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AIETEUR NEWS

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Drifting boat with bodies found offshore Guyana

Tuesday Edition February 16, 2021 - Vol. 14 No. 07

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Price $80

p. 3

Online readership yesterday, 87,448

Public consultation on local content policy:

Local business complains of uneven playing field on taxes p.

3

Local Content Policy AG goes after BK for to govern all sectors millions owed in rent

p.

11

- President Irfaan Ali

p.

13

for Water Street Bond

Guyana and Suriname should partner to bring Gas to Shore - Suriname Oil Boss p.

8

As public debate continues…

US CDC lists Guyana Local operator defends right as ‘high risk’ for to hold two fishing licences COVID-19 transmission p.

15

p.

2

VP tells oil companies to rent, not purchase local properties p. 11

The more leaders open their mouths and speak, the clearer we see the sellout of the nation’s oil wealth. Listen to the Glenn Lall Show @ 11:00AM today, Kaieteur Radio 99.1/99.5FM

Kaieteur News

PAGE 02

Tuesday February 16, 2021

As public debate continues…

Local operator defends right to hold two fishing licences C iting the need for e q u a l opportunities in the local fisheries sector, La

J a l o u s i e , We s t C o a s t Demerara businessman, Rampersaud Sookdeo, has defended his right to hold

two fishing licences.

Sookdeo's licence became a matter of public debate following weeks of

opposition-generated pressure and questions laid in Parliament.

Prior to that, opposition

Parliamentarian and former Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan, had asked in the National Assembly questions relating to the granting of trawler licences.

Among the questions asked, were to whom two new trawler licences were issued to for the years 2020 to 2021 by the Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Agriculture.

In a statement disseminated to the press on Friday, Sookdeo, whose identity has since been revealed by the Agriculture Ministry, said that while he had taken note of news surrounding the granting of his two trawler licences to fish, he questions the logic behind the controversy.

“Why should one company have 20 and 30 licences and I can't have two? That cannot be right. If this is a government for the people, then everyone should be given a chance to make a livelihood,” Sookdeo said, contending that he deserves an equal opportunity as a Guyanese to

operate in the sector.

The businessman explained that the licences which he received had been long in coming.

He said that he's been in the fisheries business for over 20 years, but he operated primarily out of Trinidad because his first attempt at obtaining a licence locally proved futile.

“I was never granted one so I head away to Trinidad. I opened a company in Trinidad between 12 to 15 years ago and operated under the name Hassid Enterprise Limited,” said Sookdeo.

While in Trinidad, he said that he would normally employ Guyanese to work with him.

He said, however, that about two or three years ago, he encountered difficulties getting Guyanese to work.

He said too that the operation was becoming costly.

Added to that, with the COVID-19 pandemic bringing its own challenges, Sookdeo said he decided to return to Guyana. Having experienced the (continued on page 12)

Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 16, 2021

PAGE 03

Public consultation on local content policy:

Local business complains of uneven playing field on taxes

By Kemol King

T

ax administration in the local oil industry has been a sore point for years, mainly because a blanket waiver on all taxes for ExxonMobil, its partners and sub-contractors in the Stabroek block petroleum agreement, has cut off what would have been a substantial revenue stream for Guyana. Another side effect of this waiver, of concern for local businesses, is that it causes local businesses to compete on an uneven playing field with foreign suppliers.

This is the case for Guyana Oil & Gas Support

Services (GOGSS), a joint venture between National Hardware (Guyana)'s Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer and Concepts & Services (Trinidad & Tobago)'s Damion Jordan. The venture established a welding and fabrication facility, with local welders and fabricators trained and up-skilled in Tr i n i d a d a n d To b a g o , building equipment for the oil sector. The company had to secure American Welding Society (AWS) certification for the type of structural welding needed for the oil sector.

Boyer noted that the steel GOGSS stocks, is unlike what Guyana is accustomed

to.

“In a country like Guyana,” he said, “we have traditionally stocked steel for buildings and the sugar industry – plates thicker than about an inch or an inch and a half. We had to get plates that are about two inches thick to basically make this framework. And we had to import that from the nearest stocking point, which was Trinidad. I paid value added tax on that steel coming in.”

Boyer addressed the opening day of consultations on the draft local content policy, telling a room of government officials and oil industry executives that his business has had to absorb

Value Added Tax (VAT) expenses into his margins because the operator would not foot the cost, something that his foreign competitor has not had to contend with.

This issue drives home the importance of better tax administration, Boyer told the gathering at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

“One of our first projects that we embarked on,” he said, “we had to absorb the 14 percent VAT because the sub-contractor that we were supplying to basically used the PSA [Production Sharing Agreement] and said based on the PSA, that [for] this specific equipment, we do

not pay VAT. I had to absorb that into my margins because my nearest competitor regionally wouldn't pay VAT on export, and then the operator wouldn't pay VAT on imports. So I had to adjust both my pricings as well as absorb any VAT I paid on materials, particularly steel.”

The tax administration, Boyer posited needs to have a way of dealing with startup companies in the industry, since his company has been made to pay a tax that competitors don't – VAT. Boyer, who is also Chairperson of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), said that an established contractor had spoken of

Businessman, Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer.

(Photo: T&T Energy Chamber) how impressed he was with local potential to grow in steel-working, with the right nurturing.

“It's fun to see these Guyanese who people would have said can't participate in the industry… beat the expectations… break the mould and be the first to say 'Look, we did it. We became certified. We can do this. We are ready to take on this (continued on page 17)

Drifting boat with bodies Arrests to be made following 'shooting found offshore Guyana in air' during party - Police Commander

T

he Guyana Police Force (GPF) 'C' Division is currently investigating a video that was posted on social media, which shows partygoers firing several rounds of gunshots in the air during an outdoor house party.

According to the Regional Commander of 'C' Division, Mahendra Siwnarine, the matter is being investigated and arrests should be made soon.

Kaieteur News understands that the incident occurred around 22:00 hrs. on

One of the GDF's Coast Guard vessels that was dispatched to the area.

A

boat, with decomposing bodies was found drifting off shore Guyana in the Atlantic Ocean.

A c c o r d i n g t o information Kaieteur News received yesterday, a supply vessel made the discovery.

Sources have since revealed that the vessel, which made the discovery, is associated with oil major ExxonMobil, which is operating in the area.

Photographs of the drifting boat were taken by the crew members of the supply vessel and forwarded, along with key details of the boat's location, to the relevant authorities.

This newspaper has been reliably informed that ranks from the Guyana Defence Force's (GDF) Coast Guard have been dispatched to the area. Those ranks, this publication has learnt, will

be towing the boat to a port in Georgetown.

Police sources said that detectives from the Major

Crime Unit (MCU) are on standby, awaiting its arrival to commence the necessary investigations.

Saturday at Plaisance, East Coast Demerara.

In a video seen by this publication, popular entertainment personality, 'DJ Magnum,' among other partygoers, was seen partying in an open area, while several persons in the crowd were seen firing gunshots in the air.

The persons in the video were also observed to be non-compliant with the COVID-19 measures. People were seen without face masks and many failed to maintain the required social distancing.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 16, 2021

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

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

EDITORIAL

Dr. Vincent Adams on fire It is no surprise that groups of powerful people have so many problems with Dr. Vincent Adams, former head of Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), after a decade-long stop in the United States at its Department of Energy, among other places. He came here and the reports are that he caused discomfort for both the former coalition government and current PPP governors. It goes without saying that a lot of the anxieties and alarms (most likely anger, too) could be directly traceable to the influential people at the helm of ExxonMobil, who had no use for him, and threw around their weight behind the scenes to be rid of him. Well, from all indications, they have let a genie out of the bottle in the presence, voice, and insights coming from Dr. Adams. For as the saying goes: you can’t keep a good man down; and Vincent Adams is such a man to the consternation of the PPP and its Exxon collaborators.

The first thing that all Guyanese, regardless of political outlook, must come to grips with, is that Dr. Adams is a Guyanese who stands highly regarded relative to knowledge and expertise of matters in the world of oil. He has indicated his readiness to serve his homeland, but our weak and troubled political leaders fear making use of his skills. They fear his fearlessness in standing up for what protects Guyana, and what could be clean, and what just may help the citizens of this country to prosper. But he is an unwanted man for those very same reasons, he would go against the tide of silence and cover-up and suspicious cooperation.

Unsurprisingly, now that it is the PPP’s turn to run this country, and oversee its oil wealth, it has a problem on its hands in the presence of Dr. Adams, or any that is like him.

Party leaders scrambled around to find a way to put him out to pasture, and there he stands, but unsilenced and uncowed. From all appearances, this seems to be in response to the dictates of Exxon’s powers, which the party came up with under the banner of ‘political appointee.’ After the temporary anaesthetic of sending the man, this highly qualified and experienced Guyanese, on leave, the thinking was that Guyanese would forget and time and distance would smooth noises over his departure.

That did succeed in part and for a time. But now there is hell to pay, for there is Vincent Adams, in the form of the proverbial gadfly, that stings like a bee and floats like a butterfly.

This bee and butterfly is also talking up a storm and almost daily. What this knowledgeable, and now irrepressible Guyanese petroleum expert, is doing is taking to the media hustings and articulating oil wisdoms of a profound nature, and to a degree neither seen nor heard here, since the hazy inception of our fabulous oil discoveries. He has enlightened this nation on the dangers involved in gas flaring.

He has informed Guyanese watchers and listeners about heavy water releases and the high potential for severe damage.

And before we go on with more, it should be noted that those who had damned and dismissed him have been utterly silent with any rebuttal, or countering public relations and propaganda damage control.

What the man has been saying in those, and several other areas, is that we have problems, and that we are blinding ourselves to reality, by going about the management of our oil wealth in a nonchalant way that is going to come back to haunt us.

And more recently, Dr. Adams has recommended that the terribly unfavourable Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) model be worked around, by placing emphasis and energy in other areas that offer more advantageous opportunities for Guyana to right its oil finances and come out better than before.

Now he has put on the table before PPP leaders, who have to spearhead the charge that the more rewarding priority and focus must be on royalties and taxes. In doing so, he has placed the PPP in a bind, since it does not want to challenge Exxon. He has also put Exxon on notice that he is not going anywhere, and will be an outspoken thorn

An increase in public service salaries is included in Budget 2021 Dear Editor, Please permit me space in your newspaper to respond to a missive floating around on social media written by APNU+AFC first time Member of Parliament Juretha Fernandes where she sought to discredit Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo’s assertions that public servants would receive a salary increase.

In the VPs Facebook post, he stated that there is over $10 billion under the head “revision of wages of salaries” which caters for

then concluded that “the 2021 budget did not cater for any increase, revision or otherwise, in Public Servants wages and salaries. But the PPP must now find a way to fix such a grave omission in an attempt to salvage their tarnished public image.”

Now here are the facts: 1. Ms. Fernandes is partially correct - those specific words do not appear in the budget estimates. What the MP ought to have known is that the line item 6141 to which the Vice President

examined this line to ascertain whether funds were budgeted before coming to a conclusion.

Extracted from 2014 Budget estimates Volume 1 N.B. the line item 6141 is only used in the Ministry of Finance’s budget. In other words, no other Ministry or agency will allocate sums under this line item.

Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Budget Agencies etc. have to request the amount necessary to facilitate salary increase payments by

salary increases. To counter, Ms. Fernandes was adamant that there is no mention of this heading in any of the three budget estimate volumes. She

refers was changed from “revision of wages of salaries” to “other employment costs” in 2014.

As such, she should have

way of memorandum to the Finance Secretary.

2. Secondly, there was no omission – and absolutely no need to fix anything. In the

2021 Budget estimates, under the same 6141 line item, $10,094,889,000 i.e. as correctly stated by the VP over $10 billion is budgeted for salary increases.

It is a sad state of affairs when Members of Parliament especially those who boast of their high intellectual prowess are not able to read and comprehend documents, in this case, the budget, which they are expected to scrutinize.

Nevertheless, I hope Ms. Fernandes and the rest of her colleagues read this letter and become more equipped to function in their roles.

M o r e i m p o r t a n t l y, I hope that public servants disregard the misinformation being promulgated by the mischievous few.

Yours truly, John Antonio Edghill

The gas-to-shore project is going to be one gargantuan debt beast Dear Editor, Despite the 2021 budget occupying much attention and commentary, talk of that gas-to-shore project, with Wales seeming to be the shoo in location for onshore facilities has not faded.

Whether it is the best location around is not my focus today.

Rather, I look at a number of surrounding factors and ask: why not seek a local alternative that features an emphasis on renewable energy? Instead of asking, I would recommend such thinking, and following it to wherever it leads.

I get the sense that it might be heresy around these parts to speak of renewable energy at this time when oil discoveries, oil expectations, and oil prosperities are all the rage.

But I would not be true to myself, if I were not to table what may be construed as contrarian, but makes for

much good sense. To begin with, that gas-to-shore project, whichever location is settled for, is going to be one gargantuan debt beast; a bona fide billion-dollar monster, if ever there was one.

When I think of debt service and interest payments, even under generous borrowing scenarios, I think that we would be, if we are not already, in hock for a million or more per man, woman, and child in this country, when aggregated debt is considered. Further, there is a cost, as per Exxon’s terms, to transport and market (and all the rest) that gas, our gas, to us.

Being more familiar with E x x o n ’s predatory capitalist ways these days, it stands to reason that the final selling price of that gas is going to be sharp.

We will be more inseparably and helplessly attached to Exxon’s navel

in the sides of them and the government for a time to come.

And last, Dr. Adams called for the EPA Director to have a seat in the cabinet. That is a double-edged one, because if the director is a party hack, then Guyana’s goose is cooked and sold off in rich appetising chunks to the predatory oil companies.

As we ponder what comes from this Guyanese, we are comforted that there are a few Guyanese, who will call things as they see them with this oil of ours, and let the chips fall where they do. Obviously, this unsettles PPP leaders and their Exxon partners. Whatever it is, Dr. Adams is not easing up, but tightening the screws on government leaders, through daily oil wisdoms shared. They enlighten the population, and they torment politicians.

string. Guyana could be held hostage. Again, I would bet on that prospect.

It is against this unappealing backdrop that I revisit that question tabled at the start of this writing: why not look into an alternative? Instead of rushing pell-mell into a potentially costly (and highly likely corrupting) gas-to-shore project, which could end up being a spirit elephant, since gas is invisible, I think it would b e better to interest and incentivize Guyanese to pursue solar and other nonfossil fuel possibilities.

