Kaieteur News

98-year-old K NEWS woman assaulted and raped; four arrested AIETEUR

Wednesday Edition February 24, 2021 - Vol. 16 No.08

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

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Investor group exposes ExxonMobil’s deceit with emissions reduction plan - Says it runs counter to Paris Agreement

Behaviour unbecoming MP asks court to No structural changes declare amendment in the National Assembly were made to Liza Destiny to FMAA unlawful

to increase production

Guyanese parliamentarians

- says constitutional agencies should be provided proof of the vulgarity free from any control of the executive and personal abuse which

Sisters Political leaders need to hold robbed by united front and condemn bandits Exxon’s flaring- Vincent Adams

Portion of Budget 2021 to be funded with loans - VP Man shot, killed at ‘Curl Up’ Trucker charged for party - Attendance was causing death by approximately 500 strong dangerous driving

Exxon sued for allegedly inflating p.

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value on oil assets

continues to masquerade as representative parliamentary democracy. The Budget Debate kicked-off last Monday with parliamentarians hurling the most scurrilous attacks at each other.

Instead of focusing on what matters most to citizens, some Members of Parliament (MPs) assailed the Assembly with bitter and personal abuse. Instead of discussing how Guyanese will or will not benefit from the country’s oil and gold, some members were more concerned with brandishing their record of fertility and pelting homophobic aspersions.

While all of it took the form of heckling, it went beyond the pale.

This exhibition of crudeness and crassness did not make for pleasant listening or viewing.

Some of the comments were dirty, sickening and insensitive. It was a display unbefitting of the National Assembly and has exposed a sorry bunch of pretenders, devoid of the courtesies and respect expected in our National Assembly. It was an unforgettable and unforgiveable, indecent and smutty performance.

We feel tainted just writing about it.

Listen and understand the depth of wealth you are gifted with, through your natural resources.

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PAGE 02

Wednesday February 24, 2021

Political leaders need to hold a united front and condemn Exxon’s flaring - Vincent Adams G

uyana puts on a united front when it comes to fighting for the country’s patrimony in the Venezuela Border Controversy, with political leaders casting a s i d e d i ff e r e n c e s a n d banding together to ensure that every square mile of the country remains intact. That same unity should be applied when it comes to condemning ExxonMobil’s continued flaring, says Dr. Vincent Adams, the former head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

At a recent press conference, Dr. Adams stated that ExxonMobil will depart Guyana within the next 30 years after extracting our oil, leaving the country to cope with intense environmental damage.

He outlined, “We will be here forever so now is the time for all politicians on both sides of the isle to hold a united front on oil and gas just as we do on the border controversy because I believe it is just as important.”

Flaring at the Liza Destiny FPSO, as photographed last December (FPSO)

Former Head of the EPA, Dr. Vincent Adams

Dr. Adams added that, “Guyana is relatively a pristine country and if we do not nip this in the bud and this country becomes overwhelmed with pollution, it will not be a good thing for the future generation.”

Currently, ExxonMobil is flaring more than 16 million cubic feet of toxic natural gas daily at the Liza Destiny FPSO due to a recent gas compressor malfunction.

While the company said it is working assiduously to repair the damage to return

flaring to pilot levels, millions of toxic and carcinogenic chemicals are being released into the air.

And these flaring issues have only since been recorded at the Liza Destiny FPSO, Exxon’s first project.

With the oil giant eyeing more ships for the Stabroek Block, Dr. Adams firmly believes that it needs to ensure that it nips flaring in the bud at the Liza Phase One project before anything else.

“We cannot wait until there are 10 FPSOs out there to try to curtail the damage, it

will be impossible. If we cannot handle it for one FPSO, how are we going to handle it for 10?” he added.

That standard, he continued, does not only apply to ExxonMobil but to other oil contractors who wish to operate on Guyana’s shores, adding, “I believe the only way we can do that is that politicians from both sides of the isle need to form a united front against Exxon’s illegal activities.”

Dr. Adams has long

contended that ExxonMobil is breaching both the Liza One Environmental Permit and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) by continuously flaring while production levels remain at 120,000 barrels per day.

The former EPA head lamented that while ExxonMobil receives no penalties for this, the regulator is stringent when dealing with locals who own farms and other such operations to ensure that

they are kept in conformity with regulations.

“We cannot continue to go after the small guys with their little operations with their little chicken farm here or pig farm there.

We go after them to make sure that they are in compliance with the regulatory requirements but Exxon is allowed to get away with it even though theirs has a bigger impact on the environment,” Dr. Adams relayed.

Wednesday February 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Exxon sued for allegedly inflating value on oil assets

A class action lawsuit was filed against ExxonMobil on January 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Te x a s , a l l e g i n g t h a t ExxonMobil violated federal securities laws by misleading investors as to the valuation of certain company assets in the Permian Basin, a petroleum province in the southwestern United States.

The lawsuit, Yoshikawa v. Exxon Mobil Corp., et al. was announced by Block & Leviton LLP, a firm that represents investors and helps to maintain the integrity of US financial markets.

The plaintiff, Mendi Yoshikawa, acquired Exxon securities at artificially inflated prices, the suit says, “and was damaged upon the revelation of the alleged corrective disclosures.”

It represents all other similarly situated persons.

“Throughout the Class Period,” the suit states, “Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company’s business, operations, and compliance policies.

INFO BOX: ExxonMobil’s Chief Executive Officer, Darren Woods

Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Exxon forced its employees to use unrealistic assumptions regarding the timelines for well drilling in the Permian Basin; (ii) the foregoing assumptions served to artificially inflate the value of the Company’s well operations in the Permian Basin; (iii) the foregoing conduct, when revealed, subjected Exxon to a heightened risk of regulatory investigation and oversight; and (iv) as a

result, the Company’s public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.”

The suit singles out as defendants, ExxonMobil’s Chief Executive Officer Darren Woods, Senior Vice President Andrew Swiger, and Vice President and Controller David Rosenthal.

The suit states, “The Individual Defendants possessed the power and authority to control the contents of Exxon’ SEC filings, press releases, and o t h e r m a r k e t communications. The

On January 15, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that ExxonMobil is being investigated by the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), a powerful independent agency of the United States, after an ExxonMobil employee filed a whistleblower complaint, alleging that the oil supermajor inflated the value of the Permian asset. The whistleblower reportedly singled out Woods as setting unrealistic expectations for the company’s performance in the basin.

The publication reported the complaint as noting that several people involved in the valuation process for the asset in question complained during a 2019 internal assessment about the instructions they received. The thrust of the complaints was reportedly that some employees were being strong-armed to use unrealistic assumptions to project how quickly ExxonMobil could drill wells at the site, as this would result in a higher value for the asset.

ExxonMobil had acquired Permian acreage in 2017 for US$6.6 billion, said Individual Defendants were provided with copies of Exxon’ SEC filings and press releases alleged herein to be misleading prior to or shortly after their issuance and had the ability and opportunity to prevent their issuance or to cause them to be corrected.

WSJ, and by 2018, some Exxon managers had pegged the net present value of the acreage at US$60 billion. On the other hand, the Journal said that some of Exxon’s employees produced an estimation in 2019 that was closer to US$40 billion, and that the whistleblower said this took into account that it took longer than expected to drill wells in 2018.

But when the employees delivered the estimate to the development manager in Delaware, she reportedly instructed them to “claw back” some of the value by using more optimistic assumptions. The Journal said the development planners ultimately estimated the net present value of the asset to be US$50 billion.

ExxonMobil pegged the “alleged” whistleblower’s claims as “demonstrably false,” and Exxon spokesman Casey Norton reportedly said that if authorities asked the company about the 2019 assessment, it would provide information showing that Exxon’s drilling performance exceeded the drilling estimates.

Because of their positions with Exxon, and their access to material information available to them but not to the public, the Individual Defendants knew that the adverse facts specified herein had not been disclosed to and were being

concealed from the public, and that the positive representations being made were then materially false and misleading. The Individual Defendants are liable for the false statements and omissions pleaded herein.”

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday February 24, 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

Parliamentary Decorum and the Republic There is one great story that is often used to establish the fundamental mythos of American democracy. It goes like this, as most recently told by House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi: “On the final day of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, when our Constitution was adopted, Americans gathered on the steps of Independence Hall to await the news of the government our founders had crafted.

They asked Benjamin Franklin, ‘What do we have, a republic or a monarchy?’ Franklin replied, ‘A republic, if you can keep it.’”

The fundamental concept of a Republic is simple – it is a representative system in which people exercise power through their elected representatives, sometimes complementary to the more basic concept of democracy in which people are ruled by a government elected by a majority of eligible voting citizens of a country. In more homogenous societies, the distinction might be lost but in a multicultural, multiethnic polity like Guyana, specific representation matters. This was at least in part the thinking – whatever the actual outcome was – when then Prime Minister [and Head of Government] Forbes Burnham took the country to Republic status on February 23, 1970.

The political system that evolved from that time to now – for all its flaws – has been designed at least on paper to give meaning to the official full name of this country, The Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

The Parliamentary session held on Monday, Twentieth Sitting of the Twelfth Parliament of Guyana, Day 1 of the “Debates” for Budget 2021, held the day before the 51st anniversary of the celebration of our status as a Republic, was a betrayal of any aspiration to a cooperative republic.

As reported in our coverage yesterday, the session was primarily not typified by any intelligent, deliberative consideration or interrogation of the actual budget being put forward for 2021 and the programmes it is meant to cover.

What took place in the National Assembly instead was primarily empty theatrics, the presentation of patently false information, poor research, boorish behaviour that went far beyond any established definition of heckling, overt homophobia ironic in that was exercised by both sides of the house, blatant race-baiting parading as racial representation and general behaviour unbecoming for/of political representatives of the citizens of a republic.

Yesterday, primarily because of COVID-19 restrictions, for the first time since its inception, the festival celebration of our Republic anniversary, Mashramani, was non-existent. Still, it should be noted that there was also no real attempt at framing the why, the rationale, the value of our continuing to keep the Republic going outside of the partying.

The virtual ghost town that was Georgetown on a day, which we are accustomed to camaraderie and celebration was fittingly analogous to the macabre decline that was the parliamentary session that took place the day before.

We need no more lessons in the fragility and corruptibility of our fundamental democratic institutions in 2021.

The year 2020 was encyclopaedic in that regard, a stark reminder of how many things have to be fixed in order for us to keep our republic intact.

There was one bright light on Monday. Newly minted Minister of Housing and first-time Parliamentarian, Susan Rodrigues started off her budget presentation by first expressing disappointment in the poor intellectual quality of the debates, before going on to deliver a tour de force parliamentary performance that was, as it should be, a factbased representation of her political side, a brutal deconstruction of the faults of the opposing arguments, and a framing of her portfolio within the larger national developmental agenda. Equally important, she did so with great decorum.

As the debates continue over the next week or so, that is the standard that her colleagues in the house should aim for.

ERC’s Chairman sets the record straight DEAR EDITOR, Kindly grant me the space to respond to the personal attack, innuendos and false allegations, made by Commissioner of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan, published Sunday February 14, 2021 in your widely read newspaper.

Editor, I am not wont to respond to every missive or contention, but the grave and libellous allegations of impropriety levelled against me as Chairman are meant to impugn my character and plunge the present Commission into disrepute.

Commissioner Roshan Khan is a beneficiary of some decisions taken and voted on at meetings of the Commission. At its Statutory Meeting on November 26, 2020, Commissioners voted by majority decision on a number of measures, provided that funds were available. As is customary, the year-end honorarium (ex-gratia payment in this case for COVID-19 relief) was approved by majority decision for staff members and Commissioners, including Khan.

Government announced a pay-out to the Public Service, which came weeks later, but the ERC had already made its decision on a pay-out in November for the aforementioned reason.

