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AIETEUR
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Cop threatened by suspect transferred CGX pumped US$350M for more than 20 years before landing on Kawa-1 discovery NEWS
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February 20, 2022
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Future energy projects will fail if not affordable - Expert warns Guyana
Govt. helps foot bill …event for Private Sector Energy concludes with delegates in Conference 2022closed door session exploring 'partnerships'
Guyana in talks with Middle Eastern firms for auction of remaining oil blocks - Jagdeo Listen to The Glenn Lall Show @ 11am, 4 & 7pm on Kaieteur Radio 99.1/99.5FM
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Kaieteur News
Sunday February 20, 2022
Future energy projects will fail if not affordable - Expert warns Guyana By Davina Bagot The curtains have come down on the inaugural International Energy Conference and Expo which was hosted by Guyana but not before participants were warned by experts that future energy projects must be affordable or face failure. The warning was sounded by Mr. John Ingham, the Regional Product Director for General Electric (GE), an American multinational conglomerate, which is a world Regional Product Director for General energy leader in providing equipment, Electric (GE), Mr. John Ingham solutions and services across the energy value chain from generation to consumption. He told Guyana during the conference, in MBAs and a degree in Law. The specialist reasoned during his the presence of several international stakeholders on Thursday that, “Nobody is presentation that the three pillars of green when you are red. So if you are losing transitioning to cleaner energy include: sustainability, reliability and money, you are not going to be affordability. green. It doesn’t matter if To this end, he said, y o u g o t o v e r y “Nobody is green when you are “Certainly what I sustainable projects that red. So if you are losing money, are not affordable, they you are not going to be green. It c o n s i d e r t h e m o s t important aspect is the will fail. They have to be doesn’t matter if you go to very affordable.” sustainable projects that are not affordability. It’s been my personal view for Ingham has almost affordable, they will fail. They years now that poverty is 30 years experience in have to be affordable.” the biggest source of the energy business, pollution, it is the biggest specifically when it source of emissions so comes to power generation and cogeneration, renewable power and whenever in doubt, between these three alternative fuels and holds a Mechanical aspects, go towards affordability. That will Engineering degree from the Polytechnic bring development, that will bring Continued on page 62 School of the University of São Paulo, two
Kaieteur News
Sunday February 20, 2022
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CGX pumped US$350M for more than 20 years before landing on Kawa-1 discovery By Kiana Wilburg CGX Energy Inc. has a well-earned reputation as Guyana’s indigenous oil and gas company. But very little is known about the extent of the investments made by this company to date and which laid the foundation for its significant Kawa-1 discovery in the Corentyne Block; a discovery that was made in collaboration with i t s C a n a d i a n p a r t n e r, Frontera Energy Corporation (FEC). During an interview at the recently concluded International Energy Conference and Exhibition2022, Executive CoChairman of CGX Energy Inc., Professor Suresh Narine, was open to providing Kaieteur News with a deeper understanding of what the oil industry was like back in 1998 when CGX first began operating in Guyana’s waters and what cemented its resolve to stay through the tough times. Professor Narine said, “I was not involved with the company from the inception, having joined the Board of Directors in 2012, but one can imagine that in 1998, the founders of CGX would have faced wide skepticism, given that a discovery in the basin was not to occur until 2015! The current Board and Management of CGX are privileged to recognise the courage and vision of the founders and early management and staff of the Company.” “Given the amount of activity in the Guyana basin today, it is difficult I am sure, for your readers to imagine what it was like for a tiny
Map showing the location of the Kawa-1 discovery on the Corentyne Block. company like CGX to participate in the drilling of three offshore wells, two of which it operated directly and the operating of three onshore wells, through our 62 percent owned subsidiary, ON Energy Inc.,” he added. Professor Narine said in those days, CGX/ON Energy was the dominant explorer in the basin, taking 100 percent of the risk on the three onshore wells (Albion, Yakusari and Hermitage), and taking 100 percent of the risk on two offshore wells – Eagle and Horseshoe – and 25 percent of the risk on Jaguar.
The Executive CoChairman said, “So the Company has always been a prolific explorer and the data from the wells it drilled and participated in have been pivotal to the success of the basin. CGX has never operated in any other basin – we are focused only on Guyana because that is what we were created for. And so together with expending a significant sum
of money pre-Kawa-1 (approximately $350 million US) here in Guyana, we have over the years built deep partnerships here and have been fortunate to have always been guided by successive boards to maintain our corporate s o c i a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y, maintain our care and focus on the environment and m a i n t a i n o u r groundbreaking work in the
educational sector and among the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana.” Just as an example, Professor Narine said CGX and its JV Partner, FEC, invested $5 Million Canadian in the Guyana Advanced Academic Training and Research Program in Sustainable Transformation, to support the education and initiative of Guyana’s future leaders in fields crucial for the development of the sustainable sectors of the Guyanese economy. He shared that the first five students are already studying at Trent University in Canada and additional students will be selected this year. Professor Narine said a total of 12 students are expected to be trained in advanced degrees, with all of them being required to then become lecturers and professors at the University of Guyana for a period of five years. Even in the naming of its wells, Professor Narine said CGX is uniquely Guyanese.
Executive Co-Chair of CGX, Professor Suresh Narine He was keen to note that Kawa-1 is named after a majestic mountain overlooking the village of Paramakatoi, a place he has been blessed to visit many times and meet and work with the Patamonas in the lush valleys of the Pakaraima mountains. Wei-1, the name of its next target in the Corentyne Block, is named after a tall peak in the Pakaraimas. In fact, Professor Narine shared that Wei Tepu was in fact used as a sentinel peak to guard against invading peoples. Continued on page 8
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Kaieteur News
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL-TEL: 624-6456 Editor: Sharmain Grainger Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
Peru – take warning Guyana
I
t cannot be accurately said that Peru is right next door, as it is a little up the road from us. But what is happening in Peru should resonate with all Guyanese, who care about this country and its prospects, their present and future as well as those same two concerns for their own children. The same goes for their fellow citizens, all of them, regardless of differences and divisions, because when one Guyanese in any single area of Guyana is negatively impacted, then so is all of Guyana, and every single one of its citizens. The oil spill in Peru and that country’s woes with its resident foreign oil company should ring the loudest bell with Guyanese, represent the most frightening and timely warning we could have. Peru is running into early problems in its moment of seriously damaging oil trouble (“Oil companies not fulfilling obligations after oil spill in Peru -Peruvian Govt say” -KN February 15). Guyanese could not have asked for a better warning, a stronger example of what happens, what to expect if an oil spill were to occur in one of the wells or boats operating around our offshore oil fields. Peru experienced its oil spill. A serious problem that now takes on the appearance of a crisis, hopefully not a catastrophe in the making. In that country’s moment of troubles and likely heavy damages, it has no oil company friend and partner anymore. Only a company that has quickly turned out to be an enemy, and a warrior determined to fight it tooth and nail every step of the way to not make good for its devastating failure; this oil spill. It is the long, dark, and dirty history of oil companies, their now settled and proven ways of doing business. How they conduct their operations. The manner in which their sleazy leaders manage themselves and the money they make (grab and steal) from poor, but now suddenly oil rich countries. These are usually underdeveloped, ill equipped and dependent Third World countries, just like Guyana. The exploiters are foreigners, the leadership predators the same under the skin and smooth talk. Their first and only interest is their bottom-line; profitability which means the wellbeing and happiness of their shareholders. The leaders of foreign oil companies, without fail, don’t ever give a damn about the people of those places from where they produce abundant oil, and build their company’s runaway prosperity. Think of this Guyanese. To fulfill obligations means that oil companies operating in whichever country they find themselves must fork out money. When they must pay over possibly billions (or hundreds of millions, at least), that equates to less for their income statement, less for their leaders, less for their investors. It should be clear as to which group (country) is going to be the loser in this game of endless corporate banditry and wanton cruelty. In this latest instance, it is the people of Peru. In the oil spill case of Peru, it is Repsol, the Spanish oil giant that is balking, putting up a wall of sturdy resistance, the steeliest. When the Government and people of Peru are in dire straits from the oil spill that visited, and they are in dire need of a helping hand, they get both their heads and faces slapped and slammed down. An oil friend has transformed into a blood foe. Fellow citizens, please listen, please pay the closest attention, as this could be the fate that awaits Guyana. When money is involved, oil companies have no friends. Guyanese must get that into their heads, it must register deeply, powerfully. It does not matter if the oil company is from Spain (Repsol), the United Kingdom (BP), or the United States (ExxonMobil) as is the reality in Guyana. They are all the same, and on this we are absolute. We don’t have full insurance coverage in the event of an oil spill of any magnitude. We have some hope. In fact, we don’t even have that. We are waiting in the hope of an “acknowledgement” according to Guyana’s great Vice President. Several months later, we are still waiting and hoping. We can’t be this dumb, irresponsible and uncaring.
Sunday February 20, 2022
Kaieteur M@ilbox Send your letters to Kaieteur News 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com
Thanks to Freddie Kissoon TIGI is aware its very existence serves a purpose DEAR EDITOR, It has been drawn to our attention that columnist, Mr. Freddie Kissoon has given us some more publicity which is probably undeserved as we have not been as active as we would like. This is for different reasons. So, we thank him for keeping our name in the minds of the public. We were unaware that even in our current quiescent state, given the number of issues vying for the attention of every citizen who has the welfare of the government and people of Guyana at heart, that a columnist could find time to focus attention on us. If we never realised the accuracy of the saying that small minds discuss people while great minds discuss ideas, we do now.
We have nothing much to add to the letter attached from the then president of TIGI, Dr. Troy Thomas and statement from TIGI shortly after. The first suggests that Mr. Kissoon finds material for his columns by making conspiracies out of snatches of conversation when he is not contriving controversies. In some of his letters or columns just before this date, he had complained that TIGI ought to have represented him in some kind of grudge he has against the University of Guyana. By way of response, we had placed an ad in Stabroek News around the same time, pointing out that we do not have as part of our mission addressing human resource contract problems. It would
appear that this great failure on TIGI’s part has remained a simmering cause of resentment for him. Unfortunately for such a great and prolific columnist as he, our position must remain the same. We do realise that there are some issues of principle that some people will never understand. Mr. Kissoon’s compliments come at a time when we have been forced to do some soul-searching – wondering whether we are managing to achieve anything in what appears to be a growing tsunami of broken laws, promises, and principles. So, we must thank him for making us know that our very existence serves a purpose. It is clear that our mere presence is a reproach to some, and we are therefore
heartened. As for his intention to propose our dis-accreditation with our principals in Berlin we wish him luck. Dr. Thomas’ letter of 2019 as published in the Guyana Chronicle of 29th November, 2019 https:// guyanachronicle.com/2019/ 11/29/mr-kissoon-has-propagated-falsehood-about-tigi/ and TIGI’s above-referenced statement published in both Kaieteur News and Stabroek News, and attached to this mail, will be placed on our website tigigy.org for reference shortly so that it can be referenced by the public when he attacks again as he is certain to, given his propensity to focus on people rather than ideas. Frederick Collins
Sunday February 20, 2022
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Kaieteur News
Kaieteur M@ilbox
Kaieteur M@ilbox
Article 13 responds to Freddie Kissoon
THE UNDENIABLE LEGACY OF THE CARIBBEAN’S MOST CONSEQUENTIAL JOURNALIST
DEAR EDITOR, The column “2021 Review, Part 5: Things to internalise”, in your newspaper of 17th February 2022, in reference to our group Article 13, claims that “one of the men fighting for the success of Article 13 in the group was perhaps the most vociferous voice supporting the denial of the right to vote and have it counted
in the March 2020 elections.” We think it most regrettable editor, that you allow your newspaper to pedal malice and falsehood under the pretext of an opinion column. The failure to name the person and to hide behind wild and reckless generalisations is cowardly and unprofessional. As Editor, it is your responsibility and challenge
to separate opinion from facts and we are therefore extremely disappointed that you have allowed such statements as those quoted, to be published. We hope that you do a retraction of that offensive statement. Yours respectfully, Albert George For Article 13
Slap on the wrist outcome DEAR EDITOR, It is simply pure damn nonsense (there is that phrase again) in the “missing cheques” matter, highlighted at a recent PAC meeting, that important documents. such as cheque books ‘were not kept in a secured manner as required’ (KN Feb 18), resulting in a member of staff successfully accessing, forging
and encashing a cheque for over half million dollars. Damn nonsense indeed! Further the feeble explanation offered of moving office for the cheque books not being secured, is absolutely bizarre. How could the oversight body accept such an absurd explanation? It has to be wondered too whether the clerk, with re-
sponsibility for securing the cheque books, and did not do so, aided, abetted and facilitated this missing cheque episode? Is the cheque books clerk still in the employ of the ministry? It seems a slap on the wrist was the outcome for the players involved in this matter.
Shamshun Mohamed
Dear Editor, There is no journalist in the Caribbean whose columns evoke as much delight, satisfaction, controversy and criticism as Freddie Kissoon. These are the emotions that are contributing to making Mr. Kissoon legendary in journalism both in Guyana, and internationally. No other Guyanese has spoken out more about the five-month attempt to rig Guyana’s elections, or condemn the seemingly erosion of our way of life or the archaic way our establishment and companies chose to conduct businesses. The mere strokes of his pen will elicit agreement or great condemnation. I will briefly reference several voicer letters to Kaieteur News in the past few days, that have direct inferences to
Mr. Kissoon. On 02-17, voicer Eric Phillips took great umbrage that Mr. Kissoon wrote the line “prepare to spend your time in Timbuktu”. Mr Kissoon correctly used Timbuktu in the context for which it is universally known....a faraway place. Mr. Phillips acknowledged that very few people are aware of the city’s location, but he still personally attacked Mr. Kissoon for allegedly painting a ‘false narrative’ of Timbuktu. Comically, he then used up nearly 60 lines to tell us what Mr. Kissoon already
did, that.... “Timbuktu exists”! Again on 02-17, former Finance Minister Winston Jordan wrote to implicitly threaten Mr. Kissoon for simply regurgitating what is commonly known....Mr. Jordan has been charged for misconduct. Interestingly, it appears that Mr. Jordan has singled out only Mr. Kissoon for his ire since others who have also referenced his legal challenges and have not been similarly threatened. Also, on 02-17 a favourite target of Mr. Kissoon’s disgust has been the Guyana (Continued on page 6)
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Sunday February 20, 2022
Kaieteur News
Kaieteur M@ilbox
Kaieteur M@ilbox
We must be serious about creating a more courteous society
I endorse the view that Paul Williams should be the next Top Cop
DEAR EDITOR, We support our representatives in Government and it is quite normal for us to copy what we see them do. They are like role models for us, and for our children too. But is their public behaviour to each other something that we should copy or allow to go unchallenged? Or should we voice our condemnation? What kind of Guyana are these individuals promoting? The promise of a One Guyana may suffer serious setbacks from the choice of words from our members in Parliament. What is said and
how it is said, may have consequences that we do not wish for. One of the last things that Guyana needs when it is pushing the One Guyana programme, is continued public display of animosity among our representatives. G o v e r n m e n t representatives should take the lead in setting the tone for the civility, respect and togetherness we all wish for. Those in Government are in the position to set high standards of behaviour for all others to copy. This opportunity should not be abused to do the opposite. President Ali may not
have control over the words coming out of the mouths of members of the Opposition, but he should take responsibility and insist on polite expression from members on the Government side. The leaders of all other parties should deal with their members in the same way too. The demand for good behaviour from leaders in our society may not seem a big deal, but these small moves by the President and others, will show that we are serious in creating a more courteous society. Sincerely, Muhammad Alli
THE UNDENIABLE LEGACY OF... From page 5 Human Rights Association. On 02-17, they validated every suspicion and criticism Mr. Kissoon has ever written about them. They wrote to express their disdain at Minister Dharamlall for his sexist comments in Parliament. They also attacked speaker Nadir for lacking courage for not disciplining Mr. Dharamlall. Yet, this purported “human rights’ body did not see the need to similarly criticise Sherod Duncan for his nightly outbursts against half of Guyana’s population calling them “wicked, evil, stink and dutty”, while using the most vile racial epithet “trench crapos”. On 02-18, Mr. Edward Burrowes wrote a beautiful letter expressing his disagreement with Mr. Kissoon. He opined that Mr. Kissoon was unfair in stating that the PPP took care of Indians, and the PNC did not take care of Africans. He laboriously went on to articulate that while in power, the black government did not betray them but REALLY, REALLY took care of their black supporters. However, the PPP has not
similarly taken care of their Indian supporters. In sum, I respectfully believe that Mr. Burrowes misunderstood the true gist of Mr. Kissoon’s real argument, which is black leaders have generally become a ‘one trick pony.’ Their only concern is to feed their supporters lies about the last election while consistently attacking the ‘installed PPP, ‘ without offering true solutions to the black populace. Finally, on 02-19 Mr. C Singh wrote “Why I stopped reading Freddie Kissoon.” He was espec i a l l y u n f a i r t o M r. Kissoon, in at least the following three ways: (a) Mr. Singh incorrectly wrote that Mr. Kissoon ‘criticised almost every aspect of President Granger’s tenure and overall leadership.” On the contrary, Mr. Kissoon was always restrained and respectful of Mr. Granger, repeatedly describing him as a ‘nice and decent man.” (b) Mr. Singh alleges that Mr. Kissoon hardly writes about matters of social significance. Readers of Mr. Kissoon
are aware that he regularly pens columns condemning the pitfalls and social mores that plague Guyanese society. (c) Mr. Singh made up and embellished that “Mr. Eric Phillips had cause to correct Freddie Kissoon about a set of false information on Ti m b u k t u w h i c h M r. Kissoon used his column to peddle.” In an attempt to impugn Mr. Kissoon’s credibility, Mr. Singh exposed his own. Just in the past few weeks, there have been many other letters to this newspaper regarding Mr. Kissoon, including from Mr. Vincent Alexander, Mr. Vi s h n u B i s r a m , M r. Hamilton Green and Ms. Isabelle de Caires. In addition, he has been mentioned numerous times on social media. To the masses that make Kaieteur News Guyana’s most widely read newspaper, the letters and repartee about Mr. Kissoon offers great fodder and enjoyable reading. One thing is certain about Freddie Kissoon’s friends, foes and critics....they will all be reading his column tomorrow morning!! Respectfully submitted, C. Persaud
DEAR EDITOR, I read with great pleasure an article in Kaieteur News, February 16, 2022, under the caption, “Paul Williams DSM is the next senior ranking officer and most suitable to be the next Top Cop. “It was apparently the wishes of seniors and junior ranks of the GPF. The main thrust of the article was that Paul Williams should be the next Commissioner of Police. I hasten to endorse that view. I have known Paul Williams since he was in training as a police recruit. While in training he displayed tremendous potentials for growth and development. He did not disappoint. I vividly recall him successfully completing the GPF One-year Special Prosecutors’ Course conducted by the GPF and the University of Guyana. He later attended the University of Guyana and graduated with a Diploma in Public Management. He did not stop there. He obtained a Law Degree at the said institution and successfully completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Legislative Interpretation and Drafting under the auspices of the University of Guyana, the University of the West Indies and the European Union. He has a Master Degree in Criminal Justice and is on the final lap in obtaining a Doctorate in International Relations. Paul Williams successfully completed numerous courses and seminars at the Felix Austin Police College and elsewhere. He held several prestigious and command positions in the GPF including Force Training Officer, Commander B Division, Deputy Commissioner Law Enforcement and Deputy Commissioner Administration. On a few occasions he acted as Commissioner in the absence from Guyana of Commissioner, Leslie James. The vexed question is who will be the next Commissioner of Police? Section 211 (1) of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyans states, “The Commissioner of Police and every Deputy Commissioner of Police shall be appointed by the President acting after meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition and Chairperson of the Police Ser-
vice Commission after the Chairperson has consulted with other members of the Commission.” It is pellucid that the power to appoint a Commissioner and Deputies lies with the President. He does not have to get an agreement with the Leader of the Opposition as is the case to appoint the Chancellor and the Chief Justice. When Nigel Hoppie proceeds on leave, prior to retirement which may be soon, someone will have to be appointed to act as Commissioner of Police. According to the Public Service Rules the next senior person must act, but Paul Williams who is the next senior Deputy Commissioner may not be given the right to act as persons in authority have flagrantly violated the letter, spirit and intent of some of the most sacrosanct constitutional procedures, therefore it would not be surprising if the Public Service rules are totally disregarded and a junior and incompetent person is appointed to act as Commissioner. Dr. Peter Principle will continue to prevail. Based on unfounded allegations made by Assistant Commissioner Clifton Hicken and Senior Superintendent Fizal Karimbaksh, Paul Williams while serving as Deputy Commissioner Administration was sent on accumulated leave. At the end of the leave, he was posted to the Civil Defence Commission. That decision was rescinded by the Prime Minister after he realised that in accordance with the Joint Services Protocols, Paul Williams is senior to Kester Craig, the Head of the Commission. However, he assigned Paul Williams to work under his equal, Colonel Hussain at the COVID-19 Secretariat. It is apposite to note that presently at the COVID-19 Secretariat there are a Deputy Commissioner, an Assistant Commissioner and a Superintendent, among other police ranks that are performing duties there. I understand that they are very busy checking COVID-19 deaths and confirmed cases. A substantial Commissioner cannot be appointed until Hoppie demits office at the end of December 2022. There are several issues and concerns facing the President in the appointment of a Commissioner. They include: politics, human rights violations, leadership, a tactical or stra-
tegic commissioner, money laundering, drug trafficking, corruption, diplomatic - remember when Floyd McDonald was appointed Commissioner the United States of America Embassy in Guyana cancelled his visa and with the appointment of Henry Greene, the Embassy did likewise. It is suspected that if a certain contender is appointed Commissioner, he may suffer the same consequence as that of McDonald and Greene. Emerging recently is also a birth certificate issue with one of the aspirants for the post of Top Cop. Unconfirmed information is that an active Army Colonel was interviewed for the post, but he is not too keen on accepting the appointment. He is of the opinion that the “Gang of Five” that is undermining Hoppie with the support from Home Affairs, allegedly, will do likewise to him and cause him to be ineffective as a Commissioner. An Army Colonel as Head of the GPF is nothing new. Before independence, 13 Army Colonels served as Commissioners of Police. Also, do not be surprised if there is a Bernard Kerik or a Bobb Bratton contracted as a Security Advisor. Looking at all the aspirants, I am of the opinion that Paul Williams is a fit and proper person to be appointed the next Commissioner of Police. He is not a paragon of virtue. Who is? He is more academically and professionally qualified and senior to the other contenders. He has clean hands, a warm heart, a cool head and a passion for the job and God. No one knows the police aspirants more than I do. Therefore, I am qualified to judge them. Paul Slowe, my co accused will get the silver medal. However, I am just a humble retired Assistant Commissioner of Police positing some simple views in the interest of law enforcement. The authority to appoint a Commissioner rests solely with the President. May God bless the Guyana Police Force. Yours respectfully, Clinton Conway Assistant Commissioner of Police (Retired)
T N U L B . . . T B N U T L N B T . U . L . L T B . . N . U N U T L N B . U T . . L N N U T B . U . N L U BL BLUNT. B . . T . T T N N U . U L . . L B . T B . . . . N . T U T N N T U N U L L U B . L B . . . . B . T . . T . N N T U N L LU U B . N L . . U B T . L . . N B T . U . . N L T U B . N L . . U B T . L . . N B T . . U . N L T U B . N L . . U B . T L . . N B T . . U . N L T U B . N L . . U B T . L . . N B . T . U . N L T U B . N L . . U B T . L . . N B T . U . . N L T U B . N L . . U B T . L . B . UN .BLUNT. L . . B T . . . N T U N L . . U B T . L . B . UN .BLUNT. L . . B T . . . N T U N L . . U B T . L . . N B T . U . . N L B T . U . . N L T U B . N L . . U B T . L . . N B T . . . LU ...BLUN B T . . . N T U N L U B T . L . . N B T . U . . N L T . U B . . N L T U B . N L . . U B T . L . . N B T . U . . N L T BB T...BLU U N L U B . L . . B . T . . N N T T L U U N L L U B U T...BLU B L . . N . B . T . . N T U N N N U L U U B L . BL TLUNT.. UNT...B BL Sunday February 20, 2022
Kaieteur News
It would seem that many human beings have an ingrained desire to be reckless; live on the edge.