The raw materials and other feeder stock are present in abundance, with sunlight being uppermost, and agriculturally based and animal-sourced byproducts running a close second or third If something along these lines is done in a large enough scale, there could be enough energy to sell some to the national grid run by the GPL, Inc. Employment would be provided.

Our visionaries, entrepreneurs and patriots could find outlet through government-private partnership to get such a project off the ground. Since it would be heavily weighed on private investment funding, this should be an added attraction for the leaders of the state to be intrigued and involved in

such an undertaking. We could be kings in our own castles, masters of our own destiny.

To be sure, there would be a need for heavy foreign institutional borrowing, except that would not be with sovereign backing and taxpayers being on the hook, but largely from privately driven vision and energy. The more I think about this, the more I like it, the more it makes sense.

That is, when compared to the controversies and possible costs of a full-blown gas-toshore project, which is already mired in some doubt.

It is why I say let our people run with it, and do the heavy lifting.

The government gets to sit back as a junior and largely silent partner, and reap the benefits and goodwill before too long. I share that familiar adage that has stood the test of time, and proved to be more infallible than other manmade concoctions.

It is that if the interest is to muck up something (anything), then there is no better approach than giving it to government. For these reasons, I say for the last time: let us try something different.

Let us challenge our local outside the box thinkers to move farther away from the box left behind and deliver. I think they would.

Yours truly, GHK Lall

Tuesday February 16, 2021

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Kaieteur News

ChildLinK’s children caseworkers and institutional caregivers ought to be applauded for their work Dear Editor, “The family is one of nature’s masterpieces.” – George Santayana. Though the make-up of individual families may differ from case to case, many aspects actually remain the same.

Especially in the instance of the amount of love, attention, and support that children should be receiving regardless of where they live or spend most of their time.

In institutional care, there have been many reported cases and admissions that the children do not receive anywhere near the right amount of affection, love or support. Considering that the children heavily outnumber the institutional caregivers, it will be virtually impossible for the caregivers to stretch themselves so thin while attending to each child. It is known that each child requires his/her own levels of

attention and socialization, having to cater to these for one child is quite demanding, much less 20 children at a time.

We must applaud the caseworkers and institutional caregivers as they, every day, put themselves forward and take on the tasks that many persons would not be able to maintain.

The caseworkers do work around the clock to ensure that children, regardless of where they are, receive love, affection and care that they require. Though there are many instances where a child remains in institutional care, we do have many positive instances where children are actually reintegrated into their biological homes.

This case was one that really showcased the love and care of motherhood, and it encouraged the caseworkers to continue their work. This case represented

the perseverance, drive and dedication that this mother had and the strides she took to ensure that she was able to be reunited with her children. This mother of three - one son and two daughters - did not have her finances in order, housing or support which is necessary to support her children.

She was separated from her youngest at birth who was taken to a children’s institution while the others were sent to institutional care as well. The youngest child spent close to two years and the two other children (girls) spent several years each.

Considering that this case occurred during the initial phase of Covid-19’s presence in Guyana, the mother was even more concerned for her children’s safety.

Even while in institutional care, the children received love and support from their

The Sea and River Defence allocation in Budget 2021 is not enough Dear Editor, In a KN Budget Day Report on Feb. 12, the Minister with responsibility for Finance (MoF) unveiled his 2021 Year presentation of a record $383.1B Budget with a meager $5.1B (1.33 % of the Budget) allocation to strengthen Guyana’s Sea and River defence capability.

Most of Guyana’s population and economic activities are located along the coastland and upper reaches of the rivers banks. Therefore, the MoF cannot unleash rapid economic growth as he claimed without the provision of a safe and secure environment which will require adequate investment in the necessary infrastructures to protect lives and properties from

recurring floods caused by rising ocean levels and a decrepit sea and river defence.

Much of Guyana’s sea and river defence need substantial investment for their upgrade and/or replacement to with stand the increasing erosive and dynamic impact forces which cause breaches and overtopping. The recent breaches with accompanying flooding at Dantzig, Anna Catherina, Essequibo Coast and elsewhere are just a prelude of what is to be expected if concerted action is not taken to upgrade the system with dispatch, to protect the low-lying coastal and riverine areas from flooding and the consequential loss of lives

and properties therefrom.

The $5.1B allocation in the Budget for Sea and River defence is just ‘a drop in the ocean’ and is unlikely to provide the urgently needed protection for those living along critical sections of the coastland and riverine areas from flooding. Therefore, it is evident that the priorities of the newly elected Govt. needs revision, to enable allocation of its resources to be put in those segments of the economy of such significant importance whereby the infrastructures needed to facilitate the rapid economic growth and development the MoF spoke so eloquently about in his presentation of the 2021 Year Budget.

Yours truly, Charles Sohan

mother and visitation was done constantly. ChildLinK’s counsellor held group sessions with the parent and children.

These sessions were done via the telephone and bonding sessions were done over WhatsApp. Unfortunately, in some cases, many parents make little to no effort to make contact with their children, but this was not the case for this mother. The parenting counselling to a large extent, was responsible for this mother turning her life around.

What helped much was her mental preparedness and eagerness to get her children back. She also made great strides to g e t h e r l i f e together. The mother was able to get a house to rent and secure a job.

In light of Covid 19, visitation decreased but the mother’s desire to be in contact with the children increased. Calls were constant. Since the mother constantly showed concern, reassessment was done on whether she can provide adequate care to her children. The time apart from the children even allowed the fathers of the children to re-assess their roles in the children’s lives.

The father is now actively

involved in the children’s lives. All the mother’s efforts were not in vain. The decision was made for her to reintegrate the children. The Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) had to give parental skills, counseling for the parent before the child is reintegrated and the final go ahead.

They had the final say essentially in that decision.

This was a great moment in the lives of the children, their mother and even the caseworkers.

C PA provided her with a care package.

While they are united with the mother, they have each been receiving counselling.

She has been receptive to the counselling provided, her children are accepting the help being offered by the case workers at ChildLinK with support f r o m t h e C PA a n d t h e communication channels and transparency are at an all-time high. ChildLinK’s Family Counsellors continue to conduct monitoring visits and provide emotional support where needed.

ChildLinK was able to secure additional support hamper from the business community to help the mother during the Christmas season.

The mother initially, had limited financial stability, and no partner or family to come

forward to offer support in her time of need. However, over the course of the case, the mother as a result of the counsellors, both from CPA and ChildLinK, has proven her stability, her determination, and her willingness to be the mother she needs to be for her children.

I hope this case has motivated other mothers who have had their children removed from their care, that there is a bright light at the end of that tunnel and there are many forms of support for them to utilize that will readily help their children be reintegrated into their households.

Various parenting styles and methods may result in parents making choices or being in circumstances that are positive or otherwise inclined.

This in and of itself is proof that there needs to be continued collaboration between government (Childcare Protection Agency) and civil society (ChildLinK).

It is essential for the maintenance of support and to strengthen families to care for children and to create safe spaces for children to achieve their greatest potential.

Yours truly, Khadidja Ba Communications Officer ChildLinK Inc.

Salary increases for public servants should have been clearly indicated in Budget 2021 Dear Editor Budget 2021 should have clearly indicated, as it did in other sectors, the quatum of salary increases allocated to

public servants. It must be of concern and disappointing this was not done. Even though it was subsequently clarified that this category of

employees was catered for in the Budget, details are sketchy.

Yours truly, Shamshun Mohamed

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 16, 2021

The Public Service needs to be better served Dear Editor, There is so much talk – of reformation, transformation, even transfiguration promises galore.

As a young man, my boss would warn: ‘if you can’t do the small things well, it is hard to convince that you can do the larger things any better’.

It is in this context of a more promising future that one wonders how the longconstipated structure of the Public Service will be relieved.

For more than two decades now, since its fourteen-grade job structure was implemented on the recommendations of an international team of consultants, Peat Marwick McLintock, in 1991, there has been no effort whatsoever by any boastful administration to attend to a fundamentally outdated compensation management regime.

It is not as if this egregious faultline has not been brought to the attention of various wise men but all have ignored the blatant reality of the technological changes that have progressively occurred and which commonsensically invite a substantive reevaluation of jobs, which they have been impacted.

It leaves the more attentive to wonder how many parliamentarians actually read the volumes of budget documentation that every year show the

irrationalities in the values of many jobs. Yet it is the underlying admission of the inherent inconsistencies that result in the contradiction of these employers contracting individuals of choice, and at very personal rates and benefits. So that the issue of grading jobs is

discomfittingly ignored. In any case, there is no identifiable unit of competency for this critical activity.

The following table (Table 6.1) reflects examples of how befuddled the grading system can be: But then the Health

Services, with its progressive specialisations, always deserved ‘special attention’ – all the more needed to discourage these actors from migrating to the private sector. Space does not allow more than the following sample of comparabilities.

A significant percentage of the above are ‘contracted employees’ who are paid gratuity every six months at the rate of 22.5% of monthly salary, and in contradiction of their contracts, also enjoy annual increases as do their pensionable colleagues.

But more urgently anyhow their worth needs to be reviewed in these pandemic times, which appear to be inexorable.

A further admixture of confusion can be seen in the following sample of the Position of Director from Grades 14 to 9:

Appraisal and the award of increments constitute a chimera unrealised for decades. There simply is no interest expressed in individual proficiency, making as a consequence, a profound nonsense of talk by the decision-makers about organisational productivity.

Indeed, their eloquent budgets continue to include simplistically, the position of Personnel Officer. They speak magnanimously to the theme of ‘human resources’ – blatantly contrasted with the following grades of Personnel Officers: · Chief · Principal · Senior · Officer II · Officer I a functional misconstruct singularly related to the Guyana Public Service and certainly not recognisable

o r g a n i s a t i o n a l transfiguration is needed.

How many scholarships in Human Resources Management are being offered?

The constipation indeed descends to the level of Tradesmen where there are new technologies to be taken into consideration.

The grouping by no means include the still prevalent ‘Clerk/Typist’ – in the absence of the unknown ‘Typewriter’.

But in the end, the Guyana Public Service can boast of one unbeatable record worldwide, and that is the maintenance of the earliest retirement age in the world – 55 years, proudly inherited from our colonial past; but not applicable to Parliamentarians who ignore the fact that it does not reconcile with age 60 years

Related to Grades are of course scales, which however are not utilised, since the exercises of Performance

elsewhere in and outside of Guyana.

It is in this regard, amongst others, that a major

established by the NIS since 1969.

Yours truly, E.B. John

The sooner ExxonMobil can fix its compressor, the sooner it can meet its goal of no routine flaring Dear Editor, A look at global flaring data provided me with an eyeopening moment. After months of frightening reports of flaring numbers that mean little without context, it was notable to say the least to see World Bank numbers on flaring showing Guyana…nowhere. While it is unfortunate that flaring issues related to the compressor continue to this day, it is in no way the existential threat that some in the media have framed it to be. The devil as they say, is in the details.

When compared to other countries, Guyana did not even make the top 30 on the World Bank’s Global Gas Flaring report. 2019 flaring rates for countries like

Nigeria, Algeria, and Russia all dwarf the 10 billion cubic feet of gas said to have been flared here in 2020 by orders of magnitude. Ecuador, dead last on the World Bank’s list, still flared several times what we did last year. Now, any flaring other than for safety should raise questions but it must be put into context of what is happening around the world.

Publishing per capita numbers, as some outlets here have chosen to do, is deeply misleading in a small country like ours. That goes double for some reports that have not bothered to convert between cubic feet and cubic metres—sometimes overstating the problem by many times as a result.

As has been said in the

past, the teething pains, and operational issues since first oil in December 2019 are not wholly unexpected and have been well documented in the media. But there is still more ExxonMobil must do to address the compressor issues and work to maintain Guyana’s identity as a green country and a carbon sink.

The sooner ExxonMobil can make a permanent fix on its compressor, the sooner it can meet its goal of no routine flaring aboard the production ships, the better.

I am hopeful that this is much sooner than later and that the lessons learned here will help Exxon avoid a repeat of the same issues in the future.

Yours truly, Donald Singh

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L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Tuesday February 16, 2021

Kaieteur News

Consultations on Guyana's local content policy are there to ensure valid inputs are given into the chiselling of the document.

The process is for real concerns by local businesses to be aired, so that we are operating on an even playing field. It is not for people to waste precious time telling the President and Vice President how great we think they are.

If you are not there to raise valid concerns, be quiet and let the people speak.

PAGE 07

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Tuesday February 16, 2021

Guyana and Suriname should partner to bring gas to shore - Suriname Oil Boss R

udolf Elias, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director of Suriname's state oil company Staatsolie, has posited that Guyana and Suriname should work together with the objective of bringing its natural gas to shore.

Elias shared these and other critical points during his debut appearance on Kaieteur Radio's Guyana's Oil & You, on January 4.

The Suriname Oil Boss

reminded that oil companies around the world are not interested in selling the natural gas. Instead those companies, he said, propose that they set up the necessary infrastructure to bring the gas to shore for cheaper and cleaner electrical consumption.

With the aim of capitalizing and prudently managing this type of project, Elias posited that Guyana and Suriname should be interested in partnering to bring the

natural gas to shore, while noting that both countries “cannot force” the oil companies to do the same on a commercial basis.

He went on to explain, “We should look at ways how we can explore and develop the gas that is offshore Suriname and Guyana together and bring it onshore in order to build industries, clean industries.

And gas is an awful lot cleaner than oil, so they build clean energy producers together for the future of

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo both countries and then we will get a lot of more sustainable development in businesses.”

M e a n w h i l e , Vi c e President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, had said last Tuesday that the government will conduct four studies into the proposed gas-to-shore project before it moves to implement its construction plans. This, the VP had said, while noting that there have been adverse comments in the press that the government may be rushing forward without ensuring the project's feasibility.

The project would utilize associated gas from ExxonMobil's Liza Phase One project, which has been

CEO of Suriname's Staatsolie, Rudolf Elias

in operation since December 2019. ExxonMobil's Guyana President, Alistair Routledge, has said that the company can bring as much as 50 million cubic feet of gas to shore per day, more than Guyana needs.

The government has received calls from sections of the media and transparency advocates to prove the economic soundness of the project, by releasing studies on its feasibility.