The government pay-out therefore, was not applicable to the ERC in that instance.

Commissioner Khan also made a duplicitous attempt to

drag the ERC (which is a nonpolitical body) into the March, 2020 elections saga, a responsibility which lies primarily with GECOM and not with the ERC. The Commission was granted Observer Status by GECOM to observe polling and Commissioners teamed up and fanned out in Regions Three, Four, Five, Six and Ten. A statement issued by the ERC shortly after pronounced that the elections were free and fair and no major hitches were observed on Polling Day. The Commission also issued a press statement welcoming the recount as agreed to by the then President and Opposition Leader. Since the ERC already had Observer Status, Commissioners independently decided to observe the recount, if they so desired. It is critical to remind that in the midst of the protests, robberies and violence unleashed on ordinary citizens following the murders of the Henry cousins and Haresh Singh, the Commission, in a press release (September 7, 2020) condemned the killings and called on all concerned to allow members of the joint services to do their work. In fact, it was impossible for Commissioners to immediately visit West Coast Berbice (WCB), due to the underlying physical threats to public safety.

The ERC, like all citizens relied heavily on members of the joint services to restore

law and order.

Telephone calls to the top brass of the army and police went unanswered to request the provision of escort for ERC Commissioners to visit WCB after the unrest began. Under the dangerous unfolding circumstances, and with the tremendous pressure being faced by the joint services, the ERC nevertheless urged the army and police to intensify efforts to sanitize and clear the blocked roadways along the East Coast Demerara and West Coast Berbice corridors to restore law and order (see ERC Press Release Sept. 10, 2020). Later in September, 2020, I visited the grieving families and, along with Commissioners, prayed with them to obtain closure for the loss they had suffered.

A national dialogue, later termed “National Conversation on improving ethnic relations” was finally held in December, 2020. Commissioner Deodat Persaud recommended in 2020 that a virtual format be considered due to concerns regarding COVID19. The proposed event was originally raised by Commissioner Neaz Subhan in 2018, the first year of the present Commission’s tenure and I agreed to it in principle as Chairman. However, other events such as the tense political atmosphere after the noconfidence motion in December, 2018 resulted in a postponement.

It must be emphasized that in 2018, after a lengthy, consultative, and supposedly intense parliamentary sanctioned vetting process, a new Board of Commissioners, with I as Chairman, were sworn in to serve on the ERC for three years.

The Commission is a constitutional body and, like similar constitutional agencies, reports to the Speaker of the National Assembly, not to representatives of the ruling or other political parties. After a hiatus lasting seven years (2011- January, 2018), the new board of Commissioners assumed office in April, 2018 with a staff complement of 14 and a low budget approved prior. The reactivated Commission sought and obtained approval from Government for a supplementary budget to cater for a number of new projects and hiring of additional staff (now over 30 persons), travels to various regions and remuneration for Commissioners. The present ERC has been engaged in numerous projects since 2018 and some major undertakings can be highlighted. Commissioners met representatives of the ten constituencies, visited the ten Administrative Regions in the country meeting stakeholders, developed a code of conduct that was signed by all political parties that contested the March 2 elections, launched its Ethnic (Continued on page 5)

Guyana’s National Assembly at its best DEAR EDITOR, I refer to the article titled, “MPs open budget debates with insults and vulgarity One showcases vibrating dildo to make point” (KN February 23). I commend Guyana’s budget debaters, Guyana’s lawmakers, and Guyana’s cream (scum deleted) of the sewer for putting on an utterly repulsive exhibition of oral striptease for all Guyana to ponder their naked vileness. Clearly, Guyana’s elected representatives have no class, no decency, no respect for the people who sent them there; no respect for anything at all, or anyone; not even their mothers.

I absolutely refuse to join with these legislative lowlifes in their obscene essences and what profaned listeners and readers; it is difficult, but I stay with the clean and considerate.

Editor, I read of our MPs from both sides hurling the profane in perfect imitation of what goes on in the gutter, and what Guyanese used to call ‘baad house.’

I wonder what goes on in their homes; in their minds of which I have no doubt (porn

palaces), in their visions (voyeuristic), in the sum of their vocabularies (totally sexual).

I warn Guyanese mothers and fathers: there is great danger in having young sons and daughters around such perverted mind.

Their parliamentary parasites, their day to day bosses would be prone to preying upon the young, the callow, and the naïve. Children should be kept far from them.

They are leprous.

These MPs supposedly assembled to debate the numerical and social and national, only to begin, continue, and end with the mentally menstrual, the verbally anal, and what was of the characteristically offal.

These are not MPs; they are hardcore pornographers.

They should not be lawmakers; they are full-fledged lawbreakers, outright felons. The cat o’ nine is too good for the likes of them, who all belong in a maximum-security prison, and then in solitary.

These people should not be allowed to walk the streets without a bracelet on their ankles. I would commit all of them in straightjackets to a

mental institution; the whole sorry, sordid lot of them ought to be confined, and with electrical treatment being routine therapy.

These men and women are a total disgrace to the living; they are an insult to the dead. I would put them to sleep, by hanging all of them in the middle of town.

Editor, I remind all readers of something: it is why I have never (never) looked at a moment of Guyanese TV; never visited or listen to a second of any parliamentary session on anything.

These folks make my skin crawl, they are repulsive, a profanity to humanity everywhere.

This is what they studied in medical school and law school, and now practice to perfection on Guyana’s largest stage.

This is how they thrust themselves into the consciousness and prostitute themselves before a nation of worshipful voters in the PPP/ C, PNC, AFC, and all the other “Cs” out there. It should be noted that I limited myself to ‘C’ and did not employ the four-letter word beginning

with that same letter. This is the thrilling example, the lovely standard that is shared to titillate the children.

We don’t have measured and dignified adults in parliament. What we have is a pack of the sex crazed to the point of senseless raunchiness, a battalion of the boozy and boisterous, and a company utterly disinterested in the deep or the spirited or the clean.

These MPs are dirty and dastardly, the epitome of wanton depravity. I find them despicable. Surely, they will not dare to show their septic tank smiles with the public after this disgusting exhibition of the debasing! Surely, they cannot continue to go before citizens and children, or on TV and on the speaker’s stand, to present anything! I prefer to listen to a lying addict, a reeling drunk, rather than to these elected Guyanese who are nothing but dirty pimps living off the sweat of honest and gullible voters.

Guyanese should now identify with what I speak of so insultingly, when I mention (Continued on page 22)

Wednesday February 24, 2021

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Kaieteur News

The VP is not misled but a willing Talk Name is not a simple and time and again to be ner. Not on a troublesome istains lies. For example, the Canadian media advocate himself all too willing to bend over sue of this magnitude that is tycoon, Conrad Black, who eventually became ordinary sin

DEAR EDITOR, I refer to the article titled, “Local oil boss misled by EPA on Exxon’s $14B [should be cubic feet] flaring cap Vincent Adams” (KN February 22). My positions follow.

I recognize and laud Dr. Vincent Adams’ continuing and tireless efforts to educate us on what is going on with this oil of ours.

He has been frank and fearless, a breath of fresh air; he is doing the work that the opposition shrinks from, which raises endless questions, and more concerns. But I must disagree ever so slightly with Dr. Adams today.

The VP, Guyana’s de facto oil emperor, is nobody’s fool. To the VP’s credit, he does his homework, he puts in the time, he knows full well what he wants to put out before the public.

For those reasons alone, Guyana’s oil prime minister is not one to allow himself to be “misled.”

By anyone. Certainly not the EPA; and not with the shaky executive arrangements orchestrated by the PPP, acting under the selfserving directives of the same VP, that led to the ouster of Adams himself, and that is now in place at Guyana’s EPA. Rather, I think that what is happening is that the Hon. Vice President is a sneaky accommodator, helper, protector, and troubleshooter on behalf of Exxon and this is even when Guyana’s interests that should come first are imperiled.

In fact, the VP has shown

backwards, to look the other way, to smooth the way, for things pleasing to Exxon to occur.

I am, thus, not buying anything about him being “misled.”

For sure, leaders have to depend on the professionals and bureaucrats; but the VP is a known and proven selfstarter, a self-educator of the first order.

And he is not leaving his reliance for sensitive information to lesser mortals; particularly those that he knows are feeling their way in efforts to find some footing.

Editor, there is no way in hell that the VP would have accepted that (what we are now hearing) nonexistent 14billion-cubic feet allowance, so to speak, for flaring in those documents (EIAs) that are supposed to support that number, and on which the Hon. Vice President supposedly relied.

Though the VP and I differ vastly in personal conduct, I would give the man this: on something as vital and as sensitive (pivotal, too) like gas flaring, he would have wanted-indeed, demanded-to be shown in black and white the relevant extract/excerpt from the approving (applicable) EPA documents that supported that 14-billion cubic-feet maximum within which Exxon was permitted to flare.

The bottom line is that the VP would not have taken that on any brief and say-so of some EPA functionary. He is not constructed that way, does not operate in that man-

attracting intensifying clamours locally, and with the growing heats on Exxon both within its own shareholder ranks, and wider afield.

Editor, I go further. I am of the belief that there is nobody in this country (for emphasis, nobody) who is as familiar with what is in those oil contracts and other documents than Guyana’s Vice President.

This is what he lives for, since those documents contain the keys to the kingdom that he dreams of, which is encompassed in a single word: money.

And here is another: me!

I am not buying anything otherwise. As I tender this, I agree with Dr. Adams that this is part of Exxon’s “public relations campaign of confusion, misinformation and distraction” to suit its purposes.

But nobody does that to Guyana’s Vice President. He does that to others, and is a proven master of those dark arts.

In view of the above, my position is simple and it is steely: the VP is not “misled” on the quantum permissible for gas flaring, pursuant to documented terms.

The question is this: how much is he a willing participant in what is clearly of the misleading?

No one simply drums up and drags out of thin air, absolutely nowhere, 14 billioncubic-feet of flaring allowed on Guyana’s house, on its head, and with its authority.

Let us get real, please.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

Plan to terminate Afro-Workers at demands bribes from con- than ethnicity behind the Agriculture?that tractors. Is that the main rea- planned termination? Is the DEAR EDITOR, Is there a plan to terminate competent Afro-Guyanese workers at the Ministry of Agriculture? Termination letters are being prepared for staff with impeccable background and who have served Agriculture well over the years going back to when PPP was in office.

Is race a factor in the planned termination? The targeted workers have refused to be part of a corrupt agenda

son for the planned termination?

Will it be proven that there is more evil at the Ministry than we already know?

When the APNU was in office, competent IndoGuyanese workers were terminated at the Ministry. Is there a tit for tat? When will ethnic recriminations and remonstrations end?

There must never be room for racism in our rainbow nation. Is there something more

No National Awards announced DEAR EDITOR, No National Awards announced for Republic. I guess this would be done for Independence observances and conferred on August 2. Oh well, different folks, different strokes.

The announcement of national awards should be done on a statutory date and not left shifting, like the names of ministries, to which political party holds the reins of government.

Sincerely, Shamshun Mohamed

fear of the workers exposing corruption the rationale behind terminating them?

How can we move the nation forward by targeting people on account of ethnicity or requiring them to participate in corruption?

How can we victimize them if they resist corruption?

The Ministry is urged to re-think plan to terminate workers regardless of ethnicity.

Yours truly, Shawn S. Williams

DEAR EDITOR, Less than two weeks ago, I learnt through the Guyana Chronicle’s February 13 publication, that Mr. Winston Brassington had won a defamation case against one of our media houses, and was awarded ten million dollars.

A couple of days ago, the Kaieteur News reported that Mr. Enrico Woolford was suing a media house and its operatives for a whopping one hundred and eighty-five million for libel, a specie of defamation.

