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Israel's showing NEWS ‘chilling disregard’ for life in occupied West Bank AIETEUR

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

Tuesday Edition February 06, 2024 - Vol. 17 No. 06

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $100 readership yesterday, - Amnesty 51,990

International

‘No backing down’ ...countrywide teachers strike cripples school operations in most areas

Teachers accross the country protesting poor working conditions, including low wages

...Union vows to keep up pressure until all concerns are addressed

ExxonMobil doled out US$8.2B to shareholders for 2023 fourth quarter ...says it is taking advantage of opportunities to pump more from Guyana, other assets

PAGE 02

Tuesday February 06, 2024

Kaieteur News

ExxonMobil doled out US$8.2B to shareholders for 2023 fourth ...says it is taking advantage of opportunities quarter to pump more from Guyana, other assets E

xxonMobil Corporation's S e n i o r Vi c e President and Chief Financial O ff i c e r ( C F O ) , K a t h y Mikells, recently noted that the oil giant gave its shareholders a big pay day in the fourth quarter of 2023.

During the company's recent earnings call, Mikells said Exxon distributed US$8.2 billion to shareholders.

The Vice President said this brings total distributions for the year to more than US$32 billion. “This includes about US$17.5 billion in share repurchases, consistent with the programme that we laid out in December 2022, and leading peers,” said Mikells,

adding, “We raised our fourth-quarter dividend by 4.4%, to US$0.95 per share, and saw growth in the annual dividend for the 41st consecutive year, a long track record that leads our peers.”

Mikells also announced

by US$2 billion when compared to the end of 2022.

Mikells also noted that its upstream business (which refers to the exploration and production phase of the oil sector), saw earnings totalling US$6.3 billion. She

the company's plans to increase the share repurchase pace to US$20 billion annually through 2025, assuming reasonable market conditions.

With respect to Exxon's year-end cash balance, Mikells said this was US$31.6 billion, up almost

said this primarily reflected improved volume and mix driven by continued growth from “our advantaged Guyana and Permian assets, consistent with our objective of growing value.”

With respect to the capital and exploration expense for the fourth quarter, she said

this was US$7.8 billion, bringing its full expenditure on this category to just above US$26 billion for the full year.

“That's a bit above the top end of our guidance range as we opportunistically accelerated drilling activity in our advantaged Permian and Guyana assets and entered the lithium business.”

Looking ahead to the first quarter of 2024, Mikells said Exxon expects slightly lower volumes of oil barrels across assets outside of Guyana.

The Executive was keen to note that Guyana will play a critical role in offsetting those lost barrels as there are plans to ramp up production at Payara, the third

ExxonMobil Corporation's Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Kathy Mikells development project in the Stabroek Block. That project is utilizing the Prosperity floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel.

The production output for Prosperity is now at 220,000

barrels and will go beyond this before the end of the second quarter.

For 2024, Exxon said it expects average net production to be about 3.8 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (Moebd).

Kuru Kuru man remanded after nabbed with teargas canister

A

21-year-old man was remanded to prison on Monday after he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court to answer to a charge which alleged he had in his possession a teargas canister.

Trivon Stewart of Lot 690 Kuru Kuru, Linden H i g h w a y, a p p e a r e d before Magistrate Rhondell Weever, where he pleaded not guilty to the charge of having in his possession a GL-302 teargas canister.

The prosecutor told the court, that on Saturday, around 09:00hrs, ranks was at Croal Street, Georgetown, while performing their duties, noticed Stewart acting in a suspicious manner.

Due to this observation, ranks stopped and searched him when they found one GL-302 teargas canister in

The GL-302 teargas that was found

his haversack. Stewart was immediately arrested and taken to the Brickdam Police Station.

According to the p r o s e c u t o r, w h i l s t t h e accused was in custody, he alleged that he found the teargas cannister, somewhere in Albouystown when he moved out, and on the day in question he decided to walk with it in town.

Bail was denied on the ground of the nature and gravity of the offence committed and Magistrate Weever remanded Stewart to prison.

Stewart is scheduled to return to court on March 4, 2024 for statements and fixtures.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 06, 2024

PAGE 03

“Go home”

- Gaskin tells mining companies that record no profits

…says exploiters dodging tax payments

The natural resources of a country are not infinite and if not properly managed can allow for companies to benefit from the massive wealth generated for years to come, while the country will be left desperate for options to sustain its economy.

Bringing this to the fore in a recent interview with Kaieteur News was Civil Society Activist and Economist, Ramon Gaskin.

He was at the time sharing his views on the taxes being lost by this country as a result of poor declarations by the mining companies operating locally. With a specific focus on the significant declines in the gold sector over the past number of years, Gaskin said each citizen should be alarmed.

Declarations from the gold sector have been declining since 2017. In 2023, this trend continued with declarations reducing by a further 11.2 percent. The activist explained that the laws allow for taxes to be waived if a company in the mining industry fails to record profits. This was confirmed by Attorney-atLaw, Khemraj Ramjattan who said companies are not required to pay taxes to the state if for instance its expenses are $5M, but it records an income of $4M.

On the other hand, he said a tax of about 28% is charged on profits.

For his part, Gaskin believes that the unlimited waiver on revenues owed to the state must cease forthwith. The activist reasoned, “We have a situation in this country where a Policeman that is receiving $150,000 has to

not paying taxes. This is entirely ridiculous. I can tell you that Omai, this big gold company dig gold from 1993 and 2005, got 3.5 million ounces of gold but never paid taxes, never made a profit.”

Though the non-payment of taxes by Omai was not verified by this publication, it was noted that the Canadian gold company enjoyed a low

“If you out there and you ain't making nothing, they tell you go home and this is what must be done in Guyana. If you come here, and year after, year after year, you exploiting our people and exploiting our resources, and you can't make profit and you can't pay taxes, they tell you go home. So the rule should apply here. You ain't making profit, what you doing here if you can't make profit? Go home all of you.”

- Ramon Gaskin pay his taxes and we have the big mining companies not paying taxes.”

He went on to note that BOSAI Minerals Group told their workers that no bonus would be paid in December 2023, as the company did not record a profit. To this end, he argued, “What kind of company don't make a profit in bauxite and again they are

royalty payment on the resources extracted from Guyana.

Omai on its website states: “The payment of gross production royalties are provided for by the Act and the amount of royalty to be paid is prescribed by the Minister. As such royalties may be varied from time to t i m e . C u r r e n t l y, t h e

prescribed royalties on gold production are ad valoren of gross production sales at the following rates: for claim licences 5%; for mining permits for medium scale operations 5%; for mining licences 5%, however recent mineral agreements entered into stipulate a royalty of 8% if the gold price is above US$1,000 per ounce.”

With these generous provisions, Gaskin believes the country is being “ripped off”. He said that Guyana's natural resources are freely being “fetched away” while police and teachers are forced to pay taxes. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo previously defended the fiscal incentives extended to investors.

He believes that potential investors deserve tax breaks to be able to startup successfully.

Gaskin however believes these lofty measures should not be a lifetime privilege but rather an incentive to commence operations to benefit the country.

According to him, “Companies get tax breaks for pioneer status, where if you want to set up something for the first time you get a break but not for these oil companies and bauxite companies that fetching away the natural resources of

Civil Society Activist and Economist, Ramon Gaskin

this country. There is no such thing as a tax break for that.

The natural resources belong to the people of this country and they are fetching it away without paying taxes on it.”

He continued, “When it done, it done, and when you ask them how much profit you made, how much taxes you paid they can't tell you nothing.

How come you making all these sales in bauxite and gold and so on, but you can't make a profit?”

Gaskin explained that countries like Canada have implemented strict laws and regulations to protect their natural resources. For instance, he noted that

companies can be deregistered if no profit is made after five years since this would waive the payment of taxes to that country.

Consequently, he noted, “If you out there and you ain't making nothing, they tell you go home and this is what must be done in Guyana. If you come here, and year after, year after year, you exploiting our people and exploiting our resources and you can't make profit and you can't pay taxes, they tell you go home. So the rule should apply here, you ain't making profit, what you doing here if you can't make profit? Go home all of you.”

U.S. Southern Command Humanitarian Assistance Programme engages Guyanese stakeholders As part of the U.S.Guyana enduring partnership, U.S. Southern Command conducted meetings regarding ongoing humanitarian assistance programme engagements in Mabaruma, Mahdia, Lethem, and Linden in close coordination with the Government of Guyana.

These humanitarian assistance programme engagements are being conducted with Guyanese government approval and are a follow-up to engagements conducted in May of 2023, the US Embassy here said in a press release. U.S. Southern Command

partner nations in the Western Hemisphere routinely host similar humanitarian assistance program visits.

These engagements provide opportunities to evaluate humanitarian assistance needs and requests and verify that donated resources are utilized as mutually agreed upon with our partners.

The U.S. Government has a strong defense partnership with the Government of Guyana, and HAS routinely provide humanitarian assistance and donations through the U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD) Humanitarian Assistance Program. In Guyana, the DoD partners with Government of Guyana institutions such as

Guyana's Ministry of Health, Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, and the Civil Defence Commission to assist in developing Guyana's capacity to respond to humanitarian crises.

The U.S.-Guyana humanitarian assistance

partnership focuses on areas of mutual interest, including disaster preparedness and human rights. Recent examples of that partnership include the donation of a Mobile Field Hospital valued at USD $1.124 million dollars and Guyana's hosting of the

Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team, which brought needed dental, surgical, and emergency care to nearly 500 Guyanese. U.S. Southern Command's enduring partnership with the Government of Guyana and its Ministry of Health, Ministry

of Human Services and Social Security, and Civil Defence Commission is important and highly valued, and the U.S. is steadfastly committed to expanding and strengthening partnership in ways mutually beneficial to both countries and people.

Kaieteur News

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

Publisher: GLENN LALL-TEL: 624-6456 Editor: NIGEL WILLIAMS Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Pushed on the streets

Tuesday February 06, 2024

Red Thread stands in solidarity with teachers DEAR EDITOR Red Thread stands in solidarity with all categories of low-wage workers be it nurses, domestics, teachers, security guards, waitresses and bartenders.

As grassroots women ourselves we know the hardship these categories of workers face as it relates to a living wage and better working conditions, especially given the rising cost of living we are dealing with right now which is making it impossible to make ends meet.

Today, February 5th February, 2024, teachers across all ten regions decided to support the strike that was called by the Guyana Teachers Union.

While we applaud this move,

recognizing that it should be a strike demanding respect for the collective bargaining process that successive governments appear to have abandoned, andthe right for teachers to have a living wage, and better living and working conditions.

Three members from Red Thread decided to join the protest action as we feel that the teachers are the educators of our children, a job that consists of a lot of caring work which is invisible and attracts little or no pay.

However, when we reached the picket line, we saw a crowd of people, a few had placards and it looked like one big party.

In our view, a protest action is a serious action, and

It has been said time and again that teachers belong in the classroom, but there they were on the streets yesterday protesting for better wages in a country plush with oil resources.

The excuse of the PPP/C government that has been indebting this country daily is that they cannot afford to pay our educators more than the paltry 6.5% increase it offered to the traditional public servants. As we reported yesterday Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo who is full of excuses has blamed the volatile oil prices for government’s decision not to increase the wages and salaries of public servants by 50 percent although they have been taking loans upon loans to fund their plans.

