Kaieteur News

The vehicles involved in the accident

Baby dies as sleepy driver crashes car at Unity

Asix-month-oldbabydiedearlyMonday by the driver of motorcar PVV 2649 was morning in a horrific accident on the Unity proceedingeastalongthenortherndrivelane, Public Road, East Coast Demerara. Dead is and he fell asleep and lost control of his car Devine Khan of West Road, Sparendaam, Asaresult,motorcarPVV2649collidedwith ECD. thefrontportionofmotorcarPNN8403.

Police in a press release said that the Both drivers and occupants were taken to accident occurred at about 01:30hrs. The the Georgetown Public Hospital, where sixaccident involved a motorcar PVV 2649, month-old Devine Khan was pronounced driven by Davin Butts, a 31-year-old of dead on arrival while Davin Butts, who Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, and received injuries to his head, Ackeem motorcar PNN 8403, driven by Ackeem Jerricks, who received injuries to his right Jerricks of Sparendaam Housing Scheme, leg,andDequanKhan,who receivedinjuries ECD. about his body are presently being treated at

Two occupants were with Ackeem thesaidinstitution. Jerricks in the vehicle at the time— 27-year- The matter was reported to the police on old Dequan Khan and 6-month-old Devine 02-01-2023 at about 01:43 hrs, and Sergeant KhanofLot61WestRoadSparendaam. Fraser and Lance Corporal Wilson arrived at Enquiries disclosed motorcar PNN 8403 thescenetwominuteslaterat01:45hrs. wasproceedingwestalongthesoutherndrive Both vehicles were lodged to be lane of Unity Public Road when it is alleged examinedasinvestigationscontinue.

Favourable contract, low breakeven prices make Guyana highly profitable jurisdiction for ExxonMobil

As Guyana’s offshore oil will keep growing as the calculated that the Guyanaboom continues to gain global energy supermajor Suriname Basin held mean momentum, it is the makes further discoveries in undiscovered oil resources ExxonMobil-led consortium the prolific Stabroek Block. of 15 billion barrels which is operating the 6.6-million- The tremendous success only four billion barrels acreStabroekBlockoffshore experienced by Exxon in more than the 11 billion Guyana which stands to Guyana is unmatched and barrelsfoundbyExxonsince benefit the most from what saw the integrated energy 2015. This along with the analysts describe as the last company prioritize Guyana fact that many parts of the great frontier offshore oil inits2020capitalplan. Guyana-Suriname Basin are boom, energy website, The global energy under-explored indicates OilPrice.comhasreported. supermajor’s CEO Darren there is considerable

According to the WoodsreiteratedinFebruary potential for further worldpublication, the global 2022 that offshore Guyana classoildiscoveries. energy supermajor has made will form a key part of Exxon while focused on over 32 world-class Exxon’s production growth the prolific Stabroek Block discoveries in the Stabroek with the current discoveries. has also acquired a 35% Block and is now pumping Liam Mallon President of interest in the Canje and 360,000barrelsperdayfrom ExxonMobil Upstream Kaieteur Blocks in offshore the consortium’s operations stated that the supermajor is Guyana, where it is the intheLizaoilfield. focused on acting as an operator

This is a spectacular essential partner for the The supermajor plans to development considering government of Guyana to drill more than 60 wells in that Exxon only made the develop the country’s vast offshore Guyana over a sixfirst discovery in the offshore hydrocarbon year period as it seeks to Stabroek Block in May resources. exploitwhatisfastbecoming 2015 The two latest Exxon plans to invest a key driver of production discoveries were announced $20 billion to $25 billion growth. in October 2022 further annually between now and This includes a 35-well u n d e r s c o r i n g t h e 2027 with 70% of that drilling campaign in the tremendous oil potential spending to be allocated to Stabroek Block starting held by the Stabroek Block upstreamoperationswiththe during the third quarter and offshore Guyana. While Permian, Brazil, Guyana, 2023, when the current 25 other drillers, like CGX and LNG being the top wells being targeted are Energy have found oil in priorities. Such a significant completed, with the plan Guyana’s waters, it is Exxon exploration plan will deliver expected to conclude by the thatisbestpositionedtofully dividends when the end of 2028. Exxon also benefit from the former considerable petroleum plans to drill 12 wells on the British colony’s tremendous potential of the Guyana- Canje Block and another 12 hydrocarbonpotential. S u r i n a m e B a s i n i s on the Kaieteur Block over

Since 2015, 11% of the considered. thesameperiod.Bothblocks crudeoildiscoveredglobally Exxon’s swathe of are believed to possess has been found in Guyana, world-class oil discoveries considerable petroleum with the vast majority in the Stabroek Block potential despite recent nonoccurring in the Stabroek indicates that the U S commercial discoveries and Block where Exxon has Geological Survey grossly dry holes It has been estimated that it has found underestimated the basin’s estimated that Canje more than 11 billion barrels petroleum potential. In a containsupto10billion ofoilresources.Thatnumber May 2001 report, the USGS

Govt. must explain China loan for new Demerara River Bridge

David Patterson

...says interest-free money is available in NRF

The Government award, Patterson reminded, repayment to the China Overall, Central Bank of Guyana has was mired in controversy Exim Bank accounted for 82 indicated that debt service entered into a after Vice President Bharrat percent of debt repayments payments increased by 3.3

loan agreement Jagdeo told a Vice News to bilateral creditors. In the percent to US$26.9 million with the Bank of China for reporter that the Cabinet’s first three months of last primarily on account of the sum of US$172 million top ranked contractor would year, US$10.6 million alone principal repayments to both to construct the New not be doing the job, after was paid to the Chinese multilateral and bilateral Demerara River Bridge, being questioned in lending institution, up by 1.4 creditors. even though more than connection with alleged percent. The increase, Alesson for Guyana US$1B has been deposited business ventures with according to the Central Kaieteur News had to the Natural Resource Chinesebusinessman,Su. Bank, was as a result of carried an article by China Fund (NRF) that can be used The Opposition Member higher principal repayments Macro Economy in which it to construct the structure of Parliament added that duringthereviewperiod. was explained that new has drawn criticism – would end up having to interest-free. while announcements are At the time, Guyana’s transparency demands from especially from the United forfeit state assets and in The rationale behind this being made regarding total stock of public debt, global financial institutions States – for not offering somecasessovereignland. decisionaccordingtoformer financing of the project, the which comprises both – aimed at preventing enough transparency around This is as a result of the M i n i s t e r o f P u b l i c government is yet to tell the external and domestic debt sovereign debt distress- are its loans, which has helped terms and conditions infrastructure, David nation what the toll structure stood at US$3.248 billion. starting to have an impact on fuelaccusationsof“debttrap attached to these loans, Patterson must be explained would be for the new bridge. Trailing the China Exim China-backed infrastructure diplomacy,” said Otaviano including the exclusion of by the administration. In a “No information is available Bank is the Inter-American projects under the Belt and Canuto, senior fellow at the specific international lettertotheEditor,published onthetollsthattheendusers Development Bank (IADB). RoadInitiative. Morocco-based Policy arbitrationbodiessuchasthe in Sunday’s edition of the will be forced to pay, AccordingtoGuyana’s2022 As global interest rates CentrefortheNewSouth. ParisClub. Kaieteur News, the former especially when based on first quarter report, loans to rise and concern about Only in November 2021, The latest victim at the Ministerreasoned,“ThePPP prior experience, tolls of the the IADB account for some developing world debt risk it was reported that China time, Uganda, was unable to administration has now level of the Berbice Bridge 32.6 percent of the country’s swirls, “sustainability” and ranks among the top three pay its debt to China for a taken another loan of (G$2,200 per car) are totalexternaldebtservice. “transparency”havebecome richest countries in the US$207M loan from the US$172M from the China possible,”hesaid.

The Bank of Guyana buzzwords at organisations world, with available Chinese Exim Bank it Exim Bank for this project, As Guyana continues to explained that, “Debt like the International liquidity being doled out in c o n t r a c t e d b a c k i n despite boasting that over ignore advice of financial repayments to IADB, which Monetary Fund (IMF) and the form of loans to the tune November 2015. The loan US$1B will be deposited in institutionsregarding“cheap accounts for 67.4 percent of WorldBank. oftrillions. had a maturity period of 20 the Natural Resource Fund loans” from Chinese lending debt repayments to “China is the largest The country has been on years including a seven-year for 2022, no explanation has institutions, the most multilateral creditors and single creditor to developing an aggressive campaign graceperiod. been offered on the rationale recently released Quarterly 32.6 percent of total external nationsaftertheWorldBank, p u r s u i n g a g l o b a l A c c o r d i n g t o of adding this loan to our Bank of Guyana Report has debt service, increased by according to a March report infrastructure agenda under International reports, the National Debt, monies revealed that the country’s 7 3 percent to US$8 8 by the Green Finance and the rubric of the Belt and countrywasforcedtosignan which will have to be repaid external debt is overtaken by million as a result of higher Development Centre at RoadInitiative. agreement to virtually by future generations, when money it borrowed from principal repayments during Fudan University in Lauded when first surrender the new airport to interestfreefundsarereadily China. thereviewperiod.” Shanghai. Sixty-eight of the announced just over a theChineselenders. available.”

In the BoG’s first quarter Meanwhile, it was also world’s poorest nations will decade ago, several

He explained that the report of 2022, it was noted noted that debt repayments payUS$52.8billionthisyear countries that latched onto government in May last year the China Exim Bank t o t h e C a r i b b e a n to service debts and more millions in loans for largeawarded a contract for accounts for 39.5 percent of Development Bank (CDB) than a quarter of that will go scale infrastructural US$260 million to a the country’s total external rose by 4 6 percent to toChina. projects, have since been contractor without any debt. US$3.0 million during the Despiteitsoutsizerolein finding themselves in a comprehensive studies. This Additionally, debt first quarter of 2022 development finance, China predicament where they

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Member of Parliament, David Patterson

Kaieteur News

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Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

YEARS OF THE PPP

NIGELWILLIAMS

Editor-In-Chief: Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210

EDITORIAL

PRESIDENT ALI ON AL JAZEERA

We would like to agree with His Excellency, President Ali, but we cannot (“Oil revenue benefiting all GuyanesePresident Ali tell Al Jazeera Journalist” -KN January 01). Whatthisnation’shead-of-statesaidhasitsmerits,butthen again only to a degree. Though we have detected that the President gets uncomfortable and hostile when there is disagreementwitheverythinghesays,wewillriskhiswrath byquietlypointingoutwhatissubstance,andwhatissimply skin-deep only In other words, what supports his narrative versuswhatsubtractsfromit.WeusesomeofthePresident’s ownwords,asextractedfromtheAlJazeerainterview First,“…whenyouareabletogiveyourcitizensthebest possible healthcare…”. We agree with the President that there is healthcare, but whether any reasonable person termingwhatGuyanesehaveasthebestthatispossible,they willbeguiltyofgrossexaggeration.Onewonderswhatthat AlJazeerainterviewerwouldmakeofGuyana’spublichealth system were he to observe firsthand its operations, capabilities, and output. Hundreds of millions ofAmerican dollarsarebudgetedannually,butwithoutthecorresponding benefitsbeingexperiencedbylocals.WhatPresidentAliwas bold enough to call “best possible healthcare” still has too manyGuyanesehavingtobuysomemedicinesoutofpocket, and accept substandard services, which was revealed by an IDB review While some areas in our public healthcare system are better than before, there are still too many facilities and too many areas of care that function with deficiencies that just should not be, given the amount of moneyspenttoenhance.

Second, “when you are able to announce measures that is giving every single citizen who require dialysis a cheque every year to help them with that dialysis…”Thisisarecent developmentcomingoutoftheAliGovernmentandonethat is commendable. It is most helpful to dialysis patients, who cannot afford the steep cost associated with dialysis treatment.Wecouldsaythatsuchpatientsareasmallsubset of Guyana’s population, but will allow the President to cherishthismomentoftruthandjoy

Third, the President is accurate in highlighting the childrenandthetransportationanduniformgrantsthatwere extendedbygovernmenttoeachoneofthem.This,too,has helped to provide some relief to the crushing burdens being bornebyparentsacrossGuyana,especiallythoseatthelower end of the economic ladder Fourth, the President identified “increaseoldagepension”whichisfactualonthefaceofit. ButthisamountstoameaslyGY$3,000(US$15)permonth. Evenwhenconsiderationisgiventotheone-offcashgrantto pensionersof$28,000,itisembarrassingforanyPresidentto includethisinhisdelivery WeremindPresidentAlithatheis theleaderoveroneofthefastestgrowingeconomies(ifnot the fastest per capita) in the world, and increases should be multiples of the insult that his government delivered to pensioners. This country can do better, but the PPPC Governmenthasnot,anditknowswhy Fifth, “when you are able to build roads all over the country…”,nowthePresidentisonfamiliarterritory,andhe isswingingfortheroofs.

The PPPC Government has splurged billions on infrastructure,whichenrichesthecroniesoftherulingparty, hangs increasing debt on Guyanese, and takes away from what could be available for those in need of sustained assistance. Guyanese don’t have much confidence in the tendersystem,andareconcernedaboutkickbacks,graft,and rampant corruption with multibillion dollar infrastructure projects. There is a huge imbalance in the billions for infrastructure (roads etc) versus the human relief handouts (uniform, pension, transportation) of which the President spokesoproudly.Citizenscannoteatinfrastructure.

President Ali brushed aside the World Bank’s 48% povertyfigurehedismissed“self-appointedprofessors”,and wasoverjoyedoverhouselots,scholarships,andcoders,all inthetensofthousands.

AlJazeerashouldcometoGuyana,andprobebehindthe happy picture that His Excellency presented. We wonder what the reaction(s) would be, especially if they go undercover,behindthenumbers,andbehindthePresident’s rhetoric,inthisoilrichnation.