Then just two days ago, the Kaieteur News reported that a man shot a friend twice, because the friend was alleged to have ‘talked his name’ with a woman. How pitiful!

Whether you call it Libel, Slander, Smear or Talk-Name, the consequence can be the same. It injures people’s feelings and sullies their character and reputation.

To some people, ‘Talk Name Nah Bore Hole ah Dem Skin.’ They seem to embrace the old adage which says, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” I am not sure how true that is, but at the other end of the reputation spectrum, is the Shakespearian submission, which says: “Who steals my purse steals trash….But he that filches from me my good name, robs me of that which not enriches him, and makes me poor indeed.”

Each person would react differently to “Talk Name” which in many instances con-

Lord Black who owned in excess of eighty media outfits on different continents, bought yet another media house for the sole reason of terminating the services of an employee whom he accused of ‘talking his name.’

Recently I encountered a certain high priced CEO who terminated the services of a junior employee whom he accused of ‘Talking His Name’ and when called upon to justify his actions, he (CEO), hid like a coward.

Editor, Talk Name is not a simple and ordinary sin which may ‘break bones,’ it is a ‘superlatively’ dangerous mischief which can penetrate the very ‘marrow of the soul’ with fatal consequences.

Some people would sue the alleged Name Talker, some would ‘cuss up and ‘buse out,’ but I never expected to see anyone commit attempt murder because of such an evil. It is most reprehensible deed which is mentioned in the Holy Bible more than one hundred times, but I would want to conclude by referring to the book of Proverbs Chapter 6 verses 16 to 19. They read as follows: “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community”.

Yours faithfully, Francis Carryl

ERC’s Chairman sets the record...

From page 4 Harmony Campaign; successfully staged the theatrical play ‘I Am Us’ in 2019, which was later converted to a movie and shown at Caribbean Cinemas, Giftland Mall in January, 2020, free of charge. A series of Public Service Advertisements (PSA’s) were also produced to promote tolerance and understanding. The ERC also conducted workplace meetings at various private and public sector entities to promote harmony and, for the first time since being established in 2002, the Commission last December commenced the prosecution of violators of the Representation of the People Act and Racial Hostility Act. The Investigation Unit was also re-activated and dozens of complaints have been addressed over the period. It is critical to note that expenditures prior to 2018 are not applicable to the present board of Commissioners (see Kaieteur News article Feb. 22, 2021 captioned: “ERC BUDGET JUMPED 5 TMES MORE SINCE 2015 WITH LITTLE

ACCOUNTABILITY.” Incidentally, the Ministry of Finance commenced and has completed financial audits of the Commission for 2015, 2016 and 2017. Audits for 2018, 2019 and 2020 will commence shortly. Editor, it must be pointed out too for the benefit of your readers, that the removal of a discredited Commissioner(s), (not expected of such a person) is a

presidential decision. I wish to urge all relevant stakeholders of civil society to exercise intense precautionary measures and scrutiny when recommending representatives as Commissioners to sit on the Ethnic Relations Commission in future. Thank you and may God bless our beautiful country and its peoples.

Rev. Dr. John O. Smith,CCH Chairman

The hallowed chamber was desecrated DEAR EDITOR, On the eve of our Republic observance and from accounts in the independent dailies, the display by persons elected to represent the people on both sides of the aisle in the hallowed chamber, on the opening day of the budget debate, can only be described as a day of shame and infamy.

A sex toy in full show in the hallowed chamber among several verbal atrocities being hurled, which at times bordered on the personal, is a

new low and must be thoroughly condemned. It is a wonder they did not come to physical blows.

The chamber was desecrated and it seems no control to bring order was exerted.

Both sides ought to be very ashamed of their despicable conduct and there should be some form of repercussions and consequences for such disgusting behaviour.

Is this how we will progress as a nation?

Sincerely, Shamshun Mohamed

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday February 24, 2021

JOINING THE LOCAL CONTENT DISCOURSE DEAR EDITOR The most interesting discuss now in the media and with social groups is “Local Content.” An understanding of the concept seems to be evading the architects of the policy and multinational corporations, whose adherence is required. Local content is about the wealth of a nation, its development and corporate social responsibility. It is about striking a level of collaboration between poor and developing resource rich countries and multinational corporations to remove the stigma of neo-colonialist attitudes, resource rich curse and the need to usher in an era of sustainable development thus creating a win-win situation for all stakeholders where people, planet-the environment and profit dwell in harmony, creating the triple bottom line.

The fundamental principles and critical imperatives of local content must be: preservation of the local environment, where industrial activities are occurring, creating a model of sustainable viable economic development for generational growth and preservation. In Guyana’s case the policy is 20 percent of the

extractive industry operating budget. The critical imperative is to ensure the local environment remains pristine, mitigation strategies are implemented to fight climate change such as a gradual transition to renewable energy with the local population playing a major role it the oversight of a sustainable future.

Those who are in industries which are disruptive to the environment must take measures for reforestation and restoration of the environment while following a carbon neutral strategy. This can be done by purchasing carbon credits and/or building renewable assets to offset carbon extraction.

Local content is about mobilization of capital and resources for transformative development. This, the mobilization of money, is the most competitive mobilization and distribution of capital for the extractive industries development by and for local stakeholders. To subvert this policy is the subversion of a country’s economic development. Local content has a monetary value; at a minimum, it is 20 percent of Guyana’s extractive industry’s GDP paid for by the people. In some

cases, a fund is paid such as cost oil, taxes are forgiven or deferred and/or resources are transferred to multinational corporations so that they can exploit the local factors of production, including human resources to develop their product with great rewards and profitability. Local content rightfully demands reciprocal development of the local economy and society. It is more like a government and multinational corporations entering a public private partnership, where a government give capital to the private industry with the hopes that the dividends are human capital development, i.e., the transfer of knowledge and skills to create a sustainable industrial and technological base.

Local content is the actual re-injection of 20 percent of the actual government refundable and non-refundable production cost annually to multinational corporations. It is the physical re-transfer of this money into the economy via local businesses by multinational corporation. This is monetarily quantitative. The failure to meet the requirement in one year must require a rollover of the deficit to the next year. This has a funda-

mental effect on the economy as regards to monetary circulation policy i.e., it is requesting as a policy 20 percent of the annual productive capacity must be reinvested into the local economy. This sum is quantitative. It is 20 percent of the industrial activity of a multinational corporation activity in a country. This quantity of money can determine whether or not a country becomes developed or suffers from resource curse disease.

Thus, for any corporation not to support local content, fundamentally they are not interested in the development of the exploited resource, local economy and the country.

The core issue is supply of money in the economy, limit it, the economy will contract and development will be stagnated and the nation will be subverted. Allowing 20 percent year-over-year growth ensures a dynamism in the economy that growth is inevitable. Therefore, the first principle of local content is to ensure 20 percent adherence by each company injected into the economy annually.

This is a quantitative sum which based on the production cost of every company file for taxes. The critical imperative here is 20 percent of the annual business expense must reflect it was spent on local small and medium size enterprises and local human capital development and maintaining and developing

the pristine local environment.

Local content is about the development of local small enterprises (SBE) and medium business enterprises (MBE).

This requires a collaborative business friendly relationship between multinational companies and the SBE and MBE. The practice of exhaustive registration requirements which aims more at limiting acceptance must be prohibited. The minimum of business information to validate a local business is registered should be the requirement.

Due diligence should be completed during the award of a contract. Audited Financial records of the SBE and MBS must not be a requirement.

The only purpose of this is to screen and discard applicants.

Affiliate transactions (transactions or work being performed by multinational business affiliates and subsidiaries) must never be accepted as a business mode.

This limits the development of local business and limits the circulation of money into the local economy. It creates a viable business model for the multinational subsidiary with non-competitive practices. Ultimately the local industry will suffer and the economy will contract due to a massive outflow of capital.

Similarly, local companies must not be restricted from participation in procurement because the multinational has

a global contract with a multinational technology partner.

These partnerships allow local companies to benefit by joining the global partnership to serve their local market.

This mechanism ensures countries only pay the cost for production in their own local market. Otherwise, multinational corporation bill local countries for global product not used within the local market, thus creating a financial windfall for themselves at the expense of multiple local market. This hidden business transaction is not good for transparency. The critical imperative here is local content is not about exclusion of local participation by leveraging exhaustive registration process to limit acceptance, affiliate transaction, global contracts will multinational corporations in technologies to exclude local businesses.

These contracts must include means of integrating local business as an associate partner to gain the synergies of such contact and the creation of a level competitive playing field.

In conclusion local content is not about creating a neo-colonist agenda or environment, the transfer of wealth from developing nations to the capitols of multinational corporate HQ by implementing associate transactions to gain height returns for their subsidiaries at the (Continued on page 22)

Wednesday February 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday February 24, 2021

Wednesday February 24, 2021

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Kaieteur News

Mud-slinging in parliament Lady Astor was known to have many run-ins with Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of England. One time, she turned to him and said, “If I were your wife, I would put poison in your coffee.”

To which Churchill replied, “If I were your husband, I would drink it.”

Another time, a British Member of the Parliament said to Churchill, “Mr. Prime Minister, must you fall asleep while I’m speaking?”

To which Churchill answered, “No, it’s purely voluntary.”

Even when Churchill wanted to insult you, he did it with sophistication. One time, Labour Member of Parliament, Bessie Braddock, turned to Churchill and said, “Winston, you are drunk and what’s more, you are disgustingly drunk.”

Churchill retorted, “Bessie, my dear, you are ugly and what’s more, you are disgustingly ugly. But tomorrow, I shall be sober and you will still be disgustingly ugly.”

The art of the comeback is as old as mankind. One researcher dug up the story of a famous Greek citizen who was not being visited by his adult son. When he made in-

quiries, he was told that the lad was sick.

Being a concerned parent, he went to his son’s home, which was some distance away. As he was entering, he noticed a pretty young lady leaving through the front door. He went into the house and to his son’s bedroom, where he found his son in bed. He turned to him and asked, “How are you feeling my son?”

To which the son replied, “Much better. The fever has just left me.”

The father answered, “Yes, I passed it when I was coming in.”

Then there is the story of the man after whom it is said the Webster’s dictionary derived its name. One time, he was making out with one of his flings when his wife barged in on them. She turned to him and exclaimed, “Noah, I am surprised! “ To which Webster, known as a man of words, replied almost instantaneously, No my dear, I am the one who is surprised; you are astonished.”

Groucho Marx once told a man,” I never forget a face, but in your case, I will make an exception.”

When Mark Twain was

once asked whether he attended the funeral of a late adversary he said, “I did not attend the funeral but I approved of it.”

Our politicians have lost the art of responding almost impulsively, sharply, cleverly and often with wit to the comments of others. Repartee is a refined art, which should be part of the verbal weaponry of our elected representatives.The best repartee is often to be found when talking about politicians. After someone asked one man what he thought about Donald Trump, he replied, “A fool and his money are soon elected.”

Among Guyana’s parliamentarians, Boysie Ramkarran, was said to be the most gifted. One time, Burnham turned to him and said, “Boysie, I know more jokes than you!”

Boysie turned to him and said “Yes, I agree.” And pointing in the direction of Burnham’s Ministers in the front benches, he added, “Because it is you who appointed all of them!”

Burnham himself was a master of the comeback. V. S Naipaul wrote that he was present when Burnham was

Sisters robbed by armed bandits at Mon Repos A 40-year-old housewife and her sister were robbed of their belongings by two bandits, one armed with a handgun and the other with a knife at their Mon Repos Railway Embankment home.

Ahilia Robertson, the housewife was at the time locking her gate sometime around 23:15hrs on Monday, when the two men approached her. The woman reportedly told police that she

went to secure her gate and while returning to her house, the men approached her with the alleged weapons in their hands.