This year alone, public debt is set to increase by another US$2.2B, up from US$4.5B at the end of 2023. This means that by year-end, the country will be saddled with a debt of about US$6.7B. It was Jagdeo at a press conference earlier this year that told reporters some 40% of this year’s $1.146 trillion Budget will be backed by loans. The VP presented a case against increasing public servants’ wages by 50 percent, arguing that the Opposition’s call for workers to be paid more was merely a political gimmick. He said that such a move could even bankrupt the economy, but not concerned about our ballooning debt.

To understand the plight of our teachers, one had to read some of placards they carried during their protest action Monday. Prior to yesterday, General Secretary of the Guyana Teachers Union had told this newspaper that: “Many teachers go to work in some questionable working conditions and for pay that is also below par.” She added: “I can give you some examples at the Peter’s Hall Primary School, teachers would have to leave the school compound and visit the mall to use the bathroom because the school toilets are out of order. Another teacher fell through the floors at her school…yet the government is refusing to pay teachers livable wages” It has to take a considerable amount of anxiety to push them to the action of broadcasting their woes in public as they did yesterday. The teachers’ protest countrywide had to do with the usual concerns-pay, past monies due, and commitments not honoured. The core of their concerns is that they are having great difficulty living with dignity.

Their placards and words tell their story.

“Everything has increased except teachers’ wages and salaries”. There is a certain solidity to that claim because it has been the cry of other workers in other sectors across Guyana. Guyanese are feeling considerable pain, and it is a crying shame that so many cannot buy the basics when they are dubbed as the richest people on the planet by experts. The pain of teachers is real, and not imagined or pretended.

When the wages and salaries of Guyanese teachers are compared against those of their peers across the region, they come across as paltry and pathetic. The fact that Guyana now floats on a huge lake of oil only serves to emphasize that the conditions of teachers and other workers across Guyana just should not be where they are. This country has too much going for it currently, and there is the risk that the gaudy economic numbers only enable a few to prosper, while many in extra wage-earning activity outside the classroom, this are left in the ranks of what can only be described as the begs the question about how much focus and energy they are pauperized in the reality of their hard existence. able to bring to bear to their daytime classroom duties. Clearly, It is an insult when a trained teacher, after years of study, when teachers are compelled to work at nights and on the is paid a starting monthly salary of just over $100,000. After weekends (one even works as a bouncer at a nightclub), the all that effort and all that application to what is believed to be keenness of their strength and their spirit in their full-time day more than a career, something that is very much a calling, job in schools come under some degree of duress. It goes there is this monthly salary that is so close to the national without saying that both the educational system and the young minimum wage. As Guyanese have been made jarringly charges pay some sort of price due to circumstances involving familiar by now, $100,000 a month cannot cover the basics pay and other benefits. Moreover, the Teachers’ Union is of living, with fixed commitments, such as mortgage or rent, aware of the presence of oil in Guyana and the difference that it and the prices of food and other essentials ever rising. can make. While we at this newspaper sympathise with the This is why teachers are forced to do second jobs to make students who will face the brunt of this strike, we cannot help ends meet, to have a little something more to share with their but support the teachers in their quest for betterment. The families, and to live with some level of self-respect. unfortunate thing is that they are seeking this from an Naturally, since they are forced by circumstances to engage indifferent government.

as such it should have been more organized; placards should have been more visible showing what is it that teachers are striking for, using the picket line to educate the public about the conditions teachers are facing and why dealing with those conditions lifts everyone up, teachers, children and the whole society.

In any protest actions, it is also important for people to stay clear of any party political entanglement as this takes away from your actions, as you will be then labeled either opposition or government.

Focus on the issues and don’t let the politicians on either side try to use you.

Once more we stress that

caring work is hard work and all categories of persons doing these kinds of work should be adequately paid.

The government has just announced a gigantic budget but ask yourself, what from this gigantic sum is trickling down to the people, for example, teachers who have the task of teaching our children to read and write?

We demand that the government pay the teachers a livable wage and give us budgets that invest in caring, not just roads as poor people can’t eat roads.

Yours truly, Halima Khan Joy Marcus Susan Collymore Wintress White Vanessa Ross Red Thread

This guy may have just committed the “PERFECT CRIME”

Tuesday February 06, 2024

Kaieteur News

PAGE 05

An effective anti-corruption Govt dipping into the oil fund campaign is needed DEAR EDITOR, Even China is ramping up its efforts to stamp out corruption and their President said, “There is no mercy in fighting corruption” (reference: Firstpost January 2023).

China is focusing on the Finance, Energy, Infrastructure and Pharmacy (Healthcare in Guyana) Sectors. Given the explosive eco n o mic g r o w th an d excessive spending currently underway in Guyana and the lack of increased safeguards against corruption, it is now imperative that we as a Nation also pursue an anti corruption campaign. Our close ties with China can be very beneficial in such a pursuit.

By working closely with their government we can learn their best practices in their anti corruption fight.

Guyana also has a large

centralized government structure and our Comrades in China have the scale and knowledge to quickly remove corrupt officials and implement safeguards to prevent further corruption from spreading.

The current approach being taken by China has been able to catch and remove corrupt officials at all levels of government.

The scale at which they have been able to be successful is massive and Guyana should definitely embrace this approach to stem further losses as spending continues to increase.

Simultaneously, we should also leverage our strengthening relationship with the United States to enlist their expertise in fighting money laundering and corruption. They have implemented several safeguards to prevent and uncover foreign investors’

bribing of government officials. The recent concerns raised of losses, both in monetary value and people, are areas where the expertise of the United States would be very beneficial.

As a nation we have the benefit of a strong relationship with the top two superpowers of the world. It is time for us to leverage these relationships to advance the development of our economy in a manner where government works for the people transparently a n d e f f e c t i v e l y. B y removing corruption from our economy we will be able to be more effective in our developmental pursuits. The strength of our Nation depends upon it.

Sincerely, Mr. Jamil Changlee Chairman The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana

It is the economy, stupid!

DEAR EDITOR I write with reference to Stabroek News’ editorial of 2/3/2024, under the title “It’s not the economy stupid.”

One of the saddest things in Guyana is that the free press does not take the opportunity to make use of the most fundamental right in a free society, that is, to provide balanced and informed commentary. The Stabroek News editorial in question is a stark reminder than even that which is good for the people gets massively distorted simply to serve the pleasure of the opposition APNU-AFC. In this case the editorial complains that lower taxes are harmful because it gives too much independence to the government. For the editorialtaxes are heading in the wrong (lower) direction.

I do not want you to take my word for it, so allow me the extended quotation below. “At the heart of this direction of travel is the increasing financial autonomy of the government. Revenues from personal taxes in 2023 make up less than 8% of this year’s total budget. They do not need our money anymore so they don’t need to listen to us.” In any other country in the world, a major newspaper would not only applaud lower taxes but would make it a headline story. Not here.

Instead, we get the following – “That is why not one minister cares to point out that the self-employed paid

10% less taxes in 2023 than in 2020 despite that year being peak Covid and the subsequent years experiencing a booming economy.” This should be deemed a signature accomplishment, and if SN were a fair and balanced newspaper it would have acknowledged such.

But no. What we get instead is this “[i]t is this autonomy which is loosening the democratic pillars of accountability and transparency while

consultations on our collective future become unnecessary without the need for a mandate.” I don’t think I have ever read such unadulterated balderdash anywhere before.

The truth is that it took democracy to lower taxes, in fact to reverse the 200 taxes and fees that were undemocratically imposed by the last APNU-AFC administration. Stabroek News do not get it. It IS the economy, stupid.

Sincerely Dr. Randy Persaud

DEAR EDITOR, So our government has gone back to Parliament without consultation and can now dip further into the Natural Resource Fund (NRF), a reckless and irresponsible move.

The Government has given a spurious reason for not giving increased wages and salaries to government employees.

Reckless, irresponsible and callous.

Our government continues to ignore the characteristics and requirements of a decent democratic government by ignoring the Trade Unions representing Government workers.

Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), Guyana Teachers Union.

(GTU), Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU).

Reckless, irresponsible and callous.

Our Government believes they are the repository of all wisdom.

R e c k l e s s a n d irresponsible. The Government truly believes that the misinformation and propaganda delivered daily in the media they control will fool all of the people all of the time.

Reckless, irresponsible and callous.

The PPP Top Brass feel by assailing the two independent media such as Kaieteur News and Stabroek News, that they will succeed to silence all voices of reason and patriotism. Reckless, irresponsible and callous.

The Government seemed convinced that they are on

the road to glory by suffocating and frustrating all of the local and municipal authorities, that they cannot control and manipulate. Reckless, irresponsible and callous.

In response to the failure to complete the Bamia Primary School as promised.

The environment of how the contractors were selected and the cost is of course another matter.

They now tell us that the school building will be completed on April 1, 2024. In circumstances, where mystery surrounds the identification and selection of the Contractor, and residents have already expressed concerns about the quality of work, the Government last weekend announced that the school building will be completed

by April 1, 2024.

Dear Editor and citizens, ignore the likelihood of corruption and a spending spree.

Hats off to the Government for a sense of humour.

April 1 is All Fools Day and I ask the independent media and residents in the contiguous area to visit the Bamia Primary School on All Fools Day,. A complete school building must assume that all plumbing, electrical works and classrooms rooms with proper ventilation are satisfactorily completed and ready for occupancy on April

2, 2024.

That there are no twisted walls as a result of poor workmanship and boards that are already shrinking and that there is water and electricity to make a building functional.

I am not a gambling man, but Editor, are you prepared to take a bet that on All Fools Day that school would not be satisfactorily completed.

Let me emphasise the word satisfactorily.

The above i suggest either we are on the rocky road of a dictatorship and on the Government side, love to talk about dictatorship.

We are in a silly season of stupidity and shared madness by a Government with a whole bag full of money to do what and how they care.

To d a y I r e m e m b e r these words from the Treasured Writings of Kahlil Gibran “Pity the nation that raises not its voice save when it walks in a funeral, boasts not, except among its ruins and will rebel not save when its neck is laid between the sword and the block.

Pity the nation whose statesman is a fox, whose philosopher is a juggler and whose art is the art of p a t c h i n g a n d mimicking.”

Sincerely Hamilton Green Elder

Kaieteur News

PAGE 06

Same complaints surface each time during community meetings DEAR EDITOR Over the past days community meetings/outreaches were held along E C/E B of Demerara corridors. During the interactions several concerns and issues by residents were raised and on-the-spot interventions and solutions offered.

Following the visits on media outlets it was found the complaints in all communities were almost always the same: roads, drainage, flooding, water woes, to name a

few. These complaints, I am sure are not new and have been made before.

The point is what system is in place to monitor and ensure the promises and interventions are being acted upon and implemented?

It just seems that every time these undertakings are done the same complaints surface.

Sincerely Shamshun Mohamed

This guy may have just committed...

From page 04 been suspended at the housing scheme until the investigations were concluded. But it seems like it was taken lightly and treated more as a case of “He Said/She Said” and as such Justice has been Delayed and Denied! But if you “REJOICE over INUSTICE because it FAVOURS you, one day you shall CRY for JUSTICE and it will ELUDE you!”

In closing, I would like to capture the readers’ attention with this vital piece of information.

Please note that on the same land that is in Dispute since October of last year as to the ownership of this burial site; which was dug up and a section refilled by the contractor that there now exists at least four newly dug graves on that exact piece of land for which ownership is claimed by the contractor.

These graves came into existence between December 24th, 2023 to January 25th, 2024. I know this for a fact because myself and family visited this burial site on December 23rd 2023 and no grave was on that piece of refilled land!