Some of us so love the adrenaline rush that once we survive such a trip, we think of ourselves as invincible. But none of us can expect to get out of life alive; each of our days are numbered, just look at the COVID-19 deaths and you are likely to agree with us.
With that in mind, we urge our fellow Guyanese: Stop tempting fate and protect yourselves. Not because the government has decided to cancel the curfew means you're safe to do as you please.
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Sunday February 20, 2022
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CGX pumped US$350M for more than 20 years... From page 3 WELLS DRILLED IN CORENTYNE BLOCK With respect to the wells drilled in the Corentyne Block, Professor Narine said two were previously drilled: Horseshoe in 2000 and Eagle (EGT-1) in 2012. He said the combined cost of the wells exceeded US$100 Million. The Executive Co-Chair said these wells were helpful in establishing early basin shelf modelling. He was keen to note that the Kawa-1 sits in a unique position between the shelf and deepwater and is the first well drilled in this environment. He said the location of Kawa placed its subsurface horizons between both shelf and deep-water basins, while adding that the absence of nearby offset wells made it a “rank wildcat exploration well”. Professor Narine said, “That uncertainty on the subsurface model coupled with the anticipated high pressures and temperatures fully met the definition of a “complex well”. Our JV is
very proud of our drilling and subsurface teams, operating under the leadership of Mr. Kevin Lacy, our drilling director and Jeni Budlong, our Exploration Manager, for the professional and safe operation of this complex well.” He concluded, “We are also grateful to the Maersk Discoverer's crew and the rig's unique capabilities, which was key in being able to deliver on this well. We are finishing our work to decommission the well and will make a disclosure on costs at the appropriate time.” FOCUS ON CORENTYNE In their latest statement to the market, CGX Energy Inc. and Frontera Energy Corporation announced that, as a result of the initial positive results at the Kawa-1 exploration well, the Joint Venture will focus on the significant exploration opportunities in the Corentyne Block and will not engage in drilling activities on the Demerara Block in 2022, as noted previously. The Joint Venture is currently engaged in discussions with the Government of Guyana regarding the Demerara Block and will provide an
update on such discussions as soon as a conclusion has been reached. Kaieteur News understands that Kawa-1 early-stage Wireline Logging results confirm the Logging While Drilling (LWD) indications previously disclosed on January 31, 2022 with a total of 200 feet of net pay encountered at multiple depths. Further analyses of logs and samples are ongoing. Furthermore, the Joint Venture will provide an update when these activities are complete. CGX is a Canadian-based oil and gas exploration company focused on the exploration of oil in the Guyana-Suriname Basin and the development of a deepwater port in Berbice, Guyana. Frontera Energy Corporation is a Canadian public company involved in the exploration, development, production, transportation, storage and sale of oil and natural gas in South America, including related investments in both upstream and midstream facilities. The company has a diversified portfolio of assets with interests in 33 exploration and production blocks in Colombia, Ecuador and Guyana, and pipeline and port facilities in Colombia.
Sunday February 20, 2022
Kaieteur News
De past is like boys seh... jumbie story Dem
We can't hide de past by fuhgetting it. We gat to face it, including de inconvenient parts and de convenient narratives. Some ah we think dat de past should be left in de past. But de past is like jumbie story. It does come back fuh haunt yuh and it does haunt yuh forever unless yuh bury it finally. And de only way to bury it is to talk bout it and try fuh understand all de sides. Deh gat wan debate going on in de papers bout
who get attack during de troubles of de 1960's. Dat is more dan 60 years ago and now qualify to be researched and recorded as history. But people writing book pun all kind ah subject. But little research being done on dis era on we history which does mek some people still feel like victims. Dem ole people getting on in age. Dem wah went around during dat time, gan soon start fuh either fuhget or dem gan pass on. So is time people start interviewing all dem wah bin experience de period and to come up with
some authentic history, not by denying wat happen but by giving voice to dem experience. Dat is how healing does tek place. Uncle Donald bin try to bring closure to Rodney assassination. But de den guvament bin decide dat wah coming out too embarrassing and dem shut it down. But dem gat plenty witnesses wah nah give evidence yet even though de report done write. And is crucial evidence. If we serious bout national healing, den somebody needs to question dese witnesses. Talk Half, Leff half.
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Sunday February 20, 2022
Wind, Solar & Hydro cheaper to use than Gas Energy Conference hears…
...as Govt. persists with US$1.4B 'white elephant' for little/no returns, if not changed By Gary Eleazar
G
uyana this past week played host to its first ever International Energy Conference and Expo at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown, where the topic of utilising the country's gas reserves, instead of flaring or re-injecting it into the reservoir was again up for discussion. With bids Expressions of Interest (EOI) in already—currently being v e t t e d b y t h e administration—there still remains a sharp divide over the country's chosen pathway in light of still to be addressed cost and environmental concerns.During the course of the activity, the more than 500 delegates present in
Prime Minister Mark Phillips Guyana for the international affair, Prime Minister with responsibility for the country's Energy Portfolio, Brigadier (rt'd) Mark Phillips, espoused, “our Government is currently embarking on its commitment to achieving a low carbon economy and advancing the transition
Dr. John Murton away from conventional energy sources.” He elucidated saying, Guyana's Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030 is geared towards a massive expansion of renewable and clean energy across the country and to this end Government is pursuing a strategy of
developing low carbon energy resources like Solar, Hydro, Wind, Natural Gas, and Biomass, to meet the rapidly rising energy demand while keeping greenhouse gas emissions low. He said under this
Opposition MP, David Patterson
Head of the Gas-to-Shore working committee, Winston Brassington
strategy, we will advance an energy mix that will lead to more than 500 megawatts (MW) of newly installed capacity over the next five years and among the projects to be implemented as part of the energy transition is the highly anticipated Gas-toEnergy Project. The bulk of that baseload to be supplied to the national grid, according to government speakers over the course of the event, would be coming from the Gas initiative—either 250MW or 300MW depending on who you listen to. ENERGY SECURITY Prime Minister Phillips in his pitch to 'investors' industry stakeholders, delegates and those in attendance, contended that gas initiative would provide 300 megawatts of power to the national grid and it is expected to result in substantial cost savings for power generation while reducing electricity costs to consumers by at least 50 percent. He suggested too that the 165 megawatts Amaila falls hydropower project “will be advanced to further enhance our nation's energy security.” Guyana's energy transition, using gas as a
bridge from Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) to 100 percent renewable would be approached in three phases, according to Prime Minister Phillips.In his outline, he said, by 2027, government intends to realise electricity generation in Guyana through a combination of natural gas, hydro and “a significant expansion of solar power, with batteries on the rural networks.” He said that from 2027 to 2032, there would be the continued replacement of HFO, along with the “expansion of wind and solar and the possible commissioning of Guyana's second hydropower project.” Stage three, according to Prime Minister Phillips, from 2032 onwards, will “be determined by prevailing market conditions, but it is likely that battery and hydrogen technology will be sufficiently advanced to enable solar and wind to provide new capacity increases while contributing to the possible further reduction in electricity costs.” He was confident that with adequate and timely technical and financial support, we will (Continued on page 63)
Sunday February 20, 2022
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Kaieteur News
Sunday February 20, 2022
GKB to retain Enmore Packaging facility workers at new oil field service centre On Friday, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha met with workers from the Enmore Packaging Facility to update them on the future of the facility. The workers were told that Guysons K+B Industries (GKB) had entered into an agreement with the Government of Guyana to lease the facility which will be transformed into a modern oil field service centre and manufacturing facility. Minister Mustapha told the workers that as part of the agreement, the company was required to retain every worker employed at the facility and provide the necessary skills training so that they are not left on the
breadline. He said, “We are here because many workers expressed concerns after they learned that this packaging plant will be relocated to Albion. We are exploring that option because, as a government, we want to consolidate, recapitalise and we want to ensure GuySuCo is an entity that eventually becomes profitable. Over the last 18 months, since assuming office, we've allocated almost $14 billion to this Corporation. We've also injected funds into the shuttered estates like, here, at Enmore…” “As faith would have it,” the Minister continued, “we are now looking to divest and
we've met with an interested investor and signed an agreement that will see GKB leasing this packaging plant and transforming it into a modern machine shop. I want to make it clear that the workers who are employed will be absorbed by the company. So, you can rest assure that your jobs will be secured. From the government level, we'll also make two months' pay available to you to assist with the transition.” He also told the workers that, unlike the previous administration, this government will not abandon the people of this country. Minister Mustapha further stated that, as work
Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha engages workers at the Enmore Packaging Facility. progresses at the service station, an additional 460 new jobs will be created for the people of Enmore and
other neighbouring communities. Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, who was
also present at the meeting, said with Guyana now benefiting from large oil (Continued on page 57)
Sunday February 20, 2022
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Guyana in talks with Middle Eastern firms for auction of remaining oil blocks - Jagdeo (Reuters)—Guyana is in talks with state-run oil firms from the Middle East to discover new offshore fields, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo told Reuters, hoping to recruit a new and substantial explorer to its nascent energy industry. Results of the talks with Middle East firms could also lead to Guyana barring a consortium led by US major ExxonMobil Corp from a prospective drilling rights auction, the vice president added. The Exxon-led group currently pumps all the South American country's output since discovering significant amounts of oil offshore in 2015. With more
than 10 billion barrels of recoverable oil and gas reserves found so far, Guyana has become one of the hottest exploration and production frontiers in decades. "We've had offers from some countries to work with us in this regard. Some from the Middle East," Jagdeo told Reuters in an interview at Guyana's International Energy Conference on W e d n e s d a y , “Diversification of interest is good for our country.” He declined to name the national oil companies discussing future oil projects in the tiny nation. The country is in a hurry to expand local industry, jobs
and to address health and education needs of about 750,000 citizens through its energy resources, he said. Representatives from Qatar Energy and a sixperson delegation from the Saudi Arabia government were among attendees at the energy conference this week. India's governmentowned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) also is interested in participating in a potential oil auction for drilling rights, a person close to the discussions said. Indian refiners bought at least two test cargoes of Guyana's Liza light sweet crude last year before Guyana signed a one-year contract with Saudi Aramco
to market its share of oil produced by consortium. EXCLUDING EXXON Along with partners Hess Corp and CNOOC Ltd., Exxon controls 6.6 million acres (26,800 sq km) in the Stabroek Block that produces 120,000 barrels per day and is poised to deliver more than 800,000 bpd by late 2025. The consortium could be barred from an auction of unassigned blocks, if the country decides to hold one, the vice president said. “I'm not sure whether we would want Exxon to participate in the bid,” he said of the prospective auction. “We haven't made a decision. But they have a
Guyana's Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo poses for a photo during an interview with Reuters in Georgetown, Guyana, February 16, 2022. (Picture taken February 16, 2022, REUTERS/Sa brina Valle)
fairly large footprint here already,” Jagdeo said.
Guyana wants (Continued on page 15)
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Sunday February 20, 2022
Kaieteur News
Man gunned down in East La penitence A
former gang member, who was charged in 2017 and remanded for a string of robberies, was gunned down on Friday, allegedly by his father-inlaw at a house located in East La Penitence, Georgetown. The dead man has been identified as, Leon Gittens of lot 118, Cowan Street, Kingston, Georgetown. Gittens, who is no stranger to the law, was killed around midnight. According to police, he was at the time visiting his girlfriend at La Penitence when an individual dressed in a wig and blue dress shot him three times. Gittens girlfriend told the cops that the shooter was her father. She recounted that Gittens had gone to her home that night
to pick her up. Not long after, the disguised suspect entered her yard armed with a handgun. The young lady said that she ran for cover and while doing so she heard three gunshots. The shooter ran away soon after. When she thought it was safe to come out of her hiding place, she found a wounded Gittens lying motionless in front of her bedroom. The young lady said that she started alerting her neighbours about what transpired. Gittens was rushed to Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was pronounced dead on arrival. His girlfriend told investigators that her dad had threatened to kill him last month but it seems as if he might have followed through with his plans by gunning down Gittens on Friday.
Police have since tried to locate her father for questioning but he could not be found. Gittens was one of four men remanded in 2017 for robbing four persons around the Stabroek Market Area. One of them, Asif Ali was robbed of over $2 million in cash and jewellery right in the vicinity of Stabroek Market. They had allegedly attacked, choked and beaten him before relieving him of his belongings. On another occasion they attacked a Japanese national on America Street and robbed him of his cell phone and cash. Two more victims had also fallen into their trap at the same location and were identified as Carl Chung and Ryan Mohabir. Both men were robbed of their cell phones and cash.
Gunned down: Leon Gittens
2 men are country's latest COVID-19 fatalities
...53 new infections A 52-year-old unvaccinated man from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and a 71-year-old fully vaccinated man from Region Four (Demerara- Mahaica) have both died as a result of COVID -19 complications. This is according to the Health Ministry which also revealed via its dashboard yesterday that 53 individuals have been infected with the novel coronavirus over a 24-hour period. The new infections were recorded from: Region One - four cases, Region Two - six cases, Region Three - two cases, Region Four - 12 cases, Region Five - four cases, Region Six - 11 cases, Region Seven - one case and Region Nine - 13 cases. At present 12 patients are receiving critical care in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit, 71 individuals are in institutional isolation, 10 are in institutional quarantine and 841 are in home isolation. A total of 60,504 people have since recovered.
Sunday February 20, 2022
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Guyana in talks with Middle Eastern firms... From page 13 unassigned blocks to be developed as quickly as the Stabroek exploration block. If Exxon committed to the same speed elsewhere, it may make Guyana reconsider barring the U.S. producer from new areas, the vice-president said. Exxon did not reply to a request for comment. An alternative to taking a "big strategic partner" that could lessen the Exxon group's grip on its oil production would be to form
a state oil company to explore unassigned blocks, Jagdeo said. URGENCY Guyana's commitment to a net zero emissions target by 2050 adds to the urgency of getting new exploration underway, he said. "It is important in the context of net zero to have reserves explored, discovered, proven and developed as quickly as possible within the time frame we have." Guyana has considered
conducting seismic surveys of its unassigned exploration blocks before any auction. But it may forgo those surveys to speed up exploration commitments, he said. "We would probably get less (payment), but we might be able to get faster exploration," he said. (Reporting by Reuters' Sabrina Valle; additional reporting by Neil Marks Editing by Marguerita Choy)
The Public is hereby advised that no one is authorized to conduct any form of business or transactions on Behalf of the late Cecil Persaud's Estate. In accordance with a 2009 registered Will, I, Navin Rambarran, am the Executor of my late father's estate.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday February 20, 2022
Meeting industries' needs with traceable and reliable calibration services ==GNBS IN FOCUS==
A
s industries increase demand for traceable and accurate measurements, the
Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) continues to build capacity to offer reliable calibration services
to meet their needs. Calibration is known to be a complex scientific process, which allows
t r a c e a b i l i t y i n measurements. It compares the accuracy of instruments or equipment with a known
and proven measurement standard. At the GNBS, our standards are traceable to international measurement standards. Companies and laboratories, especially those servicing the Oil and Gas sector are increasingly submitting their measuring instruments to the GNBS for calibration. The GNBS Industrial Metrology and Testing Department, which is now ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Accredited, offers calibration in the areas of Mass, D i m e n s i o n , Vo l u m e , Pressure, Temperature and Torque. Instruments which can be calibrated include balances, masses, measuring cylinders, liquid in glass and infrared thermometers, gauge blocks, pressure gauges, micropipettes, torque wrenches, multimeters, micrometers and calipers. Calibration is important to operations within many industries. Consistently knowing the accuracy of measuring instruments gives companies the confidence that they are putting the right amounts of ingredients in their products. This maintains consistency in product quality. The use of calibrated instruments also ensures that key parameters such as temperature conditions are maintained to preserve raw materials and to maintain the appropriate operational conditions.
Meanwhile, inaccurate pressure gauges can result in major unwanted incidents that compromise safety, endanger life and limbs, or cause damage to equipment. During last year, increased calibration services were provided to manufacturing companies, medical and testing laboratories, the aviation industry and to contractors within the oil and gas sector. Companies that are certified to international standards such as the ISO 9001 Quality Management System Standard, are required to have their measurement instruments calibrated. These and other companies servicing the oil and gas sector are deliberate in their efforts to submit their instruments to the GNBS IMT Department for calibration at costs competitive to other calibration service providers. In 2022, the GNBS will work to build capacity to calibrate depth gauges and rulers as the Bureau works to meet the calibration needs of companies and laboratories in higher ranges and areas. The GNBS is prepared to address those needs through acquiring the necessary equipment and training of its Laboratory Technicians to help businesses achieve accuracy. For further information, please contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 2190064 – 66 or WhatsApp: 6924627
Sunday February 20, 2022
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Kaieteur News
Main Street execution of Fagundes…
Cop threatened by suspect transferred Kaieteur News was able to confirm with Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum, that one of the ranks, who was allegedly threatened by a suspect in the execution of Ricardo Fagundes last year on Main Street, Georgetown, has been taken off the case and transferred. The rank was transferred a few days after Kaieteur News reported that the suspect had threatened police ranks who had gone to arrest him on three occasions. Blanhum told this newspaper that the rank was recently promoted and as a result of his ascension in rank, he was transferred. “He and several other ranks who were promoted were transferred because of their ascension in rank,” the crime chief told Kaieteur News. The transferred cop, based on credible information this media entity received, was among others
who were threatened by the suspect known as “Shop Man”. “Shop Man” is wanted by police for questioning in relation to the execution style killing of Ricardo Fagundes, also known as “Paper Shorts”, in March 2021. Fagundes was riddled with at least 20 bullets in front of Palm Court, located on Main Street, by two men who emerged from a white tinted Toyota Fielder wagon with a PZZ number plate. The car waited as the ruthless killing, which was captured on a nearby surveillance camera, occurred. Kaieteur News has learnt that a wanted bulletin was issued for “Shop man” and ranks had gone to arrest him but each time they turned up at his home he would not be found. It is believed that someone with inside information of the force’s operation might have been tipping off the suspect before their
arrival. The ranks began inquiring about his whereabouts. Soon after, this publication was informed, ranks received a call from the suspect ordering them to “stop looking” and “asking people” for him. The suspect had even threatened to take action should they persist, this publication was told. A report was lodged against the suspect at the Brickdam Police Station and the matter had even reached the desk of three senior officials heading the Major Crime Unit (MCU) based at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters at Eve Leary. However, to date the wanted man is yet to be brought in for questioning for the murder of Fagundes or for threatening the ranks. In fact, since the alleged threats
were made no one has attempted to arrest the suspect. This newspaper was reliably informed that the individual has been identified as a chief security officer employed with a prominent business establishment located in central Georgetown. Family members related that during the initial stages of the investigation, investigators told them that there are more than one individuals involved in the killing and one of them was described as someone who would be seen “driving around the city in a fancy car every day and taking photos with politicians.” Since then, however, they had received no further updates and had lashed out at the force for its prolonged silence on the case. They s a i d , “ We f e e l h u r t a n d hopeless…none of the government officials have even publicly
Gunned down on Main Street, Ricardo Fagundes. acknowledge the shooting. When the Henry boys were killed, public statements were made by the president himself (President Mohamed Irfaan Ali) assuring their relatives that the perpetrators will be placed behind bars but with this case everyone, including the police, is silent.” Police have so far publicly Continued on page 54
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Sunday February 20, 2022
Making her mark in the male-dominated oil and gas industry… Recruitment Solutions CEO, Strategic
Kerri Gravesande-Bart By Rehanna Ramsay
K
is a ‘Special Person’
erensa ‘Kerri’ Gravesande-Bart is a woman entrepreneur on a mission to make her company; Strategic Recruitment Solutions Guyana Inc. (SRS) GY, a Guyanese brand operating at international standards even as it provides critical training to the locals working in the ever-expanding oil and gas sector. So far, Gravesande-Bart has no doubt proven herself as a force to be reckoned with in a male- dominated sector. But what makes this leading lady fit the bill to be featured as Kaieteur News’ ‘Special Person’ goes beyond her professional capabilities and achievements. The SRS founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) opened up to this newspaper about some of the personal challenges she overcame to become the ‘boss lady’ she is today. Gravesande Bart and her husband, Lloyd. If anyone should take this businesswoman at face value they would easily miss out on her truly wife, entrepreneur, leader and friend who inspiring journey to entrepreneurship. dreams daring dreams and fiercely pursues Gravesande-Bart’s outlook is also quite them. The businesswoman is also firm and unassuming despite the challenges; she nurturing, something she picked up from faced in her earlier stages of life. She told her warm and close-knit family circle. this newspaper that she would rather focus ROLE MODELS on the positives and allow the negatives to Growing up, Gravesande-Bart did not be used as life lessons to fuel her journey. have to look very far for inspiration. She She even created an acronym using the related that she was surrounded by role word FEAR. models, several of whom are her family The businesswoman noted that while members. She revealed that she lived this may sound cliché to some persons, she among her extended family since her needed to find a very practical way to face parents moved around a lot. fear. “At two weeks old, my parents took me “F for Fortitude and Firm in truth, E- to Lethem. They (my parents) were both empower yourself; speak and affirm graduates of the Regional Educational empowering thoughts every chance you Programme for Animal Health Assistants; a can; A for awareness and ancestry; you have p r o g r a m m e f a c i l i t a t e d b y t h e got to be aware of who and whose you are UNDP/PHO.” and R for resolve – remember to stay Then at five years old, Gravesande-Bart determined to find solutions.” The SRS was sent to live in Mahaica with her owner said as she spoke of how she was paternal grandparents for about a year. She able to overcome a particular experience said “…I loved living with them. My early on in her life. grandfather Edmund Osbert Storm Van Today, Gravesande-Bart is a mother, Gravesande, who was blind – really
impacted my life. The decision to move me was to ensure I was able to get access to a proper education. During 1988, I moved with my aunt and uncle in Campbellville, at that time my parents had changed jobs and were managing the Kissoon’s Family Ranch in the Abary. Until my parents returned to Georgetown and reunited with us, my siblings and I lived in Campbellville and Subryanville for a couple of years.” Gravesande-Bart said in 1990, her parents were offered positions at the John Fernandes subsidiary Bounty Farm at Timehri and the family moved again. This time, she attended the Soesdyke Primary School for a couple of years – until her mother ventured to St. Lucia to seek employment. She recalled, “My mom and I travelled to St. Lucia for three months. While there, I attended Camille Henry Memorial School. I loved the beaches, but I missed my father and brothers terribly. The job search was not successful and so we returned to Guyana.” On their return to Guyana, the young Gravesande-Bart was enrolled at the Eccles Primary School to prepare for the common entrance examinations. She recalled being placed in Mrs. June Appiah’s class. Mrs. Appiah had a remarkable success rate at the Common Entrance Exams. In addition to being in her class, she attended the teacher’s lessons at her Prospect Home on the East Bank Demerara. Following the exams, she was placed at the St. Rose’s High School. During that time, the Gravesandes changed jobs again and were managing the Ebini Ranch in the Berbice River, owned by the Livestock Development Company, LIDCO. “As such, I lived with my maternal grandmother and aunts. My grandmother and aunts, staunch Anglicans, and churchgoers – of course they insisted I attend and participate by reading the
CEO of SRS Kerri-Gravesande-Bart selected scriptures for the congregation very regularly,” she said, noting that her commute to school every day was from Parika to St. Rose’s High in Georgetown by minibus. According to Gravesande-Bart moving around as much as she did as a child, most certainly impacted her. She said “At the time, I was much too young to understand my parent’s decisions for us not being together and so I yearned and missed them relentlessly. My paternal grandfather loved me beyond words, he was my protector in every way. I still remember our conversations and how he prayed with me.” Gravesande-Bart continued “My maternal grandmother and aunts – taught me everything about church and being a lady. Their lessons are forever entrenched. How a lady sits, talks and walks. I truly Continued on page 52
Mrs. Gravesande-Bart and her team in the fields.
