker, ranked by all four major sanctioning bodies, bolstered his position as a top contender. Meanwhile, Chisora has now lost three consecutive fights to top-tier opponents, heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk and twice against Parker. All three fights were competitive, which should get him more opportunities.
Kaieteur News
Monday December 20, 2021
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Next, the World Cup: after Arab Cup, Qatar faces bigger test AFP - Qatar passed their first test with a successful hosting of the Arab Cup but bigger challenges lie ahead when 1.2 million fans and 32 international teams arrive for the World Cup one year from now. Algerian rejoicing at Saturday’s 2-0 extra-time win over Tunisia in the final — exactly a year before the 2022 World Cup decider, and with FIFA president Gianni Infantino in the stands — will have been accompanied by satisfaction from Qatari officials. But now comes the hard work as Qatar prepares for the unique task of hosting a World Cup in and around a single city, Doha, with l i m i t e d h o t e l accommodation and a transport network that is likely to come under strain. The wealthy Gulf state will also be bracing for intense scrutiny after coming under fire over the rights of
the migrant labourers who have built its infrastructure, including the World Cup stadiums. And it will be mindful of a cultural gap when fans from around the world arrive in a conservative Muslim country with restricted access to alcohol, and where public drunkenness and homosexual relations are illegal. More than 600,000 tickets were sold for the 16team Arab Cup, including a Qatari-record 63,439 crowd when the hosts played fierce rivals the United Arab Emirates in the quarterfinals. Six of the eight World Cup venues were employed as Qatar took the chance to test its stadiums and training sites, transport, accommodation, volunteers and other areas including security. A fan ID system was dropped midway through the
tournament following reports of long queues and complaints from fans, but crowd trouble appeared limited to some damaged seats at the quarter-final between Tunisia and Oman. - ‘Lessons learned’ Qatar will “take account of the lessons learned to organise the best World Cup”, said Jassim Al-Jassim, the organising committee’s vice-president of operations. The Lusail Stadium, which will host the World Cup final, was notably not used for the tournament. In October, its project manager told AFP that it still needed final checks and tests. Coaches were impressed by the facilities, with Algeria’s Majid Bougherra, a World Cup veteran, saying “everything is perfect” —apart, perhaps, from the accommodation. “The stadiums are great, the pitches are great. Perhaps one small downside, but it
NBA: Oklahoma City Thunder earn late win as Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets lose Gilgeous-Alexander (right) scored 18 points in the Thunder’s victory over LA Clippers. (Reuters)
BBC Sport - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander earned a dramatic win for the Oklahoma City Thunder as the Golden State Warriors and the Brooklyn Nets were beaten. Gilgeous-Alexander ’s three-pointer at the buzzer gave the Thunder a 104-103 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. The Warriors, playing a fifth game in eight days, were without Stephen Curry as they suffered a 119-100 defeat by the Toronto Raptors. A weakened Nets were beaten 10093 by the Orlando Magic. The Eastern Conference leaders had 10 players in the Covid-19 health and safety protocol, with rookie Day’Ron Sharpe being ruled out for Covid-related reasons just before the game. Kevin Durant was going to be rested against the Magic but he was also sidelined under NBA health and safety protocols. Orlando let a 17-point lead slip but eventually won to stop a seven-game losing
streak. The Warriors - second in the Western Conference - rested Curry, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, Andre Iguodala and Otto Porter Jr as they had been sent home by coach Steve Kerr and Toronto capitalised to secure a home win. Fred VanVleet scored a game-high 27 points for the Raptors, whose game against Chicago Bulls on Thursday had been postponed for Covid reasons. Elsewhere, the Detroit Pistons suffered a 14th consecutive defeat as they were beaten 116-107 by the Houston Rockets, while the Boston Celtics earned a 114-107 victory over the New York Knicks. The Washington Wizards stopped a run of four defeats with a 109-103 win over the Utah Jazz and the Cleveland Cavaliers won their sixth successive game by beating the Milwaukee Bucks 119-90 to move to third in the Eastern Conference.
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani (C) and FIFA President Gianni Infantino (R) present Algeria’s goalkeeper and captain Rais M’Bolhi with the the Arab Cup (AFP/DENOUR) won’t be the case at the World Cup, is that we were in the same hotel as everyone else,” he said. “We congratulate (Qatar) on this beautiful Arab Cup and I think the World Cup will be exceptional,” Bougherra added. Egypt coach Carlos Queiroz, the former Iran, Portugal and Real Madrid boss, said the Qatar World Cup has “all the ingredients to succeed”, but called for better communications. “If there is one advice I will give to everybody, we need to talk, because the
better we talk the better the harmony between the needs inside and outside the pitch,” he said. Daniel Reyche, a sport policy and politic researcher and visiting associate p r o f e s s o r a t Q a t a r ’s Georgetown University, said he was impressed by the organisers’ ability to learn from their mistakes, for example by dropping the fan ID. “Overall, I think the test went well, but it is difficult to compare the FIFA Arab Cup and the FIFA World Cup, since most visitors this time
came from within the country and next year they will come from outside the country,” he told AFP. And after Qatar dismissed concerns from the LGBTQ+ community about attending the World Cup, FIFA secretary-general Fatma Samoura gave assurances next year ’s tournament would be inclusive. “People are free to display any kind of flag they want, including the rainbow flag, without them being targeted or singled out,” she said this week.