However, upon visiting with a group including two reporters on January 26th 2024 we all witnessed the newly dug graves.

Photographs and videos were taken, of course.

Now my point is; if this land belongs to the contractor how can the NDC still collect fees and allow persons to be buried there?

Wouldn’t this escalate more problems as to the right to bury on a land not owned by the state?

I urge any person who has even a miniscule bit of interest or curiosity in this entire unfortunate Saga to go take a visit at this burial site

and see with your own eyes, maybe then you will understand our devastation and frustration. Finally, I would like to close with the following quotes from the Quran: “Oh you who believe, stand firm for justice even against your own selves.” (Surat AnN i s a 4 : 1 3 5 ) T h e Prophet(SAW) said: - “Any Man whom Allah has given the authority of ruling some people and he does not look after them in an honest manner, will Never feel even the smell of Paradise” (Bukhari 7150) I would like to urge every one of you to Never be afraid to raise your voices for honesty and truth and compassion, against injustice and lying and greed!

Thank you Yours sincerely, Juliet Dukhi Social Advocate

Tuesday February 06, 2024

Global cancer burden growing, amidst mounting need for services Ahead of World Cancer Day, the World Health Organization (WHO)’s c a n c e r a g e n c y, t h e International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), released the latest estimates of the global burden of cancer.

WHO also published survey results from 115 countries, showing a majority of countries do not adequately finance priority cancer and palliative care services, as part of universal health coverage (UHC). The IARC estimates, based on the best sources of data available in countries in 2022, highlight the growing burden of cancer, the disproportionate impact on underserved populations, and the urgent need to address cancer inequities worldwide. In 2022, there were an estimated 20 million new cancer cases and 9.7 million deaths. The estimated number of people who were alive within 5 years following a cancer diagnosis was 53.5 million.

About 1 in 5 people develop

cancer in their lifetime, approximately 1 in 9 men and 1 in 12 women die from the disease. The global WHO survey on UHC and cancer shows that only 39% of participating countries covered the basics of cancer management as part of their financed core health services for all citizens, ‘health benefit packages’ (HBP). Only 28% of participating countries additionally covered care for people who require palliative care, including pain relief in general, and not just linked to cancer.

Three major cancer types in 2022: lung, breast and colorectal cancers The new estimates available on IARC’s Global Cancer Observatory show that 10 types of cancer collectively comprised around two-thirds of new cases and deaths globally in 2022. Data covers 185 countries and 36 cancers.

Lung cancer was the most commonly occurring cancer worldwide with 2.5 million new cases accounting for 12.4% of the

total new cases. Female b r eas t can cer r an k ed second (2.3 million cases, 11 . 6 % ) , f o l l o w e d b y colorectal cancer (1.9 million cases, 9.6%), prostate cancer (1.5 million cases, 7.3%), and stomach cancer (970 000 cases, 4.9%).

Lung cancer was the leading cause of cancer death (1.8 million deaths, 18.7% of the total cancer deaths) followed by colorectal cancer (900 000 deaths, 9.3%), liver cancer (760 000 deaths, 7.8%), breast cancer (670 000 deaths, 6.9%) and stomach cancer (660 000 deaths, 6.8%). Lung cancer’s reemergence as the most common cancer is likely related to persistent tobacco use in Asia.

There were some differences by sex in incidence and mortality from the global total for both sexes. For women, the most commonly diagnosed cancer and leading cause of cancer death was breast cancer, whereas it was lung (Continued on page 16)

Linden town week 2024: the way forward in unity DEAR EDITOR I have been reliably informed that Linden Town We e k 2 0 2 4 h a s b e e n launched. The launching happened yesterday albeit with a bit of controversy surrounding the dates for that popular annual and much anticipated event. It is my understanding, based on information received from a source, that a senior official of the Mayor and Town Council publicly stated that the ‘launch dates’ have not been approved.

There is no question that the dates will be sorted as

early as possible since it is critical to those participating in every aspect including planning and preparation.

There seems to be indications that partisan politics is set to dominate and dampen the event and since we are not in a local or national election campaign, I wish to warn against such and that as Lindeners regardless of the party we support, our involvement must be had in a united way.

I am aware of how hated I am by the PPP at Linden and by some entertainment outlets close to the

government in that community because of my public activism involving previous Town Week events that were intended to be used for political purposes by the PPP. However, as a matter of principle, I would warn against political domination, spite, division and any other unpleasant interference by both sides and that the event is run smoothly as the town celebrations to the benefit of all involved.

New Era Entertainment, regardless of which party it supports and its history of trying to dominate on behalf of the PPP, must be given equal opportunity in its participation in Town Week 2024. In fact, this upcoming annual event should be celebrated without and political undertaking and undertones. We will have our energies preserved for elections in 2025.

Let me take the opportunity to give my blessings to all involved in the preparation, planning and execution of Linden Town Week 2024. I truly wish to see its success.

Sincerely Norman Browne Social and Political Activist

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L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Tuesday February 06, 2024

Kaieteur News

Teachers yesterday took to the streets with their placards fighting for better wages and salaries.

We support this move and also believe they must be paid more.

For too long this government has ignored the laws, while refusing to meaningfully engage with the teachers' representatives- the Guyana Teacher's Union.

For a government that likes to boast about democracy- successive PPP/C Governments have trampled on the collective bargaining process with unions.

Why is the Ministry of Education not willing to engage the union rather than forcing teachers to go along with the whims and fancies of the Labour Ministry?

Teachers, doctors, nurses, police officers and all public servants deserve a decent salary.

They should not have to go into the streets to demand it and they should certainly not be forced to accept these paltry increases imposed by this administration.

PAGE 07

Kaieteur News

PAGE 8 10

Tuesday Monday February May 06, 02, 2024 2022

on $100,000 March 31, new deadline for $475M Man bail over alleged Cemetery Road expansion project theft and sale Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, has announced a revised deadline of March 31 for the completion of the $475 million Cemetery Road expansion project in Georgetown.

Awarded to Avinash Construction and Metal Works Company, the project is aimed at expanding the road to accommodate four lanes, construct concrete drains, a walkway, and perform resurfacing and reconstruction of culverts.

However, the contractor has struggled to make substantial progress, as the project is seven months behind its July 2023 deadline.

Minister Edghill had warned of potential contract termination should the project not meet this revised deadline. It was during his end of year press conference, when Minister Edghill stressed the

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill

importance of timely completion, firmly stating that if the project remains incomplete by the end of January, the contractor will be removed.

However, last week, in response to queries by Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Annette Ferguson, the minister told

the Committee of Supply that the new deadline is the end of March this year.

Last month, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, had disclosed to this publication that at that time only 35% of the anticipated work has been completed, a stark contrast to the initial

deadline.

Minister Indar did a site inspection, which highlighted glaring gaps contributing to the project's delays. It was revealed that the failure of Guyana Telephone & Telegraph (GT&T) to splice its fiber cable within the project zone has significantly hindered civil works on the concrete bridge at the head of Princess Street.

The ministry assured that there will be ongoing monitoring by its engineers to guide the contractor in addressing identified gaps, ensuring timely project completion while minimising disruption to residents. The Cemetery Road upgrade forms part of a larger $1.4 billion project that includes the enhancement of Independence Boulevard, aiming to extend the road to three lanes and establish a recreational promenade.

Ex-Venezuelan cop gets one year for illegal gun, ammo A former Venezuelan police officer was on Monday sentenced to one year in prison after he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition without being the holder of a firearm and ammunition licence when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court.

Forty-eight-year-old Alcides Joes Martinez Mejias, a construction worker, who resides at Lot 563 Block 3 Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), made his first court appearance before Magistrate Rhondell Weever where the charges were read to him by a translator.

Mejias pleaded guilty to both charges with explanation.

According to the prosecutor, Mejias has been

residing in Guyana for three years. On February 2, 2024, police acting on information were dispatched to a location a t M a n d e l a Av e n u e , Georgetown, where ranks intercepted a motor car with registration number PAN 3211. Mejias and his girlfriend were the two passengers that occupied the back seat of the car. A search was conducted on the duo and the driver. Upon searching Mejias, police found a .38 revolver firearm with two matching live .38 ammunition in his pants waist. Following ranks discovery, Mejias was reportedly asked if he is a holder of a firearm licence, to which he responded 'No'.

The man was told of the offence committed, c a u t i o n e d , a n d arrested.Additionally, the

The illegal weapon found in Alcides Joes Martinez Mejias'possession

of Arcade Cycle A 33-year-old man was on Monday charged with simple larceny after he was accused of stealing an Arcade Cycle from Samantha Persaud at Elaine Avenue, Georgetown on December 11, 2023 and selling it.

The cycle is valued at $650,000.

The man, Joel Haily, was granted bail in the sum of $100,000 after he pleaded not guilty to the charge when he appeared before Magistrate Rhondell Weever at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court. The father of five told the court that Elaine Avenue was being renovated and the Arcade Cycle was parked on the said street and removed by persons involved in the fixing of the street.

Haily said too that when the cycle went missing, Persaud accused him of stealing the cycle and selling it. The man told the court that he works most of the time to provide for his family and sought to maintain his innocence.

The prosecutor objected to bail on the ground of the

Joel Haily

nature and gravity of the offence and penalty. Further, the prosecution informed the court that when Haily was contacted and cautioned by police, he reportedly admitted to selling the cycle.

Notwithstanding the prosecution's objection, Magistrate Weever granted the accused $100,000 bail. He is scheduled to return to court on February 26, 2024, for statements and fixtures.

Kevon Whitney at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Monday

Jailed: Alcides Joes Martinez Mejias prosecutor revealed that during a video interview, Mejias admitted that the gun and ammunition belonged to him. The prosecutor stated that he reportedly said he bought it for his own protection.

During the court proceedings, the accused explained through the translator that he did not buy the firearm for his protection, but for the protection of his residence.

The accused pleaded with the magistrate to have mercy on him while disclosing that he was a police officer in Venezuela and he migrated due to the

death of his parents. Mejias also told the Magistrate that he has to provide for his three children and their mother.

In light of that, the Magistrate told him his age w a s t a k e n i n t o consideration, the fact that it is his first offence and that he entered a guilty plea at the first opportunity given, and indicating he had no intention of wasting the court's time.

Notwithstanding, Magistrate Weever said the court was bound to consider the seriousness of the offences and sentenced Mejias to one year in prison.

Vendor remanded for shooting man in foot A vendor was on Monday remanded to prison for discharging a loaded firearm and a live round towards a man and within 100 yards in public, when he appeared before Magistrate Rhondell Weever at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court.

Kevon Whitney, 25, of Lot 130 King Edwards Street, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara (ECD) is accused of discharging a loaded firearm towards Shervin Harding, in the region of his right foot on January 29, 2024 at Guyhoc Access Road, Georgetown.

Whitney is also accused of discharging a loaded firearm within 100 yards in a public domain on January 31, 2024 at Non-Pariel Street, Georgetown.

The father of two pleaded not guilty to both charges.

The Prosecutor objected to bail given the nature and gravity of the offences committed, the fact that Whitney was convicted prior for possession of narcotics and the need to keep the virtual complainant safe.

Whitney was remanded to prison and is scheduled to return to the court on March 4, 2024, for statements and fixtures.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 06, 2024

PAGE 09

What is newsworthy?

What is the news? How does a journalist decide whether an item or occurrence is newsworthy?