Sunday February 20, 2022
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No place for riggers in the Caribbean Community
T
h e P r i m e Minister of Barbados is fully au fait with Guyana’s internal dynamics. Not only was she familiar with the attempt to s teal the March 2020 elections but she must have known who were some of the actors, both inside and outside of GECOM, who were part of or who gave tacit support to this diabolical plot to snatch national sovereignty. As a consequence of that plot, an explosive situation was developing locally. That plot also had dire implications for the region, as it could have been replicated to deny electoral democracy in other parts of the Caribbean. It was in recognition of the danger which was posed to democracy in Guyana and in the Caribbean and the social and ethnic and economic implications of rigged elections in Guyana,
that Prime Minister Mottley led a high-level Caricom team to Guyana to help resolve the ensuing crisis. She remained engaged from that first visit until the crisis was resolved on 2nd August, 2020. She fully understood what was taking place and the political vagabonds behind the deadly plot to derail electoral democracy. After the dubious attempt was made to disenfranchise more than 100,000 voters, following the recount, she came out publicly against this attempt. In a statement, issued on behalf of the entire Caribbean Community, she expressed concerns about this attempt which she observed was contrary to the directions given by the Guyana Elections Commission and which did not “reflect the results of the recount process as certified by the very staff of the
Guyana Elections Commission and witnessed by representatives of the political parties.” Noting that the CARICOM Observer Team which scrutinized the recount was of the unshakeable belief that the people of Guyana expressed their will at the ballot box on March 2 and, “that the results of the recount, certified as valid by the staff of GECOM, led to an orderly conclusion on which the declaration of the results of the Election would be made.” For those who do not know, Prime Minister Mottley is a legal luminary and Queens Counsel, the Barbadian equivalent of a Senior Counsel. She questioned on what grounds and on the basis of what executive fiat the votes of 115,000 voters could be invalidated, when these votes were already certified as valid by officers of the
Guyana Elections Commission in the presence of the political parties. In what was perceived as a clear dig at local political forces, which were frustrating the finalisation of the declaration of the elections’ results, she said, “The role and focus of political parties must be useful and not obstructive in embracing and promoting the clear and expressed will of the people. When we confuse and frustrate that will, is when we begin to sow the very seeds of discord and acrimony that we are sworn to dissuade and discourage.” For taking such a principled stand – one that no previous Caricom Chairperson had ever taken concerning elections in Guyana – she was soundly criticized by the usual local suspects. She was subsequently asked a question, by a reporter, about the push back over her comments.
She replied, “The truth hurts…I have nothing more to say. The truth hurts but what we must never do in CARICOM is to avoid the truth and avoid our principles.” The Prime Minister of Barbados has never been shy about making her views known. And the positions that the leaders of the Caribbean Community took in relation to the 2020 elections in Guyana demonstrated not only their understanding of the local dynamics but also the dangers to the values of the Caribbean posed by those who wanted to return Guyana to the days of political dictatorship. She was not the only Caribbean leader who came out against the attempted rape of democracy. The Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, an eminent attorney, made it clear that the regional integration body was not
going to tolerate anybody stealing an election. He reminded the sore losers that, “When you take part in an election, there is always a chance that you will lose… and if you lose ‘take your licks like a man’.” The Prime Minister of Barbados and her colleagues in the Caribbean want nothing to do with those who were complicit in or spun narratives which were aimed at supporting the attempt to rape electoral democracy in Guyana. No wonder they are not going six feet within reach of them. (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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Sunday February 20, 2022
US-Caribbean relations more than China and Russia By Sir Ronald Sanders
T
here has been a t r o u b l i n g development in relations between the U.S. and the 14 independent nations of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). In the absence of a clear U.S. government strategy for the Caribbean, on February
7, a Bill entitled, “The We s t e r n H e m i s p h e r e Security Strategy Act of 2022” from two Senators, Republican Marco Rubio and Democratic Bob Menendez, was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. This Bill was introduced with no input from Caribbean governments or
any other official Caribbean representative organisations. Not surprisingly, therefore, the interests of Caribbean countries are not reflected in the Bill. According to Senator Rubio, this Bill is being introduced “at a time when the destabilising impact of authoritarian regimes, and transnational criminal
organisations, in addition to the malign activities of state actors like China and Russia, pose risks to U.S. national security”. The authoritarian regimes in the Caribbean and Latin America, which the Bill claims are causing a “destabilising impact” on U.S. security, are not identified. They could hardly exist in the CARICOM region, where, apart from Haiti and its very peculiar circumstances, all governments have been freely and fairly elected and adhere to both domestic and international requirements of the rule of law. Indeed, according to Freedom House, a nonprofit, majority U.S. government funded organisation in Washington, D.C. that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom, and human rights, many Caribbean countries rank ahead of the U.S. in the measurement of respect for political and civil rights. In Freedom House’s Global Freedom Score for 2021, the U.S. is rated at 83 (highest rating being 100), several points lower than Antigua and Barbuda (85), Barbados (95), Belize (87), Dominica (93), Grenada (89), St. Kitts-Nevis (89), St. Lucia (91), St. Vincent and the Grenadines (91) and the B a h a m a s ( 9 1 ) . S i g n i f i c a n t l y, a l l t h e CARICOM countries, except Haiti, are rated as “free” as is the U.S. In the context of “authoritarian regimes”, therefore, Senators Rubio and Menendez must have had in mind specific, and non-CARICOM, Caribbean countries. However, the Senators present no evidence of the “destabilising impact” on U.S. security of any Caribbean country. Senator Rubio also identified “the malign activities of state actors like China and Russia” in the region as posing “risks to U.S. national security”. In his Media Release, Senator Rubio claimed that: “There is no greater threat in our region than the growing meddling of Russia and China in Latin America and the Caribbean.” It is in this framework, in which drug and human trafficking are included, that these two influential Senators have introduced this Bill. It has come one year into the current administration of U.S. President Joseph Biden, and
almost five years since the U.S. State Department, under former President Donald Trump, issued its “U.S. Strategy for Engagement in the Caribbean” in June 2017. In reality, the 2017 strategy attracted no funding and existed more in word than in deed. President Trump’s Caribbean interests focused on Cuba, as a response to CubanAmerican exiles with whom he allied to win the State of Florida in the 2020 Presidential elections, and on Venezuela for similar reasons. President Biden, no doubt pre-occupied with troubling domestic and external issues, that included fighting the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic, recovering the U.S. economy, getting troops out of Afghanistan, and trying to restore international confidence in the U.S. government as a reliable partner to Europe in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, has set out no Caribbean policy. Therefore, such a policy, as now exists, is one that responds to Caribbean advocacy in specific areas such as providing antiCOVID-19 vaccines from the large stockpile in the U.S. For the most part, departments of the U.S. government have been working on the leftovers of the 2017 strategy. It is into this vacuum that Senators Rubio and Menendez have stepped with their Bill that focuses the U.S. Caribbean relationship only in terms of ‘U.S. security’, and even then, in terms that takes no account of how Caribbean countries view security. Most countries in CARICOM would not regard their relations with China and Russia as “meddling”, nor would they share the view reflected in the Bill, that “There is no greater threat in our region than the growing meddling of Russia and China”. Further, while increased assistance with “security” would be welcome, the narrow frame, as expressed in the Bill, limits the areas in which CARICOM governments have placed security. CARICOM has adopted an approach that “security” is multi-dimensional and while it includes some of the elements that the Bill has detailed, it also crucially
Sir Ronald Sanders includes Climate Change; access to financing for development; preparing for t h e e ff e c t s o f f u t u r e pandemics; tackling insecurities in food, water and energy; correcting poor terms of trade; and the consequences of increased unemployment and poverty. The Bill sets out its purposes as the U.S. maintaining “credible security capabilities dedicated to Latin America and the Caribbean…. to deter acts of aggression; and to respond, if necessary, to regional threats and threats to the national security of the United States”. These objectives echo the Monroe Doctrine of a past era by which U.S. governments exercised outsized influence in Latin America and the Caribbean. Neither the U.S. administration nor CARICOM governments can sit-by, allowing the Rubio-Menendez Bill to be the principal determinant of their relationship. And, it could easily become just that, particularly as one of the stated intentions of the Bill is that “the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly provide a briefing to the appropriate committees of Congress on the implementation of the strategy”. Officials of both the U.S. a n d C A R I C O M governments should waste no time in ensuring that the “appropriate committees” of the U.S. Congress and Senators Rubio and Menendez appreciate that the relationship between the U.S. and the Caribbean is most secure when its economic and financial pillars are strengthened. (The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States and the OAS. He is a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are his own) Responses and previous c o m m e n t a r i e s : www.sirronaldsanders.com
Sunday February 20, 2022
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BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCY! In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes SUNDAY Guyana is currently on the map for striking it rich with black gold.This only added to the abundant wealth, which the Creator has bestowed upon us in this land. But if not managed properly, far too many Guyanese will remain dirt poor.We are praying at this publication that the Creator will give our leaders a heart, for the people whose votes allowed them to be in office and can remove them just the same, so that they would see the dire need to manage our wealth so that future generations can benefit. Change must and will come! MONDAY Today is designated the
Day of Love.It certainly would be nice if we could love ourselves enough to do what it takes to protect our homeland. You might ask: What do we need protection from? The answer is simple: We need protection from those who, by virtue of their actions, demonstrate that they do not care for us as a nation.Guyanese, let's show them just how much we love Guyana; Get Up, Stand Up. Let's show them just how much we love our dear land. TUESDAY The Creator in his infinite wisdom, created each of us with both strengths and weaknesses. These qualities help to transform us into unique individuals.Wouldn't it be
in our country, our publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about onnice if we could use our Godgiven qualities to help each other, rather than outwit each other? For too long, there have been some among us who deceive us into thinking that they have our best interest at heart. Daily, we are seeing that there are not too many among us who really have our best interest at heart. WEDNESDAY Guyana has been declared the South American Dubai.Yes, we have vast amounts of wealth that, if managed properly, can elevate us to that glorious status.But with the kind of leadership we have had over the years, it is near impossible that Guyana could become a Dubai.
Because of the actions of some of our leaders, we have a society in which a grown man, doing a wonderful imitation of them, steals from a toddler; choke and rob criminals daily, violate our young and old. It is not hard to detect, we have descended into the depths of immorality and we must fight as one to take back the reins of our country from those who seem bent on bringing our existence to a calamitous end. THURSDAY Leaving and entering the city is often a motorist's nightmare.But there is not only congestion in the city but on our community roads as well.There is no doubt in the mind of many Guyanese that our country is in dire
going indecency in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation. need of an improved road network.With Govt.'s plan to inject $2B into even more road works, we, the citizens of this country, must pay close attention to ensure that we get value for our taxpayers' dollars. FRIDAY How long will we remain a developing nation? We have always had wealth in abundance, even before the discovery of oil. But clearly wealth does not translate to development. Guyanese, are we really going to let this country retain that developing status for another 50 years? It is time to stop the giveaway of Guyana; demand that your leaders prudently manage the affairs of this country.
SATURDAY Are we really prepared to normalise criminality in our homeland? When blatant thievery becomes part of a society, there is no place left for it to go but down. We believe that there are more Guyanese, other than the few already speaking up, who do not wish to see our country deteriorate further. Come on Guyanese, a Guyana straddled with enormous debt due to wicked acts of some of our leaders, with citizens afraid to walk the streets because of 'choke and rob bandits', cannot be the legacy that we desire to leave for future generations. Together, we must stand and fight for a better Guyana.
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Sunday February 20, 2022
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
President Ali must resurrect the Manning Initiative: CARICOM saved us many times
I
n a brief conversation with President Ali, I advised that he must devote time to shaping a legacy that will take its place alongside the contributions of other great Guyanese. Unless he is not the presidential candidate in 2025, then he has eight years to do it. I believe the incumbent will win in 2025. I cannot see how this is not legally possible. This is a complex, difficult country to administer but a significant intervention can now alter the course of history. Guyana has substantial oil deposits and even though one would have wished for a better investment contract with EXXON, there will be income from that industry that will reshape the political economy of Guyana. I saw in an interview programme, a fervent antiPPP politician, Clive Thomas, echoing that sentiment. I also saw an interview with a pro-PNC businessman, Stanley Ming, expressing some confidence in the Ali presidency. The president should use oil revenue to transform this country's political economy not its economy only. I stress the term, political economy. He must use the financial leverage he has to effect far reaching changes. One idea of mine is the resurrection of the Manning Initiative (MI).
The idea occurred to me because at the time of writing, the Barbados Prime Minister was in Guyana. For those too young to know about MI, it bears the name of then Trinidadian PM, Patrick Manning who advocated a mini-CARICOM within CARICOM. He wanted a closer integration process between Guyana, Trinidad and Barbados. I grew up with Guyanese having mixed feelings about our Caricom neighbours, with Jamaica being the exception. Guyanese seem to like Jamaica and Jamaicans. As I grew older and became an academic, I found out that Guyanese business people were angry about the way Trinidad treated Guyana as a trading partner. There is still a basis for that anger. But CARICOM is not only about trade. It is about an area of life in this big and bad world that the people who occupy common ground need to stick together. When it comes to Guyana, we must never forget that if it wasn't for CARICOM there would be no Guyana. I will offer four brief examples. 1 - It was CARICOM that pressured President Desmond Hoyte to hold free and fair elections. We attribute that effort solely to the US. But the CARICOM meeting at Mustique in St. Vincent played no small part on the
pressure on Hoyte. 2 - CARICOM territories have preserved the existence of many Guyanese since the Burnham dictatorship. We flocked to those islands to find existence and we found it. CARICOM offers medical service to Guyanese families who cannot afford the expensive service in the US and who do not have and will not get an American visa. I went to Miami for eye surgery courtesy of Father Andrew Morrison of the Catholic Standard. Years after when my eyes deteriorated, I could not have afforded to return so I went to Trinidad where the service was of international standards. 3 - In 1997, there was a deliberate attempt to create mayhem by rejecting the election results. Through the initiative of Sir Shridath Ramphal and Yesu Persaud, CARICOM intervened and Guyana was saved. 4 - CARICOM saved us again when there were sustained efforts over five months in 2020 to return Guyana to permanent, oneparty rule. Guyana is alive today, receiving oil dollars that it can spend to extirpate the hopeless we have lived with for so long, thanks to CARICOM. Our geographical proximity to Brazil and increasing trade with Latin countries should not dilute
our relations with out genetic neighbours – CARICOM. With an expanding friendship with Barbados, and an increasing presence of oil employees from Trinidad in Guyana, this may be the time for President to reexamine MI. I would suggest to President AIi, that since Guyana is one of the world's most under-populated countries, we encourage more CARICOM nationals to come. Guyana should be the first CARICOM land to abolish visa for our neighbours. There have been too many CARICOM
n a t i o n a l s languishing in the jails here because they overstayed their time. Secondly, I think UWI should be approached to take over UG's Faculty of Agriculture. It makes no sense for UWI to have a Faculty of Agriculture. The three UWI countries constitute square miles that are just a small part of Guyana. There are no deep and extensive research possibilities in agriculture in those three countries than what obtains in Guyana. Thirdly, have yearly
Frederick Kissoon
ex ch ange of police officers and public servants from the three countries working in each other countries. The world is entering a terrible phase and the further integration of CARICOM will become a survival kit. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the
Sunday February 20, 2022
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COVID-19: The Pandemic is beginning to show signs of shifting to an endemic By Dr. Zulfikar Bux Emergency Medicine Specialist The Omicron wave has already peaked and we are rapidly heading to the bottom of the wave here in Guyana. While infections are still occurring at concerning numbers, Hospitalisations, which determine the impact of the disease, has dropped sufficiently to not be a threat to the health system. I believe that we still have a couple of weeks more before the number of infections from Omicron is no longer concerning. When that time comes, unless there is an unnatural occurrence, we should start to drift out of the pandemic and into an endemic state. What is an endemic? An endemic basically means the point at which an infection is no longer
unpredictably disruptive. This doesn't mean that it will not be deadly but the pattern of infections becomes more predictable that we can figure out ways to live with it. This virus will continue to mutate into strains that can evade our immune system but given its pattern thus far, it should not be strains that would be more deadly or more infectious. Should the SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 reach an endemic state, it will be the 5th human coronavirus to achieve this state. The other four coronaviruses that mostly cause the cold like symptoms that we have experienced over the years, offer short term immunity that lasts for about a year. It seems like COVID-19 will follow a similar trend where we are exposed to new strains every year causing seasonal cold
symptoms. Hopefully, it weakens sufficiently to not be as life threatening as it currently is. What are examples of endemic diseases? The following are examples of endemic diseases that continue to be a threat to us: · The Flu · Common Cold · Malaria · Dengue · HIV · Cholera · Typhoid · Syphilis As you can see, some of these diseases still pose significant threat to livelihood but there is some amount of stability and predictability in their spread to allow us to thrive with them. When will COVID-19 become endemic? While signs are
encouraging, we still have to wait and see how things pan out. As it is currently, the huge amount of immunity driven by omicron infections and continuing vaccination efforts seems to be accelerating the transition to endemicity. The levels of immunity currently occurring will slow the spread of COVID-19 down sufficiently that it should weaken and become more predictable. Given the current trends, my best prediction is that we should see some amount of stability by the end of March then drift into endemicity by the third quarter of 2022. When will life become normal again?
I am not sure that we can expect to go back to life as per normal before the pandemic. There will be a new norm where the mental health effects of the pandemic cause fluctuating behaviour patterns in different populations. Restrictions and lockdowns should come to an end in 2022 as we learn to live with this virus. The choice to wear masks will depend on individuals and their level of comfort around others. Some will be more vigilant and practice preventative measures while others will not. There may be a few flare-ups of infections but not threatening enough to
overwhelm systems. Relaxation of COVID-19 measures will vary according to countries but I am optimistic that this will start to happen sooner than we think. We have learnt enough about COVID-19 and its time that we regain control of our livelihoods.