The woman recalled that the suspects held onto her and demanded that she hand over her money and jewellery.

The suspects then approached her sister, 38-yearold Yogita Balgobin and robbed her of her belongings.

The 40-year-old woman

claimed that one of the suspects hit her to her neck before escaping. The suspects were seen leaving in a silver car heading in the western direction. According to reports, the women were robbed of two Samsung cellphones, one gold iPod and one silver HP laptop.

No one was arrested in connection with the robbery as yet; but an investigation is still ongoing.

DEM BOYS SEH

Dildo in de House

What is Guyana coming to? Dem boys know de country going to de dogs, but dem boys never expect dat dem gan hear dat in de National Assembly.

One man walk with a dildo to de House.

Not only is a shocking instrument fuh have, but it supposed to be illegal. Dem boys gat to ask Statia how dah one get pass de Customs.

Dem boys know dildo does deh in drawers – but not in de open in de House. De man wah had it seh de Coala- Shun import it by mistake.

Dem boys wan know if this is what parliament come to? Is sheer dramatics tekkin place, all at de expense of reasoned debate.

It is shocking to our children to be exposed to such conduct.

Watching de debates in parliament is now rated R. We gat to keep we children away from dem debates before dem grow up too fast.

Such commonness is not even to be found in the rowdy House of Commons. Dem boys hear de PPP/C was once ‘communist,’ but like dem is always full of ‘commonness.’

Dem boys hear dat in some countries dem does gat fight in parliament.

But dem boys never hear about somebody walking with a sex toy to a debate. Is wat or who doing de talking?

Dem boys hear since this newspaper expose wha happen, de dildo disappear. Even de Bingo man can’t find it and he good at finding things wah nah deh about.

Whoever gat de dildo, dem boys hope dem having a good time!

Talk half and wait fuh mo commonness when de Budget debate resumes!

addressing a roadside public meeting. Jagan was then the Premier and Naipaul stole a drop to the meeting from Jagan’s chauffeur. He related that while Burnham was speaking, a young boy rode by on bicycle and shouted, Burnham!’

To which Burnham retorted, “Mister, for you!”

Next a man in a car drove by and shouted, “You lie! You lie!”Burnham completed the sentence he was dealing with

and then added, as the car disappeared up the street, “And that is something that jackass will never understand.”

Sadly, the art of repartee, of which Boysie and Burnham were among the best local practitioners, has descended into invective, personal attacks and slander, homophobic comments and utter vulgarity. What took place on the opening day of Guyana’s Budget debate is a sad testi-

mony to the character and debating skills of some of the persons who now sit in our National Assembly, and the decline of the art of heckling and repartee.

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

PAGE 10

Wednesday February 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

APNU+AFC nonsense: Science will never ascertain all the reasons why people vote In a safe liberal constituency in the last American elections, the Democratic Party lost the House seat to a Republican in Staten Island. Statistics reveals in that election too that Trump (unbelievably) collected votes from Hispanics, Muslims, sub-continent Indians and Asians.

How do you explain that strangeness? The Democratic Party lost several House seats to Republicans.

A globally liked personality like Justin Trudeau became a minority Prime Minis-

ter in Canada. The Labour Party in the UK had its worst showing in its history in the last British poll. Owen Arthur did nothing wrong in Barbados yet was defeated.

The analysts can look at broad trends in the determination of how people vote. A perfect example is American Blacks.

They will go to the poll in record numbers to vote for Black candidates. But there are always tiny hidden variables that science will not pick up. Space will not allow for all

the examples connected with the situations cited above.

But here are a few of them.

Arthur lost because of voter fatigue not because of any bad performance.

Barbadians simply wanted a change from a prime minister who they felt was around for too long.

Many Americans from India, Pakistan and Arab countries do not like the Democratic Party because of factors such as ideology and skin colour.

Arabs and Middle class

Pakistanis in the US feel that in terms of colour, they are white people too and they view the Democratic Party as having too many Blacks in it.

Latin people in Florida are anti-communists who see the Democratic Party as a leftwing outfit. Labour was routed in the UK because of one man – their leader Jeremy Corbin. He came across as indecisive as opposed to his opponent but Jeremy Corbin was the one the British electorate saw as a decisive, selfconfident person.

Trump should not have collected those votes and Labour should have beaten Boris Johnson.

We expected that to happen for reasons we thought were obvious.

But there are tiny, invisible variables at work that make people vote that science cannot bring to light. We should apply this paradigm to Guyana. Obviously, there were the macro-factors why APNU+AFC lost.

But the PPP did not win a landslide victory. Small parties picked up a whopping 9000 votes.

Is it possible that there were some small factors at play that made the APNU+AFC lost in addition to those obvious ones that the entire world knows about? Here is an exploration on that topic. I live on the

Railway Embankment.

The Caricom Secretariat separates my house from the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC). Parliament has been meeting at the ACCC since September last year.

There hasn’t been one instance of traffic disruption that tortured travellers as when the APNU+AFC was in office.

From 2015 to 2018, the government of APNU+AFC, when Parliament was in session, disrupted the lives of Region Four citizens in excruciating ways that were simply unbearable.

Lombard Street at the junction with Princes Street then Avenue of the Republic at the junction with Regent Street were completely blocked off creating absolute chaos that spread deep into western Georgetown.

I know about this madness because I was caught in it several times and guess where?

At Bourda Market because the traffic backup touched the district of Bourda. It may appear implausible to you but is it possible that such incidents turned people completely off and they felt the APNU+AFC regime was stupid to have done such things and did not vote for them in 2020?

What about the stories of the Ministry of Agriculture executing people’s puppies at Ogle airport because they did not have documents to show which country the pets originated from?

This country has thou-

Frederick Kissoon sands of animal lovers who felt they couldn’t vote back the ANU+AFC philistines into power who kill lovely dogs.

Then there was the imposition of dog licence. What went through the heads of Minister of Finance Winston Jordan and President Granger to demand people take out licence for their dogs?

Then there was that whopping increase in licence for horse/donkey carts.

You may not see the connection between these factors and the loss of the 2020 election but I contend there was one.

Science just cannot determine all the factors that make people vote in and vote out politicians. I believe the incidents, which I described did play a part in how people voted in 2020.

I know that because of the puppy deaths at Ogle airport, I could no longer stand the APNU+AFC clowns and wanted them not only out of power but out of my country.

I say in all honestly; I am glad they are gone forever.

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

Wednesday February 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday February 24, 2021

MP asks court to declare amendment to FMAA unlawful - says constitutional agencies should be free from any control of the executive O

pposition Member of Parliament (MP) Ganesh Mahipaul has joined several other persons to challenge the government on its decision to amend the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMAA).

In court documents which were drafted by attorney, Roysdale Forde, Mahipaul contends that the move is unconstitutional in that the

government is seeking to exercise a certain level of control over the constitutional agencies which are supposed to free from any control of the executive.

As such, the Opposition MP is seeking several declarations from the Supreme Court of Judicature. Among them, is a declaration that the constitutional agencies are entitled to operate and func-

tion free of the exercise of any control by the Executive and of any other any entity by virtue of Article 122 of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

Mahipaul listed the Judicial Service Commission, the Public Service Commission, Teaching Service Commission, Public Service Appellate Tribunal, Public Procurement Commission, Guyana Elec-

tions Commission, Office of the Ombudsman, Ethnic Relations Commission, Human Rights Commission, Women and Gender Equality Commission, Indigenous Peoples Commission, Rights of the Child Commission, Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecution, Office of the Auditor General, the Supreme Court of Judicature and Parliament Office among the constitutional

agencies that would be affected by the amendments.

He is therefore seeking a declaration that the inclusion of the constitutional agencies as budget Agencies under the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act Cap 73:02 is inconsistent with the independence assured to those constitutional agencies in the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

Further, Mahipaul seeks a declaration that the power and exercise of budgetary and fiscal control over Budget Agencies under the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act Cap. 73:02 by Ministers of the Government and the Minister of Finance in particular, being members of the Executive, is inconsistent with and contrary to the scheme and provisions of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana which provide for the independence, impartiality and financial autonomy of the constitutional agencies.

He contends too that as a consequence of the Fiscal Management and Accountability (Amendment) Act 2021, which vests power and control in the Ministers of the Government of Guyana in general, and in particular, the Minister of Finance under Section 14 of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act Cap. 73:02 to approve the budget submissions and or proposals of the Constitutional Agencies is unconstitutional, null, and void and of no legal effect, inconsistent with and in conflict with Articles 122A, 212(G) and 222A of the Constitution of Guyana which vests such power to approve.

According to Mahipaul, the expenditure of each of the constitutional agencies ought to be financed as a direct charge on the Consolidated Fund, determined as a lump sum by way of an annual subvention and is disbursable out of the said fund without an Appropriation Act. He noted that such expenditure cannot therefore form part of the estimates to be included in any Appropriation Bill and or Act, as it would be unconstitutional.

Among the other declarations that Mahipaul seeks is a conservatory order directed to the Minister of Finance and or the Senior Minister in the Office of the President, prohibiting them, from tabling and or presenting to the National Assembly for the consideration and or approval by the said National Assembly

Opposition MP: Ganesh Mahipaul. any budget Submissions and/or Proposals of the Constitutional Agencies in accordance with Section 14 of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act Cap 73:02 for the Fiscal Year 2021 until the hearing and determination of the court case.

He has asked a conservatory order directed to the Minister prohibiting the Minister of Finance and or the Senior Minister in the Office of the President, or such other Minister assigned the responsibility for Finance in the Government from tabling and or presenting to the National Assembly any Appropriation Bill containing and or including any expenditure of or purported Appropriations in respect of any of the constitutional agencies as well as a conservatory order prohibiting the said Minister of Finance and or the Senior Minister, his servants, agents, subordinates or whomsoever from disbursing any expenditure or any appropriated expenditure approved or purportedly approved by the National Assembly in respect of the Constitutional Agencies until the court matter is heard and determined.

In a document to support his application, Mahipaul explained that the National Assembly passed the Fiscal Management and Accountability (Amendment) Act which was assented to by former President David Granger on August 5, 2015, which outlined a procedure for the request of constitutional agencies for funding, to be considered directly by and only by the National Assembly instead of the Executive micro-managing the activities of those agencies.

According to the applicant, the FMAA established for the first time, a legislative foundation for the independence of the constitutional agencies of Guyana and give them complete control of their (Continued on page 13)

Wednesday February 24, 2021

98-year-old woman assaulted and raped; four arrested A 98-year-old pensioner who lives alone was found by her caretakers raped and left with a battered and bruised face yesterday morning at her home on the Corentyne, Berbice, while four men have been arrested in relation to the attack. Pamela Brusche who takes care of the elderly woman said she was alerted by a neighbour who also takes care of pensioner that something was wrong. She disclosed that when she ventured over to the house, she saw the elderly woman with a swollen, black-and-blue battered face. As shocked as they were, they began to prepare her to be taken to hospital while they inquired what happened. The police were also contacted immediately.

Brusche said, “When I go over, I saw her whole face swell up and burst up and she told me that they (perpetrators) push their hand down she throat.” It was while they were cleaning her up to get her bathed and dressed that they discovered what appeared to be blood on the old woman’s underwear. A subsequent medical exam confirmed that she was sexually

assaulted. ”She told us that she don’t know who did it but that they hold her down, choke her and push they hand down she throat,” the caretaker said.

Eventually, the police from the Rose Hall Town Outpost arrived at the house and reportedly spent a short time, looked around and asked a few questions then told the caretakers, “If we get knowledge of whoever did it, let we get on back to them”.

Brusche said that the old woman would normally sleep in late but yesterday they were scheduled to take her out to an elderly function and had told her they would come early to bathe and dress her.

The pensioner was still too traumatized to speak with media operatives and appeared to be in a lot of pain.