“So several studies are in the process of being contracted,” he said during a press conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. “There is a g e o p h y s i c a l s t u d y, a geotechnical study, a lidar

study, and an environmental impact study.”

The results of those studies, which he said, should have been done since 2016 under the David Granger administration, are expected to inform the design of the pipeline.

The Vice President said that the pipeline construction is expected to last 18-24 months, which is why the government has set a target of mid to end of 2023.

He considers this a realistic projection. The government hasn't yet decided where the pipeline will terminate but when it does, it will go to tender for the construction of the power plant.

GDF ranks under investigation for rape of girl, 15

GDF ranks in 2016 saluting former President, Retired Brigadier David Granger, at the Mabaruma Airstrip. (Photo Credit: Guyana Chronicle).

F

ive ranks from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) have been accused of raping a 15year-old girl at a location in Mabaruma, North West District (NWD), Region One. According to sources, the alleged rape took place sometime between February

5 and 6.

The GDF, in a statement s e n t o u t o n M o n d a y, confirmed the allegations, and informed that its ranks are currently under police investigation. That statement also detailed that the soldiers were stationed in the area and have been cooperating with investigators.

Kaieteur News has learnt that the ranks might have drugged and gang-raped the teen. This newspaper was told too that during the evening hours of February 5, the teen in company of her friends at a party which was being held at a club in the area. The teen reportedly (continued on page 19)

Tuesday February 16, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 09

Jagdeo is waiting to welcome a ship that has already sailed J

agdeo's logic is twisted. Instead of making an argument that oil revenues will never be sufficient to allow Guyanese to not have to work, he should be asking himself why this is so.

He however skilfully tries to dodge this question.

It was the PPP/C and the APNU+AFC which are responsible for Guyana obtaining the worst oil deal in the history of oil deals.

Had Guyana obtained a fair deal for its hydrocarbon resources, every Guyanese would have had the choice of deciding whether they would want to work or not work.

Jagdeo dismisses this possibility. In doing so, he overlooks the fact that Guyana is listed among the world's top 20 countries with proven oil reserves. Given its small population, it has to be among the leading countries when it comes to barrels of oil per person. This alone is an indicator of what could have been, had the country gotten a fair oil deal.

The country did not even secure a proper signing bonus. Imagine Exxon is going to give the country a charitable handout over the next 10 years, which is more than five times the size of the signing bonus. This alone shows how badly our leaders negotiated the agreement

and how much the government, which Jagdeo now serves failed to obtain a better deal.

Payara was supposed to be the litmus test for Jagdeo and the PPP/C. But they failed this test. They squandered an opportunity to obtain the resources, which would have allowed every Guyanese to luxuriate.

Jagdeo is being disingenuous when he uses the revenues from what he calls the fledgling oil industry to make out his case that Guyanese will always have to work. Guyana was to have earned US$300M in its first year of oil production. It earned a mere US$200M. But the revenue stream will increase from 2025 onwards. Jagdeo knows this fully well because he has admitted in the past that the big petro-dollars will not flow until then.

It is projected that Guyana's take from oil in 2025 will be more than US$3B. Now if you divide that by what Jagdeo says is 400,000 households, it means every household should be entitled to US$7,500 or around G$1.6 M. But Jagdeo's estimate of 400,000 households is a gross exaggeration. The 2012 census found only 210,000 households. The

explanation as to how this can almost double in a decade without a corresponding increase in the population is to be found in Jagdeo's head.

If the 210,000 households are used, it would mean that each household would be entitled to $3M per annum per household, based on the projected 2025 oil earnings.

T h e Wo r l d B a n k estimates that the average annual earnings for Guyana will be around US$2.1B per year. And this is only for exploiting 20 percent of the total gross recoverable reserves. This estimate was done before some of the latest findings by the oil companies.

More importantly, it assumes the lop-sided terms – two percent royalty and 50 percent profit oil - which were negotiated by the APNU+AFC and which the PPP/C has so far declined to renegotiate. Guyana's total take will be 14.5 percent.

The point, which Glenn Lall has been making is that had Guyana gotten better terms – say 10 percent royalties along with corporation taxes – the net revenues earned by the country would have been far greater.

But Jagdeo is not going to admit that because his

We want to be de boys seh... boss not de worker!

Dem

D

em boys nah understand why de Vee Pee keep harping about de total deposits in de banking system and how it cannot match de US$20B wah dem oil companies seh dem spending fuh drill and pump oil.

De Vee Pee like he nah understand something call foreign direct investment. It nah gat nuttin to do with how much cash deh in de local banking system. Dem investors does be bringing in dem money. Dat is why dem call it foreign direct investment.

So what de Vee Pee trying fuh say is because we nah gat money, we should turn over and leh dem oil

company violate we.

We didn't have de money fuh build de hydroelectric plant. Does dat mean dat we should sign an agreement not in we favour?

Dem boys bin travel to a lot of dem oil-rich countries.

And dem see life over deh.

Dem people in countries like Qatar nah gat fuh wuk. Dem getting nuff thing free. Dem getting cheque in de mail every month. Dem getting free health. Dem only gat fuh wuk if dem want fuh wuk or want to run some business. And dem does hire people from all over de world fuh do dem wuk. But dem is de boss.

So why de Vee Pee talking about we getting jobs as part of local content. We

should be owning dem companies wah supplying goods and services to dem oil company. Nat looking fuh try to get a few low-level jobs.

Dem boys bin about Guyana too. Dem see road building and dem see plenty foreigners. Dem see hotel building and dem see plenty foreigners. Dem see airport building and dem see plenty foreigners. Dem go private hospital and dem see plenty foreigners. Dem walk down Regent Street and dem seeing plenty foreigners.

Dem go in de interior and dem see plenty foreigners.

Dat is wah yuh call foreign content.

Talk half and wait fuh mo foreigners!

government has failed to renegotiate the oil agreement to ensure a better deal.

Instead, he now wants the public to accept that the government is pressing for better terms including local content.

Local content cannot be considered an additional benefit to be negotiated.

Local content should come with any oil agreement. This is not an additional benefit.

Jagdeo says he is being told that over the past couple of months many of the foreign companies are now hurrying to hire local personnel. He is basing his

assessment on hearsay rather than an empirical measurement of the actual increase in employment.

That is how the oil sector is being managed, on the basis of hearsay.

The fact of the matter is that the local content ship has already sailed. Irfaan and Bharrat, however, are on the shore base with outstretched arms waiting to welcome a ship, which is leaving rather than entering the port.

Exxon has long said that the amount of direct employment on the rig for Guyanese would be limited.

And the Americans and

Trinidadians and other companies have long captured the supply chain market for the local oil industry But more importantly, no new law or policy can disadvantage Exxon. The government can pass whatever local content law it wants, Exxon is above those laws or policies, according to its agreement. If Jagdeo did not know that, then he now knows.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Tuesday February 16, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

No government is going to listen if you aren't an example T

here isn't anything in this country that surprises me. Because of that attitude I just laugh at civil society in Guyana. Civil society has been reduced to clownish perambulations that cannot miss the eyes of the nation.

Governments are not inclined to embrace the criticisms of civil society.

But it is not an open and shut case.

If your credibility is

nationally recognized; if you have standards that are high; if you are not overtly barefaced in your double standards, there are endless possibilities that a government as a collective entity or ministers in their individual capacities will listen to you and act on the plausible alternatives you proffer.

I laughed when I read in this newspaper the remarks of the Guyana Press Association (GPA) at the

recent media brunch hosted

by President Ali; only laughs could have been my reaction.

The GPA stated that the role of the media is “to provide factual and unbiased information to our readers and audience,” but the GPA departed from that tradition during the five months of election rigging.

T h e G PA i s s u e d a statement that was not only inaccurate but contextually dangerous. In condemning the very press statement in

my column of Monday, February 1, 2021, “Guyana 2020: The negatives,” I wrote the following, “In 2020, it (GPA) was ignorant of what technology has brought to journalism.

In the kitchen while cooking, your cousin with his/her smart phone can receive a live feed of John punching Mary in another county. Any denial of that action by the reporter will reveal the journalist's unprofessional conduct.

There are dozens of images of APNU+AFC thugs attacking journalists at both the Command Centre and head office of GECOM during the election rigging, yet the GPA issued a press release saying that political party supporters were assaulting journalists. The GPA cannot provide any footage of such assaults. It was one of the most egregious displays of the GPA since its birth. Political parties should call on it to apologize.”

It was really amusing to hear those words from the GPA at the media brunch. I remember when the GPA's statement came out I was in the studio at Kaieteur Radio.

Disbelief was the reaction by the journalists.

There was no footage of any members of the opposition parties attacking the media. Like the racist basis for the killing of the two cousins in Cotton Tree by the PNC and AFC, the GPA's cry did not make sense.

It was insulting to PPP supporters of Indian extraction to accuse them of

killing two African youths out of the joy of election victory. From the time the cousins were murdered, my columns rejected that sermon.

It did not make sense and it will not make sense in the future in any country. Angry

Frederick Kissoon supporters of parties that lose elections will target their opponents and do harm to them. Why would the victorious groups go out killing people when their party won?

During the five-month election imbroglio, there were four daily newspapers.

Of the four, only the stateowned Chronicle denied that there was a conspiracy between elements in GECOM and APNU+AFC to tamper with the counting process.

The other three were carrying daily descriptions on the shape of the rigging.

These three newspapers were a source of relentless reporting that any foreigner could have relied on to understand how the election count at GECOM was being derailed.

It made no sense for PPP

supporters to attack the reports of Kaieteur News, Stabroek News and Guyana Times. I don't believe there can be located any footage of such incidents.

But could PPP groups outside the command centre have attacked the Chronicle journalists? This would be self-destructive public relations. But it could have happened. If it did happen, why then did the Chronicle not report it?

So the GPA was doing for the Chronicle what the Chronicle was helpless in doing. There is video footage of two Kaieteur News' journalist explaining to Leonard Gildarie how APNU+AFC supporters assaulted them after they left GECOM's head office on Friday March 13.

Both said they went back to their office and cried. The two young ladies were interviewed by Leonard Gildarie on his radio show on the last day of 2020.

I was a guest on that programme and I asked both of them if they accepted that they were assaulted by thugs from different political parties. Their answer was no but thugs from APNU+AFC. I believe the GPA is not biased in favour of any political party. But fear was the reason for the slanted press release. They did not want to invoke the anger of the PNC. But that is still unprofessional journalism.

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

Tuesday February 16, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Tuesday February 16, 2021

2021 Budget will enhance well-being of - encourages business community all Guyanese - FITUG to pass savings to consumers The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) having

considered the 2021 National Budget is most pleased with several

measures proposed. In a release it said, “We believe that the policies and

programmes outlined by the Government through the Budget will redound to the benefit of Guyanese from all walks of life.”

FITUG said too that it has taken note of the several initiatives to put more monies in the hands of “our people and ease the burdens placed on their backs by the former Coalition Administration.”

The increase in the school grant, reduction in water tariffs, hikes in old age pensions and public assistance, removal of VAT on internet and data services, and the expanding the list of zero-rated products, FITUG said, can well translate into thousands of dollars remaining in the pockets of the working-people.

“Indeed, these are most welcomed more so in view of the several challenges that still confront our people, especially our vulnerable population. On this score, we must express our dismay regarding the absence of any improvement in the income tax threshold though we recognise several other measures will have similar effect,” it was noted.

To this end, “we urge our business community to pass

the savings to the consumers to ensure that the full benefit of the Government's initiatives are felt and seen.”

The Federation notes as well the significant allocations to the health and education sectors. It speaks, in a tangible way, of the Government's commitment to “safeguarding our people” and “building a knowledgebased economy.”

These two fundamental policies, FITUG noted, play a seminal role in the ongoing development and the massive sums earmarked could see much transformation in these two important areas. FITUG added, “Significant efforts, we recognised, have been placed on enhancing national infrastructure and may certainly ease the many woes our people have in getting from place to place.

M o d e r n a n d e ff i c i e n t infrastructure is desperately needed and the Budget we see makes a significant first step to correcting many of the maladies that prevail.”

FITUG has identified, too, policies to increase the nation's housing stock, adding, “Indeed, it is a cherished dream of many Guyanese to have their own

homes. These aspirations were dashed over the last five years and we see clear efforts to bring this back onto the front burner.

Several supportive policies to bring down the cost of ownership were unveiled, allowing many Guyanese to become closer to transforming their dreams into reality,” FITUG added.

The Budget, it noted, also spoke to the exciting economic times that has g r i p p e d t h e c o u n t r y.

Underscoring that there is a great deal to anticipate, the union body said that, “In as much as the times are bright, we recognise the Government laying a foundation for the period a h e a d . We f i n d t h i s commendable as such policies augur well for this and future generations of Guyanese.”

Guyana, it stressed, is known to have great untapped potential and thus, “It is heartening to see some of this potential being unlocked through the transformative agenda laid out by the Government.”

It is against this background that the FITUG said that it welcomes Budget 2021.

Local operator defends right to....

From page 2 difficulty obtaining the first licence, Sookdeo said that he turned to the Government for help.

He said too that he applied and went through the process.

“I decided to ask for help from the Guyanese

operating in his own homeland.

“If I can go Trinidad and own a company, why can't I own one in Guyana and I'm a Guyanese? What is the problem? I've been in the business for a long time and I'm very familiar with the industry because I owned

“

Why should one company have 20 and 30 licences and I can't have two. That cannot be right…

”

government because I'm a Guyanese and I think the government is here to help its citizens.

I can't have my investment in a country and its going down… Boats deteriorate so fast because of the salt air so if you park up your boat for about two years, you'd be lucky if you get something out of it,” he explained.

Sookdeo noted that he was able to build a name for himself in a foreign land and as such could not understand the controversy behind

and operated long liner boats, red snapper cage boats and shrimp trawlers.”

The businessman said too that given that he was an outsider, it was not easy for him to operate on his own in Trinidad.

“I partnered with an old friend in the business under the name Hassid Enterprise Limited.

If you speak with the actual trawler operators in Trinidad, they would be able to tell you about me and the years I've been operating there,” Sookdeo added.

Local Operator: Rampersaud Sookdeo Now that he has his licences, Sookdeo says his goal is to employ local persons to work.

“I'll be able to hire more Guyanese than I could have in Trinidad.