DEAREDITOR, power cumulatively for period despite the several In other words, the January 1, 2023 marks more than thirty-two years attempts to divide the party party’s appeal has been the 73rd anniversary since and thirty-five years on along ethnic and ideological generally universalistic and the founding of the People’s completion of its current lines. has always embraced a Progressive Party (PPP). term in office. The PNC in The PPP was split in governance paradigm that is This makes the PPP the c o m p a r i s o n h a s 1955 after Forbes Burnham participatory and inclusive. oldest and largest multi- cumulatively been in power unsuccessfully attempted to Timeshavechangedandthe racial party with significant for thirty-three years out of take over the leadership of dialecticsofourtimerequire support from all ethnicities which twenty-four years theparty apoliticsofaccommodation andreligiouspersuasions. wereobtainedonthebasisof Thisregrettablyhaslefta and inclusion of all

Becauseof our changing fraudulentelections. deep scar on the body- individuals and groups that demographics, no political It is public knowledge politic.Inallofthis,thePPP are willing to contribute to party can win an election that all elections from 1968 continues to enjoy nationaldevelopment. basedonlyonethnicsupport. to1992wereblatantlyrigged significant multi-ethnic There is no better time Thisiswhyitissoimportant by the PNC to perpetuate its supportbothatthegrassroots thannowwhenthecountryis forpoliticalpartiestoseekto ruleuntilOctober1992when and at the leadership level. on the cusp of exciting and wincross-overvotesinorder the then President Desmond Indeed the PPP is today the monumentaltransformation. toobtainexecutivepower Hoyte buckled under local largest multi-racial party in EventhoughthePPPcanwin An examination of and international pressure Guyana. and had in the past won voting trends will show that and agreed, albeit The fact is that from the elections on its own, the the PPP/C, more than any reluctantly,totheholdingof timeofitsformation,thePPP Party had opted to become other political party, has freeandfairelections. has always embraced a partofacivicalliancewhich been able to win a larger It is to the credit people-oriented approach to has now become an integral shareofcross-overvotesand leadership and membership development which part of the governance hence being successful in of the PPP that it has been transcended the narrow process. formingthegovernment.For able to win democratic confines of race, religion or Regards, example,thePPPhasbeenin electionsforsuchasustained creed. HydarAlly

We will significantly increase cash grants

DEAREDITOR,

housing arrangements and incashhandoutsisoneofthe never again be given the When the PPP is healthcareaccess. most wicked and racist acts exclusive right to decide removed at the next Not a single mentally ill by the current regime. I what the people get and elections, we will not stop person will be left to live on repeat, we will significantly when and how they get it. cash grants to the nation’s thestreets.Homegrownfood increase cash grants to the The people must feel that people; especially the poor will be affordable once Guyanesepeople.Theymust what is theirs is easily We will increase it tenfold again. feel that money in their accessible and without red whilealsoputtingstructured People are currently hands while we work tapes and bullshit autocratic programmes in place to see going hungry in Guyana tirelessly to ensure at the leadership coming from poverty alleviation and an because they can’t afford to national level, social and government. end to homelessness and buyfoodweproducelocally economicprogrammesarein The abundance of oil destitution. Education will be free from place. wealth and a nation with

Housingschemesforthe nursery to university and I am reliably informed such a small population, we poor will be built across government ministers’ thatleadingpoliticiansinthe must not hoodwink citizens Guyana catering for those children will share the same government among many and continuously bluff them whoarestrugglingwhilewe classroomswiththechildren others would gamble in with promises while they focus first and foremost on of street vendors. Guyana’s excessofamilliondollarson continue to live a life below raising the living standards currencyhasnorealvalueso any given night at a certain average. of all Guyanese. Pensioners handingout25,000dollarsto casinoinGuyana. We must not talk and just born babies will be poor Blacks, while today In 2023, there must be liberation.Wemustliberate. given grants in excess of a having a secret programme serious investigative Sincerelyyours, million dollars yearly. where some favoured journalism to expose NormanBrowne Citizens living with Indians frequently get in corruption and PPP Social and Political disability will have special excessofahundredthousand hypocrisy. Politicians must Activist

DEAREDITOR, environmental damage to wrong with you people? Is ofcriticismmustcomewhen So far, the performance thiscountry party politics more EPA heads cannot execute of the current head of the The recent approval to importantthanthis? their duties with due EPA is poor and just grant Schumberger Corp. to No medical personnel diligenceastheyowethatto following his predecessors, process radioactive waste anywhereintheworldwould the citizens and health of a which is to be a puppet on a without the necessary have stayed silent in their country This is not like the stringtopartyleadershipand regulatory precautions was country with risk of other bureaucratic the oil, mining, bauxite and the last straw, this EPAhead radioactive exposure, government nine-to-five forestrycompanies. was risking citizens to contamination and jobs.TheEPAheadholdsthe

Now that Guyana is radioactive exposure, poisoning Interested livesofpeopleintheirhands transforming into an oil and contamination and citizensshouldgosearchthe as well as the fate of a natural resources economy, poisoning without blinking internet for “Chernobyl, country The EPA head theEPAheaddoesn’tseemto an eye and it took private Russia” and see for yourself should take the criticisms as understand that his job has citizens to take this fight to what those who should be wisdomasheisbeingsetup nowbecomemoreimportant the courts and finally, the protectingGuyanaisplaying to be the fall guy in case of than the President. As the courts took the side of the with by neglecting their environmental disasters, as EPA head, he is the line of people. duties.

the corporations and defense for this country to Thesadnessisalmostno I have nothing personal governmentresponsiblewill protect the environment and one paid attention to this, is againstthisoranyotherEPA say the EPA head did the the citizens, yet this man is this how brain-dead head, regardless of race or approvals. So once again, affixing his signature to Guyanese have become, party, if they choose to be EPA head do your job with approveallkindsofprojects especially the doctors, the puppets and followers to due diligence as you’re and permits with no medical association or party leadership, that’s their supposedtoorleave. objection, protest or anyone who has medical or personal choice and Sincerely, questioning the risks of chemicalknowledge,whatis prerogative, but the harshest

Crime in Guyana is too high

DEAREDITOR, around banks and at night, sale of alcohol to those who perception of the level of According to the U.S. coupled with better police are over consuming crime throughout the DepartmentofState,Guyana response to complaints are According to Princeton country Willfully breaking iscurrentlyalevel3country someofthestepsthatneedto University, our bodies can the law or knowing of it This means one should be taken. The Ministry of processonestandardalcohol being broken and not reconsider traveling to the Human Services and Social drinkperhour That’sone12 reportingitshouldbeathing country The GPF has made Security appears to be in ounce beer or a five ounce of the past. We must as a improvements over the last excellent hands and has glassofwineor1.5ouncesof people help by reporting year in the crime statistics, started the country down a 80 proof alcohol per hour known crimes. Respect for butclearly,thereisstillalot path towards preventing Another good practice is to the police is also important of room for improvement. domesticviolence. establishadesignateddriver and no one should be When compared to other Theotherareaofconcern policy and restrict the physically fighting with an Caribbean and South is alcohol consumption, presence of weapons on the honest police officer These Americanoptions,Guyanais whichhasalsobeenlinkedto premises.Thefestiveculture recommendations are just a less attractive as a tourist numerous reported crimes. I ofGuyanaissuchthatitwill few,butitwillhelpplacethe destination. stillrememberfrommytime also be necessary to have countryonthecorrectpathto The Ministry ofTourism intheindustrythehighlevel alcohol consumption checks quicklyreducethecrimethat has been working hard to of rum consumption in at different locations around is negatively impacting the make the country more Guyana A sweeping theroadnetwork. perception of our beautiful attractive for travellers and assumption? No, a data The objective of our nation I also encourage shouldbeapplaudedfortheir supported fact. At the time, Nation should be to get to others who are passionate efforts.However,theGPFis Guyana had the highest per level 1 on the U S about making the life of our perceived as lacking capita consumption of rum. Department of State’s citizens safer to also put resources to effectively The GPF must establish an advisory scale for travellers. forward their ideas on how handle the crime in the enforceable measure to IamsurethattheMinistryof we can effectively reduce country When I first read ensure that both consumers Home Affairs also has a crime. Life is to be enjoyed. what the USA stated, the and business owners partner strategy to further reduce Wehavegreatweather,great robbery of the tourist from to bring about the crime and we must as food, great schools, great thecruiseshipcametomind. responsible drinking of responsible citizens help the ecological attractions and An isolated event, but it fits alcohol. Ministry successfully the infrastructure is perfectly into what the Businesses serving implementitsplan. improving.Let’salsomakeit advisory said about crime. alcohol can help consumers We must as a Nation agreatplacetosafelylive. Effectivelypreventingcrime adhere to consumption work together to help Bestregards, by stronger police presence guidelines by stopping the improve both the reality and Mr.JamilChanglee

Systemsofpowermustbeaddressed

DEAREDITOR, asearlycolonialguineapigs. War between the US and knowledge, and systems of As we enter a new year, After WWII, the dominant China,theworldsystemstill culture. weunfortunatelycarryalong Liberal paradigm that constrains our policy “Race” was created by a now century-old conflict promised political, choices, and this absolutely Europeans to justifyAfrican about differential economic and cultural must be factored in our enslavement by using socioeconomicdevelopment independence after our long deliberations/policies going Christian myths, including a of the several groups in our “tutelage”, was challenged forward.

“GreatChainofBeing”with country These have stirred withina“ColdWar”between One synthesizing God on top, followed by his fears that sporadically the USSR and USA. The critiquewaspresentedbythe angels, then mankind - with precipitated violence Of former promoted a Latin American theorist Europeans on top and recent, there have been two socialist/communistmodeof Anibal Quijano, which he Africansatthebottom. approaches in analysing the socioeconomicdevelopment called the “Coloniality of Other non-European phenomenatowardscrafting while the latter pushed its Power”. He demonstrated groups, like Indians and possible solutions One modernization theory with that while “colonialism” Chinese, were placed into stresses proximate factors its Rostowian “stages of might have ended, its intermediatepositions–over such as alleged differential growth” economic structural features, dubbed which they still fight to awards of contracts, savings component. “coloniality”,remainsfirmly exchange their ultimate rates, investment and Burnham’s socialist co- in place. Quijano posits that subaltern statuses. In entrepreneurial behaviour operative experiment from wewereallconscriptedbya Guyana, Indentured Indians etc. The other asks us to the 1960s imploded through E u r o p e a n - d e f i n e d wererelegatedtothebottom considertheroleofsystemic its racial and economic “modernity” that began in of the racial ladder and their factors such as institutions contradictions, exposed by 1492withtheconquestofthe subsequent efforts to and culture – which the communist PPP and the Americas. It has developed challenge the ironic racism reflexively mutually Marxist/Black Power and extended the structures from the African and influenceeachother influenced WPA Guyana of power, control, and Coloured elite precipitated But our history has had to adopt the neo-liberal hegemony that emerged violence against them taught us that we are “Washington Consensus” during the era of “Race” still matters in every operating within a historical p r e s c r i p t i o n s o f c o l o n i a l i s m H e country in the world – even worldsystemthatdeveloped privatization, stabilization, demonstrated that the where there was no African since Europe’s colonization andliberalizationofmarkets coloniality of power takes slavery Consequently, our of the world from the 15th by 1989. As we are on the three forms: systems of localeffortstoeliminateits century – ironically with us cusp of an incipient Cold racialhierarchies,systemsof (Continuedonpage6)

ARESPONSE TO ERIC MOSELEY

DEAREDITOR, trying to convince the world It was only recently I that they no longer are a read the irate letter penned dictatorship seeking party, by Mr Moseley He is but instead victims of obviously hurt by the truth I apartheid. How ridiculous is haveexpressed.Onejusthas this assertion When the to look at what is stated in world’sviewofthePNCand Wikipedia about President their partners change then Burnham to better grasp and only then an audience what is not my personal may consider the message impression, but what is yourteamistryingtopeddle knownworldwide. amongsteducatedpeople.

I quote “Despite being The attempted theft of widelyregardedasoneofthe the last elections has only principal architects of the reinforced the world’s view postcolonialGuyanesestate, of President Burnham’s his presidency was legacy The country almost nonetheless marred by regressed back into repeated accusations of dictatorship Luckily, Afro-supremacy, state- President Granger did not sanctioned violence, cross the same line which economic collapse, electoral PresidentBurnhamdidinthe fraudandcorruption”. past.

Mr Mosley may now The civilized and takehisshowontheroadand educated world has placed try to convince the world sanctions on these so called otherwise.Unfortunately,no leaders of apartheid victims one will believe the because the world saw apartheid garbage that clearlythattheyarethesame Burnham’s followers are old PNC dictatorshipselling.The acts of the PNC seekingbunchofhypocrites. since pre-independence Bestregards, speak volumes to the intent

and supremist

Mr.JamilChanglee

approach Chairman taken by this corrupt group T h e C o o p e r a t i v e who are now desperately RepublicansofGuyana

Man who slaps wife drops dead with knife in chest

Police are investigating the alleged murder of a 25year-old man of Middle Street Princetown, Corriverton, Berbice, which occurredonSunday

The dead man has been identifiedasJasonBownath. Reportsarethatthemanwas stabbed by his common-law partner,LakeishaGarnett,25 afterheallegedlyslappedher multiple times during an argument.

Kaieteur News was informed that sometime around 23:30 and 00:00 hrs Sunday Jan 1 2023, the couple was at a family

again. She then grabbed a function at Garnett mother’s kitchen knife and stabbed house in Princetown, him once to the left side Corrivertonwhentheybegan chest,reportsstated.Hewas quarreling with each other rushedtotheSkeldonPublic Bownath allegedly slapped Hospital by his sister and Garnetttwicetothefaceand subsequently transferred to she subsequently decided to the New Amsterdam leave the function and head Hospital where he home. The now dead man succumbed. followed her and another

The suspect is currently roundofargumentbrokeout in police custody assisting at their home, resulting in withinvestigations. Bownath hitting Garnett

Beauty, Joy and Growth in 2023

DEAREDITOR, support for agriculture Happy New Year to His sustainably,therebycreating Theyear2022hasbeena losses, food sustenance, and ExcellencythePresident,Dr a multitude of opportunities year that has highlighted the medicines.