Meanwhile, Regional Commander Jairam Ramlakhan confirmed that four persons have been arrested. The men are in their early 20’s. Of the four held so far, one was arrested in Crabwood Creek, and another arrested in Rose Hall Town.

They are being questioned as investigations progress.

Senate confirms Linda ThomasGreenfield as UN ambassador The Senate voted 78-20 yesterday to confirm Linda Thomas-Greenfield as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.The big picture: Thomas-Greenfield has promised to restore the U.S. role as a defender of human rights and will look to repair multilateral relationships that fractured under former President Trump. She will play a key role in the administration’s China strategy — her “highest priority,” she has said.

Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.

Thomas-Greenfield faced criticism during her confirmation hearing for comments she made while speaking at a Beijing-backed Confucius Institute in 2019.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) delayed the confirmation vote over Thomas-Greenfield’s remarks, Politico reports, concerned she will be soft on Beijing.She said during her

Linda ThomasGreenfield confirmation hearing that she regretted accepting the invitation and that she shared the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s concerns about China’s “malign force” and “debt traps and tactics” in Africa.She also pledged to defend Israel at the UN. Background: A Foreign Service veteran, ThomasGreenfield served as assistant secretary of state for African affairs in the State Department from 2013 to 2017.

MP asks court to declare...

From page 12 finances.He said that the National Assembly then passed Constitutional Amendment Act, No. 1 of 2016, which was assented to by Granger on the January 11, 2016, in which the Parliament Office was added as an entity listed among the constitutional agencies.

Mahipaul noted however

that the National Assembly recently passed the Fiscal Management and Accountability Amendment Bill of 2021 assented to on February 9, re-

pealed Section 80B (1) to (4) of the FMAA which were amended by the Fiscal Management and Accountability (Amendment) Act of 2015.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

Trucker charged for causing death by dangerous driving A 34-year-old truck driver was on Monday placed on $300,000 bail after he was charged with causing death by dangerous driving.

The defendant, Troy Van Lewin, of Lot 1159 Yarrowkabra Village, Soesdyke/Linden Highway appeared at the Providence Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Judy Latchman to answer to the charge.

Troy pleaded not guilty to charge, which alleged that on February 20, at Dora Public Road, Soesdyke/Linden Highway, he drove motor lorry

GXX 2653 in a manner dangerous to the public, causing the death of 60-year-old Murvey Madhoo.

According to previous reporting, the accident which took the life of the father of two occurred sometime around 20:00hrs on the Dora Public Road, Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

It was reported that motor pick-up GRR 4627 was parked on the western side of the road with mechanical problem while Madhoo and Sherwin Rhodius were (Continued on page 20)

Dead: Murvey Madhoo.

PAGE 14

Kaieteur News Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharat, (at podium), giving his feature address to the Guyana Energy Conference and Exhibition launch

Wednesday February 24, 2021

GCCI launches local oil and gas conference W ith aims of sup porting and building the local businesses to the energy sector, the Georgetown

Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), in partnership with ExxonMobil, launched its Guyana Energy Conference and Exhibition (GECX ’21).

During the launch on Monday, President of the GCCI, Nicolas Boyer, explained the conference’s purpose is aimed at fostering conversation in the energy sector of Guyana from discussions in the extraction of crude oil to the importation of heavy fuel oils and the country’s current usage of that to produce electricity.

He added, “as well as the efficient distribution of the electricity so that reliable supply is not something, we dream of but is more something that we are accustomed to.”

During his presentation, Boyer reminded attendees of the unreliable energy supply in Guyana, and pointed to how this inefficiency has hindered Guyana’s development.

With this he explained, “Too long have Guyanese businesses been limited by the cost of energy, resulting from developmental and administrative challenges.

Now with a catalyst such as upstream oil and gas, we can harness this new industry to create a ripple effect throughout our entire energy sector and possibly force a new wave of industrialization in our economy.”

Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharat, who delivered the feature address, supported Boyer’s point on the energy supply.

He stated, “We have al-

ways had a problem in Guyana with the cost of power generation and I think that has been a great hindrance to our country’s development and our government would have recognized that and we need to address it and address it as early as possible.”

Minister Bharat had also added that the initiative from GCCI plays a partner in the government’s intention to diversify the energy mix.

He said it is refreshing to have a conference that will be focusing on the energy mix as our government has been advocating.

“Our President will be speaking a lot about our energy mix in Guyana and it is not only a conference that is confined to oil and gas as we have seen over the years,” he added.

The conference is set for September 28-29, 2021.

Wednesday February 24, 2021

PAGE 19

Kaieteur News

Local insurance brokers complain of skewed GPL procurement process

T

hree local insurance brokers have lodged a formal complaint with Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill against the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) for allegedly breaching procurement processes in relation to its 2021 Tender for the provision of Insurance Services-Generation and Other Equipment (GPL-PD015-2021).

In a letter dated February 16 seen by Kaieteur News, members of the Guyana Insurance Brokers Association (GIBA) detailed that they are deeply “concerned and alarmed” with the conduct of GPL, its Officers and Directors with current procurement process allegedly rigged to favour the current insurance holder.

The GIBA said in its letter to the Minister, “This Association continues to raise alarms with respect to the

perception of corruption and nepotism that seems to surround insurance tenders for public corporations and the perception that the result is an undermining of the tender process to the detriment of those public corporations, particularly, as we are

aware that His Excellency, the President has indicated that the insurances for all government entities must be correctly and properly tendered.”

A prior complaint was lodged with the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) on January 6, 2021 relating to a 2017 Tender for the Provision of Insurance Services – Generation and Other Equipment.

In that letter, the three insurance brokers; Abdool & Abdool Inc., Raj Singh Insurance Brokers and P&P Insurance Brokers Consultants Ltd contended that GPL’s tendering process for 2017 straight up to 2021 lacked transparency and accountability throughout, producing awards which are not in conformity with tendering requirements.

The requirements on the 2017 tender document were specifically for “all risk” coverage and not “fire and special perils.” Other require-

ments included that the end cost to GPL be presented in full with no hidden costs, that brokers were required to

supply qualitative and quantitative information and that insurers involved “had to be rated by AM Best or Standards and Poors at a minimum specified level with evaluation points proportionally awarded.”

Additionally, the Insur-

ance Act of 1998 required that a locally registered insurer must act as a Fronting Company to avoid direct placement as prohibited by the act, which incurs fees for foreign insurers who want to do business in Guyana.

Further, it required that a specific withholding tax be levied on premiums exported by the fronting company as a specific percentage of the premium payable to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The three local brokers submitted bids within the range of US $750,000 to US$850,000 while a fourth bid for US$624,061 was submitted.

The broker was awarded the contract on September 27, 2017.

The local brokers, with the combined experience of over 90 years, in the business are contending that the prices offered in the approved bid were not competitive.

Moreover, the brokers claimed that from their own initial investigations, nowhere in the world offers that rate, leading to the conclusion that GPL would not have been able to award the tender to the broker in question at the quoted price without compromising its own requirements.

The three local brokers noted as well that documentary evidence obtained even proves that GPL breached its own tender procedures when it accepted a secondary submission from the successful broker not included in the original amount tendered.

Later on in 2020, GPL advised for tenders for the same project.

However, with the successful broker already pos-

sessing the pertinent information on tender, it puts the complainants at an unfair advantage.

The three brokers then wrote to GPL seeking extension, one they detailed was “reluctantly granted” with a

new tender submission date of May 14, 2020 set.

But then on April 7 that year, the complainants were informed by GPL that the extension was suspended and the tender stopped with the award going to the broker

holding the continued placement.

“The situation to date remains the same and essentially means that the corporation continues to be in breach of tender board procedure in what we believe are deliber-

ate and calculated manoeuvres to ensure that the broker in question by default, benefits from GPL’s business to the detriment of the Corporation’s access to a competitive bid process,” the complainants said.

PAGE 20

Kaieteur News

Wednesday February 24, 2021

Twenty-five new cases of COVID-19 recorded The Ministry of Health has recorded a total of 25 new COVID-19, taking Guyana’s overall number of confirmed cases to 8,452.

According to the MOH dashboard, Region Four recorded 14 new cases, while Region Three recorded eight new cases and Regions Five, Six and Seven each recorded a new case.

There are 39 persons who are in institutional isolation, 406 patients in home isolation, and nine patients are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Infectious Disease Hospital.

The draft shows that 7,808 persons have recovered and 190 have died, to date.

Israel sharing some COVID vaccines with Palestinians, Honduras, Czech Republic JERUSALEM - (Reuters) - Israel said yesterday it was giving small amounts of surplus COVID-19 vaccines to Palestinian-run territories as well as to several countries.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not name which countries in a statement announcing the move.

But the government of Honduras - which said last year it intended to move its Israel embassy to Jerusalem said it was expecting 5,000 doses from Israel. The country has yet to receive any doses.

The Czech Republic said it had received a small Israeli

shipment. The country in December said it would add a diplomatic presence to its Jerusalem office, a move short of opening a full embassy in the city.Israel has been importing Pfizer-BioNTech BNTX.O and Moderna Inc vaccines. It has administered at least one Pfizer dose to almost 50% of its 9 million population in one of the world’s swiftest campaigns.

This month the Palestinians received an initial shipment of Moderna doses from Israel, helping kick off a limited vaccination programme in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza.

Trucker charged for...

From page 13 transferring goods to another pick-up which was parked just behind. Eyewitnesses told police that they saw the truck travelling north on the western side of the road at a fast rate, when it lost control and collided with the right side front of the pick-up. That vehicle slammed into both Madhoo and Rhodius who were standing between the two pick-ups.

As a result of the collision, both men fell onto the roadway, where they received injuries about their bodies. In a video seen by this publication, both men were seen lying on the roadway, one of whom was crying out with pain. Persons were heard in the background, telling them to relax, and that help was

coming.

A man who witnessed the accident stated in the video, that he had not too long finished putting on wheels on one of the pickups and was across the road, when he saw the truck came crashing into the pick-ups.

The businessman was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Rhodius was taken to the Linden Public Hospital, where he was admitted and is in critical condition.

A breathalyzer test was conducted on the truck driver but he was found below the legal limit. Madhoo’s body is in the GPHC mortuary where a post mortem examination is expected to be done.

Wednesday February 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 21

PAGE 22 WANTED

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Wednesday February 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

WANTED Kitchen manager must have experience must be able to motivate apply @ Shanta's 225 Camp St Female live in for elderly.

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JOINING THE LOCAL CONTENT DISCOURSE From page 6 expense of developing local industries. It is also not about creating an exhaustive registration process to exclude local entrepreneurs. It is not about tax avoidance and shelters to maximize production cost returns or cost oil and return on investment. It is not about exploiting and owning the land, capital and human resources as factors of production.

Local content is about creating a comparative advantage so that local business participation can be maximized.

It is full self-actualization of the local economy and peoples, preservation of the local environment, creation of a viable sustainable local economy by injection and sustaining a viable money circulation in the economy, the transfer of skills and knowl-

edge for the development of a sustainable industrial and technological base.

The development of SBE and MBE. It is about the triple bottom line, environment, people and profits. It is about creating a win-win situation for everyone. It is about the development competitive local business environment and maintenance of morale.

Sincerely, Colin Westmoreland

Guyana’s National Assembly at its ...

From page 4 democracy.

There it was in full tarnishing colour, and colourful conduct and language to match in the house of the people, the National Assembly. I would line them up against a wall, and give each a cigarette. No blindfold, no final

prayers.

That is a fate that they deserve, every man jack of them, and the women, too. I should have done what I promised myself: retreat deeply into Lent.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

Wednesday February 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 23

Senior cop tells rape victims:Report sex crimes against police Trinidad Guardian - Despite horror stories over the treatment meted out to rape victims by police officers, head of the Gender-Based Violence Unit (GBVU) Supt Clair Guy-Alleyne is encouraging survivors to go to the police.