I want to get my business going so that I can continue to provide for my family. I would just like to be given a fair chance,” he said.

Tuesday February 16, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

Local Content Policy to Teen hospitalized after ATV topples govern all sectors - Pres. Ali in Arakaka trail P A

resident, Dr. Irfaan Ali, opened n a t i o n a l consultations on the Local Content Policy yesterday, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), during which he said that though the policy is heavily targeted for the oil industry, its strategies will guide the development of every sector.

“If you are under the mistaken belief that local content is about oil and gas alone,” Dr. Ali said, “then we'll be commencing the development of this document from the wrong perspective. Whilst the oil and gas sector would be one that will be critically targeted in a local content strategy, the local content strategy is an overarching strategy that will cover every single sector of our development as a country.”

Government will be in public consultations for the next month, to guide the finalisation of the policy. The draft document, which Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, said was internally

responsive, a policy that has great clarity, a policy that sets the framework through which all those who are engaged, not only in the oil and gas sector, would understand fully what is their role in local content.”

The President sought to note that the goal of a local content President, Dr. Irfaan Ali push is not to minimise foreign compiled, was made public investment, as i n - k e e p i n g w i t h t h e that would be to Guyana's administration's promise to detriment. make the process transparent “But we want the by publishing all local investors who are coming in content reports. to recognise that through The President noted that, legislative mechanisms, as the country grows, the through regulations, through document will have to institutions that they have to continuously evolve to keep commit to local content; and up. not only committed to local “The Local Content content, but we are going to Policy has to be a living move with you in setting policy,” he told stakeholders. targets as to the levels of “It has to be a policy that is local content.” flexible, a policy that is Dr. Ali said that local

content is about increasing the level of business that will come to local companies, through capacity building so that businesses become globally competitive.

“In recognising that there is an existing gap,” the President said, “we have to put systems in place now to quickly bridge that gap. In the intervening period, while we bridge this gap, we are saying that we also have to define a space for local business and local participation.”

The local content advisory panel spearheading Guyana's local content push, comprises Chairman, Shyam Nokta; former Foreign Minister, Carl Greenidge; Trinidadian local content expert, Anthony Paul; former Trinidad energy minister, Kevin Ramnarine; trade unionist, Carvil Duncan, and accountant, Floyd Haynes.

19-year-old shopkeeper of A r a k a k a Compound, North West District, had to be air dashed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), due to the injuries he sustained after the AllTerrain Vehicle (ATV) he was on toppled on the Arakaka Access Road.

The teen was riding an ATV, property of Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), sometime around 09:20 hrs. on Sunday, when the accident occurred.

The young man was riding the ATV east along the access road, reportedly at a fast rate, when the he

lost control, causing the vehicle to topple several times before it came to a stop. As a result, the 19year-old ended up falling on to the roadway.

He sustained injuries about his body.

Some persons from the area who witnessed the accident rushed to the teen's aid and took him to the Pakera District Hospital, where he was examined by a doctor.

Due to head injuries he received from the accident, the doctor later referred him to the GPHC, where is currently receiving medical treatment.

An investigation has since been launched.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Tuesday February 16, 2021

Police visit foster mother of slain Albouystown man S

eventy-three-yearold Olivia Stephen, the foster mother of the cigarette buyer who was slain by a bullet that missed its intended target, was on Friday last visited by ranks of the Ruimveldt Police Station. They were accompanied by a pastor of the Police Corps and Faith Network.

Stephen's foster son, 54year-old Aulden Cush, popularly known as 'Alligator', was killed on February 6 while purchasing

cigarettes at a shop located on Cooper Street between Independence Boulevard and James Street, Albouystown.

As the visiting contingent offered their condolences to the bereaved woman, she told them that her son was a mechanic and expressed her desire to see his killer prosecuted. The ranks promised that they will do their best to trap the shooter and ensure that justice is served. The pastor also said a prayer for the

woman before they left.

According to reports received by this media house, on February 6 Cush was standing in front of the shop when an argument between two men ensued.

One of the men has since been identified as 'Black Boy'. Reports suggest that while 'Black Boy' remained at the location, the other man left but returned shortly after on a motorcycle armed with a gun.

He began shooting at 'Black Boy' and one of the

Ranks visiting Cush's foster mom, Olivia Stephen (extreme right)

bullets struck Cush to the neck instead of the intended target. Cush, after being shot, fell to the ground and reportedly bled to death.

Kaieteur News was also told that the shooter continued to pursue his

target and shot him too before escaping.

'Black Boy' reportedly ran and collapsed at a location in Laing Avenue where he was rescued and taken to a hospital.

This newspaper later

learnt that he had received gunshot wounds to one of his arms. Sources had later revealed that cops had detained one individual for questioning in relation to the matter but the shooter is said to still be at large.

The shop where Cush was fatally shot

Tuesday February 16, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 15

US CDC lists Guyana as 'high risk' for COVID-19 transmission

By Sueann Wickham

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

(Photo: The Conversation)

G

uyana has been listed among the countries with Level Four COVID-19 transmission by the United States' Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In layman's terms, this means that Guyana is a very high-risk country for transmission.

Guyana was listed as a Level Four: High-Risk country on the CDC's travel advisory dated February 2, 2021.

Among the other levels noted by the CDC are: High Transmission – Level Three; Moderate Transmission – Level Two; Low Transmission – Level 1 and Level Unknown.

Given its high-risk status, the CDC has advised persons against travelling to Guyana, stating that “Travellers should avoid all travel to Guyana.”

According to the Centre, travel increases a person's chances of getting and spreading COVID-19 thus t h e ' n o t r a v e l ' recommendation to this South American territory.

It has noted, however, that if it is mandatory to travel to Guyana, persons should obtain a viral test one to three days before their scheduled trip. For those who must travel, the CDC urges that they, “Do NOT travel if you were exposed to COVID-19, you are sick, or you test positive for COVID-

19. Learn when it is safe for you to travel. Don't travel with someone who is sick,” the CDC warned.

The CDC has also advised that all travellers follow all entry requirements for the destination and provide any required or requested health information to the authorities. It went on to reiterate the importance of adherence to airplane protocols such as “wearing a mask, avoiding crowds and staying at least six feet from people who are not travelling with you, often use of hand sanitizers, practising hand washing and keep a steady watch for symptoms.”

The CDC also noted that before travelling back to the US, persons coming from

Police rank injured in hit and run accident

O

n S u n d a y, a Police Lance Corporal was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), after he was struck down by a silver grey 212 motorcar. At the time, the police rank was patrolling along the Agriculture Access Road, Triumph, East Coast Demerara.

The injured rank has been identified as 34-yearold Colwin Forrester, the officer in charge of the AntiCrime Patrol of the Beterverwagting Police Station.

A c c o r d i n g t o information received, the accident occurred at around 21:35 hrs. It was revealed that police ranks, including

Forrester, had observed the motorcar parked on the western side of the road.

Upon observation, the police ranks exited their vehicle and went over to the motor car. However, the car drove off from the side of the road and ended up colliding with Forrester. Kaieteur News understands that the driver did not stop to see what transpired and fled the scene.

The 34-year-old was picked up and taken to the hospital, where he was seen and examined by a doctor, who found that he had suffered broken pelvis bones and other injuries about his body.

The driver of the silver grey 212 motor car is yet to be apprehended.

Guyana should get a viral test no more than three days

before the flight departs, bearing a negative result.

Persons are also required to keep a copy of their test results during travel in case it is asked for. “After you travel, get tested three - five days after travel AND stay home to self-quarantine for seven days after travel. If you don't get tested, it's safest to stay home to selfquarantine for 10 days,” the CDC further stated.

Notably, Guyana would have adopted strict measures for incoming passengers.

Persons coming into the country are required to take a second Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test in Guyana, if their first test has exceeded 72 hours.

Incoming passengers are usually required to take a PCR test in their country of origin (the country they are currently in) at least seven days leading up to their

flight.

When boarding a flight, these persons are required to show their PCR test results and if it would have exceeded a week, they will not be allowed to board that flight.

Additionally, persons who would have produced their PCR test results that do not exceed 72 hours will not be required to take another test when they arrive in Guyana.

Guyana up to yesterday had recorded more than 8,000 cases with 187 fatalities.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, had earlier made it clear that a surge in cases was likely following mass social engagements and persons not adhering to the mandated COVID-19 regulations.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 16

Tuesday February 16, 2021

$1B allocation for online scholarships T

he Irfaan A li administration is aiming to provide a large number of online scholarships through an allocation of $1 billion in this year's National Budget.

The revelation was made

by Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh.

While presenting the National Budget last Friday in the National Assembly, Dr. Singh said that the government is hoping to deliver an online learning institute with the vision of having a top-tier education system.

The institute will deliver 20,000 scholarships over the

next five years and, this year, the government plans to begin the execution of the initiative catering for the provision of over 4,500 scholarships.

“In 2021, we plan to begin execution of this initiative, catering for the provision of over 4,500 scholarships through a multi-agency formulation including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Public Service and the Ministry of Labour,” Dr. Singh announced.

Last year, His Excellency, Irfaan Ali, had disclosed that his administration would be looking to distribute some

5,000 online scholarships this year.

He had also stated that his administration will deliver its promise in the manifesto, to deliver the 20,000 online scholarships over the next five years, starting from this year.

At the opening ceremony of the Dr. Yesu Persaud Clinical Centre, he said, “We are going to grant 20,000 scholarships across our country, in every single field from next year…the first 5,000 will be made available next year, and we are already in discussion with more than 10 universities across the world.”

Further, even though

there will be requirements to be a recipient of the scholarships, vulnerable persons will also receive some form of preference as the government aims to allow vulnerable persons across the country to access tertiary education. This was stated by the Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag.

Meanwhile, Dr. Singh said during his budget speech that, the G o v e r n m e n t ' s collaboration with the Commonwealth of Learning and Coursera has already allowed it to offer more than 4,000 free online courses from various universities around the

Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh world.

According to Dr. Singh, 64,605 citizens are benefitting from online courses offered by these two

entities of which to date, 8,481 participants are teachers who have since registered or participated in at least one course.

Public servants to get salary President increase - Viceassures

V

ice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, has dispelled claims that there will be no wages and salary increases for public servants this year.

In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Dr. Jagdeo noted that the A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change coalition continues to mislead its supporters and the Guyanese public with their incorrect statements. He said, “The fact is that over $10B has been budgeted in the (budget) estimates under the head, 'revision of wages and salaries'. A huge part of that sum will go towards salary increases for public sector workers.”

Notably, no statements were made regarding an increase of wages and salaries for public servants as the Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, presented the 2021 National Budget last Friday.

Dr. Singh, however, did note that in 2020, his administration sought to bring relief to public servants in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic by giving them a one-off payment which saw a total of almost $2 billion being disbursed. According to the M i n i s t e r, o v e r 6 0 , 0 0 0 employees in the public sector benefitted from that initiative. He also said that while some countries around the world reduced working hours and associated salaries for their workers as part of

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo their pandemic response, the Irfaan Ali administration retained all public servants at full pay while allowing a rotational work system and work from home system, where applicable, to mitigate transmission of the COVID19 virus.

Further, Dr. Singh noted that $1.1 billion was placed in the hands of over 19,000 health workers and members of the disciplined services.

Additionally, the PPP/C administration had promised a 50 percent salary increase for public servants throughout its election campaign and saw a downpour of heavy criticisms when no salary increases were announced last year.

The Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, who held a financial portfolio at the time, had stated that wages and salary increases will be considered in future budgets.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 16, 2021

PAGE 17

David Patterson, Rawlston Adams denies defrauding Harbour Bridge of over $160M F

ormer Minister of P u b l i c Infrastructure, David Patterson, and Former General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC), Rawlston Adams, yesterday denied a charge which alleged that they defrauded the State of over $160M. The duo made their second court appearance in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts yesterday before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly. Patterson is being represented by attorneys-atlaw, Ronald Burch-Smith and Nigel Hughes, while Adams is being represented by attorney-at-law, Glenn Hanoman.

On Patterson and Adams first court appearance, they were not required to plead to the charge since it was laid indictable.

However, the prosecutor had requested that the charge be laid summarily so that the

Former Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson matter can be tried in the Magistrate's Court as opposed to a preliminary inquiry (PI) being conducted in the Magistrate's Court before the matter is either sent to the High Court or dismissed.

The charge was yesterday changed and laid summarily and Patterson and Adams were required to

Former General Manager of DHBC, Rawlston Adams

enter a plea after the charge was re-read to them.

Both men pleaded not guilty to the charge, which stated that between November 18, 2016 and February 1, 2018 at Georgetown, they conspired with each other and with other persons unknown, to defraud the DHBC of $162,635,015, funds of the

DHBC's Asphalt Plant Account.

The charge is in relation to a contract that was awarded to a Dutch company, LievenseCSO, to conduct a feasibility study and design for the new Demerara Harbour Bridge between Houston, East Bank Demerara, and Versailles, West Bank Demerara.

Senior Magistrate Daly adjourned the matter to March 1, 2021 for filing of statements of the witnesses that are expected to testify against Patterson and Adam.

The duo remains out on $200,000, bail each that was granted to them on their first court appearance.

Kaieteur News had reported that the charge was brought by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), a branch of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

There is an ongoing probe by SOCU in relation to Patterson's role in solesourcing the Dutch company that was selected to conduct the feasibility study.

After the contract was made public in 2017, the then Opposition People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had called for a thorough investigation by the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) into the awarding of the contract to

the Dutch firm, this later triggered an investigation by SOCU. The PPC in its investigation found that Patterson's request to Cabinet for approval of the contract was not forwarded through the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).

As a result, the PPC had asked for the tender to be reset. NPTAB had given approval for the project to be retendered but it was not.

The PPP/C was adamant that the bypassing of the procurement process was illegal, but SOCU later stated that it had sought legal advice, and that there is no evidence that a criminal offence was committed.

R e c e n t l y, S O C U reopened the case and on Friday last, Patterson and Adams were called in for questioning by SOCU and the charge was later instituted.

Prosecution closes case for men accused of attempting to rob Republic Bank

F

ive years after the incident, the trial for the four men who are accused of attempting to rob Republic Bank, is finally coming to an end.