In a small society like Guyana, it is not unusual to find very trivial and often mundane items making the news. Smallness in size can translate to smallness in outlook. But not everything that is not earth-shaking is unworthy of being newsworthy.

Consider the following: “Yesterday was joyous in the Ramsmith household. A new member was welcomed into their ranks. A bouncing bay boy was born to Mrs. Ramsmith at 2 am at the Georgetown Public Hospital. The child, the fourth in the family was immediately named Lucky.

The father Mr. Ramsmith is a tailor and his wife is a housewife.”

Now consider this story: “The anticipation is over! It is a boy! The President of Timbuktu was yesterday the proud father of a bouncing baby boy. The child, the first for the First Family, was delivered at 2:00 am yesterday.

An official release from the Office of the President said that the mother is doing just fine and in high spirits.

The child has been named Prince.”

Now which one of these births do you think is newsworthy? Obviously it will be the birth of the child of the public figure. The birth will be a matter of public importance quite unlike the birth of the tailor’s son which will be treated as simply a private matter not serious enough to warrant being of public interest.

Importance plays an

important role in determining whether a matter is newsworthy or will be carried as a news item.

Since not all matters of public interest can be accommodated, some items will receive greater attention and thus coverage while others will not.

Criminal offences are by their very nature– being an offence against both the person and the community matters of public interest.

However, not all crimes are reported even though all of them may be of public interest.

Similarly, most civil matters will not be of public concern. But certain civil matters by virtue of their significance will be reported on while most others will not feature in the media.

The scale of an event is also significant. The story of

DEM BOYS SEH

Let there be light!

O

ur noble President, ever the virtuoso of public embarrassment, summoned forth a hapless public servant to dance upon the stage of shame.

The crime?

Somebody reported that the road lights around a turn on a public road were not working and this presented a danger to motorists. It was such a danger that it is assumed no one bothered to make a phone call to the relevant authority, or write a letter of complaint to the newspapers, or even make a call to ‘Action Line’.

No there was a better option: Wait until Prezzy visited the area and bring the matter to his attention.

In typical form, Prezzy immediately called for the

“person from the Ministry of Public Works”, and began the public interrogation of the official.

It was all grand public theater, good for the show but not good governance at all.

But our valiant public servant was but a mere pawn in this grand charade.

For who among us monitors every flickering bulb in the vast expanse of our public roads kingdom?

It is a task herculean in its absurdity, Sisyphean in its futility!

Yet, fear not, for there is a solution to this luminous conundrum: a grandiose spectacle of bureaucratic acrobatics! A report about the non-working road lights has to be filed, the recommendations have to be approved, bulbs have to

be procured, and funds are summoned from the abyss of the treasury.

But this is not as straightforward and simple as it looks because the cost and the time it will take for the paperwork, it might be easier for that public servant to simply put his hands in his pockets and buy a bulb at the nearest outlet. Guyana is the land of endless bureaucracy, where the wheels of progress grind ever so slowly.

In dis dear land of land of theatrics, where politics reign supreme, even the humble road light becomes a star in a grand production of governance. And remember, “Let there be light! But first, let us put on a pappy show!

Talk half, Leff half

a Minister handing over a few plastic barrels and some seeds may have some public interest element, but an editor that is pressed for space can legitimately refuse to accommodate such a story because it is not as if an entire community is being rescued by a relief package.

Similarly, a Minister paying a field visit during which nothing of real significance happens other than his presence would never out - challenge another story about an accident on the streets.

If any Minister wants to go and take out a picture of him or her watching a rice field, that minister is free to do so and to place that picture in his or her professional album rather than expecting the press to carry it as a newsworthy item.

In Guyana we have a situation where when certain companies have a promotion this becomes a major news story in itself.

One can understand if major prize is at stake that

the newspapers would want to keep their readers abreast of who is the winner. But in some instances you find small promotions being given publicity.

On the other hand, if someone wins a school raffle, you do not expect this to be a news item, except if the newspaper involved in providing a community service to the organisation that ran off the raffle.

In Guyana, also, we have a most interesting phenomenon. In colonial Guyana, persons aspiring to high office would usually have to be known public figures before they are selected to hold such offices.

Thus, you would have found that well known persons who would have no need to place their pictures in the papers everyday so as to become known to citizens.

In Guyana we have a situation where a number of unknown personalities are suddenly catapulted to public office and some of these individuals believe that the more their pictures

are in the papers, the better they will be seen as doing something.

Well not every photo opportunist or publicity seeker is newsworthy.

Today, the media is being unduly summoned to all manner of unnecessary briefings and turning of the sods events.

These things are often public relations and selfpromotion exercises which the media should not rush to give publicity towards.

The media needs to be more discriminating when it comes to what is newsworthy and what is not.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10 S

UTH

D TR

HAR

HK

BY G

LALL

Tuesday Monday February May 02, 06,2022 2024

H@RD TRUTHS

BY GHK LALL

Crime: look inward first Minister Benn I note the interesting development of Mr. Robeson Benn, Home Affairs Minister, highlighting what holds untold perils for this country and its law-abiding citizens. Organised crime and cybercrime were among the kinds of crimes that the minister found fit to emphasise, that which has him concerned.

I would be too. My recommendation to the honorable minister is that he works feverishly and energetically to get the local house in order first. He gets that in a comfortable and credible place, one that convinces skeptical citizens, and he could position himself to stand against the stirring foreign criminal tsunami (and their local aiders and abettors). But first, Minister Benn is going to have to demonstrate that he has what it takes to go against the tide that is close to his bosom.

For starters, I latch onto one of Minister Benn's spheres of concern. It is the one known as cybercrimes.

To the Minister, I have this to

say: the biggest cyber criminals in this country entangle some among his comrades.

They are as close as in the Cabinet, those who make laws for this country. If the Minister needs any help, which I seriously doubt, I give him on a platter the cyber outfit that brands itself as Live in Guyana. Minister Benn should know that it operates with near total immunity, has been given carte blanche to smear and slander Guyanese-lawabiding citizens, I assure him-with laws broken at will, and absolute contempt for any standards of decency.

Minister Benn should also know that Live in Guyana is a PPP sponsored dirty tricks group, operating out of government offices, very high ones, and fueled by taxpayers' dollars.

If the honorable minister feels it necessary to feign ignorance, then I refer him to four stalwarts and luminaries in his circle. They are his Crime Chief, his cybercrime manager, the Honorable

Attorney General, and the Big Kahuna of them all, the former president, now Vice President and Chief Policymaker of Guyana. It would be enlightening and even endearing as what some of those policies are, especially as they pertain to enemies conjured in his muddled head.

These four men can give Minister Benn the goods on the cyber criminals in Guyana, and with specific reference to the cyber criminals in the PPP Government. For the good minister's guidance, housecleaning begins inside the home.

Why go foreign, minister when there could be buying local and the going is so rich?

Fix this domestic turpitude, masquerade, and monstrosity that is Live in Guyana first, for that would equip self to be in a better position to deal with the White boys, who come here to wreak mayhem on this society that is so primitive [gullible] relative to the crimes spoken about.

Take a little word of advice

from a lowly citizen like me: the foreign criminals are so good at their trade that they gobble up countries like Guyana for breakfast.

The foreigners are so savvy that they would setup their shops here, and Guyana would be none the wiser for it. Oh, they know how to layer not only money; they are familiar with how to layer themselves into the niches and crannies of this society that has made the land so inviting for them.

Sometime back I had sent out an early warning signal to the PPP Government and its senior princes.

The cautions concerned casinos.

Casinos and gambling encompass more than cards and cigarettes and cognac.

Casinos are a magnet for criminals and their concoctions on crime.

Certainly, they are about high rollers out to have a good time, and splurge some cash (don't ask me the source).

But casinos are also irresistible, the perfect camouflage for money laundering, the compulsion

of prostitution, the attractions of alcoholism, the taste of drugs, hard and synthetic,that are seen as 'glama' badges by our naïve young, and the deterioration of environments and standards.

I urge Minister Benn to revisit Las Vegas, and its birthing, and the made men that made the Tropicana and the Flamingo their operating zones, their dens of control.

In case the minister is not familiar with the label 'made men' they are insiders of the Cosa Nostra, those that Mafia call men of honor. Go figure that one out. Since this country has had a long and storied association with Cuba, I recommend to Minister Benn what the American Mafia did to Havana during the era of Fulgencio Batista. Casinos and the tables were a lynchpin for all that followed, the crimes that Castro had to come down from the hills and clean up the mess, before introducing his own ones.

We open the doors wide with casinos, and all that is needed now is for a cruise ship or two to dock here. The government gave Guyanese the joys of betting, so that they could anesthetize themselves from disappointments and gaps in budgets.

It is a different kind of budget gap. We already have more political crimes than we can handle, more cybercrimes thanks to the same political powers. Now there is the belated recognition and admission that this country, this Guyana of ours, has all the ingredients that could convert it into a real criminal frontier. May God protect and save Guyanese. Me, I am an atheist.

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

CDB ramps up support programme for Caribbean youths Although 60% of the Caribbean's population is under 30 and the region is a particularly challenging space for far too many young people who are grappling with poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion.

UNICEF paints a concerning picture with youth unemployment ranging as high as 46% in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States. Similarly, the International Labour Organisation estimates that 22% of young people in the Region are significantly affected by poverty.

Despite their collective challenges, youths are a critical target group in a country's development aspirations.

UNESCO emphasises that young people have a crucial role in attaining the Social Development Goals, a perspective endorsed by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). Consequently, the Bank has ramped up its youth outreach with a suite of initiatives including leadership training schemes, work experience programmes, and mechanisms for greater inclusion in the development sphere.

According to a CDB press release, chief among these initiatives, is the CDB Future

Members of the Caribbean Development Bank's Future Leaders Network at the official network launch event which was held in June 2023 at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College in Saint Lucia. The Network is made up of young leaders, ages 18 to 35, from the Bank's Borrowing Member Countries who are serving as advocates for the youth and sustainable development agendas and advisors to the Bank on youth-focused programming and projects.

Leaders Network (CDB FLN) launched in June 2023 at the Bank's Annual Meeting. The CDB FLN is made up of young leaders, change agents, and innovators between the ages of 18 to 35 selected from across CDB's Borrowing Member Countries. Network members serve for two years, acting as advocates and agents for the youth and sustainable development agendas

and advisors to the Bank on youthfocused programming and projects.

“The Future Leaders Network is a key mechanism to advance youth development by providing avenues for authentic engagement with the Region's young people by amplifying their voices so they can influence and guide development discourse in the Bank and also the creation of policies and

programmes that meet their diverse and evolving needs,” Dr. Martin Baptiste, CDB's Social Sector Division Chief explained.

The Bank has also revamped its primary youth engagement vehicle, phasing out the previous "Vybzing" program and introducing the more c o m p r e h e n s i v e ' Yo u t h f o r Innovation and Resilience (Youth FIRE).' This initiative comprises

immersive sessions centered around consultation, capacity building, and personal development activities, now conducted annually in conjunction with the Bank's Annual Meeting.

Closer to home, CDB is also bringing young people directly into its fold with employment initiatives geared at introducing qualified (Continued on page 16)

Tuesday February 06, 2024

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

‘No backing down’ ...countrywide teachers strike cripples school operations in most areas

. .Union vows to keep up pressure until all concerns are addressed

By Rehanna Ramsay

The Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) has warned that the ongoing strike action by teachers will be prolonged if their concerns continue to be ignored by the President Irfaan Ali Government.