Irfaan Ali and family, forimprovingthelivesofour beautyandgloryofGuyana. Wecalluponthepolitical distinguished members of people and modernizing our We have truly been p o w e r h o u s e s , t h e the Government, the nation like that of a firstblessed to have our government and opposition Opposition, and all our worldcountry wellbeing sought after by a bothofwhichhaveheartsof Divinebrothersandsistersof We believe that the most gracious and caring love for Guyana and all our Guyana. beautyofjoyandgrowthcan government, we are truly people, to continue to work So, as we usher in the truly be magnified with grateful. Our President His forourpeopleandnation. New Year 2023, let’s do so thoughts of positivity, love Excellency, Dr Irfaan Ali In this respect, we, the knowing that as a people of andwisdom. and our government along Guyana Islamic Forum for this great nation, our Our people yearn for the withitscommittedministers Education, Peace and determination and strength cooperationofourleaders,in are continuously working to Religious Solidarity, the knows no bounds. We are orderforustotrulygalvanize bringrelief,joyandgoodwill Electric Mosque’s ready to grasp all ourselves and magnify our toourpeopleandnation.We Presentation of the opportunitiesthatawaitusas personalities into a true truly have the unwavering Teachings of Islam, in weenter2023. concept of the One People, support of the government; association with the Wehopethat,withsound One Nation, One Destiny we have received support in Universal Peace Federation m a n a g e m e n t a n d philosophy the form of cash grants, – Guyana, take this administration, our

Sincerely, school cash grants, and opportunity to extend a resources can be handled HajjiDr

RoshanKhan

In Support of Pension Increment for Sugar Retirees

DEAREDITOR, pension is tied to inflation; budget. increase with its limited Imtiaz Baccus’s letter retireesandorpensionersget The former STEPS budget. (Dec 30 brought shock and annualCOLA. contributors could hardly Bywayofthismissive,I tearstomyeyes. IntheUS,forexampleall afford to buy ration for a am petitioning the President

It is incredible that social security pensioners week with their pension. andVice President to please former sugar (retired) willgeta12%increasefrom They made enormous consider giving a subsidy to workers (STEPS) who January and more sacrifices to the sugar STEPS to raise the pension contributed to a pension increments are expected industry and at a period of minimumamounttiedtothe scheme are receiving a annuallythereafter time when it was most old age pension plus an 8% pension that is well below Mr Baccus appealed to p r o f i t a b l e ; t h e i r increasesimilartothatgiven the old age pension. Worse, President Ali and Finance contributions were invested to GuySuCo, police, they have not received an Minister Ashni Singh to in the economy Some military, and public service increment over the last ten consider granting an STEPS contributors made workers. years unlike regular old age increase in their (STEPS) payments into the fund for Since the retired orGuySuCopensioners. pension (which varies but uptofortyyears. pensionersdidnotreceivean

In almost every country, averages, I am told some Their low pension increase in pension for last includingwhatourtowering $18K). The current old age amountisaninsult. decade,mayIalsoappealto political leaders use to call pension is about $28K and S u g a r w o r k e r s the President and VP to the imperialistic parasites, likely to go up in the next historically have been the please offer subsidies that economic base of the nation willprovideforanadditional andcontributedsignificantly increment that is equivalent to growth and development. to the total percentage Igrewuponthelargestsugar granted to GuySuCo and plantation in Guyana, Port state workers over the last Mourant. ten years (retroactively)

Will the EU take back their award from Stabroek News?

DEAREDITOR, stunning act of censorship, Earlier this month, the suppressionandprohibition. EU conferred a journalism In many countries, the awardtoStabroekNews. STABROEK NEWS would

On Friday night’s The have instantly lost their Gildarie-Freddie Show, Mr journalistic and publishing Kissoon revealed to license The immediate thousandofviewersthatina question now that the viewer’s letter to that Stabroek News has been newspaper,theSTABROEK exposed will the EU take NEWS had deliberately backtheiraward? omitted a line with Mr. Regards, Kissoon’s name. This is a HerbertAllen

I can relate to the Only a small number of impoverishment of sugar pensioners are receiving workers. STEPS; most have passed

They deserve a decent away.

habitablepensiontoliftthem A subsidy will be an out of poverty which insignificant burden on the currently is at 48%, treasury and help to bring accordingtotheIDB. down the poverty level in

I am told STEPS cannot severalvillages. afford to increase pension Yoursfaithfully, payment or offer an 8% VishnuBisram

Systemsofpowermustbeaddressed

Frompage5 in the extension of under its hegemony” In levels. For instance, why effects must be joined coloniality from slavery attempting to create should denigrate other globally Presently, immigrants to the liberatingGuyanesecultures groups racially/ethnically at “Race” always had a west from the rest is the andinstitutionsweshouldbe when we ourselves are material base Quijano latest manifestation The aware we will be using “the suffering from that scorn asserts, “The other process Eurocentric “Systems of toolsofthemaster”. from others through wastheconstitutionofanew knowledge”shouldbetaken We therefore all live hierarchies of race? Then, structureofcontroloflabour into consideration as we within a multiplicity of how do we deliver equity and its resources and tinker with our institutions colonialities: conquest and and equality of opportunity products ” This was and culture to deal with our modernity; race; the nation; forallgroupsinourcountry achieved through the unique contingencies sexuality; gender; the within a neo-liberal developmentofthecapitalist Quijano writes, “Europe’s h e g e m o n i c a n d paradigmthatsystematically worldsystemwiththeglobal hegemony over the new hegemonized mind etc. For generatesinequalities? racial/ethnic hierarchy of model of global power ustocreatesustainableplans Cognizant of our Europeans and non- concentratedallformsofthe to alter our status quo constraints, we have Europeans being an integral control of subjectivity, positively, we need to suggested a Nordic-type part. It included transitional culture, and especially appreciate the constraints at socialistdemocraticsystem. formssuchasIndentureship, knowledge and the the individual, group, Sincerely, which was an important cog production of knowledge state/nation and global RaviDev

The house where the incident occurred

Jason Bownath.

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WHERE IS THE REST OF GUYANA?

KaieteurNewshasledtheway; What are all these groups and others unmentioned up in their KaieteurRadiohassetanexample. thunderoussilence?

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Aretheybutteringtheirbreadwith

We have all this oil wealth, yet we oilbusinessorhopingtodoso? haveallthissilence.

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All that can give every Guyanese a Change is occurring in many better life, but we have all this places: president jailed; a president’s indifference. daughterinhiding.

Change must come in Guyana in

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Whyareourlawyerssilent? 2023.

Why are our parliamentarians Theforeignerswillnotsurrender silent(evenfightingforforeigners)? asinglecentunlessweforcethem.

Why are our professionals tongue- We must fight for what belongs to tied? us.

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Whyareourreligiousorganizations silent, not speaking out for the poor Wecannotspeakforothers,butwe andneedy? can speak for Kaieteur News and

Whyareourtradeunionssilent? KaieteurRadio.

Why are the Guardians of We will continue the fight so that Democracysilent? poorandrichGuyanesedobetter.

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Wherearetheytoday?

If nobody else has the guts (or

Why is our civil society mostly brains)tofight,wewillcontinuetodo struckdumb? soin2023.

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Why is most of the mainstream That’s a promise, and we have just mediasilentandspeechless? beguntofight.

Whyareourletterwriterssilent? All Guyanese must enjoy a better

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Why are our columnists and lifefromthisoil. opinioncontributorssilent?

Itstartsin2023.

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Insurance Operators, Brokers call on Regulator to provide better response to deficiencies in oil sector

There continues to be

Operators have stated much uncertainty regarding however that no local Guyana’s environmental company was able to take protection relative to oil and partinanyofthepoliciesthe gas operations and local Oil Companies claim are i n d u s t r y o p e r a t o r s available. “The coverage in (Insurance Companies and the 2019 news item was Brokers) are urging the never placed. It appears that Commissioner of Insurance Diamond was selected to to play a greater role in front for Lisa 2 and Payara ensuring that Oil Companies but neither policy was ever adhere to the Laws of engaged by Exxon although Guyana. wordingetc.wasprepared.”

While a number of p r e m i u m s , c e d i n g Further, this newspaper inconsistencies have been commissions and other was told that another named raised in relation to oil spill revenue. Insurance Company was coverage here, the most Kaieteur News had selected to front for the “The Regulator is a key of the gross premium,” the arecertainlyawarethatthere important remains the lack recently confirmed that offshore Canje Block and figure in the correct and sourcesaidwhileaddingthat is no local trace of the of Parent Company G u y a n a a l l o w e d Stabroek Block, “but it available insurance for the this is another aspect of the US$600M environmental Guarantee to cover any ExxonMobil and Partners to appears that again, oil sector He must approve matter that the Guyana impact coverage policy that damage above what the significantly reduce the oil preparatory work was done alloil&gasplacements,”the Revenue Authority (GRA) they said was in place and it operating company is able to spill insurance sum for the but the policies were never newspaperwastold. mightbeinterestedtoknow looks as if that was certainly pay Liza2projectfromUS$2.5B taken up. This is absolutely “So that, they have “So that both the not fronted, again in breach The Local Industry toUS$600M.Itwasrevealed startling information,” the knowledge of how the Insurance and the Tax Act of the Act. Ultimately the Operators have added the tooinanewsitemthatalocal source revealed He placements were finalized. wouldhavebeenbreached,if Commissioner’sOfficemust lossofmillionsofUSdollars company in 2019, Diamond suggested the information to Directplacementtooverseas this in fact occurred. More have knowledge of the tothedilemmasayingthatby Fire and General Insurance, mean that “not even fronting is specifically and expressly so, it also means that the placements - this is their law, oil insurance should be had received the US$2.5B fees wereeverpaid- in other forbidden by the Act. If this Commissioner of Insurance obligation as regulation and held in country where local policybeforeitwasreduced. wordsabsolutelynothingfor was allowed, it was a may have failed to enforce enforcement of the act is businesses cover and earn Concerned Industry Guyana.” deliberate breach of the Act. the Act and may have acted their principle function. One How could this have been in a manner that undermines wouldimaginethiswouldbe facilitated by the Regulator? thewellbeingoftheindustry a standard agenda item on The Commissioner of he is appointed to protect. It theirreporttotheMinistryof Insurance,Dr GobinGanga boggles the mind that this Finance under whose or the Director may be able may have occurred but in portfoliotheyfall.” to shed some light,” the absence of proof from the Though there are more sourcecontinued. Office of the Commissioner questions than answers, “If the placements were thatthepolicieswerefronted KaieteurNewswastoldthat, not fronted, it means that not through a Local Insurer and “It is very difficult for only is all of the commission approvedbythem,thiscould industry players to raise lost to the industry, but the well be what happened,” the questions about the premium was not taxed; for sourcesaid. Regulator’sroleasitisthat premium taxes which is 9% The source added, “We (Continued on page 9)

The sale of the hotel

The Government of suspicions because it could funds into the venture given National Engineering efficiency, the reduction of Guyana has invited haveopenedthedoorstothe thefactthattheoriginalplan Corporation, Guyana financial and administrative Expressions of Interest for possibilityofthehotelbeing was for it to be privately Airways Corporation, burdens, expanding the role the Marriott Hotel.That is a grabbed by the syndicated owned. The Private Sector Guyana Pharmaceutical of the private sector, very suspicious move.If the investors at a severely- Commission (PSC), in a CorporationLimited,Sanata promoting modernization, government is serious about discounted price had it typical reflexive reaction, Textiles Limited, National efficient management and divesting itself of the now continuedtolosemoney threw its weight behind the Bank of Industry & growth, enhancing ofwhichthePPPChasbeen money-making Marriott Thehoteldidlosemoney project but ironically called Commerce, Guyana competitiveness and unable to put on the road to why not simply put it up for in its early years. It suffered for more information to be National Cooperative Bank, provision of greater viability If the PPPC now saletothehighestbidder? from poor occupancy rates made available. One local Guyana Bank for Trade and employment and reduction wishes a state exit from The Marriott Hotel was untilitsfortunesappearedto hotelownerhoweverdidnot I n d u s t r y, G u y a n a of costs to users and economic enterprises, built with substantial be reversed with the share the PSC’s optimism. Agricultural and Industrial consumers. beginning with the Marriott government funding discovery of oil One He said the investment DevelopmentBank,Guyana The PPPC had been Hotel, it should provide its Ta x p a y e r s b o r e a Minister of the government represented a “misuse of Cooperative Mortgage highly critical of the PNC’s reasons for doing so It considerable cost for boasted last year that the taxpayers’ money and an Finance Bank, Guyana privatization programme should ensure there is preparing for construction hotel was fully booked into indecent assault on the local Cooperative Insurance But its own divestment of transparency in the present by having to carry the costs this year Therefore, it is privatesector.” Society and Seals and stateownedenterpriseswere arrangements. It is far from of diverting the city’s more than likely that the B u t w h i l e t h e PackagingIndustryLimited. fraughtwithcontroversyand transparent when potential sewage lines. According to hotel is now making money government was getting InitsPrivatizationPolicy thePPPCprivatizedfarmore investorsaregivenanarrow an audit report, done under Why then does the involved in an investment FrameworkPaper,thePPPC with state interest than the window of a few weeks to t h e A P N U + A F C government want to sell a that would put the hotel in government warned against PNC. If it is now the provide expressions of government, the cost of the venture that is turning a competition with the private privatization simply to raise economic philosophy of the interest since such tight hotel kept escalating A profit? s e c t o r , i t s c h i e f finances and said that governmenttonotholdonto deadlines favours the special purpose company, Attheturning-of-the-sod spokesperson, was saying considerationshouldalsobe entities which compete with favoured. owned by NICIL, a state ceremony for the hotel, then that the government’s given the future operational the private sector, the (The views expressed in holding company, was President Bharrat Jagdeo experience had led it to the efficiency of state government must explain this article are those of the establishedandthehotelwas had explained that if the belief that government enterprises to be divested. whyitcontinuestoholdonto author and do not completedwithasyndicated country was to provide should not crowd out the ThePPPCgovernmentlisted the Guyana Oil Company, necessarily reflect the loan from Republic Bank. w o r l d - c l a s s private sector The floating the following as the reasons National Lithographic opinions and beliefs of this The loan agreement gave accommodation, it needed a of the hotel was therefore a for privatization: Company and the Guyana n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s preferred rights to the five-star hotel. Presumably, direct contradiction of this improvement of economic SugarCorporation,thelatter affiliates.) syndicated investors, which the floating of the hotel was philosophy under which the meant that should the hotel intendedtoallowGuyanato PPPC government had go bust these unknown offer such accommodation. privatized a number of investors would have the This still did not, however, companieswithstateinterest first lien on the proceeds of e x p l a i n , w h y t h e i n c l u d i n g G u y a n a any sale. This aspect raised governmentneededtoinject StockfeedsLimited,Guyana

Insurance Operators, Brokers call on Regulator to...