The four men implicated in the botched robbery are: former Police Constable, Anfernee Blackman, 21, of 65 Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown; former Republic Bank employee, Shawn Grimmond, of 137 Pike Street, Kitty, Georgetown; Rural Constable, Gladston George, 24, of 55 Princes Street, Lodge, Georgetown and Keron Saunders, 24, of 59 Burnham Boulevard, Mocha, East Bank Demerara.

The trial for the matter is being conducted in the Georgetown Magistrates' Court before Senior Magistrate, Leron Daly.

At the continuation of the matter, the prosecution closed its case and the matter was adjourned to February 25, 2021, for the defense attorneys to file their no-case

submissions.

On the men's first court appearance, they denied the charge which stated that on July 4, 2016, while being armed with guns, they attempted to rob Republic Bank's Water Street, Georgetown branch.

During October 2017, Senior Magistrate Daly, placed the four accused on $500,000 bail each.

The botched robbery attempt on the financial institution had left 25year-old Agronomist, Elton Wray, dead. Wray, the best friend of Jamal Haynes, a former Republic Bank employee, was shot and killed during an exchange of gunfire between his alleged accomplices, police, and guards attached to the Professional Guard Service (PGS).

On Haynes' first court appearance, he admitted to the charge and was sentenced to a total of 10 years on charges of attempted robbery under-arms; illegal firearm and ammunition possession and

Local business complains of...

From page 3 industry',” Boyer had told reporters on the sidelines of Guyana International Petroleum Exhibition (GIPEX) 2019.

The businessman said yesterday that critical to considerations around improving local content, is tax administration.

While he did not speak definitively on a solution to this

issue, Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, noted on the topic of taxes, that businesses located in certain regions already benefit from tax concessions, and that that mechanism could be extended for the oil and gas industry. He said that the issues raised yesterday and throughout the one-month long consultation, are under consideration and will be addressed.

Keron Saunders

Anfernee Blackman

The men accused of the botched robbery Jamal Haynes Gladston George

Shawn Grimmond unlawful restraining.

According to reports, on the day in question, at around 07:30 hrs., a report was made to the police of a robbery in progress at the bank. The ranks responded promptly. When they arrived at the scene, the alleged perpetrators discharged several

rounds in their direction.

Kaieteur News had reported that Haynes had begun running through the arcade but was later apprehended by police during an exchange of gunfire. He was found hiding in a stall in the arcade.

The facts of the charge revealed

that the illegal gun and ammunition were found lying on the ground next to him. Saunders, a cousin of Wray, was apprehended by police after he was observed acting in a suspicious manner. Haynes and Saunders implicated the others in the robbery attempt on the financial institution.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 18

Tuesday February 16, 2021

TOPCO launches range of one litre juices - DDL Group invests G$4B in new Tetra Pak plant and juice drinks - Local farmers to see increased demand for fresh fruits T

ropical Orchard Products Company Limited (TOPCO), a subsidiary of Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), yesterday announced the launch of its new range of TOPCO one litre juices and juice drinks, in four delicious flavours, on the local market. As Guyana's leading value-added company, the DDL group invested G$4 billion in a new Tetra Pak packaging plant, as well as a fruit processing plant in 2020.

In a release, it stated that in spite of COVID-19 and its many limitations, the DDL Group remained committed to responding both to consumer demand and to a commitment made to farmers that TOPCO would provide a growing market for their produce. The TOPCO expansion is a part of a larger five-year G$10B expansion project, announced by DDL's Executive Chairman, Komal Samaroo, in 2017.

In describing the project, Samaroo said that “Despite oil and gas, the agriculture sector must be developed.” He noted that “The value-added processing of the nation's fruits and vegetables into pulp and juices, and eventually milk supplied by local dairy farmers, for local consumption and export, is a huge step in that direction.”

Prior to the expansion, TOPCO was purchasing one million pounds of fruits per year of cherry, passion fruit, carambola and guava from farmers. With the expansion, the volume is expected to increase to four million pounds per year.

The range of fruits is also being expanded to include mangoes, pineapple, and citrus. Set to reap tremendous benefits are our local farmers. Samaroo noted that, “Farmers will benefit from this project through a guarantee that their supply of fruits to TOPCO is secure, with stability of prices in spite of market demand/supply conditions.

There is also the potential to increase their cultivation of fruits to increase supply to TOPCO. He added that, “Another benefit to farmers will be the ability to collaborate with a network of technical and financial agriculturesupport agencies, as part of the holistic market-driven approach to developing partnerships with local fruits and dairy farmers."

The new one litre TOPCO Juices provide a practical and nutritious ready-to-drink product for which there is an increased demand both locally and in the region. TOPCO's progression into the one litre category makes it a healthy juice choice for the entire family, as these juices are also rich in Vitamin C to boost your immune system. The new one litre juices and juice drinks are available in four fruity delicious flavours pineapple, orange, orange unsweetened and cherry, and are now available at leading supermarkets countrywide.

The TOPCO one litre range

Orientation held for domestic violence hotline operators

Minister of Human Services Ms. Akilah Doris of the Sexual and Social Security, Hon. Dr. Offences and Domestic Policy Vindhya Persaud, delivers her Unit at the orientation exercise address at the orientation session

T

he Ministry of Human Services and Social Security on Monday, hosted an orientation exercise for 17 domestic violence hotline operators. The operators will be manning the 914 toll-free hotline, which was established to be a safe space where men, women and children suffering abuse could seek help.

During brief remarks at the event held at the Palms Geriatric Home, Hon. Minister Dr. Vindhya Persaud, told the operators that the 914 hotline would play a critical role in providing support to victims of domestic abuse.

“The way in which violence goes and because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many persons experiencing violence are in very close proximity with the perpetrators of the abuse and

violence and it is extremely difficult to not only get that strength to call, but to find that space, to seek help and when they do find all of those things to call 914, we must give them help,” she said.

The Minister added that it is imperative that trust is built between the persons calling and the operators. The Ministry would be hosting continuous training, and assessment and evaluation of each operator on a regular basis.

“Trust is very critical, so your intervention will be in many different ways. There will be need for immediate intervention.

Someone's in the throes of a violent situation right now, and is calling for help. That help should be forthcoming because you have the list of first line responders who you should be calling to get that help, (continued on page 22)

Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 16, 2021

PAGE 19

Vendor charged for killing GDF ranks under investigation...

Sophia resident, remanded

A

26-year-old vendor was yesterday remanded to prison for the murder of Kevin Andrew Smith, a resident of Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

Smith was attacked and stabbed to death at his home last Monday.

The accused, Randy Wiggins, of 'D' Field Reserved Dam, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, appeared yesterday at the Sparendaam Magistrate's Court before Magistrate, Roschelle Liverpool, where he was not required to plead to the indictable charge that was read to him. The charge alleged that on February 8, at 'C' Field Reserve Dam, Sophia, he murdered Smith.

It was reported that around 18:30 hrs. on the day of the incident, the 26-year-old entered Smith's premises and attacked him.

According to reports, Smith reportedly put up a fight and there was a short scuffle between the two.

Wiggins then armed himself with a knife and stabbed Smith five times – three times to his chest, once to his abdomen and another to his left knee, before escaping from the scene.

The police were summoned to the scene

Remanded: Randy Wiggins and the man was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where he was pronounced dead on arrival. An investigation was launched and the vendor was later captured by police.

The matter was adjourned to March 24, 2021.

71-year-old is latest COVID-19 fatality

T

he Ministry of Health yesterday reported another COVID-19 fatality. This time, it was a 71year-old man who was residing in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica). According to information released by the Ministry, he died while receiving treatment at a medical facility.

The deceased has been listed as the country's 187th COVID-19 fatality. His

death was not reflected in the daily dashboard update. The Ministry also revealed one new case, which has increased the total number of cases to 8,232.

The dashboard also shows that seven patients are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit, 26 in institutional quarantine, 45 in institutional isolation and 595 in home isolation. Additionally, a total of 7,399 persons have recovered to date.

From page 8 knew one of the ranks and had felt comfortable imbibing alcohol with him and his colleagues.

Based on investigations conducted so far, Kaieteur News was told that, during the evening in question, the teen was seen leaving the club in the company of the rank who she was acquainted with and two others.

Sources told this newspaper that the girl was unable to recall what happened after leaving the club. However, the following day, she awoke in pain and confided in a relative who

took her to the hospital.

Kaieteur News was informed as well that a report was then lodged with the relevant authorities.

The Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) has also been informed of the incident and a case officer is working along with the teen.

Kaieteur News has been informed too that a forensic interview has already been conducted with the victim and a report is underway to assist the ongoing investigations.

Officially updating the media yesterday on the progress of the case, the GDF stated that the ranks in

question have since been removed from the area and have been convened to a Board of Inquiry. According to the GDF, this was done due to the seriousness of the matter.

The GDF pointed out too that the conduct and professionalism of its ranks are premiere factors in its mission accomplishment.

For this reason, the GDF said that it will spare no measure to ensure that its ranks uphold its values and standards in order to maintain the confidence of the communities which they (ranks) have sworn to serve and defend.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 20

Tuesday February 16, 2021

COVID vaccine response 'tremendously good' - Min Anthony - no adverse effects recorded M

inister of Health, Hon. D r. F r a n k Anthony, is pleased with the response from health workers as it relates to the COVID-19 immunisation programme.

Last Thursday, healthcare workers from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit at the Centre for

Disease Control and Prevention at Liliendaal, received their first doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, COVISHIELD. To date, more than 500 workers have been vaccinated.

During yesterday's daily COVID-19 update, Minister Anthony said, “the uptake has been tremendously good.

A lot of people came forward who wanted the

vaccine… I'm extremely pleased that a lot of the senior doctors at the Georgetown Public Hospital actually took the vaccine.”

Those who took the vaccine included GPHC Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier (ret'd) George Lewis, Director of Medical and Professional Services, Dr. Fawcett Jeffery, Head of Cardiology, Dr. Mahendra Carpen, Head of Paediatrics,

Surgery and Medicine, Dr. Marisa Seepersaud, Head of the Institute of Health Science Education, Dr. Alexandra Harvey, Head of Accident and Emergency, Dr. Zulfikar Bux, and Head of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Tracey Bovell.

Minister Anthony said Guyana is expected to receive thousands of additional doses of vaccines to ensure all healthcare professionals are vaccinated before rolling out the immunisation campaign to the wider population.

The decision was taken to inoculate all healthcare workers first as they are frequently exposed to the disease.

Side effects

While mild side effects after receiving vaccines are normal, Minister Anthony says, there are no reports of adverse effects from those persons who have been inoculated.

He explained that after receiving the vaccine, a person may experience some discomfort at the site of the injection with possible irritation. Some persons may

A health worker administering the COVID-19 vaccine

also experience headaches and fatigue. Symptoms will differ, but will generally go away within 24 hours.

“All of these are expected as it shows that your body is reacting to the vaccine, which means that your immune system is working and starting to produce the antibodies that are necessary to fight off COVID, so that's great,” he said.

Minister Anthony stated that there are rare cases where persons experience an anaphylactic reaction, meaning that the person develops an allergy to something in the vaccine.

“These types of reactions generally would occur within 15 to 20 minutes after

Police investigate sudden death of toddler

P

olice are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the sudden death of a toddler in Mabaruma, Region One. The child was pronounced dead around 00:00hrs Sunday by doctors at the Mabaruma Regional Hospital.

A c c o r d i n g t o information received by police from the toddler's mother, Nicola Campbelle, he began suffering from a high fever on February 9 at

their home located in Barima, Kariabo (a village located some miles away from central Mabaruma).

His condition, however, grew worse Saturday evening. She told police that around 23:00hrs that evening, she noticed that the child was lying motionless and decided to rush him to the Kariabo Health Centre but was referred to the Mabaruma Hospital.

When she arrived there, the toddler was pronounced dead.

Body of miner found in mining pit area

T

he body of a young miner was y e s t e r d a y discovered near a mining pit area, in Puruni, Region Seven.

He has been identified as Manley Jacob of Sand Creek Village, South Rupununi, Region Nine.

Police Commander of the

division, Dion Moore, confirmed the development and told Kaieteur News that based on investigation so far, it appears as though, he might have drowned.

Nevertheless, up to press time, investigations were still ongoing and an official police report is expected to be released later.

the vaccine would have been administered. That is why when we are finished, we keep the person for at least 15 to 20 minutes under medical observation. Once everything is okay, we allow them to go,” he said.

A national committee has also been set up to conduct pharmacovigilance. This means the committee will be monitoring for any adverse effects that might occur in people who take the vaccine.

Vaccine education Prior to the roll out of the immunisation campaign, the Ministry started an education drive on the vaccine. Minister Anthony said that a lot of time has been spent explaining the types of vaccines available and how they work.

“The team that is working to do the immunisation, they are well schooled in all the different things relating to the vaccine. As part of the immunisation process, there is a very strong education component, so anyone who comes to get their vaccine will first have to go through several minutes of getting the right information pertaining to the vaccine.”

Brochures with additional information are also provided. These outline possible side effects, the vaccine's effectiveness and safety along with the criteria for eligibility for taking the vaccine.

Once a person is deemed eligible for the vaccine, the health personnel administering the vaccine will again remind the candidate about the side effects.

Persons are also reminded to return for their second dose between eight and 12 weeks after they have received their first shot.

(Taken from DPI and slightly modified)

Tuesday February 16, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 21

AG goes after BK for millions VP tells oil companies to rent, not purchase owed in rent for Water Street Bond A local properties

I

n s t e a d o f p u r c h a s i n g Guyanese property, Vice President (VP), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, wants oil companies operating in Guyana to rent them.

During yesterday's Draft Local Content Policy Consultation at the Arthur Chung Convention C e n t r e ( A C C C ) , D r.

Jagdeo specifically told President of ExxonMobil Guyana ,“We want you to rent from Guyanese, not build a headquarter.

That's the sort of thing that we are more concerned about.”

At the time, the VP was referring to the 10 acres of land at Ogle that ExxonMobil purchased to construct their headquarters, during the leadership of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change ( A P N U + A F C ) administration.

What is notable, however, is that Exxon would be able to recover every cent of that money if it chooses to rent property.

This is according to the Guyana-ExxonMobil Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) under the section which speaks to costs recoverable without further approval of the Minister.

That section of the agreement says in verbatim that the oil company can, “Recover all rentals, charges, levies, fees, taxes, and any other assessments and charges levied by the g o v e r n m e n t i n connection with the petroleum operations and paid directly by the contractor.”