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Dear Reader, in light of the economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, our publisher, with you in mind, has taken the decision to extend our weekly review of some of our major stories in their entirety. SUNDAY ‘Use oil money to fight poverty’ -Glenn Lall warns against wasting funds on inflated, corrupt projects -says US$60M of oil funds can double public servants’ salary, hike old age pension Years after promising citizens that Guyana’s new found oil wealth will be spent on bettering their lives, the government’s first move on the oil resources will be to fund a controversial gas-toshore project and other schemes mired in controversy. Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall, who has been pushing for responsible management of the petroleum sector and spending of the oil resources said that of the US$630M (GYD$126B) the government will be withdrawing from the Guyana Natural Resources Fund, US$60M alone could be used to double public servants’ salary and the monthly old age pension which is pegged at $28,000. In wrapping up the examination of the $552.9B budget last week, Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh told the National Assembly that $126B coming from the Natural Resources Fund (NRF) will be pooled with other revenue streams in the Consolidated Fund, to pay for government’s programmes for the year—all of which are considered, “national developmental priorities,” and as such, could not be disaggregated and identified as financing a specific project. It would be apposite to note that despite the fact that some $126B of this year’s Budget is being funded with monies to be withdrawn from the NRF for the first time, there was no mention—despite promises made—of which programmes specifically in this year’s budget would be funded using Guyana’s oil resources. In fact, he intimated that the money is in fact being used as budgetary support. Dr. Singh when first pressed on the matter was reminded that “…we were being told that we have to ask the Minister of Finance, which are the projects that would be utilising the NRF amounts.” To this end, Dr. Singh was adamant that the new Natural Resource Act that had been approved provides a mechanism that the money be withdrawn and placed as a
Kaieteur News
lump sum into the Consolidated Fund. He explained further that the new Act established a mechanism whereby transfers come into the Fund in its entirety then appropriated. However, speaking on his weekly Radio Programme, the Glenn Lall Show on Friday, the Kaieteur News Publisher predicted that the $126B will be spent on a selected few government officials through inflated projects. “…President Ali is going to put $100M into the Gas-toshore Project what Guyanese know nothing about and got Ashni Singh telling this nation how it’s too early to say, whether the public servants can get an increase in their salary. This country can’t be real…” Mr. Lall told his audience. He said the NRF Act, which governs the country’s oil resources is very specific about what the money should be spent on, and what portion of it should be saved. “Anyhow them twist it, anyhow you turn it, our oil money will be spent on all the projects in 2022 and nothing will be left in the account for our children,” Lall noted. Poverty in the country Lall spoke about intense poverty in Guyana, referencing a visit to his office by a woman he knew. He stated that the woman has five children and was begging him for help because she has to move from where she is living. “ She barely making money to feed her children and pay her rent. She said ‘Glenn this had happened to me one time before in which I had to beg friends to keep the older children and I used to take the two smaller ones and go in the nights at the emergency unit of the Georgetown Hospital, cover my head and sleep there until morning’.” “She said after a couple nights they (hospital staff) caught her and she was so shame to tell them she got nowhere to go with the two children, but she is not a beggar, she’s a public servant who just can’t make ends meet.” Lall said the dilemma of that woman and her family mirrors that of thousands of Guyanese across this country who cannot make ends meet. “Yes this is happening in an oil-rich country, the second fastest growing economy on earth today.” “Mr. President Ali, Mr. Norton and Mr. Jagdeo - US$60M out of that US$630M oil money should have been used to double all the public servants’ salary, and double every senior citizens pension for the whole year already, so that woman’s
salary could have been doubled and she didn’t have to walk around the place in tears, begging for anything that can help her move.” Despite boasting the double digit GDP, the World Bank has classified Guyana as one of the poorest countries in South America, with 43.4 percent of the population living on less than US$5.50 per person a day in 2011. The country, the Bank stated, has one of the highest emigration rates in the world – roughly half of its nationals with tertiary education leave Guyana and more than 39 percent of its citizens reside abroad– placing it among the largest recipients of remittances relative to GDP in Latin American and the Caribbean. According to the World Bank, recent increases in active cases of COVID-19 and deaths are cause for concern. The Bank said as the government begins to develop the oil and gas sector, ensuring governance mechanisms that adhere to international environmental and social standards is critical to avoid many of the issues resource-rich countries have faced. Unfulfilled promises Meanwhile, still on the topic of higher pay for public servants, Lall alluded to remarks by Dr. Singh during the budget examination in which he said the People’s Progressive Party/Civic government is firmly committed to working closely with all stakeholders in society including organised labour on all matters of national importance. However, Lall asked where was the principle when the government arbitrarily imposed increase on the workers? “When you listen to these people, you have to ask yourself many questions. One of them is - are these people for real, can they be trusted,
can they see the creator’s face?” The newspaper publisher recalled President Irfaan Ali previously saying that “he supports far more than 20 percent increase for them; public servants…but today this young man sits down as the lead man, passing a budget with the people’s own oil money, without a blind dollar in it for them. The same people he was screaming his support for. That is what you call trust, that is what you call leadership? No, that is what you call an honest, trustworthy and a believable politician, all they give you is empty promises, about what they are going to do for you and what they wouldn’t do for you…” Lall said as an opposition Member of Parliament, Ali was on top of his voice in parliament calling on the then Coalition administration to increase wages for public servants, at a time when there were no oil resources. “He was supporting giving more than 20 percent increase to the civil servants. Now the oil money come in his hands, and he is in the driving seat, in total command and control, throwing US$30M, which is just over half the money for public servants’ salary, on a bush road,” Lall stated, making reference to the Linden-Mabura Road. He added, “Throwing away a full seven percent of the oil money again on that milking cow (Cheddi Jagan Airport) that will never be completed.” In addition to Lall, the prodemocracy group, Article 13 also flagged government’s $552.9B budget, saying that too much of the country’s architecture seems designed to serve the business class, with emphasis on growing certain types and classes of businesses while the average Guyanese does not appear to
Sunday February 20, 2022
benefit to the same degree. “We note too that while businesses and oil companies are getting tax breaks on vehicles and equipment, the average Guyanese is paying a larger percentage of their earnings just to feed themselves while our pensioners will receive a mere $3,000 (approx. US$15) per month in increase. These need careful examination,” the group said in a statement reacting to the budget which was approved by the National Assembly Thursday evening. The main opposition, APNU+AFC, has decried the estimate as anti-working class. Opposition frontbencher, Senior Counsel, Roysdale Forde, during his budget debate presentation said the budget will widen the economic gap between the poor, the working class and the rich. He said government, in presenting the $552.9B Budget, has thus far failed to provide a blue print for the equitable distribution of the country’s resources. Forde said Guyanese, in 2021, witnessed and experienced a rapid deterioration of the social and economic conditions which were further compounded by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. MONDAY Liza Two poses grave danger to Guyana without full coverage insurance –Attorney Melinda Janki The PPP/C Government along with many industry actors have publically stated that they view the recent commencement of operations at the Liza Phase Two Project using the Liza Unity FPSO in the Stabroek Block as a major achievement for the oil producing State. On the other end of the spectrum however, are several other patriotic observers who are cognizant of the lopsided
Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) the project is tied to, as well as the fact that it has no full coverage insurance. In light of these two factors, these individuals are deeply concerned about the project’s dangerous environmental implications. Specifically, Attorney-atLaw, Melinda Janki, is of the firm conviction that the Liza Phase Two Project poses a grave danger to Guyana. In an invited comment, Janki—who has been passionate about the protection of the environment especially with the onset of Guyana’s prolific oil discoveries—said with over 30 wells drilled to support the project, the risk of a blowout increases. She further notes that the Liza Phase Two Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) admits that an unmitigated oil spill could hit Guyana’s shores, affect marine life in the ocean, devastate Caribbean countries and could harm Guyana’s fishing sector. If this happens, Janki articulated that no amount of insurance can replace the natural resources that enable people to live. She alluded to the suffering that therefore looms in the absence of adequate insurance for protection. Further to this, she said ExxonMobil has admitted to using faulty equipment in Liza Phase One project which utilizes the Liza Destiny. Mechanical issues that affected the Liza Destiny’s gas compressor system since 2019 has led to the flaring of over 15 billion standard cubic feet of gas. ExxonMobil now projects that it will address these gas compressor woes until half year. Given the mechanical issues that led to the pollution of the air space from
toxic chemicals released from flaring, Janki said all Guyanese should be worried about whether ExxonMobil is likely to repeat the same mistake on Liza Two. It is therefore Janki’s belief that there should be a halt to oil production until the Government and ExxonMobil can show beyond the shadow of a doubt that the (Continued on page 29)
Sunday February 20, 2022
From page 28 Liza Phase Two operations are safe. According to project documents, oil production from the Liza Phase Two Development is expected to last at least 20 years. During that time, approximately 220,000 barrels of oil would be produced per day via the Liza Unity FPSO. That ship is also expected to develop 600 million barrels of oil over its lifecycle. Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) which is the operator of the Stabroek Block and the subsidiary of ExxonMobil has said that the entire Liza Phase Two development costs US$3.5B. Guyana is yet to verify whether this cost is correct. KEY DIFFERENCES According to reports perused by this newspaper, there are some key differences between the Liza Phase Two Development and the Liza Phase One Development which commenced in December 2019. In the area of Oil Production Rates, the Phase Two production rate will be approximately 190,000 to 220,000 barrels of oil per day while Phase One’s production rate has hovered around 120, 000 to 130,000 barrels of oil per day. With respect to FPSO Oil Storage Volume, Phase Two’s storage volume is approximately 1.6 to 2 million barrels. Phase One’s storage volume is 1.6 million barrels. In terms of the number of wells, Phase Two well has approximately 35-40 wells. Phase One has 17 wells. POSSIBLE EFFECTS The reports being held by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that the Liza Phase Two project comes with a fair number of possible effects on people, wildlife and the environment. Although the probability of an oil spill reaching the Guyana coast is very low, the EIA for the Liza Phase Two project states that a subsea release of crude oil from a well control, event at a Liza well would likely impact marine resources found near the well, including marine turtles and certain marine mammals (especially baleen whales) that may transit or inhabit the area impacted by a spill, as well as marine water quality. It was further noted that a spill could potentially impact Guyanese fisherfolk if commercial fish and shrimp resources were impacted. Kaieteur News understands that the magnitude of this impact would depend on the volume and duration of the release as well as the time of year at which the release were
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to occur (e.g., whether a spill would coincide with the time of year when these species are more abundant in the Project Development Area). Cost to build Linden to Mabura road up to $32B - after company adds price for contingency After arithmetical errors were corrected with its bid price, the Brazilian firm, Construtora Queiroz Galvao, will be building the Linden to Mabura Hill road to the tune of $32 billion. This project, which is in partnership with the Government of Guyana, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the United Kingdom Government, includes the upgrading of approximately 122km of road from Linden to Mabura Hill to an asphaltic concrete road. When bids were initially opened for this project at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office in December last, the company submitted a financial proposal of $29 billion to construct the new road. Kaieteur News understands that this amount has changed to some $32 billion since the company was notified of arithmetical errors in its bid price which had to be corrected. The company was among five firms vying for this project. The companies which competed for the contract were: China Gezhouba Group Company Limited (China) with a bid of $29,962,374,255, China Railway International Company Limited (China) with a bid of $33,808,790,866, Shandong Luqiao Group Company Limited (China) with a bid of $30,225,357,150, Queiroz Galvao (Brazil) with a bid of $29,546,747,077, and joint ventures Castilho (Brazil) and local company EOCI with a bid of $35,138,144,149. The Ministry of Public Works, which this project falls under, estimated the project to cost some $34,197,257,104 Providing some clarity with regard to the bid price for the project, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill told this newspaper on Sunday that when the bid was submitted, one price was called out, but before it was evaluated, the evaluators discovered that the figure was not correct and “so they notify the bidder who accepted that, and that is the new price.” The Minister explained, “They had contingencies in their price but they did not add it to their original price. Before they were evaluated the contingencies were added in.” Edghill further stated that the mathematical errors were
corrected by the bidder before it was announced that it was awarded the contract. On February 3, last, Senior Minister with responsibility with Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh had announced that Construtora Queiroz Galvao S.A has received the Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) no-objection to go ahead with the US$190 million Linden to Mabura Road project. The Public Works Minister has since clarified that the bid price “was not increased after the contract was awarded.” The road project, which is the largest ever to be approved by the CDB, is just the first phase that will ultimately lead to a completed Linden to Lethem road link that will then complete an overland link to B r a z i l . According to reports, the Bank is putting US$112 million through a loan towards this project, the Government of Guyana is putting US$12 million, and the UK Government is putting US$66 million. Upon completion, this road would provide major support to ease of travel, trade and general connectivity between Guyana and Brazil and open vast opportunities by linking Guyana’s hinterland communities to Georgetown. Budget 2022, which was presented on January 26, , by Dr. Singh, stated that the government had allocated a sum of $6 billion for the construction
of the Linden to Mabura Hill road. TUESDAY Guyana’s Energy Conference mainly sponsored by ExxonMobil & its subcontractors opens Tuesday – 4-day event will not address contract renegotiation, environmental insurance to protect the region The International Energy Conference and ExhibitionGuyana 2022 which commences Tuesday to facilitate discussions in the nation’s best interest is primarily sponsored by American oil giant, ExxonMobil and its partners in the Stabroek Block, Hess Corporation and CNOOC. Several of Exxon’s subcontractors are also major sponsors. They include SBM Offshore, Saipem, Schlumberger, TehnipFMC, Baker Hughes, and Stena Drilling. The four-day event which is being hosted at the Marriott Hotel is expected to see discussions on several topics which include the energy transition; the health, safety and environmental culture that is required in the sector; opportunities for members of the Diaspora; the plans of the government to ensure the transition away from heavy fossil fuels; local content; and activity updates from oil operators in Guyana’s waters. Significantly, there will be zero discussion or attention
paid to the two biggest issues affecting Guyanese and that of future generations— the unwillingness of ExxonMobil to provide full coverage insurance for its projects and renegotiation of the fatally flawed Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA). On Sunday, Kaieteur News published a news item which featured comments from Chartered Accountant and Attorney-at-Law, Christopher Ram who noted the golden opportunity that is before the PPP/C Government at this conference. Ram noted that both President Irfaan Ali and Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, the two most powerful men in Guyana’s oil sector, will be speaking at the conference today. Also slated to deliver a featured address is Chief Executive Officer of ExxonMobil, Darren Woods. Ram is of the firm conviction that Jagdeo and Ali ought to use this opportunity of having Woods in-country to lobby him publicly and privately on the need for Guyana to correct some of the most onerous terms of the contract. Publisher of Kaieteur News, Mr. Glenn Lall has also stated that while he supports Ram’s sentiments, he would add that Guyana ought to demand full coverage insurance for all of the ExxonMobil operated projects for in the absence of same, Guyana
leaves itself and the region by extension, exposed to the incredibly devastating impacts of an unmitigated oil spill. Noticeably silent on the key issues that ought to be given due attention at the conference is the political opposition. While it has raised an alarm about not being invited to attend, it has failed to make any demands on what the government and the organisers should be addressing in the interest of the citizenry. While organisers have already confirmed with this newspaper that contract renegotiation or full coverage insurance, two critical issues for national security, did not make the final agenda, they were able to confirm some of the other speakers and topics that would be considered over the next four days. This newspaper understands that the conference will be opened today with statements from Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the President of Ghana; Chandrikapersad Santokhi, the President of Suriname; and Mia Amor Mottley, the Prime Minister of Barbados. Guyana’s President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali will be delivering the keynote address. Following the foregoing presentations, Vice President, Dr. Jagdeo will be outlining early on, Guyana’s Oil and Gas Policy, after which, Darren (Continued on page 30)
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From page 29 Woods, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ExxonMobil will deliver his address. The first day will also feature three activities, which are focused on local content. Annand Jagesar, the Managing Director of Staatsolie (Suriname’s National Oil Company) will be sharing his home country’s experience on this subject matter as well as insight on local content initiatives pursued in the Dutch speaking country. There will also be a panel discussion on local content, which will see input from Deodat Indar, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works; Martin Pertab, Director at the Local Content Secretariat for the Ministry of Natural Resources; Nicolas Sicard, Area Director for Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago at TechnipFMC; Francesco Prazzo, General Manager at SBM Offshore, Guyana; Brent Patterson, Regional Director at Blue Water Shipping; and Paul Cheong, Chairman of the Private Sector Commission. Another panel discussion focused on skills needed for the progress of the energy industry in Guyana will also be hosted and see participation from Dr. Natasha GaskinPeters, Manager at the ExxonMobil funded-Centre for Business Development; Maria Claudia Borras, Group Executive Vice-President at Baker Hughes; Brian McShane, Senior Vice President at Intecsea; and Lars Mangal, Chief Executive Officer at Totaltec. Tomorrow, Jagdeo is scheduled to start the day with a presentation on Guyana’s sustainable approach for a sustainable future. He will be followed by Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat who is expected to provide key updates on the Energy Corridor and Cross Border oil field development and services. Operations updates are expected to be provided Alistair Routledge, President of ExxonMobil Guyana; Gabriel De Alba, Chairman of CGX; Ryan Ramjit, Country Manager for Guyana, Repsol and Mitch Jie-A-Looi, Team Lead of Geoscience Operations at Staatsolie. Winston Brassington who is the ex-Chairman of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) and now a key advisor to the government, is expected to make two presentations. Tomorrow, he is expected to focus on the government’s US$900M gas-to-energy project while on Thursday, his attention will shift to the
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Amaila Falls Hydro-Project. The final day, that is Friday, February 18, will be reserved for business-to-business meetings where conference participants will be paired with local companies to consider potential avenues for partnerships. A trade show featuring hundreds of companies from around the world as well as those already here will be hosted simultaneously at the Marriott Hotel from today to Friday. WEDNESDAY Jagdeo pushes oil companies to go faster ...even as citizens call on Exxon to give Guyana full coverage insurance, renegotiate contract Guyana is looking for an accelerated exploration programme not just in the Stabroek Block with Esso Exploration and Production Limited (EEPGL)—ExxonMobil Guyana—as the operator but in the other oil blocks too. This, as EEPGL parent company looks to invest more in Guyana with the right policy direction. These were among the assertions adumbrated yesterday at the opening of the International Energy Conference being held at the Marriot Hotel. Addressing the packed Marriott Ballroom gathering, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, dealt with Guyana’s oil and gas policy, noting that despite there are shortcomings in Guyana’s regime with regard its structures, frameworks and regulations in place for the industry, the developments in the industry must continue in an accelerated manner. Jagdeo’s remarks came amid heightened calls for ExxonMobil to give this country’s full coverage insurance to protect it in the event of an oil spill. Also citizens have been demanding a renegotiation of the contract the Government of Guyana signed with ExxonMobil. According to Jagdeo, “we have been trying to evolve the regime; because the pace of development has been rapid.” As such, the Vice President was adamant, “…we have to, at the level of the government, try to keep the regime evolving at a pace where we don’t become a humbug on the development of the industry and slow down the pace.” Addressing the stakeholders, he conceded that Guyana has not, as yet, been able to evolve its policy, regulatory and other required structures in a mature manner.
Conceding, “we are still lagging in that regard, Vice President Jagdeo noted that in evolving the new regime for operating in Guyana, the objective is to ensure that there is shared prosperity and that investors in “this high-risk sector” would also have an opportunity to get a return that mirrors the risk; that is important for us.” It is in this vein the Vice President drew reference to a new fiscal regime to be introduced under the new Production Sharing Agreement to be developed which will ensure the industry evolves in a way to not remove incentives for fast-paced exploration or a decent return on capital. This he said, would be achieved while at the same time ensuring that there is a greater portion of benefits coming to the people of the country. He said one of the guiding principles that would lead to the development of the new PSA is the preservation of a decent return for the investor that would allow them to raise the capital in order to press ahead with its exploration programmes. As such the vice president in addressing the hundreds of delegates at the conference sought to assure that investors should not be “unduly alarmed that it (new PSA) will take away all the incentives.” According to Jagdeo, the evolution of the industry has to be done in a manner “where the prosperity has to be shared.” Seeking to assure of predictability with regard investments in Guyana, Jagdeo reminded that the existing Petroleum Legislation in Guyana is dated 1986 and is “not fit for purpose.” To this end he said, “we are aggressively working to resolve this.” Expounding further on the changes in the oil sector of the future, Jagdeo told stakeholders that Guyana, in building out an oil and gas policy in the net zero
situation, will see an obligation to push companies that are investing to use new technology, lower emissions technology.” Failing this, could even see penalties. According to Jagdeo, any changes to the framework within which the industry is situated was not meant to shut down private foreign capital, “in fact it is badly required in the sector.” According to Jagdeo, he is hopeful that by setting up an updated framework, locals can also benefit and that Guyana can avoid “what has been happening in many countries” where there are small pockets of enclave like prosperity but the masses, “not feeling it; we resolve to not have it in this country.” He used the opportunity to also remind that Guyana is at present welcoming foreign investors since there isn’t the capacity existing domestically. Vice President Jagdeo used the occasion to remind that the projects that have been approved in the Stabroek Block alone, namely the Liza I, II Payara and imminently the Yellowtail Development represent some US$30B injected in the Stabroek Block. To this end, he was adamant that this represents about ten times the total deposits in the domestic system, “just to give you an idea of the scale of resources, which cannot be found here.” Maintaining Guyana’s commitment to a Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Jagdeo reminded that at that time there will still be demand for fossil fuel and said, “somebody has to supply the fuel to meet that demand.” Taking aim at the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Gutterres, who had been widely reported on calling for no new investments in fossil fuels, a position that conflicts with the adumbrations of other world leaders. To this end, Vice President Jagdeo said that for the UN
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and other developed countries to adopt such a position it would mean that “if we can’t develop it you are locking in the existing producers.” Such a position he said, is effectively arguing for a monopoly. To this end, he also lashed back at the assertion that investments in industry could actually result in stranded assets saying, that is the risk borne by investors and quipped, “what about unused potential.” As such, the Vice President was unwavering in his government’s policy position, “in Guyana we support accelerated exploration; we support accelerated exploration and our incentive regime will reflect that.” He told those in attendance that in rearranging its existing regime they would see measures being implemented to encourage existing holders of licences in the oil blocks to move swiftly to exploration and expand the pace. “We have been trying to evolve the regime,” Jagdeo said, and reminded of “the pace of development” in the industry which he described as rapid and, “we have to, at the level of the government, we have to try to keep the regime evolving and regulatory approvals at pace where we don’t become a humbug on the development of the industry and slow down the pace.” Meanwhile, ExxonMobil Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Darren Woods, in Guyana for the second time since taking that post, in his addressed to the packed gathering told those in attendance that his company has set aside some US$15B for investments this year in Guyana and this could be increased based on the policy initiatives of the government. “With the support of government policy, we can invest more,” said Woods. Providing an update on the company’s operations in Guyana, the ExxonMobil official used the occasion to regale of the successes in the Stabroek Block and spoke to the 3,500 locals employed with the operation in addition to some 800 suppliers.
According to Woods, with regard that company’s operation in Guyana, it is “important that this progress continues” and disclosed that based on conversations with Head of State, President Irfaan Ali, and Vice President Jagdeo, “this is a very high priority for them.” The ExxonMobil boss was adamant “people need access to energy including the energy resolution right here in Guyana; as people become more prosperous the need for energy will increase” and expressed the sentiment of a long future ahead in Guyana. Guyanese must not be tenants in their own country’ —Barbados Prime Minister When it comes to the oil and gas sector, Guyanese should not be tenants in their own country, but should instead tap into the growing opportunities flowing from the industry. This is according to the Barbados Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley who on Tuesday addressed the International Energy Conference and Expo at the Marriott Hotel. She told the gathering, “We will have difficult conversations, as well as in Caricom and we must, but those conversations recognise that in every country, there are even regional and local conflicts and disagreements and it is our duty to be able to smooth that over, but to ensure that at no stage as newly independent countries of the world do we leave our citizens as tenants in their own land, but make them owners…” Mottley received a resounding applause as she went on to caution, “The day that we do not provide opportunity for our citizens who participate in active citizenship of being able to benefit from the patrimony of our country is the day we sow the seeds of destruction of our nation and invite disruption”. Following his perusal of the PPP/C Government’s local content targets included in its legislation, Co-Director of Energy at Americas (Continued on page 31)
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From page 30 Market Intelligence (AMI), Arthur Deakin is of the firm belief that Guyana has still fallen short of outlining realistic procurement, training and employment goals for oil companies. In one of his columns back in November last year, Deakin highlighted that the government, for example, expects that within 10 years, Guyanese firms should be used to cover 95 percent of the energy sector’s insurance risks. Deakin was keen to note that this alone is just not practical. Except for Brazil, which has managed oil and gas projects for half a century and has the 12th largest economy in the world, the analyst said no other Latin American country has the local insurance capacity to provide this type or level of coverage. Using this reasoning, he concluded that such an expectation or target shows a mismatch between the government’s expectations and the current reality on-theground. Meanwhile, Guyana’s Head of State, President Irfaan Ali on Tuesday also told the dozens of foreign investors present that while the country welcomes international partners, they must also consider our locals. He said, “We are going to state directly the narrative. There is no need for any interpretation, this is the narrative. We are pursuing this path; we know of the responsibility we speak about. We welcome investors but we believe that local opportunities, the private sector and every single Guyanese and regional stakeholder must be part of the prosperity and benefit from the prosperity”. Guyana’s Local Content Law was passed in the National Assembly in December last year. The legislation is specifically geared at ensuring locals participate in servicing the nascent oil and gas sector with products and services. On Monday, the People’s National Congress Reform, the largest faction of the political Opposition, rehashed that Guyanese should benefit from the oil and gas industry and more specifically the revenue generated from the sector. The party said, “Even as oil production is about to triple, there continues to be an increasing disconnect between such developments (inclusive of international oil conferences) and the daily reality and experiences of ordinary Guyanese. Budget 2022, the country’s first oil budget,
compounded this pervasive sense of despondency among our citizens by its stingy offerings to the poor and its generosity to the welloff and the well-connected.” It added, “The country cannot proceed in this manner,” and added, “If our rich natural resources cannot be used to uplift our people and transform the country urgently and comprehensively, then what will?” THURSDAY Guyana in talks with Chinese owner to buy electricity from Amaila Falls Hydro Project- Jagdeo With the incumbent administration currently pursuing the development of a 165mega watt (MW) hydroelectric project as part of its energy matrix, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday disclosed that his government is currently negotiating a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Chinese contractor. The Vice President provided the update yesterday when the International Energy Conference and Expo 2022 continued at the Kingston, Georgetown Marriott Hotel. Addressing the hundreds of delegates at the conference, Vice President Jagdeo elucidated aspects of his administration’s expanded Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and pointed to the development of the gas-to-shore initiative, the installation of solar powered projects and the hydro. To this end, he told delegates that government is currently negotiating with the Chinese contractor, China Railway First Group, on a PPA. This, he said, was among the crucial projects critical for Guyana’s sustainable development in future. Cabinet in November last had approved and given its “No Objection” for the Chinese contractor, as evaluated by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB). Government had earlier in the year advertised soliciting a private partner to fund and develop the project. The administration in inviting partners had indicated two proposals, namely a Build Own Operate Transfer (BOOT) option or a Design Build Finance option. At the time of selecting China Railway First Group, it was noted that the BOOT option would be utilised. PARTNERSHIPS Addressing “Guyana’s Approach for a Sustainable Future,” the Vice President was adamant that the country’s current trajectory has to be seen in the context of its history.