Following the nationwide candlelight vigils calling for an end to violence against women in the wake of the kidnapping and murder of Andrea Bharatt, several rape victims have spoken out about being ridiculed and dismissed when they went to the various police stations to make a report.

Interviewed on CNC 3’s Morning Brew programme Monday, Guy-Alleyne said people are supposed to treat with dignity and pride when they report incidents of rape and other heinous crimes.

She said, “I don’t have the information about the bad behaviour of police officers with respect to those crimes but what I can tell you is that in the Police Service we are

not a perfect organisation.

Police officers come from the wider society and we would expect that after six or seven or eight months of training we are going to change behaviours, change the narratives from some of these officers, but sometimes it does not happen.”

However, she said the victims must make a report in order for the police to investigate and arrest the perpetrators.

“When it comes to rape, rape is a crime and the perpetrators must be held accountable and that is the only way we could eradicate rape from T&T,” she said.

While there are officers in the Child Protection Unit and Criminal Investigation Department trained to deal with rape victims, she said some victims prefer to speak with a police officer of their same sex.

She explained, however, that a victim could request either a male or female officer

Golding accuses Holness of ‘gross negligence’ over vaccine procurement The Gleaner - Opposition Leader Mark Golding went on the attack Monday with a broadside against the Government, saying it has been grossly negligent in procuring COVID-19 vaccines for Jamaicans.

Golding, speaking at a media conference at his West King’s House Road offices yesterday, expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Government’s handling of the exercise.

With it appearing that Jamaica may miss the February timeline Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton had announced for the arrival of the vaccines in the island, Golding said this highlights that there is a breakdown in leadership in the Andrew Holness-led administration.

“Other countries have solicited gifts of vaccine and started to roll out their vaccination programmes to their populations. Jamaica is very late. The Government is guilty of gross negligence in this critical matter,” Golding charged.

Tufton had said that Jamaica would receive approximately 140,000 doses of vaccines from COVAX and up to 249,000 of the AstraZeneca vaccines by mid-February.

However, he recently disclosed that there might be some delays.

Barbados received 100,000 vials of vaccines from India a week ago, although, at the time, the vaccines were not approved by the World Health Organization for emergency use.

Opposition Leader Mark Golding Out of that quantity, Barbados has doled out a few thousand to its closest neighbours including Trinidad and Tobago which received 2,000.

Dominica has also received 70,000 as a gift from India as well.

On Sunday, Indian High Commissioner to Jamaica Rungsung Masakui said AstraZeneca vaccines produced in his country would be arriving in Jamaica shortly.

Golding, in piling on the pressure on the Holness administration, urged that international connections be leveraged to procure the vaccines for the Jamaicans.

“As leader of the country, it was, and remains, the prime minister’s job to use all his power and influence and network to procure an adequate supply of vaccines for the country,” Golding contended.

Golding has suggested that a COVID-19 vaccination czar be appointment with full time responsibility to oversee the inoculation of Jamaicans.

to take their report and request to be interviewed in a private area.

She cautioned, “Be prepared to relate that heinous experience again. You will have to relate it to the officer and in the courts.”

However, she said the TTPS will soon establish a Special Victims Department to handle reports of rape and other heinous crimes.

“More police officers will be added to my unit as it is to increase the strength and be able to increase the capacity for investigators to investigate these heinous crimes.

Some people may be wanting to know why form another

unit, but it’s because of the complaints you spoke about earlier we want to create an avenue where victims are comfortable to come forward and make reports. So the formation of these small units, re-training the minds of these officers, that is the reason why units are formed within the organisation,” she said.

However, Guy-Alleyne encouraged victims to come forward, regardless of the date of the sexual assault, as those crimes do not carry a statutory limitation.

She said the police service also provides psycho-social support to victims throughout its Victim Support Unit.

Supt Clair Guy-Alleyne

PAGE 24

Kaieteur News

Wednesday February 24, 2021

Wednesday February 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 25

Portion of Budget 2021 to be funded with loans – VP

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, revealed that a portion of the $383.1B budget for 2021 will be financed through loans. Dr. Jagdeo had shared these and other details during his press engagement earlier this month.

When the VP was asked at that press engagement what portion of the budget would be funded by loans, he explained that, “Yes, like always, almost every year. I keep saying to people that we still run a fiscal deficit over the years.

We have had to borrow $90something billion dollars. And the deficit skyrocketed in the APNU+AFC era, but they just spent a ton of money on the

recurrent expenditure without very little to show for it.”

With aims of managing the debt and spending, the VP explained that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government is looking to establish a “cap,” and is currently looking at examining reoccurring expenditure.

“That is why we are examining the places we are renting,” the VP said, “how much we are spending on vehicle maintenance; how much we’re spending on food in government because those items skyrocketed under APNU+AFC.” This story comes on the heels of the Senior Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, revealing

Delivery man who stopped for directions gets robbed of motorcycle A delivery man was on Tuesday robbed of his XR Honda motorcycle on Delhi Street, Prashad Nagar, after he stopped to find out directions.

The man was robbed around 22:30 hrs. by a lone gunman.

He told the cops that he was making a delivery in the area, when he stopped to make a phone call to get some directions to the house.

While speaking on the phone he said that a man

walked up to him and asked, ‘who you looking for?’

As he was about to respond, the man pulled out a gun and pointed it at him. The gunman told him to get off the motorcycle.Fearful for his life he obeyed and the man rode off with the bike towards the railway embankment.

Police have since been trying to trail the bike which bares registration number, CJ3, but so far they have not been successful.

Manhunt launched for man who allegedly raped, impregnated girl, 12 The police have launched an investigation for a man that allegedly raped and impregnated a 12-year-old girl.

Kaieteur News confirmed with a source close to the investigation that the matter was reported and that an investigation is on the way.

According to the police, the incident happened in the North West District and the child is reportedly five months pregnant. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

that no new taxes funded the $383.1B budget. However, Dr. Singh failed to state how much of the budget was actually financed loans.

This article also comes on the heels of the government announcing that it will raise the overall debt ceilings so that it could borrow more money.

In the announcement, the government had proposed that the domestic debt ceiling be increased to $500 billion, almost three decades after the last upward revision to $150 billion in 1994. Additionally, a new external borrowing ceiling of $650 billion was pro-

posed, three decades after its last increase to $400 billion.

Both of these increases reflect a 233.3% and 65% increase, respectively.

According to a Ministry of Finance statement, the move to increase the domestic debt ceiling was influenced by several factors, one of which it says, is the existence of a large Consolidated Fund overdraft at the Bank of Guyana, accumulated over the last five years.

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

PAGE 26

Kaieteur News

Wednesday February 24, 2021

Wednesday February 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 27

Tiger Woods has surgery after ‘multiple leg injuries’ after car crash in Los Angeles Paramedics use ‘jaws of life’ to Daily Mail – Tiger Woods has undergone surgery after sustaining ‘multiple leg injuries’ in a serious car crash in Los Angeles yesterday morning where firefighters had to use ‘jaws of life’ to pry him from his car.

The golfer was driving alone near Rancho Palos Verdes when his vehicle flipped over.

Fire fighters had to use a device known as the ‘jaws of life’ to break open the car and rescue him.

His condition was not fully known at the time of this article but his agent Mark Steinberg told Golf Digest: ‘Tiger Woods was in a singlecar accident this morning in

California where he suffered multiple leg injuries.

‘He is currently in surgery and we thank you for your privacy and support.’

It occurred shortly after 7am and no one else was injured. Woods was previously arrested on a DUI in 2017. The cause of yesterday’s crash is unknown.

Meanwhile, in updated reports, it was disclosed that Woods undergone surgery for non life- threatening injuries that include a compound fracture and a shattered ankle after crashing his car while on his way to an L.A. golf course to film for GolfTV yesterday.

The 45-year-old golfer was driving alone near

Rancho Palos Verdes when his Genesis GV80 flipped over at 7.12am.

Sources close to the golfer told DailyMail.com his injuries include a compound fracture and shattered ankle in one leg. He underwent surgery to put the pieces of his ankle back together, the source added.

In a statement, the sheriff’s department said: ‘On February 23, at approximately 7.12am, LASD responded to a single vehicle roll-over traffic collision on the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes.

‘The vehicle was traveling northbound on Hawthorne Boulevard, at Blackhorse

Wednesday February 24, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Watch out for the greeneyed monster today, Aries.

It can rear up before you can say "jealousy." Most situations that cause these feelings are born out of insecurity.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Fanaticism or obsessive thinking may be something you need to look at today, Libra. Common areas for such behaviors are in the pursuit of money, power, success, and romance.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) You may feel insecure about your appearance today, Taurus. This can be a vicious cycle to get into. The result is almost always negative.

Rather than pick yourself apart, consider finding ways to accept your looks.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Don't act impulsively today, Scorpio. It could be easy to confuse this with spontaneity. One has more thought put into it than the other.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Jealousy might rear its head today, Gemini. The key to it all is to understand where and why you feel insecure.

If you're jealous of a mate, what's going on in the relationship?

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Arts and crafts may interest you today, Cancer. Even if you lean more toward sports, an artistic streak will likely run pretty strong in you.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Getting along with others may prove challenging today, Leo. The influence from the planetary aspects can have you preferring to withdraw and isolate.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Don't be surprised if you're a little weepy today, Virgo.

The influence from planets can enhance your sensitivity to almost everything, including your own feelings.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Is it time to take a more drastic approach to a problem, Sagittarius? If you've made several attempts to resolve your trouble but to no avail, you might consider it.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Tap into your creativity to unblock the emotional flow today, Capricorn. This can be a powerful tool. Creativity is a big part of who you are, almost as big as communication.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You may need to deal with someone's disapproval today, Aquarius. This will likely come from someone you see as either a superior or authority figure, perhaps a parent.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Time alone is essential for everyone, Pisces, but make sure you recognize when you're isolated to the point where it's unhealthy. If you realize you're alone because you're avoiding something, you might consider.

free him from ‘serious’ wreck

The wreckage of Woods’ car yesterday after the crash.

Road, when it crashed. The vehicle sustained major damage.

‘The driver and sole occupant was identified as PGA golfer Eldrick ‘Tiger’ Woods.

‘Mr. Woods was extricated from the wreck with the jaws of life by LA County firefighters and paramedics, then transported to a local hospital by ambulance for his injuries.’

Woods was on his way to the Rolling Hills Country Club for a second day of filming with Golf TV when he crashed. On Monday, he filmed with Jada Pinkett Smith, Dwyane Wade and David Spade for a series which involves him giving celebrities golfing lessons. He lives in Florida but was in California over the weekend to host the PGA Genesis Invitational tournament. Genesis gave him a GV80 to drive for the week which is the vehicle he crashed yesterday morning.

What caused him to crash remains unknown. He was arrested in 2017 after crashing his car while drunk near his home in Jupiter, Florida.

Sources cited by TMZ say alcohol was not a factor in yesterday’s crash but it is still under investigation.

Assuria General...

From page 31 potential,” said Hussain.

The aim of this event is to get everyone to participate in physical activity and try something different that all ages can enjoy together. Players will also have 3 chances to win the Copa Airlines Roundtrip ticket during the competition.

Participants are asked to register in advance by calling 645-0944 or visiting the Academy no later than March 9, so that proper arrangements and groupings are made.

PAGE 28

Wednesday February 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

Management Committee elected for Bush Lot Sports Ground after Minister Ramson’s help

F

ollowing discus sions with and the help of the Honorable Minister of Culture, Youth & Sports, Mr. Charles Ramson Jnr. who had visited Bush Lot Sports Ground on the 13th, February, 2021, a Management Committee to oversee the affairs of the venue was selected recently and is headed by Rajiv Kishun.