Also recoverable by ExxonMobil is the money that they hand over to the government for environmental projects.

ttorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, S.C., has moved to court to collect on outstanding arrears in rental for a Water Street, Kingston Georgetown bond facility from BK Marine-- a subsidiary of the BK Group Of Companies.

In court papers, Nandlall outlined BK Marine's failure to pay for the rental from August 1, 2009 to January 15, 2021.

As a result, he says, the arrears now amount to in excess of $8.4M. In a document to support, the Statement of Claim, the AG outlined that the BK Marine bond located at Lot 5 Water Street, Kingston, Georgetown, in the northern section of the compound at the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) has been in arrears for rent but continues to trespass on the property by way of its occupation.

Nandlall explained that T&HD entered into an agreement with BK Marine on August 1, 2003, to rent the

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, S.C.

bond at an annual rental price of $600,000.

He said that the BK Marine agreed to terms and conditions of the payment and made an advance of three years annual rent totaling $1.8 million, with a promise to make installments every year.

Nandlall however said that BK Marine stopped paying rent for the bond space from August 01, 2009, and the agreement was orally terminated from August 1, 2009, over

a failure by the company to comply with the agreement.

The Attorney General (AG) said that BK Marine subsequently took possession of the bond, notwithstanding the termination of the agreement and continued to occupy the property and has failed and/or neglected to vacate the premises or pay an annual rent of $600,000.

T a k i n g t h e circumstances of the breach into consideration, the AG said he is entitled to possession of the bond.

Nandlall submitted that BK Marine has incurred the sum of $8.4 million in arrears of rent from August 1, 2009, to January 15, 2021.

He noted too that the State was unable to use or rent it and as a consequence, the loss and mesne profit is calculated.

Nandlall has therefore asked the Court, to grant an order that BK Marine deliver up possession of the property, which measures 43,966 square feet within one month's time.

He is also asking for a declaration that BK Marine committed trespass in its continued occupation of the bond space.

As a consequence, Nandlall wants the Court to award damages for trespass, mesne profits from August 01, 2009 until BK Marine gives up the bond and interest in accordance with Section 12 of the Law Reform Miscellaneous Act. He also asks for such further or other orders as the Court deems just and reasonable in addition to costs.

PAGE 22

Tuesday February 16, 2021

Kaieteur News

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The Government has proposed an allocation of over $70 million in the 2021 National Budget to advance and further expand services provided at the Hope Coconut Industries Limited (HCIL), East Coast Demerara.

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, made this announcement during his presentation on Friday. The Minister said coconut is the new frontier crop in the agriculture sector and is expected to take off over the medium term.

“This administration will fund the establishment of four new coconut nurseries at Wakenaam, Leguan, Canal No. 2 and No. 63 Village in Corentyne, which will each produce 1,500 to 3,000 coconut seedlings, every three months,” he said.

This will enable farmers to benefit from high quality planting material at an affordable cost.

“Technical training on inter-cropping and cultivation will be provided to coconut farmers to help them optimise their returns on investments.

Support from Government will see the private sector investing in over 1,000 acres of coconut estates, in the near term,” the Minister added.

Speaking with DPI, General Manager of the Hope Estate, Mr. Ricky Roopchand, said he is

General Manager of the Hope Estate, Mr. Ricky Roopchand. pleased about the allocation, noting that it is a significant increase from the previous allotments when the estate received a fixed amount of $3 million.

The sum for the capital project would be used to finance four additional coconut nurseries, purchase a tractor and Canter truck, erect two shade houses and fence the compound, he said.

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Other allocations would be used for the National Coconut Sensitization Programme and other operational costs of the entity.

Over $10 million was approved for the estate in the Emergency Budget of 2020 for capital works, which was used to establish two coconut nurseries at Kairuni and Charity, the construction of a wooden bridge and extension and equipment for the estate office.

The Hope Coconut Estate produces 100,000 cocon u t s e e d l i n g s f o r farms across the country annually, to advance the development of the coconut industry.

Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, has said the development of the coconut industry in Guyana is a priority, and as such, much focus has been given to revitalizing the industry, which is the third largest export crop after rice and sugar. (DPI)

...Orientation held for domestic violence From page 18 don't just call and leave it, follow up,” Minister Persaud explained.

Dr. Persaud said in addition to help such as shelter and counselling, people must be able to access support through the Difficult Circumstances Unit as well as Public Assistance.

Through the Ministry's Cottage Industry Skills initiative, training would also be provided to adults, including single parents, since poverty is a contributing factor to domestic violence.

The orientation was conducted by Ms. Akilah Doris of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Policy Unit. The operators were also exposed to training in conflict management and resolution in the workplace.

The Ministry launched the 914 hotline in December, in collaboration with UNICEF, Digicel Guyana, GTT and the Guyana Telecommunications Agency.

Budget 2021 provides for a significant increase in the subvention to the organizations providing support to

victims of domestic violence, including Help and Shelter, which will benefit from over $50 million this year.

In addition to the establishment of a court superintendent department, which will be equipped with a cadre of lawyers to lead prosecutions in each regional division for cases of domestic violence, a Survivors Advocates Programme will also be implemented to offer emotional support and crisis counselling to victims of violence and abuse. (DPI)

Tuesday February 16, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Tuesday February 16, 2021

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Tuesday February 16, 2021

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Kaieteur News

...USA based Kwakwani resident Wendell ...Alia Atkinson ...Yamaha launches 2021 more From page 26 opening Spanish GP last July.

James continues support with equipment notches championship SRT’s Franco Due to an “internal overwins at

From page 29 seeking to come out bouncing hard whenever the green light is given to resume.

Well, the two above mentioned sports as well as circle tennis and lawn tennis have been boosted with a donation of equipment compliments of USA based resident and former Striker Football Club member, Wendell James who is continuing a tradition he has started a few years now.

The former utility player (goalkeeper, striker, defender) handed over footballs, basketballs, tennis racquets and balls to the relevant committees. With regards to lawn tennis, James

indicated that it is a sport they are seeking to get going in the community and has plans to utilise the Management Centre Court which has to be spruced up a bit.

“I try my best to support my community in whatever sport possible. Once I can see the effort, I give my support.

I have supported basketball, football and now we are trying to get tennis going as well.

If we can get volleyball going that would be a plus for our youths.”

Cognizant of what sports can do for the youths in terms of their self empowerment and development, James had the following words of encouragement for his young villag-

ers as well as youths throughout Guyana.

“I would encourage all youths to play sports, I know as a kid we were involved in every sport, from athletics to football, basketball, swimming, whichever sport it was we were there to take part.

So I would encourage our youths to do that as much as they possibly can. In terms of the Kwakwani youths, once I am satisfied with what I am seeing, they can always count on me to be there to assist them with equipment and uniforms to help them develop because I know we have very talented athletes in this community.”

Tuesday February 16, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) A romantic evening at home with your partner could bring you two closer together. Your emotions are intense right now, however, so you need to use your intuition to judge exactly how much of your feelings you should reveal.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Information received from far away could compel you to learn more about the subject.

You might be inspired to use your new knowledge in a project that includes a partner.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Money matters may be advanced through using your intuition and inner power today. You might have a hunch that your idea for making extra money might just work.

CANCER(June21–July22) A surge of inner power could make you feel like you can move mountains, Cancer. If you've been contemplating actions that others believe impossible, this is the day to get them going.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Memories from your distant past could resurface today, Leo. You may wonder why you're suddenly thinking about them, but they probably represent a release of old emotional hang-ups that have been holding you back.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Today represents a new beginning in many ways. An old friend could reappear in your life and bring up memories that are both pleasant and disconcerting, Virgo.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Emotions could be running high, Libra. Someone in your entourage may have a problem with an authority figure and political issues could come up.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Heightened mental powers might make you spend a lot of time reading or doing research of some kind.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Your intuition might increase today to the point where you feel like you could deduce the thoughts and motives of people you've never met before.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) You should be feeling especially passionate now, Capricorn, especially regarding partnerships. Romantic partnerships definitely call for an evening alone together.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) If you haven't been feeling like yourself lately, a surge of inner power could push you over the top and make you feel strong and healthy again. You could decide to complete all your unfinished tasks today.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) A surge of passion could dominate your day unless you find an outlet for it, Pisces. Romantic passion is high, so an intimate evening with a lover is a good idea.

Creative passion is strong.

You could have a sudden inspiration, perhaps influenced by a distant place.

From page 28 national record holder extends her unbeaten streak in the event in America to eight races.

Since 2017, she has turned back all challengers on US soil. She is the only CARIFTA region swimmer to make the World Championship final in the event. She also holds the accolade of being the only medalist in this sprint race.

Meanwhile, national teammate Morgan Cogle, who represents the Jupiter Dragons, lowered her personal best of 33.33 from 2018 in the 50m backstroke crushing it to record 32.67 and place 18th overall.

World Championship representative Keanan Dols who swims for the Gator Swim Club was 21st in the 50-metre butterfly stopping the clock in a time of 26.63.

...Nadal gathers strength as From page 29 specul a t i o n over Djokovic’s fitness will continue to fill the vacuum, Nadal was adamant that no player could grit their teeth and win a Grand Slam if properly injured.

“If you really have physical problems, you will not win,” said the 34-year-old.

“If you have some pain and it’s not putting you in a situation that limits you, the movements, maybe you can find a way.

“But when you really, really have an injury, it’s impossible to win a tournament like this.”

...AIBA Virtual Forum in America to develop NFs From page 27 National Federations of the continent discussed a number of key issues, including reforms, new AIBA Committees and competition calendar, development plan for National Federations, Communication strategy, report from the legal group, and took part in the Q&A sessions; they also held an anti-doping seminar with the ITA’s Head of Testing, Mr. Matteo Vallini.

AIBA President had a training session with Kenyan national team and presented to athletes boxing equipment.

The decision about building a boxing academy in the country was taken. Mr. Kremlev expressed confidence that it will help to develop boxing not only in the country but in the whole region.

Morbidelli in second on a 2019 M1. Vinales was the top placed 2020 Yamaha rider in sixth in the standings, having won at the Emilia Romagna GP. Quartararo’s strong earlyseason form deserted him in the final rounds, with the Frenchman fading from title contender to eighth in the championship despite a haul of three victories.

Both Vinales and Quartararo were very vocal about the deficiencies of the 2020 M1, with the former admitting in the latter part of the campaign that it was “impossible” to think about winning on the bike.

Yamaha was also embroiled in controversy lateseason when it was found guilty of running non-homologated engines at the

sight”, brought about by a supplier no longer making the homologated part it needed for 2020, Yamaha fielded engines with illegal valves at the Spanish GP. These engines ultimately proved to be unreliable too, with Vinales and Rossi losing units on the opening weekend. Yamaha was forced to withdraw two from each rider’s allocation as a result of the non-homologated valves.

In 2021, former Tech3 rider and three-time MotoGP race winner Cal Crutchlow will serve as Yamaha’s official test rider, replacing triple world champion Jorge Lorenzo in the role.

Yamaha’s satellite squad SRT will launch its 2021 season with Rossi and Franco Morbidelli on 18 February.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 26

‘Stressed’ Osaka saves match points to set up all-Asian quarter-final AFP - A “very stressed” Naomi Osaka saved two match points to outlast Garbine Muguruza and set up an all-Asian quarter-final against Taiwan’s Hsieh Suwei at the Australian Open Sunday.

The third seed was on the verge of elimination at 3-5, 15-40 on her serve in the third set before rattling off four points in a row.

She then twice broke the serve of two-time Grand Slam winner Muguruza to prevail 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 in one hour and 55 minutes on an empty Rod Laver Arena, devoid of fans for a second day because of a state-wide coronavirus lockdown.

“I felt like this match I was very stressed. I think some people could see it because I wasn’t really hyped,” said Osaka, who hit 40 winners but made 36 unforced errors.

“I didn’t really like the feeling that I was having. I was just trying to fight for every point then it sort of led me to the win.”

Muguruza had been showing the form that saw her top-ranked in 2017 and she proved a formidable challenge for Osaka, widely deemed a title favourite at Melbourne Park.

In a tense third set, Osaka failed to convert a break point in the fourth game and subsequently dropped her serve, slamming her racquet down in frustration.

“When I got angry and

Ashwin sparkles as India looks poised for victory vs England

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Naomi Osaka celebrates her thrilling win over Garbine Muguruza after saving two match points in the third set. hit my racquet on the ground... I feel like I released a lot of the thoughts that I had,” she said. “It just made me go more into instinctbased tennis.

“I’m mad at myself for throwing my racquet, but at the same time I feel like it unleashed the emotions and the nerves that I had,” she added.

- Li Na fan Japan’s Osaka now has an all-Asian quarter-final against 35-year-old Hsieh, who upset 19th seed Marketa Vondrousova 6-4, 6-2.

The 23-year-old admitted to “not looking forward” to playing the unorthodox veteran, who made history by becoming the oldest player to make a last-eight debut in the Openera.

Osaka was pushed to three sets by the canny Taiwanese two years ago in the third round during her

Australian Open title run.

“She’s one of those players that if it was a video game, I would want to select her character just to play as her,” Osaka said.

“My mind can’t fathom the choices she makes when she’s on the court. It’s not fun to play, but it’s really fun to watch.”

Osaka, however, understood the significance of the Asian clash and the potential to inspire, having herself grown up idolising two-time Grand Slam winner Li Na of China.

“I just think it’s really important for little kids to look up to someone and just strive to be where they are,” she said.

“For me, I grew up really loving Li Na. She was someone that I still love and look up to. Sometimes I just revisit her post-match interviews and stuff just for a laugh.”

HENNAI, India (AP) — Local h e r o Ravichandran Ashwin delivered a series of body blows to England as the tourists struggled to 53-3 at stumps on day three of the second test against India yesterday.

With England needing an unlikely 482 for victory, Ashwin followed up his century with the bat by dismissing Rory Burns for 25 while fellow spinner Axar Patel claimed 2-15.

Earlier, Ashwin (106) scored his fifth test century and captain Virat Kohli made 62 as India was bowled out for 286 in the second innings.

Having picked up a 29th five-wicket haul in England’s first innings, it meant 34-year-old India allrounder Ashwin registered a century and bagged five wickets in an innings in the same test for the third time in his career.