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With this in mind, the Vice President sought to explain that because of the three decades of undemocratic rule, prior to 1992, Guyana had slumped to being one of the poorest countries in this hemisphere with half of its population fleeing the country. Lamenting the fact that some 80 percent of the economy had been Statecontrolled, Vice President Jagdeo told delegates that the indigenous Private Sector, is as a result still relatively new; “it has had just a few decades of development.” With this in mind, he said the administration was very pleased with the way they are developing and adumbrated that through the local content legislation and other measures, government was looking to promote more partnerships between local companies and their foreign counterparts, qualifying his position saying, “it is only through partnerships the Private Sector will grow. According to Jagdeo, it was fiscal discipline and hard work that brought Guyana to where it is today and that would be the guiding principles in future. Recognising that the gains could quickly be slipped away, Jagdeo in addressing the matter of Guyana’s future sustainable development, sought to assure that the countries oil and gas earnings must be used in a manner that is transparent and drew reference to the recently passed Natural Resources Fund Act. According to Vice President Jagdeo, Guyana’s oil earnings must be focused in the development of the country’s infrastructure, and to provide incentives in order to stimulate growth in the non-oil economy. Recognising that Guyana recently approved its first National Budget to utilise oil earnings, he told delegates that the majority of the money is being used on Capital Ex-
penditure or spending on new projects. Regarding the recurrent expenditure, Jagdeo said, “we kept a tight constraint” and qualified the position by pointing to countries that would have splurged on recurrent spending with oil windfalls. He told delegates, Guyana will instead focus its oil earnings going towards the development of world class education, improved access and quality of health care for all Guyanese. According to Jagdeo, building out the infrastructure for a modern economy and to stimulate growth in the non-oil sectors are crucial to that future growth, adding, “This is important to us as we move forward.” Adamant that the ultimate test of sustainability is how “we ensure that all of our citizens benefit regardless of geography, their race, their religion, that’s the ultimate test that all of our people have to share the benefits of our oil and gas industry and more importantly the changes that are taking place.” To this end, Vice President Jagdeo sought to take the international community to task over what he called their prescriptive application of what sustainability is. He qualified his position by firstly pointing out that many of the goals set by the international community are very many times done so with the developing world not at the table. Additionally, he noted that many of the global policies run counter to the lofty goals and standards set out by the International Community and cited as example the demands of reciprocity made by the World Trade Organization on countries, such as Guyana and St. Kitts and Nevis, and argued that the latter two are unable to compete with the developed countries on the same scale. With this in mind, Vice
President Jagdeo drew reference to a number of development policies developed indigenously. He cited as example the National Development Strategy, the Poverty Reduction Strategy, the National Competitiveness Strategy, the LCDS and the expanded LCDS. According to Jagdeo, with the expanded LCDS, the focus has evolved from just the sustaina ble manage-
ment of the forests but to also use the proceeds to stimulate a whole range of low carbon development and help address resilience in future and the energy mix of the future. To this end, he outlined the objectives of the Gas-toShore Project which he said provides opportunities for numerous companies and that initiative is currently at the tending stage. He said too that government will shortly also be going to tender for a 35-megawatt (MW) project and that the administration was currently negotiating the Power Purchase Agreement with the Chinese contractor for the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Plant. It would be apposite to note that electricity will be purchased from the power plant after which it would be transported to the Sophia substation using high voltage transmission lines. US$12.5M Enmore packaging plant included in 55acre land deal granted to joint venture In a bid to create jobs for laid off sugar workers, the government has agreed to grant some 55 acres of lands located at Enmore on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) to a 52 percent Guyanese owned joint venture called Guysons K+B Industries Inc. (GKB). The 55-acre plot includes the US$12.5M Enmore Packaging Plant that was commissioned in 2011 by this same administration and it will be
used by the joint venture to build a manufacturing facility to support Guyana’s emerging oil and gas sector. The announcement of this recent move by the government was made on Wednesday at the Guyana Energy Conference and Expo 2022, held at the Marriott Hotel, Kingston, Georgetown. GKB is a joint venture made up of Guysons Engineering, a Guyanese company, and K+B Industries Inc, its American partner. Guysons Engineering was founded in 1992 and Guysons Oil and Gas, which was formed in 2017 with the help of ExxonMobil, the American oil giant operating in Guyana, became an ISO 9001-2015 certified oil and gas support company in 2018. It was awarded ExxonMobil contracts in 2019 and had moved to team up, in 2020, with K+B Industries Inc., a company that has decades of experience working in the oil and gas sector, to form a joint venture. GKB has since set up a manufacturing shop in Ruimveldt, Georgetown and is now seeking to expand its operations by establishing another manufacturing facility at Enmore. The new manufacturing facility at Enmore will be set up to manufacture and repair tubular goods such as drill pipes, drill covers, etc., needed by oil companies to develop oil fields. GKB will also offer premium threading of the tubular goods, accessory services and Turnkey manufacturing solutions in the country. As it relates to the arrangement between the government and GKB for the lands and the US$12.5M packaging plant owned by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), GKB’s Chief Executive Office, Fazil Khan was willing to share some details with this newspaper. Despite negotiations are still ongoing between the two (Continued on page 41)
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>>> ENCOURAGING EVENTS, DISTURBING DEVELOPMENTS <<<
Oil and gas jamboree The disturbing came to Guyana. Real people to talk seriously about oil that is now real for Guyana. The only thing real about our oil is that it is out there under the seabed. Exxon’s Southern contingent visited its prime plantation, surveyed the minions it has in place for local leaders, and had to be happy. It was all happy talk - for them, and their enthralled listeners. Rich opportunities for local businesses and local content which must line up and bow down to ride the wave of oil prosperity. It is a towering one. But here is the crux and the catch; for them only. That is, ExxonMobil, Hess, the Chinese, and the lesser oil fry, such as Tullow and Repsol (remember Peru, Guyanese), plus the domestic predators - political, commercial, civil, social, spiritual- those Guyanese snakes pretending as saviours. All of this disturbs beyond description, because unlike most
Guyanese here and abroad, I know the people I speak of so scornfully. I lived with them, worked with them, even slept with them. Not the ones in the street, but those in the halls and heights where they plot and conspire. Strategising and synergising were part of the corporate bible then, which I got to study close up, with numerous lessons learned. Those are what I observe being put to work in this Guyana of mine, this oil plantation, with its many slaveholdings. Exxon’s assets include prostrate political leaders, who couldn’t save their own skins if they wanted to (they don’t); couldn’t salvage some residential patriotic honour if they ever had such (they never did); and couldn’t do any beneficial thing for Guyanese, even if they so wished (Guyanese have never been so fortunate). Other Guyanese slaveholdings of Exxon, incorporate the private sector bound hands and feet to their
addictions with prosperity and money, which makes them dear to the hearts of Exxon’s leaders. If local private sector scoundrels assembled at this bright oil and gas carnival have to break the hearts of their less attached, less favoured, fellow citizens, then that is too bad; part of the problem with collateral damage, which is all that ordinary Guyanese count for in this fabled oil age that is supposedly theirs. My thinking is that they should all be run out of town, then into the ground, such buzzards these foreigners and local conspirators are. For there was the esteemed one of Exxon, Mr. Woods, worshipped and fawned over by pathetic Guyanese. Our even more esteemed leader was recruited to spearhead the homages piled on the man, company, and work. His handiwork need no introduction. It is: full insurance coverage -NO! Renegotiation of criminal oil contract – get out of there, get out of my face. This is the kind of people at that oil and gas extravaganza (the Mafia call it
a sit down) that was feted and fallen over, while they tore out our lungs and guts and spine. Look closely at Guyana’s leaders, and they were an exercise in good ole- fashioned kowtowing and scraping the mud from their knees. They left the spittle of foreigners on their faces, as a mark of honour, as evidence of being near oil divinity. No wonder they sell Guyanese out. I wonder, too, how much it cost Exxon to buy them over, which couldn’t be much, so cheap they are. Their 30 pieces of silver is nothing to Exxon, and that is literal. For the company’s financial craftsmen will find ways to cover the cost of corrupting local leaders (political operators, chamber of commerce performers, and others) by mixing it up with bills submitted. Guyana is severely exposed without full insurance coverage, and our leaders are consumed by how much cash Exxon exposes to them (for themselves). It is the same nasty, sickly story of local leaders who bartered oil and
By GHK Lall independence for elections victory, and now are dismissed as having no more importance than impotent bystanders. Guyanese leaders were very much present at the conference, but were nothing but figures of stone, and the sewerage that flows from their twisted lips. Yeah – Darren Wo o d s c a m e , h e s a w, h e conquered. Leaders look like the slaves they are. They say they are Guyanese. (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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Lessons from a Lashpreneur !!!
Wearing strip lashes on top on extensions and why you shouldn’t By Latoya Zephyr Hey lash babes,this week we are gonna talk about something that we get asked often “can I wear strip lashes on my extensions?” The short answer is NO. Whether you have a costume party or special occasion coming up, sometimes it can be tempting to wear strip lashes on top of your eyelash extensions for a more dramatic look. As qualified lash artist, i strongly recommend you avoid doing this. But first, what are strip lashes? Strip lashes are a horizontal line of lashes attached to a fabric band ,they’re applied with a removable adhesive and should only be worn for one day. While strip lashes are a good alternative on their own,they shouldn’t be worn on top of eyelash extensions,Here’s why. 1.THEY ADD TOO MUCH WEIGHT We assess the health of every client’s natural lashes before each appointment to ensure we aren’t overloading the natural lash with extensions they can’t support. The problem with adding strip eyelashes on top of your extensions is that it adds extra weight which hasn’t been accounted for. This extra weight can cause damage to your natural lashes. 1.THE GLUE CAN STICK YOUR EXTENSIONS TOGETHER. Eyelash extensions are carefully applied to your individual lashes. At Lift and lashes , we isolate each individual lash and bond an extension directly to it. However, strip eyelashes (also known as fake eyelashes or fakies) are glued to the skin along your lash line. If you apply them correctly, it’s fine
Sunday February 20, 2022
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but more often than not, there is excess glue that can seep into your extensions causing them to clump together. This makes the removal of the strip eyelashes very difficult. 1.THEY CAN CAUSE ISSUES AT YPUR INFILL APPOINTMENT. If you regularly wear eyelash extensions and have opted to glue strip lashes on top for a recent event, your lash artist will be able to tell at your next infill appointment. If they’ve caused too much damage with the excess glue, we may need to remove all of your lashes and apply a new set of lashes. 1.SOME STRIP LASHES ARE MADE FROM LOW QUALITY MATERIALS. Most strip eyelashes are
often made from plastic or rubber and don’t look as natural as extensions. If you apply these heavier, synthetic materials over your fluffy eyelash extensions, it will put unnecessary strain on your natural lashes. This can cause them to be brittle and weak. At lift and lashes , our eyelash extensions are the highest quality which means you’ll achieve a natural look that makes your eyes pop. If you have an event coming up that you want extra volume in your lashes for, talk to your lash artist. We can customise a look that’s perfect for the occasion without causing any lash damage. Our artists have lots of techniques to change up your lash style to suit any event.
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Sunday February 20, 2022
From page 31 parties, Khan said that an agreement has been made for his company to purchase 25 acres of the land, lease another 25 and also lease the packaging plant on a longterm lease. Consultant Advisor on the project, Rosh Khan, who spoke with this publication also pointed out that GKB will not be granted all of the lands at one time. He explained that GKB will begin with 25 acres and the packaging plant with spans and area of at least five acres. In order to lease the remaining 25, it will first have to complete all of the commitments it made with Guyana. GKB’s Khan confirmed this and noted too that considerations were also taken to safeguard against a scenario where Exxon can pull out. “You don’t want to invest or buy and then Exxon pulls out of Guyana because it can happen and you can lose,” Khan said. Asked if any agreement has been with the government on the purchase and lease price, Khan responded that these are still in the process of being negotiated. However, the CEO assured that it will be a fair one for both parties and revealed that his company has committed to an overall commitment of US$60M towards the development of the project. Out of this amount, Khan said, more than US$7M has already been expended. The CEO further highlighted that the lands it is acquiring are “sugar lands”, which will have to be developed in order to become a standard facility. “We will have to do some land filling, land clearing, probably install some streetlights and so on before we can start up the facility,” explained Khan. Among the commitments the company has made, is to create 500 jobs over a fiveyear period. Guyana’s President, Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who along with the Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, yesterday boasted that the 500 jobs to be created is in
keeping with Guyana’s local content policy. Dr. Singh had made it clear too that the granting of the lands to GKB was not by accident since it took place via discussions at the level of the president to invest in Enmore. The reason behind the decision, he added, is to create jobs for the people of Enmore, especially those who were laid off after the Enmore Sugar Estate was closed. President Ali also iterated this point during his feature address and added that the investment is not just for the people of Enmore but for the entire East Coast corridor. The President added too that it is also his government’s plan to pursue more investments from companies involved in Guyana’s emerging oil and gas sector in other communities where sugar workers are laid off. The previous coalition administration had closed four major sugar estates – Skeldon, Wales, Enmore and Rose Hall. It should be noted that the decision to close these estates was taken because the sugar industry was not making enough money to maintain them and keep them in operation. Ali’s People’s Progressive Party/Civic party, while in opposition, had vowed to revive the sugar industry to make it profitable again. However, since taking office, billions of Guyana dollars have been pumped into GuySuCo but the industry is still to be revived to its former glory. Kaieteur News had reported in October 2021 that the government had started to plead with oil companies to hire workers laid off by GuySuCo. The revelation had been made by Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, at a career fair hosted by the Guyana Shore Base Inc. (GYSBI). The Minister had said in a DPI interview, “We are encouraging companies in the oil industry to seek out areas that would allow persons laid off by GuySuCo to be employed.” He had also stated that most of the laid off sugar
Kaieteur News
workers are already skilled workers, such as mechanics and welders, and with a little training, they can be easily transitioned into the oil and gas sector. At Wednesday’s announcement, GKB’s American partner, via one of its representatives, Nick Bencnel, said that it has already started training its local workers and will send some of its local team players for a more in-depth training at K+B Industries’ world class facility. FRIDAY ‘Be wary of the ‘oil consultants’ ——OGCI Chairman, Bob Dudley, tells Guyana some will bring good advice, others bring confusion Guyana’s oil bonanza brings with it an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate its growth and development. But during this process, it will most likely be besieged by a flurry of consultants who will be eager to share their words of wisdom. The Government of Guyana must therefore be wise in determining the best advisor for its cause. This was one of the key perspectives offered by Chair of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI), Bob Dudley. The official made the foregoing comment during the International Energy Conference and Exhibition which started on Tuesday February 14, and comes to an end today at the Marriott Hotel. During his contributions, Dudley, who is a former Group Chief Executive of BP, noted that Guyana is squarely on the global stage with this event as he believes it is a major accomplishment. Dudley, who has worked in the industry for four decades, said he believes Guyana is on a successful path and would agree with members of government, that the oil opportunity before the country is not about luck, nor will it be an easy task. It is going to be complex. “There will be challenges, but if it is done in the spirit of win-win partnerships that the government has spoken about it will move rapidly. I
have seen transformational growth projects similar to Guyana’s which have transformed countries. I have also seen transformations that went very slowly, that became uncompetitive for that investment capital which is scarce in the world. And those projects did not bring the prosperity that was hoped for,” expressed Dudley. The industry expert said sometimes the risks that can hinder the potential progress a country can have from a project is not always associated with geological risks. He said sometimes the main risks are “above the ground.” Dudley said these can be in the form of the cost of construction, the investment environment changing, the misalignment of goals between the host nation and the operating investors, and a frequent change of terms or regulatory rules. Dudley said even issues with procurement processes have unintended consequences. He was keen to note that mandating transparency in tendering for contracts in the oil sector is key, but stressed that oftentimes, going for the lowest bidder does not always guarantee quality service or a product. He said this kind of environment can demotivate good bidders from participating. He is optimistic however that Guyana would not be affected in this regard. He noted that Guyana will be besieged by consultants to help in the process. Dudley warned however that some will have good suggestions while others will bring confusion. Dudley also cautioned that this can delay the success or progress to be had in the sector. As Guyana continues to navigate conversations about its future while building on its exciting production projects, Dudley said it would be wise for the nation to take note of the lessons and practices of other countries that have done spectacularly well in stewarding their resources, avoided many of the well known problems like the Dutch Disease and established strong sovereign wealth funds (SWF) for future generations. In this regard Dudley said, “Norway, I have always felt over the last 60 years, has been very successful. Today, it has a very high standard of living and the world’s largest SWF valued at an eye-popping US$1.4trillion. Qatar is another success story. Azerbaijan, which transformed its country in 20 years on the shores of the Caspian Sea, is also great to look at.” The Chairman of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative
PAGE 41
(OGCI), an international industry-led initiative established in 2014, also spoke to Guyana’s emissions reduction goals alongside its pursuit of oil development. He said, “You have been told or you will find that there are some people who don’t want you to develop your oil and natural gas resource and you will not be popular in certain groups with some as they passionately believe the world should stop production of all fossil fuels. I believe such people mean well. “But many do not have any real understanding of the complexity and the vast size of the world’s energy systems, particularly outside of the wealthy regions of the world. They may lecture to you. But it is probably best to just listen politely, remain humble and as the President (Irfaan Ali) said, stick to your plan and strategy.” At the end of the day, Dudley said people should bear in mind that the primary energy sources of the world in 1999 were 81 percent oil, gas, and coal. In 2019, those statistics, he said, remained the same while adding that this shows the reliance the world has on these resources. Importantly, Dudley said by 2050, there will be two billion more people in the world and they will need all forms of energy to survive. In conclusion, it is ideal to have more renewables as part of the energy mix later on. But one undeniable reality remains, said Dudley—The world needs Guyana’s light, low sulphur oil.
SATURDAY 2 hours of sunshine can power Guyana for 1 year — GEA’s Dr. Sharma …as country spends US$150M importing fuel for electricity Inviting conference delegates to embrace a transition towards renewable sources of energy in the future such as solar and literally “drive on sunshine”, Head of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), Dr. Mahender Sharma has indicated that Guyana currently receives enough sunshine every two hours, to power the country’s present electricity demands for an entire year. Dr. Sharma was at the time addressing delegates at the first ever Energy Conference and Expo, on Thursday last, organised by Chairman Anthony White and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Angenie Abel, along with coordinators and venued at the Marriott International Hotel. The event wrapped up on Friday. He was, at the time, tasked (Continued on page 42)
Sunday February 20, 2022
From page 31 parties, Khan said that an agreement has been made for his company to purchase 25 acres of the land, lease another 25 and also lease the packaging plant on a longterm lease. Consultant Advisor on the project, Rosh Khan, who spoke with this publication also pointed out that GKB will not be granted all of the lands at one time. He explained that GKB will begin with 25 acres and the packaging plant with spans and area of at least five acres. In order to lease the remaining 25, it will first have to complete all of the commitments it made with Guyana. GKB’s Khan confirmed this and noted too that considerations were also taken to safeguard against a scenario where Exxon can pull out. “You don’t want to invest or buy and then Exxon pulls out of Guyana because it can happen and you can lose,” Khan said. Asked if any agreement has been with the government on the purchase and lease price, Khan responded that these are still in the process of being negotiated. However, the CEO assured that it will be a fair one for both parties and revealed that his company has committed to an overall commitment of US$60M towards the development of the project. Out of this amount, Khan said, more than US$7M has already been expended. The CEO further highlighted that the lands it is acquiring are “sugar lands”, which will have to be developed in order to become a standard facility. “We will have to do some land filling, land clearing, probably install some streetlights and so on before we can start up the facility,” explained Khan. Among the commitments the company has made, is to create 500 jobs over a fiveyear period. Guyana’s President, Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who along with the Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, yesterday boasted that the 500 jobs to be created is in
keeping with Guyana’s local content policy. Dr. Singh had made it clear too that the granting of the lands to GKB was not by accident since it took place via discussions at the level of the president to invest in Enmore. The reason behind the decision, he added, is to create jobs for the people of Enmore, especially those who were laid off after the Enmore Sugar Estate was closed. President Ali also iterated this point during his feature address and added that the investment is not just for the people of Enmore but for the entire East Coast corridor. The President added too that it is also his government’s plan to pursue more investments from companies involved in Guyana’s emerging oil and gas sector in other communities where sugar workers are laid off. The previous coalition administration had closed four major sugar estates – Skeldon, Wales, Enmore and Rose Hall. It should be noted that the decision to close these estates was taken because the sugar industry was not making enough money to maintain them and keep them in operation. Ali’s People’s Progressive Party/Civic party, while in opposition, had vowed to revive the sugar industry to make it profitable again. However, since taking office, billions of Guyana dollars have been pumped into GuySuCo but the industry is still to be revived to its former glory. Kaieteur News had reported in October 2021 that the government had started to plead with oil companies to hire workers laid off by GuySuCo. The revelation had been made by Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, at a career fair hosted by the Guyana Shore Base Inc. (GYSBI). The Minister had said in a DPI interview, “We are encouraging companies in the oil industry to seek out areas that would allow persons laid off by GuySuCo to be employed.” He had also stated that most of the laid off sugar
Kaieteur News
workers are already skilled workers, such as mechanics and welders, and with a little training, they can be easily transitioned into the oil and gas sector. At Wednesday’s announcement, GKB’s American partner, via one of its representatives, Nick Bencnel, said that it has already started training its local workers and will send some of its local team players for a more in-depth training at K+B Industries’ world class facility. FRIDAY ‘Be wary of the ‘oil consultants’ ——OGCI Chairman, Bob Dudley, tells Guyana some will bring good advice, others bring confusion Guyana’s oil bonanza brings with it an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate its growth and development. But during this process, it will most likely be besieged by a flurry of consultants who will be eager to share their words of wisdom. The Government of Guyana must therefore be wise in determining the best advisor for its cause. This was one of the key perspectives offered by Chair of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI), Bob Dudley. The official made the foregoing comment during the International Energy Conference and Exhibition which started on Tuesday February 14, and comes to an end today at the Marriott Hotel. During his contributions, Dudley, who is a former Group Chief Executive of BP, noted that Guyana is squarely on the global stage with this event as he believes it is a major accomplishment. Dudley, who has worked in the industry for four decades, said he believes Guyana is on a successful path and would agree with members of government, that the oil opportunity before the country is not about luck, nor will it be an easy task. It is going to be complex. “There will be challenges, but if it is done in the spirit of win-win partnerships that the government has spoken about it will move rapidly. I
have seen transformational growth projects similar to Guyana’s which have transformed countries. I have also seen transformations that went very slowly, that became uncompetitive for that investment capital which is scarce in the world. And those projects did not bring the prosperity that was hoped for,” expressed Dudley. The industry expert said sometimes the risks that can hinder the potential progress a country can have from a project is not always associated with geological risks. He said sometimes the main risks are “above the ground.” Dudley said these can be in the form of the cost of construction, the investment environment changing, the misalignment of goals between the host nation and the operating investors, and a frequent change of terms or regulatory rules. Dudley said even issues with procurement processes have unintended consequences. He was keen to note that mandating transparency in tendering for contracts in the oil sector is key, but stressed that oftentimes, going for the lowest bidder does not always guarantee quality service or a product. He said this kind of environment can demotivate good bidders from participating. He is optimistic however that Guyana would not be affected in this regard. He noted that Guyana will be besieged by consultants to help in the process. Dudley warned however that some will have good suggestions while others will bring confusion. Dudley also cautioned that this can delay the success or progress to be had in the sector. As Guyana continues to navigate conversations about its future while building on its exciting production projects, Dudley said it would be wise for the nation to take note of the lessons and practices of other countries that have done spectacularly well in stewarding their resources, avoided many of the well known problems like the Dutch Disease and established strong sovereign wealth funds (SWF) for future generations. In this regard Dudley said, “Norway, I have always felt over the last 60 years, has been very successful. Today, it has a very high standard of living and the world’s largest SWF valued at an eye-popping US$1.4trillion. Qatar is another success story. Azerbaijan, which transformed its country in 20 years on the shores of the Caspian Sea, is also great to look at.” The Chairman of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative
PAGE 41
(OGCI), an international industry-led initiative established in 2014, also spoke to Guyana’s emissions reduction goals alongside its pursuit of oil development. He said, “You have been told or you will find that there are some people who don’t want you to develop your oil and natural gas resource and you will not be popular in certain groups with some as they passionately believe the world should stop production of all fossil fuels. I believe such people mean well. “But many do not have any real understanding of the complexity and the vast size of the world’s energy systems, particularly outside of the wealthy regions of the world. They may lecture to you. But it is probably best to just listen politely, remain humble and as the President (Irfaan Ali) said, stick to your plan and strategy.” At the end of the day, Dudley said people should bear in mind that the primary energy sources of the world in 1999 were 81 percent oil, gas, and coal. In 2019, those statistics, he said, remained the same while adding that this shows the reliance the world has on these resources. Importantly, Dudley said by 2050, there will be two billion more people in the world and they will need all forms of energy to survive. In conclusion, it is ideal to have more renewables as part of the energy mix later on. But one undeniable reality remains, said Dudley—The world needs Guyana’s light, low sulphur oil.
SATURDAY 2 hours of sunshine can power Guyana for 1 year — GEA’s Dr. Sharma …as country spends US$150M importing fuel for electricity Inviting conference delegates to embrace a transition towards renewable sources of energy in the future such as solar and literally “drive on sunshine”, Head of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), Dr. Mahender Sharma has indicated that Guyana currently receives enough sunshine every two hours, to power the country’s present electricity demands for an entire year. Dr. Sharma was at the time addressing delegates at the first ever Energy Conference and Expo, on Thursday last, organised by Chairman Anthony White and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Angenie Abel, along with coordinators and venued at the Marriott International Hotel. The event wrapped up on Friday. He was, at the time, tasked (Continued on page 42)
Sunday February 20, 2022
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Sunday February 20, 2022
==CONSUMER BLACK HISTORY MONTH - INSPIRATION FOR AFRICAN GUYANESE CONCERNS== TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ENTREPRENEURIAL BONANZA By Pat Dial
F
ebruary is commemorated as Black History Month in the USA. It was first formulated by the Black academic Carter Wo o d s o n i n 1 9 2 6 t o counterbalance the studied ignoring of the important contributions Black men and women had made to American life and to bring to the fore and remind all Americans of Black achievements. Black people would then feel a sense of pride, confidence and capability and begin to earn the respect of their white compatriots. February was chosen as it was the month in which, both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, were born. These were of course the two greatest American slave emancipators. In 1976 President Gerald Ford gave recognition to the Day and thereafter a few other countries gave recognition to it. In Guyana, it is largely commemorated by organisations and groups
dedicated to the preservation and promotion of African culture and persons of African descent and their achievements are highlighted and ways are put forward to improve the socio-economic conditions of the community. These laudable aims have not attracted much involvement in Black History Month by other racial groups because some politicians feel that they should mobilise support by racial appeals and in so doing, they stimulate adversarial racial feelings that if other groups are involved they could steal their thunder. Before the advent of linking race and politics, Guyanese people of all racial groups happily participated in and cooperated and assisted each other in their varied religious and cultural activities and even recognised their familial linkages. They understood that the people of Guyana were inextricably intertwined and if any one racial group, as a group, were to hurt or disadvantage any other group, all will ultimately be hurt and disadvantaged.