The strike which commenced on Monday was marked by nationwide protest action with hundreds of t e a c h e r s , G T U representatives, parents and other civil society members assembling outside their respective Regional Education Offices with placards, calling on the Government to engage the Union in the process of Collective Bargaining towards achieving better salaries and working conditions for teachers.

President of the GTU, Mark Lyte told Kaieteur News that the teachers are demonstrating their frustration through protest and industrial action. “When the ministry is ready to engage in collective bargaining, we are ready but our problem is that we have not seen any movement with regards to the financial matters…” Lyte said. “To have almost 400 persons in one location for the first day is a testament that we are serious about change. In parts of the other Regions, from Region One to Ten, similar protests are taking place. And you

know that strike action usually intensifies as the days continue,” the GTU President noted.

Lyte believes industrial action is the only way that teachers will get the Government to commit to addressing their issues. He noted that since 2020, the GTU has been pushing for an across-the-board increase in salaries for teachers as part of a multi-year agreement.

The proposal covers the years 2020 to 2023. “We want them to in a more tangible manner commit to making the lives of teachers better, Lyte stated, while noting the 6.5% salary increase for public servants imposed on teachers last December is “not even a drop in the bucket.”

“It is a digression from what we collected in 2022 that was imposed. So, if you are going to be thinking about forward movement, why are you reducing the increase, rather than increasing,” he added. The GTU President noted too that while the Union is empowered by law to lead teachers in industrial action, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labour are seeking to undermine and intimidate teachers into not participating in the strike. On its Facebook page, the Ministry of Education posted images of some schools in full session, and not being (Continued on page 14)

Teachers protest at Region One

In Region Two, Teachers assembled outside the Education Department in Cotton Field

GTU executives, parents, and teachers stood outside the Ministry of Education's Head Office calling for better wages and working conditions

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Tuesday February 06, 2024

‘No backing down’ ...countrywide teachers strike cripples school operations in most areas

. .Union vows to keep up pressure until all concerns are addressed

From page 11 affected by the strike.

However, Lyte said, “we are not worried about their efforts, a majority of our members have committed to standing with the union for the overall good of everyone.” “They are threatening to cut the salaries of teachers for being absent but we are focused on way beyond the threats of pay cuts,” he added. Kaieteur News also spoke to teachers and other supporters in

protest outside the Ministry of Education's Head office located on Brickdam. As the crowd joined in chants, calling for higher wages, teachers who spoke to this publication noted that their frustration is tied to the fact that the cost of living continues to rise but not teachers' salaries.Carla Evelyn of East La Pentience asserted “The price of everything in the market is double and triple but the (Continued on page 15)

A section of teachers outside the REO office in Region Three

The teachers at Linden Region 10 were also on the picketing line on Monday

Teachers in the hinterland joined the protest action

GTU executives, parents, and teachers stood outside the Ministry of Education's Head Office calling for better wages and working conditions

The protest line in Region Five included disgruntled teachers and union reps

The teachers in Region Seven on the protest line

Region Six teachers showed support for the GTU efforts to engage the government in collective bargaining

Tuesday February 06, 2024

Kaieteur News

PAGE 15

King Charles III diagnosed with cancer, Buckingham Palace says LONDON (AP) — King Charles III has been diagnosed with a form of cancer and has begun treatment, Buckingham Palace said Monday. Less than 18 months into his reign, the 75-year-old monarch will suspend public duties but will continue with

state business, and won’t be handing over his constitutional roles as head of state.

The palace didn’t say what form of cancer the king has, but said it’s not related to the king’s recent treatment for a benign prostate condition. The palace said “a

separate issue of concern was noted” during Charles’ treatment for an enlarged prostate last month, when he spent three nights in a London hospital.

“Diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer,” it said in a statement.

Why the back-to-back

‘No backing down’...

From page 14 government expects teachers to sit and take it while they read out a trillion dollar budget with nothing in it for us.

They need to pay properly because soon teachers will not be able to feed themselves much less their families.”

Shawnette Paul a parent who joined the protest in solidarity with the teachers explained that as a parent, “I feel compelled to come out here and stand with the teachers because they have to teach and help take care of our children when they are in school. I want what is best for them so they can give our children the best.”

Region Three in solidarity In Region Three similar sentiments were expressed. One teacher brought a few coins to show what was left when he was finished purchasing classroom necessities.

“That grant does not benefit teachers because we have to give account for every penny we spend. So stop making the people feel as though we getting this money to take home or something,” the teacher said. In Region Two where the Minister of Education Priya Manickchand was on a visit to distribute school supply cash grants, teachers stood on the streets and chanted “We need more in 2024.” Teachers in Region Two turned up their numbers in front of the Department of Education at Cotton Field, Essequibo Coast to show their support of the GTU calls for better benefits.

In a Facebook video that was live on Martin Samaroo’s page, a large number of teachers were assembled under the shed along with the regional representatives of the GTU, as they were being informed of the format of the protest several teachers voiced their opinions.

One teacher was heard saying “teachers are peaceful and professional, we are just fighting for our bread and butter.” Another teacher who identified as Sir Samaroo added “We couldn’t even use the money for transportation from the cash grant. We had to go into our own pockets to go and buy the stuff so what the Minister is saying it’s a lie and it’s meant to distract people and misinform parents.”

After the pep talk, the teachers were heard singing loudly: “Solidarity forever for the union makes us strong.” Subsequently, they took to the streets to chant and hold their placards. During the protest they were informed that the Minister of Education was on her way to the Region and the teachers stood in the blazing sun continuing to chant.

As the time drew nearer for the Minister to arrive, the teachers intensified their chanting, shouting “What we need? Collective bargaining!” Most schools closed in Linden Meanwhile, in Linden the teachers braved the sweltering heat to participate in the protest and strike action. Most of the schools in Linden were closed and parents kept their

Dramatic! A teacher shows the change he is left with after spending the school supplies grant claiming it has no personal benefit for teachers children home while some even opted to join the teachers in their ‘struggle’.

The teachers with placards and chants, bemoaned the 6.5 percent increase that was recently added to their salaries.

The teachers were joined by the executive members of the Upper Demerara GTU Branch and regional officials. Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira- himself a teacher led the protest along with Municipal Councillor Vanessa Kissoon who is also a teacher.

“We demand collective bargaining agreement, we demand debunching, we demand an increase in our salaries,” they declared. The GTU’s regional chairman Alistair Blair walked with the teachers with his placard, “In unity we stand for a better educated land.” The teachers took Republic Avenue by storm and culminated the march at the Department of Education. Figueira added that the strike is a call for more than money but a complete overhaul in the education system. The teachers chanted, “‘6.5 percent can’t work”, while being supported by onlookers. ‘Slippers on the ground, we ain’t backing down,’ ‘Students driving, teacher walking, mek it mek sense,” were some of the other chants. “Overwork, underpay, mek it mek sense,’ ‘teachers can’t pay rent with 6.5 percent,” some of the protesters added.

“Teachers are demonstrating their frustration, the 6.5 percent increase in salaries along with other benefits…our issues are simple bread and butter issues and it affect our livelihood, we are here to signal not only to the residents of Region 10 but to the entire Guyana that enough is enough, we cannot go on any longer,” one teacher told this newspaper.

health announcements from King Charles III and Kate were so unusual “His Majesty has today ommenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties,” the palace said.

“Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual.”

The king is being treated as an outpatient, the palace said. It said Charles “remains wholly positive about his treatment and (Continued on page 16)

King Charles III (Getty Images)

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 06, 2024

Global cancer burden growing, amidst mounting...

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From page 06 cancer for men. Breast cancer was the most common cancer in women in the vast majority of countries (157 of 185).

For men, prostate and colorectal cancers were the second and third most commonly occurring cancers, while liver and colorectal cancers were the second and third most common causes of cancer death. For women, lung and colorectal cancer were

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lated services were reportedly 4–7 times more likely to be included in a HBP in a highincome than a lower-income country. On average, there was a four-fold greater likelihood of radiation services being covered in a HBP of a high-income than a lower-income country. The widest disparity for any service was stem-cell transplantation, which was 12 times more likely to be included in a HBP of a high-income than a lowerincome country.

“WHO’s new global survey sheds light on major inequalities and lack of financial protection for cancer around the world, with populations, especially in lower income countries, unable to access the basics of cancer care,” said Dr Bente Mikkelsen, Director of the Department of Noncommunicable Diseases at WHO. “WHO, including through its cancer initiatives, is working intensively with more than 75 governments to develop, finance and implement policies to promote cancer care for all. To expand on this work, major investments are urgently needed to address global inequities in cancer outcomes.” Projected cancer burden increase in 2050 Over 35 million new cancer cases are predicted in 2050, a 77% increase from the estimated 20 million cases in 2022.

The rapidly growing global cancer burden reflects both population ageing and growth, as well as changes to people’s exposure to risk factors, several of which are associated with socioeconomic development. Tobacco, alcohol and obesity are key fac-

tors behind the increasing incidence of cancer, with air pollution still a key driver of environmental risk factors.

In terms of the absolute burden, high HDI countries are expected to experience the greatest absolute increase in incidence, with an additional 4.8 million new cases predicted in 2050 compared with 2022 estimates. Yet the proportional increase in incidence is most striking in low HDI countries (142% increase) and in medium HDI countries (99%). Likewise, cancer mortality in these countries is projected to almost double in 2050.

“The impact of this increase will not be felt evenly across countries of different HDI levels. Those who have the fewest resources to manage their cancer burdens will bear the brunt of the global cancer burden,” says Dr Freddie Bray, Head of the Cancer Surveillance Branch at IARC. “Despite the progress that has been made in the early detection of cancers and the treatment and care of cancer patients–significant disparities in cancer treatment outcomes exist not only between high and lowincome regions of the world, but also within countries. Where someone lives should not determine whether they live. Tools exist to enable governments to prioritise cancer care, and to ensure that everyone has access to affordable, quality services.

This is not just a resource issue but a matter of political will,” says Dr Cary Adams, head of UICC - Union for International Cancer Control.

(PAHO)

CDB ramps up support programme...

From page 10 professionals and students to international development.

Last year the Bank rolled out its Young Professionals Programme (YPP), which provided qualified candidates in various disciplines, 32 years or younger, with two-year work placements at its head office in St. Michael, Barbados.

In addition, the three-month Internship Programme allows university students and recent graduates to gain work experience. This increased

and more coordinated focus on young people is among the results of CDB’s Youth Policy and Operational Strategy (YPOS) which was finalised in 2020 after two years of engagement and consultation with young men and women as well as representatives of organisations serving children and youth across the Caribbean.

Noting that the Bank has provided over USD 1 billion for youth development programmes and projects over its 54 years of operation,

Dr. Baptise said the YPOS is now strengthening strategic guidance for sustained investment.

“Through the YPOS, we are creating even better youth development outcomes by having a more coordinated and better-informed approach to serving our young people.

This group represents a valuable resource for the sustainable development of our region and the onus is on us to create societies in which they can thrive,” he said.

King Charles III diagnosed withcancer...