He moves ahead of Garfield Sobers (West Indies), Shakib al Hasan (Bangladesh) and Jacques Kallis (South Africa) on the all-time list and now trails only England’s Ian Botham, who achieved the feat five times.

“I have been practising with batting coach Vikram Rathour and would love to credit him with how my batting has come through over the last four or five matches,” Ashwin said. “I played a lot of sweep shots today and we had a plan against Jack Leach. I am thankful the plan paid off.”

Post tea, Ishant Sharma was caught for seven off

Yamaha launches 2021 MotoGP season with revised line-up Autosport - Yamaha has unveiled its factory MotoGP colours for the 2021 season with its revised line-up of Maverick Vinales and Fabio Quartararo.

For the first time since his return from Ducati in 2013, nine-times grand prix world champion Valentino Rossi will not form a part of the Yamaha’s factory lineup.

Eight-time MotoGP race winner Vinales - who joined Yamaha from Suzuki in 2017 - remains with the squad, with three-time race winner Quartararo making the step

Yamaha launches 2021 MotoGP season with revised line-up. up from Petronas SRT. Ya m a h a ’s l i v e r y i s largely similar to that it ran last season, as its title sponsorship with Monster Energy remains in place.

Tuesday February 16, 2021

Yamaha won half of the 14 races run last season, but endured a wildly inconsistent season, with its top runner in the (Continued on page 25)

Virat Kohli gets to a fifty during his big stand with R Ashwin, India vs England, 2nd Test, Chennai, 3rd day, February 15, 2021 ©BCCI

R Ashwin is thrilled while celebrating his hundred at his home ground © BCCI Leach, who finished with 4100. Fellow spinner Moeen Ali also took 4-98.

Ashwin then pushed the score beyond 250 in Mohammed Siraj’s company before reaching his century off 134 balls, to much celebration from the crowd at his home ground.

The two batsmen added 49 runs for the last wicket to add insult to injury for England. Olly Stone (1-21) finally dismissed Ashwin in the 86th over to close out the innings.

“I don’t know when the next test is going to be here in Chennai but I am pleased,” Ashwin said. “Once Siraj came, I knew how to approach it. I was thrilled for his batting and told him to go through the line of the ball. It was amazing to see how excited he was when I got my hundred. I can’t thank the crowd enough. They have been very supportive.”

England, facing a mammoth task in the final

innings of the match, lost its first wicket when Patel trapped Dominic Sibley lbw for three.

Burns and Dan Lawrence put on 32 for the second wicket before Ashwin had Burns caught at slip as he played against the turn.

Six balls later, Patel dismissed nightwatchman Leach for a duck.

Joe Root came out to bat and survived a huge lbw shout before the close of play. In a strange DRS call, the ball seemed to be hitting the stumps but the in-form England captain survived owing to the umpire’s onfield, not-out decision.

At stumps, Lawrence was unbeaten on 19 while Root was two not out.

England is 1-0 up in the four-match series.

Scores: England 134 and 53 for 3 (Lawrence 19*, Root 2*) need 429 more runs to beat India 329 and 286 (Ashwin 106, Kohli 62, Moeen 4-98, Leach 4-100).

Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 16, 2021

PAGE 27

Simone Biles ‘would not feel comfortable’ allowing daughter be part of USA Gymnastics

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BC Sport Simone Biles says if she was a mother she would not allow her daughter to be part of USA Gymnastics following the Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal.

USA Gymnastics’ exdoctor Nassar was jailed for up to 300 years in 2018 for abusing more than 250 athletes, including Biles.

Biles has previously called for an independent investigation.

“It’s far from over,” Biles, 23, told CBS. “There’s still a lot of questions that still need to be answered.”

When asked on the 60 Minutes programme if she had a daughter, would she allow her to join the programme, the four-time Olympic gold medallist said:

“No. Because I don’t feel comfortable enough, because they haven’t taken accountability for their actions and what they’ve done. “ A n d t h e y h a v e n ’t ensured us that it’s never going to happen again.”

Biles, who has won 19 world titles, said she feels personally let down by USA Gymnastics and the US Olympic Committee.

She added: “We bring them medals. We do our part.

You can’t do your part in return? It’s just, like, it’s sickening.”

Asked what questions remain unanswered, she responded: “Just who knew what, when? You guys have failed so many athletes. And most of us underage. You guys don’t think that’s a bigger problem? Like, if that

Simone Biles won four gold medals and a bronze at the Rio Olympics in 2016. (Getty Images)

were me and I knew something I’d want it resolved immediately.”

In January 2020, USA Gymnastics announced a

Serena leads charge of American women, faces old foe Halep

so long.

USA Gymnastics president and chief executive Li Li Leung told CBS they “recognize how deeply we have broken the trust of our athletes and community, and are working hard to build that trust back”.

She continued: “Everything we do now is aimed at creating a safe, inclusive, and positive culture for everyone who participates in our sport.”

US Olympic and Paralympic boss Sarah Hirshland wanted to “repeat” their apology “to all those who have been harmed and underscore our commitment to uncovering and addressing the organizational failures that contributed to an environment in which Nassar preyed on athletes”.

plan to pay a $215m (£164m) settlement to the group of athletes abused by Nassar.

In a 2018 interview with

the BBC, Biles said she was “relieved” after speaking out about Nassar after feeling “a lot of pressure” to keep the truth to herself for

Serena Williams of the U.S. celebrates winning her fourth round match against Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka.

AIBA Virtual Forum in America to develop NFs through experience exchange Umar Kremlev

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ELBOURNE (Reuters) S e r e n a Williams will lead the charge of American women in the last-eight of the Australian Open and continue her bid for a recordequalling 24th Grand Slam title when she meets a familiar foe in second seed Simona Halep today.

Williams, 39, is among three Americans who have made it to the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park this year a n d t o m o r r o w ’s c l a s h between Jennifer Brady and Jessica Pegula has ensured that at least one from the country will be in the last four.

In contrast, Mackenzie McDonald was the only American male player to make the last 16 stage at this year’s Australian Open.

“I think it’s great for American tennis ... three women in the quarter-finals of a slam, I think that’s great,” said German Michael Geserer, who coaches Brady.

“I know each - yeah, each girl and they’re working very hard individually.”

Shelby Rogers, who lost to world number one Ash Barty in the fourth round,

(REUTERS/Loren Elliott) Brady and Pegula were all in action in the top half of the draw on Monday and were among 16 American women in the main draw at Melbourne Park - the most from any country.

“They’re very close off the court. They hit a lot. They like to practise with each other a lot,” said Pegula’s coach, David Witt. “I think it’s one of those things where they’re pushing each other.

They root for each other.

“They see one do well; they all three want each other to do well. I think it’s almost like, for them, a little sister thing where they’re kind of pushing each other to do well in tournaments.”

The trio would have had no better idol at the start of their careers than Williams,

who will meet Romanian twice Grand Slam winner Halep in the evening session at the Rod Laver Arena in their 12th meeting on tour.

Williams leads 9-2 in the head-to-head but lost the most recent meeting when she was beaten by Halep in the 2019 Wimbledon final one of her four defeats in Grand Slam finals since returning to the circuit in 2018 after becoming a mother.

Japan’s Naomi Osaka, who moved to the United States as a three-year-old and lives and trains there, was another player who defeated Williams in the 2018 U.S. Open to win the first of her three majors and could be next up for the American.

Osaka, currently ranked third, will kick off today’s proceedings at Melbourne Park against unorthodox 35year-old Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan, a first time major quarter-finalist.

Also in action will be eight-time Australian Open champion and top-ranked Novak Djokovic, who will have concerns over an abdominal injury when he plays sixth-seeded German Alexander Zverev, the finalist at the 2020 U.S. Open.

In the day’s other singles match, Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev, ranked 114th, will look to continue his spectacular run on his Grand Slam debut when he takes on 18th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria.

The next AIBA Continental Forum for America, organized virtually this year because of the pandemic situation, will be held on Sunday February 21st.

AIBA President Mr. Umar Kremlev claimed that the developing National Federations will learn a lot from their experienced colleagues.

“American continent is full of talented athletes and coaches who dedicated their life to boxing. They have shown their passion for boxing during competitions, no matter winning or losing.

I am confident that the leaders of the continent, being the role models, will help their developing colleagues and share their considerable experience.

Thus, we will be more united and strong,” Mr. Kremlev said. “We are

actively implementing reforms and we will discuss them with National Federations of America to build our future together. We appreciate feedback from our member countries, it helps us to improve a lot in each direction. Our big initiative, AIBA Forums, is helping us to be in touch with the National Federations on a regular basis. We do not avoid tough questions, we are here to hear and solve it”, he added.

On February 7th, AIBA held the African Forum with 40 countries participating virtually. Nairobi, Kenya became the capital of the event; Mr. Kremlev visited the country to hold official meetings and to train and communicate with the national team.

During the Forum the AIBA leadership and the (Continued on page 25)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 28

Tuesday February 16, 2021

Brits hope for momentum shift in AmCup challenger series

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ELLINGTO N , N e w Zealand (AP) — Britain’s INEOS Team UK is hoping for a momentum shift in its America’s Cup challenger series final against Italy’s Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli as a coronavirus lockdown in host city Auckland has led to a longer than expected break in racing.

Luna Rossa leads the first-to-seven-win series 4-0 after winning two races Saturday and Sunday on each of the first two days of the Prada Cup final. Racing was due to resume with two races on Wednesday but a small community outbreak of COVID-19 has seen the series delayed at least by a day as Auckland locks down for 72 hours.

While no new cases were r e p o r t e d M o n d a y, t h e lockdown may be extended until further community transmission can be ruled out. That could see the challenger final, due to end Feb. 22, further disrupted.

The teams have no choice but to use the available time to review their performances to date and, in Team UK’s case, to find a way to close an obvious gap on Luna Rossa.

“We have to break that

Italy’s Luna Rossa, right, leads Britain’s INEOS Team UK to win race three of the Prada Cup on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour, New Zealand, Sunday, Feb.14, 2021. (Brett Phibbs/NZ Herald via AP)

momentum,” Team UK skipper Ben Ainslie said. “In sport momentum is pretty powerful and it has been with the Italians. We have to turn that around. We need to regroup and come back stronger.”

Ainslie knows better than most that remarkable changes of fortune are

possible in the America’s Cup. He was a teammate of Luna Rossa helmsman James Spithill with Oracle Team USA which in 2013 rallied from 8-1 down in the first-to-nine win America’s Cup match against Team New Zealand to win 9-8.

“We know we’re up against really tough

opposition, that was our expectation,” Ainslee said.

“But in a decent breeze we’ve got a boat that can do it so it’s down to us. We’ve just got to go out sail hard, get stuck in and we can do it.”

Spithill agreed.

“Given what I went through in the past I’m the

last person in the world to be counting my chickens,” he said. “Ben and I went through that together, so we know better than anyone. It doesn’t matter whether you are four up or four down.”

Ainslie hopes stronger winds later in the series might play into Team UK’s hands. “As soon as we get a

bit of breeze we have a pretty even boat race,” he said. “We just need to up our game and do the boat proud.

“It’s very subtle between success and failure. It’s splitsecond and not much in it.

We need to make sure that we keep going through our processes but start getting it right when it counts.”

Alia Atkinson notches more wins NBA: Jordan announces $10 million donation to open health clinics in at Southern Zone Sectionals Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan North Carolina during a pre match press conference.

(REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo)

Jamaican Olympian Alia Atkinson continued her winning ways.

SportsMax - Jamaican Olympian Alia Atkinson continued her winning ways at the multi-site Southern Zone Sectionals that got underway in Coral Springs and Sarasota respectively late last week.

In the 50m butterfly at Coral Springs, Atkinson was in a league of her own as she stopped the clock in 26.61.

Second overall went to

Olivia Peoples of the Bolles Sharks in Sarasota and Kathryn Giuffdra of Haines City Tritons in Coral Springs who both clocked 27.73.

The time was the Atkinson was under 27 seconds since 2018. It is also her third fastest ever performance and puts her national record of 26.54 in jeopardy.

In the 50m breaststroke

Atkinson easily won gold in a time of 31.45.

Second place went to Marcela Scaramuzza of Trinity Prep in 33.10 and Taylor Grabenhorst won bronze in 33.15.

In winning, Atkinson easily demolished her 2021 season-best of 33.47 set last Saturday at Plantation. With her win on Thursday, the (Continued on page 25)

(Reuters) - Basketball great Michael Jordan yesterday pledged $10 million to help build two medical clinics for uninsured and underinsured communities in his hometown of Wilmington, North Carolina.

The clinics are slated to open in early 2022.

Jordan, who grew up and attended high school in Wilmington, had previously donated $7 million to set up family clinics in Charlotte to support vulnerable communities.

“I am very proud to once again partner with Novant Health to expand the Family Clinic model to bring better access to critical medical services in my hometown,” Jordan,

57, said in a statement.

“Everyone should have access to quality health care, no matter where they live, or whether or not they have insurance.

Wilmington holds a special place in my heart and it’s truly gratifying to be able to give back to the community that supported me throughout my life.”

In June, Jordan had pledged $100 million over the course of the next decade to organizations dedicated to ensuring racial equality. Jordan, a six-time NBA champion who led the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty in the 1990s, is a Basketball Hall of Famer who owns the Charlotte Hornets.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 16, 2021

PAGE 29

AAG Development meet

Archibald jumps world leading distance

By Calvin Chapman Guyana’s Long Jump record holder, Emmanuel Archibald, came very close to resetting his personal best of 8.12m that he had set in Jamaica, May 2019, after soaring to a distance of 8.10m at last Sunday’s first track and field meet of the year.

Hosted by the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) with approval from the National Covid-19 Task Force at the National Track & Field Center (NTFC), Archibald won’t be too disappointed in not resetting his record after a long layoff due to the pandemic.

More importantly, the 8.10m distance may see him at the top of the next updated Long Jump rankings for the year.

According to the World Athletics website, the

Cleveland Thomas (243) leads the pack in the men’s open 1500m race.

USA based Kwakwani resident Wendell James continues support with equipment donation

Wendell James handing over racquets and balls to Kwakwani Management Center staff, Ms. Orlena Towler.

The village of Kwakwani, located in the Upper Demerara Berbice Region of Guyana has had a rich history in the sporting arena be it football, basketball or other sports but like every other village or area in this nation, has been battling with the challenges being presented by the global pandemic, covid-19.