Similarly, if any group or groups prospered, all will ultimately share in the prosperity. It is well to resurrect the old wisdom that all groups should be allowed, if they wished, to be involved in each other's social, economic and cultural activities since this could only redound to the benefit of all. With Black History Month, the media and organisations and individuals involved in African Culture should resuscitate the memories of the hundreds of African Guyanese who have done so much for Guyana and ultimately for all racial groups. For example, there were great lawyers like J.O.F. Haynes; great doctors like Dr. Frank Williams; great l e a d e r s l i k e Wa l t e r Rodney; Labour leaders like Critchlow or the numerous persons who have helped to build and enrichen Guyanese Education and Culture like Lynette Dolphin, Billy Pilgrim, Eusi Kwayana, Arthur Seymour or legendary school masters like Sharples and D. J. Richmond.
One of the most important facets of life in which there needs to be greater African Guyanese involvement is in the entrepreneurial and financial aspect. African Guyanese have always been able to earn and acquire wealth but unlike most Guyanese people, they have not been able as a group to use wealth to generate further wealth. The best way to develop entrepreneurial/financial skills is not by classroom lectures but by having personal guidance from an established entrepreneur. African Cultural Groups could ask established entrepreneurs to accord such help. The late Dr. Yesu Persaud had given such guidance to several startups and small businesses which had approached him. In the last quarter of the 19th century and early 20th century, large numbers of mostly African Guyanese porknockers had earned large sums of money from the gold mines they had discovered but they did not know what to do with the money except consume it in any fashion. For example, there are stories of porknockers lighting their cigarettes with currency notes! Had there been any kind
of financial guidance, these porknockers would have been able to use the banking system or learn how and where to invest their wealth. Incidentally, it is these same mines which the old porknockers had discovered which are now being worked by technologically advanced foreign companies who make millions in profits. Or there was the Village Movement in the 1840's when emancipated slaves and their immediate descendants purchased abandoned sugar estates, built thousands of houses, laid down roads and drainage systems and created a new social and cultural life. The Congregational Church was particularly strong in these villages and they were committed to Education. The Village Movement was one of the finest moments of Guyanese History. These freed men showed remarkable entrepreneurial ability in saving their very small incomes and investing in abandoned sugar estates but they did not enter the second entrepreneurial phase of creating coconut or cocoa farms or becoming peasant cane farmers and so on. The entrepreneurial spirit is still strong as shown when there were severe shortages
of imported goods in the 1970's and 1980's and when numerous African Guyanese went abroad and brought in goods to satisfy the market. This spirit is also evident in the numbers of pavement sellers of various types of goods. With guidance and exploitation of the credit facilities which the state and the banks are now making available, these sellers could develop into small shops and even move into small manufacturing. African Guyanese, workers, tradesmen and entrepreneurs must quickly and energetically be involved in the Oil and Gas industry and take full advantage of the Local Content Legislation. They must contact the Oil and Gas section of the Ministry of Natural Resources in respect to the opportunities available and also in respect to the scholarships and other training on offer. The African Guyanese Cultural organisations must seize this opportunity of helping to usher in an economic Renaissance in the African Guyanese population. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Sunday February 20, 2022
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Sunday February 20, 2022
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How the Moon Became Beautiful The Moon is very beautiful with his round, bright face which shines with soft and gentle light on all the world of man. But once there was a time when he was not so beautiful as he is now. Six thousand years ago the face of the Moon became changed in a single night. Before that time his face had been so dark and gloomy that no one liked to look at him, and for this reason he was always very sad. One day he complained to the flowers and to the stars—for they were the only things that would ever look in his face. He said, "I do not like to be the Moon. I wish I were a star or a flower. If I were a star, even the smallest one, some great general would care for me; but alas! I am only the Moon and no one likes me. If I could only be a flower and grow in a garden where the beautiful earth women come, they would place me in their hair and praise my fragrance and beauty. Or, if I could even grow in the wilderness where no one could see, the birds would surely come and sing sweet songs for me. But I am only the Moon and no one honors me." The stars answered and said, "We cannot help you. We
were born here and we cannot leave our places. We never had any one to help us. We do our duty, we work all the day and twinkle in the dark night to make the skies more beautiful. But that is all we can do," they added, as they smiled coldly at the sorrowful Moon. Then the flowers smiled sweetly and said, "We do not know how we can help you. We live always in one place—in a garden near the most beautiful maiden in all the world. As she is kind to everyone in trouble we will tell her about you. We love her very much and she loves us. Her name is Tseh-N'io." Still the Moon was sad. So, one evening he went to see the beautiful maiden Tseh-N'io.
And when he saw her, he loved her at once. He said, "Your face is very beautiful. I wish that you would come to me, and that my face would be as your face. Your motions are gentle and full of grace. Come with me and we will be as one—and perfect. I know that even the worst people in all the world would have only to look at you and they would love you. Tell me, how did you come to be so beautiful?" "I have always lived with those who were gentle and happy, and I believe that is the cause of beauty and goodness," answered TsehN'io.And so, the Moon went every night to see the maiden. He knocked on her window, and she came. And when he saw how gentle and beautiful she was, his love grew stronger, and he wished more and more to be with her always. One day Tseh-N'io said to her mother, "I should like to go to the Moon and live always with him. Will you allow me to go?" Her mother thought so little of the question that she made no reply, and Tseh-N'io told her friends that she was going to be the Moon's bride. In a few days she was gone. Her mother searched everywhere but could not find her. And one of Tseh-N'io's friends said,—"She has gone with the Moon, for he asked her many times." A year and a year passed by and Tseh-N'io, the gentle and beautiful earth maiden, did not return. Then the people said, "She has gone forever. She is with the Moon." The face of the Moon is very beautiful now. It is happy and bright and gives a soft, gentle light to all the world. And there are those who say that the Moon is now like Tseh-N'io, who was once the most beautiful of all earth maidens.
FUN WITH POETRY
The Clock There's a neat little clock In the school-room stands, It points to the time With its two little hands, It is never late to do its work, And does it the whole day through, As it tells us when to start, And when to stop and go. And may we, like the little clock, Keep a face clean and bright, With hands ever ready To always do what is right.
by Uncle Roy
Junior page
How to do Walnut Turtle Craft for Kids Craft Supplies: * Walnut half * Paint (green) * Paint brush * Pipe cleaner (green) * Pom Pom (green) *Googly eyes * Glue This easy turtle craft for kids is great fun, easy to make, and they can be your very own pet turtle without any mess or feeding!
Step #1: Paint your walnut half with the green paint. Set it aside to dry. (Apply a second coat if it needs it) Step #2: Bend your pipe cleaner into a star shape. Make one point of the star a little smaller, this will be his tail. Set this aside to be glued on the shell once the paint dries. Step #3: Grab your green pom pom. This will be your turtles head. Glue your two googly eyes onto the pom pom. Set it aside to be glued on the shell once it is dry. Step #4: Check on your shell, once it is dry it is time to start gluing! Glue the star shape you made onto the bottom. This will be his four legs and tail.
Step #5: Glue the pom pom head onto the end opposite the pipe cleaner tail. At this point, if you wish to turn your little turtle into a magnet that's possible too! Add a strip of magnet on the bottom side of the turtle. Visit: https://www.easyc r a f t s - f o r kids.com/ladybug-craftsfor-kids.html to create the LADY BUD Version
Maze Kraze Find your way through the maze. Good Luck!
Sunday February 20, 2022
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TEEN TIME
Follow these rules about improving your habits Follow these rules about improving your habits when dealing with others, and you will become an example for others to follow: 01. Watch your language – Another bad habit that is hard to get rid of, and one that can hamper your progress in life, is the use of bad language – either wrong grammar and sloppy pronunciation, and worse, swear words. Practise using clean and grammatical language and you will make a good impression to those with whom you will have to deal – either privately or professionally. 02. Honour your parents. It need not be reminded that one should always have the deepest respect for his/her parents, in whatever situation they have to interact. Respect for parents is the least you can do to show gratitude for bringing you into this world and their care for you all these years. You can never know what they have gone through to get you to this stage and, even when you feel they may be treating
A Friend
A friend is one who reaches for your hand, One who shares his ideas and together you expand, When you are in trouble or pain, One who lends assistance and together you gain A friend is not selfish, cruel or heartless, He is not unmindful or helpless; A friend does not watch another in sorrow, But is always there today and tomorrow. A friend is caring, loving and kind, He is there with a wise and pure mind, He is not vulgar, rude of immature, But is there to solve, assist and cure. A friend is always there to land a hand, He is not vain, proud or playing grand, He is there to ever offer a smile, And keep you happy through all life's trials.
you wrongfully, you have an obligation to point that out to them and help to sort out any problem in a respectful manner. 03. Be a great teammate. Whether you are interacting with others at home, at school or at a workplace, you should always see that it is important for you to realise that you are part of a team. Make sure you do your part of the work at home, which includes keeping the place clean and in good order, along with all the other things that are needed.
In your class, you should cooperate with your teacher and classmates so that everyone gets the most out of the time spent there. If you are working, it would be much appreciated by your employer if you can see yourself as part of the whole group, and work with all others to get the goods and services you deal with delivered efficiently. 04. Do the right thing and do not let others stray you from your long-term goals. Once you have identified what you want
from your life on the long term, do not let others dissuade you from the path that would lead you to achieving this. It is granted that you will have to devote some of your time to entertainment and other socialising with friends, but you will need to make sure that these do not hamper your progress in the really serious things that you need to move towards a fruitful life later. We continue with more of these tips in the coming weeks.
SLITHERLINK
In a Slitherlink Puzzle, you connect horizontally or vertically adjacent dots to form a meandering path that forms a single loop, without crossing itself, or branching. Thenumbers indicate how many lines surround each cell. Empty cells may be surrounded by any number of lines
(from 0 to 3). There is one unique solution, and you should be able to find it without guessing. You may find it helpful to make small x's between dots that c a n n o t b e c o n n e c t e d .
So take the time to be a friend, And the rewards will flow without end; Your life will become richer than ever, As you join hands to succeed in every endeavour.
Take the time and trouble to be at good terms with those with whom you relate, and you will always benefit from their association.
TELL IT TO UNCLE ROY I would like to inform our readers that the Uncle Roy email address is temporarily unavailable. So please send any contributions you would like to make to this page to roypaul2002@yahoo.com
Solutions to last week’s Kids Puzzle
Teen Puzzle
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6 ways to take care of your mental health and well-being
1. Talk to someone you trust Talking to someone you trust – whether a friend, a family member, or a colleague – can help. You may feel better if you are able to openly share what you are going through with someone who cares about you. If you live in an area where face-to-face interactions are limited, you can still stay connected with your loved ones through a video call, phone call or messaging app. 2. Look after your physical health Taking care of your physical health helps improve your mental health and well-being. Be active for at least 30 minutes daily, whether that's running, walking, yoga, dancing, cycling, or even gardening. Eat a balanced and healthy diet. Make sure to get enough sleep. 3. Do activities that you enjoy Try to continue doing the activities that you find meaningful and enjoyable, such as cooking for yourself or your loved ones, playing with your pet, walking in the park, reading a book, or watching a film or TV series. Having a regular routine with activities that make you feel happy will help you maintain good mental health. 4. Steer away from harmful substances Don't use harmful substances such as drugs, kava, alcohol or tobacco to cope with what you're feeling. Though these may seem to help you feel better in the short term, they can make you feel worse in the long run. These substances are also dangerous and can put you and those around you at risk of diseases or injuries. 5. Take two minutes to focus on the world around you Help free yourself of constantly swirling thoughts by reconnecting yourself with where you are at this moment in time. Follow along with the video below or simply take three slow deep breaths, feel your feet grounded on the floor and ask yourself: What are five things I can see? What are four things I can hear? What can I smell? What does it feel like to touch my knees or a something else I can reach? How does it feel underneath my fingers? 6. Seek professional help If you feel like you cannot cope with the stress that you are facing, seek professional help by calling your local mental health helpline or getting in touch with your counsellor or doctor. Remember you are not alone, and there are things you can do to support your emotional wellbeing.
Kaieteur News
Sunday February 20, 2022
Sunday February 20, 2022
MEDEXES - ACCORD...
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Sunday February 20, 2022
Sunday February 20, 2022
g tin s... s e e er tur t In rea C
D
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Darwin’s fox
arwin’s fox or Darwin’s zorro (Lycalopex fulvipes) is an endangered canid from the genus Lycalopex. It is also known as the zorro chilote or zorro de Darwin in Spanish. This small, dark canine weighs 1.8 to 3.95 kg (4.0 to 8.7 lb), has a head-and-body length of 48 to 59 cm (19 to 23 in) and a tail that is 17.5 to 25.5 cm (7 to 10 in). Darwin’s fox displays no key differences between male and female other than the fact that the male has a broader muzzle. Males also display no territorial behaviour and aren’t aggressive towards other males roaming around their territory. This fox species is said to be a forest obligate species found only in southern temperate rainforests, and is most active at twilight and before sunrise. In contrast to other Lycalopex species, Darwin’s fox prefers open spaces. TAXONOMY AND EVOLUTION Lycalopex is a South American genus of canine distantly related to wolves and is technically not a fox. When Charles Darwin collected a specimen from San Pedro Island in Chiloé Archipelago in December 1834 during the Beagle
survey expedition, he observed that this “fox (of Chiloe, a rare animal) sat on the point and was so absorbed in watching [survey work], that he allowed me to walk behind him and actually kill him with my geological hammer”. In the 1839 publication of his Journal and Remarks, Darwin said “This fox, more curious or more scientific, but less wise, than the generality of his brethren, is now mounted in the museum of the Zoological Society.” He said it was “an undescribed species”, indicating that it was distinct from the species (L. culpaeus and L. griseus) that occur on the mainland. Later, Darwin’s fox was classified as a subspecies (Lycalopex griseus fulvipes) of the latter. Darwin’s fox does not interbreed with the other Lycalopex species, only lives in forests, and is smaller and darker-coloured than the other species. In 1990 a small population of Darwin’s fox was found on the mainland in the forested Nahuelbuta National Park, indicating that the fox was not endemic to the island. According to Yahnke, et al., in their 1996 article published in the Journal of the Society for Conservation B i o l o g y, a n a l y s i s o f
mitochondrial DNA of Darwin’s fox and the grey fox showed two patterns, indicating Darwin’s fox was a new species, closely related to the Sechuran fox. Also, according to Yahnke (1995; et al.1996) the present restricted range is a relic of a much wider former range. Zoologists noted the distinctiveness in the ecological niche, appearance, and behaviour of this species. It is differentiated from the grey fox in being darker; having shorter legs; a broader, shorter skull; smaller auditory bullae; a more robust dentition; and a different jaw shape and style of premolar occlusion. DIET Darwin’s fox has a vast diet. In dense forests, where it exists, the foxes hunt for mammals, reptiles, beetles, and invertebrates. Sometimes it selects fruits and berries. Birds and amphibians to a lesser degree are also consumed. It sometimes eats carrion, but it mostly eats live animals and fruit. This makes it mostly an omnivore, sometimes a scavenger. CONSERVATION STATUS The species was previously classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, but in 2016 was
downlisted to Endangered, as its area occurrences is apparently substantially l a rg e r t h a n o r i g i n a l l y believed. Current estimates of the total population are still low, with an estimated minimum 227 individuals on the mainland and 412 on C h i l o é I s l a n d . Fragmentation of forest adjacent to the national park and on the island is a concern for their conservation, and feral dogs may pose the greatest threat to their survival by spreading disease or directly attacking. Persecution by people who think that the foxes attack domestic fowls, though they pose little threat, is also a potential problem. DISEASES The species is often plagued by Mycoplasma haemocanis. The already endangered fox is prone to this infection because the
infection’s bacteria attach themselves to surface red blood cells of many mammals, and although the species is believed to be no major threat to human life it can spread to humans, dogs, cats, and other wildlife species. The bacteria also seem to spike when located close to any major habitat inhabited by humans as well as where there is a large population of wild dogs present near the species.
Researchers are testing RNA subunits of RNase P gene and out of 10 foxes, nine were infected. Even though they are considered “sick”, they have no external symptoms (Cabello, 2013). Studies show that many foxes risk of catching the deadly bacteria inclines as they age leaving many older foxes vulnerable. Although the disease is prevalent in this species little to nothing is known about this disease.
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Kaieteur News
...Kerri Gravesande-Bart From page 22 believe their wide range of career paths also impacted me – their careers stretched from certified electrician to chemist to medical technology to banker to deaconess and my mom an animal health assistant recently retired as Quality Officer.” She added that “The role of my grandparents and aunts in my life is a cherished one and more so was of great influence. It most certainly takes a village to raise a child, I am extremely grateful for their love and teachings.” EARLY CHALLENGES If anyone understands the saying, one challenge, simply prepares you for the next, it’s Mrs. Graveande-Bart. By age of 25, she was already divorced after seven years of marriage and was left with a three-yearold daughter to care for. The CEO admits that she was married at quite a young age – 18 years old to be exact. Desperate to make it as a single-parent, the young mother accepted a job opportunity in the Cayman Islands. The opportunity proved dreadful within a few months, and she was left unemployed for five months with only funds to purchase a ticket to return to Guyana. Gravesande-Bart recalls praying relentlessly to be reunited with her little girl. Upon her return to Guyana, the young mother gained employment as an Assistant Manager for a Supermarket, where for some months, workers were not sure when their salaries would be paid. She worked there until unexpectedly she received a call from a Trinidadian company late December 2011, inviting her to go for an interview. She was offered a job on the spot – Office Administrator for their Guyana Office. Gravesande-Bart accepted the position and the rest was history. FINDING HER NICHE T h i s w a s G r a v e s a n d e - B a r t ’s introduction to the inner workings of oil and gas industry. She started her new job on the first working day of the New Year in 2012. And though, she was still naïve to the industry, she was aligned with and satisfied working for an international company. She told Kaieteur News, “I found myself in a place where I was finally able to really afford an apartment in a safe neighbourhood in Georgetown, independently providing for my little girl and self.” Given her job description, GravesandeBart found herself on a flight to Trinidad at the request of the Rig Manager for the Offshore Drilling Installation Company on July 30, 2012, 05:35hrs, almost immediately after the project was completed in Guyana. She recalled that “the rig moved to Trinidad for maintenance before its voyage to the Gulf of Mexico. I was now responsible for all International crew changes. I quickly had to learn the Trinidad & Tobago immigration and customs procedures required for international personnel movement.” She said that was done in three weeks. After ensuring that her being in Trinidad would be indefinite, Gravesande-Bart made a request to return home to make arrangements for long-term care for her daughter. “This time my plan was to get her to move to Trinidad with me, at least in time for her high school years,” she stated. In Trinidad, Gravesande-Bart lived in the West Palm Hotel, in Chaguaramas for nearly three months before moving to the company house in Chaguanas. She related
“I took every challenge and championed my tasks. I was working towards a goal, I sacrificed. For a few months all I ate was oatmeal and veges, no meat, it was all I could afford after sending funds home for my little girl and parents to take care of her.” “My work days started at 04:30hrs and ended after 7:00pm, sometimes later. The daily commute from Chaguanas to Chaguaramas was horrendous and dreadful. Eventually I was moved to the Maraval staff house which brought ease but work hours were long and full.” Given her commitment, GravesandeBart was often called upon by her superiors. She recalled that “one day in June, the company’s Managing Director (MD) called me to say, ‘Kerri, we need you in Colombia. You leave tomorrow’.” She said that she lived in Santa Marta, Colombia for seven months on work duties. During that period, Gravesande-Bart’s mother was petrified for her. She prayed every day for her safe return and she was able visit Guyana for her birthday. She recalled that was when she first met her now husband, Lloyd Bart. “He made his way over to my table to ask my friends and I to judge his handsomeness against his friend….” she recalled with a smile. Her assignment in Colombia came to an end soon after and she returned to Trinidad. The company had embarked on its
“We have had the opportunity to contribute to the capacity building of Guyanese women and men to equip them to participate meaningfully and gainfully in the oil and gas sector.”
International Standard certification (ISO) journey, of which she played a pivotal role. It was also the first time in her career in Trinidad that Gravesande would be told that, she didn’t belong in the space she occupied. Though those remarks made a lot of her female colleagues angry, Gravesande-Bart held her peace and was s o o n p r o m o t e d t o Tr a i n i n g a n d Competence Administrator. “I was responsible for ensuring that all training and medical certifications required for each position the company provided its clients with, were up to date and recertification’s dates were pre-booked. I enjoyed this post, as while I needed to communicate with training providers, vendors and staff – I was essentially in a department alone. I worked better; I was focused and was never behind,” she said. Simultaneously the single mother was working assiduously on preparing to move her little girl to Trinidad.
Sunday February 20, 2022
Her daughter had written the Common Entrance exams and was awarded a place at the St. Stanislaus College. Her score was instrumental in getting her accepted to Providence All Girls School in Trinidad and she joined her mother in September 2015. In those months, GravesandeBart used every cent of her savings to move into an apartment and purchase her first car in Trinidad. She said “I would be lying if I denied feeling knots in my stomach with the level of responsibility I faced alone, I dared not complain to a soul.” However, as she planned for a future in Trinidad with her daughter, the global oil price collapsed. The impact inflicted serious economic damage in oilproducing nations such as Power couple: Mrs. Gravesande-Bart and her husband are partners in business. Venezuela, Nigeria and particularly Trinidad and Tobago. With forecasts then suggesting “We have engaged past students of GTI, that world prices won’t recover anytime MATPAL Marine, Carnegie School of soon, the company’s MD decided that it Home Economics, University of Guyana was time to scale down. Gravesande- Bart and the other technical institutions across had to make some quick decisions. Guyana that are now employed in the “Have you ever wondered what exactly sector,” she revealed. you’re supposed to do with your life? I As a CEO, Gravesande-Bart said her seriously considered this question,” she biggest lesson, however, is never to give up. recalled of those critical moments. She noted that challenges, especially the BIRTH OF A COMPANY unpleasant ones ultimately prepare you for March 2016, Gravesande-Bart packed the next level of your growth journey. up her apartment in Trinidad in matter of She added, “What I love the most is that three weeks to return to Guyana to form the journey has made me much stronger what was intended to be the first local than I thought I could ever be. I have learnt company providing opportunities to so much that it has humbled me. What I also Guyanese to be beneficially employed in love is that we have created a company the emerging oil and gas sector. which has a corporate philosophy that However, her first attempts to get the seamlessly aligns with the total construct of company off to a successful start proved who I am, the things I believe and live by.” futile. Failing the previous endeavours, she The SRS founder’s strides in business ventured with her then fiancé (now have certainly not gone unnoticed. In 2018 husband) to create a wholly Guyanese the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce brand to service the sector. and Industry (GCCI) presented her with its Together the couple crafted from their first Women in Business Award. educational and professional history, The GCCI award was in recognition of Strategic Recruitment Solutions Guyana women who possess vision, innovation, Inc. (SRSGY) which became operational in entrepreneurial drive, leadership, June 2018 and Symmetry Brokerage and individuality and tenacity with the ultimate Logistics Inc. (SBL). goal being to present role models for other SRSGY would manage the recruitment, women. crewing and HR Services, while SBL Outside of her work, Gravesande-Bart would facilitate all things brokerage and is the co-creator of the Women Chamber Of logistics management. Commerce and Industry Guyana – a The pair worked round the clock, Business Service Organisation was formed developing strategy, crafting proposals, to create a formal space to support women crunching numbers, meeting with clients in business and women in the corporate and training partners whilst interviewing world. She is also a part of the Grace and and building a resumé bank. The SRS Mercy Youth Foundation, which was resumé bank is the largest in the country created to assist in facilitating social and with over 5,000 resumés to date. economic inclusion for youth. To date, the company has achieved Gravesande-Bart said she is truly Trace International Certification for Anti- grateful to her family for their unwavering Bribery and Anti-Corruption and ISO support. 9001-2015 Certification in Quality She said, “The people we serve Management Standards. motivates me, my family, my mom, my SRS has employed 126 Guyanese, daughter, my husband, my coach and primarily for the Oil and Gas Sector and has mentor, whom I refer as my very own Maya trained in excess of 300 candidates. Angelo…Many times, I wished she was “We have had the opportunity to closer (in the country), our conversations contribute to the capacity building of would be much longer and they are already Guyanese women and men to equip them to very long.” participate meaningfully and gainfully in Additionally, Gravesande-Bart said the oil and gas sector,” Gravesande-Bart “my pets are my everyday therapists. Lady revealed. Grace and Zoey love never-ending She noted that being a part of Guyanese cuddles!” She noted, nonetheless, that career success stories really forms a huge watching her daughter evolve into a young part of her motivation to keep creating woman who embodies grace, yet is very strategies for employment entry into the firm and stands in her own truth is her sector. greatest blessing.