On his visit earlier this month the Minister interacted with residents on a number of issues affecting them. One of the main concerns was the issue of the management of the affairs of the community sports ground.

He was briefed on the previous committee that managed the ground from 2008 to 2015, where concerns were raised as it relates to proper consultation with the residents on getting work done

at the ground and also transparency and accountability issues.

After 2015, the ground fell under the management of the NDC, and the same members that previously managed the ground selected themselves without any consultations with the residents.

These members were councilors of the NDC. During the past five years, the NDC did very little or nothing for the enhancement and development of the Bush Lot sports ground.

Upon hearing all of this, the Minister made a commitment to the residents, where he outlined his plans and pledged his support towards the development of the ground and facility.

He recommended that an election be held on the 21st, February, 2021, by the residents of the village.

The Honorable MP Mr. Faizal Jaffarally and Vice Chairman, Mr. Rion Peters of

Region 5, chaired, monitored and subsequently declared the results of the elections which were attended by a large number of residents.

The residents voted overwhelmingly for the following individuals to handle the affairs of the Bush Lot Ground Management Committee: President: Mr. Rajiv Kishun Vice President: Mr. Dhanraj Ganesh Secretary: Dr. Joel Dilchand Treasurer: Mr. Dhanpaul Sukha Assistant secretary/treasurer: Ms. Indra Joylall Youth Development Officer: Mr. Premdat Beecham Committee Members

From left: President: Rajiv Kishun, Vice President: Dhanraj Ganesh, Secretary: Joel Dilchand, Assistant secretary/treasurer: Indra Joylall, Youth Development Officer: Premdat Beecham and Treasurer: Dhanpall Sukha.

1. Mr. Heeralall Darsan 2. Mr. Ryan Chitranjan Jaikissoon 3. Mr. Christopher Bissoon 4. Mr. Philbert Kellawan 5. Mr. Chitranjandas Nipekra

Halep pulls out of Qatar Open (Reuters) - World number three Simona Halep has withdrawn from next week’s Qatar Open in Doha, the organisers of the WTA 500 tournament announced yesterday.

Halep, who lost in straight sets to Serena Williams in the Australian Open quarter-finals last week, did not specify why she was pulling out of the March 1-6 hard court tournament.

“Unfortunately I have made the decision to withdraw

from the Qatar Total Open,” Halep said in a statement released by the tournament organisers.

“It’s always one of my favourite stops on the tour and I really look forward to being back in Doha next year.”

World number one Ash Barty and American Sofia Kenin are expected to compete in the tournament along with the likes of Elina Svitolina, Karolina Pliskova and Aryna Sabalenka.

Romania’s Simona Halep in action during her quarter final match against Serena Williams of the U.S. (REUTERS/ Loren Elliott)

Nicholas Pooran and...

From page 30 injury.Fast bowlers’ Matthew Potts and Matthew Fisher also enter the fray, with Harry Brook and Callum Parkinson rounding out the men’s outfit.

Australia limited-overs captain Aaron Finch is set to skipper the Superchargers.

England all-rounder Alice Davidson-Richards, and Australia duo, Alyssa Healy and Nicola Carey, have been added to the women’s squad.

Meanwhile, West Indies all-rounder and second pick Kieron Pollard was drafted

by Welsh Fire.

Pollard, who has scored

over 10,000 runs in Twenty20 cricket, is joined by Australian fast bowler Jhye Richardson.

The duo replace Australia duo Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc who decided against playing in this year’s event.

Jake Ball, Ian Cockbain, Josh Cobb, Matthew Critchley and David Lloyd have also been picked by Welsh Fire.

England spinner Bryony Smith and Australian T20 World Cup winners Meg Lanning, Beth Mooney and Jess Jonassen are confirmed for the women’s side.

Wednesday February 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

Djokovic faces a sideline spell with muscle tear after sweet success MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic will need to spend some time on the sidelines recovering from a muscle tear that hindered him in the later rounds of the Australian Open, the Serbian said as he celebrated his ninth Melbourne Park title Sunday.

The 33-year-old extended his own record with an emphatic 7-5 6-2 6-2 victory over Daniil Medvedev at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday, despite carrying the injury suffered in the third round of the tournament.

Parading his trophy on the beach in the Melbourne suburb of Brighton on Monday, Djokovic said a second scan of his abdomen had revealed he had made the injury worse by playing on.

“I just came actually came from another MRI that I’ve done this morning and the damage is bigger than what it was when it happened, when I did the first MRI after the third round,” he told reporters.

“It’s not too bad judging by what doctor said but I’ll have to take some time off and heal. The tear is bigger.”The injury was not the only issue Djokovic had to contend with during his time in Australia.The world number one riled some locals when he submitted suggestions to organisers over how quarantine conditions for players could be improved.

The ups and downs of what he described as a “rollercoaster” of a trip Down Under had made his 18th Grand Slam title triumph all the more satisfying.

“I reflect on it as a great experience, and a unique journey, and I would definitely remember and try to take out a lot of positives from it,” he said.

“I have learned a lot of lessons, and learned a lot of things, about myself and about everything that was going on in the last five to six weeks, but I think that everything that was happening on and off the court makes this victory even better and even sweeter.”

Steadily im pro ving Charok ee Y oung impro proving Charokee Young aiming for Olympic debut this summer SportsMax - Charokee Young believes improving her running form and having a better understanding of what she does has led to better performances so far this season.

The 20-year-old rising star also revealed that she has dropped the 800m because of her love for the 400m and that she is definitely aiming to make Jamaica’s Olympic team to Tokyo this summer.“I think the Olympics are within my reach. I am pretty close to the times (required to qualify) and I am definitely going to try out for the Olympics. Once I am healthy I am definitely going to try to make the Olympic team,” she said.Just over a week ago, Young, the former Hydel High School standout, split 51.12 that helped Texas A&M an all-time collegiate-best of 3:26.27 at the Tyson Invitational, the ninth-fastest time ever. It was also a season-best time, a meet record and facility record.It was a performance that saw the team named the U.S. Track & Field National Athlete of the Week.Young told Sportsmax.TV that they went into the race intent on breaking the record.“Our aim was to break the record and I did my best,” she said. “I wasn’t focused on how

Australian Open champion Serbia’s Novak Djokovic poses with the trophy during a photo shoot at Brighton Beach. (REUTERS/Jaimi Joy) Djokovic said he had celebrated his triumph by calling his family back home in Serbia and sitting down for a meal capped off with a cake.

“I used to go wild and go to discotheques and nightclubs and god knows what, and now it is a bit different,” he said.

“A different kind of celebration, more of a home a celebration with family and close people.”

PAGE 29

fast I was going to run, was just focused on doing my best for that day.”Prior to enrolling at Texas A&M, Young had personal bests of 2:06.02 and 52.48 in the 800m and 400m, respectively. In her freshman year, she ran 2:05.80 indoors in March 2020, before the pan-

Charokee Young

demic shut down the collegiate season.So far this season, she has picked up from where she left off, running ran a personal best 51.93 indoors, which along with the 51.12 relay split last week, has demonstrated her steady improvement.“I have been working on my running form. My form has gotten much better. I also have more knowledge about what I am doing, I am learning more about my body and I am more mature now,” she said while explaining that she anticipates running even faster as she transitions to outdoors later this year.”“I am getting better each time I touch the

track so if I hit personal bests I will be happy.

My health is pretty good and the more correct your form is the less you run the risk of getting hurt.”

PAGE 30

Kaieteur News

Nicholas Pooran and Kagiso Rabada among 10 new arrivals at Manchester Originals PA Sports - West Indies star Nicholas Pooran and South Africa paceman Kagiso Rabada were among 10 new arrivals for Manchester Originals as they rounded out their squad for The Hundred.

The Originals had 10 slots to fill as teams completed their men’s squads and got the top pick, which they used to bring in 25-year-old wicketkeeper Pooran, who has averaged 49.05 in 25 ODIs for the West Indies and 21.23 in 24 T20s.

Rabada, also 25, last month became only the eighth South African to reach 200 Test wickets, needing only 44 matches to do it.

With so many slots to fill, head coach Simon Katich also snapped up Jamie Overton, Harry Gurney, Shadab Khan, Tom Lammonby, Steven Finn, Colin Ackermann, Richard Gleeson and Tom Hartley.

The new faces join Jos Buttler and Phil Salt, who were retained from last year’s squad after the inaugural season was postponed.

Women’s team head coach Paul Shaw added En-

Nicholas Pooran (left) says Kieron Pollard’s “like a big brother” to him. (AP) gland bowler Sophie Ecclestone to his squad, which now stands at 13. The Originals’ women’s team are due to open the new competition against the Oval Invincibles on July 21.

Former England allrounder Ravi Bopara has

been drafted by London Spirit.

The 35-year-old, who played 13 Tests, 120 ODIs and 38 T20Is for England, was selected along with Hampshire’s Chris Wood.

Bopara said: “I really hoped I’d get picked up and I

couldn’t be happier to be drafted by London Spirit. I was born in Forest Gate, so it’s great to come home.”

Bopara, who last played for England at the 2015 World Cup, was selected by Birmingham Phoenix in the original draft.

He joins England’s World Cup-winning captains Eoin Morgan and Heather Knight at the Lord’s-based side.

Tammy Beaumont, who scored 71 runs in England’s ODI victory over New Zealand on Tuesday, has also been drafted for the women’s team.

Olly Stone will team up with England team-mate Ben Stokes after he was named in Northern Superchargers’ squad.

Stone, who took four wickets in just his second Test appearance in England’s recent defeat against India in Chennai, was included among five draft picks.

The 27-year-old was not selected in the first draft back in October 2019 as he battled (Continued on page 28)

Wednesday February 24, 2021

Czech free-diver breaks ice-swim world record

Czech free-diver David Vencl reacts after breaking the new world record in under-ice swimming in a lake at a former quarry in the village of Lahost near the city of Teplice, Czech Republic, February 23, 2021. (Reuters/David W Cerny) LAHOST, Czech Republic (Reuters) - Czech free-diver David Vencl swam nearly 81 metres (265.75 ft) beneath the ice yesterday, breaking the world record after braving the freezing water wearing only a swimsuit.“This will do,” Vencl said after emerging from his minute-and-half swim in water measured at temperatures of 3 degrees Celsius and pumping his fist in celebration.The 38-year-old changed the location for the

record attempt to a former quarry in Lahost, 100 kilometres north-west of Prague, from a glacial lake in Austria due to COVID restrictions which made international travel difficult.

Vencl, who dropped into the water through one hole cut in the one-foot-thick ice before emerging from another, beat the previous record of 250 feet set by Denmark’s Stig Avall Severinsen in October, 2017 in southern Greenland.

Australia, Qatar pull out of 2021 Copa America - CONMEBOL (Reuters) - Australia and Qatar, the two non-South American sides due to take part in this year’s Copa America, have pulled out of the tournament, the secretary general of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) said yesterday.

The two teams were set to join 10 others from South America in the tournament, which will be hosted by Argentina and Colombia in June and July.

“Qatar and Australia will not come to play in the Copa America,” Gonzalo Belloso told Argentine radio station Radio Red. The Qatari FA apologised for the withdrawal which it said followed the Asian Football Confederation’s “decision to postpone the joint qualifying round for the 2022 World Cup and the 2023 AFC Asian Cup to be held in June 2021, which conflicts with the schedule of matches... in the Copa America.”

Australia are also in the Asian confederation and are also affected by the changes.

The Copa America, the

oldest tournament in international soccer, was held over from 2020 due to the COVID19 pandemic and is due to be hosted in two nations for the first time.