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second and third for both the number of new cases and of deaths. Cervical cancer was the eighth most commonly occurring cancer globally and the ninth leading cause of cancer death, accounting for 661 044 new cases and 348 186 deaths. It is the most common cancer in women in 25 countries, many of which are in sub-Saharan Africa. Even while recognizing varying incidence levels, cervical cancer can be eliminated as a public health problem, through the scale-up of the WHO Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative. Striking cancer inequity by Human Development Index (HDI) Global estimates reveal striking inequities in the cancer burden according to human development. This is particularly true for breast cancer. In countries with a very high HDI, 1 in 12 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and 1 in 71 women die of it. By contrast, in countries with a low HDI; while only one in 27 women is diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, one in 48 women will die from it. “Women in lower HDI countries are 50% less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer than women in high HDI countries, yet they are at a much higher risk of dying of the disease due to late diagnosis and inadequate access to quality treatment,” explains Dr Isabelle Soerjomataram, Deputy Head of the Cancer Surveillance Branch at IARC. WHO’s global survey of HBPs also revealed significant global inequities in cancer services. Lung cancer-re-

From page 15 looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.” The palace added that the king “has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer.”

Charles became king in September 2022 when his mother Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96.

News of the king’s diagnosis comes as his daughterin-law Kate, Princess of

Wales, recovers from abdominal surgery that saw her hospitalized for about two weeks.

Kate is still taking a break from royal duties as she recovers. Her husband, Prince William, who is heir to the throne, also took time off to help look after the couple’s three children, but is due to preside over an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.

The king’s other son, Prince Harry, who quit royal duties in 2020 and moved to California, is expected to fly to the U.K. in the coming days to see his father. U.K. political lead-

ers sent messages of support.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tweeted: “Wishing His Majesty a full and speedy recovery. I have no doubt he’ll be back to full strength in no time and I know the whole country will be wishing him well.” Charles departed from royal tradition with his openness about his prostate condition. For centuries Britain’s royal family remained tight-lipped about health matters. When U.K. monarchs had real power, news of illness was withheld for fear it might weaken their authority.

Tuesday February 06, 2024

Kaieteur News

PAGE 17

Chinese contractor awarded US$75M for EBD road project C

hina Road & B r i d g e Corporation has been awarded the contract for the rehabilitation of the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) corridor from Good Success to Timehri, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) has disclosed.

According to NPTAB the project was awarded to the tune of US$75,887,907. The upgrade to the East Bank roadway is being undertaken by the Ministry of Public Works, and is being funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Guyana government.

The project is yet to be signed between the government and contractor.

D u r i n g t h e Considerations of the 2024 Budget Estimates last week, when questioned by Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), David Patterson about the project, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill had stated: “we are at the negotiation stage with the contractor, this is a project that is funded by the IDB, we went out to public bidding, we got the evaluation report, we got the Bank's no objection and we are concluding the

negotiating for signing to begin execution.”

He added that they already have the supervisory consultancy in place and are now awaiting the civil work contract to begin. When the contract is signed, the project would have a duration period of 36 months.

Kaieteur News had reported that the East Bank road is being rehabilitated under the IDB's Programme to Support Climate Resilient Road Infrastructure Development.

Through this programme, the IDB would finance US$100 million towards the project while the Government of Guyana would finance the remaining US$17 million.

The loan was signed on March 6, last and it is for five years.

Speaking of the loan at an event last year, the ministry's Project Manager, Mark Greene had stated that it is to advance Guyana's safe and efficient roadway using climate- resilient infrastructure, but specially to improve road surface quality, as well as the utility service provided along that corridor.

Kaieteur News understands that with

GuySuCo redeveloping over 5000 hectares of land to mechanize field operations - Management The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuYSuCo) is currently in the process of redeveloping 5,555 hectares of land at Albion Estate, to facilitate mechanizing its' field operations.

This was disclosed via their Facebook page on Sunday by the Group Agriculture Engineer, Andre Paul and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sasenarine Singh. The CEO said that, “GuySuCo's strategic plan clearly envisages that we redevelop 5,555 hectares of land in the fastest possible timeline to get it done and this feeds into the ambition of the national budget of 2024 to increase our production by 66%.”

He explained that at this point in time and the life of GuySuCo, this move is

investment from the IDB finances, it would see the implementation of upgraded two-lane road infrastructure from Good Success to Timehri at 23.5 Km of length.

Widening of shoulders, constructing of a share path for bicycles and pedestrians, and where possible, adding space for parking; reconstruction of the entire lateral drainage system along the road; works including bridges and several perpendicular culverts and a sluice gate; reconstruction of the potable water distribution network along the route as well as the relocation of e l e c t r i c i t y a n d telecommunication utility networks; and covering of the parallel drains concrete drains in urbanized areas to form a pedestrian walkway just to name a few.

During a meeting with residents from the Diamond/ Grove area in December,

Section of the East Bank of Demerara corridor at Friendship.

Minister Edghill had said that “With financing from the IDB, we have approval for the upgrade from Good Success to Timehri, but with additional funds from the Government of Guyana, we are anticipating to make from the Soesdyke Junction to

Timehri a four-lane road.”

He reminded residents that works are expected to start within the first quarter of 2024, and when that begins, the project comes with some level of inconvenience and urged their support in

this regard.

The minister mentioned also, that when construction is ongoing, the bypass road through Third Avenue, Diamond to Good Success, then to Bushy Dam, Craig, will also facilitate lighter movement for vehicles.

$34M to fix Skeldon Market roof The Skeldon Market in Region Six which is set to undergo some rehabilitative works will soon have its roof repaired to the tune of $34,250,150.

This is according to information released by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB). The $34 million contract was awarded to Mohamed Ahamad Construction Works. The work at the market is being undertaken by the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.

Kaieteur News had reported that in November last year, a fire destroyed sections of the market facility. The Guyana Fire Service had reported that preliminary investigations revealed

Section of the Skeldon Market which was gutted by a fire in November last year. that the origin of the fire was from an electric fan that was left plugged into the wall of one of the stalls. The fan was switched on, leading to overheating, which subsequently ignited nearby

materials.

In addition to the roof, the ministry had also tendered to have stalls be rehabilitated. That project is estimated to cost $10 million.

Bandit posing as ‘hitman’ robs man of $6M worth of jewellery A bandit posing as a 'hitman' reportedly robbed a taxi driver of $6M worth of gold and diamond jewellery at his home in Bartica, Region Seven, police said on Monday.

The victim identified as a 43-yar-old Taxi Driver called “Ricky” was attacked around 20:20hrs on Sunday at Lot 190 CEO of GuySuCo, West Indian Housing Scheme, Sasenarine Singh Bartica. According to police, Ricky said that he had arrived virtually important for the home that evening with a female organisation, since the world friend and her son. While is moving in a direction ascending his stairs a masked where there is a large focus on man armed with a gun held him how to improve costs. at gunpoint. The gunman

reportedly told Ricky that he was sent to kill him but will not do it.

Instead, he demanded that Ricky hands over all his jewellery, which he did. “The victim complied and handed over three gold chains with six gold nuggets, one gold band, one gold ring, one diamond ring and a Samsung cellular phone”, police said.

The suspect then escaped by jumping over the man's fence and escaped through some thick vegetation behind his property.

An investigation has been launched into the robbery.

The Region Seven town of Bartica

Tuesday February 06, 2024

Kaieteur News

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Israel’s ‘showing chilling disregard’ for life in occupied West Bank - Amnesty International Aljazeera - Israel has unleashed unlawful lethal force against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank,

carrying out unlawful killings and displaying “a chilling dis regard for Palestinian lives”, Amnesty

International says.

The human rights organisation said in a report released on Monday that

During its war in Gaza, Israel has unleashed unlawful lethal force against Palestinians in the West Bank, rights group says.

The Nour Shams refugee camp in the occupied West Bank has been a target of repeated raids by Israeli forces, who regularly kill, wound and detain Palestinians during these operations [Raneen Sawafta/Reuters] Israel’s actions in the territory have intensified during its war on Gaza and its military and other bodies are committing numerous illegal acts of violence that amount to clear violations of international law.

The world’s eyes are mostly on the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli military has killed more than 27,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since the start of the war on October 7. But Israeli forces are also carrying out unlawful killings in occupied Palestinian territories, Amnesty said in the report.

The document was compiled with remote interviews with witnesses, first responders and local residents as well as verified videos and photos.

“Under the cover of the relentless bombardment and atrocity crimes in Gaza, Israeli forces have unleashed unlawful lethal force against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, carrying out unlawful killings and displaying a chilling disregard for Palestinian lives,” said Erika GuevaraRosas, Amnesty International’s director of global research, advocacy and policy.

“These unlawful killings are in blatant violation of international human rights law and are committed with impunity in the context of m a i n t a i n i n g I s r a e l ’s institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination over Palestinians.”

Palestinians in the West Bank were already experiencing deadly Israeli raids on a regular basis even before the war, but there has

been an explosive increase in the number of Israeli attacks since October.

According to figures by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Israel killed at least 507 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank in 2023, including at least 81 children, making it the deadliest year since the organisation started recording casualties in 2005.

UN numbers also show that 299 Palestinians were killed from the start of the war until the end of 2023, a 50 percent increase compared with the first nine months of the year. At least 61 more Palestinians, including 13 children, were killed by Israeli forces in January, the UN said.

‘Wilful killing’ Amnesty International’s analysis of a 30-hour-long Israeli raid on the Nour Shams refugee camp in Tulkarem that took place on October 19 demonstrates the tactics employed by the Israeli military.

In that raid, Israeli soldiers used a large number of military vehicles and soldiers to storm more than 40 homes. They destroyed personal belongings, drilled holes in walls for sniper outposts, cut off water and electricity to the refugee camp, and used bulldozers to destroy public roads, electricity networks and water infrastructure.

By the end of the raid, they had killed 13 Palestinians, including six children, four of them under the age of 16, and had arrested 15 Palestinians.

One Israeli border police officer was killed after an

improvised explosive device was used against a military convoy.

Among those killed during the raid was an unarmed 15-year-old named Taha Mahamid, whom Israeli forces shot dead in front of his house as he came out to check whether Israeli forces had left the area, Amnesty said.

“They did not give him a chance,” said Fatima, Taha’s sister. “In an instant, my brother was eliminated.

Three bullets were fired without any mercy. The first bullet hit him in the leg. The second in his stomach. Third in his eye. There were no confrontations. … There was no conflict.”

Taha’s father, Ibrahim, tried to carry his son to safety while unarmed but was shot and suffered serious internal injuries.

“This unnecessary use of lethal force should be investigated as possible war crimes of wilful killing and wilfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health,” Amnesty said.

But that was not the end of the Israeli operation for the family. About 12 hours after Taha’s killing, the Israeli military stormed his family’s home and locked his family members, including three children, in a room under the supervision of a soldier for about 10 hours.

They also drilled holes in the walls of two rooms to position snipers overlooking the neighbourhood.

One witness said the soldiers searched the house, beating a member of the family, and one was seen urinating on the doorstep.

Tuesday February 06, 2024

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 06, 2024

Tuesday February 06, 2024

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Kaieteur News

BCB drafts women players ahead of Senior inter-county 50-Over/T20 Tournaments

Plaffiana Millington

Realeanna Grimmond

Shamaine Campbelle

The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) recently announced the names of their ladies who will be involved in the upcoming 50-Overs and T20 Tournaments.

Action is expected to get underway in the Senior Female Inter-county from February 9. Training commenced yesterday from 15:30h at the Port Mourant Community Centre Cricket Ground.

Katana Mentore,

Plaffianna Millington, Shamaine Campbelle, Shabika Gajnabi, Realanna Grimmond and others were among the high-profile Guyana and West Indies females on show.