Frompage8 meeting with the Bank of between $2B and $10B, veryRegulatorwhoseissues Guyana.” which is ridiculous and not their licenses Yet, the Dr Adams reminded, what is in the permit which direction in which this is however, that while hasnolimit. leadingisquitealarming.” insurancehasitsroletoplay Who will cover the cost

Former Environmental within the scope of local above $10B for example, Protectionhead,Dr Vincent content, “the parent liketheBPspillingulfwhich Alexander speaking on the company has always been cost$145B?” US$2 5B ExxonMobil the key to the sector’s Melissa De Santos, allegedwasplaced,saidthat guaranteedprotection. President of the Insurance at the time the oil company It doesn’t matter if the Association of Guyana, told had purchased the policy insurance is $1, the parent Kaieteur News earlier this from a company in England companyguaranteewhichis monththatthegrouphadmet andhadtoshowtheproofof the legal requirement in the the deadline in providing the purchase to the EPA permit, has to cover information of a consortium before signing the Liza 2 everythingoverthat$1.” to the Bank of Guyana’s Dr Permit. Dr Adams mentioned Ganga.

He said, “When I went thatcurrentlyVicePresident She said while the bank public with it, the Insurance Bharrat Jagdeo is talking has not yet summoned the Association kicked up a about the Parent Company consortium,sheunderstands storm and said it had to be Guarantee, “except he is that preparations are being transferredlocally,henceour talking about a guarantee madeforthattobedone.

Dem boys seh...

GUYANESE LOVE DOUBLE STANDARDS

Well hear dis now! Guyana gat some same man was firing off squibs and dem barefaced people. Imagine de police gat a other firecrackers on de stroke of midnight mobile unit near de Stabroek Market and onOldYear’sNight. demgatnuffpolicedoesbewalkingupand At one mall, dem people did partying down de Square because is a place where when de firecrackers start to explode. Dem nuffrobberydoestekplace.Butnoneofdem suh engross in de fete dat nuff a dem nah policenahnotice–orifdemdiddemturna worry about de explosions Is only blindeye–todesaleoffirecrackers. afterwards some of dem realize that not all

De firecracker vendors had an open de bangs dem hear was firecrackers. Some season. De sale of firecrackers explode dis was real gunshots following an incident year But is dem dogs and cats wah dem outsideoneofthejoints. boys sorry fuh and not just dem old people ButdatishowwedoesrollinGuyana. wahheartdoesbejumpingoutofdemchest Wedoesclaimonethinganddodeother We whendeclockstrike12onNewYear’sEve. does seh how we care fun animals and

Imagineonemanmeetdemboysandtell animal rights and yet delight in firing off demboyshowdenahagreewithdemsquib squibs. sinceitdoesdrivehedogscrazy Andyetdis Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

Drivingalongsidethe AtlanticinRegion3yesterday

esterday was a hair

Yrandom?”Hewavedmeon. The trip at WCD and a spanking, new public holiday Today I am still baffled Ididn’tmoveandwasready EBE was worth it, really private hospital that My wife and I bythemysteryofGuyanese todiscusstheissuewithhim. worth it. Political parties may offer healthy

notgoaway decided to visit driving alongside the But I have a quiet wife that will fight down each other competition and that may Icouldn’tbelievewhatI West Coast Demerara Atlanticwiththeirwindows hateswhenIaminaquarrel and there will be charges of relieve the burden at the saw Now a park is a place because we haven’t been tightlyshut. and confrontation She political bias and ethnic private hospitals in where families go to enjoy thereforalongtime.WhenI It is an indescribable askedmetodriveon. discriminationthatmayvery Georgetown The more the beauty of nature. But in was growing up, I read in feeling to have the Atlantic Ipassedanothergroupat wellbewithusinthefuture. private hospitals open, the close physical proximity to novels and saw in the breeze tossing your hair in Leonora but I was not But what I saw in WCD is more services are available. the park is a makeshift movies people exuberating wildfantasy Ilookedoutmy intercepted but I was at beyond doubt, development What this means is that if alfresco bar frequented by abouttheseabreezeintheir window when we were on Barnwell East Bank atarapidpace. you want to see a bone the fishermen of Windsor hairwhiledriving. the WCD yesterday and EssequiboandIrepeatedmy What I saw yesterday is specialistoragynaecologist Forest. I once read long ago most of the cars that passed exclamation; “Why are you the economic development oreyedoctorandthewaiting

I am afraid when those where the founder of me at Windsor Forest had makingarandomstop.”This of Guyana right in front of list is long, you have other guys get drunk and let off Stabroek News, David their windows closed.What timemywiferemainedquiet my eyes. No matter which options.

their scatological DeCaireswrotethatGuyana a strange set of philistines and I engaged all three of political party you support, When my daughter was vocabulary, mothers in the istheonlycountrywherethe Guyaneseare. them. youcannotdenythepositive at primary school, my wife park will have to pick up Atlantic Ocean runs right I passed three groups of This is Guyana, a truly things taking place at WCD and I would buy fast food their children and run. intothecapitalofacountry I traffic ranks from the lawless country but even andEBE. andtraveltoWindsorForest Finally, the traffic situation don’t know if he is right or Harbour Bridge right up to though you know it is WCD is going to at WCD and sit on the at Parika is a nightmare. It wrong but you are literally Parika randomly stopping lawless you will still be challengeGeorgetowntobe Atlantic wall Now the reminds me of the horror driving alongside the vehicles. surprised to hear what the the hub of Guyana. I have Windsor Forest seawall has show that is ubiquitous in Atlanticwhenyouaregoing Assoonasyouenterthe ranksaidtome. seen a plethora of business beentransformed. Georgetown. up East Coast Demerara, bridge from Peter’s Hall, a Hetoldmeheisstopping places that bears absolutely A well landscaped park

(The views expressed in West Coast Demerara trioofpolicestopsyouwith drivers to ensure they have noresemblancetotheWCD has been built right next to this article are those of the (WCD) and East Bank thewaveofahand. their seat belts on and to that I saw 20 years ago. theoceananditprovidesan author and do not Essequibo(EBE). Isaidtoonewhowaved educate them on the use of Therearealsoafewlarge(I outlet for the residents of necessarily reflect the After I began driving, I at me in a no-nonsense but the seatbelt. I told him he m e a n c o l o s s a l ) Windsor Forest and opinions and beliefs of this camefacetofacewithwhatI not harsh tone; “Why are wasn’teducatingdrivers,he constructionstakingplace. surrounding areas But n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s read about the wind in your you stopping the car at washarassingthem. Mostinterestingly,Isaw Guyanese philistinism will affiliates.)

FrederickKissoon

A disastrous year for Guyana’s oil sector’ oil sector’

2022 closes with no trace of US$600M draw down from oil fund

No audit reports on Exxon bills

No full liability coverage for oil spills

–David Patterson

No independent regulators in place

No scrutiny by parliamentary committees No updated petroleum laws

No audit of oil impacts on fishing industry

Petroleum Commission being established to ensure independent management of the sector He said the sector remains within the bosom of the President, Vice President and Natural Resources Minister, therefore exposing its governance and policies to significantpoliticalinterference. He also said citizens must be alarmed by the fact that they have no clue what government did

The political opposition is of totalling US$7.3B for the period partners incurred from 1999 to beingshaftedonprojectcosts. specifically with the withdrawal of the firm conviction that 2022 saw 2018 to 2020 was awarded early 2016.Thisauditwasundertakenby Further to the aforementioned over US$600M from the Natural nothing but disastrous oil sector last year VHE Consulting, a IHS Markit since 2019. Natural Patterson said, “They also failed to Resource Fund. He said the money governance from the People’s registered partnership between Resources Minister, Vickram produce any feasibility reports for was moved to the Consolidated Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Ramdihal & Haynes Inc, Eclisar Bharrat has not provided an update the gas-to-energy project despite Fund but no one, save and except administration. Financial, and Vitality Accounting on when this report would be making promises to do so and even for the government, knows how Specifically, Shadow Minister &ConsultancyIncwerehiredtodo availableforpublicscrutiny budgeting to do so. We don’t know this money was used. He said this for the oil and gas industry, David the job with support from two Patterson also slammed the how they arrived at costs which are hinders the power of the people to Patterson said 2022 has come and international firms SGS and government’s failure to release now in excess of US$2B. Also holdgovernmentaccountable. gone without the government Martindale Consultants. The ‘Cost reports that were drafted by Alison frightening is that the Natural The Opposition member also securing full liability coverage for Recovery Audit and Validation of Redford, a lawyer and former Resources Committee of chided the government for failing oil spills from ExxonMobil the Government of Guyana’s Profit Canadian politician who had Parliament has never met, thus to even commence an audit of the Corporation, even though this is a Oil Share’was awarded to the tune reviewedthePayaraandYellowtail preventing parliament from nation’s fishing stock in lieu of requirement in the permits for its of US$751,000 with a four-month Field Development Plans. Both exercising proper oversight of the impactsfromtheboomingoffshore four sanctioned projects in the deadline.The auditors handed over reviews were done in an oilandgassector.” industry Government had said last Stabroek Block Patterson also their report, as Kaieteur News unprecedentedfashion,lessthan60 While the country may have a year that a study was done by the lambasted the government’s understands, in December 2022. days Given the level of due Local Content Law in place, Food andAgriculture Organization silence on this front, saying that President Dr Irfaan Ali had diligence required for such Patterson said its many loopholes on this very matter but never they ought to be forthcoming about promisedtomakethedetailsofthis projects, each costing Guyana and zero regulations, also point to releasedtheresults. thereasonsforitsfailurethusfar audit public but there has been no between US$9B and US$10B, the government’s incompetence. In light of the foregoing points, Pattersonwasalsocriticalofthe updateonthisfronttodate. industry stakeholders have said a He also said there is no proper oil along with the fact that the nation’s fact that audit report of

Another key audit report that is year minimum, is needed for a spill recovery plan in place nor has petroleum laws remain outdated, ExxonMobil’s cost recovery bills yet to make its way into the public thorough review Stakeholders onebeentabled.

Patterson said 2022 for Guyana’s have yet to be made public. The domain pertains to over US$460M have said that proper reviews are The Shadow Minister also oil sector was the epitome of contract to audit Exxon’s costs in pre-contract costs Exxon and necessary to ensure Guyana is not lamented the absence of a lawlessness.

Several homeless after Riverview blaze

Afire of unknown origin Monday afternoon gutted a Riverview Ruimveldt, Public Road home leaving severalpersonshomeless.

The fire started around 3:30hrs When Kaieteur News arrived at the scene scores of passersby and neighbours were seen gathered beyond police lines to help the families to save items from the home However, not many items could have been saved as persons retreated for safety as the blaze ripped through the two-storey wooden house.

MedicalTechnicianswereon that he was about to wash

PersonsfromtheGuyana standbyatthescene. clothes when he saw a thick Power&Lightwerecalledin Owner of the house, bloom of smoke emanating to disconnect the flow of Gavin Joseph, 64, broke from the back of the electricity even as the road down in tears during an building. Joseph has been was cordoned off by several interview with this livingatthehomeforseveral traffic ranks

newspaper while relating

Opposition’s Shadow Minister for Oil and Gas, David Patterson

Homeowner, Gavin Joseph Contractor, Brandon Baker

Workers reeling from high cost of living -

A

situation in the importers, to help the country, the Guyana farmers to help the Agricultural and General producers,weexpectthemto Workers’ Union said that act in a way that befits their while efforts are being made moral responsibility to the by government to ease the consumer, and that moral burden of citizens the reliefs responsibility is to pass on arenotmeetingthem. the benefits that you receive “It is unfortunate that asaresultofthisintervention there may be some who to the consumer to minimise rather than seeking to share the impact [of the global the relief offered by public situation],” the President policies were seeking to said back then. PresidentAli p r o f i t e e r We a r e had acknowledged that the disappointed by such pandemic had severely behaviourasitrepresentsyet impacted the supply chain another form of exploitation around the world thus perpetuated against our resulting in a backlog in people, especially the shipments and shortages workers. We abhor those This he said led to increased whoengageinsuchpractices costs at the production level and we believe that a re- andatthelogisticslevel–the evaluation of policies may combination of which has be necessary to seek to driven high commodity provide greater support to prices globally, something the people directly,” GAWU from which Guyana has not reasoned in its New Year beenspared. message. However, GAWU said in Since returning to office, 2022, the heightening costthe PPP/C Government has of-living is an issue thatSugar workers last year staged many protests against poor management of the sector as well as matters of their welfare.

extent the price increases p o v e r t y l e v e l s a n d fromtheCaribbean. would lead to an increase

percent

Cop, fisherman shot dead on New Year’s Day

Dead are 31-year-old Detective Corporal Dwayne McPherson, and a 22-yearold fisherman Kishan Budburgh. Budburgh’s 19year-old brother Marlon was injured.

killed during the wee hours answers.