Sports Personality 2021: Emma Raducanu crowned winner BBC Sport - Teenage US Open champion Emma Raducanu has been voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2021. Raducanu, then 18, ended Britain’s 44-year wait for a women’s Grand Slam singles champion with her remarkable victory at Flushing Meadows. Her fairytale win followed a run to the Wimbledon fourth round in July on her Grand Slam main draw debut. In a public vote, diver Tom Daley placed second and swimmer Adam Peaty was third. Manchester City and England forward Raheem Sterling, boxer Tyson Fury, and Great Britain’s most successful Paralympian Sarah Storey were also shortlisted for the main award. “It’s such an honour just to be among these nominees. Congrats to you and all your achievements,” Raducanu said. “I’m really happy with
this, I’ve watched Sports Personality of the Year growing up and it’s an honour to be among those past winners. “I’m happy for British tennis as well, and that we’ve managed to get this award...again! “Thanks to all the fans and voters, this year has been insane. The energy this year playing at Wimbledon in front of my home crowd, that was something I’ve never felt before.” Now 19 and ranked British number one, Raducanu becomes the first female tennis player to be crowned Sports Personality of the Year since Virginia Wade in 1977 - the last British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title. Andy Murray was the last tennis player to win the award, with his third coming in 2016. Raducanu is the first female to win the award since Zara Phillips, now Tindall, in 2006. A year to remember Fresh from completing
her A-Levels, Raducanu burst onto the scene at Wimbledon, where she was handed a wildcard into the main draw late on after making her WTA Tour debut earlier in June. Wins over impressive opposition and appearances on show courts followed as she progressed to the fourth round, and in doing so, became the youngest British woman to reach the Wimbledon last 16 in the Open era. Her dream run ended in heartbreaking fashion as she was forced to retire from her fourth-round match with breathing difficulties - but little did anyone know what was around the corner. In winning the US Open title in September with a 6-4 6-3 victory over fellow teenager Leylah Fernandez, Raducanu became: § The first qualifier in the Open era to win a Grand Slam § The youngest women’s Grand Slam (Continued on page 19)
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Kaieteur News
Monday December 20, 2021
Monday December 20, 2021
Kaieteur News
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GFF, KS inaugural Futsal KO tournament (Night 3) Tierra Phillips was brilliant in Goal for Berbice to take the MVP award.
Blackout stalls start as Berbice, Melanie & Timehri register wins
Timehri Ballers demolished Potaro Strikers 7-0. By Sean Devers An absolutely brilliant performance in Goal by Berbice All Stars’ Tierre Phillips earned him the MVP award and helped his team to a 3-nil victory over Mocha Ballers in the opening game of night three in the first ever Guyana Football Federation and Kashif and Shanghai’s 5a-side Futsal tournament at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Saturday night. Melanie beat Beacon FC of Bartica 4-0 and Timehri Ballers trounced Potaro Strikers 7-nil as the night got off to inauspicious start when a power outage delayed the scheduled 7:00PM start by over an hour. Another fair size gathering with included Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson J r, N a t i o n a l c r i c k e t e r Christopher Barnwell and Olympian Boxer Keevin Allicock, watched as Phillips’ outstanding work between the uprights, an airtight defence and skilful football resulted in Berbice All Stars advancing to the next round of a tournament which has prize money of $2 million, with the winner taking home $1Million. The team from the Ancient County came out with all guns blazing but wasted three opportunities to score in the first two minutes with shots that were off target. Mocca Ballers kept pushing forward but most of their shots were cleared by
alert defending and when they managed to penetrate, Phillips made some magnificent saves which included him acrobatically tipping the ball over the Bar from a powerful right footer. Kevon Williams opened the account for the Berbicans when he beat the Keeper to his right from close range and at half-time the score read Berbice All Stars 1, Mocca nil. Mocca tried to up the tempo in the second half but could not manage to score goals as several power shots were deflected off the body of the Berbicans or well saved by Phillips. While Mocca were in attacking mode, it was Carlos Grant who found the back the net to make 2-0 before Berbice sealed the game when Lashaw Mayles scored the third goal for Berbice. In the second game between Melanie and Beacon FC, a brace from Phillip Williams and first half goals from Denze Junor and Jermin Clark rallied Melanie to 4-nil lead by half time and so it remained when the final whistle was blown. In the final game of the night, a hat-trick from Timothy Thomas, a brace from Tskedi Sealey and goals from Runnel Gordon and Kevin Baptiste powered Timheri Ballers to an emphatic 7-nil drubbing after leading 3-0 at the break. The action is scheduled to continue from 7:00PM tomorrow.