Kaieteur News
Ambika Ramraj
Sunday February 20, 2022
This week’s beauty is Miss Emerald Guyana 2020, Arian Dahlia Richmond who placed third in the international pageant which sought to promote the preservation and protection of indigenous cultures. The Guyanese beauty and pageant enthusiast also represented Guyana at the Miss Culture Caribbean Queens 2019 Competition. (Photo credit: Missossology Guyana)
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Sunday February 20, 2022
Govt. helps foot bill for Private Sector Energy Conference 2022 …event concludes with delegates in closed door session exploring ‘partnerships’ The Government of Guyana, using taxpayers’ dollars, contributed substantially into what has evolved into a Public Private Partnership (PPP)—the International Energy Conference and Expo 2022. The flagship event, which concluded on Friday last, saw in attendance Head of State of Ghana, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Surinamese President,
Cop threatened by... From page 17 declared that they were able to trace the car the killers used from North Road Georgetown to Palm Court, prior to the shooting. The Force had also confirmed that the car was driven to a location on the Soesdyke- Linden Highway where it was doused with a flammable substance and burnt. The burnt out car is currently in the custody of investigating ranks at the force’s Eve Leary headquarters.
Chandrikapersad Santokhi and Barbados’ Prime Minister, Mia Mottley, among others. Ahead of the activity, Communications Director for the event, Alex Graham gave the confirmation during a media briefing on Monday last at the Marriott International Hotel venue, where he told operatives that as is the case with State visits, the accommodations and other expenses will be borne, as is customarily done, by the visited country and as such the Guyana government will be funding that aspect of the privately organised Conference and Expo. According to Graham, “the conference was put together (pause), I don’t want to say public private partnership because that’s too formal a title but in a sense that’s how a whole lot of it has evolved.” He told media operatives however, that government would not be providing any cash support directly to the organisers and explained that, “…there are delegations that are coming here that include heads of State and Head of Government.”
International Energy Conference and Expo 2022. To this end, he reiterated, “in as far as you have participation at that level you must have engagement with the government.” In fact, according to Graham, “…these visitors are guests of the state and the state is providing the usual support the state provides when it has state visitors; the state is not providing any direct financing to the
conference none at all.” Reiterating his position Graham adumbrated, “we have invited participation and among those who have responded to our invitation are heads of state and governments and their delegations.” He noted too, “…the state is determining Continued on page 64
Sunday February 20, 2022
Kaieteur News
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Human Services Minister leads team to Region 9 to distribute pension, bagpacks
D
r. Vi n d h y a Persaud in making good on her promise of delivering the Ministry of Human Services’ key services across the length and breadth of Guyana, trekked 3.3 miles with her small team into the village of Masakenari in Region Nine to deliver pension and public assistance for the first half of the year. This is according to a release the Ministry issued which noted that Masakenari is a village in Region Nine, which lies at the bottom of the map close to the Brazil border. The Human Services Minister continued the delivery programme for pension and public assistance that was introduced in 2021 for remote communities which allows recipients to receive their pension and public assistance for half of the year at one time. Pensioners of Masakenari also received their one-off $25,000 cash grant and their JulyDecember, 2021 pension this way last year. Minister Persaud presented the books for 2022 as well and had the opportunity to hand over the payments and pension book to the oldest resident of Masekenari. Residents expressed not only their appreciation for the new delivery initiative but also for the visit as the team also took in hampers for the 60-plus households and toys for the children. During the visit, Dr. Persaud engaged with the craftswomen of the village, sharing tips and viewing their intricately done craft
pieces. She was keen to work with them through the Women’s Innovation and Investment Network- WIIN programme in upskilling and developing new areas, including ICT. She urged them to advertise on the WIIN GY App to promote their work. On leaving, Dr. Persaud was gifted with a beautifully designed necklace featuring colourful macaws of Guyana and along with the Deputy Director of Social Services, Hamwanttie Bisesar received the colourful head-dress. The children also enjoyed quality time with the Minister as she held an impromptu art class with them and together worked on their masks for Mashramani. Dr. Persaud shared, “Not only is Masakenari incredibly lovely and untouched, the Wai Wai people living there are such warm and lovely people. There was so much to learn and see and potential areas to work with residents. I was extremely delighted to introduce the WIIN programme and App and meet with the talented women of Masakenari. Although it took the team a 6mile walk in and out of the village from the airstrip, I felt humbled to be able to personally take the key support services of pension and public assistance in to Masakenari honouring our Government’s commitment to serve all the people across the length and breadth of Guyana. There is work that is planned to improve connectivity there and the people were very happy that I went in to visit.”
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud distributes backpacks to the children of Masakenari.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud (right) along with residents after receiving their hampers.
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Sunday February 20, 2022
>>>Young Entrepreneur on the Move<<<
‘TRIPLE A’ . .for customised embroidered art By Allyiah Allicock ver the years, we have seen many local artists exhibit very creative pieces including paintings, drawings and sculptures but how often do you come across an embroidered canvas in Guyana? Embroidery canvas art is not commonly practised in the
O
local industry but here to show that the art does exist is 19year-old Adriel Lachmansingh, owner of the brand “Art And Adriel” or “Triple A”. The young woman in a recent interview with Kaieteur News recalled that when her interest initially sparked for this type of art, she started creating pieces for her own personal use with no intention of making it into a business. But all that later changed when a friend
started to take notice of her work and insist on purchasing one of her pieces. “The inspiration to start ‘Art And Adriel’ (AAA) came from a trend going around the internet in 2020 which was canvas embroidery. I made a few pieces just for fun because the pandemic gave me a lot more disposable time and I posted them on social media,” she recalled. It was those unique pieces, which caught the attention of that friend.
eurs play a “Young entrepren le in society. very important ro s and They provide good munity, services to the com t, promote create employmen silience innovation and re e-based through experienc also learning and they ess en iv tit pe increase com t.” ke ar m within the
“Since she was a close friend, I figured why not, told her yes and that
Young entrepreneur, Adriel Lachmansingh
marked my first ever sale. The very one that set the wheel in motion for the start of my canvas embroidery business,” Adriel recollected. The young entrepreneur explained that when the decision was made to be a part of the business arena, she was backed by tremendous support from her family and friends. Her older sisters, she said, would constantly encourage and motivate her to do whatever she puts her mind to. Also, she revealed, they are a great help with her social media and marketing aspect of her business. As for her parents, she noted, “they are also consistently supportive especially in the early days when I
was still finding my footing and creating “Art And Adriel”. My mom was always by my side for what could be hours of supply shopping, searching for the right canvas size, or colour embroidery thread and paint. My parents were always there to lend a helping hand or to give advice on this venture.” Apart from her family, were her friends who taught her that support for a small business does not only come from purchasing an item but also from simply sharing her art with others. Overall, the ongoing love and support given by friends and family, she said, is what really makes her small business thrive. “Art And Ariel” was officially opened in January 2021, and has been meeting the service of many since then. Our featured young entrepreneur highlighted that since being in operation, one major challenge the business encountered was during the busy Christmas season. During that period, she recalled some of her materials for her work were delayed in shipment. “Our suppliers of canvas and paint had little to no stock left, leaving AAA scrambling to find supplies from a new seller during the Christmas season,” she recounted. Though it was a setback for her business, she did not lose sight of her goal and still reached her customers’ demand. Notably, while the pandemic poses a challenge for many, this was not the case for this business venture. In fact, as the young Continued on page 60
Some of Adriel’s creative pieces.
Sunday February 20, 2022
GKB to retain Enmore Packaging facility workers... From page 12 finds, companies, directly and indirectly, involved in oil and gas will be looking to employ persons from Enmore and other surrounding communities who have the necessary skill set. “ Yo u w i l l s e e u s developing, as a government, a number of facilities on the East Coast. We want to create jobs for these people in these industries. We have large finds of oil offshore and, therefore, they would need certain machinery and parts for that industry. We have in this community, and in the surrounding communities, a lot of persons who have the skill set and I'm sure they will be looking for persons with those kinds of skills as they get this particular production up and running. In addition to that, they're other interests, so its government's intention to ensure that we develop this area and other surrounding villages so that more people can be employed,” Dr. Anthony noted. The Minister of Health also told the workers that the government will be transforming the Enmore Polytechnic into a modern regional hospital. This new health facility, he explained, will be outfitted with an accident/emergency section, a theatre for surgeries, and an outpatient section, among others. This project, he added, is expected to commence within the next
three months. Chief Executive Officer of Guysons Group of Companies, Faizal Khan said that workers can rest assured that they will receive the necessary skills training to ensure their transition is as smooth as possible. “This is a joint venture from Louisiana called Guysons K and B Industries. We've already been traded. We've already got contracts with ExxonMobil and others. What we intend to do here is pipe and oil field service work. I've spoken at length with the minister and the President mentioned on no less than four occasions 'make sure you look after the people at the Enmore Packaging Facility and the people of Enmore.' I heard you are very hard-working people and I want to assure you that we will give you the necessary training so that your transition can be as smooth as possible,” Mr. Khan said. Workers who attended the meeting said they were relieved that the government made it a priority to ensure their livelihoods were secured even as new job opportunities were being created for the community. They also thanked the President and the Minister for ensuring skills training formed part of the agreement between the investor and government as many of them would require some amount of training to function in their new roles.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday February 20, 2022
CCJ reduces 23 years jail sentence for Guyanese rape convict highlights need for reasons in dispensing sentences By Rehanna Ramsay The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has reduced the sentence for Guyanese rape convict, Calvin Ramcharran. The CCJ decision rendered Friday outlined that Ramcharran, who was sentenced to 23
years in prison for the rape and assault of a female will now serve 16 years for his crimes. The Trinidad- based appellate court noted that the Guyana Appeal Court in its decision ignored an earlier decision which necessitated that reasons should be given
when arriving at certain sentences in the sexual offence matter. The CCJ found that Ramcharran's case was devoid of that reasoning. The man who was represented by attorneys, Nigel Hughes and Ronald J. Daniels had initially
appealed the sentence and conviction for rape in the Guyana Court of Appeal but his request was turned down. In accordance with their decision, Justices of the Guyana Appellate Court ordered Ramcharran “to essentially go back to serving his 23-years jail
Rape Convict: Calvin Ramcharran. sentence,” which was imposed on him in the Georgetown High Court by trial judge Jo Ann Barlow in 2015. In dismissing the request, Chancellor of the Judiciary (Ag), Justice Yo n e t t e C u m m i n g s Edwards, said, the Court found that Ramcharran's case had no merit as it relates to the grounds of appeal. According to the Chancellor, the Court disagreed with arguments that Ramcharran's sentence was severe in all circumstances. Justice Cummings-Edwards noted that “The Court will only interfere if a sentence is found to be manifestly excessive or passed on the wrong principles.” However, in rendering a decision in the case, Justices of the CCJ disagreed with this notion. In fact, in a summary judgment read by Justice Denys Barrow, the CCJ bench noted that the decision made by the trial judge to order Ramcharran to 23 years was devoid of reasons for the length of the sentence. The CCJ Judge explained that“...The Court in a majority judgment found that the sentence for rape was manifestly excessive. The Court found that the trial judge failed to hold a separate sentencing hearing; to take a victim impact statement; to obtain mental health or psychological assessments; to obtain a social report; to give reasons for and to indicate the process used to arrive at the sentence…” He noted too “while the trial judge did not impose the maximum sentence of life imprisonment, because she gave no reasons for it, [the Guyana Appellate Court and CCJ] could only infer what those reasons were for arriving at the sentence imposed.” Justice Barrow also
noted that the CCJ was therefore satisfied in its decision to reduce the sentence that since the Guyana Appeal Court failed to be guided by the precedent of the judgment given in the case of Pompey versus the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). He explained that “[The Appeal Court] failed to apply the proper objectives to the determination of the issue of sentencing.” Barrow emphasized, the Court of Appeal in reviewing the sentence, the trial judge erred by failing to follow the comprehensive guidelines given for trial judge in respect to sentences in rape cases as it was rendered in its earlier decision of Pompey against the Director of Public Prosecutions. On that basis, the judge noted that the CCJ was obliged to accede to Ramcharran's request to appeal the sentence. Towards the end of the CCJ hearing, DPP Shalimar Ali- Hack, SC, who represented the State's case told the CCJ that while she is grateful for its guidance in the terms of rape sentencing, it should be mindful that the custom of local Courts was for judges not to give reasons for sentencing. She requested that formal guidance be given to the Court regarding the fairly new requirement. “The Chancellor and Chief Justice had arranged formal training for the judges on the day before or on the very day that our written submissions were filed… the judges are now more aware that they have to give reasons and they are doing so but we will have interim period of cases from the old practice… that's why I respectfully ask for guidance in this issue… ” she said. In 2015, Ramcharran was found guilty of sexually penetrating a 20-year-old (Continued on page 59)
Sunday February 20, 2022
CCJ reduces 23 years jail sentence for Guyanese... From page 58 female without her consent. The incident occurred on July 22, 2012. Ramcharran and the victim were at a dance in Soesdyke, when he followed her behind an old house and attacked her. On the night of the incident, Ramcharran had asked the woman, “Whether she was doing business” and although she told him no, he pursued her and forcefully
had sexual intercourse with her. Following his trial, Ramcharran was convicted of assaulting the woman and causing her actual bodily harm during the commission of the crime. Even after he was sentenced, the man maintained that he was innocent of the crime. However, upon appeal, the CCJ had denied his request to overturn his guilty verdict.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday February 20, 2022
'Triple A'…for customised embroidered... From page 56 woman would describe it, “it was our springboard into business.”Since the pandemic forced a lot of businesses to go online, and her business is only online operational, Adriel stated that it does not only protect them from the virus but helps her business further its creativity in terms of its social media presence. “It provided not only time to invest into creating the framework for our brand but also provided a way for me to reconnect with art and the act of creating. Honestly, without the pandemic, AAA would not exist,” she confessed. The only objective for her business right now, she shared, is to create unique pieces of art that no one else in Guyana is providing. When asked what
responsibility young business people have in our country, Adriel asserted, “young entrepreneurs play a very important role in society. They provide goods and services to t h e c o m m u n i t y, c r e a t e employment, promote innovation and resilience through experience-based learning and they also increase competitiveness within the market.”Further, she noted that one way small businesses can be boosted in Guyana, is for local stores to utilise more locally made items and products. A gesture like that would not only bring about opportunities for small businesses but it also exposes them to wider markets, she added. Persons can contact the
young entrepeneur on Instagram @artandadriel.
Sunday February 20, 2022
Kaieteur News
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PAGE 62 WANTED
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Accounts clerk.Must know to prepare payroll,NIS & PAYE.Contact:621-8478 between 9AM-3PM. 1 Female Clerk,1 Male Office Assistant,1 Receptionist. Very attractive salary. Tel: 617-5700.
One bedroom apt with bathroom and living room, Cumming slodge E.C.D. Call:222-0401/673-2467 whatsapp 516-805-2048. Room to let in Alberttown. Tel:628-1183. Size 500sqft below Hotel Princess Raven,suitable for Spanish Restaurant. Contact: Sarge tel:659-4333/223-6488.
One salesman,able bodied porters.Experience in writing bills,stocktaking & cashing. Keyfood Trading, Mc Doom village. Domestic Housekeeper,age 35-40yrs.To work at Residence (E.B.D) 4 days per week (½ day).Tel: 225-8131/ 6756464. Male Clerical Asst.Age:2530yrs.Having a license to drive with (MC & MV) is required.Tel: 225-8131/ 2236488. For one driver and one porter.Apply to Global Healthcare Supplies, 110 thirdst, Alberttow n.Email:gl obalhealthsuppliesinc@gmail.com.
Mix breed Husky puppies. Tel:623-3183.
WANTED 1 general domestic to work at Providence between the age of 38-40.Call from 10AM9PM-697-0157. Urgently Needed! Dried carilla bush.Contact:6098281/693-3003. A cook for family of three,light house keeping, located at Providence. Tel:654-8839. One (1) male able bodied clerk.Tel:231-2029/616-5954.
Future energy projects will fail if not... From page 2 sustainability.” Ingham’s warning to VACANCY Office Assistant, Cashier, Counter staff, Cooks, Baker, Cleaner,Store person.Must have experience & vaccinated,226-9000,225-6255. One clerk for TSI Eccles Office,English & Maths grade 1 or 2.Call:615-9132 or email application to tech serigy@yahoo.com. Maid to cook and clean for East Bank areaa.Call:6159132. Sales Person. Commission Only. 5 CXC 1 or 2 in Math and English Required. Contact:650-5626.
PENPAL
Ogle,Sheriff St,Charlotte St,Enterprise C,Zeelugt & Diamond.Contact:Ray's Realty 627-9685.
Drawing of Building plans and Estimate,K.Lakeram building contractor.Tel:2160671/692-8464 whatsapp 6220267.
Business: Saffon St 900Sq FT bottom flat,Bar St Kitty,Wellington St,North Road.Contact:Ray's Realty 627-9685.
Couple to work on private property, Essequibo river. Must drive boat & do maintenance. Tel:624-1055.
Pitmen and Hauler operator for interior location. Applicants must be experienced. Call:231-2250.
TO LET
Furnished apartment building top flat,bottom flat open space 100x34.Call:630-2062, whatsapp 641-4614.
Female ages 25-40 to take care of elderly male in Trinidad, accomodations provided. Call:1-868-489-4087 or 1-868755-1990.
Hardware Store,Public Road Grove. Contact: 642-6056/ 664-9701.
Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisements, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040
FOR RENT
1 matured bus driver preferably from E.B.D.Tel:698-6205.
VACANCY
SERVICES
FOR SALE
Hiring Content Writers: $100,000 monthly. MondayThursday,work from home. Email your resume to andrewp @consultpr.net.
Middle road La Penitence, Cummingslodge 2 acres, Eccles 5 acres,Diamond & Friendship.Contact:Ray's Realty 627-9685.
Toyota Spacio 2003 model, PPP series excellent condition. Price $1.350mil,serious enquiries only.Tel:638-7258. Toyota Premio Year 2003, PRR series excellent condition. Price $1.550mil,serious enquiries only.Tel:625-2167.
Sunday February 20, 2022
Kaieteur News
Vacancy exists for one sales representative and an experienced cook,very attractive salary.Tel:617-5700. General Domestic,able to prepare vegetarian dishes. Apply with photo to 16 Vlissengen Rd Newtown, Kitty. Cashiers.Apply at Survival Supermarket with passport photo to 16 Vlissengen Rd Newtown,Kitty. Vacancy for Male & Female cleaners.Call for more info 503-2502/698-3644/622-6272.
Male seeking non-racial single independant female. Tel# whatsapp or call: 6986391.
Guyana comes at a time when the People’s Progressive Party/C (PPP/C) government is forging ahead with its gasto-shore project, for example, that now carries a price tag in excess of US$1.3 billion. The Minister with responsibility for Finance in the Office of the President, Dr. Ashni Singh, in his Budget 2022 presentation confirmed that government has already allocated in excess of US$20M towards the project. A perusal of the project profile for the capital allocation that falls under the Office of the Prime Minister, points out that the government has in fact pegged the total cost for the power plant and other facilities at some US$520M, of which US$20M has been allocated for use this year. With ExxonMobil spending in excess of US$800M to conduct surveys and other ancillary works for the project, including the laying of the pipeline, it would mean that the total cost of the project is now pegged in excess of $1.3B. The project is intended to add some 300MW of power to the national grid. On the other hand,
the government is also pushing its Amaila Falls Hydropower Project pegged at US$700 million and which will generate 165MW of power. On Friday, the former Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson argued that the Wales gas-to-shore project will amount to a white elephant as it has now been confirmed that the 50mcf of gas piped to shore will only be sufficient to power the generating sets and a small LPG plant rather than be used for fertiliser (Ammonia, Urea and other agro-processing byproducts), solid waste pyrolysis and even a cement plant as was assured by the PPP/C government. He reasoned, “Guyana will be expending over US$1.4B and counting (Exxon–US$900M + GOG US$504M) for 250MW generating sets. This is an incredible amount, considering the fact that the current cost for 1MW of generating power is approximately US$1M. That’s correct; 250MW of natural gas-powered generating sets can be procured for approximately US$250M – yet, the Government is paying US$1.4B.”