Kishan and Marlon Budburgh’s mother, Beverly Dundas

a t G r o v e H u n t l e y,

Station, located in Region Mahaicony, ECD,

Five, were at the time

and

were

The report noted that a the COVID – 19 pandemic. recent IDB study, The price is expected to estimates that a 20 percent remain over US$80 increase in food prices in through 2024, before 23 countries in Latin dropping to US$71 by America and the Caribbean 2027.

m i d t h e local consumers. “The heightened cost measures that we are o f l i v i n g imposing to help the

unveiled a range of tax attracted the attention of have their origins in i n e q u a l i t y T i t l e d Though the report spoke of 1.6

in moderate reliefs and other incentives many workers. The union occurrences taking place far ‘Headwinds Facing Post- glowingly of Guyana’s poverty and 1.8 percent in to businesses, ostensibly said the Bureau of Statistics beyond our borders and of Pandemic Recovery in the economic prospects, it noted extreme poverty, increasing aimed at helping struggling recorded that the Consumer which we are an unwitting Caribbean’ , the IDB that there have been the total number of people Guyanese cushion the blows Price Index (CPI) increased victim,”GAWUstated. quarterly report said that important local effects of living in moderate and ofthehighcostofliving. by 6.5% for the year up to Only recently, this Caribbean countries should these global headwinds that extreme poverty by 9 8 T h e s e m e a s u r e s October 2022. Notably, the newspaperreportedonanew prepareforprolongedeffects have not been as favourable million, and 10.8 million, however, have not been food CPI was nearly double I n t e r - A m e r i c a n of external economic shocks as the improvements in the respectively passedonandevenPresident at 12.3% over the same Development Bank (IDB) in 2023, including for high terms of trade, mainly According to the report, Irfaan Ali at one time period. “Some may express study which flagged food and fuel prices and throughtheirimpactonlocal the current global context of criticized the private sector doubt over the figures given Guyana’s ballooning rising international interest price levels. “The inflation high commodity prices for not doing so. During an the situation in the markets, inflation rate. The bank said rates. The bank said higher rate has been above affects countries differently, addresstotheNationbackin supermarkets, and shops. It it has been above historical interest rates could lead to historical levels since mid depending on whether they November last year, Ali is acknowledged, however, levels since June last year, economic slowdowns, or – June 2021. The annual are mainly commodity disclosed that the benefits that prices grew greater than e r o d i n g c o n s u m e r even recessions, in inflationratewas2.1percent importers or exporters, and given to the private sector theusualduringthisyear We purchasing power and importantsourcemarketsfor inDecember2019,remained directly affecting their terms have not been passed on to are mindful that to a large contributing to higher exported services and goods subdued through 202 0 and of trade. Countries that early 2021, and then reached mainly export products 6.9 percent in June 2021,” whose prices increase the Bank stated. According benefitfromimprovedterms to the IDB, the inflation rate of trade, which means averaged 6.6 percent in the imports become relatively second half of 2021 and cheaper, supporting a 6 2 percent through country’spurchasingpower September 2022. “More However, for Guyana, notably, food prices have this development is twoseen even higher rates of fold, since the country is not inflation, averaging 11.2 only benefitting from higher percent this year through energy prices but also from S e p t e m b e r T h e higher levels of oil implications of this production,thereportstated. challenging global context It added that specific driven by high energy commodities such as oil prices and disruptedsupply and aluminum are chains is that consumer projected to have relatively purchasing power has high pricesthrough2024. eroded in the face of The average price of the increasing price levels, main oil benchmarks (Brent, contributing to higher WTI, and Dubai) reached a poverty levels and high of US$98 per barrel in inequality.” 2022,upfromUS$61before

Dead: Kishan Budburgh

Dead: Detective Corporal, Dwayne McPherson

Two persons, including a police constable, have been shot dead and another injured in a New Year’s Day incident which occurred at Grove Huntley, Mahaicony, EastCoastDemerara(ECD).

Chinese national critical after stabbed at LBI

Police are investigating televisionwhen he heardhis t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s gaterocking. surrounding an alleged As such, he looked w o u n d i n g i n c i d e n t throughhiswindowandsaw committed on Xia Jun a male Chinese run into his Zhang, a 36-year-old yard, screaming for help. Chinesemanofanunknown The pensioner then went to address, which occurred at his back step, which is about 21:15 hrs Sunday situated south of his night (January 1) at La building, and he saw the Bonne Intention (LBI), East male Chinese lying on the CoastDemerara. ground in his yard with According to a police blood on his clothes along press release ranks, acting with stab wounds to the left on information received side of his upper body The froma911call,respondedto EMT was summoned, and a report at Lot 25 Onion the injured man was picked Field, La Bonne Intention, up in a conscious state and where contact was made escorted to the Georgetown with a 66-year-old P u b l i c H o s p i t a l ’s pensioner of the said Emergency Unit, where he address, who claimed that is presently undergoing on NewYear’s Day at about surgery. His condition is 21:15 hrs, he was in his l i s t e d a s c r i t i c a l . living room watching Investigationinprogress.

Several homeless after...

From page 12 years with his wife and noted he could not save anything. He didnothaveinsuranceforthebuilding.

BrandonBaker,a22-year-oldcontractorwhowasatenant at the house said he was able to rescue a child from the building.“Ismell[something]likebunrubbersoImeksuhgo outbymetoseeifIseeanything,meain’tseenothing.WhenI meksuhandpeepthroughbyTammythem,itgahaholedown deh,Iseesmoke.” Bakerfurtherrelated:“WhenIgoupstairs, Iseethemchairsetpackup,whenIgoupdowndehisdechair set catch a fire. I see de lil girl [and] bring down stairs de lil girl…By time I run and come out back from the house, de wholeupstairswasinfire.”

Brandonlaterexplainedthathistoolsandotherbelongings he lost estimated to be over $500,000. He has a pregnant girlfriend. Residents lamented the lack of fire hydrants in the area.Uptopresstime,itisunknownwhatmayhavecausedthe fire. Persons interested in assisting Brandon can contact him at 668-2432 or 661-7151. Other families can be reached on 602-3428and636-5350askforTasha.

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Jamaica government sends US agencies list of people supporting crime

The Andrew Holness led administration has provided law enforcement agencies in the United States with a list of names of people overseas who are supporting criminal activitieshere.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness made the disclosure as he spoke during a recent press briefing.

“Ithinkitisimportantfor criminals to understand that Jamaica does have very strongrespectedpoliticaland diplomaticlinks,andwehave legaltreatiesandframeworks inwhichwecaninterdictand prosecute them in foreign jurisdiction.”

“We provided the agencies and entities with a list of names that we have beentrackinghere,whichwe

have certain intelligence on, and the entities are doing their work… I don’t want to saymuch,butyouwillseethe results of our efforts very shortly,” he said.

Holness, along with CommissionerofPolice Major General Antony Anderson, recently met with senior officials of the United States Justice Department, which hosted a high-level meeting of law-enforcement and security agencies to discuss the growing threat of transnationalcriminalgangs, organised criminal violence and the trafficking of illegal guns into Jamaica.

“The Commissioner said it very well in our meeting with the Justice Department, theFBIandseveralotherlaw-

enforcement agencies that were there… that we must show the criminals that their criminallinksarenotstronger than our government and diplomatic links,” Holness said.

A press release from the Office of the Prime Minister stated that the meeting reviewed existing programmes and partnerships, identified gaps to be closed and explored newopportunitiestoadvance collaboration.

“In addition, there was commitment for greater and more effective information sharing. As part of this information-sharing thrust, Jamaicanlawenforcementhas identified to US law enforcement a number of

Jamaican criminal actors residing in the United States who are directing, soliciting, or financing crime in Jamaica,” the release said. (CMC)

Cop, fisherman shot dead...

From page 14 killed while Marlon was wounded.

While the police have not released details surrounding the incident, the Force’s Director of Corporate Communication Unit (CCU) Mark Ramotar disclosed that two police constables are under close arrest for the fatal shooting.

curred.The grieving mother, who is a security guard, said sheaskedtoleaveworkearly so that she can attend church onDecember31,2022.Upon arrival at her home, Kishan and Marlon were not there. She recounted that the father ofherchildrenandotherchildren were at home when she arrived.

said.

The distraught woman later found out that Kishan waskilledandMarloninjured and was taken to the hospital.

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In a press statement, the GPFnotedthatacomprehensive probe is underway and promised to give regular updates as the investigation progresses.

Budburgh’s mother Beverly Dundas told reporters that she was not aware that the shooting incident oc-

Dundas said they prepared for church and left homeatabout21:30h.

“WhenIcomebackfrom churcharound1o’clocktime (January1,2023),weseethe policevehicleonthedamand as we come in, when we watch, we see a man lay down not knowing was one ofthepoliceofficer,”Dundas

Followingthefatalshootingincident,ActingCommissioner of Police Clifton Hicken, visited the grieving families of both McPherson and Budburgh.

The Top Cop expressed condolences,onbehalfofthe Force, to Corporal McPherson’s mother, his pregnant wife, four-year-old child and other family members and relatives present at their La Parfaite Harmonie home,WestBankofDemerara (WBD). Commissioner

Hicken assured the family that a comprehensive probe is currently ongoing in relationtothecircumstancessurrounding the fatal shooting of Detective Corporal McPherson.

During his brief interaction with Dundas, the Police Commissioner expressed his condolences and assured her that a comprehensive investigation is currently underway

“I am transparent, and I want to be transparent with you, and whatever happens will be revealed at a later stage, and whichever directiontheDPPadvises,soshall it be,” said Commissioner Hicken.

Favourable contract, low breakeven prices...

Frompage2 barrels of undiscovered oil resources while Kaieteur could hold anywhere up to 2 billionbarrels.

Exxon has a range of projectsunderwayinoffshore Guyana. The energy supermajor plans to expedite the development of those operations,asoccurredwiththe Liza phase one and two developments that are now operating above nameplate capacitytobepumping360,000 barrels of oil per day The $9 billion Payara project, which will consist of 40 wells split between20productionand21 injection wells giving it a capacity of 220,000 barrels per day,iscurrentlyunderdevelopmentwithfirstoilexpected during2023.Thereisalsothe $10billionYellowtaildevelopmentwhichreceivedafinalinvestmentdecision(FID)from ExxoninApril2022.Thiswill consist of 26 production and 25 injection wells which will add capacity of 250,000 bar-

relsperdaymakingitthelargest project undertaken by ExxontodateintheStabroek Block. Exxon envisions that those operations when they come online will boost productionfromoffshoreGuyana toover850,000barrelsperday by2027.

Guyana’s industry-low breakeven prices make it a highly profitable jurisdiction for Exxon which was able to secure a very favorable production-sharing agreement withthenationalgovernment inGeorgetown.LizaPhase1, whichproducedfirstoilon20 December2019lessthanfive yearsafterthefirstexploration well was drilled, one of the fastest ramp-up periods witnessed,breaksevenat$35per barrel Brent. That fell to $25 perbarrelBrentforLizaPhase 2 which pumped first oil in February 2022. The Payara projectwhichwillcomeonline during 2023 is forecast to haveabreakevenpriceof$32 perbarrelBrent,whiletheYel-

lowtail development is expected to break even at $29 perbarrelBrent. Those numbers highlight just how profitable oil productionintheStabroekBlock isforExxonwhileunderscoringthecrucialroleoperations inGuyanawillplayinreducing the company-wide breakeven from $41 per barrel in 2021 to $35 a barrel by 2027. As drilling techniques improveandadditionalinfrastructure is developed in offshore Guyana those breakeven prices will likely falllower

Another compelling reasonforExxontoprioritizedeveloping its assets in offshore Guyana is the highquality oil being discovered in the Stabroek Block and pumpedfromtheLizaoilfield. Liza grade crude oil is light and sweet, with anAPI gravity of 32 degrees and 0.58% sulfur, meaning it is cheaper andeasiertorefineintohighgrade fuels. The oil being

produced has a low greenhousegasintensitytoextract, especially in comparison to heaviersourervarietiesbeing produced in other South Americancountries,likeVenezuelaandColombia.According to the Carnegie EndowmentforInternationalPeace, generally lighter sweeter grades emit a lower volume of greenhouse gases when produced and refined.As the world pushes to decarbonize the global economy there is growing pressure on energy companies to cut the volume of greenhouse gases emitted when extracting and refining crudeoil.Exxon,aspartofits 2023to2027CorporatePlan, intends to reduce the carbon intensity of upstream operations by 40% to 50%, with growing production in Guyana slated to play a key role with those operations to have a greenhouse gas intensity that is 30% less than the upstream average by 2027.

It is not difficult to see

whyExxonhasprioritizedits assets in Guyana for further development. Not only was Exxon able to secure a very favorableproductionsharing agreement with Georgetown which contributed to industry-lowbreakevenprices,but productionwillkeepexpanding at a rapid clip making Guyana an important profit center After a substantial outcry, such an extremely beneficialproduction-sharing agreementwilllikelyneverbe secured by any other energy companyinGuyana.Thelow carbonintensityofthepetroleum produced in Guyana amplifies the importance of those operations in a world seeking to sharply reduce greenhouse emissions in the fight against climate change. For those reasons, Exxon is poisedtobenefitsignificantly from its investment in offshore Guyana and unlock considerablevalueforshareholders. (By Matthew Smith forOilprice.com)

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Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness

AFC formalises divorce from APNU after 7-year union

TheAllianceForChange (AFC) has parted ways with the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), ending a seven year bond betweenthegroups.

Leader of the AFC, K hemraj Ramjattan yesterday confirmed the split, adding that the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Aubrey Norton has accepted and respects the party’s decision.

Ramjattan explained, “We had a partnership agreement that indicated terms of withdrawal within three years to five years and wehavesowithdrawnonthe thirdyear Itisnotasplit.We will still remain cordial and courteous and have engagements because we know that indeed that is necessary for a united Opposition against this very corruptPPPgovernment.”

He said it was on December 28, 2022 that he met with Norton to relate the party’s decision to withdraw from the APNU. At that meeting, only the Leaders from the two sides were

present,Ramjattansaid. “It is nothing that he can’t accept. If by a contract you say, it could be terminated within an expiry of time and the time has expired and we said well fine, we’ll go, it is not for him to consent to it. He doesn’t have a privilege to say the consent of his is necessary Anyone of us c o u l d s a y w e a r e withdrawingandthatiswhat we wrote into the Accord,” heexplained.