List of Senior Female Berbice players - Tiaticia Isaacs, Devona Frank, Katana Mentore, Tamera George, Blessing Bharrat, Atisia Harper, Danellie Manns, Tricia Hard at, Darshanie Subramanie, Saradha

Sewnarine, Plaffiana Millington, Leah Kamalall, Daniella Hicks, Gaitree Sanichara, Oma Matadin, Latchmie Mahadeo, Jamie Campbell, Jade Campbell, Kiana Leach, Gaytri Sanichara, Shemaine Campbell, Shabiki Gajmabi, Sheneta Grimmond, Reneta Grimmond, Aswini Munisar, Sherika Campbell, Realeanna Grimmond, Crystal Durant and Denellie Lindee.

Tuesday February 06, 2024 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You'll notice that your emotions are coming to a monthly climax today, Aries.

Don't be alarmed but do be cautious about lashing out at people for no reason. You may feel on edge.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) This is a terrific day for you, Libra, and you'll find that there is a great deal of power at your disposal. This is a day of new beginnings. You have the opportunity now to start over.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Extremes is the name of the game now, especially for you, Taurus. Today the emphasis is on action. You're the one to call to get the job done.

You won't wait another second to simply go for it.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) The fire is raging today, so be careful, Scorpio. Try not to be too impulsive in your actions. Your natural tendency may be to lash out against others without really thinking about the consequences.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Be adventurous and strike out into new territory, Gemini. Be a pioneer. Work to make some new discoveries in the world. Today isn't a day to worry about consequences.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Go for the gold, Sagittarius.

Today marks the beginning of the rest of your life. Treat it with respect. You may be on a crusade and your combative instincts could be working overtime.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Certain situations may be difficult to deal with today as they take an emotional spin, Cancer. You're getting anxious.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You may feel as if someone is poking you today, Capricorn, urging you to get up and get moving. Don't be surprised if someone seems to be picking on you for no reason.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You should find that the general mood of the day is favorable to your personality style, Leo. Take this opportunity to present more of your thoughts and ideas to the world.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) This is a great day for you to get up on stage and make your presence known, Aquarius. Let people know that you're the leader of the pack.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22) The fog has lifted and you're ready to take off, Virgo. The dreaminess you may have experienced lately has been nice, but now it's time to get moving again.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) This is a good day to add spark to your life, Pisces. If things have seemed boring and stagnating lately, you may need to infuse a bit of excitement into the situation.

Footballer Alves groped two...

From page 23 Alves left the restroom and a couple of minutes later the complainant followed, looking “devastated”, the cousin said.

“She said she needed to go. We left to get our coats from the concierge and before getting there my cousin told me (Alves) had hurt her a lot and had ejaculated inside of her,” the witness said.

Alves, dressed in blue jeans, a white shirt and dark jacket, sat impassively on the front row of the courtroom during the testimony.

Both witnesses said their friend was initially reluctant to file a complaint because of concern she would not be believed. She has lost a lot of weight, cannot work and has suffered from anxiety since then, barely leaving her house, they added.

The complainant testified earlier on Monday in a closed doors session, talking from behind a screen with her voice distorted to protect her identity.

Shamar Joseph among nominees...

From page 23 Test in Hyderabad, Pope came to the crease at 45 for one. The 26-year-old then dug in and produced a batting masterclass to overturn the deficit, and set a challenging total which India fell short of.

A blend of innovative stroke play and resilient defence characterised Pope’s innings in which he scored 196 in 278 balls, including 21 boundaries. The innings propelled England to a score of 420 before they bowled India out to secure a record-breaking victory. The nominees for the Women’s award are Australia’s Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney as well as Ireland’s Amy Hunter. The three nominees for either category are shortlisted based on performances from the first to the last day of each calendar month.

The shortlist is then voted on by the independent ICC Voting Academy* and fans around the world. The ICC Voting Academy comprises prominent members of the cricket fraternity including well-known journalists, former players, broadcasters and members of the ICC Hall of Fame.

The Voting Academy submit their votes by email and hold a 90 per cent share of the vote.

Fans registered with the ICC can vote via the ICC website, accounting for the remaining 10 per cent. Winners are announced every second Monday of the month on ICC’s digital channels.

Republic Bank CPL Men’s leg to bowl off from August 28 to October 6

T

he 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League will take place from 28 August to the 6 October.

The final will once again take place in Guyana with the National Stadium in Providence hosting the conclusion of the Men’s event for the third year.

The tournament plans to have matches in Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago. Once again, the window for the CPL will not clash with West Indies fixtures so the best Caribbean talent will be on show at the Biggest Party in Sport.

Pete Russell, Republic Bank CPL’s CEO, said, “We are very pleased that this window allows the CPL to give the best players from the Caribbean the opportunity to showcase their talents.

The window also allows CPL franchises to sign the best available international

players after successful discussions with other leagues to avoid the same clashes we had in 2023. As always, we would like to thank Cricket West Indies for their help and support in finding a window that works so well for all stakeholders.”

Meanwhile, Cricket West Indies (CWI) CEO Johnny Grave, said, “We are pleased to have once again worked closely with the CPL to strategically prioritize this window so that all West Indian cricketers can participate in the full CPL tournament once again.”

He continued, “With the 2024 CPL taking place just two months after hosting the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the region, it provides another fantastic opportunity for our fans to enjoy some world class exciting T20 cricket and for our regional governments to benefit from more cricket generated economic activity.”

Kaieteur News

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Tuesday February 06, 2024

Bumrah and Ashwin bowl India to series-levelling victory VISAKHAPATNAM, India, (Reuters) - Jasprit B u m r a h ’s c r a f t a n d Ravichandran Ashwin’s guile secured India’s serieslevelling victory by 106 runs in the pulsating second test against England yesterday.

Under Ben Stokes, England have made it a habit of chasing big fourth-innings targets but scoring 399 against India’s formidable spin attack in conditions that suit their craft was always going to be an onerous task.

Zak Crawley smashed a belligerent 73, while Ben Foakes and Tom Hartley produced defiant 36s down the order but England were all out for 292.

“Very, very proud of such a young squad in terms of the

test matches that they’ve played,” India captain Rohit Sharma said.

“It’s important from our side to give them confidence, and this win, obviously, will give them a lot of confidence, and (tell them) just to go out there and play freely.” England were cruising at 95-1 in their pursuit of a big total before Axar Patel removed nightwatchman Rehan Ahmed to trigger a top order collapse.

Ashwin (3-72) then rattled England by dismissing Ollie Pope and Joe Root in his successive overs. Pope’s edge stuck in Rohit Sharma’s left hand at slip, while Root’s casual charge down the track resulted in a top-edge that descended on Patel at backward point.

An unfazed Crawley batted with the kind of aggression that has become the hallmark of the side under Stokes. India took a gamble when Kuldeep Yadav’s lbw appeal against

Crawley was turned down and challenged it, and were ecstatic after the decision was reversed. Jonny Bairstow could not convert his start and England were effectively out of the game after Shreyas Iyer ran out Stokes. Foakes and Hartley refused to throw in the towel, though, and the mounting frustration prompted Rohit to turn to Bumrah (3-46), his pace spearhead. Bumrah, whose match haul of nine wickets fetched him playerof-the-match award, did not let his captain down.

He foxed Foakes with a slower ball to elicit a return catch and flattened Hartley’s off-stump to seal India’s victory in the second session on day four. India would be mighty relieved to have levelled the series despite missing three key players.

Virat Kohli skipped the first two tests for personal reason, while both batters KL Rahul and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja missed the

match with injuries sustained in the series opener in Hyderabad. England also missed spin spearhead Jack Leach through injury, while part-time spinner Joe Root could bowl only two overs in the second innings after hurting his right little finger on Sunday. England would fly to Abu Dhabi for a short break before returning to India for the third test in Rajkot beginning on Feb. 15. “We have had two great tests out here,” Stokes said. “Two close games does take it out of you emotionally so we will have some time with families and partners.

“We will recharge the batteries, get away for four or five days, and then prepare for Rajkot.” Scores: India 396 (Jaiswal 209, Anderson 3-47, Ahmed 3-65) and 225 (Gill 104, Hartley 4-77) beat England 253 (Crawley 76, Bumrah 6-45, Kuldeep 3-71) and 292 (Crawley 73, Bumrah 3-46, Ashwin 3-72) by 106 runs.

Former National footballer and academic dies Guyana has not only lost a former national footballer, but a stalwart, a genius and a man for all seasons. Those are some of the sentiment being expressed by family, friends and associates of the late James G Paul., aka Jaime Pablo. Paul who hails from Tucber Park, New Amsterdam Berbice, attended both Berbice High School and New Amsterdam Multilateral where he excelled before migrating. He was described as an all-rounder. He was in his early 60’s.

Former national U19 player Owen Humphrey remembered him as a c h a m p i o n f o o t b a l l e r, marshaling the defence. They played together on numerous occasions including on the National U19 team.

His exploits were so outstanding that he represented the Guyana National senior football team in 1983. He migrated not long after. He played football with Arsenal FC in New Amsterdam and Santos FC. After migrating he would play with an overseas based Guyanese team that would travel home and play.

Described as a man of all seasons by many, popular playwright and author Harold Bascom in tribute

was theoretical in describing Paul who passed away on January 25, 2024.

According to Bascom, “This was a very beloved Guyanese brother who was a digital marketer, copywriter, podcaster, publisher and author with a diverse and peculiar set of life experiences, skills, an d insights.

“Paul or ‘Pablo’ became popular for his podcast, “PABLO SPEAKS” and his Zoom show, “DE KARNA”.

‘Words,’ wrote Jaime, ‘are my superpower. Making this world a better, safer, happier place, one compelling story at a time, is my dream.’ He also authored a number of books. He proved that dynamism can be kind and not at all aloof.

Another friend, a former colleague wrote, that the world has lost an extraordinary human being. New Amsterdam has lost a Scholar, a sportsman, social worker and a community builder and much more.

His exploits were many as he was one of the founding members of the New Amsterdamers. He worked tirelessly towards the betterment and upliftment of the less fortunate in New Amsterdam. Apart from his footballing exploits at the highest level. He found the time to engage in

James G Paul meaningful, worthy and beneficial activities with expert results. He was described as a Scholar, an intellectual, an IT Genius and many more.

One former colleague aptly put it that, “there was nothing that James didn’t excel at. James was one of the very few people that was gifted in everything he decided to try”. Even so, it was noted that his best qualities were simply helping people. He queried, “How any one person can be this talented is amazing.”

He was described in many quarters both in Guyana and overseas as a good human being, who will be remembered and celebrated for the things he has done.

Kaieteur Sports join with all in extending deepest condolences to Jaime Pablo Paul’s relatives, family, friends and associates.

(Samuel Whyte)

Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 06, 2024

PAGE 23

Footballer Alves groped two women Shamar Joseph among nominees for ICC Men’s Player of the Month for January before alleged sexual assault, court told SportsMax - West Indies pacer Shamar Joseph was featured as the International Cricket Council (ICC) yesterday revealed the shortlists of nominees for the ICC Men’s and Women’s Player of the Month awards for January 2024.

The ICC Men’s Player of the Month shortlist includes the architects of two memorable Test victories away from home, plus a prolific pacer who celebrated another significant milestone in the longest format.

The orchestrator for what was perhaps one of the most dramatic Test victories in recent memory, Joseph’s month will be long remembered for his bowling efforts in the second innings of the second Test v Australia in Brisbane.

Defending a modest target of 216 for victory, Joseph unleashed a remarkable spell of fast bowling, taking seven for 68

Shamar Joseph after the Australia series

to cue wild celebrations.