But even while the virus

continues to take its toll, residents of the village have been banding together whilst observing the protocols as outlined by the National Covid-19 Task Force to ensure that the fall-out from this virus is minimal and that they can rebound as quickly as possible in every aspect of their lives, including sports.

Recently, members of the Region 10, Sub Region 2

Football Committee were presented with letters of appointment along with the terms of reference as they seek to chart a new course for the sport.

Basketball has been a shining light for the community under the astute technical leadership of National Coach Ann Gordon and this sport as well will be (Continued on page 25)

biggest jump of the year prior to the Valentine’s Day meet at the NTFC was recorded by Darcy Roper of Australia, while Christopher Mitrevski and Shay Veitch recorded 7.92m and 7.63m respectively on February 13.

This will augur well for the morale of the Lindener as he aims to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games that will be contested this July-August.

During an invited comment with Kaieteur Sport, Archibald expressed confidence of making the 8.22m Olympic standard and posited that he believes that he will only get better since he was only afforded three jumps at this meet.

Archibald was also dominant in the feature 100m dash, winning the marquee event in an impressive 10.21s via the

finals by time route. His time, according to the last u p d a t e b y t h e Wo r l d Athletics website, was the fourth fastest of the year.

Archibald noted that in order to make the 10.05s 100m Olympic standard and even break into the 10s barrier, he has to do some work on his finishing.

Other Olympic hopeful in National Javelin record holder, Leslain Baird, also had a decent performance at the AAG’s first development meet. He threw a distance of 77.23, impressive but still a bit off his target of 85m which is the Olympic qualifying standard.

The athletes were generally grateful to be able to compete after such a long hiatus from the track especially with such an important year from Track & Field ahead.

Nadal gathers strength as injuries strike rivals M E L B O U R N E (Reuters) - For a player who was all doom and gloom about his fitness on the eve of the Australian Open, Rafa N a d a l e m e rg e d a s a n unlikely pillar of strength on day eight as injuries cut a swathe through the men’s draw yesterday.

Nadal’s bid for a record 21st Grand Slam crown gathered pace with a 6-3 6-4 6-2 demolition of Fabio Fognini that pushed the Spaniard into his 13th quarter-final at Melbourne Park.

The lower back strain that forced Nadal to miss the AT P C u p i s n o w disappearing in the rear-view mirror and he heads into his next clash against fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas without having dropped a set.

“The first set without a doubt has been my best level in the tournament,” Nadal told reporters after routing 16th seed Fognini on a sunbathed afternoon at Rod Laver Arena.

“It’s normal, too, because I was able to practise for two days in a row.

“I’m excited about playing that quarter-finals match.

“If we compare how I was five days ago and how I am today’s situation, it’s different, and my perspective and excitement is completely different, too.”

Spain’s Rafael Nadal in action during his fourth round match against Italy’s Fabio Fognini. (REUTERS/ Asanka Brendon Ratnayake) While Nadal booked his 43rd Grand Slam quarterfinal with two hours and 16 minutes of work against Fognini, Tsitsipas did not lift a racket against ninth seed Matteo Berrettini, who pulled out with an abdominal strain.

Norwegian Casper

Ruud’s hopes of a maiden Grand Slam quarter-final were also undone by an abdominal injury as he retired two sets in against Russian Andrey Rublev.

Players’ fitness at the Grand Slam has been under the microscope after they spent two weeks in mandatory hotel quarantine, with some blaming their exits on limited preparations.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic, who said he had torn an abdominal muscle against Taylor Fritz, has soldiered on and was able to despatch Milos Raonic on Sunday to book a quarter-final against Alexander Zverev.

Djokovic was cagey about his injury when probed about it after the Raonic match, saying he did not want to “speculate” and that it was a “gamble” to play on.

Having had his fair share of injuries over the years, Nadal felt there was little point in trying to conceal their true nature.

“Well, it’s difficult to hide things,” he said.

“I think it’s not healthy to hide a lot of things because it’s difficult.

“Even if you want to hide, at some point you’re going to have questions to answer.

“I don’t want to play that game, honestly.” Although (Continued on page 25)

Kaieteur News

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Tuesday February 16, 2021

Brave Bison to broaden CPL reach globally under partnership agreement CPL Champs Trinidad and Tobago

SportsMax - Social media manager Brave Bison has announced a partnership with Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

Brave Bison has a global community of 158 million followers, generating billions of views each month. The partnership will see Brave Bison help lead the management of content, channels, rights, monetization and audience development for the CPL across YouTube. Under the agreement, Hero CPL will join the already established community of leading sports organizations that Brave Bison manages across YouTube, including Australian Open, US Open & PGA TOUR. First started in 2013, the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is a franchise-based T20 format cricket tournament that combines two of the most compelling aspects of Caribbean life – dramatic cricket and a vibrant Carnival atmosphere.

There was a combined broadcast and digital viewership of over 500 million during the 2020 season to make it one of the fastest-growing leagues in world cricket.

Brave Bison and CPL T20 will work closely together to grow and optimize the organization’s YouTube channel by entertaining

the existing audience of 823k subscribers with the sports content they love most and at the same time will identify opportunities to reach new, broader audiences. Brave Bison will also act as a consultant on best practices and creative and innovative content strategies.

“We’re really excited to be partnering with CPL T20 and to be adding one of the premier events in World Cricket to our roster of major global sporting events.

We were really impressed by CPL T20’s growth in 2020 and can’t wait to scale new heights with

them in 2021!” said Rich Pilcher, Head of Sports at Brave Bison.

“Hero CPL has seen phenomenal growth across our digital channels in recent years, delivering hundreds of millions of views and gaining over 6.5 million followers. “It is exciting to take

forward our YouTube strategy in conjunction with Brave Bison as it is a very important channel for us.

Brave Bison’s expertise and portfolio of clients are hugely impressive and we look forward to starting an exciting journey with them.”

Werner ends goal drought as Chelsea beat Newcastle to go fourth

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BC Sport - Timo Werner scored and assisted as he ended a 14-game goal drought to help Chelsea to victory over Newcastle in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge.

We r n e r ’s c r o s s rebounded out to Olivier Giroud to net Chelsea’s opener in the first half, after the France striker replaced t h e i n j u r e d Ta m m y Abraham.

Summer signing Werner then made it 2-0 eight minutes later, scrambling in a flick-on at the back post.

Victory sees Chelsea move back up to fourth place, ahead of West Ham. The Hammers, who comfortably beat Sheffield United earlier on Monday night, are level on points with Chelsea but both sides sit above defending champions Liverpool as competition for Champions League places heats up.

1,000 minutes, 31 attempts, 14 games Werner came into this match having not scored since a 4-1 win against bottom side Sheffield United on 7 November.

He had chances within

Timo Werner scored and provided an assist for the second time in a Premier League match. (Getty Images)

the opening half an hour with the best coming from Marcos Alonso’s header which Werner poked wide.

It threatened to be a similar story for Werner, who has been creative for Chelsea this season but has failed to deliver goals following a high-profile move from RB Leipzig in the summer.

But after taking a whack in the face from Newcastle defender Jamal Lewis and

running off to receive treatment, Werner returned to the pitch to provide a cross that ultimately came to Giroud to coolly thump into the net, and the German added Chelsea’s second from a corner before halftime.

It was Werner’s first goal in exactly 1,000 minutes of Premier League action for Chelsea and ended a run of 31 attempts without scoring he even had to wait for a

video assistant referee decision before being allowed to celebrate properly, which he did with a relieved smile.

His performance capped off another positive result for Chelsea under new boss Thomas Tuchel, who handed a start to out-of-favour goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and came through unscathed.

It was Arrizabalaga’s first league start since a 3-3

draw with Southampton on 17 October after losing his position under former manager Frank Lampard.

The Blues have now picked up 13 points from a possible 15 under the new leadership, winning four successive league matches in a row for the first time since November 2019.

Newcastle struggle to compete Newcastle had picked up two wins from their previous

three league matches after a burst in form but they struggled to compete with an in-form Chelsea side at Stamford Bridge.

Abraham’s injury, as a result of Jamaal Lascelles’ strong recovery tackle in the box, saw the introduction of Giroud, who has enjoyed playing Newcastle and scored his ninth goal against them in the league.

We r n e r c a u s e d t h e defence problems too, and when Newcastle were able to get on the ball creative players Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin were short of options.

Newcastle did ride a wave of pressure in the second half as Reece James, Werner and Mason Mount all came close to adding to Chelsea’s tally. But the visitors’ best chance - Joe Willock’s header which was scrambled away by Arrizabalaga - did not come until the 74th minute, when Chelsea were in complete control.

Almiron drilled another effort wide minutes later and Newcastle had all four of their shots on target after the break but they never really threatened to get into game.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 16, 2021

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Regional Super 50

Pollard’s 5-17 & Mohammed’s ton see Red force to victory A star-studded Trinidad Red Force, led by 5-17 from Kieron Pollard and a superb 122 by Jason Mohammed, beat 2019 runners-up Barbados by five wickets with five balls remaining at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound Antigua in the latest round of action in the this year’s Regional Super50 yesterday.

Spearheaded by halfcenturies from Justin Greaves, Jonathan Carter and Roston Chase and 20 from Sharmarh Brooks and 18 from Jason Holder, Barbados Pride reached 2539 in 50 overs on a good track.

Greaves edged Ravi Rampaul to Keeper Denesh Ramdin after making 62 from 81 balls decorated with six fours and a six, Carter reached the boundary three times and cleared it once in 56 from 70 balls before he fell to Hosein, while Chase was removed by Pollard after making a rapid 56 from 57 balls with five fours and a six.

Greaves and Zachary McCaskie added 44 in 10.1 overs to give the Bajans a solid start before McCaskie was lbw b Hosein for 16, while Brooks and Greaves put on a further 42 before

Five wickets were taken by captain Kieron Pollard.

(CWI)

Jason Mohammed hit a century to see the Red Force home. (CWI) Brooks was run out at 86-2.

After Greaves departed at 106-3 in the 25th over, Carter and Chase put together 102 before Carter fell at 208-4 in 43 overs.

But the Bajans slumped from 208-3 to 253-9 as West Indies ODI Captain Pollard removed the last five batsmen cheaply to finish with 5-17 from 3overs.

Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein supported with 2-44 from 10 overs for the Red Force, who responded with 256-7 in 49.1 overs despite

losing Denesh Ramdin (10) and Nicolas Pooran and Pollard for ducks, in the space of eight runs, as offspinner Chase struck twice and left-arm pacer Dominic Drakes. Stand-in ODI Skipper Mohammed stroked 10 classy fours and three sixes in his innings while Opener Evin Lewis hit a fluent 47-ball 61 with three fours and six sixes.

The shared in an 117-run second wicket stand in 20.2 overs after Kjorn Ottley (4) was LBW to Drakes, the son

of former West Indies pacer Vasbert Drakes at 4-1 in the second over.

Mohammed and Lewis joined forces and played several audacious shots on both sides of the wicket before Chase got rid of Lewis at 122-2 to trigger a mini-collapse as three wickets tumbled for eight runs.

However, Sunil Narine,

who reached the ropes twice in his 18 and fellow left hander Akeal Hosein with 20, contributed important runs.

Narine and Mohammed added 49 runs before Narine departed but Mohammed found another useful ally in Hosein as they featured in a 45-run stand before Mohammed was eventually removed by Holder at 253-7

in the penultimate over.

But Hosein, who hit a four and a six in his 20, kept his nerves to bat his team to a thrilling last over victory.

Chase had 3-21 from 10 frugal overs, while Drakes took 2-47.

The action continues today from 13:30hrs with Jamaica facing the Windwards at the Coolidge ground.

Mohamed’s Enterprise supports GSCL Inc President’s Cup Roston Chase on the go during his half century. (CWI)

GSCL Inc Secretary Telesha Ousman Yamin accepts the cheque from Shazaad Manauf in the presence of CEO of Mohamed’s Enterprise Nazar Mohamed.

Mohamed’s Enterprise has thrown its support behind the Georgetown Softball Cricket League (GSCL) Inc for the staging of its inaugural President’s Cup. At a simple presentation ceremony at their Lombard Street office, the entity’s representative Shazaad Manauf presented the sponsorship cheque to GSCL Inc Secretary Telesha Ousman Yamin.

Manauf lauded the organisers and wished the teams well and said he is looking forward to a successful and exciting competition.

Ousman Yamin thanked Mohamed’s Enterprise for their support and said

preparations are going apace for the successful hosting of the competition. The tournament which is being held in collaboration with Guyana’s honorary Consul to Florida and will be played in three categories, (Open, O-40 and O-50) is scheduled from March 5-7 and will be played at grounds in the City.

Teams will battle for a first prize of $500,000 in each category, while the runners up in each will collect $100,000.

The fixtures have not yet been released, while Everest, GYO, MYO, YMCA and LBI are the venues set to host games.

Jonathan Carter spanks one off his legs during his half century. (CWI)

Ramnauth Youth Cricket League to commence on Saturday

T

he Devon Ramnauth Development Youth Cricket League is set to commence on Saturday with three matches on the Essequibo Coast.

In the opening fixture, Rising Stars will play United Warriors at Pomona at 10:00hrs, Essequibo Eagle’s U19 will take on Golden Fleece Vikings Youths at 09:30hrs at Imam Bacchus ground and Reliance Hustlers Youths will face Queenstown U19 at

13:30hrs at Imam Bacchus ground.

The tournament is designed to help promote youth cricket in region two.

Among the players set to be on show are Azizi Christiani, Romal Hubbard, Mavindra Dindyal, Mahendra Basdeo, Christopher Latchman, Lance Roberts, Rajindra Ramballi, Shivo Seurattan, Daniel Dass, Sudarshana Moniram, Randhi Raghubir, Abdool Nadir, Ramraj Bhopaul and Lance Roberts.

rt o p S

AAG Development meet Archibald during his 8.10m world leading leap on Sunday at the NTFC.

Archibald jumps world leading distance Wendell James (left) pictured with other Kwakwani residents with the donated equipment.

USA based Kwakwani resident Wendell James continues support with equipment donation P. 29

Ashwin sparkles as Pollard’s 5-17 & Mohammed’s India looks poised ton see Red force to victory for victory vs England Regional Super 50

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