Ramjattan said he made it clear during the engagement with Norton that it was not a decision he made, but was one that the party’s highest decisionmaking body decided on in June last year, during its b i e n n i a l N a t i o n a l Conference.

When asked if AFC is likely to have future partnershipswiththeAPNU, Ramjattansaidthisislikely

“Oh yes, I can foresee that if at our next national conference, they decide that they would want to go, fine why not?At that appropriate

moment,ifthereisadecision for the rejoining, that could very well happen. If that National Conference feels that some other decision should be made, they can very well make that decision.”

At the same time, he pointed out that if the National Conference also votesinfavourofjoiningthe People’s Progressive Party (PPP) he will accept this decisionaswell.

Similarly, Ramjattan saidthatiftheAFCmembers decide that they want to join other small political parties to“remainindependent”this willbedone.

The next AFC National Congress is due for 2024, while the next Regional and General Elections should be heldin2025.

At this time, the AFC is not engaged in discussion with any other political group, according to Ramjattan who said the party’s focus is to regain independenceanddoitsown work.

Meanwhile, as it regards

the recalling of the AFC Members of Parliament, Ramjattansaiditwasa“nonissue”thatwasnotandcould notberaisedwithNorton.

“Well he knows and I emphasized the point even before that there is an inviolability of our nine Parliamentary seats and that is in accordance with the Constitution. We went in as an Opposition in the Parliament as APNU+AFC and at a Parliamentary level, we are going to be APNU/AFC and we will h a v e o u r n i n e Parliamentariansthere.They can’t go and take that away; neithercanwetakeanyaway fromtheir22.”

He said the Leader of the Opposition understands clearly that while the parties will be going their independent ways, they will work along, communicate and collaborate in the NationalAssembly

Severalattemptsmadeto contact Norton yesterday wereunsuccessful.

It was on February 14, 2015thattheAFCsignedthe

CummingsburgAccord with the APNU, binding the two political parties as a Coalition They later defeated the PPPat the 2015 elections held in May that year Since then, the Coalition has stood together but not without its internal hiccups.

Thoughmostoftheseare kept quiet by the members, Ramjattan hinted before that the two sides had a misunderstanding over the Region Four Vice Chairman position that led to its decisiontoleavetheAPNU.

“We have had other problems as you would have

within Parties…but we have hadourproblemsandIdon’t want to make all the problems public,” he told a press conference in Novemberlastyear

It must be noted too that the tension between the APNU and AFC sparked when a member of the Alliance For Change, Charrandass Persaud turned against the Coalition and voted in favour of a ‘No Confidence’Motionthatwas filed against the then government in December 2018. This led to the historic over turn of the Coalition government.

Exxon and Chevron share $100bn in profit after surge in oil prices

including the roughly $15bn in shares it had already boughtback.Italsoraisedits dividend earlier in 2022. Chevron says it will buy backabout$15bnofshares.

The focus on share repurchases has drawn political ire at a time when consumers are paying high energy prices, which have fanned decades-high inflation rates across the US andEurope

Chevron’s rose 53 per cent, closing at about $180 a share. Both companiesargue that oil and gas will power the global economy for decades to come despite widespread efforts to shift the economy away from fossilfuelstocombatclimate change.

FINANCIAL TIMES -

ExxonMobil and Chevron are expected to rake in almost $100bn in combined profits from 2022 as the US corporate oil titans capitalise on surging fossil fuel prices following Russia’s invasion ofUkraine.

The profit bonanza is seen by the oil majors as vindication after the companies resisted pressure from activists and some shareholders to pivot away from their core oil and gas businesses and slash

climate-warmingemissions.

Exxon was expected to record more than $56bn in profits in 2022 and Chevron is set to top $37bn, record highs for both companies, according to Wall Street estimates compiled by S&P CapitalIQ.

It is a sharp reversal from 18 months ago when the companies were still struggling to recover from the CoronaVirus pandemicdriven crude price crash and reeling from stinging shareholder defeats over

their climate strategies

Pressure on the companies peaked when Exxon lost control of three board seats toactivisthedgefundEngine No.1lastMay.

But the companies largely resisted the calls to overhaul their strategies. Exxon’s chief executive, DarrenWoods,saidrecently that the company’s bumper year was evidence it is “on therightcourse”

Exxon has unveiled plans to repurchase $50bn of its own shares until 2024,

Amos Hochstein, President Joe Biden’s top international energy adviser, told the Financial Times in December that the focus on share buybacks was “un-American” and the companies should instead be doing more to increase supply and cool prices.

But the big shareholder returns and elevated energy prices have been a boon to investors, lifting the companies’ share prices to new highs in 2022 despite the broader market sell-off, although they have fallen slightly in recent weeks Exxon’s stock closed the year at around $110 a share on Friday, up 80 per cent since the end of 2021

Exxon’s recently released long-term energy outlook forecasts oil demand continuing to grow until at least the end of 2040 It predicts the world will consume millions of barrels per day more than it does today in 2050, when many governments say they want their economies to have net zero carbon emissions

N a t u r a l g a s consumption will grow by nearly 50 per cent over that time,Exxonprojects.

That outlook contrasts with its British rival BP, which has pledged to halve its oil output by 2030 and says it expects oil demand to start falling from the start of the next decade and be at least 20 per cent lower by2050

Chevron’schiefexecutive Mike Wirth recently told the

FT that fossil fuels will still “runtheworld 20 years from now” The bullish fossil fuel demand outlook is underpinning the firms’plans to expand output in the coming years, even as they say they will plough more cash into low-carbon investments such as carbon capture and storage, hydrogenandbiofuels.

Exxon plans to tap oilfields such as the Permian in Texas and New M e x i c o a s w e l l a s deepwater fields in Guyana and Brazil to increase its outputbyaround15percent by2027

Carbon Tracker, a climate-focused think-tank, saidinarecentreportthatthe long-term fossil fuel growth plans were out of step with governments’ climate goals under the Paris Agreement andputtheirfinancesatrisk.

“ C o m p a n i e s a r e committing tens of billions to projects that are unlikely tobreakevenifgovernments deliver on their climate pledges, and investors must b e a w a r e o f t h e implications,” said Mike Coffin, an analyst at the group.

Leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan

GAWU again questions poor management of GuySuCo

- decries lowly 47,011 tonnes sugar produced last year

h e G u y a n a Sasenarine Singh due to the explained.

Tpointedoutitsconcernabout Agricultural and failureofthecorporation. The sugar company said the management of the General Workers Again, the union that the 2021 floods, which industry

Union (GAWU) registereditsdisappointment particularly affected Albion It explained that the has once again raised over the underperforming Estate, was one of the causes industry has lost critical concerns about the sugar industry, which only o f i t s l o w o u t p u t skills arising from attrition management of the Guyana managed to produce 47,011 Meanwhile, the Union andretirement. pay rates placed the workers returned to the supplier after Sugar Corporation, saying tonnes last year, though it reasoned, “As has become Assuch,theUnionsaidit atadisadvantage. itwasdeemedunsuitable. that the funds being pumped was estimated to produce at the norm, the GuySuCo agrees with Vice President Toillustratethestarkness While it is said the i n t o t h e s e c t o r b y least64,889tonnessugar sought to blame the workers BharratJagdeothatthereisa of the situation with the company did not pay over government can make a The Albion Estate for its production woes as need to strengthen the recent eight (8) percent pay any monies to the supplier, difference once properly produced 25,834 while the well. industry’s management rise, a sugar workers is paid the lost opportunity of not managed. Blairmont and Uitvlugt Though, for the GAWU, cadre to replace lost skills $1,285 to cut 2,200 pounds having the machines would In its New Year Day Estates managed to produce a worn out excuse, the sugar and to bring new ways of of canes and fetch those impede the industry’s message, GAWU said the 1 5 , 0 9 7 a n d 6 , 0 8 0 company, at several times, thinking in addressing canes in 100 pounds bundles progress. sugar industry has lost respectively All three of the during the year praised its presentdaychallenges. on their heads to the punts In other instances, it critical skills arising from Estates produced less sugar workers efforts in enabling On the other hand, somedistanceaway l e a r n t t h a t c e r t a i n attrition and retirement. As thanwasanticipated. the realization of sugar GAWU said it believes that While efforts are being implements and equipment such,theUnionsaiditagrees “We were told that the targets.Howcantheworkers the funds being pumped into furthered to assist through have been purchased only to with Vice President Bharrat initial annual production be bad on one occasion and the sector by government mechanization, there is need lie idle at estates. The union Jagdeo that there is a need to estimate (64,889 tonnes goodinanother?” can make a difference once to also invest in the said these serious worries strengthen the industry’s sugar) was arrived at after a The Union argued that properlymanaged. workers,”theUnionsaid. In requirefurtherexamination. management cadre to thorough and vigorous while workers are being “The GAWU also urges addition,theGAWUpointed It said that while the replace lost skills and to examination of the canes in blamed for the low output, similar focus on the out its concern over the industry hopes to produce bring new ways of thinking the fields. Lamentably, that theindustryharvestednearly industry’s workers who purchase of incorrect 100,000 tonnes sugar by in addressing present day target was not attained all its canes, except for a suffered the indignation of a equipment by the sugar 2025, such targets are not challenges. Expectedly, the Corporation small amount atAlbion after wage freeze between 2015 company for workers to use. only attainable but can be Last year GAWU had has justified its performance the rains brought the crop to and2020undertheCoalition Inonerecentinstance,itsaid surpassed with a committed called for the sacking of the on account of the weather an end Against this Government. This massive it learnt that cane-loading workforce and capable Chief Executive Officer, and workers,” GAWU backdrop, the workers body setback and stagnation of machinesdeliveredhadtobe management.

Mechanic shot three times during shootout at popular bar

…Security guard beaten with glass bottle after asking driver to stop blocking entrance

Amechanic and a security bottle in his hand dealt the security guard are currently patients guardonelashtotheleftsideofhisface, at a city hospital after they causing him to receive injuries and

were injured during collapsetotheground. shooting incident at a popular bar It was reported that thereafter De located at MovieTowne complex early Santos allegedly pulled out a handgun NewYear’sDay from his pants waist and discharged

The injured have been identified as several rounds in the area. Due to this, 30-year-old mechanic Olofi De Santos shots were fired from patrons in and of Bagotville, East Bank Demerara aroundthevicinity (EBD) and 41-year-old Sheldon De Santos was shot three times in Adams, a security guard. The incident the exchange of gunfire. There were occurredatabout04:30h. over200personsatthebaratthetimeof

De Santos was shot thrice about his theshootout,policesaid. body while Adams was beaten with a De Santos was shot once to his glassbottle. lowerabdomen,rightsidechestandleft

According to police reports, De forearm before collapsing. The firearm Santos along with Eron Baptist, a 29- that he had brandished was taken from year-oldlicensedfirearmholderandhis him. The Baptist brothers quickly brother Errol Baptist, a businessman enteredthecaranddroveaway (who is also a licensed firearm holder) Both De Santos and Adams were both of Seaforth Street, Campbellville, pickedupandtakentoaprivatehospital Georgetown arrived in a car and parked wheretheyarebeingtreated. infronttheentranceofthebar RanksfromCriminalInvestigations license,wereseizedandlodged.

Upon seeing this, the security guard Department (CID) headquarters The two were also swabbed for who is employed at the popular processed the scene, where four .40 gunpowder residue and the motorcar nightspot, approached the driver of the spent shells, six 9MM spent shells, two they were using that night was car (one of the Baptist brothers) and .32spentshells,andtwowarheadswere examined. askedhimtoremovethecarsinceitwas found.

Police stated that what appeared to blocking the entrance to the bar The It was reported that the two Baptist betwobulletholes,onetotherightside Baptist brothers and De Santos exited brothers were later arrested, and their back door and one to the right side thecarandrefusedtomoveit. firearms, along with two magazines, trunk, were seen. The car was also

Police reported that one of the onecontaining12andtheotherholding lodged. Baptist brothers, who had a Hennessy eight rounds, along with their firearm

Investigationsareongoing.

Two in custody for murder of Paramakatoi granny

wo men have been arrested in relation to the

T murder of 78year-old, Ramdia Balkaran alsoknownas‘SisterJean’of ParamakatoiVillage, Region Eight, who was discovered, bound, gagged, and battered inherbedroomlastThursday morning.

Kaieteur News had reported that ‘Sister Jean’ and her husband, Reverend Basil Balkaran, served as Missionaries for over 50 years at the Wesleyan C h u r c h l o c a t e d i n ParamakatoiVillage.

The gruesome discovery of ‘Sister Jean’was made by ‘Sister Jean’ headed her husband and grandson home while her husband around 06:00hrs on went to another house December 29, 2022. It is located in the same yard that believedthatthewomanwas is used for mediation and beaten and murdered during prayers. a robbery A post mortem T h i s p u b l i c a t i o n examination conducted on understands that around Friday revealed that ‘Sister 06:00hrs the next morning, Jean’ died from suffocation ‘Sister Jean’s’ grandson and andblunttrauma. husband found her battered,

The elderly woman was lifelessbodyinherbedroom. last seen alive around 19:30 Notably, the Guyana hours on Wednesday when Police Force (GPF) has still she and her husband retired not issued an official to bed after closing up their statement on the murder of shop. SisterJean.

Chief Executive Officer of GuySuCo, Sasenarine Singh

Injured, Olofi De Santos

Murdered: Ramdai Balkaran known as ‘Sister Jean’ (Photo credit, Big Smith News Watch)

Paris Saint-Germain suffer first loss of season at Lens

AFP-ParisSaint-Germain lost for the first time in any competition since March 20 last year when they were defeated 3-1 at Lens on Sunday

Lois Openda scored one and set up another as Lens, who have only lost once in Ligue 1 this season, closed the gap on PSG at the top to four points after 17 rounds.