This, in addition to taking the wicket of Steve Smith with his first ball in international cricket in a five-wicket-haul in Adelaide, saw him named Player of the Series and nominated for ICC Men’s Player of the Month for the very first time.

Joseph will be vying for the award against Australian quick Josh Hazlewood and English batsman Ollie Pope.

The Australian pacer joined an elite club in January after taking his 250th wicket in the longest

format. Hazlewood played three Tests during the month, starting in fine fashion with four wickets in the second innings of their third matchup against Pakistan, to bowl the tourists out cheaply and contribute to an eightwicket win in Sydney. The 33-year-old followed up by taking nine wickets in the first Test against West Indies and five in the second Test in Brisbane, clocking up 19 wickets at a sensational average of 11.63.

Facing a 190-run deficit in the first India v England (Continued on page 21)

DVF elects new executive body

Secretary Jana Edghill The Demerara Vo l l e y b a l l F e d e r a t i o n ( D V F ) h e l d i t s Extraordinary Meeting and elections, with a new-look body set to hit the ground running.

Held at Olympic H o u s e , t h e D VA Extraordinary Meeting was done to facilitate snap elections for the new Executive Board. A number of Clubs were invited to attend the process with their representatives being elected to the board for the term which spans from 2024-2026.

The DVA will be led by new President Rodney Fredericks, with his VicePresident being Allana Bose.

Assistant Treasurer & Secretary Kim Chan - Bagot

Vice-President Allana Bose

Treasurer Nicholas Khan

President Rodney Fredericks

DVA Secretary’s position will be occupied by Jana Edghill, Nicholas Khan being appointed Treasurer.

The Assistant Treasurer & Secretary will be occupied

by Kim Chan - Bagot.

Following the elections, the incoming body outlined its motivation and excitement to serve the DVA, affiliated clubs and its athletes.

BARCELONA, (Reuters) - Former Brazil footballer Dani Alves groped two women before allegedly sexually assaulting their friend at a Barcelona nightclub in 2022, they told a court yesterday at the start of a trial in the Spanish city.

A friend and a cousin of the complainant, who were at the club with her that night, told the court Alves invited them over to the VIP area where he was with a friend.

I n e m o t i o n a l testimonies, they said Alves groped them and flirted with the complainant before they described the aftermath of the alleged assault. The court did not disclose their names. “(Alves) had a creepy attitude. I felt tense,” said the friend.

Dani Alves The 40-year-old former Barcelona defender was arrested in January last year and has since been held on remand.

Alves initially denied any sexual encounter with the woman whom he said he did not know. He later said he had consensual sex with her in the restroom of a nightclub, adding that he had denied it originally to protect

his marriage.

Whether he had forced or consensual sex with the woman lies at the heart of the t r i a l a t B a r c e l o n a ’s Provincial Court.

The public prosecutor in the case accuses Alves of forcing the woman to have sex and of not using a condom, and is seeking a nine-year prison term and for Alves to pay damages worth 150,000 euros ($163,215) to his alleged victim.

T h e c o m p l a i n a n t ’s cousin said she had not even kissed Alves before leaving the public area and was not aware she was entering a restroom where the alleged assault took place when he insisted they move to another area.

After around 15 minutes, (Continued on page 21)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 24

Tuesday February 06, 2024

2026 World Cup final will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey AP - The 2026 World Cup final will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, beating out Texas and California for soccer ’s showcase game.

FIFA awarded the July 19 championship to the $1.6 billion venue, which opened in 2010, the culminating match of an expanded 48-nation, 104-game tournament that will be spread across three nations for the first time.

Located about 10 miles from Manhattan, MetLife was promoted by both New York and New Jersey, where the stadium was built in the Meadowlands marshes. The land of Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi and Frank Sinatra will be the focal point of the globe on that Sunday, when either Lionel Messi’s

Argentina will try to win its second straight title or a successor will emerge.

“It will be a celebration of our diversity and our values,” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said in a telephone interview. “The bigger picture is what leads up to it and what we leave behind for the decades to come.”

F I FA m a d e t h e announcement Sunday at a Miami television studio, allocating the opener of the 39day tournament to Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca on June 11 and the finale to the home of the NFL’s New York Jets and Giants. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had lobbied for the final to be at his AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

All games from the

This is an aerial view showing MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., June 20, 2014. The 2026 World Cup final will be at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on July 19. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File) quarterfinals on are being played in the United States.

Semifinals are on July 14 at

AT&T and the following day at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Quarterfinals are at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on July 9, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, the following day, and at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, and Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on July 11.

The third-place game will be at Hard Rock on July 18.

The U.S. team will train in suburban Atlanta ahead of the tournament and open at SoFi on June 12. The Americans play seven days later at Seattle’s Lumen Field and finish the group stage at SoFi on June 25.

Since reaching the semifinals of the first World Cup in 1930, the U.S. has advanced to the quarterfinals just once, in 2002.

Seventy-eight of 104 matches will be played in the U.S., with 13 games each in Mexico and Canada, and there as many as six matches a day. AT&T will host a tournament-high nine matches.

There will be eight each at MetLife, SoFi and Mercedes Benz; seven apiece at Hard Rock, Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and NRG Stadium in Houston; and six apiece at Lumen, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, and Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

FIFA officials did not publicly explain their sitedecision process.

Philadelphia’s final match will be a round-of-16 meeting on July 4, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of

I n d e p e n d e n c e .

Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park hosts baseball’s AllStar Game, likely on July 14.

Santa Clara is the only U.S. site that will not host a game after the new round of 32. AT&T will host two round-of-32 matches.

FIFA expanded the World Cup from 32 to 48 nations, increased matches from 64 and announced the 16 sites in 2022. Murphy learned of the decision while at a watch party in a MetLife Stadium suite. He was not discouraged by a British tabloid report on Jan. 17 that said the final would be at AT&T. Mexico will play its second match at Guadalajara’s Estadio Akron on June 18 and return to Azteca on June 24. Mexico City will host five matches, with four each at Monterrey’s Estadio BBVA and Guadalajara.

Canada will play its opening first-round match in Toronto on June 12, then at B.C. Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, on June 18 and 24. Each Canada venue will host 13 games.

A nation will need to play eight matches to win the title, up from seven since 1982.

All 11 of the U.S. stadiums are home to NFL teams. Hard Rock will host this year’s Copa América final on July 14, while MetLife was the site of the 2016 Copa América final.

Both the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals were at Azteca. When the U.S. hosted the 24-nation, 52game tournament in 1994, the final was at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, the opener at Chicago’s Soldier Field and the semifinals at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford and the Rose Bowl.

With the additional teams, the length of the tournament will grow from 29 days in the shortened 2022 schedule in Qatar and 32 days for the 2018 tournament in Russia.

Only one match will involve a team that has not had at least three off days.

FIFA divided the group stage into East, Central and West regions and intended to make travel shorter for group winners.

The stadiums in Arlington, Atlanta and Houston have retractable roofs that are expected to be closed because of summer heat, and Inglewood and Vancouver have fixed roofs.

Artificial turf will be replaced by grass in Arlington, Atlanta, East Rutherford, Foxborough, Houston, Inglewood, Seattle and Vancouver.

Several of the venues are expected to widen their surfaces to accommodate a 75-by-115 yard (68-by-105 meter) playing field, including AT&T, MetLife and SoFi.

Local Referee Kenisha Prescott...

From page 25 and FIFA Futsal Referee Colin Abel.

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde continues to invest in training for referees

to fully professionalise the game. The aim of the Guyana Football Referees Council (GFRC) is to increase the number of referees on the FIFA listing for 2025.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 06, 2024

PAGE 25

2nd Annual Mash Cup KO tourney...

Victoria Kings, Buxton and Haslington nudge wins in latest East Coast fixtures V

ictoria Kings, Buxton United, and Haslington All Stars emerged triumphant in the Second Annual East Coast Mash Cup Knockout Football tournament held at the Golden Grove Community Centre on Sunday.

In the highly anticipated Mash Cup, Victoria Kings faced off against Beterverwagting (BV) in the opening match, resulting in a goalless draw. However, the Kings showcased their prowess by netting four goals past BV’s goalkeeper during the intense penalty shootout, ultimately securing a 4-3 victory.

Subsequently, Buxton United secured their second win of the tournament with a

Haslington goal scorers (L-R) Shawn Adonis, Ovid Emmanuel and Garfield Caesar. narrow 1-0 triumph over A i r y H a l l . Ty r e e k Cummings found the net in the 28th minute, sealing the only goal of the match.

The final showdown

Local Referee Kenisha Prescott takes part in Concacaf Referee and Instructor Academy in Mexico In pursuit of her goal to attain FIFA certification, local referee Kenisha Prescott attended the January Concacaf Referee and Instructor Academy in Toluca, Mexico.

The January 18 - 31 academy training served as a crucial stepping stone in Prescott’s journey towards becoming an internationally recognised and certified official in the world of football.

Prescott was Guyana’s lone representative at the workshop which focuses on elevating the standard of officiating across the region with strategic training for instructors within the Member Associations.

Prescott said the course has aided her in becoming a more skilled and proficient referee. “During these two weeks, we were exposed to in-depth teaching on the laws of the game and how to apply them by FIFA Referee Peter Prendergast. These were done in the classroom and on the field. We were also physically prepared for the demands of the game by our Fitness Instructor Allan Brown Morgan.”

“All in all the course has

Kenisha Prescott during a classroom session in Mexico.

better equipped me to become a better referee and my journey in the academy will help me to excel and to become a top-level referee.”

The workshop delved into top-level instruction, provided training within a professional environment, a n d o ff e r e d h a n d s - o n e x p e r i e n c e o ff i c i a t i n g matches in Toluca.

For the first time, Concacaf also held the Instructor Academy concurrently with the Referee Academy.

Guyana boasts a quartet of referees on the FIFA 2024 l i s t , i n c l u d i n g F I FA Assistant Referees Kleon Lindley and Denisha Isaacs, FIFA Referee Shavin Greene (Continued on page 24)

between Haslington All Stars and Paradise FC was a l o p s i d e d a ff a i r. O v i d Emmanuel and Shawn Adonis set the tone for Haslington with goals in the

12th and 19th minutes, establishing a 2-0 lead early in the first half. Emmanuel extended the advantage with another brilliant strike in the 35th minute, before Garfield Caesar added another to the tally in the 65th minute, securing a dominant 4-0 victory.

As the tournament intensifies over the weekend, teams edge closer to championship glory.

The first-place winners will be rewarded with an impressive $500,000 and a trophy, while the second, third, and fourth-place finishers will receive compensation of $250,000, $150,000, and $100,000, respectively.

The success of the tournament is attributed to

Some of the action at Golden Grove Community Centre ground during the Victoria Kings and BV clash on Sunday.

the support from key entities such as Rainforest Waters, Guinness, GT Beer, Ryda Hard Wine, MVP Sports, Star Party Rentals, Recount Party Rental, GuyWill

Shipping, Woodpecker Products, Hype Laundromat, Anchor Cement, and the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sports, among others.

rt o p S

s

Guyana Amazon Warriors will hope for a successful defence this season. (CPL)

Republic Bank CPL Men’s leg to bowl off from August 28 to October 6

Bumrah and Ashwin bowl India to serieslevelling victory India players celebrate after third umpire confirms the wicket of England’s Ben Stokes, run out by Shreyas Iyer. (REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas)

Shamar Joseph among 2026 World Cup final nominees for ICC Men’s Player will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey of the Month for January P. 22

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