The 12 sides were to be split into northern and southern groups, with Qatar playing in the northern section against Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru and hosts Colombia.Australia were in the southern group with Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and hosts Argentina.

A CONMEBOL source told Reuters they will look at the possibility of inviting two other teams to replace Australia and Qatar but the tournament will go ahead regardless, with 10 or 12 sides.

“Nothing will change, we will play with 10 if we have to,” the source said on condition of anonymity.

“No matter what happens, it’s the same format, same prize money, everything stays the same.”

The tournament is scheduled to kick off in Buenos Aires on June 11 and end with the final in Barranquilla, Colombia on July 10.

Wednesday February 24, 2021

Assuria General Insurance Inaugural 3-Hole Golf Tournament set for March 10-13 Assuria General Insurance, always the leader in innovation, has partnered with Nexgen Golf Academy to host the ‘Just For Beginners Golf Championships’ and bring golf to Georgetown once again.

Many years ago, golf was played in Thomas Lands and the National Park but its recent resurgence in popularity will see it being played in the heart of the city once again as the unique three hole Par 3 event will cater for players of every category and be played under floodlit cool night conditions at the Scouts Association of Guyana ground on Woolford Avenue.

Due to covid guidelines, the ‘Just For Beginners’ competition will run from March 10-13 starting from 4pm to 8 pm. The tournament consists of three holes that are 145, 100 and 80 yards and players will have to complete the hole by putting out. All equipment and balls will be provided at no cost and at Assuria General’s request there will be No Tournament Fee. Prizes and trophies will be presented to best scores for Juniors Under 12, Under 21, Women’s and Men’s categories and is for beginners and recently started players who do not have a handicap rating.

General Manager Yogindra Arjune spoke about the impact the game has had on him personally and the effects he was seeing nationally, “I was introduced to the sport by Aleem two years ago and been hooked on it ever since. It’s a game that makes you strive for betterment at every opportunity, similarly with our business and we will continue to support the development, especially in the schools and new players.”

Arjune welcomed the return of competitive Golf to the center of Georgetown saying that change was necessary for the sport “for far too long,

Yogindra Arjune we have accepted that Golf should only be played a certain way and by a select group of persons, that is about to change in a dramatic way with the plans by The Guyana Golf Association, Nexgen Global and support from hundreds of new players and sponsors.”

The Three Hole Championships will continue to be a part of Golf development around the country according to President of the GGA Aleem Hussain, “As we expand our facilities to Berbice, Essequibo, West Coast and Linden, our plan is to create leagues, inter-region, intercompany and parent-child activities that will see everyone involved in the only fully covid-19 compliant sporting activity.”

This tournament will be the first of many events that is aimed at allowing as many Guyanese as possible to experience the game at virtually no cost with the ultimate goal of building a national team that will represent the country in the Olympics. “The majority of our best athletes come from the persons who have the least opportunity and this is why the extraordinary efforts are being made to allow everyone a chance to see if they have the (Continued on page 25)

Sri Lanka names 20-member...

From page 33 and have joined the tour to the West Indies.

One man not going to the Caribbean, however, is former Test player Chaminda Vaas who quit as fast bowling coach on Monday within days of his appointment.

Vaas, who only replaced Australian David Saker on Friday, resigned over a pay dispute.

Sri Lanka limited over squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (ODI

captain), Dasun Shanaka (T20 captain), Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Ashen Bandara, Oshada Fernando, Dinesh Chandima, Angelo Mathews,Niroshan Dickwella, Thisara Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Ramesh Mendis, Nuwan Pradeep, Asitha Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera, Akila Dananajaya, Lakshan Sandakan, Dilshan Madushanka and Suranga Lakmal.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 31

PAGE 32

Wednesday February 24, 2021

Kaieteur News

Chris Gayle set for West Indies T20I return Gayle has interrupted a stint with Quetta Gladiators to return to the Caribbean ESPNcricinfo - Chris Gayle is expected to return to West Indies’ T20I squad for the first time in two years, when the side takes on the visiting Sri Lankans at the start of March. West Indies will announce a squad later this week but Gayle has interrupted a stint with the Quetta Gladiators in the PSL to return to the Caribbean, having been

given indications that he will feature in the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.

As with the other members, Gayle will undergo a fitness assessment before the final squad is named. If he does play, it will be the first time he has represented West Indies in any format since August 2019, when he played an ODI against India; it will

be exactly two years to the day since he last played a T20 international, against England in March 2019.

Gayle is scheduled to return to Pakistan for the remainder of the PSL after the last T20I, on March 7 - an arrangement that had been agreed upon after the draft but before the season began. In fact, the PSL had announced

just before the season that Faf du Plessis would be a partial replacement for Gayle just before the season began, though they did not specify why such cover was needed.

But this recall, under the captaincy of Kieron Pollard, marks a significant milestone in Gayle’s career, as well as for West Indies, coming as it does in a year in which they will be preparing to defend their T20 world title. That tournament is due to take place in India in October-November, West Indies having won the last edition of the tournament also in India, in 2016.

At 41, Gayle’s future - international and otherwise has been the subject of onoff discussion since the 2019 World Cup. Prior to the event, he had said the World Cup would be his last ODI cricket, though he reversed the decision during the tournament itself. He then turned out for the ODIs against India after the tournament, blasted a 41ball 72 before walking off - to handshakes from opponents and applause from fans - as if it was his last game for West Indies.

He took a brief break from all cricket at the end of that year but upon his return in January 2020 at the Bangladesh Premier League, said he was still open for a return for West Indies - also

joking that he might continue playing till he was 45. If he does play at the T20 World Cup, he will be 42.

Though the announcement of du Plessis as cover hinted at a return, the actual reasons for Gayle flying back were revealed, inadvertently, in a PCB press release after his 68 (off 40 balls) against Lahore Qalandars failed to prevent a nine-wicket defeat.

Gayle has batted at one down for Quetta and scored 39 off 24 balls in the first game, another loss to Karachi Kings.

Chatting to Gayle on his experience of returning to Pakistan after 14 years, the release said that Gayle “will leave shortly to feature in the West Indies’ T20I against Sri Lanka back home.”

This was Gayle’s first cricket in Pakistan since touring with West Indies in 200607 and he was, he said, feeling “blessed” to be playing at all during a pandemic.

Chris Gayle the boss even when he’s out for 99 © BCCI

“Playing during this particular time is a blessing.

Hopefully, things can get better in the future.

“When you look at what’s happening in the world there are no fans in the stadiums and people have to watch [cricket] on television. It is something people and players look back and say we have to appreciate times when we actually had good things and not take them for granted.

“Things are tough with the world in pause. We must not take life for granted when things can open. We’re going to try to live the best life and live it to the fullest, spend more time with family and friends and reach out to the people a lot more.”

Gayle hoped cricket will resume in full soon.

“I am sure players are still hungry for it. “It is our livelihood, it is our job, our earning and that is what we know.”

Kaieteur News

Wednesday February 24, 2021

UCCA, BCB and Ahamad Construction U19 40 overs cricket competition

A century is the highlight of first round as cricket returns to Upper Corentyne

T

wo teams scored convincing victories when cricket returned to the Upper Corentyne area as play got underway with two matches on Saturday in the U19 40 overs cricket competition.

The competition which is organised by the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association (UCCA) in collaboration with the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) and Ahamad Construction is being contested by four teams; namely Scottsburg’s United, No73 Radha Krishna Mandir, No 73 Young Warriors and No 69 Red Rose Youths Cricket Club.

Results of Saturday matches showed No 73 Young Warriors amassing a massive 378-5 in their 40 overs to trash No 69 Youths by a hefty 320 runs in their game which was played at the No 69 Red Rose Ground.

The Warriors assault was led by a Niradj Singh with a swashbuckling 120, he was supported by Sarwan Chetram 80 and Trevon Sukhoo 70. K. Hector took 3

Niradj Singh

Seeraj Chatterpaul

wickets bowling for No 69.

They in return were bundled out for 58 in 18.1 overs.

Rawle Jabar was the destroyer with 5-11.

In the other game S c o t t s b u r g ’s U n i t e d whipped No73 Radha Krishna Mandir by 9 wickets in their game at the No72 ground.

No 73 Mandir were skittled out for 65 in 15 overs with Rajesh Dharry putting up a fight with 40.

The destroyers for Scottsburg were Seraj Chatterpaul 5-23 and Aktar Nohar 4-25.

In reply Scottsburg raced to 70-1 with Chatterpaul returning to clobber 41(3x6, 2x4).

The competition is continuing with the final set for Sunday 28th February.

Trophies and other incentives will be awarded to the winner and runner up team and outstanding individual players.

The competition is being coordinated by the UCCA competitions committee led former National wicketkeeper batsman Sydney Jackman.

(Samuel Whyte)

Sri Lanka names 20-member squad for West Indies tour AFP - Sri Lanka Monday named a 20member squad for six limited over matches against the West Indies delayed by Covid-19 infections.

The cricket board said fast bowler Lahiru Kumara, 24, who tested positive on Monday was being replaced by 33-year-old Suranga Lakmal for the three one-day internationals and the three T20 matches.

The Twenty20s will be played on March 3, 5 and 7 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua while the ODIs will be at the Sir

Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium on March 10, 12 and 14.

Sri Lanka Cricket did not immediately name a squad for the two Tests also be at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium with the first game starting on March 21 and the second on March 29.

The tournament was delayed after coach Mickey Arthur and opening Test batsman Lahiru Thirimanne contracted coronavirus earlier this month. Both have since recovered (Continued on page 31)

PAGE 33

Foo, Surujnarine slam centuries as Clermont CC overcome ECC Masters Jonathan Foo smashed an unbeaten 133 from 66 balls and Kandasammy Surujnarine made 119* from 71 balls as Clermont Cricket Club of Florida defeated host Everest CC Masters by nine wickets in a 25-over contest recently.

The duo featured in an unbroken 244-run partnership in the chase of 269 in 25 overs.

Everest Masters took first strike and posted 268-2.

Bhaskar Yadram’s struck163 from just 77 balls.

The right-hander smashed 15 sixes and nine fours before he was dismissed by Devendra Bishoo.

Sahadeo Hardieow was the other batsman dismissed for one.

Yadram shared a stand of 222 with opener Basil Persaud, who stroked 69 (9x4s; 1x6s) from 62 balls, while Richie Looknauth supported with an unbeaten 24 (3x6s).

Bishoo ended with 1-60 from his five overs and Sharaz Ramcharran had 1-55 off his five.

Jonathan Foo

In response, the Clermont CC lost Elroy Fernandes for just nine off the bowling of Rajesh Singh, but his demise brought together the powerpackage of Foo and Surujnarine, who smashed the bowlers to all parts.

Foo plundered eight sixes a n d 11 f o u r s , w h i l e

Surujnarine cleared the ropes seven times and struck 13 fours, which sealed the comfortable win with nine balls to spare.

Prior to the Everest clash, Clermont won against Chesney Masters and Jai Hind Masters, and lost to Edinburg Masters.

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Tiger Woods has surgery after ‘multiple leg injuries’ after car crash in Los Angeles

Tiger Woods was driving alone near Rancho Palos Verdes when his vehicle flipped over. Fire fighters had to use a device known as the 'jaws of life' to break open the car and rescue him. (AP)

Paramedics use ‘jaws of life’ to free him from ‘serious’ wreck

Chris Gayle set for West Indies T20I return

Sri Lanka names 20-member squad for West Indies tour

Gayle has interrupted a stint with Quetta Gladiators to return to the Caribbean

Sri Lanka's Lahiru Kumara misses the tour of the West Indies after testing positive for Covid-19.

Chris Gayle hits the ball down the ground, Karachi Kings vs Quetta Gladiators, Pakistan Super League, Karachi, February 20, 2021 © AFP via Getty Images Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.