PSG’s last loss was more than nine months ago when they fell 3-0 at Monaco in Ligue1,althoughthatstillleft them12pointsclearatthetop of the table.

On Sunday at Lens, PSG were without World Cup winner Lionel Messi and suspendedBrazilianNeymar, but Kylian Mbappe, the GoldenBootwinnerinQatar,

received a rousing welcome from the Lens fans as he warmedup.

Lenswerelesswelcoming once play started. They took the lead after five minutes when PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma blocked an effort from Massadio Haidara to PrzemyslawFrankowskiwho scored.

HugoEkitikerepliedthree minutes later, swinging hard as Brice Samba dived to gatheracrossanddrivingthe ball through the Lens goalkeeper’s grasp.

Lenstookcontrolafter28 minutes. Seko Fofana won possession on the edge of his own box, drove through a couple of challenges then measured a pass between the

PSG central defenders to Openda. The Belgium sprinted clear, and squeezed a shot under Donnarumma.

Lens struck the decisive blow two minutes into the second half.

Openda’s backheel in the penalty area left the defence flat-footed and set up Alexis ClaudeMauricetoscorefrom close range.

The French league normally takes the holiday season off but with matches to make up following the World Cup, it played one round immediately after Christmas and another on Sunday and Monday

They have dubbed the games‘CelebrationWeek’,in English, as a nod to the English tradition of Boxing

Tuesday January 03, 2022

ARIES (Mar.21–Apr.19)

Today is a great day to let your artistic nature shine through, Aries. Your sense of color and pattern is right ontargetandyourwordsare more poetic than usual.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Your emotions may be confused today, Taurus. People may seem to rub you thewrongway,andyoumay feellikeyou'reallaloneinthe world.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

Youmaybeoutofstepwith the rest of the world today, Gemini, but don't sweat it. This is a good day to finish projects. Your head may be in the clouds and your emotions foggier than usual.

CANCER(June21–July22)

Stay grounded and focused today, Cancer, You can accomplish a lot if you set your mind to it. You may sense a blurry cloud lingering - this is your emotiontalking.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Today's events may cause disruption in your routine, Leo. Your emotions may seem clouded, and other people may challenge aspects of your ego. Relationships with the opposite sex may not be great today

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

Turn up your fantasy dial andletyourimaginationrun wild.Yourintuitionisstrong today,Virgo,andyoushould give your emotions room to flow

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Issues may be clouded today, Libra. The things that seemrealmayactuallybeillusions. You might find that you feel a bit more reserved than usual.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)

Terrific energy flows your way today, Scorpio. Make sure that what you're dealing with is genuine. There's a tendency for people to get lost in their fantasy worlds.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

The heaviness of the day weighs on you, Sagittarius. Takeyourtimewithprojects andcarefullyevaluateallthe facts before making a decision. People can be deceptive, so be careful in all your dealings.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)=It

Your fantasy world is especially piqued today, Capricorn. Your need to escape physical reality is strong.Becarefulabouthow you go about this. Dreams may take you there, but be rational so you aren't left more confused than before.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

People may tug at you from allsidestoday,Aquarius.No matter which way you turn, someone is there. Be patient and levelheaded. Your time willcome.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20) Today is a great day to checkoffalltheitemsonthat list of yours, Pisces. Get it done.Atthesametime,realizethatyouremotionsmight be a bit clouded.

unfurled

1-0,wasonethatcomplained that the league and broadcasters were “killing” them.

In Monaco, Aleksandr Golovin smashed in the only goalfromoutsidethepenalty areaasthehometeamdidjust enough to beat Brest 1-0 and tighten their grip on fourth place.

Angers remain anchored to the bottom after suffering a ninth straight loss, falling 2-1 to visiting Lorient who broke their own run of six games without a victory The hometeam’sMoroccanWorld CupstarsSofianeBoufaland Azzedine Ounahi, who have just returned from vacation and reportedly been promised lucrative transfers, were honoured before the match but did not appear

“I was happy to see Sofiane and Azzedine,” said Angers coach Abdel Bouhazama.“Forthemoment they are here. For the rest, I leave that to the club directors. I take care of what happens on the pitch.”

Paris Saint-Germain lost for the first time in any competition since March 20 last year

Daygames,butmanyfansare suspicious or hostile.

Among protest banners

by fans in an almost emptystandatNantes,where the home team beat Auxerre

NFL roundup: 49ers clip Raiders in OT, win 9th straight

Reuters - Tashaun

GipsonSr interceptedJarrett Stidham’s pass on the fourth play of overtime and Robbie Gould avenged an earlier miss with a 23-yard field goal as the San Francisco 49erswontheirninthstraight game, beating the host Las Vegas Raiders 37-34 on Sunday

Gould also had a chance to be the hero on the final playofregulationbutpushed a41-yarderwidetotheright, prompting overtime The 49ers (12-4) moved into the No. 2 playoff position in the NFC and stayed alive for the No.1seedwithoneweekleft intheregularseason.

Making his first start for Las Vegas following the benching of Derek Carr during the week, Stidham threwfor365yardsandthree touchdowns for the Raiders (6-10), who were eliminated f r o m A F C p l a y o f f contention. But Stidham’s second interception of the day proved costly, as Gipson snatched it at the San Francisco 37 and ran it 56

yardstotheLasVegas7-yard line to help set up the gamewinner

49ers quarterback Brock Purdy finished 22-for-35 for 284 yards and two touchdowns with one interception Christian McCaffrey was the game’s leading rusher with 121 yardsanda14-yardTDon19 carries. McCaffrey also had 72 yards on six receptions. Las Vegas receiver Davante Adams finished with seven catches for 153 yards and twotouchdowns.

Giants38,Colts10 DanielJonesguidedNew York to its first playoff berth since 2016, passing for two touchdowns and running for two more in a blowout of Indianapolis in East Rutherford,N.J.

J o n e s ’ r u s h i n g touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters sent the Giants (9-6-1) well on their way to the victory they needed to clinch the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoff field Landon Collins intercepted Colts starting

quarterback Nick Foles and raninhissecondcareerpick6 before Foles injured his ribs on the following drive. Sam Ehlinger finished the game for Indianapolis (4-111), which lost its sixth straightcontest.

Jonescompleted19of24 passes for 177 yards and had 11 carries for a team-high 91 rushing yards. Richie James had seven catches for 76 yards and a touchdown for New York. Foles finished 8 of 13 for 81 yards. Ehlinger went9of14for60yardsand atouchdown.

Buccaneers 30, Panthers 24 Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes to Mike Evans and orchestrated a fourth-quarter comeback as Tampa Bay clinched the NFC South by beating visitingCarolina.

Brady, who also scored the clinching touchdown on a 1-yard sneak, was 34-for45 for 432 passing yards as Tampa Bay (8-8) secured a home playoff game. Evans gained 207 yards on 10 receptions, reaching the

1,000-yard mark for the ninthconsecutiveseason.

The Panthers (6-10) held leads of 14-0 and 21-10, but their late-season surge under interim coach Steve Wilks hit a fourth-quarter rough patch. Carolina quarterback Sam Darnold completed 23 of 37 passes for 341 yards with three touchdowns and aninterception.

Packers41,Vikings17

Aaron Rodgers passed for a touchdown and ran for another, and Aaron Jones rushed for 111 yards to help host Green Bay rout Minnesota to keep its NFC

playoffhopesintact.

Green Bay (8-8) won for the fourth straight game and can earn a spot in the postseason with a home victory against fellow postseason hopeful Detroit inWeek18.Rodgerswas15for-24 for 159 yards and a touchdown to Robert Tonyan. AJ Dillon had 12 carries for 41 yards and a 2yardtouchdowninthefourth quarter

Minnesota (12-4), which clinched the NFC North last month, committed four turnovers and missed an opportunity to stay alive for

theNFC’stopseedfollowing Philadelphia’s loss earlier Sunday Capitalizing on two return touchdowns to help jolt a slow-starting offense, Green Bay rolled to a 27-3 leadathalftime.

Inotherresults: Falcons20,Cardinals19 Lions41,Bears10 Jaguars31,Texans3 Chiefs27,Broncos24

Patriots23,Dolphins21 Saints20,Eagles10 B r o w n s 2 4 , Commanders10 Seahawks23,Jets6 Chargers31,Rams10 (FieldLevelMedia)

Navratilova diagnosed with throat and breast cancer

(Reuters)-Formerworld number one tennis player and gay rights trailblazer Martina Navratilova said on Monday she has been diagnosed with throat and breastcancer

The Czech–American is considered among one the greatest players of all time, winning a total of 59 Grand Slamtitlesacrosssinglesand doubles “This double whammy is serious but still fixable,” the 66-year-old saidinastatementtoWTA.

“I’m hoping for a favourable outcome It’s goingtostinkforawhile,but I’llfightwithallIhavegot.”

Czech-born Navratilova, whobecameaU.S.citizenin 1981 and soon afterwards came out as gay, was also diagnosed and beat breast cancerbackin2010.

Navratilova added that the cancer was in Stage 1, and the prognosis was good, withtreatmentstobeginnext

week The cancer was discovered in early November during the WTA finals when Navratilova noticed a swelling in her neckthatdidnotgodown.

“Martina noticed an enlarged lymph node in her neck during the WTA finals in Forth Worth,” said Navratilova’s representative Mary Greenham. “When it didn’tdodown,abiopsywas performed, the results came backasStage1throatcancer

“AtthesametimeasMartina was undergoing the tests for the throat, a suspicious form

was found in her breast, which was subsequently diagnosed as cancer, completely unrelated to the throat cancer “Both of these cancers are in their early stageswithgreatoutcomes.”

Greenham said that Navratilova,whonowworks as tennis presenter on television and radio, will not travel to Melbourne for the Jan. 16-29 Australian Open buthopestocontributetothe broadcasts remotely

“Martina won’t be covering the Aussie Open for the Tennis Channel from their studio but hopes to join in fromtimetotimebyZoom,” said Greenham. Tennis fans quickly took to social media offering support, including another tennis trailblazer BillieJeanKing.“@Martina is as brave as she is strong,” postedKingonTwitter “She has fought this battle before, and she is in our thoughts andprayers.”

San Francisco 49ers safety Tashaun Gipson Sr. (31) celebrates his interception against Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jarrett Stidham (3) during overtime at Allegiant Stadium. (Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)

NBA roundup: Nikola Jokic, Nuggets end Celtics’ winning streak Pakistan bounce back after Conway hits century in 2nd test

Pakistan’s

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) New Zealand slipped against Pakistan allrounder Agha Salman’s offspin in the final session after Devon Conway hit his fourth test hundred on the opening day of the second testyesterday

New Zealand was cruising along at 234-1 on thebackofConway’s122off 191 balls before Salman pickedup3-55andtheBlack Capsfinishedthedayat3096.

Tom Blundell was not out on 30 while Ish Sodhi, whomadeacareer-best65in the drawn first test, was unbeatenon11.

Conway put on two solid century stands with Tom Latham (71) and Kane Williamson (36) in a dominating first two sessions for the Black Caps after Tim Southee won the tossandelectedtobatbefore losing five wickets for 45 runsaftertea.

“The surface (pitch) certainly got a little bit drier which offered a little bit more spin for the turners,” Conway said. “The game is certainly evenly poised, we did win those first two sessions, but the way Pakistan have bounced back in that last session certainly brought them back in the game.”

Salman pegged back New Zealand with the old ball on a wicket that had some grass and tempted Pakistantogowiththreefast bowlers Mir Hamza, recalled Hasan Ali and fitagain Naseem Shah — and just one specialist spinner AbrarAhmed.

“I knew there could be a

responsibility on me as a second spinner for which I was ready,” Salman said. “The wicket had a bite (for spinners) after tea as it got dried up and it troubled them.”

Salman ignited the collapse when he found the outside edge of Conway’s bat that ended his 100-run stand with Williamson. The offspinner, who bowled 12over spell after tea, hit back the off stump of Daryl Mitchell (3) with his turning delivery before successfully overturning a caught behind decision through TV referral againstHenryNicholls(26).

Earlier, Conway and Lathamcontributedasecond successive century opening standinthetwo-matchseries before Naseem Shah (2-44) brought the lone success in the first two sessions when he had Latham trapped leg before wicket of a full delivery after lunch but New Zealand added further 107 runs in the post-lunch session.

Naseem was rewarded for his reverse swing when he also found the outside edgeofWilliamson’sbatand was brilliantly snapped by diving Sarfaraz Ahmed in front of first slip soon after Salman had dismissed Conway

Both lefthanders Conway and Latham dominated the pace and spin inthefirstsessiontoproduce 119 runs and even showed aggression against Abrar’s mystery spin after captain BabarAzamturnedtohisace spinner as early as in the ninthover

Leftarm fast bowler Hamza twice came close to

gainingabreakthroughinhis returnspellbeforelunch,but first Latham successfully overturned onfield umpire AlexWharf’s lbw ruling and then Pakistan went for an unsuccessful leg before wicket TV referral against Conway before he also completedahalfcentury Hasan Ali, playing his first test since July, twice foundtheedgesofConway’s bat in successive overs after lunch only to see the ball fall short of Abdullah Shafique in the slips and then Saud Shakeel couldn’t hold onto a sharp chance in gully while diving full length to his right when the lefthander was 11 shyofhishundred.

Conway completed his century off 156 balls with 13 foursandasixwithaflickof Hamza to midwicket and ran three while Williamson also kept the bowlers at bay with his determined batting before Salman struck after tea.

“Personally, it’s been a good ride so far when you have played a handful of test games,” Conway said after completing his fourth hundred in only his 12th test match.“It’sjustnicetogetan opportunity to play and contributefortheteam.”

Both Conway and Latham batters motored NewZealandto63insidethe first hour and batted aggressively against fast bowlers Naseem Shah and Hasan Ali, who made comebackstotestcricket.

Conway raised New Zealand’shalfcenturywitha six against the mystery spinner Ahmed over wide mid-onasPakistanstruggled togetthroughthedefenses.

Reuters - Nikola Jokic had 30 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists, and the Denver Nuggets won their eighth consecutive home game by beating the Boston Celtics 123-111 on Sunday night.