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Wind, Solar & Hydro cheaper to use than... From page 10 develop our indigenous energy resources while addressing energy security concerns, advancing climate change mitigation efforts, and promoting sustainable energy solutions. With government forging full speed ahead with the project, it is still being met with relentless criticism about its viability. WHITE ELEPHANT Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), David Patterson, who holds the Shadow portfolio for the Oil and Gas sector, in a public missive following the close of the conference on Friday lamented that “the Wales Gasto-Shore project will end up like previous PPP mega projects – a white elephant funded by the hard-working people of Guyana with little or no return, if changes are not made soon.” He was adamant, that adumbrations by the administration that “the natural gas to be piped to shore would kick start Guyana's industrial revolution” is nothing but myths that were constantly peddled in the public and even repeated by Government. Taking aim at the “everaccommodating private sector,” Patterson said the administration's promises of utopia to be had with the realisation of the gas project was swallowed “hook line and sinker and took to the airwaves promoting the project by referencing how much money will be saved since we are soon producing our own fertilisers and cement.” Outlining an even more glaring observation, Patterson said “it appears the government is very comfortable lying to its own citizens as well as the Parliament but draws a line when addressing a group of foreigners attending a high-priced conference.” This position, he qualified, by drawing reference to startling revelations made by Winston Brassington whose official portfolio placed him under the employ of the Ministry of Natural Resources but for all intents and purposes, is perceived as the project head. Patterson drew reference to the fact that despite the utterances of those in the Private Sector and government circles, Brassington's presentation did shed “some light on the proposed Wales gas-toshore project. His presentation confirms what the opposition and the general public have been saying for the last 18 months – which is; the current gas availability is limited to production of electricity only.” The Opposition Member of Parliament in his missive juxtaposed the most recent revelations of Brassington with that of an earlier position
voiced last year—during an official media briefing on April 26, 2021. NO BRAINER At the time, Patterson said “the country was regaled that this project will not only supply cheap power and LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas), but also fertiliser” such as Ammonia, Urea and other agro-processing byproducts and even a cement plant. He quipped, that the selling point, in other words, was that “the natural gas to be piped to shore would kick start Guyana's industrial revolution—a no brainer!” With this in mind he drew reference to Brassington's revelation that anticipated 50 million cubic feet of gas to be piped to shore “will only be sufficient to power the generating sets and a small LPG plant.” To this end, he contends, “all the other bells and whistles used to justify this project cannot be done at this initial stage nor in the foreseeable future.” Guyana, he reminded, “will be expending over US$1.4B and counting for primarily 250MW generating sets. “This is an incredible amount, considering the fact that the current cost for 1MW of generating power is approximately US$1M, that's correct 250MW of natural gas-powered generating sets can be procured for approximately US$250M - yet, the Government is paying US$1.4B.” As such, the Opposition MP was adamant, “the public deserves to be told what the rationale is for paying US$1.15B more under the Wales Gas-to-Shore project.” Patterson also zeroed in on the fact that Brassington confirmed that the country will be paying, and insisted that in light of all of the accommodations afforded ExxonMobil, Government should be able to leverage its position “to demand a better deal, and further, insist that the natural gas be free to Guyana.” The development of the Natural Gas as a Bridge while being seen as a bridge also runs the risk of being counter intuitive or in fact be left as a stranded asset. At least this was the position voiced by Dr. John Murton, a United Kingdom Special Envoy of United Nation's Conference of Parties who in his address to the delegates while conceding the pluses—using gas as a bridge to 100 percent renewable energy—also pointed to some of the pitfalls that can devastate a nation. SOLAR & HYDRO CHEAPER THAN GAS He in fact suggested that across two thirds of the globe, solar and hydro power
projects prove to be cheaper than gas and with technology quickly gaining traction, Government might want to reconsider just how feasible its approach is. According to Dr. Murton, “we are increasingly seeing the end, not just of international public coal finance but of all international support for fossil fuels” and posited that this in itself frees more resources for renewable projects. He noted that the rapid development of renewable energy, coupled with the falling price of renewable electricity has accelerated the lower emissions' transition; “renewable power generation is already cheaper than coal in most countries. It also contributes to cleaner air and create more jobs for the future.” According to Dr. Murton, in 2020, 82 percent of all new
power generation capacity installed across the world was renewable. Reminding that private financing is also initiating initiatives aimed at moving towards the global target of net zero emissions, Dr. Murton said “we can't simply set a net zero target, that is decades in the future and do nothing today in order to reach net zero; we need countries to raise their ambitions now.” He was adamant, that in order to meet the global commitments to contain global warming to 1.5 degrees centigrade, “we must build a world that is overwhelmingly fossil fuel free by 2050 and we need to be accelerating the transition to that world now, we need to decarbonise the global economy three to five times faster this decade than we have over the previous two decades.” STRANDED ASSETS
According to Dr. Murton, in order to get there, “we need global electricity systems to be virtually net zero by 2040.” Adamant, future prosperity lies in investing in clean energy, he pitched the case, there is economic development case for redoubling efforts and that boosting investments in renewable isn't vital only to climate action “but it will create jobs, drive economic growth and reduce air pollution.” To this end, he reiterated “wind and solar are now cheaper than new coal and gas power plant in two thirds of the world.” Solar power, he said, “is the cheapest form of electricity the world has ever known and this dramatic cost reduction over the last decade—85 percent—in the case of solar power has transformed global energy options.”
Referencing Guyana specifically with its nascent oil and gas industry Dr. Murton said “a transition away from fossil fuel may feel impossible; however the truth is that long term growth is founded in investment in cleaner and greener energy.” With this in mind, he posited Guyana has a unique opportunity to use its phenomenal growth in its gross Domestic Product to invest in green projects now and to build resilience into the energy grid, “providing a sustainable future for its people.” The alternative, he said, is to “invest in what in the future will become stranded assets.” Investments in renewable now, according to Dr. Murton, “will pay greater dividends in the form of greater economic and environmental security in the short term and in the longer term future.”
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Govt. helps foot bills for Private Sector Energy... From page 54 on its own what those courtesies” it will provide “and we have no idea of what those things cost, that’s a matter for the state. The state is not providing any financing for the conference at any level.” CEO for the Energy Conference and Expo, Angenie Abel at the time noted that there were some 40 local companies slated to participate at the activity in addition to more than 100 international operations. It was noted how-
ever, that among the 40 local suppliers, were the Top Tier ExxonMobil Contractors operating with offices in Guyana such as Baker Hughes which formally opened its Office last week too and SBM Offshore which also recently opened local offices. Of note too was the fact that the venue was filled to capacity with more than 500 individuals registered for inperson participation with another 500 registered for a virtual presence. Asked to re-
spond to recent allegations by the main opposition A Partnership for National Unity, Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) with regards its perceived exclusion from the conference, Graham denied the assertion and informed media operatives that they were working with all stakeholders to ensure maximum participation. The APNU+AFC in a public statement over the weekend had alleged that it had been sidelined from the activity alleg-
ing that organisers and the Government of Guyana had entirely excluded the elected Parliamentary Opposition. To this end, the coalition was adamant “Guyana belongs to all Guyanese… One would have considered that the initiative put forward by H.E. Dr. Irfaan Ali for a ‘One Guyana’ would have been a selling point at such a conference which would have displayed Guyana internationally, but this current posture of deliberately excluding these elected officials only seeks to provoke aggression in an already toxified political atmosphere.” Denying the allegations however, Graham told media operatives, “as far as I know there has been no ef-
fort at all to exclude any groups political or otherwise from participation in the concern; I don’t know there was an effort to include any specific group political and otherwise.” Pressed further, Graham told media operatives, “I don’t think that we sat down to decide to invite these groups and not these groups; the conference has been promoted and people have reached out.” According to Graham, “I don’t want to seem to be defending anybody; we have arranged for their participation in ways that everyone else has.” The conference saw presentations coming from Guyana’s President, Irfaan Ali; Vice President,
Bharrat Jagdeo; Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat and Foreign Secretary, Robert Persaud. Among the visiting dignitaries who graced the activity during the course of its four days were: ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO, Darren Woods, US Ambassador to Guyana, SarahAnn Lynch, Ambassador Fernando Ponz Canto, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Guyana and Suriname, among others. The four day event closed on Friday with a closed door session, “reserved for B2B meetings” where conference participants were matched with local companies they can explore partnerships with.”
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Parliamentary Representative Zlfikar Mustapha assists again Reliance Canje Volleyball club gets helping hand
In an effort to reach as many persons of the East Berbice/ Corentyne, Region 6 Communities, Parliamentary Representative and Minister of Agriculture Mr. Zulfikar Mustapha has been using his
office to assist the region in whatever way possible. The affable Senior Minister has been assisting a number of communities’ in the region in various ways. Apart from Agricultural
intervention, Sports clubs and organizations, including the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) have been benefitting from timely intervention. A promise has also been made to assist Youth and Cultural
Saturday January 20, 2022 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Dark, depressing dreams could plague your sleep tonight, Aries, probably alternating with silly ones that make you laugh out loud. You could wake in the morning totally confused by these images.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Your creative talents could seem totally blocked today, Libra. You may have a project you really want to work on. You have the mental focus, but the creative element just might not be there.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Have you been invited to a party that's supposed to take place today? If you think you haven't, Taurus, you'd better check your calendar again.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) This definitely isn’t a good day to stay home and do household chores, Scorpio. If you do, some sad and rather irrational thoughts may plague you throughout the day.
GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Too much mental or physical exercise could have you feeling a bit burned out today, Gemini.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Some disappointing news could put you into a rather gloomy state at some point today, Sagittarius.
CANCER (June 21–July 22) Although your partner may be feeling very sensual at this time, Cancer, you might not feel much like getting passionate.
CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The fundraising activities of a group with which you're affiliated are going very well, Capricorn, but today you're likely to find that things seem to be stalled.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Your home could be a gloomy place today, Leo. A member of the household is likely to be away, and this person's presence is apt to be very sorely missed.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Career matters could move so slowly today that you just might be tempted to give up, Aquarius. Don't even think that way!
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) An older relative or neighbor may need your assistance today, Virgo. This is apt to be a very inconvenient time for someone to ask for help, because you have plenty of chores of your own.
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) If you've got something you're trying to study, Pisces, this isn’t the day to do it. Your concentration is likely to be off, and what you're reading will probably look like Greek to you.
organizations in the near future. Recently members of Reliance, East Canje, were recipients of Volleyball gear to restart their Volleyball club of the -Make a Difference Youth Organization. They received balls and nets among other items. The village once was the home of the well-known Eaglets Volleyball Club which produced a few national players and was ranked among the top club in Berbice. The donation was made by Regional Vice Chairman Zamal Hussain and a team from the RDC at a simple ceremony in the village during a community outreach. According to information from Mr. Mustapha, more villages, clubs and organizations in the region are set to benefit from the largesse of the Government in various ways shortly. (Samuel Whyte)
Wiltshire King and Queen Dominoes on today Mark Wiltshire will be hosting a King and Queen Dominoes competition today at Sweet Point bar, Orange Walk. Entrance fee is $2,000 per player and the winning player will receive $120,000, runner up $60,000 and third
place $30,000. Re entry costs $3,000 and hampers will be given to the female players. Action commences at 14:30hrs and all covid guidelines will be observed. All GNDA rules will be in effect.
Massacre at DCC as Griffith... From page 71 Mahindra Dindyal past cover for four to reach his 50 from 57 balls with six fours and two sixes before Barnwell clobbered a six to bring up the 200. Griffith brought up his century from 106 balls with 11 fours and four sixes before Barnwell, dropped on 43 by Devon Lord off Forrester, stroked Mohamed for four to reach his fifty which came from 60 balls with four fours and three sixes. Barnwell deposited Forrester for six to post his third century for the tourna-
ment following his ton against UG and his 176 against Everest in the semi-finals. After that it was boundaries galore and Griffith and Barnwell hit sixes and fours at will before Barnwell fell to Ali Mohammed, who left the field with a minor groin injury, at 507-3 before Griffith passed the 273 made by the late Andrew Lyght against GYO in 1983 to become the DCC batsman with the highest score in first division cricket. The left-hander hit Lovell for six sixes in one over and soon reached his triple century but 13 short of overtaking Everest’s David H a r p e r ’s 3 1 3 i n 1 9 8 9 against DCC he was removed by Ali Mohammed at which time the declaration was made. The game concludes today.
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Police, Everest CC in command
Police and Everest CC were in commanding position in their respective matches when the Georgetown Cricket Association Noble House Sea Foods second division two-day tournament continued yesterday. At Eve Leary, Police
scored 170, taking first strike. Opener Kevin Christian made 60, Trevor Benn scored 21, Ameer Mohamed 17, Kyle Michael 15 and Paul Tyndall 14. Christian and Michael added 50 for the second wicket after Police lost opener Tyndall for 14 caught off
Royston Gill. Christian put on another useful stand of 48 for the third wicket with Mohamed before he was taken off Michael Mc Almont. Mc Almont grabbed 5-34 while Rickford Mohamed claimed 327. In reply, Diplomats were
99-9 at stumps. Nigel Simpson made 30, while Derrick Bobb scored 26 and Gill 23. Rocky Hutson has so far taken six wickets and Mohamed two. At Everest, the home team took first strike and posted 252-5 declared. Ronaldo Renee struck 82 while Troy
Ronaldo Renee, Troy Gonsalves, Rocky Huston, Kevin Christian
Gonsalves scored 55, Usherdeva Balgobin made 52 not out and Dwayne Adams 44. M. Jeenarine took two
wickets. Bel Air were 45-5 in response. Gonsalves has taken two wickets so far. Action continues today.
Marics and Company presents balls to Ogle CC Marics ball presentation
Marics and Company has supported the Ogle Community Centre Cricket Club with two boxes of balls. The balls were presented to coach David Harper who thanked the company for their support.
In photo, a representative from Marics and Company Ltd. hands over the balls to former national player and Coach of the Ogle Community Centre Cricket Club David Harper.
Taylor is Captain as... From page 70 ·Hayley Matthews · Chedean Nation · Karishma Ramharack · Shakera Selman · Rashada Williams Travelling Reserves · Kaysia Schultz · Mandy Mangru · Jannillea Glasgow West Indies Women ICC Cricket World Cup Match Schedule March 4: vs New Zealand at Bay Oval, Tauranga March 9: vs England at University Oval, Dunedin March 12: vs India at Seddon Park, Hamilton March 15: vs Australia at Basin Reserve, Wellington March 18; vs Bangladesh at Bay Oval, Tauranga March 21: vs Pakistan at Seddon Park, Hamilton March 24: vs South Africa at Basin Reserve, Wellington March 30: Semi-final 1 at Basin Reserve, Wellington March 31: Semi-final 2 at Hagley Oval, Christchurch
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DCB receives sponsorship for Premiere Insurance U15 Inter-Association Tournament On Friday last, the Demerara Cricket Board received sponsorship from Premiere Insurance Company for the DCB/Premiere Insurance U15 Inter-association Cricket Tournament. This handing over ceremony was witnessed briefly by members of DCB: Secretary Mr. Davteerth Anandjit, Assistant Secretary Mr. Ronald Williams and Administrator Ms. Kavita Yadram along with CEO of Premiere Insurance Company Mr. Anil Singh who handed over the cheque at the International Energy conference and Exhibition 2022 held at the Guyana Marriott Hotel. Premiere Insurance INC is one of the newest companies in the Insurance Industry in Guyana and is already making a name for itself. This sponsorship is a positive intervention for Demerara’s youth cricket and its marketing unit. Speakingfor Premiere Insurance, CEO Mr. Singh was high in praise of the DCB and highlighted Premiere Insurance’s profound interest in collaborating on such a
Arun Gainda, Dave Mahabir, Premeshwar Ram, Roupie Ragaram the Upper Demerara Captain venture, which has immense potential to enhance the cricketing lives of those involved, the U15players. He indicated the company’s willingness to invest through cricket sponsorship for the youths not only in Demerara but other areas. He also stated that he is looking forward to a long and mutually rewarding relationship between DCB and Premiere Insurance. On behalf of the DCB, Secretary and Assistant Secretary expressed their heartfelt thanks to Premiere Insur-
ance for taking up this initiative of this sponsorship and wished the company success in the future and looked forward to a long standing sponsorship in years to come from Premiere Insurance. The tournament will commence on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 and concludes on Tuesday March 1, 2022. Some of the venues that will be used in this tournament are Everest in Georgetown, Enmore on the East Coast, Farm Ground on the East Bank and Meten-Meer-Zorg on the West Coast just to name a few. This tournament will be used to select the DemeraraU-15 team to participate in the Guyana Cricket Board U-15 inter-county. The teams as follows: Upper Demerara Team Corey Charles (Captain), Shaukel Fiedtkou, Marvin Lyckerish, Javid Chetram, Keron Phillips, Tyron Lyckerish, Kelroy Welchman, Adie Tukiman, Dellon Cadogan, Roy Piggott, Teron Culpepper, Carlos Clark,Vickram Persaud, Coach: Marlon Fredericks and Manager:Michael Fredericks. East Bank Demerara Team Roupie Rajaram (Captain),
Jaden Benjamin, Jordon Benjamin, Khemraj Millall, Shane Shivbarran, Ronaldo Pereira, Jeremiah Downer, Ravindra Singh, Josiah Lim (Vice-Captain), Sayyad Lakeram, Premaul Khiemraj (wk), Altaf Rahim, Trevor Lim, Rajiv Gorakh, Dravid Manohar, Coach: Daniel Barker and Manager: Fazil Ishak Georgetown Kishan Silas (Vice-caption), Narindra Isurdeen, Emanuel Lewis, Lomar
Seecharran, Dave Mohabir (Captain), Dhanesh Persaud, Reyaz Latif, Joshua Charles, Shane Prince, Darwin LaRose, Brandon Henry, Kwesi Wilkinson, Jonathan Mentor, Ravin Singh, Peter Khan, Coach Qisen Nedd and Manager Shaun Massiah. West Demerara Parmeshwar Ram (CP), Navindra Sankar (VCP), Shaker Lall, Jaden Wahid, Robin Seecharan, Arvin Suknanan, Adrian Marks, Divindra Balgobin, Vishnu Lokesh, Amrit Persaud, Patricce Hyman, Naresh
Sankar, Akeel David, Vickey Lalbachann, Joshua Isaac Williams, Coach: Jermain Maxwell and Manager: Lalta Suknanan East Coast Team Alonzo Ramsingh, Yudesh Jaikaran, Arun Gainda (Captain), Ricardo Singh, Ravin Persaud, Joshan Bollars, Aaron Kissoon, Rishi Sewdat, Trilok Nanan, Mikel Sharma, Daniel Kissoon, Munesh Outar, Gopaul Ramchand, Fayuse Ali, Anthony Chan, Coach: Kumar Bishundial and Manager: Ashmul Ali
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GISE, Star Party Rental & Trophy Stall cricket...
Massacre at DCC as Griffith breaks 39-yr record By Sean Devers In steaming heat on a lightning fast and excellently manicured ground, it was a massacre at DCC as the host ripped an innocuous GCC bowling attack to shreds on the first day of the GISE, Star Party Rental & Trophy Stall Two-day Division Final yesterday. Spearheaded by a record breaking 300 from 228 balls and decorated with 24 fours and 23 sixes and Chris Barnwell’s 175 from 120 balls with 13 fours and 13 sixes, the pair added 359 runs for third wicket. Persaud supported with an explosive 85 with 13 fours and four sixes, as DCC galloped to 590-4 declared from just 69.1 overs in a runs fest. Off-spinner Winston Forrester (2-115) and Renaldo Ali-Mohammed (2-141) were the wicket takers for GCC who
were 98-8 at the stumps, trailing by 411 runs going into today’s final day. Forrester (25), Ryan Hemraj (21) and Mahindra Dindyal (15) were the only batsmen to reach double figures. Ashmead Nedd (4-6) and Totaram Bishun (2-39) are the main wicket-takers for DCC so far. GCC won the toss and under blues Skies and on a good batting track, and surprisingly invited the host to use the perfect batting conditions first and from the first ball from pacer Deonarine Seegobin which Persaud dismissively cut for four, it was an ominous sign what was to come later in a day which was totally dominated by DCC. Persaud and Griffith added 124 in a partnership which was dominated by the right-handed Persaud who
raced to 28 with seven sizzling boundaries. Griffith started cautiously but changed gears and pulled Thadius Lovell for four and danced into Forrester and hit him over mid-on for a boundary to bring up the 50. He celebrated the landmark with a glorious cover drive for the second boundary of the over. Persaud smashed Lovell for three boundaries, the last one; a clinical pull, which brought up his 50 from 32 balls with 10 fours and a six as he took 28 from the over. Persaud then hit Forrester for back-to-back boundaries to bring up the 100 in 10.1 overs. Persuad continued his brutal onslaught, hitting the spinner onto Lance Gibbs Street and smashed him for four as boundaries came fast and furious with Griffith joining in the carnage; stroking
Trevon Griffith hits AliMohamed over cover for six during triple Century. (Sean Devers photo)
Lovell for a majestic four past cover. Forrester removed
Persaud to break the partnership before enticing Sachin Singh (10) to point and 144-2
the Bourda boys were fighting back. Griffith drove (Continued on page 67)
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Taylor is Captain as Windies name squad for ICC Women’s World Cup in New Zealand ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Cricket West Indies (CWI) Women’s Selection Panel yesterday named the 15member West Indies Women’s squad to participate in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, to be played in New Zealand from March 4 to April 3. Stafanie Taylor, one of the leading allrounders in the history of the game, will lead the squad, with off-spinner Anisa Mohammed as vicecaptain for her fifth Cricket World Cup. The squad includes several exciting young players who will be competing at the marquee event for the first time. These are spinner Karishma Ramharack, fast bowler Aaliyah Alleyne, seamer Cherry Ann Fraser, allrounder Chinelle Henry and opening batter Rashada Williams. The 15-member squad will be joined by three traveling reserves, Kaysia Schultz, Mandy Mangru and Jannillea Glasgow as per the ICC’s
medical protocols for the tournament. CWI’s Lead Selector for Women’s cricket Ann Browne-John said, “The squad selected shows a blend of youth and experience. We have Anisa Mohammed who’s playing in her fifth World Cup and will help guide the younger ones selected. We have five players who have had their maiden Cricket World Cup selection. The team just completed a series against South Africa where the players got good preparation before the Tournament. There were some relatively good showings with a few players having outstanding performances and it is expected that they would raise their levels even further during the competition. Afy Fletcher’s return strengthens the bowling department as she continues to be a world class leg-spinner.” The eight-team tournament will start with a group stage round, where all teams
play each other once before the top four sides compete in the Semi-Finals and Finals. The West Indies Women will open their title chase against host country New Zealand on March 4 at Bay Oval in Tauranga. Their seventh and final match of the group stage is against South Africa on March 24 at Basin Reserve in Wellington. Semifinal one will be played on March 30 at Basin Reserve in Wellington with semi-final 2 on March 31 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. The final will be played on April 3 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. FULL SQUAD ·Stafanie Taylor (Captain) ·Anisa Mohammed (Vice Captain) ·Aaliyah Alleyne ·Shemaine Campbelle ·Shamilia Connell ·Deandra Dottin ·Afy Fletcher ·Cherry Ann Fraser ·Chinelle Henry ·Kycia Knight (Continued on page 66)
Sunday February 20, 2022
Kaieteur News
Rawle Toney 3X3
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Republic Cup softball tourney for Lusignan
Rawle Toney (right) receives the championship trophy from Fireside Grill N Chill representative yesterday at the Garnett Street Location.
Fireside Grill N Chill sponsors Andrew I fill Championship Trophy Trophy Stall continues support of Basketball
Ramesh Sunich
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he second Rawle Toney 3X3 C l a s s i c Basketball tournament, which has been sanctioned by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), garnered timely support from popular Garnett Street food establishment, Fireside Grill N Chill, yesterday. The anticipated championship bounced off last night and will conclude tonight at the Burnham Hard Court on Middle & Carmichael Streets. The tournament will see over $500,000 in cash and prizes being doled out to the top performers, and Fireside Grill N Chill, that has been a
long term supporter of sport in Guyana has sponsored the 'Andrew Ifill' Championship trophy. Once again, Toney has decided to pay tribute to the late National Basketball player; Ifill, who passed away in 2019. Ifill was considered as one of the best forwards Guyana has ever produced, and when he migrated to the Twin Island Republic of Trinidad & Tobago some 14 years ago, he became one of the best players to grace the courts on the Island. Also joining the list of supporters is Trophy Stall, whose proprietor, Ramesh Sunich, was pleased to contribute the MVP trophy of the event. In an invited comment, organiser of the event, Rawle Toney, explained that many teams have requested to play in the event and it was a tough task to select the final 16 teams that will be on show this weekend and a keen competition is expected throughout the two days of play that will see around 30 matches being contested. The event will be livestreamed on youtube and facebook along with real time updates throughout the weekend. The tournament is s p o n s o r e d b y Te a m Mohamed's, Modern Building Solutions, Medicine Chest, Mackeson, Guyana Lottery Company,
Trophy Stall, Hennessy, FireSide Grill, Bush Cook, Stuff, MVP Sports, FK Sports, Shi Oil, Brother's Security, The Muse Bar, Pressy's Gift Shop, Cigar and Cognac, and 94.1 Boom FM.
Sandy Ramsundar of Panko Steel presents the trophies to CDC Chairman Khemraj Jailall in the presence of Treasurer Tejwant Persaud.
T
he Lusignan Community Development Council will be hosting their inaugural Republic Cup softball tournament at the Lusignan Community Center ground starting on February 23 at 09:30hrs. The competition will be played in the open and over
40 categories and is sponsored by Panko Steel of Lusignan. The open division will be contested on February 23 and will be of 10 overs duration, while the over 40 segment will be played on February 27 and will be of 20 overs. Teams are asked to be
present at the venue at 09:00hrs for registration. Food and drinks will be on sale and all proceeds from the competition will be used for community projects. At stake are trophies and teams can contact Jailall on 651 4560 for registration. All covid guidelines will be observed.
Taylor is Captain as Windies name squad for ICC Women's World Cup in New Zealand West Indies Women's squad for the World Cup take a photo after being named. (CWI)
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Minister Charles Ramson jr is introduced to the DCC team by Skipper Chris Barnwell as GCA President Neil Barry (right) share the moment. (Sean Devers photo)
Massacre at DCC as Griffith breaks 39-yr record GISE, Star Party Rental & Trophy Stall cricket
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