Jokic made 10 of his 13 field goal attempts and was 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. It was his ninth tripledoubleoftheseason.

Denver played without starting guard Jamal Murray (injurymanagement).

Bruce Brown replaced Murray in the starting lineup andfinishedwith21points.

JaylenBrown(30points) and Jayson Tatum (25) led the Boston offense The Celtics, who entered the contest with a four-game winning streak, fell to 11-6 ontheroad.

Boston interim head coachJoeMazzullareturned after missing two games withaneyeinjury

The Nuggets led 37-28 after one quarter and 62-54 athalftime.

Denver’s first-half lead peaked at 15 points in the secondquarter

Michael Porter Jr (19 points), Aaron Gordon (18) and Bones Hyland (17) also scored in double figures for Denver, which led by as many as 18 points in the fourthquarter

Grizzlies118,Kings108

Ja Morant scored 35 points as host Memphis pulled away down the stretch to beat Sacramento foritsthirdstraightwin.

Morant scored nine of his points in the fourth quarter, as the Grizzlies held the Kings to 21 points

Morant made 13 of 23 shots and also finished with eight rebounds and five assists. Steven Adams matched his career high with 23 rebounds, including a career-best 13 on the offensiveend.

De’Aaron Fox scored 19 points to lead the Kings but shot 7 of 18 and committed five turnovers as the Kings were unable to win a third straight.

Domantas Sabonis posted his 13th straight double-double with 18 points and 14 boards, while M a l i k M o n k a l s o contributed18points.

Wizards118,Bucks95

Rui Hachimura scored 26 points and Kristaps Porzingis added 22 as Washingtonwentontheroad and took down depleted Milwaukee.

Kyle Kuzma also had a

big night, finishing with a 10-point, 13-rebound, 11assist triple-double, the second of his career Daniel Gafford and Corey Kispert also finished in double figures, scoring 17 and 12 points, respectively, for the Wizards,whowontheirfifth straightgame.

The Bucks were without their big three in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue H o l i d a y a n d K h r i s Middleton.

BobbyPortisledtheway for Milwaukee in their absence, scoring 19 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, while Jevon Carter added 14 points.

The Wizards quickly built a big lead, going up 3417 after the first quarter and never looked back, leading byasmuchas26.

(FieldLevelMedia)

Agha Salman, center, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell, right, during the first day of the second test cricket match in Karachi, Pakistan. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controlsthe ball in the second quarter against the Boston Celtics at Ball Arena. (Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)

Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III (44)and guard Jaylen Brown (7) talk during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. (Ron Chenoy-U

Trophy Stall dominoes set for today in Wakenaam

Dominoes teams on the island of Wakenaam will be in action today at Carlosh SportsBarinGoodSuccesswhentheTrophy Stalldominoescompetitioncommencesfrom 11:00hrs.

Teams expected to battle are Underdog, Allstar, Zeelandia, Maria’s Pleasure, MelvilleandEastWakenaam.

Entrance fee is $9,000 and teams are

asked to be present at the venue at least 30 minutespriortothetimeforplaytostart.

Trophy Stall, on Friday handed over the trophies for the winning and runner up teams and MVP to organiser Zaheer Mohamed.

Ramesh Sunich, proprietor of Trophy Stall wished the teams well, while MohamedthankedSunich

FIFA president Infantino wants a stadium named for Pele in every country

Sandiford dominates U20 Rapid Chess Championship -Narine,Lee,Lamsecureprizes

Nineteen-year old Keron Sandiford ended 2022 on a high note, securing the top prize in the End-of-Year Rapid Chess Under-20 Championship, which was sponsored by the Guyana ChessFederation(GCF).

Notably, Sandiford has long excelled in the fastpaced format of the game; finishing as the top Guyanese player at the FIDE Online Rapid World Cupin2020.

He ended the recent U20 Rapid Championship on 8 5 points after nine rounds, with his only draw coming from his clash with Oluwadare Oyeyipo

In second place is reigning National Junior Champion, Ricardo Narine, who ended the tournament on7points.

Narine lost to U14 and U16RapidChessChampion, Kyle Couchman, and eventualwinnerSandiford.

points; only losing to Kishan Puran, Ricardo Narine, Ethan Lee and Keron Sandiford.

Also on five points were Emmanuel Primus, Nicholas Zhang, 2022 U12 Champion - Alexander Zhang, Kishan Puran, Rolex Alexander, Italy Ton Chung and Micaiah Enoe.

Winners received cash p r i z e s o f $ 3 0 , 0 0 0 , $20,000, $10,000 for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places, respectively, while the best female received $10,000

FM Anthony Drayton was the tournament

The next one-day Rapid Tournament was scheduled for yesterday, January 2nd, 2023. Players were to compete in nine rounds under a time-control of 10 minutes per player, with a one second increment after eachmove

The top player in the event received $50,000 cash Second prize claimed $30,000, third prize$20,000 and the best female was awarded $20,000

Sportsmax - Gianni Infantino has asked each countrytonameonestadium after Pele in a tribute to the Brazilgreat.

Pele,theonlymantowin theWorld Cup three times as a player, passed away last weekaged82.

Brazil entered a national period of mourning after Pele’sdeath.

Pele’s coffin was placed inthecentrecircleatUrbano Caldeira Stadium in Sao Paulo, the home of his former club Santos, and FIFApresidentInfantinowas inattendanceonMonday.

“We are going to ask that all countries in the world have at least one stadium with the name of Pele,” Infantino told reporters in Brazil.

“[This will be] so that children know Pele’s importance [to the game of football].”

Naming a sporting venue afteraformerplayerisnotan uncommon occurrence, with such examples as Hungary’s Puskas Arena and the Johan CruyffArenainAmsterdam.

However, it is more unusual for a venue to be named for a player outside

their native country, though againnotimplausible.

Serie A side Napoli renamed their home ground the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in memory of the Argentina great following hisdeathin2020.

South Korea’s Gwangju World Cup Stadium meanwhile was named after Dutchman Guus Hiddink, who took the nation to a fourth-place finish at the 2004WorldCup.

Pele, whose 77 goals for Brazil stands as a joint record,issettobelaidtorest today,Tuesday.

Ethan Lee also finished inthirdplaceon7points,just a half point ahead of Couchman, who came in fourth place in the tournament. Lee was ranked in third place due to a round three loss against Narine, resulting in a tie-break by direct encounter His only otherlosscameinroundfour againstSandiford.

Taking home the prize for best female was 2022 N a t i o n a l Wo m e n ’s Champion 14-year old Pooja Lam, who also finished in fifth place overall among 24 participants in the event. She endedthetournamentonfive

organizer and chief arbiter for the Tournament. Drayton recently took up the post of headoftheYouthCommittee withinthefederation.

From left: Saleema Hussain, Maricela Mirtha Rodríguez, Zaheer Mohamed and Brenda Suylen Sánchez with the trophies.

Gianni Infantino has asked each country to name one stadium after Pele in a tribute to the Brazilian Legend.

Junior Rapid Champion, Keron Sandiford

Pooja Lam received her prizes from Arbiter Anthony Drayton.

Benjamin, Wilson pilot Region 4 to One Guyana President’s Cup title

Leo‘fantastic’LovellnamedMVP

By Rawle Toney

It was a fitting finale for the inaugural One Guyana President’s Cup tournament, as a near capacity-filled National Track and Field Centre witnessed Region 4 coming from behind to defeatRegion3,2–1,tocart offthetrophyand$2M.

Prime Minister Mark Phillips, Minister of Sports Charles Ramson Jr, and Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle, along with other members of Government andsponsorswereonhandat theEdinburghfacility

Many pundits predicted the two sides colliding in the final, taking into account their well-rounded roster. Andtheydelivered.

The starting line-up remained the same for both sides from their respective semi-final win, and in the opening stages of their encounter, Region 3 had the upperhand.

Thirteen minutes into the contest, Trayon Bobb worked his way around Jeremy Garrett and Colin Nelson to find an open Leo

Lovell,whonicelycurledhis right-footed volley out of Akel Clarke’s reach to give Region3the1–0advantage.

Bothteamscamecloseto scoring in the first half, but neither connected on their chances.

The half ended with Region 3 holding a 1 – 0 cushion.

Kobi Alexander was red-carded in the 55th minute, reducing Region 3 to 10 men That, along with several changes by Coach Dover resulted in Region 4 upping the ante, which paid offinthe75thminute.

Captain Daniel Wilson stepped up to take a free kick just outside of the penalty area, and his shot was timed to perfection, beating the Region 3 custodiantolevelthescore1 –1.

Kelsey Benjamin, one minute later, slotted home what turned out to be the winning goal of the game and the shot that earned his team$2M

Benjaminscoredhis10th goal of the tournament, tied

with Abumchi Benjamin of Region5.

In the third place game, Region 5 had a 6-3 win over Region 7, thanks to a hattrick from Abumchi Benjamin (7’, 30’, 66’), Delroy Fraser (53’), Marc Galloway (58’) and Olvis Mitchell(88’).

Andrew Simmons (11’and 36’) and Whitney Welcome (90+2) were the goalscorersforRegion7.

The One Guyana President’s Cup tournament was conceptualized by President Irfaan Ali and administered by the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation and the Guyana Football Federation(GFF).

A s m u c h a s t h e tournament is being used as part of the President’s One Guyana initiative, the Commander-in-Chiefadded, “It’s not only about football, but a mission and an aspiration of us getting into thenextworldcup.”

President Ali spoke at several public events, where he was vocal about seeing Guyana at the 2026 World

Cup in Mexico, Canada and theUSA.

The President said the Government of Guyana is committed to removing all barriers that will prevent the country from getting into the nextworldcup.

As it relates to the One G u y a n a F o o t b a l l Tournament, President Ali thanked the players for their participation while noting that it was just the beginning of a legacy that he hopes formspartoftheGFF’splans toseeGuyanaqualifyfor the 2026FIFAWorldCup.

Following the InterWard tournament played throughout the country, the districts selected their best 25 players to play in the RegionalTournament.

In Group A, Region 4 (Demerara/Mahaica), ranked as the top seed, was joined by Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne), Region 7 (Cuyuni/Mazaruni), R e g i o n 9 ( U p p e r Takutu/Upper Essequibo) and Region 8 (PotaroSiparuni).

Region 10 (Upper

Demerara/Upper Berbice) was placed as the top seed in Group B and joined by R e g i o n 5 (Mahaica/Berbice), Region 1 (Barima/Waini), Region 3 (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) and Region 2 (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

The teams played in a round-robin format in the initial stage, where the top two teams from each group advancedtothesemi-finals.

Matches were played at the National Track and Field Centre, the Buxton Community Centre Ground, the Bartica Community Centre Ground, #5 Ground andAlbionSportsComplex.

The One Guyana President’s Cup was one of t h e m o s t l u c r a t i v e tournaments ever held in Guyana.

Apart from the $2M offered to the winning team, each player received $80,000 as a one-off payment Team captains received$100,000.

The head coach of each team collected $100,000, while members of his coaching staff received $80,000.

Foreachwininthegroup stage, teams were rewarded $200,000, and each semifinalist $400,000 Second placeoverallpocketed$1M.

Fans mourn Pelé at public viewing in Brazil stadium

SANTOS, Brazil (AP)

Thousands of mourners began paying their respects to Pelé in a solemnprocessionpasthiscoffinat the Vila Belmiro Stadium in his

hometownofSantosyesterday

The Brazilian soccer great died Thursday after a battle with cancer The three-time World Cup winner was82.

People line up to pay their last respects to the late Brazilian soccer great Pele at Vila Belmiro stadium where his body lies in state in Santos, Brazil, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Pelé’s coffin was placed on the field where he scored some of his best goals. Mourners walked past hiscasketinthemidfieldareaofthe 16,000-seat stadium outside Sao

Paulo. A Catholic Mass will be celebrated there this morning before his burial at a nearby cemetery

Vila Belmiro was decorated with Brazilian flags and No. 10 shirts that became popular after Pelé started wearing them for SantosandBrazil.

The stands were filling up with bouquets of flowers placed by mournersandsentbyclubsandstar players — Neymar and Ronaldo among them — from around the world as loudspeakers played a song named “Eu sou Pelé” (“I am Pelé”) that was recorded by the Brazilianhimself.

Fans arrived early to honor Edson Arantes do Nascimento, globallyknownasPelé.

Among them was FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who told journalists that every country shouldnameastadiumafterPelé.

“Iamherewithalotofemotion, sadness, but also with a smile because he gave us so many smiles,” Infantino said. “As FIFA, we will pay a tribute to the ‘King’ and we ask the whole world to observeaminuteofsilence.”

Another fan and friend in line

was Brazilian Supreme Court JusticeGilmarMendes.

“Itisaverysadmoment,butwe are now seeing the real meaning of this legendary player to our country,” Mendes told journalists. “My office has shirts signed by Pelé, a picture of him as a goalkeeper, also signed by him. DVDs, photos, a big collection of him.”

Mendes also said Pelé was a humble man despite his global fame, and that he deserves every tribute.

Pelé’s casket will be ushered through the streets of Santos before hisburial.

Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and other dignitaries areexpectedtoattend.

Pelé had undergone treatment for colon cancer since 2021. The medical center where he had been hospitalized said he died of multiple organ failure as a result of thecancer.

Pelé led Brazil to World Cup titles in 1958, 1962 and 1970 and remains one of the team’s all-time leading scorers with 77 goals. Neymar tied Pelé’s record during thisyear’sWorldCupinQatar

Leo ‘fantastic’ Lovell named MVP

Benjamin,

President’s Cup title

Sports

Fans mourn Pelé at public viewing in Brazil stadium

Prime Minister Mark Phillips presenting the One Guyana President’s Cup trophy to Region 4 Captain, Daniel Wilson, in the presence of Minister Charles Ramson and other officials. (Rawle Toney Photo)

The coffin with the remains of Brazilian soccer great Pele lies on display on the pitch of the Vila Belmiro stadium in Santos, Brazil, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)